Dolls In Progress

I thought it would be fun for you to see "in progress" photos of some of my dolls. I have randomly taken these at my studio worktable over the past few months. I enjoy seeing how other people work and what their workspace looks like.  I always start out with a organized table, then slowly it becomes messy the more I come up with and try.  I start with a sketch, but then I "audition" lots of items before I decide on the final look. Enjoy looking!

Need to make a trucker hat for HillBilly...

Getting Crazy Lloyd ready for dental work

Laying out a utility belt and face for Dynamite

Lulu & Lila began as a pair of vintage gloves 

Assembling just the right parts for Robot RX036Y1

I can't remember. Just how does a straitjacket work, exactly?

Blushing Bride as I assess her pinned in place dress and veil 

Tomato & Groom drying in the sun together...ahhh

My Dad's Advice on Boys

 

I made this doll to celebrate a memory I share with my parents. Maybe the doll can be a reminder to other young girls. 

When I was a young girl just beginning to notice boys, probably around the age of 11, my daddy sat me down and told me the story of "The Squeezed Tomato". My mom had heard the story from Pat Boone who was a guest on the Mike Douglas Show back in the early 70s. She shared it with my dad and either he or both of them repeated the story to me and my two sisters throughout the years.

The story went something like this...

Once there was a bright red, lovely tomato at the grocery store. She sat with all of the other tomatoes waiting to be chosen to leave the produce section.  Boys were the shoppers. They would come by and "squeeze" the different tomatoes that "let" them. Now, be aware that a tomato has the power to stay sitting on the shelf. The boys cannot pick her up unless she agrees to let him. You can talk and smile at boys as you remain on the shelf. Smiling and being friends with the boys is fine. This way you will stay a bright red, lovely tomato. 

BUT, if you allow the boys to pick you up and squeeze you, then you can become bruised and rotten. Especially if you allow a LOT of boys to squeeze you! And who wants a rotten, squishy tomato? Yuck! Not many boys, when there are other bright red, lovely tomatoes to choose from.  So always remember, "Don't be a squeezed tomato!" One day when your future husband comes into the store he will see you as the bright red, lovely tomato that you are!

I shared the story with my daughter, and hopefully she will tell her child. There were a few modifications I made to the story. Like, it's ok if you don't want to leave the store; it's cool if you just hang with your tomato girlfriends and choose to not be on "display";

making a mistake doesn't mean your rotten; you get the idea. But the story's general message of self-worth is there. Simple, easy to understand. I have never forgotten it.

Let's just say, some boys like ketchup though! :)

Four Dolls In Three Day - I Was In The FLOW

I never quite know when an idea for a doll will completely form. At least once a week I do some quick sketches of doll concepts that have been on my mind. I set the drawings aside, then glance through them every day or so. Last week I sketched on Monday; made 23 little clay skulls on Tuesday; did laundry on Wednesday; made four "bodies" on Thursday and cleaned house on Friday. That was my week. BUT if you were inside my brain all week you would know something was brewing with the Monday sketches.


Friday night I felt bad that I hadn't made one doll all week. I started working on the new superhero idea. I love the idea of superheroes. Even more, I love the innocence of children's belief in superhuman powers. I bought this cool t-shirt at a thrift store that looked like it had been printed from a comic book. The screen printed design had the words "POW" and "TNT" in great comic book colors. Well, once I decided how to cut the fabric everything else just flowed. 


Have you ever read the book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience? It is about being happy and when you are "in the flow" everything else falls away and you are in the moment with whatever task you are performing. I highly recommend reading it. The author explains that once you master a task you cannot get "back in the flow" until you push yourself to go beyond your set skills.  Interesting stuff.


I finished Dynamite Superhero at 1:30 am. He's available at my etsy shop. (See the side bar for link.)

Saturday morning came bright and sunny and so did my creative energies! To my studio to regroup and clean the "designing mess" from the night before. Every superhero need a worthy villain, right? Hence, Hector The Masked Villain was born, also available at etsy. (Dave though he looked like he had S&M tendencies but I refuse to go there!) 

As I was waiting for Hector's paint to dry I decided to make a striped jumpsuit for my next doll with no name. With that accomplished, I hand stitched a zipper around the doll's head. What if I cut the head open? Now this has a lot of possibilities...Frankenstein, zombie brains, removable brains; lots of new ideas for dolls! 

But I had just finished a fuzzy white and pink striped jumpsuit. That didn't go with the "removing brain idea". Pink is girly. Can still be creepy though. What if I don't add a brain? Airhead Annie was born! Her skull opens up to reveal nothing. It did take me most of Sunday morning to finish all of the hand stitching of the striped jumpsuit. Listing her on etsy tomorrow.

