Friday 25 May 2012

Curls

Picked these up whilst I was having my hair done the other day. 

Long luscious curls... are you thinking what I am thinking...

"ARIELLA!"

I haven't done one yet so maybe it's time I did!

Thursday 24 May 2012

Cora Goes Home

Another of the things I love about working in the dolly world is the friendships you make, how you end up meeting people you might never have come across just because they have seen and liked your work.  

Cora for intance has gone home to someone I didn't know but whom I believe I have developed a real friendship with and that makes me happy.   Quite often when I send a doll home to a new owner, its to never hear from that person again or sometimes only to hear from them when they want another baby made, but as a person and an artist it's a great feeling to know you have a connection with your customer. 

Cora arrived home very quickly,  well done City Link, less than 24 hours!  That's pretty darn good going so definitely a recommendation for their services from me!

And I have received a positive message from Cora's new mum, so all in all, a jolly super day... What What! 


Cora was created from a "First Love" kit sculpted by Ruth Annette of Simply Reborn Ltd.

Tuesday 8 May 2012

Christine's First Bloxwich Doll Show - May 2012

I'm not a morning person, I'm really not, my family will tell you that they often have to crowbar me out of bed, which gives you some idea of how bad I am. I often drive to dollshows in remote control, but this Sunday I was up and about, bright eyed and bushy tailed. Yes, hard to believe I know, but nevertheless... true!

It took me an hour and a half to drive to the venue and I really enjoyed the drive, most of the time when you are driving up a motorway you have to concentrate so hard and keep your eyes on what the other drivers are doing you miss out on what's going on around you. But it was so quiet on the roads I actually got to look about and enjoy it. Obviously taking pictures was out of the question... I'm not suicidal but I was passing such lush green fields and fields full of rape seed blossom, it was truly beautiful.

My friend Christine held her first doll show in Bloxwich on the 6th May, I have to say I was blown away by the venue, it was this lovely modern building set in the back of a residential area, looking at it from outside you could tell it was going to be nice inside.  There was plenty of free parking and easy access into the hall for stallholders, so getting set up was literally a breeze.

The hall was bright and light with lots of windows and high ceiling and a lovely bouncy laminate floor, fancy a tango anyone?

There was plenty of stand space available. The venue had the benefit of a staffed Bistro serving great food, I had Fish, chips and peas for the very reasonable price of £2.50!

Not to mention the very nice seating area in the Bistro looking out onto the piece de resistance, a canal complete with peacefully sleeping ducks.  It was just a beautiful idyllic setting for a doll show.  

Obviously running a stall meant I couldn't take advantage of a sit down in the Bistro nor the chance to chill out by the water and watch the ducks. But I really really wanted to. 

 
I mean, come on, a doll show, a fabulous setting, great food, all in one place. What is not to like!

The Bloxwich venue has already been rebooked for next year, 12th May 2012, put the date in your calendars and come and enjoy this show. I've already booked my tables!  Well done Christine on such a cracking show.

Brighton Doll Festival 2012

Oh wow, I can't believe I didn't get around to doing a write up about my day at the Brighton Doll Festival... I managed to get my lovely hubby to come with me to keep me company, I decided that it was worth a night at a Premier Inn so that we didn't have to do a really long drive early in the morning.  I don't do 5am... not if I can help it, as someone else said very recently 'I didn't realise there were two 5 o'clocks in the day'.  

So after a very relaxing evening, a wonderful hot shower (love Premier Inn showers, I swear I stay in them just for the shower) and a good nights sleep in a very comfortable bed. Different room this year so we didn't have the annoying hum from the generator on the roof and a cracking breakfast in the hotel restaurant, we set off to set up at the show.

This year was a new venue, a totally different area of Brighton to the Racecourse, I have to say that even though it was a bit chilly in the hall, not that we weren't warned about that and I was wearing a fairly toasty fleece, it was a nice venue, easy to find, a big airy open hall.  Hopefully next year there will be more stallholders which will help the hall to feel a little smaller. But spacewise there was plenty of room and no one could complain about being cramped. 



Ceinwen Clark - Looks innocent doesnt she!
This is my stand set up on the day. 

As usual the event ran like clockwork, Ceinwen had everything organised and under control and running with military precision. I swear she was a drill sergeant in a previous life! But in organising shows this trait can only be a good thing!




Diane's new toy


I did giggle watching my friend Diane snaffle her new baby a vintage pram, she had the biggest smile. Heaven knows where she is going to put it!

Ceinwen has said that the show in 2013 will be held in the same venue which I can say I will be looking forward to, another night in a Premier Inn and a great day out with dolly friends.

Thursday 3 May 2012

Andrew ~ WIP

I fell in love with this kit before it was ever even created as a kit, when Nicole Russell shared her pictures of the OOAK of the Brayden sculpt, I knew at that point that I was seeing something special and I have to admit I have not been disappointed.  


Quite often when an OOAK goes from OOAK to kit, something gets lost in translation, size, detail, something.  But this time was different, the kit came out as beautifully as the OOAK itself.
 
I really took my time with the painting on this little lad and he is a boy, his face just screams boy to me. Now that the painting is complete apart from eyebrows, I won't do those until after his hair is rooted, I really like to get a good colour match with the eyebrows and I don't feel I can until after all the hair is rooted in. 

So Andrew as I am tentatively naming him will be joining the rooting queue, unless of course a prospective buyer comes along who wants him, then he will jump the queue and get done quicker. So if that new owner is you give me a shout and we can get this little man rooted quicker AND you can choose the hair colour.


Otherwise I think I will attempt to get this little fellow finished in time for the upcoming Discover Dolls Show at Peterborough in June.