coming soon....

Mykyn and Winka - spool dolls.

Jack.O.lynn - the pumpkin.

Handmade or mass produced?

evolution.

After practicing on over a dozen squinty eyed spool dolls, I finally acquired enough skills to move on to wide eyed dolls. Although it seems trivial, the number of white reflective dots in their eyes makes a difference in capturing expression. Actually the length of eyelids also matters. This first doll looks fierce and mean with the furrowed, almost mono-brow.

Softer with eyelids trimmed and more white dots, Dahlia now radiates with glee.

Safira and Dahlia, bright and wide eyed!

eggs?

As much as I aspire to become Martha Stewart-esque, I just don't have enough egg parties. I was looking for a place to set these dolls upside down while their bottoms dry, when I came upon this egg tray on my shelf. I've been trying to find a regular use for it so I can justify hoarding yet another item with a singular purpose. Definitely won't be chucking this any time soon.

Whipped up a couple origami purses yesterday. If you're into instant gratification, this is the project for you. They're super easy, quick and fun to make and I just love the simplicity of their shape.

2.1.

Nissa, Reidun, Winka - 2nd generation.

All decked out and Winka now with cool blue eyeshadow. In the past I've used wipe-on poly but these I sealed with water based varnish instead. It's definitely more user friendly, quick drying and forgiving, since it doesn't have the tacky quality common in oil based products. Unlike what I previously thought, it'll achieve an even coat even after several applications. It also helps to keep a wet edge, meaning don't go over what's just been painted, move forward so the work doesn't get streaky.

oh snap!

Heads are not secured yet with one coat of varnish. I painted the heads separately from the spools so the varnish doesn't pool around their necks. I also opted not to paint their bodies. I figured with the handling, it's better to leave these au natural. Plus, I kinda fancy the wood grain.

lollipops.

Thought I'd try my hands at painting kokeshis again. It's actually a lot easier to accomplish these fine lines with a soft, long liner brush than a short one. When working on small surfaces, I prefer the more intentional wrist rotation, which makes for steadier strokes. Since the longer brush has a greater span, it works best with this technique. With a short brush, the tendency is to move the hand with the application, which can cause work to get shifty.

Wooden Dolls.

I see so many wonderful creations everywhere, everyday, it's finally time to speak, rave about a few of them...well particularly wooden dolls.

These adorable, giggly girls are handmade by Fabi Sehnem of Joinville, Brazil. Don't you just wanna rub and pinch their cheeks... again... and again.

While these beautiful belles are crafted by Renata of Creating from the Heart. Just the right kind of girls you can bring home to mom, polite, pretty and polished.

Perhaps the best is this brilliant, ultra hip kokeshi couple concocted by talented artist, Pamela Jaeger of San Diego and since she's featured in a gallery just a stone's throw from my home, I've had the pleasure of viewing her dolls in person. The detail work (those big eyes) is fantastic, very impressive!

Enjoy.

Reidun, Winka, Nissa.

Sealed with a kiss - mwah!

plus 1.

Started the sealing process today. Applied wipe-on polyurethane instead. It's nearly impossible to avoid dust, lint, tiny hairs but ignoring these only ruins good work. Back to sanding...

Girls.

It's truly best to wait a few days for the paint to cure as most of the brush streaks flatten with time. It also helps to sand each doll entirely with a clean brown paper bag. As far as the sealer, I'm still doing tests to find the best way to apply varnish.