Altered Drinks Can Doll- Squashed Can art Doll

For this month's theme on MAD MAMMA (monthly art doll swaps), i chose the theme, squashed drinks can doll.

Oh boy, there was a mixed reaction, as most people assume art dolls are supposed to be pretty, but i wanted the group to be challenged, but was worried about their reaction. I should have known better, there was a mixed reaction at first, but now the ball is rolling. they have not let me down. pop over to MAD MAMMA to have a look at the great pieces so far. http://www.flickr.com/groups/964970@N23/

Here is mine. Now i really WAS worried about putting this in the swap, especially as my hubby said i had gone a bit tooooo wild with this one. So i put it in the photo-stream, but was more than prepared to remove it, if it wasn't well received.

Believe it or not, I've come to looove this doll, ugly as it is.

So i suppose you want to have a peep at her........

here she is in all her glory.....lol.

Zetti Fairy.

To make the doll, i flattened an empty lager can...lol. well in fact I practically annihilated it with a big hammer. Oh boy that was fun, and a great way to get rid of frustrations. roflol.

Then i painted it all over with white acrylic glue, after finding it much to difficult to erase the wording on the can.

Then i painted the face with flesh coloured acrylic paint, and coloured the body with alcohol inks.

The Wings, arms legs and hat are all collaged onto card, and the hands and feet are brads, that i managed to find just last week.

BUTTON FAIRY TUTORIAL

I know I've shown this tutorial to some people already, but here it is again for those who havn't seen it.
It's a basic tutorial on how to make a button fairy.

First I took an approx 10" (25cm) piece of flexible wire.
Threaded buttons on, leaving wire at top and bottom free.


I then added beads to the bottom half and curled it round to finish it off


I collaged a face and wings onto card
Notice under the face i left card to enable me to glue the first button on to the face.


Button wire attached to the face
excess wire at the top was formed into a hanging loop



I added gemstones and feathers and glitter

HERE ARE 2 MORE THAT I MADE

MADE WITH RESIN BUTTERFLY
(CHRISTMAS DECORATION)


MERMAID BUTTERFLY

This technique can also be used for other things.

BUTTON FAIRY ATC


BUTTON FLOWERS
I flattened these just so that i could scan them
These would look beautiful in a silver topped sugar shaker.

HAVE FUN

PS. I seem to be getting a lot of viewers from Israel, on this tutorial, and i would dearly love you to leave a comment or two on my blog.

Many thanks

ZETTIOLOGY

At the moment, I am extremely busy, as i am moving home. The new home needs decorating from top to bottom, and as my husband is disabled, i have to do absolutely everything. My dear darling daughter is helping me decorate when she can, but as they run their own business (don't laugh, Gravediggers, and grass cutting for various local councils), so she is very busy. my friend Jinny, calls them
'GRAVEBUSTERS'. LOL ROFLOL

Anyways, because i will hardly be making any work, i thought i'd show you some old work. I know some of you already know about them, but please bear with me.

One of my loves at the moment is Zettiology, so i thought i'd start with those first. They are mainly ATC's.

These first two, were more of a doodle type of zetti, both of them ATC's


These next three are House Shapes, another of my favourites. lol The first is anATC that folds up

These next two, are not ATC's. The first is approx 6" x 4". The second is a Mini Zetti House.

This is Lucky Zetti. An altered doll made from a child's building block, playing cards, dice and dominos. She looks like she's out of Toy Story lol.

NEWSFLASH

JUST as i posted thisblog, the postie arrived with a beautiful handmade Zetti House Card.

It's a card to welcome us into our new home, done in theZetti style, and it's from my dear friend Jinny. Isn't she a sweetie. A really great friend, just wished she lived nearer so we could chat and craft.

Isn't it great, i just love it, lol. Oh boy, you brighten my day you do girl.

BIIIIIIG THANKYOU JINNY, SWEETHEART.

ANOTHER ZETTI FAIRY DOLL

Managed to finish another Zetti Fairy Doll and two key chains, and I'm still not very well. I havn't the time to be ill, what with supposedly painting pictures, making dolls, and all on top of this some other great news.

WE'RE MOVING. AGAIN. I KNOW, I KNOW, I MUST HAVE GYPSY IN MY BLOOD. Our third move in less than 18 months. oh boy.

