Not Pleased with Big Screamer, plus Caroline

I've decided I'm not that crazy about Big Screamer. He looks like one of those T Day balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade--you know: those big ones that float over the parade, on long wires?

So I'm rethinking if I can change him some way to make me like him better, or if he will reside in the "parts" basket until I think what to do with him.

In the meantime, I have acquired two sets of real dentures, and I think I'll try a paper mache head when I get the time. I have Dan Reed's Screamer books, and I think I'll try his method. I think maybe it's the huge eyes I don't like on Big Screamer, besides the roundness of his head. I want something a little less predictable.

And on another front, I finished a Hitty head/torso from a piece of turned pine, that was originally destined for a railing or something, I guess. I bought it at a yard sale. It was difficult to carve--it wanted to splinter every time I made a move, but I eventually prevailed:

Two Toy Society Drops near Ocean Shores, WA

Did these two drops Saturday on the way to Ocean Shores to see the Sea Pals Quilt Show. Left Little Striped Guy at the Gull station at Hogan's Corner and the Little Raggedy Girl at the Ocean Shores Convention Center, where the quilt show was held.

I have made probably 40 toy drops for the Toy Society, but have only heard back from one finder. The finder does not write to me--he/she sends an email to the Toy Society. Sometimes finders even send a picture of themselves, or their kids, with the toy. However, only a few actually send an email. It really doesn't matter whether they do or not, but when they do, we appreciate it.

Big Screamer is a Rocker!

He now has a Mohawk, and you can bet he'll have piercings, too, rocker-dude that he is. I'm going to start looking for a guitar for him, plaid shirt, ripped jeans, etc. This is getting to be fun. But that tongue needs to be shortened for sure--he looks like a cameleon after a fly!! And he'll definitely get some ears, too.

Big Screamers Mouth Lining and Teeth

I can't help thinking he/she looks like a big puppet or a small version of those big balloons that float about the Thanksgiving Day Parade!! Oh, well. It will be what it wants to be--that's my basic philosophy--sorry, Arlie Berryhill.

Big Screamer is Coming Right Along.

Nose job

Big Screamer got a little work on his/her nose today; the eyes are covered with plastic wrap to protect them from the clear spray I use as a sealer. The heads take so long that by the time I'm done with them, I feel like making the body simple and fast. HOWEVER, I estimate this one will be close to four feet tall, so I'm got to think about this.
My friend Karla says, "Use PVC pipe." but I'm not sure yet. Heads are always my favorite part and I kind of run out of steam after that.

Largest Screamer I Have Ever Made.....

.....is in progress. He is very large; this time I used a styrofoam ball about as big as a round watermelon for his head. Screamer 1 has a gourd for a head and Screamer 2 (ie: Screamer's Cute Baby) has a hollow plastic ball (about the size of baseball) for a head (the ball was covered with PaperClay and cloth, after the hole for the mouth was cut out). Both of the first 2 Screamers have the plastic eyes that are used in porcelain dolls; this one has one of those clear plastic Christmas ornaments for eyes--the kind that pop apart--half for each eyeball. I painted them on the inside. That's fabric from an old cotton knit jacket I had for his skin, and PaperClay for his lips and parts of his nose; the center of his nose is styrofoam covered with cotton knit from an old garment.