Primitive Folk Art Doll - How to Make Miniature Doll Art

I saw this on you tube ,Found it interesting and picked up a couple new techniques

Milliande Visionary Art Bus Free Art Education Classes Online
Her blog is
http://www.milliande.com/Primitive-Folk-Art-Doll.html

Edith Flack Ackley Christmas Tradition

Edith Flack Ackley

Edith Flack Ackley Wengenroth Born :June 6, 1887 t o November 28, 1970 residence: Greenport, Suffolk, NY

Edith Flack Ackley a legend now and in her own time.

Dedicating remembrance here on my blog to one of my favorite cloth doll makers Edith Flack Ackley.

Edith Flack Ackley a cloth doll designer and maker. Inspiration to cloth dollmakers now, past, and future generations yet to come.

In the early 1900's Ackley studied portrait painting after finishing high school.Following the death of her husband she gave it up for marionette making which provided the subject for an early book

"Marionettes Easy to Make Fun to Use"

In 1936 she met and married Stow Wengenroth an artist lithographerrenouned for his beautiful prints of the New England coast.

During her life time Edith Flack Ackley made hundreds of dolls...all cloth stuffed with cotton.She took great pride in her dolls and encouraged others to make dolls for fun or profit as well.

During the 1920's and 1930's, many artists and crafts people published books and patterns for making rag dolls. In 1934 Edith Flack Ackley released doll kits which included unbleached muslin

Edith Flack Ackley's ~1934 Magazine Pattern~Lovely CHRISTMAS DOLL~"FOR A LITTLE GIRL'S CHRISTMAS"..prepared expressly for the Readers of Woman's Home Companion Magazine

with the doll pattern stamped on the fabric, along with instructions and patterns for the doll's clothing.This doll was to have yarn hair and embroidered features. The kit was offered through the magazine Woman's Home Companion.Ackley had several different books published during her lifetime. She wrote several childrens books along with her daughter Teckla Ackley and was also an accomplished poet.

Edith Flack Ackley sure touched my life in a big wonderful way.

I have been creating many different types and styles of cloth dolls over the years. Each doll has been a true joy to create and to see it come to life, Each one taking on it's own personalitie...But there still isn't the magic and yesteryear feeling you get when creating a EFA cloth doll.

I have been collecting EFA books, and I really love my doll book library

Some of her books : Paper Dolls _ Their History and How To Make Them; A Doll Shop of Your Own; Marionettes Easy to Make and Fun to Use; Dolls To Make For Fun and Profit.

Every Year for the last 5 years I make a EFA coth doll for our own personal Christmas. It has become a Christmas Tradition

I usally create them in a historic style, Victorian, or Civil War era

neither words I haven't done a christmas theme yet,But as I work on this years 2008 Christmas I'm thinking of dressing her in a early 1900's era Christmas,

Seems I have also started a spring tradition of creating EFA just for spring..

Here is one of my real vintage EFA type cloth dolls,I bought just as you see her..I have ordered real vintage 1930's fabric and I just can't wait to get it get and dress her..isn't she a sweet heart..as I hold her I think of the woman who made her..wonder what she was thinking, was it her little girl she was making her for for? Think of the 70yrs plus of history this little doll has seen..

Below are some links to others who love EFA dolls and their own creations.also there is a smalll but wonderful group on yahoo

Click to join edithflackackleydolls

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/edithflackackleydolls/join

http://tenderarts.blogspot.com/2007/03/i-want-you-to-see-this-pretty-thing.html

http://dollzandthingz.blogspot.com/2008/10/holiday-dolls.html

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/46514831thRPMH

http://www.heirlooms4tomorrow.com/twins.htm

Creative Times Magazine - Nov/Dec Issue

Creative Times Magazine - Nov/Dec Issue

is out and ready for you to down load!!!

http://www.creativetimesmagazine.com/

**OCTOBERFEST & Halloween Specials**

Happy Monday Morning to you all!!

