The Clay Whisperer - The Art and Musings of a Clay Artist

Happy Day

2012-02-08T19:13:00.000-05:00

Pomeranians are happy little dogs....and since I finished up a few today, it was quite a happy day. Well, that and I got a Valentine's Day card. But it was from my Dad, so I dunno if that really counts. But Snoopy is the main character on the card...add 10 points to the happiness meter. And I love my Dad, add 20 more points. I love these little rabbit trail stream of consciousnesses things. My minute readership could probably live without them, but hey, you can just scroll down to the pictures if I'm making you nuts. (Love ya, mean it.)

Duke the Dane Continued

2012-02-03T21:49:00.000-05:00

The first Great Dane in a set of two is pretty much complete now. Cleaning up and smoothing out are the only things left and he'll be ready for firing. On the other side of the table I am being overrun with Pomeranians! But really, could you honestly be upset over a mob of poms? Well, maybe if they were all barking at once....reminds me of a MadTV skit I saw once....okay, time to get off that rabbit trail...Here's some pictures:

Multi Tasking in 2012

2012-01-31T21:38:00.001-05:00

It seems that 2012 is going to be the year of multi tasking. And Happy Belated New Year by the way!Right now I am dividing my work day among several projects: 2 larger size Great Dane figurines, a very large order for a family pack of pups, and several other smaller dogs. I'm really excited how things are morphing into some really neat pieces.Here's a look at one of the Danes as it has been progressing today:

And after a little tweaking and re-scaling.....

A Tale of Two Ears

2011-11-18T22:41:00.001-05:00

The first set of ears I tried were obviously too tall. (Especially since this Dane's ears aren't cropped.)

Then I bent them over and they were just too wide. (He's not Dumbo the Elephant after all.)

Finally after a few moments of smooshing and bending (and a few choice thoughts) they turned out, "just right."

And here is his buddy, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever.

This oddly formatted blog post is brought to you by the letter C and a lack of sleep and caffeine.

Sometimes I let the dog help...

2011-11-16T23:17:00.000-05:00

My 'studio' is at my Mother's house. And so is Toby. Toby is my Mother's dog....but when I am up there working he lets me think that I am the best-est person ever. Dogs are like that. Of course when my Mom walks through the door all that changes and I'm only good for a toss of his squeak or a milkbone.

Seeing as how Toby has managed to procure an official bed in my studio in the last couple of weeks, I decided it was time for him to do a little blue collar work...err red plaid collar as the case may be.

Today he assisted in photographing several items for the shop. Mostly he just sniffed things and walked in front of the camera at inopportune times, but in the end, Tobias lent his paw to a listing photo and another random picture.

Now if he could only paint, we'd really be in business.

In Stock

2011-11-16T13:01:00.000-05:00

Not everything I offer is custom, made to order. I try to keep at least a few things 'in stock'. Look for new additions in the coming weeks.

New Challenges

2011-11-14T19:16:00.000-05:00

This year has brought with it many challenges, mostly in the form of health issues and family members. The last 6 months have been a whirlwind and slow motion video simultaneously. I am also trying to challenge myself more in the creative department. Early last month I was asked if I could do an ornament that featured a toddler and his cat. I accepted and FINALLY got to it in my work que.

I have never made a human before so to say that I am coming at this blindly is an understatement. But I am pretty pleased with the results achieved, first time out. I think I would like to continue working on the human element actually. I need to brush up on anatomy and skeletal/muscle structure though. Maybe I can go from cartoonish to some realistic detail.

I think this is going to make 2012 a very interesting year.

(I think he looks like the Dali Lama in the first shot.)

I will post some pictures of the finished ornament after I find out if the client likes it or not. (biting nails)
Meanwhile, here's a looksie at the order que for tomorrow, minus this particular ornament plus one more similar to the Christmas tree one.

Catching Up

2011-11-11T16:27:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos from the last couple weeks since I posted....this time of year is super busy for me, so I don't get around to posting on the ol' blog much.

So what have you been doing?

2011-10-31T21:53:00.000-04:00

I've been making guinea pigs. To sit on top of a cake. Oh how I wish someone would send me a piece of cake. Or a guinea pig. They are both sweet in different ways.

How's that for a stream of consciousness? Say, maybe I did learn something in school. Or not.

Of course I am going to take better pictures tomorrow...

Ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!

2011-10-28T17:55:00.000-04:00

I'm finished! I'm finished! Let's do the dance of joy! Here are all 10 dogs completed from the order I've been working on.

Beat the clock!!

2011-10-27T23:27:00.000-04:00

I'm trying my dead level best to beat the clock. I really wanted to post pictures of all the ornaments tonight, but alas, the sun set on my dream and I only have a quick snap shot taken indoors to offer before midnight.

So without further adieu, while it's still Thursday, here's a little preview:

Tomorrow, err 30 minutes from now, I'll be back with all the ornaments photographed in natural light. Yay.

Nighty-night. Even boring artist types need beauty rest.

I'm out of ideas...

2011-10-20T14:25:00.001-04:00

for post titles. Here's a look at some of the latest ornaments.

Keep on truckin'

2011-10-17T17:32:00.000-04:00

*wipes brow* Onto another project!

Wabbit Season. Dog Season. Wabbit Season. Dog Season.

2011-10-16T23:32:00.002-04:00

Yeah, I know it's technically 'duck season' but I have no ducks today, only dogs.

Trois chiens.

Wascawie Wabbit.

Primer and Pups

2011-10-11T22:35:00.000-04:00

Today the truck got a coat of primer and two pups to sit in the back.

