DoA Members Over 30 Years Old~!

Yes, but searching by area would almost be too easy.

 

You could join this place

http://www.angel-unlimited.co.uk/

They seem pretty active.

 

victoria, i just fell in love with your signature quote, may i steal it sometime to share it on facebook?

 

Florie has eyelashes! ...Too bad they are kind of difficult to see in my photos :p. I bought eyelashes on a string this time, and I actually had to glue them to her upper eyelids to ensure that they wouldn't obscure her eyes. Other eyelashes I have bought were 'individual' and had some curl to them; I could just glue them to the inside of the eyewell and they were fine. Hm.



Waiting for a head, a body and a complete doll: still weighing heavily :/.

FrozenRose, there is also a brand-new all-European forum: Ball-jointed Europe. It's still small at this point, but there are already people offering services like face-ups. Maybe you can find someone there?

 

She's lovely, Sigune. I hate gluing on eyelashes, especially when they need to be curled and shaped.

So this is why I never get rid of any of my craft stuff, even if I don't have a use for it at the time -- Score! Last night I was digging through a box of misc. craft supplies I found in the garage looking for some lace for Elizabeth's steampunk outfit I've bee working on. (I finished her other shoe, BTW, and they don't look too bad). In the box I found a small swatch of Tibetan lamb hair in a lovely strawberry blonde! I'd completely forgotten about it, and I remember buying it now probably ten years ago at a doll and bear show in Pamona(?) -- it's in great shape and the leather is still soft and supple. I think there's just enough to make a MNF-sized wig, but it will take a little creative sewing and stitching small scraps together to make the larger pieces. If I can make it work, I don't think there will be anything at all to spare, so this is definitely a one-shot deal. So I brought it and Elizabeth with me to the shop today and I'm going to attempt to sew it up between customers. Wish me luck!!!

 

Cymorill: ExACTly! Except for me it's books and beads and stones and wire and paint and brushes and fabric and patterns and rubber stamps and leather hides and BOLTS of fabric and bags of fabric and tubs of fabric and trim and tools and polymer clay and tools and hot glue, eye putty bags of eyes, doll clothes, furniture, STUFF... GAH!

 

Me too... I have tons of "things" laying around half-sorted into jelly jars and plastic shoe boxes. I have been involved in quite a wide variety of artistic ventures in the past and kept all of the extra supplies from every project even though as Cymorill pointed out not long ago...

"Over the years I've found a major downfall of "craftiness" that people who don't delve into making their own things can't really understand: When you're someone who likes to try new projects and learn new skills, you discover a vast array of things you never knew you could suck at."

Truer words have never been spoken... lol. My foray into the world of dolls is fairly recent compared to many of the people I have met here, but it was such an easy transition for me, a very natural progression from what I had been doing. I love making clothes and love to paint and draw especially with colored pencils and pastels... but my biggest fear and greatest challenge to overcome will be my first face up. Ugh *shudders* really scary thought. Like I don't want to screw something up that is so expensive and that I like so much... I'm sure there are plenty of people that feel this way, but I am so critical of my own work I know I will never be satisfied.

 

...and pieces of glass and interesting bits of metal and flower pots and moss and copper tubing andtwenty kinds of glues and almost-burned out jar candles and candle jars and scrapbook paper and sea shells and sea glass and new bottles old bottles used bottles found bottles antique bottles and -- *gasp*

Because as Sam Gamgee said in Lord of the Rings (book, not the movie): "You'll want it if you haven't got it." ... Words to horde by.

 

Ahhh, I love how normal you all make me feel. Fabric, fiber, beads, baubles, bits of chain, threads, buttons, papers, pens, pencils, paints, brushes, notebooks, how to books, pattern books along with other bits and bobs. Sometimes think I need a house just for my 'stuff', another for my dolls, and a third to actually live in.

 

Designing steampunk outfits for my pixie crew is difficult enough, but the lack of color is starting to annoy me. If the Victorian era was fill with lavish, even garish colors with the blossoming use of synthetic dyes, why is everything steampunk mostly black, brown, and beige? Dark reds or very dusky greens/blues might crop up, but then only as an accent to the afore-mentioned black/brown/beige. Where's all the color? I'm getting a little tired of sewing brown.

 

It's from the TV series "Ghostwhisperer" (before it got tedious), so help yourself.

Difficult as it may be to imagine, hubby is far worse than I am, he hoards things that are broken and he will never, ever fix. Our house is a disaster.

Then don't. Use color. Steampunk is about rebellion so bloody well rebel and sew color.

 

I am, but somehow it looks country. Need less floral, but the florals have all the good colors. Guess I'll be visiting the fabric store this week.... Seriously, how can I have so much fabric and not have what I need?!? I'm hoping they'll be getting their halloween stuff in soon with lots of fun stripes and checks!

 

Originally Posted by Victoria Victrix

Then don't. Use color. Steampunk is about rebellion so bloody well rebel and sew color.

Or design your own with Spoonflower. You can always get someone else to do it for you too.

 

You might be looking in the wrong places, or at the wrong things. Look at flannels, moleskin, panne velvet, and don't forget high end drapery and upholstery. I have some amazing high end cotton brocades from an upholstery end-lot place that are perfectly in scale for the dolls. Just look for stuff with no rubber backing on it and a high thread-count, and it will sew up just fine at doll size. You would be amazed at how much a great wine-red faux-suede corset livens up those steampunk outfits, or a bright red flannel petticoat or bloomers!

 

I had my first try at hot-glue sueding today and I failed miserably. I didn't think it would be difficult! But it turns out I somehow can't manipulate the glue. So Gawain's arms just flop against his torso as before .

Also, can anyone tell me how to curl eyelashes? Because I get the feeling that my 'glue them to upper lids' solution wasn't what I was supposed to do. (To be sure, I used a hobby glue that can very easily be removed :p, but still.)

Thanks in advance!

 

And now, a doll-related quote that was stuck in my head while I was wetting down's Lizzie's new wig:

I want all of you to think of that the next time you're washing one of your doll wigs.

 

Oh yeah.... Here's how her wig turned out BTW. Please excuse the crappy lighting. The outfit is finished except for a little trim around the hem of the top skirt, which I know I have somewhere but can't seem to locate. I'm really pleased with the blouse in particular. Everything she's wearing I sewed by hand... my fingers are very sore.


Opinions? Suggestions? Needs something?

 

Impressive work! Absolutely adorable outfit!

 

I have a plan for another doll yay. I plan on taking the obitsu 45cm boy and going to make him a her and she is going to be my Rini from sailor moon. Now to start doing some research on what this body can wear ect.

 

That's not crappy lighting, that's MOOD lighting! That's on PURPOSE, right?