Simply Charming!

These are the fabulous charms I received today from Kim in Canada for the 'Romance' charm swap I took part in on her site Paper Digital Art & Images By Kim. 

I love them all, they're all so different and unique but my favourite (if I'm allowed to have a favourite) is from Lydia Hildebrandt aka Kenning Stone and includes a tiny little canvas covered book called 'A Love Story' which even has actual pages with a story on them - how cute is that!  I wish I had the patience to come up with that kind of attention to detail. 

Kim's next charm swap is for Christmas and I've already sent my charms off to her - so it's official now - I'm addicted to charms (as well as everything else - lol)

Altered Jigsaw Piece

This puzzle piece is from a children's puzzle and measures just under 4" x 4".

The base was painted off white then rubber stamped with a 'Stamper Anonymous' stamp from the Tim Holtz collection called 'pattern pieces' which is one of my current favourites.  The smaller puzzle piece was stamped with a PaperArtsy mini stamp (MN20).

I then attached some vintage paper pattern pieces over the top with melted beeswax and coloured the edges with some dark brown and black melted wax crayons.

The holes to hold the embellishments and ribbon hanger were Crop-o-diled.

The torso / mannequin was moulded with air dried clay and covered with some more of the vintage paper pattern.

I think I may need to stock up on the beeswax now as I'd forgotton how enjoyable it is to work with - lol.

Masquerade Paper Doll

This is a paper doll for a swap entitled 'Masquerade Ball' on the Yahoo group Fantastic Flat Paper Dolls.  As the doll is going to a ball I thought a long gown was in order, so for once, the legs are covered up (although you can still see them through the lace insert of the skirt!). 

Her mask is painted onto her moulded clay face and that cone on top of her head is supposed to be an 'up do' hairstyle - It's a card triangle shape covered with some embroidery thread and hightlighted with Stickles and seed beads. I cut her fringe a little too short too (it's lucky I'm not an hairdreser!!)

The curly strings are meant to be hanging from the mask and they too are embroidery thread coated with the paint and curled around a thin stick while still wet.

The gown is from oddments of lace, silk, netting and plastraw.  I rubber stamped some stockings on the legs with one of Tim Holtz's texture stamps and her sparkly shoes are more of Ranger's Stickles.

So all she needs now is a partner to accompany her to the ball!

Domino Doll - 'Sweet Suzie'

Sweet little Suzie will soon be on her way to Wendy as she's my partner for the altered domino doll swap over on Flickr's Altered Dominos & Other Altered Game Pieces group.

As I didn't have any actual dominos with suitable holes drilled, I used a bamboo domino which has two sets of holes drilled throughout the length.  I hope Wendy won't mind that it isn't an authentic domino - it does look the same but not as heavy.

The body is clothed with scraps of fabric and the limbs are assorted beads.  The head is flat wooden bead which luckily also had two holes drilled into, so I was able to attach it to the body with the same wire the leg beads were threaded onto.

I painted the facial features on and attached a paper flower behind the head.

I inked the back of the domino with some pearlescent crimson Brilliance and attached a piece of tissue paper which I'd pre stamped a harlequin pattern onto.

Miss Halloween 2009

This month's theme on the Art Raffle is 'Black and Orange' (although it doesn't necessarily have to be Halloween related).

As my creative brain doesn't stretch very far I decided to make ... yes, another paper doll!  She turned out to be something of an exhibitionist with her tight bright orange bodice, pumpkin button bra and black lacy tutu with matching cloak.

Her hair and bodice are Plastraw (like raffia but stronger), her crown is a glittered up plastic embellishment and her stripey socks are coloured in with Marvy LePlume markers.

She looks like a winner to me - so I've crowned her 'Miss Halloween 2009' ........ what's that you say .... 'Smashing Pumpkins' ?   No, I've never been into their music ..... sorry, I couldn't resist adding that!