Dreamy Dolls and Sweet Easter Wishes

I've become enamored with the work of Christine Alvarado. Her wonderful dolls have the most beautiful faces and incredible detail. "Paloma and Rabbit Mask" seemed like a perfect fit for this time of year.

Her series of "lady bird" ornaments are so clever and original. I adore their little crowns and pearl necklaces.

Each of her creations have such a distinct personality. "Seneca and Julep" is part of a whole series that includes delightful little dogs.

In addition to her blog, you can see much more of Christine's beautiful work on her Flickr site. Be prepared to stay awhile. It's impossible not to be drawn in to the magic she creates.

Wishing you a sweet and wonderful Easter!

Inspired by Lime!

Those of you who know me are probably aware of my favorite color. Yes, it's lime green. Specifically, what I like to call a "dirty chartreuse". I've seen a lot of gorgeous greens lately like this sea anemone ring from Psychotic Reactions. She isn't sharing her name anywhere. I've noticed that a lot of artists don't disclose that information online. Can anyone tell me what that's about? I'm perfectly fine with being called Kim CavendEr. After all, it's my name. Although the majority of people in the world would prefer I change it to Kim CavendAr. You can read more about that here if you'd like. And just a note, that really is me (Kim CavendEr) in the photo. Apparently my sarcasm was lost on a few people who told me they were amazed Kim CavendAr looked so much like me.



But, I digress in a major way. Psycho (please don't take offense, it was too good to pass up) has some absolutely gorgeous things listed on Etsy. The colors are marvelous and the designs are stunning. Well worth a visit!

Lisa Pakosh, the talented artist who created these yummy earrings and has to endure living in a tropical paradise like the Bahamas, has recently opened an Etsy shop with her equally talented mother Vickie Turner and her sister Sandra Mitchell called Three Cheeky Wenches. Besides being so artistically inclined, these three are crazy funny! Their shop is both beautiful and entertaining - the perfect combination.

Germany's Konstanze Filip, aka Madooli, is making some incredible new rings which she's just shared on Flickr. You can see what she has listed for sale here on Dawanda.

Have a dirty chartreuse kind of day!

Claying For a Cause

Not only is Kaaren Poole a talented artist, she has a mission to help animals in need. Our new recording secretary for the IPCA donates 100% of the proceeds from her beautiful artwork like this piece titled "Bugged" to animal charities.

Having seen it in person, I can tell you that Kaaren's work is even more breathtaking in person. She has an uncanny ability for realistic sculpture.

I have a passion for helping to feed homeless animals and I've added a wonderful link to my blog so all of you can help too. Simply click on the purple paws in the top right of the screen and it will take you to The Animal Rescue Site where you hit "click to donate". It costs you absolutely nothing but 3 seconds of your time. Please, please do this each time you visit my blog! You can also sign up for a daily reminder from this wonderful organization. One click a day from all of the members of the polymer clay community can help to feed a lot of homeless animals. It's a wonderful feeling to be a voice for those who don't have one.

Cross-Pollination

I'm SO MUCH happier writing about and showing other people's work. I don't mind posting photos of my work on Flickr but blogging about it makes me nauseous for some reason. Hopefully, it won't make you nauseous too. Queasiness aside, I'm going to write about myself today. When I first started this piece, I was thinking of the magnolia tree at my parent's old house. I was fascinated by their tree and it was the first time I'd ever been up close to a magnolia seed pod. But, at some point during the creative process, a lotus pod got involved and the cross-pollination resulted in something that would probably make a botanist cringe. It's growing on me though (no pun intended) and I think I'll explore this design a little further. I've listed it in my Etsy shop if you'd like to take a closer look.

Speaking of Etsy, those of you who sell your work there or on other online sites, know how difficult it is to drive traffic to your shops. There's a brand-new site called LuvHandmade that's meant to be a way for artists to promote their items. The have a blog, a forum, and an online community and it's totally free to sign up. I was chosen as their rise and shine seller this week and you can read my interview here. Hopefully, the site will continue to grow and bring exposure to many online sellers.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

A Rainbow Sort of Day

It's a beautiful day here in West Virginia! The sun is shining, a breeze is blowing, the sky is blue, the birds are singing and the air is warm. What more could you want? How about a rainbow around your neck? Germany's Margit Böhmer is the talent behind this lovely piece. Her color choices are stunning and this piece makes me really happy.

Whenever I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the bad things that seem to be happening in the world today, this is the type of work that perks me up.

And when things get too crazy, I bury my head in the sand and repeat the following: In my world, everyone's a pony and we all eat rainbows and poop butterflies.

May there be a little bit of rainbow in your day today!

Katherine the Great

Katherine Dewey is one of the most talented sculptors around. I've heard other artists refer to her books as sculpting "Bibles". Her artwork is absolutely breathtaking and even more so in person. I'd consider giving up a limb to see and touch this piece, which is the first in her "Fossil" series.

Several years ago, Kato Polyclay sponsored a competition and asked various artists to make shoes out of clay. Katherine's entry was an incredible alligator shoe and secretly, my hands-down favorite. If you'd like to see all that's involved in making a shoe like this, she recently began to document the process here on her website.

This mask was constructed over a felt form, which became a part of the completed work. It's crazy beautiful and the hair is so aesthetically perfect with the face.

In addition to her awe-inspiring talent, Katherine is one of the kindest, most unassuming and humble people I know. Her website is packed with information for anyone who aspires to create beautiful sculptural pieces. As for me, I know my limitations. I'll just continue to worship at the Kathy Dewey shrine.

Berry Inspired!

Russian artist Oksoon recently created these wonderful polymer clay berries that make me long for the warmer days of spring. As soon as I saw them, I was reminded of one of my favorite Flickr photos and sure enough, that's exactly where her inspiration came from.

Tamara, of Block Party Press, in addition to being a talented polymer clay artist, takes amazing macro photographs like the one of these berries she discovered on a walk last year.

Nature provides us with a bounty of free inspiration. Embrace it!