New Pieces

Apparently I've been quite remiss in posting pics of my latest pieces here to my blog! Here is a bit of everything I've been creating over the last month or so:
I've been having so much fun with the framed jewelry. The artwork in the small square pendants measures only 1/2" by 1/2", and I love testing myself to see how much detail I can fit into them. My poor pencils are being ground down to stubs, as I need to keep them constantly sharpened to extract the detail I need.






I also created these polymer clay Christmas ornaments, each with a small bit of hand-painted goodness and protected with wonderful glossy varnish.



Last is this small 5x7 acrylic painting in my "Dreamer" series, painted on canvas board. She sold at Jingle Fest...hurrah! So happy when my paintings find good homes. :)



If you see a piece you like above but don't see it for sale in my shop please e-mail me at hoydendesigns@gmail.com. With the Craft show last week and Thanksgiving just days ago I haven't had a chance at all to list them, but most are available. And there's still time to get your U.S. shipments in time for Christmas!

Wearable Framed Paintings

I've been trying to come up with a new way of doing pendants, and after the last batch of Halloween goodies I was really and truly inspired with the pendant frames I'd found. But I didn't feel I'd get the detail I truly wanted by going with acrylics, so I switched to pencil and watercolors. And here are the results:
Before framing...





And framed and varnished:

I loved doing these, though I think I may need to get myself a good magnifying glass soon!

Happy (Early) Halloween, Dearies

I was asked by the wonderful woman at EniThing to do a display window for her store. Imagination churning, my thoughts turned to the upcoming Halloween holiday and I fairly threw myself into several new pieces for it.
I found these lovely pendant frames, and used 140 lb.watercolor paper inserted into them. Too much fun, and I love the new look. I can't wait to create more.




This paper mache witch's hat wat a "hoot" (pardon the bad pun) to paint:



This mysterious witch took on a life of her own. She's quite ready for trick or treating:



And here is the display itself. I added a small crow sculpture I made last year, as well as a lavendar wand created from the amazing smelling lavendar in my own yard. With mini hay bales, a spider-web stamped piece of muslin and halloween-y bunting, I'm quite pleased with it.

Mini House Pendants

A baker's dozen of teeny little house pendants that I just finished. Handmade from polymer clay and hand-painted with acrylics by myself, each is one of a kind and unique. They measure about 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches tall. I won't be posting the majority of them to Etsy, as I'll be bringing them to shows, but if you see one you like please e-mail at hoydendesigns@gmail.com and I'll get it to you!

Belated Happy Holidays!

I've been so busy with family things for the holidays that I'm afraid I've left my wonderful blog friends in the lurch! I wanted to keep you updated on my newest pieces and how the Handmade Holiday Gift Fair went...so here goes:

The new ornaments came out wonderfully, just as I imagined they would. I even brought some fresh pine branches in a weighted vase to the fair to display them:


Here are my newest pendants, many of which sold the night of the fair!:


I didn't have a huge assortment of mew pins, earrings or hairpins, but they did very well regardless:


These rings are my new passion; I had a blast making them, and they are so fun to wear.:


I also managed to create 2 new paintings. Here is the first, which is an 8x10 acrylic painting on gallery wrapped canvas, with antique music sheet circa 1890:


Here is the second, 'The Heart Bowed Down', also an 8x10 acrylic painting on gallery wrapped canvas, with antique music sheet circa 1913:


Here is my Christmasy little display; it was too much fun!:


I hope all of you had an amazing holiday season, and that this New Year has all sorts of wonderful things in store for you!

Holiday Gift Faire and Christmas Jewelry

This coming Saturday I'll be doing a Holiday Gift Fair at EniThing in San Jose, CA! So if you're in town please stop on by. It's a small venue, but with some great and talented crafters and artists. Anyone who comes up to me while there and mentions that they saw me post about this on Facebook or my blog will get a free mini bookmark. :)
Above are some of the pieces I'm working on right now. These hand-painted (by yours truly) polymer discs will be turned into pins, pendants, earrings and rings!

More New Items!

More goodies to share with you as I prepare for the Art Bazaar this friday, each one hand-painted: earring posts, hair pins, art boxes (decoupaged with circa 1890 sheet music), and a paperclay crow sculpture. More still to come!

New Pieces for October

Trying new things again!
Here are new pins, pendants, rings, hair pins, as well as a paper clay house and a paper mache box. Each piece is one of a kind and hand-painted!:

The nest rings in the bottom right are made of actual acorn caps, and the eggs are hand-formed out of paper clay and hand-painted, and securely adhered inside. These are for the Fall Art Bazaar I'm attending this friday; I'll be posting more pics as I finish them!

