Black Friday Cyber Monday Half Price Sale!!!

Black Friday Cyber Monday Half Price Sale!!!
See Sale section in my etsy shop - most items on sale for half price!

Including my Dragon Girl Amalia



I find inspiration everywhere so you'll find all kinds of dolls, accessories and fun little puppets popping up throughout the store.

Elvis has not quite left the building

While Elvis hasn't officially left the building yet... he is on his way.

My inspiration for the pose was the Song, "Walking In Memphis", so while he may not look exactly like the King, the impression is there.. enhanced by the Beale and Union Ave. St. signs.

I didn't want to do him all glammed up, but wanted to keep it subtle and everyday. Just a little glitz in the buttons and cuff links... and of course the Blue Suede Shoes.

I really love that song Walking in Memphis, the idea of following in the steps of the King... not that I'd want to follow the King exactly... I just love the hope and dream behind it. Kind of absorbing yourself in the moment as you travel, the sounds the smells, the taste... the energy. I hope I captured part of that here.

I worked all weekend trying to finish this piece, I hope my customer loves it! I'm happy with the way it turned out, I must admit I was terrified to take on the challenge of a well know personality.

Each time I do something like this I feel more confident in my abilities and in each case I learn something new about myself and my craft.

Hope you don't mind my sharing... and have enjoyed sharing a bit of the journey with me.

Elvis is retaining water...

Well, It sure looks like it. He's got some fat ankles there!
I finished giving him his muscle by wrapping him with poly batting and am just about finished skinning him.

All the while I'm sticking pins and sewing him up he's singin': "Don't be cruel to a heart that's true..." and I'm singing back: "I don't want to sew another, Baby it's just you I'm thinking of." Quite funny... but then I guess you gotta be me...

His ankles are a little heavy I think he's retaining water. I'm debating going back in there with some upholstery thread and really giving them a tug, but then they'll be covered with pants and socks anyways and there's always the chance his skin might break and run so I'd better not. I think it'll just be our little secret. I did give him a nice sized package and tight little buns though to make up for it... grin.

Elvis is still in the building

I've been continuing work on Elvis this week. I was really stuck with his hair until I came across Art Dolls by Nat's blog and her Cursalot with her paper ribbon twisted hair. I kept thinking about it and was almost out to look for some of that ribbon to try it out when I remembered I had some black twist pleated fabric. So along with my aha moment and some paverpol (powertex here in Canada)I started a wig for Elvis.

Here's a couple pictures.... still needs some refining.




Although the more I work on the doll the less he looks like Elvis.... I also found out today that Elvis's eyes were actually blue. All my reference photos showed brown eyes. Apparently he wore brown contacts that acted like sunglasses to keep down the glare on stage.... Who Knew?! Looks like he needs another paint job! Grin

Costuming Newsletter

For any of you follow me and haven't found it yet Adele's Fall 2010 Costuming Newsletter is ready for download. If you haven't you're in for a treat!!! Just sign up to receive it and you can download the file and back issues. It's wonderful, glorious, stupendous and all that!!

Walking in Memphis... I can't beleive I'm attempting Elvis

Today I decided to channel a little Elvis and get a custom order doll project on the way. I'm thinking of him kind of in a quiet pose. No real famous dance/singing pose. Kind of the quiet Elvis.
All through it I'm thinking of the song.. Walking in Memphis. It wasn't sung by him but I love the way the song makes you thing of aspiring to walk in the steps of the king.
Not sure yet if he'll be sitting or walking... I'd love to try walking so we'll see how it goes. As I mentioned the first part is trying to get the head right. It's tough to tell right now, but I think I might be close. I've opened up the outside corner of his eye a bit more since this picture.
He still needs some work but I'll wait for him to dry a bit. I'm using paperclay.

Now I'm off to a bowling fundraiser... and the auction for the Sarge puppet. Wish him luck!

Jack Skellington Puppet

I'm a huge fan of Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas and that's what I thought of when I came across some white microfleece on a recent trip to fabricland.

I started him while I was waiting for glue to dry on the Sarge puppet I finished last weekend. Yesterday I finished his arms and attached all his bony parts. Today I gave him his photo op and listed him on etsy.

Brampton Battallion Puppet

This weekend was another puppet building weekend for me. I wanted to donate to my nephew's hockey fundraiser. It's a night of bowling and great fun with auctions and lots of laughter. I decided to try to make their logo into a puppet.

SO meet Sarge!

I must admit the mini hockey jersey was an interesting challenge! Actually so was the beret... never made one of those before.
I thought he turned out pretty good. You may notice I left off his teeth... when I put them on he lost all his grimace and grit an we can't have that!
I hope he generates a little mini-war in the bids!
Certainly a unique one of a kind item!

NEW Custom Doll Coraline

I was asked a few weeks ago by a past customer if I thought I could make a Coraline doll for his daughter. Years ago he had bought a Dobbie house elf from me on ebay and the little elf had become his little girls dearest friend. I was happy to say yes I thought I could do that for him.
On Friday we agreed upon a price and after I finished the Golf Club cover for another custom order I began making Coraline's pattern. I finished the doll tonight.

