I have made my first Izannah Walker doll. I have researched and looked at pics etc. The orginal doll had a molded face, where cotten and cloth were pressed into a mold with glue and then the faces were painted etc. I drafted my pattern to be something like an Izannah, since I have never seen one in person to know the measurements or anything. So I am guessing at the size head and did the body accordingly. If anybody has an orginal Izannah please email me if you would like to give me some stats.

I made a rag doll body like the ones I saw on the web. I gave the knee and calves a little shape and extend her booty a bit lol. Then I covered her entire head and chest with air dry clay and molded her face the best I could, since I am new at this. I should have looked at a pic but oh well, this is only the first one.

I will gesso her head and breast plate and paint her in acrylics, make her clothes and post another pic of her when I finish. I still have to do her thumbs, they are seperate and added after the hand is complete. I noticed when I posted the pics that one of her legs was sewed accross a bit higher. I have fixed it lol.

It took me all day saturday to make the patterns but once finished, I made the doll right away and did the sculpting today. It was fun.

Update: I have been busy learning to sculpt, small stuff that is. If I disappear for while, take heart as I am working on stuff lol.

In my spare time, not to be totally craftless, I have been trying my hand at clay modeling. I am going to make the Goblin Princess and need some goblins....well to tell the real truth, I did want to sculpt a pretty face. Well, all I could get were these goblins hahahahha....but that's ok, I love them. These are originals and I will cast papers masks off them and make my goblins....





In the top pic, the white goblins are curved out of styrofoam and cover with glued on cotten. The rest are super sculpty.

This was not the second lesson. This was the way I decided to go lol. This is the famos Baby Surprise Jacket (BSJ) from one of the EZ books. It is made like nothing you have ever made. There are just two seams to sew together and they are at the shoulder. The jacket is all made in one piece. I think it is the most adorable thing I have seen yet and it will grace the body of one of my dolls no doubt. I will just have to make a special fairy or troll or whatever. I have also learned to knit the continental way. So now I knit with both hands. I did use the both the book and the dvd to make this jacket.

Oh, I ordered some more doll patterns last night lol. I want to try the celluclay/fabric mask. You make a mold of the face out of super sculpty, bake it (I think) then you cast your mask off of that with the celluclay and then you cover the mask with fabric...and another doll is born. I want to make an ugly doll, like the ones they sell on ebay hahahahahahaha

So long for now, need to check my order and make sure I ordered the correct stuff, it was kinda late.....

Just a quick note. I did a quick page on MSN for my quilts as I have lost the earthlink page. The link is listed on the right on this page, under links.

The knitting fever has struck again lol. I am now having classes with EZ at home from her dvd's.

Last night I did the first project and knitted into the wee hours of the morning, 4 am to be exact lol.

I went to bed got up at noon and started the hat again and finished at 5 pm, all the while watching the dvd's of all the other classes. The color knitting was easy....

Side view of the hat and the true color.
Worn pulled down low.
A little higher.

The back of the hat. Neat isn't it?

I had one of my painting fits and just had to paint a skein of cotten "Bernat Yarn". I am dyeing to dye yarn but don't relish the thought of boiling, steaming or microing it after. There has to be a better way. So anyway, off I went outside in the blazing sun with my acrylics , mixed with fabric medium and did my thing. Here it is all tied up in sections and washed and damp.

All painted up.. BTW, that table consists of wooden planks on two horses. Those blanks have been soaking up paint now for quite a while. They are a bit of art all by themselves lol.

Drying on the line. It looks like A calypso. Hmm I wonder what I will make out of it. It's a huge skein.

Here it is, all dried by baking in the sun and drying in the dryer. I used DecoArt acrylics mostly and their fabric medium, as you can see the colors are very bright as they have good pigment. I try to use up all my oldest paints or almost empty bottles...so nothing goes to waste. Painting yarn or fabric for quilting or art, is a good way. One just needs to remember, when using acrylics, to paint fabric or yarn, to add fabric medium to retain softness. Once washed and dried, the color is there to stay and you have something unique and orginal to work with.

