2009 Christmas Greeting

A little concert just for you!

Here is a little concert put on by my daughter and her sweet little family. Missing is the youngest who will probably be joining them in full force very soon. Her violin is very tiny! She is just four. So enjoy!

Happy Anniversary to us!!!

Happy 35th Anniversary to us!!! Too busy to celebrate today.....maybe later.....
Oh, well...I am sure it will be fine. This picture is 3 1/2 years old but wish we were celebrating somewhere warm.....
I am working on "baby's first steps"....have to rework the body....am working too long on these fat little arms...
Arms are really hard for me. And baby arms - well - let's say i still have alot to learn.
This doll is coming a little larger than some of my recent ones.
Hopefully she will be done by the end of the week!!!! (Wishful thinking).
Will start my Christmas shopping next week.

IDEX 2010

Well, the first colllllllld blast of winter is here. I hope I don't have to go anywhere for a few days..
Time to get some serious sculpting done.
Whenever I get a new idea for a new face I always end up starting about five. That's why I have so many heads laying around my studio....
By the time I get around to finishing them I don't like them anymore....
I did get this little doll done for IDEX. She is a OOAK like all of my dolls. I have one more ready for the camera and another one almost ready....

Birthday cake again.....

Okay, I am on my third try for the birthday cake. This one will probably be the keeper. I made it smaller and now it is all glittered up and maybe ready to go.
I ordered some little tea sets and will add them to the piece if they are the right size. (You really never know until you get them in place.)

Happy birthday doll.

Okay, seriously, I never update this thing. I must think my life is pretty boring. Nothing to talk about.
Well, today I am finishing up a doll and making a birthday cake for her. I don't do cakes very pretty so I may have to ask my daughter Jen to do it for me.
Except she has never used clay to make a cake. I haven't either I guess.
I also need a set of fancy dishes. Should I make them also? I hate to have to go shopping for little dishes that are just the perfect size....
I wish I had a little chair and table also.....
but maybe this little person will just have to sit on the floor with her cake in front of her.
Oh, yes, I have to make balloons and a birthday hat and a squeaker for her to hold.
Better get busy....!! And all that before the end of the month!
See why I never write??

NYC Fabric Shopping

As I was re-reading a blog post that I had read before heading to NYC I realized that I didn't hit enough fabric stores!!! Now I wish it was only a few hours away so I could go again!
Don't get me wrong - I spent too much already.....but I hate it when I miss something.
I am happy with what I bought even though I cringe at the price per yard of this stuff. Maybe I will take a picture and post it so you can see it too!
Here are the stores I bought from:
Mood - a large store with tons of fabrics - I bought mostly silk brocades from here.
B&J Fabrics - another large store with very expensive stuff. I bought lovely laces - can't wait to use them!
Rosen and Chadick - I bought more silk and lace.
Tinsel Trading Company - tons of ribbon and fun stuff. I wanted some old metallic lace fabric but it was $175 a yard so I passed on it. But maybe someday - I can see it on an angel.....
Trim Art - more ribbon
Hyman and Hendler - expensive but I loved the ribbons.

I was looking for some really nice flowers to embellish with but was mostly disappointed. I guess I need to go back and look some more!!

New York trip!

What a fun trip we all had! Lots of shopping, gawking, eating, walking, walking, walking, walking. It was cold and wet but we survived it all!
I bought lots of really sweet fabrics - can't wait to use them! You will see them all at IDEX - laces, silks, trims, brocades, fun, fun, fun!!!
Can't wait to go again - next time it will be WARM!!!

Between trips

After getting back from the Dollery show I am off to NYC for a trip with some of my daughters! But as usual it will be yuck weather - - rain, rain, cold. Someday I will go there in the hot summer.
But in the meantime I find myself wasting time, wondering what to do next, sitting at this computer way too much....
I need another deadline....

My Sister

Here is my latest piece - I named it My Sister. I found a picture of my friend's on Facebook and was inspired by it! So fun!
They are all packed up waiting in my suitcase for the trip to Boston and the Dollery show. I head out early tomorrow morning. I will be traveling with Diane Keeler and meeting up with Stephanie Cauley.!!! Can't wait! It is always so fun to visit other artists and see what they have done. I always come home more determined to work harder and better!
Friday night will be an invitation-only event. What fun to watch the collectors stream in! It's like they are in a candy store!!!
Saturday will be a little more relaxed. Then Saturday night we have traditionally had a lobster feast!! Another great thing about this show!!! My once a year lobster!!!!!
I fly home on Sunday and get ready for my trip with my daughters to NYC the next Friday!!!
Talk later!