Saturday night Dave and I watched a documentary on the history of burlesque. It was so interesting on how the original burlesque women started in the business. Burlesque became popular during the depression when women needed to make money any way possible. Some made $1,000 a week! Most didn't love the work but needed the money to support their families. And a lot were married. Anyhow, that's where my next doll idea emerged from. I quickly made her. She just came together easily with items I gathered around the studio - presenting Betty Burlesque. I haven't listed her yet. Still kinda attached to her. I may keep her for awhile. Oh yeah, you just gotta see her backside, it's lovely! (I added and old garter clip at her shoulder blades to hang her on the wall.)

Summer Show - Indie Craft Experience

I will have a booth at this show this summer I.C.E.-Atlanta

One reason for doing this particular show is yes, it's indoors!

Lots of cool independent artists with unique items to sell. Check out the website to see the list of ICE vendors. I am crazy busy working on new dolls for the show. Mark your calendars and come visit me!

My Baby Is Sweet 16!

Annabelle was born April 22nd sixteen years ago today. What a blessing she has been in our lives. Dave and I wanted a child we could share our creative and crazy life with and Annabelle added to our lives in more ways than we could imagine! She is the perfect blend of both of us. The best of both of us. Funny, artistic, compassionate, sweet, creative, curious, thoughtful, patient, kind, determined, steadfast, loyal, quirky, driven, loving, affectionate and most of all an exceptionally good person.


She is more than we could have hoped for.  I have loved the past 16 years with her; watching her grow and discover life. Here are just a few photos of her life and how she has grown into a beautiful young woman, inside and out.

Her first birthday!

Age two

Age six

Age 8-Nursing baby robins she found on the ground.

Age 13-That's her dressed as a zombie,left of Lil' Bow Wow

Age 13 at Star Island

Photo shoot for my catalog work; she's the perfect teen model!

With her Daddy, who has driven her to school every morning for the past 5 years

Age 14

Age 15 - With her cute boyfriend of a year, Isaac.

With BFF Olivia at Build a Bear for her 16th birthday

Mummy & Daughter

I started these two mummies because I was inspired by the vintage hair wrap bandage I bought on one of my antique adventures. A few days after I made the bodies, my daughter Annabelle had a bad long boarding fall. She had not been skateboarding for awhile and was a little rusty to say the least. She was with her cute boyfriend, Isaac and a good friend, Reed both of who are avid skateboarders. They were street skating and the road was rough and she got going too fast so she jumped off to stop and fell - HARD. She was very proud of the fact she never cried. Both boys said they would have because it was the "worst fall they had every seen." They skated until they got to a store to get bandaids. I didn't get the call she had fallen until she was in our driveway. Smart girl. 

She terrifically scraped her hip, knee, left hand and wrist, and right wrist. Boy was she achy the next day. Her dad was not too happy. She said to look on the bright side, at least she was wearing jeans and not her shorty shorts she was planning on wearing! Small miracle. 

Hence, my dolls took on a new meaning for me.  The bigger one became "Mummy Loves You" (because a mother loves you even when you do something stupid) and the smaller doll became Mummy Skater with injuries in all of the matching places on Annabelle. I did add one to the head for effect only!

Yet you notice, Mummy Skater does not have a skateboard...it's because her Mummy took it away for awhile and gave her a yo-yo instead.  Annabelle would disagree with this storyline but hey, it's my doll!

Here are images following their creation I thought you might enjoy seeing.

Before and After Paintings: Who Doo Complete!

I have been busy putting my "who doo" on these vintage paintings and prints I found on my latest antiquing adventures. Hope you enjoy seeing the before and after!

Before - Ballerina Encore

Who Doo - Ballerina Encore

Before - Hip Kids

Who Doo - Hip Kids

Before - Ladies

Who Doo - Lady Rose

Who Doo - Lady Bird

Before - Peach Roses

Who Doo - Peach Roses

Before - Tall Bouquets

Who Doo - Tall Skull Bouquets

My First Festival: Sales, Hell & What a Tale!

Wow. Lots of first with the Doo Nanny Folk Festival.  First festival, check. First time packing my car for a show & camping, check. First time camping in my van, check. First awesome feedback on my dolls at at show, check. First time experiencing a mini-tornado while standing outside, check. First time repacking my van with soaking wet camping and show gear, check. First time having to jump my van twice in a 3 hour period, check. Are we having fun yet?  Seriously, Annabelle and I had an awesome experience with the exception of the sudden mini-tornado thunderstorm. I definitely could have done without THAT!


We set up on Friday, March 24th in beautiful weather by the "gator pond".  
Directly across from us was a porch where fiddlers played cajun and bluegrass all day. Awesome! We arranged the booth, then arranged the inside of the van for sleeping. Hung little curtains all around the windows, inflated the double air mattress, organized our food and painted our faces for the Possum Trot Auction.  Ready for the weekend!

