StarSparrow

Vintage-Style Nativity

I finished the Nativity I've been working on, and I actually finished it before Christmas! I sculpted the heads, hands, and animals from paper-clay, and the bodies from tinfoil (cheaper than using paper-clay, and the bodies tend to be too thick to dry). I created the costumes on the body using fabric scraps and hot glue (quicker than sewing, and you can't really tell the difference). The Nativity includes, Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, an Angel (not pictured above), our dog Pompeii, a lamb, and a little bird. I also made a manger for baby Jesus to lay in. I'll be constructing the Creche for the Nativity in the weeks to come.

Straight from my sketchbook, here is the idea page for the Nativity. I sketched it up while I was half-asleep in bed, and I knew I had to make it. I hope this will encourage you to write down all your ideas, no matter how daunting or absurd they seem, and then try some of those ideas out! You may just end up with something neat that you didn't even realize you could do! I felt like this was too big a project, and I figured it would be next Christmas before I finished it, but I pleasantly surprised myself. 

Gingerbread and Red Riding Hood

This past week, I thought it would be nice to build a gingerbread house. J thought it would be nice to eat a gingerbread house. We both ended up happy from that one! This photo of him diving into the finished product was just too cute not to share!

And here are the parts to the Nativity I mentioned last night, happily drying in a downy cotton cushion. They should be dry in a day or so, and then I can get to painting!

Do I even need to tell how you freaking EXCITED I am about this?!?

Amanda Seyfried? Check!

Guys with faux-hawks and serious looks on their faces? Check!

Gary Oldman? Check!

Dark gothic romance? Check!

Beautiful scenery and panoramic shots? Check!

Incredible and vintagey costumes? Double Check!

This movie meets all my requirements for a great movie! Forget the good acting and great dialogue, that's for the timeless classics (which I also adore... bring on the Casablanca!) this is the perfect atmospheric, dark and moody chick flick! I love these!

Will you be catching "Red Riding Hood" when it comes out in March 2011?

And just for kicks: Favorite movie ever, and why?

Mine is "An Affair To Remember". I cry every time, it's just... *sigh* incredible.

Two Silhouettes, One Nativity, and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

In less than a month, a very lovely couple is getting married. I designed the silhouettes for their wedding, which were printed on 150 thank you cards, and the menus for the reception. I also created 12 gorgeous pendants for the bride and wedding party. The pendants will be tied to the bouquets with ribbon during the ceremony, and can later be worn on a necklace. Each one features a mirror on the back so the lady can check her lipstick. The front is monogrammed, with a little snippet of the bride's dress included as a keepsake. I was in such a hurry to get them mailed off to the bride that I forgot to take photos! We'll see if I can get some photos of them in-action at the wedding and share those later.

 I wanted to show you photos of the neat little Nativity I'm sculpting (the one above is courtesy of Caravaggio... LOVE him!), but I managed to leave my SD card at work, so my camera is useless until after tomorrow. Regardless, I've been working on a tiny little paper-clay Nativity, featuring Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, an angel, a little lamb, a littler (littler is so a word) bird, and our dog Pompeii. Okay, so our dog wasn't exactly present at the birth of Christ, but it was so darn cute I couldn't resist! I also sculpted the parts for another angel, which I think I'll turn into an ornament.

Have you started getting in the Christmas or Hanukkah spirit yet? Have you begun decorating? I have, much to my husband's chagrin! He thinks Christmas decorating should begin no sooner than the day after Thanksgiving... I vote for the day after Halloween. This year, I found a loophole! He said "No tree until after Thanksgiving".

...I smiled sweetly, and waited for him to go to work. Then I hung the garlands, pulled out the ornaments, decorated the mantle, put a wreath on the door, wrapped presents and stacked them where the tree goes, hung the stockings, pulled out the snowman, and lit a gingerbread candle. But I didn't set up the tree.

No, trees are for after Thanksgiving.

I win. 

Magritte the Tree Angel

(Before I begin, I'd like to apologize for my long absence! I was very ill for about two weeks, and I was not able to make anything during that time. But I'm all back now!)

Recently, I was inspired by Jenni Horne's gorgeous tree angel, Cherish. I decided to make something similar, but I didn't have an awesome vintage light cage to use as a base, and I didn't have any paper mache or floral foam. I attempted to sculpt my tree angel entirely from tin foil, intending to cover her in paper mache as soon as I could buy some. However, after three different people mistook my angel for an "Aunt Jemima" doll, I gave up and threw her away, disheartened. My best friend Lucy, having seen the hideous thing, suggested I turn one of my 18th century style dolls into a tree angel. As soon as she said it I was ready and itching to begin!

Here's Magritte in all her glory! She's surprisingly lightweight (being made of paperclay, tin foil, cardboard, tulle, and quilted fabric wings) and so, so pretty! Since I had already sculpted the head and arms a while back to make into a doll, the bulk of the job was done and the rest of her only took about a hour or two.

 Although I didn't get to use Jenni's tutorial, I did use the inspiration & spirit behind it. She felt the need to create something beautiful through any means necessary, and I can understand the compulsion! 

After making Magritte, I was on a roll! I busted out my soldering iron and all my supplies and churned out this lovely pendant (below). I also made 12 monogram pendants with mirrors on the back to be tied to bridesmaid's bouquets in an upcoming December wedding. After the bride has seen them, I will share pictures here.

For now, my creative juices are pumping non-stop! Today, Lucy and I will be making Christmas Ornaments, and I'll be sure to share the results! 

What's Old is New

 I've been making things ever since my grandmother taught me to sew at the age of three. Now, 21 years later, I believe I have found my true niche, in doll making. I am able to combine my loves of sewing, sculpting, painting, fashion and history into one creation. In this blog I will be documenting my creative process and my dolls. I hope that you enjoy!

Here's what I'm working on now:

This is Magritte. She is awaiting her body, which I am still working on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a sneak peek of Eliza. She's got some rather bright little shoes and an underskirt sprinkled with tiny stars, and she comes with one of her mother's best Delft teacups (it's hiding there beside her hand. See it?)

 

 

 

This is Delphine. She was actually my first doll of this style. She wears a dress of light blue brocade, with a blue ribbon and an antique shell button at her waist. She has a 2-layered ruffled underskirt and carries her favorite doll everywhere she goes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is Georgiana. She's still awaiting her very own dress, which is going to be gorgeous. Her hairdo isn't very visible in the picture, but it's quite unique. She's got a twist across the top, and a bun in back.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm hoping to have Magritte and Georgiana completed within the week, along with at least two more so that I can put them on my Etsy shop! The best part? The husband loves them!