Linda January 28th, 2009
Just another update on the gypsy doll ‘front’. Scott and I have been invited by Pamela Armeas (sp?) to be part of the “Celebration of the Doll” exhibit. At the Houston quilt market (every fall) there are 4 different doll shows-in one. They are; Material Girls ( a Texas doll club), TODOA (Texas Assoc. of Origianl Doll Artists), Treasures of the Gypsy Challenge and Celebration of the Doll. Last year we made a doll for the gypsy “challenge” and this year we were invited to make a doll for the ‘Celebration of the Doll’ portion. Ahhhh, it is so good to be invited.
Linda December 23rd, 2008
I emailed Staci Dumaski at Art Doll Quarterly about my Gypsy doll and Satyr doll, here is her reply:
“I had a look at your Satyr article today, and think that you’ve hit upon a fabulous idea that I’ll be happy to share with the readers of ADQ. You can look for the article in the Summer issue!”
This means though that I will be in the summer issue 2x-once for the satyr “how-to” article and the Travels of the Gypsy article. Very exciting stuff.
On a more personal note: it has snowed here considerably. I am struggling with depression right now (and this is on meds too!). I have always had a hard time with this time of year–why? I honestly don’t know, perhaps it could be the lack of sun light or even just lack of “bonded” family. While the world is celebrating jolly good cheer–I am working on getting by and not having too high of expectations. Pitiful huh?
“
Linda December 9th, 2008
Below is the link to the show that the gypsy dolls (2008) were in:
http://www.materialgirlsdollclub.com/quiltshowinfo/2008/index.htm
Linda November 18th, 2008
Just text, no pictures. Gypsy doll, Longo Drom, came home on Ffriday–I was able to restore her to her original position. Now if she is bent, she REALLY is broken. I also received in the mail a letter from Pamela (the lady who in charge and originated the gypsy challenge). In it she indicated that she had picked out some dolls from this years show that she wanted to have sent along to Art Doll Quarterly to be part of a “Gypsy Doll ” article. Life does take funny turns doesn’t it??? So again this doll will be traveling off, this time to Calif. to make another appearance. I guess she really is a gypsy?!
Linda September 26th, 2008
Here is my next doll to be done. The head again is molded on a plastic Halloween skull. She was going to be a Sphynx but I kept envisioning a doll with bat wings. I could “see” how I was going to do the wings so this is her armature. She will be aprox 18 inches tall..I want to do her with grey hair (hence, old bat) and am picturing a torn/worn wedding gown (I have a wonderful vintage table cloth that is in a rough state that will be perfect for this.) I am thinking about doing her feet like she is suspended in the air–this is really a bold step for me because I think bare feet are hard–but hey, I can either cut them off (ewww) or make boots (LOL).
Gypsy doll is now on her way to Houston for the quilt market. Lessons learned:
1)When a doll is to be sent, make is as SMALL as possible!! Shipping is EXSPENSIVE!!!!
2)UPS does a better job at packing an doll than me and even if it costs, when they package it they guarantee it.
3)Think 2x about entering a challenge that you really don’t have a good vision for (this means that no matter how much your Dh gives you the puppy eyes and the ”good idea/it will be lots of fun” talk go with your gut and say a polite “no”.)
4)Did I mention that shipping is expensive? Now factor in that you have to pay return on that too, ARGH!!!
I am considering when to post pics of her…should I wait till she is at the show, when she is back or now (it is too late for anyone to copy my interpretation)? If anyone is in Houston for the Quilt Market/Show let me know because I would LOVE to have pictures!!!!
Next; I got my newest tattoo and will post pics (and an explanation) when I get a chance….it is the Phoenix that I had mentioned in an earlier post.
Now, onto sad things…our beloved cat (of approx 15 years) has gone AOL for almost a week. I suspect that she has gone to that big cat box in the sky (she was VERY loyal so we don’t suspect that she left us). On Tues. when Noel was driving to youth group the kids watched a neighbor cat get hit by a truck (the driver just drove off, grrrrrrrrrr)…very yucky. We all cried lots. And a lady that I work with had her house burn down while they were taking their oldest son to college–looks like the house is pretty much destroyed.
