Calypso

This sculpture was for a very sweet woman. She was a pleasure to work with through the whole process and was very understanding with my situation. She was getting the sculpture done for her mother who had lost her dear dog Calypso.The dog turned out perfect and she and her mother couldn't have been more happier!

                                                              The REAL Calypso

   
                                                                    The sculpture

Calypso made his way to Reynoldsburg, Ohio safe and sound. This is what she had to say...

"OH MY GOD! The sculpture is AMAZING! Its alot bigger than i imagined and the pictures just didnt do it justice..I am SOOOO impressed. We got it about a week ago i just hadnt found the time to e-mail you. Seriously it is amazing. My mom cried..she thinks it looks so much like him that she misses him now. Definitely the best gift shes ever gotten. I will definitely be using your services again. Thankyou soooooo much!"

Thank YOU Melissa! I enjoyed working with you and making such a special gift for your mom! I hope she enjoys it for years to come!

Chihuahua

This order come to me from my online Etsy store from a very sweet woman. She was wanting a smaller version of one of my past sculptures.



This sculpture now lives in Westtown, NY with a wonderful woman named Debbie! Thanks Debbie for your business! I hope that you come back and let me make your babies for you! Thanks so much!! Merry Christmas! :-)

Elliott

I had posted the story about Elliott under the post named "A Special Gift" on April 11, 2011. If you haven't read that post....you need to go back and read the incredible story of this amazing dog!

But his mommy, Laura, found me on Etsy and ordered two sculpts of him. One for her and one for another person whom the dog was very special to. They each picked a pose and then the process began!

It really didn't take me that long to sculpt either of these....obviously Elliott is not only a miracle dog...but he is also very laid back!

This is what Laura had to say about them....

"Wow, I'm really impressed. You do wonderful work. It doesn't just look like him; it really captures his personality. That is definitely Elliott!! You are amazing! I can't wait to see them in person!"

The REAL Elliott

1st sculpture (sitting) Work in progress

1st sculpt (sitting) finished

2nd Sculpture (laying with bone) Work in Progress

2nd sculpture (laying) finished

Shows bone with "slobber" on it

Both Elliott sculptures ready to be shipped

So both Elliott sculptures made their way home to Bellingham, WA where I hope that they are enjoyed for many years to come. Thank you Laura for your understanding and patience during my hard time. And thank you for sharing Elliott's story with me. I pray that he continues to get stronger and healthier and lives to be a very old happy dog! Sending you much love!

Nancy's Dogs

My mother asked me to make her dear friend, Nancy, a sculpture of her dogs for Christmas last year....but I could not do it due to being booked up. So I told her I would do it for Mother's day. I have been having a lot of health issues and not feeling up to par....but I got it done...before Mother's Day.

I dropped it off at my mother's and we were sitting on the front porch when Nancy just happen to drop by to see my mother. So my mom let her go ahead and have it early. She opened the box and just squealed so loudly! She just laughed and laughed with joy. Being able to actually be there in front of someone when they see my sculpture for the first time...gives me the most absolute pleasure in my heart! It never gets old!







I hope you enjoy Nancy! Love you!

Spirit

This was an international order that I received via Etsy. The sculpture was to be a gift for the customer's mother for her birthday. The beautiful dog Spirit, an Australian Shepherd, had passed away some time before she had contacted me. Her mother loved the dog very much and was having a hard time due to her other dogs getting older and starting to have problems.

So I worked very closely with her to ensure all the details were right. I even suggested adding a slipper due to the fact that the dog had been notorious for taking them and hiding them! And after it was all said and done....this is what she had to say....

"I wanted to express my awe at how much work you got done in ONE DAY, and congratulate you on getting such an authentic looking Aussie! She looks GORGEOUS!! Mum loved it! Thanks for making the birthday present I wanted to give a reality!"

The Beautiful REAL Spirit

Work in Progress

Finished Product

This order was to be shipped out by April 15th. But due to serious health issues and being hospitalized....I ended up being rather late. Spirit finally made her journey to Victoria in Australia now in May. I was upset that I couldn't make the deadline and get it to her before her mother's birthday. But she was very kind and understanding. So thank you Kirsty! I really appreciate your patience and understanding!

A special gift

Wow....what a story to tell.
I was contacted by this sweet woman, Laura, via Etsy asking about having her dog Elliott sculpted. She told me the story of him and it just broke my heart. They had been looking for a dog for awhile and found one they really liked, but it didn't work out. Then Elliott come up for adoption. They went to see him with no intentions of bringing him home...but they fell in love and he did go home with them. Plus, it was like it was meant to be to find out his birthday was the same as Laura's! She talked about how great of a dog he was and how much he had touched her, especially since she was totally a cat person. Then right before his 5th birthday...they found a mass under his pelvis...it was adenocarcinoma...a type of cancer. He's been through three chemotherapy drugs and a surgery, but he continued to get worse. The side-effects from the chemo have caused internal bleeding requiring multiple transfusions, vomiting and a complete loss of appetite. Then her last sentence spoke volumes and just broke my heart....."We're running out of options and I'm afraid we're going to lose him soon. " I knew I wanted to do something for her....I just had to. She was dealing with him being so sick that she decided to put off the sculpture....but I wanted to do something. So I decided to make her a key chain of Elliott. That way...in case something happened before she could order a sculpt....she would have something. It wasn't much and didn't take me long to do....but I think it turned out well.


