Willa

My new doll is almost done. I have taken a long time to get this one finished. Her name is Willa.

I love everything about her and am looking forward to making another one with an easier body.

She needs shoes and underware. I also need to decide how I like her hair best and if I want a hat for her. I think I am most satisfied with the picture above. Although I had made her an apron and a hat as well.

There will certainly be things that I will do differently with the next one. But I am so happy to have this one at this stage.

I still have a few orders that I need to work on. It is so hard at this point to get around to starting them. I think I have burned out on making dolls for others and just needed some time to work on some of my own projects.

I will be teaching Hammered Dulcimer at the Swannanoa Gathering the week of Aug 2- 8 at the Warren Wilson College in Asheville, NC. I am looking forward to that. If there are any out there that live in the area please stop by and take in the concert on Monday night. I will be playing in that as well and my sister will accompany me.

Time for me.

I finally have time to work on one of my own projects. I had a wonderful time directing Vacation Bible School at my church. We had some neat kids, great skits, and learning times. And a number of kids made decisions to follow Jesus.

And now I have some time to doodle around on my own dolls. So I am trying to finish one that I had started almost a year ago.

This is how she looked with her body on and gessoed.

Then I started painting her face and body a flesh color. I always like painting the eyes first. This our first look at each other. We are both pretty happy.

This is her pretty face almost done. I love using chalks and pencils for final touches.

Now her eyebrows are done and its almost time for a wig. I wanted to make one but I'm not so great at that. And this is a pretty big head so I'm wondering how hard it would take to make one.

Smallsville

Today a sweet friend surprised me with a gift she purchased off of ebay. I had shown it to her and said how adorable he was. And today she gave him to me. Isnt he just about the coolest thing? I thought he might be Topo Gigio. But after looking at pictures of the Topo puppet I don't think he is. This mouse has a long tail with a wire in it that goes to the surface and helps him stand up. he also has a head that moves really easily. I'm wondering if there is some mechanism that causes him to do something special.

Yesterday I finally got around to working on the last of the orders from the Asheville event. They are two littl litho type dolls. I draw them out using a template onto cloth and then paint them. Then I stitch the back and front together leaving an opening and stuff. AFter closing the hole I have to make clothes for them. This is the stage that I am at now.You can see that there are more than two here. I decided to make a couple more. maybe this time i will keep one.

These two are my favorites. I will post more pictures when they are done. I also started working on the body for my sculpted face mask doll that I have been waiting so long to make. Judi Ward drew me a pattern for the body while she was here making it much easier for me.

I was able to cut and sew all the pieces late last night but I believe the neck is too large so I am going to unstuff and make a few alterations and then put it back together. I can hardly wait to be able to paint the beautiful face.

Still in Doll Show mode

Although it has been 5 days since the doll event I am still in doll show mode. I can't stop making the dolls and the clothes. I even had to try and paint one of the wardrobes. The picture does not do it justice. I think it came out nicely. I rubber stamped a design over the crackeled and antiqued paint. It was fun to paint the wardrobe. I might have to try another one in another color.

I finally finished this little girl. Her name is Lacey. She won a third place ribbon at the Land O Sky doll event in Asheville NC. I like her a lot. This was not the dress I had in mind for her but as time ran out I put a dress on her that I already had and then made the apron up really fast. She sits really prettily.

I had made the dolls for the event and they all were sold. I was able to make and sell a companion doll and outfits as well. My husband made the cutest wardrobes for the dolls.

OH, and I made a baby for the dollies as well. I did not have time to dress her but I took lots of orders for her. I think the event was a big success. I enjoyed the meal, the fellowship, and the programs. One program was by Linda Edwards who researches and writes about cloth dolls. She has a very nice book that I was able to purchase and have her sign.

I also was able to take myself and two friends to see the Biltmore House as i was given free tickets by a friend of mine. What would I do without my friends?!

And speaking of friends, my two friends Beth and Selena went with me and helped me to sell my things and take orders. I could not have done it without them.

Beth is on the left and Selena is on the right. That is me in the middle.

I finally got around to working on a doll of my own instead of someone elses. I think she turned out pretty. Still not what I was aiming for but pretty. Now she needs a dress and penafore. She already picked out the fabric. I will have to make her sandals because her feet are sweet.

I also finished a little apron for the dolls that are going to the Land O' Sky event in two weeks. I hope to make a bunch of these to take with me.

I finally finished all the dolls that are going to the big doll event at the end of March. I have a lot of dresses to make. But that is fun. At least I say that at the beginning of the work. After about 50 dresses I'll be wishing for something new to do.
I have been sneaking a little work here and there on some dolls that I have been wanting to make. One is done and has a new home already. One just is not coming together right. Her face is a sculpt and it is too pretty to just "settle" for the bodies that i have been putting together. I have cast out two bodies and one pair of legs. And now that I have put one new leg on the body I settled for it isnt working properly. This girl is just going to have to have better than that. I'll try and post pictures of both dolls.
In the meantime I am selling some of my treasures on ebay. One of the neccessities created by the economy. Plus I am learning how not to 'store up treasures on the earth'. But instead to store them up in heaven. Not such an easy lesson sometimes.