Art Bra Events

Here is the cover of the ArtBra Calendar, stunning photography by Rosemary Carroll. The beautiful Bra was created by Barbara Blankenship with silk ribbon Roses and grape bunches. She even crocheted the fabric to cover the bra from sik ribbon!

To see this beautiful bra in person as well as all the ones and the crazy quilts in the calendar at Byer's Choice. Grand inveiling is Friday, night, October 2 at a gala and then they will be on display for the month of October. Most of the designers will be there Friday night to sign calendars too. We will also be at Byer's Saturday, October 3 from 10 am -12 noon, at the Mitchener Museum in Doylestown Saturday October 3 afternoon from 1pm - 3 pm and then back to Byers on Sunday, October 4 1-3 in the afternoon. Please stop by and purchase a calendar. The foundation, Way to Women's Wellness, will be donating a portion of the net proceeds from sales of the 2010 WTWW ArtBra calendar to the Fox Chase Women's Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA to support the mammography mobile van program and to Lehigh Valley Breast Health Center in Allentown, Pa to support Survivor Services. Can't meet us in Pa, visit the Art Bra site to purchase a calendar or two or three!

We Are Going to Print!!!!

Just found out today the 2010 Art Bra calendar will be going to print. We should have hard copies by the beginning of October in time for the Byer's Choice and Fox Chase Cancer Center events. I am soooo excited!!! Interested in seeing more and maybe ordering a calendar? Visit the Art Bra site! If you are in the eastern Pennsylvania area, see the display live at Byer's Choice. - they sell dolls you know! I have included a pic I took while the Hearts and Flowers bra was under construction. Each cup is covered with about 75 different size hearts made from gold fabric and edged with gold dimensional paint or glitter glue. There is about 200 yds of ribbon and over 150 small ribbon hearts. the ribbon and flowers were lightly gilded with gold spray paint. The bra started out Hot Pink! Of course the pics in the calendar are much better! I also did one that is all beaded and named "Heavenly Bodies". You can see more pics of the bras and quilts at our flickr site too.

New Baby Gifts

Two good friends recently became grandmothers (WOW are we that old!!) to little girls. Of course I am compelled to make them dolls-a little late since one of the babies is almost 2! So here are the little friends I made using my Ragalia pattern. I also made chairs for them to sit in - just to make sure they have a good home. The first one is Cora and she is 1/4 chinese. She inherited more of the Irish (her mother is fair and red haired). I made two outfits for her. One stores in her chair which started out life as a wooden box. The Kimono was in my gift package from Kate Erbach and I made the pants to match. I also took the heels off her shoes so she can wear little black slippers. Second is Madeline. She is very victorian. Her parents are very into history and actually live in a house built in the 1700s! Her chair is an upolstered "slipper chair". Both chairs have a crackle finish.

Ms. Peacock makes it home!

Today I received Ms. Peacock, my 2008 Hoffman Challenge doll, home. She is really in pretty good shape - her hair, feather and flowers are a bit flattened but all her beading held up as did the boa. The large flower pot behind her became unscrewed even though it was held in with a 3/4" screw. If I do this again, I'll add some glue in the hole and on the bottom of the pot. She was also a bit crooked but there was a number tag pinned to the bottom. Once I removed that, she stood up pretty straight. I fixed the pot by just rescrewing it back in!

I also received my prize package from Sulky this week. What a bunch of fun things to play with. All the threads are beautiful and one of my favorite things is a rhinestone "I Love Sulky" pin!

I have also been meaning to share a pic of the spectacular prize package I received for Penny Bowles in the Penny Doll challenge. The package was put together by Kate Erback and she was so very generous. I love everythink in it and have started using some of the items. I think that cute little kimono will fit my Lady Ragalia. I have one made and will have to try it on. Thanks so much Kate!

After Doll Club

When I got home from Doll Club on Friday, I had lots of creative energy and after finishing my Pink Fairy Queen, I worked on some gifts. I made some clay cabachons for a class for my EGA guild. Another member is going to teach the beaded butterflies (and shells too) and I had done some for gifts so thought I would include them all in one pic. I just love doing these! Basic directions for the butterfly pins can be found in an article I wrote for CQMAG on line here for the basic beading and here for making the pins. I have changed the directions a bit though, I glue the entire back of the piece after beading and before cutting off the excess fabric. This keeps the beads in place for the most part if you happen to cut a thread. Also, sew the pin back to the felt before attaching it to the back to finish the pin. For the beaded cabachons, here are directions using clay faces. Once you have the beads around the face in place, the possibilities are endless! Apply the same changes as for the beaded butterflies. The one shown in the pic here are just different size loops layered around. This can also give the impression of flower petals if using just seed beads.

I also updated my website with more pics of my Hoffman Challenge doll.

August Doll Club

This month I thought we could use a break from working on our story book dolls so I put together a little fun project of making a paper doll ala Barbara Willis but using Venus from Botticelli's painting. I had to make a few changes in photoshop, but it was fun dressing and posing her. I made a sample for the meeting dressed in Victorian style. At the meeting I made mine a pink fairy queen. We didn't finish, but here are the ladies with their works in progress. First is Mary with her Project Runway Model in off the shoulder elegance. Next is Diane I who's elegant lady is dressed in silk and lace. Diane K's is in period dress. Jane's is modern hippie chic complete with a sort of marble tie die skirt. Maria doll sports a queenly back piece. Margaret's lovely lady is ready for an evening soiree.

I also had to include a picture of Diane K's wonderful clown. I just love the colors and her perfect hands and feet. She is from my pattern that was in SDA. In front of her is a small beautifully beaded doll that was her name pin at Day With Dolls.

Hoffman Challenge and other events

Congrats to all the winners of the Hoffman Challenge. To see the winning dolls click here. Can't wait to see the dolls when they start touring! Though I didn't place in the Hoffman part, my doll did come in third in the Sulky part of the challenge. I feel great about this as I was really competing against all the entries that checked they used Sulky products in their entry.

I have been diligently working on a project that will raise money for Breast Cancer research. Those of us affiliated with Victoria Adams Brown's original ARTBRA EXHIBIT are going to be involved in a few upcoming events involving new Art Bras! Byers' Choice , a manufacturer of wonderful dolls, will host a fundraiser in the month of October. If you access their site, you can see a rendition of my "Hot Flash" on the manikin. There will also be a 2010 ArtBra calendar.I'll keep you posted when and where the calendars will be going on sale. They will not only feature bras, but also the crazy quilts we created and donated to Breast Cancer Treatment Centers. On Friday, October 2, there will be a Gala and Art Bra Exhibit opening at Byer's Choice in Chalfont, Pa. Please stop in and say hi!