Saturday, September 14, 2013

BJD HEADS

I have been trying to sculpt a face for my BJD class..  Some people are done with their dolls.  Not me.   I am still hung up on lesson 2 (out of 6).  You are to take your sculpted head, open it, hallow it, smooth it etc.....and then add the internal components for the neck ball joint , the eyes, the neck key, and the face magnets.  The teacher emphasizes that the class is to learn the BJD techniques, and a terrific sculpt you can work on later, after you get the techniques down.
Amen.
So I am moving on.  I will use one of these lopsided - and or characterless - and./or BURNT heads .....and just DO IT.  time to just finish up and put it together.....

an assortment of heads...really burnt the first one,
opened head- ready to have armature removed .  notice I BURNED HIM.
so today i sanded all the heads.  tomorrow I will open probably the 3rd head from the right and will use that as my doll head.   Of course you were supposed to pre cut before you cured the clay.
oh well.
Pretty worried about my papa.  Making pre-arrangements to help my sister out...trying to keep myself distracted from this difficult but necessary life experience.  He turned 93 on the 10th..
sigh.


Saturday, September 07, 2013

Good bye to August...

The last part of August has been productive, joyous and very sad.
I enrolled in a fabulous class online learning to make BJD's (ball jointed dolls)  .  The class was to have ended already, but it was extended until the end of September - which is great because I am so behind. I am on lesson 2 of 6.
Art wise, I made a baby book for baby Emilee - but of course I gave it away before I took pictures.
I also made the 5 bridesmaids and 2 flower girl's  jewelry for my niece's wedding.  The bridesmaids had bracelets and earrings.
swarovski crystal and amethyst bracelet

another bracelet view....
swarovski crystal and sterling thread earrings
The flower girls had necklaces and bracelets.  I also made a few extras  for the mother of the bride and the bride too!....
stretch bracelet - alexandrite, amethyst  and swarovski crystal

the entire collection and accompanying cards....

I also lost my beloved Uncle Peter.  He was a wonderful Uncle - always joyous and happy - incredibly funny and a great cook!  He was involved in an amazing amount of charity work with St Vincent de Paul, Knights of Columbus and as a hispanic translator for the court system - to name a few of his favorite projects.
He also loved to dance and he had a different nickname for everyone.  I was his "weasel".

Photo: This is a picture of my favorite uncle, Uncle Peter....and me, at a family wedding two years ago ...it is our last photo together.  We laughed a lot at that wedding, and we danced and danced together.  He called me "the weasel" , never by my name, since I was a little girl.  He was silly and charming and witty and loads of fun. Oh the stories I could tell....!
 An incredibly caring and loving man. 
You will be missed Uncle Peter - may your new life be as full of adventure and laughter as the one you have left.  Say hello to my mama when you see her, and please fell free to come visit...anytime you like!
Uncle Peter and Me
He had a spectacular send off- a Rosary and Mass at Santa Clara Church with honors from Knights of Columbus, Flag folding by the US Army for his service in WWII, and a Mariachi band outside the church.  This is a HUGE church - and it was very crowded.  All of this was followed by a reception with tons of food and drink a plenty and a slide show of his life.  It was a joyous party in his honor and I know he was there celebrating with us, too!





I also interviewed for a new job  "Twisted"....I will start in October.

 And then there was Allyson's wedding - in Lake Tahoe.  Ally married Brad in a fabulous destination wedding.  It was a blast!

...lastly I visited my dad.   With great sorrow, the family has placed him on hospice.