Wings and cap done

Finally I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have finished my fairy's wings. Tried out Jean Bernard's technique. I am not completely satisfied but it will do. I am still learning to handle any sort of clay. Her cap is a plastic bit I salvaged from a flower which I had shred to bits. Thought it might come in use sometime and kept it with my other junk that I have collected,so it came in handy as a cap for the fairy. I have decorated the wings with lots of accent beads and glitter and stones and beads. Can't see any of it in the picture. I wish I had used a different gold paint for the viens as this one looks a bit too yellow but can't help it now that its done. My fairy will have to live with it LOL I have done the hair on the doll but have to add a bit more to the costume. Will take a picture perhaps tomorrow and show.

I don't feel settled with so much of work going on and I have to pack away everything for the workmen to do the work while we are away. Wanted to make a doll for a friend but looks like I will have to do it in the new year. Time is running away. The kitchen is nearing completion. I am hoping the workmen will clear out by Friday at least as we are getting guests on Sunday.

Today Jey went and bought a Christmas tree. He said we must have a tree at least even if it is for only a few days. Then we will have to pack it away before we go to India. Every year we give something to our friend's kids when they come home. It will be nice if we can have a tree for them to take the pressies from under it as always. Feels a bit odd not having any decorations or a tree this year. It will be first time ever when we have not had any decorations up for Christmas. A pity as I love to do the decorations. But at least I got my fairy made for Christmas. I went and did some Christmas shopping today. Had to get those gifts to take home. Still need to buy for my mum and my mother in law. I am scratching my head I have run out of ideas as what to get for them. Have you any suggestions?

Doll Hair

Thank you all for your lovely comments.

When I first started making dolls. Doing the hairstyle for the doll was always daunting. But once I got the hang of it I am not itimedated by it anymore. So Isabelle don't be afraid to try out various ways of hairstyling on the doll. Depending on what the doll head is going to be like I do the hair. On smaller heads I tend to glue the hair on and disguise the glue with some embellisments on top. For intance for this doll I most probably will glue the hair on as I want to put a small hat on her head. So she is not going to need a lot of hair. In other dolls I first stitch the hair on the head and then glue it underneath to make it hold better or I poke the hair into the head with felting needles just like as you would felt. and then dab a little bit of glue to hold the hair in place. I could send you some instructions if you like. They are very simple instructions which I wrote for my basic dollmaking classes in India.

Some more embellishing done

Thank you Judi and Isabelle, I am getting some more of the embellishing done. I didn't show the whole doll because I couldn't get a good picture of the skirt to show as the fabric is so sheer so I had to come closer to take the picture. Once she is more decent you can have a look at her again. Did I tell you I tried to crackle her but she wouldn't crackle. This lady has a mind of her own!!

I will have to have a go at crackling again on something else.
Funny how one gets stuck on one colour for a while. My last doll also had a green costume.
Spent whole of yesterday trying to do the doll. I want to finish her quick and start another one for a friend.
I ended up using yarn for her body. I couldn't find the stuff I had bought from the model shop. No doubt it will turn up one day.
There is going to be more chaos in the house. Once the kitchen finishes hubby wants to get the rewiring done. I guess it has got to be done but I won't be doing any sewing then for a while a pity. How am I going to survive!! LOL! Just the thought of not being able to sew makes me want to runaway with the sewing machine to a corner LOL!

Having fun

I am having a lot of fun creating the costume for my Wacky Fairy but not so Wacky after all . I wanted a certain green tulle but couldn't get any so decided to dye it with acrylic colours then I painted it with some glitter and I have now shred it a bit at the bottom. The result was lots of bits of tulle with glitter on it. So I thought I was not going to throw it away as I literally covered myself as well with glitter while painting it LOL! So now I glow whenever I touch her. A pity it doesn't show up well in the picture. Since I can still see her legs through the skirt I stuck all these bits to the skirt and added a few beads here and there. It does give a nice texture to it. I am also going to add some more bits to the skirt to make it a bit more interesting. We were talking about colour of doll eyes in Fabricdollart and I said I usually make green eyes but for this doll for some reason I made blue eyes and I am dressing her with green LOL!
Sometime ago I got some strange green rubbery shredded stuff from a model shop. Thought it might come in use sometime. This doll is crying out for it but I can't find it. I remember tucking it away but again like many things in my house at the moment I can't find it!! So I went and bought some more yarn which I think will work for what I have in mind.
House is totally disorganised again as we are having a new kitchen put in. Looks like it is going to take weeks grrrr.....

How can brown be voilet?

Your Eyes Should Be Violet

Your eyes reflect: Mystery and allure What's hidden behind your eyes: A quiet passion

What Color Should Your Eyes Be?

Mmmm very interesting and fun. I don't think I would say my eyes are voilet LOL!! Perhaps I should do this test again tee... heee...

Wacky DIP

Well here is my DIP for Wacky Fairy. I needle sculpted her features and then hid the stitches with paperclay over it. Shows how inexperienced I am in doing things with paper clay. I should have sanded the face down a bit more to make it more smooth. Tee...heee... I think her nose is a bit too much on the large side!. I painted the whole doll with gesso and then with acrylic paints. For the face painting I used all sorts of things. I used gel pens and colour pencils and my make up eye shadow and rouge and jacquard dyes etc. As I was not getting the look I wanted. Now I want to put the crackle medium on but thought if the pens ran then all my effort would be wasted so I sprayed it with a fixer. Then I thought the colour of the eyes had dulled so decided to go over with black. The result was I have actually spoilt her eyes. The black became too black and when I sprayed her again with fixer I over did it sheesh! So one eye has actually run. But then she is going to be a wackey fairy so does it matter very much?

Hubby is back

At last hubby is back from the hospital. He has to have more blood tests as his liver has been affected by the drugs so they want to keep an eye on him. Otherwise he is fine but gets tired quickly. But at least he is out of hospital and on the mend.

I am still waiting for my cable to arrive so no sewing done. But my crackle medium arrived so now I can try it on the doll. I will post a picture of her as she is now and after the crackle. I know she is a challenge doll but she is hardly wacky so I don't think it will make a difference one way or the other so I will show her when I get a picture of her. I have painted her face. I used gel pens on her and I am not sure if it will run when I put the medium so first I will have to experiment by doing it on a seperate piece of cloth. Also I rubbed in some Jacquard shimmer dyes into the face and body but I am not sure if it will show up. I can only experiment and see if it works.

Update

Well finally after observing my hubby they have started giving him some antibiotics today. At least I am relieved that it is nothing to do with his transplant. They are treating him for lung infection now, so he might have to stay in hospital a bit longer than I thought.

Phoned the company about my machine cable. I have to wait for 2 weeks to get it. I miss stitching now as it would have helped me keep my mind occupied at home while my hubby is not there. I am also waiting for some crackle medium to arrive which I have been wanting to try on my doll which has been sitting and waiting patiently for a long long time. Judi I am going to do what you did as an experiment. But I am really going to dress her up to the T for Christmas, that is when I get the medium!
I was also hoping to finish my couple who are so much in love secretly with each other. They also have been waiting so very patiently for me to dress them up for such a long time. I think now they are dying to announce to the world that how much in love they are LOL!!.

Thank you all for putting your kind words on my blog.

hugs

One of those weeks!

Well I haven't blogged for a while. It has been one of those weeks. I was flying high and had to come down with a bump! Hubby has not been well whole of last week. He has gone to hospital still waiting for him to call and tell me if all is well.
Yesterday I wanted to take advantage of the quite time I had and stitch those bags but my power cable for the machine has disappeared. I have a horrible feeling that I might have thrown it away with all the rubbish I was clearing last week. I have searched for it high and low sigh! But I can't find it. How frustrating! I have to now order a new cable just when I want to stitch.

