Bulova

Bulova is a name I picked out for this rag doll, thinking it was a name for the Goddess of Time, but, not so, it is just the name of the well known watch maker who made a certain ladies watch that was named, Bulova, the Goddess of Time.  I considered other names for this doll, but Bulova stuck in my brain so that is who she is. I have often said rag dolls are not simple, and that is so true. This particular doll has stumped me through out the process of making her. She started out white, not good, then black, still not good, then black with protruding eyes and nose. She had no hair, then painted hair, then dyed lambskin hair. She had stump arms and legs, then no arms and legs, then I relented and made better hands for her and stitched feet, then decided to reduce her feet calling for a total dismantle to remove her legs and fix the feet to be able to wear a pair of shoes. ( her feet were to big for the shoes ) then put everything back together and give her the shoes. This dress which is now hers, was at first made to fit another doll, thus, the tightness, although it does fit pretty good, it is a fine linen cloth dress with red designs that I thought was so pretty, which  went through a tea staining, then deciding it was to dark, I took out most of the tea stains and made a matching bonnet only to discover Bulova cannot wear the bonnet because of her bear shaped head.  ( what a shame ) . She did get pantaloons originally made for an Izannah doll and a pretty cream voile slip with cotton lace that I did make especially for her. After all is said and done, after all my indecision and miscalculation Bulova has been completed. I think sometimes rag dolls may be the hardest dolls to make because of their individual needs. They are not like Izannahs  or other dolls that have a specific body or hands or feet or painted hair, but are wide open to be created what ever way a person wants them,  there is no set mold. I do love the rag dolls, but I think I will try my best to get my vision clearer in my mind before I start the next one. Easier on me and the doll.

Vacation

Recently we went on a vacation to Gulf Shores, Alabama and enjoyed a week on the beach, plus shopping. The food was great and great not to have to fix it myself. My mother also enjoyed a nice beach vacation with my sister and her children down in Pensacola, Fla. Flea Markets and antique stores are on the strip in Foley, Alabama and we went to several. I did find a nice brown velvet Buster Brown type hat to fit my big Jumeau and a couple of small picture frames with bubble glass to use for tiny paintings in the future. We have been going to the Gulf Coast for many years and it seems the traffic has become so much worse than I remember. I know in Pensacola where my brother lives the traffic is really bad and don't even mention going into Memphis where my sister lives. You have to pick your times to go and come out of there to miss so much of the horrible traffic. I enjoyed being on the beach in my chair with the wind blowing and watching the ocean. We saw lots of birds and fish out in the water. We even saw a small 4 foot shark swim right up to the beach where we were sitting and it was scary because we had just been walking in the water about a foot deep the day before. Believe me, I am for sure cured of ever getting in the ocean again. Doll making has almost come to a complete halt, but hopefully I can get going again and completely finish a few dolls I have made that lack clothes or shoes. I did take two new sculpts with me and managed to work on them twice. I see lots of folks are making pumpkin dolls,  and witches which are cute. Here are a very few pictures of us at the beach. I do hope to have some dolls to show before to long. Don't laugh at my horrible picture, ( I look like a Troll ),  I just can't figure how I got so bad looking, but there it is ( what can you do ), it's a good thing people love you no matter how old and ugly you get, HaHa,  Oh, My sweeties in the pictures are our two dogs Tootie and Fruity, who we desperately love. Oh, the other sweetie is my husband Bobby who I also love completely. The birds aren't sweeties, but they were standing around, so I took their picture too. they are very pretty. Goodbye