Books, Boxes and Things

       I have finished putting all my books on shelves in the order that I want them.  Now if I want to read about embroidery I can find all my embroidery books in one place.  I did find that I have a few more books that are duplicates, including Wendy Froud's "The Winter Child."  I took a workshop with Wendy in New York City several years ago and I must say her dolls are even more lovely in person.

        There's a table with the sewing and ironing stuff.  Some small drawers hold pins, needles, bobbins and other miscellaneous items. Some larger items like ironing hams are in a unit under the table. Finally, there is nothing else on that table. My work table, however, is full of small items that need to go home. I'm trying to leave them there as I open the rest of the boxes. It seems small items got tossed into boxes just to fill the box so small items are everywhere.
       Speaking of boxes, I only have a few left to unpack and find homes for the things inside.  I can easily move a few around if I need something "boxed in", like my filing cabinets full of doll patterns.  I have a couple of file drawers full of doll patterns I've purchased.  I used to have a bad case of "Pattern Acquisition Syndrome." It manifested itself requiring me to purchase almost every new doll pattern sold on Dollmakers Journey.  That was back when I was friends with most of the designers.  Now I look at the designers list on Dollmakers Journey and I don't know at all 37 out of the 87 designers. I mean I have never heard of them or seen their patterns.  I guess that means I need to peruse DMJ again, including every dollmaker that I do know that has designed anything new in the last 10 years.  Wow!  I guess that will keep me busy for awhile.
       Meanwhile I'll keep emptying boxes in the studio.  My son Shawn will be helping me today by placing dolls on my tall book shelves while I sit back and point. Some are mine, some were made by others and a few are made from patterns of other designers.  Just to clarify, my "Patten Acquisition Syndrome" means I bought all the patterns, not that I actually made the patterns.