Tremendous weekend

This weekend has been so great for me. Not only did I get a surprise gift and won the gypsy challenge but I also received a beautiful doll from Linda Kay Murphy. Linda and I were swap partners for one colour swap. We decided to swap with each other whenever we finished our dolls. I gave mine to Linda when I went to EDAC and Linda sent me hers now. My it has been worth waiting for her doll it is beautiful.I love everything about her. Thank you Linda for being such a great partner. Linda also sent me lots of goodies along with the doll I love everything she sent. I am in 7th heaven now!

She Won!!

Yipee!! she won! She won The Best of Show! Oh yes Judi I am floating at the moment that I am not feeling one bit sleepy. I really should be tucked in bed now.
When someone congratulated me I thought well either she has got one end of the stick wrong or I have. But everyone joined in the chorous as it were and it slowly started to sink in that I had actually won! Wow it has been a great day for me. I almost did not enter the challenge. With my house move and going to US and back again and going to India and trying to get the house in order I almost gave up. When I came back from India I started on her and I had barely 2 weeks to finish and send her off before the deadline. I wasn't even sure that she would reach in time. I am glad I did. This is my first ever major Challenge win oh I think I will keep floating for a while.
Here is the link for Susan's photos of the Gypsies http://tinyurl.com/7upxj
Thank you Susan for the photos

Here she is!!

Well I think I can now share my gypsy with you all. So here she is. Her name is Apsara which means heavenly being in Indian language. So be careful that she doesn't cast her spell on you with her big eyes and her little bag of tricks she carries with her . Mind you she is the gentlest of ladies so she won't harm you.  I believe she is having a great time in Houston with all her mates who I hear are amazing. Can't wait to see their pictures!

Lovely surprise!

Last night when I got home from work I had a lovely surprise waiting for me. When I opened the packet I found this wonderful ATC and fabric and trims and a birthday card with it. It was Patty from Washington and the last person I thought who would remember my Birthday. Actually I don't even remember exchanging Birth dates with her. We met in London a couple of times when Patty visited UK with her DH. Since then we have kept in touch but I was so touched when I got this little gift. It is a long time since I have had a surprise like this.

I came across the wonderful link while surfing through some blogs http://www.marquise.de/ It has even got patterns that you can download to make.

Easy Peasy Pattern

I got this link from one of my doll groups. It is for a free doll pattern. http://www.abracreations.com/Free-Pattern.html
I thought of posting it here because it is such an easy pattern that anyone can make it up. It can be made as complex or as simple as you like and it can be such a wonderful gift for a special friend for Christmas. I have no affliation with the lady just thought it is such a cute pattern if anyone is looking to make up little gifts for Christmas.

Just for fun

Some of you might have seen this before but I hope this brings a smile on anyone passing by. Stress Test The attached picture was devised as part of a stress test developed by researchers at St. Mary's Hospital in London. It is the final picture of a series of stress determinators to gauge the amount of stress a patient has built up over a short time. Look at the attached picture of two dolphins jumping out of the water in tandem. The research has shown that the more differences you notice in the two dolphins, the more stressed you are. This is attributed to the concentration and recognition influences intensifying when stressed. The two are very similar, so if you can tell the difference without looking hard, you should pack up work and go home immediately 

My visit to Ally Pally

I went to Ally Pally on Saturday. I meant to spend at least 6 hours there but ended up spending only 2 hours. Getting to Ally Pally was a nightmare. Usually on a normal working day with all the traffic it takes me about an hour to reach London but on Saturday it was unbeleivable.It took me 3 hours to reach London. So I had to rush here there and everywhere. There is so much to see but I couldn't linger on anywhere.
However I did manage to meet Barbara Willis, Patti Culea and Betts Vidal. As always they had many lovely dolls on display and I simply had to buy their patterns.

This is Barbara and Betts at their Stall.
I was very extravagant in the bead stall. I am not going to tell you how much I spent! I have to forget it somehow. But hey I don't usually spend so much on beads so once in a year is allowed I think. I also bought some lovely yarns but limited myself to buying tiny bundles.

