....forget anything I said in the prior post entitled "Misery Loves Company"
If these are Britain's new defensive driving techniques, I'm glad I live in a country where people know how to drive in bad weather. .....well except for a few bozos who forget from year to year.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
2 Cheeses Tutorial
Mild Dutch Gouda
waxy covering:
1-1/2 parts ochre to 1 part golden yellow
cheese:
1/8 orange
1/8 golden yellow
1/2 champagne
1-1/2 translucent
2 white
This cheese took me quite a few tries to get right. Make sure that you mark your proportions used each time because who knows when you might need that shade for something else.
When trying something new, always mix the darker clay a little at a time into your lighter clay. Never the other way round.
Condition well. (I think I'm developing blisters on the sides of my thumbs. Fimo is one of the hardest clays when fresh but also one of the best for caning. You could wrap it in paper and flatten with a mallet; condition using your pasta machine or use the heels of your hands.)
Form into a cylindrical ball. My actual cheese was 8" diameter by 3-3/4" thick.
Roll your waxy covering out at about setting 2 or 3 of your pasta machine. Wrap your cheese in your covering the same as you did for the Wensleydale cheese. (Cut a long strip the height of your cheese sides and 2 circles for the top and bottom.)
Smooth out all seam lines.
Chill for an hour before cutting your cheese into segments.
Bake for the recommended time for your brand of clay.
Use a matte varnish for the waxy covering and the same varnish diluted with a little water for the actual cheese.
Red Leicester Cheese
again using fimo Sorry didn't buy this one; you'll have to make do with a stock photo.
cheese:
3 parts golden yellow to 3 parts orange to 2 parts ochre
semolina (approximately 1/8 tsp per 1" sized ball of "cheese") as little or as much as you feel necessary to show a crumbly cheese.
Condition well and form into a cylindrical ball making sure all seam lines are smoothed over.
Use a stencil brush to texture the outside of the cheese.
Chill for an hour before cutting into segments
~~don't forget to texture the cut sides~~
Bake for the recommended time and settings for your brand of clay.
Clean your work table! There's sure be semolina granules left behind.
The cheese board looks to be filling up rapidly. ....and here I thought I'd made it too big.
waxy covering:
1-1/2 parts ochre to 1 part golden yellow
cheese:
1/8 orange
1/8 golden yellow
1/2 champagne
1-1/2 translucent
2 white
This cheese took me quite a few tries to get right. Make sure that you mark your proportions used each time because who knows when you might need that shade for something else.
When trying something new, always mix the darker clay a little at a time into your lighter clay. Never the other way round.
Condition well. (I think I'm developing blisters on the sides of my thumbs. Fimo is one of the hardest clays when fresh but also one of the best for caning. You could wrap it in paper and flatten with a mallet; condition using your pasta machine or use the heels of your hands.)
Form into a cylindrical ball. My actual cheese was 8" diameter by 3-3/4" thick.
Roll your waxy covering out at about setting 2 or 3 of your pasta machine. Wrap your cheese in your covering the same as you did for the Wensleydale cheese. (Cut a long strip the height of your cheese sides and 2 circles for the top and bottom.)
Smooth out all seam lines.
Chill for an hour before cutting your cheese into segments.
Bake for the recommended time for your brand of clay.
Use a matte varnish for the waxy covering and the same varnish diluted with a little water for the actual cheese.
Red Leicester Cheese
again using fimo Sorry didn't buy this one; you'll have to make do with a stock photo.cheese:
3 parts golden yellow to 3 parts orange to 2 parts ochre
semolina (approximately 1/8 tsp per 1" sized ball of "cheese") as little or as much as you feel necessary to show a crumbly cheese.
Condition well and form into a cylindrical ball making sure all seam lines are smoothed over.
Use a stencil brush to texture the outside of the cheese.
Chill for an hour before cutting into segments
~~don't forget to texture the cut sides~~
Bake for the recommended time and settings for your brand of clay.
Clean your work table! There's sure be semolina granules left behind.
The cheese board looks to be filling up rapidly. ....and here I thought I'd made it too big.
Friday, January 8, 2010
While we're on the Subject....
of TV cancellations: I'm hearing rumors of Jay Leno's show being cancelled. I hope not! It's the only show Yuki watches!
WooHoo...
...the mailman's just been! I've received 2 long awaited parcels.