Where Has the Time Gone!

I was truly in shock when I realized I haven't posted to my blog for an entire month! I suppose it's been much more hectic here than I realized. As far as art goes, I've been keeping myself busy, exercising my fingers with sketches in the children's illustration type, which I will post here once I complete one of the myriad paintings I've begun and have yet to finish. And I've managed to also create these bits of hand-painted jewelry:

It's been several years I believe since I painted one of these little garden pendants. Each measures about 1" by 1"; so tiny! They are such fun, though I think I'll be needing some new glasses, as I don't remember having quite this hard of time seeing such small details up close!

I also had a bit of fun with some heart shaped polymer pendants I created a while back during the makings of a couple of custom pieces:

And I utilized some small pieces of wood for some little pins, my very first of their kind!:

Here you can see the back of the pins; so enjoyable to make!:

Lastly, I created this display from a garage sale frame, muslin, and some nails. Off to the consignment shop it goes!:

If you don't see the piece you like in the shop please feel free to contact me; I'll be happy to re-create it for you.
Hope to see you soon!

Mad Tea Party - and GIVEAWAY!

Now is the time, my sweets, for a fantastically magical Mad Tea Party! Thank you to the lovely Miss Vanessa at 'A Fanciful Twist' for hosting such a splendid event!

Please be sure to scroll all the way down to see the very very mad and cunning little pendant that you can WIN by leaving me a comment on this post! And be sure to visit the 'A Fanciful Twist' blog to visit the amazing array of participants in this, the maddest of tea parties ever...!


Was little Alice dreaming, or was that a White Rabbit she saw, sporting a waistcoat and a pocketwatch! Down a rabbit hole it went...

("Ready to Follow" - 8"x10" acrylic paints with circa 1890's antique music sheet on canvas board - RESERVED)


"In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again."

("Alice Where Art Thou" - 9"x12" acrylic paints on circa 1913 antique music sheet and canvas board - RESERVED)


..."Down, down, down. Would the fall never come to an end!"..."'Well' thought Alice to herself, 'after such a fall as this, I shall think of nothing of tumbling downstairs!'"

("Falling Down the Rabbit Hole" - 5"x7" acrylic paints on canvas board - for sale here.)


With a bit of a detour at the White Rabbit's house, she's off to explore this magical Wonderland...

("A Bit Too Large" - 8"x10" acrylic paints on canvas board - for sale here.)


How strange this place is, to be sure! Perhaps a rest before seeing which side of this mushroom will make her large, and which will make her even smaller...

("Which Side to Eat" - 8"x10" acrylic paints on circa 1890's antique music paper and canvas board - for sale here.)


But what is that emerging from the garden? A large top hat, in the most alarming shade of green! She must get to the clearing to see who belongs to that ridiculous hat...

("We're All a Bit Mad" - 5"x7" acrylic paints on gallery-wrapped canvas - for sale here.)


But what should our Alice find when coming upon the clearing? A fabulously mad tea party, and with more than enough room for her!


And such a table it is! There is almost enough here to make up for the madness of the host - almost...


Such loveliness as she's never seen!


Surely chilled watermelon is just the thing on such a warm summer's day. And the scent of lavendar is enough to bring a bit of peace to such madness as this!


Such delectable treats were there! Enough to tempt even the fussiest child. Banana bread still warm from the oven, beautifully blue-sugared vanilla biscuits, and - of all things! - pink champagne truffles!


Surely there's enough tea for all! I think I'll take a nibble of those lovely tea-sandwiches, as well. And a bite of fresh fruit is just the thing to finish it off.


But would she ever find that White Rabbit?


Time to leave the tea party and continue her search! Off into the garden she scampers...

("Alice in the Garden" - 9"x12" acrylic paints on gallery-wrapped canvas - RESERVED)


...Only to find the most wonderful display of pendants! Oh! That she could own one to adorn herself, she would be the happiest creature on earth!

(hand-painted pendants on polymer clay and wood, for sale in my Etsy shop here.)


But what's this??? The Mad Hatter is feeling particularly kind today it seems, and is offering up this cunning little pendant for you, my sweet guests! Yes, leave me a comment on this post, and you could WIN this sweet hand-painted pendant!

(acrylics on wooden pendant)

You have until Saturday July 3rd at midnight EST for your chance to win! Please don't forget to visit the other amazing participants, and thank you so very very much for your lovely visit!