It's pretty much in the ugly stage right now. Tomorrow the tide should turn and a more appealing aesthetic will emerge. I really want to be finished tomorrow.

Had a chance to paint a little black-tri Aussie I made awhile ago too. Part of me wants to keep him, but I dunno yet.

Hey Christy! What did you do today?

2011-10-10T22:42:00.000-04:00

I built a truck.

So it's not exactly a F150 or even a Datsun, but I like it. It's actually based on an older Nissan 4x4. When the project is complete, two Golden Retrievers will be riding in the bed....and yes, the holes and dents are supposed to be there.

Go go Gadget!

2011-10-09T22:17:00.001-04:00

Sometimes I wish I were more like Inspector Gadget with super gadget arms and springs in my feet (but then again, that could be dangerous)....then perhaps I would not have to put a hold on accepting new custom orders for a wee bit whilst I catch up with existing projects.
They seem to keep multiplying, much like my friend Morris here. Not that I'm complaining mind you, but I just need time to do the best work possible!

So thanks in advance for your understanding. I'll once again be accepting new custom orders after November the 5th. Of course I'll post a little note at that time too. And I'll still be around answering emails and convos on etsy.

Until next I type...same bat time, same bat channel!

Presenting.....

2011-10-09T17:13:00.000-04:00

Dudley the cat.

A lot of cat to fit into a small clay package befitting the top of a cake!

4 days on the road....

2011-10-04T15:31:00.000-04:00

And I am SO happy to be HOME!

Went to Murfreesboro, TN (just outside of Nashville) this weekend to a dog show with my Dad and his dog, Artie the Australian Shepherd. Had a great time, LOVED seeing all the dog breeds, but it was so nice rolling into my drive yesterday afternoon.

Anywho, Artie won two 2nd place ribbons and of course he was spoiled rotten by yours truly. He's such a great dog. Smart as a whip. Of course I think most herding dogs are pretty on point- as long as they have a job. Otherwise you end up with one more neurotic dog! Boredom and herders don't mix well.

I'm back to work today, just taking a break to punch this post out. Oh yeah, and HAPPY FALL!!! It's been quite crisp and cool in the mornings and the leaves are already changing....such a great time of year.

Iddle Widdle Dogs

2011-09-26T12:16:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I just miss things...

2011-09-23T10:10:00.000-04:00

completely.

I was clicking through some of my etsy stuff and found this photo of Lola the bully with her Lola ornament. Didn't even realize it was there. I made this ornament for the owner of SimplYouDesign back in 2009. I really gotta start paying more attention! Love photos like this though. Had to share.

Some new listings...

2011-09-22T11:44:00.000-04:00

Rodentia

2011-09-21T22:21:00.000-04:00

Today was rodent day. Well I don't think guinea pigs are technically rodents, but for the purposes of the post, we'll just lump 'em all together.
So.
Gerbils and guinea pigs. Don't get a lot of requests for gerbils, but I think they turned out pretty well. And of course, more peegs!

A cat has no problem...

2011-09-21T15:24:00.000-04:00

letting you know that you aren't paying attention to him.

He's laying on top on my clay and work space. Thanks Wally.

Pretty sure he's done.

2011-09-20T14:01:00.000-04:00

Unless I fiddle with his coat color some more. I've been through several layers trying to get just the right shade of Vizsla red, and I don't really think I'm there yet. Of course, we'll see what the client thinks since she knew Bucca personally! This is his signature pose, the one he would greet everyone with, hoping for a tummy pat. :)

He's right around 3" tall.

And about 7" long.

Helloooooo!

And the Bucca goes on....

2011-09-19T21:36:00.000-04:00

...thankfully he now has a head.

And ears even.

Finish tomorrow. Yay. Then it's on to more guinea pigs and some gerbils.

Clay LOVE

2011-09-17T22:19:00.001-04:00

I'll just go ahead and say it: "I love clay." Specifically this new clay I bought last weekend that I just got a chance to bust out today. Where has this clay been for the past 5 years? I loves it. I heart it. IT. IS. AWESOME. Mmm-kay, now that I've officially weirded you out and alienated my 10 reader base, how about some pictures of said clay in action?

This is Bucca. He's a Vizsla. Right now he's a headless Vizsla, but you more or less get the idea.

A body and a leg. It's almost creepy.

I was a little obsessed with making this leg.

It's a great leg.

The position I am attempting to 'capture' in clay.

Had to make some changes, make a new left leg.

This leg is much better. The other body parts are jealous.

Even more legs. Oh, if I would only give the poor thing a head.

Not photographed at the right angle, but it gives you an idea to compare.

You will have to forgive the bizarre nature of this post. It's getting past my bedtime and I've only had one glass of caffeinated tea today. I'll post more, and hope fully, the finished piece tomorrow. Oh, and I guess I should have mentioned this is going to be in the 6.5"-8" size range.

Four pigs...and a blanket

2011-09-16T20:35:00.002-04:00

Today was a fabulous day weather wise. The high was around 55F, the skies were overcast, and there was just a little bit of a breeze. The first signs that fall is on the horizon. So it was fitting that I needed a blanket while creating these pigs:

Even got in a little pirate action:

Wee dawgies!

2011-09-09T17:14:00.001-04:00

It's done.

Here are some prelim pics. I'll break out the big gun for some better shots later.

3 Pits + 1 Husky =

2011-09-08T22:13:00.000-04:00

a wedding cake topper! In progress of course...

Mid-Wheek Pig Fix

2011-09-06T14:57:00.001-04:00

Here's the latest guinea pig:

And my two new furkids:

They were found last week in a box behind a dumpster. Poor babies are skin and bones, but sweet as pie.

