Latest doll

I am participating in a Gallery show and sale in October.  I had a doll kicking around in my head and thought she would be perfect for the display.  I have finally finished her after tweaking her twice 0 once for her hair and second and finally for her face.  I kept looking at her and felt she really wasn't done.  She has a really wide ridiculous smile.  Finally it hit me - she looks like the sister from another mother of Alfred E. Newman!  So her final touches were freckles and a chipped front tooth.  NOW she is DONE!

Originally called "Bad Dog!", I got the idea from my Diva who has a large bear she likes to toss around.  We expect body parts to fall off it any moment she is so rough with it!  But so far so good.    Here is a closeup of her modified face.




I also decided to make new and different tags for my dolls.  I am making them based on my small books (a couple posts ago) with pics of the doll's face in a Cabochon on the front and the doll's story on an accordian fold pull out in lieu of pages in the book.

The show is at the Art of Toys, 1126 18th St, Sacramento, California.  Looking forward to the show though I won't be able to go .

Wonderland Remembered

I finally finished the doll I started while teaching.  I added a top hat, rabbit, a white rose partially painted red and of course the caterpillar!  I also rearranged the leaves a bit and added a wooden base to make room for the caterpillar.

I need to thank my former college roommate Chrissy for helping name her.  I think the name fits.

I also finished the new version of the Red Queen -"I told you Red Roses!"  The little card person under her foot was suggested by my friend Diane.  I thought it was a bit sadistic and was going to put a white rose but there it is!  This is the same doll as ZombiElla but different post and a few changes to the costume - no peplum on the corset.  Embroidered curtain sheer for her over skirt and blouse.  Her underskirt was a lovely red slinky dress I made about 30 years ago that I have finally realized I will NEVER fit into again!  I was going to teach this out in Albuquerque at the Enchanted Doll Conference in July but unfortunately the conference was canceled.

Completed Fairy Book

Back Cover

Front Cover

Spring Pages

Summer Pages

Autumn Pages

Winter Pages

Paper bead and Pearl Binding


Forgot to post the finished book!

Projects in process

I started this doll as a class sample to shoe how I combined the vintage linens and also demo the cloth over clay over cloth head.  It appears since she is dressed in blue she must be Alice. I built her a chair from a plastic jar of sorts.  Covered it in some scraps from one of my tree dolls and added a branch from my yard.  Leaves are sheer fabrics and others cut from a plastic odd bottle and embossed.  She still needs a rabbit, a top hat and maybe a caterpillar.

I also started another cloth book.  I sketched out the pages a few days ago after I finished the Fairy Book.  The subject of this book will be the Sun and will actually contain words I think.  Today I created the pages using a vintage cotton percale pillow case and gelatos.  They colors are wonderful and they are drying with interesting textures.  I like that I can go back and add spritches of water and the color will move again.  Wanted to simulate the sky at different times of the day. Here are the pages.  I made some extra because I do that!

Mini Books

I have been making mini books as accessories for my dolls, specifically my latest, The Scholar.  I received many inquiries on how to make the book so I have put together a short tutorial.  These books are of various sizes.  The covers are fabric scraps, the pages cut from one sheet of 9" x 12" construction paper.  I further enhanced the books the Scholar is holding with labels, stamps, and stickers. 

 Here is the brief tutorial:

Create the signatures:  This book measures approximately 1 3/4" x 2 1/8" finished.  I cut a sheet of 9" x 12" construction paper into 18  3" x 2" Pieces.  Fold each piece in half as shown to form 2" x 1 1/2" pages.  

Stack the signatures matching the folds.

Clamp all the signatures together and spread glue over the folds.  Set aside to dry.

NOTE:  The pics of the covers shown below are for a different size book.  The pages for this green book were cut 3" x 2 1/2".  Measurements for the covers are 1 5/8" x 2 5/8".  The spine is 1/2" x 2 5/8". The cover chipboard for the purple book was cut 1 5/8" x 2 1/8", spine 1/2" x 2 1/8".  The chipboard for the covers is abut 1/8" larger than the folded signature.

