Givaway doll!

Wee Witch doll making class by June Crawford

Our teachers are so amazing! June Crawford is teaching Wee Witch this month and she is giving away a doll! Read all about the Giveaway!

It's so great when you find something on sale! Judy has offered us a 15% discount on this class until the end of this weekend! In this class, apart from making a lovely mermaid, you will learn Judy's secrets for making beautiful faces and elegant hands. There's also beading, costume illusions and so much more! Register right here!

Who can resist the siren call of the mermaid? The first stories appeared in ancient Assyria (according to Wikipedia), in which the goddess Atargatis transformed herself into a mermaid out of shame for accidentally killing her human lover. Mermaids are sometimes associated with perilous events such as floods, storms, shipwrecks and drownings. In other folk traditions (or sometimes within the same tradition), they can be benevolent or beneficent, bestowing boons or falling in love with humans. I liek the last part the best!

How about you? Ready to flex your creative fins and create a mermaid?

10 things you should have in your Sewing kit

Over at Doll Street Dreamers. we've been discussing what constitutes a sewing kit. You'll get instructions or a supply list for a class and it says blandly: Sewing kit. So, to help clear the fog, here's what should be in a basic sewing kit, in no particular order:

1. Scissors, one large pair and one small, sharp pair. By sharp, I mean they should cut to the tip. Depending on the class, you may also need paper scissors.
2. Pins - not those you've collected from packs of shirts. Those are useless for sewing.
3. Tape measure.
4. Assorted hand sewing needles.
5. Thread to match the project you are doing, plus maybe basting thread in another color.
6. Marking pens or pencils; dressmakers' chalk; maybe a marking wheel and carbon paper.
7. Thimble.
8. Ruler- a small, bendy one is useful.
9. Rotary cutter and mat if you use one.
10. Stitch ripper.

I store my basic class kit in a pencil case - the kind that goes in a 3-ring binder with clear pockets. You can see what's in it. I have several of these for different purposes. One for my travel painting kit, one for doll tools, etc.

I hope that's helpful for you, next time you do a class. Speaking of classes, my dear Marilyn Halcombe of Sydney, Australia has one starting this Friday. It's Walter. He's such a charmer! Marilyn is a master at cloth dolls making and needle sculpting. Believe me, I know. I have one of her mini elves sitting on my desk and admire him every day!

Cloth doll making for beginners.

Sherry Goshon shares her expertise to get you started with cloth doll making. This e-book is full of handy tips. Order it online today and download it today!

Boudoir dolls are back

I am very excited about this class. Shelly has designed a wonderful doll and presents it two ways in this class. The doll is jointed for posing, with a paper clay mask and a vinyl body. This alone intrigues me - how will that be made? You'll see when you take the class.

Shelly's dolls recently appeared in Just SteamPunk ll. I am so glad Shelly will be teaching for Doll Street Dreamers. Look at that fabulous hat! I want to make one! Don't you?

Here's the place to register. And here's another version of the doll. Isn't she grand?

Pas de deux online class

I am excited about this online class from Barbara Schoenoff. Barbara is a master cloth doll maker and shows it with this lovely couple. The class will lead you step-by-step through the making and costuming of each doll. So it's kind of a two-for-one deal, since the class creates both dolls.

The dolls are dressed in 18th century costumes and the couple both are wearing powdered wigs and make up.

Class starts February 7 on Doll Street Dreamers. Follow the link to register.

Doll making adventures!

Doll Street is presenting a new designer this month: June Crawford. I found this talented designer on Etsy. June is bring this fabulous class to us, which uses polymer clay and old books to create this imaginative doll.

Register by clicking this link to the class.

Here's a little about June, in her own words:
"I am a mostly self taught artist, unless you count the art classes in high school….where my teacher often looked at what I had created and, scratching his beard, would say... "Interesting". A unique classification he used when he just couldn't label it anything else.

But coming from a creative family, it was just something natural to do. My father's Mother was a quilter who created the most amazing works of art, as had her own Mother. I have knit lace that my Great-Grandmother made just after the turn of the last century and I have a needlework set she had begun, but never finished due to her untimely passing. Her daughter, my Grandmother, stitched and she passed that knowledge to me. My grandfather drew and painted in water color. He also was a musician, as were all of his brothers, something I wish I had learned more about. My own Mother never learned to knit or make lace, but she took up sewing and ceramics. My sister and I have somehow become a conglomeration of all of that past. From an early age I was making pots and statues from mud…as I've grown my tools have changed, now I use polymer clay so those things will be far more durable and much less dusty. Anything is game ….I see magic in almost everything and I am passing that on to my own son and daughter who are artists in their own right. 