An early start on Halloween

2011-08-27T00:14:00.000-04:00

It always amazes me how early retail stores begin marking down summer clothing and start stocking winter gear. And I'm just as surprised by the number of people who being their 'Halloween shopping' in August. But while I may still be in shock about parkas in window displays when it's a cool 90F, I can definitely get down with the costume shoppers. So here are a couple Halloween offerings for you ghostly early birds:

A Be-Witching Westie-

And a Bummed Boxer-

There's a hurri-can a'comin!

2011-08-23T09:26:00.000-04:00

Well looks like NC is probably gonna get a wallop from Irene later this week. It's been 22 years since Hurricane Hugo rolled through my part of the state, so we're keeping our eyes on this one- it's looking just a little too similar to the track Hugo took.

On the other hand the weather here today is absolutely GORGEOUS! I cannot believe it's still August, feels more like late September. The humidity is pretty much nill and temps are down creating the perfect recipe for a wonderful day to be outdoors. Here's hoping it lasts. This summer has been brutally hot and nauseatingly humid, even more than usual for the south.

So here's wishing you a great day wherever you may be! Enjoy the sun or the rain, you're alive for another day!

Time flies...

2011-08-20T23:42:00.000-04:00

Hidey-ho neighbors. Time sure does fly when you're preoccupied with family matters. I've been away from my studio for quite a few months now due to the need for constant assistance for a family member who is recovering from a fall and a couple surgeries to repair the injury. I never realized how much I need the stress release that creativity allows until now. I think I may have a new appreciation for it.

So here I am, getting back into the working game....on a part time basis to start anyway. I know the economy is down and funds are tight, but hopefully there are opportunities on the horizon.

Thanks to everyone who stuck with me over the years and especially here in 2011. :)

Until next time...

Wedding Pets: Including Your Furry Friends

2011-03-20T18:31:00.000-04:00

The advent of Spring is just a hop, skip, and a jump around the corner and with it comes a brand new season of weddings. So you've got the guest list, the dress, flowers, menu, officiant, and of course your spouse-to-be, but have you considered including your pets? I know a lot of couples chose to have their dogs, or cats, take a physical part in the wedding party, but for many it's just not possible. So why not have a cake topper made in their likeness?! Pet cake toppers are perfect for the reception, grooms cakes, or even the actual wedding cake if you desire. And best of all, no flying fur to interrupt that scrumptious bite of yumminess!

You can have a realistic or caricatured likeness of your pet(s) or we can even go a totally different direction using the graphics of your invitations or an idea that is bouncing around in your mind. Pets are my general focus, but definitely not the only option. :) (Think birthdays, baby showers, engagement parties TOO!)

And a few more....just for good measure! :)

Drop me a line with your ideas and pictures, I'd love to work something up for you. Cake toppers range from $50 to $150+ depending on size, detail, etc. and I always give estimates before I begin, so you'll be in the know! From start to finish you can expect a 2-3 week wait for your custom topper. :)

Adopt Today!

2011-03-15T00:23:00.000-04:00

Leaping Forward

2011-03-15T00:01:00.000-04:00

So we took the leap forward, inching closer to Spring, with the time change this weekend. I enjoy the extra hours of daylight in the evenings, but it take a couple weeks for me to acclimate. I am SO tired!

At any rate, I'm working on a new project with farm animals. I *think* there will be a sculpted group and a simple style. Tonight I put together a simple style boer goat kid. There are things I like and things I don't, but it's just a prototype and subsequent figurines will look a little different.

Here's an example of a boer goat I've been doing for the last 4 or 5 years:

And here's the latest idea:

Now this little side project will have to go on the back burner for the rest of the week. I have a bird related piece to complete for a fundraiser gala that benefits our local art council and United Way. I've also got a new commission that I'll begin soon- multiple figurines of the same dog. I'll hopefully be blogging about that one!

Spring Sale

2011-03-09T14:22:00.000-05:00

I'm having a little sale in my artfire shop from now until the end of March! 25% off any item, including custom work. Come on over, you don't even need to create an account to purchase! :)

christinas-studio

Unique Gifts

Doodles

2011-03-07T22:32:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I just like to doodle. The other night I decided to doodle my Mom's dog, Toby. He's a Cavalier/Cocker mix and pretty awesome if I do say so myself. :)

Anyways, just playing around!

Nature Challenge

2011-03-06T16:30:00.000-05:00

I am part of a neat group of artist in a polymer clay guild called, 'Polymer Clay Smooshers'. Each month a challenge theme is voted on and each member is encouraged to participate by creating something in clay they feel embodies the current theme. Well, March's theme was Nature and there were A LOT of beautiful and really awesome entries. Here's a quick look at the participants work, and if you want to know more just check out the blog or click on the screen shot!

Wardrobe change!

2011-03-04T16:08:00.000-05:00

Well, it's not designed by Edith Head, but I definitely think green is a much better color for these guys.

Interestingly, today marks my 100th blog post. Funny, seems like a lot more than 100!

In Technicolor

2011-03-03T16:24:00.000-05:00

Well, not quite, but there is color involved....I worked some more on the skin tones and shading as well as adding the towel color. It may change, we'll see...

Painting begins

2011-03-02T16:38:00.000-05:00

The sphynx cats received their final adjustments and were fired today. I also began painting them this afternoon, byut it's going to be another day or two before they're finished. So far the base coat on the bodies and eyes has been applied with some shading and detailing done on the kitty on the right side.

