First Day of New Year 2024

Well, we were still up at midnight, not because we were ringing in the new year, but because we were watching TV. Went to bed at midnight! No celebration. No fanfare. Just grateful to have made it, by the grace of God, through another year together.

I woke up really early and couldn't go back to sleep, so I got up to discover that I had an email from Blog2Print that everything is half off for the next week. I got busy and had all my blog posts for this year printed into book form, as I do every year, and got it ordered. Should be here in a couple of weeks!

There was also an email with another question for my Storyworth memory book. Now I'm 38 memories behind. The question now is, do I want to get busy and answer all the questions for my niece, because she gets a copy of all my answers per email, or do I just let it go and apologize to her for not finishing the book. A printed book comes with the subscription she gifted me last Christmas. Decisions decisions!

No plans for today, so we will see how it unfolds. Grateful for the holidays, but anxious for the days to get back on track! 

Update: I changed the bed sheets, got some laundry caught up, had a long nap, and made another potholder. It's been a good day! I count it a good day when I do any little thing creative.

Many projects have been waiting to be finished, as in a few below. I know, my workspace is ultra messy, but that's another huge project...

The potholder I made today, on the right. It matches the one I made a couple of days ago. Probably a practical gift set for someone!

My first cage doll, whose cage skirt came apart because the hot glue turned loose. I took it completely apart, sanded the wood, re-painted her dress, bought some better glue, and she's been patiently waiting for months now for her skirt to be re-attached.

The scrapbook I started for all the ephemera I collected on hubby,s and my month long road trip through sixteen states around the west in 2019, still waiting to be finished. The photos are still also waiting to be labeled and used to help with the scrapbook. It was an amazing trip! Glad I made lots of notes!

A little paper clay figure inspired by a class with Jeanne Marie Webb has been waiting for months to be sanded and painted, and the mussel shell encased in clay is waiting for a figure to be sculpted and attached.

A few more paper clay sculpted figures waiting to be sanded and painted. I want to finish all these. I just got sidetracked onto something else. 

Hoping to get back to it in the new year! These half-finished projects are just the tip of the iceberg. Yikes! For now I want to read a couple of chapters in the book, "Where the Lost Girls Go" by B.R. Spangler, before TV time. It's getting good! I always have to have several projects and books going at the same time. I get bored with just one at a time. Anyone else like that?

It's been a good start to a new year. Hope you've had a good day and start as well!

On My Work Table Right Now

 Works in progress on my work table right now. All new paper clay sculptured beings inspired by the Come Clay with Me course plus a re-do of the first cage doll I made!

All are in the process of drying except the painted one in front. The three across the back are not part of any class, but in a previous post I shared three heads, which I have now added busts to, making them stand alone. The taller one I used a paper mache body form left over from another project. She is giving herself a hug. 

The little bell shape with the ears I made previously will be a bunny mask/hat to fit the hugging figure. The little being, inspired by lesson 4, with her knees drawn up and her bunny ears is waiting on her arms and hands, and the two shells will become little containers for a figure, yet to be sculpted, to be holding for lesson five. I used mussel shells, which are shallow, so I set them in paper clay. 

This is the first cage doll I made (see previous posts), which I haven't added the crown and accessories to yet. Anyway, I never liked the blue she was painted, so when the hot glue I used to glue the cage sticks to her turned loose I took the opportunity to pull them all off and re-paint her dress. I like her much better. Now to use some better glue to put her skirt strips back on and add her accessories!

It's going to take these a while to dry, so it may be after Christmas before they get painted. In the meantime I'll keep sketching and practicing, or maybe I'll make journals for a couple of other courses I'm taking, or I've been wanting to stitch more meditations. We'll see!

Come Clay with Me-Sect 3-Pendent

 This little piece is inspired by the third class of Come Clay With Me @ jeannemarieart.com and is a pendent, or could be an ornament to hang from something as a decoration. I was afraid I got it too heavy to be a pendent, but when it was finished and I added the cord, I tried it on. Not heavy at all! Paper clay, acrylic paint, and several ugly transitions, some of which I didn't photograph!

I think she's finally pretty cute!

Come Clay with Me-Sect 2 Masks cont'd-Character 4

I finally finished painting the fourth character inspired by the second Come Clay With Me @ jeannemarieart.com last weekend. She went through a few transitions, and I still didn't get the mask anywhere near the one I referenced it from, so I just improvised and made it my own. She looks a little naughty to me, but that just adds to her character. Paper clay and acrylic paint

 Family photo of the four masked beings inspired by the second class (nothing like the ones in the class because I can't copy the teacher that well). :)

Family photo of all nine beings inspired by the first two classes. A motley crew, a mischievous bunch, and a bunch of fun. Wondering what they're about to get into! :)

Thank you for visiting! Stay safe and create something just for you!

