hill billy carving

Here are a couple of pictures of the wood carving "Peg leg Hill Billy" I was talking about the other night. I was in my hammock on a very nice saturday afternoon carving on this little guy when I cut his foot off. I almost threw him over the top of the house. BUT, I regrouped and made the most of it.

This is like my thrid carving. Got a long way to go. He is only about four inches tall.

If these pic's don't show up, in the typical male fashion, I will read the instructions.

Thanks

Darel

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Darel! He's WONDERFUL!!!! What a perfect mistake! And how unusual.
He's gotta be a first. I mean, has anyone else ever seen a hillbilly
pirate? Make more mistakes. I luv 'em!
Diane

Darel,

I think he's cute! Too bad we can't put a patch over his eye. hehe Arggghhhh! Ofcourse, I'm now sitting here thinking on a clever comment that combines a pirate and a hillbilly. How about, "yo-ho, yo-ho, a hillbilly's life for me, I drink all the shine, 'fore ma whips me hine, yo-ho, yo-ho a hilly billy's life for me!" Alright, so it's not that great. I gave it my best shot. LOL

Darel, honestly though, he's great, I love him. I'm glad you didn't toss him over the house. I wouldn't have been able to make a pirate-hillybilly song! Anyway, what ya got working on in the back ground pic? Looks like some interesting stuff in the works.....

Diane and Lori,

You are too kind, but thanks I appreciate it. I am glad I didn't throw him over the house also, but it was a struggle not to at the moment.
Lori, maybe you should look into doing a little jingle writing.

Sorry about the stuff in the background. I should have cropped the pic's, just didn't take the time. Most of that stuff was just practice things.

You guys have a great day.

Darel

You're welcome, Darel. How long have you been working with clay? And woodworking is a later addition? That "practice" looks pretty good back there!! Would you ever get Peggy involved in all this Santa-ing? She's a pianist, so I know she's good with her hands!! I know of husbands and wives who have a wonderful time doing it together. Greg's artistic, too, but his bent is custom framing. (He's FABULOUS! Can take a piece of (a-hem) questionable artwork and turn it into a masterpiece. Never thought just framing could do that.) Anyway, I was just wondering.
Keep those pictures coming! One of these days I'll be able to do the same! ..........Hey, wait a minute! I made a bear awhile back (name's "Bert") and he sits here on the work table keeping me company. I've got my camera here, so I"ll take a picture of him! I love doing bears and Santas together, so I guess sending a bear picture would be alright. Here goes!
Diane

Geesh...practice stuff, heh? I can't get that good on my good days! If that is practice...it's mighty good in my opinion. Perhaps you should practice at him a little more. I think it will become something really fantastic. I wouldn't worry about the stuff in the background. If you were to see my desk/work table...you would probably think . It's no wonder I can even find anything. LOL

As for the jingle writing...I think I should keep my day job.

Now, finish that body in the background....it's got some real potential I tell ya!

Cya,
Lori

Darel....the hillbilly is AWESOME!!! Out of a mistake comes a masterpiece...LOL!! You are really great at wood carving if you haven't been doing it long....can only imagine future pieces!!!! thank you for sharing him with us...I LOVE him.

Lori...you crack me up girl...I agree with Darel...maybe some jiggling writing in the future for ya. Chaz thought it was so cute and nowwww I have to sing it to him all day long...THANKS ALOT GIRL!!!! ROFL!!!!!!!!!

I can't get the photo to resize without scaring everyone to death...LOL...I finished one of my Bulb'z characters...go take a peek at my blog so ya'll can see him. PPPLEASE!!! one of thses days I will learn h ow to resize these photos here..some days I can do it...others well I think I'm in the twilight zone..dodododododo!!!

http://Southernooaks.blogspot.com

Hugs to all,
Regi

Omgosh...here comes Chaz...I have to sing AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ha ha Regi! Poor Chaz......I would rather sing the pirate song...it's more fun. Unfortunately, I don't know all the words...thus, you got the hillybilly pirate version. rofl rofl

Lightbulb critter looks pretty good. I like that cat you made. But, how in the world do you keep the lightbulb from breaking? The slightest bump and they can break so easily. Nice idea to use recycled materials though.

Ohhhh girl....I don't mind singing to him..it's just when he wants to hear it over and over and over again....LOL!!!

Thanks about the ligh bulb dolls....Did you look at the post after the one with the cat...it had one of my light bulb Santa dolls. I cover them in floral tape and then put a thick layer of glue over that and let it dry. Then a layer of batting and then the fabric. They are safe..I have had that Santa (until I gave him to one of Chaz's teachers last year) for almost 5 years....and he has been moved and carted and just about everything imaginable done to him and he had noooo damamge...but then again...we are talking SANTA....I think even the dolls have a bit of magic in them

Hugs,
Regi

Yo HO Yo Ho.......ROFL!!!!!!!!