Quick blurb about something new...

2011-03-01T16:50:00.000-05:00

Branching out...literally.

Here are a couple mini trees created for a Guild Challenge; theme: Nature. Not my usual, but a nice little change!

It's alive! It's alive!

2011-02-28T18:57:00.000-05:00

Well, not quite alive, but closer to completion at least. I feel a bit like Dr. Frankenstein piecing together heads and bodies with a Doolittle twist. Or maybe Julia Child....

Two heads, ready to go!

And here we have the 'body base'.

Ok, I'll admit, still rather alien like.

Getting better!!

A preview of things to come.

Two Heads Are Better Than One

2011-02-26T22:01:00.000-05:00

Sphynx cat head number two is now in progress. It's in the U-gly stage right now, but the alien head will soon morph into another cat.

In between cats, guinea pigs, and dogs I'm doing my best to put together a work in progress video, unfortunately my videography skills leave something to be desired. But I hope maybe soon I'll have a neat little 'docu-Christy' to show you. (Try to contain your excitement.)

Continuing Cat

2011-02-25T16:21:00.000-05:00

The work on the sphynx cats continues today with a little more detail including some wrinkles, bristly fur texture on the bridge of his nose, and refining the nose itself.

Here are a few in a little more natural light...

Also made a couple more critter pendants- this time a little lamb and a guinea pig...

Is it E.T. or a cat?

2011-02-24T19:52:00.002-05:00

No, it's not a bodiless alien, it's a cat.

I'm working on a new commission: two sphynx cats. The main focus will be their heads/faces with some towels draped around their bodies. The process so far has been interesting. My broken thumb is starting to get on my nerves and in the way. I'm not able to apply pressure to assist in the shaping and detail like I normally do. So far I have the body formed and one head fleshed out. There's still a lot of refining to do. At cat without fur requires close attention to detail, and that's even more important since the heads of the cats are the focal point of the piece.

Here he is with a more complete set of eyes...

And just so you can see it's really going to be a cat, here is a shot with some mock ears...

Hippity Hoppity

2011-02-22T17:13:00.000-05:00

So Valentine's Day has come and gone and Spring is getting closer.....and what comes along with Spring? Bunnies and chicks, and I don't mean the marshmallow kind. :)

Here are a couple new additions to the shop:

Cake Topper Pets Complete!

2011-02-21T13:49:00.000-05:00

They're complete! I'm really happy with how each of them turned out. I can't wait to get the base and send them off. :)

Thumbs Up

2011-02-20T23:04:00.002-05:00

I completed the fur texture on the 4 pet cake topper today and got a couple painted.

'Twas an interesting process seeing as how I broke my thumb yesterday. My friend Paula cautioned me to never repeat the 'real' story behind the injury (believe me, it's one of those 'here's your sign' things) and offered an explanation of her own- which I like better anyway:

"So, how DID you break your thumb," said Jane Doe. "Well," remarked Christina, "you see what happened was a raccoon tried to attack a chicken of mine and I grabbed my shotgun to shoot it dead and a crazy accident caused my thumb to catch in the stock and what do ya know, it broke my thumb. Oh yeah, I forgot, there were also coyotes approaching from the North....and then a bear showed up."

But, being the yokel that I am, you KNOW I have to share the actual story anyway...SO, I was working on the tractor yesterday because it's leaking hydraulic fluid, and I took the valve apart cause I thought there was some air in there or a clog or something, and when I put it back together I didn't get it on right. When I tried it out the pressure built up and the whole thing shot off.... and I lost the do-hickey that holds it on....well I wanted to see if it would work right anyway so I thought why not just hold it on with my thumb? Dummy. I was all stoked because it was working right and then the stupid thing came flying off and took my thumb with it. Yeah. "Here's your sign." I am very thankful that my finger is still attached to my hand even if it does hurt and change colors like a confused chameleon.

But getting back to the work, I plan on completing the topper tomorrow. All that will be left is mounting it to the acrylic base as soon as it arrives. I'm really pleased with how it's coming along. The wielding of brushes and sculpting tools hasn't been too bad, but the real challenge will come when I begin the next project and need my thumb to shape the clay.

Cake Topper in Progress

2011-02-18T22:06:00.001-05:00

This is a four pet cake topper, in progress. Two cats, two dogs. They are in need of tails and more detailing, including fur, but that will come after I get the ok on their positioning. I hope to have it complete by Tuesday.

All in a day's work...

2011-02-15T21:13:00.001-05:00

The transition back into working mode has not been as extreme as I thought it would be. Today I made these two figurines: a rather 'fluffy' Labrador type and a little blue tick. Actually, I was really kind of stressed about the blue tick because I don't do a lot of free standing work, but I had a brain wave yesterday afternoon and came up with a support for firing that made my life so much easier.

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T17:45:00.000-05:00

Hello again. Hope all of you have been well and gotten off to a great start in 2011. I've been out of commission for awhile (obviously), but I am finally getting back on track. Sometimes life just wears you down and it takes awhile to recoup. But anyways, enough of that!

I'm back to work and taking on a little bit of custom work. From time to time I may add new items to my shop on etsy, but my big goal is to transition to my own website. Yay!

So I guess that's it for now. Just wanted to wish ya'll a happy heart day. Hope have a good one- and remember, Valentine's Day is for everyone, not just those who have a significant other in their lives. So tell your Mom, Dad, brother, sister, Aunt, Uncle, Grandma, Grandpa, best friend, favorite teacher, dog, cat (well, you get the idea) that you LOVE them. I guarantee, it will make both of you feel good.