Come Clay With Me-Sect 2 Masks Cont'd-3rd Character

This little masked characters is the third one in the section two classes inspired by jeannemarieart.com in the Come Clay with Me course. I finished it several days ago, but am just now getting it posted. This section is all about masks and masked characters, and although I followed the teacher's techniques, mine look nothing like hers. But that's ok! I like them!

I have the fourth being almost painted, and I have the detachable mask and bird almost painted. I also have the pendent for section three class almost painted, and have had for several days. I just got sidetracked off onto other things, plus I haven't felt well some of the time. 

I have been trying to keep up my daily practice of doing at least one sketch, or one art related thing, every day though, and of course I look at a lot of art related things online and am constantly inspired every day by so many wonderful generous artists and craftsmen/women. Thank you all for sharing your work and knowledge!

Anyway, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed these days. I won't go into why, except that the holiday season is always hard for me, as it is for many other people. Hopefully, it will all go okay and will be a happy time for us this year. 

Looking forward to making more of these little characters. They make me happy! Take care and do something good for yourselves!

Come Clay with Me-Section 2- Masked Characters

 These two are done! I think. The other two and Birdie are almost done, as is the pendent for the section three class. They all have eyes now. Just a bit more tweeking on the faces, masks, and outfits! The eyes have really brought their personalities out. I don't know why I didn't do them first. Oh, well! These are for learning and practice. Maybe I'll do better on the next ones!

This one had a rough time! I was trying to paint like jeannemarieart.com in the videos, which was acrylic paint wet into wet, but the paint kept drying too fast and the layers started rolling up into the wet layers and when the whole face dried it look really lumpy and bumpy, which looked terrible. Luckily acrylics will peel, so I peeled the whole face off right down to the blank clay and re-painted it. Like it much better! Then about the fourth time I dropped it the long beak like nose broke off and had to be re-attached. Then I had already painted several layers on the shirt that didn't look like I wanted, so I wound up collaging a napkin over it. Then she still needed something, so I made her some little wire glasses to go over her little beady eyes. I love her!

See, she has a very long bird nose mask! I forgot to leave holes for the wire to hold it on her face, and I was afraid drilling holes would completely burst it, so I made glasses with a nose loop! Seems to work!

This one wasn't as much trouble, but she did get several layers of paint before her personality came out!

Partners in crime! Mischief is afoot!

 I don't particularly like circus clown makeup, but I do love the Pierrot and Cirque de Soleil white faces with makeup, and the masked characters have somehow all ended up with white faces in masks and makeup. The two remaining beings that go with this group are full of mischievousness too. I think it may be an adventuresome masquerade ball!

Thank you for visiting! Keep making stuff! The world needs all the beauty it can get!

Three More Quirky Clay Characters

I got all of the five characters made for section two of Come Clay with Me and apparently couldn't stop myself from creating these three extra little beings! The first one was the smallest I've made so far, so I made it a pendent by adding a loop to run a cord through. These had nothing to do with a particular class, but I might possibly use at least one of them in one of the last two classes. We'll see! Fun stuff!

I have no idea what I'm going to do with all these little beings, but it sure is fun bringing them to life! 

Come Clay with Me-Sections 2-4 Works in Progress

 Some of what I'm working on right now. My little desk is full in front of my recliner! And the other chair, the stool, the floor beside the recliner...

Four of the characters, the masks, and the bird are from section two, although mine are nothing like Jeanne Marie's. I watched the videos, then did my own thing. I tried and tried, but I can not paint layers wet in wet like she does. Mine came out muddy looking. The pendent, with the orange rose on her chest is from section three, and the bunny ears and wings are from section four. I just made them ahead. Two of the masks and the ears and wings are decoupaged with a napkin.

Closer up of masks and wings/ears. The black masks will be decorated and used later. The mask at the very back with the wire arms will be used with the bird, whose tail is now also painted paynes gray, awaiting further painting.

Fun stuff! Thanks for visiting!

Come Clay with Me-Section 1 Finished!!!

 Section one classes are finished and section two ready to be sanded and painted! It's been really fun to see their personalities emerge from the sculpting to the painting. I used the teacher's designs for this group, or I tried. They did turn out similar, to my surprise. I got more comfortable and better at handling the paper clay and tools with the second group! See sidebar for link to classes and website!