The first one came from Cat, "the Gypsynurse". I entered one of her competitions and here's what I won:
Green bangles to remind me of the green of grass; Green Goddess hand and body balm made with tea tree oil & shea butter; a sweetly smelling soy candle along with a Paris "carte postale". All wrapped up in silver paper and sealed two adorable vintage looking stickers. How cool is that!
Cat very generously offered me my choice from her Etsy store. It's well worth a visit. Just click here.
Her blog is also worth reading....whether she's writing about family histories or just about toiling at work. Take a look.
Cat, thank you sooo much for your generosity! I promise to return the favor ...just as soon as I learn to make Hostess Twinkies in miniature! LOL
Now before I show you my other parcel, let me just take a minute to show you the things I received from the ATM Christmas swap.
from Cia:
from Christina:
from Cate:
from Minigirl:
and Anne Mari:
Thank you so much ladies! In return I sent them:
a grocery basket with a wreath for their front door, wrapping paper and enough goodies to fill 2 Advent plates like these:
...and now are you ready???? Take a look at the card all the way from Amsterdam!!
Inside were not only my 3 pillows but also a fourth showing little Yuki!
The top pillow shows my Tzie, a Shih Tzu that I had for 14 years until she was snatched by dognappers from in front of the house. A medium once told me during a psychic fair....without being asked! and with more details than she could ever have known, that I had a small black and white dog following me. I'm glad because even after all this time I still think about her.
Then from left to right: my current dog Luna-Lei, our new kitten Yuki and finally Puppy Cat. Puppy was a Maine coon who only lived 2 years before dying of cardiomyopathy. This largest breed of cat is genetically prone to heart disease.
Elly, how can I ever thank you!!!!!!! I'll always be grateful!
Elly not only does beautiful needle work, like my pillows. She's also a dollmaker and very talented miniaturist! Please take a look.
The first one came from Cat, "the Gypsynurse". I entered one of her competitions and here's what I won:
Green bangles to remind me of the green of grass; Green Goddess hand and body balm made with tea tree oil & shea butter; a sweetly smelling soy candle along with a Paris "carte postale". All wrapped up in silver paper and sealed two adorable vintage looking stickers. How cool is that!
Cat very generously offered me my choice from her Etsy store. It's well worth a visit. Just click here.
Her blog is also worth reading....whether she's writing about family histories or just about toiling at work. Take a look.
Cat, thank you sooo much for your generosity! I promise to return the favor ...just as soon as I learn to make Hostess Twinkies in miniature! LOL
Now before I show you my other parcel, let me just take a minute to show you the things I received from the ATM Christmas swap.
from Cia:
from Christina:
from Cate:
from Minigirl:
and Anne Mari:
Thank you so much ladies! In return I sent them:
a grocery basket with a wreath for their front door, wrapping paper and enough goodies to fill 2 Advent plates like these:
...and now are you ready???? Take a look at the card all the way from Amsterdam!!
Inside were not only my 3 pillows but also a fourth showing little Yuki!The top pillow shows my Tzie, a Shih Tzu that I had for 14 years until she was snatched by dognappers from in front of the house. A medium once told me during a psychic fair....without being asked! and with more details than she could ever have known, that I had a small black and white dog following me. I'm glad because even after all this time I still think about her.
Then from left to right: my current dog Luna-Lei, our new kitten Yuki and finally Puppy Cat. Puppy was a Maine coon who only lived 2 years before dying of cardiomyopathy. This largest breed of cat is genetically prone to heart disease.
Elly, how can I ever thank you!!!!!!! I'll always be grateful!
Elly not only does beautiful needle work, like my pillows. She's also a dollmaker and very talented miniaturist! Please take a look.
Misery Loves Company
...or
Where's the Global Warming we've been promised?
Where's the Global Warming we've been promised?
I'm reading from all manner of blogging friends, unaccustomed to the amount of snow and cold that they've experienced lately; seeing some gorgeous photos of British countryside and hearing tales of intrepid expeditions to Tesko's aka the grocery store, written in polar expedition style.
And all I can say is "love those photos!" ...all the while chortling secretly because to us over here in Canada the snow that they're moaning about would be considered just a light dusting and their -10C temperatures would here be known as balmy.
I know I should be graceful and sympathetic to people unaccustomed to this type of weather. I should commiserate but I also know that all too soon I'll be seeing photos of spring flowering gardens while I'm still stuck in the doldrums of winter.
