Glow-in-the-Dark "Ooga Boogas"

     My two younger munchkins have really been worried about monsters and aliens lately.  We use "Alien Spray" (Glade) every night and that used to do the trick, but either the scary guys are becoming immune to it, or the little kids are catching on.  Either way, I figured that something had to be done.  Waking up numerous times every night to soothe monster/alien fears is not the best way to feel like a well-rested and SANE mom in the morning.  :)

     I had an idea to create something with the glow-in-the-dark clay that I've had for awhile.  I thought that they should be kid-loving and cute, while also being able to scare away and/or fight monsters and aliens.  I came up with "Ooga Boogas"... since they're meant to scare away unwanted nighttime boogeymen. 

      These little guys are the best alien/monster fighting machines you can find.  Contrary to their adorable-ness...  they also possess the ability to scare away and/or fight off anything that is not welcome to their territory. 

      So monsters and aliens BEWARE!  These little guys pack a heck of a wallop.  They're loyal to their kids and will protect them at all costs. 

     Oh, and uhhh... I DID mention how cute they were, right?  ;)

   

Polymer Clay Geisha

     I watched "Memoirs of a Geisha" the other day (one of my favorite movies) and was inspired with the colorful clothes and beautiful settings in the movie.  I instantly wanted to sculpt my own version of a geisha and after a clay doodle session, I came up with this:

     These were actually taken on a white piece of paper, but with the kids jumping around, I couldn't get the color settings just right.  This is close enough, though.  :)

     I named this geisha "Hatsumomo", not after the one in the movie (thank goodness, she wasn't the nicest person in the world), but because it means "first born" and "peach".  I found it fitting seeing as she was the first geisha I've ever made, and her head is most definitely round like a peach.  Hatsumomo is it!  She is 1.75" tall.

     She was made using Sculpey Studio polymer clay and Swarovski crystals.  After she was baked and cooled, I painted her face and obi and added just a touch of blush to her cheeks before signing the bottom (which I do with most of my polymer designs, though not all) and double-glazing her.

     Hatsumomo is going to be appearing in my Etsy shop.  That is, if the kids ever stop jumping on me!  :)

Rainbow Sundress with Custom Polymer Buttons

     I love it when cute fabric goes on clearance!  I picked up this adorable rainbow fabric at Hancock Fabrics the last clearance event that they had and have been planning on making a sundress for Scarlett.  I had a specific sundress pattern in mind, but my idea for the dress changed at the last minute and I threw my plans out the window and just did my own thing. 

     Did some criss-cross straps in the back for added interest, as well as adding the rick-rack trim to the bottom hem of the dress.

     I think what changed my mind was that I really wanted to use my new clay cutters... and what better way than to make custom buttons?

           After sewing the dress together, I pulled out my Sculpey Premo clay, marble tile (GREAT for working with when you're using clay), and tools.  I wanted the entire button to be made of polymer, not an ounce of paint for coloring. 

     After being sculpted and before being baked:

"Rainbow" Button.

"Bird with Tree" Button.

     After they were sculpted and had their button holes, these were baked in the oven for 30 minutes.  Then quenched and cooled, sanded, and varnished.  After their second coat was dry, they were ready to be sewn on the dress. 

     Project complete!

    

Summer Gnome Dress and Custom Clay Order

     The first time I saw the gnome fabric was when Hayley over at "Welcome to the Mouse House" posted pictures in our sewing group of her daugher's adorable gnome costume.  I loved the dress and wanted to make one for Scarlett.  Of course, being the procrastinator I am, it was months before I bought the fabric, and a few more months before I decided to buckle down and make one.

   I'm so glad I did, though!

     The pattern is the "Olivia Reverse Knot Dress" pattern from Pink Poodle Bows on Etsy.  The PDF file was extremely easy to follow.  I did change the bodice just a TEENY bit so there were no raw seams on the inside (which was totally minor and wouldn't have been bad at all without the change... I just wanted mine like that) and I made the skirt one solid piece instead of adding the border trim.  The pattern is super easy to customize if you'd like and she breaks down all of the steps.

     Keep an eye on my Etsy shop.  Gnome dresses are going to pop up in the future.  (Sizes 6m-3T to start, but custom orders might be possible up to size 11/12.)

    Another recent project was a custom order.  The customer requested a polymer clay figurine set that had Boba Fett shooting a zombie.  I don't watch Star Wars very often (although the boys in my house seem to love it), so I printed off some pictures for reference.  The zombie, however, was a total breeze.  Well, aside from the fact that my imagination ran away from me on several occasions with all of the possibilities.  ;) 

     In the end, they turned out pretty cool.  Although, my opinion may be biased. 

And the zombie.  (Be warned, I'm a huge "Walking Dead" fan so I went a little crazy with the zombie.) 

And the entire thing all together:

     Giving serious consideration to making a few Star Wars and zombie ornaments for Christmas.  *laughing*  :)

Custom Chameleon and Garden Tomatoes

     I love working with clay.  It's almost therapeutic when your kids finally go down for a nap and you just get the time to be creative and feel as though you've actually accomplished something for the day.  (Same can be said for sewing, crocheting, or working on whatever craft floats your boat.)

     I was recently contacted by a customer interested in placing an order for a few ornaments.  One of the ornaments she requested was a custom piece that would be based on her child's art project.  When I saw the picture, I was super stoked and ready to tackle the project.  GREAT colors, I love chameleons, and it looked like it would be a fun challenge.  What a fun idea!

    The finished product turned out really neat.  I was nervous about getting the coloring right, but after a few coats of paint, it was finally as vibrant as I wanted it to turn out. 

       For this project, I used Sculpey Studio clay, acrylic paint, fine-point paint brushes, satin glaze, metal wire (for the ornament loop) and bonding agent (to secure the loop so it wouldn't come out).  If you want your paint to come out really bright, be sure to put more than one coat on there.  I also double-glaze my pieces for extra protection.

     On an unrelated note, the Grow Boxes are still doing their duty!  Our cherry tomatoes are starting to come in.  We picked these today and have about 40-50 more that are still green on the vine.  Pepper plants, zucchini, and cucumber have also been producing like crazy.  I love home-grown veggies.