Please meet Bibbie, the doll I created for the Traveling Doll Project. The thing I love about Bibbie the most right now is her tutti frutti hair. It has been floating around my stash for quite some time now (several years, actually), and I am so excited because I think it's a perfect starting point for her. What a personality it gives her, wouldn't you agree?THE JOURNAL
Along with the doll, I created a traveling journal to record Bibbie's travels.
It's sort of a "green" journal, made entirely of recycled materials.
The pages are made of grocery bags that were cut and ironed (yes, ironed), and the cover is watercolor paper that my daughter "went to town with." I let her play with my Holland watercolors one day, and so I had these gorgeous samples waiting to be used for something special.

I added some lace, trim, glass tiles and a few pretty beads. That was all! It was kind of time- consuming, but I like how it came out so it was worth the effort. It was a good experiment!

Recently I was asked, "What's your favorite colored pencil for cloth doll faces?"

Today I am working on the face for the doll I have created for the Traveling Doll Project.

Recently somebody asked about the "cloth over clay" method of making faces for cloth dolls.

This is a great technique where you sculpt a face from clay, sort of like a mask, and lay it on a flat doll head. When it dries, stretch fabric is laid over the clay. It really gives you artistic freedom in creating a beautiful face that looks like it is entirely made of cloth.

I just wanted to share a couple of pointers I discovered:

Rather than using fabric glue, you can use TEXTILE MEDIUM. It's more flexible than fabric glue, and it does not stiffen the fabric. The beauty of it is, you can brush it onto the OUTER SURFACE and use a tool to get into those hard-to reach crevices- like the lips, nose, and corners of the eyes. You can completely saturate the fabric and sort of "mold it" like clay. And as I just mentioned, it won't leave the fabric stiff. How cool is that?

Try it!

You can even use it when the face is already painted, and mix it with Pigment Powder as needed.


A good resource for learning how to do cloth over clay is a book by Antonette Cely, called Cloth Doll Making. This is a very technical book and should be in every doll maker's library.

If you would like an actual pattern with step-by-step photo instructions for this technique and the flat-faced head, I do have one. It's called Niamh. Your doll's face will turn out however you sculpt it! Cloth over clay is definitely a worthwhile technique to explore.

I have been working (slowly but surely) on a cloth rendition of Betty Boop. I am up to detailing the head. I've decided to use paperclay to make Betty's hair, rather than yarn (which is what the pattern calls for). After all, she's got these wicked spiky curls and she is a cartoon....I want to keep her looking as true to the original as I can. The curls are done on pins, which support the curls and prevent them from breaking.

I also finished up her body. It's got several layers of hard coating and gesso, and painted with acrylic paint. I also put on high gloss varnish. I like the way she's coming out so far... (sorry for the nekkid doll photos, but this is art!)



I've made a few improvements to the original (70+ years old?) doll pattern, including changes to the hands and legs, and alternative techniques. If you would like to try your hand at making a Betty Boop doll, you can grab a pattern on my Etsy shop. Have fun and Boop Boop Be-Doop!

This is so heartwarming I just had to share!

I have an old beaded purse that must be from Betty's time. It belonged to my Grandmother. I love this purse and I keep it in my drawer. It's one of those sentimental things, you know.... anyhow I can't decide what fabric to make Betty's dress out of and it hit me that beading would look great. I will try to mimic the pattern of the sequins and beads on the purse.The hair is definitely going to be a challenge. The pattern says to use yarn. I'm not so partial to that idea. Hmmmm...... what to do, what to do......

It's time for a challenge.... I'll be participating in a traveling doll challenge where I'm sending a completely b l a n k doll off to another artist in this collaboration, and whom will give her a little TLC hopefully and a little bit of spice and things that are nice and and and... I am still not sure exactly what I will send as I most definitely have a few headless dolls and flattish things that look like they may never be anything but might find life through the mail....

Details about the challege are here. I'll post photos on my blog along the way. First mailing is on or before 2/1/10.

The Tikvah Pattern is available!

End of the year sale!
$5 off all e-patterns in my Etsy shop.
Each one is over 50 pages long with tons and tons of pictures.

Have you been thinking about making a beautiful doll ?
Please do!

Betty's HEAD is without a doubt the most interesting part of the vintage doll pattern I have been working on. The head is made of a butterfly-shaped "pillow" which constitutes the face, and a completely separate "head back" which is sewn on separately by hand. That way, the face is flat and can lie on Betty's shoulders, and the back of the head will be round.

Here you can see the face, with the back of the head pinned on. Half of her neck is dangling! (Don't pay no never mind to her unfinished face... I mirrored the template and traced it to the wrong side of the fabric with a felt marker before sewing... I am saving the best for last ^*^)

When the back of the head is all sewn and stuffed, a dowel goes into the body neck. (The body does have a normal neck with a front and a back.) Then the whole thing rests on that, and the back part of the neck is sewn in place at the seam.

This pattern is like nothing I have ever seen before and I am learning new techniques from it. My mind is already giving me ideas of ways I can use this technique!

If you would like to make a Betty Boop doll and join my challenge, I will be thrilled to have you. I am thoroughly enjoying it! A link to the pattern is available on the sidebar.

I finally began working on the Betty Boop Pattern, and I have one thing to say so far... she's got MAN HANDS! They are not the dainty little hands that I imagine Betty should have.

Remember Big Bird's imaginary friend, Alyosius Snuffleupagus? What an amazing fur coat he had! It looks like part ostrich feather strands, part something else. I think it would be incredible fur... if I could figure out exactly what it is and where to procure the "ingredients." Does anybody out there know?

I just listed a doll in my Etsy shop (a rare occurrence since I typically just sell patterns lately).

This is a new/old doll. The doll was made several years ago when I was living in Israel. I never made a doll quite like it before, and never again. This afternoon, I started thinking about it and I decided to take it out of storage. I immediately realized that she wants a new home.

So... please meet "Sihha Pratit," or 'Private Conversation' in Hebrew.
ABOUT THE DOLL:
This wall doll was created as a unique challenge to create a doll that reached inside of my emotions. I was surprised with the result!
Private Conversation is pronounced 'Sihha Pratit' in Hebrew. It is written on the doll's torso, in script lettering.

The doll is approximately 17" in length.

The face holds in it almost every emotion imaginable. Whenever I see it, I see something new. Depends what I'm thinking.

Sometimes the doll seems to be asleep- dreaming. What is the dream about?

Sometimes I think the doll is engaged in deep thought. Something troubling is amiss. Is it strength or vulnerability?

Is the doll engaged in prayer? Maybe meditation- connecting to its inner self? Or perhaps emptying all thoughts for that moment...

Perhaps this doll is feeling despair right now- All wrapped up and tightly woven like a cocoon. Then again, perhaps this is a sign of self- confidence.

The spiral motif throughout the design of the doll- the marbling on the fabric and stones, the random wire design, the beading and the wrapping of silk cording around the body- is it a symbol of replenishing a cycle, or of confusion and constriction?

The doll means all that to me and more.

In essence, It represents comfort. Because life has its ups and downs, and art is always there to help make it more tangible and less esoteric. The creative mind can deeply appreciate this.

Private Conversation is a fine representation of abstract art. It encompasses so many ideas and feelings, and has the potential to carry personal meanings to every viewer. A successful composition causes the viewer to think. This doll definitely falls into that category.

Calling all Boop Challenge players.....