Lucy

This is my latest customer order. This is Lucy. Such a cute little raggie doll. She's an original design by Karlene Atkins. Her dolls are similar, but each one does still have it's own charm and she's given each one just a little something different. In this case, Lucy has her own quilted blanket. I've dressed Lucy in her christmas fancies as per my customers wishes. I think she's just adorable and if you haven't tried Karlene's patterns, you really should. They are so well laid out and she's very precise about the measurements so that everything comes together just right.


Here is a closeup of Lucy's face. I love how Karlene has done the faces, they are just so sweet and what little girl wouldn't love a raggie with a face like this.

Christmas doings

I've been working on some small gift items for christmas. I haven't crocheted in a while, so I did a little bit of pulling back and redoing, but I'm on track again, just as I'm about to finish up...The other day I was driving through the parking lot at the shopping center and saw a man walking with a big bag in hand and being nosey, I spotted a glittery something or other sticking out of the top of the bag. I realized it was a christmas tree but not just A tree, but a tree perfect for hanging ornaments and things on while working on them for the holidays and beyond. I checked out the name of the store and zoomed right over there. I got the last one. She said she could get more, but Murphy's Law seemed to be inevitable if I didn't take the display model ( which is in perfect shape anyway).... Isn't it just a crafters delight...so now, the little angels I've been working away on, have a place to wait until they go to their new homes.

3 Bags Full

I took a short break from some orders I was working on, to give myself a rest. Instead of dolls I made this tote bag. It's a design by a local woman and it was a nice project to get me going again. I guess sometimes we need to just stop what we're doing, do something else then get back to it. It does help. This is the first step of the bag. Nothing too unusual right... Just a tote bag with buttons on it for interest. So now we move on to step 2. This is a sleeve to cover the bag about 2/3rds of the way up. This makes for another bag, with a different theme. Perhaps for spring time use. And now we have step 3. The sleeve is reversible. Now you have a third bag, maybe this would be good for evening use??? Don't know, but it's a great concept. From this point, you could make a number of sleeves for one bag and have it look different each time....

A couple of things

For anyone who is entering the Joggles Shoe Challenge, good news. Barb has extended the deadline to December 1st. So if you didn't think you would have time to do an entry, perhaps now you do and for anyone who thought they couldn't get done in time, maybe now you can.... ;o)

Also, for you doll makers, don't forget to check out the Cloth Doll Pattern Review blog that Judy Wellnitz has set up. All the details are there for searching and submitting pattern information...

My Shoe Challenge Entry

Who else is out there and entering the Joggles Shoe Challenge. The deadline is looming, so if you're working on something, there's only a little more than a week at this point to get it finished. I've got mine ready now, just have to get it ready to send. Some details about it. For the base I used a wooden plaque treated with a mosaic design using Shell Laminates from New Zealand, and Frescolina for the textured look.

The mask is made with wool felt and embellished with white velvet leaves that I beaded to match the shoe, along with other trims, cabachons and rhinestones. The shoe itself is a black velvet shoe that used to hit the dance floor how many moons ago, but it's now covered with black and white velvet beaded leaves along with green

velvet and green silk leaves for contrast. I found a wonderful embellishment at a boutique, it was actually supposed to be a pony tail holder, but it has a new purpose. The theme that came to mind when I first heard about the challenge, was the Cinderella Story and I had just watched Ever After with Drew Barrymore, so it just seemed to fit. Here's a finished look including a very soft pink silk rose to finish off the look.

More pincushion dressforms

Gee whiz, two posts in two days. I'm on a roll....
I've just finished two more of my pincushion dressforms for our local fabric shop. I thought they looked pretty swishy, and that's a completely unbiased opinion...;o)... They have totally different looks because they simply just took on a life of their own and I just went with the flow. The faces are done with Sherry Goshon's "Joy" pressmold. The treatments for the hair or no hair, were inspired by Judy Wellnitz online class for alternatives to hair and the rest just came together from my imagination with what seemed to suit each one. I hope you enjoy these little ladies.... It's always hard to choose names, but one is "Bonnie Blue", the other simply "Plum".

Latest doll

I've just finished another doll for our local tea shop. He turned out great after a struggle with the pattern. However, getting it done was the important part. He's an original design by Leslie Molen, simply called "The Butler". The original design does not come with the props, I created them because I was having some issues around trying to arrange a tray in his hands to have him serving tea. I searched for a suitable table and just couldn't find the thing I was after, so I made one. I pulled out my wood turns and ornament shapes and this is what I came up with. The various wood shapes are a combination of a christmas ornament spindle shape, a short candle sconce, a wagon wheel, mini spools and a wood turn that could be used for a variety of things.

The top is a flat ornament shape that I came up with a few years ago when I had a pattern published in a decorative painting ornament contest. Here is the before, just plain wood. Next is the table with a coat of paint applied. Then the whole picture, the butler, his table adorned with the tea service and a tea cup destined for his visitor. The silver tray is one I found at a second hand store for $.50. Don't you just love those treasures...