Arrange the chipboard pieces as shown on a piece of fabric of your choice preferably a cotton quilt type fabric..     The spaces between the covers and the spine should be 2 chipboard widths thick-about 1/8".  Glue them to the fabric.  You can also use fusible web.

Clip the corners as shown and apply glue to the fabric at the corners.  Fold the corners over the chipboard.

Glue the fabric to the chipboard as shown.  This is the inside of the book.

Outside of the book. 

Add more glue to the spine of the book block.

Center the book block on the spine and hold in place until it is stable then stand up the book and allow the glue to dry.

Cut a piece of end paper the width of the pages and long enough to go from the cover edge to the end of the first page.  For the end papers I used printed typing paper I created from scanning Gelli Plate prints.  I also used thin mulberry paper.  Use a thin paper to avoid bulk so you will not have a problem closing the book.  Apply glue to the inside cover and the first page.  Carefully set the end paper over the cover leaving a small reveal around the top, bottom and outer edge.  Smooth it into the spine and then onto the page.matching the side edges.  Trim any excess end paper.

Repeat for other cover.

Finished book!

The orange book and the black with stars book are the same size.- 1 3/4" x 2 1/4" finished.  The remaining two are also the same size 2 1/2" x 1 3/4" though the green is slightly longer.  I designed the books around the size of the pages I could get from a single sheet of construction paper with the least amount of waste.  They are perfect for doll accessories!

Two More Fairy .Book Pages

Finished the Autumn pages for my book.  Just the Winter pages and the covers!  More than half way. Working on Dorset Buttons to create snowflakes.

An Experiment....

I got an idea for a new project - maybe a class - using a piece of jewelry I found on a jacket I was getting ready to donate.  I also wanted to use a die I have had for a matchbox.  I first cut it out in chip board but the material was too thick.  Tried a thinner board but still too thick so went to card stock and though it was still a little tight, it worked.  I had to re-do some of the folds, but it works.  I covered the outer slide with embossed metal tape then added a medallion on the front with that lovely pin.  I also added some rhinestone chain from a flea market find necklace.  The top piece of the box is a metal filagree medallion I folded in half and the bottom embellishment was from thrift store find and it included the chain!  Perfect.  Decided to put a little fold out album inside with pics of the grands.  Now that it is done - NO WAY will I do this as a class!  took too much time, too fussy and a bit frustrating with the die!  But overall, pleased with the final results.

Fairy Book in Progress

Here is the second thing I am using some ecoprint fabric for- a Fairy book! (the first was the base of Dorothy!)  First pic is the pages cut out and the second is the second set of pages I have finished.  I am trying to work within the seasons for the dress design and the adjacent flowers.
 The first pages are Summer with Daisies and Dandelions.

 The secons set of pages are Spring and have Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinth, and Lily of the Valley.  All the lace is hand dyed or painted from my collection.  I recut these pages from some of the Eco Fabric with the Blueberries.  Subtle color in the background.  The leaves in all the pages are cut from sheer fabrics, dyed or painted with watercolor paints,  then stitched down

Eco-dyed Fabrics

i saw pics of fabrics on FaceBook that were dyed using leaves and flowers!  I have lots of high count 100% cotton fabric and some old 600 count cotton sateen sheets that would be great to experiment on.  I did two trials.   Gathered leaves from my backyard and added a few blueberries and sprinkled of tumeric and cayenne.  Here are the results. Left is with Blueberries on Southern Belle natural cotton, second is with the tumeric, cayenne and no berries but leaves dipped in iron water, fabric a pale yellow green 600 ct egyptian sheet.  Fabric soaked in soda ash with  an iron blanket on both.

I have since made a few more using different mordants and copper water, boiling in a bath and also steaming for hours.  Have to admit like the steamed ones better.  The colors and leaf definitions are much finer.  Here are more pics.

Next post will show what I am doing with some of the fabric!