Dollmaking Kits

I love dollmaking kits, and craft kits in general. Especially the ones meant for kids.

Kits are generally simple and fun to work with, and won't leave you with piles of extra material to keep reusing in other projects. The results make great mini gifts... for people who wouldn't appreciate something you made from scratch. :P


Raccoon recently got me the ballerina dollmaking kit above. When I opened it, I knew I wasn't going to follow the instructions because her leotard was all wrong(!!), and I'd rather hand-sew than use the glue, double-sided tape, and Velcro included. But somehow one change followed another, and everything SNOWBALLED until my half-finished doll was completely different from the one on the box.

I think the colours I chose are much nicer (orange hair???) and the fabric-pen eyes will certainly last longer than coloured pencils, but I had never regretted a project more than when I was sewing the tiny hem on this doll's tiny satin bodice. HOLY.


Do you ever find yourself unable to STOP making changes to a doll or any other project, whether it came out of a kit or your mind??


Anyway, this reminds me our ballet class will be having a party tomorrow before parting for spring break. I should go to bed and just work on this doll during the (ballet) movie. How much more inspiring could it get?

Chirimen Clown

Progress shot!

Miniature clown doll

He's a mix of Western (European pierrot) & Asian (Japanese chirimen fabric). :)


By some crazy fluke, this doll I've been (occasionally) working on for a month or two fit the theme for the Etsy Dollmakers Team February challenge: "circus"!

Although the leader had hoped to see some ringmasters and lion tamers, everyone made a clown lol... You can't blame me, though, I've been so busy with the new (writing) job and ballet classes that I already missed one challenge, and didn't see this one 'til now.

Here's to hoping I finish my clown in time at least... Just four days left in the month!

A Neglected Shop...

...sells better?

I've been too busy since New Year's to enter Etsy team challenges, create treasuries or favourite people back, or add more than 1 new item to my shop. But I've actually sold 3 out of my inventory of 40-something items, yay!



I guess amigurumi are still really popular. I've never had an item sell this fast! :P



My niece has also never liked anything I've made as much as she liked this (blue) sock monkey!

I guess these were relatively popular BECAUSE I didn't have time to finish them off the way I would've liked -- ie. with a LOT more details and accessories. Less is more, I guess... just like how our houseplants always die from overwatering, lol. (Not that they fare much better with neglect!)

In the past month, I've also sold a hair accessory, and made another -- a simple one -- as a gift to the buyer. Now I just need to finish a long-belated Christmas gift, and I'll have time to concentrate on the shop again!

Goal: 50 items (again) ^ ^

Ballet

January has been a busy month! I've been writing for work -- mainly legal documents, which are surprisingly easy thanks to my otherwise useless philosophy degree -- and restarting ballet lessons.

(Left: Jess; Right: me)

I also saw the Bolshoi Ballet's production of Sleeping Beauty last weekend, thanks to Cinplex. Of course the music would've be much better live, and front-row seats would've been much nicer if we weren't staring at a giant movie screen, but it was really a great experience. I loved the gorgeous costumes and dancers!

As a bonus, I even stumbled upon this coupon for any of the Bolshoi ballets in the 2011/2012 season, posted by Maple Leaf Mommy. Thanks for sharing!

A Comic

I've been enjoying the holidays with friends, so there haven't been much craft-related news for a blog post (just Facebook & Twitter updates).

Then this "conversation" took place over Twitter:

Pandy (a web comic artist) tweets:

"beginning my new year detox by flushing out my tear ducts and sinuses with a week or so of non-stop pathetic weeping and streaming snot"

I reply:
"How about following up with some joint exercises? Say, by drawing another strip?"

Pandy says:
"how about you draw a strip for me? make it really funny please! please include a dog called 'wooftown' who wears sandals"

...

So, taking that as a dare/challenge, I drew this comic:

(Click to see full size)

I think it came out pretty well, considering how I just used a mouse (without even a mousepad) and good ol' MS Paint. :P

I haven't doodled in about 7 years, but I used to love drawing enikki (絵日記 -- literally "picture diary") about my cat and daily events... Both drawing & reading them brings back fun memories!