Sooooo ... Give Me the Details ....

Now that you have completed your beautiful original piece of art in the form of a doll, you notice that it needs something more than perfect stitching, firm stuffing, quality fabrics ... something just leaves your creation a bit flat.  What is missing?  Details .... that little tweak that gives the careful, delicate and heartfelt sewing that one last element ... personality in the details.

The details and accessories that are carefully added to an artpiece ... say, a doll, (my medium) are just as important as the decorator frosting on a wedding cake ... not too much, but definitely not too little.

As you are creating a piece, especially a one-of-a-kind (OOAK) piece, a story comes to mind.  This art work has a story to tell ... a raison d'etre.  The story itself then becomes a beautiful detail.

As both the creation and the story develop, you discover that you are actually breathing life into your art.  You are giving your passion a history, a present and a future.  Now to add the beautiful final touches, "the jewelry," so to speak.  It is ever so easy to complete the basics of say a doll with a wonderful simple dress, an apron and some pantaloons (many dolls don't even have underwear [blush!]).  Sometimes a doll's statement is to be gracefully simple (take the primitive style doll).  However, even in the most prim of the details, there is a story ... simplicity.   Many artists tea or coffee-dye the fabrics for an enrichment of "vintage".  A prim doll may have patches or ragged hemlines or "aging" processes applied to add to the richness of a past that the artist has created.

If you look your creation over, does it tell its story or does it draw the observer into its history with interesting detail that helps it make a connection with an admirer?  In creating spirit and healing dolls, I have not only done research into shamanism but have added details that are actual miniaturized pieces that a human shaman might carry or use in daily routine.  The Celtic shaman would surely have carried a healing bag packed with healing stones, crystals and herbs.  She would also carry her own pouch of rune stones to help keep her in "spiritual" touch through  guidance and meditation.

Dressing a character in costume is fun and, unless you are adhering strictly to historical detail, should be enriched with textures, colors and even layering to add interest and dimension to the character.  However, be warned ... overwhelming your work with too much "stuff" (unless it is a peddlar doll) can be confusing and attract attention to just the "things" and distract from the essence of the beauty of the whole.  Just enough detail will invite intrigue, pique curiosity and arouse the imagination of the beholder ... hopefully, like a moth to a flame.  Your artistic "statement" has hit its mark.  Mission accomplished!

Below are examples of before and after facial details of Maeve and some accessories designed for her.  At this time, she is not quite complete, but her transformation is becoming very apparent.

             

Rune Pouch which holds 25 miniaturized runes

Sample of miniaturized rune stones beside actual sized rune stones

      

Les or Herb and Crystal Healing bag

Embroidered rune Oracle on hemline of tunic

My Little Corner of the World ....

Back in the first part of January I was pooped from Halloween and Christmas creating and all sorts of holiday preparation and I decided to knuckle down and sweep out some of the cobwebs from my brain and my sewing room/studio and get things organized a little so I could at least know what I had to work with to get going again in this new year.

So ... just thought you might like to take a peek at my little corner of the world and see where all the "little people" and creatures get their start.  It "ain't" fancy but it's home to us.

Here goes ...

This is where I sit (in the rocker) and do research and mentally work out the detail work in the pattern-making end of my art.  That rocker was used by my Mom to rock several of the grandchildren to sleep for afternoon naps.  The bear is called "Better Bear" and is one of six that I bought after completing each chemotherapy treatment.  He was and still is something safe and reassuring to hug even in the best of times.  On the upper shelf are many prototypes of my dolls and some treasured gifts from special friends and my "mantra" on the wall above, "Dream It ... Do It" to keep me reminded that any inspiration worth doing is worth spending the time on working through the details.

My shelving is comprised of orange crates turned on end and stacked.  I started doing this in my "single" days because it was so much easier to move from one location to another and moving my studio with all the sewing accessories was easier if everything was already packed in these boxes.  Just pick them up and go and when you get where you are going, stack them up and start sewing.  I love the cozy "natural" look of these crates and it reminds me of the days when having two nickels to rub together was a good day.



A few steps away is my drawing and cutting table where I draw out my patterns and cut my fabrics which become my little characters.  If you look closely, you will see that it is a 1920-30 vintage enamel-topped kitchen table.  I fell in love with this table when I first saw it and it constantly reminds me that many a woman started to accomplish her dreams and/or start her business right from her own kitchen table.