Looks like I need to update...

this blog a little more often.
I sent off four boxes today. They are going to the Dollery Show in Boston next weekend. You can see the online show at: dollery.com.
I am trying to get two more dolls done.....only have one more week....my eyes are going buggy....my neck is sore....my back hurts......why do I do this?????
I will think about it tomorrow.
Good night.

Grrrrrrr!

Well after spending one and a half days sculpting a face (thought I would put some teeth in) I gave up in disgust. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I peeled off all of the clay and started over.....(the eyes were baked in place so that part was easy)....
Today I will finish the second try and MAYBE she will be good enough to save.....
Teeth are rare in my dolls. Lots of them have teeth that you can't see!!!!!
IDEX is coming up in January - lots to do til then....

Newest Asian toddler

Here is my newest Asian toddler mostly done now. I used pink silk batiste for her dress. Love that stuff - it just floats!! I pleated the silk ribbon trim - so tedious....
The older girl in the background is shown in the Dollery Catalog. The toddler with her has been sold and so she gets a panda bear to hold instead.
This new toddler can also fit into her arms but for now she will be her own individual!! I don't know if she will end up going to the Dollery show or not....

Polymer clay bead making party!

Here are the eight artsy ladies who came over for a polymer bead making party minus one who had to leave a little earlier! They all completed at least one piece of jewelry and it sure seemed like they had a good time! (The one in the middle is the birthday girl!!) It's too bad I don't have a close up of the beads, they were awesome! They were called stacker beads and I found them on http//www.ovenfriedbeads.com.

Asian toddler

Here is my poor bald little Asian toddler. I will get her hair on soon I hope. But today I am hosting around 8 artsy ladies and we are going to be making polymer clay beads for a couple of hours. It is part of a birthday party for one of them (can't tell you her age).
I will try to take pictures and post them later!

Tarah and Tina

Tarah and Tina were bought by Melanie Friend of The Friend Company! They will be available through her. Check out her website at: www.friendcompany.com. She has some of my other dolls also!
Now they are packed up and will be on their way today.
Back to the Asian baby.....

Tarah and Tina

My latest piece - Tarah and Tina is finally finished. Tarah stands about 20" tall and Tina is about 16". They behaved very well at the photography studio!
Now I am back to work on my Asian baby....starting to sculpt toes (my favorite)!

Just getting ready for pictures tomorrow...

Tarah is just getting ready for her pictures tomorrow....
I was at the middle school last night watching the other mothers fussing with their child's hair as they were waiting in the picture taking line. I let Hannah worry about her own hair as I didn't want her to feel more awkward and self-conscious about herself.
But I don't have to worry about that with Tarah...!!! I just have to remember to check ahead of time for those pesky hairs that always show up on her face in the close-ups...

Tiara's are done!

Both tiara's are done now for Tarah and Tina. They were made with Swarovski Crystals and little flowers. So much fun....I will have to make more as soon as my fingers will bend again.
I am already planning the next one done in whites......
But first I have to clean up the mess. I will post more pictures when I get the professional ones taken.

Grandkids are gone back home.

After a busy two weeks of having my sweet grandbabies around the house is quiet again. I will miss them. They are on their way back to Montana so I won't see them again for a while. Besides it's time to visit the Colorado grandbabies again....
Why do they have to be so far away?
So anyways my studio time has been in bits and pieces. I started an Asian baby and I have her head and fingers done....I know it sounds pretty weird.
But what is left of today will go into designing tiara's for the newest piece that you saw in the previous picture. Don't know yet what I will come up with....

New sculpt

This set is not quite finished. I have to add tiara's or maybe beaded headbands. I ordered the beads today so when they get here I can play!
Today I worked on an Asian baby face with teeth!!! If you knew how many teeth I have tried to make in the past.....usually I have to close the lips and nobody ever knows about them! I am getting a little braver with them so look for more teeth in the future!

Curlers!

