My first altered doll!

Are you one of those people who get the "doll parts" craze going on right now? Or does it leave you shaking your head & thinking "Holy shih tzu...what's up w/ that?" *grins*

When I first saw an old doll head, under glass, somewhere, I was instantly smitten. I just fell in love instantly & started collecting "parts" (although I have been known to dismember whole dolls LOL) before I even discovered altered dolls. But I did discover altered dolls (love the Somerset publication!) & I'm very proud to introduce my first (of many!) altered dolls.....Hunee Bunny. (I named her after me.)

I ripped the ratted, tangled hair off an old doll head & paper clayed ears & a fur coat onto her....

kissing it in spots w/ crackled paint (heavy in some spots & lighter in others) & then hit it w/coarse glitter where I didn't use crackle paint. The glitter doesn't show up very well in the pic above but you can see it better in this close-up.

I blinged her up some w/ rhinestone "buttons".....

and glittery pink "shoes"....

and used wired pearl strands for "arms".

Doesn't she have the sweetest expression? Her eyes even open & close!

*sigh* I just love her! Even though I know she leaves many of you thinking, "Holy shih tzu...what's up w/ that?" *grins*

Also, I was asked to share the image I used in creating the chenille bunny, in my shadow box egg, in a previous post but I am late in doing so...sorry Leann! Hope you can still use it! I flipped the image before printing cause I wanted him facing the other way, you can do it in paint program.

Can you believe I've already posted my Easter decor & Easter projects & it's not even Easter? I know! Me neither!!!!

The Wicked Tea was awesome in every way!

First off, I gotta warn y'all about the amount of pictures in this post...there's a lot! So grab a cup of whatever, take a potty break & prepare yourself to be wow'ed...by the many talents behind Paper Cowgirl's A Wicked Tea.

I'm unable to copy & paste website addys (think it's a stupid trojan that I can't get rid of) so I'm not gonna embed links to blogs in this post. But you can google any blog name that you are interested in.

First up, the decor...oh my goodness, was it over the top fabulous! Ann Denise from Whim & Fancy Designs is known as being teh crepe paper queen but after this event, I think she earned the title, Queen of Everything. She not only taught a wonderful class but handled the decor & the food!

click on any picture & then click again to enlarge for details

I took this next shot before the cupcakes were brought out. But she transformed a chandelier into a cupcake stand...pretty clever, huh? (and one you will probably see me copy at some point LOL)

Candy bar...full of devilishly good treats. And party favors made by Ann Denise.

The breakfast station...AD made fruit salad, coffee & scones. She also made us a wonderful lunch w/ pasta salad, broccoli salad, chicken wraps & corn chowder. We ate good!!! ;)

Rose petal scones...they were fabulous!

And the teachers were as fabulous as the food...from left to right, you have Lisa from Tarnished & Tattered, Ann Denise from Whim & Fancy Designs, Cindy from Yapping Cat Studio ( Cindy is the backbone of Paper Cowgirl) & Lesley from Flatwoods Folk Art.

Here is one of the students (Grace came all the way from NY for the retreat!) in front of The Pink Cottage...the venue the Wicked Tea was held in. Quaint, quaint, quaint!

And the students...well let's just say there was a lot of snorting going on! LOL I knew most of them from previous Paper Cowgirl retreats but made a few new, cherished friends.

My table (the loudest table LOL)...from left to right; it's Jennie from The Pretty Pekingese, me, Grace from Grace in the Pink City & Jan, from Just Me Jan. I knew Jan already but we all clicked from the get-go...I couldn't have asked for better tablemates.

And now on to the projects. First up is Lisa's Coven Book class.

I strayed a bit from her class example, using a black bow & pearls instead of the tiny, old book of poems she provided us. That book is wayyyy cool & I just couldn't bring myself to glue it down. Plus, the hint of glam suits me & my style.

She showed us an awesome technique of using liquid resin (I think that's what it was... I may have to email Lisa & ask her)...it looks so cool "dripping" down the book.

I also went w/ a different image than Lisa provided....using one of a witche's tea party that I found in our goodie bags. How appropriate, huh?

And I realllly strayed from Ann Denise's class example. She taught us how to make noisemakers out of paper clay. Her's was really, really cute but it was painted in bright colors & I'm trying to stick w/ black & white for Halloween. So I used rhinestone buttons for eyes, gave it all a coat of crackle & then went over it w/ a watered-down burnt umber paint, wiping it off so it only stayed in the cracks.

I know it looks like a cross between an alien cat & a pig but I don't care...I love it! I added a pipe cleaner tiara & turned her into a Princess.

I glittered the back of her head to add more dimension.

And I wrapped the stick part w/ a strand of sequins & glittered the ball end. I LOVE my Princess Boo Kitty! I even wore the witche's hat I made & carried my Boo Kitty w/ me trick or treating. I drove everybody nuts waving the "wand" & chanting "Hocus Pocus, Dominocus!"

Lesley taught the Wicked Crone Necklace class....I loved it! Loved the class & I LOVE my necklace. I have worn it often since the Wicked Tea & have received many compliments on it. I'd like to make a couple more & am ordering more molds from Lesley.

Thanks so much to all the teachers for making it such a wonderful day. And a special thank you to Cindy, our head cowgirl. ...you're the best Cindy!

My snowbaby figurine

Hi y'all! I've had this inspiration pic in my files for many years (it's from Country Living 2001!) & have always wanted to make it. After my recent success w/ my paper mache heads, I worked up the nerve to attempt the project.


click on any picture to enlarge for details

I am soo pleased w/ my result!

I used polymer clay for the head & the only tools I used to sculpt it were my fingers & a vinyl covered baby spoon.

Not bad for a beginner, huh? I painted the face, added an umber glaze & then sanded it some. I draped tatted lace for adornment & then hit it in spots w/ Stickles glitter glue.

The snowball is made out of the paper mache clay recipe I shared w/ you in this post. I added a bit of Tim Holtz's distress crackle paint, an umber glaze & then flecked it in spots, w/ MS's vintage leaf glitter.


Dressing it in crepe paper was probably the hardest part of the project but I'm sure it will get easier w/ practice & experience. Her skirt was a little plain so I tried creating a border on the hem w/ scalloped scissors but of course they wouldn't cut evenly through the crepe. But the "torn" hem was exactly the look it needed, don't ya think?

This is the armature of the doll before I wrapped it in crepe paper. I made a wire body & then glued on cotton batting...shaping it w/ scissors.

You must admit that I am a dang good copycatter...not sure that's something I should be proud of though. LOL