Harvesting Mushrooms in the Danitaland Woodlands

November 8, 2019 danita Leave a comment

My new upcoming big event is the 2019 Handmade Holiday Show, running from Dec 1st to Dec 9th, where I will show my newest Art Dolls, Paintings and more.

I’m making experiments with the new Danita dolls for Sale on the event. Besides using polymer clay for the face, I’m daring to to a little bit further in the construction of the body, specially the limbs. Since some of the dolls will be mushrooms, I want them to have a “just pulled out of the earth” look.

I’ve made mushrooms before but they had normal bodies with a mushroom cap. This time I’m daring to go more with my vision and less with the “safe” version, the one I know most people will like. I’d decided that I’m going to be more authentic with my creations from now on and I hope they’re well received. Going for the look I know people will like leaves me in a grey zone with a nagging feeling that I should have dare more and see where it takes me little by little.

The process is always painstaking, not only because of the labor I have to put into each doll, but also because there is an incredible amount of time devoted into researching. I take trips to the forest, look at my reference books and create lots of sketches until I am satisfied with my vision.

Even more, now that for this series of art dolls I will be truer to myself and my vision, and I will take more risks to create what I have in my mind instead of making what will be a safe, easy to sell creation.

You can tell from the look of this assembled doll that I am pushing my ideas to a new level, using more organic shapes for both her legs and hands.

I am aiming for a grungy, “Just pulled out of the earth” look that will make her look like I just harvest them during an autumn walk in the Danitaland woodlands.

Adding mossy details, organic pigments that I brew and distill in my studio and new fabrics for the Mushroom crowns, this daring new creation filled my heart with joy.

It’s much closer to what I had in mind than my first Danita wild mushroom collection dolls, and I love knowing that taking a risk paid off.

The collection will be available for purchase and adoption during the 2019 Handmade Holiday Show in Facebook.

Make sure you get a reminder by going to the 2019 Handmade Holiday Show page and click on the GOING button. Facebook will remind you when the event is active and you will be able to adopt your favorite Danita Hand Made Mushroom Art Doll there.

See you soon at the event!!!!

Art

Day Of The Dead 2019

November 3, 2019 danita Leave a comment

Day of the Dead, or Dia De Los Muertos in Spanish, is a very important tradition in our culture, and this year was very,very important for us.

You see, this year, my kids had their first encounter with La Muerte, the grim reaper. Our cat “The Doctor” died tragically and suddenly about a month ago, and it was a very difficult experience for everyone.

As a school project, kids create an altar for a loved one and then present it in class. My son made a special altar dedicated to The Doctor, with food, drinks and a drawing of the doctor on top of it. He said that he cried a little when he made it, but he thought it would be a good way to honour his stay in our family.

We also placed a can of cat food for him and basically everyone cried because we miss him a lot. For my daughter was very very difficult to remember him, but we held on and honored him.

On November 2nd, the date of Dia De Los Muertos, we went to a secluded corner of our favorite forest for a very special ceremony.

This is our private pet cemetery. It is the place where we scattered the ashes of our sheepdogs, Lennon and Sofa and we try to visit on this date to honor and remember their loyalty and love. I still miss them, specially Lennon. He bonded with me and I miss his loving stare and warm black and white fluff.

We also had something very special too. We didn’t tell the kids, but we were carrying the ashes of our beloved doctor to be scattered in the same corner.

It was a very, very, very emotional moment. My kids learned that saying goodbye and letting go is never easy, but it also a part of life.

There were lots of tears and sadness, and it made me very sad to look at my kids cry too. It was very difficult for them, but then, life can be very tough sometimes. All we can do is prepare them for what’s coming ahead of them, and unfortunately death, grief and letting go will be part of that journey.

My son said that seeing the ashes fly gave him closure, because he now knows that The Doctor will be chasing birds on the forest, enjoying walking on dry leaves and maybe one day we will see his spirit around. For my teenage daughter, it was much more difficult. There were lots of emotions, and letting go is very, very hard for her. But I hope this will help everyone on my family to move on.

Our new cat, Echo, was there too. Now the mantle of protecting my daughter and helping her with emotions has passed down from The Doctor to Echo, and I know that his love will protect everyone in my family. I know you will do an amazing job.

Art

Frida and the mask of death.

November 1, 2019 danita Leave a comment

I created a very special doll to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos.

She got such an amazing response that I am making a special edition of custom, made to order Frida dolls.

Click here to reserve yours today, and keep reading to learn more about your new custom doll.

Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos are very special to me!

They are my favorite holidays of the year, and I always go out of the way special art to celebrate, like Jack And Jill (Who are still looking for a forever home to be displayed all year). It’s a lot of fun to let my darker side flow and create dolls and paintings that are out of what you are used to see.

My traditional Frida dolls wear dresses inspired by the fascination Mexican culture has with death, skeletons, flowers and skulls during the traditional celebration when we set our table and invite our ancestors to dine with us.

This Year, Frida is wearing a very special handmade mask painted with bold colors and flowers, just like the sugar skulls that cheerfully decorate our altars.

I really loved this doll, she immediately found her forever home, even before she was finished and I got many requests to make another like her. I love her so much that I have to oblige and now I am in the process of making a special edition of custom dolls just like her.

RESERVE YOUR CUSTOM DAY OF THE DEAD FRIDA KAHLO ART DOLL BY DANITA

YOU CAN ADOPT HER ON ETSY TOO!

Let me show you a little of the process!

Every doll is unique

Each of my dolls begins with a sketch and an idea, and they are assembled and painted by hand.

With each doll you adopt, you are getting a beautiful work of art that will never be repeated, infused with my love for creation and a tiny part of my soul to spark their beauty.

They wear handmade clothes

One of the most time consuming processes for me is deciding what clothes my dolls will wear. I will sift trough my collection of fabric scraps and samples until I find the perfect pattern that will match the doll’s character and personality.

And you get to choose the fabric this time!

I found the perfect combination of patterns and colors for each of the dolls that I will make for this special edition, and you will get to choose the fabric if you make your reservation ahead of time.

Which is your favorite?

Your doll will be beautiful!

Each doll will have very special details, like a custom made necklace using real polished semi-precious stones, a handmade mask and flowers in her hair, which will be made from organic wool and set on a traditional Mexican hairdo, just like ones Frida used to set her hair when she appeared in public.

You will love your original doll!

Each face is sculpted and hand painted by me, she will have a beautiful profile and my signature expressive eyes that you love to gaze so much.

And she will travel in style.

If you are like me, you love getting packages on the mail, and I will make your unboxing experience worth it! Frida will travel in a sturdy cardboard box and beautifully wrapped so you can love her as soon as she is out of her traveling package!

Ready to adopt your very own Frida doll?

I hope that now that you know more about the process and what you will be getting got you interested in adopting one of the special Frida dolls I am making!. You can reserve your adoption on my online store, and if you prefer Etsy, they will be available for adoption there too!