And until next I post again, here's a new dog for ya:

Long time, no see....

2010-12-10T00:26:00.000-05:00

.....kind of like Santa, eh? I feel like I've been a little reclusive lately, but I'm just trying to stay focused. Not much time to post on the ol' blog. But things are beginning to slow down a wee bit and soon all Christmas orders will be complete. Can you believe it's already the 10th of December? The older I get the faster time flies....
Anyhoo, here's a peek into what I've been working on lately....I'll do my best to post a final Christmas order update at the end of next week, then this little elf is going to leave her workshop to do some Christmasy stuff of her own! :)

Closer Still

2010-11-28T20:52:00.000-05:00

Another day closer to: completing all orders, December, and..........CHRISTMAS!

Working, here are a couple more ornaments....more tomorrow(if I'm still awake enough to post them!)

My Own Little Pet Store

2010-11-27T16:16:00.000-05:00

Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!

2010-11-24T20:04:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you have a blessed day with family and friends.

Booked!

2010-11-12T21:18:00.000-05:00

I am fully booked with custom figurine/ornament orders for Christmas 2010 delivery. Gift certificates are available for your gift giving convenience and any new orders for custom sculptures placed from Nov. 12 on will not be started until after December 3rd.

Christmas Vacation Dates:
December 15th, 2010 - January 2, 2011
Stock orders placed will still be shipped as usual, but I will not be in my studio working on custom work during this time.

Thanks everyone! :)

Happy Veterans Day

2010-11-11T08:27:00.000-05:00

A HUGE and sincere THANK YOU goes out to Veterans of all wars today. We are indebted to your service.

My Dad served in VietNam with the 377th SPS USAF as a Sentry Dog Handler at Tan Son Nhut Air Base.

Buster A399 was his dog during his tour of duty. Unfortunately, like so many dogs at the time, Buster was euthanized in VietNam at the end of the war rather than bringing him back to the US. The dogs may not be human Veterans, but many Vets owe their lives to the dogs they handled.

Something new....

2010-11-09T11:05:00.000-05:00

A cute idea for Christmas! Personalized dog bone ornaments are super for your tree or as a gift. I think they'd be super to give to those who care for your pets as well: vets, techs, groomers, dog walkers, pet sitters....

Gift Certificates Available!

2010-11-08T09:38:00.000-05:00

Personally, and I know I am a little bias here, I think a gift certificate for a custom figurine would be a REALLY cool gift. Not easily forgotten for sure. ;)

Certificates are available in my etsy shop OR you may contact me via email and I'll get ya fixed up! Available in any amount you choose and may be emailed to the recepient on the day YOU choose or sent via snail mail.

P.S. and by the way: You may now pay with your debit or credit card and you DON'T need a PayPal account!

What a weekend!

2010-11-08T08:21:00.001-05:00

Wow! I'm back from my first 2 day craft fair and what a weekend it was! I'm VERY happy with the way things turned out and excited about some new ideas and tweaks that I believe are going to be WELL worth the effort in the coming months/year. ANYway...

Here are a few pictures of my table. I got in late so my space wasn't as large as the standard single space is supposed to be, but that was ok. This was the first time I got to use my new display shelf custom made by shroppy on etsy. I was excited. :) I took a small amount of inventory and had pretty good sales returns. I think I may have even made a few new 'custom contacts'! Yay!
(By the way Paula, if you're reading this, I think the most talked about critter this weekend were guinea pigs! lol Everybody loves PEEGS!!)

Not only were sales good, but I got to meet a lot of new people and had some great conversation. You would not believe the incredible talent that is out there!! Potters, paper artists, mosaic artists, natural art. It's just amazing. I'm going to be posting about some of these great folks in the coming weeks.

So, now I'm back and it's Monday and there's a ton of work to be done. You can expect to see more custom work posts to come along with some new inventory for the shop, and I hope to be able to 'launch' my new line soon. I'm making a list and 'checking it twice', a To-Do list that is....lots to do, I feel a little bit like the White Rabbit in Alice's Wonderland.
:)

Stay tuned kids! Same bat time, same bat channel!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

2010-11-01T13:34:00.000-04:00

Here are a few ornaments that were completed last week.

My internet time has been rather limited, but I'll do my best to update a little more often this week!

Cautious Crafting...

2010-10-26T22:12:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm cautiously crafting tonight. It seems the storms that have wreaked so much havoc across the Midwest have arrived here in NC. We've already been through two tornado warnings and are in a watch until 3am. I'm having flashbacks of my trip out to Wyoming this year in which we ran into TWO tornadoes in Nebraska- one going out and one coming home.

Ominous clouds in Ogallala, Nebraska back in June.


This shot was taken about 20-30 minutes before the tornado sirens started and we headed for the storm shelter. An experience I will NEVER forget.

But anyways...getting back on track with the crafting part of the equation! Today I finished up the cat wedding cake topper and started on a set of 3 ornaments. Unfortunately the weather cut my plans short, so I'll be back to it in the morning. In the meantime, here's 'Wesley' the cat trying to get everyone's attention sitting in a kitchen pot.

My thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been affected by this storm system as well as those currently in the path. Stay safe everyone!

Zoomin!!

2010-10-25T23:14:00.000-04:00

Today was a busy busy! And that's how I like my Mondays! Several things accomplished and I'm a few steps closer to having some time to work on a new line of sculptures. <----Really excited about that.
So here's some of what I've been doing today...
This cat is destined to be a wedding cake topper. There's still some painting and tweaking to do, but he'll be finished tomorrow! Woot!

Tweaked this set of dog figurines:

And even made another chihuahua!!

