Clay sculpting class update

We've had our first week of work in the on-line sculpting class. We are using super sculpey to make the faces. Our first lesson was to make 3 heads and make the eyes only. It was suggested that we try to make the eyes different in each head. My eyes are Caucasian, Asian and one where she is looking up and to her left. I am enjoying this new medium a lot. If you make a mistake all you do is blend it in or cut it out and start again. I have never tried to sculpt before so with each head I learn a little more about how to use the tools and the medium. They are really bumpy now but our instructor tells us that we will "magically" smooth all those bumps away later. This week we will be adding the rest of the facial features. Wish me luck.

Clay Sculpting a Face

I'm going to try something new--sculpting in polymer clay. I'm taking an online class and hope to be able to incorporate this technique in future dolls. The teacher is Marilyn Radzat and she makes beautiful sculpted dolls. If this goes well I may also take the session on sculpting hands and arms. I'll take pictures of my progress so that you can share my learning experience. Wish me luck!!

Vivian's Masquerade

I started this doll at AFIC this year with Leta Benedict. I finally have her finished. Leta's design called for an all white doll made with vintage handkerchiefs but I wanted more color so I made my own "handkerchiefs" for her skirt and boosted the color quotient by using turquoise and lime green. I also made her pantaloons slightly different from Leta's design. I used a decorative ribbon for the last part and then let is stand out like a ruffle instead of drawing it in against her leg. The mask and boots are made from paper clay and then painted. This was something new that I hadn't done before. The hat is made from fleece, watercolor paper (for stiff top) and wire. I had a lot of fun combining all the ribbons and fabrics to make this truly fanciful masquerade doll. I put sateen over a cloth sculpted face and then painted the features. This eliminates the seam lines on the face. I hope you enjoy my latest creation.

New Doll-Aquarius

Every year the Indy Cloth Dollmakers and the River City Doll Club in Cincinnati have a joint meeting and share a challenge. This year's challenge was to create a doll based on a sign of the Zodiac. I chose Aquarius, the water bearer. For this challenge I decided to create my own original design. The doll is 19" tall and has a wire armature so that she can stand alone on a base. I used Mimi Winer's that needle sculpting technique to sculpt her face. I used real hair eyelashes to complete her realistic face. The water urn is made from paper mache and then painted. The water is a cascade of beads flowing into the river bed of tiny pebbles. Her beaded gown features moon and stars on the bodice. Her sleeves and bottom of the gown were made from strips of polyester organza which has crinkled using a heat gun and then attached with beads to her gown.

Here's Chloe--New Pin Doll

The Indy Cloth Doll Club is working on a doll pattern book which we hope to have completed for the AFIC convention in April. I decided to make a pin doll which I named after my grand daughter, Chloe. Of course, the real Chloe is much cuter but this will have to do. There are doll makers who are intimidated when it comes to painting faces so I am including the fabric face with my pattern. So if you can sew and string beads you can make this doll. I think there are lots of ways that this doll would be customized. For example, you could use yarn or wool roving for hair instead of beads. The skirt could also be a piece of light weight fabric instead of ribbon or maybe even a collection of large beads or buttons. I've even thought that I might use a locket for the upper torso, instead of a button, cabochon or bead. This one is my prototype so there are improvements that I want to incorporate in the final version. I plan to make her hair a little bigger and probably not "fringe" the bottom of her skirt. I used a button for this version, but will try a bead on the final version.

Fabric Weaving Sampler

Now that the holiday season is over, I've had some time to try a some new things. I wanted to learn something new so I tried fabric weaving. It seemed like a creative way to use up scraps of fabric and create something new that could be used. I found a piece that I wasn't too fond of and some coordinating colors and plunged right in. Of course, I didn't want to do a simple checkerboard pattern so I used curved pieces. Somewhat of a challenge but the result was quite interesting. I also made a fabric/foam flower, fabric beads, and other embellishments for my sampler. The first picture is the base fabric and the second picture is my "sampler".

I think I may try using smaller strips next time so that I can use the created fabric for one of my doll creations....hmmm.

Recent projects for the show and sale

I have been very busy lately making items for the November show and sale. Recently I've been re-purposing sweaters into scarves. Once I have cut and sewn them together to the appropriate length I embellish by needle felting yarns onto the surface in a random abstract pattern. Selecting just the right colors of yarn and other findings is the hardest part. But it is pretty time consuming felting the yarns onto the scarves even with my embellishing machine. Each scarf takes about 6 hours to complete. I also have been making needle sculptures. So far my menagerie consists of a cat, scotty dog, border collie, Irish setter, toy poodle, butterfly, and a yellow rose. I need to take better photos but have to figure out how to do that without all the shadows. They are very small, for example, the Scotty in the picture is less than 2" long. To take a break from all the fuzzy fibers I have just finished a beaded evening bag made from re-purposed beaded sleeves. I found the sleeves a few years ago in an antique store and now seemed like the perfect time to make my vision a reality. The purse is lined with vintage silk velvet which I also found in an antique store.