A Finished Project I Can Now Share.

 My blog has been pretty quiet for a while. I haven't had much to show. I had been working on a doll for a couple of months for a dear friend. It was for a doll swap. The swap was for a Fall/Autumn themed doll, whatever Fall means to you. It took a while to complete and I didn't want to show it until she received it but now I can share. Part of the reason it took so long was I designed a completely new pattern for the doll. I also spent tons of time on the accessories to make everything just right. My swap partner Moriah Betterly is such a great friend and has been so supportive of my work. We actually met in an online swap years ago. So it's like we came full circle. She loves the doll and I'm so pleased.

 I borrowed photos that Moriah Betterly, my swap partner, took cause they are so much better than mine.

 I made the doll a little prim doll to carry.

 Messenger bag with appliqued fall leaves.

 Little matching capelet with appliqued fall leaves.

Also a matching Tam hat.

 Especially for Moriah I made a little ADQ magazine that had pages of her dolls that have been published there and tucked it inside the dolls' messenger bag.

 Here's the dress she is wearing under the capelet.

And a close up of the boots. I modeled these after my daughter's Uggs.

Now that Christmas is over I feel the need to get back to work so will hopefully will have more to show soon!

A long over due update

Well November turned out to be the one month a year that I have very little pain and I actually feel Human again. Unfortunately it was also the month I had the full body wracking cough that had me worried I'd crack a rib. Very little sleep, trying to sleep sitting upright against a wall, waking up everyone in the house at night with my coughing and explosive sneezing. Some kind of virus or allergies? I didn't get better until my sinus' got infected and I got an antibiotic. I still have a dry hacking cough but at least I can sleep now. And still compared to October it was a good month.

Didn't get much done since I can't sew when I'm hacking up a lung. I managed to get one special Ornament done for the ADA's Christmas Swap.

He's a sweet little felt and paper clay Santa. I received the loveliest Santa Cat ornament from Trish Powell.

I took advantage of Cyber Monday and purchased a brand new sewing machine for a fantastic price and free shipping. It's a present to me from my wonderful mom for Christmas only I get it now.

I played around with it and so far I don't hate it, it's pretty easy to use and it seems to like me fine so we are becoming fast friends. Hopefully this baby will help get a good stock of doll bodies built up so I can do some shows next year. Fingers crossed.

My poor daughter just had a cyst or cysts on one of her ovaries rupture and has been in so much pain. So even though she's 20 years old she still needs mom to take care of her.

I put some of my older Holiday Plush dolls in my etsy shop and a couple of them sold...yay!

 These guys are still in my shop. I made them last year. I make a new set of holiday characters in a new design every year. Just couldn't make a set this year.

These 2 are the last of the holiday plush dolls from 2010 and are also in my shop.
 

I'm currently working on a doll for a swap and a custom order and I'm making a Super Hero doll for my youngest nephew and a girl doll for my brother's new girlfriend's daughter. I have a bunch more challenges coming up and I'm just tired thinking about them. Actually I'm physically exhausted. But of course I'll do them anyway.

Got Some Great News!

I received an email last night from the publisher of Art Doll Quarterly Magazine. They have accepted one of my dolls for publication! I will have a doll in their Spring 2013 issue!!!!

Major happy dance and much hugging of family members went on last night. I'm still tingling this morning! Now I can check off another goal.

I'll show photos once the issue has arrived about Feb 1st. Meanwhile here's a photo of Lita in her Halloween shirt waiting for the trick or treaters yesterday.

Day of the Dead Doll Finished

Took me longer than I thought it would but she's done. I think she came out pretty good for a last minute project. I really wanted to do her to be active in Art Dolls Only. Introducing Delores.

She's small, about 13 inches tall and made entirely from felt. I embroidered details on her face, arms and legs. Her skellie kitty has embroidered features too.

I'll put her in my shop as soon as I price her. If anyone is interested before then just let me know.

WIP Tuesday

At the last minute I decided to join in the Art Dolls Only Dia de los Muertos challenge. This challenge is open to the public too. I'm not sure if I told you all yet but I was recently accepted into this wonderful Art Doll group that I've been wanting to get into for so long. Well another goal reached!

She still needs a lot of work but I'm loving her so far.

If you are unfamiliar with  Dia de los Muertos, it is Spanish for Day of the Dead and is a Mexican holiday. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. 

I'll share more photos once she is finished.