Monday 5 January 2009

Snow at last and a staring doll.

Finally, it snowed-on the day I went back to work. It was not a lot of snow, just a token sprinkling. This photo was taken this morning from the nursery at about 9 o'clock-it was still quite dark. I was not looking forward to work but it was actually quite fun. We had an inset day which was quite relaxed and only lasted half the day so I could do some planning in the afternoon. It was good to see everybody and we have got a whole load of great new books to use too. Also the head has made the decision to stop the anoying, loud and regular beeps which have governed the life of the school and the local estate for years! Every day they interrupt my story time as we have a different time table anyway. Hurray! This is one of the dolls I have recently finished-she has enormous staring eyes-as you can see. I love all the eyes you can get-there are doll sites and also taxidermy sites with weird animal eyes that are great. I should have made the lids come down over them but didn't think of that at the time. I may yet add some kind of head dress as I have chickened out of making hair again. I begin to like the look of the dolls a little more after I have given them a wash of diluted brown paint to age them a bit-I put wax on the head of one doll and I can't wait to try that again as I liked the effect. I am finally trying my super sculpey clay-I have made a tiny head which is quite frightening looking-but it is so different to the air hardening clays once it is cooked-much harder. I bought some tinfoil today so am going to try another head. It is so difficult!
I glued a scrap of fabric on to cover up her lumpy chest. I used spray glue and spent most of the afternoon trying to get it off of my fingers.
She is posing in one of my sorrowful plants. I really will repot them this spring! I call her the shield doll at the moment because, as usual, she has not got a name yet. The shield is a button my Mum contributed to my doll making along with many others from her button box. She gave me lots of great doll related presents this Christmas including a book about using beading on dolls and some lovely pieces of ribbon. The blue velvet ribbon around her waist is one of these.
This is what she looked like before clay!

14 comments:

Barbara said...

Hi! Sarah

Nice to meet you. I shall be looking out for Roger Deakin's other books some time. Interesting that you bought one today too.

Yes we had snow, a good covering but then sleet and eventiually some rain.

The paper mache doll looks good amongst the plants.

That is a beautiful Barn Owl. You were not only fortunate to see it but to have your camera ready.

Thanks for commenting.

Enjoy your book.

Sarah said...

Thanks Barbara! Sadly that is not my photo-I am going back to google images now to see who took it. It is a beautiful photo.

Anonymous said...

That's great that you got some snow. I hope that we will get some this year too. It doesn't come here often so when it does it's a treat! Love the new doll!

Candace said...

Hello Sarah! Gosh, I would *love* some snow. It's like early spring here with mild temps and rain...
I do love that doll! I am going to have to try my hand again at it... stumblebum fingers, alas.
It looks great in the plants there!

Is hair hard to do?
Take care!
Candace

Lynne said...

Thanks for your info about the snow Sarah.
Your doll making is very interesting. How do you start off? Does the clay come later? I once did a doll making workshop where I made a doll but I never finished the clothes. I think I was making it difficult for myself giving her dungarees! I used something that looked like hair, I suppose I glued it on. It was particularly nice as it wasn't unlike human hair. In fact I've been wondering where that doll has got to.
The workshop was with someone called Julia (maybe Hills). But I know she changed her name and I've since seen some of her work in the Shipley Art Gallery in Gateshead. I'm going to have a look at some creative type books when I'm in the UK. Maybe I'll have a look at some doll making ones. Are there any you would recommend?
Great about the snow. Hope you get some more at the weekend!
Catch up with you later.

Catastrophe Waitress said...

hey Sarah - yay! snow!
i bet the children were excited.

goodness, but that doll has better legs than i do!

Sarah said...

Thanks Liz! Hope you get some snow too.
Thanks Candace! I have done
moulded hair just using the clay and I find it quite hard. I have read about other types of hair but have not managed to get any yet and so have not tried it. This time I just painted hair but that has a bit of a flat effect. Do you ever get snow where you live?
Hi Lynne,
I did the course on clay and cloth dolls with Jane (Gritty arts blog)and learnt the technique there. I start off with the cloth body(my own pattern now-I started off using hers) then I gesso it which means the clay will stick. I have got a great book that I bought since by Susanna Oroyan called 'Fantastic Figures' and she goes into great detail about how to sculpt the head. I had my first proper go last night and I like the result-it is quite creepily real! I will do a post about it soon. Have fun in Northumberland. My partner is from Wylam-I wonder if you are anywhere near there?
Thanks Projectivist! I am sure your legs are lovely!
Have a good week everyone!

Janine said...

WOW! I just love your dolls! These two make me smile!

Diane Rooney said...

Yep, we got the snow too... on my birthday.. I was thrilled actually even though it was just a dusting. Love, love those eyes.. kinda cool but eery all at the same time x

Sarah said...

Thanks Jaybean!
Happy Birthday Di!

Linda Sue said...

This doll absolutely ROCKS! LOVE her- the eyes can see things we can not...I am sure of it - she is a prophet!

Sarah said...

Thanks Linda Sue! I love that idea.

loubylou said...

wow! the eyes! i love the popping out eyes! i like the way that everything is made very delicately

Deirdra Doan said...

I am loving your dolls too!!!