This is THE final move, as it is within 5 minutes walking distance from my beloved daughter Emma and Grandson Bobby. We were offered it today, and on Monday we get the keys. It needs decorating from top to bottom, carpets and cooker, so will be an expensive time for us as well. But I don't care, i will be near Emma.


So gonna be really busy, and will be offline in the future, when the broadband has to changeover with the move. But i will notify when that will happen.
So here is Zetti Fairy No 2, hope you like her.

Here are the first two key rings that i've made. Both made from felt, and called "Key to your Heart".

Not sure how these will go down, but it was all part of the 'playing' process lol.

Another Booby doll being cut out tomorrow. Got some lush Kaffe Fassett fabric, which will probably use. oooooh yummy lol.

THE MATERIALS TO FINISH THE FAN HAVE STILL NOT ARRIVED AAARRGGH.
SO WILL GO AHEAD ON MONDAY WHETHER THEY TURN UP OR NOT.

ART DOLL

Despite waking up feeling absolutely terrible this morning, with sore throat, swollen glands and laryngitus, I managed to make another doll for my etsy shop. This is another Booby doll, made with Liberty fabric, and lots of beads. I'm afraid it's only a scan, because it's now nightfall. Tomorrow i will take a photo, so that i can put it in my shop. After such a great start, well selling one ACEO, it has come to a standstill. I really hope i can make a go of this, as it's something i really want to do. We'll see.

The tutorial has come to a completely standstill, because the materials needed to finish it, STILL havn't arrived from ebay. Looks like he won't be getting a good feedback.
The tutorial is all typed up, just waiting for its final stage and then you will be able to see it. It'll teach me to never promise something until you can be 100% sure that it is possible to do.

ZETTI FAIRY ART DOLL

After the 'success' lol, at Etsy yesterday, it spurred me on to finish an art doll that i started to make about 2 months ago.

I found it very difficult t0 take a photograph of these in the freezing weather that we are having. So with the first photo above, i did a scan.

She is now in my etsy shop looking for a new Momma.

Unfortunately the supplies i needed for the tutorial didn't materialise in the post, so fingers crossed they'll be here very soon.

What the Postlady brought today

As some of you may know, i organize a monthly doll swap in the yahoo group that John, my friend runs with a group of us ladies. lol.
This month was the advertising doll, and my swap partner was my dear friend Jan.
She arrived this morning, and oh boy did it make me smile. You can see why from the photo below.

Jan's advertising doll

She is now hanging on the fridge door, in the hope that she will encourage me to eat healthily. oh boy has she got her work cut out.

This was my doll to Jan entitled "A Woman's Lot"

I made her from adverts for Tena Pads, Durex, Canesta thrush cream, the Birth Pill, Clearblue pregnancy test, Lil-lets , her body a Fairy washing up liquid bottle advert, and her gloves cut out from marigold washing up gloves.

Enough about me.
Along with the fandabby advert doll, Jan also sent me an exquisite Zetti button fairy RAK , that I had admired in her photo album.
Here she is , isn't she the most amazing zetti doll. i love love love her. Thankyou Jan. xxxx

"Jan's Zetti Butterfly Fairy"

She has now hanging on my new rusty wire tree that i bought in Chesterfield a couple of weeks ago. This now stands on my coffee table for all to see .

Button fairies left to right
Jan, Ange (who does the most amaaaazing tutorials), Yvonne my swap partner in the button fairy swap, , and an easter RAK from Maureen.
All of them great friends, and I feel very lucky to be able to call them friends .
PS that lonely little easter egg is supposed to be jhoined by a dozen more, but i havn't got round to making them. maybe next year roflol.

New Dolls

Here are the proto-types for 2 of the dolls i'm trying to design for myself.
By making them first, i can see what needs doing to fine tune them, and with hindsight would not have used the precious fabric on them. The geisha girl is made from fabric imported from Japan, and the Booby doll is Laura Ashley. Still you learn from your mistakes.

I've got some gorgeous Kaffe Fasset fabric, and will NOT be using that on a protype. LOL

Geisha Girl


Booby Doll,
Pamela Anderson eat your heart out LOL.

Like i said these are just proto-types, and need a fair bit of fine tuning.
My next painting is coming along slowly, so won't be revealed until next week. Another zetti of course.

MATROYSHKA DOLL GIVEAWAY

As tomorrow, Sunday 2nd March 2008, is Mother's Day here in the UK, i am giving away my very first handmade matroyshka Doll. To me this doll represents Motherhood, and so it seems appropriate that it should be given away with love at this time of year.

