Sometimes we just gotta have some fun!

And this week, that's just what I did. Meet Flitter! She is a dragonfly fairy, floating above her cedar display. Here is a photo of her.

She is sporting some of the mohair I showed you last week- it's short, very shiny and very soft. Perfect for the short hairstyles. I really liked how her wings turned out too-all those holes were burned into the film with a soldering gun. Took hours. Good thing I LOVE MY JOB!

Have a safe holiday weekend! We are going away and I will be back Sunday evening very late. A cousin is getting married on a sunset cruise. Should be fun!

Deb

Processing mohair-all part of the job!

This is Taja, the end of the story! Her beautiful tresses are the result of this lengthy process. I couldn't be more pleased! She actually has two colors blended together- for a very natural look.

So this is where it all started....

Tonight I want to share some photos with you of the process of dyeing mohair. It is such a job- but the rewards are tremendous. I did a bit of it a few years ago- then bought some from other sources already colored. That has it's disadvantages though- because you never seem to have just the right color.

I had tibetan lamb (around 60.00) as well as angora mohair that I got from my friend Terry in Australia. I had heard they had the nicest mohair there- and it is true- this fiber she sent me is just the softest and finest I have ever seen. Not cheap though- we now have about 70.00 invested in white ponytails. Anyway, here are some photos showing this very messy (and expensive!!) process!

First, the mohair is brushed, washed and dried and then bundled. I got 70 bundles and this process took me about three days.

Then I laid out plastic, and donned the rubber gloves. I had been buying up several- actually dozens of boxes of haircolor. (approx 150.00) Then I decided that maybe I should have professional haircolor instead- so I enlisted the help of another friend, Debbie. She was a hairdresser before she went into her artwork full time. She sent me a box of several colors- ring up about 80.00 more... MESSY....

Turns out I used all the boxed haircolor- all the professional color AND went back to the store for about 6 MORE boxes of color. Add 50.00.

After the color process was finished, we rinsed. And rinsed, and rinsed... AND RINSED. They are spread out on the washer and dryer...

Then off to the clothesline to dry. Thank goodness it was hot and windy those days. (My hubby was a bit worried what the neighbors would think. :) )

The beautiful results. The top photo is the Australian mohair and the lower photo is the lamb.

This is a closeup of a tighter curled mohair, also from Terry. Thank you again, Terry! As I said, expensive and time consuming. But, I would say I have nearly a lifetime supply of hair for my sculptures. Except that I did tell Terry I was willing to take more if she gets some! :)

And now I know why they charge about 20.00 an ounce for dyed mohair! I thought about selling some as I was getting started with this- but heck NO. Too much work!!

Do YOU believe in Fairytales?

This week I had a lot of fun creating a fairytale scene- The fairy Princess Genevieve is about to grant a wish to her little Froggy friend. She's hoping he is her Prince Charming!

Seated on toadstools, this cute twosome are hoping for the best! Enjoy!

Seems like forever...

...since I have been back here to post. Please forgive my absence. We were gone for a while- visiting the kids again and since we returned, I have been working with some mohair that I had bought several months ago. Beautiful mohair from Australia. I also had some Tibetan lamb to work with. Been dyeing it for days now- some great successes, some not so great! I will post some photos when it's all finished- the last batch is drying now.

Back into the studio today- finally back at it! I miss it when I am away....

Checking in--checking right back out again!

Just a quick update here- we will be gone most of this week, returning on Sunday evening. Then things will settle down here soon after and I can get back to the commissions I am working on at this time.

I did list Renata this week- here is a picture of this feminine blond beauty! I love the coloring in this piece...

Have a great week and I will get back soon!

Deb

Such FUN! Sweet little Elke....

Had to get a new server this week- for my website as well as my ebay listings. A pain to get it all switched over, but this new system is a dream!

Anyway, it took me the better part of the week to get it all up and running again, so I was late getting my fairy listed. I wouldn't have been able to get her listed anyway until I had the new service activated! But, we did it- all is well, and Elke has arrived!

Commission #2

This is the base for Commission #2. A combination of real and faux coral, shells, starfish and ocean sand collected from our last vacation to Florida!

Coming this Sunday evening on ebay....

A little sneak peek! Actually it was a perfect day to take pictures today...I love the challenge of good photos. This is Shea.

Hint: it's all in the lighting....

My latest on eBay- Mariella!

I started out with an entirely different plan- and ended up with Mariella. She pleased me- I loved her expression. Sad, yet hopeful. I hope you'll like her too!

About the photography here. I think the effects are cool. I took these outdoors in open shade which means light filtering through the branches. I held a matte gray board up at an angle behind the sculpture, allowing the reflections and shadows to dance across the board. It caused the streaking effect and also bounced light off the sculpture.

I think I am going to rig up some stands to hold that board next time, so I don't have to! It was hard to hold the board- and steady the camera all at the same time. Oh, and make sure the breeze didn't blow her off the stand. Fairy wings will catch the wind, you know...

A bit of time away...

I'm back. Sorry for the time gone, it's been filled with visits from the grandkids! Summertime brings all sorts of fun distractions. I even caught one sitting in my birdbath. It wasn't a bird, either!

I know, I know... well, I guess it was hot that day-and he's a little character!

Back at it- but not what you'd think!

Home again- I was gone a few days, doing the promised yardwork and planting for my parents. Glad I still have parents to do yardwork for! Dad will be 80 in 2008. Mom isn't too far behind..

So today I am pulling weeds in my own gardens! Here's a picture of one- And here's my helper. She's not too good at pulling weeds- she'd rather chase the squirrels! Seems her work is never done!
I need to get as much done today- and possibly tomorrow- then it's back to the studio. I'll check in with you again soon!
Deb

Busy busy busy....

Boy, where do the days go....

We had our little grandbabies here for a few days. I'll tell you what. They are a lot of work! It's as I always say, there's a reason God dries up our ovaries! WHEW! They are darling, though- gramma is just getting old.

Anyway- once they all cleared out- I got a chance to finish a piece I had started a while ago- this is Zeki- a young male Changling. What fun! I love trying something different- and I really am happy with the way this piece evolved- right down to the mushroom cap as a perch. Worked out great- because I sculpted him first- and baked him- so the mushroom had to be sculpted to fit him. It is build with a wood and expanded wire mesh armature- screwed and epoxy glued together. Very sturdy!