Life Book 2016 November Lessons

http://willowing.ning.com/

http://tracyverdugo.com/

https://renataloree.com/

http://www.flowbyjenny.com/en

And an artist interview with Gillian Lee Smith
http://www.gillianleesmithartist.com/

More Art Journaling Explorations HERE

Thanksgiving Blessings

"What if, today, we were grateful for everything."

Charlie Brown

Figuring it out as I go

I've got a little time today to make some progress on my Patriotic Santa, so I'm trying to design-as-I-go. I think my next step will be hair/beard/mustache. I don't know...I think he looks pretty weird at this point. Hopefully hair and hat will improve things.

Starting a New Santa

If there's ever a year to make a Patriotic Santa, this is it (whatever your politics may be). So I've pulled out some fabrics in reds and blues, stripes and stars. I'm not sure yet what combination I'll use, but I've got quite a stash from which to choose.



I've sewn and stuffed a basic pancake doll, and just finished a dimensional nose that I'll ladder stitch to the face. This was not the easiest bit to turn right side out and stuff!

 

Pinning the nose in place.

Nose ladder stitched in place.

Sleepytime Santas are Done!

Just finished the last details, and got them photographed. I feel like I've accomplished something!

So close...

I've gotten the basic painting and shading done on the faces, and am preparing to sew them to the neck stubs. I just might get them done today!

Nightshirts are done!

After I sew on arms, these nightshirts are ready to go on the bodies. This happens before the head/face goes on because they'd never fit over the heads.

 

Santas sitting around in their boxers; slippers are done.

 

 

Stay tuned!

On the Worktable Today

I took advantage of my day off from work, and started sewing two Santas from my Sleepytime Santa pattern. I'm doing two of them assembly line style to best use the time I have to sew.

 

I bought these two plaid flannels on eBay the other day. I have a third coming, but we'll see how things go time-wise. The Winter Festival (sale) at the hospital is December 9th, so I may or may not be able to get another done by that date.

 

What I forgot to include in the photo was the felt slippers I've made. The Santa on the left will have black slippers (unless I change my mind). The Santa on the right will have dark gray slippers.

 

I'm getting ready to start cutting out their nightshirts. It's only 5:30, but it feels much later as it's dark and I've been at this all day.

 

You can see some of my other Sleepytime Santas HERE or in my Santa Gallery.

"Santa Had A Little Lamb"

Just finished this Santa, and now I'm getting ready to start another from a different pattern. You can find out about the designer/pattern HERE, in my previous post.

 

This time, instead of using real candles, I made my own from off-white and translucent polymer clay with embroidery floss embedded in the middle for a wick. It was much easier to hot glue these to the tree - the wax candles were problematic in 2011!

Starting a Santa Doll

Now that I've got a couple Autumn dolls done, it's time to start on Winter. Last year, I attended a small sale at the hospital where I work. This year they're planning another Winter Festival. I've requested the day off and will share a table with a co-worker.

I thought it would be nice to bring at least one Santa to the sale. I've got quite a collection of patterns, and pulled out a few possibilities. Last night I started one from a pattern I've used before - for our ER Christmas Party a few years ago. It's called "Santa Had A Little Lamb" by "Hand Made With Love." I have no idea of the age of the pattern (I'm sure I found it on eBay), and I had to do quite a bit of Googling to find out the name of the designer (Pat Baumgartner):

 I found her patterns HERE, and more specifically on this page.

 

Here's my doll from 2011:

Feel free to visit my Santa Gallery!

November 7 Update:

Pumpkinhead is finally finished

I finished Pumpkinhead's dress today, finally. I would have been done a few days ago, but I never found her dress pattern from before. I had to re-draft a pattern, and then I miscalculated on the waistband so it's a little loose. It's fixable, and the pattern has been corrected for next time. 

 

She's about 15 1/2 inches tall, which is a nice size. Her clothing is removable.