tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58641833319072848922024-02-19T15:38:35.125-08:00With Love From SkeelhavenJudy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-55932070688548538552022-09-30T09:41:00.000-07:002022-09-30T09:41:19.953-07:00FREE On Line Classes!<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEkqnrEAKeRyd4YaIeH5q6G294jCmqzDtorACt3PiNLlxigH4tnZ79GpM9E35dYM8LTC7XPbaUoJkKiZSO_kNCXf6AtREDtj5DusleEJah8z4ykIWp0ac9AYv5eEfzuu5I02ryUoYCT_d0AgyrG5L49EDwbdziSbH7dTolrS3b9rX7WrPiXUaAw/s1204/Life%20Book%202023.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="1204" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEkqnrEAKeRyd4YaIeH5q6G294jCmqzDtorACt3PiNLlxigH4tnZ79GpM9E35dYM8LTC7XPbaUoJkKiZSO_kNCXf6AtREDtj5DusleEJah8z4ykIWp0ac9AYv5eEfzuu5I02ryUoYCT_d0AgyrG5L49EDwbdziSbH7dTolrS3b9rX7WrPiXUaAw/w400-h133/Life%20Book%202023.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Check out The Life Book 2023 Free Taster Sessions for 30 mini classes in a 2 week period. <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>FREE</b></span>- my favorite number! I've only viewed the first couple of classes and am impressed. It looks like there will be a lot of faces that can only help improve your dollmaking skills. If you enjoy or would like to see if you enjoy mixed media art meet some of the teachers and taste the classes for free.</span><p></p><span style="font-family: arial;">For the whole year long Life Book 2023 course in mixed media art & wellbeing classes with the 30% off offer that runs until end of Dec 2022 that would make the total about $118 USD. But the 2 weeks of taster classes are now and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">FREE</span></b>!<br /><br />I get nothing for promoting these workshops except the satisfaction that I shared it with you!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a class="en67trww rrjlc0n4 ezidihy3" href="https://www.willowing.org/"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">https://www.willowing.org/</span></a></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-67326758390342037782022-09-13T12:41:00.002-07:002022-09-13T12:41:37.021-07:00Humble Beginnings<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakeFHY0CLXtWCqyXmq6atVJvSRRx6UWLsBHdLO13_7g6exfHMVj9nGgj7E9CXrJf_oF31ZhYAnvwVCbNM9LbHcl6LmV3yxaDxa7LfIKJGO1ScXP8RMR1i4MM2SPfKCbzcSq55rbuF67hKwYvq6vXxL24Y3m5Qd9dOYsPj5atWh0FG8KNcCDWB2Q/s1650/Faerie%20Pin%20Dolls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="1650" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakeFHY0CLXtWCqyXmq6atVJvSRRx6UWLsBHdLO13_7g6exfHMVj9nGgj7E9CXrJf_oF31ZhYAnvwVCbNM9LbHcl6LmV3yxaDxa7LfIKJGO1ScXP8RMR1i4MM2SPfKCbzcSq55rbuF67hKwYvq6vXxL24Y3m5Qd9dOYsPj5atWh0FG8KNcCDWB2Q/w400-h309/Faerie%20Pin%20Dolls.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">Faerie Pin Dolls From a 2000 Jody-Judy Class </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Made by Judy Skeel</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span>I moved into my grandparents home when I was 4. While my brother was in school grandma wanted
to watch her “stories” so she gave me fabric, a needle and thread and showed me
how to make very simple Barbie Clothes.
All to watch soap operas! LOL! At
16 I saw an ad in a magazine for a needle sculpted gnome that I thought was
adorable. I ordered the pattern and made
a strange little fella 8-inch out of panty hose: my first needle sculpting!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span>Much later, I was always working on something at my boys’
baseball games and practices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of
the ladies asked if I could teach them what I was working on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was doing craft shows and lots of dried
flowers and herb gifts and other small items at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We met in my kitchen for a couple of years and I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>came up with a variety of projects including
silk ribbon embroidery, painting birdhouses to look like they were in a garden,
decorating paper maché boxes and a 6” “Mother Nature” in polymer clay from a
Maureen Carlson book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then one week they
asked if I knew how to make a doll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
said my typical response, "let me check into it."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had seen
some elinor peace bailey patterns years before at a local store but the new
owner thought they were “tacky and disgusting” and got rid of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dollmakers Journey wasn’t around yet so I
went to every craft store in town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
found some Goosebury Hill patterns and purchased an elf pattern who, seated,
measured about 12” total and he was needle sculpted. I added a beard to mine
and made him a leprechaun playing a figgle I had bought later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always had to do something extra when I
made something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never started doing a
basic thing, I always wanted to jump ahead and make the best I could, no matter
the craft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anywhoo, I showed the girls
the elf pattern and we started it the next week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBFcDOqBznp7zkFDzpeKiA21bahbUuPytqRj-M_S2e6YmMjhsWXBatnpwsMELdNEIXknDjgAOW6pGu9nj0lUXatxq6qOWGuR2sriTjr0d7jNnh9q1lpktfRc0zAxjYUPnbm_jwWl1X7FWXvfAckrO2Dgt_q36O1D66tG6L2j8APiAhEq8mBnCjNw/s300/Shamus%20O'Brian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="193" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBFcDOqBznp7zkFDzpeKiA21bahbUuPytqRj-M_S2e6YmMjhsWXBatnpwsMELdNEIXknDjgAOW6pGu9nj0lUXatxq6qOWGuR2sriTjr0d7jNnh9q1lpktfRc0zAxjYUPnbm_jwWl1X7FWXvfAckrO2Dgt_q36O1D66tG6L2j8APiAhEq8mBnCjNw/w257-h400/Shamus%20O'Brian.jpg" width="257" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Shamus O'Brian</b></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span>Still on my quest for good doll patterns, the last store I
went to only had Goosebury Hill patterns, so I bought my obligatory craft
store supplies (can’t go in one without a purchase!) and I asked the clerk if
they had any epb patterns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said no
and she had never heard of her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I
went to put my money on the counter and found attached to the glass a flier
stating epb would be IN TOWN in 2 weeks!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I took the entire class to her lecture/ presentation of telling a story
or singing a song about each of her dolls she brought and then tossing them out
to be passed around the audience to be touched and viewed up close and
personal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then her slide show
presentation with photos of dolls at every skill level from a basic pancake
doll to incredible NIADA DOLLS was mind blowing for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She talked about each one, sometimes telling
stories about those doll artists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all
6 drooled in our seats and we all bought multiple patterns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t remember teaching anything but dolls after that for
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span>I joined the local doll club that hosted epb and became the
Guilded Lilies (we're on Face Book).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found Doll Street
which was a big active on line club then and I learned a ton of things there, FOCD (Friends of Cloth Dolls) </span><span style="font-family: arial;">another on line group,</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> and a third that I think it was called
Dolls ‘N Stuff, which is no more.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">About a
year later Dolls ‘N Stuff had their 2nd retreat.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">They were looking for things to do so I said
Jody Miller and I wouldn’t mind showing people who were interested how we needle
sculpt or do faces. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">They advertised it
as the Jody-Judy workshop and we instantly became doll teachers and they insisted
on paying us.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">We didn’t have a clue what
to charge and really would have done it for free but as they insisted we
charged $5 a person.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Mary Ann Kaahanui
and Bonnie B. Lewis had just started Dollmakers Journey and MaryAnn attended
the retreat and brought some goodies to sell. (Yay! </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">More Shopping!) </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">We never had an idea that DMJ would grow so
big!</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Big Kudos Paul!</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2w066SLjxw8kx77C44mjCEueLWMCk2FjRZXarbpPbnT3xVOsDyaGpQJF6E4uyv60A3wOp8DHBgAxnDQLOp_dRQmtqOaNjLtJB8x-vTEDhbNV2Tc7H1b8hBzmVomg4afLYp5miMctcjG9_P7HMUaPhXxfCvprXqCueW8tnhLTtTZwdoC5GGlwIlA/s1011/JJ%20Faerie%20Assorted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="1011" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2w066SLjxw8kx77C44mjCEueLWMCk2FjRZXarbpPbnT3xVOsDyaGpQJF6E4uyv60A3wOp8DHBgAxnDQLOp_dRQmtqOaNjLtJB8x-vTEDhbNV2Tc7H1b8hBzmVomg4afLYp5miMctcjG9_P7HMUaPhXxfCvprXqCueW8tnhLTtTZwdoC5GGlwIlA/w400-h181/JJ%20Faerie%20Assorted.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Faerie Pin Dolls From a 2000 Jody-Judy Class </b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Made by Jody Miller</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span>Jody and I went to many Doll Conferences/ Retreats together
as Jody- Judy because everyone called us that if they didn’t know who was
who.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We said it didn’t matter, they
didn’t have to get it right as we were interchangeable. Then we’d laugh and introduce
ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After dinner and evening events you could
usually find us in our room showing people how we did faces, sometimes till 3
am!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No class, just girls hanging
out, sharing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Loads of fun and awesome
memories!!!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span>If you’ve never seen epb perform you have missed a real treat! I understand now why so many call her “The Mother of Dollmaking.”</span></p></div>Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-87565189948395762402022-09-12T11:16:00.000-07:002022-09-12T11:16:48.235-07:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltKYKxaORndbKKqpDTxemgBEPyktIOIPKE4e6tSsC10SctlhHDuNMZEx_2iOO1QinXFS78brcU51JUHuyRsqPNkN8OQdp_w8anbpGjDolt3z69mx1cqTokgYn9CAj82yIP_hLcNtWK6vdkri-F780NI_mAUPBQKK1-yYUFOq_yUWvz-aDmoQasA/s528/Marrotte%20Samples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="528" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltKYKxaORndbKKqpDTxemgBEPyktIOIPKE4e6tSsC10SctlhHDuNMZEx_2iOO1QinXFS78brcU51JUHuyRsqPNkN8OQdp_w8anbpGjDolt3z69mx1cqTokgYn9CAj82yIP_hLcNtWK6vdkri-F780NI_mAUPBQKK1-yYUFOq_yUWvz-aDmoQasA/s320/Marrotte%20Samples.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><span> </span>I have recently been going through my old doll files, classes, patterns, photos, etc. I just last week finished editing my Cloth Marotte Workshop and this week </span><a href="https://dollmakersjourney.com/" style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">Dollmakers Journey</a><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> has it for sale! I added a lot of information, some drawings and rearranged almost everything. The Marrotte lesson One has 3 additional pages to it alone.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5jOd3U3gDM2O0wC5mZuyqpL6Kie1uEJaqhetn1Pex9s6910su7sKKzYhxta4otyxIvx6tTstwn3kSHISX1H_BsF9x7jprCeYesZhKV36XdR6qBG8bd2gxb972_awBJSSuvFoOYLhdnMfyzJXYVYqGjsgdVBpi6RxotZLO28IJGiqs5hvUvwbyw/s800/Ad1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="551" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5jOd3U3gDM2O0wC5mZuyqpL6Kie1uEJaqhetn1Pex9s6910su7sKKzYhxta4otyxIvx6tTstwn3kSHISX1H_BsF9x7jprCeYesZhKV36XdR6qBG8bd2gxb972_awBJSSuvFoOYLhdnMfyzJXYVYqGjsgdVBpi6RxotZLO28IJGiqs5hvUvwbyw/s320/Ad1.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">Now I am working on Merabella Mermaid, another workshop with 4 lessons. She is an all cloth doll, has a needle sculpted body and some fun beadwork and other embellishments. She also has individual articulated fingers in a natural pose. </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6WAos8VBfhEbiIixH8_rTNfC7iaOYfdm-CPx6Nx5DZIamiUq5hV3lM-tMMAR4CvkesuImh7to-A1U65yxZND09WCh3EFGKdZL4I8qKBNg_SkSV-VctLl0lsBzOITZJCpzVBmqEwDwIEQOkqW5LBGM09mKedzF0NCfh7Aczd2Qp00shN8YpQq8Q/s800/Ad3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6WAos8VBfhEbiIixH8_rTNfC7iaOYfdm-CPx6Nx5DZIamiUq5hV3lM-tMMAR4CvkesuImh7to-A1U65yxZND09WCh3EFGKdZL4I8qKBNg_SkSV-VctLl0lsBzOITZJCpzVBmqEwDwIEQOkqW5LBGM09mKedzF0NCfh7Aczd2Qp00shN8YpQq8Q/s320/Ad3.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So I'm off to eat my lunch and then back to work on Merabella!</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-39014313314683749292022-09-12T09:12:00.000-07:002022-09-12T09:12:03.132-07:00Looking for Spring<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: arial;"> Originally published 2/1/14</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> Not only are we dealing with subzero temperatures and high winds here at Skeelhaven, but I'm recovering from a total knee replacement from Tuesday of this week. I'm doing my exercises just as I was told and find that I can do more after pushing myself just a little farther. I can't drive, as I'm still on narcotics and frankly bending my leg to get it into the car is a real challenge. So "house bound and crippled is what my dear cousin calls me. With these temperature that Ohio hasn't seen in several decades I'm thinking the timing is just right.<br />
