Painting, thinking and how-to... how to?

I was invited to make a how-to video in Deb's group in ning. I love helping people, but I like helping in a helping way... does it make any sense?? lol
What I mean is, I like helping directly to the best of my ability, but never done a video like that, and if I make a tutorial I hope it really helps.
I had to sit and think.... how can I make something that will really help... in a video, that also looks good?
So... I have been doing a lot of thinking and learning on how to make a how-to video :oP I need a few elements.
I have to be clear and helpful (need to make lists and a script)... It has to look pretty (have to clean all the junk from my desk AGH!)... and since it has to be a video, it has to sound good too (which is half impossible with the kids out of school).... *moooom she brought the cat in!! moooom he took the cat out!! moooom I'm hungry.... meeeww!! (that's Panzon asking for food too)

An approx time line of all of the above mentioned steps would be:
- Working on a list of things needed- couple of hours
- Clear a huge amount of stuff from my working table- six months
- Actual video taping once everything is settled- interrupted sequences depending on the noise around, couple of hours a day, several days....
- Editing video till I like it- another six months LOL
I guess a good solution would be, hide in the closet with he camera rolling while the kids are having pizza. Oh well. ;o)

Like one of the first times I made a video for a doll

That reminded me, over a year ago I made a little slide show demo on how to paint a Frida with acrylics on canvas.
I will upload it in youtube again. I had it before and I don't remember why I took it down. But it will be up tonight. :o)
I am working on more videos and slide shows (doll related) so keep an eye on my youtube, you can subscribe too!

I want to make some demos on polymer and on painting ACEO art cards.
But for now, I'll leave you with the painting of my tropical Frida, circa 2007



(couple of hours later) Here it is:

WIP of doll swap and the beach...

I am so thrilled to show you these pictures! I rarely participate in swaps because it's stressing for me, but once a year or so, I can survive a swap :o)
So for this doll swap we are doing bundle babies. I won't say who is the person I am sending it to because it is a surprise... Xo)

Here is the sculpted head with quilting to form the body:


Here he is with his outfit and hat:


Cozy in his blanket... I still need to add a few touches , like ribbon


I guess he's about 5 or 6 inches by the time I wrap him and all.

....Oh! We went to the coast a couple of days ago. It was great to feel a bit of chill after so many days in the 100's here in town! (38 to 42 Centigrades) This time I did remember to carry our sweatshirts! We were enjoying the cool weather even when it was a bit overcast.

Doors and Moon

I wanted to share you a cool posting I found about doors. I LOVE doors! For a long time I collected door pictures. I would go on a trip and find some door to photograph. I don't know exactly why I find doors so awesome... they tell a story, they welcome you, that's the first and last thing people see when they are home. Just like people, each door has it's personality! LOOK HERE and enjoy.

Now, for the moon part of this posting:
We are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the man walking on the moon, (or did he...?) and here's a picture I took this past 4th of July. I like taking moon pictures :o)



*This post was originally part of another post but edited later on.

Blog Tips

I'll start this week with some fun tips for your blog. For those readers that are not techie or have not done a change of background in their blog yet.
I just can't help it... I like bright colors and backgrounds! I actually have change my background a few times and I always thought I was never going to do that, but then again "never say never"
So, Blog Tips: Visit this great sites, look their awesome designs, select one and then follow instructions, it is really easy! If you have any questions contact them, or ask me. I'll do my best to help :oD

templates by tenille

hot bliggity blog

the cutest blog on the block

bloggerblog backgrounds

update:
shabby blogs

scrappin blogs

Another update:
dottydotdot design

smitten blog designs gallery

17 years and counting...

Today is our wedding anniversary. 17 years of a roller coaster with my best friend.
I'll do it all over again :o) Love is a wonderful thing! Chocolate cake is second best.

WIP and stuff

It is hot out there, but that's ok with me!
I have been working off and on in my ADO project and other little things. Here's a WIP picture and he'll be ready tonight if I can handle the kids visits (which now include pets, mind you...) and cutting and stitching.

