Bride Doll Challenge

Something Blue?

The only thing traditional about this bride is her "something old" gloves, that were made from my mom's wedding veil. My doll club sponsored a bride doll challenge to honor June brides throughout the world. Patti Culea's "Elysia" pattern provided the perfect body to show off a bridal gown! Thanks, Patti, for allowing us to use your pattern in our challenge.

I was inspired by a pair of blue stilletos in a bride magazine and they provided the inspiration for the rest of the gown, made of white and hand dyed silk charmeuse. The bust is hand beaded, as are the appliques. She carries a bird of paradise crafted of clay, and her necklace is made of Swarovski crystals. She floats down the aisle on a cloud of silk gauze.

She was so much fun to make. I plan to do an international version soon!

Appliques are hand beaded.

Blue polymer clay stilletos inspired the design of the gown.

Fairy Dreams

My fiber arts group, The Dirty Dozen, has chosen to have a different person lead the program each month based on a theme. The program leader sends a few emails as guidance, and the individual members design a piece based on their interpretation or inspiration.

My assignment was "Dreams". I found this fabulous quote from the book Making Herbal Dream Pillows by Jim Long:

"In our dreams we are free

to fly through the night

on a butterfly's whisper,

or become a giant,

or have conversations with fairies."

The fairy fluttered around inside my head and insisted on being the star of the show, allowing the troll and knothead to play minor characters. They live in this old and twisted tree, built from paint, colored pencils and a touch of thread painting. I threw on some rubber mulch and a little butterfly of cheater fabric.

Be careful of those inspirations, though. The butterfly spoke up and wouldn't leave me alone until I planted a butterfly garden. Not an easy task for a brown thumb like mine!

Elysia

I finally had the opportunity to take a class from Patti Culea when she came to teach at our doll club last year. A full year later, Elysia was finished in time to be displayed at the Seaside Piecemakers Quilt Show. She was so much fun, with all the stitching, slashing, and melting on her wings and skirt (ok, not exactly the way Patty described). I love finishing edges with a heat gun. I don't know if I'll ever put in a hem or a binding again!

How much fun were these little pins? One of my very talented friends, doll artist Patty Briggs, had a few members of our doll club over to teach us how to create these guys. I got so involved, I made several to donate to the Boutique at the Seaside Piecemakers Quilt Show this weekend. Both the show and the doll exhibit by my doll club, The Daff-O-Dolls, were a big success. I'm so lucky to be surrounded by such extreme talent!