Birdhouse Follow-Up

Remember the Steampunk Birdhouse that I made to donate to Habitat for Humanity's Silent Auction?  Just as a reminder, here is my donation:

Time Flies Steampunk by Linda Ann Smitth

The auction was a very successful fundraiser.  I want to share the variety that artists submitted for this worthy cause.  So take a look!

Crocheted Birdhouse by Tonya Smith

Handmade Clay by Misty Hendrix

Longbranch Saloon by Jerry Carlson

Swirls by Tana Washington

Spread Your Wings with Copper Roof by Tonya Smith

Flower Power with button roof by JoAnn DeShong

Climbing Flowers by Paula Hefley

S E Eagle by Kim Foster

Copper Flowers by Josh Bell

Whimsical Cats by JoAnn DeShong

Woodland by Jeff Polaseh

OU by Mary Horsechief

Trailing Flowers by E J Berry

Sequoyah by Mary Horsechief

Wood Nips by Jerry Carlson

Flowery Night Light by Virginia Stroud

Greedy Birds by Cat Lamb

I did not capture the name of this artist but it is a beautiful woodburned  Native American style birdhouse with a hummingbird on front.

My First Whimsy Doll

Meet Betty Boop Ballerina!  I did not intend to make a Betty Boop, but this ballerina reminded me of her when I finished her.

Hair, face and body are made from an old cassette tape and tape case, with glass pebble eyes.  Old brittle paint hardened brushes make her legs.  Arms are a casino lanyard with hands cut from casino cards.  I had the material scraps laying around in my studio.  

I began two more whimsy dolls today using vintage school photos...date intact.. of children from the 50's.  I did not know what I was going to do with these photos when I saved them from the garbage after my aunt passed away.  She was a school teacher for many years in Sand Springs and Tulsa, Oklahoma.  I believe most of the photos I inherited are from Oliver Wendell Holmes Elementary in Tulsa.  If I am not mistaken this school no longer exists, but I am convinced some of these children are still wondering around in Tulsa, posing today as the elderly.  LOL  I even know the names of the children that my aunt wrote on the back of each photo.   If you know anyone who attended this school sent them my way, as I would be happy to share the photos with anyone who may know the "children." I have enough to make many many dolls.  

More whimsy dolls to be born in the near future...I've discovered a way to put a dent in my stash of my found objects. And I love every moment.

Hello, Dolly! A video link for you...

Helllllllloooooo, Dollllllllly!  

I watched this video when I should have been sleeping.  It is so inspiring to someone like me who has drawers of found objects.  My stash is divided into metals, plastics, cloth, natural items, paper, old photos, and unidentified.  I want to use these so I will have an excuse to find new ones.  When I viewed the video above, I thought I had everything except the faces.  I pondered whether to cut faces from magazines and glue them on the sculptural pieces.........but NO!

Ever have an ah-ha moment? 

My aunt was a teacher for almost 39 years.  She passed away at age 99 a few years ago and I rescued an entire set of photos of her fourth grade students from the 1950's.   Someone had tossed these precious faces into the trash after her death.   I did not know then what I was going to do with them...but now I do.  

Won't those sweet faced children from a time gone by make adorable dolls?   Oh I just cannot wait to get started.