Finally here is the sewing center with my faithful sewing machine perched atop my husband's old school desk and sweet Hermione GoodWitch sitting at the corner of the table like a site boss insuring that I will face the least amount of resistance during my sewing machine time.

Well, that's my little world!  Please know that you're welcome here anytime!  I'd love to see your favorite "creative" place.  As we say down here in southern Virginia,

"Y'all come back now!"

That's the Spirit ...

About ten years ago just before my life was disrupted by major relocations and other changes, I created spirit and healing dolls.  Briefly, these dolls channeled the protective prayers and wishes of a loved one to the recipient of the doll.  The doll was also infused with special incense, prayers and meditations, wore special crystals and dressed with special clothing which usually portrayed the powerful character of the doll to remind one of the prayers and wishes that had been sent to them.  Often I would be commissioned to make dolls for protection or to channel the energies of love back and forth between  a loved one and one that had passed into the afterlife.  I was also asked to create a spirit doll that would help a terminal cancer patient focus positively on the new life she would soon be crossing over into and to help her prepare for the journey.

In this post today,  I just wanted to share a little doll companion of my own that I created for myself to reconfirm for me that I was strong and could succeed in whatever venture I was facing at the time.  Her name is Edwynna, named for my dad whose name was Edward.    She has accompanied me and ridden on long trips on lonely, late evenings back and forth from graduate classes in Cleveland, returning through snow and ice to Erie, PA, long after midnight.  Her companionship reassured me that there was always someone "out there" looking out for me and who really cared about me and that loving protection would surround me in a little spiritual cocoon as I zipped back and forth along the dark north coast winter roadway.

So here is Edwynna who now sits next to me in my sewing room along with Hermione Goodwitch to keep me encouraged to stay focused on all the projects that are unfolding for me now.

Edwynna

Edwynna seated

A Christmas Gift -- A Tale for A Winter's Eve

With special love for this Holiday season, I give you the Story of Little Gregory. 

Little Gregory

The Story of a Snow Urchin Winterling

Little Gregory

Winterlings -- The Snow Urchins

                              Snow Urchins are tiny creatures that come to live in the woodlands during the winter snows.  They live in the underground caves and caverns in the mountain country where it is very cool all year round, emerging to play above ground in the winter when the first snows sugar the countryside.

               Snow Urchins have an important job as caretakers of the tiny and helpless wildlife of the woodlands.  They perform various important tasks which include feeding seeds and nuts to the winter birds, field mice and other fragile creatures.  They also protect animal babies such as bunnies, opossums and yearling fawns who may have become orphaned by hungry foxes, bobcats or hunters.  The Snow Urchins keep them warm, fed and loved in special burrows and hidden caves through the worst of winter weather.  Some Urchins carry bags of seeds and nibbles as they move silently through the underbrush at night.

               Snow Urchins have very strong healing powers and should an injured or sick animal be found during the daily rounds, a Snow Urchin will carry the little animal back to the caverns where herbal broths and concoctions are ministered to the little patient in order to restore it to good health.   

               Because they are very clever at moving about unnoticed through the snowy woodlands, Snow Urchins have rarely been seen by human beings.  They are masters of disguise.  However, on very rare occasions, and especially on Christmas Eve if it snows, the little Snow Urchins will allow themselves to be seen by children and the very young-at-heart.

Little Gregory

               Little Gregory is a Snow Urchin and a very special Snow Urchin.  He has one regular-sized arm and one arm that is only a half-arm or what Gregory calls his “stump.”  Now most Snow Urchins felt really sad that Gregory had only a “stump” instead of a full-sized arm but Gregory learned to use his stump just like a regular arm.  When he was a baby and was learning how to walk, Gregory used a specially carved tree branch to help him balance until his legs were strong enough to carry him.

               Sometimes the other young Urchins would tease Gregory or would leave him in the caves and not tell him when they chose teams to go into the woodlands to learn to hunt for baby animals to rescue.  When Gregory was left behind, he wouldn’t cry but would go to his workshop deep inside the caves and learn to whittle wood and to use his stump to balance the wood.  With much practice and patience, Gregory became a master carver of beautiful wooden animals and woodland creatures.  However, he still wanted to join the others and learn to slip unnoticed through the underbrush.  He loved the little animals and yearned to help them.