Annabelle and me Friday evening

We had a lot of fun at the Possum Trot. Lots of people took pictures of us. Couple of people referred to Annabelle as my "partner". As in, " Are you and your partner going to do face painting tomorrow?" One man even said we were a cute couple. Ha, ha. 

Booth decorated and ready for sales!

The night was cool but pleasant. Sleeping was a little challenging since we were on a slight incline and Annabelle's side of the mattress deflated at around 4 am. But we were up early, made-up our faces, set-up Annabelle's sugar skull face painting supplies and we were ready for business!

The day was beautiful and warm!

There was a steady crowd and tons of cool music, folk art and funky people to see. I had so many great comments on my dolls and on all of my work really. My favorite was a woman who came back after an hour saying she loved just standing in my booth because it made her happy. That was so nice to hear.  When you are creating in your studio week after week and only your family tells you that your stuff looks good, it's nice to have people who don't know you respond to your work and "get" where you are coming from.


By 3:30, I had sold about 10 pieces and many people were "making the rounds" to see what they were going to spend their cash on.  Annabelle had painted a half a dozen faces and took a break to walk around and take pictures.  Around four my dad called to ask if I was ok. I said yes, great actually! Why? He said they were having a helluva storm up in Atlanta and tornado warnings were all over Alabama.  I said really? It's sunny here. Sprinkled a couple of times but nothing big.  He said to be sure and move my car if the rain came so I didn't end up in the gator pond. Ha, ha! Thanks dad!

Face painting by Annabelle

His call did get me up and out of my booth. I looked up and saw a dark cloud to my left and texted Annabelle to get back in case rain came.  I slid everything from under my car so I could drive it up beside my booth. I parked really close to the booth in case we needed to get in during the rain. But honey, I didn't roll up my window or close my car door because all hell broke loose. The rain came so fast with HUGE drops with an unbelievable wind! Everything was blowing sideways. 


Annabelle was running into the booth, grabbing a tarp and spreading it open when a mini-tornado/massive thunderstorm struck. Everything on my shelves started flying so we grabbed things as they fell and threw them into the center of the booth on the tarp. The wind was pulling the metal walls apart and my lovely canvas & burlap walls every which a way and the RAIN was torrential! Annabelle and I were grabbing the paintings and dolls as fast as we could and piling them in the tarp. I cannot tell you how soaked everything was getting! Earlier in the day when it had rained, I and other customers stood in the booth and talked. If it had rained harder, I was planning on calmly packing all of my stuff away in the suitcases I had stacked in the booth.  I had NO TIME.  I will admit, I am almost always in control of a situation. I can usually think ahead, prepare, and I am calm in stressful situations. Geez, I survived a hurricane in Florida in 2005. But NOT OUTSIDE! So I lost it a little...so did my poor Annabelle.


She said it best. "It was like you were a mother bird and we spent all this time preparing the nest for your babies and then a storm came and we were trying to save them all and couldn't!" 

Aftermath.  Didn't take many photos.

Part of the reason we had to stop removing items from the walls was because we had to gather up the tarp. The ground was flooding underneath our feet.  Luckily an angel appeared, Lisa Shoemaker.  A Doo-Nanny veteran I had met earlier that morning. She said she was riding out the storm and helping others when she remembered me and it that was my FIRST festival. She ran to find us both crying in my booth, soaking wet, holding a tarp full of my art.  She said later, she wished she had a photo of how pitiful we looked!

We had someone stop us (looking like this) to ask, "Hey, are ya'll still doing
the face painting?" To which Annabelle just stared and said, "No."
She just replied, "Oh. Bummer." She continued walking in the rain.

Lisa helped us dry off the items as the rain subsided. We decided then I should return home so that I could "dry-out" my dolls and wet paintings. Most vendors had items that were ok to get wet. Not mine.  Also, Lisa explained if I was going to do outdoor festivals I would need to invest in the $1,000 tents that completely zip shut on all sides.  Even though, several of those tents didn't work in this storm. It came so quick, the artists couldn't get their side down fast enough.


So long story short, we had to repack the car with all of the wet stuff I had slid out so I could move the car; load 5 soaking wet cloth walls; my door and window had been left open so my drivers's side was wet. We had to search and gather Annabelle's face painting supplies. She had covered them with a tarp but all of it just blew away. We found a few things. And to top it off, my car wouldn't start. So angel Lisa helped us jumped start it, twice!  We left at 9:30 pm to make the 3 hour drive back home. Again, in a torrential downpour.


All in all, it was an incredible experience. We made our money back for doing the show and a little profit, made some new friends, and learned a valuable lesson from Mother Nature.  When we got home, this before and after of one of my dolls sums up the show.

Mommy Dearest Before

After - We think she looks even better!