New Blog All About Dolls With Attitude

Just today, I created a new blog. It is all about my experience with bjd's. Ball-jointed dolls, that is. I found these cute dolls and ordered one. Rather than put it all on this blog I decided to make one completely devoted to these kawaii dolls.

I ordered a Hujoo doll. Very cute. To find out more about my new hobby, check out the blog.

www.iheartdollz.blogspot.com

I will also be posting tutorials about customizing bjds and the results of my own attempts on the blog. I plan on posting links, and patterns for clothing, as well as crochet instructions for miniature dolls like this bjd or other popular dolls like Blythe.

Since craftysteenta.blogspot.com is a blog dedicated to all my craftiness, I will most likely be posting a few things here and there relating to bjds or other dolls that I create. To get the real, knitty gritty on it, check out iheartdollz.

To get your own bjd, go to mimiwoo.com, junkyspot.com, DenverDolls, or eBay.

The doll you see here is a Hujoo girl with open eyes. It's made of plastic and is reasonably priced, about $40 for the body. To get a fully done Hujoo, including eyes, wig, makeup, clothes, and shoes, you can easily pay $150. The raw version is great for someone who is a beginner to customizing dolls, like me. If you just want one to open and have immediately ready, $150 is not so bad a price. Especially seeing as some of these dolls can go into the thousands.

There are also a few other lower priced dolls for people who aren't sure if they want to spend the high prices yet. One other doll in this low price range is Obitsu dolls. With Obitsu you have the option of just painting the entire face, or getting open eyes and buying eyes to put in. You can also get different sizes, and even some heads that come with hair already attatched. I love that everything is customizable in this hobby. Check out the new blog!

When it's to expensive to craft

I have been wanting to make a few different things for a couple of months, but we haven't had the money to buy all of the materials at one time. Now don't get me wrong, the materials themselves are pretty cheap, but we haven't had it to spend. So what is a crafter to do?

That's been my dilemma. My solution... file these ideas away as projects-to-complete-later, sadly. I don't like the idea of half finished crafts, because they tend to get forgotten. Believe me, I know this happens at one point or another with all crafters, but it's especially likely when money gets tight like it has at our house.

I do get to create though. Whenever the need arises I get to. I tend to fix things that have been broken so we can reuse them rather than buy new to replace it. Crocheting, sewing, drawing are all cheap hobbies to have and can be done with little to nothing.

Right about now is when I usually start getting started on seasonal crafts. These times always spark my creativity, but what to do when you are strapped for cash?

I check what supplies I already have. And since I've been drawing a lot lately, I think the best way to keep that from getting stale, is to switch it up. Luckily for me, a while back my father got me some flesh tone polymer clay. I actually have quite a bit of it. So I think this is my cheap creative outlet for the season other that going out to buy new fabric, or canvas, or whatever you can dream up (limitless possibilities here).

Sometimes being forced to use what you got helps your own creativity. Think of it as a challenge. We don't craft for the object, not really, because it might be easier to go to the dollar store and get a mass produced item for a buck. We craft because we enjoy it, we make something personalized, and we make something one of a kind.

I love to be able to say I made something. Not everything has to have a purpose. Sometimes the purpose is to be pretty sometimes it's to help you learn a skill, and sometimes it's just to make you happy, busy your hands, and quiet your thoughts. Have fun being cheap peeps. Lol. I know I will.

Ohh! It made me laugh!

This is just so clever, and completely hilarious. Check out the link! Singing sock puppet. Apparently, someone repurposed a singing card to be used as the mouth of the sock puppet. I have made something similar in the past and posted it. I did not use a singing card but I think I'm gonna have to now. This is just too cute! My guess, not a toy for young children though. They would most likely rip it apart, and the singing sock would cease to be.

Check out the link that tells you how they did it. Here!!!

Lately

I've been busy lately. Between my daughter's birthday, her party, a family vacation, and trying to fix up a never finished house, things have been hectic to say the least. I have been trying to do more though, despite the chaos. I have been writing stories, which my children have been enjoying. I have also been planning the illustrations for one that I am hopefully going to publish once done. Lots of exciting things.
In fact, the entire month of July, my goal was to draw everyday. Did I accomplish this goal? Mostly. I kept my weekends free for my family, I thought that was only fair. I did draw at least one drawing a day for a few weeks. I have about thirty drawings to prove it. All pastel. I kind of got sucked in. The color! I got used to charcoal, and pastel was a whole other thing. SO bright, SO pretty!

I think I am going to take a small break from pastel though. I don't want to get bored with it or forget about my other artistic loves. Time for a well needed break! Got to spend some time with my family, and preserve my peace of mind. I love it. My family is the cure to my art, and my art is the cure to my family! LOL!

New Pastel Drawing

I haven't been keeping up with my art lately. So... I figured my first piece to attempt since my hiatus, should be of Dadoo. Or should I say my husband's father who passed away about a month ago, my children lovingly referred to him as Dadoo.


I was going to try to do a painting of him, but got frustrated with it so this is what came out. I like it. It's pastel, and it is a lot nicer in person, my scanner couldn't pick up the more subtle colors. Still I wanted to post it. Thought some people might appreciate it.

He is still on our minds and in our hearts.

Updated
I made this self portrait right after making the one of Dadoo. I just had to add it. I really think it came out well. Thanks Dadoo for inspiring me and reigniting my love of art and creativity.

Getting It Started

This weekend will hopefully be the start of something wonderful, like turning a shell of a building, into a home. My husband has invited a few people to come down to the house we bought, to work. And when I say that this place needs help, I'm not exaggerating. It's been sitting for a while. We have mostly cleaned it out, but nothing is even hooked up. I mean there's not a working toilet, and don't even think about a kitchen, because it's nonexistent.

But, it has potential. We have two small children, and all we really want is for them to have a nice place for them to be kids. It's got enough space, a few acres, and with some sweat and a lot of energy, we can turn it into a beautiful place to live. Maybe I am just being optimistic, but I'm realistic too. I know it won't be done in a month, or even five most likely. Hopefully though, this time next year we'll be moved in.

Steenta's Creations Update

I like to think of myself as both an artist and artisan. I have many things that I make by hand. Now, you may be able to find some of those items in a store near you. If you are in the Louisiana area, check out the Fashion Frog in Farmerville, where some of my creations are now waiting for you to come by and purchase them. Watermelon purses, this is the home of the Watermelon Festival anyway, necklaces, earrings, anklets, and much more.

If you are not in the area, do not fret, I am also going to be putting up some of my wonderful hand crocheted anklets on the etsy site. www.steenta.etsy.com From every anklet sale, I donate $1 to St. Jude in memory of my Mimi who supported their cause for as long as I can remember.

I do more than just jewelry, don't forget about my adorable baby booties, which I'll probably be putting on the etsy site too. I have some other things in the works too. Also caricatures, illustrations, paintings, portraits, charcoal drawings. Want to have something commissioned, contact me through my etsy store.

Thanks to everyone who's already taken an interest in my creations!