People often ask me how I am inspired. I wish I understood myself. Shadows of the leaves playing over a rock, on a sunny day. The sound of the birds chirping waking me before dawn on a spring morning, the new green of spring grass, wild violets, the giggle of a child….light, color, texture...everything is inspiring. Somehow, somewhere in the ether of my mind, those things mix together and eventually end up a new project. Often I begin with no more than a desire to create. Sometimes I have a very vague idea of what I want the end product to be, other times I see the finished piece clearly before I begin. And sometimes, what I end up with isn't at all what I had in mind when I began. I think, for me, it isn't so much about what is created as it is the process of creating. It's almost like you bring a tiny piece of your soul to the physical world when you do that. And the greatest reward of all is seeing how that can touch another person. "

Polymer class fun

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Ode To Kate

Designed by June Crawford

This is an exciting new doll making class and a new teacher to Doll Street!
Ode to Kate is a mixed media doll incorporating polymer clay, acrylic paints, old book pages, and a bit of creativity.
Expand your doll making skills and learn to play with polymer clay. There’s a surprise bonus with this class!
For all levels of doll makers.

Class starts January 24, 2014

Register here

Online Class on sale

The talented Barbara Schoenoff is presenting her Donoma class on Doll Street Dreamers. AND she's offering a discount if you sign up before the 27th!!

Donoma is a Woman of Potential. She may become a journey of spiritual discovery in doll making for you as you select her fabrics, fibers and embellishments and adorn your Woman.

Class begins October 25.

Click the picture to find out more.

Perfect Pets

I am teaching again! After my hiatus, it feels good to be back teaching again. I am teaching online at Doll Street Dreamers.  If you've never taken an online class, the classroom is a group which you are invited to moon, you get to download the instructions and ask me questions in a private forum. Bets of all, we can share pictures as we progress. Just like a real class, you can see what everyone else is doing.

The class is called Perfect Pets and teaches you how to make a needle felted cat or dog. Perfect for accompanying your dolls! The class shows you how to scale the animal  l so it fits your doll, how to make a simple armature and of course, how to needle felt. 

It will be a lot of fun and add to you doll making skill set. Won't you join me? Here's the link to the class

Faerie couture

This class starts soon! What better way to boost your doll making that by making  a fairy dress! Judy Skeel gets you started in this fun online class. Starts October 4th, on www.dollstreetdreamers.com

Fall is a great time for learning!

Well, it's been one year since I took over the reins at Doll street Dreamers. What a ride it's been! I've learned so much and met such wonderful people: the members of the Club, the amazing doll designers and teachers who are such a big part of Doll Street; the students of the classes, the doll makers who populate this creative street. 

I want to thank you all for offering your help, advice and support. Most of all for your support. You guys are the Best!

Fall is the best time to get rolling on a new creative journey. What better way than with online classes? September and October are brimming with new beginnings. I thought today I'd introduce just three of them.

Judy Skeel brings us a series of online classes, one of which is Faerie Couture. You get to create the mannequin and dress it in an amazing one of a kind costume. plus, the wings! If you have a fairy waiting for a new dress, this is the class for you!

For those who love Halloween, Judith Prior brings us Winnie Witch. This doll stands by herself, has a full outfit and a broom. The face is sculpted and painted.  I think she's kind of lovable. What a fun gift for the young ones!

Kathryn Walmsley is a NIADA member and an excellent sculptor in clay. This online class, Guerrilla Mold Making, answers a problem I know I've had: how to replicate something. In this online class, Kathryn shows you how to make a mold and use it to create multiples of objects in clay. Perfect for duplicating dolls and accessories. Kathryn also has a series of doll making classes, leading you to create a complete doll.

You can join the fun by clicking the images or visit Doll Street Dreamers and explore the world of doll making there!

Mushrooms are growing

Paula McGee will be teaching this fun class next week on Doll Street Dreamers. He's called Wynnstan. Make him with or without a base, make him to shelter  a tiny fairy or as a seat for a fairy to sit upon. While doing this, you will learn to needle sculpt and create character with deft use of color.

