Today I delivered my crafty items to the old hotel for their show next weekend. Sometimes I refer to this as dump day. Before I leave I usually tell Mr. Gadget, "I'm going up to the hotel to dump my stuff."
The drive up the several miles of two-lane curvy road was somewhat exciting with an Audi behind me in a big hurry, and a Jeep ahead that continuously crossed over the double line. But I made it safely and met up with Caleb, a nice young man who was happy to check off the 37 items on my inventory sheet with his mom quietly supervising.
So, here are some of the 37--starting with the pumpkin.
It's not quite this bright in real life. I thought it worthy of the show, and if it doesn't sell it'll be home in time for Halloween.
You've already seen this one in my last post.
This gal was made out of paper mache and paper clay. I used a plastic Coffee-Mate container as a base. That's vintage tatting around the top of her dress--made years ago by my grandmother.
I used a styrofoam cone as the base for this one. Her head was originally intended for the librarian, but it was too small. She was also made of paper mache and paper clay.
This is my favorite witch face. I sculpted it out of paper clay and used it with my trusty ol' cloth doll pattern.
I'm definitely done with witches for this year. I guess it's possible to over-witch. I feel like I've got a haggy hangover. Next year maybe I'll wise up and start my witch-making process in January and move along through the year at a more leisurely pace. But first I've gotta make a few Santas...
I call her the bowling pin witch. I used duck cloth for her bowling-pin shape, and added arms with paper clay and a wire armature.
I made her hat out of duck cloth too, and then painted her with acrylics.
Her hair is dyed sheep's wool and the broom is a twig with sissal twine bristles.
She's holding a pumpkin made of paper mache.
Stay tuned. More witches will be making their debuts soon. It's getting pretty raucous here in the Treehouse with all the cackling.
I managed to get down to pumpkin level on my EKs today to take this photo of more pumpkiny progress. That's not a bad stem in my humble opinion. But bear in mind, this is a learning pumpkin. The stem is probably a little too big for this modest-sized veggie. I'm going to leave it be though...because I've had sticky-fingers enough for one day.
I'm in that twilight zone of craftiness where I don't know if this is going to be good enough to sell at the craft fair, or whether it will end up in the disappointment category of home decor. In a week or so the verdict should be in.
I've come up with an idea for a new project, but I won't start it till I'm done with the witches.....and they've become very demanding this weekend. One didn't like her face so I had to do a little dermabrasion. Another worried she'd drop something, so I had to add more clay and drill a hole in her hand....OUCH! When I'm done I'm going to make a few little snowmen out of empty pill bottles. As one becomes elderly one is likely to amass quite a collection. But that's a wintertime project and it's just barely fall--and I'm starting to see some colors popping out. It's an exciting time to have a treehouse...
The great pumpkin project is coming along nicely. Although, it looks wider at the top than at the bottom which is not the case in real life. I suppose I should stoop down to its level before taking a photo, but that's not so easy when you've got EK (elderly knees).
I've finished applying paper strips and am now ready to cover the whole thing with a thin layer of pulp. I should probably throw out the plastic container of flour-water-glue that's in the fridge so Mr. Gadget doesn't mistake it for his special Coffeemate and add it to his tea. That would probably put a stop to my regular deliveries of liquor-store-size brown paper bags.
One of the witches is coming along nicely too.
She needs some hair and a few witchy accessories. I feel sufficiently satisfied with her that I'm willing to tell you she's my own design. I've decided to stop with that firth and twoth business. I went off on a silly tangent, and this blog is set up so that if there's an over-abundance of silliness all sorts of alarms go off. Let me tell you, it was a piercing shriek. I'm going to tell Mr. Gadget not to buy any more batteries.
I've been busy in the Treehouse--stitch, stitch, stitching, paint, paint, painting, stuff, stuff, stuffing--trying to make sure everything comes together before the end of the month when I have to deliver stuff, I mean wonderful works of art, to the old hotel craft fair.
And just for the heck of it, I decided it would be fun to make a paper-mache pumpkin.
It seemed easy enough to stuff a liquor-store-sized brown paper bag with wadded-up newspaper to use as a form. Oh that Mr. Gadget. He's always thinking of me and my crafting needs. I looked around on the internet to see what techniques other pumpkin-makers were using and I soon realized there's a better way. I'll do it that way next time....if I decide to go for two.
In my last post (what was it, 2 or 3 months ago?) I showed you the beginnings of my firth of forth witch doll. She's moving right along, and here is some progress on the twoth.
I made the body (the bowling-pin shape) out of duck cloth. It's very sturdy and nice and firm when painted. The arms are paper clay over wire. I have some witchy accessories for her to hold......in case you were wondering if it was my intention to make an I'm-a-little-teapot witch.
I'm happy to report that the black and white kitty with no name has arrived at the Concondo and is keeping guard by the fireplace.
We never know when a critter of some kind might come down the chimney. Which makes me realize, I'd better move him before Christmas...
The Firth of Forth is the estuary of the River Forth in Scotland. I've always loved the alliteration with its hint of a lisp.
So when I decided to blog about the 4 witch dolls in various states of construction here in the Treehouse, I chose to call this one the firth of forth.
Her head is the original one I had planned to use for the librarian....until I realized it was too small for the body I had in mind. So I stuck it on an old styrofoam cone I've had in the closet for years. Always good to use-up is my motto. I cut off the top and stuck some wire through for arms. The cone has been covered with paper mache. Today I gave her some hands and a witch hat--both out of paper clay. Once dry, I'll put some paper-mache sleeves on her, and then decide if I want to make a black cat for her to hold, or something much simpler and less time-consuming.
You may have guessed that I'm a big fan of witch season. I've already started work on the next one in line--which will probably have to be called the tooth of forth.
