Where the Heck Have I Been?

I am shocked to see that this much time has gone by since my last post but yeah life does whoop up on us sometimes and 2012 was not the best year for me. There were changes both in my life and the lives of people I care about that seemed to eat up time and energy and left nothing for less serious pursuits.
I want 2013 to be different though and no one but little 'ol me can make that happen, so here's to change (mostly good I hope) and re-connecting with blog friends again!
I do have some new projects to share with everyone in the days to come and lots of art and fun activities I have been fortunate enough to enjoy over the last few months that I can hardly wait to share.

Here's to 2013 and new beginnings!

Little Faces That Made Me Smile

I made a few more little cuties from some of the vintage hardware I keep collecting from the odd garage sale or neighbors dropping off things they think I can use...

This little gal  (I call her Belle) was made from a vintage door plate and where the knob would be attached I made a little face from polymer clay. Her hair is wool roving that a friend picked up for me at a craft show from a local sheep farmer.

 And here is little Lucy....

 Of course the wood I mounted them on is from an old drawer that was languishing, but no more! The keys were from an old box of my great-uncle's junk.
I have to admit the more pleasurable thing about these are that I got to use things I have had hanging around for years and wasn't sure what the heck to do with them. I hate to throw things away so this was the perfect use for those items.
Well I have a new painting in the works in a different style from my usual and I am anxious to get back to it.. I hope everyone is safe and sound and that the weather will co-operate with us so we can have a grand 4th!
Always....


Tina xo

More Little Things

This has been a hectic week filled with catching up on household stuff and trying to find as much time as possible to create a few things....
Here is what I have been up to this past week or so:
Again I used old wood, some tulle and polymer clay face, arms and legs. The old hardware piece is screwed around a wine cork that is holding the tulle skirt. The garters are really meant to be attached to the bottom of a bra to hold it to your girdle (remember those?)

Her hair is mohair that I was lucky enough to have won in a lovely giveaway.

Here I made a small hand painted poly face, a velvet butterfly that I have held onto for ages and a key chain of Route 66. There are some sweet little charms added to the sides and of course my painting and stain finish for the wood piece.

Dear little Frida...pieces of old jewelery, a great old piece of wood from a vintage birdhouse that I painted crackled and stained, crochet lace from a VERY old doily, plaster tiles I made, carved and painted myself. Notice the piece of fabric I wove through her braid before baking the polymer clay. I thought that was a nice touch!!!

This has been fun and I still have a few more I would love to make using some very old escutcheons and then I think I will paint a few canvases in oil paint this summer and see if I can reproduce the images I have stored in my head.
I hope everyone has been having a good start to the summer even though the weather in some areas has been outrageous. It was 94 here yesterday (100 with the heat index) and even expected to get hotter today...ugh! I am not a huge fan of high temps and humidity.
Take care and be well whatever you choose to do today!

Tina xo

Well Here We Go Again!

I spend so much of my time either running messages, cleaning up and making art that blogging has been the big loser here!
I swear I really have been super busy so most of the plans I started this season off with have gone caplooey....
Oh well, I am alive, I am well fed and ..hmmmm...ok relatively happy!
Here's what I have been working on the last few weeks and I am loving this assemblage stuff a BUNCH!

Made with mostly very old junk  priceless, vintage treasures and my own polymer clay face, arms and legs.
Title "Time Held the Key"














Next I did one I called "Queen of Her Heart"...

Once again I used only the most select priceless materials!!!
Actually the wood is from a VERY old birdhouse and a little jewel box.
Her crown is from an old bracelet that was given to me at 15 so that makes it ..ummmm....46 years old and ..gulp...I guess that makes it and me VINTAGE! ACKKK!

Yep I feel as old as this sweet crackled face some days but who said life would always be easy huh?
I hope this post finds everyone happy and making the best of the gifts life offers.
I am always thinking of you all whether I am able to post or not but I am going to try really hard to be more diligent about visiting and posting as my life feels quite empty without your sweet posts to read.....
Love always
Tina xo

Busy Times

Wow has it been that long since last I posted? Yep I guess it has but in my defense I have been super busy with the garden, the lawn, art, cats and family stuff, LOTS of family stuff.

I just had to make a quick stop and share a few new pieces of art that I labored over recently and then I am going to find the time to visit my fave blogs later today...YAY!

Here's something a little different from my usual....

I used crackle medium on the skin after painting the face white/gray and entitled the painting "Ossified" yep I know just how this dude feels!

Then being on a neutrals roll I painted this...

Ok so enough of the pensive stuff....so for a more light and happy feeling...

This one is done with glitter and wire, glass beads and lots of metallic paints!

And this little lady is just a fun gal in her fun hat! Hey not everything has to have a deeper meaning...:)

Well I am off once again to add the next layer of paint to a little project I am working on, and I hope this post finds you all happy and well....miss you when I am not here!

Tina xo