Rag Dolls get in the Newspaper!

May 22, 2013 by RagDollsRising

Newspaper Article

To say I was excited was an understatement! When I found out our Las Vegas Newspaper, the Review Journal, was going to run a story about the dolls (and me) I didn’t know what to expect. RJ writer Jan Hogan came to my sewing studio to do her interview on a Thursday morning, and I soon found myself feeling at ease. Jan asked questions about the process of doll making as well as why I decided to start this venture. About a week later photographer, Ronda Churchill came over to take some photos -

Newspaper-photo-1

My husband John, took pictures of Ronda , taking pictures of me. This was definitely a fun experience!

Backyard Redo; The Green Holdout

May 16, 2013 by RagDollsRising

Our backyard lawn in its heyday, when it was first planted, 6 years ago

Like most places in the US our Las Vegas weather is starting to warm up. Ours may get a little warmer than most, (103 today), but it’s great to get outside.

Two weeks ago John and I were surveying the backyard and we finally made the decision to let go of our hold out, patch of grass . There were three main reasons;

It was a real pain for John to mow because of the odd shape
It wasn’t contributing any personality to the yard
And most important, it was hogging a lot of water

Letting the area dry out for a week

For the last 17 years John and I have physically preformed all the outside and inside home remodeling projects. Though it took me some time to convince John to let someone else do the labor we finally hired a landscaping company to do it.

The guys from Courtney Landscaping, starting the work

With the help of Sabrina Hazel and the crew at Courtney Landscaping our vision was realized in one day. John and I are super happy with the results, even though during the process I had to almost chain John to a chair to keep him from joining in with a shovel!

And a bonus, we qualify for the Las Vegas Water Smart Landscape rebate program , so we will soon see some of our investment coming back home.

After the re-do, we love it!

Purple People Eaters

April 29, 2013 by RagDollsRising

Are there any childhood toys that have followed you along on every move you’ve made?

Think about it, according to Answer Bag the U.S. family moves once every five years, 16 times on average . That’s a lot of effort, once again, with that toy in your hand making a tick tock motion between the moving box and the trash can, but you just can’t do it. Why do we hold on to these pieces of our past?

My Purple People Eater, circa 1956

Mine is a Purple People Eater; a one eyed flying Purple People Eater. His name sake song was the top hit of 1958. I don’t recall being inseparable with the little guy, sleeping with him under my pillow, although he’s obviously been through some rough times sans a wing and big toe.

I do however remember my mother telling me he was a gift on the day I was born. That alone gave him monumental historical importance, a physical reminder of my own mortality.

My husband John also has his tag along toy, a little brown bear he received in Holland before he came to the US. The little toy defiantly doesn’t have a place of prominence in our home, in fact you would have to dig around in our laundry room until you found it on the top shelf behind a stack of old documents.

John’s Dutch Bear, circa 1955

When I questioned John about this little bear stuffed with saw dust and held together with buttons he said: As a five year old in Holland, Christmas was celebrated with one gift for each child, dropped off in a basket on the porch by Sinterklaas, the Dutch version of Santa Claus, -when John recounts his childhood I usually need to get the violin out – he remembers it was wrapped in tissue paper and he was excited because he thought it was a cheese wheel, ( I guess it’s a dutch thing), but to his surprise it was this bear, his first toy.

Maybe these simple toys are a window to our past, or tangible evidence that we really were a child once, I can’t speak for John, but my People Eater has come this far with me and it well be going along for the duration!

Meet Mixed Media Artist, Michelle Nascimento

April 24, 2013 by RagDollsRising

Mixed Media Artist, Michelle Nascimento

Michelle likes to call herself a mixed media artist who lives a life full of fantasy. Her Etsy store Misanthropycreations reflects her talent for bringing interesting pieces to life. Nothing in Michell’s shop is mass produced, each item is made with love and care.

Although Michelle was originally from New England, she now lives in South West Florida.

