Merry Christmas everyone!

We had a blizzard here the last day or so...makes it look so wintery!

December 12 Ice Storm

What a wintery day...

The elves have been busy here...

I scheduled 4 shows this month so I have barely come out of my studio for food or sleep. I think I'm making things in my sleep. Here are a few pics of current projects...

It is only October...

but here it is...snow...I just want to pull up my electric blanket and go back to sleep....

Maine Team Profile: The Clever Kitty

The Clever Kitty is Shannon Hanley, a designer with a passion for creating, and a fun sense of style. She grew up in Iowa, and spent much of her time as a child doing art or craft projects. When she graduated from high school she knew she wanted to continue her creative ways, and decided to go to the Kansas City Art Institute, where she earned a BFA in Fiber Arts. She lived in Kansas City for several years working as a designer and garment

cutter, until she and her husband embarked on the adventure of moving to the east coast. They now reside on the beautiful coast of Maine with their adorable daughter, who keeps them joyful and inspired...and quite busy! In addition to being a full time mom, she is currently working part time as a floral designer, and in her spare time she is constantly making things. She strives to make unique designs, and always takes the time & care necessary to make a quality hand-crafted product. To see more of her work visit her website : http://www.thecleverkitty.etsy.com/

Uncommon Jewelry: Etsy Maine Team

The first installment featuring my etsy team members .....

A somewhat wayward artist, Sidney is trained in color theory, painting and art history but has always fostered a not so minor fascination with personal adornment. Her work is born from a love of unusual combinations and proportions, and each time she finishes something the outcome is utterly balanced and wearable. Each piece is named for a goddess, or a wonderful woman who has brought some small meaning to her life. She believes every woman is beautiful and deserves a little something to remind her of just how perfect she is. Her work is also sold at Abacus Gallery in Portland, Maine so if you're ever in the neighborhood stop on by.Visit her on Etsy at http://www.uncommonjewelry.etsy.com/ or www.myspace.com/uncommonjewelry to see more photos and past work.

Etsy Front Page!

September 10, 2008
My sachets are the 3rd pic down on the right.

I Was Granted This Award

Jody of Primgals Primitive Palette gave me this award yesterday and I get to give it to seven more people! Woo Hoo! Thanks so much Jody! Check out her Etsy shop http://www.primgal.etsy.com/ and blog http://primgalsprimitivepalette.blogspot.com/. She is a fabulous prim painter!

Here are my 7 Picks:

1. The Broken House http://the-broken-house.blogspot.com/

2. The Country Cellar http://thecountrycellar.blogspot.com/

3. Louisana 1966 http://louisiana1966.blogspot.com/

4. Backwoods Creations http://www.backwoodscreations.blogspot.com/

5. Sweet Peas http://sweetpeas.motime.com/

6. Solace and Savor http://solaceandsavor.blogspot.com/

7. Long Winter Farm http://longwinterfarm.com/blog/

My Favorite Faces

More Santas

"Sheep Farm Christmas"

No airsickness for Santa this year! Santa wanted to stay on the ground while he was delivering presents to GOOD little boys and girls in New England. The Woolwich Farm in Sheepscot Maine gladly let Santa borrow Harry for the Christmas Eve deliveries. Harry has never been outside the east pasture, so he is really excited about what else there is to see beyond his home. Santa sitting on Harry is approximately 12 inches high.I sculpted santas face from polymer clay. He is wire armature covered with batting. His sweater was purchased (I can't knit!:)) but I created his pants and shoes. I made the pull toy base and mounted a purchased sheep form that I covered with wool. He is available for purchase in my Etsy shop!

http://www.folkarttree.etsy.com/

Black Swan Box Santa

My box Santas were a combination of chancing on a good buy and a bit of hard work. I found these boxes and loved them, but they were covered with some awful paper. After many hours of peeling and scraping, I had bare wood which I then coated with some prim colored paint and sealant. I held onto these boxes for two years before I finally connected santa and the boxes in my mind. I plunked an armature with a santa head on it into the box and my imagination began to run wild. I only have 6 of these boxes, and every one is different, but this one is particularly appealing to me because it has elements I love. Driftwood, boats, water birds and santa! They remind me of a couple summers I spent on a lake with my family. If summer lasted all the time, I would be so content! I picture him displayed in a lakeside home. I hope he gets that home!

Santa's January Vacation

This santa's face looked like he was having a fabulous time doing something...vacation makes ME smile, so where would santa vacation? On the slopes!My fave vacation spot would be on a tropical beach somewhere, but santa is a winter sports kind of guy. So here he is, tucked for maximum speed down the mountainside. Santa is such a speed junkie... If only the reindeer had "turbo" buttons... So his thrills are sought on the ski slopes, and by the look of him, I'd say he is relishing the ride!

Hang onto your hat, Santa! Big jump ahead!

The Bird Whisperer

My first Santa is done for 2008! I love him! I think he is so sweet and gentle looking. Off to my studio for the next one!

Box of Heads

I have been a sculpting fool this past couple of weeks. I've made so many santa faces I'm dreaming faces! Each face takes me an hour or two to sculpt. I use glass or plastic eyes (plastic...not a good idea when I am baking the heads, but if I bake longer and at a lower heat, I can manage it without distortion.) The eyes tend to speak to me as I lay the clay on. Sometimes just one swipe of the modeling tool sets me on a whole new track in where I am going with the face. I may start thinking, 'he is a serious face', and then, with a little more clay on the cheek than I wanted, suddenly his eyes sparkle and I am adding more clay and making him laugh. They evolve for me, taking me with them as I bring forth the face they want to be. Once I add the wool to these faces they will take on a whole new look and feel. Some faces that I am not too happy with will sometimes be the ones I step back from and admire as a finished santa, and sigh with pleasure. I never know where this process will take me.

Check back for the next stage of santa building. Bases and bodies....

The Process of Santa

I have a show soon in Cumberland and since I can only make stuff from one category, I chose to make santas. I thought it would be fun to share my creative process while I make them. So here is the first stage. I begin with a ball of tinfoil and shape it into roughly the size I need for a 16-22 inch figure. I then add a pancake of polymer clay to the back of the head and bake. Then I set the eyes, and fill in any deep crevices with polymer so there are no air pockets. I bake them again. This is the result of the second bake.

These creepy little faces are the basis for my santa faces...really...they look better later...

Summertime

Summer seems to be passing so quickly for me this year. I was sitting on my side porch in the warm July sun and as I listened to the birds and felt the warmth of the sun on my face, I noticed the flowers were as eager as I was to absorb the sunshine. I wandered around my yard with my camera and tried to capture the smell and warmth and quietness of a Maine July day so I may refer to them in the depths of -20 degree days in January to remind me that winter is not forever.