Natural History Mini Book

Boy it’s been a long time since I posted. I have been busy with projects, just haven’t been able to get things posted. I’ve taken a step away from doll making to give my poor aching hands a rest. I decided to work on some paper art projects and am really enjoying that. I’ve also been doing some knitting not with needles, but with looms. Later for that.

This is the first paper art project I’m going to post, I have done others and will post them another time. This is a design by Alexandra M. There are so many wonderful kits to purchase from her site and she offers many tutorials to show you how to put those projects together.

Alexandra M’s Etsy site                              Alexandra M on You Tube

So this is the project. it’s titled Natural History Mini Book. I will show you the individual pages first, that make up this book, the kit is available on her Etsy site. There you will see a number of pictures of everything contained in her project, and again in the accompanying YouTube videos. Make your way over to Alexandra’s You Tube channel where she has generously taken the time to do 7 videos explaining how to put this all together from start to the finishing details. It may seem daunting, but once you start the process is not difficult at all, Alexandra has a well thought out teaching process.

Each of the five pages is embellished on both sides and each has a large tag with beautiful art on each side. The flip side of the large tags are pictured below. When you watch the video’s for the kit, Alexandra shows you all the gorgeous details, there are so many.

These two pages are the front and back inside covers.

                 

These are all extras, embellishments, envelopes, small tags, fussy cuts and cards. Alexandra fills each printable page with all kinds of great extras as she doesn’t like to leave a lot of wasted space on the paper. These can be used to fill up the notebooks that you will make as well, applying them throughout the pages.

And now these are the pictures of my finished version of Alexandra’s design. It varies from her finished book slightly. I have used some silk flowers on the top corner. On the spine I added a couple of the extras and a bit of bling for the top just below the flower. I added a tab to hold the book closed, but I may have to add an eyelet and cord to wrap around as the book has gotten quite full and the magnets I used are just barely able to hold back the flood of pages. ;o)

On the spine and the tab to hold the book closed, I used a product called Kraft Tex. I buy mine from Black Rabbit Fabric here in British Columbia, also the colour I used, on Amazon.ca, but you can find it easily in many places. Click on any colour on the Black Rabbit Fabric page and you can read the description of the product. I am going to use it for journal covers, I think it would be perfect for that, but it has so many applications.

A TIP: use a glue such as Aleene’s Tacky Glue or Weld Bond, something that will give a sturdier hold. This is a heavier product than cardstock and requires a little extra holding power. The colour of the Kraft Tex I used, is called Saffron. When I got to the stage of covering the chip board pieces for the front and back covers, I used a cotton fabric with a tiny checker board pattern. The tab is fastened on the back with a brad, the front has magnets.

    

Beaded Hummingbird Pin Cushion

My first project of the new year 2024, is this pretty hummingbird pin cushion. I’ve had the kit for a little while and decided while the snow is falling why not  work on project while staying nice and warm indoors.

This is a kit I purchased from a seller on Etsy that is from Ukraine. Those artists in Ukraine are truly amazing. You can find Wonderland Ukraine HERE.

Everything you need is included in the kit. They use wood cuts for beading on. I think it’s like an MDF board. It’s a medium density fibre (MDF) wood product. It’s made by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibre. Then combined with wax and a resin binder and formed into panels using high temperature and pressure. It does not off gas and is in incredibly hard.

Every colour of bead is individually packaged, as well you will receive all the necessary parts to complete the project. They even include the felt to attach to the back to cover the stitching. Very simple to assemble. Take a look at the Etsy site, they have a great variety of unique projects to choose from.  Here is my finished piece.

All you have to provide is some glue to stand the hummingbird up in the space provided. After you stitch the pin cushion together, you first glue a circle piece of wood inside the base, then glue the pincushion into the base. I used a glue stick and it seems to be holding well. Enjoy…

Missing Pictures on Posts

UPDATE:

There are many posts missing the images that go with the text. I’m hearing it’s a Google issue and I’ve also heard it’s a problem with the software I use, Open Live Writer, or a combination of both. I don’t know the actual problem but some comments I read, say it has something to do with a change in plug ins or other that has changed in Google.

In any case, some bloggers are missing years of images, so let’s hope it’s corrected soon. Not sure when it will be fixed, but in the meantime I will be adding back the images that aren’t showing. If there is a post that you would like to see the images for, you can still click on the image names below the text of each post, and they will still display, although you will have to do them one at a time.

Hopefully this will be corrected soon. Thank you..

The Plaque Doctors

The first cases of bubonic plaque or the Black Death were discovered in the 14th century. There were doctors known as the plaque doctors, who at great risk to themselves, and without the type of protective measures available today, went through their communities, at the request of the villagers, to attend to the sick and dying during what could only be described as a horrific time in history.

This doll is my original creation, the design is based on what references I was able to find online regarding the plaque doctors. This doll is dedicated to those courageous doctors, then and now. Included are the many doctors and other health care professionals and in the real scientific community, during the last three years, who stood up on behalf of humanity. They stood up against the pressure of those who would try to silence them.  Their jobs, family relationships, and their daily lives were regularly threatened, but they continued on to do what was right.

Most have lost their medical licenses and pretty much everything in their lives, but even with that, they still continue to stand without faltering. They showed, by collecting data and by extensive research, how dangerous the so called vaccines are, and not really vaccines at all, just poisons created to test on humans, as guinea pigs. At the same time they were exposing the truth of the last three years, these brave health care professionals and scientists of all stripes, have also exposed those who have been involved in this vast deception.

