Oktoberfest Revisited

When I look back at some of my earlier works, I would inevitable wish I have time to repaint some of them, especially now that I have better tools and equipment to handle some of the more complicated jobs. Fortunately, I got the chance to update one of my favorite sets of all time, a trio of dolls featuring some Bavarian folks celebrating Oktoberfest!

This time around I was able to print some hats for the folks.

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Adventure Time Wedding

Here’s an interesting one: An Adventure Time/ Doctor Who themed set as a wedding gift!

In it the Bride and Groom are wearing costumes from “The Girl in the Fireplace” episode from Doctor Who. The bride’s dress is sleeveless to better showcase her tattoo. They both fit neatly inside a few characters from Adventure Time. I’d thought originally I’d have to paint Princess Bubblegum, but what’d ya know! I got to do Lumpy Space Princess!

Star Wars Ceremony

My homegirl Jean It thought it would be fun to have the end of Star Wars Episode 4 immortalized in matryoshka form. Done and done!

While the boys are looking rather natty with their medals of valor, Princess Leia even more so in her fancy gown and silverware. This time I kicked in Obi Wan as well, as he was left out of the previous sets.

There are times when the ordinary matryoshka doll just won’t do for what I have in mind—this is one of them. I made R2D2 out of Sculpey and a paper clip. He looks so awesome that I’m tempted to turn it into a necklace so I can wear it with this:

How cool is this skirt? It’s made by Ashley Mertz of NYC and can be purchased from her etsy shop.

Yet Another Gingerbead House

I’ve been living in Oz for four years now and I still can’t wrap my head around a hot Christmas. Watching people stringing up Christmas lights in nothing but a pair of boardies and flipflops does not say Yuletide to me. Worst of all, I can’t keep any Christmas treats lying around without the ants thinking it’s theirs and coming in droves to cart it away. That means no gingerbread house for yours truly.

This year, though, I decided that my sewing skills might be adequate enough for me to construct a gingerbread house out of felt and whatever baubles lying around. Two third-degree burns and some tears later, I present to you—A Gingerbread House Fit for an Australian Christmas:

All right, my sewing skills still needs a little work, but the house wasn’t as wonky as I thought it was going to be.

Hey, ants! Try to take THIS away!

Beer Break

I might’ve missed Oktoberfest this year, but these guys are here all year ’round!

This Oompah band is taking a well-deserved beer break.

My Dad’s got a grand collection of beer steins. It’s fascinating, having your family crest and castles on something you drink out of, isn’t it?

What Happened in the Big Apple (and Beyond)

I know I know! I’ve been bad! I’ve been naughty! I haven’t updated anything in about a trillion years—and I am feeling all sorts of contrite. Please forgive me,  but things have been incredibly loony. Now I remember why I moved away from New York! I’m seriously looking forward to my resort-living lifestyle in Oz…and I’m on my way back as we speak. I could be enjoying a cocktail or two at the airport lounge during my insanely long layover, but instead I choose to write to you! All is forgiven?

Well, as you know, I’ve been holed up in the Rotten Apple for the past 2 months, doing a little bit of this, a lot of that. What I didn’t tell you was that my wedding was in not one but two parts. Part II was mostly to placate those who were up in arms about not being invited to the Aussie ceremony. It was to be a casual yet formal affair and yours truly was the antithesis of Bridezilla. Looking back, I should’ve been more adamant about certain things. As a result it was not the most organized of wedding banquets. But never mind! The point is that we had fun and there are possibly several hundred pictures of me dancing like a mad fool all over the internet now. Thank you, Age of Technology and my shutterbug friends.

It all started with the bridal shower, which I wanted to be held at Coney Island. The Cyclone, the Wonder Wheel…followed by Nathan’s Hot Dog and a Freak Show…what could be better than that? But my idea was shot down and we had a bridal tea instead.

Yes, as a protest to the fact that I was sipping tea instead of screaming my lungs out on the Cyclone, I seethed for the camera.

Anthony and me reprising our roles as bride and groom.

We were told that this was to be a dry wedding (no! That was just the restauranteur’s idea of a joke!).

Here’s our promenade around the bar. I told you it was a casual affair: Anthony got to hold onto his stubbie during the walk!

