Here are some of the doll related stuff I got for Christmas… some great books! About costuming, wig-making and hats.
… and this is what I bought for myself, that day at Gilda’s-
It is a reproduction Bleuette doll. Now I can pull out all those patterns that have been in Doll Costuming magazine and start getting her dressed!
This is one of the projects I was working on before Christmas! They are slippers made from felted wool sweaters.
I was inspired by these slippers that I saw linked to on someones (sorry?) blog. It reminded me of an old article in Threads Magazine, and, lucky me, I was able to get a copy at our library. The Threads article gave me the main piece of information I needed- where to find the thick piece of wool felt for the inner sole. Turns out a convenient source is a press cushion from Dick Blick. I bought one that was 12″ x 26″ ($16.99), but unfortunately it wasn’t big enough for 4 pairs… not good planning. Poor Peter has cold feet. When the new piece arrives, I will make more- a pair for him and a pair for me.
Here is an in progress picture. I don’t have a vise in my workroom… which would have been very useful for this project. Getting the thread through all the layers was a 2 handed and sometimes pliers job, so I clamped the slipper onto an open drawer. And here is a better picture of one pair finished-
The slippers are made of old and/or damaged wool sweaters which I felted in the washing machine.
There are 5 pieces per slipper-
1. top- over the toes, 2. back- around the heel, 3. inside sole (these 3 pieces are the recycled sweater pieces). 4. inside sole of 1/4 ” felt from Dick Blick (although it is more like 3/8″) and 5. ultrasuede bottom soles. The ultrasuede was recycled from some really hideous estate sale fashions.
The heavy felt piece is glued in a sandwich to the top inner sole and the bottom sole. The rest is handsewn together and blanket stitched around the edge.
I know this isn’t enough information to actually make a pair- just a general idea.
We have pulled out all the Christmas stuff… so many memories. These broken little angels are from my childhood. My family had a whole group of angels playing instruments. They were part of the creche scene. They haven’t survived very well- they’ve lost arms, wings, haloes, instuments… one has even lost her head, but I can’t bear to part with them.
Unpacking the ornaments is full of memories and artwork of friends. So much stuff that has no other place to go gets put in with the Christmas stuff.
this is a perfect example- a project I did many years ago. It was my (rejected) entry into a show called the cone box show… I filled the little box (approx. 3″ x 3″ x 6″) with clay babies. There were more… these are what are left. Sometimes we have tied them onto the tree.
Here are some doll ornaments. I made the angel for Eleanor’s first Christmas. The other 2 dolls are from the early 80’s, made by Martha Heller. I was at a friend’s house over the weekend and she had some of Martha Heller’s dolls also- a supergirl and a ballerina.
The tree is up and decorated. The kids have made treats. Julian’s specialty is chocolate covered pretzels. Eleanor made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
And then there is all the other stuff going on…the washing machine broke and I am working on felting presents- ahhh- disaster!!! Ben to the rescue! Read about the washing machine repairs and also our fun with mushrooms over on Ben’s blog.
I traded a little doll with Julia. I couldn’t choose- a suffragette or an angel with mica wings? Well, I couldn’t decide so they both came home with me.
I haven’t actually posted about anything I’m working on for a while…. some of that is Christmas related, I guess. I have been working away, slowly, on my ladies. This is a picture of the feet- very fiddly… one finished, one pinned and ready to stitch- but I really like how it looks when it’s finished.
and here are the various parts drying, after their first coat of gesso.
Stuffing is the hardest part of these dolls. I find trying to get a smooth, thin arm very difficult.
Today was the RISD Alumni Holiday Art Sale. It is a great event! Lots and lots of great work, and I saw a few people I knew… always fun! The dolls in the picture are by Julia Lothrop, my new doll friend. She lives near me and found me through my blog- a very good reason to be doing this.
I also saw Salley Mavor. My favorite one of her fairies was Poison Ivy. In the photo you can’t really see the wonderful greenish tint of her face.
Grace Lin’s wonderful illustration drew me over to her table, and as I was looking at her work, it suddenly flashed on me that she is the creator of the Robert’s Snow snowflake project. The snowflakes are all on view here. What an amazing venture.
We drove back home, picked up kids at various places and headed over to the Bazaar Bizarre. As we drove by the building, there was a huge, long line… who knows how long to get in. I didn’t think the rest of my family was interested enough to stand that, so we missed it. I’m sorry about that- I wonder if it would be a decent venue for selling my bugs and other smaller things. I wanted to go because Heidi, from My Paper Crane was there. I thought it would be great to actually connect with someone whose blog I read! O well.
This is the the great stuff I got at Gilda’s. Well, I also bought myself a Christmas present, but I can’t show that yet!
I’ve also been stocking up on other supplies. I bought a bolt (20 yards) of the basic fabric I use for my dolls- Springs Southern Belle. I bought some doll hair at Groenewold Fur and Wool Co..
More about yesterday’s busy day… In the afternoon, I went to the viewing at Skinner Auction House. Many dolls and so many teddy bears. If I could have left with one item, it would have been this beautiful lady- referred to as a creche figure.
I love her face and hands… well,and her dress and proportions and really everything about her!
These veggie dolls were pretty cool too.
After looking at dolls, a quick stop at an orchid greenhouse- delicious!