Yes, it was a busy weekend for me. A creative one though and that's what I love to do most with my holidays. PLAY!
Here's a pic of the finished Coraline doll.
She's about 10" tall.

Custom Golf Club Cover: Scarlett Knight

I just finished a custom order for a gentleman who wanted his University mascot as a club cover. Here's his Scarlett Knight from Rutger's University.

This was my second attempt actually, the first once went awry... it happens. It ended up being way too big and his face a little flat. This one I think turned out great. The helmet was a challenge and I love the way it turned out!

Domestic Witch Blogger award

The lovely Abi from An Angel at my Table has passed an award on to me.

Well! What a surprise! Domestic Goddess I am not! I told Abi if Martha Stewart were to visit I think she'd run out screaming.
Thank you so much! Now I will follow the rules and pass this award on to another 3 lovely people.... well I can think of 300 lovely people, but rules are rules!

Wendy from KnittedSquirrel

Colleen from Loopy Boopy Art

and twenty pound tabby

Lightening Storm

This summer has been a summer of bad weather. We've had more rain than I've ever seen... in fact my apartment building's underground flooded three times leaving us with no elevator and no access to the parking garage from inside the building. I found a video of the last lightening storm on City TV just click to see.

I think I took my week off during the best part of the summer ... lucky me. It was my own little creative retreat where I took the time away by myself to play and take an online class with Marilyn Radzat. I'll post some pictures soon of the my finished work. I don't want to share work in progress pics of someone elses class.. I'm sure you understand.

In the meantime, enjoy a bit of my summer storm. There's a spectular shot of lightening stiking the CN Tower in Toronto.

Some more of my Ellen Degeneres Puppet

As part of the ADO challege Dolls to the wall I challenged myself to create an Ellen Degeneres puppet. See how here.

Prince Charming Tutorial

Most of the time I'm far too into my projects to take pictures as I go along but with the Paper Clay I had to wait for it to dry so here's how I did it.


In the above pictures, I've begun costuming, crown and base. I've done Charming's hair twice now, hoping the third time's a charm.

Here's the base finished, and below is final hair-do.

Featured in The Storque

Keep it Weird Etsy!

Not sure how I feel about being known as one of the Weird on Etsy but what the heck, people are always mistaking my name for A Little Bit Weird anyways...

I sold the Earth Day Dryad Barbie too... I was wondering why I got a bunch of new hearts so went looking at Craftcult.com

This is the first time in three years that I've been featured... still haven't been on the front page... maybe that's next!

Prince Charming

Here's the other doll I've been working on... Prince Charming.

He reminds me a little bit of Adam Lambert kind of handsome but a little androgynous. Also a little animae with the simple features and almond eyes.

He's looking a little disheveled here I should have straightened him up a little before taking the pictures. His cape is fallin off his shoulders and his pleated, ruffled shift is all askew.

Still working on hair, (this is the third time I've done the hair), base, cape and boots. Probably do some more work on his crown too.

Yay, I've been featured!

Father Paddy O'Callahan has been featured on the front page of byhand.me and also is a featured listing on Dear Miss Julia blog. You can see the featured spot light here.


Father Paddy's, head and hands are hand-sculpted polymer clay over a wire armature. No molds were used. He is absolutely one of a kind.

Oddly enough, this sculpt started as a pair of legs. I was learning a technique new wire foot and leg armature used by fellow doll maker Lydia Caine in our monthly doll club meeting. The feet and legs were turning out very shapely and I really wanted to show them off and finish the legs into a doll. However, I thought the doll would be a “High-heeled Liberace” doll when completed and done tons of research on 16th and 17th century costumes. I worked for weeks on trying to figure this one out... It was very strange working from the legs up. I usually start with an armature and then sculpt a head and have a pretty good idea what I want the doll to look like, most of the time they even cooperate. Even when I made a body to fit the legs I was still calling him “High-heeled” dude.

It wasn't until Good Friday morning that I woke up and knew exactly who he wanted to be.

Father Paddy O’Callahan had found his calling.


Once the clay pieces are properly baked, an armature was created to match the legs, and then the body and arms were wrapped with polyfil and a skin sewn on.

His skin was given a wash of color, enhancing the wrinkle and aging detail. His hair is made with wool roving and was very carefully applied to eyebrows, lashes and the back of his head. He really wanted hair in his nose and ears but I refrained myself, "Come on now Father, you take far better care of yourself than that!"

His eyes were meticulously painted with acrylics and glazed. Father Paddy wears hand-made black leather shoes. He's larger than I usually work and stands about 19" tall.

Father Paddy is available for sale on my etsy shop.

WIP: Dooncha' be touching me lucky charms!

I found the perfect vintage fabric for my leprechaun's vest yesterday and since it survived the wash it had now become the perfect vest for my little guy!

