Unusual Girl Studios

Gal pal, Chinamommy and I were talking about how good parents let their children fail. That's right.  You don't learn a lot if you don't ever encounter challenge.  And those that are afraid to fail never really challenge themselves to exceed expectations.  Yep.  Makes sense to us, right?  But not when it comes to art class. Case in point.  This is a Valentine box.  Kayla's class was challenged with the task of creating a 'creative' container to hold their Valentines.  "What are we going to do?"  She asked.  "I don't know what YOU are going to do but you better get on it!"  I said.  Days went by.  "Why don't you tell me some of your ideas." I said.  They were insane.  Huge ideas with no concrete plan.  "And do you have some ribbon?" she asked.  "And do you have feathers?"  "Can we go buy some?"  "No, I don't have time to take you to buy things and I am not spending ANY MORE money ...

My friend Kristi, from Cheeky Green Designs made this. It's made from repurposed sweaters that have been cut and serged together! And I love how carefree her pose is in this shot!  I'm a little jealous and wish I had one! Great job, Kristi!  Now, go make another!  (I like green, just sayin')

NO I am NOT!  Ha!  Fooled you! This is a drawing Kayla brought home.  I found it while I was cleaning out her school bag.  See, once in awhile I don my HASMAT suit and shake out her duffel bag.  Today this fell out.  I lifted the visor of my helmet and yelled for her.   "What is this?"  I said incredulously "Tell me about it!"   "I DID NOT STEAL IT!"  She yelled at me.   I gave her the look.  "I did not mean that!  Did you do this?"   "Uh, yeah..."  "It's awesome!  Did you do it in art class?"   "Uh, no....I did it at Mackenzie's."  (You can tell there is a lack of trust between us- she still thinks I am trying to catch in the act...of something.)  "Cousin Mackenzie's?? last night?"  Again with the 'yeah....' like I've lost it and gone crazier than normal. "Well, why did you you use dark paper?" "It was all she had." "Well how did you know ...

Well, someone said "just publish when you can..." and here I am!  Its been a few months of hard work and not a lot of art!  Work has been challenging and I do love a challenge!  Crazy as it may seem- just a few months after I started this new job and opportunity came up to manage a builder account.  The designer who held the account was retiring and they asked me to think about taking it over.  "Think it over?  Done.  I'm in."   So at one point I was working my regular responsibilities, training and teaching.  When will I ever learn?  Probably never.  I figured out a long time ago not to say no to opportunity.  And- who needs to relax and just breathe anyways?   So these cute little boxes are the only thing I've done since I last posted. Totally missed the challenge date for ADQ's bride challenge and I am very sad about that. But...it is what it is- she is still waiting for me. Remember those blue jewelry boxes I ...

I'm in that stage wherein I can not stop staring at this lady.  She is soo pretty! If she looks a little grey around the gills- its because she's supposed to.  Remember- she's a ghost.  A haunted war bride. She's waiting, trunk packed for her serviceman to arrive.  But sadly he never does.  I thought I'd sew her dress on.  Instead I hot glued it.  Sewing and I don't mix well. I challenged myself to use pieces and parts of some antique ladies dress gloves and believe me- I about went bonkers trying to create a dress.  Everywhere there was a pretty detail or pattern there was a seam as well!   I have an embroidered hanky that will be her veil but I will show you that later.  The next steps will be creating the platform that she's attached to.  What will it look like? I don't have a clue!  I do know that I will paint the dress white (some of these gloves were badly stained) and then wash over it with gr...

Just wanted to share with you......my very first published article! I submitted my Sara, "The Little Princess" for the Art Doll Quarterly challenge and they very kindly asked me to do an article.  Of course, I said yes! (And then I called or texted everyone I knew that would even begin to care and shouted the whole story to them!) I'm having a hard time keeping up on my blog.  I'm back to working full time and teaching part time.  I have another sculpture going and I can't wait to get a minute to put some paint on her- "The Haunted War Bride." She has hair, shoes and a dress.  She needs paint to make her look ghostly.  A black steamer trunk and maybe just a few other details.  The hardest part will be making her look ghostly!  Luckily its Halloween and I should have lots of inspiration! Hope everyone is well and busy being creative~ take care!

Has it really been since August 22 that I last published?  I told you all that I would be away studying for a licensing exam and that I was.  Every last waking moment has been spoken for.  I started up my fall semester of teaching as an adjunct.  I started a new job and got the girls started up in school.  In the moments left between all that (I think those moments were meant for sleeping but what ever...) I studied my proverbial butt off.  Only somehow it didn't get smaller- if anything it got larger.  So much for the exercising I did in the months of May, June, July and August. The exam?  Brutal.  I was told it was like nothing else I had ever done and that was correct.  Two days- one of multiple choice exams that lasted three and a half hours each.  The next day was practicum.  That was two four hour sessions that were so crammed with mind boggling drafting exercises that challenged all my skills and knowledge so much t...