Gratitude Extravaganza

I love life.  I love MY life.  God has smiled on me!  I know this sounds like boasting, but this stems from intense gratitude for where I'm at in life.  Of course, catch me on a cloudy day...ahem!  Anyway, I truly am living in such happiness.  Do your teeth hurt yet?

My life has been pretty blessed and I know a lot of folks out there can't say that.  So it might seem easy for me to be grateful right?  I feel choosing gratitude is a conscience changing of one's perspective and that's a challenge.  It's not easy to be positive and to look around at simple tiny things and be grateful for them.  Usually, a catalyst causes people to turn their perspective around and then sometimes you meet someone who's just born happy and grateful no matter what happens in their life.  I'm not one of those...I'm the former.  I know, I said my life has been pretty blessed, but I've definitely had a catalyst (or two) to help me see things in a more positive light.  Life has thrown some curves at me and I don't consider myself strong or a "fighter"; honestly I don't know why I've made it through some of things I have.  I truly feel that God has had his eye on me.  Why?  I don't know.  Perhaps because I've acknowledged Him and cried out to Him.  I don't know.  But I DO know, God heard me.  God, the universe, the powers that BE...heard me.

So there's my emotional blogburst for the week!  Really, it's when I wake up, walk out to my studio, see the work I'm able to do, kiss my soulmate, hug my son goodbye for school, counsel my young adult daughter, live in the beautiful northwest, pet my silly dogs and breath in the air as a healthy human...that's what does it.  "Do what you love" they say..right?  Do what makes your soul sing.  Listen to it.  It could lead you in directions you never thought possible.

Mold, it's good right?

I'm trying my hand at plaster mold making.  I'd really like to be able to make miniature dolls from my own sculpts and this has been at least a decade long pursuit.  There isn't a whole lot out there about making molds for dolls.  I found a really good book on Amazon, chuck full of information, but you have to read it over and over to get those nuggets (at least I do anyway!).

I take my original prototype (sculpted from polymer clay) and embed it into very soft Sculpey clay.  It's quite the art I'd say.  You have to establish a parting line and watch out for undercuts or your mold just won't work.  I set little beads into the clay to mold out "keys" so the two halves of the mold fit together nicely.

So from this book I've learned how to mix the plaster and set up the "frame".  I use an old makeup remover wipes container of which I cut out the bottom.  I've tried using cottle boards, but those are not leak proof, and you really don't want any leaks!  Plaster is messy!  I take strips of Sculpey clay and push in and around the edges sealing it as best I can.

After the plaster mold halves have both been poured, I dry them out in front of a fan.  From this point, after they have dried, I can then pour porcelain into them.  There are a couple of "waste" pours at first, to condition the mold, but then you've got yourself a unique, one of a kind mold of your sculpt!  One thing I keep in mind is to sculpt the original prototype about 2 times larger than you would like your porcelain piece to be and remember that porcelain shrinks about 18% in the kiln.  In keeping with 1" scale, this can be tricky.  The reason I make it so much larger is to refine the prototype from the original, make another mold of it and then have a final mold!

Here's a great link to a mold making tutorial, specifically for miniature dolls:

http://www.ginabellousdolls.com/miniature-mold-making/

I just wanted to share my "technically boring" process :)  It's kind of interesting right?  It's a means to an end and I love working on Lilli's Littles products.  I'll keep you updated on this latest mold making adventure!  Now, to clean out the clay that's under my nails....

Happy Tuesday!  Just a little picture of the latest custom order I finished.  In my previous post I showed how I was painting a border and here is the reason:

I think she turned out well!  My sweet customer who ordered her is pleased and that makes it all worth it!  This little doll was inspired by Felicity:  An American Girl movie.  Here is a movie still:

Now off to work (and school) and let my creative juices flow!  Have a great week everyone!

Happy Wednesday!  I have to say, this weather just needs to make up it's mind!  This weekend was in the 80's here and now it's gray and drizzly!  Well, I've got my Happy Light on, so things should be ok :)

So Lilli's Littles is gaining momentum and picking up!  I've been meeting the nicest customers from around the world.  I think miniature collectors and artisans are some of the sweetest people!  Maybe it's the childlike wonder we've kept in order to dream and create worlds in small scale?  Most people I know usually look at a well made miniature with awe and wonder.  I think it brings people back to hope and imagination.  It definitely brings me joy!

Here's my latest little creation.  She is a lovely Victorian lady in teal silk with red accents.  I enjoyed creating her beaded motif.  The excess and opulence of that era is fascinating.  I think about the yards and yards of fabric used to make these gowns in real life!  She is currently in my Etsy shop and up on Ebay. (user name:  lillislittles)

I'm working on a custom doll order right now that I am enjoying so much!  The sweet little colonial dress has a beautiful flower pattern that I've hand painted into a trim and it's absolutely beautiful!

  I think of fashion history and it blows me away to think how fluid and changing the styles have been over the centuries; and really, how clothing has played such role in status and character.  I think I will research more fashion history as it really fascinates me.  I've taken a class in fashion history and from it I've come to own a most wonderful compendium:  

It's short and concise, but also gives one a glimpse into the daily life and politics of the particular era.   It's very helpful when researching costume for a particular figure.  

Musings from Lilli :)  Now onto my second cup of coffee....