STJ update tonight!

The other two pieces in my Halloween Circus animal trio will be available tonight at midnight for the Spookytime Jingles update. I am thrilled that the giraffe and owl piece sold this weekend, so that is great news for the auto body shop cats! 100% of the sales of the pig and elephant will also go toward feral villas and feeding stations for them. (See previous post for more details.)

More progress on the Halloween circus....

It is the perfect day to stay in and create....chilly and rainy here in Lexington! This weather is so wacky. It was in the high 90s on Thursday, Friday and Saturday breaking records for September and today a high of 68 is predicted...not exactly a smooth transition to fall. Oh well, I am going to turn on my space heater and speed up the clay drying process so that I can hopefully sand and prime my Halloween circus trio later today.

Happy Labor Day to all of you!

Farm Critters for the Spookytime Jingles Update tonight!

It's time for the Spookytime Jingles' Easter Holiday Hootenanny!! So exciting to think that spring is just around the corner. I am anxious to see all the yummy spring creations from my fellow STJers!

My offering is my third and final pull toy (for awhile). Here is my happy stack of farm critters all decked out in their pastel stripes and dots!

farm animal stack sculpted...

...quick peek at my third pull toy sculpted. I have completed the sculpting step on all three pull toys so now I am just waiting for everything to dry. Hopefully, I will be able to sand and prime on Monday (tedious, but oh so important!) and then the BEST part can begin...painting!!!! I am ready for COLOR!

Silly Sketches...pull toys are on the way!

I realized that it has been almost a year since I have made an animal pull toy! I love creating them, but they require lots of uninterrupted and focused sculpting time. So, I decided to dedicate the next few weeks to making 3 fun little critter carts. I have my work cut out for me, and I am excited to get rolling on them!

Here are the sketches that I will be working from. I usually do very VERY rough sketches for my dolls, but for the pull toys, I really need to plan them out and illustrate the animals in a more detailed, accurate way. And I am also trying to work on my illustration skills for a future project that is brewing in my brain.

A grinning kitty with a major sweet tooth...



A blissful bunny acrobat on a dotted ellie...



...and a stack of farm friends in fun colors.

Storybooks and Sweets Baby Shower

I hosted a very special baby shower for a dear friend of mine. She is having a little girl who will be named Olivia Anna-Lucille. I decided upon a "Storybooks and Sweets" theme since I collect children's books....built in decorations :)! And I wanted to fill the house with all sorts of colorful candy in glass jars and fun homemade cupcakes. Needless to say, I had a blast preparing for the party. I love creating a wonderland feeling in my house. The day turned out perfectly delightful...a big turnout and perfectly gorgeous weather too!

The invitation and miniature vintage children's books wrapped and inserted in the envelopes....


Bunnies, cupcakes and candy galore....



Olivia the pig with red velvet cupcakes and her favorite candy...



Splat the Cat and The Wizard of Oz...



Puss in Boots and his Swedish Fish...



Alice in Wonderland...



ABCs and 123s...

Etsy shop update with Spring SnipPets!

Hey everyone!! The sun is FINALLY shining here, and that makes me sooooooo happy!!!! I am also jumping for joy because I FINALLY finished up 9 new pieces as of last night. I sanded and sanded and sanded and primed and primed and primed all weekend, and then I got to enjoy bringing my spring critters to life these past few days. Oh, how I love the bright, vivid yellows, greens, pinks, lavenders and blues of this season. It's like a much needed breath of fresh air just blew through my studio!

I just put these animal eggs and ornaments in my Etsy shop. The rest will be unveiled in the next few days, so stay tuned!

Wheeeeee! A flying pig!


A silly "chickpea" ornament....


...a bunny rabbit egg....


and a spring egg trio!

Spring SnipPet WIPs!!

I have been sculpting non-stop for the past 2 days and still have a lot left to do, but I am definitely making progress. The rabbits are multiplying like crazy in my art room! That sounds really strange coming from the spay/neuter policewoman :).

