New Art Doll WIP

Hey everyone!
I have news on some new figures and dolls that I've been working on.
I don't have them completed. But I'm well on my way!

This is my art doll I'm working on. She's been wrapped up in a cushion for the last few days. She's waiting on a dress that my mom has made for her. It's blue to match her hair. I can't wait to show you what it looks like! I can't wait to get it!

Alright.. So as you can probably see, her arms and legs are felt on the uppers and clay on the lowers. Her body is clay and her head is clay. The hair is wool roving in ice blue and baby blue. Her eyes are wooden buttons painted and coated with high gloss to make them look glassy. The lips are the painted with high gloss on them to look glassy.

I gave her stitches on either side of the mouth, kind of put a little red around the holes and the cuts... I wanted her to look creepy, but very cute at the same time.

There's another figure I had been working on. But he's already finished and posted on Etsy Shop.

This is Mister Boney. He's paper clay and black gesso with white bones and mustache.

 "I believe them bones are me" Alice In Chains lyrics painted on the base for Mr. Boney

He's holding a banner made of card stock.

Mr Boney stands at around 13" tall. He's all set and ready to go to a new home. He hates it here. He said there's way too many other skellies hanging around, and he can't get the attention he deserves. I don't know what his problem is.

So that's what I have done and almost done. I am working on a Jack and Sally for a customer. I can tell you this... I will NOT be making another Jack and Sally. Sally is too hard, and Jack is too hard. There's too much of a challenge to even enjoy them. But I am pleased with the way they're looking so far. It's just a LOT of fixing and redoing and bleh bleh bleh.

 So that's about it! I hope you enjoy them! I have another girl doll ready for sanding, painting and assembling and a dress. I will be making her dress something simple and cute. And I hope she's a hit!!

Thanks for reading my blog!!

Tonya

Happy Holidays!

Hello everyone! I have not been busy. I've been a little down in the dumps, but not busy. I haven't created anything in the last couple weeks. But I will be getting back to work as soon as this weekend is over with. I have to just make it through the weekend, and I'll be okay.
I have a few ideas as to what I want to make. I want to try my hand at an art doll with a felt and armature wire body. I also want to make another Day of the Dead doll like the Voodoo Queen doll I made, and maybe a few others.. Different techniques and different looks. I have a bunch of ideas, but I've not had any "want-to".. This will get back to whatever normal is for me in a few days.. This dread that's been washed over me these last several weeks, I'm just over it. I need to get things back in gear.
I was just dropping by to let you know how things are going, and I will hopefully be posting plenty of updates in a few days! Thanks for reading!
Tonya@woollyghoulieart

Custom order for CATS!

Hey everyone! So I haven't been much for blogging lately, but I do believe that will change. So here's what I've been up to!
That last few days have been covered in glitter... Yeah.. friggin GLITTER. But, at least it was black glitter, lol. I had a request from a super nice lady that works at the SPCA in Pennsylvania. And she wanted 35 cat ornaments to resemble the office cat, Bugatti! Well, Bugatti is pretty darn cute, and I couldn't turn it down. So away to the craft store to get the supplies I went!
I got home, started making these ornies. I was so excited! She was so excited! And then the glitter came.. And I lost a lot of excitement. But then after the glitter, I got excited all over again! They got packaged up and shipped out today! I hope the people she's gifting these to, enjoy them!
Here's a look at them!

SO MUCH GLITTER!!!!!!!!!!!

Bugatti has a bit of his ear torn off, and she wanted me to feature that. I think it's precious!

I'm really excited about these ornies getting to go to new homes, and be loved. Everytime someone looks at their ornie, they'll think of Bugatti! And that's the best thing! I love it so much! I hope I get to do more work for the people of SPCA or any foundation that helps critters! I love it!

Thanks for reading, this is ALL I have at the moment. Working on some other things, but not far along enough to tell what lol. Have a great evening and a great week! Thanks!!

Tonya @ woollyghoulieart

A little honesty

Hey everyone. Just a little posty post to keep this thing going.

