The New Year and My Favorite ( Rag Dolls )

The New Year is not quite here yet, but I have been busily working away on various dolls. Here are pictures of three black rag dolls. Two full dolls named Sister Trixie and Sister Jinksy. The other doll is one of my favorites, a pin keep doll who has no name, mostly because when I look at her, so many good names would suit her, but, none I can think of capture her character of proudness and patience, waiting to work with you and hold your needles as long as you need. What a great companion at the work table. Along with the dolls, we are undergoing a great transformation on our selves. by going on Nutri System. All the family is on it until each of us has reached their target weight, and in my case, better control of my blood sugar. We just needed to get in better shape so we can do all the things that have to be done this year, and it's a long list. Sisters Trixie and Jinksy are waiting for their dresses,  which have been cut out of beautiful red organdy and full gathered slips of red voile fabric, but, doubt is having it's way with me and I am sitting on the fence trying to decide if that is truly what they need or maybe some quilt patch dresses. I hate it when I waver in mid dress decisions. I have another job to do that I don't want to do, but it must be done, which is to dispose of all my old plaster molds, as I promised myself, I would work on and redo my dolls to a truer depiction of some antiques  and I have re sculped I think a better version of several dolls, but throwing away so much work is hard to do, and maddening, as we  think we see it the way it should look, only to find out, we are off the mark and why couldn't we just see that in the first place. It is a trial and a learning experience to realize how to look at a object and really see it's lines and curves, and depths, and probably ever capture the beauty that drew us to it in the first place. I am sure I will never get there exactly, but I'm gonna give it a shot. I hope everyone is in good health, or working toward it, as we are and making plans for wonderful things in the new year.

Merry Christmas

Recently mama wanted to paint a painting for her great grandson, so we set about to get the job done. One of my favorite subjects and a good picture for a child is Noah's Ark. Lots of animals and a big boat too. He is too young to understand the reason for the painting and what it means, but later in life I think he will appreciate it.

This isn't the right card for the season, but I am using it as my Christmas Card and wishing everyone a wonderful holiday and a safe and happy New Year.

A Re Paint

I have re painted my doll Juliet. As you know she and I were unhappy with her last painting and a few other issues. HaHa  We didn't get the new dress, because, this blue dress was custom made to fit her and the lighter blue wouldn't have been any prettier ( besides that I slaved over making the dress and bonnet for atleast two weeks).  After considering this latest episode of not doing my best on this doll, I now believe I have made up with Juliet and given her a beautiful new face and she seems well pleased. There has been some discussion about cleaning house from time to time and re evaluating  doll making techniques and future projects, as well as discarding dolls or other items that do not seem to be going in a good direction, so I have done this. I took a deep breath and plunged into my work area ( temporary area for now )  and ruthlessly cast aside boxes of tiny dolls that I don't have the time for, some big rag dolls that couldn't be given a good face by me ( right now, maybe never ), some ordinary fabrics, and the most important thing I threw away, is keeping on doing the same things as I first learned to do. This isn't productive, as I know some patterns have degraded into ( the common) and need to be updated into a ( more true ) version of antique doll bodies. I also have taken a new years resolution to try harder to made any reproduction doll closer to the true doll. How can you do this, you ask? Well, it is simple, take more time, look closer, don't give into the temptation to stop ( even though you have a nice doll ) but keep going until you have what you were after in the first place. this takes patience and willingness to suffer for your art. HaHa...HaHa.. Ha. I believe we all do that in some way, but as I get older ( I'm pretty old now, I might not have much good days left to see, paint, or just get out of bed to make some dolls ) but while I can still get around and feel the desire to make things I better batten down the hatches and get going on some new and improved  (old) )dolls. I hope you doll makers are having as good a time as I am. I complain, but it is all so fun,

 and worth  any two weeks of slaving over doll clothes. Merry Christmas to you all. Your Doll Making Friend, Martha

A Heart to Heart Talk

Martha, why didn't any body want me? I don't know Juliet, it was my fault. Let me try to explain it to you. You are as sweet as any doll I have ever made and much prettier than lots of them, but I didn't think out your paint like I should have. What's wrong with my paint? Well, apparently I miss judged how I painted and aged you.  I am brand new, why would you have to age me? Well, because you are the type of doll that would have looked older now, as you are made to look like a antique. Why do I have to look like a antique and what is that any way? Well, antiques are things that were made a long time ago and time,  and wear and tear cause them to fade, or turn dark, or crack, or peal, but people love their dolls and want to keep them as long as they can. If that is true, then why didn't any body like me all aged, cracked and dark colored? Well, HaHa, sorry,  this is a delicate discussion and explanation that isn't funny, I'm sorry, but the truth is that I didn't do a good job finishing your painting. I still don't see why I have to look old Martha, I am very pretty and I don't appreciate you trying to make me all cracked up right off the bat, I think I should be able to be beautiful, atleast until time and ( what did you call it ) wear and tear make me all cracked up and dark colored, plus I might stink too, did you think of that? Yes Juliet, I have tried to think of all the possiblities concerning your welfare and happiness in the doll world. What are you going to do about it now Martha, I want some new things like another fine dress and maybe one of those straw bonnets that you bought instructions to make, and don't even think of putting one crack on me. If you are sorry for making me sort of ugly and causing people to not see the real me underneath all your black grunge and scrapes and ( I am pretty sure you rushed trying to get me on ebay, although, I can't imagine why, as you have all the candy, movies, and tons of your precious old fabric that any body could need, I will forgive you. I will, I really will, make it up to you Juliet. You know I love you.