Hello Reader, Autumn is my favorite time of year. It was sprinkling a little as I let the dog out to do his business, and immediately noted the nostalgically distinct and comforting smell of petrichor. When I informed my husband, he had to look it up (yay, finally a vocabulary he didn't know!) I spent last week sewing the Old World Santa I mentioned in my last newsletter. He's essentially done, though he's holding a temporary lantern (I think the scale is just a little too large for him), so...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I can't believe we're nearly halfway through September! This summer was gone in the blink of an eye. I published my last newsletter in July, right before the UFDC Convention / ODACA Day. I'd hoped to send another before now, but life conspired. My husband and I caught COVID in Kansas City (or on the flight home) so we lost a week, followed by three weeks of babysitting grandchildren. So on weekends (when the upstairs studio temperatures were tolerable) I worked on my {secret}...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, It's down to the wire now, as ODACA Day is fast approaching. I've selected the dolls traveling to Kansas City, and have begun tagging and carefully wrapping them in tissue paper and bubble wrap. I'm more fortunate than some of my fellow doll makers, as my dolls are primarily cloth. Those who make porcelains or sculpt in the polymer clays have a more precarious job of it. ODACA Day is under the umbrella of the annual UFDC Conference. ODACA's theme this year is "All That...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I'm making slow but steady progress on my schoolgirl doll, and the end is almost in sight. I'd decided on dressing her in a school uniform, with a plaid pleated skirt. I don't have much experience making pleats, so as I worked out the process I decided to create another quick tutorial for you: Pleater Board Tutorial Maisie Now I'm nearly finished with her jacket. And honestly, those tiny lapels really threw me for a loop! I'm also hoping to include some some sort of school...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, As the weather improves, I've been spending more time outdoors - gardening, walking our dog, riding my new bicycle. But I've also been whittling away at a doll - you may have seen her not-yet-assembled body parts in my last newsletter. Once I added her hair, I envisioned her character: a schoolgirl in a uniform - button down oxford shirt, jacket, pleated skirt, etc. As I contemplated how to design her shirt, I thought it might be a good idea to take photos of my process and...
6 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, The weather is improving, and I've been spending more time outside cleaning up, deadheading, weeding and pruning (and rediscovering some unused muscles!) But I've also been working on a new doll project, one that may develop into a souvenir doll situation (if it comes to fruition, will involve a lot of time and materials over the next couple years). While I wait for confirmation (the committee's yes or no), I've been working on finishing another Enigma-style doll, enlarged 110%....
8 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I have one course sample doll that need to be completed. All that's left is hair, and I need to make some choices here. Do I go with Tibetan lamb like the others, or use the beautiful wool yarn I like so much? She looks a little serious in this photo, so hopefully hair , whichever I choose, will soften her expression. Originally I had two sample dolls for the course, videotaping each step (or so I thought). Turns out I large part of the costuming/dressing module was NOT...
9 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, After months spent in the studio, today I finished my seventh (and last) video for my digital doll course. I don't know if you've ever recorded yourself on video, but I learned a few things: I stutter, I overuse the words wanna, gonna, kinda WAY too much, and it will take a really long time to become comfortable hearing my own recorded voice. Moments ago, I uploaded the course to my Etsy store. I feel like I've really accomplished something. Every step was a challenge. So if...
10 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Not that I'm surprised, but yes, developing a digital course is a TON of work. I'm not one to shy away from the work, but I'm finding the tech involved in the various platforms quite daunting. I might have to hire a Virtual Assistant to help me out, which irritates me a bit because I like to do things on my own. I'm stubborn that way. I've been working and reworking the seven modules that make up the course for at least a couple months now. I can't tell you how many times I've...
10 months ago • 1 min read