So with a deep breath and heart pounding, I enter the arena of "the craft fair" on Feb. 21. Fingers crossed!
I have finally completed my last doll before the craft show, which begins on Friday evening. I am beyond excited, nervous, anxious, etc. I still have to complete a small doll bed coverlet (for display) and iron several table covers. Have to pick up some change and some hand wipes and then, I'm ready. Without further ado, here is Jessine: When I was a child I knew a girl who had hair just like this and the same coloring and I thought she was so beautiful. I've never met another girl that had the name, so it is firmly attached in my mind to this beautiful child, who was the little sister of one of my friends. Jessine's hair is Tibetan lambskin and though lovely, it is a bear to sew. Rather expensive, as well, so I doubt I'll be using it often, but it is so pretty. Mostly, I'll probably stick to a fuzzy mohair. She loves to have someone read to her or tell her stories and she plays in her blue romper with tiny blue heart buttons. She also is wearing white crocheted boots with blue buttons and carries a wool felt purse. Jessie's purse is hand sewn and embroidered and has a bound buttonhole with a porcelain button that actually will work, so she can carry things...maybe her barrettes. It also has a braided floss shoulder strap.
So with a deep breath and heart pounding, I enter the arena of "the craft fair" on Feb. 21. Fingers crossed!
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I got my new "workshop" apron in the mail yesterday and was quite pleased with it. This will be worn when I'm manning my craft fair booth. People won't have trouble knowing who to talk to if they have questions or want to buy. I love the two deep pockets and that it is quite long. I can carry money, pens, phone, receipt book, etc., right there. In the past week, I've also dyed two white tablecloths blue, as well as my hang tags, then tagged almost everything that needed tags, and wrote out chalkboard signs. Making lots of progress. Hubby is going to paint my candelabra display and varnish the stained lazy susan. Today I completed a redo of an old, very ugly suitcase. My intention was not to make it look new, but to make it still look old, but not ugly. I think I got it! Hubby doesn't really understand this process or this goal. While I don't mind the wrinkles, bubbles and tears, he thinks it was a failure. I'm quite happy with it, but he just says, "if it's what you wanted, then good." LOL!
After nearly a year of thinking about it, talking about, working on it sporadically.......I finally finished my original paper dolls last night! Here is a sneak peak at my paper doll, "Dee Dee," based on the Waldorf dolls. Caucasian Brunette: Caucasian Red Head w/freckles: Caucasian blonde: Nightgown: African American: Asian: Latina: There are also a play outfit, a winter coat and a party dress. I was so excited (and nervous!) when I dropped the originals off at the local professional printer today. I got a wonderful price and they will be done on fantastic papers, but I'm nervous about leaving my precious art work somewhere. I got separation anxiety! It's only till Friday, but still....there is a lot of work represented here---countless hours of planning, editing, correcting, coloring. I hope I'm safe in assuming that professionals will take very good care with my work :0
I've been very busy in the past week doing things that involve my displays. I dyed two tablecloths (and all my hang tags!) a lovely light blue and I'm currently working on decoupaging a vintage suitcase. It's about 1/2 done, but I think it's going to be great. It is just to set things on or against, to help with having various heights for display. I have done some chalkboard signs and completed many of the hang tags, as well. Still have a few more signs and hang tags to do; Jim is working on staining and finishing a wonderful wooden lazy susan for me to display my Baby Dumplings on. They will be in a white basket peering out at passersby ;) I think they will be irresistible. I just wish I had about 10 more made :( Have to do a simple coverlet for the doll bed. Jim is also going to paint a few baskets and my metal candelabra. So much to finish! I still have acorn dolls to do and two more (hopefully!) Waldorf dolls. Running....out....of....TIME! Hide and Seek, Hopscotch, Go Fish! Annabelle loves to play games! [By the way......the hair (cat? Jim's?) seems to have been on the camera lens, not on the doll.] Belle loves bright colors and mixing them all up in one outfit makes her very happy. Brown shoes make her sad, so she talked mommy into sewing purple "buckles" on them. :) Annabelle has her brown mohair hair braided and comes in a bright, multicolored cotton dress with pink tights and brown crocheted shoes with purple buttons. She has crocheted ties on her braids to match her tights. At some point, Annabelle might get a grey wool knitted sweater....or maybe a woven wool jacket. If not, there will be a hand made purse to carry her special "stuff." Decisions still to be made. Funny, the latest doll I've completed becomes my favorite. I do love playing with my little "Chickies." Annabelle says, "Bye bye for now. See you later!"
My little Ellie is named for her because of her curly blonde braids. She is so sweet and is my favorite doll so far. She is a bit over 18" tall, with soft, fuzzy blonde mohair hair and blue eyes. She is wearing her favorite pink corduroy overalls with the birdie print, darker pink long sleeved T-shirt, soft grey crochet Mary Jane shoes with buttons and a grey woolen crochet cap with a button flower. Ellie is a very quiet girl, but she loves to watch the birds and birdsong is her favorite sound. I'm really going to have trouble letting this one go when the time comes.