This one was beautiful and so sparkely but too expensive, so I settled for smaller bundles

I thought I would try out more felting with this fibre. I want to make something out of felt for the dolls.

Loved the colour of these yarns so I got a small bundle.
I wish I had had more time there were some lovely yarns this year.

I love these silk cocoons. I got some plain ones too so that I can dye them to my liking. Have to experiment got lots of ideas.

Time just flew by and it was time to say goodbye to Barbara and Betts. Patti had disappeared as she was going to the theater for a show. I hope she got there on time as getting away from AP was as bad. Met up with Jan too. Again because I was pushed for time I just about managed to say hello to her.
It took my husband more than an hour to come and pick me up even though he was not far away. Next time I will take the train.

What I bought

AN ANGEL


THESE ARE REALLY CUTE COULDN'T RESIST THEM


THE ANGEL


THE BAUBLE


Got some Christmas decorations which I want to show you. They are lovely and the pictures don't do them justic. I bought them mainly as they gave me ideas for dolls. The angel wings are just so cool. Judi I think your microbeads will come very handy in making wings like these.
The bauble has some lovely colours so I thought could use that colour combination and the design in my dollmaking. I don't know how I am going to do it but well had to get it as it looks so pretty.

Back to normal

Thanks to Isabelle my blog . Isabelle corrected the template and sent it to me. Thank you again Isabelle. I am back to normal too and I am excited about going to Ally Pally this Saturday. Will be meeting up with Patti, Barbara and Betts. Its always such a pleasure to meet them again. A pity I couldn't take any of the workshops that Barbara and Patti were giving.

The Christmas decorations are out in a lot of Departmental shops in London. One of my favourite passtimes after work while coming to meet hubby is go and look at the decorations. This year Selfridges have got some lovely decorations. I am getting a lot of inspiration by looking at these decorations. Already a doll is begining to dance in my head! Of course I end up spending!

Oh dearie me!

I don't know what happened here. I was trying to insert a link and look what happened to my blog! Don't know what I did wrong. Can anyone help? Must have changed the format somehow somewhere but I don't know what I changed. I am clueless help.

Cold

My head feels all stuffed up and the nose is runnig feel awful. Wish I didn't have to come to work and was all nicely tucked up in bed. Well it will pass. Hope I can sleep tonight as well as I slept last night. Feels like a long time ago though.

No sewing done

Ah all my well laid plans didn't work. Thought I would keep this weekend just for sewing but alas ended up doing other things than sewing. Saturday went for a wedding didn't realise we were invited for the wedding breakfast as well! Only when we got there someone told us so we had to stay. That was the end of Saturday. Today I thought ok I will start on Isabelle's bags, got the fabric out and in walked hubby saying he would like to fix the cupboards and shelves and needed a hand. Soooo that is the end of my weekend. Hope you all had a much more productive weekend.

Thank you

Thank you all for your lovely comments. I too had a great time teaching them. Inspite of having hicups on the first day with the machines they all did a great job.

Thanks for the Gypsy kudos too. She is away now to the US. I did share my finished doll with Isabelle and Sarah but will wait to put it up on the net until after the event.

My Gypsy

Well I thought I would share the beginings of my Gyspy doll. She is not completed but I won't show her till she is judged but I can show her when she was being created so here she is

More Pictures of doll class

Think her hair suits her?



Here come the dolls!

More pictures of doll workshop

Here are more pictures of my dollmaking workshop. This workshop was for advance dollmaking. I taught them to sculpt the face and turn tiny fingers, costuming, hair and face painting.

Meera one of the very keen ladies an accomplished artist and a teacher enjoying every moment.


Sarika is another young talented lady. Looking forward to seeing her finished doll.



Giving her doll a hair style.

My trip

Well I got back from India last week and now I am ready to show you some pictures I took of my doll workshops. I did 2 workshops one was for beginners and the other for a bit more advance class. The attendance was a bit disappointing because of festival and marriage and exam season. However the ladies who did come were very enthusiastic and so very talented.
here are some pictures of the beginners

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The very talented ladies of beginners class with their completed dolls

Isabelle's gift

So here is the lovely gift I got from Isabelle. The picture doesn't do it justice at all
Thank you Isabelle.

