Do you ever work with paper clay? I wish I did more often, when I do, I just love the stuff. I use the kind that comes in the black bag, labelled "Creative Paperclay". I've tried other brands, but really like this one.
This fairy is a half doll and her gown holds a painted cage with a nesting, glittered egg.
I'd made the doll's head a while ago, and she was lying on my desk staring up at me, wondering when she'd be given a body. I finally felt guilty enough about making her wait and pulled this look together.
Lately things are going well for me, productively. Not only did I make an avalanche of little snow people, dye and decorate billions of bottle brush trees, and a whole bunch of other crap, I made this college too.
The little painting of a bird in a cage was the prototype for the cover of my Birdsong Tag Book swap last summer. I've had the original sitting on my desk since then, thinking I needed to do something with it.
So, I finally got around to making a college with it. The background is a leather bound, padded lid from an old box, that I painted white and glazed over in tan. I cut a rectangular hole into the center of it, lined that with old wallpaper and rimmed it in tulle-ish netting.
I finished it off with a trim of sheet music as a frame around the opening, and added a strip of frayed velvet, a buckle, some lace and a few curled feathers.
Funny, that box cover has been on my desk forever too. It just all happened to come together. Its good to get this done, and use up those two items that have been hanging around waiting to become something. I just had to figure out what they needed to be.
This is a project that I had about 90% done and just now finished. I guess I'm in the mood to tie up loose ends. Somerset Apprentice asked me for some pictures, and I wanted to show a variety of different styles of work that I do, so it was a good time to finish these three things.
This wooden box/fairy house had been waiting for some feet. Beth gave me these salt cellars and I added the words inside them and glued them onto the bottom of the box.
The finishing touch that it needed was this brown velvet ribbon and old rhinestone buckle.
I had thought that the box was too plain before and wasn't satisfied. But I'm happy with the feet and the belt now.
Inside is a large Charlotte fairy in her millinery rose nest. All of these pieces have the common theme of "nests" even though they are different styles of work. I'll let you know when they show up in the magazine, its always exciting when those come in the mail, even though I've done dozens of articles, its still a pleasant shock when I see my work published. Its one more thing to be thankful for this holiday weekend!
Beautiful! Just beautiful! Seems you are always pushing the creative envelope. Keep it up. You inspire us all.
Oh Karla, how beautiful!
Karla, a beautiful job as always. Your frame is amazing, just a work of art. Nice feeling to tie up loose ends isn’t it? Hugs, Marilyn
Absolutely amazing. My brain just doesn’t work in this beautiful way.
Oh I’d love to come and create with you, love your work!
Just beautiful, Karla!
You’re amazing, Karla! Everything just gets lovelier and lovlier. You are truly creative!! Wish I could come up with ideas like this. One of your best things is that you’ve got a lot of goodies to work with. But I bet you could make a paper bag look great!!
Thanks for sharing!
Sandy
Just darling!!!
Congrats! Fabu as always!
So beautiful. I love what you did with the bird collage using the top of the old box. Gorgeous!
It is a nice feeling to finish little projects that have piled up. Yours look so pretty, too!
I love Creative Paper Clay, too. I am planning to make some little snowmen with it this year. I’d better get busy! ‘Such a great feeling to finish something long planned!
karla that book box is so gorgeous… i am so in love with it.. that charlotte doll inside is so beautiful .. the whole thing came together perfectly.. thank you so much for sharing.
is there a place where you order those doll heads?
hope your thanksgiving was a happy one .. filled with lots of love
big ladybug hugs
lyn
Love the birdcage doll and the box, sweet! Hugs Marilou
Darling creations! Paper clay is so much fun. Thank you for sharing the joy of creating.
It’s all so very lovely, your so talented!!
I have never worked with paper clay, but you have me thinking!! I also love the little belts that you created!!
Debbie
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Lovely, Karla — isn’t it wonderful to be so productive? You’ve been on a roll! And it’s all beautiful.