Brain drain about mummies

Morbid anatomy is a great blog for doll ideas. I went and saw what looked like a pretty wooden doll. very realistic and detailed. By hy dont they show her costume and maybe ball jointed body. However , its a mummy of a child from 1920! she so sweet and perfectly preserved. I cant help but think how loved she must ahve been and almost imagine her speaking in a little voice or blinking again!

She reminds me of a mummy I had seen in a magazine years ago and fell in love with!

Juanita the ice princess. She had a silver doll with headress, red wool blanket and Juanita was to me something alien fae. A being from another world! I drew the artifacts that were burried with her and I started carving wooden thingies that were abstracted human effigies. I got into those African effigy dolls full of nails and trying to copy that look on the crude things I made from found objects,sticks and carved avacado seeds.

I think my love of artdolls is rooted in my love of mummies and bog men,north pole explorers preserved in ice, tragic figures of Pompeii and the egypian tombs that use to occupy my young mind.

So anyway that explains why this artist Shain Erin is a present favorite . I woudl love to own one of these ,but they are all so cool how to choose!? http://shainerin.wordpress.com/

To me these effigy's hail back to the true orign of dolls which is suposed to be derived from the word "Idol" Africa with the voodoo, and original zombies, mysterious jungle cultures with sacred native ritual, the shabati and the wax dolls burned on a pyre to take away illness. The medicine men and mystical women. In my own way Im doing the same thing...making effigies of children with a nitcho in the chest for reliques. Preserving effemeral memories,symbols of a child that was. Since all of us adults are the remnant of a child that no longer exists physicly ,but in spirit is still with us.

Its my UNbirthday what about you?

I Found out yesterday that Doll magazine is out and there is Briar right on the cover looking Gorgeous in face up and gown by Aimee (Armelia) of DOA. Righteaous huh? Inside you can see Briar "Secret garden" too.
http://www.dollsmagazine-digital.com/dolls/200904/


But Im really excited that yesterday I got a wonderful bunch of packages. The first was full of parts for me to edit. Ill redo Briar, give her a new head and make improvements in her design.


I got a nice ghost white Briar to be tricked out as Sandman's Lady death in a few months( for Jeff;) and do you like sweets?....I got a special Briar, Im so delighted with... a sinfully decadent toffee BJD! Ive named her Melusine :D Ive decided shes cajun or creole.. and from around the 1920's 30's She could lounge about like a lenci boudoir doll or saucy smoker in those floaty sheer dresses with beading and I must use tea stained laces I think!

Id love to make a cellophane and dogeared cardstock original vintagy sales box for her that says "Eat me!" Or" soft liquor center"! And give her an Alice in Wonderland theme and tea set with mini cakes... The wig here is actauly a rabbit fur hat I made. Ill proabably sculpt a polished flapper type hairstyle that will stay on and cling close to the head. I have so many ideas for her! This pic is a little dark to see,but Ill be taking new photos when I get her fixed up.

I really dont know how the faux folk art/ prim art is done except to stain a bit with coffee or tea. but I love that stuff. maybe its hard to tell since Ive become a sculptor,but those simpler things still call out to my heart.

The next package was my shrine peices. *rubbs hands together* They turned out perfect! Im busy right now finishing up my Emma Godess..chesty lil thing>G<>

The last package was fat quarters! Yay!I love fat quarters and just the wordsy...fat quarters tickles me. Say it with me now loud and with zest!...

Ahaha phych! I didnt say it out loud! Now dont you feel like a fool*points* I got some Hoffman batik really affordably. I might even use it rather than bring it out to pet and squee over. That used to be what Id do with cloth ^-^ ,but now. Its make with the scissors doll!

Ill tell you what you can do with yr glitter!

Im a little under the weather but, I wanted to show off my zombie girl . She's looking better even has the pointed ear thingy goin ,but I still think her expression is less than spot on. Ill have to get in more practice with extreme expressions. I took the lazy way out with the armaure and just worked my way down with smidges of aluminum foil and epoxy as I went. I had a smaller cupsize but husband insisted I fill her out more.

Whats so fun about this is Im using scrap clay and I havent mixed an entire batch for even color tone,but tiny batches with lots of translucent clay. That means she ends up with alot of mysterious layered colors. You can see it in the head since I have it pre-cured before adding more clay on top. So after I cure if she gets a flaw it should be no problem to carve it out and back fill and it will only add to the lovely mottling of her custardy skin.

sugestions for the perfect zombie punk fae wings pretty please?

A new turn ...shrine's and triptych's

Hey there, I just ordered some wood for future projects stuff that those of you who know me well will get that Ive wanted to make a loooong time... cause Im inspired by santos and reliques , creche figures and the like.

I drew my own simple shrine shape and sent it to an online store to have lazer cut into a flat pattern, then I will sculpt, paint and decorate it to contain my figures. They cost about 2.50 each and so far thats the cheapest way I can think of to get such a thing made. Later I can get coffin shapes , peaked house shapes and make shallow shadow boxes. I can line the boxes with fabric or photos even paint with genesis oils. I think it will be neat looking and appeal to more than just the usual doll collectors.Here is a similar sculpted victorian frame I made ,but this one is only 4 " square so not big enough for what Id like to do. I used an old wooden coaster. I feel most satisfied somehow applying my clay to wood.

This is the type of triptych I want reminicent of Mark Ryden's Blood cd case http://www.amazon.com/MARK-RYDEN-MUSICAL-RIDGEWAY-WEXSTUN/dp/B000PIDE6O