Also click on the label Jeanne Marie Webb classes to see the previous posts leading up to the finished group!

I shared this one previously. It was a practice run, sort of. I got it too flat, so I learned from it and made the second first character below!

This one turned out more like the video and much better, but the first one has a soft spot in my heart too!

The second little quirky character "Mama Bear". Love her! She is the tallest in my group at four and a half inches tall.

Not a very good photo, but this is the third little person. I learned how to make roses on her!

This is a bonus lesson! Sort of a tribal mask. I didn't intentionally make her smirk. I think she twisted her mouth during the drying process! 😲

The group while they are drying. I forgot to tilt some of their heads, but that's ok. Not a requirement!

And here they are in a family portrait! I just love them as a group! They look so mischievous, don't they?!!! The first two look like they are whispering secrets, mama bear looks like she feels out of place and thinks they are talking about her, and the other two look  kind of antagonistic toward one another. I'll have to find a better way to display them than the drying rack! They can be used for all sorts of creative things, including ornaments, gift tags, framed, handmade book/journal decorations, etc...

These have been so interesting and fun to create, plus they have each one taught me so much! I may take a bit of a break before painting the next group though. I have concentrated so much on this group that I'm behind on some chores! Besides, I have videos for group two to watch first, and this group is all about making and wearing masks, which I have done already, but I need to watch the classes on painting them before doing it.

Try something new! You never know if it will become your new passion! Thank you so much for your visit! 💓

Come Clay with Me-Section 3 Pendent

 I was on a roll making the characters for section two, and since section three only had one, I went ahead and created the little head for a pendent! She was created around one of the masks I had already made and is more three dimensional than her siblings. There are tiny brass ties on the mask "to hold it on", and there is also a small silver loop, barely visible,  behind the center rose for a cord to fit through for a pendent or an ornament.

I know her nose beak is crooked, but that just adds to her story!

Anxious to get her and her siblings sanded and ready to start painting on! Stay tuned!

Come Clay With Me-www.jeannemarieart.com 

Come Clay with Me-Sect 2 Cont'd with 2 new Characters and a Bird!

 Okay, so I now have all the characters for section two of Come Clay with Me created, and they are drying while I finish watching the videos to paint the ones in section one and finish painting them. I think I shared the first two in section two already, and here are the other two, who look nothing like the teachers. Whoops!

I've made a few more masks too, also drying!

Birdie got her wings! Now I have to figure out how to make her some feet so she can stand alone!

Here are all five characters and a few masks that are drying and waiting to be sanded and painted, as soon as I get the rest of section one painted. I'm getting so confused! 😳 

I probably should have completed each section one at a time, but I was enjoying creating the characters, and I thought by the time they got dry I would be ready to paint them, but I didn't get to work on them for a few days, so now they're dry, but I still lack finishing up two of my faces from the first part. That's ok though. The last three sections only have one character each and are a little more complicated. Can't wait to get to them!

I think I did better on these littles than the first ones. I'm getting more used to handling the paper clay and my tools. Practice makes better!

Thanks for visiting! Stay well and creative!

Come Clay with Me-Section 2 Classes-Masks

There are five sections of classes in the Come Clay with Me course (see sidebar), and I have the characters for section one made and partially painted, but I decided to go ahead and create the characters for section two so they could be drying while I finish painting the first ones. It takes a while for them to dry, especially if they're very thick, and they need to be completely dry before the sanding and painting, so here's where I am now on the second batch!

Mask making of different types for my characters and I made three more today, no pic yet

Tiny, isn't it? The character below with the hat was built around this mask!

Character one for this batch

Character two built onto the mask above

Bird with a human face has been covered completely in clay now and is waiting on her wings and feet. The bird body is not part of this class, but one I fashioned myself. A face is part of it though to add to a different type bird body.

So this is where I am with my clay classes right now! Lots more clay critters and painting ahead! Really looking forward to the last two sections! Slowly working my way through to get there. I'm getting more comfortable with the clay, and I think practice is making me better. Now if I can get better at judging the thickness of the clay, it'll be awesome!

See ya next post! Stay well! Thank you for visiting!

Come Clay with Me-WIP Section 1

 I'm slowly working on several things at once right now. I have been battling a red itchy rash all over my neck and chest for three months, which has not been fun, but I finally got the doctor to give me some antibiotic creme and powder for it, and thank the Lord it has cleared up for the most part. Still a little itchy, but lots better. I've also had lots of interruptions, along with the rash, making it hard to focus much, but here is a shot of my recliner studio with a couple of works in progress!

