Alice in Wonderland or Me in Aliceland

Marie who? Seems my Marie Antoinette kick may have taken a back seat for the moment to Miss Alice herself and her wacky friends, like M. Hatter, Esq., pictured here popping out of the house I made for him. Doormouse, Cheshire Cat, Duck, Dodo, Lory and Eaglet are in the back window (not seen here) along with Alice. So many strange characters in that book! Isn't that where one finds Toad the Wet Sprocket? I think someone besides the Caterpillar may have been smoking the hookah when writing. Of course, that was Lewis Carroll back in 1865.

Meanwhile, I was inspired to create a Baby Alice art doll (Linda and Opie O'Brien Who's Your DADA?-style), Alice as a Young Girl art doll/canvas assemblage (inspired by Lisa Kaus) and a Zettiology-style (inspired by Teesha Moore) Alice skinny book page. Small doll head from Kris Hubick of Retro Cafe Art. The black framed pieced is a 3D collage under glass with vintage silhouettes. I think that may actually be inspired just by me. Maybe that's the author explaining his book idea to a comrade. March Hare/White Rabbit (who is whom?) winks knowingly on the front of the piece.

I love me some doll heads

Spring Bling and Things

There were splashes of color everywhere I turned this weekend. The trees seem to be exploding with blooms. I took time to cut some lilacs, crabapple blossoms, tulips and daffodil to bring inside. A large pitcher does double duty as a vase for my fragrant and cheery centerpiece.

A trip to Canal Street Gallery in Winona Lake produced a little baggy of goodies (bottom photo). It's almost like going to the candy store...and much less fattening! Owner Merna Eisenbraun had just gotten a new shipment of interesting Mother-of-Pearl beads in, so I brought home a few to make earrings. I made two pair for myself and another five pairs for my Etsy shop. So it seems like I got a lot out of my little stash, and I still have enough left to make a bracelet out of the black and white and red ones. But try as I might tonight, I just couldn't come up with the sequence that interested me. Next time. I'm offering free shipping in the US on the new earrings in my Etsy shop, so check them out.

A couple of hours wandering the antique mall in North Webster, IN produced only one little treasure- this frozen Charlotte/Kewpie type doll for $5.00. She stands six inches and aside from a little dirt, she's in great shape, frozen though she is, except for arms that move. Although that was the only thing I bought, I always have a great time looking at all the old stuff, hoping for that bargain, searching for that "thing" I will know when I see it- something strange to use in my altered art or just another thing. Period.

Marie's Everywhere: Etsy, Blythe, Stampington, My Etsy!

I cannot wait to get my hands on this gorgeous special publication by Stampington and Co., which comes out April 1. Imagine: An entire magazine devoted to art devoted to Marie Antoinette! I am sure it will be full of gorgeous excess.

Just last week I learned one of my Marie art dolls (I think I can call them art dolls even though they are headless) is featured on the Etsy Cottage Style Blog. What is that, you ask? To borrow from the blog's description: We are a group of women, artists and sellers of the beautiful , whimsical Cottage Style. We are not an Etsy Street Team, but a loving, supportive community of like minded talented women. If you love the Shabby, Romantic, Whimsical, Cottage style, and sell on Etsy come pay us a visit and apply for membership at"Etsy Cottage Style." If you love to shop, like most of us do, you will find lots of cottage style boutiques. The blue Marie featured is still available in my Etsy shop.

And, squee! I also got an email that I have a piece of Marie artwork in the upcoming Somerset Studio Gallery Summer 2009. One of my all-time art goals has been to get published in that outstanding anthology. I can't believe it, and of course I can't wait to get my hands on that either.

I'm picturing some of my all-time favorite Maries here. The pink one with the cake for a head was a gift to Mary Ann in a 1:1 Marie Swap. The first turquoise one above was a gift for Cindi in another swap, this one in The Faerie Zine group on Flickr. And the second turquoise one above, the taller one, was a special gift for Lisa Kettell, and was recently featured in her new book, Altered Art Circus.

The Marie diorama above I made at a special gathering of ZNE art group members in Michigan last June. It is called "The Last Beautiful Dress" and may be headed to Etsy. And then there's always a Blythe, looking quite regal also, while channeling Marie.
Here's a link to all my Marie-related photos on Flickr. It's one of my most favorite photo sets.

