Halloween Ornament Recycling Project

My girls and I just decorated our house top to bottom for Halloween.  Part of that exciting day is pulling out all of our costumes and seeing what we have to work with.  It is always interesting to inspect the mangled remains of wigs that managed to look decent for one or two days of wear (if you didn't move too much and definitely did not try to brush it). But what can you do with them once they are matted and tangled?  I have the perfect project that will keep that wig out of the landfill AND give you some fun, recycled Halloween Shrunken Head ornaments for years to come!

Here is a list of items you will need

• Halloween costume wig- the messier the better
• Creative Paperclay 
• acrylic paints in browns and black
• paint brush
• small bit of wire (or a paperclip) and wire cutters
• scrap fabric (I rip woven cotton and cut strips of burlap, or raid discarded costume parts)
• wooden beads
• assortment of string, twine, raffia
• scissors
• Glue (I am using Fabri-tac for this sample and highly recommend it for this project)
• about 12 inches of aluminum foil

1.  Begin by scrunching up and shaping your aluminum foil into a rough head shape with a "neck" as shown in the photo.  The neck is important because you will be adding decorative elements later.
   
   
2. My example is made of Creative Paperclay but you can use polymer clay as well. Cover the foil base with the paperclay and rough out a face.  The beauty of sculpting a shrunken head is that you do not have to worry about it being a perfect face.  In fact, the more lopsided, bumpy and odd it is the more character it will have!  If you want open eyes you can simply press black beads into your clay and roll clay eyelids over the top as shown in the photo on the left below.  I wanted mine to have eyes "sewn" shut so I covered the eyes and rolled small pieces of paperclay to look like stitches.
   
3. Use a sculpting tool or toothpick to make holes in the lips and ears.  You can also add holes at the brows or insert a stick or broken toothpick through the nose.  Be sure the holes are large enough that you will be able to get your thread through them later.
   
4. Cut about 2 inches of wire and twist into to form a loop on one end (as shown in the supplies photo).  You can also use half of a paperclip bent to a similar shape.  Insert into the top of the head. You will attach a string hanger to this later.
5. Allow your head to dry completely.
6. Once your head is dry you are ready to give this guy or gal some character!  Paint the head in your selected colors.  I am using a selection of browns and blacks for my example but you can really go crazy here- especially if you have some crazy wig colors, or try glow-in-the-dark paint!  Again, a rough paint job only adds to the rustic charm so don't worry about skill levels, just have fun.
   
7. Once your paint is dry it is time to thread your chosen string through the holes in the face and ears.  Tie at least one knot to secure string before adding beads.  Use your imagination and remnants here-braid in raffia, tie in a feather, add a stray plastic spider, etc.
   
8. To decorate the neck run some glue around the surface to secure your fabric to. Now take your ripped fabric and/or burlap and tie it to the neck.  You can also add more of your string or raffia here depending on the overall look you desire.
   
9. To apply the hair, gather small portions of the wig's hair in about 8-inch lengths and cut in a straight line.  Keep that cut line in your fingers, apply glue along that edge and work the glue into the tips of the hair to bind it together. Set this piece aside to dry and continue cutting and gluing clumps of hair.  Some wigs can be very knotted but keep in mind that this will look great once it is applied and go ahead and cut right through knots or matted areas.  You will need about 5 or six lengths of hair for most heads.
   
10. Apply a fairly wide glue strip along hairline on your sculpted head and place your lengths of hair TOWARD the face and neck as shown. This will give you a clean hairline once you pull the hair up to style it.  Wait a few minutes for the glue to set. 
    
     
11. Tie a long piece of twine to the wire loop.  This will be your hanger so make sure it is longer than your hair. 
12. Now it is time to style the hair. If you have fairly straight hair clumps (like the ones I have here) you can tease the hair for a fuller look. Now gather the hair up above the head and tie it to the twine hanger. Your shrunken head is complete and ready to hang!
    

