Just finished

And ready in time for my not-step-granddaughter's 1st birthday in a few day's time. Meet Tippi:

A funny thing happened on the way to the forum...

You'd be forgiven for thinking this was about ancient Rome, but actually it really is about forums.

I'm a member of a few, have been for ohhhh about 15 years now, covering very random and different subjects. One, associated with an inmate penpal site, often has colourful arguments and falling outs, and when those happen some members post that they wish everyone would just play nice and "aren't we all here for the same thing?" and even recently "grow up"! It makes me chuckle when I see those kind of posts because (as I have been known to say on the forums) humans are not very good at playing nicely and it happens everywhere.

The disadvantage with public fall outs on a forum related to inmates, is that any passer by could get the impression that those who write to inmates are all a sandwich short of a picnic. The stereotypes must be true if that's how we behave!Well, some are, but most arent. We just have strong views on things and generally when you feel safe somewhere, you feel more able to discuss meaty subjects, and it's usually those that turn into the major slanging matches.

So I thought today I would just mention that a similar thing has happened on another forum I have been a member of for about a year. Now, before you go jumping to conclusions and think I might be the causal factor in all this, I have hardly posted anything on this other forum for weeks, mainly because I didn't feel I had anything to contribute. But I went for a look today and found that one of those fall-out things has occurred. In true human fashion, the forum has divided into factions, with one side taking their metaphorical ball home, and others setting up camp elsewhere.

What could this forum be, I hear you ask? Could it be a sporting forum, as we all know that passions run high with sport supporters. Could it be politics, given the frantic American presidential posturing at the moment? Could it even be a forum about the use of the hyphen in the English language (certain to raise the blood pressure of any pedantic academic)?

Nope. It's a forum about knitting dolls. 

Pixies again

So how are those two pixies coming along, I hear you ask. Well, as luck would have it, Ariel and Tinder both wanted to show you their new clothes today so I had to get my camera out and catch them while the sun was behind a cloud....

This is Ariel.

                                                    A rear view of her jacket:
















Close up of the buttons at the front:

And this is Tinder

The sparkles on the red yarn show up well here. The yellow lace holes are worked in embroidery silk and a very small crochet hook.

New project: Pixie girls

I like making knitted dolls, and I'm a member of a group on Ravely that is currently doing a knit-along. Our inspiration is "Ren Fairy" but as I don;t want to fuss around with wings, I have decided to make pixies instead. These will then be on their way to Australia, as gifts for 2 little sisters.

These pixies will be bigger than the dolls I've previously made. This is because I want to work more detail into their clothes, and that's tricky when the clothes are so small. They already have names: Ariel and Tinder, and their outfits will match their personalities. So, to start, here is Ariel's body, legs and head with ears. I'm doing Tinder's legs today and then on to the arms.

more dolls and more movement

Two things to blog about today, especially as it's been a good couple of weeks since the last post. First I'd like to introduce my newest pair of dolls, Abney and Teal:

 

These two have been a real labour of love! They are the characters from a Cbeebies animated show of the same name, and have been made for a friend's 2 year old daughter. You can see some episodes of the show here and decide for yourself how well I've matched them to the characters. I did have to make a couple of changes, to accommodate a 2 year old's fingers and temper in being able to dress and undress the dolls! I'm especially pleased with Teal's hair and her sneakers.

Second, the fall-out from my husband's momentary lack of judgement continues. On Sunday I thought I would start a letter to him using the Jpay email service, and when I hit the preview button I noticed that his housing assignment had changed.

This is something we had expected, but even so it was a surprise and not a welcome one. It means he has been moved from minimum security to medium security, and makes it more likely that he will have to turn out for hoe squad. And no, that has nothing to do with hookers.

So I've been waiting all week to hear from him, and as is often the case, the letter that did arrive today was written the day before he moved cells. It's a very wierd concept, living 2 weeks behind yourself all the time. And people wonder why I may get a little testy sometimes when I read forum posts from people who haven't had their morning/daily/hourly email fix from their penpal and O-M-G could it be that their penpal doesn't want to speak to them anymore or perhaps the penpal is laying in a pool of blood taking his (it is invariably a he) last breath.

As mother would say, some people don't know they're born.