A Happy Blog Anniversary To Me! And Thanks to Some Great Swappers, Bloggers and Readers!

It seems like whenever I am a little behind in posting, my latest post invariably becomes a hodge podge as is this one. I don't know how anyone could miss their own one-year Blog Anniversary, but I did! August 2nd was the date, and 288 posts later, here I am. So, leave a comment on this post, and I'll draw some names out of a hat (let's say 3) for some very special art and goody gifts. Deadline is 6 pm EST Sunday, August 17, 2008.

Before I explain the photos above, I just have to say blogging, more than anything else art-related, has really turned my world around in the past year. Or, I guess since my world was already spinning on its axis, blogging was like the little kid saying, "faster, faster!"

So many exciting things have happened since starting this blog: I have met some truly wonderful, wonderful human beings, both on-line and in person. I've exchanged a lot of art, and emails and Moo cards and more. I've joined some terrific on-line communities. I've actually taken over responsibilities for a couple of them. I've started writing for three other Web sites. I've been encouraged to submit art and writing for publication. My photography might have gotten a wee bit better. I've met famous and published art peeps! I've learned a lot more computer lingo. I filled a void in my life. I even started a second blog http://bly-me.blogspot.com/ for Blythe collecting in December 2007 and have 74 posts there. I'm just so thankful for this supportive, creative, communicative community. Thank you all.

Even more thanks go out to Mary Ann of mainer_at_heart on Flickr.com and http://firstborn.wordpress.com/. Not only did I receive the fabulous Marie Antoinette doll above from her in a 1:1 swap, but we have become art/blog/phone and more friends, and I have contributed to her upcoming zine. I also have the privilege of knowing her talented sister http://labouroflovex3.blogspot.com/, too. Together, they feed my interest in all things Marie as well as in fat books. In fact, I forgot to photograph the "itty bitty" fat book I received Saturday from Mary Ann's group, so more to come on that. And sister Jo is hosting a Marie itty bitty-so tres fab!

The pin cushion in a tea cup is from Jillian Haupt http://www.jillianhaupt.com/ in a 1:1 swap in Vivian's pinkeep swap. See more pinkeeps at http://vivs-whimsy.blogspot.com/. I sent Jillian a pink velvet baby shoe in exchange. You can see its 'partner' in my etsy shop at http://www.hpsgsmith.etsy.com/ or in the shop preview at right.

The dolly box in red, white and blue bandana style is one I recently made after another 1:1 swap with Mica of http://garboodles.blogspot.com/ and etsy and ZNE. I went nuts over one of her 'frozen Charlotte' doll figures and dolly boxes. She agreed to a swap, so I sent her one I posted earlier. The good news is I still have one coming from her-can't wait! Not sure where this little gal is headed, maybe etsy, maybe a gift, who knows? maybe a blog anniversary prize! She has such a sweet face and is only about one inch big. I'm not the happiest with the paper clay body I made and painted, but I guess she's so cute otherwise, it will do.

Finally, on a completely unrelated note, hence the 'hodge podge,' this book: A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, came free inside my copy of Marie Claire, British edition. (I also highly recommend the Marie Claire Ideas, French edition). Anyway, while trying to pass some time and practice the very foreign-to-me concept of "patience," I decided to try this book. It was a bit of a slow start, because I couldn't figure out where we were headed. But the pace suddenly started careening around corners without braking. It is a genius book in my opinion. The language and age barriers of the subjects are hysterical, and the underlying subject matters-while poignant, are treated equally hysterically. But, it just seems so right. I highly recommend this book, even if you can't get it for free. Hmmm, maybe a blog prize....

Thanks for a wonderful first year!

My Marie Antoinette Craze Continues

When the peach curly feather arrived from Dale of Sea Dream Studio http://www.seadreamstudio.net/, I knew it was finally time to pull out my wire, wood and paper mache dress forms and start creating. I'd already made three Marie Antoinette figures: one for Lisa of The Faerie Zine http://faerieenchantment.blogspot.com/, one for Cyndi http://dragonflysdreamz.blogspot.com/ of FrstyFrlk for The Faerie Zine costume swap,

and one "maybe" for me, which I futilely sent to Somerset Studio http://www.stampington.com/ in hopes of publication.