Beautiful gift

I have been very quite since I got back from India as I am really busy trying to finish my Gypsy Challenge doll before the due date and pack it and send it off. So I have not had a chance to up load any pictures. I was going to do it last night but couldn't find the connectors for the camera dugh!
However I must share this with you I had a beautiful gift brought to me this morning by the postman. My friend Isabelle from Paris sent me a lovely handmade purse and book mark and a kimono pattern. Isabelle thank you so much I will treasure the gift it is absolutely beautiful. I think I will just look at it and not use it as I am afraid it might collect dirt if I handle it too much. I love the beautiful delicate embroidary. I again promise to take a picture and show you all. I will sit down and read the instructions tomorrow. I glanced through it and I think I can get the gist of it and your little notes are very helpful. I am sure with those in one hand and my dictionary in the other I can manage to translate most of what is written.

Elves at work!

Seems like the little elves are at work in my house. I seem to keep losing things. I had stitched up a sample head to stuff and show my students and that has disappeared. So have to stitch another one before I go. Last night I lost my scissors between the staircase and my craft room LOL!! I can't for the life of me think where it has gone. Have been searching for it high and low and still I can't seem to find it. I seem to be perpetually trying to find things!! Well I hope I have got everything I need for the class I am going to take or else I will just have to improvise. Have yet to start my packing. I hate packing and unpacking. Wish we could just go away without that particular hassle. Hubby wants to stop over for a day in Dubai with regard his business, so I am going to take my doll body parts to stuff. Have to try and finish my challenge doll in the midst of all this. If I am going to be kicking my heels in Dubai I might as well do it while stuffing my doll. Wish I was going directly to Madras instead of stopping over for a day in Dubai. I hate these small stop overs.

hugs
Shashi

Thank you

Thank you for the kudos ladies about my Jester. I am so happy Isabelle that you get inspired looking at my dolls. It has put a great big smile on my face. I am so happy.
Must confess about the jester though. I didn't get the pattern for the jester in time to presew it before I went. Then because of the move my machine was all packed up so my teacher was kind enough to sew the body parts for me. So the colour choice of fabrics was purely hers. I only stuffed and sewed and embellished it. I am going to make another one with different colours. I too like him very much.

Here is my Clown

No wrong Judi here he is. Almost done, needs a cap but as always life intrudes when I am at home so couldn't get round to doing his cap yet. Perhaps tonight I will do it.

EDAC pics

Here are some pictures I have to share from my US conference. I am no photographer so the pictures are not great but just thought would share a few pictures

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This doll was made by the youngest member who took part in this conference. She was just a 10 year old. She one one of the best dolls prize. This young lady is going to go far. Her talent is amazing! A very creative young lady.



Here come the clowns. Well I took this workshop. My doll is almost complete and I will post pictures of him soon. He is fully armatured and a fun doll to make.
Isabelle to answer the question about whether I put wire in my dolls the answer is usually I wire only the fingers and arms and most of my dolls have some prop or the other to make them stand or sit in a position or they stand without any help.

Ok I am going to go and complete that doll and show you some pictures. So bye for now.

My doll kit

Isabelle, I couldn't really sell them here as I wouldn't know what price to put on it. I buy things in India and add to the kit and then sell it to the students at a very small price which really doesn't cover the cost , as I know most will not be able to afford expensive things. I put a price on the kits just to make the students realise that I am also working hard for the class and they should not take my efforts lightly.

Having said that Isabelle I could send you the pattern if you are interested free as it is my pattern and I can do whatever with it. It is a very simple template pattern which I made especially keeping beginner doll makers in mind. But it might be too simple for you as you are an accomplished seamstress. I could also add a few Indian beads and trims with it. Let me know if you are interested. You asked if French instructions would be a problem. I am learning French so it would be great to try and see if I can really understand. If I have problems I could always say help to you.