The doll is of my own design, and i've 4 other dolls already designed, just waiting to be made.
There are over 100 seed beads individually sewn on to the doll, and it is entirely hand-sewn. The face is hand embroidered with silk cotton.

So how do you get your hands on this doll. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog, and on March 16th (my late Mother's birthday), i will draw a name out of a hat for the winner. Of course you must have a blog so that i can get in touch with you if you are the winner. Goodluck everyone.

Just another way to say thankyou to every one of my craft friends, that i have made over the past year here on line. I've had a great time getting to know you all, and hope our friendship long continues.

DOTEE DOLL

A fantastic day for me, as i received a gorgeous parcel from the Dotee Queen herself, my friend Dot from Australia.

here are the beautiful goodies that she sent to me, and i feel truly blessed. The photos i have 'borrowed' from Dot's Flickr page.


The beautiful dotee doll was carefully wrapped in some beautiful material tied up with a chiffon ribbon
These are scanned pictures i made.

FIVE bags of beauuuuuuuutiful beads

Aren't they delicious.
and last but not least.
2 MOO CARDS. woweeeeeee

Thankyou Dot, from the bottom of my heart. You can never know how much this means to me.xxx


Soooo, pinching an idea from Dot, i've decided to give my first matroshyka Doll away. This has been designed by me, and finished this afternoon.
This is the first of 5 dolls i have designed, and cos the matroshyka is the latest fad, decided to make this one first.

So stay tuned, tomorrow i will be putting up all the information for how to 'win' this doll.

Zettiology Painting & Dotee

Been both busy and down with the flu this week. As soon as my husband recovered, I went down with it, but kept going, even when i completely lost my voice. (Husband was escatic over that one LOL).

Finished a dotee which is going to a very special lady. I just hope she likes it. I've called her English Rose, as I'm a UK artist.
I used a porcelain rose bead, and metal rose beads along the bottom of the doll. The crotchet lace, i dyed with acrylic paint.

Next on the 'finished' list is one of the paintings which im putting forward to the exhibition i'll be doing in April. Just got a feeling the owner of the gallery isn't going to like these. If he doesn't like them, then i don't think i'll bother doing the exhibition, cos i really don't want to be painting stuff i don't like. we'll see. It won't be the end of the world. I could always put it up for a swap lol.
It's an acrylic painting on a canvas 12" x 12", which is a bit small for me, but wanted to try out concept.

Altered Jigsaw

This is my first ever altered jigsaw that i made for a Jam swap I've joined . There's five of us altogether in the swap, and I have chose the theme Shabby Chic for my pieces.

This first piece I've altered is for Nicky, and the theme she has chosen is Family, and so after MUCH deliberation, decided to go with "Home", as i consider this the heart of the Family.

I used a metal buckle for the house, after seeing them being used by Dot
the Dotee Queen , in the same way. I loved the effect she got with them, thought they made the PERFECT house shape, and by chance came across them on Etsy, being sold by a Julieh7 in Australia. They took less than a week to get here.

They are originally silver so i sponged them with gold paint, and used a verdigris embossing powder on the edging.

The actual jigsaw, i covered with 3 colours of tissue paper, and embossed on top with gold , and stamped around the edge with turquoise chalk ink.

The initial N (which is what Nicky asked to be incorporated), I hand drew and cut out of thick card, painted with acrylic paint, embossed again with gold and embellished with different beads and wire

I just hope she likes it, as she is an expert at altered art, and i'm just a novice. lol

My husband is at last on the mend, and so I can breathe a sigh of relief. I have been soooooo busy, looking after him, painting 2 pix for the exhibition, (which i'm not sure they will like), did the altered jigsaw, and started the dotee for Queen Dot. Sooooooooo worried about this one, cos she is the master, and me a mere mortal, lol, so have spent a week just searching for ideas to try and get it perfect for her. Again i hope she likes it. I've done the Zetti ATC's for her, and want to put a couple of extra's in the parcel before it flies its way over to Australia. Better put extra large wings on it, cos it has a looong journey.

I hope you like my choice of music that i've selected for my blog. All 11 songs are by Michael Buble. Can you tell i like him lol. ROFLOL.

