Saturday, September 25, 2010

What have I been doing.... creating and more creating...

All this week I have been slaving over my McElligut's Pool quilt 
to prepare for entering it in the Road to California Quilt Show.  
The deadline is looming and I decided to take the binding apart and redo it. 
Lots of stitch pulling and trimming and hopefully the binding over all the curved edges 
will lay smoothly. 
I cannot post pictures of it until after the show so I am sorry you can't see it.  
It will be worth the wait, I promise.

Earlier this month I finally made it to my Polymer Clay Guild Meeting
 and my wonderful teacher, mentor and friend Karin 
gave a demo on how to make Worry Dolls.  
This doll idea is thought to have originated in Mayan culture. 

Click here to read the story of their creation and magic. 
I have some of the little cloth dolls that are still made in Guatemala in my stash
but Karin taught us how to make hollow bodied dolls from clay. 
The reason they are hollow and the head can be removed
 is so that you can write down your worries and put them inside. 
The magic your worries are gone!  
Here is my first attempt.
Her 50"s hairdo makes me laugh, more good medicine for worriers. 

Her head is formed on a  toothpick which is completely covered with clay 
and inserts into the open neck.
I am planning on making a lot of these for the Holidays.  
My first batch will have wings.  "Worry Angels".
I am working in my head on designs 
so that they can be worn as jewelry 
or hung on the wall or even a Christmas tree. 
Come back for more about these in October. 
In the meantime I have more Tarot Bags and they will be in my Etsy Shop this weekend.  
The name Tarot because the first one I made I use to carry my Tarot Deck and book in. 
Of course you can use them for any purpose.
These are so fun and relaxing for me to make.  
I love just playing with the different colors and textures of the yarns. 
I am completely spontaneous when creating them 
so each one has it's own shape, size, fringe and color combination. 
 I have added beads and my handmade polymer clay pieces to many of the bags.
Here is a little indian summer piece. 
Have a great weekend everyone!