At last some pictures

At last I am able to show you some pictures of my new house and garden. Oops sorry that is some of my dolls and me taken just before we left our old house.



This my new house the back view.



This my new house the back view.




Back garden with pond.

I think that is enough of my garden will show you my craft room once I get things sorted out indoors. At the moment it seems like a railway station! There is a front garden as well but didn't get round to taking pictures from the street.

I am busy stitching up my kits for the up coming doll classes that I am going to give in India. Have to burn the midnight lamp as I am leaving on the 2nd for India.
This is what it looks like.



I am sewing up about 15 of these body parts and making a kit which I will give the students when they register for the classes. I am looking forward to it. I hope to include in the kit, stuffing tool, some beads and trims for them to get started. The pattern as well. Hopefully there will be more budding doll artists born.

Inspired

I have been well and truely inspired by my workshops that I took in US. So I decided that I am going to inco-operate what I learnt into my coming project. So my first step was to go and buy some fabric. Now do I need more fabric? Ofcourse I do because I simply don't have that texture or colour of fabric in my stash! Ha.. ha.. I am doing the Gypsy Challenge. I have the face finished, got to do the body and the costuming. Hope to get started this weekend.

Back home!!

I am back and well and truely inspired by all the doll artists I met up with. I attended 2 work shops one was for a clown on a bike and the other to make fairy wings with apoxy sculpt. The teachers were fantastic I will upload some pictures when I get my home computer working.In the meantime here is one of my dolls that won a prize from Pamela the Gypsy and I am so thrilled about it. I won $50 dollers and was able to spend it all in her super duper wonderful shop.



One of my friends also fell in love with my Italian Challenge Doll. So she stayed behind with her.





This doll was made for the Italian Challenge in which we were to use the Italian flag tricolour fabrics and some trims which we got in a the kit. We were to use the Italian map and the islands as the pattern to make a doll. So this is what I made The arms and the purse are the two islands and the main body the Italian map. Oh again I will get a better picture once my home computer is all set up.

I have so much to tell you all but am so frustrated at the moment because the computer at home is not up and running.
So for now will have to just wait.

Leaving tomorrow for EDAC.

At last the much awaited date has almost arrived for my visit to US. I am looking forward to it very much. Excited at the prospect of meeting up with old friends and meeting new ones. Also I am looking forward to learning new skills. I know I am going to enjoy myself. Its a long time since I actually sat down and put some time into my art only. Life always intrudes at home but at the conference I will be doing only what I want to do Oh what bliss!

Edac doll conference

Well time seems to have flown! It is almost time for me to go to Alburquerque. I will be leaving on Wednesday. So much to do and so little time. I didn't have the time to make a doll for the challenge this year. I would have loved to but the house move was such a big upheaval I just did not find the time to do anything. I have barely managed to get a goodie bag ready. But oh I am looking forward to meeting everyone again. I am sure there will be many new ladies joining us and it would be so good to put a face and meet up with them.

My computer at home is still not up and running so I am having to write from my office computer. For the next few weeks I may not be able to get time to write. I will take lots of pictures at EDAC to share. I come back on the 15th and then leave for India on the 2nd of September. I am hoping to give some doll making classes when I go to India. I always get excited at the propect of teaching my skills to others. I know I have to burn the night oil to prepare for it. Lot of stitching to be done. Hope I will be able to finish in time.

Finally moved

At last we have arrived in our new house. Whew! I thought the boxes would never stop arriving!
How did we manage to have so much my mind boggles.
I am aching all over from scrubbing the kitchen and the bathrooms. Shows how fit I am!
The people in the neighbourhood are very nice. One lady brought a lovely cake another came and gave some delicious chocholate cake I am sure its not going to do any wonders to my figure not that I have a good figure but I sure don't want to grow plumpy overnight tee..heee.. and the others came and said hello to welcome us.
Now I will get down to opening my fun stuff. Oh goodness I have only a few days left before I fly off to US for my doll conference and I have to find the things that I am taking. It is all panic stations now!
Shashi