I created something new I want to share with you. It's Jack Rabbit in a Box.<br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnb4d8l4C8-wo1ZLjwFx2WtgdBz8b4U8MbTZ3jgYGNCChp6afciiHQlJ9NhDG6vXg-xp2GJBjQEuKkba4a57xMQfBEbQYhdYAYf4kyg0ydcWF-23NQ3uFkCUKgaPVK6gTMcZtfLM0/s1600/Jack+Rabbit2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnb4d8l4C8-wo1ZLjwFx2WtgdBz8b4U8MbTZ3jgYGNCChp6afciiHQlJ9NhDG6vXg-xp2GJBjQEuKkba4a57xMQfBEbQYhdYAYf4kyg0ydcWF-23NQ3uFkCUKgaPVK6gTMcZtfLM0/s1600/Jack+Rabbit2.jpg" width="257" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">
Jack is a cute little stump bodies bunny dressed in his vest and scarf to keep the chilly air away. His ears are wired to give just the most wonderful expression but best of all I love his whiskers.<br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifB9ICZOFgslICYnXCaXZchOXy8GTF-7fn4D9hTW5ukqCxGr67myg84zgk0z1MSEOyE8ykDG91cKrnVu5hQZmA_nv7K_EN9nDl4eJ20GY7vZwGPkeV1WScyhDPUWWs1pT6m494akXB/s1600/Jack+Rabbit+Close1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifB9ICZOFgslICYnXCaXZchOXy8GTF-7fn4D9hTW5ukqCxGr67myg84zgk0z1MSEOyE8ykDG91cKrnVu5hQZmA_nv7K_EN9nDl4eJ20GY7vZwGPkeV1WScyhDPUWWs1pT6m494akXB/s1600/Jack+Rabbit+Close1.jpg" width="358" /> </span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
The all fabric box is decorated with a Victorian County theme. Together they are a new online workshop that premiers at Joggles in April. I hope you consider coming to frolic in the fields with us as we catch our rabbits.</span></div>
<br /></div>Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-91810175218936505692022-09-12T09:08:00.001-07:002022-09-12T09:08:37.050-07:00Back In the Saddle Again!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Well I can't believe how long it's been since I posted! But I am so much better now than I have been for the last couple of years.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The last doll I made was a almost a year ago at </span><a href="http://cyndysdolls.com/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">"Artistic Figures in Cloth and Clay"</a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> (AFICC), which is held here in Columbus and run by Cyndy Sieving, the most organized person I have ever met. My teacher was Paula McGee, and the doll was her "Willabelle the Weeping Willow." Paula did my doll's face as I was having trouble with my hands shaking, which was the result of medication and no longer pesters me. (YAY!)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">I used (I hope it's past tense!) to have what I lovingly called, "Pattern Acquisition Syndrome" and collected patterns from all sorts of doll artists, but never even opened the patterns, let alone made the dolls, so I have decided to at least read the patterns that appear to have cool techniques like different jointing, wings, variations on needle sculpting the face and wonderful costumes, etc. I've been learning some fun stuff! I think my next doll will be someone else's pattern, though I haven't decided who yet. I'm still reading.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span><br /></div>
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span><br />Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-59338337439331223352022-03-25T13:11:00.002-07:002022-09-12T08:45:42.143-07:00In Regards to My Falling Down:<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gr5z8UkLYIcaCCRE0hBMmSzEKqRwKql8X8_5n8cpybAEa93wx99XPGZaOL3t5S0OdtFxebgVdF7JHJkVv6yArhgWWcwFHF06YhQny_H6DgwlV_pOFuzeS9M_w54J84tlS5PgQjMkKO9H6ZWW2fgRH_PN6-ge2vytBWqC5uDYCOTnhy9W9xbXPg/s990/Stairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gr5z8UkLYIcaCCRE0hBMmSzEKqRwKql8X8_5n8cpybAEa93wx99XPGZaOL3t5S0OdtFxebgVdF7JHJkVv6yArhgWWcwFHF06YhQny_H6DgwlV_pOFuzeS9M_w54J84tlS5PgQjMkKO9H6ZWW2fgRH_PN6-ge2vytBWqC5uDYCOTnhy9W9xbXPg/s320/Stairs.jpg" width="238" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>These are my dream stairs!</b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> One dark night I went down when I snoozed a few moments at 3
am on the toilet. I’ve never done that
before, fallen asleep on the toilet. I
do take good sleepy time drugs. I have no idea how long I was there, so I
didn't realize my legs were numb until I attempted to stand and then I crumbled
to the floor like a wet towel. I woke up
enough to pull my head back so I gently positioned it on the wall instead of
smacking it there. In this small room,
between the porcelain god, the tub, a close wall and a strategically placed
bathroom scale that gave me a small bruise on my knee I contorted about until I
could wake my legs and then walk back to bed an immediately fell back to sleep.
Like I said. Good drugs.
Nothing was hurt but my pride, but only for a moment as I later found
the whole experience quite comical.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> It was just a week later, eight days actually but who is
really counting here? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a
kitchen rug episode in which a rug that had existed, or at least an ancestor
had been there, more than 20 years, unexpectedly became a villain. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While in a rush to put a bowl in the sink and
go about my business I tripped andI flew head first like a bat out of hell for
the lower cupboards in front of the sink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I pulled back my head in time that it didn’t hit a thing so I only fell
on that sinister, now folded fake piece of carpeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the bowl made it safely into the sink
just fine, flying like a duck on the wing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And the 4” by 8” rug was pulled from the kitchen immediately after Craig
helped me up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s nothing like a man
hearing a crash in the next room rushing to save the day! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hero!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That must have been the end of last year as D-I-L Alisha bought me a
cushy padded mat that sticks to the floor with tapered edges, so I’m good in
the kitchen now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s more comfy to
dance on while I’m at the sink, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> The next time I fell was while I was painting a border on
the dining room walls just after enlarging the room 2 feet. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, 2 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Craig’s mom had a table that was huge, but still Craig insisted it go in
our miniscule dining room because he grew up with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it is a fine table. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just enormous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Without the 2 leaves. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We couldn’t
back up to get out of our chairs as they were already pressed against the wall!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So one day I casually said (in a I’m-kidding-but-no-not-really-voice)
that when we move my studio to the basement and before Son Shawn expands his space into
the room adjacent to the dining area we should move this wall 2 feet and
enlarge the dining room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He loves me
very much and after measuring and calculating and tapping on walls as all Tim
the Tool Man men do, he said that he could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I knew he absolutely could as I believe my man can do anything, like
jack up our house 4 feet and build a basement, where my said studio was promised,
and turned out to be just awesome. That’s another story for another time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Well, impatient Craig started removing the wall before I was
even packed to move the studio and he started asking me move my things so he
could work. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anywhoo, Craig, he likes to
leave his tools in the room until it’s done, which meant moving the two tables
(Yes two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One was his grandmothers that
we used before his mother’s that arrived 5 years ago and he said Nanny’s table
was “too good for the barn or the basement” and so for 5 years it sat at the
far end of the gi-hugic table up smashed between the wall and the afore
mentioned Mother’s table in our <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>room.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anywhoo (again!) so I needed to move his
circular saw that was where I needed to sit on a stool to hand paint a leaf
border just above the chair rail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
saw was heavy so I just rotated it so I wouldn’t have my leg up against anything
dangerous while I was distracted painting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You may have noticed I’m a klutz and an accident waiting to happen so I
was trying to be cautious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t
notice that this 7-inch-stick-out-handle-looking-thing stuck out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was black. Over dark burgundy carpet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I had my glasses off because I was hand
painting details.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I stood up slowly
to pay attention to the sore knee then tried to scoot backwards so as to not
spill the paint I had sensibly sat on my stool when said handle reached out and
grabbed my leg and knocked me on my behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I slammed into a corner of the Grandmother Clock dead center between my
shoulder blades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t break the
clock glass and the hit was placed just the right way between my shoulders and
missed my spine, fortunately, where I had back surgery a year ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m still protective of my little surgery
spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The clock chimes made a colossal
racket for a couple jiffies while<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
a wee bit dazed and I just sat there, being glad that I had started carrying my
cell phone on me at all times as Brian insisted about 7 years ago, and so I pondered
whether <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to call anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shawn worked evenings and Craig was at the church
for worship team rehearsal which is 15 minutes away in Galena. So I sat quietly
and I looked up when Shawn came around the corner from the stairs and into the
kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had the night off for no apparent
reason but to rescue his mommy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a
good son he flew across the floor to make sure I wasn’t dead yet. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I actually said, “I’m not dead yet.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(We’re serious Monty Python fans.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So he helped me up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, no injuries, not even a sore spot
between my shoulders. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This happened less
than a month ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> And then there was the studio chair incident of 5 days
ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was seated, leaning over to pick
up a small box, lightweight and all, while sitting on the edge of my studio
rolling desk type chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt myself
inching forward, half inching actually. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t feel like I would take too long to
lift that lightweight box before needing to adjust my position when all of a
sudden I skated off the chair, slammed to the concrete floor and I smacked my
head on the chair’s rounded seat bottom that was abundantly harder than Mt.