I wanted to share with you all about the up coming

'OCTOBER FEST' Month of October 2008**OCTOBERFEST & Halloween Specials**

http://www.theneverendingcraftshow.com/

What is "Never-Ending Online Craft Show "

It is :A very cool on-line craft show.. Shop 'til you Drop at the Never-Ending Online Craft Show Open 24/7/365

We have monthly seasonal and more themes..
I hope you will stop by THIS Wensday October 1st.

for our Octoberfest!

http://www.theneverendingcraftshow.com/

SympleTymes Never-Ending Online Craft Show Booth

http://www.123websiteservices.com/~craftsho/craftbooth566/index.php

Vintage Aging Tutorial

I'd like to share how I get a vintage aged look to my fabric. This is not a heavy aging or is it grunged..There is no coffee used in this aging method, There is a light clean smell of cinnamon and vanilla.

Just my own way of achieving a yesteryear look, Cloth that has been packed away for years and years.

Just a nice honey in color aged look . #1: Start In a large pan ,I used a dutch oven, Bring to boil Tea Bags use a good brand..(remember you get what you paid for :) I used Luzianna

#2: 12 Tea bags..fill pan 3/4 full with water...I do buy my Vanilla and Cinnamon at the dollar store and it works great...#3: Add Vanilla 3-4 Table Spoon..1/2 cup of Cinnamon

#4: Add your fabric.. Bring to a boil and then turn off heat. Let simmer about 30minutes.

*(If you want your fabric to be darker aged let steep in aging bath a hour or two)*

5: Using slit spoon remove from aging bath and place on to cookie sheet

#6: Run water in sink HOT and rinse fabric LIGHTLY

#7: Place fabric back on to cookie and then place in a pre-heated 250 oven NEVER LEAVE fabric while in oven..It will burn.. Turn fabric several times while in oven to keep from getting burned marks!! When fabric is still lightly damp remove from oven

#8: This is what it will look like.. See the Cinnamon that has dried on to the fabric.

#9: Now take a terry cloth towel and wrap it around your finger rubbing the Cinnamon into the fabric and also off the fabric as you go. #10: Now steam iron fabric dry #11: Here is the end results, Perfectly vintage aged fabric..

See the regular muslin..this is what it looked like before aging and the darker is after aging..This is the SAME cloth..This is what I use for my doll body's..

Perfectly vintage aged fabric..That smells fresh and clean too. #12: This picture shows you both sides of the printed fabric

This fabric is what I will use to dress my dolls...

*NOTE*: you will be saving your aging liquid after your finished with it in a container in the refrigerator ...Be sure to remove the tea bags first. Just bring to boil again when needed. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, If you have any question just email me or leave a comment...Hugs to all Sherrie

Miracle Messy Mixture

Goin through my notes I have saved over the years,I was so excited to have found the messy mixture!! Wanted to share this with you all Hugs Sherrie

The Cloth Doll Magazine, 1988"Miracle Messy Mixture "For Strengthing Cloth Doll Heads By: Helen Pringle a mixture of one half modeling paste and one half acrylic gel medium.Applie in multiple thin coats to the doll head and arms before thye are painted.The brand I use is Liquitex Modeling Paste and Liquitex Acrylic Gel Medium,available at most craft and art supply houses, (Arylic Matted Medium could be used in place of the Gel Medium,,But the Gel Medium makes a smoother mix which doesn't show brush marks)Buy the smallest sizes you can get, as the paste begins to harden once it is opened. Use a good brush and save it just for the mixture. I've tried every kind of brush , and found I prefer a 3/4 " soft nylon "exploded tip" as it seems to minimize brush marks and cleans easily. Cover your work surface witj plastic sheeting or newspaper. Mix well one part paste to one part medium in a clean, small glass jar with a tight fitting lid and a mouth wide enough to admit the brush easily such as a pimento jar,I add water sparinly, a few drops at a time, when the mixture begins to thicken. If too much water is added , poor adhesion will result ,Clean up is done with soap and water.The features and the shape of the head and arms are less likely to shift or flatten, as sometimes happens in old rag dolls painted directly on the cloth.The hardened surface makes an excellent base for the painting which follows , Whether using acrylics or oils.(Remember thta oils can cover acrylics, But not vice versa, If in doubt read the labels on the jars and tubes when painting .) While testing various under coatings, I always coated a head and then slammed it repeatedly into a table corner. Acrylic varnish cracked,gesso cracked, but not the "Miracle Messy Mixture ". The coated head finally tore. But even deep dents slowly healed,The purpose of this method is to prolon the life of the paint and to help avoid permanent dents,It is not meant to imitate other materials or mediums, or to fool any one.

