It's a beginning

My most successful dolls were these. After I listed them on Etsy, they got sold pretty much right away and I had to send them all the way to Seattle. They only thing left are the - fuzzy - pictures I took.

Since then I thought I should make a new series of the same kind of cute dolls, but my hands were more inclined to make sad portraits or decapitated dolls...

Until last week when a pretty little head suddenly appeared. It's just a beginning, so we'll have to see if I can give her a matching body and maybe a few sisters.

Doing what I love most

Last week was Fall break. There were so many things I wanted to do with the kids, my husband and by myself. So many fun little chores that I saved up for this week. But I got bronchitis. With a fever. So I knew I had to pace myself immediately.

While lying on the couch under a blanket of self-pity I realized I had been pushing it a little bit too hard lately. After Summer break - especially the great one we had - I expected to have enough energy to last me at least until Christmas. What I didn't realize is that taking on my husband's management is a full-time job when I combine it with the office work I was already doing for him. Add full-time motherhood, guests and a new puppy to the mix and no wonder I got a little tired and stressed out. 

Worst of all was that I couldn't find the time to do what I love most. I got more and more frustrated about that. Then I got sick and was forced to think about my health. It's amazing that you actually need a crisis to make changes. Which I did. As of this week I am giving myself two studio days and three office days. And so today I started with my wool again.

Video | Needle felt and stop motion

It's Fall break in Amsterdam this week, and we're receiving guests from France today, so I'll be sharing work from someone else this time.

Needle felt and stop motion are a match made in heaven. I am really glad I bumped into this very sweet video early this morning.

Etsy update: Four clown busts

Just uploaded another bunch of my babies to Etsy.

I can't tell you where the inspiration came from to make these busts. They just happened.

After I made the first one, I thought he looked like a clown.

So I thought why not try to make another one.

So I did.

Rococo lady, part 2

So I made two Rococo ladies. Actually I had started with the little one back in August.

I wanted to make something quick to sell at a market.

But she didn't turn out nice at all. So I didn't sell her and took her back home where she stayed hidden in a drawer for about 6 months.

I don't remember why exactly, but at one point I pulled her out of her hiding place and decided to give her a make-over. Why not? She couldn't get any more hideous anyway.

The pearl eyes are still in there. I covered them with dark wool.

I thought it would be interesting to show the the process of reworking something that didn't turn out so well into something new. It's like recycling. And it feels good.

Rococo lady, part 1

Those of you who follow me on Instagram, have been able to see the development of my latest piece. A needle felted portrait of ... what exactly?... a snow queen, a drag queen perhaps? My first thought was Rococo when I saw her outlines taking shape, so I guess that's what she'll be. 

Prepping my 'canvas.' At this point I still have no idea what I am making other than a face.

The birth of a face. This is such a magical moment - always - when I see the features of a face emerge from the wool.

Mouth, nose, cheek bones and eye sockets are in place. Now the fun part starts.

This is where I go a little crazy. I know I'll cover it up with white wool again, so the initial colors can be as bold as I want them to be.

See? The colors are just shining through.

First time I am using eye lashes. What a dramatic effect!

The bow is added for maximum Rococo effect (I used one of my daughter's ballet shoe ribbons).

Etsy update: Four historical busts

After having been home with me for a couple of weeks now, my dolls are ready to leave again!

I just uploaded my four historical busts to my Etsy shop.

I hope they will find a loving new home.

But if not, I don't mind keeping them.

It would be great though if they can stay together.

Needle felting for market

Early August we came back from our vacation in France. Having been away for three weeks from my studio, I was very eager to get back to 'work.' 

Together with my friend Marieke from Woolwoofles, I was planning to sign up for a couple of markets to see if anyone would be interested in buying our work. So far I hadn't finished  a whole lot of dolls and wasn't sure I wanted to part with the ones I had, so I decided to start a whole new series of dolls that wouldn't take me too much time to make. Ha! I was wrong. These babies also wanted a lot of attention! But they were fun to make.

The technique I used here is called needle felting.  You basically stab wool with a very sharp barbed needle until the wool clings together. The more you work it the firmer it gets. 

For the dresses I used scraps of fabric that I have collected over the years. Embellishments are made with (vintage) lace, ribbons and buttons.

Unfortunately the market turned out to be a bit of a disappointment as nobody wanted to buy one of my girls. So I took them home and now they're happily sitting on their shelf again, watching over me as I type this blog post.

Letting go...

Today I listed my first doll on Etsy. I am not sure that I want to part from her, but I also need to make a living...

Creating Marie

On my to-do-list today I wrote: 

- baking almond cookies (I didn't)

- moving the couch (I did)

- dusting (I didn't)

- vacuum cleaning (I did)

- writing (I didn't, until now when I should be cooking dinner for my starving children)

- researching website building (I did)

- washing the windows (I didn't, but my husband did - sort of)

I should compliment myself that I got half of the things done that I set out to do today. I could have easily gotten all seven of my chores done, since there was no doll making in the planning. 

However here is the evidence of what I spent most of my day doing. 

 Who is this new creature? An angel or a dancer?

Male or female?

As soon as I give them eyes, their soul appears.

Ah, Marie it is.

Giving her a bit more lips.

This is the moment when I have to stop touching her face.

Even though it's not quite done, I will leave her like this while I continue working on her body.

Introducing: wool sculptor Irina Andreeva

While browsing for felt creatures on Pinterest, I bumped into the amazingly talented Irina Andreeva. She is a Russian artist who makes unique woolen sculptures of mostly little girls and cats. She uses natural colors, lots of greys, that contribute to the pure and somewhat melancholy emotions of her creatures. 

Unfortunately all her social media are in Russian, so I can't tell you more about her than you can see for yourself when you browse through her photos.

I am not sure about her technique. She must be starting the sculptures by dry felting them. But there are some pictures online where she soaps the surface and rinces with water. It would explain the smooth surface.

I am curious to see if she uses wire to support the structure. As you can see in one of the photo's, the dolls are quite big.

It is an absolute inspiration for me to look at these pictures and I only feel more compelled to keep working on my own dolls.

Copyright Irina Andreeva

How to present one's work

Over at Christmas, I was talking to my father about the dolls I have been making recently. My family had wanted to see them and I showed them by holding them in my hands. After having them been admired, I put them down again. A pile of colored wool. Just limbs. Almost carelessly tossed aside.

I have been thinking about that image a lot. 

Making the dolls is one thing, but showing them is quite another. How can I show them in a way that does justice to the nature of their character? I need to talk to someone.

My father instantly googled the name of the artist he had just met in Barcelona last November: 

Gerard Mas (Spanish sculptor, born in 1976)

What started as a search for ways how to present one's work, turned into an intense fascination for Mas's work. Here's a sample of what I found online.

The repetition of the statues and the pedestals could work for my dolls too.

It took me a moment before I spotted the bees. The expression on her face is  powerful and distracting.

Again, a quick glace doesn't do this one justice.

Like a fish on a plate. I wonder how big this one is.

Do you see 'it'?

The skin texture is almost real.

How about a frame?

Here the pedestal is part of the sculpture.

I welcome any suggestions about how other artists have presented their work. Please leave your comment below.