I will wash it in a couple of days and then decide what to do with it. I kinda like painting yarn. ...it's easy...one has so much control. Now I have all those tubs of fabric dye powder, that I have never opened. I need to sell them on ebay.

I was laughing so much at 3 am when I finished this piece. I started it about 9pm and was bound and determined to finish it to see if I have really arrived at being at intermediate knitter. I think I have. I followed the instruction to a T and it worked. This is an old pattern designed by a knitting Icon to the world of knitting, "Elizabeth Zimmermann". I now own 3 of her fun stuff- to- knit books. I love old time stuff, especially if they make sense and serve a purpose. I have always admired the ingenuity and talents of the 14 to 15 century folks and of course some other centuaries. I am a history buff to say the least. Remember when the soldiers back then wore those mail armours to protect themselves? The head covering was like a cap with a point and made out out of mail. Later on the same style was used for a winter hat or a sleep cap. Liz called this particular one, "Maltese Fisherman Hat.This is a pic of it before felting.

In order to felt, you put the item in the washer in hot water and let it agitate for 6 min. checking it now and then as each type of wool felts differently...when it is felted to your satisfaction, rinse and spin dry. Oh it is in a pillow case the whole time it is washing. Then it's time to block it into shape. Notice now how all the holes are gone and the yarn has closed tightly. If you were to wear this cap in the snow. The snow or damp or rain would not penetrate....weren't the old ones smart? I mean, a sheep is alway dry true? This process can only be done with 100% wool. I had such fun doing this. This little hat is perfect for a night cap in the winter when your head gets cold. I love the little point. The flaps cover your ears and the the nap in back covers your neck...just perfect.

The cap is knitted in one piece. My kind of deal.

Isn't it cute.

Blog for today part 2

I was so tired after convention that I decided to paper the kitchen finally. This job has been waiting for me for two or three months now.

Finally the house is done. Then I was even more tired so the next day I decided to finish out two lines of paints by Deka. One line was for silk and the other for fabric. I was limited to just a few that I had left so off I went. I just starting tearing off 1 1/4 yard pieces to more or less, some 2 yards from a roll of fpd (fabric prepared for dying). I would wash 7 pieces and hang on the line. I don't know why I did that as I had to dampen them anyway lol. I had the one large line going and 4 smaller ones on the other side lol. I would wash, paint, hang and overpaint some. The day was hot and windy and I got a good tan. I am now overtired lol.




Here are some close ups of the painted fabrics. The silk paint on cotten came out very very nice indeed. I like. The fabric paint was also very nice. Now I have gotten rid of two lines of paint that I didn't really need and before they got too old and nothing got wasted. I have read on the web that hand painted fabric sells for about 30.00 per yard. I think I will try selling some on ebay but a bit more reasonable.

I put the whole mess out every day to bake in the sun.

I will wash them after a few day or weeks when the mood strikes. I have at least 260 yard painted so far and have a basket washed and folded. I have lot to wash. Some of the fabric is for actually framing as they have lots of texture and those won't be washed. Percy's coat is made out of some of that fabric, the soft ones that is.

These are also considered my dark line more or less. You must have darks to show light right?

I think I'll rest over the weekend and do my knitting on Lyra.

Convention part 1 blog

As you all know I went to the NSTDP convention. I forgot how hard it was to work one of these so this was my last one lol. I only had time to take a couple pictures as we were so busy. I was in the selling booth. Here is a pic of my painted and hand made Percy. They put him on the top of the booth and he was a hit. He sold lots of paint.








I was able to take pics of these wonderful carved wooded Santas painted by the Russians and up on display.

And a wonderful coffee table painted by David Jansen. The bottom pic is the waterfront by the convention.

I have started the Lyra. I have ripped the Lyra several times lol....but never mind, I have decided to do a Lyra out of a heavy yarn with a larger needle. I have done this to help me see the stitches and understand the pattern. I won't bore you with referring to myself as a beginner anymore lol. Instead I will say that I am unfamilier with lace knitting.



