Doll Chat

Hi Everyone
Weather is 'winters' again ........ Little snow flurries now and again !
Today, I'm focusing on 'dolls'.
My aim is to explore dolls on Wednesdays. All kinds of dolls and dolls in the widest possible sense. Making and painting dolls as well as unusual dolls etc, etc. ...................
The most important doll in my world is Miss Mitchell. She is the first mixed media painting and 'doll' in my collection. She changes slightly with each new painting but her face and especially her eyes are very similar. My March painting is a new Miss Mitchell and I thought I would try and give the story of Miss Mitchell a revival (to support her development). Her story is written down and has been made into a little handmade book for children. I don't have an image of the book but it was a small item ( 10 pages) covered with various views of Miss Mitchell in her garden and lots and lots of butterflies. Before writing the children's story, I wrote out a mini biography to provide background and context for the children's story (for my benefit rather than inclusion in the book). I do feel I 'know' Miss Mitchell and she plays a huge roll in all my work. I often forget that she is in fact an image and talk about her as a real person. The children's book was designed as a teaching tool for a particular group of small children and was called Miss Mitchell's Garden. It was important to choose the language carefully and develop the story in a particular way to support a special learning objective (all about things to be found in a garden). I'm hoping to produce another few books with stories around the characters.
This is the mini biography :
Miss Arabella Mitchell's (Bella) Story
Miss Mitchell was born in Old Papersac,it's an old harbour town which has developed into a holiday destination and a very pretty place.Miss Mitchell lived with her Grandmother and a younger twin sister in the town. Old Papersac has lots of brightly coloured painted houses built in narrow winding streets.The girls parents had died when the girls were very young children. Both girls did not remember their parents. The girls are grown up now.
Miss Mitchell has recently moved to Papersac Village, she is a teacher and has moved to the village to start a new village school. Her sister has decided to come too and lives in the house next door. Her sister is a writer. She writes and illustrates children's books. Both girls love to garden. This is the reason they wanted to live in the village , lots of land to garden.
The Mitchell's have other friends who are living in the village - Miss Burton and her sister.
Miss Burton is a musician, her sister runs the flower shop. All four girls are excited to be living so close to each other. They see lots of social opportunities as well as helping each other to start their new lives in the village together and making new friends from the village.
Miss Mitchell has a dog and a hedgehog and a cat (Barney, Colin and Bert). She loves her garden and hopes to inspire her pupils to love and understand all things in the garden. Butterflies , ladybirds, birds, flowers,trees and plants.She wants the children to learn via the natural things in the garden and doing lots of practical, creative things and to love writing as well as seeing beautiful patterns in numbers. She hopes to encourage her sister to help with creative writing and painting activities.
Just in case you have forgotten, this is Miss Mitchell.




The first painting 'Always and forever' shows Miss Mitchell wearing some little ballet style shoes and I saw a great image of another doll with some shoes which would look great too.




Check out these dolls from here made by lorimarie.


















The new Miss Mitchell will be a little different. This is the last image in the blog.


Bye for today.

Making buttons

Hi Everyone
Very damp start to the day - we don't have lots of snow, yet !

Very exciting plans for today - a visit to a real live bead shop visit this morning - not sure why I would need any more beads ? But, I'm sure I do. I will report my findings tomorrow.

I found this great little project a few days ago and have decided to give it a go. Here it is. This is a lovely blog with lots of great ideas. It's worth a look. Lori Marie is a designer and she also has 'dolls' for sale - I visit often to check out her new stuff.



I thought I would time how long it takes, cost it and show how I did as well as share what Im going to do with the buttons. Generally, give the project a review. I've often started this type of thing and not finished it, so - my deadline is this time next week. Each week I hope to tackle more of these little projects, Ive got several little kits which have arrived with magazines, again many of them look great. They are currently sitting in a crate waiting ......
Look out next Tuesday for the results of this button project.

Mary Havershams friends have still not arrived. They are becoming quite an issue. My excuse today will be my bead shop visit. The solution would be to cancel my visit. I can't do that because I have a friend going too ! Perhaps tomorrow ?

On that note, I must get going.

Bye for today.

Find a way !

Hi Everyone
Weather is very unsettled this morning. There are reports of significant snow. Let's hope not !!!

Today, I'm introducing a new thing for Mondays. This will be something to inspire the week ahead. I've not limited myself to anything in particular, so Im thinking an inspirational ARTIST today. My choice is SUZI BLU. She is the person that initially got me going as an artist myself. I did one of her on line courses and never looked back. All you need to know about Suzi is embodied in her paintings. She is a genius. I love her style and her ability to convey feelings through her quirky style. I've often mentioned her work as well as linked her blog with this one. Here is a link to explore her site. Get a cup of coffee/tea or whatever and explore her stuff. Here. She gets involved in lots of crazy stuff, her latest hair 'do' is a good example. I always feel 'moved'( in one way or another) after reading her posts. When I first started painting my MISS MITCHELL came along.