Thanks again Diane, Lori, and you too Regi,

The practice stuff doesn't look so good up close, The photo might be giving it more credit than it deserves.

Diane, you asked how long I have been going at this. A friend of mine gave me a box of sculpey (the white stuff) in the early 90's. I just played around with it untill in 2005 when Peggy saw where Jack Johnston was teaching a class in Nashville, Tn and she signed me up, it was a birthday present. It was a three day class and I learned alot from him. Then I went out to Utah in 2006 for his professional class and that was even better. But, that was when Peggy got sick so spending alot of time sculpting kind of got put on hold for quite a while. Now that she is all better, things are getting back to normal and I am getting to spend alot more time in the studio.

As far as Peggy sculpting, I don't know, I got her to try it, because she is an artist also, besides the music. She played around with it, but didn't seem very interested. She has helped me with some of the outfits. She told me she would teach me how to sew, but I don't think she is ready for that kind of a head ache yet.

Diane, post those pic of the bear you were talking about. Let us see him.

Thanks again everyone.

Darel

Hey, Darel...
I believe that there is brilliance in the making! Have you ever done art-type stuff before the clay? The talent is obvious.
As far as Bert goes...you can see him in my album. His looks have been influenced by my having a blond cocker. (At least I use to...I still cry! Maybe that's why I can't let Santa have him!)
Diane

Regi!
I checked out your Blubz... (Did I spell that right?) Too cute and what an imagination! Is that technique yours? I've never seen it done before!
Diane

Diane...it is Bulb'z...LOL..but you can call them whatever you like.. I came up with the idea about WOW 15 years ago...the first time in my artistic life that I realized that I had a muse of my very own. Folks that really know me laugh at how I keep everything...well..ya never know when ya might need it for something. I use to take the lightbulbs and make ornaments out of them. Paint them as Santa...an elf...a penquin...snowman...reindeer...the bulb would be the face. I would then use them on a tree for the boys when they were growning up....string popcorn and put on some icicles and POOF cool and neat tree. I use to put the bulbs in a wooden bowl in my craft room...well...one day the basket was running over and I sat one in a cup that was sitting near by. The cup hand some yarn hanging out...the yarn looked like legs hanging down....and then it hit me....OMGOSH...a body...and the rest is history....ROFL!!!!!!!!

Hugs,
Regi

Diane,

Bert looks great. That is the neatest Teddy bear. How in the world do you approach making something like that?
I would make Santa find another prop and leave Bert sitting with you in your studio.

Darel

Regi,

The light bulb armature is ingenious. That is what you call creativity. Using what ever you have to get you where you want to go.
Great Blog, Regi. Keep up the good (Hard) work.

Darel

Awwww.....thanks Darel...I appreciate that. Hugs, Regi

Regi and Darel,
Regi, you must be one fun mom. Isn't it something how a thing strikes
you sideways and you say..."I see something!"? With Jeff (my youngest at 21) it's , "I see a face!!"
Loved the story! Can't wait to see what
else you come up with!
Darel, I'm glad you like Bert. And as far as how you do it...well,
pretty much like everything else. I get a book that says, "How to..!" That's how I learned how to sculpt. (Still learning!) I like teaching videos, but I learn the most from books. Not even so much sculpting as drawing books. How about you?

Diane

Diane,

I agree with you, I really like books also. I have a ton of them. You can always go back to the book as much as you need. Plus I think getting better at sculpting is mostly repitition. You do it over and over and over.......

Have a great day,

Darel

Darel I love what came out of your mistake. I probably would have started over. Good job!

Regi I love your light bulb creations! I've never seen anything like that done before!

Hey Darel! I love your little guy, he reminds me of a cartoon I used to see when I was younger of a little guy flipping the light switch on and off in the refridgerator when you open and close the door. By the way love that head in the back ground, wanna do a head swap? Paula

Thanks Paula, I think I remember a cartoon like that. Doing a head swap would be great. How would you do it. A finished head with out the hair or a finished head with the hair?

Darel

awwww thank you Patty...this ditzy doodle can come up with a unique idea every 100 years or so...LOL!!!!

darel wrote:Thanks Paula, I think I remember a cartoon like that. Doing a head swap would be great. How would you do it. A finished head with out the hair or a finished head with the hair?

Darel

I usually do it with out the hair, gives me more options, but we can do it either way!

Paula that sounds good. Just a finished head, no hair or painting.

How much time do we have to send these to each other?

Darel

This sounds like a very fun idea. I can't wait to see what you guys come up with on the head swap!