Wizard Fest 2014

I spent Saturday at Country Village's Wizard Fest.  It is so close to where I live I couldn't resist going once again.  Country Village is such a beautiful location and the only outdoor venue I show my work at so far.  This event is mainly for children although witches and wizards of all ages do attend.  It is a fun break from the big art shows and I get to take my children with me to tend the booth and run our free raffle.  The Seattle area happens to be in the middle of an unseasonable heatwave so we were thankful for the shade of our tent and the sound of the large water fountain near our location.  I will share some photos of the day below.

 The Wizard's Magic Show brought the skills of Hogwarts to the Village and thrilled the budding students.  I'll tip my hat to this fabulous and funny wizard to managed to perform so graciously in his stunning robes in ninety-plus degree heat!

One of the great things about an outdoor venue is you get to meet lots of pets.  At a wizarding show people tend to have some unusual pets.  This giant iguana was content to ride on his owner's jacket or stroll confidently on his leash.  I also had some of the Village chickens wander into my booth as I was setting up- just missed getting a photo of one eye to eye with one of my sculptures!

Even the vendors came decked out is robes.  Who wouldn't want to shop this gentleman's store?

One of the main reasons I love this show is it gives me the chance to catch up with Dennis Brown.  He is a fine artist and adviser and I always enjoy his company.  I am lucky to have someone with such skills living so close.  This time we swapped pieces and this photo shows Dennis holding the piece I took home.  I have one of his borrowers and this pumpkin-headed guy is now sitting next to it.

So the work completed for the past twelve days of my Summer Challenge was dozens of baby house elves and creatures.  The remaining pieces will be added to my Etsy shop this week.  I am finally able to get back to preparing for Halloween and have some hard sculpts in the works of a witch, pumpkin man and mummy.

Check in for photos soon!

Quinlan Doll and Teddy Bear Convention 2014

I just returned from the Quinlan show this past week and I am still in the process of getting the studio back together and ready for the next round of work.  This was the first time I traveled so far from my northwest home base for a show.  I had heard such wonderful things about Quinlan from other artists that I could not resist seeing it for myself.  I also took an extra day to tour Philadelphia.  Like the true sculpture junkie I am I had to document every statue and relief in sight and I will share just a few here as well as some of my favorite work from the show itself.

 I am definitely a fan of ornate buildings.  The more carving, gingerbread, sculptures and details you can pile on the better.  I looked across the street from this gorgeous building and see the sleek glass modern cubes and they simply do not compare in my eyes.  This building took 30 years to complete - not something you see in the modern age. Sigh

 

Coming from the land of the Craftsman home, these neighborhoods were particularly charming.

 

I had to visit some of the historical sites as well (you must set a good example for the children after all) so here you have the final resting place of Benjamin Franklin (above) and the Hall of Independence viewed from the Liberty Bell building (below).  Since Franklin's famous quote is "A penny saved is a penny earned" it is customary to toss pennies on his grave.  Interesting, since he is encouraging people to SAVE pennies.

Back at the show, over 125 doll and bear artists presented their work.  The bear artists took me on a bit of a trip down memory land since I sold artist bears in a shop I worked in when I fist moved to Seattle 21 years ago.  I overheard several conversation where bear artists became fans of dolls and doll artists discovered bears.  There were countless inspiring pieces in both categories so it was hard to pick only two to share here.  While these are by far not the only great artists I could have chosen from I also had to select from the best of the photos I had taken.

I had seen Nina Tugarina's work (above) in photos before but it is truly stunning in person.  I also met the very sweet Natalie Ruiz who won an award for this piece (below) which I believe is called "Tangled".

Without a doubt, the best reason to attend Quinlan is the sheer amount of quality work you can see in one day.  Personally, I would return for the company of fellow artists who were all very open and friendly and included this sole traveler in their circles, as well as for the generous and gracious hosts of the show, Susan and Terry Quinlan.

Polar Elf Fashion

I have been away from my blog for far longer than I anticipated!

 This year has been full of twists and turns largely of the undesired kind but I am happy to say the most wonderful things have been happening in my artistic life.  I have been accepted into a talented group of artists- The Professional Doll Makers Art Guild!  My White Rabbit is on their cover page currently.  The link to the site is http://www.artdollguild.com/.  There are some amazing artists in this group whose careers I have followed and I am honored to now be a member.  If you are interested in seeing the variety offered in the art doll world, this site is a great place to start. And I get to check this off of my Bucket List! Cheers!