Antique Vintage Blue Flower Ring by Misanthropy Creations

I’ve always crafted. I believe it started when my grandmother taught me how to crochet as a child. I always had an overwhelming feeling to keep my hands busy. I call myself a mixed media artist. I’m always trying to find uses for discarded house hold objects.
I find color inspirations from:
Under the sea.
In the sky.
Science fiction movies, television shows, books and magazines.I also find inspiration from crafts stores. I could spend hours upon hours just walking around and getting ideas while looking at the supplies and then purchasing them to follow those ideas through to completion. Love and friendship are also huge inspirations for me as well. It’s such a great feeling to give someone a gift that you made and see their face knowing that you made that item.

I have slowly dedicate my life to my craft. So I will tell you about how my work space has evolved! I first started off on my coffee table in my living room, to the kitchen table for a little bit more space and one book shelf for storage. Now I have an entire spare room of my home set up and organized. A work station, a shipping station and a computer desk. I have a storage closet and lots of shelving now! I love my little craft room/office. It is my happy place!

Eyeball Brass Ring, by Misanthropy Creations

I would have to say my eyeball rings. They were a huge seller this past Halloween and they are very popular all year round. I even had a customer buy two and used them for their wedding rings! I was super excited the day I received that email as you can imagine!

This is a really easy question and I think it is something that a lot of jewelry makers come across naturally. My biggest frustration is buying supplies that don’t work out. Neglecting to read descriptions because I was too tired and purchasing the wrong thing. As well as wanting to purchase all the supplies in your line of sight. I get so many ideas when I shop for supplies that I get easily discouraged and frustrated and I will have to come back to it because I literally want to buy everything I see and make everything all at once right there and then.
As for my biggest joy, that would be customer feedback. I love to hear that customers are happy with a product that I made with my own hands. It’s a huge compliment!

Oatmeal Raisin. The reason being because I am a very sweet but also very down to earth, reasonable and logical.

Neon Earrings, by Misanthropy Creations

My hands. I like to get right in there and get dirty! Sometimes you just need to put down all the tools and use your fingers instead. I’ve glued my fingers together by accident many times but it always pays off in the end. I hardly even use brushes when I do my eye make up, I always use my fingers! Like Honey Boo Boos momma says “Hands are your best utensils.” …Did I just say that?!

I don’t normally listen to music but I will usually have the X-Files or Fringe on TV as background noise unless my boyfriend is playing video games then I’m listening to that. Maybe I should listen to music more often!

I just learned about Ping O Matic the other day while researching. I am always trying to learn new things. I came across this on a blog.
pingomatic.com/
It helps drive more traffic to your blog posts and I thought that was really neat.

I’d say that chances are your not going to make it big in a day, a week or even a year. Don’t waste your time or resources if you aren’t serious and are not willing to put 110% in every day. I bust my butt everyday because it is what makes me truly happy and not because I think I am going to be a millionaire one day. If that’s your deal then you might want to research other hobby!

Long Brass Bicycle Necklace by Misanthropy Creations

My main shop is on Etsy.
www.misanthropycreations.etsy.com
But I also have a Storenvy:
mis_anthropy.storenvy.com/
You can also find me on the following networking sites…
Twitter:
twitter.com/#!/DIYartBlog
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003014817110
Stumble
www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/manthropy
Pinterest:
pinterest.com/diyblog/
We Heart It:
weheartit.com/misanthropycreations
Wanelo:
@misanthropycreations
Instagram:
@misanthropycreations

Take Five for Earth Day

April 20, 2013 by RagDollsRising

You may already know that Monday, April 22 is Earth Day. You may also say “so?”, and I would have shared that thought a year ago.

Like you, I’ve heard the talk about being ecologically responsible, and ….well….it feel on deaf ears. I knew our planet had “issues” but it is the big companies dumping stuff in our seas and oceans, the oil companies that were pillaging our lands. I’m only one person,what am I suppose to do?; walk away from my home and live in an off the grid commune, or sell my car and start a business giving people rickshaw rides down the strip? It all seemed just to big and overwhelming.

