Mermaid!

It took me the better part of a month to pull this one together, but there will definitely be more mermaids in my future!

Sweet Pea really enjoyed helping me decide on the details - and I think she did a great job suggesting just the right amount of sparkle.

Everything came together pretty much perfectly. I'm very happy with all of it!

Now I have a custom doll on the go, and then some Easter stuff to complete. I'm pretty pumped about the custom doll - it will be a 14" boy with mixed rainbow hair. Should be pretty cute. He's already got a head!

I *should* be making dolls . . .

. . . but lately I've been knitting!
I've had a lot of things on needles. Things just sitting. Things in progress. And as of late, I've been finishing so many of them up! I finished socks, fingerless mittens, and a toddler sweater in the last week. IN THE LAST WEEK!! And it feels awesome to have that off my plate.

But now it's time to focus on dolls again. Because the whole one a week goal . . . well, it's not happening.
I have a mermaid who is just a few days away from completion. There is a custom doll in the works. Given that Easter is coming, I would really like to make some bunny suited dolls, too. There should be new dolls to show soon!

Priscilla - the first doll of 2012

Priscilla - a lovely 10" jointed doll for a young lady who very much enjoys skulls.

And here she is with her hair down.
I love the look of a head of boucle (curly) hair. Priscilla used up the remainder of my favourite colour of boucle too -- and I think it looks amazing on her!

Coming up for air

It was a thrilling and busy holiday season for Making Friends this year! A big thank you is owed for the support of so many wonderful customers.

Everyone got their orders in time for their gatherings, and I can finally re-organize all my supplies and sit down with a nice cup of tea and just . . . relax.

Here are some of the dolls and toys turned out this year - some were finished and shipped so fast I didn't even get pictures!

 It's been a fantastic year, and I've really enjoyed making some well-appreciated toys. Looking forward to next year!
I'll be adding mermaids to the Waldorf line, and monkeys will available for purchase too!

November already.

The holiday rush never ceases to catch me off-guard. Suddenly things are blowing up and orders are coming in and I'm fielding inquiries and it's just so crazy! Every year I think "I'll get an earlier start next year -- build up some shop stock . . . it'll be fine next year. I'll be prepared." And then WHAM-O! It seems the holiday rush starts a little earlier every year, too.
And on that note - I am deep in the throes of Holiday doll-making!
Zero hour (last chance to ship pre-Christmas) is just 10 weeks away, and I have 9 orders to fill between now and then. Some of them I can share with you as they are completed. Some of them I won't to maintain the surprise factor for customers who prefer to be surprised.

Delivery is already underway for holiday orders. There was the pink spotted puppy.

And there was a local delivery of a soft-sculpture doll.

And just today, I finished up Clara:

Clara was all too happy to pose for the camera this morning.
Doesn't she look great in her mermaid style skirt?

 I'm very much looking forward to the reactions of all these kids when they get their new friends!

With helpers like these . . .

Sometimes I'm surprised I can get anything done in the course of a day.
I have two small, creative, inquisitive children. Sweet Pea (age 3) wants to help. With everything. All the time. Sometimes that works out nicely - like the day I was wrestling the baby into bed for his nap and she tidied up the kitchen and rinsed the dishes for me. All without being asked to. Sometimes it doesn't work out so well. Like when she decides she'd like to cut something, or re-organize my work basket, or what have you. And then there's Boober (9 months) who is just into everything, and on everything, and climbing and grabbing and oh my goodness!!

In spite of all the helpfulness, I do manage to complete things from time to time. And we seem to go through cycles. Right now the kids are feeling co-operative, independent, and gracious. This week, I've completed 2 dolls. Photographing them, however, was a bit of a challenge. And in a few days, weeks, or (heaven help me) hours, they may be feeling more clingy, needy, or wantful. And then the whole thing will come to a stand-still.

What's that saying? Make hay while the sun shines? I intend to!

So let me show you what's been going on around here. I have 3 dolls to introduce to you.

First up is Becky. She's a 10 inch jointed Waldorf style doll.

She reminds me very much of a good friend of mine.
I love the low lights and highlights in her hair -- it really turned out great! And this outfit is just awesome on her!

And then I did something new and a little bit different. One of my fans pointed me towards Dinky Baby. And it turns out the proprietor of Dinky Baby, Vicky, is a super human being. As she says, it's the talent of the doll-maker that really pulls the doll together - she made the pattern, but the doll-maker makes the doll. The dolls are permitted to be sold. So I ordered some patterns, and got to work!

Here's the first one. A 14 inch, soft-sculptured cutie. He wears a newborn diaper, and can wear a modified onsie, although I'm not too crazy about the fit. I'll work on something else for these dolls to wear, I think.

Because this was the first, the sculpting took a whole afternoon, and most of a spool of thread. Well worth it though -- look at that detail!

Boober was pretty interested in helping out with this photo shoot. Or, more accurately, he was interested in swiping the baby for cuddling. It's tough to get your shots when you're dodging grabby little baby hands!

And then, since that one went so well, I made another one! Only this one is much smaller -- just 8 inches. All those futzy little bits just about made me crazy!  But, well worth it, I feel. She's so sweet.

This little girl wears a cloth diaper, a nice soft velour hat, and crocheted booties. She even comes with her own blankie. 

 Here she is, showing off all of her sculpting -- which took significantly less thread this time!

I can't decide which part of these babies is better -- the wee toes, or the little buns!

Busy, busy, busy

Between home life, 2 wee kids, and gearing up to apply for a guest artist spot at the Stitch & Kitsch I haven't had a lot of free time lately. That's why it's a kind of a big deal that I have this new and exciting thing to share with you. The package arrived on Thursday. I read and prepped it all on Saturday. Today I was able to put the finishing touches together. And tomorrow, I'll photograph and share!