So I thought I'd post some photos of a "real" winter like the one at the start of this post; that was just a small sampling of what our winter was like last year. Snow started falling in early November and never stopped until March!
Here we have Luna modelling winter fashions that no self respecting Canadian (hairless) dog would be without.
....red flannel Pj's. Note the fashionable 2 button rear "flap" for easy access when a quick trip out-of-doors is necessary.
Eh? What's that? ....sure, I'd love to see more photos of your poor frozen palm trees out there in your garden! Eh? No, you must be mistaken. I'd never laugh at your predicament!
What's that? You heard that there's a turn around predicted in your weather forecast!!? Well good for you.... damn!
OK Luna, I know you have to go badly but just wait until I get your snowshoes fastened! Have you got your shovel handy?
Thursday, January 7, 2010
New Years Resolutions
Normally I never make resolutions since I never keep them. We'll see if this year'll be any different.
In 2010, I want to become a better figural sculptor. I started to teach myself anatomy after my first sculpt looked more like an ancient elf than a baby. My second head sculpt actually looks like a child..... a bit big and more work needed but I'm happy with my progress.
The other big goal is to work my way thru both of Angie Scarr's books. I only hope this won't conflict too much with getting into a bikini this summer.
Starting off easy:
My cheeseboard... made of cernit (granite), is 1-3/8" in diameter and 1/16" thick. I added an inner ring for realism.
Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese with cranberries....mmmmm, highly recommended! Mild with just a hint of sweetness.
Here's my tutorial using fimo:
waxy covering:
4 parts bordeaux red to 1 part navy blue.
cranberry pieces:
4 parts bordeaux red to 1 part navy blue and a hint of carmine red. Bake and grate into slivers.
cheese:
4 parts white to 2 parts champagne to 1 part light yellow. (I used a half inch ball of white to make 1 cheese)
Condition well and include some of your baked slivers. Roll into a ball. Flatten to 1/4 inch thick. My real life cheese is approximately 2-3/8" high and has an 8" diameter.
Roll out the waxy covering and cover your cheese smoothing out all seams. The easiest way is to cut a long piece the height of your cheese sides and 2 circles for the top and bottom of the cheese.
Chill in the fridge for about an hour.
Slice & lightly texture the cheese (not the covering) using a crumpled ball of tin foil.
Bake at the recommended time for your brand of clay.
When cool, paint the waxy outer wrap with a matte varnish.
Bon appetit! ....oh and don't overindulge, we have Camembert/Brie, Edam, Swiss and Danish Blue Cheese coming up.
In 2010, I want to become a better figural sculptor. I started to teach myself anatomy after my first sculpt looked more like an ancient elf than a baby. My second head sculpt actually looks like a child..... a bit big and more work needed but I'm happy with my progress.
The other big goal is to work my way thru both of Angie Scarr's books. I only hope this won't conflict too much with getting into a bikini this summer.
Starting off easy:
My cheeseboard... made of cernit (granite), is 1-3/8" in diameter and 1/16" thick. I added an inner ring for realism.
Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese with cranberries....mmmmm, highly recommended! Mild with just a hint of sweetness.
Here's my tutorial using fimo:
waxy covering:
4 parts bordeaux red to 1 part navy blue.
cranberry pieces:
4 parts bordeaux red to 1 part navy blue and a hint of carmine red. Bake and grate into slivers.
cheese:
4 parts white to 2 parts champagne to 1 part light yellow. (I used a half inch ball of white to make 1 cheese)
Condition well and include some of your baked slivers. Roll into a ball. Flatten to 1/4 inch thick. My real life cheese is approximately 2-3/8" high and has an 8" diameter.
Roll out the waxy covering and cover your cheese smoothing out all seams. The easiest way is to cut a long piece the height of your cheese sides and 2 circles for the top and bottom of the cheese.
Chill in the fridge for about an hour.
Slice & lightly texture the cheese (not the covering) using a crumpled ball of tin foil.
Bake at the recommended time for your brand of clay.
When cool, paint the waxy outer wrap with a matte varnish.
Bon appetit! ....oh and don't overindulge, we have Camembert/Brie, Edam, Swiss and Danish Blue Cheese coming up.