The first painting from Suzi that made a big impact on my work was this one. There is no comparison (obviously) with the quality of her work and mine but her teaching and her example pointed me in the right direction. Suzi talks about 'practice' and more and more practice - as being the way forward. I believe this is the way too. There are lots of reasons why this 'practice' does not happen for me but mainly for many with a family (like me) it's to do with family commitments (including paid work). However, such as life. I've made my decision on that one and nothing would change it. I need to 'find a way'.


Suzi has a variety of mixed media styles and tends to experiment with lots of techniques. She has a book too - Mixed Media Girls. I often use this book to 'find a way'. I've got the book out again this week. I'm hoping it will push me with my Mary Haversham painting.



The 'mind map' approach is underway too. I find that my map (the actual image on the paper) is becoming like a sketch/mutli media project rather than words. This is OK for me and not surprising as its what I do (in art terms). I will be adding to the map after another look at Suzi's book. I'm aiming to give the painting ie Mary H some 'meaning' - Mary needs to convey a message to me in order to successfully move on. Suzi tends to add her message in words which is helpful, I aim to do this too.
Somehow, I need the thinking space. My head is very cluttered with family stuff and practical jobs, shopping etc. and the space to 'think' is just not there. I need to find a way of structuring my time to give me the 'space'. I'm sure lots of people also find this issue in their lives, perhaps for different reasons but the outcome is maybe the same ie frustration and dissatisfaction. I'm looking to Suzi to make is 'right' !!!! Hope she's up to it. All that sounds a bit depressing, I dont mean it to be taken as such.Im seeing it as a positive ! - a way 'forward'.

One last thing to share today - my progress with the 'tartan stuff'. I've done some more with the brooches. Here they are, I've done some felting on each item. They are positioned on the little tartan cupcake stand. I quite like them so far. I need to add some pretty beads/more tartan like and then the difficult bit - making them work as a brooch !



Bye for today.

Die Cut Friday (cupcake involved)

Hi Everyone
Weather looks a little 'depressing' today. Little showers and very grey sky's. Spring is definitely 'hiding'.

However, time to smile - it's Die Cut Friday. The session today is a little cupcake stand.



The tartan version has been made to help present my latest tartan stuff but the DCF session is produced in a basic cream colour card.

This project uses the big shot, cutting plates and the multi purpose platform as well as the dies themselves. You will also need glue and whatever card and/or papers. If you want to use a patterned paper - stick it to card before cutting out the die shapes. The table does need a card weight material. I have also used card covered with very light cotton fabric. This works if you add layers of paper to act as a scrim. Look back in the blog for more on the 'scrim' idea.



The dies are called 'Cupcake Stand' made by Lifestyle Crafts. There are 3 different dies in the pack and you will need to cut 4 of the base pieces which need an element of construction (glueing). The 2 round bits described as a 'support' circle and the scalloped top form the finished 'table top'. It's a very simple but effective item and could be used for all kinds of display. The finished table is surprisingly strong, I had some reservations about what weight the table could take. To test, I placed a standard (full) bottle of wine on it and it caused no problems. Here are a few photos (apologies re the quality of the photos) of the production process.



My chosen glue is Anita's Tacky PVA Glue.




















I have made a few little tables in a variety of papers and card. They can be ornately decorated of left simple to provide a platform for displaying whatever. Ive produced a tartan version to display my brooches (when they are ready).



Of course, you could always develop some for cupcakes. This is the rather damages packaging from the die pack but it gives the idea.


I hope you have enjoyed this weeks session.
Have a great weekend.

Bye for today.

'Tartan' Chat

Hi Everyone
Weather is amazing today - lots of ice covering everywhere - with strong sunshine. It's looks beautiful.
At last, I have found my 'lost' crochet hook - it was hiding in a book ! I don't remember leaving it on the page which then closed on the book. 'All is well' with crochet (now I have my favourite hook back). I do find it a very easy hook to use and it makes all the difference to the quality of my work. Here it is. It looks a bit sad in this photo and deserves to be given a makeover. Maybe ? I will give this some thought.




On finding the hook I immediately made another brooch i.e. the beginnings of a brooch? I wanted to make 5 brooches to be completed with a backing of felted wool and a brooch finding with some additional beading. So, Ive got one more to go. Here is the collection to date. I need to develop my 'tartan stamp' on each brooch.




Mary Havershams friends have not made an entrance. It seems as if Im avoiding them ! Not the case at all ( unless its deep in my subconscious) I must do this task next. The final brooch must wait. I want to paint some tartan too - the painting links directly to the brooch by forming a card to present my brooches.
However, today, will be about Mary's friends and some (tiny) production of tartan papers.
On a completely different subject -
I saw this on This site this lovely flower in a bottle adds to my growing collection of flowers in bottles.




I love the idea of the message and will aim to combine all the little ideas in one. Look to yesterday's blog for the other two flowers references.
Bye for today.