Here's what has been going on with me. And I'm going to be completely honest with you. I try not to get my emotions too involved in my work as far as speaking goes. I think one of the things that keep people interested in what you do, is being completely honest and open with people that take the time to read my blog and look at my work. So here I go.. It's not going to be fun... Not for me anyway.
First of all, I had been with my husband since October 25th of 2010. That was the best day of my life. I had been in love with him since I was 16 years old, and being with him, I was just over the moon. We finally got married on April 7th of 2015. The second best day of my life. I couldn't believe someone actually wanted to marry my. As big of a mess I have been most of my life, he married me. I was so ecstatic! We had every day together.. A lot of people don't get that, or want that. But we had that. And I am SO very thankful for every day I got to spend with that wonderful, loving, funny, sweet, caring, creative man. He was the best person, hands down, for me. He had some health issues, and passed away on November 15th. That was the worst day of my life.. It's been the worst day of my life, every day without him since. I cry, I scream and pout, I get very angry, I get extremely sad. I don't know how to deal with this, but I have no choice but to deal. Because he's not coming back, and I can't go to him. I have a fantastic support system within my family. His father has been awesome and has helped me out a lot. My nephew who I don't get to see ever, because he lives in Florida, has been awesome, and my sweet nieces have been awesome.. My momma though, she's been the one.. The one that dropped everything and grabbed my brother and sister n law and hauled butt to me as soon as she got the phone call. My brother and his fiance, and my momma came here and stayed with me almost a week, helping me with everything. I love them so very much. There aren't enough words in the world that could convey the thankfulness and gratefulness and love and appreciation I have for them. I call my mom everyday crying in her hear, complaining..
There's something else I need to get off of my chest. My foot broke the night my husband died. I broke my damn foot. So the following day I went to the ER and was told that it was fine to walk on, with the boot, and just take the pain pills. So I was thinking it wasn't that bad.. A couple days later it doesn't hurt THAT bad, and I can walk on it pretty good.. So after about 2 weeks of me walking on my broken foot, I go to the follow up doctors appointment, and find out that the break is a lot worse than it was initially. I wasn't suppose to be walking on it, and now I'm off of it for 6-8 weeks. I have steps in my house, to my bedroom, and to the bathroom. I'm using a walker, instead of crutches and I HATE IT! I'm emotionally zapped and now I'm physically zapped (and sore). So yeah.. This is one craptastic month.
Along with all of the stuff you go through when you lose your spouse, I have a broken foot to throw in the mix. This sucks. And I have been in one hell of a dump lately.
So I will be crafting, a lot... Because really, what else can I do when I can't walk on my foot? I have to sit around and only get up when I need to.. And think.. I think a LOT... not good, folks.. I'm going mad. lol.
Anyway, that's about it. I'm not even going to proofread this. This is more of a rant than anything, anyway.. I just hope there is someone out there that reads this and either gets a kick out of it or really understands that they're not alone in the wonderful world of torture.
Thanks for reading this and for not spamming me with a bunch of hateful stuff. ;)
Tonya @woollyghoulieartgreiving

My first Art Doll

So in one of my Etsy Finds posts, you saw this adorable clown doll from Dark Manor Dolls. If you recall, I raved about how much I loved her. Well, I have some WONDERFUL news for myself.
I ADOPTED HER!!!!!!!! Dark Manor Dolls is having a HUGE Moving Sale going on right now, and I took complete advantage of it!
Dark Manor Dolls has 40% off of her dolls. That's a HUGE discount! So go buy your favorite doll, and leave the other clown doll alone! She's MINE!! Just kidding, she's not mine... Yet... But I want her so BAD! Just take a LOOK!!! She's ADORABLE!!!!

Okay, so here's the one I have adopted.

Just look at that adorable sweet face! I love it!!! I can't get enough of it! She's got a bendy body! I am going to be making her a whole scenery to belong to.. She's going to have a whole shelf to herself, until I get the other clown doll. :) 

I'm very excited. I haven't ever collected someone else's art! This is amazing to me. I never thought I'd get this sweet doll in my hands. But she will be here shortly. I can't wait!!