In keeping with the momentum, tomorrow I'll finish up the cat cake topper, finish up three ornaments for a great customer up North of the border, and begin a set of 3 figurines of the same dog in different poses....Whew!

One of 'those' days...

2010-10-21T23:52:00.001-04:00

We've all had them. You know: days when you're extra clumsy, can't find your keys, ya burn supper, and you just feel blech. Well, this week seems to be full of those days for me, but rather than complain (too much) I thought I would focus on something that makes me smile. Today it is my Pandora Bill Evans jazz station. And sweet tea. And Wally the cat laying on my feet as I type. Yeah, maybe it's not been so bad after all.

I think this Newfie is great for a smile too. Who doesn't love a Newfie?

Totally Radical Dude

2010-10-20T22:29:00.000-04:00

Ok so like, I just got done with like, a different kind of project. And like, it's totally cool and awesome. And like, radical.

Translation: I finished up with another guinea pig project today. The idea: to make a 'rainbow of peegs' which then morphed into a My Little Pony kind of thing with the graphics on their rumps and the girls have MLP eyelashes. True, not for everyone, but I think they're kind of neat-o myself. And their new 'owner' thinks so too!

I'm also working on some neat custom orders that I will post at the end of the week.

Oh! And I almost forgot! The 40 peeg family finally made it home and are now set up in their new display area. :)

Sunday Stills

2010-10-17T23:09:00.000-04:00

Today I decided to go on a photo walk. I haven't done that in a LONG time. Let's just say my skills are a little rusty...well, a lot rusty. But it was nice to get out and enjoy the nice weather while it's here. Wally and Bea came along, and since cats aren't much for power-walking, we just trekked around the old pasture and the woods for a bit.

Here are a few photos from my neck of the woods here in NC, hope you are enjoying autumn where ever you may be!

There are a few oak leaves changing, mostly maples with the color right now though.

The persimmons are ready to pick! What the opossums and deer haven't eaten yet anyways...

'Wally P. Stackhouse'

I believe these are 'Buckeyes'.

I love evening light.

'Bea Ca-yut'

Wally found sumfin'.

Bea is always very observant. She's the best hunter here.

She's also a priss-pot.

Aww. Wally's 'fall portrait'. Too bad he has a big eye booger.

PeeWee was out this afternoon with the ducks. He's getting to be an 'old man'.

The fellas out doing duck-like things.

Yes, it IS possible to tell them apart. This is Marshmellow and his brother is Peep. They've been here since they were about 4-5 days old and they're going on 8 years come February. Such good boys.

Punkins ready for carvin'.

Tomorrow it's back to work. I plan on finishing up the rest of my custom orders this week so I have two weeks to prepare for the Christmas Show I will be a vendor at in November. And on that note, I have decided to not take on any new custom orders until after November 6th. Then you will have from the 6th-30th to get your Christmas orders in for pre-holiday delivery. I really hesitated about doing this, but let's face it: when I'm not stressed out, we're all a lot better off! haha Seriously though, I want to create with my utmost and have a quality piece of art to present to you which is why I am doing my best to not become overwhelmed.

Christmas Shipping Update

2010-10-15T10:03:00.002-04:00

If you're considering ordering for a Christmas gift, please note the schedule below.

All custom orders placed between October 8th and November 30th will be shipped on or before December 3rd for Christmas delivery within the USA.

International orders needed for Christmas delivery should be placed ON or BEFORE November 26th.

If you have a time deadline for your order PLEASE let me know when you order!

Half Day's Work

2010-10-15T00:53:00.000-04:00

Today I got started LATE. It was well after lunch time when I finally got to work in the studio. Ack. But sometimes it just pans out like that and you have to go with it. And so I did and wound up working until about 11pm. Which I why I am now writing the blog post I wanted to write on Thursday at ten minutes till one on Friday. Am I rambling yet? Late hours + an abundance of caffeine = run on sentences that probably don't make much sense.

Well, here's Thursday's results:

I did manage to get a little bit more of another project done, but I'll save that for another post cause as Ricky used to tell Lucy, "You've got a lot of 'splaining' to do!"

Vive la Chile!!

2010-10-13T21:33:00.001-04:00

Thankful all the miners have been brought back to their families. What a miracle.

Wedding Bliss

2010-10-13T11:13:00.000-04:00

I love it when I get to see the end product per-sae. I posted about this particular cake topper back in September and here it is post-nuptial!

Isn't the cake cute as a button? (And me tummy thinks it probably tasted dreamy too!) Thanks for sharing, Amy! Congrats and I hope you have many happy married years together.

Aye! Chihuahua!

2010-10-12T17:51:00.000-04:00

Here's a couple of custom chihuahuas from today's studio time. I just love a fat little chihuahua. (At least the ones that don't bite me anyways!)

Here's some 'randomness' for you: When I was a vet tech, we used to call chihuahuas, Chi-Hooah-Hooahs. Literal pronunciation of the letters. I know. I'm lame. haha

Bunny and a Bird

2010-10-11T20:53:00.000-04:00

Finished up another custom order today, something a little different from the norm of mostly dogs and a few cats....and of course GUINEA PIGS! haha

I love the rabbit. Not sure how I feel about the parakeet. I don't hate it, but it's going to take awhile of making birds before I get to be decent at it. Guess that means I'll be making lots of little birdie ornaments in the very near future. I think a little budgie with a Santa hat would be too cute!

got treats?

2010-10-11T14:13:00.001-04:00

So yeah, it wasn't easy getting the over-sized pumpkin on him, but the idea of free treats quickly ended the trauma of wearing a giant squash for a costume.