Threadbare Primitives

http://www.threadbareprimitives.com/

I know many of you know this sweet gal, But for those who do not, I would like to introduce to you all a wonderful Primitives by Folk Art Artist Susan Dean Of "Threadbare Primitives "
I joined her newsletter some time ago, ! Threadbare Primitives is one of very favorites and of course I want to know Whats going on , when, what, and where, for each month!

So I joined Threadbare Primitives newsletter

This is what I want to share with you..Susan does the nicest thing for her customers who have joined her newsletter list (Like me tada~) after joining Threadbare Primitives newsletter you then will receive a Weekly Members Specials. In this newsletter will contain a link to a private page by which you may purchase a featured epattern for only $3.50. This is for a epattern only, NOT a paper pattern they are all awesome..here is a picture of this weeks special E-Pattern I bought for only $3.50

His name is "Chilly The SnowMan "He is 14 1/2 inches tall. Isn't he adorable! OK wait! PsSTTttStt there is more to::Not only do you receive a Weekly Members Specials ,BUT Susan also is offering Thank you for visiting my site! As a special "Thank You"Threadbare Primitives is offering this wonderful ePattern for only $3.50 Hurry and download it while you can... Susan Dean Of "Threadbare Primitives " Does change her patterns often. Once the Pattern changes it is no longer available at the special price. Santa and Ginger 12 inches sitting..

*************

Also tonight I bought "Penguin Pin Keep Doll

E-Pattern Price $8.99 Pattern"8" tall (seated) Penguin Pin Keep is wonderful for ANY holiday is what I'm thinking !! Reason why I love Susan's patterns they are just so whimsy . yet Prim and diffently Folk Art all rolled in to one! I 'm creating him for my daughter for Christmas..He will hold all her quilting pins and looks so cute! I will post a picture of him when he is finished..But isn't he just the sweetest!

You know me, When I love some thing and believe in it with my whole heart... whether its new technique or what some else created, or a Great Auction or Charity Auction what ever it might be.Whether I know the person or not... I can't wait to tell you all about it, Why you ask?.. Because I care, People can bless your socks off.... but if you don't tell some else about them ....well it just isn't the same unless you do!! So Run on over to Threadbare Primitives and take a look your self and join Threadbare Primitives newsletter to, http://www.threadbareprimitives.com/ It is so informative. Hugs to all Sherrie

Rainbows-End

What a wonderful find!! A quilting shop about 5 miles from where we live..My daughter took me here a couple weeks ago, Of course even though I have been several time since I have yet to see the entire shop! Already have asked Santa for a bit early Christmas present..Soon they will starting a new beginners learn to quilt class! I want to take it for sure. and I have been a good girl this year..Though Santa says Good is Good, But ... Bad is better...:)

All classes are held at the store intheir 3,500sq ft Classroom. Hope I don't get lost :)
I really love their fabrics, They have my favorite section of Repro Civil War era.. Gosh Golly can you imagine owning your very own quilting shop..Just think of all the awesome dolls one could create whoa! Their prices are not to bad. Because it is such awesome qualityFor some of my creations this is a real treat to just run up to the store and pick out and buy.Sure beats eBay!! Waiting for it to arrive in the mail box.

luscious embellishments oh my!! I quess I will have to go back to work to support my habit

Any ways here is a bit of info about the shop for any one who is interested:

