Lemonade Award

Lookie here!

Denise, over at Mountain Laurel Folk Art Studio, was generous enough to offer me a Lemonade Blog Award. Denise is a very sweet, artistic friend that I met through the Cloth & Clay Dolls Workshop. I knew she was a really sweet person when she followed my link to Mom's new blog to help welcome Mom to the blogging world. She leaves the sweetest comments. She's also a very talented artist, so stop by her blog and check out her creations. I appreciate this award and her friendship. :-) Thanks, Denise!

Okay, now for the directions:

To pick up the award, (1) comment at this blog (2) clip and paste the Award logo and attach it to your own blog (3) list your own ten favorite blogs (4) comment on their blogs, to advise them (5) Link back to my blog (I'd appreciate it :-))

So now for #3, my 10 favorite blogs. Some of the people I'd have listed have already received the award, so that made my choice a bit easier. I still had to whittle the list down. I have my own way of doing it. As with anything, "Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Moe" works best.

Sharon
Candice
Deirdra
Ann
Kristin
Thelma
Suzan
Jennifer
Kathryn
Dar

These are all in no particular order. Just the order I copied and pasted the links. ;-)

Something to Inspire

I found this on one of my many Ning.com art communities and just had to share it with my blog readers. You'll love it! Before you watch the video, though, be sure to scroll ALL the way down to my music player and turn the music off so you can hear the video.





I will post photos of what I've been working on soon. I've been bombarded by holiday frenzy, but things will soon be back on track with my art related activities. ;-)

Michaels Loot

I haven't posted in a while, so I thought I would post a photo of a Michaels purchase from a few weeks ago. They were having a sale. They're having a sale now, too. I went a few days ago with Mom, but I've already put up that purchase. I love Michaels!!

Here are some Michaels Coupons for you. Also, if you're signed up for their newsletter you'd get a 50% off coupon valid for this week on one regularly priced item. I got it and I may just have to take it with me shopping tomorrow. Woohoo!

Finished Cloth & Clay Doll and My Art Show

I finished Cynthia, the doll I was working on. Here she is:

I roughed her up a little bit so she wouldn't look too perfect. I did that by rubbing an oil pastel on my fingers and smudging it over her skin, hair, and cloths. I'm not as happy as I could be with her skirt. I folded the top over to make it look a little more finished and used spray adhesive to hold it down. I wish I'd have just left it alone. It looked better before. Oh well....ya live, ya learn. I'm doing a weighted, standing doll now. I already had the sand for a different project, so I'll just use that.

If you happened to catch my other blog you know about my new "art show". (lol @ me calling it a show) It's just me sitting in front of my web-cam making art. If you tuned in yesterday and day before you'd have seen me sewing Mrs. DoLolly's skirt and giving her a final varnish. I don't have a set schedule yet. I do plan to come up with one. Maybe something like Lunch to 5:30 Monday-Friday. We'll see. Anyway check it out: Rischa's Art House

I've added a new Links list on the right side for my Cloth & Clay Doll Classmates. Look under "Doll Peeps" and go give them a look. While you're there leave them a comment. Blog folks love getting comments! ;-)

Also, now joining the world of blogs is my Mommy Dearest. Go tell her hello if you have a sec!

Doll WIP

Just an updated photo of my Dolly work in progress. I just have to give her a crackle finish and rough her up a bit. She looks too perfect. She needs a vintage look.

....one more...

She needs more personality. I'm working on it. I'm pretty tired, so this is a short one. See ya!

Meet Cynthia May DoLolly

I haven't given her make-up (paint) yet, but here's Mrs. DoLolly's debut...

I really enjoy playing with this clay. I think I'd like to do it more often. I could maybe even make my own clay bowls and paint them? I don't know, but I do know I enjoy it. How do you like her name? Mrs. DoLolly is the matriarch of the DoLolly family. She will have many sons and daughters. Perhaps that's why she has a double chin? Ha!

Tomorrow she'll get a make-over, complete with arms, legs, and make-up. Then she'll get her Tea-stained skirt. Well, we can't have her running around without a skirt on, can we? She'd get a reputation!! I may have her holding something. A stuffed heart? Clay Bible? Cross? Puppy? I don't know yet. We'll see what she's in the mood for when I'm done.

The Weekend Artist / Artful Spaces

Hello my dear blog readers! I hope your November is off to a fantastic start? If not, may it improve by infinity by the time you finish reading. ;-)

I have a little update for you today. Remember THIS entry I posted where I whined about how bad I wanted to buy The Weekend Artist? Well, a couple of months ago the artist of that book commented underneath that entry. Cool, right? I thought so! If you're too busy or lazy to go check it out, here's what he says, "Hello there! I actually am Gerard Smith, author of the Weekend Artist, and someone told me about your blog at work today. Thank you so much for your interest. I have been told that the book will be published by F+W Media in the USA next April or May, but you can get it on the UK Amazon site. Their site is:www.fwpublications.comThere are also a couple of projects on YouTube that were taken from a pilot I filmed about 3 years ago. Just search under 'Art Shop Guy' on YouTube and they should come up.All the best with your art. I love the dreamy quality of your work and how motivated you are.Reading your comments really has made my day!Gerard Smith"

Soooo....being the YouTube junkie that I am....



Be sure to scroll all the way down to the bottom of my blog to turn off the music before watching any videos. I really enjoyed that first episode. I'll watch the rest when I have a chance. I haven't watched my class videos yet for the Cloth & Clay Doll Workshop, so all in due time. ;-) I did go ahead and subscribe since, like I said, I AM a YT Junkie! I should say YT Artist Junkie. I'd love to make my own videos some day, but that's another thing to learn......adding to my numerous list of "To-Do's".

So anyway, today Gerard stopped by the ole blog again with an updated that I'm pretty darn excited about....

"G'day, its Gerard Smith again. Just thought I'd let you know that my book is now listed on US Amazon. For some strange reason the name has changed to Artful Spaces, but as far as I know the content is still the same. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Artful-Spaces-DIY-Wall-Home/dp/1600614590/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225744027&sr=8-1 Hope you and your art are going well!Gerard Smith"

Woohoo! Guess what I'll be purchasing! And did you see that price? $16.49!! Even I can afford that! Yep, yep!

Thanks for stopping by and letting me know, Gerard! I'm honored that the author himself would grace my blog with his presence. ;-) Seems like a cool guy......go buy his book!

I've been quite busy the past few days and have not had a chance to finish my Blue Haired Birdy Girl. The Doll workshop started on the 1st, as well, which puts me.....what.....2 or 3 days behind assuming everyone else started on the 1st. I doubt it, though. I think I could make the doll in a few days and the workshop is up for a month. If I had a day job I wouldn't be that confident.