I used a cotten like Peaches and Cream or Sugar and Spice, or Lion Brand cotten. It is verigated and it is a 4 ply, ww, 100% cotten. I named several companies because the lable fell off this skein so I don't know exactly which one it is but they are all the same and very absorbent. This is the cotten that you would knit dish cloths and bathroom rugs out of and its very enjoyable to knit with.



This is what it looks like so far at round 35 and it measures 18 inches accross at this point. There are 179 rounds in this pattern. At some point if it gets way too large for a rug, I will have to think of what else to do with it. Maybe a beach wrap, did I mention is was a very absorbent cotten lol. I love the rug. I love it a lot. I thought some of the detail would be lost but it hasn't. I would knit it in a plain color next time and use a # 3 or 4 needle instead of the seven.

Here is another pic of the middle.


And a detail close-up. Notice the fabric behind it. This is some of my painted fabric that I paint in acrylics, when the mood strikes.

Now here is the lace doily so far at round 26. When I reach round 35 of the rug. I will start the rug again for 10 rounds and to back to the doily and so on until both are finished.



I pinned it real quickly so it's not so round but you can see so far. I am not missing a single stitch but have noticed a couple place where a thread is bit screwry but nothing to write home about. I am sure it will block just fine and will be hidden. I am not ripping lol. This is my first real lace and so far so good.

I am using a huge ball of Royal cotten in a size 10 and a #2 needle. I am using two circulars. I can't deal with DPN's. I learned this technique doing socks on two circulars and apply it to all things knitted in the round. I am using the Knit-Pics needles that one can change the cable size and have the 40 inch cables on the rug doily so I can spread it out now and then and have a good look at it.

If at any time the cable comes out of the needle, KP's will replace the cable for free and you can also glue the cable back using Gorilla glue. I have done it and it works as I love these needles. They come in a beautiful multi wood tone and nickle plated. I will use one of each if I have them to mark the first round. I just got my last order of more needles.

I am uploading two more pics at a higher resolution just to see if they are better on the web.

I have finished the Hemlock Ring. This will be a short post. I will write more later.

Ok, it's later and I can write more. I got inspired to do this Hemlock Ring from Jared's blog, which was brought to my attention from Fibermania's blog lol.

To answer your questions, I used the same yarn Jared did. Cascade Ecological Wool in "Latte" (8063). I had no clue as to what I was doing. I joined the Yahoo Groups and wrote to People and downloaded tips and etc. I got some very appreciated help.

I washed the Hemlock in the wool stuff and pinned it out on one on my beds to block it. Then, since Jared's looked so crisp, I was sure he ironed it. I didn't ask lol. I just jumped right in. I use a double pillow case and steam ironed it and I guess it was ok to do that. I love it!

I had a difficult time as I consider myself a beginner, having only knitted two pairs of sock and a sweater. Maybe something else that I can't remember at the moment.

This was a very enjoyable project, once the understanding got in and the light came on lol.

I have developed this passion all of a sudden. Like I need a new hobby? Oh what the hell, why not?


I have now discovered the Herbert Niebling doily patterns and they are to die for and sooo hard to get and sooo expensive on ebay...but I have friends in high places hahahahah

Soooooo my next project is already on the needles. "Frosted Ferns" and when I am done with that, I will have enough guts to try the "Lyra" that the whole knitting web is doing. I will post these as I go along.

For all the painting fanatics. As you all know or may not know. The NSTDP will be hosting the convention in Tampa Fla this year. I will be working in the DecoArt boothe and may be demonstrating but definately selling paint. I love to sell...come and get your fix, ask me about any product and I will enlighten you lol.

Here is the link for the Classes and teachers.

http://www.decorativepainters.com/

I will be making some special garments for the convention. Remember all that fabric I painted (200 yards) I will be making some reall explosive coloratic long vests to wear. You will see it first here though.

I will get my creative juice flowing shortly and make a mess lol and will keep you updated.....

I have reached knitting Nirvana finally!! The light has come on and I can see at last. I am knitting Jared’s Hemlock Ring and I am delirious!! You non knitters may laugh but let me tell you, it doesn’t get any better than this. What was that saying about the soul of an artist? Yeh, well, in this case it all pertains to the creative within. That’s where the high is.