All in the family...

2010-10-10T16:20:00.001-04:00

Here's a couple 'family portraits' of the guinea pigs. :)
(Just click on the picture to see a larger version.)

Boo

2010-10-09T18:11:00.000-04:00

Today I decided to do something for fun, just to take a break from the custom work. It helps in the long run because then I don't get burned out as easily, which means better quality work!

So here's the newest addition to the studio, 'Boo', the ghostly trick-or-treater:

Well, as Emeril Lagasse says....

2010-10-09T00:11:00.000-04:00

BAM!!!!!!

Here they are, all 39 of them!!! I am officially finished with the guinea pigs!

I referenced each pig individually for the sculpt and paint- everyone is different according to shape, fur pattern, and colors.

I can't believe they are finally DONE.
And on that note, so I am.
G'night all! :)

Thumbs Up or Down

2010-10-07T08:40:00.000-04:00

I am attempting to create a 'website' as another portal to my shop and blog. Just wanted to test things out so I used wix to create this site. <---click to see

I don't know if I like it or not. I've been using this blog for so long that I kind of thought of it as my 'website'.....but maybe since I'm attempting to slowly but surely become more business minded, this new page may be a good thing.

Mid-Day Update

2010-10-06T14:16:00.000-04:00

Taking a short break, thought I would post some photos of the finished topper I blogged about last night.

This really wasn't referenced from anything, the customer just wanted a cartoonish type set of cats, one calico and one lazy tuxedo kitty. :)

More to come later- gotta get back to work...

I Heart German Shepherd Dogs

2010-10-06T00:16:00.000-04:00

I do. I think they're great dogs. One day I will have one laying on the foot of my bed. :)

Until then, I had the privilege of making a GSD ornament of a BEAUTIFUL fellow named Max. The ornament really doesn't do him justice, but I did my best.

I've also been working on a cake topper- nothing to reference really but ideas in me wee brain, not sure about it yet....I may like it better tomorrow....or I may just start over. Guess it kind of all depends on what the customer says.....maybe just some tweaking...

I'll fill in more of the details later....it's been a LONG day...actually, it's already Wednesday....off to bed I go!

Behind the Scenes

2010-10-04T20:54:00.001-04:00

In lieu of any work in progress or finished pieces to show you today, I thought I'd give you a peek into my little 'studio'. A behind the scenes look of sorts.

I had to do some cleaning this morning before I started and thought what better opportunity to take some pictures of my work space than now? So, viola, here it is....Toby the dog even came in to supervise. He belongs to my Mother, and my studio is in her house in what used to be my bedroom. I left home and now go back there to work; not exactly how I planned it way back when...

Tomorrow I'll be back with more pictures and updates of the work in progress and toward the end of the week, a little preview of my booth for the Craft Crawl Friday night.

Monday, Monday

2010-10-04T00:40:00.000-04:00

So good to meeeee…. Monday mornin’, it was all I hoped it would beeee….

Yup, Monday morning is officially here! Granted it’s only 12:30am, but being the chronic insomniac artist that I am, well…
Lots of work on the books for this week. Today, after I catch some Zzzs, will find me in the studio working hard on a cake topper due to be shipped ASAP. Looking forward to see how it will turn out, I’ll post photos as it ‘evolves’.
I’ll also be finishing up and tweaking a couple ornament orders and the guinea pigs will finally be completed as well.

SO, off to bed I go- at least for a few hours. And for all my 'Mommas and Poppas' out there, here ya go:

Flying Dog Tricks

2010-10-02T20:30:00.000-04:00

Here's an ornament that I just adore....not quite complete just yet- I have to tweak the coat pattern and color a bit before he's ready to go.

And here we go with a silly girl who loved to lay around on her back....

More to come, but now it's time for some much needed REST! :)

Stepping Off on the Right Foot

2010-10-01T23:57:00.000-04:00

What a great day and a super way to begin October: beautiful weather and busy in the studio!

Today I completed a custom ferret figurine, now a personal fave. Makes me miss my ferrets that have crossed over the rainbow bridge. Fitting I suppose that this fellow is a memorial figurine as well.

I also did some work on a couple custom ornaments. All in all I put in about 8 or 9 hours today. Nice.

Here's one of the ornaments and the beginning of another...

The clock is winding down! ENTER TO WIN!

2010-10-01T09:48:00.000-04:00

It's October 1st! Hurray! And a beautiful day it is, well, here in Western NC anyway. :)
You STILL have time left to enter the drawing for a FREE DOG ORNAMENT! All you have to do is head over to the fan page ---------------------------------->
Hit the 'Like' button and join us (if you haven't already), then click on the DISCUSSIONS tab to post the breed of dog YOU think would make a fantabulous ornament.

See! It's simple really. :) You have until 8pm Eastern Standard Time (that's East Coast time here in the United States) to enter and then a name will be drawn out of the hat! COOL BEANS!

The Home Stretch

2010-09-30T19:54:00.001-04:00

1 Custom Guinea Pig Figurine:
~15-25 minutes to sculpt
~15-30 minutes to paint

Now, multiply that by 40 and you will have an idea of how much work has gone into this order of peeg figurines....so far. Whew!! So now we're on the home stretch with only 9 or 10 more to go. I hope this order will be finished up in the next couple days and I know that the fantastic customer who ordered them is SO ready to receive them. :) And I'm excited to send them to her, can't wait to see them all together in their 'new home'.

Anyway! Enough chatter, here are the newest editions:

Kinda scary...

