Hoffman Challenge

Found out last night my doll, "It's the Economy's Fault!" won Curator's Choice.  I am soo excited!  The prize is a fabric package and I love Hoffman Batiks!  Deanna Hogan's beautiful Doll won Second and Dallas Sill's won for Most Humorous.  No pics or more info on the Hoffman site yet.  Should be updated with pics of all the winners in all categories tomorrow.  Congratulations to all the winners whoever you may be!.  If you would like to see some of the dolls entered, visit Deanna's site http://www.blueherondolls.com/2011HoffmanChallenge.htm

I must admit I am surprised.  I had dreams of her head coming off in shipping to Colorado!  I packaged her a little differently than I usually do because of her big hair (she is a Jersey girl after all!).  And the pics of the dolls I have seen so far are just AWESOME!

Just checked the Hoffman Challenge site and they have published the list of traveling dolls.  I learned my doll will be in trunk C.  Dont know if it will be traveling close to home or not as the schedule isn't filled in yet.  Here are the list of winning dolls:
1st place:  Nancy Hall, "Blossoms"
2nd Place:  Deanna Hogan, "Eolande"
3rd Place:  Vicki Crossland, "Reluctant Princess"
Honorable Mention:  Karen McGregor, "Oriental Blossoms"
Curator's Choice:  ME!
Most Humorous:  Dallas Sills, "Fern"
Best First Time Entry: Trudy Watkins, "Underwater Friends"
Best Incorporation of Theme: Joyce Jurczak, "Paradise"

Congratulations again to all who entered and to all the winners.  Well Done!!!
Third Place, Best Use of Sulky: Liz Waechter, "Fairy Dreams"

New Beaded Fish

I made a purse awhile ago using a 1/2 yd of fabric I had purchased years ago on sale.  Once I received it I didn't know why I purchased it!  I liked it, a flamingo border print.  I recently used it for a purse and LOVE it!  It needed a little bling so I added a fish I had beaded but decided it blended in too much so I beaded a new on pictured on the left.  I took the design from a piece of fish fabric, traced the outline and colored it with colored pencils then beaded the colors I wanted.  The original fish was almost all black with yellow stripes.  Here is the purse before and after and the semi-unbeaded fish sketch.

New Experiment - Paper Jewelry

Hard to believe this is made with paper and aluminum Duct tape!  I received some of the new Sizzix dies ordered from Absolutely Everything (GREAT Service!).  I used a combination of Frame leaves and flower and the center flowers from another Sizzix die, Cottage Trio Layered flower. I cut the frame from black matte board with a layer of duct tape (this stuff is on a roll and is sticky backed.  I sprayed it with gold metallic paint first).  The leaves and flowers were from the Duct tape with black cardstock in the center (tape, cardstock, tape).  I then opened up a texture folder and put the frame through my Big Kick so it would be embossed only on the metal side. 

After I embossed the frame, I used Black Soot distress ink
on the top and Ranger Adirondack Black ink pen to ink the
edges.  Should have used Black Core Matte Board.

Using my Perfect Medium Pen, I added Pine Needles
Distress embossing powder to the whole thing then
added highlights to the leaves with Ranger Verdigris
EP.  LOVE this stuff!

I use Distress EP Concord Grape and Adirondack
Eggplant on the flowers.  I edged the smaller one
With Ranger Princess Gold.



I inked the back aroound the edges and slid the pin
through then glued it to the front.  Finished touch was
a crystal in the flower center.  I also bent the flower
center to add a little shape.

I cut out another frame for the back and inked
the edges.  I added holes to slide the pin back through
and then carved out a channel so it is flush with
the matte board. 



"It's the Economy's Fault!" Hoffman doll finished!

She is actually in Colorado and arrived in one piece!  I had visions of her head coming off in transit though I sewed it around three times.   Here are some pics of her.  Her skirt is three tiers with scalloped edges and various flowers that were fussy cut, cut with my sizzix,  or made from Sulky thread. 

Hoffman Challenge Doll Progress

I have been playing with the doll - she is dressed and sitting on the stool but I am not 100%.  I needed to name her though I did have a specific idea, just not a name but I have decided on "It's the Economy's Fault!"  The sign in the flowers says it all - I hope!

The rolled roses and the daisy are two of the flowers I will be demonstrating at Day With Dolls in August.  Actually, the lilac behind the sign is also another one.  These are all made with two layers of fabric fused with  fusible web.  the lilac flowers were cut out with my Sizzix.  The daisy and the roses are my design.

The sign is made from paper, embossed with wood-grain and colored with alcohol inks over 3 layers of chipboard so it is very sturdy.

Off with her head!!!!!

When I originally made the Red Queen, I experimented with sculpting and cloth over.  I really never was very happy with the face - her nose was too big, her eyes too slanted so I decided to do another.  I took pics as I was doing it as I think I may put her out as a pattern.  So here is the after and before and a pic of the whole doll.  I reused her hair and eyelashes though I see her one needs to be adjusted.  I have been staring at this doll hating her face for weeks now that she is sitting in my studio.  Now  I am happy with her.

Watch for information on Day with Dolls to be held August 13, in Boonton New Jersey.  Hope to see lots of dollmakers there.  We always have such a wonderful time.  Flyer coming soon!

Fairy Prince Shoes

I made a little change in the Pink Fairy shoes - adding and changing some of the embellishements to make them a little more feminine.  I also modified the pattern a little to make a pair of fairy boots fit for a Prince.  I am going to modify the pattern a little to make the toes a bit longer so they don't look so much like babie booties.  The blue shoes are made from felt with cotton fabric fused on.  I dyed and stamped this fabric then added highlights with dimensional paint.  The felt was covered with blue glitter glue so the inside of the shoes sparkle too. I buttonhole stitched all around the pieces by hand with metallic thread then whip stitched them together couching in metallic fuzzy yarn.  The actually took only about 3 hours not counting drying time.  Now to finish my Hoffman Challenge doll.