An old friend of mine from many years ago used to use the phrase, "She's a tulip!" to describe a small child (hers!) with a fun personality. I decided there was no better name for my new doll than "Tulip." So here she is! Tulip is probably going to have a few freckles (when I find just the perfect pen or paint to apply them that isn't too dark and won't smear or rub off) to go with that red wool hair, green eyes, and fair skin. She's quite the busy little girl, never stopping till she falls asleep (wherever she happens to be at the time) with her natural cotton velvet blankie. She takes it everywhere. Her busy-little-bee personality is the reason why her hair only has a few braids (no patience to wait for mommy to do all that) and why her hair isn't done up perfectly. Tulip is about 18" tall and dressed in a loose cotton top and pants with white trim, panties, and white crochet "boots." She's ready for a new mama in February!
Apologies for a couple of the blurrier photos...still working on that. I think I need a tripod....wait a minute...I think we have one around here somewhere.... I've been working on my first full-sized Waldorf doll and she is finished, but waiting for clothes! I am so excited by her personality and can't wait to get started on her clothing. She is not a very patient tot and if she had toes, she'd be tapping them, saying, "Come on, would you. I'm freezing!" She has masses of carrot-colored hair, green eyes and freckles. She loves to tumble and play, but has no patience for mommy to braid her hair, so it gets braided a little and then pinned up and when it starts to fall, Tulip doesn't care. She just keeps on playing as hard as she can go. Stay tuned for a day or two for new photos of Tulip in her play clothes.
Well, as I said, Alexa needed a companion, so I drew out a bunny in wool felt and cut, stuffed (just a wee bit), sewed him up and embroidered facial details. He is sewn together by buttonhole stitch on the outside. He has pinkish ears and even whiskers and is only about 5 1/2" tall. Now Alexa has someone to cuddle with and keep her company until she has dolly friends or a new home with a mommy of her own. The pink rickrack is not part of the bunny, but is attaching him to Alexa for display, so they don't get separated. The blue aqua embroidery floss ribbon/bow IS part of the bunny (and sewn on.) Alexa is very pleased to have a cuddly bunny friend.
My next project is a 15-16" doll that I am already working on. This first one involves some pattern drafting and tweaking around of sizes and parts, and then some more pattern drafting for clothes. I haven't purchased patterns for these dolls, but am trying to following the guidelines for Waldorf dolls, but be as original as I can. That goes for the clothing, too. It will be simple, but well-made and easy to change for the little ones. I just completed my first Waldorf doll, and it was so much fun. I do see things I'd like to do differently (or better) in future dolls, but overall, I'm rather pleased with her. I had a name all picked out for her.....it was going to be "Holly" because, well, it IS December and I have lovely holly trees loaded with berries in my yard. However, when she was all done, she whispered (shyly and very politely) in my ear that her name was "Alexa..... please" which wasn't even a name I'd thought about or put on my list of future doll names to use. But there you have it. And so, without further ado, meet Alexa! True to Waldorf tradition, Alexa is made from pure cotton knit "skin," 100% wool stuffing, and the softest alpaca hair. She wears a handmade (by me) cotton top and shorts, hand crocheted "boots," and a pink elastic hair ribbon. Her hair can be "finger combed" all day long and doesn't fuzz or pill. She stands about 13" tall and can pose, sitting, very nicely. Most of my Waldorf dolls will be more like 15"-16", but this was a good size with which to start. Alexa has the simplest of facial features, as the original Waldorf/Steiner dolls do, so the child can imagine all sorts of emotions for the doll. I prefer the original "no nose" design, both for its simplicity and the fact that, in the dolls of this sort that do have noses, that is the first place that they wear out. I'd rather not see a much-loved doll with a hole where it's nose used to be! That is just sad :(
I may also make some panties for Alexa, and then a small felt animal companion for her, so she won't be lonely waiting for her friends to come to life in my hands :) She needs a friend to whisper her little girl secrets to. ;) Well, finally I can post some more photos of finished work for the shop. I've been so busy! My newest creations are these 12" old fashioned "T-dolls." They were so much fun to make, as each one got different hair and eye colors. The faces are hand embroidered. There is a lot of variation to their clothing details. All have "bloomers," but then, some have a slip with a ruffle that hangs below the dress, some have aprons, some have bonnets, and some just have extra details on the dresses, like special buttons, trims or hand embroidery. They were a joy to make and I hope they all go to homes where they will be appreciated. Here's a sneak peak at some of them with apologies for some less-than-clear images. They were clear when I viewed them on my photo gallery, but for some reason, show up blurry here. Who knows. Photography isn't my thing; sewing is ;) AND.....I have dressed a dozen of a similar doll done in "mini" size. These are about 4" tall and they also have tiny bloomers (sewn on so they don't fall off and get lost) and little dresses. They didn't get aprons or bonnets because it's just overkill for the size, I think. Anyhow, here's a sampling of the "mini T''s". These little ones were meant to be companion dollies for the larger ones, but I intend to sell them separately, so I can keep the price of the larger dolls down a bit. The little ones took a lot more labor time than you'd ever imagine, so I'm going to make them separate items, though probably discount somewhat for anyone who buys the larger doll, too. I can see little girls carrying these around in a pocket.
I intend to go back and make a couple more Baby Dumplings (see them at this previous post on my old blog site: http://chickadeeworkshop.wordpress.com/2013/09/22/photos-at-last/ in darker skin tones and then I'll move on to my Waldorf dolls. The rest of the time between now and my first craft show will be devoted to completing as many of them as I can and finishing up some details of display and marketing. Oh, and my paper dolls which are coming along nicely. I have the clothing finished, but need to color several different versions of hair and skin tones for the doll itself. I might post another brief post with a sneak peak at "Dee Dee" shortly. She's been so much fun to work on and quite a learning experience. |
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