Swaps

One more day at work (YES) and then tomorrow night I am flying out to cold, chilly Melbourne, leaving the heat behind. Yes Perth is still kinda warm. In fact last night I literally ... actually no that would give you horrible visual images.

In Melbourne I plan to be at the Stampin Up convention for the first few days, then literally flittering all over the city and countryside, catching up with friends and family. I can't wait.

This however has meant lots of preparation. I have made 60 butterfly pins for the swap at convention. I have about 5 different colours but the below are my favourite ones.

Speaking of swaps, the doll for the Artistic doll swap that I am in, has changed rather dramatically since I first made the head. You see, it was initially going to be a flat doll with 3D embellishments, but then I saw what others were making and thought I would give a go with a 3D one, hence the head doesn't quite go any more.

Here is the original head. I have it sitting on an ATC I started Ages ago, but wasn't quite sure how to finish ... I think the head is a great finishing touch. :) One problem solved.

I wanted my doll to represent a tree fairy/nymph, so why not start making a 3D body with dowel, chipboard, string and paper like corrugated cardboard. This is the torso and one leg. Ok so what to do about the hands and feet? Bring out the sculpy. Luckily I had some porcelain coloured one left. I wanted the feet and hands to look stick like, though they look kinda spooky on their own.
Here it is with legs, arms, torso, feet and hands all joined together. All I need now is a head. Back to the drawing board on that one. I have an idea but not sure how good my sculpting skills are. If only I had the time and know how to dry an apple. LOL
When I finally have a head on the poor thing I will start adding colour etc to it. Hmmm I may not want to give it away. It's my first one, and probably my last cause you can never replica the same kind of achievement.

Well I best be off to bed. Have to work tomorrow before flying out at later and I still have to pack and register the seats and God knows what else. Lucky I don't stress about these things hey!

Playing Catchup

I have been so busy lately that getting on here has been rather difficult. I have been up to so much that it is hard to put it all into one blog. Here goes:

• Diet wise - still the same. Why is it that people insist on giving a chocoholic, chocolate, just because it is Easter. Seriously people, chocolate and will power do not exist together where I am concerned. If it is there, it must be eaten. Luckily for me I was walking 4km every 2nd day so my weight stayed the same. I think I lost some inches though.


• Work is doing a corporate health challenge. We have a team of about 10 people, and call ourselves the Wii Not Fit. Currently myself and my co-worker Mal are walking up 66 stairs numerous times a day. Mal sits next to me so we encourage each other. I have also been known to join in telling other members off for eating crisps, which eventuated in the packet and it's contents going in the trash (yes I checked a couple of hours later to ensure the packet was still full). :)


• My walking to and from the train station to home has stopped due to how dark it is now at 6am in the morning. The streets aren't well lit and I don't like the idea of being on my own.


• Speaking of walking, my family and I walked 6km around the Swan River on Sunday for the "Walk to D-Feet MND," in honour our my Aunt who passed away last year from the disease. It was a good walk and a great day to do it. We then went and had waffles and icecream. Well I had some icecream and picked at mum's waffle.


• Lots has been on the go for my craft. I will be in Melbourne next week for the Stampin Up Convention and have made 60 swaps. Instead of making cards, I have made broaches. They have come up quite nicely. Photo will come after the convention.


• Once in Melbourne I will also be visiting my cousins, one of whom, whose wedding photo's I took in 2009 and promised to make her wedding album. My Easter break (5 lovely days) was spent trying to get it finished. Working on the covers now. Again, you will see photo's when I get back, because I want the album to be a surprise.


• I am currently involved in an Artistic doll swap on Facebook. It doesn't matter how you make your doll, you can be a first timer, an experienced maker, they can be made from paper or clay or cloth or whatever. Not sure what I am doing yet. I know the theme. I am not sure if I will do it with paper or alter a cheap barbie. I have made faces out of sculpy in case I do a paper one. At this stage the paper may be the way to go as I will be quicker at it than at the other one.


• Speaking of the Scuply, a friend of mine showed me a link to a store where you can buy cute little dragons made out of sculpy. I told her I could probably make them. She didn't think I could so I took that as a challenge. The sculpy colour I used was left over from my doll faces. I would like to do one a lot brighter next time.

I started with this little dog design, (my friend claimed him). He needs a collar though.

Here is my first dragon attempt. I copied one of the designs from the store. Took forever to get his head and muzzle right. He is also quite big (about 3 inches in length).

This is my second one. He is a lot smaller and he is laying on his back kicking his legs in the air.