"I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma." ~Eartha Kitt~

A few trims and fabrics I picked up this weekend

Happy first day of April everyone:) Thank you all for the feedback regarding my latest dolls! I will still be making my usual style dolls but will be experimenting here and there when I get a chance. I don't want to get stuck doing the same thing over and over and I think that was the overwhelming feeling I was experiencing last week (and some of this week).
Also I wanted to clarify something~I love painting my dolls faces (though it's occasionally it's a minor struggle). I didn't like painting back when I had to take classes in college ~my paintings just turned into mud and it felt very unnatural pushing paint around on a canvas. It's nice to have been able to come back to it via another route. I'm learning with each doll I create.I feel like I'm going through another growth spurt if you will. That, on top of being a perfectionist, can lead to me just having to put away my work and come back to it later. Thank you for your patience!

Speaking of learning..I start my beginning sewing class this Thursday! Sewing was also one of those skills had no desire to learn until I started making dolls. To be honest I grew up thinking  of sewing as  an old fashioned skill//hobby that only old ladies did :) Now looking back I wish I had taken it up early in life. Having this skill just opens up so many possibilities i the world of creativity.

So, in order to continue on and create the dolls I want I felt it was about time I learned the basics. Don't expect to see my dolls in haute couture anytime soon though..maybe down the road if I'm still on friendly terms  with my sewing machine :) My class lasts six weeks and if there is a follow up class I expect I'll be enrolling in that as well ( I'd like to learn to create my own patterns too).

 

Above:one of my catalogs and new fabric~I'd like to make doll dresses in similar styles to Anthropologie

We had a great time in rainy Portland this weekend:) As you can see I had to hit my favorite fabric store..after two hours I still had not seen everything but had to leave as my eyes were tired from scanning all of the gorgeous fabrics. I have to admit that I was sort of disappointed that I wasn't able to get my favorite fabrics. It seemed each time I found something amazing I had to do a double take at the price. They were all between  $45-$195 a yard..gulp.. I did splurge a little on some trim though:)

   

We got lost on our way to the Childrens Museum and had to drive through this cemetery ~ I had to get a shot of this beautiful sculpture

If you are ever in Portland ,with kids, you must visit the Children's Museum. We went to the city this weekend without any plans but knew we had to take Andres here .They were having a Bob the Builder display and being a curious boy we thought he'd enjoy it. After spending all morning and early afternoon there I don't know who was more worn out~me and Mark or Andres! There were so many stations and displays~ all interactive and we didn't have to worry about telling him not to touch anything.We did have to remind him about sharing though..:)

We found out that the characters from Star Wars were going to be making an appearance at a meet and greet there and that turned out to be a huge hit with Andres. We were at the end of an empty hallway looking at a dollhouse display when the elevator opened and out came a storm trooper with Chewbacca (wrong floor). I wish I had taken a picture of Andres's expression~his mouth dropped open and he grabbed my pant leg.So much for telling him Star Wars is just a movie..

 

I wish I more images to show but I didn't take very many pictures this weekend as I just wanted to enjoy what we were doing without lugging my heavy camera around :)

Thank you to those who bid on my Frida and Diego Cigar Box  and for helping out an organization in need! I won one of the shrines I bid on and look forward to keeping it as a reminder of the children who will be helped through this auction. Thank you Rebecca for all of your efforts!

That's it for now..back to dollmaking :) See you soon..oh and for those who are asking, I don't know when the next update will be . If you'd like to be the first to hear, you can sign up for my mailing list (info is in the right column). Enjoy your Wednesday ~