I shipped it away to her hoping that it would get there before anything was to happen, as things sounded very grim. It arrived in Bellingham, WA and this is what she had to say about it....

"I have the keychain you sent hanging from the rearview mirror in my car so I can keep an eye on Ell wherever I go. I smile whenever I look at it. I can't thank you enough."

This is why I love what I do. This is what I was made to do. Even if it is something so simple or something completely complex....if I can bring just a smile to someone's day from something that I have made....then I am happy. I can't change the world or stop wars....but I can help those in need....with a bit of creativity.

**UPDATE**8/3/11
GREAT NEWS!!Elliott is doing MUCH better! Laura said the docs were calling him the miracle dog. They have changed his drugs to where he isn't having the bad side effects AND it seems to be working! The tumor has shrunk so much that they can't even feel it on him any more! He has gained back his appetite and weight and is even out running and taking hikes with Laura! I am sooooo thrilled to hear this! And I know she is just as thrilled....obviously! :-) Keep up the good work Elliott! We are thinking of you!
Also, Laura did order two sculptures of Elliott, so be sure to check the post about them. The post is aptly named "Elliott"

Biscuit

Here is yet another Etsy order ( I have had a lot of them recently!) This person wanted her mom's dog, Biscuit, to be sculpted. It was important to make sure and get all the markings. When finished...she was very pleased and had this to say....

"Wow Arlissa, the figurine looks amazing! It is really neat to see how it starts from a ball of clay and transforms into a dog, you really are a talented artist :) Wanted to let you know that words can not describe how much my mom LOVED the Biscuit figurine. Thanks so much again for being so wonderful to work with!"

The REAL Biscuit

Work in Progress

Work in progress

Finished Product

My health issues were really taking a toll on me while working on this one....so I run a little later than expected. But he was finally shipped directly to the customer's mother in Souderton, PA, where I hear that it is loved VERY much. Thank you Kristen for commissioning me to be a part of making your mom such a special gift. I hope that she enjoys it! Thanks again!

International Order

This order come to me via Etsy internationally from a very sweet woman who wanted her "little man" (as she called him) in sculpture form. It was very important to her that I capture his expression. And I think I did....here is what she had to say...

"I just wanted to let you know that I recieved my scupture today and I am beyond happy with your work, it is abousolutly fantastic, thank you so much for caputuring the essence of my little man! He is perfect!!! You have gone above and beyond my expectations!"

The REAL dog

Work in Progress...getting started

Work in Progress

Finished Product

So I got him done and made him a very nice plush bed of bubble wrap and packing peanuts and sent him home....to New South Wales in Australia. Thank you Erin for all your kind words and for giving me the honor and pleasure to make your "little man" for you! I hope you enjoy!

Sookie

This order come from one of the new sites I have started selling on which is www.craftisart.com. She wanted me to make a sculpt of her very loved "Sookie" a pit bull. It was strange at the timing as my cousin had just got mauled by a Pit Bull the day before this customer contacted me. She and I talked about the breed and hearing the story of how sweet dear Sookie was...reminded me that not all Pit Bulls are aggressive. And being the stupid person I am...I had just looked at the name without really reading it and for quite some time, kept calling her dog "SNOOKIE", like from the Jersey Shore. I felt really stupid when I asked if she did indeed name her from the girl on the show or elsewhere! Hehe!
But SOOKIE come together quite nicely. I hadnt been feeling good and run a little behind in finishing....but all in all I think she turned out really well!

The REAL Sookie

Sookie now lives in Chesapeake, VA with the real Sookie and her owner Dawn. Thank you Dawn for sharing Sookie's story with me. I so enjoyed sculpting her! I hope you like her! Thanks again!

Blackie

What a beautiful dog! This order come to me from Etsy. And I could tell by the pics that was sent of Blackie...that she was a VERY loved dog! What stood out the most to me about Blackie was her eyes...they were very expressive. So when I sculpted her, I wanted to try to duplicate that. And I obviously did a decent job...here is what the customer had to say:

"Arlissa....you are amazing!!!She is perfect perfect perfect! Thank you so much for making our angel."

Here is the REAL Blackie

Work in Progress

Finished Product

Blackie made the long trip from here to Los Angeles, California. Blackie's mommy, Susie, showed the real Blackie the sculpt. She was apprehensive at first I was told...but ended up approving! WHEW! I am so glad! :-) Thanks Susie! Can't wait to start the others!