2010-09-28T14:26:00.000-04:00

If you visit my blog or facebook page every now and then, no doubt you've seen pictures of my completed work. But very rarely do you ever see photos of the original references along side my work. The thing is, that's kind of scary for me.
I mean, I know it's obvious that I'm not a photo-realistic artist. Don't claim to be and don't really try to be. I like my style and have worked hard to get to this point skill wise, but it still makes me a little nervous to compare the original with my 'copy'.....especially in public. Weird, right?
So I'm taking a leap today and I am going to show ya'll the 'whole picture'. These three dogs were actually featured in my last blog post at different stages of the creative process, and here they are now completed and flanked by a couple of the photos I referenced to create them.
You know....just in case you ever wondered. ;)

MURRAY:

SHELDON:

GINNY:

4 Stages of Sanity

2010-09-28T00:05:00.001-04:00

In the world of commissioned clay dogs I have discovered four stages of sanity:

Stage One: 'The Blank Slate'
When artist is in stage one, she is generally calm and serene. Pleased with the fired piece, contemplating paint mixtures and brushes.

Stage Two: 'Freak Out'
As stage one begins to wear off (soon after the first brushstroke is applied), the artist wonders what in the world she was thinking. Pre-paint she believes this will be a cinch- it's only a 'red dog', right? WRONG. Things are NEVER as simple as they seem. Base coats, shading, no not that brown- it's more umber, no it's sienna, no it's raw not burnt! The sculpture officially enters the ugly stage in which the artist tends freak. Surely she's ruined it....

Stage Three: 'Anxiety and Angst'
The paint has been applied, tweaked, removed, tweaked, and tweaked again. The artist has painted the sculpture, and inadvertently herself, to the utmost of her ability, doing her absolute best to convince her brain that coat marking really is at the same place on the sculpture as she sees it in the reference photo. She keeps seeing little annoying spots that seem to pop up out of no where, and out comes the touch up brush. After her hand, shoulders, and back have cramped up sufficiently she sends photos to the customer and awaits their final yay or nay.

Stage Four: 'RELIEF!'
The customer has received their photos and are well pleased. The artist lovingly packs the sculpture and sends it off to it's new 'home'. Deep breath......and the fun starts all over again with the next in line! :)

(Disclaimer: I consider myself EXTREMELY blessed to have the opportunity and ability to call this my job. This post is a somewhat sarcastic and exaggerated look at the process of creating. Please don't take it too seriously, it's all in fun!)

Good ol DAWGS

2010-09-26T23:52:00.000-04:00

Here's some good ol' dogs. You know: loyal, smart, pretty, and true of heart.

Tomorrow it's time to finish the guinea peegs and get a few more ornaments done!

Cats on a Cake

2010-09-23T09:42:00.000-04:00

One of my customers left this photo with her feedback and I wanted to share!
It seems Freya and Chi, two cat figurines from a month or so ago, wound up as the topper for her wedding cake!

I love seeing my little creations 'in action'.

It's OFFICIAL!

2010-09-22T15:40:00.001-04:00

Autumn has arrived!

Honestly, I don't know if there is a more beautiful, but drastic season of change. When it arrives, you get the full brush stroke of God's hand painting trees and in just a few weeks the stark contrast of bare branches takes over. I love fall. My brain feels renewed as the temps start to drop and the holidays begin to sneak up. I hope you enjoy this first day of autumn wherever you are, it is a lovely treat indeed.

Peegs on film...

2010-09-21T17:21:00.001-04:00

Sort of....ok, bad Duran Duran reference...

Halfway there!!! Yeee haw!

Get your Christmas orders in SOON!

2010-09-21T09:48:00.003-04:00

With the holidays fast approaching, NOW is the time to begin submitting your custom orders for pre-Christmas delivery. My books fill up fast and peak season is right around the corner, so don't wait too long!

Temporary Shop Closure

2010-09-17T09:58:00.000-04:00

In order to catch up on my list of custom orders, I've decided to close my etsy shop for a few days. Don't worry, I've not 'gone off and left', just trying to streamline my focus a little bit!

Slowly but surely I'm knocking out the guinea peegs, yesterday I got a few more done (and I need to take some better photos of them for sure).

You'd never know photography was a hobby of mine from the looks of these shots! I guess when you're in a hurry it shows. Bah.

Anyways! So I'll be on and off of the ol' blog and fan page and you can still reach me via email. The storefront will return very soon. Thanks for your patience! :)

Almost down for the count...

2010-09-10T21:27:00.000-04:00

....but I'm back. :)

Here are a few more guinea peegs, soon to be minus one anyway. The creamy colored peeg is going to be a re-do. He is the official 'guinea peeg on crack about to be hit by a bus'. Sometimes things just don't turn out the way you expect them to!

And this is 'Cardi' and 'Alley', poor photos though they may be....

Maggie

2010-08-28T14:39:00.000-04:00

Maggie in the painting process:

Few more things to do, add her lei, and attach her to the acrylic disk so she will sit nicely atop a cake!

This little peggie went to market, this little peegie stayed home...

2010-08-27T21:08:00.000-04:00

Some more guinea peegs!

And Maggie the bully who will be completed tomorrow...

39 Pigs and Counting

2010-08-26T23:27:00.000-04:00

TLC ain't got nuffin' on me. The Duggars, Goslins, and all those other families with too many children need to come help me make some peegs! :)

Seriously though, these are some guinea pigs from a super huge custom lot for a super duper person. Still have quite a few more to go, but I'm getting there.

On a side note, I think I may know all of these peegs by sight once I'm finished! :)