Over at city-o-clay, a yahoo group that I belong to, many of the members are introducing themselves. I thought I'd do the same thing here. There's a lot of people who subscribe to this blog....many more then I ever thought possible! Here's my story:
I'm a miniaturist new to the world of doll houses and to clay. I never knew this hobby existed before 1-1/2 yrs ago. It appeals to my creative urges and the more deeply I delve into it, the more pleasure I get from it.
As a child I was never without a pencil in my hand. Any candid photos of me back then always show me drawing. Neither my mother nor my stepfather had any artistic sides to them; my biological father....who I got my talent from...had died when I was 3. I still have a wooden church that he made as an advent calendar, using scavenged wood. It has little window shutters that can be opened to reveal brightly painted "stained glass" windows.
By the time I reached high school, an educator told me that I didn't have enough talent to make a living from my art. Looking back, I'm not sure if he was being honest or merely suggesting I look elsewhere to my future. In any case I had no encouragement and I have never drawn since.
I had an unhappy childhood and so, like many girls my age, married the first man who came along. Unfortunately I jumped out of the fire and into the frying pan. But for a few years while my kids were small and I didn't go out to work, I enjoyed crafts and making things with & for them.
One year I made a salt dough creche with 3 wise men looking down at the baby. Because we lived in a very tiny house, when Christmas was over, my only storage option was the attic. By the following Christmas, the heat from the attic must have weakened the dough and my wise men were all looking straight up to heaven. At least that's what I told my kids...
Then my husband died and I spent many years, trying to earn enough to survive on. I went back to school; worked two jobs. Artistic inclinations were the furthest thing from my mind.
Ten years ago I met my soul mate...the other half of me. There is an alternate story of the garden of Eden in which it is said Adam & Eve were one entity. When they were expelled from Eden, as their punishment their soul was torn into two and ever since, each of us while on earth looks for their other half to make their soul complete. As I said I've found mine when I met Ken.
And for five years now I've been on "early retirement". I finally have the time and the encouragement to be artistic again. I wish I had been able to go to art school. Who knows what I might have become. But wishes aren't horses...
So here I am. And if this story does nothing else, maybe it'll stop one other child from being told that it's not smart enough or not good enough to do something. We, all of us, need sunshine in our souls.
Thank you for the encouragement in your comments. And thank you of thinking enough of me to follow my ramblings.....
I'm a miniaturist new to the world of doll houses and to clay. I never knew this hobby existed before 1-1/2 yrs ago. It appeals to my creative urges and the more deeply I delve into it, the more pleasure I get from it.
As a child I was never without a pencil in my hand. Any candid photos of me back then always show me drawing. Neither my mother nor my stepfather had any artistic sides to them; my biological father....who I got my talent from...had died when I was 3. I still have a wooden church that he made as an advent calendar, using scavenged wood. It has little window shutters that can be opened to reveal brightly painted "stained glass" windows.
By the time I reached high school, an educator told me that I didn't have enough talent to make a living from my art. Looking back, I'm not sure if he was being honest or merely suggesting I look elsewhere to my future. In any case I had no encouragement and I have never drawn since.
I had an unhappy childhood and so, like many girls my age, married the first man who came along. Unfortunately I jumped out of the fire and into the frying pan. But for a few years while my kids were small and I didn't go out to work, I enjoyed crafts and making things with & for them.
One year I made a salt dough creche with 3 wise men looking down at the baby. Because we lived in a very tiny house, when Christmas was over, my only storage option was the attic. By the following Christmas, the heat from the attic must have weakened the dough and my wise men were all looking straight up to heaven. At least that's what I told my kids...
Then my husband died and I spent many years, trying to earn enough to survive on. I went back to school; worked two jobs. Artistic inclinations were the furthest thing from my mind.
Ten years ago I met my soul mate...the other half of me. There is an alternate story of the garden of Eden in which it is said Adam & Eve were one entity. When they were expelled from Eden, as their punishment their soul was torn into two and ever since, each of us while on earth looks for their other half to make their soul complete. As I said I've found mine when I met Ken.
And for five years now I've been on "early retirement". I finally have the time and the encouragement to be artistic again. I wish I had been able to go to art school. Who knows what I might have become. But wishes aren't horses...
So here I am. And if this story does nothing else, maybe it'll stop one other child from being told that it's not smart enough or not good enough to do something. We, all of us, need sunshine in our souls.
Thank you for the encouragement in your comments. And thank you of thinking enough of me to follow my ramblings.....
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