Unusual Girl Studios

Oh, I'm a sucker for a good book and office supplies- I love a good romp through Staples or Office Depot- but rather than tell you what color paper clips I just bought I'll give you the low down on this book that I think should be part of your library. Call it an 'office supply/business expense' whatever it takes to justify the purchase. I call it another late birthday present from me to me. I was drawn to this book because of its wide variety of topics. Right now anything that can help me get the cloisonne` or enameled look I want for my big little lady sculpture is a must have right now. Even if its just a particular color combination in an advertisement in a magazine- its mine. This book covers- resin, enameling, acrylic, polymer clay, and glass. This really cool pin is made from a piece of broken pottery. Two things come to mind. 1. I would have really liked to see the whole piece of pottery- I'm sure its also very cool. 2. What great detail work! So very small

Creative Carmelina, a blogger friend of mine, started something awhile back. She did this awesome self portrait that really spoke to me. We all want to define ourselves. But not in any permanent way that can't be changed. We all want the world to see us they way that we see ourselves. A self portrait can be a very hard project to even attempt. Blogging has a certain safety in that people can only see what you allow them to see. The picture we create with our words, the story we tell with our art, the glimpses we share with our photography. But a self portrait should be honest. Its not that it can't be pretty- but the truth of it, the heart of it should be un-adorned. The truth should shine forward, beautiful in itself. I used to believe a story about myself. I took parts of messages I heard from my Mother and believed them to be true. Now I realize that her truths don't have to be my truths. As a young adult I took in the messages from people around me and thought they must

Strange things happen to me. I'm not kidding. I'm the kinda person who in an effort to save a lost dog kidnaps some one's pet and then makes the owner feel bad for losing them. I've witnessed fish falling from the sky, no lie. My child has single-handedly caused the evacuation of a day care center. These are only the things I can remember right now. The following story is an example of the craziness that is my daily life. You have to get to the very end for the reward and trust me, its worth the wait. So, last Sunday night I thought I should get my exhausted butt to bed a little early to make up for several nights of no sleep and days filled with anxiety. (If anyone ever says to you- "Ya know, I think it would be fun to be an interior designer..." punch them for me, please.) So I finally made it in there about 11:00 and I was pretty proud of myself. That should have been the first indication something was going to go badly wrong. 'Round about 1:3

I tried. Really, that goofy grin. Couldn't just get myself to leave it alone. Perfectionist? Yeah, I know- perfectionism = limits. But....no rest until she was... just as beautiful as I thought she could be. Once again I turned to my friend- the embellishment queen- Kristi for help with tiny ballerina's tiara. Kristi works at Pages in Time, a scrap booking store, so she's got the 'in' on all things tiny. She's also on this wonderful journey of all things felted and I wish I could show you the fabulous scarf she just made out of a strange silk (nou nou???) that she then felted and embellished. Turned out to be very sophisticated and I covet it. I would send you to her blog for proof of how wonderful it is but she hasn't updated it since her trip to Ireland this summer. Maybe if I guilt her enough.... Any how, I used this really cool twisted wire I purchased from a florist supply store and glued on the world's smallest gems (thanks, Kristi, now get to that

Here's a quick peek at the ballerina that will fit in the bird. What species of bird is it? No clue. Pigeon? Nothing too exotic. Anyhow this little lady measures 3 1/2". Her head is approx 3/4". Wow, try putting a face on that! So she's not as pretty as I'd hoped but still has a certain 'old world quality'? I really like how this paper clay paints up and varnishes. I may use gloss on her. Her tutu is covered in glass glitter. As I intend to use frit on the body of the piece I wanted to use real glass glitter on her and will use some of those tiny, tiny glass marbles- somewhere- as well. I'm excited to get to working on the lady herself again but this sculpture is building itself in a certain order. Had to figure out what she was holding before I could do the hands. Had to figure out what the bird contained before I can finish it. Had to figure out a way to contain and protect the ballerina. Had to figure out the back ground for the ballerina...which le