Workshop Pictures

 Here are the rest of my pictures from the Little Folk Workshop from last weekend. Unfortunately it took me a while to finish this post, it was a busy week. The first picture is someones head, didn't write down who's (sorry!)

This is Sue's head and shoes.

 This is Barb's head and shoes.

This is Karyn's head and shoes.

 

 This is Vera's head and shoe fabric, I think she wants to make a different style shoe.

This is Sheila's head and shoes.

 This is Evelyn's head and shoes, body and 1 boob.

These are Dots 2, yes 2 dolls that she finished!!

These are my shoes.

This is a head and shoes, sorry don't know who's they are. But very cute!

This is Deborah's head and shoes.

And this is Carolyn's head and shoes. She is thinking of using green hair, so cute.

I can not wait to see all of these trolls finished. It is so amazing that they all come from the same pattern yet every one of them is so different due to the way they are sculpted and how the face is colored. Hopefully I'll have pictures of finished dolls in the not toooo distant future!

Little Folk Workshop with Ute Vasina

My doll club, Time For Dolls, Akron, OH, hosted a workshop last weekend Sept 17, and 18 with Ute Vasina. We made her trolls, Little Folk. The workshop was fantastic and Ute is such a sweetheart, we all had a great time and learned some great new techniques.

We held our workshop at "Fabulous" Craft Akron. And it is Fabulous! This is a wonderful place in Akron - 1478 N. Portage Path in the Parkwood Plaza and is owned by Martha Lombardi. The first thing you notice when you walk through the door is all the great 50's decor. I LOVE it! Martha finds all these wonderful things to decorate the shop with. This isn't a retail shop although Martha has a few items for sale that may be needed in a class. This is a place to come to take classes, all kinds of craft classes. It is bright and cheery and just a wonderful space to create in. Check out her website at http://www.craftakron.com/ for classes.

Almost all our members came to the workshop - we missed you Paloma! We had 3 ladies from the Glad Rags doll club, Jean, Joann and Phyllis.

This is Jean.

This is Joann and next is Phyllis.

  

You can see all the ladies working away on their dolls. I can't wait to see them all finished.

The ladies from our club who came are pictured here. Karyn and Barb, mother and daughter. Poor Karyn was so sick but she was such a trooper to attend and work on her doll.

Here are Vera and Sheila.

Here is Evelyn.

Then we have Dot, not only speedybeadie, but speedy doll maker too!Next to Dot was Pam, she and I run the doll club together.

Then there is Deborah.

Next to Deborah was Mickey, she can make you laugh all day long!

Here is Carolyn, put her together with Mickey and you can laugh so hard you will cry!!

Then there is sweet Sue, she sat between Carolyn and me.

I have lots more pictures, but they will appear in my next post.

Finished my doll!

I haven't mentioned my doll that I've been working on. I wanted to make sure that I was actually able to get her done. I was asked to make a doll to display at the Houston International Quilt Show. I've never been to the Houston show but I hear it is huge and fabulous. There are also some doll exhibits.

So, a couple of months ago I set off to make a doll, I felt this was a big honor to be asked and wanted to get a doll done. I found this lantern, it is actually made for a candle, and my husband came up with the idea to make a beach scene in the lantern. I decided the beach scene wouldn't travel very well. I saw a glass lamp at Pier 1 Imports and it was filled with shells and knew right then what to do with my lantern. Then the doll came together in my head. She ended up looking almost exactly what I first thought she would look like. It was quite a journey for me considering I never designed a doll before. Five bodies and I don't know how many arms later I have my doll. I did use one of my favorite doll head patterns by Barbara Schoenoff though. So Quennachelle was born, that is Gaelic for Queen of Shells but that isn't what I really wanted to name her. She is more like the keeper of all shells. Her skirt is a shell motif batik, her top has Swarovski fish hanging down and some coral-looking fringe and she has a starfish in her hair and of course her stash of shells in her lantern. I'm pretty happy with the way she turned out so tomorrow it is off to the UPS store to get a box and bubble wrap and get her shipped off to Houston!

What I did on my summer vacation

Don't worry - I'm not going to bore you with the details!! IF anyone is interested though, after I finish going through all my pictures I will post them to Photobucket or Flickr or somewhere and put a link on my blog.

What I am going to post pictures of today is the fabrics that I bought in LA's Fashion District. I read on Patti Culea's blog a little while back that she took her sister and niece there and mentioned the streets (thank goodness) so one morning after breakfast we put in Maple St and 9th into the GPS and off we went! This is the exit we took in downtown LA - don't you just love the traffic! I don't know why people gripe about it, I had a blast. We found a parking garage and took the elevator down to the street and this is what I saw. Bolts of fabric a half a street block long! For $1.99 a yard!! OK, this is the one and only picture I took in the Fashion District. I was so fascinated with all that fabric, store after store, after store that I just forgot I had a camera in my pocket. I really restrained myself because if I didn't, I would have spent a fortune on fabric that I probably wouldn't live long enough to use. Although I do have some regrets about a few fabrics not brought home with me. I guess I just have to go back!!

Well, the first picture is all my dupioni silks. It was funny, in all the shops there is a 1 yard minimum and I really wanted 1/2 yard cuts so my husband said that I make dolls and only need 1/2 yard I saw the owner hesitate so I jumped in and said that I would buy 8 different colors and he said ok. I ended up getting 16 colors - so pretty. Then I found some gingham checks in taffetta. Then I found these feather caps that are used to make fascinator hats with. I thought I could use them for something.

So, if you ever go to LA or NY or any large city go to the fashion district, bring cash but be very careful with it and have a great time. Don't leave behind any fabric that you will think about for months.