lady mold

Whew! I made it through the lady plaster mold! I had a few glitches along the way. One of the keys stuck and broke when I opened the mold but there is enough there to make it hold together. I also realized I forgot to put the funnel shape of clay in the head and torso for the pour hole!!! Luckily the plaster was able to be carved with an xacto knife when it was just hardened! Ah.....enough for today.....now to let the molds dry for a week or so. Still waiting for the Liquiche shipment. Cheers! S

summertime eating.....

I haven't posted a recipe for you all in a while. With the 4th of July coming up this is a nice side salad to accompany you barbecue! I eat this for lunch over top my salad greens. After a morning of collecting shells or doll making I can get powerful hungry! Enjoy! S

Couscous Salad - Makes 4-6 servings

2 1/4 cup water

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

1 medium zucchini, finely chopped

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground cloves

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking couscous, uncooked

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

1 clove of garlic, minced

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup raisins (I prefer white)

1/2 cup toasted sliced or slivered almonds

-Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add carrot, zucchini, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, cinnamon and cloves; boil one minute. Add couscous. Remove saucepan from heat; cover and set aside 5 minutes. Uncover and let couscous cool fluffing often with two forks.

-Combine vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic and remaining 1/2 cup olive oil in a small bowl; mix well. Pour dressing over cooled couscous; toss lightly. Season with salt and pepper. Add raisins and almonds; toss to mix. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve. Serve chilled.

first castings

Pictured are the first castings of my 9" doll. The first casting I poured with Liqueche and it came out very thick and heavy. The Liquiche I used was old and even though I thinned it with water it still became globby. So while I wait for a new shipment of it I tried to press mold the halves with Paperclay. I do like the feel of it better and it is lighter but it requires more work as I have to cut off the flashing and glue the two halves of the head and torso together with more Paperclay. With the Liquiche it is done in one step with pouring the liquid in the pour hole. This product is a mix of paper pulp and polymer. It is air drying which I like but heavier in weight than Paperclay. It can be painted and sealed. For my design I plan on covering the head and torso in felt. I'll keep you posted with my progress. Very exciting to see my mold take form!

Award

Earlier this month I received a blog award from Linda Walsh. It took me totally by surprise! Thank you so much Linda!!!!!

Jazzing.....

with my Jazzercise friends! I dance at least two times a week with my local Jazzercise class. It is the fun way to get fit! What's great about it is that it is open to all levels of fitness and ages. We have guys and gals in our classes from ages 18 to 60 something! Our fearless instructor Mandy teaches the morning classes and she is such an inspiration! To move in space opens me and frees my spirit! I have been doing aerobic dance since about 1993. In the hour workout you get cardio, strength and stretch training and the music is fantastic! Get started and find a Jazzercise class near you at: jazzercise.com I have made so many good friends through this class over the years. Those who dance together enjoy life together.

Also pictured is some leaf lettuce out my garden. Eat those greens.....really good for you!

Picture Trail tutorial

Today I finished my tutorial for a two piece plaster mold for my 9" doll. As promised you can view it at: < http://www.picturetrail.com/suemcfadden> You will also find this link on my list of fav blogs and links to the right under Sue's Picturetrail Photos. I have one more set of molds to make for the lady doll. Plan on pouring the little mold this week. Will let you know how it goes! Sue

challenges...

Today I am posting from my home in Arlington, VA. My husband owns and operates restaurant businesses here (with partners) and it is a very exciting place to be however I find myself wanting to be home in PA with my studio and doll work when here and when he is here without me in VA I find myself wanting to be in VA. Doesn't make much sense does it? I don't know what the solution is or is right now really. I can only tell you some of my strategies that I do to keep my work going. One is that I keep a list of monthly goals on a yellow legal pad in my studio in PA. Checking most of them off before the month ends is a great feeling. The extras if they are still in the loop go on next months list. The second thing I do is set up my studio for the next day's work, no matter if I am gone for a few or many days to VA. When back from a trip and rested I plug right back in! The third thing I do is to take some light work with me when I travel. Sometimes that light work is a trip on the Metro to see an art exhibit, a boat ride, shopping, daydreaming in a different spot, checking in with my Yahoo groups, etc.. It affords me an opportunity to work in a nonlinear way and if I open to it, it is just as effective as plodding away in my studio. I grapple with fatigue. I've learned to get extra rest and eat well (at the restaurants!), visit the many employees that give their time to us to keep the outskirts of DC fed, be thankful, walk in my husbands shoes! When I look at all of it this way my gloom lifts and I realize I have been placed in a very special life. But also being in midlife I realize I can take or leave as much of this as I like. I know many of you face the challenges of working full time and family life with juggling your art life. It's all that life that makes your art good! I just say thank you and keep on and oh yeah, I've learned to pack light for the traveling. You want to leave room for all the goodies or good experiences that serendipitously come your way. Roll my Artkinders, roll! p.s. Not to confuse you the pic is of the country side in PA, not VA!