Trelawney and Neville

At Last.... we have finished our commission of Professor Trelawney and Neville Longbottom...and just about now the collector should be receiving the set...I always hate to publish before I know they get to see it first!

This was a fun set to work on.... I have always loved making dolls that 'interact' with one another...tells the story so well.

This is all in 1:12th miniature scale...with Trelawney standing at just a breath over 5 1/2 inches tall. Richard made a little wooden table for under the cloth cover...I told him "you don't have to put to much detail in this table as it will be totally covered...he didn't listen to me and carved it and stained it....saying "I KNOW what's under there"!! lol...

On the table is a little brass Incense Burner complete with little incense sticks. A silver holder for her crystal ball when not in use.... Tea Cups (thank You Jayne) ...one with hand painted tea leaves in the shape of 'The Grimm' ... Neville sits on a red velvet hassock ..following along in his book ' Unfogging the Future' by Cassandra Vablatsky...he wears his house colors of 'Gryffindor' even his sweater has the colors sewn in. Trelawney Glasses were the most fun... Richard fashioned the frames from brass, hand painting them with a special finish, he then turned the curvature into each lens and polished them much like a Optician would..they magnify her eyes perfectly...no, I didn't make her eyes bigger...this is all from the lenses.

Her fabrics are hand dyed and printed... boots are sculpted.

As I said...we had a blast with this one.

Now we are onto little Japanese Elves again....to go onto EBAY soon... keeping fingers crossed that I can also make a few smaller items for ETSY ...like things I made in the past... miniature with Hat's, Witch and 'creature' Busts, Ghosties....and other odd ball goodies...

Thanks for taking a Peek...

Hugs to All,

Jodi

A Summer of 'HAIR' ..and I don't mean the Musical...

OK...so this has been a totally odd and emotionally revealing summer for me (so far) ... it seems to be a summer of ' I HAVE to Get Dones' and a age old bugaboo that has been haunting me since early childhood.... 'HAIR'....

Since before I can remember Hair has played some sort of role in my life... I have a real Love Hate relationship with it ...it taunts me and challenges me...it turns it's back on me and then out of the blue is on it's very best behavior ... it makes me want to cut it all off (and I have..many times)...I have dyed it to change it's appearance hoping to gain favor with the new look .... I have curled it , permed it, knotted it ...and as stated in the wonderful musical Hair...Twisted, Beaded and braided it...and YES, it has gotten 'caught' in trees. I have ironed it, set it on orange juice cans overnight, Hot curled...Hot Oiled.... Streaked and Highlighted. I have Bobbed it, page boyed it, flipped it, French rolled it, french Braided it, Chignoned it, pony tailed it ,added every manor of hair ornament under the sun to it , wear a wide assortment of hats.... all for sake of the Almighty thing called Hair!!! It screws with us when we are going out and will NOT cooperate ...it actually has a 'Day' named after it 'Bad Hair Days' ..it many times looks FANTASTIC moments before we lay our head on the pillow for a great nights sleep...only to look like something the cat dragged in the next morning. It taunts us in Hair commercials and Movies where the Gal wakes up looking like she just stepped out of a Salon 'YEAH RIGHT"!!!

It has days where it shines so bright and vividly displays the ancestry of your redheaded grandfather or molasses hued strands of distant relatives you have never met... It is one of those things you wear that are remembered or easily forgotten depending on how your 'treat it' it can be your shining badge of glory or your Helmet of disaster !!!

And ultimately in the end...it changes colors all on it's own ...strand by strand it announces to the world " Yeah that's right...I am an Older Woman!!!" I really actually like the gray and in a weird way I am anxious to see where this New Hair Journey Takes Me...

So to add to my 'Summer of Hair Issues" ...I have been making myself ' Cloth Turbans' or Hair Wraps (to make it sound a little less 'Gloria Swanson'ish' ) and something I have ALWAYS wanted for my own but didn't have the right type of hair for it.... Dreadlocks! I am fascinated with this look and the free attitude to carry it all off and make that unique statement... religiously or otherwise. SooOOoOOo in my continuing search for "where will my Hair Take me This Week and will it be kind"? I have Made myself 'Felted Wool Dreadlocks' ...Thanks Nikki for inspiring me with your wonderful Felted Wool Designs you have been sharing with us all.

