CHRISTMAS BEAR

As usual I'm running late with Holiday gifts...however my excuse is I still celebrate by sending gifts for Three Kings Day (Jan. 6) which is the tradition in Puerto Rico, where I lived for so many years. Now that all the local celebrations & bazaars are over I am concentrating on getting packages to be sent to family in Florida & Ga. Last summer when I met the father of my new great grandson, he was impressed with the fact that I am into Steampunk. He calls me Steampunk Gramma. Therefor I decided it would be appropriate to make a steampunk teddy bear for the great grandson. Of course it will be for decoration only. But it was fun to make, and plan to do a few more for Crane Festival this spring. I still love steampunk!!! My other family members are getting T-shirt necklaces of course. Other new grandson-in-law who is campaigning to legalize marijuana in Georgia getting cap embellished with leaves of the weed, and grand daughter's necklace & ear rings also feature that theme. Again will probably make more for Crane Fest for the tourists. lol

GUARDIAN ANGELS

Getting ready for Christmas bazaar, decided to make some nice little angels.Last summer visiting Pensacola, my step daughter gave me a carved angel from Thailand, with hand posed in prayer to greet and bless visitors, which I planned to make in cloth. I'll need to work on that later, but wanted to use the idea of the hands in that position. While digging through my stash for fancy fabric came across a "straw" skirt bought at thrift store and decided to make my girls into Guardian Angels, as angels are not just for Christmas. I liked the effect with these prints. They are 9" made to hang on the wall...faces are cold porcelain and wings are made of "paper metal" which I often use in my steampunk stuff. Will write up pattern after Holidays>

UP-CYCLED T-SHIRTS TO JEWELRY

Saw an ad for a book on making jewelry from old T-shirts. Back in the"olden days" did lots of macrame, so figured I could probably do this without a book. Now I am hooked. Was just going to do a couple, but now have several bags with cut up T's waiting to be up-cycled. I wear one each time I go to town, and interest in them is over-whelming. Besides the necklaces am making roses to embellish, and ear rings. So although I have several other projects on my plate, I keep making these things. Each year I do the bazaar at the Catholic Church, but they only allow one booth for each craft, so can't sell my jewelry there. However another craft fair is taking place here in Monte in Nov. so I signed up for that...now don;t have to feel guilty about continuing to shred t-shirts.

BRAMBLE GOBLINTREE

This is one of my favorite dolls...she was made after checking one of those sites that give you your fairy name & description. I loved mine: wears blue, bearer of riches, large butterfly wings, etc. Only problem I had with her is she refused to be a blonde, so she has red mohair curls. She was featured in Dollcrafter & Costuming magazine, which hasn't been published for several years, so she's been around a while. I've been planning to put her into PDF format for a while, so today I did it. I think everyone will enjoy making her as there's lots of fun techniques & ideas.

BUD, KINDERGARTEN KID

When I was designing Steampunk Sue, this head was too small, so believing in the waste not want not theory, saved and decided to make into a toddler for daughters classroom. Bud is about the size of a 4 year old. Got his OshKosh overalls from thrift store. His shoes were pink,and had ink scribbles on them, so I dyed them red to cover that. For his legs I lightly stuffed and jointed at the knee, so when he's sitting his legs swing. Hands are articulated so he can hold crayons & books while in school.

His hair is fake fur. I found a baseball cap in dollar store just the right color for adding the symbol of the FSU Seminoles...Rachels Alma Mater. We tell everyone his mother is Steampunk Sue who met his father at Comic Con in Denver, who abandoned them, so Bud is going to live in Florida with Rachel where he knows he'll be loved & cared for.

OLD LADY WHO SWALOWED A FLY

Thought she would be a nice addition to daughter's classroom. I had made this puppet many years ago while still in Fla. but somehow lost most of the pattern, so had to start over. She is made so the mouth opens & the kids put pictures of the critters she swallows, then can see them through the window in her tummy. Kids love it. Now that I've worked out all the kinks will write up the pattern. Meanwhile have still been making more fairy doors as I'm really enjoying doing them! However we need to make a trip back to Fla., so trying to get things ready for that., ie. Old Lady to take with.

PS: The pattern is now available on dollmakerlaura.blogspot.com SD&A will also publish sometime in the future.

PEARL & BEA ARE ON SD&A COVER