Monday, April 27, 2009

Things Don't Always Turn Out Like You Plan - WIP

Remember the previous post? How I mentioned that the buzzards were coming back and I just happened to have sculpted a buzzard head?

Because I was inspired to "just get on with it" and finish the little guy, I sculpted his body from some different clay - a new type for me. The next morning, I found my buzzards body had lots of deep cracks all over it!



****** YIKES! ******



A really good look at the cracks below.


My husband mentioned that the cracks were actually a pretty cool effect. Hmmm... he was right. With a different subject this would be really great.

So, I turned the body upside down and around. Voila! It was a perfect skull shape. The cracks looked good now.

I added some more of that good ole' cracking clay and sculpted the skull features. Oh yeah! Happy again.


Now, I am not at all goth or dark or creepy in my real life. A skull had appeal to me but only if I could give it a fun twist. A clown idea emerged when I stuck a red bead on his missing nose cavity.


He kinda looks like me, too. Oh yeah, happy again.



I will post some pictures soon of my totally finished skellie clown, Bonezo.
BTW, I understand some people are skeered of clowns. If you aren't too chicken, check back soon!

Friday, April 17, 2009

It Must be Spring... The Turkey Vultures have Arrived!


So, okay... I know that most of you don't look for the return of the turkey vultures to signal that warmer weather is ahead, but in my little high country valley, they are a sure sign that Winter is over.
Now, this story gets a little eerie later on -- you'll see.
Just last week I had some Apoxie Sculpt left over from sculpting an element for a crown I was making for a swap piece. Without really thinking, I just sculpted this little vulture head. {side note: it appears that I am stuck on birds lately... Rocko Peep was my last sculpt before the crown}
Obviously, he is still in the WIP stage.
I think Mr. Buzz Ard needs a hat. Here are three options from my costume wardrobe. I am leaning toward the top hat at the moment and must decide before finishing the rest of Mr. Ard's body.
************************
Number 1... I call this the duffer or dude hat.
****************************
Number 2... The top hat.

**************************
Number 3... the wizard hat.
************************
Now, this is the eerie, weird part. About 5 days after I sculpted Mr. Buzz Ard's little head these three real turkey vultures showed up on my property. Never in the six years I have lived here have turkey vultures been spotted anywhere on the property -- they are down the road, usually soaring over some carrion in an open field. These are BIG birds, the cottonwood tree they are roosting in is over 90 feet tall.






So, I have to wonder... what were they looking at and why were they visiting me and Mr. Buzz Ard?
Hmmm............?

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Just a Smiley

While out for a trike ride the other day we happened upon this small guy on a fence post. Just about the size of a golf ball, made of styrofoam, with wild "hair", and having a few pock marks (thanks to the snowplow and sanding trucks), he could still give us his happy smile.
So, if he can do it - you can do it, too.
Have a Smiley day!

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Flowers, Flowers Everwhere!

Oh, I have been yearning for flowers and color! So much so that I have been obsessively making them myself - helping Mother Nature along.

Here in our snowy mountain valley we were still getting snow last week. But I can feel Spring coming.

For some reason I have been busy making Yo-Yos most of the Winter. Yo-Yos just make me happy, I guess. Not knowing what I was going to do with them didn't seem to matter either. I just knew that I would be using them in some joyful way eventually.



Last weekend I just happened into a wonderful quilt shop in Leavenworth, Washington. They had beautiful displays of finished projects and most of them had puffy fabric flowers appliqued on somewhere.
Oh my heart!! (I think I may have swooned a bit.)
I bought the template to make the 2.5" wide ruched flowers on the spot. This is such an easy project.

Now, all my many (many!!) Yo-Yos are keeping company with these ruched flowers. And, most importantly I have a finished project in mind for them.
Mother Nature - not to be outdone! - got busy around my house. Finally! The crocuses that used to be around an apple tree in my own Mother's yard last year, are blooming for the first time in my flower beds. They are just starting and I am so grateful for the color.

I think I feel another swoon coming on!