I finished one more before the shop update- Hurray!  This guy is a little different- a totally modern type.

I had some problem figuring out how to do the chest hair.  I stitched it in.  It seemed okay.   I went on to do the moustache and chin hair.  Hmmm, now the chest hair looked less than perfect.  Snip, snip, embroidery removed and new hair (done in feather stitch) looking much better!

Wispy facial hair, bead necklace, ponytail-

Side-view-

close-up of his hair in back-

He will join the others in my shop update later today- 3pm edt.

The Etsy shop update will be Tuesday afternoon- 3pm edt.  I will post a group photo later today or tomorrow- I have to get to work on that!  I had fun making this man mosaic on Flickr yesterday.

Old style bathing suit. I believe these suits were knitted of wool. Now that makes ya think!

I have really been enjoying doing the man faces. I never felt confident drawing mens faces until I started doing all these guys. I would try to draw a man but usually I thought the faces looked feminine. But, practice, practice! I get better!

I put 2 more (different) photos of this doll in my Flickr photostream.

Today is the last day to enter the 2nd Annual Softie Awards. I entered this year- I had to. They had a category for Embroidery!

I didn’t realize how funny the pointing finger looked until I was working on the photos!

I love this toile.  Before dyeing, it is  brown on cream.  I had originally rejected it because of the scale and the brown print.  Now I think it’s perfect!

Check out this vintage Doll Man comic- so funny!

starting now.  Getting going on these has not been a smooth process.  First, I misplaced some of the toile that I’d bought especially… well I did finally find it.  Isn’t it great?  The Hawaiian theme?

And I’ve been having trouble dyeing flesh tones that I like- I am no expert with the dyes.  As a result, it is difficult to reproduce colors that I’ve been satisfied with before. (Reminder to self- take more notes!)  Also, all the scrap toiles I’ve been using take the dye differently.  Arg.  I have a crafting mantra- limit your variables… that’s the problem here- too many variables.

So- here is the first to be finished-  on the left.  I looked and thought and brought him to show off at doll club, but his skin was just too, too pink for me.  I HAD to change it, but was afraid I’d ruin him…  in the end, I knew I had to do something.  I mixed up a wash of Burnt Umber acrylic paint and brushed it over him to tone down the color.  Thank Goodness, he survived the operation!  Phew!  So, now we present Mr. Tattoo Man #1 in the next series!

I’m not sure you can even tell from the photos, but trust me, it’s better.

I sewed up 4 dolls.  One, I managed to spill ink on- ink that does not come out …  I told you I was having a rocky time with these.  I have another one finished which I will post later.  One more that I decided needed a color wash.  We will see if he survives his treatment.

My plan is that when I have 5 or so finished, I will put them into my Etsy shop in a bunch.  I will post and notify people who have written to me, when that will happen.