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!

More about my Challenge Doll

I mentioned It seemed I did everything twice on this doll and that includes the sketches. For some reason when I was getting ready to dress the doll, I wasn't happy with the original sketch and did another one. The final doll was a combination of the two. Thought you would enjoy seeing them.

Did I mention her hair is tibetan lamb that started out white? I dyed it green - twice! The skin itself got very green but the hair got sort of a buff color. Go figure!

Hoffman Challenge Doll

I wasn't going to post pics of my doll until after the judging, but I am going to overcome my superstition and share pics. I mailed her on July 8th because if she was here any longer, I may not have. I call her Morning Serenade. She is an earthly elf on her morning walk enjoying a bird's song. She has lots of embellishments made with Sulky Solvy and threads since they are also sponsoring the challenge this year. I have also written a tutorial on how I used the Solvy. Her staff is topped with a dragonfly caught in "Amber" (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel). The staff is very stiff wire covered with a gathered tube of challenge fabric then wrapped with Apoxy Sculpt and Sulky threads that were crocheted into a chain. I also used this chain to embellish her bodice and skirt. The base she is standing on was covered with a piece of scrim embellished withfibers attached with my embellisher. I glued that to the base, added more texture and painted it with acryllics and lummier. The tiny flowers and leaves around the edge are made from clay using cutters from my friend Colleen (they are GREAT!!! check out her ebay store link on the left). I made a band of fringe ending with flowers in beads for her waist but didn't like it so I used it on her cape. I was a bit confused while making her. This is the second head. I created the first one for a 20" doll and for some reason, I made a body for an 18" doll thinking that was the new requirement. Well needless to say, the head was too big and it was easier to make a new head than a new doll! It seemed no matter what I did, it had to redo it. I originally made her head-dress using the clay leaves and flowers but because they were so thin, they were very brittle and kept breaking. That's how all those flowers and leaves found their way on the base though there are still some on her shoes.

To see more of the 2009 Challenge entries on Deanna Hogan's site. Aren't they wonderful???

What I did on my Summer Vacation

Just kidding! Though lately I have been working on two quilts and a few needlework projects. First the quilts. If you follow my blog, you saw a block I made last year for the "Art-Bra Ladies" quilt. Some of the blocks missed the deadline which pushed the construction back. Now however, it is done just in time for a big upcoming event which I will be talking about in the future when everything is finalized. This quilt's theme was Butterflies in spring colors. The blocks are all just stunning with lots of unique techniques and embellishments. Here is the finished quilt. It will hang at a cancer treatment center in New Hampshire. For close-ups of the blocks, visit Barbara's Flickr site. Barbara is also in the process of finishing up the 2009 quilt. You can see pics of the blocks for this quilt there too. It is so exciting to see all the blocks as they are being finished and even more exciting to see the finished quilt.

I also was involved in a quilt for our EGA Guild. We had a lecture and workshop with Beryl Taylor where the final product was an embellished heart. I then took those hearts (50 all together) and created a quilt to celebrate EGA's 50th anniversary, 1 heart for each year. The hearts were appliqued to pieces of silk. The borders and backing is all silk that I hand dyed. I am really pleased with the final project.

Big thanks to all the ADO participants who left such sweet comments about my mermaid. I must admit, I haven't had a chance to look at all the dolls and leave comments but the ones I did see were glorious. Hope you had time to enjoy them.

4 Elements Challenge - Water

Today is the unveiling day so here is my Mermaid of the Northern Lights representing Water. I think my Hoffman challenge doll would have been perfect for Earth and may post pics later. I must confess she is not quite done - still have to add sequins and bead the wires around her peplum. Don't forget to click on the link at the side to get to the list of all the participants.

A little about her: Her hair is shreds from gift packaging that I curled. The star trim around her face was colored with alcohol inks. Embedded between the layers of her background are creatures stitched out on my embroidery machine. Her bodice fabric is done with shiva paint sticks, pearl-ex powders, stencils and lumier paints and glitter crayons on a lovely dark batik. Her tail is layers of confetti dot fabric, grey lace that I colored with alcolhol inks, and colored glitter tulle. Her fluke is the same minus the confetti dot fabric so it is sheer. It and her peplum are also wired.

The fringe edging around her fluke, waist and shoulders is deconstructed halographic fabric and she is dotted all over with heat set crystals. She also needs trim around her wrists but I didn't want to miss the deadline.

4 Elements Challenge

I signed up for the 4 Elements challenge hosted by Art Dolls Only, a group of artists on ETSY. The doll I did for the Hoffman Challenge easily fits into the Earth Category, but I have been working on completing another doll that would fit into the water category. Surprise, she is a mermaid. Here is her head. She will be revealed on July 16th - If I remember! A link to the host blog is on the left. More info can be found on Deanna Hogan's blog also. I brought her to AFIC and displayed her in the gallery, but she wasn't done. She still isn't. Hope I finish her by the deadline!