Artistic? Or just crazy...eh, whichever

So I was playing with clay, and wanted to put different pieces together, colors that is, and make a tie-died/striped duck...well, I did, but not a huge fan of it, but the left over pieces that were stuck together I started playing with and made a rose...and then added petals...and then took a picture on one of my stainless steel charger plates and I thought it looked cool with the reflection. Anyways, here 'tis.

Quackers

I have a friend who has a propensity for collecting rubber ducks...so I was bored one night and thought...hey, I can make a rubber duck out of clay...and then I thought...I can even make it into a magnet...so that's what I did. Aluminum foil as a base, then made him out of polymer clay. The magnet was glued on after it was baked with E6000. Good stuff.

The quotes are loosely from a great movie, "Peaceful Warrior."

More leather, another pouch

Went back and got another scrap pack of leather, but was disappointed to see no larger pieces. I wanted to work on another pouch, to work on the construction factor -- what order to do things in. I used the same idea, but pieced parts together. As the pictures show, each side panel has two parts. I also got a tool to punch holes in the leather...very cool, and much easier than using a needle/awl combo. Doesn't have a lining yet, but I'm calling them Herald pouches thanks to Bambs observation that they look like a Coat of Arms/Heraldry shield.

A fish...yes, a fish...

So my artist friend challenged me to make a fish out of leather. People shouldn't challenge me, cause I'll find a way to do it. Here's a leather fish. Pieced together and sewn. He needs a bit of stuffing or something inside to make him stand up, unless he gets hung. I think he's kinda funny. Anyways, that's that...a leather fish.

Final? Leather Pouch

Here's the final version of the leather pouch. I sewed the lining in on three sides, so there's sort of a secret pocket for something between the lining and the pouch if desired. I added two buttons on the front for closure and to close up the bottom better. The shoulder strap/belt is not permanently attached and just braiding leather cording. Next time I'll make the loops bigger so that a regular rennie belt can go through.

Leather continued...

So, the pouch has continued...it has a flap on top and a lining...I'm still trying to figure out what to use for the strap. I'm sorta surprised at how easy the leather sews. And the pattern for this thing is really...REALLY simple, next time I make one, if someone likes it, I just need to figure out a better order for attaching pieces, but that's what engineers are good at, right?

OOOOOO...Leather!

Ok, so I got a wild hair and thought...hey maybe I can sew leather with my machine. Now, I didn't get my hopes up, because my sewing machine is not the Rolls Royce version or anything, but low and behold, it worked!!! I made a little pillow and something that I think will eventually be a bag, like for Ren Faire, but we shall see.

Anyways...awesome opossum as they say...somewhere... :)

New table setting and fish!!!

Ok, so I have a new table setting that looks pretty cool, if I do say so myself, and two new fish, since Plato died. I haven't been creative lately, so just enjoy these, assuming they post. The fish are named after a great author's work: Red Fish and Blue Fish. (One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss)

Scarves

Ok, so these are two scarves that I've worked on and finally finished. The long blue one is my favorite, took a long time, but stress relief is good. The models are my antiquish brandy set and a resin head on top of a jar. They were very cooperative. The multi colored one is really wide, and not long...have more yarn and am going to make it thinner and longer, but both should be very warm.

Theodora...a female troll

So I made a female troll. I didn't enjoy it as much as the male ones...breasts are hard to make look right. Anyways. She's got very orange/red hair and a bit of a smile. Yes, she's still naked, but I haven't figured out a good way of dressing them -- not a fan of the clay clothes on a moveable figure, and the cloth ones are hard to make so small. She's the same size as Squirt roughly. Anyways, she's still a little character. The smaller feet and hands are getting easier, too. That's about it.

Squirt the Troll

Here's a new troll, named Squirt, cause he's smaller than the others. He's about the size of an onion...fitting I suppose. The "clothing" is clay, the arms and legs are attached as with the others. I'm still not sold on the moveable arms and legs, but it's neat to have them move. I think I need to make a she-troll, cause all these guys are gettin a little lonely. Note to self, the clay is very fragile when it just comes out of the oven...don't touch...I broke his ear, and had to glue it back on...tsk tsk tsk.

New troll

Ok, so it finally let me post another picture...I think it's more my internet than the site, but oh well. So this is a new troll, he's a big bigger than the first one, it made the fingers and toes easier. He's a troll, so he's supposed to be sorta ugly, but the eyes don't look right, one is sorta lower than the other, but it worked for Shannon Doherty, so I went with it. I'm really gonna have to start naming these guys. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to attach the arms and legs to the body. This guy has copper wire, and I coiled the ends. I tried using buttons, but they didn't look right. The head swivels a bit, too, which is kinda neat. I'm wondering if it's worth the posability or if I should just make them solid. I like the idea that he can move, maybe not the head as much, cause that's a bit dangerous, I keep on thinking somethings gonna break (it's just a ball in socket joint). Maybe I'll joint the elbows too and make sorta a marionette type guy, just for fun. I don't know what I'm gonna do about clothes yet, for now he's just a la natural.

Decent Troll

Ok, so now the troll has clothes and is somewhat presentable... as trolls go anyways. I really like this guy, think I'm gonna try him again, the face was fun, and you can change it a lot. the clothes were just thrown together from scraps. I still think he resembles Patrick Stewart for some reason... might just be the bald head and big nose.

The Naked Troll

The troll is getting there. He's got hair (even on his chest!) His arms are joined via wire through the torso as are the legs. Hands and Feet are very difficult...stupid fingers and toes.

Cap'n PiTroll

Troll...sorta looks like Patrick Stewart...in process.

Green Man

Something else from the same creature book. Face surrounded by leaves = Green man. Not exactly happy with him, but he came out ok. If nothing else, it's using the clay and tools and getting used to it. First try at a real face (not cutesy animal). I shoulda remembered my facial proportions...the book does it different and made it look a bit off. So there probably won't be as many posts once classes start, I just have been bored out of my mind, so I figure I'll get creative.

Rose

White Sculpey with watercolor. Idea from Carol Duvall...she used a different type of clay and artist crayons or something, but my own spin on it...sorta splotchy, but interesting.

Frog

So, this is a frog. Polymer Clay. I figured it will be easier to show you what I'm doing here than try to email pics and such. So anything clay, cloth, whatever I'll just shove up here. (Yeah, I know I'm copying Bambs, but I don't think she'll mind.) The quarters are to give an idea of size. The eyes were baked after making an indention with the back of a paintbrush, colored clay was added and then the black was painted on. His design was from a new clay creatures book I got for Christmas. He actually came out better than I thought, love the face, especially the eyes, much better than the pin pricks from the other book I have.