But, I had tons of brocade, passementerie, ribbon, lace, silk flowers, little birds, vintage jewels and gems, German glass glitter, French text and more, all of which were crying out to be used. Having just finished reading my fourth Marie Antoinette biography this summer, the latest by her lady-in-waiting Madame Campan, written in 1823, I was more than ready for the task. In fact, Caroline Weber's The Queen of Fashion has so much sartorial imagery in it, I don't know how one could help but create after reading it.

So, last night's result was four Maries "quatre Maries, quatre reines," whatever you want to call them; they kept me at it from about 7 p.m. to nearly 4 a.m., but once I got going I was in the mode. French mode that is, and conveniently "mode" means "fashion" in French. Tre's bien!

I just listed three of these in my etsy shop http://www.hpsgsmith.etsy.com/ in case you, too, would like to own a mini Marie. The blue and white toile is headed for the delightful Mary Ann of Follow Your Bliss http://firstborn.wordpress.com/ for our "Marie Swap." I'll be writing an art vs. history article on Marie for Mary Ann's first zine, due out this fall. Bon soir.

By the way, did you know one reason the French treasury was depleted, which brought on the infamous French revolution and The Reign of Terror, was that the French government under Louis XVI, Marie's husband, had sent great amounts of money and munitions to help "our side" in the American Revolution. It wasn't that the French king was so much in favor of revolt, or even democracy, but the French were happy to support any side that was against England. They (the French and English/England) quickly made up, however, and English imports poured into France, which did not help that economy on its collision course with the destiny of the revolution.

Art, Dolls and Fat Books

With just a little midnight oil Saturday night, I finished my 24 all original 5" x 5" doll house book pages for The Faerie Zine's fat book page swap, hosted by Lisa Kettell, http://faerieenchantment.blogspot.com/. I had fun using collage sheets from a fellow Altered Art Diva Joanne Thieme Huffman http://www.jthcreations.com, Lisa's Altered Art http://www.lisasalteredart.com/, and German scrap from Moline http://www.moline.etsy.com/on Etsy. I got to throw on my girliest papers, laces, buttons, bows and trims as well as some vintage sheet music. Off they go in the mail Monday!

A Bunch of Wonderful Things

Yesterday I was thinking I might not even bother to put up my big Christmas tree. I thought I might not even do my other big one- a white artificial for which I have all new fuschia and silver ornaments I haven't even used yet. Bah, humbug.

Today I wake up to huge snowflakes, and it is all good! First things first. New holiday music for my blog- quite an eclectic mix if you check my playlist at the bottom of the screen. Project Playlist is great fun for mixing your own collection.

Trees? Not today, but soon. Still the big one for the family room seems to take up the entire room, and I could do without it. But, it has all the traditional family ornaments, the adults' childhood ornaments, ya know, so we really have to. Plus, the DH likes to watch television by tree-light- even if he likes the big, yucky, multi-color lights instead of little twinkly white ones.

Yesterday I received the most amazing sort-of-ATC, sort-of-art-doll (shown here) from Carol Stocker, a fellow ARTchick from Spirit's Journey http://spiritsjourneydesigns.blogspot.com/. We did a 1:1 trade. Hope she likes her Mercat. No, not meerkat. Or whatever they are.

Today is the opening day to register for Art & Soul in Hampton, VA http://www.artandsoulretreat.com/ for May 1-5, 2008. I sorted out my classes last night and hope I get my first choice. Meanwhile, I also emailed Elaine http://www.alphabetstudiobyelainethomas.com/ in Ohio of Artful Spirit to see if she is going and would like to ride with me. Lucky for me, she said yes! That will make the trip so much more fun and easy. I wish it were now! Elaine makes incredibly neat, wonderful stuff and may have a table at vendor night at A&S. Check out her site or her Flickr photos.

I first "met" Elaine when she so kindly bought my creation "Hope will Always See a Star" for the ZNE Hope Sees a Star fund raiser auction. My piece is shown here again and one of Elaine's creations.

And if all this were not fabulous enough, I took the plunge and ordered an ADG Blythe brunette who only has to travel from Illinois to Indiana and so should probably be here about the same time as Lilly from Tokyo. I think I will take my time coming up with a name for this one. I may have to whip out my crochet hook and sewing machine and create some fashions. There are amazing intricate outfits for sale on ebay and etsy both. It's a whole other world. And to those who find any part of this post weird, I say, as any good Blythe would, "whatever!"