Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle to be Restored

http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/fairycastle/

November Workshop with Dorothy - Making Twig Furniture for Fairies

This summer was a very wet one and the mushrooms were absolutely great. So many colors, shapes, and sizes. There was a fairy ring in my front yard. I picked the mushrooms and made a display for the table outlined with the fairy ring. Fairy rings are known to have lived for 600 years.  Daytime is safe to get into the ring because fairies come out at night to frolic, play music, and dance in the ring. If you hear music at night in the woods, stay away because if you enter you may never come out. Remember what happened to Rip Van Winkle.  Accepting a fairy is only up to them. Fairies are alien, they do not think like humans or feel like humans. They represent  magical power humans don't understand.  to make fairy furniture, you need to gather natural material. However, they will steal manmade things from humans to make their world more comfortable.   I know fairies have stolen from me because things seem to disappear in my house.  I spent all summer gathering things in the woods. Twigs, acorns, cones,wild flowers, moss, mushrooms, vines, and any interesting materials. I used only the natural. Fairies use flowers, mushrooms, and acorn caps for hats. They are very artistic, musical, and clever. There are Flower fairies, water fairies, hill fairies, swamp fairies, low garden fairies, tree fairies, witches, trolls, leprechauns, elves, goblins, dwarfs, brownies, pixies, and mermaids.  Most fairies should be left alone by humans. 

There are many websites with instructions on making miniature twig furniture.

 The mushrooms are from a real fairy ring.

 Brownies.

 Pillows are mushroom caps.

 Debra's neat twig chair.

 Natural ingredients gathered over the summer.

 Starting a chair.

 Some of our successful finished projects.

 Mushroom table and seed pod cradle.

 Creative chair.

 Canopy (dried pansies) bed with moss cover and leaf blanket.

 Fairy throne and mushroom table.

Back of throne.

Hitty Alert!  The missing doll pictured below is approximately 6.25" tall and made of wood.  Her hair and face are painted.  She was hand carved by Janet Cordell and is Janet's personal doll, Hitty Sequoia.  She was last seen this past weekend in Dayton, Ohio.  Please contact Janet at janet_cordell@yahoo.com if you see or find Hitty Sequoia.

 

An Evening with Miss Iwate, Japanese Friendship Doll

http://bplolinenews.blogspot.com/2013/02/bpl-and-birmingham-doll-club-present.html


Here is the Birmingham Public Library article about the February reception and lecture concerning  Miss Iwate's restoration.  The Birmingham Doll Club of Alabama is a sponsor.  The expert Alan Pate was our speaker.

16" Heinrich Handwerck from the Huntsville, AL Doll Sale

She is marked only "109."  This is the original dress.  I added the hat and made the jewelry.  Click on photo to enlarge.

UFDC Convention Souvenir Dolls (Double Click to Enlarge Photos)

October Halloween Meeting - UFDC Convention Dolls

I became interested in UFDC Convention dolls a few years ago after attending the convention in Atlanta. I came home and started looking through the dolls collected at convention by myself and my mother. I thought it might be interesting to specialize in collecting these dolls, so I contacted  the United Federation of Dolls and asked for a list. I have been searching websites that sell dolls ever since. I’m still missing over a dozen as the convention has been giving souvenirs (mostly dolls) since 1950. In fact, I am in the process of acquiring the UFDC plate given at the first convention. I love the dolls, and I have to admit that the “hunt” is often exciting.            Billye

 First arrivals at the Halloween meeting (Billye made her grandaughter's dress!)

 Convention dolls on the piano

 Lisette, a candy container by John Wright, was a favorite.

 We were fascinated by Billye's collection of UFDC Convention dolls throughout their history.

 Yes, we did have some fun with dressup (cats, witches, Old Mother Hubbard, and Groucho Marx came.

 Another photo with the spotted Bengal cat on the right, who actually led the meeting.

                                              
 Some of the "Ugly Dolls" brought for show and tell (on R a cartoon character from Archie Comics).

 More "Ugly Dolls" for the Halloween theme (Horsman crying baby puppet).

 On the right a repainted Chase Baby with haunting eyes.

Another favorite Convention doll - Baby Stuart (such a sweet face).

Twickenham Doll Sale, Huntsville, AL, Sept. 28, 2013

Tom Azuma's Pretty Reproductions

Some Minty Hard Plastic and Compos

My favorite booth

Something for everyone

Bears and dolls

Chinas, Gollies, etc.

Spiffy outfits

Great sale!

More Azuma Dolls

Dolls Used in Civil War

http://artdaily.com/news/42135/Two-150-Year-Old-Civil-War-Dolls-Get-X-Rayed-at-VCU-Medical-Center-for-Signs-of-Smuggling#.UkNHMeoo6Rt

 

240-Year Old Automaton Made in Switzerland

http://www.chonday.com/Videos/the-writer-automaton

Hitty Doll Carving Class in Vestavia, AL Feb. 27-March 3

February 27 to March 2, 2014, Doll Carving Class, Vestavia Hills , AL

 

 

Teacher:  Janet Cordell, Master Carver for the state of Arkansas .  To learn more about Janet and see her work go to http://www.janetcordell.com/ 

 

What We’ll be Carving:  Some people will be carving Hitty, a 6 1/4" wooden doll based on the book, Hitty:  Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field, and others will be carving their project of choice.   If you would like to carve something other than Hitty, this is fine, but please contact Janet ASAP to make arrangements for her to bring you a blank.  Janet usually brings extra blanks with her which will be available at an extra cost, and if you see a blank on Janet’s website that you would like to buy, please let her know in plenty of time to cut the blank and bring it with her.  Please note that due to time constraints, during the class, you are limited to one project only. 

 

When:  February 27 to March 3, Thursday through Sunday from 9:00 until 4:00 with a break for lunch (on your own).  You can stay later than 4:00 and carve, but Janet will not be teaching after 4:00. 

 

Where:  We will be carving at my house in my double garage in the basement.  We carve in the  garage and set up tables.  On this level, there is a finished room where we have coffee and snacks and a bathroom.  It’s very easy to get around if you have a handicap.  The garage is well lit, but there are plenty of outlets available if you would like to bring an extra light.  

 

Cost:  The cost for the four-day workshop is $250 with a $50 deposit which includes one blank.  Please note that there are a limited number of places available, so please let me know as soon as possible if you would like to take the class.  I will have a Waiting List if there are more people wanting to take the class after it’s filled. 

 

Contact Information: 

Sharon Kirby

barbiesr@mindspring.com

 

Janet Cordell

479-790-1872

janet_cordell@yahoo.com

 

September Meeting - Summer Finds

Sharon with Tonner Washington, D.C. Convention Doll

Dorothy and her Composition Sonja Heine

Dorothy's pretty Kestner

 

Debra's Small Bisques

Jill M.'s $5.00 yard sale Averill with Gibbs China, Repro French, and Kermits.

Barbara's Lovely French Reproduction

Jill S.'s Small Bisques

Billye's Carved Hitty with Musical Dress

             Martha's Fancy Hairdo Parian with inset Necklace and Flat Top China