Allow me to explain: I am a beginner knitter and have always wanted to really learn how. I mean the hard stuff. Some weeks ago I discovered Brooklyntweed, the blog of Jared and Hemlock Ring, Na Craga etc. I went nuts. I just had to make that HR. I trolled the web like a hooker


in search of instruction. I joined a Yahoo group. I downloaded any and everything I could find and put in all in my binder. Then I proceeded to read and was so lost.

I read for days. Then I decided to jump in and to hell with everything. I knitted into the wee hours of the morning (try 4am). I ripped and reknitted and ripped some more. I was beside myself. And then it happened, suddenly, I knew how to go about it and understood everything. I am on row 31 and just a few more rows to 46 , where I have to switch to Jared’s chart. I think I’ll be ok lol.

Jared took an antique doily and modified it to make a throw, knitting it with eco wool and it is just stunning. He made it larger and offers the chart he made to help and if you are an experience knitter who can read charts, you are lucky lol. The link is below. I can't seem to make it come up here for some reason lol.



Jared's link


http://tinyurl.com/3487ww


Here is what I have done so far. It looks like a lump of poop but it is correct. I count every row to make sure of it and have now marked the points. The bump you see in the middle is ok. It will flatten out when it is blocked. I will have to do some research on blocking. Jared’s looks like it’s ironed. I will keep you updated as I knit along. If anyone is doing this HR, please feel free to add some comments or tips.

On a sofer note (since I'm so hyped on the HR). I have finally taken all my angels down and given them a bath and installed them all around the ceiling in the reading room (guest room for people I love). Here they are getting washed and rinsed.

Here they all are ready for a hanging lol.

My wonderful birdhouse came yesterday and I have been admiring it for two days. I can't wait to take paint and brush to it and paint birds, flowers, grapes, leaves and maybe a cat...

Here is another view. It's about 44 inches tall and about 33 inches around. I love it! As I am looking at these two pics, I realize, that I did not finish hanging the chandelier ornaments back lol. Oh my, they still need to be washed hahahahahahh.

I didn't neglect my bread making either. I mixed up a new batch last night and today we have pumpernickle, I think. lol


I added spelt four, rye and stoned ground whole wheat and the usual ground flax and sunflower seed, cocoa, black strap molasses, caraway seeds and golden raisens. It tastes great. I am debating weather I need the cocoa and the molasses, just in order to get the color?

Here is my patch of Orange Marmalade. I had to open one and taste it with my new patch of Artisian bread that I make every two days lol. I never stick to any recipe, that's why you see the stuff in it. I grind the flax seed and add and then some sunflower seeds, a few golden raisens and I think this one has some cranberries.

In the back you see some Spelt four, rye and stone ground wheat and you know I am going to continue to mess with that Artisian recipe some more lol. I also mix it differently. Instead of mixing in 6 cups of four, I do four so I can add my stuff later, while the mixing is still in the easy stage. I let it rise two hours or so and put it in the frig overnignt. Next day I throw in my stuff and the other 2 cups of four and let it rise again and put it back in the frig sometimes....or make a loaf.

I have to thank Fibermania for that wonderful, no-knead recipe and so on. I also save money as I spend about 3.00 a loaf for good bread from the bakery and my bread is soooo much better with home made jam...lol

I think I will have to make another batch of orange marmalade. This batch looks a bit small and while I still have oranges on the trees and hubby willing to pick and wash them.

I use sure-jell and the recipe is right in the box. It's not hard. So now we have Kumquat, Orange, Guava, Strawberry, Cranberry in the pantry.

I am still busting my chops on the broad spiral knit socks in that sock book. I am working the short rows for the heel turn. She says to inc after the sl st and then the usual dec at the end of the short row and turn. Sl, inc and so on. If you do that, you never arrive at the 14 stitches you are supposed to be left with as you are inc before each of the last two repeat rows....I may be new to knitting but this certainly doesn't make sense. Anyway, to hell with it. I did the heel without the inc's and came out with the 14 stitches. I still have to wonder what the deal is though. Here is a pic of the devil spiral sock top...


