Newest Assemblage Doll - Scrabble Queen II

I've completed another assemblage doll that is going in to the Bliss Coop Gallery in Sugar Loaf, NY. (If you live in the Hudson Valley, be sure and drive up to Sugar Loaf on a Sunday- makes for a lovely day! And with Christmas around the corner, you can buy some hand made gifts.)

I made her before, but each time I make a doll they are still
one-of-a-kind because each one is different and each one is hand made. They look similar but are unique.

 I love her crown! I used the double-word star from the middle of the Scrabble board for the star on the crown. If you are a Scrabble player you will recognize it. I used great and real Scrabble words on her as well, along with a few sayings. 

I used a beautiful vintage hand beaded ribbon as her belt and attached a vintage rhinestone earring to the front as her belt buckle. The multi-colored necklace is also vintage. The arms and head are antique doll parts that were excavated from a doll factory in Germany.  Her arms move.

new in my etsy shop

I've been busy with a custom order of my Narrative Doll Series Frozen Charlotte Angel Ornaments and also I added 6 to my etsy shop, for sale in time for Christmas. I love these little treasures.!! This series set is made from vintage brass key hole faces for the wings- as soon as I saw them, I knew they would be perfect wings!

Please visit my etsy shop to see more images. A beautiful box is included at no charge, and I include a history of the Frozen Charlotte with each purchase. They look BEAUTIFUL hanging on the Christmas tree or on a wall. My Frozen Charlotte dolls are featured in Art Doll Quarterly Magazine on page 110 of the 2010 Spring Issue.

From this to that

This morning has been spent cleaning. Not house cleaning- computer cleaning. Old files. Delete, delete, delete...
While cleaning, I came upon lots of old art. In particular, these two images:

This is how an idea is born. I first made the above ATC several years ago. It made me smile as I was in the throws of the emotional roller coaster and hot flashes of the blessed menopause. (My art usually does reflect my inner world somehow.) But I digress...the ATC stayed with me. Several years later when I started making my assemblage dolls (the first being Cinderella and Prince Charming), I then made my Menopause Queen. She is my best selling assemblage doll. Each one I make is unique but with the same theme. She will have a different crown, different jewelry and such, but her essence hearkens back to my original ATC. This original ATC was a digital piece. Then I made several paper pieces and then it evolved to the doll.  This is how the artistic process works for me. I think I love the process almost as much as the art itself. It is that process that engages me piques my interest.Part of that process is the "HUNT". And that is even more fun than the actual art making at times. I love the 'hunt'. Or should i call it the ART of THE HUNT. It is an art for sure!

Anyway, while cleaning my files today I thought of all of this and wanted to share with you, the cyber world of the Internet where I claim my tiny little space called my blog.

assembalge doll # 24

click am image to see up close- details!!

sure doesn't feel like 24 assemblage dolls! This is another Garden Queen, but this time I made her with out a crown and gave her a sun hat for gardening. As nice as a crown is, they dont' really protect from the sun...and we can't be too careful about the sun!

On her hat are hand made polymer clay flowers. She has vintage jewelry as her belt and bling around her neck. I think gardening with your pearls on sends a message, don't you think?

She will be available for purchase at The Bliss Art Gallery in Sugar Loaf, NY starting thiis weekend, or email me if you are interested in her. Her arms and head are antique German doll parts that were rescued out of the ground in Germany. Her body is wood that I have collaged with carefully selected ephemera and papers.

selling my assemblage dolls in a new gallery

There is a new co-op gallery that just opened in Sugar Loaf, NY. I'll be selling my assemblage dolls there this fall. The gallery is called Bliss. The gallery is in Romer's Alley, a group of stores right in the middle of Sugar Loaf. The gallery is # 11 on in the map below.

If you are ever in the Hudson Valley, stop by Sugar Loaf- it's a artist town that was settled in the 1700's. The artists live there and have their shops there as well. It's eclectic and funky and a great way to spend a Sunday. There is a great restaurant there called the Barnsider for lunch. You'll drive past horse farms to get there, a really pretty drive! (click map below to see the whole map)

Garden Queen assemblage art doll

For all the lovely women who love to garden...wouldn't this be a nice gift to give you your mom if she loves to garden? She is my newest doll in my Narrative Doll Series.

I've decorated her with all kinds of flowers made from paper, clay and sequins. Her crown is hand made of polymer clay. She wears vintage pearls. Her head and arms are antique German doll parts that were rescued from the grounds of an abandoned doll factory in Germany. I buy the doll parts from the guys who dig them up! She stands just shy of 6" including her crown.

