Stepping Back

I've had to step away from this little doll that is driving me so crazy.  It's so bad I phoned my sister yesterday just to vent - even though I knew she had house guests.

I'll try to concentrate on other things over the weekend.  I have a bag of potting soil in the back seat of the car that I'll lug around to the potting bench in the lanai. There is tarragon and basil seed to start and rooted cuttings  that need to be put in soil.   If it will ever stop raining long enough for the grass to dry, I'll cut the grass in the back yard.  And, provided my back holds up, I'll pull up all the Roselle that didn't produce fruit this year.

Perhaps by Monday I'll be ready to tackle the problem doll again,

It Happens Every Time It never fails

. . . . . . every time I get in a hurry, I screw up.  TWICE, yesterday.   I'm just glad I had enough fabric (barely!!) to cut new pieces.  If these don't fit, I'm gonna be up the creek BIGTIME!!

I couldn't buy more fabric because nearly all of the fabric I have was given to me by two friends who were both professional seamstresses.  I was thrilled to get their scraps and leftovers.  Most pieces were more than adequate for a doll costume.   And some exquisitely beautiful pieces must have surely cost someone a month's wages for a single yard.

And leftovers from my days at Michael's made a pair of beautiful fairy wings.  Like most crafters, I hang on to anything that might be just the thing I need, in the future.  Consequently, because of the boxes of 'stuff', there is barely leg room under my big, U shaped desk.                                                                                                                                                          

Pedal to the Metal!

---- realized late last night that I have a doll due on the west coast no later than Sept 15.  I'm now in full panic mode!
Fortunately, I started her months ago.  She needs sanding and all that PLUS her costume.  That's started too, but the main piece still needs a pattern and mock-up - called a muslin by real designers - but I use heavy duty napkins to work up the final pattern.
Being a fairy queen, she will have elegant wings.  They're the reason I was up so late last night - I'd finally figured out a way to make them so that they would never droop.  I will not have a fairy queen with droopy wings!!

. . . and Ninjas, too.

a Ninja doll??  Yep, for my littlest art student for his 6th birthday.  How on earth do I get myself into these fixes?  (Easy, just open mouth and volunteer!)   Afraid this 'doll' is a quick and dirty version of one of my first attempts at doll making.

I'm using black fabric for the basic doll, will use white fabric to cut out and glue on details like face and hands.  Little artist gets to paint those and whatever else he wants on the figure.  I must remind myself to call it an action figure as opposed to 'doll' although HE uses 'doll'.  Hopefully, his guy friends won't tease him.

It's frustrating . . .

I'm finding it difficult to maintain a more or less level work progress.  Ideas that seemed to work on paper just don't work when attempted with fabric and glue, etc.  I suppose this is part of the creative process, but it feels like trying to run in knee deerp mud.

I am Blessed

My aunt passed away last year shortly before her 98th birthday.  Still sharp, but with macular degeneration.  A terrible thing for an avid quilter and crafter.  Yesterday, I received a letter from my cousin - containing a check from my aunt.  My aunt had left a small gift to each of my sisters and I.  I was stunned - and ever so grateful.  Now I don't have to worry about paying my way to Houston and back.

Facing my Fears

---- fear of FABRIC,  Not ALL fabrics, just the ones I'm sent for the Gypsy competition or a piece I just barely have enough of to make what I want.  I love fabrics.  They can stop me in my tracks, make me salivate, do an instant project in my head.  I has to be a good thing I can't afford to buy all the lovely cloth that catches my imagination, for I would surely be homeless and starving!

All this to say I cut into the fabric yesterday, to begin making the Mardi Gras costume, a tiny Bikini bottom.  I'm trying to keep meticulous notes this time because pattern making is still difficult for me.  Not because I won't dive into the job with both feet, but because I don't know enough about pattern making.  Cut and Paste works here, too.