Let's Make Witch Hats

I've had some folks asking me how to make witch hats lately,

so I thought I'd put together a little How-To.

Let me note that I'm sure there are a gazillion ways to make tiny pointy hats (probably some methods that are much better than mine), but this is how I go about it.

.

That said, Here goes:

Materials-

-Sewing machine (or a needle and thread)

-Cardstock or a cereal box

-Cotton (Warm 'n' Natural is best) batting

-Muslin

-Fabric glue

-Paper towel

.

1) I cut an oval brim out of cardstock (a cereal box works great too) to fit the dolly in need of a hat. I do this by just sorta eye-balling it and trimming a little here and there til it's right.

......

2) Trace your cardstock brim onto cotton batting and cut out.

......

3) Glue your cardstock brim to a scrap of muslin. When dry, cut it out.

......

4) Stitch up a triangle from muslin. Make the bottom edge about the same measurement as the outside of the brim.

......

5) Turn your triangle inside out and stuff lightly with a paper towel.

......

6) Holding your triangle like an ice cream cone, feed tip of hat through brim (cloth side toward tip of hat) til the cone is a nice fit all around. Then snip down to brim every quarter inch or so.

......

7) Using fabric glue, stick your little tabs down

like so-

......

8) Snip off edges of tabs.

.....

9) Glue cotton batting piece on the brim, covering your little tabby things.

Now your hat is ready for painting!

......

10) Using acrylic paints, paint your hat however you like. This little witch is partial to teal. After drying, I lightly sand and then stain with burnt umber. When that's dry I sand again, and add a little hat band.

......

You can get as creative as you want. No one says witch hats have to be black. Why not polka dots? Or beaded? Maybe her hat band is glittery, or covered in silk flowers. So many possiblities!

......

Now you try!

Yin Yang and The Masked Cat

Yin Yang here is my favorite this week.

I know they don't look so opposite now, but neither do any of us at first.

...

I made another little masked babe too. SUCH fun! I want to make one for every day of the year. Maybe not. But I'll least get all those Halloweeny archetypes covered.
...

What are the traditional images that you associate with Halloween?

I know, I know, It's only July. But I DO get ahead of myself.

Juno Cat

The day we brought her home from the shelter had it's up and downs for Juno Kitten. First off, she was filthy. I suppose when you've lived in a metal cage for half your life, the softest place to sleep is in your litter box. So her new life began with a much needed bath. Maybe she's a Baptist?


Here she is, all spic and span, basking in the glory that comes with Supreme Rulership of the house.

Juno has two modes of being:

Snuggly-wuggly-love-you-so-much-I-want-to-live-on-your-face

AND

Psycho-kitty-from-hell-hunter-of-all-that-moves-especially-toes

Being a cat in this house is a good life.

I just can't pick!

We've been quite productive this week.

(Well, if you can call playing with odd little dollies productive.)

But I just can't pick a favorite.

.

I wanted to make a W is for Witch dolly standing on a little block, but the O block was just prettier. (LOVE that green! Plus, it had a little picture of a witch on the side.) So Dylan named her Olga.

That's a mighty big index finger that witch is wagging.

.

This little devil is probably my fave. I just love the cheese-eating grin on its wee mask. I can't wait to make more masked munchkins. I think I'll make a kitty next.

She ain't so awfully devilish underneath.
.

Alice is another favorite character to revisit. Wonderland is endlessly inspiring, what with being so curious and all.
Here's a tiny pocket-sized Alice and her stressed-out rabbit friend. He's always running late.

.

Dylan intended this one to be a cat, but sometimes I just get rambunctious. Too weird?

.

Sometimes I think I make certain dolls just as an excuse to play with all the pretty fabrics I've amassed over the years. Come to think of it, I really need to sort all that. If I'm not back by Thursday, send in the search and rescue guys.

Thanks Yous and Blogorific Eye Candy Awards

I've received several cyber-awards from fellow bloggers lately and I've been remiss on my thank-yous and acknowledgements. Sorry. My manners have been lax. Allow me to correct my egregious behavior now. . .

Thank you!

.

Thanks to all of you who

have generously acknowledged me, Dylan, The Cart,

and my bloggy goodness.

I promise to be better about posting thank yous in the future.

So, in the spirit of award giving, I'm passing along this bit of visual silliness to some of those bloggers who keep me and my eyeballs thoroughly entertained.

Please pass it along.

The Holiday Queen

Art Propelled

Johanna Parker

La-La-La

The Copper Mouse

Countryfolk Keepsakes

...

My eyeballs thank you.

Family

This week's favorites are the members of the Gravestone Family.

This is Edgar Allan Gravestone. . .

~

and his wife (death didn't part them), Shadie Glynn Gravestone. . .

~

and their only child, Abbey Road Gravestone.

~

We spent the week in Portland at our wonderful friends' house playing with our pseudo-niece and faux-nephews whilst our youngest played at being a rock star. It was great fun. Who says family has to be related by blood? We are blessed with a truly extended (extensive, extenuating, eccentric) blend of Family.

Frida Kahlo Says Hola

Frida Kahlo is a favorite subject of many artists.

She was definitely her own favorite subject.

She said that she did so many self-portraits

because she was the one that she knew best.

Frida Kahlo (Mexican, 1907-1954). . Oil on canvas. 39 3/8 x 31 in. (100 x 78.7 cm). Albert M. Bender Collection, Gift of Albert M. Bender. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

This is the second Frida doll we've done.

The first is in a private collection, although her image lives on in a lovely book, which we thankfully have a copy of.

I like this one even better than the first (if I do say so myself).

You can see more pictures of this Frida Dolly HERE.

We are trying something new and offering Frida here up for sale right here and now. If you would like her for your very own, just click the button below.

Her price is $350 which includes shipping.

SOLD

Thanks!