Anyway, I just wanted to check in, say hello, and show you that I started painting these two characters from the section one classes, when I decided to go ahead and make the section two characters and masks, so they could be drying while I finished painting these two plus two more that are already dry. I have two new characters drying, and I need to make two more and finish the one I have started so the clay can dry while I finish the ones I'm painting on. 

In between, I also jumped to section four and made armatures for bunny ears and did several random sketches in my sketchbook! I missed some days, but I try to create something every day, even for a few minutes, and on days I miss actually making something I draw inspiration from looking a artistic things online, so I'm continuously filling the well. It's all good! Will share photos of what I'm working on in the days ahead if you want to see!

Hope you are all staying well and creative! Thank you so much for visiting my blog!

Come Clay with Me- Section 1-WIPs and One Done?

 So, I've been working off and on with the first characters from section one of Come Clay With Me with Jeanne Marie Webb (see them drying in a previous post) since my last post. Once they were dry, sanded, and cleaned up, I put the undercoat on the first one and painted and re-painted on her, failing to get her anywhere near to the teacher's painting, but that's ok. She became her own character! 

I thought she was done when I put her in the bowl with the four other wip characters, which I had put th I  e undercoat layer of paint on, but the mouth and blue dots kept bothering me until I changed the blue to white and changed her mouth back to its original look. I also toned down the white around her mouth and I think she may be done.

This is how she looks now, and I've already started working on the next one. I messed up the sculpting part of this one, so I made another one from the same class in the same pose, only 3/4 pose. I've had a real struggle with this one, but she was good practice, and, as usual, she taught me a lot. She is telling her story!

Can't wait to see what the next one's story is!

Come Clay with Me-Section 1-I Tried

 So, I have started the classes in Come Clay With Me with Jeanne Marie Webb !!! Not easy, but fun! 

Got my little desk set up in front of my recliner and the TV, watched and downloaded the first videos, and made my first little character. Our niece got me the little table for Christmas, and it is so handy! 

This little guy is my first attempt, and I almost had his/her face done when I remembered that the face was supposed to be a 3/4 pose. Whoops! I didn't want to tear up what I had to change it though, so I just finished it like it was and made another one from scratch. It was good practice! This one is about 3" tall. I know, it looks like some kind of weird baby here. 

I've created five characters, so far, out of four lessons, and they are busy drying, which is taking forever because of the thickness of the clay and the air conditioning. I may have to put them outside in the heat to get them to dry and hope the cats leave them alone. They range in size from three to four and a half inches.

The second character from the left is a re-make of the first one. It looks more like the lesson was supposed to, with the 3/4 face. The mama bear in the middle grew a little bigger than I meant for her to, but I like her. The fourth one has little hand made roses, not too bad, but hands are hard! And I would have sworn the last one had a straight mouth when I left her to dry. The next morning she was smirking at me! Going to leave her like that! Don't they look like a mischievous bunch? :)

They have pretty much dried since I took the photo. Now I need to do some patching, mostly on the backs, where the clay cracked a little as it dried. Then they'll be ready to sand a little and paint, which are separate lessons for each one. Can't wait to give them eyes and finish their stories!

I tend to watch the class videos, then do things from memory unless I run into a snag, in which case I'll re-watch the video. My memory isn't all that great, unfortunately. When I looked back at the characters Jeanne Marie had made in the videos, most of the heads were tilted to the side, but that's ok if mine aren't. Practice makes me better! I'm getting a little more comfortable with the clay, I think.

Meanwhile, while these are drying, I've watched a couple of videos from the next section, which is on making tiny masks and figures with masks, and I've practiced making four little venetian masks with the beaks like birds. They are dry and ready to sand and paint too, but I'm going to try making some better ones first. 

I may also make a few more faces to be drying while I paint the first ones, and I am thinking I may put bodies and heads on them instead of just faces. I don't really know what to use these for, other than as ornaments, but there is a class on making pendants with them. We'll see! It's an adventure waiting to happen!

Listening to country artists Midland's new cd "The Last Resort: Greetings From", which is AWESOME! I've also been listening to Taylor Swift on our Echo, while I work, and I have the new John Mayer cd "Sob Rock", which I haven't listened to yet, except for sampling. Good music helps me in more ways than one, including creativity, except when writing. For that I need quiet and stillness, which is why I haven't done much of it in a while. :)

Have a blessed and creative day!