I found a new spot to take pictures and I've been trying to take better pictures as well. I love my light box but it was a bit limiting for some bigger things, so now I don't have walls in it, just the back drop. That way I can change backgrounds easier too.

I want to share some punch of energy with you all....
Panzon actually moved twice this week! LOL ... oh, who could live like a cat! (except for the nap-next-to-smelly-shoes part! ;o)


oh! I also added a "Label cloud" to my blog, on the right side, to find old postings easier and it looks cool. I thought it was going to be really hard, but it wasn't (cross your fingers it won't collapse on me!!) lol

4th of July and finishing the ballerina

Hope everyone had a good 4th of July!

I finished my ballerina doll, she actually looks cute! I had left her sitting bald for a long time because I was not sure I was liking the overall look, but then again, she had no hair and her face was not properly painted. After some detail painting, wigging and fixing, she looks a bit like Marilyn Monroe, no? well, just the hair anyway! :oP
Before:


After:

Strange things...

I've been merrily working on some tiny dolls for the ADO challenge, and I'm telling you, I'm afraid I was too close to the elements (play The Twilight-Zone music in the backgrownd):op
After I started working for the one elf of the Water element... it rained, here in California, in the summer! Then when working on the one representing Earth... My mushrooms were conjoined, my flowers have been doing crazy things, like, the bougainvillea took over the hibiscus, and the passion vine climbed all over the roses... is it the Earth element's elf's fault.... or just me being a lazy gardener?? You be the judge! ;o)







Oh! and we lost the electric power. We were in the dark... worst of all: we were in the dark WITHOUT computer ho-ho-ho ;o) jk!
97 happy degrees outside and feeling like pizzas in here. The electricity finally came back somewhere around midnight, as I was thinking to grab a pillow and go to take a nap at the 24 hour open grocery store.
I'm not sure if I should blame the "Fire element" doll as well, since I had just finished the last touches on that one at that time....


Now I'm afraid of even get close to the "Air element" elf hehhehee

I am working on a little story for them as well.... :oD

New ADO video, and newblog look

I will start by my blog's new look, tho it was the last thing I did... and by accident! I wanted to add and remove some page elements (to the left menu) and puff! I deleted one thing which contained my backround! I panicked and couldn't replace it... waaAA! So anyway, I went back and started from scratch, ended up with a new look. Hope you all like it! It is bright and whimsical isn't it?? :oD

Now the news: I finished the second ADO video; please take a look and let me know what you think. Vote in the video and if you want to see more, just subscribe to my channel in youtube.




I will be participating in the ADO ELEMENTS Challenge with my tiny elves :oD



On a personal note I have to say: Life is easier with a dishwasher... Yard work sucks when it's too hot.... Weeds should automatically disappear on eye-contact.... and slugs are hideous little critters! :oP
Ta-ta for now!

Summer, dolls and stuff

Well, summer vacation is here, school is over.... yaay? Kind of yay, maybe lol
Hard to keep kids busy and the craft going, much less listing... how do everyone else does it, I wonder? I need to put my act together. My older one finished his freshman year and my younger one is going to Junior High.
I finished 2 of the tiny elves I started under pressure (the dishwasher drama) and here are some pictures, they are around 3 inches tall.




Now as for the dishwasher drama..... after waiting for 3 weeks for the repair man to bring it back, he came and re installed it and left ...then I noticed that the timing was weird: the quick wash was like 5 hours!? and the longest wash only 15 minutes....?? So I decided to test it and it started to smell like burnt stuff!! oh--my--gosh.... Forward next day, they come, test for a long time, re program the buttons to adjust time, and convince me that it will smell like that because of the new liner inside. Oh well. If my house burns down you know who to blame. >:o/

In other news, after months of insisting, finally my daughter convinced me to get her a Guinea Pig. He's the funniest little thing! :oD