Rushmore as it suddenly stopped against the shelving behind the chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>6 days later and I still have a sore
spot!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, son Brian was helping to carry
studio supplies to the basement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
heard the crash and laughed thinking I just knocked over the big stack of boxes
on the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well he apologized profusely
when he found me on the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s a
good son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both my guys are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trapped between the table, a big heavy box
and a wooden stool, I couldn’t get up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Craig appeared with another stack of boxes, he shook his head, then he
and Brian each took an elbow and lifted me up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Besides my head, again I was fine.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Honestly, I think I have about a dozen Guardian Angels
around me ALL THE TIME! They are not
quick enough to keep me from hitting the floor, but they do make it a bit
easier by always having someone nearby to pick me up and they keep me from
sending a call to my beloved paramedics for a joyous trip to the ER. Thank God for Guardian Angels!</span><o:p></o:p></p>Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-42502744136940515882022-03-18T10:46:00.001-07:002022-03-18T10:46:46.822-07:00Dusty Moon Assistant to the Queen of Fae<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAYdgjaV8S2KKaCqFU7HCktSmqlFoHBsUP0ZXWWTpq5NnQvb65fvX6O3k9OiF6GwYMiIFOtvUOThWLJ7P5nkuj7FSZt0a1NX72eeO6yc5Sx_iKFZwXMw_iad1V9kCeMA0fM_Gf63NxnZAw9_CHaH3YuqgznjowEk2-Usbcr4_5mA31sXskt1ZNbA=s1691" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1691" data-original-width="1170" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAYdgjaV8S2KKaCqFU7HCktSmqlFoHBsUP0ZXWWTpq5NnQvb65fvX6O3k9OiF6GwYMiIFOtvUOThWLJ7P5nkuj7FSZt0a1NX72eeO6yc5Sx_iKFZwXMw_iad1V9kCeMA0fM_Gf63NxnZAw9_CHaH3YuqgznjowEk2-Usbcr4_5mA31sXskt1ZNbA=w442-h640" width="442" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> My newest pattern
release Dusty Moon is actually an old pattern created for my local doll club,
the Guilded Lilies.</span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">We wanted to design
a new pattern book (it was our second or third publication, I’m not sure) and
the concept was for multiple people to create a story.</span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">One person would create a chapter, create dolls for her characters, design a pattern to go along with the dolls
and then another person would pick up and continue the story until it was
complete.</span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">Well the idea was wonderful
but I believe only 2 or 3 of us actually added to the story.</span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">There was a magical tree created as well as a
beautiful little girl named Teeny in a pinafore, both created by Inez
Brasch.</span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">Inez gave those dolls to me but
alas, I am in the process of moving my studio back to my ground level entry basement now that I
have recovered from back surgery, and I've no clue which box those dolls are
in.</span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">I'll post them someday.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3274" data-original-width="1830" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFRnK7GgDnxT6W48ctCQvw3GhB4YYpybPvMjaNoHXEndaXUHWgy362fQHCqUP2lHpgjRna4UH51uj444RLtB8nrf9DkeOdGQL50zXRgg1svW5TuVHUqhuEDNO1VUyNiLv0QWc1hytXMYeaRtZigm-J5juB52XqH3rgpB-ZlT5Tyjrois0nDzmEvA=w224-h400" width="224" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> Anywhoo, my
character was Dusty Moon, assistant to the Queen of Fae. She is elderly, as she has held the position
for a very long time and knows how to best care for the queen. I made the doll, designed a pattern with the basics for our booklet and recently revised the pattern with
all the bells and whistles.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1978" data-original-width="1535" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjISZ99P47qZMh9bL_wdhz8Y2iqkFcfS_Fs6q6wm79awYCk1HqpSCwbW9RsgnVLV-aLboJ3I4CbeYtBR-GgsnTJ4xZTtHxwnlnuXGMjm9lE7Qeexic3NfWZYUB9bN8EyE59WbB3g_GPOO_JEjWOlXuA3Ro0pz5ZMpd-dgTxDJcB-jZ2NaEV4HrvLQ=w310-h400" width="310" /> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> Dusty has a sweet
elderly face that includes needle felted eyebrows and lashes. She is a stump doll, so
she stands on her own and wears a vest of handmade chenille, which the pattern
explains how to create. The vest includes
six interior pockets, each full of necessities including miniature bottles of herbs for healing
teas, a spool of thread and a miniature brass mirror. Dangling from her belt are other basic needs: an assortment of keys, a miniature brass fan that actually folds open and closed, an hourglass and a flask - for medicinal purposes, of course. On her back Dusty totes a pack full of assorted
scrolled documents with decrees from the Queen herself. Originally Dusty held a 1¼ inch book, but it
seems to be packed somewhere with Teeny and the tree. <span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGOgSaxm4BYg0GborVwhZ9GzkDoITYTcU5BVBK2SVb6VPtWl-O5e23WDdwOFCHYNCICUsI4TcSc_5TDGAa-JTDPuOv076qNFw5oFPNpC7BceRQyO5IWbFEKrSDhEUn0dbx9jYl4Lm3lHUpHXliv4smo-IZEfUqVLiOLdF-y4SyryasCENRj4--_Q=s1090" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="521" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGOgSaxm4BYg0GborVwhZ9GzkDoITYTcU5BVBK2SVb6VPtWl-O5e23WDdwOFCHYNCICUsI4TcSc_5TDGAa-JTDPuOv076qNFw5oFPNpC7BceRQyO5IWbFEKrSDhEUn0dbx9jYl4Lm3lHUpHXliv4smo-IZEfUqVLiOLdF-y4SyryasCENRj4--_Q=w191-h400" width="191" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"> This pattern is
available at my Etsy shop as a PDF and at Dollmakers Journey in printed form. </span>You can purchase my PDF Dusty Moon Pattern <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/1198973439/dusty-moon-assistant-to-ht-e-queen-of?click_key=aa79e76677b88f662d3c9d9e68aefb943305943a%3A1198973439&click_sum=69038aba&ref=shop_home_active_1" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>.</div><p></p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFRnK7GgDnxT6W48ctCQvw3GhB4YYpybPvMjaNoHXEndaXUHWgy362fQHCqUP2lHpgjRna4UH51uj444RLtB8nrf9DkeOdGQL50zXRgg1svW5TuVHUqhuEDNO1VUyNiLv0QWc1hytXMYeaRtZigm-J5juB52XqH3rgpB-ZlT5Tyjrois0nDzmEvA=s3274" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFRnK7GgDnxT6W48ctCQvw3GhB4YYpybPvMjaNoHXEndaXUHWgy362fQHCqUP2lHpgjRna4UH51uj444RLtB8nrf9DkeOdGQL50zXRgg1svW5TuVHUqhuEDNO1VUyNiLv0QWc1hytXMYeaRtZigm-J5juB52XqH3rgpB-ZlT5Tyjrois0nDzmEvA=s3274" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF2ZPY6UgDHH1oR5eM8j7XEgPChz2rbf5HLESY0k3gVjj1Es9TI8Q0xN-IZUmevuwNliT7tjE3CgmHVSnTuVLXTrqnLXHP_LNKDq8-Nn61YLtTMxc_T-ersixoVBMvCaTk4xuxI5b_mGkQoh7H1PBlWTh6EP1K-JPvfNmE3DUkcfKhAVrqTfDk0Q=s1703" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF2ZPY6UgDHH1oR5eM8j7XEgPChz2rbf5HLESY0k3gVjj1Es9TI8Q0xN-IZUmevuwNliT7tjE3CgmHVSnTuVLXTrqnLXHP_LNKDq8-Nn61YLtTMxc_T-ersixoVBMvCaTk4xuxI5b_mGkQoh7H1PBlWTh6EP1K-JPvfNmE3DUkcfKhAVrqTfDk0Q=s1703" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOWASaUKxovMnZ_6PJgz-FiQakvzP1s1F_yXT4vst-hx6G8Ga2tQnLvv8Z5q4JlFCBh_6pKiZEuC4Hd4bYaal882vDgDLp7bgWWEdtL0X8ixLtNsIKkMXcsG-EMJ7OG0DTRyNce4_I6TDpWUQM5xVMknluAq6w0yLkU19-3Bc2PFJNS99CV8i-Ag=s2607" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2607" data-original-width="1568" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOWASaUKxovMnZ_6PJgz-FiQakvzP1s1F_yXT4vst-hx6G8Ga2tQnLvv8Z5q4JlFCBh_6pKiZEuC4Hd4bYaal882vDgDLp7bgWWEdtL0X8ixLtNsIKkMXcsG-EMJ7OG0DTRyNce4_I6TDpWUQM5xVMknluAq6w0yLkU19-3Bc2PFJNS99CV8i-Ag=w240-h400" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">You can purchase a paper copy of my Dusty Moon Pattern at <a href="https://dollmakersjourney.com/skeel.html" target="_blank"><b>Dollmakers Journey</b></a>.</span></div></div></div><p></p>Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-76300517684356833962022-02-07T11:30:00.004-08:002022-02-07T11:30:43.325-08:00WIP Friendship Doll<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWwOFO-9-ht9OEWkgOW1rPdXLcJxKgWGSNoyPOCJV76qC0CwMHNDkU1a_8mRnq3DYcTeSGegeCT_f5LwsC322sc8VFeXZhr0GOw323aJnqHg00aRq5OxPhkrKgSO9XmOgJYwdLPzPLC0v3BN8QFD0APU9KUnZmOAgWBE8XR7YLpM7_1YfHu2RFNQ=w300-h400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: justify;"> I've started a piece mostly of my own design. She began with the shape from a free pattern by Jill Mass that you can get at Dollmaker's Journey <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">here</a>. Mine will be about 7 inches with fabrics in a crazy quilt fashion. So far I've added some lace and tulle with a sheer fabric touched with tiny gold dots and I've begun adding beadwork. Maybe I'll add some embroidery later. I'm making this up as I go. She will be stitched to a backing with embroidery stitches and stuffed. I also hope to dangle some larger beads from the bottom. As I am creating I keep getting new ideas so who knows where the embellishing will take me.</div></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">This may take me forever, but I need to make 4 for some special friends.</span></i></div></span></div>Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-88036634019690640842022-02-07T11:11:00.000-08:002022-02-07T11:11:52.331-08:00Buttons!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd7-GEnwnibvx5WgZX7MvXSPtudLBgme6mcADPFEFK2XfIcuqh4g1dKxnsXisp6FbqgmUOY3e1fomO4n19-BuXjPtt-5khYMhCNtyT1DQogudmTNsY7YNJXy28DAHN2b8dmmtIEF04kEThZqtIriv_R9Ptk1tEo-oSN00IClz73OE7LAKx8mXZFw=s4077" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2799" data-original-width="4077" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd7-GEnwnibvx5WgZX7MvXSPtudLBgme6mcADPFEFK2XfIcuqh4g1dKxnsXisp6FbqgmUOY3e1fomO4n19-BuXjPtt-5khYMhCNtyT1DQogudmTNsY7YNJXy28DAHN2b8dmmtIEF04kEThZqtIriv_R9Ptk1tEo-oSN00IClz73OE7LAKx8mXZFw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I found that I never published this back in May of 2021.</i></div></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> I used to do button crafts for craft shows. Necklaces, critters with a string of button legs and my favorite button crafts were pins with a collage of buttons and lace with a few beads for embellishments.