The Fall Country Festival

The Simmons Wright Store in Kewanee, Mississippi had a Fall Country Festival. The Wind just about blew every one away. It was a dismal affair. I felt bad as many of the promised vendors backed out on the store owners at the last minute, but probably just as well, as there was no turn out to see any of the handmade items that were there. The people that did come were so sweet and brought their hand made things. We were next to the Baked goods table. She of course sold lots of her items.  The store is on the national register of historic places and is in bad shape. Part of the festival was hopefully to  get donations to restore the cotton gin that is in back of the old store. I went and enjoyed talking to the other people. I put a few of the dolls I had made in the store. There were several ladies who suggested I should go to a particular craft fair, but we don't travel much. I was able to do this because it was only 20 miles from home. The Meridian Star newspaper came around and talked to us all, which I didn't mind the talking, but when it comes to taking pictures of me, I try to get out of, making the pictures of the dolls is always good though. I hope to be able to go to some doll shows later on, as there I will see what appeals to me. My husband made a video of the inside of the store and outside during the festival and we will try to put it on here. The family that owns the store and gin, inherited it and needless to say, to keep it up and restore the buildings would be a monumental undertaking, but the place has so much character. It is very run down and I know they don't have the people or the strength to keep the place clean and the artist willing to send their crafts to be sold, as usually only the occasional traveler will buy something, in my case a doll, but the locals, not so much. They have a little lunch business and seem to concentrate on that. I wish them well and hope the store and gin can be restored because it is unique and there aren't many gins left, especially a working one, like the one in Jackson, Mississippi at the Agricultural museum.

Bo

Have you ever bought something, which is considered to be, and kinda really is, scarce or hard to come by these days, that you really wanted, but were afraid to use it,   well..... I have and here is one example, a good size piece of antique madder brown calico fabric which I gathered up my courage and started making a dress for Bo, a new Izannah Walker doll I made. This doll was going to be a boy, but, along the way, sweet girlish features showed up and so I have Bo . Bo is the name of a little girl in a movie, ( Signs )

that was so sweet and cute, I had to name a doll after her, well.... back to the pricey, delicate, so pretty antique material that to me is worth the money. The fabric inself, just by itself, might not be considered to be pretty, but once you make it into a dress, you see its beauty. What you don't see ( or maybe you do ) HaHa is the two weeks I spent  machine sewing, hand sewing, contemplating, staring, trying to get my brain to think up a good way to make the dress special by use of decorative touches, putting on said touches, then removing said touches, putting on lace, then realizing I did not have enough of the same lace to put on the sleeves and on the collar and brooding about what to do about that. Surly other people don't suffer as much as me, simply because they have a brain that can know what they want, and the sure mind to just sew the dress without mistakes, or second guessing the whole thing. This doll is big, about 20 or so inches tall with a pressed cloth head and oil painted features. If you notice ( I'm pretty sure every one will notice ) Bo is blessed with great big feet. Don't exactly know how that happened, but she is dainty in every other way. My last two gifts to Bo are the shoes she has on, which I slaved over and put a handy band and snap closure on for convenience and the pocket waist she has. The pocket waist is my first one ever, and although I studied Sherri Farley's tutorial on making the pocket waist, it took me several readings and several double looks to figure the thing out ( mostly heming the opening in the pocket.) My thanks to Sherri not only for the pocket instructions, but for many others she has given to us all. I hope you will enjoy the pictures.

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

Continuing on with some Izannah Dolls

Making one of these Izannah Dolls from beginning to end is really an amazing thing. I guess any doll you make is, because of what you think you are making and expecting it to be,  and the doll you actually bring to a conclusion. It never fails to surprise me how different the dolls turn out from start to finish, or how my mind changes during the process. According to how the doll is looking there are times to change from white to black, or vise versa, or even from a boy to a girl, or the other way around. The dolls always rule and you seem to loose control and just finish what is evident the doll should turn out to be. Here are two I am working on at the moment. After having finished a huge garage sale, which took up a big part of this last week, not to mention all the times we spent hauling  things over to the place of the sale in the last months, I have some of my time back from that job. Painting is really a wonderful place for me to be, it soothes my spirit and gives me a rest, taking away every thing around me and taking up my total concentration, time flies by and  ( Wha La ) a painted doll head appears in my hand. It does sound silly, but for those of us who paint a lot, they know what I mean. These dolls here are finished in the painting but for one super important feature ( those darn side curls ) I have to go back and fill the curls in with dark hair. Ever Since I have been trying to make these curls and painted hair they have been sort of a block to me. Sometimes I can do good right off the bat, and then I have to slave over them to get a good curl. I will get the curls before its over. The happy prospect of picking out fabric for clothes will be next. I never used to enjoy having to make the clothes, but in the last year, my interest in making dresses, bonnets and such has grown. I don't think I am alone in the curl making, but suspect most people have the same trouble as me, so I might do a post showing some of the ways the curls can be made, as there are several ways to do it, including the way Izannah Walker made them, or atleast members of her family did. Included in this post is a picture of  my new bear I got at Ruby Lane's last sale. His name is Aloysius, he is a old reproduction  bear made in England. Out of room again, see you soon.