If you are interested in purchasing her, please email me. I'll be putting this doll in a local store for sale for Mother's Day, but if you would like her, let me know!

Click each picture twice to see each up close- look for the tiny flowers!

Hospice assemblage doll

Recently Ulster Orange Co. Hospice contacted me and asked that I create a special doll for them. Having used Hospice with my mom when she became terminally ill fifteen years ago, I was honored to make this doll. Working with input from their marketing director, here is the final doll. It will help to raise money at their annual fundraising gala. And for that, I am happy!

mini doll charms

click image to really see them!

How cute are these?!? On Monday I had the pleasure of getting together with several fabulous mixed media artists for an art 'play date'. I had a blast making these teeny tiny polymer clay charms.

The very talented and giving doll artist Colleen Athens showed us how to make these. Once we cured them, we then coated with UV resin and I dropped in tiny watch parts and tiny rhinestones...like I said. I'll add jump rings and such and use them to hang on my assemblage dolls...How cute are these?!?

Scrabble Queen - new art assemblage doll

Here is my newest doll. The idea came from one of my sisters. I play online scrabble with two of my sisters. We each live in different parts of the country, but through the magic of pogo.com, we are able to play scrabble together. How cool is that? Anyway, ond day my sister emailed me and said I should make a Scrabble Queen and here she is.

I'm offering her for sale in my etsy shop. If you go there you can see more images of her (front, sides and back and a beautiful closeup of her face and crown.

I'm leavin' on a jet plane...

....I wish! I am sooo sick of winter and snow and ice and cold. Calgon take me away! (am I showing my age with that last statement?) I've been dreaming of warm, sunny places which made me think of my Travel Queen assemblage doll. She is packing up and gettin' out of Dodge...lucky girl...

Doll and Doll House exhibit

click to enlarge

If you live locally to Rockland County, NY, come on out to the 35 annual doll and miniature show on exhibit now at the Rockland Co. Historical Society. I saw some AMAZING dolls and doll houses there!!! Well worth the trip. I am honored to have three of my assemblage dolls in this show.

Doll Exhibit

click to enlarge

If you live locally to Rockland County, NY, come on out to the 35 annual doll and miniature show on exhibit now at the Rockland Co. Historical Society. I saw some AMAZING dolls and doll houses there!!! Well worth the trip. I am honored to have three of my assemblage dolls in this show.

my girls are back!

I missed my girls! They have been traveling across the US to California and back and arrived home today. They were getting their pictures taken for a magazine spread. So glad they are home!

Menopause Queen

A lot of woman of a certain age can relate to her...I've made her over and over again...This is my newest version of her. I never get tired of making her!! Each one is unique...different collage, different words of wisdom. No two are ever alike as they are hand made, one at a time. May I present....Menopause Queen...

click to enlarge to read what she has to say

she is a little cranky-

look at the top of her back

major hot flashes

she has earned her crown

new assemblage doll

Menopause Queen II

This is the second Menopause Queen. This one is smaller and a different color than Menopause Queen I. She is holding a fan so she can fan herself when a hot flash hits! Her belt has real Swarovski crystals on her velvet belt. I purchased the doll head and arms directly from Germany. I just have to add a crown and she is finished!

Sewing Queen assemblage doll

The Sewing Queen

I've finished another assemblage doll for a local boutique.

She loves to sew recklessly and she has a tiny little fabric addiction! Her arms are vintage wood spools of thread and beads. I made her hand out of polymer clay. She holds her scissors- ready to cut her fabric. Her belt is a vintage rhinestone ear ring and old lace. If you look closely, she is collaged with paper from an old sewing book.

Her head is an antique German doll head that I purchased directly from a man who excavates dolls parts from the grounds of abandoned doll factories in Germany. I love that this head was rescued and has a new life in an art doll.

best friend

best friend, assemblage doll

Here is my newest doll in a series I am making for a local boutique. Everyone needs a best friend. This doll is a tribute to best friends- who keep our secrets, laugh with us, cry with us, shop with us and keep us sane. Our lives are richer, better because of best friends.

The arms and her head are antique German doll parts, which I buy directly from Germany. They are excavated from the grounds of abandon doll factories. Most of the doll parts found are over 100 years old. Her crown and belt buckle are vintage rhinestone jewelry.