I never used to sketch out any of my designs, but I have started to now and I really think it helps me think through my ideas and ultimately, the finished pieces are more successful. I did a few pages of very rough sketches on the plane ride to New Orleans. It was so nice to have that uninterrupted, focused time to just sit and THINK and jot down notes and draw.

You will see a few ornaments in the works....a flying pig, a "chickpea" and two rabbits. Then, there is a standing carrot bodied rabbit...he will be a lot of fun once I get some more details sculpted. I started on a juggling candlestick rabbit (still needs hands!) and hope to get a few more done in the next few weeks. And of course, i had to do a few rabbit eggs before Easter sneaks up on us. My quirkiest new project will be a custom order wedding cake topper.....a rhinoceros bride and groom!!! The groom's last name is Ryno, so that's the story behind it. I love having the challenge.

Holiday Munchkins and Alice's White Cat?

Yesterday, i finished up 3 holiday munchkin snippets. They will be available at the Spookytime Jingles update on the 13th! I have 5 Halloween munchkins (posted those awhile back) ready for STJ as well. Today i am trying to squeak out a spooky cute frog and a few other non-holiday munchkins.

Shoowee! It has been crazy around here because I am getting ready to leave for a week at the beach on Saturday. Meeting art deadlines and getting my cats and foster kitties all taken care of has kept me busy for sure.

The last photo is a special order for a wonderful customer. She wanted a white cat version of my "Alice's White Rabbit". I thought that was a purrfect idea!!

Things are jingling in July!! PFATT update!

Make sure to head over to the Pfatt Marketplace on the 10th to see lots of wonderful and whimsical handmade holiday creations!!!

Here is what i am offering up....a few elf critters and a santa pig door prize!

Halloween SnipPet Munchkins!!

I FINALLY have some new SnipPet art dolls to share! I have had lots of creations in the works on my table...it's just taken me awhile to get any completed with all the cat craziness going on.

These Halloween munchkins are little trick or treatin' critters....spooky cute ghouls dressed in their favorite costumes! I really wanted to create some small dolls that reflect my love of vintage toys and retro style. I did some research and made a list of common themes in the styles of old fashioned dolls and toys. Very simple, sweet faces and shapes were a definite detail that needed to be utilized.

I haven't decided where i am going to list them. I had intended to include them in the next Spookytime Jingles update, but i may put them in my Etsy shop and make some more for the update. If any of them strike your fancy, let me know!

So, without further adieu, here are Emmie Elephant, Clara Kitty, Paulie Pup, Rosalie Rabbit and Pippin Pig.

SnipPet WIPs and a few new kitty pics

Just a little peek at what is on the table for this week. These three will be sort of St. Francis inspired...animals holding birds out in the garden. One of them is a special order piece...a pekingese pup princess.


These cutie patooties are going to be trick or treaters and clowns. It is going to take several days for them to dry, and i am itching to get them all dolled up!


My foster kittens are doing SO great! They romp around my art room all day finding plenty of mischief to get into. They are going to be spayed and neutered next Tuesday and then, it's adoption time! OH, i dread that part, as always. I get so attached, but know I must find loving homes for them.





Last but not least...Missy our "feral" kitty snoozing on the back patio in her bed. Now, THAT is serious summer relaxation!

Miss Ophelia takes the stage....

The sun just came out and Miss Ophelia just took the stage! I added the finishing touches to this playful pig today. Yippee for completion!

I am totally out of paperclay and UPS was supposed to deliver a big stash of it to me today...still waiting.... eeeks, it better arrive tomorrow. I have lots to accomplish this week!!

I have decided to start naming all of my animal creations. They just seem more lively and distinct with their own names. I am always laboring over the purrfect cat and kitten names for my rescues and fosters, so now I'll be doing the same with these.

Happy Monday to all!