Working in the studio is such a solitary environment it is easy to forget that my work is actually out there being seen and collected.  I tend to feel like a mad scientist here some days working furiously away on my latest must-creates and ticking away to do lists. I am now preparing for a holiday show and getting around to galleries in an attempt to balance the in-studio and out-of-studio time. 

So what is materializing from all of this?

Elf Fashion

 Not the cover girl you were expecting, is it?

I will venture to guess you have not spent much time pondering this subject but there is a job for everyone and currently this is mine.  I tend to think that if a being is around for very long periods of time (hundreds of years, let's just say) they would tend to have a large repertoire of fashion history under their belts.  Elves must create.  It is part of their job description.  I don't think they would just get up, throw on sweats and haphazardly sling paint and hammer day in and day out.  No way, not a very romantic notion by any means.  In my estimation of elf culture (insert knowing raise of eyebrows) they would have wardrobes as varied and eccentric and they are bound to be themselves.  No simple red shifts and puff-topped sock shoes here please.  My latest little pair reflects a mix of classic, Victorian and a touch of steampunk.

Colette and Pierre

Edgy elves may not be a household phrase just yet but give it time.  I will keep designing away here, mixing up decades and trims, the sleek and shabby, throwing in a potion or two to see what falls together.  Life can be unpredictable; mix things up and have fun!

Carpathian Circus

One of the wonderful things about creating a world of your own is that you are limitless in characters, events, places and abilities. I love the idea of the circus- a traveling make-believe world.  When I was very young and staying with my grandparents one summer I woke up to find a circus setting up in a large field across the street from their house.  I remember staring out the front window waiting to get a glimpse of something fantastic.  We did cross the street at one point and a kind man there let me pet one of the horses- magic for a child.  Even now I have a sign in my office that might be more reflective of both my active household and studio space combined, saying "Impossible you say? Nothing is impossible when you work for the circus!"

  Based on these ideas, the most recent Griffinwyse growth has been the development of the two circuses; The Carpathian Winter and Midsummer Circuses.  The Winter Circus is a vision of black, white, grey and red.  It is a more mysterious, dark web of magic and illusion and its patrons and performers reflect that feel.

 Here is Deirdre, a fortune teller with the Carpathian Winter Circus who finds sprouting horns most entertaining when trying to keep patrons honest during a reading.

 Ciardha and Chandara are vampire sisters.  Circus-goers believe this is a disguise, merely amazing make-up to add to the other-worldly atmosphere under the great tents.  The true great secret of both circuses is that everything one sees is truly skillful magic disguised as illusions.  Feasting on patrons is not allowed, however, as these two can attest.

The Midsummer Circus is a celebration of color, characters and imagery.  They are a wonderland of the odd and interesting wrapped in trims and nonsense. Why two circuses, you may ask?  I believe it is opposites that I love most- dark and light, sinister and innocent, and the very opposition that makes each side more distinct when compared to the other.  Would I want to attend a moody circus of dark and interesting characters in the season when darkness comes early and spooks and goblins seem most likely to wander? Yes, please.  Would I be just as eager to see a circus manned by curious characters of borderline sanity romping in the spring? Sign me up.  Let them (as they say in show business) entertain you!

 Sweet Tessa, a face-painter with the Midsummer Circus, loves children.  She skillfully paints anything a child desires in no time at all, sending them happily skipping off to their next destinations transformed.

Celeste is a perfect example of the merry clothing that adorns the performers of the Midsummer Circus.

There will be larger, elaborate characters added to each circus as time allows as well as more of the loop-jointed and fully poseable art dolls and figurines.  On the list waiting to be brought to life; the bearded lady, tarot card reader, magician, witch/wizard, balloon artist, etc. Who might you be interested in seeing?

Coming in my next blog- a little trip to a place called Oz, revisiting my favorite childhood film!