I got to kick off those blue stilts and put on my dancing shoes, courtesy of Irregular Choice. They were super cool to begin with, but you can’t put a girl in the same room with a glue gun and butterflies without something like this happening (lucky me! The U.S. Irregular Choice flagship store is conveniently located in NYC! Check them out if you’re in the area!).

All right! Enough with the wedding stuff already! I did get a chance to go down to Coney Island after all! The Freak Show was closed, but the freak museum was open and I got to see an actual six-legged cow and a mummified mermaid and another cow with two faces. A week before, I saw a woman who looked like one of Drs. Troy and McNamara of Nip/Tuck’s creation on the subway. I remembered thinking, “where in the world could this woman possibly find employment looking like a cat, whiskers and all, now that Tower Records are no more?” A week later I got my answer. She was working at the Freak Museum.

This is my friend Jean-It, who hugged the ground after the harrowing ride on the Cyclone. I was too busy dry-heaving on the other side of the camera.

Anthony has never really “seen” America. Last time he came it was winter and he refused to venture outside my house or the underground. I made sure that he saw more than the subway systems this time and we boarded the cheapo bus tour designated for Philly, D.C., and Niagara Falls in a space of three days and had a whirlwind trip (most of it were spent dozing on the bus so I refused to call this our honeymoon!)

Here’s the Hubs goosing J-Lo in D.C.

Here we are looking sexy in our Niagara Falls rain ponchos.

Here I am getting ready to haunt the halls of Sleep Inn as the Phantom of Niagara Falls.

No trip is complete without being touched by the long arms of the law. Here’s our bus driver getting ticketed for alleged speeding on the motorway.

I’d like to say that was our only scuffle with the law, but alas, we were the cause of a 20-minute 2-way traffic jam when the bus driver attempted to make a U-turn on the freeway. It certainly broke the monotony of sitting on the bus for 3 straight days!

You’re probably saying to yourself, “Irene, this update has nothing to do with matryoshkas, which is the only reason why we even bother looking at your website in the first place!” Well, fear not, devoted people of the ancient Russian art. Between the banquet and jaunts across the eastern seaboard, I was able to paint a custom piece for a newly-married couple:

See, I didn’t totally slack off for the past three weeks!

Nearly Extinct

Are Woolly Mammoths, Pygmy Hippos, Pterodactyls, and Dodo Birds really extinct? Apparently they’re all still around and getting ready to celebrate the birth of a brand new Gigantspinosaurus.

(Clockwise from left) Sherrie and Mimi, the Pygmy Hippo; Gregory and Wooster, the Woolly Mammoth; Neal and Nestor, the Pterodactyl; Stevie and Barry, the Gigantspinosaurus, still in his shell; Catherine and Trixie, the Dodo, who’s having a go at the birthday cake.

Some details…

Trick or Treat

This was actually painted way back in July. I was in a Halloween frame of mind at the time and just couldn’t resist.

The best about this set was making the little witchy hat!

Triple Trouble

Uh oh! These occult-loving gals have watched “The Craft” one time too many and are ready to take matters into their own hands!

Some closeups (from top): Crystal ball foretelling an upcoming voyage; an alchemy toad; Ouija Board; Mr. Crow the familiar; newt in a cauldron.

Divinia will see into your future with her trusty crystal ball. Lewellyn will find out if you will marry Justin Timberlake by involking the spirit that communicates through her Ouija board, and Lucinda…well, she’s still a little iffy about the whole “eye of newt” thing. Will these girls be stirring up trouble in their coven? Let’s hope so!

The Shriners

Hear, hear! Let The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine meeting begin! There will be much food, wine, merriment, and later on, a parade in tiny cars just down the street from the convention center!

I have met a free mason once on a trip and proceeded to bombard him with questions about it. As a member of this ancient order, he was not allowed to disclose the nature of the meetings (but assured me it was nothing like Eyes Wide Shut). He did, however, mention many charity work and tons of funerals he had helped organize and attend. The shriners is an appendant body to Freemasonry but stresses more on fun and fellowship as well as charity work. As soon as you pop a fez on their head, put them in a miniature car and let them loose in a hotel lobby, you know you have a party on your hand!