The journal

Today I'll show you the journal that traveled around with Shudayra.   It's hard to get really good detail of the pages but hopefully you can click to embiggen the pictures to see more.

This is the front cover that I created to accompany her on her travels.  The bottom half was crinkled up brown paper with butcher cord 'stripes', the top was gauze with paper flowers, sequins and beads.  The middle part was more cord.  Painted gold and then dry brushed to antique it somewhat.

The inside of the front cover showing the pocket that the 'picture'  of the naked Shudayra fits in. 

This is the back of the 'picture' you see in the above photo

Below you see the first spread done by the first artist.....

The second spread....

The third...

The fourth....

This page was done by the young daughter of the artist that worked on the doll

The fifth....

The sixth...

and, finally, the seventh...

All in all, Shudayra took almost a year to travel throughout  Canada and the US spending a little over a month with each artist before moving on to the next.  At that time I was a member of an online art doll group and this collaboration was arranged through that group.

If you are interested in seeing more of the dolls that visited with me during the collaboration, please click on the 'Dolls' label in my side bar and keep scrolling through.  You'll see them, along with some of the other dolls I've created over the years.

Hope you enjoyed this little series! Because this post is quite picture-heavy I think I will forgo giving you my normal links and the quote.  Try not to be too disappointed!  

The horse

This is the second in my mini-series featuring 'Shudayra', my art doll that was created in a collaboration with other artists throughout Canada and the US.  One of the artists created a wonderful horse absolutely filled with incredible details.  The horse itself was created with papier mache techniques using a plastic dollar store toy horse as a base. 

Above you can see one side of the horse which features a woven reed basket containing a spirit bag filled with runes (more details further down).

Below shows the other side.  You can see the pannier on the back which contains a rain stick and a clan scroll (again, more details further down).  There is an amazing 'ruffle' collar - all created from papier mache.  

 

These four pictures show details of some of the additions to the horse.  The basket (on the left) was woven from reeds, and the saddle bag (below) is papier mache.

Above is the pannier that holds the rain stick and clan scroll and below is a detail of the saddle blanket

Below is the rain stick and the clan scroll...

The scroll, unrolled....

The runes, contained in the spirit bag, which is

tucked into the woven basket...

There are so many amazing little details on this creation and I hope that what I've shown here is a good representation.  Next time, I will share the journal that accompanied Shudayra on her travels.  As always, I think you can click on the images to have them embiggen for you to see the details better.

Today, instead of a quote, I have this....

And oldie maybe, but still a goodie

 The subject of making dolls has come up a few times around my blogging friends so I thought maybe it might be fun to share a couple of posts about a collaborative doll I was involved in.  It began as a 'nekkid' doll that I created and then mailed off to travel around to several different artists before returning home to me as an incredible piece of art.  Her name is 'Shudayra'.

She began, as I said, as just a bare bones doll form...

She traveled throughout Canada and the US until she finally returned to me looking like this...

I sent her off into the world with a journal to record her travels and her additions along the way.  Today I'll show you the doll  and next time I will share more information about the  horse and following that the incredible journal entries.

Shudayra - the doll

Closeup of her face and the front of her cape, including the cape fastener

The front of her dress showing the skirt

The back, showing her cape and the embellishments

Close up of her cape (notice the handmade paper bead trims)

The back of her skirt

Close up of her head, showing hair adornments

Beaded shoes

Close up of front of her cape

There, I think that gives you a good idea of what she looks like and the incredible amount of work that went into her creation.  Next time I will share further details of her steed and following that, her journal. Hopefully you will enjoy this look back and all the details!  I think you can click on each of the pictures to embiggen them as well.

-Today's quote...."Sometimes my greatest accomplishment is just keeping my mouth shut"

A moment (or maybe two) of awwwwwww

 First of all, how cute is my latest finished project???

This little sweetie measures in at about 12" tall. I used a crochet hook two sizes smaller than the pattern called for because I don't want any chance of any of the stuffing escaping. Pattern is THIS one and I used Bernat Velvet yarn.

And.....the last two of the long oven mitts are finished....

Update on the phone situation (and I know you were waiting to hear, weren't you!!)....nada, but more frustration.  Thanks be to Maureen who shared a link to the Better Business Bureau I have learned that I should run, not walk, away from Virgin Mobile.  I stand to lose the balance I have with them but it appears it will be a cheap price to pay.  Now I'm wondering what will happen when I attempt to cancel my account with them.  By all reports, it appears it might be a whole 'nother battle royal brewing.

Today's quote is a poem from Edgar Albert Guest....

Have You Earned Your Tomorrow

Is anybody happier because you passed his way?
Does anyone remember that you spoke to him today?
This day is almost over, and it's toiling time is through;
Is there anyone to utter now a kindly word of you?

Did you give a cheerful greeting to the friend that came along?
Or a churlish sort of "Howdy" and then vanish in the throng?
Were you selfish pure and simple as you rushed along the way,
Or is someone mighty grateful for a deed you did today?

Can you say tonight, in parting with the day that's slipping fast,
That you helped a single brother of the many that you passed?
Is a single heart rejoicing over what you did or said;
Does a man whose hopes were fading now with courage look ahead?

Did you waste  the day, or lose it, was it well or sorely spent?
Did you leave a trail of kindness or a scar of discontent?
As you close your eyes in slumber do you think that God would say,
You have earned one more tomorrow by the work you did today?

Song and Dance

 And....we have another chapter in the ongoing phone saga.  As I expected, the visit to the actual brick and mortar phone store yielded yet another song and dance.  Of course they didn't have the phone I wanted in stock but gee whiz they can sell me a much more expensive one.  Nope.  Then I questioned the ability to set up the monthly plan and what I would have to provide in order to do so....still insisted that I needed to give them my social insurance number.  Nope.  What browned my apples is that I already have a phone/plan with them so why should I even have to supply any form of further identification??  Can they not simply sell me a new phone and continue with my existing information?  

Enter Part Three of the saga - came home and re-called Virgin Mobile and got a much more helpful fellow who told me that all I should have to do (key word there might be 'should') is buy the new phone and get it into my hands....and THEN they can simply switch my current balance over to the new plan.  That makes more sense although the doing of it might still be a challenge.

Enter Part Four - attempted to order the new phone online and the system flatly refused to accept my payment and it swore up and down that I don't live where I know I do.  Another phone call to customer service and it turned out their entire system was down.  So....tomorrow is another day.....

Now on to much more fun things although I don't have any finished projects to show you this time.  However, I can show you this....

When it grows up (out?) it will be a baby afghan for our expected wee one.  Late yesterday afternoon my Insul-Bright arrived so I'm now able to finish the last two long oven mitts that have been in limbo waiting for the mailman to deliver.  

 Today's quote is from the Dalai Lama...."When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know.  But if you listen, you may learn something new"

Zip It!

 Yes, zipping it is a good idea here at Chez Magpie at the moment.  We have a huge influx of fruit flies and unless one wants an extra helping of protein, one is wise to keep one's mouth closed (in other words, zip it!).  We have little  plastic wrap covered bowls filled with apple cider vinegar/sugar and the little buggers are drowning by the dozens.  

And....I have finished the last pair of socks (at least for this year)...

My usual sock recipe that seems to suit everyone.  

There's no update on the phone issue because I 
haven't gotten to the store yet.  Hopefully I'll
have something to tell you on Wednesday!

Today's quote is from Shira Tamir..."Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day"