Civil War Soldiers

  Civil War Soldier Dolls have been something I have wanted to make for awhile. So much study in the way of books, movies and classes at schools prompt people to make things that have a connection to this war. I have seen several cute sets of soldiers on the computer,  and I have looked at the old photographs of real soldiers that fought in the war, both Union and Confederate, and the uniforms range from grand to completely worn out jacket and pants. There is a Confederate   Union Cemetery very near our house and we go there to walk the dogs. About 1100 or so men are listed as having died there. A big hospital was there when the war was going on, but all traces of it are gone now. These dolls are a gift for my brother-in-law who has never let on he has any interest in the Civil War at all, but I thought he would enjoy the dolls, as they are cute, and they are soldiers. Most little boys, and I am sure, lots of big boys like reading and looking at objects that have to do with wars.  Making the uniforms was, as usual a learning experience,  as I learned how to make a real belt and a cap. I promised my husband I would make him a set of soldiers too, but not any time soon as these little men were a ton of work. If my bother-in-law likes them, then it has been well worth all the time spent. My mama contributed 2 gold dollars to each soldier to put in his bag.  One more thing about the Civil War is the ladies dresses which I never have been really interested in except for one,  which is Scarlett Ohara's Mourning Dress and Accessories. Looking at dolls that have this dress I finally bought one, a beautiful black dress with complete veil, gloves, shoes, and umbrella, and of course I had to get a Scarlett to model it. Now its time to move .  on to other dolls who are waiting their turn. 

New dolls being finished

I have taken some pictures of three dolls I am just about done with.  A large Izannah Walker Style Cloth Doll, a second slightly smaller Izannah Walker Style Cloth Doll and a painted head rag doll.  Omie is wearing a checked dress and bonnet of vintage cotton organdy with a lace collar which is removable. she is not wearing her under ware here because it isn't finished yet, Her bodice is fully lined and I still have to draw up the sleeves and add lace. She is a big,  sweet,

 light weight girl, and to me the dress and bonnet are just so pretty. I wish I had a ton of this fabric. My second girl is Izannah, and she is wearing a dress and bonnet made of a reproduction Civil War fabric called ink well. It is as near to the antique's dress material as I could get. She is more brooding with her dark eyes. I still would like to make her a second dress of a fine light weight white or light color  with out a bonnet, and I might do that. Her dress has a lace collar, but it is sewed on and she wears an apron of a white calico with lace edges, Her dress bodice is also fully lined,  I have made the decision to line all the tops of the clothes from now on as it is nicer and less work in the end. Last but not least is this fat painted head  rag doll. She has a few issues, one of her hands is slightly smaller than the other and her head is not completely straight, but she is pretty and will make a child a great playmate and companion. Winter has taken it's toll on us all, as far as doll making and work in general, but still progress is being made and lots of dolls are in the works, as well as new ideas and plans for this coming year. I have not given up on my video's. Keep safe, warm,  and working on those wonderful special hand made toys and dolls, as I sure do love to see what you all are making. Love, Martha

Angellis Revisited

I have posted about this doll before, but after quite a lot of labor on her I decided to take some more pictures, possibly to put her on ebay. The pictures show up everything beautiful,

 and everything you did wrong too. This little dress has been a pill,  it shouldn't have been, but I don't seem to be able to stop making stupid mistakes and then having to spend tons of time to fix them. I would have loved to make her a dress out of antique fabric, because I do have some, but because I might not get enough money for her, I was afraid to use the scarce material up. I wonder sometimes about my reasoning, whether or not it is sound and makes good sense, about the dolls. This outfit is very pretty though and does have very old rick rack on the collar, arms,  around the skirt, and on the bonnet too. I also made another small doll, and her dress is made out of antique fabric. I notice I need to do some more eye work. Pictures tell me the truth that I can't see myself. The smaller dolls are harder to paint and you don't see flaws as much until you blow them up bigger. While making doll clothes I have learned something else, which is the older you try to go, the more hand sewing it seems to take. Antique fabric in itself is fascinating. and it is truly pretty. Well, off to work on another doll, hopefully to make her some great mistake free clothes.