BOoK WraP

Wish I was a better photographer as this looks a bit scary but several years ago Carol Warhurst came and stayed - and got us all going on book wraps inspired by Angie Hughes.
Found mine the other day and decided it was time to stitch down the strips - did a lot of machine sewing and despite my photography it really does look wonderful - and feels magic.  The joy of fabric!!!!  Hopefully it will get made into a completed wrap - soon(ish)

Christmas is nearly upon us - Kaye gave us a sneak preview of her Chrissy pressies that she has lovingly made for everyone.  Such fun - so enjoy the season.  Thanks for your support everyone!  Talk soon.  

ThE ColoURiNG StUDio

Everyone would have their latest issues of the recently released magazines - Art Doll 1/4ly etc.  Hope you are enjoying the inspiring articles and pictures!

Loving my copies of The Coloring Studio - and have been sent some great results from those subscribing.  $24.00 at present - depends on the dollar of course!  New issue next month.  Next order will come late Dec. so watch those mail boxes!

From the publisher of Somerset Studio, comes a brand-new specialty publication that puts an artistic spin on today’s hottest trend. The Coloring Studio is not your kid’s coloring book. With an imaginative collection of edgy illustrations in the Somerset-esque style you've come to love, The Coloring Studio won't restrict you to a single theme by offering a wide variety of designs just awaiting your own personal palette. This coloring book for adults also includes bonus content and ideas that you won’t find in similar publications, like what to do with your pages when you're finished.

Featuring: 112 thick, high-quality pages • 60 unmatched illustrations from top artists.

The following tribute is to Val Power - so if you knew Val and would love to add something that would be welcomed.

ReMebERing Val Power

So many of the wonderful friends we've made through the Doll World have sadly passed away.  We never forget them and one of the wonderful doll makers I remember with fondness is a Western Australian doll maker - Val Power.  Every time I walk past her wonderful interpretation of Sally Lampi's 'Tilly the Tattered Angel' hanging in the shop I remember the amazing dolls she made - and the long phone conversations over many years. 
Val firstly got in touch in 1995 after the first 'Things I Like' ad in 'Dolls, Bears and Collectibles'.  I couldn't hazard a guess at the amount of patterns Val purchased over the years - she had a wonderful collection and was an avid doll maker with a style of her own.  She had no trouble selling her dolls and the way she interpreted that patterns made each one an individual.
If there was a book on doll making Val had a copy - if you wanted to know a doll making technique Val could tell you. 

We communicated regularly for many years and did eventually meet up through the Western Dollmakers club in Perth.  Val's health gradually deteriorated and she went into a home where she finally went to her own little doll world in the sky.  Val's dolls will live on and be cherished for ever!

Have many, many pictures of Val's dolls - will share some here for your inspiration!!!

These dolls won Viewer's Choice in a 1999 doll show in Mandurah - Reggae Artist and Wife.

26" Lucinda - 1996

Add caption

Probably can't see the detail but gives you and idea of Val's versatility as a dollmaker.

THe CirCles of WoMEn

OUr WondROus RobYn

Robyn Williams from Queensland has shared some of her amazing creations with us.  Robyn's dolls were recently judged at the Ekka - and yes - First Prize Original and Champion of Show is 'Hey diddle diddle the Cat and her Fiddle'.

“Purrrfect in Pink” below won First Prize in Fantasy.

“Steam Punk fairy godmother”

Catrina (white) is “Pearls and Lace"  Black and white is "Miss Kitty"

Prize Winners at Brisbane Show

“Fleur” - pattern being tested for release 

Have included Robyn's available patterns in earlier newsletter but will put them up again for you to peruse!  Congratulations Robyn!!!!!

CRuiSiN' tHe NEt

Doll Street Dreamers posted news on an exhibition entitled 'Journeys through light and dark - Dolls as tellers of stories'.  Pictures are available - takes a while to load but well worth the wait - some very interesting mixed media creations! ......................

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ju9SsBDxQeztnvOei1v3w-HF7wwH-qNqv4qQAldxmU0/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000&slide=id.p  

Art Puppets of Paul Klee

Another interesting site has an overview of Paul Klee's puppets - made from all sorts they are fun and worth checking out at the Om Pom Happy blog.  Klee's paintings etc were considered quite revolutionary in his time and if you search him up on 'images' you'll see the variety of work he produced.   https://ompomhappy.com

There are many and varied articles on various artists on om pom happy - you need time to explore!

SteaMPuNK CD by SusAN BArmorE

DOLLMAKERS JOURNEY have just released SUSAN BARMORE'S CD for 'Wisteria and Dog'.  It was previously an online class.  Looks like fun.

