Time to Begin Again

My family and I have been through a very rough season this year.  I know that I haven’t been posting lately.  It is because I had to work through some things.  I know many people use art to work out their issues.  I have been utterly unable to paint.  It seems I have lost whatever it was that allowed me to do that.  Each time I have tried to paint, I simply go blank and feel guilty that I should be doing something more productive.  This is not my inner critic.  I just don’t feel like it.

I have begun to try something that is utterly new for me instead.  I have always crocheted from patterns, with very little variation.  I had a dream a few days ago of a hat with a face on it, so I decided to try.  It isn’t exactly like the hat in my dream, but here is my new “art.”  I hope you enjoy.  By the way, I opened a shop on Etsy recently.  The hat is for sale there for anyone interested.  AdornWithSplendor

By the way, if any of you have ever made something from a dream post below and tell me about it.  I would love to hear!

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I’ll be back soon

I am not sure how many of you have stuck with me, but thank  you for doing so.  I have had a personal issue which I am still dealing with.  I will be picking up soon and showing you some of what I am working on.

Thank you.

Bunny Revamp Day 5

I won’t be able to post more until the weekend, but here is a start on my doll’s dress.  I did not have a pattern, so I decided to make one.  Also, since I didn’t know how it would fit, I decided to make a muslin.  For those of you who don’t sew, a muslin is like a test garment.  I used an old sheet to make it, and I didn’t finish seams or try to really make it attractive.  The point is to test for fit, and in my case, design.  I am pretty happy with the results, thought I think I will sew the skirt portion to the top before I sew the sides when I do the actual dress.

Here are some pictures of my progress.  I will scan the pattern by this weekend if I can.  My scanner isn’t working.

Laying out the pattern

Pin the pieces

Cut out the pieces

Line up front and back bodice

Test the bodice for fit

Sew then gather the skirt

Stitch all the pieces together

Test the final muslin for fit

Bunny Revamp Day 4

I finished the hair.  I thought it would never end.  Lesson learned, maybe doll hair shouldn’t be so thick.  80s hair bands have nothing on my new dolly!  Tomorrow it is time to start clothes.  I have no patterns, so I will just go with the flow.

Progress from the back

Progress from the front

Rapunzel sitting on her hair

Bunny Revamp Day 3

Adding some hair has definitely made the doll less creepy.  I think I am adding too much since my doll is starting to remind me off the Trollies with the crazy hair.  I am not done yet, but you can see how I have done it and the progress.

Insert the hook in stitches around the hairline.

Insert the hook in stitches around the hairline.

Pull the yarn through making a loop

Wrap the ends around and pull them through the loop

Pull the ends to tighten the strand

Here is the finished ‘follicle’

Progress from the back

Progress from the front

Bunny Revamp Day 2

I am really uncertain what the outcome of this project will be.  I put the face on my doll, and my husband thought it was so creepy, he shuddered.  So, this could be a great technique if you are going for creepy.  Maybe once I complete the doll, it will be cute?

Process…

1. I put pipe cleaners into the limbs so that they would be more adjustable.

2. I stuffed the limbs.

3. Sewed the painted face to the disk, then to the doll.

Lessons learned.  Gold lame ravels.  It ravels particularly more than other fabrics.  If I did it again, I would put fusible interfacing on the back of the fabric to help it not to ravel.

Roll the end of the pipe cleaner so there is no pointy end.

Stuff the pipe cleaners into empty limbs

Stuff the pipe cleaners into empty limbs

Stuff the pipe cleaners into empty limbs

Stuff the pipe cleaners into empty limbs

Cut the pipe cleaner to match the length of the limb

Stuff the limb

Stuff the limb

Here is creepy

Crochet Bunny ReVamped

I finished the crochet along.  I really like how my bunny turned out.  But as I made it, I had some ideas on how to change it up a bit to make an art doll.  I thought I would share my progress, as I go along.

First, I took the pattern for the crochet bunny from lionbrand.com.  I did not make the ears or the tail, and I made all the body one color.  It was Wool Ease, color Blush Heather.  Do not use wool ease if you are allergic to wool.  I had to learn this lesson the hard way.

Then, I took some fabric.  I had some leftover gold lame, which I thought would accent the colors in the clothes I plan to make.  I stretched it over an embroidery hoop, and I painted faces the same size as the face disk I crocheted.

Face Base

Painted Faces

A Day at the Park

I live in Northern Colorado near Fort Collins.  The cities have wonderful parks here.  We walked through the park.  It was sad.  My poor little wiener dog gave out and couldn’t walk the whole time.  We had to carry him.  My kids all played on one of the playgrounds.  We saw a sculpture out of an old tree.  There was also a group of people playing with a parachute.  I hope you enjoy our pictures.

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Crochet Along Day 5 – My Bunny Lives!

This may be the shortest crochet along in history!  I finished my bunny.  I would like to do another crochet along in the near future.  I am thinking two ideas.  I could use this pattern and modify it to make a fun art doll.  I was also thinking maybe a week of dish cloths?  Let me know what you all think.  Bit O’ Sweets sent in pictures of her work, and I definitely want to say thank you!  If anyone else has pictures to send in, let me know at grimley_ed@hotmail.com.  If I don’t respond quickly, leave a comment.  I don’t check that address often if I am not expecting anything.

Bunny ear

Another bunny ear

Sewing on the face

Bunny is done

Close up bunny

Bunny cotton tail

Crochet Along Day 4 – Crochet is Scary

I am working hard on my project, and I have made some progress.  It is hard with a husband, two dogs, and three kids to distract me!

The kids were a littel stir crazy this weekend, and my dogs tried hard to keep me safe from the Rastafarian Vampire Guy who came to vaccuum away my bunny!

My protectors, Ricky and Madison

Rastafarian Vampire Guy with a Vaccuum

That was actually my son holding my daughter’s pretend vaccuum.  He said I could only post the photo, if he could be the Rastafarian Vampire Guy who Vaccuums.  My son could be a little cuckoo, but we love him anyway.

On a more serious note.  Here is my progress.

Bunny face

Bunny body, arm, legs, and face

Bunny body, arm, legs, and face