Friday 25 January 2019

A Fashionable Sloth


This week has been topsy turvy. I have been busy, exhilarated, a bit broken, resting, contemplative, patient, and figuring things out. Isn't this normal, for all of us really?

© Melissa Gaggiano
My fashionably attired, felt crafted, armature sloth doll is available in my Big Cartel store. She is a worthy addition to your doll collection.

© Melissa Gaggiano

I have been in development mode. 
Developing what? 
Developing stuff. Some of which you'll have to wait and see, but other things I can tell you about now. For instance I am having a go at needle felting a huuuuuuuuu-ge doll. It's a new direction for me. So I've got to be patient and not worry about the result.



I ordered felting wool from Highland Felting & Fibre Supplies. I'm so excited about working with these wonderful colours. Some of which will go toward making the above mentioned doll.



My youngest has been inspired by what I do. This week she has crafted a Sailor Moon mask, a hot dog, and an Easter egg. How neat is that?

Sunday 20 January 2019

Bonus: 10 Min Drawing + Weird Wonders

{My Poppet link}
Welcome to the Bonus blog update. Some things dropped into my 'get excited' box, and I really couldn't wait till next Friday to mention them. So let's get to it, shall we?

A while back I created and wrote about a Drawing Project, which you can at last read about, over at My Poppet.


Previously, my youngest made some weird wonders, which I took the liberty of photographing for posterity. I enjoy watching her sewing development.



Friday 18 January 2019

Looking for Meaning in a Button Box

© Melissa Gaggiano
It has been a week of lost contemplation. I'm between projects. Figuratively speaking of kicking the tires and making sure I'm on the right track for 2019.

While I am double checking my course path, the week has not been without it's creative bursts.

I produced a short photographic essay on my tog blog.

I enabled the kids in their making. The eldest has been crafting paper decorations for her birthday. The youngest made a fluffy dog toy, and for the first time she had a go at using the sewing machine.

I had a little drawing spark, and came up with this doll concept. No matter how much paper I have I always run out of room for the legs. I end up drawing my doll figures with bent knees.
© Melissa Gaggiano




Friday 11 January 2019

Turtle + Other Good Stuff

© Melissa Gaggiano

In the week that has been I have finished making a sweet, fabric sculpted turtle. The turtle is 34cm tall and has a wire armature frame (being a poser is no longer a dirty word). The turtle is available for AUD $250.

 





















© Melissa Gaggiano
I participated in a #drawinyourownstyle activity, playing along with Illustrator, Mel Stringer's Challenge. Aptly hashtagged as #melstringerdrawchallenge.  I had a lot of fun recreating Mel's illustration in my own way.

© Melissa Gaggiano
To recap the week just gone, I have entered my 2018 Sloth Project in Frankie Good Stuff Awards. Simply entering into these awards is a pat on my own back. It's a reward to myself and therefore worth mentioning, again. To find out more about the sloths, go here.

For those interested in making a smaller version of these sloths, there is a tutorial available on Etsy. To buy it simply go here.

Friday 4 January 2019

Turtle + Sloth

© Melissa Gaggiano

After a couple of weeks of enforced rest, I feel ready and charged to focus on 2019 work. I have begun with the sculpting of a spectacled turtle.

The turtle has not given them self a name... yet. I can tell you that the turtle is made of felt, is being sculpted one section at a time, and began with a basic wire structure. As you can see from the below images, the feet and arms are complete. My next challenge is the neck, head and face.

© Melissa Gaggiano
In other news I have entered my 2018 Sloth collection into the Frankie Good Stuff Awards.

Designing and creating these sloths was a ground breaking project for me. I was applying what I could already do, trying new ideas, and creating a set that told a visual story. I was so happy bringing my passion for doll making, illustration and photography together.

Read this, to learn more about the Sloth collection.

© Melissa Gaggiano

© Melissa Gaggiano

© Melissa Gaggiano