BAGS,FIMO HEARTS AND LADY GAGA (in praise of)

My first paper mache bag is now nearly finished.

I have now worked out a kind of production line for the bags so as one reaches the finishing stage I have one off the mould having the final layers put on and another one on the mould in the begin stages.  I am not sure how long the mould will last for a while I hope because I am having so much fun making these bags.  My only problem at the now is how to do the linings for the bags - I know I want some kind of fastening to make the contents a little more secure but I am undecided on the finish.  So I have a perfectly good bag that I am unable to decorate because I just cannot make up my mind,  I even have a lining cut out and pinned together.  I need to get this sorted because I am going out on Saturday night and could take a finished bag with me to show people.

The last time I did anything with paper mache was about twenty years ago when I made a Romanesque style breast plate for a fancy dress party I was going to.  I don't know why I have ignored it as a craft for so long, it is such a useful medium.

Inspired by THE GOOD MASTER by Kate Seredy I have made these little fimo hearts.  I loved the book as a child, often reading it.  There is one part of the story where Kate and her cousin get taken to a travelling fair and are looking at GINGERBREAD FAIRINGS - shapes made out of gingerbread, hearts with mirrors in them in this case.  I always thought how pretty and wanting to go further after my yummy gingerbread at Christmas I decided to make some fairings.  From there the idea of fimo hearts developed.



Today on my TWITTER feed there was a tweet and a link to LADY GAGA.  I have never heard any of her music and much in the spirit of cannot criticise Barbara Cartland without reading her I thought I ought to see why Lady Gaga is so popular.   I am so glad I did.
The first track I listened to was Marry the Night - liked that  
Born this Way - liked that.  Then I watched a couple of interviews - end result I am very glad to have found her. 

Inspired from childhood books

I have always loved reading - pretty much anything.  Although some of the histories I have tried have been very heavy going had quite often sent me to sleep.  There are many books from my childhood that I still dig out and read when the mood takes me and it is from some of these that I have got the ideas for my first crafted items of the year.

This is the first - I have called it PEPPERMINT PIG  which was the title of a book by Nina Baldwin and was about a family that brought the smallest pig in a litter for sixpence. They called it a peppermint pig because of its size which seemed to fit such a tiny little pig necklace.     
http://www.etsy.com/listing/89991587/peppermint-pig-glass-charm-necklace

The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge was the inspiration for the next necklace.  In her book white horses rush to the shore as the tide comes in.  This necklace I have called LITTLE WHITE HORSE OF THE SEA - there are tiny tiny shells as well as a slither of seaglass  included in the stem of the pendant.  This horse also reminds me of carousel horses. I am very pleased with how sea foamy the ribbon for the choker looks.  Again I want to keep it. http://www.etsy.com/listing/90004475/little-white-horse-glass-charm-choker




I want to make some gingerbread fairings - I liked the gingerbread of the sleigh I made a Christmas so much that I want to do more.  In the book THE GOOD MASTER  by Kate Seredy the family go to a travelling fair and buy fairings - big decorated gingerbread hearts with a mirror set in them.  http://whydyoueatthat.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/day-20-gingerbread/     This blog has some very interesting stuff about gingerbread.   
I also thought that a fimo version for keeping would work quite well, I need to search out my pack of fimo.

This how poor Bruce spent the evening

while I was busy making things.
Maybe not the most flattering picture.