This is part of the double piece I am working on....her curlers are almost dry....her little sister's hair is also set...I have some hand stitching of trim to do on their dresses and then I may try to make some flowers for their hair....
I am starting my dolls for IDEX in January - it always comes up too fast....

Almost done

I am almost done with another double piece...I just set the little girl's hair with curlers. I think I put too much hair on her but hopefully I can thin it out tomorrow.
I will take some pictures whenever I can find my camera!! I know it is here underneath something.....
After a quiet week we have happy feet once again around here.!
Daughter Heather and family are visiting us from their new home in Montana.! Toys everywhere!! Her four-year-old wants me to draw her out tomorrow so I can measure her! I did it when she was three but she thinks she has grown a little!
Good night!

Promises, promises

I now have 11 heads sculpted waiting for bodies and limbs!! I promise I will start finishing them up tomorrow!

Back from vacation!

Here is what I bought (along with only two pieces of silk) from Nancy's Sewing Basket in Seattle. I hope to use them all soon!!!
I am back now from vacation and I dusted off my work space! Does that mean I am back to work? Do you have to unpack first? My girls are in a cleaning mood and they are digging into the housework! So I am free to start the doll making engine again....where should I start?

My facebook page

I have been ignoring this blog since I put my facebook page up. The other reason is that I have been on vacation for the past few weeks....
I promise to write again as soon as I get back to work!

School is done for the summer!

The girls are done with school! So of course they had to have their "School's done - let's party" party. So we had 12 girls last night for an overnighter. They all slept outside - well - don't really know if they slept.
In spite of that i still got a decent amount of work done today. I started out sculpting an Asian toddler because I had seen one that I had to do!! But without a photo I had to just memorize her face. I did but somehow the sculpt is much older than 18 months. So much for that. It is a good sculpt so I will finish her one of these days.
Tomorrow I hope to sculpt another head- this time it will just be a pretty brown-eyed girl. But who knows.....sometimes magic happens and sometimes it doesn't.!

Waiting

Gee, time goes so fast and I forget to write....
Just to let you know I am still busy working away but I haven't finished anything since the last piece!!!
I have a bunch of heads again that are waiting to get some arms and legs....grrrrrr....I always think I will just work on one piece at a time....
I have to go now....the beautiful weather is calling me. I am going for a walk in the wind. At least the sun is shining!!!
Do you wonder why I can't get more done?

Visit by my nephew

I got a nice surprise visit by my very talented nephew, Jason Grangroth! He is a wildlife artist living in Colorado. He has been getting his paintings into galleries and expanding his collector base. You can see his work at: www.jasongrangrothstudios.com.

Almost finished....

This is the almost-finished doll that I am finishing up! (See head on the right in picture below!) And you can't tell in this picture but she doesn't have any hair on the back of her head.
Besides her hair getting done (well, it is done as I write...) I am making her a cushion to sit on.
Now I have to quit and get ready for my daughter's graduation and party tomorrow night...she is getting an LPN degree!!
Better get cleaning...

White dress

I spent yesterday sewing most of the day. It is for the doll head pictured in the previous photo on the right. I made her a white silk dress and hopefully she will be done by early this week.

Two heads

Two heads - that's what they are! The one on the left is done at a larger scale than the other...
This is what I am working on!

Happy Mother's Day!

I want to wish everyone a Happy Mother's Day!

Beautiful Spring again!

It is hard to work in my studio when it is sooooo nice out!! But I am working!

Beautiful Spring!

Now that our beautiful spring weather has finally arrived I am so busy in my studio I can't go outside. Well, maybe today I will sneak out there.
I have a tree to plant but have never done that before.......
I sculpted a practice head yesterday. That always happens when I don't sculpt every day. Today's sculpt may be practice also. I am working on a smaller head. I still have that larger one that I totally love waiting to be finished. I will do it all at once!!

Sculpting again!

I am sculpting again! It feels good to get my hands in the clay...!!!

Facebook

I have now ventured into Facebook. I found many doll artists already there! Such fun to connect with them!
Come and find me there!