OVERLOAD

Got myself into a pickle, trying to do too much at the same time.
Swapping, sewing, Designing dolls, NOT painting for a forthcoming exhibition, and my Dear Husband taken ill. He suffers soooooo many different ailments that i won't bore you with, but it breaks my heart whenever he takes ill. Hopefully he's on the mend.

managed to get a dottee doll done early this morning. This is for a swap-bot one for one swap, in the shabby chic style.

My favourite part is the hat, made with a cut up crocheted coaster doily, with a polymer clay rose attached. I love this bead, and can't find any more of them. The lady who I bought them from (i managed to get only 2), no longer operates on ebay, so booo hooooo. lol

I've managed to make a start on a couple of small canvases on my forthcoming exhibition. Not sure if they'lll work, but that is my reaction on EVERY painting I have ever done. We'll see. It will probably evolve as i go along. This is mainly because I'm trying to FIND myself in this particularly style. Zetti. Love love love it, but want to try and evolve it into my 'own' style. We'll see. lol

I'm also trying to design my own art dolls, and when i do, you will all be the first to see them LOL.

I will also be offering free patterns for various dolls, just as a thankyou for looking at my blog.

So this is it for today, my glass of wine beckons, and so i bid farewell my friend.

ALTERED JEWELLERY STAND

Finally managed to finish the altered jewellery stand. had a few mishaps along the way, but i'm pleased with the result.
The face is made from air dry clay, and embellished with flowers, pearsl, and other beads. A small dragon fly bead can barely be seen in this photograph.

I used vintage music sheets to collage the body,and a quick was of gesso over the top, and the skirt was made from various laces and plasterer's scrim. That was a great buy from a carboot, many years ago for 30p for a LARGE roll. i've used it on numerous occasions, especially for adding texture. The lace was dyed in tea because i didn't want all white, and was suprised when the different laces came out in different tones. The nylon lace just had a very pale tone, whereas the crochet cotton lace came out much darker. This i feel adds something to it.

I added 4 extra 'arms', because i'm wanting to use this to display my art dolls. That was the reason for using the muted colourings.
Glad it went wrong at the beginning now, as i had started off using pinks. This, i feel, is a much better colouring.

Supposed to joining in a dotee doll swap, the theme being shabby chic. Got to get my head round it. lol. It's on a new forum i've joined, and i'm struggling with the layout of the forum. if push comes to shove i'll just leave. doing my head in LOL

Zettiology Doll

This morning I have managed to finish Project 3, my first ever assemblage doll.The is made out of a child's building block, dice and dominoes, and with a dolls head on top. Her collar is made from cut outs from a pack of cards. The hands i made from air dry clay, using a set of cutters especially for clay.

I couldn't resist turning her into a Zetti, lol, so her name is Lucky Zetti.

Please be gentle with me, as like i said it's my first one, and i thought i'd start small, and work my way up. The only problem with that theory, is that i think it was harder and more fiddlier working on a small scale. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, so this one HAS to stay at home with Mom.

The jewellery stand, is practically finished, just waiting for some lace to arrive from ebay, which i've won just this second lol. 16 metres for £2.50 which includes postage. WOWEEEEE. 3 different types, included two types of crochet lace, and all three nice and narrow, which will come in handy for my dolls.
The lace is going to be made into a skirt, using strips of lace just hanging from a waist band. Might need to tea-stain them first, we'll see when they arrive.

My altered board book, is taking some time, just with the sanding and gessoing. Mind you it is a pretty large book, so i think this project will be a long term one. I'll post it by the page when each one is finished, otherwise, you'll be having a loooooooong wait to see the finished project.

ART DOLLS

I organise monthly doll swaps in our yahoo group, which i find really enjoyable. We only started in January 2008, and our first swap was the Dotee Doll.

This was one of the two dolls that i entered for the swap, i ended up making two as there was an odd number for the swap.
This one is Mop Head dotee, lol, after my photo.

Here is a link for you to see the entire swap, and boy there are some beauties
http://www.flickr.com/photos/margaretfield/sets/72157603536569831/
February's swap is the Button Fairy, for which i have devised a tutorial, as there wasn't one on the entire web.
Here is the button fairy i made for the tutorial, and as it is the very first one that i made, it isn't exactly how i would like. So another one will be made for the swap, and of course i will be showing the finished product here.

So carrying on with the theme of art dolls, yesterday i made one just for myself. I love the simplicity of it, and will be showing you a tutorial tomorrow. I call it simply "Japanese Doll'