Autumn Fairy

Kitty is practicing twirling on one toe in preparation for his performance in the upcoming celebration activities. He's getting pretty good at it. Mind you he's been practicing for weeks.Here he is ready for the dress rehearsal. He's an autumn butterfly in the chorus section. This paper doll was made for my swap partner in my yahoo paper doll swap group and was painted in watercolor on heavy paper.

Watching Winter

Watching Winter

My computer and myself are barely on speaking terms and my camera is having a fit so I've been out of the loop so to speak. But I wanted to show you my latest atc artdoll. I am very proud of this one because I've been working for a long time on developing an artdoll with an atc component that are all traced from my master template. This is my first success.

The atc artdoll is called 'Watching Winter' as the child steps out into the snow and watches something about it; and the woman watches the child; and the bird watches everything! The child's name could be "Winter" as well. I will leave that to the viewer.

The bottom part of her skirt is the atc itself and the whole rest of the doll folds down into the card. Made for my swap partner Roslind. Watercolor and sparkling H2O paint on heavy watercolor paper. Nice to visit with you all today and I hope to be visiting and sharing much sooner than last time! Creative hugs from Norma

Flower Power

This gal was painted on heavy watercolor paper using watercolor, color pencil, india ink, and rubber stamp pad ink.

She is a mechanical paper doll as her foot is on a rolling disc shape applied with a brad. Made for my swap partner for my paper doll yahoo group.

Fairy Postmistress

This fairy postmistress was painted on heavy watercolor paper with watercolor, india ink, sparkling H2O, color pencil and lead pencils. She is an a.t.c. artdoll so folds into the atc size. Made for Rosemary at my flat paper artdoll yahoo group.

Oh my gosh I have discovered gold and orange. I love pink and gold and now orange is added to my list. I am feeling so inspired I practically don't know what to do with myself. Hope you are all having a nice time. I'm off to the drawing board to see what I can do with this new color combination in my head.

Dreaming of Flying

Made as an angel a.t.c. artdoll, this mermaid has her companion, a Rock Dove joining her as she dreams of flying, guided by her star of destiny.

Painted and drawn on heavy watercolor paper using watercolors, colored pencils, india ink, gold acrylic ink, sparkling H20, and sumi-e ink stick. The atc folds into itself to conform to the 2.5X3.5 inch size.

Mer man

He is drawn and painted using colored pencils, watercolor pencils, sparkling H2O, watercolor, and gold acrylic on heavy cold pressed watercolor paper. His tail fin will be moveable on a brad. I made him as an 'angel' paper doll because a group member did not come through with her promised doll. My mer man is just about to perform the "Mudra of the Inner Self" as he swims along. He's just come from a reading and is very inspired. Here's what he heard at the reading:

"We live on in form and illusion

And only sense in days of suffering

The eternal changeless existence

Of which dark dreams tell us.

We hope for redemption and salvation

In the unreal offerings of dreams-

Since we are gods and take part

In the very beginnings of Creation."

-partial quote by Hermann Hesse

Beijing Opera Singer

Here he stands painted for the most part, ready to be assembled into a paper doll for my swap partner at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fantasticflat_paperdolls/

He is painted on heavy watercolor paper with watercolors, sparkling H20, colored pencil, india ink and gold acrylic. One of these days I am going to treat myself to a set of wooden hand manikins. Watercolors don't take to scanning but I don't know how to photograph them properly either! Oh the learning curve...

Next, it is more mermaids. I never tire of them.

Water Sign

A friend of Marylouise, 'Water Sign' will be swimming her way to go live with Wanda. Her friend gave her a silver bra as a friendship and going-away gift.

Painted on heavy watercolor paper with watercolor paint and pencils, colored pencils, and india ink. Embellished with sparkle. She was made for my swap partner at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fantasticflat_paperdolls/

marylouise

It is in the deeper parts of things that we often find the valuables. Go deep. Marylouise found this to be true when she went exploring in the deepest darkest of caves where once you enter sunlight cuts out and you swim blind. She'd been warned, and pleaded with not to go but Marylouise was not one to pay heed to anyone other than her inner muse. The voice said: "Go deep," and she did and what did she find? A treasure. Something that she could only feel and make out the outlines of. Knowing right away that this is what she was meant to find, she swam quickly to the safety of sunlight. She polished her treasure (a byzantine bra and matching hair ornament) and wears them proudly. The brave are rewarded...

This mermaid was made for my swap partner and is painted on heavy watercolor paper using gold and india inks, watercolor, colored pencils, charcoal pencil, gold paint.

ATC artdoll swap...

Green Tara wearing her new tights...

Ever since Tara got her new tights (pink and orange striped) she's not been able to take them off! She wears them all of the time and I mean all of the time. Of course she launders them regularly but there's no telling how long she'll be sporting this look!

As she has two left feet and as nobody ever says anything about it she feels that she can wear whatever she wants and nobody has a say about it. It won't be me saying anything!

Tara was made for my swap partner at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fantasticflat_paperdolls//

He's LATE for a very important date!

Oh that Mad Hatter is acting mad again!

It seems he got a great gig mansionsitting over the summer while the folk are abroad. He is putting on a tea party and sent out all of the invites and now everything is mixed up. He is also hosting a dance and sent out wrong invitations to everyone and some got invites to tea and have come and gone as noone was home. One of the fairy queens arrived early in the morning as it said 7 a.m. on her invite and she waited on the front porch. Finally the monkey let her in, prepared tea, and made her feel generally welcome. The mad hatter himself is at the tailors having a wee repair and there is no knowing if he will actually show up to his own party. Oh what a muddle. In any event, I hope that you are all having a wonderful tea party yourselves! Creative hugs to you all, Norma

http://www.afancifultwist.typepad.com/

Surprise in the mail

She wafted in on a pink mist. Her headdress gave her away and the scent of forest moss. I knew it was she of the other world, who had said she'd be arriving but didn't say when. So today was a surprise because of her arrival. We'll be getting to know each other and I look forward to the stories she has to tell. She is made by Linda B. and thanks Linda!

BLOG GIVEAWAY!

Scherenschnitte has caught my eye again lately. I used to do quite a bit of it in the 80's - house blessings and birds and children and quotes, along with intricate birth certificates and large brightly painted fraktur decked out with more birds and flowers. Well I am revisiting this art style these days. That's where I've been...playing with scissors.

Here are two pieces I did quickly to show you and to design my packaging. I plan to sell cuttings on my etsy shop soon. But to celebrate my being inspired, I am giving away 3 little cuttings on my studio blog Fairyfruitcake.

Hope you will pop on over and toss your name into the hat, and that you are all having an inspired day. Creative hugs, Norma