Here is the heel turn, it looks small.
I went to the library yersterday in search of knitting and found these books. I have already maked some uniqued patterns for copying.

Oh thank God. I had written this entire post with pic and everything and then blogger decided to die and everything was lost after all that work. I was cussing up a storm. But lo and behold I just came back and blogger had saved everything. I now have to take every cuss work back. Well this was the blog, read on.....


I almost missed the strawberry season lol. It was one of those crazy windy, and bad storm coming days yesterday. Of course I had to run out and do my errands and beat the storm. Well, I have to have some excitement in my life right? Anyway, I dashed into the veggie stand, got my veggies and a flat of late straberries....

I started immediately, less I procrastinate and loose most of them. I washed and hulled them and washed them again. I only lost about 8 and that's not too bad.

Then I crushed the berries with a potatoe masher, added 3 cubes of lemons (I sqeeze fresh lemons and freeze them in ice trays and bag them). I cooked two patches of jam. I added some natural apple pectin along with the sure jell. I did one with the less sugar jell and one with the normal amount of sugar jell. I can't tell the difference.



Out of a flat of strawberries, I got 13 pints. My cost for the berries and sugar and sure jell, $23.00, not including the jars, which I use over and over and I wish some of my dear friends would bring my jars back or buy me a case of them hahahahhahah...

Anyway, I checked on ebay. One jar of 16 oz. Tennessee strawberry jam sells for 5.49 and 10.49 to ship, wow.

I consider Smuckers a good brand of jam and an 18 oz jar of that cost 7.50 on line. So lets say that my cost would be 2.00 a jar and would retail for 6.00 a jar, I would make a 58.00 profit...would I make them to sell? Nope, I'm retired but I' tickled at the thought to have an "A" class jam for a song and for that I don't mind the work.

I now have in my pantry: Cumquat, Cumquat+Kewi (to die for), Strawberry, Cranberry, Pineapple (from my own yard yet). I still have to do my orange marmalade (from my trees) and blueberries. These and Kwie jam are all I will make, unless some exotic fruit comes along.

I have made pear jam and stopped because my son will eat the entire jar at one sitting and never gain an ounce of weight and that in my opinion defeats the delicacy of having a pear jam so fine and wonderful, now and then lol....it is to be savored not swallowed lol. I would make it again if I found some pears worth the effort.

All my pineapple jam is gone and only have two jars of cranberry left. We do savor those as the cranberries are expensive and you can only get them at Thanksgiving. I missed the blueberry sale at the Mormon church but will try real hard the next time. That is one great jam. No kewi is left either but will watch the sale on those and make some. All my jams are use multi-purpose. I use them to make ice-cream, cakes, jam rolls or just toppings. I have never seen pear or kewi jam anywhere for sale, so they must be a specialty. Kewi jam is to die for.

I couldn't help myself today. I was reading on my favorite blog, Fibermania, about Artisian bread. She made this yummy loaf. I didn't buy the book as I had to have the bread now. I did some research and came to the conclusion that in order to make this type of bread, two things had to happen. The way the dough is mixed and the way it is baked.

I took the basics and did my thing. The main thing with the artisian bread is a very crusty crust and lots of holes in the bread to make it airy. So what you do is put the flour in the bowl, make a well. pour some warm water in the middle, dump some yeast and sugar and stir it up, it's kinda sticky and runny but that's good. I covered it and went out with my friend Gloria. I came back after 3 hours and the dough was all bubbly. I put the rest of the four in, added some ground flax seeds, sunflower whole seeds and a few golden raisens, made one large round loaf ...flung it on my stone and baked it in a 450 degree oven with a pan of hot boiling steaming water on the bottom shelf of the oven.

That also helps with the crust. Well looks like the bread came out great. The two main things to make this type of bread is: the way yu mix it in the beginning and the water on the bottom shelf. The water must be boiling and steaming before you put the bread in and that is what make the crusty crust. Now I waited a whole 15 minutes before I cut into it. It baked perfect and the crust is crusty and it is delicious butttttt there are no holes (I almost wrote ho's ) ahahahahh. I guess I need to let it rise a second time and divide the dough in half so it can have room to grow. more.