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Even when I began to make dolls I still sold pins with buttons because they were fun to make. So I ordered pounds of buttons in all sorts of colors. Then I sorted them by color, putting the buttons in divided embroidery floss boxes dividing shades in to separate compartments. So I have pounds and pounds of buttons! But since I love Victorian things I made and sold pins with white buttons the most.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzbAas3xx28khP8wwXCuqtqYQplj3wP9tHTxNPCzNzE1HxuBMvybytejGNq_vNm53_PxUzVxEQciNKUz0hAiVqlA_RPFf9ODDc3dvdO8fFDkhue0eUDRcu26VCn7ZlwBFhSdHOgHhpTMetII6yWylDYu5Y8gutgSvEcWDmCVGTsmf-ldtFWQtwhw=s2889" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2850" data-original-width="2889" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzbAas3xx28khP8wwXCuqtqYQplj3wP9tHTxNPCzNzE1HxuBMvybytejGNq_vNm53_PxUzVxEQciNKUz0hAiVqlA_RPFf9ODDc3dvdO8fFDkhue0eUDRcu26VCn7ZlwBFhSdHOgHhpTMetII6yWylDYu5Y8gutgSvEcWDmCVGTsmf-ldtFWQtwhw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> My white buttons were first divided by buttons with holes and buttons with shanks, which are the little loops on the back so you can't see the thread from the front of the button. Then I had to divide the buttons by shades of white -- bright white, pail white, shiny white, dull and flat white and then there's the cream buttons that fade into yellow. Recently I've divided my white buttons even further. Since most buttons came in bulk matching buttons weren't typically together. So, I grouped buttons that match. Each group went into a little baggie, whether there were only 2 that matched or a larger bag held 50, and then there were also unmatched buttons. My favorite bag is for the antique buttons, buttons made of shells and the unusual ones. I'll be saving that bag to only pull from on special projects. </span></p><p><br /></p>Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-37720364849624366362020-09-02T18:03:00.000-07:002020-09-02T18:03:48.620-07:00Folding Fabric<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwldqsjV51rRhVlz2B8gLzgfFStVLoVp9wxMjXC-wB_jhs-emohuLGPWsHZZigQmBWHFCt1-RPsnm3lwoHhgrX71Nub492kEqV3Fn8CWXSgr3AyxMf309jvfyiHcKXNQlyLW9lCVVm/s1080/Studio+A+Best.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwldqsjV51rRhVlz2B8gLzgfFStVLoVp9wxMjXC-wB_jhs-emohuLGPWsHZZigQmBWHFCt1-RPsnm3lwoHhgrX71Nub492kEqV3Fn8CWXSgr3AyxMf309jvfyiHcKXNQlyLW9lCVVm/w410-h307/Studio+A+Best.jpg" width="410" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">That lovely lady sitting in the center of the room is me i</span><span style="font-family: arial;">n "Studio A" of my studio set. I say set as I have a main room and two small bedrooms. I moved up to the first floor because I struggle with stairs. T</span><span style="font-family: arial;">he main room, which I just call the studio once was our living room. Long story short, we never really used that room. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">"Studio A" is what I call part two of my studio. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I finally got almost all the white / clear drawers to line the perimeter. The drawers hold tons of things, bits and bobs, hair for dolls and polymer clay, and assorted glue products, to name a few. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">"Studio B" is the bedroom next door and the walls and closet are full and a little bit over flowing. I've got loads of yarn, possibly for doll hair. I hope so, I don't knit or crochet. I have bins full of chenille stems, pompoms, fabric yoyo's, porcelain doll busts with matching hands, and many projects to make more things to sell at the craft shows I used to travel.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> And then there's </span><span style="font-family: arial;">fabric. F-A-B-R-I-C. If you've ever been to a sewing store and needed to get a pattern out of the gigantic metal cabinets then you can picture two full sized pattern cabinets in my studio and picture them both completely full of fabric. Plus a row full of floor to ceiling fabric drawers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">So I've decided to share the wealth. I am folding every piece of fabric I own. If it's more than a half a yard I cut it into pieces. As I fold each piece of fabric I decide if it brings me joy. If yes, I place it in a white plastic drawer, sorted by color, of course. If how ever that piece of fabric does not tickle my happy bone it gets put into a box. The goal is to pack boxes full of fabrics and trims, and other fun things like butterflies (they make great faerie wings!). The boxes will then be shipped to friends far away and hopefully my doll club would like to receive my treasure boxes. Then </span><span style="font-family: arial;">the rest will go to</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> Good Will. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> My goal is to get rid of one pattern cabinet and at least one set of floor to ceiling white / clear drawers, which don't fit into studio A. You may be able to see it behind me at the right in the pic above. I'm stuck right now. I'm folding blue fabric. Blue is my favorite color. When I shop </span><a href="http://E-Quilter.com" style="font-family: arial;">E-Quilter.com</a><span style="font-family: arial;">, my package always seems to have more blue fabric in it than I remember purchasing. So most blue fabric gives my joy. I may have to go through the blue fabric twice! LOL!!! I tried to tell myself that after a laundry basket full of blue fabric already folded... well, sort of... that I had folded half of the blue fabric. Then I found another floor to ceiling stack of drawers full of blue. Sigh. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Let me know if you want a box. I will assort pieces / colors, add ribbons and trims, bits and bobs and surprises. The cost to you is the shipping. It's a free gift, given with love by someone who wants to make the studio functional and far less crowded.</span></p>Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-83738132545753102172020-07-10T12:38:00.002-07:002020-07-10T12:39:19.582-07:00Goodies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tmm0aVmaAgDi1nFI4iQirqW9-vaIKDanswq0GlDItZzesXEUliS8DLeck8PlB1Cc3KFWojsh5SxMjh-oXt5z45VAknqflGLd66lRw87isgMvecuVX8yHBu3e1SjGwsmpUt7c06-x/s1600/Studio+Table+7-10-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tmm0aVmaAgDi1nFI4iQirqW9-vaIKDanswq0GlDItZzesXEUliS8DLeck8PlB1Cc3KFWojsh5SxMjh-oXt5z45VAknqflGLd66lRw87isgMvecuVX8yHBu3e1SjGwsmpUt7c06-x/s400/Studio+Table+7-10-20.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> A while back <a href="https://dollstreetdreamers.com/" target="_blank">Doll Street</a> had a swap of filling a gallon zip bag with sewing / doll making supplies. Five of us participated, so we each made five bags, getting five in return. I never got around to sorting the supplies so I could put them away properly. So now is as good a time as any. This is what my table looks like right now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There was some mix up when switching bags around and I only got bags from three people, two of which included two bags from the same participant so I didn't get as much variety but I got more of the same fabric and trim which could prove helpful on a larger doll. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> The fabrics vary from earthy batiks to delightful designs that include metallic gold. I love fabrics with gold so hope I find a project for them soon. Fabrics with metallic designs seem to have more class than plain fabrics, at least to me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Also on the table </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">are two thick fabric based feathers with embossed leaf details and with color splashes and glitter all in blues and purples. I have no idea what I will use them for since they are about seven inches long, but I'll know when the right project comes along. There is a lot of flat lace, mostly about one and a half to two inches wide and I can see those getting used in the fabric book I started a while back. I put all the existing pages and supplies in a canvas bag and it's around here somewhere, probably on</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> the wall of UFO's. Fortunately it's not a big wall. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-539wpQppOtI/XwisSBCIsGI/AAAAAAAABGE/XTNGGts10z4PVehNKGobEwFEA20ewAvRgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Tomato%2BPin%2BCushion2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="507" height="174" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-539wpQppOtI/XwisSBCIsGI/AAAAAAAABGE/XTNGGts10z4PVehNKGobEwFEA20ewAvRgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Tomato%2BPin%2BCushion2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> There was a two inch tomato pincushion, and I believe that you can't have too many of them. Pin cushions can be at the work table to insert into a doll pattern, beside the iron to remove the pins with plastic heads so they don't melt while pressing a hot iron over them, beside the sewing machine so I can remove pins one by one as I sew so that I don't break a needle, and with projects that get carried to the family room so I can work on projects and watch Netflix with the family. There's also a need for a pin cushion that may travel to a friends house or a meeting where I can sit and create and still be involved in whatever conversation may be going on. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRVNK5pOx5NIhPLBG6tWWrrpz7sHCNRy6bGTgJH7RktXkS65q3DGLWtAjwNT7khZ8hRmYrZafhAKMbfn1nJfHgYjDk0oetB26jGELo7cGTC_1U-niMUjQ5bUkLX1PZKVod2sHsZdL/s1600/Tome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="450" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRVNK5pOx5NIhPLBG6tWWrrpz7sHCNRy6bGTgJH7RktXkS65q3DGLWtAjwNT7khZ8hRmYrZafhAKMbfn1nJfHgYjDk0oetB26jGELo7cGTC_1U-niMUjQ5bUkLX1PZKVod2sHsZdL/s320/Tome.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Patti Culea's Fabric Book</b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I found little bits and bobs like beads, sequins and tiny plastic stars that can be glued on a project which would also be good for my fabric book. The book started out as Patti Culea's fabric book design and I completed several of her page designs from her patterns while sitting with my friend Jody Miller, who was working on the same pages with me. As is Jody's style, she worked on more pages at home and completed her Culea Fabric book in no time flat with her personal taste in fabrics and faces and finished her a book that totally reflected her style. As is my style, I dove right in and accidently did a page upside down. I worked so hard on </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">beading </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">it that I've decided to include it anyway and to start reshaping more pages so I can have an assortment of shaped pages throughout the book. I may even design a new cover that would be a little bit larger to cover the assorted shapes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> So, with all these wonderful goodies I have several projects in mind and would love to dive into them immediately <b><i><u>BUT</u></i></b> I have a project that I promised months ago that comes first. As soon as I can clear off my work table I can get back to it. </span>Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-11420953161513951892020-06-19T07:06:00.003-07:002022-09-12T08:48:48.170-07:00Tears<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQngdgWYyfc5YWav12c4jzKktNHpEbM4fmgJKZLI_Fyc_N-Ym0rCgRIu15bAr2__vquUtkbkqhGlxweU7snMwhtZ1RsoB193Fy6LS1Rq8ics3i29RztucVbpw-oynaXDK0VOkQkEGzAFi9K0U9VdPgaPqeJmu3k_VK6MNe_bo_uybnh7_-DcrKA/s1200/Tears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQngdgWYyfc5YWav12c4jzKktNHpEbM4fmgJKZLI_Fyc_N-Ym0rCgRIu15bAr2__vquUtkbkqhGlxweU7snMwhtZ1RsoB193Fy6LS1Rq8ics3i29RztucVbpw-oynaXDK0VOkQkEGzAFi9K0U9VdPgaPqeJmu3k_VK6MNe_bo_uybnh7_-DcrKA/s320/Tears.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> <b><i> "He will
wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or
crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></o:p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>Revelation 21:4 NIV</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> This morning while reading my email this was my daily verse
sent by "<a href="http://bible.com/"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Bible.com</b></span></a>." I don't
often post about my beliefs but this is of complete hope and faith. I enjoy reading the daily verse and this one
hit home. May it bless your day as well!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
<br />Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-56758972988749608452020-06-18T09:01:00.001-07:002022-09-12T08:50:52.174-07:00Kittie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwsCQDA2o3gfvTCrpfsIyr46dx4SLWqBS8P7PUZ62FC128608JfqkXQnn5NiSjfL117MFxXmHo1lVF4bnfUcLTzhpDxUBjsRcOI9OsEDTdZ1j6Z3jSC7KNVu1VXwuiG4eyyZlMa78/s1600/Kittie+Close+Up.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="910" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwsCQDA2o3gfvTCrpfsIyr46dx4SLWqBS8P7PUZ62FC128608JfqkXQnn5NiSjfL117MFxXmHo1lVF4bnfUcLTzhpDxUBjsRcOI9OsEDTdZ1j6Z3jSC7KNVu1VXwuiG4eyyZlMa78/s320/Kittie+Close+Up.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">I finally sat down and created something and she is <i>SO</i> cute! Meet Kittie, a pin cushion for a swap with my on line doll club <a href="https://dollstreetdreamers.com/" target="_blank">Doll Street</a>. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> I knew I'd be stuck sitting down for at least a day and a half because I was going to get another steroid injection in my back, so I gathered what I needed and set it all beside my chair the night before my procedure. </span>I figured machine sewing felt would make turning things right side out a challenge, especially the tail and the tiny pointed ears so using tiny stitches <span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I hand sewed the felt kittie. I'm happy that the stitches are so small you have to look for them. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> I used the blanket stitch to border the cushion with the same pink </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">P</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">earle Cotton that I used for stitching her facial features and then </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I made the tassels out of the P</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">earle Cotton and sewed them on. I also added a little stacked beadwork at the base of the blanket stitches.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> I'm feeling much better now that the steroids have kicked in. I'm off to the post office to mail this package off for the swap and looking forward to seeing photos of all the pin cushions as well as receiving one for me. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> It's been a while since I had a hand sewing project and I guess I had forgotten how much I enjoy hand sewing. I love this adorable little Kittie so much I just might make another one for myself! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRL0vBuQhocUSnq-JsI1zy8rUhGZeCx31NkM_lnZsxUE_x_wHzU8HHq8CL2eArldV8B_P4ssO1z6ALCUlLuH8pljrFiQ_UUVQ6OyskwT50aPauFmoTUrnBg47SJgkZmijjHiIgp6pI/s1600/Kittie+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1275" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRL0vBuQhocUSnq-JsI1zy8rUhGZeCx31NkM_lnZsxUE_x_wHzU8HHq8CL2eArldV8B_P4ssO1z6ALCUlLuH8pljrFiQ_UUVQ6OyskwT50aPauFmoTUrnBg47SJgkZmijjHiIgp6pI/s400/Kittie+1.jpg" width="318" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-9162642440448150612020-05-19T11:09:00.004-07:002022-09-12T08:51:09.894-07:00Zentangles <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb35G7OXbEhmMH0ulX-7qIe67DW1yEpGD3kGtmyAgNuB29DARn25vT-NmL8YCNCcO_qfh8r1XxGWW6QJAziBkgbMrryf0JE_21WaaqBAmed0XrXznaUOnJJPUTCCIKE__GSkEcu6mF/s1600/Zen+5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1086" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb35G7OXbEhmMH0ulX-7qIe67DW1yEpGD3kGtmyAgNuB29DARn25vT-NmL8YCNCcO_qfh8r1XxGWW6QJAziBkgbMrryf0JE_21WaaqBAmed0XrXznaUOnJJPUTCCIKE__GSkEcu6mF/s400/Zen+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">I've been sitting in a chair a lot as if there is nothing else to do. It's not warm enough outside for me to garden and I've been having enough back and sciatica pain that I've resorted to using a walker almost all the time for the last week. Well, sometimes I can step away from it in the kitchen. Anywhoo, I've looked for easy things to do. My last two posts showed that I've been drawing faces. I thought they looked pretty good at the time but now I'm seeing lots of areas to improve on. That sort of turned me off for drawing faces right now. I seem to toss my hands up pretty easily these days. Then a few days ago I got out my Zentangle supplies.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br />
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> A purist Zentangle creator will insist all you need is a small permanent black pen and a 3 by</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> 3 card. I'm not a purist. I have a small canvas bag full of Zentangle supplies. It includes Micron pens in assorted sizes, a couple pencils including a .5 mechanical pencil which has a small eraser, an extra soft eraser, and a tortillon which is French for "a rolled up piece of paper" and we typically call it a stump blender. A bunch of Zentangle books teaching how to create a variety of designs of course make it a heavy bag. Oh, and don't forget paper. I have a sketch book, and a "Bristol Smooth" notebook, but I prefer "Artist Tiles." The tiles are stiff and come in squares of 3 and 6 inches and I used the 6 inch squares clipped to a small clipboard for the ones I'm showing here.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">
</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> If you don't recognize the term "Zentangle" I will explain. It is simply glorified doodling. I remember doodling in high school waiting for other kids to finish their tests. But Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas decided that putting multiple doodling designs together was very relaxing and that's where the Zen comes in. The "Tangles" are the doodles themselves. So she labeled them "Zentangles" and has made a fortune writing books teaching technics and teaching classes where she certified other people to teach the "glorified doodles." I must say my hat is off to them. They came up with a brilliant product and reminder that we should all find time to relax and sit and doodle now and then. 15 minutes doing Zentangles will no doubt reduce your stress and maybe even lower your blood pressure a bit.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">
</span><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1586" data-original-width="1600" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-VbTQWyft870EHKcZ8Qa6ab_P2oO5Q4j2PHQHCxQd4DYIZGvvd9D56aqkvEddlu47V9MW8nJEKSnVJHW_unyMaemBV64DVqXEQGxp9acCk9W2Z8KOxqtQcBso12BcIaHZoFqsoGd/s400/Zen+6.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br />
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> So, now that you know what this is all about I will tell you that 15 minutes is not enough for me. I spent hours and hours drawing the tiny designs in pencil then again in ink and then I erased the pencil marks. Then I took a 2B pencil and added shading. I had to wash the graphite off the part of my hand that slides over the page a few times as I worked. I used my extra soft eraser to clean up messy and graphite smeared edges of the tile and then I used my mechanical pencil eraser to clean up small areas and called the piece done. It's usually not really done because I typically think of another tiny detail to add a couple more times. So, I hope you like my Zentangles. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">
</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> Oh, and a final thought: should wish to join the world of us who tangle all you need is a permanent pen and a piece of paper. You can find everything you need for free on line, but the books on Amazon are great, too. Watch out. It's addicting!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">
</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br />
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-19179050952087521552020-05-04T15:36:00.001-07:002022-09-12T08:51:25.996-07:00Face Markers<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKWbmmnLtLhk4e-cUSlSJaSoqwU-3Q7OFfKn4YZ0D1cnPr4xuVaHTZyprzehQNpSX-RYLl8-B-_i4sgnPHjZKIa1N2RqdQT-Bt3Vcysg_tvyObRqyZLByv6nlNgs7-oPOQeKEUk6X/s1600/Pencil+Binders.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKWbmmnLtLhk4e-cUSlSJaSoqwU-3Q7OFfKn4YZ0D1cnPr4xuVaHTZyprzehQNpSX-RYLl8-B-_i4sgnPHjZKIa1N2RqdQT-Bt3Vcysg_tvyObRqyZLByv6nlNgs7-oPOQeKEUk6X/s1600/Pencil+Binders.jpg" /></a></div>
