Izzy Dresses, Nice Ladies, and A Great Time Had By All.

I'm back, and mostly unpacked and recovered.  Funny how empty the house looked with all the dolls packed away.  But they're all in their places with bright shining faces again.

The doll show was awesome.  I made more than enough to make it worth all the work and had a wonderful time while I was at it.  I met two really great ladies...okay I met lots of nice ladies, but these two were my booth mates to the right of me.  They buy, refurbish and dress vintage Barbies and such.  We shared body parts jokes (they boil whereas I paint) and so many laughs through the day.  They were a joy to be around.

As I promised Martha and Judy, I took pictures of the Izzies I finally made dresses for.  Good thing too, because two of them found new homes.  One of the ladies wanted me to switch dresses--I generally don't like to do that, but this was the sixth doll this lady has bought from me at shows.  So, for her I did it.  She wanted the blue-eyed Izzie in yellow, but she wanted the fluffy white dress.  Funny...I was wondering if that white dress would go over well.  The doll in the pink dress sold as well, to a lady up in Austin who runs the annual doll show there.  It felt good, the response I was getting from established "Doll People" this time.  It's as if they've decided that I'm here to stay.  This was the first anniversary of my first show.  I wonder how the twentieth will feel?  :~)   Dorothy, who runs this one, referred a customer to me for a commission to make TEN DOLLS.  So I'll be more than a little busy over the next couple of months--especially with Austin coming up in a month!

Blue eyed Izzie

Now this one wears the yellow dress, but it fits her fine.

She's only as far as Austin, so I can still visit her. 

I also got a picture of Joseph--he's not new but he had a great seat in the antique carriage I found online.  I never got around to making new seat and covers for it.  I put a doily on the seat, but someday I'll make covers for it.  I finally got the Bawdy Smoker dressed...it will be hard to see her go since I've gotten so fond of her. 

Joseph

She's such a sophisticate!

My set up is getting better.  Still not entirely happy with it, but it's getting there.  For the last year, I've been collecting old crocheted table clothes and doilies, etc.  Trying to unify the color scheme a little because with all those dolls and their chairs, etc., it gets looking so busy.  It must be working; people stopped to take pictures of my booth.  (They asked permission first.  Doll People are generally polite.)

One lady suggested I remove the hoods and bonnets from the Izzie dolls--or let their bonnets rest back on their shoulders.  Said seeing their little heads made them look more Izzie-like.  I had to agree, but with mixed feelings.  They look so cute with their bonnets on! 

New developments...I know I have tried to limit myself to three shows, but I was invited to participate in a show about a day's drive east of me, and I think I'm going to have to give it a try.  This really is so fun. 

Gearing up again!

I've promised to get pictures of the Izzies now that they're dressed, but it will have to wait til they're set up at the doll show tonight.  Packing all those dolls, their chairs, all the crates and stands and tablecloths (I tend to get a little crazy w/ presentation) takes it out of me, so I figured I'd rest a minute.  Next step, loading the truck.  Then unloading it, setting up, and THEN...taking a stroll around the show for a sneak peak at what other doll collectors/sellers will have.

Then after a day of talking to doll collectors and enjoying the People Factor all day, I do the whole thing again, only in reverse.  I tend to lose five lbs every time I do a show, from the dehydration, the holy-cow-hard work, and not remembering to eat.  But it's worth it!

Things to remember:
The Etsy shop has to go offline for the weekend, pack a camera, pack extra water (talking to people all day makes you thirsty!), remember the cashbox, and wear comfortable shoes.  :~)

Hope you guys have a Fabulous Weekend!

Boudoir Dolls: Four dressed and two more to go.

One's dress is finished, but she seems unhappy with it, so there will be alterations.  I'll show you which one, and you'll see by her expression she's very serious when she doesn't get what she wants.  The others range from dreamy to vampish to bawdy to bohemian, but they're almost finished.  I'll sew a brown slacks suit tomorrow for the bawdy flapper with a brown bowler (I'm on an alliterative kick, can you tell?) and fix Betty D.'s gown, but otherwise, I'm done.  Then on to the Izzy dresses.  Nothing like waiting til the last minute, eh?

I haven't named them, and photographs range from poor to worse, but I promise to do better.

She wears natural linen & black lace lounging pj's...

and has a mask for Halloween (she may already be spoken for...)

Bohemian Smoker...I think her name is Ilsa.

