It's been a while

Well, it has been quite a while since I've written in my blog. I guess I was exhausted after AFIC, then I've spent quite a while since training the puppy, isn't she cute? She is doing very well at puppy kindergarten too!

Then, my sister came for a week's visit in July. It was her first time in Ohio. She is a knitter so we went to 3 different yarn stores. I found a pattern for felted slippers that look like flip-flops so she made them for me. When I get them I'll post a picture because they are cute. She is also a Master Gardner so she helped me a lot with getting the front of my house looking good, at least it is a beginning and I know which direction to go in next spring. It was great to see her and spend some time together, can't believe I didn't take any pictures.

Then I'd also been planning Ed and my vacation, which we took a couple of weeks ago. We went to California for 10 days. It was a blast. I've visited San Francisco many time and San Diego 3 times but I've never been to the LA area and have wanted to visit since I was little. I absolutely had the best time ever!! We flew in and out of San Jose because Ed had a seminar and I met him there then we went to LA so it was easier to fly home from San Jose. I really like that area also, not so much downtown which is very pretty but it didn't feel very safe to me.

So on our second weekend in San Jose our son Chris and grandson Jordan, drove over from Reno and our son brought his girlfriend Shawna (so we could meet her) and she brought her youngest daughter Mackenzie. So, with all that going on this summer, I haven't made any dolls or I should say I haven't finished any dolls. I was asked to make a doll for the Houston International Quilt Show which has a very large doll exhibit as well as quilts. I've been working on that doll for months, making and remaking bodies. I'm getting close to finishing her and I'm excited to see how she will turn out - picture to come. And... I've taken 2 online classes which happened to occur on the same weeks (of course) and one of them, Street Fair by Cindee Moyer is half done. OK maybe not quite half way. And I took Cindee's class The Gatherer which I haven't even started. Then my doll club, Time For Dolls, is hosting Ute Vasina in September so I have to get ready for that. Not only the doll, but Pam and I are organizing it. Then in October I am taking a class with Coleen Babcock, Stitch in Time. And, I have to make a Christmas doll for October's meeting of our doll club. That was our challenge doll and I've had 10 months to do it, oh well.

I'm starting to whine about how much I have to do but I'm not really whining afterall, I'm making dolls!!

My Round Robin Doll

As I mentioned in my last post, my doll club had a Round Robin this year that we finished last week at the May meeting. Her arms were pinned on and her leg was half sewn on in the group photo of the dolls that I took at the meeting. Well, she is finished now and I just love this doll, she was dressed to perfection from head to toe. I wouldn't have thought to dress a doll this way but I'm so lucky to be in a club with so many creative and talented women. Paloma dressed her legs in darling sandals that have ribbons that criss-cross up her legs and have a cute little flower at the top. She also put lace panties on. Then Carolyn dressed her arms with cute little sleeves, a pretty beaded bracelet and a ring on her left hand and a thumb ring on the right hand. Now, the funny part is that Carolyn always wears a thumb ring. She also put a tatoo on her upper right arm of a cupcake (I love cupcakes!) that has Ed written on the "frosting" and a heart above the cupcake. It is so cute! But for some reason my camera just couldn't take a good picture of it so it is a bit blurry. Then Evelyn dressed my doll. She made a darling denim skirt with 2 pockets on the back that have embroidery on them then for the top she made these little yo-yos and sewed them on the front and back and put ric-rac trim on. Then she made the cutest headband with 2 colors of ric-rac.

Thanks everyone who worked on her, I just LOVE her and will cherish her always!

Time For Dolls Meeting

Yesterday was my doll club's May meeting and we finished presenting our round robin dolls and assembled them. They came out fantastic!! I am so happy with all the talent that is in our doll club, it is so inspiring. Everyone comes up with new and creative ideas, it is so much fun.

The first picture is all of the dolls together. Most of them weren't finished being assembled, that is why they are sitting in baskets and leaning up against things. I think Carolyn was the only one to completely finish assembling her doll, but then again she is a superstar!

This picture is of Deborah's doll. She had such great fabrics and everyone who worked on her did a fantastic job. I love the doll that Deborah used, she is so pretty!

This is Evelyn's doll. I worked on her arms making black lace gloves and a red sleeve. With some jewelry of course. Sue added the hair which are white feathers - it looks fantastic. How creative!








This is Pam's doll, she is just beautiful. I don't know who did the arms and legs but I do know that Paloma did the costuming. The front torso is all beaded and then she made strips of tulle, ribbon and fabrics for the skirt, very pretty!

These are Carolyn's (on the left) and Paloma's (on the right). I did the costuming on Carolyn's. I made her skirt of different colored tulle and gathered them about 2" from the bottom and tied them with floss and added a bell. Pam had originally made harem style pants so that gave me the idea to make the skirt that way. Paloma's doll is so pretty, I worked on her legs making shoes and doing some bead work.

This is Sue's doll. She is so tiny! She doesn't have her hair yet, can't wait to see her finished. Sue had beautiful fabrics to work with, but they are really hard to see in this picture.

And, this is my doll. Paloma did the legs and sandals, Carolyn did the sleeves and a tatoo, and Evelyn did the costuming. I absolutely love, love, love this doll!! Her arms are only pinned on in this picture so when she is finished I will have better pictures of her. The bodice is all little yo-yos, so cute!

It was another great meeting with so much creativity flying around and a lot of good conversation and fun.