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: arial;"> I buy these really cool pen/ pencil binders from Dick Blick called "</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #231f20;">Global Classic Leather Pencil Case." I prefer the smooth black that holds 120 Pencils. They retail at </span><span style="color: #231f20;">$</span><span style="color: #231f20;">34.14. I try to only buy them when there is a really big deal or coupon. When I started buying them they were $25. That was probably 20 years ago. The binders were especially great when I was traveling and teaching. The core of a pencil is a bit delicate and if the pencil is dropped on a hard surface, like the floor, the inside may break which makes the lead fall out, especially while sharpening. So I got all my supplies in one binder to create doll faces and as obessive/ compulsive as I am the colors are in Roy G. Biv color order. For the non artist friends, that means Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. Like a rainbow. </span><span style="color: #231f20;">You can see the elastic strip with little divided spaces that can hold 3 pencils </span><span style="color: #231f20;">or </span><span style="color: #231f20;">typically 2 pens in the pic above. </span><span style="color: #231f20;">So while teaching I could always find the specific pen/ pencil I needed right away. I have quite a few pencil binders. I seem to have an obsession with buying pens and pencils and putting them in order. A <b>BIG</b> obsession. </span><span style="color: #231f20;"> And I always buy the 120 pencil size because sooner or later I always fill them.</span><br />
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> The binders are great for holding just what you need. </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">I already have several for Prismacolor Pencils (2), Watercolor Pencils, Inktense Pencils, Pastel Pencils, Gel Pens, Micron pens (not just color variations but sizes as well), Pitt Pens also including various sizes and colors, Calligraphy Pens, Tom Bow Brush Tip Pens, other brush tip Pens, Zig and Paint Pens and there is one off the shelf and I can't remember what it is. Like I said, a <span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">BIG </span>obsession. Oh, and I have </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">a display stand for my Sharpies (I think I have 72). </span><br />
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUVkv1FQZ-DwRBeu4L1WWUrB31CHvHqTUn2AX47MksadiSgVUH2aYDkIy4rtl4gF7TEYGpcqqE3XNxc44euTILUGiYZXf4DHyliJYOxmWm6f8ZxXc0JJpT3kvgqkVPFu6MuulJp1A/s1600/My+Binders.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUVkv1FQZ-DwRBeu4L1WWUrB31CHvHqTUn2AX47MksadiSgVUH2aYDkIy4rtl4gF7TEYGpcqqE3XNxc44euTILUGiYZXf4DHyliJYOxmWm6f8ZxXc0JJpT3kvgqkVPFu6MuulJp1A/s320/My+Binders.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> S</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">o I recently added Arteza skin tone markers to my collection of markers. I bought a set of 24 Arteza markers and had a few Copic markers in flesh tones so I decided to put them together in my Copic marker binder since I didn't want to fork out $35 just at the moment. The pens are all squarish so they fit there nicely. I initially thought I would buy more Copic pens that I have so far but they are expensive compared to my other writing instruments and since the Arteza pens are similar in shape I rearranged a few pens and now have a section for just flesh tone pens.</span><br />
<br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bftuqollm2bc1PKwTdbWVYgJj7f7u_OcQHm1qoUcYEIl9WCAZQo_1-lUpyUiI4AKyiVQbnqG3dvLIp57xvtycbSt51G9xrGXty9UXqYnYPF1Sc6IcO09fgCzf0-XCaMZlefSNf1F/s1600/Arteza+%2526+Copic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bftuqollm2bc1PKwTdbWVYgJj7f7u_OcQHm1qoUcYEIl9WCAZQo_1-lUpyUiI4AKyiVQbnqG3dvLIp57xvtycbSt51G9xrGXty9UXqYnYPF1Sc6IcO09fgCzf0-XCaMZlefSNf1F/s320/Arteza+%2526+Copic.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> Of course, the pens needed to be in color order. Organizing flesh colors is not as easy as Roy G. Biv. I cut little pieces of paper from a sketch pad and on each one made a color swatch, listed if it was Arteza or Copic, added the coded number and then the name the company issued that specific color. I then shuffled the little cards around until I felt the color order was from light to dark and listed the info on a piece of paper. Of course, there were 2 more pens than there were lines on the paper so it's not "perfect." If the OCD gets to me I will redo the list to fix that. Fortunately that doesn't bother me enough to keep me from making a blog post or fixing dinner since my 32 year old son is looking at me with hungry eyes. Not the love song Hungry Eyes but the "I worked hard all day and now I'll just disintegrate and die if there isn't food coming soon" eyes. Actually, he doesn't pester me for food, but he is really good with his expressions so it's all in good fun.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> So. Now that the pens are all in order, I wonder if I'll get busy on drawing and coloring faces on watercolor paper tomorrow. I've been watching some Karen Campbell videos lately and that's why I wanted the alcohol inks. Copic and Arteza are both alcohol inks and they have an alcohol blending pen. I bought some other brand of pens and they blend with water but the variety of colors isn't very good. I never found a pale enough color to satisfy me as a base skin tone. I like pale since that's basically me, since I avoid the sun like the plague.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> So, will I get busy and see the difference between markers or finish that project I promised for Christmas? Time will tell. Meanwhile, I'll most likely be playing Candy Crush.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-35163783979137920692020-03-23T10:33:00.001-07:002022-09-12T08:51:41.001-07:00Looking for Vendors!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> The Craft Show at Skeelhaven is a unique shopping event. Crafts are accepted 1 week prior to the show then
creations are displayed in the style of a gift shop with areas such as the
garden area with bird houses, yard signs and dried floral wreaths. The kitchen
area will display quilted table runners and original kitchen/ dining room
decorations as well as home baked/ canned goods. Multiple Christmas trees will
display ornaments with a theme, such as Victorian and Whimsical. We are also looking for fall and Christmas creations
with a preference given to original handmade arts and crafts. Our goal is to not duplicate types of crafts
by multiple vendors.</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cHNmnMsavOsLNQ1xvoBI7ZsZ9O9ikwrFPr3bRXDGoCsUQIS6Rq4bTKwxjHkkGXjqgMg9qhEmqWaCUBfmr34EgwMKWRgSFkrQ4lDvx9zlh5Mo-4oDjnQQF8xr5FEgk2ZiB0ngwHcI/s1600/Heliotrope.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cHNmnMsavOsLNQ1xvoBI7ZsZ9O9ikwrFPr3bRXDGoCsUQIS6Rq4bTKwxjHkkGXjqgMg9qhEmqWaCUBfmr34EgwMKWRgSFkrQ4lDvx9zlh5Mo-4oDjnQQF8xr5FEgk2ZiB0ngwHcI/s1600/Heliotrope.jpg" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="601" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cHNmnMsavOsLNQ1xvoBI7ZsZ9O9ikwrFPr3bRXDGoCsUQIS6Rq4bTKwxjHkkGXjqgMg9qhEmqWaCUBfmr34EgwMKWRgSFkrQ4lDvx9zlh5Mo-4oDjnQQF8xr5FEgk2ZiB0ngwHcI/s320/Heliotrope.jpg" width="220" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">Heliotrope by Judy Skeel</span></i></b></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><b></b><i></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Please contact me privately with “Craft Show” in the subject
line and include photos of your work. Show dates include Friday thru Sunday,
November 5- 8, 2020 in the Westerville, OH area. Contact me Judy Skeel:<span style="color: blue;"> <a href="mailto:jskeel@skeelhaven.net">jskeel@skeelhaven.net</a></span> </span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="mailto:jskeel@skeelhaven.net"><br /></a></span></span>
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial;"><a href="mailto:jskeel@skeelhaven.net"><b><i>Due to Covid-19 the Craft Show at Skeelhaven has been postponed until 2021.</i></b></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br /></span>
<br />Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-53231382175968406752020-02-18T10:26:00.001-08:002022-09-12T08:51:58.527-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #1c1e21; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: arial;"> I've been watching You Tube videos by Karen Campbell and drawing faces. It's been a while since I've made a doll and I thought this would help me do a better job when I make my next one. I'm loving the process! The one with long hair was my first one and I drew it while watching a Karen video.
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2_mktvWYX_wd8QCpPI8nlJuPKuRLV3o1H_mznXU8Z-QPaxhb1lqtnzQUYP_HzhvlQPkTQExyZkq68hEt178HiVZHwfgWVglgMYLvcKhtdR8Pu2uCeUZ6UVbYUtYXfcBNfmy2kJGr/s1600/Sketch+2-15-20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1596" data-original-width="1600" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2_mktvWYX_wd8QCpPI8nlJuPKuRLV3o1H_mznXU8Z-QPaxhb1lqtnzQUYP_HzhvlQPkTQExyZkq68hEt178HiVZHwfgWVglgMYLvcKhtdR8Pu2uCeUZ6UVbYUtYXfcBNfmy2kJGr/s400/Sketch+2-15-20.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">
I guess I remember more than I thought tho I'm having trouble with tarantula eye lashes. I should make myself stop and sharpen a pencil first, yes?
The profile and 3/4 views were the second day.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDenYG-qroAy_98kK8AehKsOmr-ycdfx5LNCvW_G3GC2vdQCgMrLIQbasUFzHCzcb1SXCkhPYN63-MpEvcMTcDtyP86Z91sKDkhF-iLjn2nDZCfOC_ZlizcPmrzANwllFN0EewD4T9/s1600/Sketch+2-16-20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1482" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDenYG-qroAy_98kK8AehKsOmr-ycdfx5LNCvW_G3GC2vdQCgMrLIQbasUFzHCzcb1SXCkhPYN63-MpEvcMTcDtyP86Z91sKDkhF-iLjn2nDZCfOC_ZlizcPmrzANwllFN0EewD4T9/s400/Sketch+2-16-20.jpg" width="370" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQg2ZAcQ-etKVB0j8k3FhkhLrkNsil7ygO7uqKtwjkjUsii51ZLvX6mKlOK12jjQpOZmnLVI80_pp5vuVuQlhp1zVwg-mJbFHmmgH_xWcLn3f3W3mHvreRFJA9irPLc_32DUbEWt3H/s1600/Sketch+2-16-20a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1318" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQg2ZAcQ-etKVB0j8k3FhkhLrkNsil7ygO7uqKtwjkjUsii51ZLvX6mKlOK12jjQpOZmnLVI80_pp5vuVuQlhp1zVwg-mJbFHmmgH_xWcLn3f3W3mHvreRFJA9irPLc_32DUbEWt3H/s400/Sketch+2-16-20a.jpg" width="328" /></a></div>
Yesterday's drawing is still bald. I need to work on some of my blending before adding hair. She is my favorite so far.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlMOegWjbgfAy-z_xMWsx1UivVLDRQta8Qlbw40wEMSNl8GKtFGUYiwOoH2C4RfRM0p1T8KBdgS_oMSr374l5YqkuvB7P_nw37YgSOkEUArJcYqLmOl3PHucmyYUIHNiHtKFIs5aA/s1600/Sketch+2-17-20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1233" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlMOegWjbgfAy-z_xMWsx1UivVLDRQta8Qlbw40wEMSNl8GKtFGUYiwOoH2C4RfRM0p1T8KBdgS_oMSr374l5YqkuvB7P_nw37YgSOkEUArJcYqLmOl3PHucmyYUIHNiHtKFIs5aA/s400/Sketch+2-17-20.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
I hope you like them!
