Painting walls is like painting dolls...

How did a whole week go by without me posting?

Oh...because it was a busy and exciting week, plus, husband took the week off!

We got a lot done, including finishing the shelter that was built for the horses, preping the back yard for the dolly house, a huge Thanksgiving feast for the family and...

I painted.

Walls, not dolls.

But there are a lot of similarities.  

Enamel wall paint is in the class of "Air Dry Paints".

It is not baked nor is a heat gun used on it.  It just dries with the air.

And the characteristics are the same.

I had placed a layer of prime on the wall I was painting.  It was mid-day when I put the paint brush down.  

The next day I came back to add another layer of primer (I was covering up very red paint).

My little roller brush end caught the edge of the opposing wall and scratched the paint off.

WHAT?!?!?!?   But I painted it YESTERDAY!!!!!

Was I really shocked?  No.  Although the first layer of primer was dry to the touch and I could add more paint, it still was not CURE.

I have the project finished now with 2 coats of primer, a coat of paint over all and some detail work on one small section of the area.  

I bet I could scratch any of it off today...and tomorrow...and maybe up to a full week or more.

But once this paint has had time to fully cure I bet I can only get it off with something like the edge of a screwdriver (which would take ANY paint off of ANYTHING), but certainly not a scratch of my nails or even the end of the paint roller brush.  

This is true of doll painted with Air Dry Paints. 

ANY Air Dry Paints.  

The paints MUST have time to cure before artists attempt to scratch the paint off.

I get many emails of "freaked out" artists stating that they checked their dolls paint the next day after painting and could get the paint off.

Yes, you can.  Wait.  Be Patient.  Give it Time to Cure.  Breathe.

XXOO

Working on mohair~finally!

Oh my goodness, I have hated being out of mohair for so long!

But, I'm back at it for the next two weeks so be watching....

Happy Wednesday!

Precious is on eBay!

It sure was a LONG two days to do this baby's photo shoot and put her auction up but finally,

she's waiting to know who her mommy will be.

~Precious' eBay link here~

Please do have a look if you have a moment.

The more page views she has brings her further up into the seen pages, giving collectors a better chance of knowing that she is even available for adoption.  

I think that this is the most newborn baby I've done to date.  

She warms my heart by her precious newborn essence.

I am so glad that I gave her hair!  

She could easily be a boy as well but with the pinkish tones I gave her, she said more girl to me than boy.  

I found myself talking to her as I did her shoot.  

I will miss her!  

XXOO

Finishing details on Precious today!

Just popping in real quick to say that I have finished rooting Precious and she just needs her final gloss and assembly.  Hmmm...will I get to a photo shoot today?? 

Happy Sunday!

NEW air dry paint system on the market!!!

I had the ultimate pleasure of speaking with THE 

~MELISSA GEORGE~

of MG Art Dolls from Australia on the phone last week.

Oh my...you could have knocked me over with a feather~first that she wanted to speak with 

ME about her new paints and second, that I was actually speaking to her!

I have loved her work forever and she is a delightful person~so personable and charming!

She has been working with chemists for several years to create a new air dry paint system that is safe to use and very, very light and steadfast

(because chemicals are still used to create a paint, she still highly recommends using protection of the eyes, nose and mouth during painting).

I will be trying out Melissa's new Baby FX paints and also her other FX products.

I suspect this paint system may replace the other three that I have in the studio as it is complete with all of the preps and mattes needed.

Melissa tells me that the paints themselves are completely matte, but a matte is included for additional creativity.  

The paints come with extremely well done instructions.

Melissa is TOPS in creating professional products and instructions.

I can hardly wait for that package from Australia to arrive!!!

(This image is property of Melissa George/MG Art Dolls):

Have a great Thursday!!!

Precious is growing hair!

An artist just has to "go with the flow" and allow the canvas to speak to them.

Precious proved that to me once again.  

I had selected some alpaca hair for her~even though torn that many people voted that she be left bald.  

*I* just didn't feel like she was complete in the bald state.  

But, I could not get a good match of needle to hair to silicone so I set the alpaca hair aside and put out the white flag of surrender.  

I began rooting her lashes with some chosen mohair.  I REALLY loved that color on her.  So with one side of her lashes rooted, I just began to poke the mohair in to her head and before I knew it, 1/4 of her head was rooted!   I DO love the color on her and the style as well.

I'll do more around the bang line in the end but here is how she is looking now.  

I am so glad I listened to my canvas  :)

(Please forgive the super long lashes on her right eye.  I do not want to trim them until I am done with her hair.)

Ahhh...it's great to be back to work!

Going back to work today :)

My home is not completely settled with window treatments, decor, paint that I like and matching towels etc but I am so done with working with drills and tools and levels...I have to go back to work before I get really crabby!  LOL

Not to mention I am still shopping for window treatments and the likes and I won't be painting until after the holiday's (except for maybe the trim around the kitchen sky lights since that is a fairly small project) just because there is no time and I'm still considering colors.  I am getting closer on my color choices though  :)

And about that dolly house for the back yard?  

I am making one final call today about window choices and then I will be ready to order.  I've had the guys out to evaluate the property about setting the building down where I want it and I have my son working next Tuesday with a Bobcat to level the gravel and prepare the spot.  

The dolly house will only take two weeks from ordering to be delivered!   

How exciting!  

I will have to finish the inside with insulation, wall boards and electricity, but the outside and windows will be sound and finished. 

Thank goodness I have very talented and knowledgeable friends!  

So...it's back to work I go.  

I am still debating on rooting hair in Precious.  I am getting accustomed to her bald and the majority suggested she be bald.  Once I touch her today I will know for sure.

Have a wonderful Monday!