Happy Canada Day

Happy Canada Day to everyone out there.  It is a beautiful day here in Victoria, 25C, blue skies and sunshine.  We went for a lovely walk along the Gorge waterway and enjoyed the classic cars on display plus the "Gorge on Art" festival.

I have just finished my Canadian Santa called "Northern Flight" from a design by the talented Canadian artist Becky Holloway.  He has just flown over the northern shores of Hudson Bay and has left his sack of gifts for the little ones.  His ride is not on reindeer, for he is in Canada, eh, so he is on a Canada goose!  

 This piece is about 26" tall and 22" wide and all cloth.  The goose is stuffed (ha, ha) and gessoed and painted.  Santa is also all cloth with red velvet Santa suit and fur trimmed mitts (all hand made).  The santa boots were ornaments but his snowshoes are handmade.

Have a wonderful Canada Day and remember that we are less than six months away from Christmas!

Pin Keeps

I have always love pincushions or pin keeps and so I thought I would get busy and make a few for the Coast Collective gift shops.

Since I love making mini bear/animals I combined my two loves and made several pin keeps.  I am sharing the results of my twisted mind.  Most of the pin cushions are stuffed with polyfil and crushed walnut shells (good for sharpening pins).  The pincushions themselves are either velvet, wool felt or velveteen to add texture.

First are two wee Siamese twins, Kalie and Kate.  They sit proudly on their pincushions that is adorned with hand crocheted flowers. 

Next is a shy mouse that sends his love.  This is a design by the talented Monica Spicer. This wee fellow stands on a velvet pin keep.

Now for the country mouse who proudly stands a top a plump velvet tomato pincushion:

We now travel to another continent and have Gentle Gerome the shy giraffe and pesky Marcel the monkey:  Marcel has a pin box attached which he thinks will be quite handy!

To round out the gathering of animals, I included two delightful pin keeps made from a Cheswick design, bunny and Ellie the elephant:

Finally, to wave goodbye to this group I went back to the west coast for inspiration and made a wee mushroom folk atop his wool felt pin cushion:  This wee mushroom pin keep can be hung as an ornament as well. After all, not everyone is a sewer!

Top Shelf Show at Coast Collective

I am very happy to report that I was invited to be part of the "Top Shelf" show at the Coast Collective Gallery here in Victoria, BC.  The show opened on Wednesday, June 11th and runs through Sunday, June 22nd.

The display is amazing.  The artists included in the show represent a variety of art work: pottery, jewellery, paintings, photography, clothing, woollens and of course my art dolls.

I do hope that everyone in the area gets a chance to visit the Coast Collective as the setting and the historic home alone are worth a visit.  Admission is free and so is the tea and cookies!

Black and White Challenge

Our doll club (the Cloth-a-Dollics) had a black and white challenge for the June meeting.  We were to make an all cloth doll using only black and white.  I chose to use the on-line class by Angela Jarecki (the Traveller) but I turned her into a mother cat travelling on the road with her two black and white kittens.

The on-line class by Angela Jarecki (DollStreet Dreamers site) was great.  The instructions were well written and I would recommend the class.  I was happy with the result.  I hope you enjoy her.

One of her kittens travels on her back in a special pouch

The doll is a stump doll (no legs)

A close up of the other  kitten she carries.

A side view.

A close up of her face.

I Love Pink

A good friend of mine asked if I would make her a doll for her good friend's birthday.  I was a bit reluctant as I never want to disappoint anyone but as Leslie is my dear friend, I agreed.

Now began the task of asking appropriate questions to try and learn more about what type of doll she might picture for her friend.

Well Leslie said that her friend has shortish hair (that she colours shades of brown),  blue eyes, loves the colour pink, loves to garden (flowers mainly) and loves cats.

I had my list and decided that with this description I  would make a doll that represented her friend as she was ready to garden on a cool day after having gone for a run earlier.

The doll is only 14" tall. I found the perfect pink runners (they were keychains).  I had a small wicker basket that I filled with flowers and added a butterfly to the handle.  I made lycra black running pants and made her wee pink and white socks and gave her a light weight pink sweater.  I used socks for all of her clothing!  I knew I would have good use for my stash of socks!

I then decided that a gardener could use a canvas gardening apron with a big pocket for her seed packages and clippers.  I made the apron she wears and embroidered some flowers on the front.  I then used my photocopier to reduce actual flower seed packages to fit the apron.  The clippers are mini jewellery pliers.  I also gave her a wee kitten necklace.

A close-up of her flower basket with butterfly on the top handle.

I made her gardening gloves as well.

Her cat is hanging on to her arm.

Next I used epb pattern to make her kitten that is riding along on her arm.  I also gave her a spade and added a watering can.  Her straw hat will keep her hair in check and protect her from the sun.

She was great fun to make and I hope that use is well received.

A close-up of the gardener with the beautiful blue eyes.

The Toronto Blue Jays

Well, since I have been making "bird" art dolls for the last little while, I thought I would finish with the beautiful Blue Jay.  The Blue Jay is very common in Ontario and as I spent many happy years in Toronto I am fond of the Blue Jay.  I am fond of this bird not only because I love its bright blue plumage but also because it is the official emblem of the Toronto baseball team the "Blue Jays".

The Blue Jay is not seen in BC although the Stellar Jay is seen on Vancouver Island where I live (larger and not as bright at the Blue Jay seen in southern Ontario)

While I was looking through my stash of possible fabrics for this doll I came across a beautiful blouse that I bought on impulse but hardly ever wore (I am well endowed and this blouse accentuates this)! The blouse is shades of blue with made from a technique seen in Japanese tie dye.  I thought why not, and so I had my fabric.  I decided that this doll could have a longer skirt so that she would look great on a mantle but also hanging on a wall.

This doll sits about 10" tall and if hanging on the wall is about 18" tall

Her mask can be removed to reveal her wee face and her nest necklace

Back showing her bright feathers

I made her a wee mask to mimic the Blue Jay and then I added her feathered back feathers to pay homage to the beautiful tail feathers.  I even used the front button section of the blouse as part of her head dress to resemble the distinctive crown of the Blue Jay.  Overall, I was very pleased with the result.

The Blue Jay that this doll holds is made from felt.  This doll was fun to make and I hope you enjoy her.

Purple Finch

I am on a bird kick and so I decided to make another art doll featuring a bird I love but have never seen except in pictures, the Purple Finch.

The Purple Finch is a pretty, little songbird that is the official state bird of New Hampshire.  It has a cranberry/purple hooded head with brown wings, a light underbelly and pinkish chest:

I decided to use Cindee Moyer's on-line class, Raven and adapt it to made a representation of this lovely wee finch.:

A close-up of the fascinator with brown feathers cascading down

I was very happy with the result.  I just had to make her very own wee finch in felt that is perched on her hand.