home-made lip balm!

I have been meaning to try out making some of my own lip balm for a while.  I am tired of buying expensive lip balm and it seemed like something so easy to make after the beeswax wood rub.

I didn't follow any recipe on this one!  It is just my wood rub remelted and coconut oil added.  It came out better than I hoped!  Hopefully I will be selling it soon!  The little wooden containers can be kept and used.

Restoration Project!!!! Matryoshka Dolls!!!!

I am very excited about this new project!  A friend of mine asked me to restore her husband's matryoshka dolls.  They belonged to his grandparents and he has fond memories of playing with them as a child.  I was a bit apprehensive when she first asked me.  I collect matryoshkas and all the ones I have are painted in what looks like water color washes that would be very difficult to repair.  But the ones her husband has are different.  They are painted in mostly solid, primary colors!

I think I am really going to enjoy this project!  I love mixing colors and matching shades.  I hope to make these little dolls look happy again so their little girls can enjoy playing with them like their father remembers doing when he was a child.

Custom FAU OWL

I got an order for several dolls a while back and thought I should get a move on making them or my patron might forget about me!  She doesn't need them untill Christmas so I have plenty of time to complete the rest.

The first one I completed was a Florida Atlantic University Owl.  It really gave me a lot of trouble!  The lettering was so hard for me!  I just couldn't get it perfect.  I made the 'eye-brows' and beak with paper clay.  When I look at the photo the imperfections are screaming at me.  Luckily, I don't think they are as noticable when I am looking at the real thing (or I would go crazy and start all over again!).