A Little of This and That...

The doll I showed in the last post needs a few more tweaks and the PDF should be in my shop by the Fall. 

I haven't blogged lately because my daughter and I have been scraping wallpaper from Hell in our bathroom. Finally that was done and we painted all the walls and ceiling. It's been a long process since we could only work when I was feeling well enough. We still need to do touch ups, paint the trim, hang the towel racks and put up the new mini blinds. I'll show pics when we are finished.

My art doll group is doing a doll swap that I am hosting and I'm so excited about it! I just finished embroidering the face of the doll I'm making last night and need to sew the body. I'm going to show a little peek a boo since my partner doesn't follow my blog.

Now on to the kitchen news. I've come to the realization that I'll probably have to dismantle my studio for a few months while we are re-doing the kitchen. My current studio resides in my dining room and that's the only place in the entire house to store the appliances and kitchen stuff. I was going to move my studio into the Master bedroom after my brother moved out but he didn't get the rental house he was hoping for so will be here longer. I don't want to hold up doing the kitchen so will probably be working on a small table in my bedroom like in the early days. Or possibly carve out a small area in my nephew's play room when they aren't here. Not a fun time for me but I'll take one for the team so we can get this kitchen done.

I still haven't finished the Lion. I just can't find the time to sit and really think about the mane design. Nothing I've done so far is working and I refuse to move on to another character until he is done.

Basic Doll Design Done.

I've been working on a small felt doll that I'd sell as a PDF pattern in my etsy shop. Something simple and cute. I've spent some time watching 2 other designers doing this and just love their dolls. They each do their PDFs so well and the finished dolls are so cute that I'm not sure I can even compete but well I'm going to give it a try.

Here's the idea I've worked out so far.

I still need to work out clothes for her. But what do you all think? Is she worth putting out there?

I re-designed an old plush doll pattern that I was excited about a few years back but didn't get much response from so sort of gave up and moved on to other things. Here's what the Original design was. Cute little Kawaii plush doll. I called them "Snarky Girl Dolls"TM and they were based on my then teenage daughter. I still love these little dolls with serious attitude and may revisit this design again one day.

 Here's a larger version of that same design.

I've re-worked her to have moveable arms and legs that sit and a more happy doll face.

Here she is in comparison to my other new doll design that won't be a PDF pattern.

I'd love the hear what you think abut this doll so please do comment.

Lots Going On...

Not getting many dolls done. Been mainly focused on stripping wallpaper in my bathroom. We are trying to hold out till the housing market goes back up but in 3 years we are out of here regardless.

We live in a 4 bedroom house with 2 kitchens, which when my brother moves out this year and my daughter moves out too will be too large for just my mom and me. We may end up renting the house but certain projects we held off on till now need to be tackled.

• Sprucing up the bathroom upstairs.
• A complete re-do of my kitchen
• New carpeting
• New railing for the stairs
• Entire inside of the house needs to be painted
• Work in the backyard

Just had the house appraised again and it's worth significantly less than we paid for it and all the money we put into the house: new roof, new windows, new siding, new gutters, 2 retaining walls in the front of the house, the 4 season sun room, new tub and shower in 2 bathrooms, new sump pump, new water heater, new air conditioner, high quality laminate wood floor in the foyer and the mudroom, new front door and storm door, new kitchen door, new patio door, new privacy gates that lock, landscaping around the sun room, stepping stones into the yard from each gate, new sewer line from house to street, is now gone!

When I think of the money spent and the loss of equity I want to cry. The house has lost $105,000 in value since the last appraisal 6 years ago. Unfortunately to even try and sell we HAVE to re-do the kitchen. The grand plans we had have been scaled down a lot but doesn't matter to me since I won't really get to enjoy the kitchen, it's all done for a future buyer. Sucks but whatever.

I know this is an art blog but other things do happen in my life and on occasion I share them here.

Here's a golden haired girl I did work on this week. She needs clothes and accessories and then will be in my shop.

Finished My Sweet Zombie Girl.

Cute with a dash of creepy?

In my shop now.

Worktable Wednesday.

I have 3 dolls on the worktable today. The pumpkin girl needs clothes, the purple haired girl I've decided will be a fairy with embroidered wings and the green girl is a zombie.

It's going to be 80 today so I hope to enjoy some of the great weather and I hope it's lovely where you are too.