Meet Phoebe, just a simple rag doll kinda girl

Though I love making the more detailed dolls, I had a hankering to make something - for want of a better word - vintage style. Just a simple rag doll but knitted, something I could use up some more of the hand-spun yellow fibre on that I acquired in Ciel's yarn box.

So, I now present Phoebe, who is for sale in my Etsy shop if you think she would like to come and live with you.

Meet Lorraine the Weather Girl, my new hand-knitted doll

The latest addition to my Etsy shop; if you are interested in purchasing Lorraine or any of her cousins, they are suitable for varying ages, all are unique and you can commission a specific personality if you don't see any that appeal to you.

Guest blogging again

If you've seen the Good Girl / Bad Girl dolls I'm currently auctioning for charity, then you will know that I support Resolana - a charity based in Dallas TX that works with women inmates in Dallas County Jail. The Director of Resolana, Bette Buschow, agreed to do an interview with me for another blog that I contribute to.

If you'd like to read the interview, click HERE

And if you'd like to see the dolls for auction, click HERE

New Doll Therapy: Bess the ballerina

SOLD!
Bess is now finished and for sale at my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/listing/83622183/hand-knitted-doll-bess-the-ballerina

You wont find another Bess anywhere, the pattern is my own design and I will not make another in the same style. So this is your chance to own a one-off piece of traditional folk craft.

Bess of the Bolshoi

This little girl has really been making me smile during my time off work this week. She's not quite finished, as I am going to make her a lacy frill for the tutu, a kit bag, ballet pumps with ribbons, a wrap-around cardigan and a water bottle, but she is ready for her debut.....

Medical benefits of doll therapy

It would seem that I am not the only one who feels doll therapy is a worth while form of treatment for mental conditions. A report from a medical centre in Pennsylvania earlier this year indicates that patients with dementia and other mental health problems seem to be calmer and more responsive when given dolls to hold.

Medicinenet.com article here

Engineers in Japan have also been investigating the benefits of dolls when given to elderly or mentally ill people. The Babyloid weighs roughly the same as a human baby and can move its arms, yet it is a robot and has a non-human face. Again, patients are said to be able to improve their emotional responses after holding the Babyloid.

It has been a long-established practice to give children who have suffered trauma dolls to interact with during therapy and investigation sessions. But when given to dementia sufferers, the outcome is often a reduction in aggression and distress which can lead to reducing the amount of psychotropic drugs that are administered to the individuals. Not only is that good for the patient, it is also a hugely cost-effective form of treatment.


Dont forget to check out my charity dolls auction page!

Good Girl / Bad Girl silent auction for Resolana

The silent auction runs from midnight 1 October 2011 until midday 31 October 2011 (GMT).

All the details are here http://lookingforthecabinbythelake.blogspot.com/p/good-girl-bad-girl-silent-auction-for.html or just look to your right > at the page links.

And as a taster, here are Amanda and Mandy:

Starting bid is $30 / £20 - winning bidder gets BOTH dolls!

Sneak peek at my next project

The Good Girl / Bad Girl dolls are on their way! Meet Amanda and Mandy....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30493897@N03/sets/72157627522303951/detail/

Doll therapy

I've never been into Barbie or Cindy dolls, or really any plastic dolls at all. But rag dolls are different.

I found myself slipping into depression-like behaviour a couple of weeks ago. I was withdrawing, slowing down, tired all the time yet unable to sleep well, and not wanting to talk to anyone on more than a superficial level. I recognise these signs because I've lived with them for most of my life with my dad and myself, and I don't want to become the person depression makes me. It takes a lot of disciplin not to slip further into it, not something I have in buckets really, but this time I decided to try and focus on a project and see if that would be enough to see me through.

So, meet Dawn.....

Though I've been lacking in enthusiasm for many things lately, the Good Girl/Bad Girl dolls made by Resolana and the women in Dallas County jail kept itching at my brain. I want to make a couple to auction off and raise a bit of cash for the charity, but before I can do that I needed to make a prototype, just to get the dimensions and styling right. Dawn is the result, and in making Dawn I have more ideas for other girls and boys now too. I'll introduce them as they emerge.

End note: Resolana are also having a music festival in Dallas Texas on September 24th 2011 - ticket details here!