I hope you enjoyed seeing my new find wowzers

Hugs Sherrie

Rainbows End is the largest quilt shop in the State of Florida. We have an ever growing collection of fabrics, books, supplies, and classes since we opened in a 1982. .Following is a brief description of what you'll find in our store. We invite you to browse our pages and if you see something of interest feel free to call we are always happy to take phone orders. Or E-mail us when your looking for that right Book, Fabric, Pattern, Stencils, Notion, Quilting Software, or what ever it is. Look no further We have over 16,000 bolts of 100% cotton fabric, including an extensive line of flannels, Liberty of London, Momen House, Japanese fabric, Australian and British fabrics, more than 700 books, and we also have numerous patterns including a large number of paper piecing books and patterns. We carry EQ4, Block Base, Quilt Pro, Foundation Factory by Quilt Pro, and Sew Precise computer software. Ours is the best selection of notions, trims and stencils available. We have a complete line of Silk Ribbon embroidery including books, kits, and supplies and ribbon in all sizes and colors including hand dyed. Also, wire ribbon books, ribbon, patterns, supplies, and kits. We are an authorized Elna dealer and service center. We sell and service Pfaff + Elna Sewing machines, Presses, Sergers, and Computer Software for Elna computerized sewing machines. Our classes are taught by local, national, and international teachers. So, come in or call to take advantage of our complete quilt shop...

create a doll for the " Doll Challenge"

Common for some fun Take a break from making your orders.. summer heat.. give your self a break and have some fun all for your self!!! TaDa~~ I just joined in on this Doll Challenge Denise is having.. Ever feel ya just need to just flat our cut loose and let the ole creative juices go and be wild n fun Well this Doll Challenge is right up me ole alley so common join me I promise we will have FUN!!!!!and Hey just a note I'm just letting you all know not because I have ANYTHING to do with this Doll Challenge.. I'm just excited about it and you all know what happens to me when I get excited!!!I RUN to me ole blog and blabber away!!* Bugs Bunny Voice
*An Thats all folks* Sherrie

Here are the rules of the contest:
Use any of my patterns to create a doll for the challenge. It can be a pattern you have bought from me or one of my patterns you have from a magazine. If you aren't sure of the name of the pattern, go to http://www.thecatspyjamaspatterns.com/ to search.

When your doll is completed, send the following information:
1. One photo of your finished doll
2. Name of the pattern you used
3. Your name & business name
4. Link to your website, or Blog if you have one

You may send photos through Sept. 30.

I will post photos of the entries on this page as I receive them.
http://www.thecatspyjamas.com/pages/dollchallenge2007.php

Voting will begin on Oct.1
and will continue through October 14.

The person with the most votes will receive a credit for $20 towards any patterns on my website.
Only one entry per person.
Send all entries & inquiries to denise@thecatspyjamas.com

ALL LINKS

I have created Artisans Chronicles to share my wonderings

Why did I name it Artisans Chronicles..WellPPppP
I love to relax with a special cuppa of my favorite ,,and have down time..relaxing time
I put on good music and let my fingers do the walking..
Next thing I know my body is so relaxed and I am in Artisans Chronicles ...

It is so neat to look at others creations, their talents, the colors they choose, (Just to name a few things)
I always leave comments to the artists on how much I enjoyed looking at their new wares..new blog..new web site..new patterns on and on! After all they deserve to be told how truly wonderful their creations/talents really are..

I also LOVE to research every thing about the history of our dolls. Example Izanna Walker Dolls, Edith Flack Ackley Dolls early 1700s - 1940's

Its a whole new world..Its like window shopping..It just inspires and makes ya get a huge wish list going..I always say man thats the type of dolls I want to make..Well here goes the wish list..Or better yet set goals!! So now you have it
http://ArtisansChronicles.blogspot.com/
This New Blog is dedicated to every ones moments of" Artisans Chronicles "
Email me if you would like to be added Or Have a favorite you would like added
I will be adding more and updating....
I hope you all enjoy !!
Hugs Sherrie
http://ArtisansChronicles.blogspot.com/

Nice Matters Award!!!

WOW ! What a surprise!! I am so honored!!I have been tagged by a "Nice Matters Award " Thank You my sweet friend ~Peanut~Alrighty now I must name five to seven people that I believe deserves this award, Which is going to be hard, Because their truly are many loving and caring people in this wonderful world of Art!

So many have shared with me and others... their talents, giving ,supporting each other and encouraging!!

Naming these people is a honor for me to do!

Tenderarts~Bettsi McComb

DanniellesArtyParty~Dannielle

ClothMatters2Connie McBride Johnson

Atticbabies~Nan

DesignsByKat~Kathy Lees

Softinthehead~P.K.Gracia

AtticRoseCreations~Kerry Seymour