Some of what I've been doing this summer.....

Re-do of the Etsy Shop

My etsy shop has been updated and loaded up!  I spent the whole day yesterday on re-do's of the photos...used my new backdrop and re-wrote descriptions.  Take a look, at least now it looks a little more cohesive:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/DOXIEDOO

I put in everything I had in the sewing room plus any dolls I had from the OZ-Stravaganza.  In the next couple days I'm going to go thru the bins in the basement to see what I have left from last years shows and list them as well.
I feel like I'm finally getting a hold of things around here and getting ahead.  Now I can go back and fill in the gaps of things I've been wanting to do, but didn't think I had time.

But today, I am off to wrestle with the DMV... I can't understand heads or tails of that website, every link you click leads you down another lonely alley of confusion.  I've tried to call the past two days and keep getting a recording that they can't take my call.  Frustrating.  So I'm going to put on some shoes and take myself over there.  I'll take my nook and a pillow and hang out til someone will talk to me.

This is the second Hen Pecked Lady from the Sweetmeadows farm pattern.  I cleaned up her photo a bit and listed her in my shop.  She's a cutie.

Last minute additions

Os-Stravaganza in Chittenango starts tomorrow.  I went and set up the tent and tables this evening and was surpised at the sweet spot I was assigned.  It is right across from the autograph tent with no one in front of me.  Great spot!

 I finnished up a couple more witches and a queen/princess/Glinda doll.  I have another scarecrow and another pink doll on the work table right now.  If I don't get them done in the morning, I can work on them in the evening and be able to add them to the show on Saturday.  Tomorrow is 1-6 then Sat and Sun all day.

 I must admit, I'm rather proud of all that I got done.  I have about 19 regular size dolls, 3 munchkins and a handful of misc. dolls.  I also did some altered journals and a crystal ball with a witches hat.  Come to think of it, I didn't take a picture of the crystal ball... will have to do that tomorrow.  I would have liked to have had more of the smaller dolls done, but I guess I always want more :o)  If all goes well, I can start working on next years and have more than a month to pull it off!

A few of my characters for OZ-Stravaganza

I'm starting to stress, but I keep telling myself I have almost two more weeks to keep working... I have this thing where I like to worry.  A lot.  I worry about not having enough dolls for a show.  I worry I will have too many dolls for a show.  I worry the dolls won't like the show and won't show up.... It's not a healthy habit and unfortunately, it is a trait that carries beyond the doll making corner of my life.  Worry. Some days I worry that tomorrow I won't have anything to worry about.

Anyways, the sane part of me says that I'm doing fine... I have about 12 big dolls done, a handful of small ones, two more big ones that just need hats/hair and I have body parts galore all over the place ready to go. If I can keep my butt in the house this week, and focus, I should be able to feel confident by the end of the week.  I want to spend the last week on just details..

So here is wishing us all a productive week!  Focus!

New Listing on PrimNest

I know it's nowhere's near Halloween.  Or fall. I like making witches and I make them all year round....

I was trying out this pattern by Victoria Lynn and decided I really liked her so I listed her on PrimNest this morning thinking maybe someone else would appreciate a nice Beltane witch......

Here is her link : http://www.primnest.com/artist/54/Folk+Art+by+Carol+Ann/

New listing on Ebay

                                                                   Americana Girl

To check her out click on the link in the sidebar......

Picasa

I downloaded Picasa and watched a couple youtube videos and ta-da!  I made a collage.  I need to send photos out for juried shows and I was stressing over how to get decent photos that actually look like my dolls.  A facebook group I'm in recommended Picasa so I figured for free, it's worth a try.   Anyone who knows me knows how much I hate the photo editor I have on my computer... I complain a lot... This one was so much more Carol Ann friendly...I really need to practice the photo process more.  I just don't like taking pictures.  I know so many people this comes naturally for but I'm just not one of them.  Going to have to trade off with someone who's better at it.  

So that's my first collage to share.  I'm going to tweak it a little more before I send them out.  I've got two more shows I'm trying to get into for the fall.  I was approved for the Oz-stravaganza in June so I've been working like crazy on Wizard of Oz themed dolls.  I'm rather proud of the first batch...I was kinda surprised because I've never really been drawn to the Oz theme.  Funny what you can do when you stop and take your time to think about it.  I will post some photos when it gets closer :o)

What I've been working on

Some new ideas finally getting done.  