Tiaras and Tucker

I think I may be finished with these girls. You never know. I made their tiaras yesterday using the beads I had on hand. I never know what I have until I go looking for something. They were so fun I could have made more. (Sorry - no more good beads left). I used Swarovski crystals along with other beads.
I always think I can't do anything until I do it a few times. The first one was sort of awkward to do but the next one flowed pretty easily. My next doll will have a better one...ooh....can't wait!!!
I think the older girl needs a necklace.....maybe I have to go to the bead store after all.....
It would be a fun project to teach.
Now to get back to sculpting. I haven't done a face for so long I hope I haven't forgotten. I have an order for a baby/toddler that I need to do soon. I have one other face done that I am pretty excited about. But maybe she will have to wait until the baby gets done.
Real baby Tucker comes again today!! But only for a few hours.

Sister fairies

Here are the fairy girls as far as I got today.

Curlers!

Getting her hair curled.....

Mall of America

I spent a fun and relaxing weekend with my mom and sisters. We just hung around IKEA and Mall of America and doing lots of visiting.
Today I am finishing up the fairy baby's hair and I made her a little cap. Once I curl the hair I will post a picture.

Baby fairy again

Making progress! But, alas, I hear that real baby crying - the one I am babysitting today, tomorrow and Friday. He's been cranky this morning but I still love him and he is really really cute!
This baby will just sit quietly I am sure until I can give her some hair.
Wah! Wah!

Baby fairy

I got all organized yesterday. Just kidding! I got part way and found the fabrics and trim that I needed to start this next piece. Here is what the baby looked like yesterday......
Don't you love the brown spatters on the table? That's because I paint on there and you never can get paint only where it is supposed to go. It's an artistic touch!
Now I am going to do her big sister and see how far I can get.

Organize......

Today might be a good day to organize fabric and trim. I like to put it off but then when I need something it is a disaster. I would like to dress a double piece that I made but that means I have to start searching for that right something and that means making a bigger mess from all the stuff I take out in search of the right thing!!
I am planning to make this piece into apple blossom fairies so I will probably need to start dying some fabrics into apple reds and greens!! Sounds exciting to me!!
I better get started.

My dear father-in-law

I am finally back home. After a week spent in Arizona we got the call on Easter Sunday that my husband's father had passed away.
We flew out there and spent a very bittersweet week with his family. Most of our kids were also able to be there.
My father-in-law lived 85 years. He left school in the third grade to help support his family. At age 15 he went to work at my husband's mother's farm where he met her. They were married for 63 years. They both spent their life working hard and raising their family.
They lived most of their life on the west coast.
He was a master craftsman and taught his boys many things. His love of perfection will be carried on in my husband.
My father-in-law will be missed greatly.

Easter weekend

Just wanted to send my Easter greetings to all. It is a beautiful weekend here in Minnesota. I am also remembering my dear father-in-law as he is a very sick man.

Back from Arizona!

Greetings from Scottsdale! Too bad we don't play golf! We had a lovely time and it was good to have a break from the long cold winter!


Awww.....Fish tacos!! So yummy! I had them twice! And how about chips/salsa/guacamole?? How good can that get?? Oh, yes, forgot the salad that hubby ate twice also!! He said it was delicious! (We love good food)!


Here we are hiking! We only went once. Too bad. We'll do more next time.

We even got an art show in! My husband liked this art! Now back to my own art!

SUNNY ARIZONA!

This will be my last post for at least a week because hubby and I are off to SUNNY PHOENIX!!! I hate to get too excited though.....usually that means something happens that doesn't allow me to go....
WE have had such miserable cold this winter - it just never ends. I won't even think of warmth today - maybe tomorrow.
So.....where was I? Oh, yes, the bonnets. The babies all got them! Some didn't quite fit them but they will have to grow into them. Such fun to make.!
THEN - I made two more purses. (See above - the second picture loaded sideways - don't know why - it was the right way in my computer). THEN - I said - ENOUGH! Back to the sculpting!
I sculpted a pair of arms yesterday for the small baby fairy I am working on (among other things). I don't like sculpting small - this baby will be about 15" - my eyes have to strain too much. I need a large magnifying glass. I can't imagine doing miniatures...
Anyways - today I am babysitting two grandkids. Their mom is finishing up her nursing program. She has five weeks left so I will help her out two days a week until she is done. I have a newborn and a two-year old!
Wish me luck! I hope I am not too old for this...
Today I am going to pack my suitcase!!!!!