</span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-56892533043409838312019-11-23T10:41:00.003-08:002022-09-12T08:49:12.161-07:00Sorting Stuph<span style="font-family: arial;"> <span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> I am <i>STILL</i> working in my studio, organizing and unpacking totes full of miscellaneous stuph! I just counted <i>AT LEAST</i> 42 UFO's (Un-Finished Objects) that are waiting for me. I told someone once I have to live long enough to finish every item I want to create. With the length of my list I'll live to be 350 years old! For probably a dozen years I had a serious case of Pattern Acquisition Syndrome. I bought every new pattern that caught my eye. I have a filing cabinet filled with files on a slew of designers, each having somewhere between 1 to 15 patterns. I didn't count all the epb patterns, but I'm sure they are hedging towards a count of 20! Three drawers full of patterns designed by other people. I do mean full! The 4th drawer is full of kits that I absolutely had to have because I would get the doll completed sooner, or make a second one in a different color as a gift. Ha! I have been making dolls 20+ years. That's a lot of patterns and extra kits waiting for me. </span><br />
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> My Mother-in-Law will be visiting for 10 days in December. As we have no first floor guest room we need to convert one of my "storage rooms" into a nice little room for her. The room is currently walled with those white/ semi transparent drawer units. 2 walls are stacked over my head. Okay so I'm only 5' 1" but seriously, what will I do with all this stuph? at least 2 walls will be moved into my second "storage room" which of course is the smallest room in the house sans the ladies room! That is part of what motivated me to tackle the boxes and totes to get excess things off the floor. She arrives in 4 weeks. I think I'll meet the deadline. I think I can, I think I can... chug chug chug.</span><br />
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> But for the rest of the day I'm back in there organizing and rearranging some stuff with some other stuph to make it organized so there is space for my Mother-in-Law. Come January I had better start in on these UFO's before they begin to take over the whole house!!!</span></span>Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-28159831937006171602019-08-29T11:05:00.002-07:002022-09-12T08:50:34.408-07:00Books, Boxes and Things<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: arial;"> 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.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4MSmKl2OnMfvGRY_gqzRZ7z2tqgZIx9HU-cC4pm3mdC2KTlZbSAcmRCJSB-EhGzdC8vPQmaVRW3HGPcKlvecH1vVtgWBSN9_iGyt8qSg-NywuJYYP4l3Atq8La8NEWHIWdowU_S3F/s1600/Froud-+Winters+Child.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1237" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4MSmKl2OnMfvGRY_gqzRZ7z2tqgZIx9HU-cC4pm3mdC2KTlZbSAcmRCJSB-EhGzdC8vPQmaVRW3HGPcKlvecH1vVtgWBSN9_iGyt8qSg-NywuJYYP4l3Atq8La8NEWHIWdowU_S3F/s400/Froud-+Winters+Child.jpg" width="308" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span><br />
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: arial;"> 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.</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> 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 <a href="https://dollmakersjourney.com/" target="_blank">Dollmakers Journey</a>. 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.</span><br />
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> 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. </span></span>Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-89592325834164308312019-05-11T11:46:00.001-07:002022-09-12T08:52:56.103-07:00Still Unboxing!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> I have been working on the studio bit by bit and most recently books. My bookcases are like 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide. They hold a lot of books! That's great because I HAVE a lot of books!<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> I got distracted and think I'll be reading Reclaimed Textiles this afternoon since I am done unpacking books today.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span></span><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaExyPpDauefTA8flgQvwaK-B_6sE3rYRbXZVAWBbaIhboVx-f4RGNDBcooI9nxoCvhTPlxgR9xe2Z7v1llvRo_w1J51YRWesg6bmXWYQppyc1dDtQR8NOyKbRLCnHor3iT-dVZjC/s1600/Reclaimed+Textiles.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="391" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaExyPpDauefTA8flgQvwaK-B_6sE3rYRbXZVAWBbaIhboVx-f4RGNDBcooI9nxoCvhTPlxgR9xe2Z7v1llvRo_w1J51YRWesg6bmXWYQppyc1dDtQR8NOyKbRLCnHor3iT-dVZjC/s400/Reclaimed+Textiles.jpg" width="311" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span><span> So far,today I have opened 5 wine boxes. Each box was designed for 12 wine bottles and I packed the books in them to make them lighter to lift than the bigger boxes I used for everything else. Anywhoo, my wonderful son Shawn moved these 5 boxes out for me and between all 5 I managed to fill only a shelf and a half. I thought it would make a bigger dent that that, but no. So I went to the studio, moved a few things around and exposed more boxes of books for Shawn to carry in to the studio tomorrow. Then I'll have to move more stuff for him to get to more books. The hard part was I wanted to sit and read a couple. I am guilty of buying a book and not actually reading it. (Shame on me!) I tend to flip through and look at the pics, read a couple lines of info and then saving the book for later, put it on my work table, or desk. Then eventually, I'll clean up the studio- well at least the work table and put the books away that are there. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span>
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGboGhKbiB5_bYoDxnBD9uy1mlZ8HMv0cVkuAtWprkryp6ABhyguCXlDUV42X4uwv-MNAKvmYPyObom978zvSdDSjR1APfsyoRf-jr3NyK_68TqXRIKIc6I7-0gnLlnNb82GI7_ak/s1600/Silk+Paper+Creations.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="369" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGboGhKbiB5_bYoDxnBD9uy1mlZ8HMv0cVkuAtWprkryp6ABhyguCXlDUV42X4uwv-MNAKvmYPyObom978zvSdDSjR1APfsyoRf-jr3NyK_68TqXRIKIc6I7-0gnLlnNb82GI7_ak/s320/Silk+Paper+Creations.jpg" width="236" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span><br />
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial;">S<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">o far I have only found 1 duplicate book! The one above.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"> It will be easier to prevent duplicates from happening since the book shelves and my desk where I order from Amazon are on the same floor.</span></div>
Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-83522991286526306202019-04-10T11:43:00.002-07:002022-09-12T08:53:10.474-07:00Boxes, boxes, boxes!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: arial;"> I've been working on organizing the new studio and starting to empty Shawn's tiny old bedroom that has been a storage room for everything we needed out of the way for the craft show. Here is a view of the wall packed to the ceiling. I couldn't get the whole wall because it was too small a room. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHc3OBk6RXYDWKTeGzu1jPf1MTVL9RLr0hs4RIUbOmQGfrmNX5vBLqO2VK0E26idROoaIERaZ9xbmBV2RusiOpvPj00wUFM6CzJxZQEvcmvPstssLGp6bxerEog8kLfW8ssamYFVq/s640/4-10-19.jpg" width="480" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">The second pic here is the rest of the wall, across from the doorway. You can see the closet and a black shelving unit to the right that just fits the wall. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJ3YyN_8-7CwU2N5gbf0pr1IiCbIH9QnTa0DiP5NHtnr3N_Sj-PrEl1jsth-Eaqp6kf0_AZeb6p8Fs65cVdFqUtKkQZy7knbkN0Ee5tNV4WfoXKfigfNarNyRsu0Z32D7zDJv4CLA/s1600/4-10-19a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJ3YyN_8-7CwU2N5gbf0pr1IiCbIH9QnTa0DiP5NHtnr3N_Sj-PrEl1jsth-Eaqp6kf0_AZeb6p8Fs65cVdFqUtKkQZy7knbkN0Ee5tNV4WfoXKfigfNarNyRsu0Z32D7zDJv4CLA/s640/4-10-19a.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Did I mention it was a small room? It didn't seem this small when it was a bedroom!</span> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FwNYyTp3Jq9cwvOMNEwFVElX60YC4XYHuVIb8Z3-_k-0xlrDQwp0TXwz8ldIE29_z62xdInGCokx0Up2gS9W8N94CPku6g53CP2o2yG1zG7a9mqc9VnHTKF6SawRKkUVs61CSQ9a/s1600/S9-24-18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FwNYyTp3Jq9cwvOMNEwFVElX60YC4XYHuVIb8Z3-_k-0xlrDQwp0TXwz8ldIE29_z62xdInGCokx0Up2gS9W8N94CPku6g53CP2o2yG1zG7a9mqc9VnHTKF6SawRKkUVs61CSQ9a/s640/S9-24-18.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> My dear friend Amy has been helping me unpack boxes by doing the lifting. She's awesome! <span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Amy establish a small path down the center of the room. It makes it feel like there is hope to finish so I can start creating again.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Oh- under all these boxes are boxes with books. I have 2 large book cases that currently have things on them that need to go to their rightful homes, but the homes are blocked with boxes. What a surprise! </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><strike><b></b></strike></div>
Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-54207066313813665032019-01-31T12:13:00.001-08:002022-09-12T08:53:36.075-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyS9iud7ciZYlpmvFRjPDAxXKCZc4DG1_Yra-0cazKaMDnze0rG5cks948uDAzr8kb-0WCSgWNZkaZzCqcI4Tt7abgU0PXw08NeKw7utUhybf1KnlypHIWrSXVyHTKanWOQHOD2EOo/s1600/Maremi%2527s+Small+Art.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1600" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyS9iud7ciZYlpmvFRjPDAxXKCZc4DG1_Yra-0cazKaMDnze0rG5cks948uDAzr8kb-0WCSgWNZkaZzCqcI4Tt7abgU0PXw08NeKw7utUhybf1KnlypHIWrSXVyHTKanWOQHOD2EOo/s400/Maremi%2527s+Small+Art.jpg" width="400" /><span style="color: #b00000;"> </span></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: arial;"> Down with the flu- the best thing to do is watch art videos on </span></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/" target="_blank">You Tube</a>. Currently I have watched hours and hours of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MaremiSmallArt" target="_blank">Maremi Small Art</a>. She does a lot of mixed media journal pages. She has an Etsy site, an Instagram account and 2 Facebook accounts, the second called Maremi's Creative Café where viewers like me can post finished works as well as works in progress. Then she turned me on to Lindsay who has <a href="https://thefrugalcrafter.wordpress.com/" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank" title="The Frugal Crafter Blog"><span style="color: black;">The Frugal Crafter Blog</span></a>. I just watched a long video where Lindsay did a beautiful water color gal and complemented her work with colored pencils. If you don't want to watch a long video she taught me about the small gear icon below the video. It will speed up the show but I hung out for the whole thing as I've never been keen with a brush. I guess I need to try again. She also turned me on to "pencil extenders." It's a little tube you slide your short pencil into that locks the pencil in place and you can use it until it is a tiny stub. I found them at <a href="https://www.dickblick.com/search/?q=pencil%20extenders&unbxd_x=0&unbxd_y=0&unbxd_sp_cs=UTF-8&unbxd_s=unbxd" target="_blank">Dick Blick</a> for close to $5. I have a few colors I depend on and get tired of buying new ones. I think I need a couple of these!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br />
