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SHOPPING

Gathering the Goods ...

October 28, 2012

     So, over the last couple of weeks I have been planning carefully, doing a little research, gathering supplies. I found a book by a lady named Patti Medaris Culea who has spent her life making these awesome cloth dolls. Of course I snagged it right off the shelf at Barnes & Noble and ran to the cashier with my credit card waving in my hand. Yeah, I'm a bit of a loony! But I was just so dern excited! I think I memorized the book by the end of the night. 

     On the back pages of the book it mentioned that Patti had three other books ... and one book in particular was on FACES!! Woot woot!! I would need to order the book on-line. Or .... yes ... HALF PRICE BOOKS!!! I dashed into the bedroom, ripped the covers off of my poor sleeping husband and said LET GO SHOPPING!!!! Poor man never gets to sleep in on the weekend when I have a goal in mine. An hour later we were in Half Price Books. I was hopeful I might find one book .... but no! I didn't find one book ... I FOUND THEM ALL!!! My poor husband had to hide his face as I jumped up and down in excitement. Oh, and excitement it was because each book was only $5!! Pay dirt indeed! She does have a 5th book out ... but what it is is all

four books compiled into one book. Then again, it does offer quite a bit of information that isn't in the other four books, plus a pattern. Humm...

      My next excursion was over to Jo Ann's Fabric! Now, they recommend that you get good, high quality cotton. I discovered that it is a wee bit pricey. Not something I want to buy a few yards of to practice with. But then I headed over to the remnant shelf and I found LOADS of remnant fabric to play with. Perfect! Some of them might even be big enough to make a whole doll! I also bought a few things to add into my sewing kit. I think Jo Ann and I might be becoming better acquainted over the next year. So with a few new supplies and a few remnants of fabric we were out the door and heading to the art store! I have to say ... remnant fabric is where it is at! There is such a wide variety .... especially when you start making clothes! 

     Blick is where I chose to go. I figured they would have the most things I would need. It is a pretty amazing store. Now, in the book Patti works with Shiva Paintstiks! I did not find any of these at Blick. In fact, I stood there looking at another brand of oil stick, and then oil pastels.  I am still absolutely confused about the difference. I asked a young lady who worked there about the difference, explained what I was trying to do, and showed her my list. Her explanation was "one is oil, and one is pastel". Oookay. Thank you Einstein. *face palm*  (Dear Blick. Please hire knowledgeable people. Many thanks.)  So she showed me a variety of things and I followed her around putting stuff in my basket. Fifty-three dollars later, I was on my way home. After reading my books again I realize that I need the Shiva Paintstiks .... so back to Blick. With a $37 return to my card I gave back the oil pastels and called it a day. I can order the Shiva supplies from Amazon. Amazon is AWESOME!

     MY DVD IS HERE!! The second I found it hiding in the mail box I popped it into my PC and watched the beginning steps! I just have to decide which doll I want to begin with. One thing I have to say is that if you are interested in making these dolls ... BUY THIS DVD!! It is the next best thing to attending one of her work shops! She shows you everything ... and she is just so dern cute! This DVD covers the face techniques very well. It not only shows you how to draw a face, but Patti also shows you how to sculpt the face and hands as well. Amazing! It is very much worth the money!

     So off I go! I'm getting ready! I am going to select a pattern to work with and then follow Patti's instructions step by step on her video! I have never been talented with this sort of thing, so I am excited to see if I can actually do it! Below is a picture of Patti Culea!! Just thought you might like to see her. Some of her dolls are on the table behind her. She has been making dolls for many years. I hope I don't disappoint her! Woot woot!! Here I go!! Thanks Patti !!!

Choosing Colors

November 12, 2012

     So over the last few weeks I have been gathering my materials, sewing machine in the shop, and doing the research. I have watched many parts of the DVD a bazillion times .... mostly the face drawing. This is the part I worry about most ... although I have to say, I can draw a face without the video now! I think I have all the essentials ready ... scissors, seam ripper, thimble, needles, basket, blah blah blah. I'm sure I am forgetting a thing or two.I figure I can pick this stuff up as I find it. I swear that shopping the remnant section of JoAnn's Fabric was golden. As you can see in the picture, I got a great remnant of some Japanese silk dirt cheap! I wont use it this time, but I will save it for the next doll. They even have these little bundles of fabric in another section for like, $12, in various colors and patterns. Good stuff. My mother-in-law also gave me some nice stuff from her sewing basket. I think our doll is off to a good start so far. But what shall I dress her in? Honestly, I 

have no freakin idea ... however ... the more I shop the discount aisle, the more ideas pop into my head. So far I

have compiled a mental list of ALL KINDS of dolls I want to make! I sure hope I can make at least ONE or this might turn into a spendy shopping hobby! LOL

     My youngest daughter, Lilly, and I went to choose fabric for my first doll's outfit together. We decided to go the way of a funky business type person. In the remnant basket we found a nice grey pinstripe material for her pants, a pretty pink material that I will use for her shirt, and then a lovely silver type stuff I will use to make part of her jacket. I will also use the silver fabric to make some shoes for her. I will trim it all up in some ribbon my mother-in-law gave me. I will find some embellishments later and add as I go. I might add some purple in there somewhere ... who knows!

     I am finding the hardest thing to find is the hair. I'm not sure what to use for hair. She uses this special wool which she sews on in swatches. Patti makes it look so easy on that DVD! I have no idea where to find it. I have, for now, settled on using a yarn. I found this nice, fluffy black yarn. I am going to try and give her some nice, long black hair. But it could very well end up as an afro, and I'm okay with that too. I just have to find a tutorial on how to add yarn hair to your doll. I am thinking that I would like to give her a nice ribbon of some sort as well ... or a flower.

Hopefully my machine will be out of the shop soon! I am looking forward to diving in and getting my hands dirty! Well .... I suppose I should start trying to come up with a pretty name for my girl.....humm........

Buzzing From Paintstiks

November 16, 2012

     So I get off of work and mosey on down to Target. In preparation for the joy that is to be doll making I have managed to collect a ton of stuff and no place to put it! I needed organizers fast! I decided while I was there I would get stuff for my scrap booking stuff too. Might as well organize it all, right?

     To my delight, when I got home, I noticed a package from Amazon sitting at my front door. YAY!! I totally forgot they were coming today! It's paint! It's a stick! It's a Shiva Paintstik!! I totally plan to mess with these tomorrow. I have never used them before, but Patti really recommends them so I will try them out. Her dolls are so beautiful with them and they seem to cover the fabric better than pencils. I am really looking forward to mastering this medium.

     Now I only have one thing left to get .... my sewing machine!! Any day now it should be ready! I am so excited!! I think I will start cutting fabric if I have time this weekend. Woot!!

© 2012 by Rhea C. Cryingwolf

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