Tara is a Brat(z)...Artistic Journey Doll swap

no I didn't rip off her feet...she was in a toy bin at a thrift store...probably dumped because of a lack of feet!

my first step was to cover her legs with PVA and Green Tara fiber paper

I then applied some Green Tara lace and some of their lovely little paper flowers

using a sponge brush I coated the torso with black acrylic paint...I did it roughly and left some unblackened areas...

I spritzed the entire torso with Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Stains...I used a mix of soft pinks and medium pinks. Once the colour was right I dried it with a heat gun and then used gold Rub 'n' Buff lightly over all surfaces

time to bling it!

and then add some feathers

of course I just had to put some wings on her and used the fusible film over Words Or Whatever chipboard flourishes...I used a heatgun and soldering iron...I have a youtube tutorial that I did a few months back...super quick and easy!

one arm was left fairly plain...not sure why...I might change it yet

her head piece is created from a small plastic hair comb crown that I got from a $2 shop

I did this face last year and I'm going to send it along with the doll in case they don't like the other one.

I really like making stuff and I thought I would run an art doll swap...I am hosting it through facebook and I was so impressed that it picked up 80 ladies from all over the world...the dolls they are sharing in our gallery are just amazing, each and every one of them are so different. It is making me a bit sad though that when people share images of their creations there are always a few that decide to put themselves down as artists and claim they didn't join in because they felt their work wasn't "good enough"...BULL SHIT!!!

The doll I created today is something made beyond my comfort zone...I have always done the paper style you all have seen so many times on my blog. When I finished her I showed my Mum and my two sons...they all laughed...but it doesn't matter...art is what you make of it...art is about exploring and learning, taking chances and having fun. I had fun and regardless of it being a good or bad piece...I enjoyed myself.

I know there are lots of artists who do better work than me...but who friggin cares?

Respect yourself and take pride in your art.

Art is my voice...I don't intend to be silenced!

Queen Floriade...a humble beginning

On my recent trip to Perth I found myself a polystyrene doll head...I had to wait for my Mum to come for a visit before working on her because my luggage had been full with other goodies. Anyhoo, here she is...created with Green Tara paper flowers...I used a whole "mixed 21" pack, and Lindy's Stamp Gang helped create the colours

Big Girls Bloomers

original colour

final colour

I love designing products...it's so cool seeing my sketches and doodles turn into something that is sold/used all over the world...I still smile when I see my designs in stores and I wonder what they become once they are purchased by consumers.

Anyhoo...I love flowers and my work with them is always pretty well accepted, so I decided to take the good ol' chipboard designs that I made for Words Or Whatever and I suggested an "upsize"...going from 2.5" to a huge 5"

...and what to do with them? use your imagination...the possibilities are endless!

and of course all my colour is owed to the use of Lindy's Stamp Gang products

retreat!!!!! going the distance

little felt bucket $3.99!!! I just had to have four!

(Scrapsidaisy)

hand made bunny buddy by Leisa Barwell (owner of Scrapsidaisy)

my bags packed to head to the retreat...five hours of driving!...well worth the trip!

Linelle Bird, me, Kim Solomon...online and now offline friends

me being me...silly...so what!

The last few weeks have been crazy busy...and it's just the way I like it, maybe not so much the crazy part but busy is good. My trip to Perth was great and my 40th birthday was the best birthday I ever remember...apart from one or two little things but bah! what ever!

Classes went well over there and I'll be back in August to work a show and quite possibly a retreat...love retreats!

Speaking of retreats that is where I was this weekend, I packed my scoobymobile and set off on a long drive to teach scrapbookers how to "wing it" and experiment with products.

I made a pit stop to speak to WOW about some new product designs...I am really excited about them...and nope it's not chipboard or even MDF...you will love it!

Anyhoo, I had a lovely visit with Suzanne and got her to "change" one of the current designs I had...I should have asked for her to cut dozens because when I showed it at the retreat...the ladies went crazy!

My final destination was a lovely little Aussie town called Wingham 

I taught two classes over two days and met lots of wonderful ladies who made me feel very welcome.

All of the art that they created in my classes was beautiful and they seemed to have great fun playing with WOW chipboard flowers designed by me and my fave glitzy mica products from Lindy's Stamp Gang

I look forward to getting back there again.

Thank you Leisa, Linelle, Kim, Julie and everybody else for letting me "Wing It in Wingham"