In person she reminds me of a certain pop singer but I can't think who...

Lilac chiffon, and dreamy blue eyes.

I think I was channeling "The English Patient" when I made her.

I don't know what to think of this one.  She just showed up.

She pretended to be innocent until it was time for her wardrobe.

The Queen is Not Amused. I think of her as Betty D., but her eyes aren't buggy enough.

This one has a great sense of humor, and wants a pants suit with a short bolero jacket. I think she's my favorite, but don't tell the others.

Storybook Dolls!

Well it's out.  Prims 2012 Autumn issue is OUT  and our MAIDA Storybook Challenge Dolls are IN.  :~)  Watching the challenge develop on the MAIDA site over several months was a treat--seeing each doll in pictures as the artists finished.  Since the challenge ended quite a while back, it was an even better treat to see them all in a group shot in this issue! 

I made an Izannah Walker version of Cinderella (upper right).  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

They really didn't figure out how to put her head rag on, despite the fact that I sewed it "tied" and sent a photo of her wearing it...nor did they have room for her broom with its birdie perched on top. Now that they've taken their pictures, she'll be on her way home.  I hope her wee mousie friends behaved themselves.

Wee Mousie #1

Wee Mousie #2

With broom and Birdie.

Poor Cinderella has no tailor.

The next MAIDA challenge is Topsy Turvy Dolls, which I will enjoy watching but don't have time to play in right now.  Hope your Thor's Day is a luvelly one!

Boudoir Dolls

We've had quite a week here at Chez Conwell...the AC went out last Wednesday night, so I spent Thursday and Friday in a house where the first morning's 78 was the all time low.  By Friday night, it was a whopping 100 in the house...even the candles on the shelves were melting.  But they fixed it finally, and we now have a much better appreciation of modern air conditioning.

Since I was stuck in the house because of repair men present, I figured I may as well make some progress on dolls--it actually did help to divert my attention from the sweltering pity-party.  I'd been studying Boudoir Dolls (also called Bed Dolls or Flapper Dolls) for months, inspired by the history behind them.  So I designed a body pattern, sculpted some heads a few weeks back, and have been working on six new creations (and dressing the last three Izzy dolls too) for the show in two weeks. 

The boudoir / bed dolls I'm working on are quite a bit smaller than antique ones...mine average 18" tall, whereas the old ones were anywhere from 24" to 36" tall!  One of these days I'd like to make one that is authentic in that detail, but for now mine are more like my version of a bed doll, rather than a reproduction.

Here are some photos of antiques.  There is a wide variance in styles over the decades these dolls were produced--1920's to the 1940's.  In a day or two, I'll have pictures of mine up.  Promise.  :~)

Have a great week!

How was your weekend?

Ours was pretty good.  I got my house cleaned up--nothing like having people over to motivate me to at least excavate the kitchen table. Daughter and her family came over.

The main objective this visit: the hubs to take daughter and son-in-law to the range.  My mission was to keep the boys at home.  Tough job, but somebody had to do it.  So they all came down (they live 45 mins away at the top of the city) and I made chicken and spaetzle dumplings.  We watched the Olympics, and the boys tumbled on their family room sleeping pallet.

The twins, full of their normal energy like Energizer Bunnies on steroids, gave the dog quite a time, since his job is to keep an eye on them.  They played w/ blocks, did crafts with glue and paper, and helped me fill all the bird feeders.  They worked hard in the garden the next morning: helped me plant a rose bush, watered the perennials (and themselves) and guarded the yard against invading space aliens.

Phil took daughter and son in law to the range (both are Air Force, neither had hand gun training) with 22.mm target pistols and a couple styles of 9mm.  I was really proud of my girl.  Here's her target.  Once she figured out the sights, she did none too shabby.

The boys were full of questions, naturally.  We taught them safety rules about guns, what to do if they find one, or if their friend shows them one, etc.  The NRA offers a gun safety education program that helps teach this, and the daughter has decided to find one for the boys.  I realize this is a hot-button issue for most people.  Rather than get into that, I'll just say I was raised to know where daddy's guns were at all times, to know what to do if I came across one, and to shoot one safely when I got old enough. 

By lunch time, they were all ready to head home--Sunday afternoons for busy families are a time to get ready for the coming week.  The boys were tired from their full weekend of being six year old boys.  Daughter took this picture of them in the back seat on the way home.  Looks like a nap was in order.

Hope your weekend was full of people you love like mine was.