I'm thinking his name will be Orthanach (UR han ach) which means - potent in prayers or charms.

I imagine chillaxin' at him at home... shoes, socks, jacket and hat off... sitting on the floor and playfully counting his gold.

"Dooncha' be touching me lucky charms!"

WIP: Leprechaun

I started this doll as part of a doll club workshop. One in which we were to make a doll in the styling of Kate Church's lovely Sculptural Puppetry.
I must admit I thought when I first made him he'd be grabbing his toes, but once baked they weren't in the right position.

I've been costuming him. I didn't want to use the traditional green suit, and had some lovely gold and green and yellow silks. He's looking a little Maharajah like so I guess I'll have to get some green in there afterall.

Elements Challenge on ADO

1. What inspired you to participate in the Elements challenge? Which Element(s) have you decided to do?
I was a member of the Canadian Doll Artists Association and the theme for the conference challenge that year was the Elements. Actually even for the original conference, the request was for any one of the four elements but I couldn't get past the idea of my Solstice Circle. So I did all four. Earth was my first, I created her shortly after taking a class with Doll Artist Kathyrn Walmsley on a polymer clay elf at the previous conference and added the others slowly until the next conference.
When they announced the challenge for Elements on ADO I checked to see if my entry would qualify and couldn't wait!! I love the way the piece turned out and didn't really get a chance to share it with anyone before I sold it.

2. What materials were used in creating your pieces? How long did it take you to create your piece?
I used a mixture of Super Sculpey and Cernit for all the dolls, styrofoam for rocks, some actual pebbles and resin for a water puddle, recycle sari silk for the fire, lots of ribbons, beads and wool for hair.

3. What was the easiest aspect of creating the piece? What was the most challenging?
Easily the most challenging aspect was creating the base, I had never done anything like that before and working with the four elements I definitely needed a base. The easiest, I had a pretty clear story in my head so I knew what I wanted them to look like.

4. Did you learn anything or feel you've accomplished anything new through this artwork?
I was pretty new to sculpting, so the whole sculpting experience and materials were new to me. Working through the process over the period of about 8 months or so gave me a little time to develop my skills and a feel for the material. I now LOVE sculpting and though I don't use Cernit any longer... no particular reason other than availability... I will never stop sculpting and trying new materials and looking for new props!

Stella's 80th Birthday!

Hi all,
Stella's 80th birthday is coming up on June 13th.

We are only planning a small family dinner, but we hope that you'd like to be there in spirit and can help us spread the word so we can surprise her with Birthday wishes from all her family and friends by way of Birthday card or email message. Please click on the photo above for details on where we would like you to send the message.

Patty is coming out in July so we will be getting together again then to celebrate.

Can you help us out by please forwarding this message to any friend and family that you have email addresses for and ask them to pass it on by word of mouth.

It took us a while to get our act together so if we use regular mail we won't get the message out in time.

Thanks for your help!
Nancy
www.littlebitwired@etsy.com
http://littlebitwired.blogspot.com

Ellen Degeneres Puppet

As Part of Ellen Dolls-to-the-Wall challenge on Art Dolls Only,

I'm creating an Ellen puppet. Still a work in progress, I'll post as I go along so stay tuned!

Here, I've cut and glue the head from foam. Actually a foam mattress topper that I bought but it didn't fit my bed. Rather than try to put it back in it's original packaging I kept it to re-purpose at some point. Guess that point was now!



And now testing out a body.

Zoya Papier Mache Finished

Yes! Finally finshed her. It was a really long arduous task... papier mache is not for the meek! Endless layers of paper and sanding.... uggg. But I am absolutely thrilled with the way she turned out!

Russian Papier Mache Technique Doll in Progress

I wrote much earlier of the new Russian Papier Mache technique I was learning from Lydia Caine in my doll club. I thought I'd pass along some more progress pictures.

Here is the head and body.



Now positioned on the wire armature.



And my progress on costuming. Still a lot to do.



Keep posted!

Midnight Garden Stump Doll an Orginal Pattern

I just finished my second written pattern. I've done a simple Christmas elf but have been wanting to try something more detailed and have been working on this one for a while now.
I call her Midnight Garden and she's a stump doll.

She's a great project for learning details not typically covered in other patterns and her dress is a wonderful place to embellish with flowers, ribbons, beans, threads etc.

I demonstrate through pictures, pattern and text how to:
- Create a Hand armature
- A head that moves
- a darted bust
- a needles sculpted face
- detailed eye and feature painting
- creating your own hair wefts
Doll measures 15.5" tall

A beautiful cloth doll pattern that has slight sway to her body position. A solid base, small hands, finger armature and a great embellishment project.

See the doll also for sale in my etsy shop. Measuring 15,5 inches tall, she is a an original Cloth Stump Doll. She has a wooden base inside, covered with fabric. Her body is gently curved to make her look like she's walking.

See her here in my etsy store!