Garbage Day in New York City

You could call it an epiphany or a kick in the head but last summer my husband John and I took a (first ever), trip to New York City for our 16th anniversary.

The sights and sounds were fantastic, except the site of mountains of black plastic trash bags rising from the sidewalks and islands between streets. I said to John, who dumped all this stuff here? Looking around I realized this was just the garbage from people who worked and lived in these high-rise buildings, just business as usual, the regular trash pickup day.

I started wondering, where does all of this end up? The answer is, many places; New York City’s 14,000 tons of daily trash eventually gets trucked to Virginia, South Carolina and Up State New York among other locations.

I know what you’re thinking ,”wow, is she a Debbie Downer.” I’m not, really, because there’s good news, if I helped make that mountain of debris, (and I did), I can also play a part in reducing it. If we all just changed the way we do a few things, we could make a monumental difference.

I started making my Rag Dolls with bamboo stuffing and yarn instead of poly-fil and acrylic yarn, and I not only feel better about using these materials but they make a more substantial, doll that is soft but not squishy like polyester fibers. Yes, for now the sustainable materials do cost more, but it’s supply and demand.

Remember when the only place you’d see a Greek Yogurt was in a health food Store? Now you can’t find a grocery store that doesn’t carry it and the price has gone down!

So I’m asking you to pick five things from the list below to do this Earth Day, Monday, April 22, who knows, you may find a few you can live with!

Landfill; I think that’s the water bottle I threw away in the upper left, and that’s your styrofoam takeout box over there…..

Buy some biodegradable washing detergent, the price is the same, it cleans just as well, why not keep those chemicals out of our water supply.
Us your own fabric grocery bags instead of plastic, according to an article on Slate.com it takes 5oo years for that plastic to decompose.
Walk one place you would normally drive, and take the kids, and take the fabric grocery bags, (if your kids are over 10, they probably won’t want to go, but you knew that already.)
Don’t use any paper towels, use hand towels instead.
When you buy something at a store tell them to keep the bag.
Go to CatalogChoice.org and get your name of those catalog lists that keep jamming up your mailbox.
Take a second look at your trash, would that plastic container work to hold your buttons? A cereal box is great cardboard for crafting.
Start a recycle bin for your aluminum cans, once a month empty it out on the garage floor and give the kids one minute to see who can smash the most cans.
Spinach

Stop buying plastic water filled bottles. According to Answers.com it takes between 450-1000 years for one to decompose but if they are buried in a landfill, never.
Take the bus to work, I know, you have to find the schedule and where’s the bus stop?, think of it as an adventure and tell the people at work what you did!
Plant some seeds, it reminds you that we can have more control of our earth, and who knows you might end up planting some vegetables, it’s really fun to pick part of your dinner!

We live in a wonderfully beautiful country, let’s keep it that way so our children’s children can enjoy it too! Happy Earth Day!

10 Questions for Jewelry Artist, Lisa

April 9, 2013 by RagDollsRising

Jewelry Designer Lisa

Lisa lives in Gloucester, England and has a thriving on-line Etsy store, Listiques. She makes her unique jewelry from recycled items.

After taking apart the items she finds at charity stores, the process of reassembling the beads, charms, chain and fasteners yields one of her wonderfully creative jewelry pieces. Lisa says “I love to re-use and there are so many beautiful things out there just waiting to be given a new lease of life!”

I am very inspired by current trends in fashion and style as well as vintage and antique items. I love a whole mixture of these things and love to blend them together. I also am a huge fan of animals and nature and these things are one of my favourite things to capture in jewellery.

I have a small work space in my living room which is usually a little cluttered with fabric scraps and beads and buttons. I have my favourite pictures on the wall above my craft space which is a whole mixture of things that keep me inspired.