Click the image to join the class. Get your supplies organised and you'll be all set for class next Friday!

Never taken an online doll making class? They’re a lot of fun. Here’s how they work on Doll Street…

• Once you sign up you will receive a confirmation email from me, then shortly thereafter an invitation to a Yahoo Group, which is the classroom.
• Once you join the group/classroom you can go to the Files section and download the Supply list. This gives you time to look for (or order) any needed supplies.
• Once the actual class start date arrives the first class lesson will be posted to the Files section of the classroom. It will be a PDF file (you will need the Adobe reader to view it).
• The lesson will consist of photos and text that will walk you through each step of the process. You can save the file to your hard drive, print it out, or both.
• The teacher will be available to answer any questions that you might have. Some of our teachers like to hold scheduled chats too – so there’s lots of interaction.
• Additional lessons will be posted each week. Some classes are really talkative – you’ll be helping and encouraging each other.
• As you work through the lessons you can upload photos of your in-progress work in a personal photo album – which is also helpful for the teacher if there is a problem or you want to be critiqued.
• The class will stay ‘up’ for approximately two weeks after the last lesson is posted.

What’s the best thing about online classes? It doesn’t matter where you live in the world – or what time zone you are in – you can work at your leisure and at your own pace. Work in the middle of the night or the middle of the day. It’s up to you.

Wire

Well I learned something new! On Doll Street's club Journal, we were having a discussion about armature wire. We often have a Topic Of the Week. This one was most fruitful. I knew about aluminum wire and have used old electrical wire, which is copper. I knew not to use old coat hangers, because they are hard to bend and can snap.

What do you need to consider with armature wire? You need it to be strong enough to hold up the figure, bendy enough to be easy to work with, and it must not rust  You never know, but your doll may get wet at some point, or be subject to humidity.

Gauge is also important. Size 18 seems to be the most popular. 20 or 22 is thinner and okay for arms. Chenille stems are good for hands and can be used for small dolls. They can even be braided together for strength on a small figure. the electrical wire I use comes covered. When you strip the cover, you get two coated wires and a copper ground wire. I find this works very well and I'm recycling old wire, which makes me feel good!

Now here's the new thing I learned: bonsai wire comes in copper and aluminum. It comes in different gauges and is cheap! If you buy wire at the art store or hardware store, you can pay big bucks for it. This stuff can be found at some hardware stores and online - cheap! I like that! So that's my next purchase, once I use up the electrical wire that I have.

What kind do you use?

Patti Medaris Culea video

Cloth Doll Inspirations with Patti Medaris Culea

 

This is the second video on doll making from Patti.

This video continues to inspire, just as the first one did. Patti leads us through her process of costuming and draping fabric to clothe your doll. You'll soon be flying solo, inspired by Patti's easy methods of draping and pattern making. The face painting techniques add new ways of using products like watercolors to your skill set. It's a great look inside Patti's world, at her techniques, her process and her inspirations. I'm inspired!

 

Galli Studios, who produced the video, are one of our sponsors for the Doll Street mermaid challenge. Make a mermaid and win a prize! I like the sound of that. Follow the link to read more about the challenge and the prizes.

Steam punk again!

I am so excited to share this news- not one, but three of my Steampunk pieces are in the new magazine from "Just Cards."

There are so many familiar names from the doll making world. Christine Shively-Benjamin, Mary Ann Tate, Laura Lunsford and Shelley Lampshire, to name but a few. I know several through Doll Street Dreamers and it's a proud moment for our online doll club when members get featured.

Dr Con Traption is one of the pieces shown and you will just have to go out and buy the magazine to see the others!

FREE doll pattern!

Colleen Babcock has designed a pattern especially for  new members of Doll Street Dreamers. It's a Snowflake Sprite. I am so grateful to Colleen for offering this pattern to us.

If you join now, you get this Free pattern. It's just $21 to join Doll Street. For that, you get the FREE pattern, membership of the online daily Journal; access to the Clubhouse, which has a library of articles and special coupons for classes on Doll Street. http://www.dollstreetdreamers.com/joindollstreet/

I love the Journal, doll makers from all over the world exchange news and ideas and ask and answer each others questions on doll making. It really is a happening place! Won't you join us?