A  Dangerous Stranger in the Woodlands

               One day a very clever, greedy fur trapper named Dirty Jack came to the woodlands.  Dirty Jack was one of the most famous hunters and trackers ever known.  He was given lots of money for tracking and trapping animals and killing them for their beautiful fur.  Dirty Jack delighted in the abundance of furry animals here in these new woods and tracked long hours in search of the best furs so the sale of them would fill his pockets.

               On a sparkling crisp winter’s morning, a band of snow Urchins frantically returned early from their daily woodland feeding routine.  The caves and caverns echoed with shouting and cries for help.  Gregory hustled up from his workshop to see what all the excitement was about.  The Urchins had gathered in a circle around the leader to hear the news.

               The lead Urchin, Seamus, was flushed and nearly out of breath as he told how one of the little Urchins had strayed from the band to answer the cries for help from a trapped young fox.  Her leg had been clamped in the sharp jaws of one of Dirty Jack’s traps and she was frightened and in much pain.  The young Urchin named Peter had slipped away to help her.  Peter cleverly released the trap and was bandaging the vixen’s injured leg when….. WHOOSH!! … A large burlap bag swooped down over him.   EVERYTHING WENT DARK!  Peter could hear the husky evil laugh of Dirty Jack as he snatched up the bag in delight and wobbled off to his cabin with his precious prize, Peter inside!!   The little injured vixen hid in the thick underbrush until the Urchin band found her and she told them what had happened.   Peter must be rescued and they must make a plan to get rid of Dirty Jack!

Little Gregory Has a Plan

               As Gregory stepped forward to the center of the circle of Urchins, everyone became quiet.  “I think I have a plan to help.  I will go to speak with the Great Bear Warrior, Artos, who lives in the caves nearby.  We have become friends and he will know what to do.”

               So Gregory gathered his carving tools and his sack of seeds and nuts and some gifts for Artos in his pack and started out to find the great bear.  About noon, Gregory discovered Artos sitting outside his cave feasting on berries and sweet roots.  Artos was a huge bear, three times larger than most black bears and his gorgeous black fur glistened in the warm sunlight.  Artos woofed a friendly hello when he saw Gregory and they sat and he listened as Gregory explained the kidnapping and the greedy killings Dirty Jack had done to the woodland animals.  With a gruffly growl Artos agreed he would help the Urchins and would rid the woodlands of Dirty Jack.

The Secret Mission Begins

               With the details of their secret plan carefully memorized, Gregory hurried back to his cave home and workshop.  He called a meeting of all the Urchins and explained the plan to them.  Gregory quickly got to work carving his greatest masterpiece.  The Urchins scurried to the woodlands and brought back bundles and bundles of wood for Gregory to carve.  Gregory worked diligently into the night by candlelight and by midnight all was ready.  Gregory sent a message by the Snowy Owl, Sebastian, to Artos that all was ready.

               The Urchins gathered in Gregory’s workshop and one by one they were each given a beautifully carved pair of rabbit footprint snowshoes which they would later attach to the bottoms of their red curly-toed boots.  When night came and the lights in Dirty Jack’s cabin had been put out, the Urchin bands gathered outside, laced on their rabbit footprint snowshoes and began laying tracks that led from the cabin out into the woodlands to a special spot where Artos would be waiting.

               When morning light came and Dirty Jack came outside to draw water from his well, he discovered hundreds of the largest Jack rabbit tracks he had ever seen!!  Without even eating breakfast, Dirty Jack raced back into the cabin, grabbed his gun and as many traps as he could carry and dashed off into the woods following the tracks and dreaming of all the money he would receive for these hundreds of giant Jack rabbit pelts.  Once he killed them and skinned them, he would sell them and he would be the richest trapper ever!!!!

               As he lumbered along in the snow, Dirty Jack was so amazed at the size and number of tracks …. Hundreds ….. Thousands!!!  They went on and on – he couldn’t stop because someone else might find this trail and then he would have to share the wealth ….

No, no, NOOOOOO!!!! 