Many doctors that complied and took the shots, for fear of losing everything if they refused, have passed away. In Canada, there has been, the last I heard, over 100 doctors that passed soon after receiving the shots. While all of those who passed, may not have been as a result of the vax, it is still hard to accept so many deaths of young and middle aged doctors dying so close together. Media outlets will of course deny all of this, they are paid to say those things, but use your own ability to discern the truth from fiction. Follow the money and you will understand. Now on with the doll and how it came together.

Something I’ve never tried before, was to map out on the doll’s body, all of the steps to complete the doll. This is just the top, I repeated this on the bottom half. None of this will be seen in the finished doll.

Using the reference pictures and articles I found, I made a number of embellishments to complete his look. But wait, he also needs hands, feet and of course a head. I also made a companion for him with a little touch of artistic license. His clothing, including his hat, is almost all leather (from a bag of jacket leather pieces donated to my doll making adventures). The only part that isn’t leather is his shirt.

His head, hands (made to look like he’s wearing gloves), and his boots, are made with polymer clay. His companion is also clay. All the embellishments that include oranges, garlic, the top of his staff are clay, the staff itself is a wooden dowel. I made a leather book and included a history of the Plaque Doctor, and explanations of what is included with his clothing and why. The last part of the embellishments, are his belts (one is inside), the other around the waist outside where I have added a pouch that contains his notebook.

The first part of his costume are his leather pants, his shirt made with tiny wale corduroy and cube beads for buttons Around the waist over the shirt is a leather belt. Again, like the map in the first step, this won’t be seen but as a doll maker, I believe in doing all the steps to complete the doll, even those that will not be seen without exploring much closer.

I then added his boots. The plaque doctors were very concerned with making sure that every bit of their skin was well covered to avoid any unwanted contact with the disease and as the plaque is thought to be spread by flea bites, they wanted to be sure fleas would not get through the clothing. I attached his boots and secured them further with leather bands on the lower legs. His faux gloved hands are attached in the same way as the lower legs. He will be holding his staff in one.

His coat is finished with brown buttons. He has a cape across his shoulders. The second belt I made is wrapped around his waist. The notebook is inside the pouch which is fed onto the belt.

The head of the doll is sculpted in the shape of a bird. There is debate regarding the origin of the bird like mask. In practical terms, the beak was used as a kind of respirator, packed with herbs and oils, like mint and lavender to block the Masma  (bad smell), and to protect the doctors from becoming infected by the bad air. The head is covered with a helmet, and around the neck is a cowl. The finish of the head are the goggles. The pictures I found show a white cloth mask, but I chose just to sculpt the simple birds head without the cloth mask.

The last part is always the most fun, putting it all together. There is a bundle of garlic attached to the belt. Apparently the doctors would chew on the cloves, maybe another attempt to diffuse the bad smells around them. There is a string of oranges for the same purpose of trying to cover the masma, I’ve given him a faux lantern held in his right hand. The staff in the left. The final touches are his hat, securing him, the book and his companion to the mirror base and he’s done. I hope you enjoyed my process for creating the Plaque Doctor… it was a worthy project for sure. Enjoy ;o)

If you want to see more of the Plaque Doctors, I have a full board inspirations on Pinterest.

https://www.pinterest.ca/romonak/plague-doctors/

Wooly Pear

This is another fun design from The Wooly Thread Co. It’s a great project for decorating. This particular one is a spring theme. You can use any type of wool for this. The stitches are very basic, so if you are new to needlework, this is not a hard pattern to make.

Mine is made using wool felt. You can find  pre-made in yardage and in 9” x 12” pieces, available in lots of places. I used buttons and beads to embellish, but this design lends itself to adding whatever trims you have in your stash.

The stitching is done with DMC embroidery threads, but there is no reason why you couldn’t use any type of thread. It’s just one of those projects you can really adapt to suit your decorating style. The base I have it displayed on, is one I had in my stash intended for one of my dolls. She hasn’t surfaced yet, so this pear will get to use it. ;o))

This is the link to this pear design.  She also has another pear shape design for winter. It’s so pretty with the red and white theme. Here is the link to that one.  Enjoy

Crochet Pullover

I’m all over the place with different projects, but isn’t that what keeps life interesting. Everyone should  have some kind of hobbies. I push that on everyone. Being creative is good for the mind and body. It focuses your brain on something that you’re making and it also serves to help calm the mind from all the stresses we  have today.

I am waiting for that bright new day that is just around the corner. Leave the past behind because you can’t change anything back there, the future isn’t here yet, so focus on today and make each day count. So on with what I made a while ago.

This is from a design by MJ’s Off  the Hook. I just happened to have the very same colour and cotton yarn destined for something else. I changed my mind when I saw this. Her sizing is very good. It comes up to what she says as long as you are getting the right tension.

This is my version.  Just love that pretty minty green, perfect for springtime.

Because of the open lacework, clearly you need something underneath it, or not…. depending I guess on what you like. I decided to make this sleeveless top to wear under it. A simple top from a Simplicity pattern. Any kind of top will do. ;o)

Patterns like this are best because you get all kinds of options with it.

And here it is with the top tucked inside. I really like it. Very comfy. If I were to ever make it again, I would change one thing. I didn’t check the sleeve length as I was working along, I would probably make the sleeves a couple of inches shorter. So that’s it. Enjoy….