Linda August 20th, 2008
Well, it was a looooooooooong week last week. I came down the the “cold/flu” from hell. At least I think it was a flu like thing–I couldn’t seem to find the thermometer, duh?! How dumb is that???? Anway, I was tired and weak all week long–and then the last few days of the week we had temps here in the 90′s. ARGH! I could not get into my studio because I either was too sick or it was too hot (our studio is upstairs so it get stifling). As much as I wanted to create I just could not seem to drag my butt up there. Ontop of that I am feeling really stalled on this gypsy doll–it is bigger than I wanted, and I am afraid it will not turn out how I have envisioned (it will be just plain ugly ;0(
I got my cat doll back from Art Doll Quarterly and am disappointed that 2 of her finger nails fell off and what-the-heck, her finger was ”blown” (in fabric doll this happens when the finger material gives out at the tip and the stuffing/armature comes out.) Now, I KNOW for a fact that she did not leave that way and how could they have possibly have handled her so her finger would blow out??? I understand her losing her nails (well, kinda). So I fixed her and just chalk it up to the price you have to pay when it leaves your hands. I did put my Dutch Touch doll in the fair. I usually don’t do that well (I think it is because I live among philistines–this not an arty community), but I think this doll is very “pretty”. If this doll does well it will prove my point–that they are prejudice against “ugly/strange” dolls. HA!
We took the kids to my mom’s to visit (Whidbey Island), spent the night and onto the water slides in Blaine we went. Today my butt is killing me (bruised) from being tossed around on those slides. We all did have a good time though. So now today I have decided to put away the gypsy doll for a while and work on the “frog” doll I have in mind. I feeling more energized about getting into the studio after I made that decision. The frog will be oriental and I plan on using some kimono sleeves that my mom gave me in the costume. Ha, wish me luck or perhaps “may the muse be with you”.
Linda August 2nd, 2008
Here she is as of Aug. 1st. The skirt (actually this will end up being her slip) is an old slip I had from my days running/owning a vintage clothing/antique shop. It is made out of some fine satin fabric with very close pleats but the pleats are shredded in some areas but I liked the look anyway. The material next to her is some of the material I got from Pamela Armas..(in this challenge you send her $20 and she sends you a package of trims and material to use on your doll-at least “some” of it must be used in the doll to qualify). It will become a vest that I will bead upon. The shirt is some raw silk that my mom found at a garage sale and again the sheer fabric over her sleeves is more of the challenge fabric. I am in the process of beading her cuffs. The scarf over her head is just one I had sitting around. I think it looks good so it may end up on her in some fashion (is covers her baldness–she is very shy about it).
On a sadder note: our pet rat, Oreo, is dying. From what I understand, rats don’t live that long and this seems to be the case. Like most of our pets she was a rescue rat—one day Dh found her on the sidewalk in a “plastic container” in front to his work (it was a hot April day)…just abandoned. She was young and no one else wanted her so we took her in and the kids just adored her. Now it is almost 2 years later and she is not looking very well. We all cried over her one night and then she got better–well now she is VERY unwell again and the kids are asking me to put her out of her misery. I said, “just how do you suggest I do that???”. No one has any good ideas–now this is where I get kinda sick, but I thought about putting her in the freezer so she would just get real sleepy and die. But argh—I can not do that because I think–how do people not know that that is a painful way to die?????? Sometimes I think she is dead because she is very “still”….anybody got any good ideas????
Linda July 17th, 2008
Yes, I know, these are not the best pictures–it is sooooo hard to take a photo of something that is “white”. No matter what I do there is no contrast. Anyway, I wanted to post pictures of what I have been working on. These are the hands for my “gypsy challenge” doll that is due in Oct. Below in my blog, are pictures of two heads that I have made for it. Scott decided on which head to use (he is doing the challenge with me–well actually he talked me into it). The other head is going to me a frog prince ala oriental style. Sadly enough I want to be done with the gypsy doll and move onto the frog doll because I have some great costuming ideas that I want to use. Sigh….I am pleased with the hands. I did them ala Dutch Touch Class, it is Marliene’s technique. And I used an air drying stone clay to give them extra strength versus using an inner armature and using a reg paper clay. I think hands are my weakest spots in doll making and now that I am working on the feet/shoes I think they are too….ARGH!!!!!
