Opium Mornings in the Poppy Garden

A pot of black tea or coffee perhaps for relaxation and enjoyment in the morning will do for some but for those who are troubled by the their dark secrets and malicious actions, a much stonger brew is is needed to block out the real world and escape to another... leaving all behind . That is why Opium Tea is prefered by this little lady. Because to have a pipe around the house and smoke it would not be lady like, oh no ... so in keeping appearances she grows her poppies on the hillside not far from her home and in the morning carries her basket there where she picks the greenest pods that have just lost their petals. She gingerly walks her way back home where she will grind them and brew them into a nice pot of tea ,surrenduring all cares to an altered state of bliss.

The greener the better, for the milk in them is strong and that is exactly what she needs to help her cope with life ...or just get along.

"Opium Mornings" is now listed ebay. Won't you drop on by and say hello to this lovely poppy lady ? :)

~Nina~

That Old Halloween Feelin!

Introducing..... a new "Victorian Witch Cat "doll now listed on ebay!

You know it is always a good time to make Halloween art though it is still 5 months away but those who love the season as much as I do know that one can celebrate it all year round !

I was feeling whimsy the day I made this pretty kitty and yes ,I know... I jump from theme to theme but you sort of have to go with what strikes your fancy that day and create ! It has put me in the mood for many more Halloween creations that's for sure , which is always so fun and my little book of musing and ideas is filling up quick! This was my first time ever to mold a cat head of clay and paint on the meow details ...my own dear six toed cat "Seis" being the model of course he-he! I loved this one very much that I am working on another style like this to keep and add to my Halloween collection but I think I may keep her out all year long for inspiration when I am done... cat dolls are just so darn cute!


~Nina.

Bayou Beauty

A new lovely lady listed this morning on eBay called "Bayou Beauty" .This one has a theme of Bayou elegance and a touch of voodoo. A Southern Gothic inspiration from stories told of high society ladies from the south having secret rooms in which they keep hidden from the public eye. A place where their alters are set, voodoo dolls of those who they wish to get rid of or manipulate are made and black magic spells are cast to attract more money or a lover at what ever cost . A bit of a different theme than normal but so intriguing for me I thought, "why not have fun with it ?" She even comes with her own little voodoo doll and love spell bottle charms !

Drop by and take a speeksie :)

~Nina.

My Little Work Station

In an extra bedroom upstairs that used to be the nursery I have my soap studio and my little corner desk where I sit and make my dolls and craft projects . Now the Soap biz takes up most of the space on the other side of the room which is not fit for pictures at the moment...may be next month... um year(lol) but here are just a few pics I took of my area when it is at a semi-tidy state that I thought would be nice to share with you. By the way ,the drawers to my desk shall remain closed and unseen for the tour as that is not for the faint of heart... he-he!



I would love to be more organized and neat and live by the the whole"A place for everything and everything in it's place " but if your an artist you know that kinda goes out the door darlin ! You see I was born without the ability to put lids back on things and tighten them ,or clean as I go ...tsk tsk ....a sad thing to be diagnosed with really but when your on a creative roll you get tunnel vision until it's complete and nothing else matters,especially lids! I hope there are others out there who can relate.

I suppose eventually though I will have enough time to organize lace and fabric and fill jars, label them of their contents and tighten all the lids to every thing and paint the room any other color but the lavender baby color it is ... but for now this will do . It sometimes gets to me when I think about the mess and disarray of my area , how I tossle and search through drawers and boxes to find things, lose my scissors among papers and fabric and not to mention how many needles I have lost ...and found...ouch!

But I have to tell myself in words like that of dearest Scarlett... "I can't think about this now! I'll go crazy if I do! I'll think about it tomorrow. After all, tomorrow is another day!"


...and after all it's my space, as long as I find comfort, creativity and inspiration in my little corner of the room that s' all I need and that's good enough for me . :)

~Nina~

Morbid Madame /Afternoon Tea

So here she is all finished and sitting... well standing pretty ! I missed the saturday date to list her with way too much going on but she is listed now on ebay , I call her Morbid "Madame".

Also listed is another Poision Tea doll called "Afternoon Tea" which I just love they coy look she has but I know too well she is up to no good ! A little lady I would would be cautious about having tea with ,wouldn't you ?

Drop by and take look !

Paris Catacombs inspiration

I have never been but it is a place I have always wanted to go. Indeed it is on my things to do before I die list...don't you have one? :) It is amazing that only 200 feet below Paris lays a place called "The Empire of Death ", a cold and dark world built with millions upon millions of bones! I won't go into the history of it all as it is extensive and many may be familar already of it. If you are interested here are some links to where you can read more about it as well as view some very facinating and macabre pictures .

CATACOMBS OF PARIS

A City of Death Under a City of Lights.

After reading this, the Catacombs became came an inspiration for my next doll piece to be added Saturday . I am adding the finishing touches to her and will say she is different than what I have made in the past but she has steared me in a wonderful new creative direction indeed. I love when that happens.. little creative doors opening right before your eyes! Take a peek ! ~Nina.

Spooky Lady

"Spooky Lady now listed on ebay ! A sweet thing with such a strange way about her with her white eyes and pale face. She does make quite a stir in her little town since she is not like most ..."is she for real ?"they ask, "she's just so spooky!"

Nina.

Wicked Little Things

A new listing for me this morning on ebay I call "Wicked Little Things" inspired by vintage dolls and wicked play time . I had so much fun making this one with her little skeleton baby doll... which tuned out so cute!

I have a few more dolls in the process ,which will be listed later this week so be sure to keep watch !

Nina.

Pretty Poison

Pretty Poison

Oh my, what a deadly little doll this one is. Trimmed in pretties of bows and lace, with a face of a little angel ...but ... do beware for she has other intentions when becoming your friend .

Keep a close eye and don't drink her tea,

for Arsenic my dear is her choice of poison you see.

Dark Fifi

Dark Fifi , a new creation just listed this morning . She was made with a bit of foo-foo inspiration of the French Boudoir. Where I envision ladies primping, powdering and perfuming themselves wearing striped stockings and ooh la-la corsets .

But, of course I had to add my dark little flare by adding a clay clock with a bat accent ...you know I can help it ;)

Milk and Cookies any one?

Ok so Ive been trying different techniques of doll making, from cloth to modeling clay and this is my first attempt which I was very pleased with .

I give you Mable, the old crazy spinster lady who the neighborhood made fun of, but one day she got even.

How you say? Well let me tell you the story.

Mable was quite the little baker so being tired of the names,looks and pranks, she baked some cookies one spring day and invited the neighbors over .

Now the neighbors not being able to say no to fresh baked cookies and cold wholesome milk came straight over . As they enjoyed the scrumptious cookies and milk they began to feel ill, so ill that well ..they soon met their demise.

Oh yes, Mable got even and put an end to the taunts and the rude calls

for she mixed arsenic in the milk that the neighbors drank all!

What a wicked little lady Mable was don't you agree? But I hear her cookies were to die for ;)

Gypsy Witch Box

Last night until the wee hours of the morn, I finished a mad idea that came into my head around 5:30 in the afternoon . Made with picture frames and old vintage photos,hand sculpted tea cup, bows and trim.... I came up with this. A perfect little tarot card box or all around stash box for ones witchy and magical tools of the trade..he-he!

This is now listed drop on by !