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.