Holding Still

doll

Here is the doll I've been working on.


The second view includes a bored Chauncey, with more dress view. I made the shirt out of two linen hankies from a thrift store. The dark orange print dress is from a Balinese sarong I bought about 12 years ago which served as a curtain in the one window I had in my bedroom in Baltimore. I've used little bits of this favorite fabric over the years in quilts, and when I was looking for a dress fabric, it was the best, by far.

We just got a new camera, so I am still experimenting with the various settings. Forgot the flash on the second, as you can probably tell.

I'm mostly happy with the way the doll came out, but I wish I hadn't made her head separate from her body. I'm glad I did so with the arms and legs, so that they can move about. But her head flops back and forth a lot, so I think the next doll I attempt will have the head and trunk as one piece. Although now that I think about it, my Raggedy Anne's head flopped. Unless I'm mis-remembering...

I have two other dolls I made a while back I will photograph soon. And I plan to make more dolls. I have lots of friends with young kids, so I'll give them as gifts. Hopefully I'll get faster as I make more of them.

randomness

And now for something very important and what I'm sure you've all been waiting for... What I got with our gift certificate to the MOMA store. First, this and then two of these. Neither of the Ugly Dolls I got are in this picture. I picked Chuckanucka and Moxie. I liked their "personalities." Chuckanucka worries about everything, like, "what if they stop making cd players? How will I play all of my cds?" Moxie seems like the opposite, trying to stir up activity and trouble. Always on the go. They actually remind me of Chauncey and Sammy, respectively.

These ugly dudes go well with our "Scary Story" pets. Scary Story pets are all based on animals the creator has met in her life, AND I kind of know her. She's a friend of a friend, I taught her daughter once in an art class, and she is tres cool. As are the pets. They make dog toys, too, which are mighty sturdy.

Not that anyone needs more stuffed animals.

In my own craft life, I've been working on dolls. I should finish one soon, and I have two more I made a couple of years ago. Actually one I made 10 years ago(!) when Beckmann and I re-kindled our looovvve. I'm going to post pictures soon, but I need to finish the latest one and work out our camera issues. Which are that since we upgraded our computer, our ancient camera is no longer compatible. The only computer in my life that is compatible to this sad piece of obsolete technology is at my workplace, and it isn't my computer. It is a colleague's. She very nicely allows me to upload pictures when she's not using it, but I think we really need to work out a better solution -- like maybe buying a new camera?

Sorry for the shallow blogpost. I'm working on a few posts in my head, and will get to writing soon. I feel the juice returning as the student art opening I'm working on nears.
An old picture of Chauncey and Sammy displaying their dysfunctional relationship for all to see. They've been having a sleepover here for the past two nights. I'm tellin' ya, once I get a new camera...

get your craft on

Shelba* at Bionic Valentine is having a craft-a-month project.  I had just happened to make a sack-like bag for myself based on another bag given to me by a friend.  It is roomy and fits a small Jack Russell, if you have such a need. 

I actually made 5 more of these, as gifts and to sell at a friend's store.  Sold one so far.  Must apologize for goofy photo of bag-lady. 

*I'm having trouble linking to her, so check her out on the china adoption blogroll.