Sweet Charity

Today I just finished Sweet Charity - I'm pretty pleased with how she turned out. I don't think these photos do her justice.........Funny how some dolls are really hard to photograph.

Check out my sister's blog: she is a bearmaker extraordinaire and well on the way to becoming a blogaholic! (http://www.bensonbears.blogspot.com/)

What I've Been Doing

Well......I haven't posted in a while, but I have been busy. I'm going to be in the US for two months from the end of March, so preparing for that is keeping me preoccupied. Here is a picture of a baby, reproduced from a 1915 Horsman head that someone gave me years ago. Also a couple of pics of things in the works - a small sculptural work that should be finished later this week and a doll inspired by 'Hope' made by Robin of http://www.robinseggbleu1.blogspot.com/. There is a picture of 'Hope' on the sidebar - go to Robin's blog and read for yourself the story behind the doll - it is sad, but inspirational. I'm calling my doll 'Charity' - now we just need someone to make a 'Faith' and we'll have 'Faith, Hope and Charity"!

Oh..... and a couple of pictures of grand-daughter, Leila, in her first dance performance at 'Festivale'.

Starboy!

Well.........He wanted to make a brief appearance before heading off to a new home.

Workspaces

Being of a curious (nosy!) disposition, I find it fascinating to see other peoples' workspaces. Jo of http://www.cartbeforethehorse.blogspot.com/ has posted some pictures of hers looking very tidy and organized, I must say. Here are a 'before' and 'after' shot of my studio. I've shown you mine, now show me yours!

Face Painting Book and Pond Fairy

I have put together notes and other stuff I have gathered over the years from various classes, as well as some new information into this little face-painting book - please note: this is not THE doll-making book I am working on - just an interim thing that I can produce myself. Details are in my Etsy store (http://www.susiemcmahon.etsy.com/).

And just look what Erica Davison did with my "Moxie" pattern! She has called this her "Pond Fairy". Isn't she cute?

Progress

Here are a few more shots of the doll head's progress through the painting stages:

underpainting; building up colour; adding highlights

Fiftieth Post!

This is my fiftieth post - that seems to be a kind of milestone!

This picture is of the doll I am currently working on, amongst other things - I will post a few step-by-step photos as this doll gets done. The head, sculpted from air-dry clay and covered with cloth, has been gessoed and sanded ready for painting. The body pattern has been drafted, so the next job, after painting, will be to sew the body and put it together.