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> Anywhoo, if you are down with the flu OR stuck in the house due to below zero temperatures check out these sites. I think you'll have a good time and probably try out some new techniques!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmW_URZlMYr4Hy4GNV78IOHFXUnJ85WpEOjdKA4A11sYK-kLUjh-_TDVCabtoMBHERJWPkcd7O6V2G2LRPR9pSytuH1p9KtzHpBMZzqJYTUw1xgZewmswyCA73Uims9QFJ_rdDGba/s1600/Pencil+Extenders.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> My thinking cap just turned on as no caffeine yet, but I think I actually own a pencil extender. I wondered what the heck it was and hope I didn't pitch it!</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmW_URZlMYr4Hy4GNV78IOHFXUnJ85WpEOjdKA4A11sYK-kLUjh-_TDVCabtoMBHERJWPkcd7O6V2G2LRPR9pSytuH1p9KtzHpBMZzqJYTUw1xgZewmswyCA73Uims9QFJ_rdDGba/s1600/Pencil+Extenders.jpg" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1600" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmW_URZlMYr4Hy4GNV78IOHFXUnJ85WpEOjdKA4A11sYK-kLUjh-_TDVCabtoMBHERJWPkcd7O6V2G2LRPR9pSytuH1p9KtzHpBMZzqJYTUw1xgZewmswyCA73Uims9QFJ_rdDGba/s640/Pencil+Extenders.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-69006156764419572592019-01-14T15:50:00.003-08:002022-09-12T08:28:21.353-07:00<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #1d2129; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pcrIe7GY-H9JVCqv-ZFPv0lOqAUzAzB3FUgbBY_MFnVWL6XGCRayXZrD4hbuLzAQjqlaJLEtjKJES21mttNqUkNfI7OCku_A-r9eDhQA1W-whjSt0GOMsw7OBhx5TH7tdj7Db6nh-gD4abFU7DphahFDpn7tXKDbh44VAgl1fHEk5DKgMsA8bA/s576/Sample4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="576" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pcrIe7GY-H9JVCqv-ZFPv0lOqAUzAzB3FUgbBY_MFnVWL6XGCRayXZrD4hbuLzAQjqlaJLEtjKJES21mttNqUkNfI7OCku_A-r9eDhQA1W-whjSt0GOMsw7OBhx5TH7tdj7Db6nh-gD4abFU7DphahFDpn7tXKDbh44VAgl1fHEk5DKgMsA8bA/s320/Sample4.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /></div><br /></span></span><div><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #1d2129; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> Looking for a unique way to celebrate Valentine's Day without spending a ton of money? Try my "Fiber Delight! Valentine Postcards" workshop on <a href="https://store.dollstreetdreamers.com/stores_app/Browse_Item_Details_side.asp?Shopper_id=33921141830553392&Store_id=235&page_id=23&Item_ID=1718&Name=Fiber-Delight!-Valentine’s-postcards" target="_blank">Doll Street</a>. Getting a card in the mail these days is something special, especially when it is hand made. AND you can actually mail these postcards without an envelope as long as they stay under 1/4 inch thick. There are quite a few postcard designs to get you rolling and to sweeten the deal, the workshop is 20% off! I hope to see you in class!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeBuntR2nUXHnbf471BnFssKPHhuoG7P2oDJr5c9wm0NTRCVp8sXOQGOPyX3q140hVTwwyZ_tEokOu3HdvOWU2YdLqQgLBnxw1-YvnYmlcISy8LM0p9mIgAc4p5pVj2EADSWbh-_hQMl-JIioXlDXyffAp3ler_w0YcoUcINVF1__H6kFG6EIvA/s721/Sample9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="721" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeBuntR2nUXHnbf471BnFssKPHhuoG7P2oDJr5c9wm0NTRCVp8sXOQGOPyX3q140hVTwwyZ_tEokOu3HdvOWU2YdLqQgLBnxw1-YvnYmlcISy8LM0p9mIgAc4p5pVj2EADSWbh-_hQMl-JIioXlDXyffAp3ler_w0YcoUcINVF1__H6kFG6EIvA/s320/Sample9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What's a postcard without a place to place your loved one's address?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadsTF4NnaAGyemIfMH_ZGHjMwy6pnryQlcVtaVJyjALcYup_qd4X468HqXYZMrLm5VQZgSdr1sN45G-KNOAIj4IVeojI1wPrSHhgzeasgUFUSR-HQrzO6b-V7ZhktWrqcEZgqFgAUMivf9g4OplkM-wv8J46EJSJ4dtbQ-nC03xybfjwJO7pgRA/s1000/Sample13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="1000" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadsTF4NnaAGyemIfMH_ZGHjMwy6pnryQlcVtaVJyjALcYup_qd4X468HqXYZMrLm5VQZgSdr1sN45G-KNOAIj4IVeojI1wPrSHhgzeasgUFUSR-HQrzO6b-V7ZhktWrqcEZgqFgAUMivf9g4OplkM-wv8J46EJSJ4dtbQ-nC03xybfjwJO7pgRA/s320/Sample13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You'll never guess how I made this "tin" heart!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></span></span></div>Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-3570464103021523622018-12-17T08:08:00.001-08:002022-09-12T08:55:46.952-07:00<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well, the craft show went really well. I can't believe it's taken me a month to get back here and tell you about it. Saturday was pretty steady all day long. Sunday had the after church crowd and was a bit slow after that. I think next year we need to add 2 or 3 additional vendors. We didn't use the bedroom we had planned to use, so we would have the room to add people.</span><br />
</span><div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> I didn't take photos (dopey me!) so I'll share with you an older one. This pic is of a face that I made on a cloth covered button, then used to embellish a mini purse.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUWvSHuIPGaGG1t2LjXobAJxNwW263D0RYRz2r_9jDvm8-0m6J0J0OkfzWn8wHcjykBjkFJKD7VvlryvDKqYAYQt1iy_M5VFC70k_UkNZjxSbR3laMsXVZEqncP3MsYqnLHTkn5DD/s1600/Purse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUWvSHuIPGaGG1t2LjXobAJxNwW263D0RYRz2r_9jDvm8-0m6J0J0OkfzWn8wHcjykBjkFJKD7VvlryvDKqYAYQt1iy_M5VFC70k_UkNZjxSbR3laMsXVZEqncP3MsYqnLHTkn5DD/s1600/Purse.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> This pic is the face of Master Ferryman. He was designed to sit on a string mohair turtle and he would carry a fishing rod with a snail on it. Together the piece was called, "The Hurrier I go the Behinder I get." The turtle had a weird combination of colors: purple and yellow, pink and green for starters. I didn't have any fabric that would go with it so I made my own using FME (Free Motion Embroidery). I layered small scraps of fabrics and fibers on one piece of fabric and stitched over all of it in random patterns to lock everything down. Then I cut the jacket pieces out of the new fabric. He had hand sewn leather shoes, beadwork and lots of lace as well as facial hair. A woman came to the show and only wanted my doll and not the turtle. She paid me more that I've ever made on a doll. So here is Master Ferryman.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2D-TGCAWs2ZymFZOZS5pHZw8sTvsvJklVCtVD2iaS3Zv-c8sAJcy8mpBNBAo9o77Rtff03drlwaRcaqoOpryn9Hu2PrDv_hZoXJ4PJQoWC9s3gmaBkC5yKlVXhkc8uV9vl51_NoU/s1600/Masterferryman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="136" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2D-TGCAWs2ZymFZOZS5pHZw8sTvsvJklVCtVD2iaS3Zv-c8sAJcy8mpBNBAo9o77Rtff03drlwaRcaqoOpryn9Hu2PrDv_hZoXJ4PJQoWC9s3gmaBkC5yKlVXhkc8uV9vl51_NoU/s320/Masterferryman.jpg" width="226" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"> Lastly, I want to share Heliotrope. There was an alphabet challenge with the on line doll club called, "Doll Street". I was given the letter "H". I created the letter by using the doll's arms and legs, and after dressing her in purple, called her "Heliotrope." She sold almost immediately at my next show.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTXzPAATrSEgML5HniC_iM9ZrCWMkSjxeB-ou6eJ6Rvhfqv0OKXmvVP0IWH5W7bOOR2okccYMsWlVid2niwzeqyq7AZpQ5Xd_RbPHXJQn6bVHbNcg3Bk9WU_knyNUy9vKNcgXRMcm/s1600/Heliotrope.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="155" data-original-width="151" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTXzPAATrSEgML5HniC_iM9ZrCWMkSjxeB-ou6eJ6Rvhfqv0OKXmvVP0IWH5W7bOOR2okccYMsWlVid2niwzeqyq7AZpQ5Xd_RbPHXJQn6bVHbNcg3Bk9WU_knyNUy9vKNcgXRMcm/s320/Heliotrope.jpg" width="311" /></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"></span><br />Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864183331907284892.post-85190261228200145002018-11-07T07:24:00.006-08:002022-09-12T08:56:03.033-07:003 Days<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="en8gn" data-offset-key="8q8cr-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Dvy22Hjr6CchqSs0i3tmVaWZULHNo6f3totA9sRQz1aJ32Hk7uhWoVY2sdr0F6ohwlJuCSc7il0sOUEJRqvpDNDoy5dQ4q7ne-N8fPClvxyISdyNvHfed4cpwNoSK6pv1HFB2NTnA1RnBL7f4CzdZ4c4w_WkX-F6KAdG-MZdFgLrTmPOhWMG0Q/s500/Skeelhaven%20Sign%20Close.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="488" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Dvy22Hjr6CchqSs0i3tmVaWZULHNo6f3totA9sRQz1aJ32Hk7uhWoVY2sdr0F6ohwlJuCSc7il0sOUEJRqvpDNDoy5dQ4q7ne-N8fPClvxyISdyNvHfed4cpwNoSK6pv1HFB2NTnA1RnBL7f4CzdZ4c4w_WkX-F6KAdG-MZdFgLrTmPOhWMG0Q/s320/Skeelhaven%20Sign%20Close.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><br /><span data-offset-key="8q8cr-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"> Hey it's only 3 days to the Craft Show at Skeelhaven. All the goodies have arrived and boy oh boy are you going to love shopping! No pics- I just encouraging you to attend. We've got jewelry, oh have we got jewelry! Buckeye jewelry, too. We've got home dec goodies and we've got mushrooms- you won't believe the mushrooms but you'll just have to have one! Of course I'll have some dolls as well. And of course there is more!</span></div>
<span data-offset-key="fe71i-0-0"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="en8gn" data-offset-key="fe71i-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
<span data-offset-key="8rbfi-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> I am working on displays today and having fun moving these delights into different locations, then rearranging to make it look better or basically to make me happy. Anywhoo, I hope you will join us. Sat. and Sun., noon to 6., 6881 Tussic Street Rd., Westerville, OH 43082.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span><br />Judy Skeelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934515711490611175noreply@blogger.com0