 

I've been a bit scarecrow crazy lately, not sure why but I've just gone with it and they are kinda cute.

Also working on some prims for the Carlisle show in August and I have a couple aps in for shows that I'm waiting on acceptance from.  (or denial, but I'm not thinking about that :o))

I also have an americana/fourth of July girl done, but for some reason the photo didn't upload and I am not in the mood to go looking for her... I"ll put her up next time.

New on Primnest

I finnished another Charlette (Threadbare Primitives) and listed her on my Primnest Page.  Here is the link if you haven't checked out the artists over there yet... www.primnest.com.  There is a wonderful group over there and so many wonderful items.

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My grubby sheep are listed over there still as well as an Annie and a folk art shelf sitter. I took some new pictures of her, because the ones last time were rushed and I felt I could do better.  The new ones aren't much prettier, but I guess she was supposed to be ugly, that was the point....

Click on the artist page and look up my name to see the items.

I have some other new ones I took photos of yesterday, but I have to clean them up and do some editing and then I will share.
I also have some originals I have been working hard on that should be along soon...:o)



 

Quick update

I have pretty much unloaded whatever I had left in the sewing room, onto ebay.  I got sick of looking at everything on etsy.  Nothing ever really sells over there.  I still list them because I've gotten other attention overthere, such as craft and art show invites.  It's also a lot less expensive to list/sell.  

 So right now, there is this ugly grungy doll as well as some other uglies.  There are also some of my regular type dolls and that hateful clown is back up.  I put him in a box yesterday because he was bugging me still hanging on his hook.  I can't work with him staring at me.

I am planning on catching up some art classes this coming week and Suzi Blu has a new workshop I've registered for so I am looking forward to being totally immersed in arts and crafts for a bit.  But today, the boy is home sick from school so I will stick to smaller things.  The older he gets the more of a handful when he's sick.....but I guess that's what men are all about :o)

Items being listed on Prim Nest this week

I will be listing these dollies on Prim Nest this week..

I need to get some good photos of them and pose them up pretty.  I've been sewing most of the day and it's dark so I will try to get them done tomorrow. She updates on the 15th and I wanted to get them over there by today, but ... yeah.  I'm beat.  So tomorrow!  And come visit on the 15th when they are listed!
http://www.primnest.com/

There is a Raggedy Anne with her close to traditional frock, A rustic extremely grubby rabbit wth a garland of grubby carrots and a set of two prim cupboard tucks...sheep :o)

On her way to her new home this morning....

New Listings on Etsy today!

This is a little goth girl/witch.  The original doll pattern was a Veena's Mercantile.

Annie... Sweetmeadows farm pattern

A couple of bunny ornies..... pattern is by Threadbare Primitives

I also listed that awful clown.  Maybe he can find a home :o)

I tried a Prim Bear

 and there he is.  The plushie felt I used was too dark for what I really had in mind.  I didn't think the whole project thru before I started.  Suprise, surprise.  After I got him all together and went to do my favorite part of grubby-ing him up and beating the hell out of him.... I realized there wasn't much I could do with him.  I went at him with a razor and some scissors, but it didn't really do much.  I tried smearing some paint and sanding him.. nada.  Oh well, he's still kinda old looking and the next time I will use a lighter plushie so I can stain it.

The original pattern is by Sweetmeadows farm. Maybe I will read it all the way thru before I try another one- but probably not.  I will put him in the etsy shop with the  February items.

                                                 

On her way to CHA

This girl is on her way to the Charity Wings booth at CHA.  This is the Anaheim CA show January 29th and 30th.    Make sure to stop by the booth for a chance a the raffle! Check out Charity Wings at http://charitywingsnews.blogspot.com/ or if you would like more information on the show you can find it here:
https://www.craftandhobby.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?WebKey=63E9EC80-6340-44E4-95A6-982CCB58ECCA

In other items of interest... I am working on items for a grand re-opening of my etsy shop.   I have quite a few new ones ready to go and some different things I'm trying my hand at in the works.  Hope you will stop by there after the first and take a peek!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year Everyone!  I've got big plans for you, 2012!

Getting ready to have a grand re-opening of my etsy store and am gearing up to do some big things this spring!

Stay tuned :o)