beyond curious....

Those were Judi's words as she wondered what I was up to with the shells.... and.... well... he is definitely that alright@!

I totally forgot to take some photos as I was putting on the clay... but, first most of the opening was filled with softened (as well as I could get it softened... ) older clay.  It is great for using up the clay that we just hate to toss.   You know the stuff... getting a bit hard or crumbly and is just no good anymore for sculpting, but, for some silly reason we refuse to throw it out.

Then... cover that with a thin piece of new soft clay and begin to lay on the various bits and blobs and start to make them look like a little face.

He is one of Dawn Schiller's Odd Fae and Autumn Things ..  she calls them Hermit Shellfae.

Little Sage wondered what the heck he was too... although he didn't scare her because I did try to give him a kind face even if he is a bit strange and different.  Sure...he's a bit different than any of my other stuff...but, hey...a person has to try "different" every so often.
                                                                                                    



I have to say though.... next time I must try for a more manly-man shell.  I still have to stifle a snicker every so often because he just looks to me like a little old man wearing a frilly pink baby bonnet!  I'm sure he would disagree.

Okay... by the end of the day....the silliness began.

My shell was pretty fragile...can you believe Michael's still made me pay for it? ...although I did get a discount. The back portion of it began crumbling a bit around a small hole that was already there.  Then, ..... somebody suggested that perhaps I should put some clay in the opening to help hold things together... and maybe even make it a portion of his anatomy sticking out of the hole..... because it would be funny....and that was it.  Well, that and the wine....

So, I made him a bum.  Giggling all the while.......

After baking his face portion....I added the hand... because it was too awkward for me to put the fingers up against the face while the clay of the face was still soft.  Not that my clay is ever "too" soft.  I definitely don't have what they refer to as "hot hands" when working with clay.  Apparently some people have hands so warm that the clay is very soft all the time.  I wish.  Mine never seems to move that easily or feel soft to me, but I wasn't going to risk it after spending hours on his face.

There was more baking .... and then there was painting...with acrylic paints....

And... then... a bit more painting on the reverse...just to give it a bit of colour too...

and voila....

Lyle appeared

and has taken up residence in his favourite plant pot....

Some days he doesn't feel very chatty...and just turns his other cheek.....er...cheeks......

I dunno.... my other shell is pretty BIG...I might not want to make a huge Hermit...but, we'll see.

here is Dawn's Hermit... see what I mean about a more manly shell?

..and look at this cute little one....awww... I love him... you can put them in any shell..... this one is no bigger than Dawn's thumb.... you can check out some of her others at her site ...