Procrastination (and Mystery Tools Revealed)

I don’t usually title my blog with what many people consider to be a dirty word, but I find my creative process is enhanced by a bit of procrastination. I just realized that I first wrote about my “triple flip” dolls on May 20, 2014, almost 5 months ago. WOW! I really do procrastinate. They all now have underwear, new dresses and wigs, a process that could have taken a … Continue reading

Book Review: The Dolls Dressmaker

When I first started dressing antique reproduction dolls, The Dolls Dressmaker The Complete Pattern Book by Venus A. Dodge was THE source of  inspiration I turned to again and again. In the book, basic pattern shapes are given for dolls from 11 inches (28cm) to 22 inches (56cm). The author explains in wonderful detail how to combine these shapes, alter them and add to them to make an endless variety of doll … Continue reading

Dolls on the Web

The antique doll collecting community seems to be reacting to the lack of doll shows with a larger presence on the internet. YEAH! Here are a few places I’ve discovered: Antique Doll Collector Magazine has a new blog. On Facebook, I’ve joined three antique doll groups and have been only kicked out of one of them. I think I was kicked off because I shared a non-doll-related post, but there was … Continue reading

My New Crayons

Last week, just before we went out of town, I got the first kit for my Cabinet of Curiosities class.  Opening the box got my heart racing. And I was not disappointed! New tools, really good tools, have always inspired me. Just like new pencils, paper and notebooks did for me at the beginning of each school year, my new embroidery supplies, especially the beautiful palette of threads, speak to … Continue reading

Three Wee Wigs

The triple flip girls didn’t want to be bald, so I made them wigs. The wigs are three different colors and three variations of the same wig-making method. When I make new wigs for old dolls, my goal is to make them from appropriate material in an appropriate color and style. I do not attempt to fool anyone into thinking that the wig is original, that would be cheating. For such … Continue reading

I’m Back

The last few weeks have been busy, but now I’m ready for fall and a return to “normal” life. Last week DH and I travelled to South Carolina with family. We were thrilled and proud to get to see SG’s big brother graduate from Army boot camp on 9/11/14. He seems to have thrived and is now moving on to his specialty training. SG showed endless patience through all the … Continue reading

First World Problems

Are you familiar with the popular meme, first world problems (aka white whine). If not, Google it. I am very fond of the concept of looking at my life through a real world lens. It helps me to experience many of my problems with a “get over yourself” attitude. Life’s been busy the last two weeks and won’t calm down for me until the week after next. WAH! I just wanted … Continue reading