A VERY quick note:

Just wanted to update my music situation....Seems my computer was not very fond of fine tune- it kept shutting down Internet Explorer....

So I have switched to the music player you hear right now....and it's a bit more current and allot smoother....Enjoy!

More posts later today....

ODE to Big Hair and Rubber Bracelets....

That's what I call the Fine Tunes playlist widget in the right column....

I started out with a gameplan: classy smooth jazzy or classical type music to enjoy while you're reading. Nothing too intrusive or likely to offend anyone....

But then I started browsing the fantastic music catalog over at Fine Tune (Thanks Cassie for sending me in that direction) and got nostalgic (*sniff*sniff*), waxing poetically about awesome big hair and gnarly rubber bracelets (thank you SO much, Madonna!)...

One my favorite movies: The Wedding Singer....how can you not love "Julia Goollia"??

I am a child of the 80's (class of '86): Styx, Journey, The Police, Crowded House, early U2, and yes, even (but only, again, early) Madonna.....So before I could control myself I was making this playlist dominated by an "I Love the 80's" Soundtrack. There are a few current songs. I love John Mayer, Michael Buble, Norah Jones, etc (don't think the last two made the cut this time though). There's a little bit of country (Lyle Lovett, Toby Keith, Keith Urban, Rascal Flats, even some Alison krauss from the "O Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack) and a few from the 70's (mainly the Eagles- love them!)....

So you have been warned....if you are NOT a Big 80's fan, you might want to avoid the music....for now. I promise I'll change it to something smoother soon, but for now I am enjoying my flashbacks.....

The Saltbox Rebellion....

Those of you who are familiar with my work know that I paint allot of houses....mostly saltbox style. Well I should say I used to paint allot of them and I do love them, even still. But it's confession time: seems lately, the thought of painting a house (ANY house) has just made me cringe (which is not good because allot of my regular pattern customer want more saltbox patterns). I have had my own little personal Saltbox Rebellion going on. I can imagine that for doll makers, the same would apply for another Annie or to altered artists- another fairie (don't come after me sewers and alter-ers! I'm just saying it's possible!)....

But sometimes a new and different surface will inspire you to reconsider an old dog. I have watched doll makers create with muslin and warm n natural for years, watched them paint these fabrics, but never made the connection that if they can paint it, so can I...doh!

So here is my first warm n natural ornie- the first of many, I hope! I played a little bit with color on this farm house, using a washed out, vintage red rather than the traditional deep red iron oxide most primitive houses are painted in. I'm loving the texture that the warm n natural provides and (here comes that word again- I'm a little obsesed with it lately) vintage feel it gives the whole ornie.

So what do you think? I'd love some feedback....

Pick a Letter....

I went to Target a few days ago.....and won the alphabet lottery!

This is about $4 worth of Chipboard letters from the Dollar Spot. Gotta Love it! I "heart" Target!!

I also got several sets of cork alphabet tiles, little clear alphabet bubble stickers and a set of wee little alphabet stamps. I tell you, it doesn't take much to make me happy.....and that afternoon I was definitely doing the dance (you know the one)...

Mission Accomplished!

We have Santa!!

Didn't get as much time to work this weekend as I had hoped (and I wasn't as close to being done as I thought), but I managed to finish this plate today and here's the final result....

If you'd like to see more detailed photos, you can check out the eBay listing after 9pm (EST) tonight...

Click HERE!

We have HAIR....

My, My, My...that's much better! What a handsome devil! Now Santa no longer looks like he's about to rob a bank, with his grey bandana wrapped around his face. Thank goodness because even with the bandana, he would have been identified in a heart beat. Also, the sheep has a body now. While I'm waiting for paint to dry, I often go do what work I can in other sections....
We're getting to the home stretch with this piece....just need to finish the sheep, add a few final touches and possibly antique the whole thing just a bit. I used to grunge things up very heavily, but have grown to like things a little less old and dirty looking- imagine that...Vintage and just a bit of grunge are in my blood though. Don't think I'll ever lose it completely....

Still not Done...

Yes, poor Santa is still a WIP, but at least he can see now. Added bonus: he's no longer a David Blain illusion with his torso floating over his legs....Scroll down and check it out- he was levitating!