How did that happen?

Its almost the end of January - is it just me or did it fly by? Maybe I've been hiding too long in my warren, trying desperately to catch up on orders of sofas and doll clothes. With that in mind, another new year resolution is not taking on orders - I need to make, then sell.  I find it far too stressful doing it the former way.

I am also itching to make more dolls - both cloth and clay.  I've been getting quite inspired lately, coupled with the feeling of envy over other peoples creativity and uniqueness.  Having said that, being inspired and envy aren't really the same thing, but perhaps 'a pair of forces of equal magnitude acting in parallel but opposite directions' will suit what I am trying to say.

Here is one example of feeling inspired, and a little envious that these are not my creations...

Mister Finch (click to view his website)

If you haven't come across his work, then do check him out... fascinating Brit, who has over 46,000 facebook fans! 

First Cloth Art Doll of the Year....

And possibly the last! LOL 

Actually, I quite enjoyed making her.  Working with cloth is a particular challenge for me, as is painting faces.  I could sure use the practice. But, for now, this will do...

Oh, she doesn't have a name - suggestions greatly appreciated.  She sort of looks a bit French to me. If Patti is happy with her, she will be attending the 'Road to California' quilting exhibition.

The quilt she is taking is made by my friend, quilter extraordinaire Sarah (small town sarah/anyone can quilt) No-one told me how difficult quilting is! I'm not a meticulous person, and I think you have to be, to do a terrific quilt job.

The doll pattern is one of Patti Medaris Culeas. I did enlarge the head a little. The feet are a perfect size for MSD shoes.  I didn't realise that until I made this one.  

I can knock two items off my list - this doll, and I booked my first lesson in Yoga...

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?