So, this is my blog. I haven't been doing much but decorating for Christmas. And that's not anything worth sharing. So there that's about it. Thanks for reading!

Tonya @woollyghouliedarkmanordolls

Christmas Wreaths

Hey everyone. Sorry I haven't been posting lately. I've had some family issues to deal with.
Aside from that, I have done a little crafting.. Christmas crafting. :) Here's what I've been working on.

This is a wreath I got at the Dollar General for $3, the balls were $1 for 5, the bow I made out of ribbon I got for $1. The wreath hanger was also $1. The stuffed dog was something we found at Goodwill years ago, and I've just been setting it out for Christmas. But this year I decided I would use it in the wreath. I think he goes pretty well in there. I just hot glued the balls on and the bow, and I hung the dog from thread. Done and done. See? Simple and easy. Total cost was $6 plus the stuffed dog I don't know how much he costed.  

This wreath was a little more costly and a little more involved. The wreath is a foam ring, wrapped in yarn. There's a red handmade ribbon, some colorful trees, and handmade pom poms and felt flowery things and some tiny ornaments, all hot glued on. I also cut up some tinsle and used that as a little bit of shiny. This wreath cost about $20-$25. Not too bad, considering that you can't buy them at the store like this, and if you could, they'd cost too much money. 

So that's what I've been up to. Later today I will be making elf houses. Check them our on A.C. Moore to see what they look like. I'll post them when I get done! Stay tuned for them, along with some other crafting and art I am working on.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog! Have a wonderful day and I hope you had a great Thanksgiving.
-Tonya

Exciting news!!

Something very exciting happened the other day! I sold my large Day Of The Dead Marie Laveau inspired doll! I put an awful lot of work into that doll, and thought she would just sit there.. Forever.. But she sold!!! She was posted for about 2 months, and she sold! I was so excited!
Things are actually working out really well for me in my shop. I've been selling figures pretty regularly. I mean, there are weeks that go by without me selling anything, but as soon as I think I've got lost in the shuffle of searching, I get a sell! It's been decent amounts, too! I have had requests for the Sassy Skelly ornaments, and I've made plenty of them.. They're for sale, folks! If you're one of the people that requested them, I've got them posted!
I've also got a request for a Jack and Sally set. I'm not sure how well they're going to turn out.. But i'm hoping I can make them look pretty awesome. And I've had orders for cats! People love cats!! So I guess I need to make more cats!
I'm loving every bit of this! The art, the creativity, the imagination, the stories I come up with! the mess, the mistakes, the learning, blogging about it, all of this makes me very happy! I have so many ideas, I write them down and sketch them out in my little sketch book, and can't wait to get them made! I have never really loved making something, more than working with clay.
I did venture out of my box a little bit. I got black clay! It's not paper clay, I'm not sure what kind of clay it is.. I haven't opened it yet, because I've been trying my best to get my crafting area organized so I know where things are, and I can stop making messes.
I've had a huge mess on my crafting table, and it was so bad that I couldn't even find the table! So I went to Family Dollar, grabbed some of those clear shoe boxes, and one of those tiny drawer sets, and i've been getting everything organized. It's not done.. But it's getting close!
Once I get my stuff put up and my table cleaned off, I'll make the figures I have requests for, and I'll post progress reports! Because Jack and Sally are going to be new for me, I'll be posting plenty. I would like to keep track of my progress, as well as share what I'm getting done. If anyone has any suggestions along the way, I hope they're share them with me!
If any of my customers by chance, read my blog, I would love to thank you for your support! You have made me extremely happy and proud and confident about my work. I couldn't get validation from any other source. It makes me so happy to know that my hard work and imagination and ideas aren't just messes I come up with. Other people actually enjoy my work! Thank you so much for giving me the confidence I  need to keep trying to get better, with every piece I make.

Tonya @woollyghoulieart