playing with clay

Finally I'm getting around to making some arms and legs for my funny little dolly I began waaaay back... can't even rermember when...

She is my take on Black Eyed Suzi's well known dolls...

Having made only a few things using paper clay, it is mostly still a learning experience.  The head and face seemed a lot easier than the spindly legs and arms.

I used a piece of wire wrapped with tin foil to give it a bit of shape and something to begin to attach clay.  It sure is a fiddly job...and they look pretty rustic so far...but, it is a start and should be easier to add more clay when dried... then some sanding and shaping and hopefully...a "voila" !  moment.

 I'll keep you posted Dear Diary.... lol....

I'm not sure about sizes.... I'm just a hit and miss kinda gal most of the time.  It's why it takes me soooo long to do everything.
I made the tiny foot first, but then thought it looked a tad small for the body and the length of the leg.  So... second leg is larger overall.  Today I'll place all the limbs near the body and check for size...then... make a second leg ...  in what I deem to be an appropriate size for her.

Not to worry about all the lumpiness... when I add more clay... it can all be smoothed over... and don't forget...sanding.  One thing about this clay...it sands wonderfully... and easily.

How do you like my ingenious drying rack? hahahhah......

I'll have to move things around today...I need to use that mixer....

still putzing on her....

....at my usual slow and deliberate pace...
she is proud of her legs and takes any opportunity to show them off.

I made her top from strips of a beatuful ribbon that has water coloured flowers on it...lots of fiddling... but, I love that ribbon and this was a perfect chance to use some of it. I've had it years....

Then, found some pretty fabric that went so well with the ribbon...but, it is ...well, let me just say I was describing it to my sister and called it ...creepy.... hahhaha.... when I had meant to say crepe-y....but, then I laughed and said it must be a Freudian slip...or skirt...ahahha...and we were off on a laughing tangent....we're a couple of nuts, but happy in the knowledge. Our Mom used to say all the time...if you aren't worth a laugh, you aren't worth much at all. So, some days we feel pretty darn rich...... lol....

So, for the hem of a skirt that is slippery, slide-y ... and frays like nobody's business.... what to do. I keep mentioning that I don't really know much about sewing...and I don't...but, every so often, I do something that is kinda cool and actually took a while on the machine.... long enough to put me in spasm today... my back hurts! Of course, I really put everything into it when I sew... I have to.

I cut some long, half inch wide slivers of sparkly tulle. Laid them over the bottom of her circle skirt so that 1/4 of an inch was visible on either side.... pinned them carefully so they didn't pucker or bunch... then stitched a nice line of straight stitching all around the skirt. Then,... laid a piece of blue nubbly yarn over the line of stitching...and carefully stitched it on....it gave the bottom of the skirt a bit of visual interest and turned out much better than if I had attempted to hem that stuff. She keeps showing me both sides of the skirt...pretending she is Marilyn in a breeze.... I think she likes it too....














My flowers are still perfect after almost two full weeks... who knew that type of flower lasted so long when the petals look so dainty and fragile... Alstromeria ..I think...

the bag on her head is to help keep her hair out of the way of glue and stitching...

Onward to sleeves and shoe trim.... but, for now... bread to bake. I ran out... ackkk! And, I refuse to eat store bought anymore...now that I know how to bake my own. I love my own bread!

It's a beautiful sunny, bright, blue sky day... even if they are calling for more snow flakes later. Who cares...it is mild; the windows are open...the birdies are singing at the top of their little lungs...a perfect day in my mind.