Window Shopping Wednesday -- Wall Dancers

Here's a look at a wonderful polymer clay artist that I truly admire.  Her work is funky, funny, unique, and particularly beautiful.  Just looking at her work makes me smile and feel good.  I have been reading her blog for quite some time and for a short while I thought she had quit blogging.  She is dealing with a health issue and so I worried about her status.  Imagine my pleasure to see that she is back and she is better than ever.

So, with no further ado, I give you Wall Dancers for your visual pleasure.

Great, huh?  Don't forget to visit her blog and maybe drop by her Etsy store to see even more beautiful items!

Tuesday Tutorial -- Felt Dolls

Tuesdays' posting will be some type of craft tutorial that I find as I surf the net.  You'd be surprised at the number and the quality of the tutorials available for crafters on the internet.  As a newbie doll maker, I am always interested in new ways to make dolls, so for this posting we will learn how to make felt dolls.

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This is a posting from SnipSnapHappy.blogspot.com.  I hope you make several of these dolls.  I know I will be trying them out!

Matryoshka Doll Tutorial

After all the fun I had making my matryoshka style dolls a couple of weeks ago I thought it would be mean not to spread the fun a little. So I am going to do my first ever tutorial and try to share with you how to make one!

I have tried to be nice and clear, use lots of pictures and not to over-explain things (as I have a tendency to do) but do let me know if anything can be improved. When I was first starting out with mosaics and sewing and crochet I was desperate for free simple tutorials that made sense so constructive criticism will be most welcome and I promise not to sulk ;)

Right, lets get started…

Snipsnaphappy’s matryoshka doll tutorial

You will need:

• 1 A4 size (about 21x30cm) piece of felt in the colour of the main body of your doll
• 1 A4 size piece of felt in the colour of the hood of your doll
• Some small scrap bits of black or brown felt for the hair (or red, yellow, green or whatever colour you like!)
• Fabric for the face – I use a lovely light canvas hemp fabric (which I buy from Hemp Fabric UK) but some plain cream cotton or linen would do just as well
• Paint for the face (I use acrylic)
• Ribbons, trims, buttons and bits for decoration
• Stuffing (not the sage and onion kind)
• Embroidery threads for the visible hand-sewing
• Plain thread for hand or machine sewing your finished pieces together
• Scissors
• Fabric glue if you intend on gluing your embellishments.

First you need to cut all your pieces. I have done a PDF for you with the shapes you need.  As I can't work out for the life of me if it is possible to somehow upload this to Blogger I have popped it on Scribd.  Click here to go get it.  This pattern is hand-drawn and a little rough round the edges but it should help you get the job done :)  Do let me know if you have any problems retrieving this.

For the front hood, fold your felt in half then pin the pattern piece with the dotted line along the fold…[...]

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My Prayer Dolls are almost done

Here's the bunch so far, just a few things to do to complete them.

The one with the hat still needs the box part.  Her's shrunk when I baked it!

I cannot wait to give these away to my friends.  When I made each one, I concentrated on the attribute I wished to send to them.  Now all I have to do is add the word, so it will be doubly potent.

More on my prayer dolls

I have been working on my prayer dolls and they really are looking pretty.  I stayed up until after 1AM the other night painting on them and I have to say I had a ball.  The next morning, I took pictures to show my progress.

Here they are:

I still lack painting their hair and adding collage items so I can cover them entirely with a sealer.  I think they are really cute and I plan to make many more.

 For my friend, Rebecca

 For my sister

 For my friend, Kenita

 For my friend, Elizabeth

and hopefully, this one will be for me!

I love spa treatments as much as the next girl (perhaps more).

Here's 3 lovely spa recipes I found that are wonderful and decadent.  These come from the-coveted.com and I have to tell you I am in love with the sugar body polish.

I hope you enjoy a spa day on your next day off!


If your skin needs a little rejuvenating, try one of these ultra-easy D.I.Y. skin treatment recipes and let the pampering begin.

Sugar Body Polish

1 1/2 cups raw or brown sugar
1/3 cup real maple syrup
1/3 cup olive oil or sunflower oil
Drops of your favorite essential oil (Optional)

Prep: Mix ingredients together and put in a closed container.

Use: Apply scrub to wet skin in a circular motion to exfoliate. Remove thoroughly with water and a wash cloth.

Refreshing Cucumber Toner

1/2 large or 1 medium cucumber (unpeeled but washed)
2 tablespoons witch hazel

Prep: Puree cucumber in a blender or mixer. Next, strain the cucumber pulp into a bowl. Mix the liquid from the cucumber only with the witch hazel.

Use: Soak a cotton ball with the toner and apply to face, neck and chest.

Calming Oatmeal Mask

2 tablespoons oatmeal (regular, not instant)
2 tablespoons full fat plain yogurt
2 teaspoons honey

Prep: Mix ingredients together in a bowl.

Use: Apply mask mixture to clean skin and let sit for 10 or 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.

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Window Shopping Wednesday

Another Wednesday.  Now to show you the work of another of my favorite artists here on the web.  I hope you are enjoying these trips to visit websites.  I hope you like these artists so much that you begin to follow their work as I do.  So, here we go....
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Christine Alvarado makes the most beautiful and delicate dolls I have ever seen.  She obviously loves what she does.  Her dolls are exquisite. To visit, just click on any of the images and you will be taken to her site.

Please visit her site and look at all the beauties she has made.  These are just a few.

Spring and summer bring bugs and bug bites!

 With warmer weather comes the urge to be outside and play out of doors.  Great fun!  But when you come inside for the night you may find you have unwanted side-effects.  The great outdoors abounds with chigger, fleas, mosquitos, and many other blood-sucking insects who are just as pleased to see you come out of the house as you are to be outside.

Nobody likes to scratch and itch all night.  Maybe you could try to make several of these easy bath bombs to have on hand.  After a long soak with this in your bath, you may find the relief you need to get a good nights rest.

I'm all for anything that helps stop itching and promotes healing, so I will be making a batch of these soon.

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Bath Bomb - Insect Bite Relief

Materials needed:

• 1 1/4 cups cup of Baking soda or Bicarbonate of Soda
  1/2 cup of Citric acid
  2 -6 tsp of Almond Oil or Apricot oil
  1/4 cup of Dried Basil
  1/2-2 tbs Water
  5 drops of Food coloring
  (optional)10-15 drops of calamine lotion
  Makes 7 medium sized Bath Bombs

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir until well mixed.
Drizzle in the almond oil and stir until mixture is moistened. Add more oil and fragrance and stir until well mixed.
If the mixture is crumbly then add more oil or a dash of water.
Roll the mixture into a ball using your hands or press it into a lightly oiled mold. Use a bath bomb mold or a chocolate mold.
Let it slip out from the mold and then put the ball/shape on a sheet of wax paper and leave it to dry till it is hard. It make take several days.
Store them in a airtight container.
Use 1 Bath bomb per bath.

Source: Craftbits.com

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