Saturday, January 4, 2014

Hello 2014 and blog land :)

I failed miserably to keep posting on my blog, but here's to a new year (glass of red raised, cheers!) and I have a list of new year resolutions.  I don't normally do the resolution thing, but this year I am :)
1. Make a cloth art doll for Patti Medaris Culea to take with her to the Road to California quilting exhibition.
2. Make Tilly,  A child-like soft doll that has been in my head for most of 2013.
3. Start (and carry on) going to Yoga.
4. Eat more fruit and veg.
5. Learn to paint - if only I could find a local course....
6. Quit procrastinating. I'm not sure that is entirely possible.  But it is one hell of an annoying trait.
7. Introduce horses and kids to our farm, in no particular order...
8. Make a clay frozen charlotte/Art doll.
9. Blog at least once a week.
10. Learn how to use my DSLR properly (I'm sure a filter and new lens would do the trick though)
11.
12.

I left some spaces because I know I thought of more earlier.

So now we live in a 1930's farm house in Texas, in the middle of nowhere, which I love.  Too much probably.  Actually, its not really in the middle of nowhere, but from our house, all you can see are trees and fields, and I guess the nearest neighbour is about a mile away.

Going back to my resolution/to-do list, I did start on the doll for Patti today.  I haven't made a cloth doll for about three else four years (just tried to check my flickr page to get an exact date of the last one I made, but flickr is impossible to load and check 'sets' since it got revamped, aggravatingly so)
For me, cloth dolls are terribly difficult and time consuming. And I cringe when I see my past dolls of both cloth and clay.  They are just awful.


These parts have now been stuffed, following a quick shortening of the hands and feet - they seemed too big.
I did enjoy re-reading all of Patti's books, she is such an amazing person. I must admit I gasped when I saw the image of a doll I made in one of her books. Is it normal to be horrified by one's past creations?


16 comments:

  1. I'm not sure why you cringe viewing your past work. Your dolls are freaking awesome! I have 4 of them...great work all and they are treasured! I love Patti Culea's work also. I look forward to seeing your new doll!

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    1. Ha! Pam! you are so lovely :) I must visit and see what you are up to! Thank you for stopping by :)

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  2. Hello, Abi! I lost your traces somewhere along the numerous blog paths, so it was wonderful to hear from you!
    May the NEW YEAR help you in fulfilling your decisions and reaching your goas! Be healthy and happy! As I can see, you are inspired as ever!:)
    I find your dolls beautiful and exquisite!

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    1. Aw, thank you Rossichka! Happy New Year to you also. Must visit you too :)

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  3. Kinda spooky. I actually thought about you last night as I wrote my post. I was thinking about how you had taken a break but just because you haven't blogged, didn't mean that I had forgotten about you! And then I wake up this morning and come to find your comment and a new post on your blog! Whoa, talk about a "sign"! So, thanks for being you!
    I'm excited to see that you are going to be posting more often and thrilled to see what you will create. I have never seen anything from you that wasn't Fabulous so I'm sure you are being too hard on yourself about doll in the book. Here's to the New Year! xoxo

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    1. Well that sure is spooky!! I had such a big smile on my face when I saw you wrote a post on your blog, whilst I was figuring out my reading list! I'm still not 100% sure how to navigate blog land these days!
      Happy New Year to you - and keep blogging ehl

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  4. Hello and lovely to see you bac again. Life gets in the way of blogging sometimes, and the real life is the most important isn't it. Spent some time looking at dolls you have made and l think they are beautiful and rather fascinating. I havn't made any dolls for four years and feel a bit sad and wondering where the inspiration has gone. But then again, life has got a bit in the way l suppose, for now. Can't wait to see more of your dolls. Pam xx

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    1. Thank you Pam! I hope you find some time and inspiration to get creating too!

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  5. Happy New Year!

    How did you get so lucky to do a doll for Patti...again? I think the first doll you did is great.

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    1. Hey Connie!! so brilliant to see you! Happy New Year to you! Are you still making dolls? I'm not making a doll for Patti as such, she just asked me to make one to go with her to be displayed at the quilting exhibition - if you want to make one for the exhibition - I am positive Patti would be delighted - send her an email.

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  6. I can't wait to see what you do with this. So exciting!

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    1. LOL. Thanks Wendy! I've already been in tears over it!!

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  7. Thank you Chris. So nice to meet you. I will be delighted to stop by and visit :)

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  8. introducing kids? you own? ... or just kids ...the generic version ... how 'bout a donkey or two as well... the horses love them from the sounds and look of others on acreages... do you visit 7 MSN ? Linda has 3 donkeys and one horse... oh, and other assorted animals too ..like you ...

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