Deeper and deeper into the mountain country and higher and higher he trudged through the deep snow.  Dirty Jack soon became tired and had to stop for a short rest to catch his breath.  He sat down on a flat rock right outside the entrance to a large cave.    “These huge rabbits must have a warren or burrow in the cave,” he thought.  As he sat and rested, he imagined what a trapper’s paradise he had discovered.  He closed his eyes to picture himself as a rich man.

               Suddenly he realized he felt a cloud of warm breath on the back of his neck and then heard a great snort.  His eyes snapped open and he spun around.  There was Artos, his large teeth gleaming in the sun as he rose up behind Dirty Jack and stood like a giant black furry, growling tower.  That was the last anyone ever saw or heard from Dirty Jack.

A Celebration and a New Beginning

               Peter was found shivering with cold and frightened but safe and sound in a cage in Dirty Jack’s cabin.  The Urchin rescue team bundled him up in warm woven blankets and carried him home to the mountain caverns.  He was given some warm broth and put to bed in a warm nest of fluffy quilts.

               The Snow Urchins celebrated their grand victory over the evil Dirty Jack in the great cavern hall with Gregory as the guest of honor and now their Great Hero!!  After that day, Gregory was never teased again and was always asked out on daily feeding rounds in the woodlands.  However, he didn’t go out very often because he was very happy and very busy carving special rabbit track snowshoes and bunny trail skis for all the Urchins to wear through the mountain woodlands.

*****************************

Merry Christmas and the Happiest Blessings of the New Year

to

You and Yours!!

                

              

A Special Christmas Story

As a Grandma, I find it difficult to select a "special" gift for a 4-1/2 year old grandson who is incredibly "techie" gifted and has a vivid imagination and curiosity about life and his own world.  Sounds like typical grandma-speak but he is very special to me.  Well, I decided to give him (and my son-in-law) a little tribute in appreciation of all they mean to me and my daughter.

Greg, my son-in-law, was born with a condition known as  ... get ready ... a Left, Below the Elbow, Congenital Amputation ... (phew!)  which left him with one arm slightly underdeveloped  and only half the normal length with "nubbins" for fingers on that arm.  With an abundance of energy and pluck, Greg has grown into a delightful young man, husband and father and constantly amazes me with his creativity and sparkle in moving through life, ignoring his physical difference and rising to any challenge as if it were routine fare.  Greg plays the piano, and uses any keyboard device with speed, accuracy and ease and would put to shame anyone who had the advantage of ten fingers and the manual dexterity of Van Cliburn.  He loves all aspects of the restaurant business and orchestrates culinary masterpieces both at home and at work, hoping one day soon of opening his own restaurant with all the skills he has learned.

My grandson, Seamus, of course, realizes that Dad has one arm that Dad calls his "stump," but in everyday routine, he is no different than any other loving father of a bright and active 4-1/2 year old son.  So in tribute to these special individuals, I wrote a story of "Little Gregory - the Snow Urchin" and created the doll that is featured in the story.

Briefly, Snow Urchins are tiny creatures who live in the mountain country in caves and caverns and search the woodlands in winter for sick or injured animals, who they nuture, feed and bring back to health with their special healing powers.  They are rarely seen by human beings except children and the young-at-heart.  Little Gregory is a special Snow Urchin who has one whole arm and one half arm which he lovingly calls his "stump."  The younger Snow Urchins tease him and sometimes slip out on routine rescue missions, leaving Little Gregory behind.  Gregory didn't cry but went deep into the caves to his workshop and practiced diligently on learning how to whittle and carve.  He finally taught himself to be a master carver.

As fate would have it, a fierce and greedy fur trapper named Dirty Jack came to the woodlands seeking new territory in which to trap wild animals and kill them for their beautiful fur.  Dirty Jack wanted to become rich by selling as many beautiful and unusual fur pelts as he could find.  As the adventure moves on, one of the Snow Urchins named Peter is captured by Dirty Jack who now knows he will certainly gain more riches by displaying this incredible strange creature in the circus and the public all over the world.  The Snow Urchins band together to decide on how to rescue Peter and rid the woodlands of Dirty Jack.

Little Gregory steps forward with a solution.  What is it?  ...  Tune in here at my blog on Christmas Eve for the full revelation of the story of Little Gregory ....

