Sneak peak of Flora

Flora

Here is the first of a new series of baby dolls I'm making. This one is called Flora.  More pictures coming later.

Another New Year

Wow, I can't believe the month is already half over.  Happy New Year to my followers.  May 2012 be a better year for all of us. 

 I've been busy the past two weeks mainly trying to stay on track with things.  I've been creating new dolls but need to tweak them a little bit more before I can show you what I've been doing.  I also finished up the necklace which originally was going to be a purse, but the neck strap isn't to my liking yet so that too needs to be worked on before I can show you.

The biggest thing I have to say is that as of yesterday the results for the Land of Odds Illustrative Bead Tapestry was announced, and my entry (Black Notice) won first place.  I didn't even know it as I was working second shift yesterday.  I got a text message congratulating me...I didn't know what for. Then it hit me that I might have won the LOD challenge/contest.  I gave a quick call to my friend in Washington who confirmed that I did win.  I quickly went online and saw "winner" beside my name.  I was shocked, happy, and so proud.  I want to take this moment to thank everyone who took time from their busy schedules to evaluate and vote for me.  I'm still too excited.   Now I have to figure out what I want as I won a $1000.00 shopping spree from Land of Odds.

Winner of Land of Odds Illustrative Tapestry 2012

Another thing that happened these past two weeks is that I finally decided to enter the 21st Century by buying a Smart Phone and getting my own Verizon account.  What did I get?  Since we are all MacIntosh/Apple in this house, I got the iPhone 4S.  I have to say there is a big learning curve especially since this gal didn't even know how to text, but using Macs most of it is pretty self evident to figure out.  I'm loving it as I can now listen to music at work using the Pandora Radio, and on my break I can check out Facebook.  I can TEXT!  And I figured out how to download books so I have something to read all the time.  Now to learn how to use the camera and video functions.  Did I also say that it has GPS and SIRI?  And I did manage the voice to text very nicely.  I'm sure there is still so much for me to learn.

My new iPhone is white

One other thing I want to mention and will post on Facebook more is that I'm going to be teaching a bead embellished fabric cuff on February 4th at 1 Stop Bead Shop.  If you are in the area and would love to learn the basics of bead embroidery while making a unique and personal fabric cuff then join me on Saturday Feb the 4th.  This will be my first time teaching an official class at the bead store.  It has been a long time since I've been the teacher and and so looking forward to it.

The dogs are all doing fine.  Arwen is adjusting to her new medication for the bladder cancer.  Fiona still has insomnia and wakes us all up around 6 am every single morning to eat.  Frodo is just a lazy slug dog. 


 

Monster Mistake part 2

Medallions from cut up purse overlay

So far, I have the big front piece complete and now will finish working on the neck strap.  I'm thinking that I'll add two more medallions at an angle so the piece will lay flat.  Then I'll use a rope of RAW which I find very strong compared to other bead woven ropes to finish it all off.  Doubt if I get it done before New Years Eve but then where am I going to wear this thing...to work?  I think not!  But I want to get it done before my birthday next week.

Monster Mistake necklace without the neck strap

Here also is a picture of me at Christmas dinner.  I was able to eat soft food so having our annual Christmas dinner at China Dynasty was just perfect.

Monster mistake

You know sometimes after you've been working on a project for over two weeks, you've just got to give up on it and move on.  I did this to a purse project.

Fabric insert with glass blobs attached

I bought a big purse in a thrift store loving the shape of it and thought it would look great with a newly fabric and beaded covering.  I picked out a really fun looking fabric, glued some flat back marbles on it.  Then to give it a Scottie flare, I went through all my old jewelry and found a cute pin to use.  Then I started to work on it.  And I worked. And I worked. And I worked.  I finally was happy with the beading making sure that at least 50% of the fabric was still visible.  Then I attempted to put the covering on the actual purse.  It was a disaster.  Luckily I hadn't glued it down yet or else I could never have salvaged a thing.  I had it all pinned on and was looking at the piece from every angle.  Suddenly, my brain just said this is a big monster mistake.  First off the piece of jewelry didn't match the beading. Then the actual overlay on the purse looked even worse. So I took it all off and threw it on my worktable vowing to never try that trick again.  The shape of the purse was just all wrong for attempting this in this manner.

So it sat there for only a day when out came the scissors and I began to cut it up.  At first I was going to take all the beading off, but luckily my wits stopped me short saying what was I doing after two weeks of work. So I stopped and rethought the destruction process.  Then I cut each of the pieces apart and sat them aside playing with this like pieces of puzzles.  A flash! This was going to become a necklace instead.  So now I've been playing around weaving all these pieces together.  Oh it is one big necklace.  I haven't any photographs of the actual necklace construction, but that will come later.  I'm just hoping this works out as what will I do with a huge monster necklace?

Happy Holidays

From Dot, Chris, Fiona, Frodo, and Arwen

Merry Christmas to all

Pam's Santa doll & Mary's wee mouse

Merry Christmas to all my followers out there.  I'm so blessed to have you all helping me with my problems and my successes this past year.  It has been a roller coaster ride for me, and you've all been my rock.

Christmas Party Dolls

Dot's Doll (Jinty)

Evelyn's doll

Mary's doll

Mary's second doll

Mary and Pam

Mickey's doll (Santa's Ho)

Sue's doll

Mickey & Mary's dolls

Vera's doll

Last Sunday, I felt well enough to head up to Akron for our Time for Doll's Christmas party.  It was so much fun to get together with this small group of friends to share our year with food, laughter, and dolls.  This year we all brought our challenge dolls to share. The theme was Christmas so how perfect.  We met at Craft Akron which has a fabulous studio space, but I must admit that the lighting wasn't the best for picture taking as everything had a yellowish tint to it.  Plus, one of the dolls which was so amazing wound up being out of focus, but I am showing it anyway.  I got a little workout with Photoshop doing these so I had to brighten them up and adjust the color hues (without help from Chris).  So please excuse some of the images and blame the photographer.  ME!  Anyway, enjoy some of Christmas dolls made with love by the ladies of Time For Dolls.

Christmas Anyone???

Christmas is going to be a very quiet affair here this year.  At least I hope I don't get influenza on Christmas Eve like last year so I'm going to knock on some wood.  We decided to not put up a tree this year.  Just can't seem to get into the mood.  Maybe because I can't eat anything delicious & Chris' funky after getting the steroid injection into his back.  My family is doing things separate which seems to be more and more frequent as we all get older.  This will be the first year that Grandma isn't coming up to stay with Mom for the holiday either.  Only thing really planned is that we'll be going to China Dynasty for Christmas dinner with my sister, her new friends, & at least one of my nieces.

Tomorrow though, I am going up to Akron for a Christmas party. We did have a challenge for this year's party.  We all are suppose to make a Christmas themed dolls.  At first I had this ideas of making a Santa from this primative Santa pattern, but it was huge!  I got to thinking where would I put this thing after I made it?  So I got out all the other patterns I had bought at AFIC last May & came upon Jinty the Sewing Elf from Leslie Molen.  He came with a premolded face so all I had to do was put cloth over clay (her pattern used felt, but I think the cloth looks much better).  Then I used my gel pins to color his face (she recommended paints). I hand stitched all his clothes and even hand stitched the bunny using quilt batter to make it look more rustic.  He's sitting on a quilted ornament I also made.  I think he's adorable.  So tomorrow he's heading up with me for show & tell.  I've seen one other doll for the challenge that Pam made & it is amazing.  I've got to remember to take my camera with me.

I've been watching a whole lot of True Blood on HBOgo.  I'm such a vampire girl.  Love most of the stories except the Twilight stuff.  Just can't get into that one.  Maybe I'm just too old for the teenager romance angle.  While watching the episodes of True Blood on my lap top, I've been working on a purse top.  Oh I got one side all done & went to put it on the purse that I got at the thrift store, and it just looked so funky that I got my scissors out & cut it up.  I guess the "redo" button was pushed.  So now to take all that work & try to figure out what to do with it.  Guess it might come in handy for some future jewelry/box project.