Spring!

I spent three of the last four days digging--woohooo!  Good medicine for me, as I need a certain amount of digging to stay sane.  I sunburned my shoulders and arms (yes, at 53 yrs old, I can still be that dumb) and my back and bum are still sore from all the stooping, but it felt good to get some work done out there.

I've got rag dolls in the works right now, hiding modestly in their future garment fabrics.  Got some experience needle-felting the second doll's hair to her head--never did that before and it was fun!

And lastly, I've been playing with some Easter Eggs.  Tiny paper mache eggs--for my little indoor and outdoor seasonal trees, and for my Etsy shop--and some heavy wooden ones.  Hope y'all are enjoying some good weather too!

Plain ol' rag dolls...less plain.

I made these two rag dolls in early 2014.  Apparently the heavy linen I made them from is too course for the average doll collector's taste.  The ones I'd made of muslin sold right away, but these girls just languished until I had to do something. 

Since I've recently been bitten by the painted doll bug and the cloth/rag doll bug, (I can show you the bite marks!) I figured I'd make an attempt at the sort of portrait painting the old oil-painted dolls have.  They're not bad--but I'll get better.  I do like the rough wool I made their hair from, and will have to try this again on other dolls.

My inspiration for these girls has almost no face left--she's a doll I came across a couple of years ago.  I had to sell her, because the AC went out and the antique dealer's offer was good, but to this day I still regret it.  So I try to imagine that Magda (I hope she's being taken good care of, wherever she is) started out as a painted portrait doll.

Lookie what I got!!!

When Sheri Farley, at Little Cabin Creations, posted this doll, I had to have her.  As common as that is to hear, I don't say it often, because my practical side keeps my mouth shut on that kind of thing in general.  Being a "starving artist" (meaning my biz pays for itself, but doesn't come close to paying the mortgage) I can't justify buying every doll I want.

But there was just something about this one that had me ready to break my own budget to have her.  Sheri and I hit upon an idea: a doll swap.  How perfect is that?  So I sent her Lucy, whom Sheri will dress with her spectacular hand work and costuming skills.  To be honest, I'm a little jealous of Lucy, not only because of the dress, but also because she seriously gets to live in the woods in a beautiful cabin in Missouri!

Taney Butternut, w/ brooms and tiny wax cabin.

Yes, that's cartridge pleating on her dress skirt. 

Sheri sent me Taney.  Photos cannot convey how satisfying it is to hold this doll.  For one, she's stuffed with cedar sawdust (which turns out to be more like a super fine shred, not dust like on a woodshop floor) so she smells incredible.  But she's heavy in a way I didn't expect, with an antique-doll's lovely combination of floppiness and firmness of limbs.  She and her clothing are all stitched by hand--Sheri doesn't use patterns, so every doll is truly one of a kind, with clothes that fit...well, as if they were made for her.

If you were to research antique rag dolls, you'd see just how wonderful a reproduction Sheri has in this little doll.  If I were to have a collection of antique dolls, you can bet there would be a gorgeous "granny made" example or two in the mix, because they speak to me of that American Folkart tradition, of making do, but making art, too.  Taney is my constant reminder that tradition, and I am so pleased to have her live with us. 

When the big box came, I was shocked to see it, because Taney's only 14" tall.  But Sheri'd also sent a couple of little straw brooms (tomorrow you can see who was overjoyed with THAT little gift) and this tiny log cabin made of beeswax.  The wax is to treat hand-sewing thread, keeping out tangles--I have already used it and it works really well, but it's hard to make thread cuts on that cute little house.  Last, but definitely not least, Sheri sent two big bags of cedar stuffing!  My house smells incredible.

Just about the last thing I need right now is incentive to start a new doll, but just as soon as the August doll show comes and goes, you just hide and watch me.  I'll make a cedar-stuffed cloth doll (or dog? or bear?) to keep Taney company.

I hope your weekend was lovely and the coming week brings you pleasant surprises.

Two celebrations.

One is that I just had my 100th sale on Etsy.  That doesn't count doll shows or art fairs, but given how scary it was to open a doll store, and how sure I was that I was wasting my time for the first several months, I'm kinda tickled about it.  Granted--a whole lot of those sales were Walnut Ink and Rabbit Patterns, but I'll celebrate.  What is is about hitting a benchmark of 100 that feels like such an accomplishment?  Why is 99 not terrific, or 103? 

The second is not really a celebration, just a silly little rag doll on Ebay.  She's the first of the Linen Sisters, very simple and homey. I was ready for another auction...because even when it doesn't go the way I want, it's still exciting to put one up.  I don't go to Vegas, don't play poker or by lottery tickets...so maybe a doll auction is as much gambling as I can stand.  

Hope your week is FABULOUS!

I love linen.

Way back when Phil and I were living in New Mexico, and I'd begun doing the medieval costuming in earnest, I bought a bunch of linen.  I mean, like I'd qualify to be on "Hoarders" with all the linen I bought.  Mostly because I love it, love to wear it, wrinkles and all, and love to work with it.

But the amount of linen you need for a 13th century noblewoman's gown is, well, quite a bit more than I'd need for a skirt I'd wear to Wal Mart, sooooo, you could say I have some left over.  And over.

I've hung on to this stockpile, convinced I was going to sew myself beautiful clothing, and because of the brain weevils that tell me I should wait til I'm at "the right size" for the clothes I want to make, I never have.  But enough is enough.  I am not likely to ever be supermodel thin like I was in high school, and even if I were, I'm almost 50.  It's not like I'd be gorgeous, just skinny and almost 50.  Gravity is what it is.

So I WILL make myself some clothes this year, and since linen lasts a long time, I'd best make them in timeless shapes that aren't too faddy.

Heh.  Just kidding.  Timeless, though, right?

But aside from that, I will use the linen in DOLLS!!! Big surprise, I know.

I finished the first one this morning, but she's not dressed, so I can't show her here yet.  Soon.  I actually managed to follow a pattern (mostly) without changing it...at least for the doll.  The pattern stinks for the clothes if you like doll clothes to be real instead of the patched-together prim deco stuff that sells these days.  So I'll make her clothes, and she will be the first of a limited line of dolls I plan to sell: The Linen Sisters.

I'd apologize, but I think it's funny.  :~)
Pictures soon...of the dolls, and maybe even the clothes I make for me.