Felt flower Collar Necklace by Lisa

I think my most successful item was my first Felt Flower Collar Necklace. I absolutely love florals and this piece inspired me to continue to make jewellery using felt and fabric. Felt and fabric items are now my favourite things to make and are now really gaining popularity in my shop. I think to start with people were a little confused by the idea of jewellery made from fabric, it is unusual, but now i’m selling more and more fabric items.

My biggest frustration is not having as much time as I would like to sit and make jewellery! I work at a secondary school and fitting in jewellery making around it can be tough but I love making jewellery so I squeeze it in wherever I can .

My biggest joy is listing something new and seeing people’s reactions. I think of my facebook page (facebook.com/listiques) almost like a blog, it’s now gained more followers and they are very supportive and positive. It really helps me to be motivated and keeps me on the right track.

I think I would have to be something uber chocolatey, or else something with cinnamon, apple and raisons

It’s something simple but something I use everyday which are my scissors! They are particularly sharp and are fab for cutting fiddly nooks and corners. Without them, Listiques jewellery would be much harder to make!

I sometimes listen to music when jewellery making but I tend to prefer to have the TV on in the background. I don’t really watch it, and it doesn’t really matter what channel or programme is on. I think the general murmur of voices sort of puts me in a zone!

For me it would be www.spoonflower.com
It’s an amazing resource for anyone who uses fabrics in their craft, though they also make wallpaper! I love spoonflower so much because every piece of fabric on the site has been designed by someone like you or me. I think its wonderful to support small designers in this way, not to mention the fact that the designs are endless, unique and amazing! I have started to list my own designs on Spoonflower, which is such fun because I can now make exclusive Listiques designs. It’s great for times when you can’t quite find what you wanted, you can just make your own fabric!

Children’s Stacking Bangles by Lisa

I think that you have to love what you do, take it day by day and take your time to build things up. It takes time! And that’s OK. I can’t recommend the Etsy community enough for their help, advice and support. If you’re struggling with something they are a brilliant collective of people and there is always someone that can answer your questions or direct you to something that can help.

Listiques is now available to buy in a gorgeous handmade only shop called The Arter in Stratford Upon Avon in the UK which I am very excited about!I also have a facebook page where I show new items before they make it onto Etsy. I also run regular giveaway competitions and share any Listiques news.
www.facebook.com/listiquesI have a Blog also, where I share fab craftspeople, have articles on fashion and do some DIY tutorials.
www.listiques.wordpress.com

Felt Hummingbird Necklace by Lisa

We thank Lisa for taking the time to answer our questions, take a look what else she’s up to at her Etsy store Listiques!

Spring vegetables in the Desert

April 4, 2013 by RagDollsRising

Our metal quails enjoying the sunshine

Yes! It is finally here, spring in Las Vegas. We put up with the freezing winter temperatures and the blazing summer for the spring and fall.

This year my husband John and I thought we would attempt something we’ve never done before…plant vegetables. In the last couple of years we have become “almost vegetarians”, adding chicken and fish to our diet on occasion.

The thought of having real vegetables to eat had us both excited! As a child I remember summers at my grandparents home in a little town outside of Kansas City. Just grab a tomato out of the backyard, sweet and juicy, nothing like the grocery store variety.

In late february we carefully dug our furrows and distributed the seeds for spinach, lettuce, endive and carrots. If you look real hard there are some little green things popping up in this photo we took after two weeks.

Two week vegetables

I know, those of you from the midwest are saying “that’s a vegetable garden?”, remember this is the land of the Joshua Tree Cactus and Horny Toad Lizard. And below is how it looks today.

Spinach

…..and our very first salad! This was really fun, can’t wait until the carrots grow up.

Me with our first salads

Vintage Scrunchy Headband Tutorial

March 29, 2013 by RagDollsRising

The scrunchy headband, it’s been around for a while. What I like about the look is, the ruffles give them a youthful fresh look and they can be a quick fix for a bad hair day. The down side is all that gathered fabric in the back can be too much, making your hair look a little lumpy.