Just another avenue to travel... just another way to mask the 'BHD's" ... they are Fun! Wacky, Colorful and for now make me happy.... let's just hope the Hair God looks favorably upon this Newest Offering....

Happy Trails

Jodi

I am in Need Of

HEEEEEELP!!!.......A Miniature Tea Cup and Saucer .... for our newest Harry Potter Piece.... We tried to make it ourselves but found we both had very large thumbs and 'lots' of them....
If anyone out there reading this in the U.S. has a 1:12th scale miniature Tea Cup and Saucer they are willing to part with (I will pay of course any price) I would be forever in your debt. In this little town we have no miniatures to speak of ...closest is driving up to Vegas... a few hours away...
Does not have to be fancy as the one above ... but would like it as delicate and realistic as possible
nothing inside the cup as we will be doing 'tea leaves of the 'Grim' inside ...

You are my only Hope ObiWan with all the fine miniature ... please let me know asap ...can email me at creagers@aol.com

I will pay fast shipping as well.... THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU...

Hugs to all my Fine Miniature Makers out there in Bloglandia...

Jodi

Mystical Professor Trelawney

OK...I was being crazy this morning (I am still thinking it is just now Monday and not Tuesday...clock in brain is off a click or two) anyway...popped a couple of quick shots of Professor Trelawney ...but quickly realized that my photography pales severely to that of Richard's ...soooo got on photoshop and 'played a bit' ...making her appear to be in the 'Beyond' ...lol... Richard will pop a few good ones later and I will post them... Now I get started on Neville Longbottom and the setting....


Have a Great Monday...ahhh errrrr Tuesday!!

Hugs,
Jodi

Commission Time....

Hey Gang.... Richard and I have been busy with about a gabillion things around the house and yard....that I finally decided it was time to come in and work on a recent commission. As many of you have probably figured out by now...I am COO COO for HARRY POTTER!!!! ...and my goal has been to create any and all characters and objects from this most Inspirational Group of Books and Movies. We have a very good collector who has the majority of our Potter Pieces ...and she now wishes 'Madam Trelawney'...Professor of Divination. Also there will be one of her tables in the setting (complete with lots of goodies), an overstuffed brightly colored ottoman and our very first 'Hogwarts Student' ...I am thinking 'Neville Longbottom'....not sure on that one yet...

So my tootsies are curling in delight at the thought of creating this piece. I have seen several Miniature Trelawney's out there...wonderful all... and that is the joy of creation... for each artist to put their own artistic touch to a character...variations on a theme I always say...

So I am off and running to a day filled with H.P. Movies , Magic and Happiness.... OH GOODIE GOODIE...lost in work once again...I really need this ....

Hope everyone has an extremely Magical Day ...

Hugs,

Jodi

Dobby...the House Elf

Dobby is one of the characters that I have secretly yearned to create since we started making several One of a Kind characters from Harry Potter... this gentle little fellow seemed like the Cherry on top of the cake to me and though we have many other character we will be making...I could wait no longer. With these photos it is a classic case of 'Photos do not do him justice' In person he is so small and peaceful looking...photos with a good camera make him seem to close and in your face. He is fully sculpted over armature and if standing would be no bigger than 3 inches tall (but I have given him a firm order NOT to stand on the stool!!) He proudly holds his little 'Gift' of a sock.... he is now his own House Elf..... a man about town!!

I will be putting him on ebay later today after Richard shoots a couple more shots ...

Hope you like this little fellow as much as I.... it will be hard to part with him....

Hugs,

Jodi

Scalloped Tomatoes...YUM YUM

This is one of my favorite recipes ...I could eat it at least 3 times a week...maybe more... Richard and I love this for dinner... Just thought I would share one of my favorite things to eat...

Scalloped Tomatoes


Ingredients
Good olive oil
2 cups (1/2-inch diced) bread from a French boule, crusts removed (I like crusts on)
16 plum tomatoes (Romas) , cut 1/2-inch dice (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned basil leaves, lightly packed
1 cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12 inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly browned.
Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are done, add the tomato mixture and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil.Pour the tomato mixture into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm.