Easter Greetings

For those of you who celebrate Easter. I want to wish you a happy holiday. The Easter holiday is also a reminder of Spring although it still feels like Winter here in NYC. Hopefully, we are at the end of the last frost before Spring actually sets in. Spring can also provokes the flow of creative juices via the color palette it naturally creates through the new bloom of the flowers and trees. I'm sure those of us who are into the crafts will be out there shopping for fabric inspired by the Spring blooms. I'm curious to see what I will be inspired to come up with. Aren't you?!

Mystery Craft Box Update

Our mystery box is now on it's way to North Carolina. The players who have received the box have enjoyed the goodies they had to chose from.

My Latest Project

I've completed another doll this week. I had the week off and spent most of it working on this doll. I named her ClaraBell. I'm not sure why I named her that but it seems to suit her. When I was finished with her and stepped back to look at her, that's the name that came to mind. So, ClaraBell it is!. The pattern I used was designed by Judi Ward. It is her latest pattern called A Reproduction In Cloth. She said the inpiration came from the original, Circa 1580's wooden doll that sold at auction for $21,000 in 2006. I thought this would be a fun pattern to work with, since it involved some painting and staining. A little different from the dolls I usually make. What's was nice about making this one is I had some wood grained fabric in my stash for a few years now. I don't remember buying it but I had it and as it turns out it's the perfect fabric for this project. I made the body from this fabric to make it look more realistic. It also cut down on painting. The pattern actually calls for painting the entire body to make it look like wood. The hands, neck and head are painted a flesh color. The hair was made from yarn and some trim which looked like a braid. The yarn was glued to the head after sewing a part down the middle. I used gesso to flatten it down and prepare it for paint. Before painting, the braided trim was wrapped around the head tacked in place and also glued to hold it in place. This was also covered in gesso and allowed to dry before applying black paint. The face, neck and hands were lightly sanded for the aged effect. The entire piece was then covered with a layer of white glue. Once that dried, the piece was further aged by applying brown shoe polish which was wiped off and re-applied a few times. You can see the aging effect in the close-up photo. I was pleased with results. I really like the last photo of her. Doesn't she look like she's about to curtsy? I really liked working on this doll. Now I will have to make the other adaptation of this doll. As a bonus for a particular time period, the pattern came with an additional pattern pack to make another version of this doll. The difference is the bodice and the breastplate. There's no painting and aging techniques used in the alternate version. I think I'll try my hand at that version also.

Mystery Craft Box Update

The craft box has been sent from Florida to the next destination in Georgia. We got word today it has been received in Georgia. So far, our little game is going well.

Yuko-San

I completed a doll today which is a project for the doll group I belong to. It is a Japanese Kimono doll designed by Elinor Peace Bailey named Yuko-San. This is not a typical pattern for a Kimono doll. The Kimono is the body in this case which I found very interesting. The Kimono collar is a separte piece sewn to the front of the pattern and the Obi was appliqued with a paperbacked fusing. Both steps were done before sewing the front and back together. As you can see in the photo it is all one piece with stitching at the points where the doll will be folded into a sitting postition. The photos show the body before and after it was stuffed. Once stuffed and the head is attached; the doll is folded in a "Z" and tacked at the folds to hold the sitting position. Her arms are brought down in front and hand sewn to her lap. Her feet are sewn to the back. I think the ladies at the club will like the way she turned out.

As you can see, not your typical pattern but it works! It was an interesting doll to make.

Mystery Craft Box Game Update!

The box has reached it's destination in California and has been sent on it's way to Florida. So far, so good!