Seamus

Little Gregory

Polly, Greg and Seamus

Winterlings 2 - The Snow Urchins

While the Snow Angel lives among the wishing stars and waits to be summoned to Earth, another Winterling is quite Earthbound and is known as the Snow Urchin.  A Snow Urchin is a tiny creature that comes to live in the woodlands during the winter snows.  They live in the underground caves and caverns in the mountain country where it is very cool all year round but emerge to play above ground in the winter when the first snows sugar the countryside.

Snow Urchins are the caretakers of the tiny and helpless wildlife of the woodlands.  They perform various important tasks which include feeding seeds and nuts to the winter birds, field mice and other fragile creatures.  They also protect animal babies such as bunnies, opossums, and yearling fawns who may have become orphaned by hungry foxes, bobcats or hunters.  The Snow Urchins  keep them warm, fed and loved in special boroughs and hidden caves through the worst of winter weather.  Some Urchins carry bags of seeds and nibbles as they move silently through the underbrush at night. 

The Snow Urchins have very strong healing powers and should they find an injured or sick animal during their daily rounds, the little animal is brought back to the caverns where herbal broths and concoctions are ministered to the little patient in order to restore it to good health.  Because they are very clever at moving about unnoticed through the snowy woodlands, Snow Urchins have rarely been seen by  human beings.  They are masters of disguise and often strap false rabbit footprints to the bottoms of their beautiful red curly-toed boots so that their prints in the snow confuse even the most seasoned of trackers.  However, on very rare occasions, and especially on Christmas Eve if it snows, the little Snow Urchins will allow themselves to be seen by children and the very young-at-heart. 

So, this Christmas Eve, if there is a magical snowfall, peek out your window and you just might see a little Snow Urchin blow you a kiss for Christmas.

Snow Urchin

Snow Urchin





Bewitched, Bothered but Never Bewildered ... not in this Neighborhood!

Tis the month of haunting and enchanting and trick and treating .... and in step with the festivities, a wonderful site for all Halloween fans and collectors, EveryWitch Way Lane,

http://www.everywitchwaylane.blogspot.com/ is the must-see first stop for this holiday of thrills and surprises and all round good fun.

I am happy to announce that I have been included in the Cre8or'sTouch team of artists.  My little wooden vintage Halloween art cards and a few more surprises have been included in the glorious shop of horrors and chills where there are many delights to enchant the hearts of even the most persnickedy witch or wizard collector.

So come one, come all to the greatest Halloween block party ever!!!  From life-sized porch-sitting witches to sparkling Halloween tree ornaments and dazzling gift ideas, the galleries are packed and you'll want to visit Every Witch Way Lane  ... you may never wish to return .....

WOOOO-HA-HA-HA!!

Thrills and Chills ... It's Not Magic, Charlie Brown!!

It's not magic but a lot of fun .... start a new tradition and decorate your Halloween tree, wreath or garland with these vintage art ornaments!

  They are one-of-a-kind and two-sided miniature works of art featuring Halloween vintage art from the early 20th century.  They are sparkled with a fine dusting of glitter and will look magical with your Halloween decor.  These little treasures are featured in my Etsy shop.  So treat yourself to a sneak peek  There are only 11 left: 

www.etsy.com/shop/pollywogpatterns

Another Halloween treat is a stroll down Every Witch Way Lane :  www.everywitchwaylane/blogspot.com ... a delightful jaunt down through this  neighborhood will haunt you with thrilling and chilling artistic creations for the collector's Holidays ...

Beware .....  Patrick Gill and his masterful artists' team will cast a spell of enchantment on all who dare to enter there ....... 

WOOOOO-HA-HA-HA !!!

Such Nunsense!!

My mom turned 85 yesterday and to celebrate her birthday, I made a doll for her as her patron saint.  Mother Merry Walker is the Patron Saint of Senior Walkers.  She comes with an iPod tuned to "A Closer Walk with Thee," and the photo on her monitor is a miniaturized scene of the view out my backdoor which is graced by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.
Mother Merry Walker is about 7-8 inches high and she is signed and detailed on the back of her wings.  She sports cross-trainer shoes and is full of zip and vigor just like Mom. 

My mom walks every morning for a half hour at 4:30 a.m. in her condo highrise apartment building.  She is bright, adorable and beautiful.  Mother Merry Walker is just a reminder to Mom that I am thinking about her as she starts her day.  Love you, Mom!

Mom