UNPAINTED Natalie by Izzy Zhao

So very very blown away.

I cant even tell you how much this sculpt jars my brain.

It is magnificent!!!

This is Natalie by Izzy Zhao

She is a preemie (I'll get inches soon) full body silicone.

Izzy only made a few in jello silicone because its extremely difficult to paint...

and I was privileged enough to grab one as a proto-type.
The rest of the edition will most likely be poured in an Eco 20, which still SUPER soft....but this is just incredible.

Words don't do this baby any justice. The feel it has is indescribable.

She is 'just melts in your mouth and your hands' yummy!!!

Here are some photos  BEFORE she is painted to show you the raw details of the incredible sculpt.

  

Getting prepped for her paint. Looks sooo cute in a bath!!!

Painting this type of silicone has proven to be quite tricky. 

Everything sticks to it... like hot gum.

You would think I would need to hire a house cleaner with the amount of lint it has attracted (i promise my house is quite clean.... mind you a house cleaner would be nice... tax deductable????)

and you cannot slide your paint brush across her skin... its skids.

So I started with her body first and her head last. This way allows me to really hover over her and get right in all the nooks and crannies and highlight all detail.

I havent taken many progress photos but here are some. 

Her tongue is even painted!!!

More paint

Finished baby with no hair. Can't get more real than this!!!

Sculpting? ME? Who knew!

I have always wanted to sculpt.

I've tried a few times... but I never seem to get it right. 

Crazy that I haven't tried harder considering two of my closest friends are sculptors, lol

Planning a trip to Orlando for a doll show in July 2018 and staying with my two sculptor friends, I was determined to learn something...

Sandra White, an incredible sculptor and magnificent teacher was able to get me to see in a totally different way.... with a perspective I didn't have a clue about.

It blew my mind...

With one evening I created these..

Bonnie Brown's nose is on the left.

Fueled by new teachings and oh so many possibilities, I came home and started sculpting. Ok, let me change that... I came home and tried sculpting.

Nope, not a natural at all. 

But with the help of Sandra White, I am gonna try!!!

I will record my journey as best I can

August

Sculpt One

http://thedaintyloft.blogspot.com/p/sculpt-one.html

Sculpt Two

http://thedaintyloft.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_21.html

Sculpt Three

http://thedaintyloft.blogspot.com/p/sculpt-three.html

Sculpt Four

http://thedaintyloft.blogspot.com/p/sculpt-four.html

September

Martha by Kimbry Dolls

I love Kimberley Nystrom babies!

She makes minis and her sculpts are always so original and very very good.

You can purchase her work at Etsy under Kimbry Dolls. Either painted or unpainted.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KimbryDolls?ref=listing-shop-header-item-count#items

This is Martha

She is about 8" long and made in solid platinum silicone,  Eco 20. 

Her head is fused and her joints do not rotate but are super bendy and flexible. 

She is the perfect size for a mini! Clothing them and getting them nursery props is SO MUCH FUN.

I created Martha with a new silicone painting technique I've been playing with and her paint is matte and permanent.  I love how rich her colors are. That face is SO newborn!!!

She has veins and little mottling marks!

As she is so tiny and squishy, it was harder to paint her hands and feet.  Please see photos :)

Also, I attempted painted hair... but man oh man, is hair painting ever difficult on silicone!!!! Also painted barely there eyebrows. WHEW

Kimberly pours her own work. Sometimes the silicone comes out with some bumps and ridges. I am not going to call it a booboo pour because I believe that each piece is unique and has much character and individuality to offer. However, it does not have some of the traditional smoothness some are used to. I have photo'd every angle so that you can fully see everything. 

I have photo'd Martha is two lights.. direct and indirect sunlight. Both are natural.

No editing has been done other than watermarking my name.

Martha will come home with all her pictured outfits (except the pink bunny outfit... its too big), her bottle, rattle and bear. 

She will come home with either her bean bag chair OR boppy pillow.... Mommy chooses!

PLUS she will also get her complete Oms Knit outfit and bundle blanket.

I have pictures of Martha naked in you want me to email them to you as I will not publicly display naked dolls anymore.

If you have any questions, please ask!!!!

I no longer take customs so if you love this baby, grab her <3

I will be taking offers on her from July 31st to Aug 6th. (tues-mon) starting at $300.00US plus shipping.

CURRENT OFFER IS $400.00US

All the fun things I learned.

Lots of stuff to write about!

I went to the Orlando Doll show called International Doll and Teddy Show. 

It was fun. I met a few people I had never met before but have communicated with for so long online that I really do feel like I already know them.

People like Bonnie Sieben. I worked with her sculpts in silicone in times past.  She is like a little light. Always smiling and just so sweet.
(Orlando's weather KILLS your hair!... so dont look at mine!)

I met Lana Niemi and her husband. Sweet couple from Ontario.

I met Dina Meneses Enes from Pieces of Heaven Nursery. She is a talented painter that is so kind and just so lovely.

I met Yulia Shaver, an incredible mini sculptor that has the coolest Russian accent and very honest way of looking at things ;)

There are more people I met who I really was honored to meet.

The very highlight of my trip was when I met the sculptor, painter and pourer Jennie Lee for the first time.
I have known this brilliant woman for years and years. When she first started sculpting. She has always been so kind and so generous and so inspiring online... but in person she is buckets full more than you cant ever imagine ...plus some. A stunningly gorgeous woman inside and out. I truly cannot say enough about her.

This was Jennie, Bonnie and I together for the Doll Magazine signing. One of my favorite memories at the show... love these girls!

At the show I was able to bring back a few items and supplies from MacPhersons, an art and crafts company whom I adore.

Here is their website.

https://macphersoncrafts.com/en/

I am not an expert rooter. I try and work on it constantly but I am so lacking most of the time that I never wanna say I am a good rooter. I am always looking for better tools, better hair, better tutorials.

Well I was able to get my hands on some of the coolest rooting needles. I swear they were made specifically for silicone. 

Every needle poke I made, I caught a hair.
Here is a photo of it and a link to it.

https://macphersoncrafts.com/en/online-store/hair-rooting/heavenly-illusions-rooting-needles/46g-6barb-heavenly-illusions-rubberised-rooting-needles-red-detail

I will show some of my own photos soon.

I also wanna do a blog post about their bundle bodies and their brushes... sooo much cool STUFF!!!