While working on a headband design for my rag dolls, I discovered a way to make the headband flat in the back, while still having all the ruffles in the front. Here’s the tutorial below, hope you like it!

Tutorial image, how to make the Vintage Scrunchy Headband

Pattern Makers Fashion Show

March 22, 2013 by RagDollsRising

IPCA Fashion

IPCA Fashion Show

Last Saturday I had a unique experiencee. I grabbed my friend Carol, who is a sewing newbie, and headed for the Rio Hotel for the first ever ICPA Fashion Show. Who is the ICPA ? I didn’t know either, but soon found out.

About ten years ago they started surfacing, they wanted to design by their own inner voice, express a style that was not always for the masses, and they weren’t interested in the approval of the big four, McCalls , Vogue, Butterick and Simplicity. They were the independent pattern designers.

With easy access to the internet, getting the word out was much more obtainable and cost effective than ever before. So these creative mavericks produced unique sewing patterns for all to enjoy. There was just one problem… customers didn’t always get what they expected and designers weren’t always sure what they expected so-

The Independent Pattern Company Alliance was formed. Being a member meant your patterns are:

Professionally drafted
Professionally graded for multiple sizes
Have comprehensive, illustrated instructions

In other words they created a standard for the independent designer. Some of brands that had interesting point of views were Saf-T- Pockets , a line for the traveler, most pieces having hidden pockets to stash your cash. Another was Islander, with a great assortment of mens clothes. Have you looked for a men’s pattern in the big four lately?,very scarce, and there’s more men sewing now too!

The fashion show was lots of fun, especially when they had a competitive segment with a shipwrecked theme.

Shipwrecked from IPCA Facebook page

Background as Photo Prop

March 19, 2013 by RagDollsRising

Textured background on doll photos

Sewing up a group of rag dolls is only the beginning. Next comes taking the photos so that I can upload them to my Etsy store.

There’s always been a controversy over using colored backgrounds behind your shop items or plain white. Of course white gives your store a uniform look, but it’s also a lost opportunity to express some personality, the background in your photo is really another prop.

The new Police Officers dolls just seemed to need something urban behind them. I began trolling the internet for an urban brick pattern. It wasn’t long before I found several sites that offered free high res. textures to download, here are a couple of my favorite ones, texturez.com and lostandtaken.com. , manipulating your photos within the computer editing program is also an option but much more time-consuming.

These are the steps I took to get those textures from the website to use as a prop in my photo set up:

1. Go to free texture web sites and download a high res texture to your computer.

2. Open the background texture in Adobe Elements, (or a photo editing program that can crop images to size), and crop to 11″ x 17″, I’m using 11″x17″ because that’s the size OfficeMax offers for full color copies on tag board.

Texture cropped in Elements

3. Choose show guide lines, pull out a guide line, placing it at the halfway point vertically, and one for the horizontal, it’s now divided into fourths, which will give you a 22″ x 34″ background when assembled.

Background texture with guide lines

4. Save this image as texture-guides, so that you can come back to it. Now grab your crop tool and crop the upper left quarter of the image. Save this new image as upper-left.jpg and close it.

Cropping upper left corner

5. Open up the texture-guides file. Repeat the process cropping the upper right corner, than lower left and finally lower right. You now have 4 separate files to put on a disk or drive. Take to your nearest OfficeMax, Office Depot etc. for printing.

White strips trimmed off

6. Trim the white borders off your prints and assemble them on cardboard or foam core, you’ve got a 22″ x 34″ texture for under five dollars.

Attaching each print with double stick tape to board

There are so many different textures online, grunge, plastic, paper you could have a lot of fun and get creative!

Police Officer doll Rusty in front of a “brick wall”, whoops- going to work on making the seams seamless next time.

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