                                   Check it out at www.dollmakersjourney.com/barmore.html

BEauTIFul BORo

If you have recd. my little newsletter you will have read about a friends beautiful gift that I recd this week - what an honor - just love it!  The art journal gift was entitled 'A Japanese Theme' and it depicts a story of Japanese Boro - and included an interesting article about Boro.  Lead me to the net - and a Japanese museum featuring Boro - and photos etc - it was fun and quite a learning experience.  The museum is  http://www.amusemuseum.com/english/boro/index.html

'In rural Japan back in the 19th and into the early 20th century cotton was very scarce. Most early Japanese garments were made of hemp, but for northern Japan these clothes had to be thickly woven, were often uncomfortable, and did not retain warmth very well. So when cotton was introduced to Japan, it was seen as a luxury item for rural poor. Cotton was brought from warmer districts such as Osaka and other cities by ships, where people bought fragments instead of a cloth roll as it was less expensive. It was common for these textiles to be passed down through generations, where they would be patched and mended to reinforce them for the next user. It’s sort of an unintended art form, which highlights preservation and the importance of reuse and recycling.  From - 'http://stadiumsandshrines.com/gem-club-on-japanese-boro/

Serviceable Items that have Become Works of Art

JUsT A LiTTle WiErD

Some unusual sculptures with doll parts!

http://dangerousminds.net/comments/disturbingly_beautiful_sculptures_created_with_discarded_doll_parts

CHiarA VEniCe ARt DOlls

Are familiar with Chiara Venice Art Dolls?  Check them out at http://www.chiaraveniceartdolls.com.au/

Those eyes!!!!

AWashiMa jiNJa

There are a lot of Japanese superstitions about dolls, and a good number of people in Japan seem to find them a little mysterious or frightening, believing that they have souls or the power to influence human lives. There are a number of shrines and festivals wherein people dispose of their old dolls and toys - they feel that if they just threw them in the garbage, the dolls' souls might come back to haunt them like ghosts.

Awashima jinja is a shrine for women and is famous for its enormous collection of dolls.

Every year on March 3rd, Awashima jinja is home to a doll festival called nagashi bina, in which boatloads of hina ningyo are launched into the ocean. As the boats are rocked by the waves, the dolls fall overboard and sink into the ocean. It is believed that the dolls will take away the sicknesses and bad luck afflicting their former owners, and the ritual has become very popular.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/awashima-jinja 

Love the ideas of rituals around dolls - sometimes our little gang wonder what will happen to our collections when we've 'outgrown' them.

Doo DAdS

epb getting together with Reets - from 'Reets Rags to Stitches'.  Still love Reet's designs.

Little 'doo dads' that elinor and Barb Willis have been playing with - you can tell Barb's I'm sure!!!

We're going to have a play with these here next get together.  

'SUturE SelVEs'

Jill Maas has been playing with friends - they needed a name and came up with 'Suture Selves' - very clever!  Cute little fellows under production.

DoLL FriENds aRe ForeVEr

Beryl Kelly (Dr. Beryl DME to those that know her) sent some great emails - and shame on me - they are over six months old and un-answered.  I've been catching up on a few jobs' that have been on the 'must do' list for some time.

Beryl was an active member of the Total Fabrication doll club of Canberra - but sadly the group has folded as people have got older or moved on.  

Beryl sent some photos of her fabulous creations from a couple of online workshops she did with Marianne.  The frog is called 'Mistaken Identity' because he has caught a fairy - and the fairy is from an ageing pin doll.

The horse has extra long legs because she called him 'A Tall Horse for a Long Journey'.  He is covered with gold paper serviette - and the saddle and bridle are also covered with serviette.  The stirrups are the wired edge of ribbon.

'You know these dolls have a mind of their own because this horse was normal size in a story book with a rider on his back.  However as he developed he grew tall legs and the rider got red hair and waved farewell.'

Beryl said she can highly recommend Marianne's class as 'she is a very talented woman and her instructions even over the Internet are very easy to follow'.  

Too much hard stuffing with Gloria Winer dolls has affected Beryl's thumbs - but she still loves her dolls and has been finishing some of her UFO's.  

The Bee is crochet and was created for a money raiser for The Biggest Morning Tea - and the caterpillar knitting and nursing her baby is from some odd bootees.

Beryl concluded - ''Better go, my Qld. daughter is staying for a couple of days and is de-cluttering the house, I feel so much better with a lot of house things going BUT hands off my 3 - Ha Haa material rooms. One is for quilting, one for sewing and dolls and one with books and books and stuff.

Got a shock the other day ,picked up an ordinary doll book and it was $69. Wow I must have millions of $’s in the house if I could only sell them. Or should I say “if I could part with them.”
It was always good to stay with Beryl as she is also a wizz in the kitchen - you could be sure of a delectable bread with hundreds and thousands for dinner.  Never did get that recipe!

We've been friends for many years - and as Beryl said - 'Doll friends are forever'.

 Went back in to this posting to see if I could get the font all the same size - but it has a mind of it's own.  Also asked Beryl for surname of doll designer.  

CEleBrate CLUTTER

Browsing the blog page and re-read the article by Dominique Browning on 'clutter' in the Oct 2015 posting.  I just love it!!!  It's worth checking out every now and again.  Have had a bit of a de-clutter - but several things I severed ties with I could have used since!  Need an extension.

A PeEK at ChRIsTiNE's CReAtioNS

It's always good fun looking thru the blogs of the creative - and just enjoyed a peruse on Christine Shivelly's - christineshivelys.blogspot.com 
It's worth bookmarking the site - and she has her work represented on Pinterest as well.  Aren't those faces fabulous - and beautiful craftwomanship!!!  Here's a sample ................

LaDY GrACe by JaNEt

Have been chatting to Janet Breuel, a stitching wizz from the US.  Janet is 70 - and started sewing when she was 8.  She has all of the 36" Lady Grace patterns and sent some photos of her amazing creations.  She lived off the power grid for about 11 years and the stunning outfits were sewn on an old treadle machine.  Now she enjoys two lovely Pfaff machines!!!!  Thanks so much for sharing your work with us Janet.  Very Inspiring!!!!