No surprises.

I guess two of my kids read this blog......
Can't hide anything from them.
So here is the picture of the five "surprises".
Next week I'll start sculpting again...can't wait!!!

I made five!

I made five of them today! Just got them done! (My kids don't read this blog I am sure but I better not say what they are just quite yet).!!!
My arms ache, my fingers hurt, my eyes are crossed but I had fun!
Tomorrow I will exercise so I can keep working!

I needed some GREEN!

Can you tell I am still waiting for SPRING???

Sewing!

Today is a sewing day! I got sidetracked and am sewing up some little surprises for my newest grandkids! Can't tell you what they are yet but I have one done!
But what a mess I have. Probably should stop and clean it up. Oh, well, time for that later.

Rainy'Snowy Spring Break continues.

It's early, dark, wet and cold. But my studio is light and warm and I am going to be hard at work in a few moments!!! I love coming in here early in the morning! I am being thankful for this work I do and for everything I have learned over the years and all of the wonderful people I have met along the way!
I should show you some studio shots one of these days if I can ever clean up the mess long enough to snap a few.
Oh, yes, I am also babysitting for my daughter today! I will be doing that a few days a week while she finishes up her nursing program. She is being a super-mom these days!
My spring-break girls are going stir-crazy during this rainy week. We will have to do something on Thursday or Friday to break the week up a little. They have had their cousins over since Sunday so that has helped. And we did go to the Mall of America on Monday but today they will help babysit Aves and Tuck.
So I better get busy!

More cherry blossom pics

Spring break!

Spring break is here and so is the rain.......the girls and I are off to Mall of America today to take our minds off of the gloomy day!

Cherry blossom girls!

I really finally finished a piece! This one was tons of work....as they all are. But they are a reminder for me that SPRING IS SOON ON ITS WAY!!! Can you tell it's been a long hard winter???!!
I should make some summer girls next.....
This piece is a little larger than some of my other doubles. The older girl is about 27" tall (well, she would be if she could stand up...). The whole piece measures about 16" tall by 20" long.
And how do you like the baby's teeth? I actually managed to make teeth and keep the mouth open!! Progress.....
I had made the baby's dress longer and then decided to shorten it so her little toes would show. I pleated all of the ribbon on the clothing and also made the frog buttons. Tedious, tedious. At least my fingers still bend.
The fabric is a soft silk brocade in a paisley pattern. I think I bought it from the lady who comes to IDEX with fabrics from Germany. I used up all that I had!
I pleated the ribbon and fabric with a couple of pleaters that I bought. One makes nice box pleats and the other one just sort of ripples the fabric.
Next I am going work on a piece that I started a while ago. She will be dressed in white.....then I can get on with the fancy girl that I promised......

Cherry blossoms!

Only one week since my last post and we really have spring! Here are some cherry blossoms to help celebrate! I bought a branch at my local florist and cut it all apart to make these cherry blossom crowns for my Asian dolls I am working on.

Can you believe it???

We woke up to -12!!!! Almost the middle of March!!!! We are leaving for a hiatus in hot, sunny Phoenix in only a few weeks!! Can't wait!!!
But in the meantime it is cold and I am doing my best to ignore it.
This week is almost over - gone in another blur. That seems to be the story of my life these days.
I know you can't believe that I can get yet another grandchild but that is what happened!! Such fun.
I played babysitter Grandma for three days this week. Whew!! Should I post a picture that shows how much mess a tw0-year old can make??? Better not.
Good thing she is so precious. And funny. And cute besides!! And she even got a little brother!
Tucker is his name - sooooooooooo cute.
Back to my studio.....
I did manage to sew while I babysat - thanks to some of my kids that were around at various times this week.....
I am working on a Asian double piece - all in pink.....promise I will post pictures soon.....
Today I am doing their wigs.
Mohair is naturally curly so I have to straighten each section before I apply it to the head. Slow, tedious work.
I have most of the clothing done - I will dress the pair when their wigs are completed. I am waiting on some trim to come and when that does I can finish them up.
Next in line is a little girl that will be FANCY - I have her head done already and I can't wait to get her finished...I am picturing a loooong beautiful dress and barefoot....
Better get back to work.

More pictures.

How about some babies today?