Santos Cage Dolls and Such

Our doll club, the Cloth-a-Dollics had a "cage doll" challenge that was due this month, October.  I have already shown my steampunk cage doll and now I wanted to share the three other cage dolls that I made:  the first two are Frida cage dolls (I love everything about Frida, her passion, her love of Mexican culture and folk art, her love of animals and nature, her art, her spirit...)

Frida as a young vibrant Mexican young woman

A needle felted fawn at the bottom of the cage and a parrot.

This represents Frida's life as an artist with love, passion, pain, and  art

The blue cage represents the "Blue House" that she loved and lived in in Mexico City

One of her many self portraits

The final cage doll is the traditional Santos using a pattern by Arley Berryhill.  I used many items that were in my mom's possession such as her rosaries, her drawer top doily, and her spiritual icons, the blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus.  This doll was a joy to make and is going to a great and loving home:

May love rule your heart.  Be the light and not the shadow wherever you go.  Until next time...

Happy Thanksgiving

Well it is Thanksgiving weekend and I have so much to be thankful for:

a loving husband and loving family
a great place to live and friends that share my passion for dolls
wonderful teachers who share their knowledge

Last weekend I spend a fantastic three days taking a Lavender and Lark workshop on picturesque Salt Spring Island with three good doll friends:

The scene was set and now for the workshop atmosphere, a house on a farm with horses, dogs and cats. Phoebe and her mom hosted eight of us and we created while having tea, coffee and yummy, yummy snacks from a local Salt Spring Island bakery. 

Phoebe provided all of the supplies including the vintage laces and hankies that we needed to complete our wee autumn fairies.  I was thrilled with the results.  In fact, all eight fairies were divine.  I foretell a lot more hand made finer fairies in my future.  Thanks to Phoebe from Lavender and Lark  for a fun and creative three days!

My completed fairy, I called her Ellette (means elf like)

the back showing the vintage hanky

She sits on her felted toadstool (we made them in class)

Here are the rest of the fairies: