December 2020 Christmas Gift Exchange 

Since we were not able to have an in person Christmas party this year we decided to do a mail gift exchange.  Participants were given the name of another participant and came up with something in their stash to give or make them.  The postal service came through for us and everyone got their gift in time for our virtual meeting on December 19.  Here are pictures of what was received.

Handmade doll and bracelet from Sue to Jude

Handmade doll from Kathryn to Leslie

Handmade doll from Virginia to Julie W.

Handmade bag from Maggie to Andrea

Handmade doll from Leslie to Liz

Handmade owl from Katie to Maggie

Handmade doll from Julie W. to Martha

Handmade gnome from Jude to Denise

Machine embroidered mug rugs from Joan to Kathryn

Assortment from Denise to Cindy (handmade snowman pincushion)

Lantern and votive candle from Cindy to Julie G.

Handmade doll from Barbara to Virginia

Handmade crystal necklace from Ann C. to Joan 

Handmade tatted snowflake from Andrea to Katie

Handmade owls from Liz to Sue

Thanks to all who participated. You have made everyone's holiday a little bit brighter!  Thank you Virginia and Sue for coordinating the exchange!

Happy New Year!

December 2020 Newsletter

December 2020 Newsletter 

Upcoming Meetings

December 19 -Virtual meeting due to Covid

Please note:  This agenda is tentative and subject to change

Meeting Minutes

Six members met via zoom in November:  Jude, Katie, Martha, Maggie, Joan, and Julie W.

Business

Members discussed this year's officer election.  Since not enough people are attending the zoom meetings we would not be able to vote as normal.  All the current officers had agreed to continue their positions for the time being.  Dues for the coming year were discussed.  Since we are not able to meet in person and have minimal expenses it was suggested we suspend dues until in person meetings resume.  We have always made a charitable donation each year with money coming from a charity table at our annual show and sale or donations of soft sculpture dolls.  Since we were unable to do that this year, it was suggested we make a monetary donation with money from our treasury to the same charity as last year, Hope Center Indy.  (Julie W. contacted all the board members after the meeting who were in agreement to dispense with voting for officers for 2021 and allow the current officers to continue until the situation gets more back to normal.  Board members also agreed to suspend dues until in person meetings resume at which time dues could be prorated.  It was also agreed to make a monetary donation to Hope Center Indy.)

Upcoming Challenges and Events

Edgar Allen Poe Challenge Doll-postponed for now

December -  Christmas mail gift exchange.

Next Meeting

Next meeting is Saturday, December 19 by Zoom at 10:00 a.m,  Invitations will be emailed prior to the meeting.  We will have show and tell which will include gifts members received who participated in the Christmas mail gift exchange.  Here's a sneak peek:

 

 

Woman in History Doll Challenge

 Results are in for the 2020 Woman in History Doll Challenge!

This year's winner of the People's Choice Award is Sacagawea!  

Sacagawea

Sacagawea  and her baby were created by Katie Jones.  Katie did an amazing job developing her own pattern.   Sacagawea has a cloth body and polymer clay head and hands.  The baby is all polymer clay.  Her lamb suede garments, moccasins and cradle board are hand sewn.  Her dress is in the style of the early 1800's Plains Indians.  The yoke is accented with  beads and a small tuft of fur.  The fringe was wetted and twisted to give it a graceful look.  Her belt and cradle board is hand beaded by the artist.  Her braided hair is Merino wool.  She is about 12 inches tall and stands on a flat rock.  Katie's attention to detail is top notch and shows in this excellent work of art.  Congratulations on being this year's winner of the People's Choice Award, Katie!

Second and third place winners were separated by only two votes!  Marie Curie was second by this slight margin. 

Marie Curie

Marie Curie was created by Virginia Odell. She chose Arley Berryhill's "Penny Dreadful" pattern.  Marie's gown is green to symbolize the radiation field she is famous for.  She is holding a piece of uranium (faux of course!).  Virginia did a great job from top to bottom including the beautiful costuming and of course the uranium!  Congratulations, Virginia!

Third place by this slight margin was Juliette Gordon Low.

Juliette Gordon Low

Juliette Gordon Low, the founder and first leader of the Girl Scouts, was created by Ann Chulk.  She adapted the pattern "January Girl" by Barbara Schoenoff and used the head pattern from the Triplet pattern by Kathryn Walmsley.  The doll's hair is made of strips of fabric and all visible portions of the doll are gessoed and painted with acrylic paints.  Ann is very creative and did an excellent job making the clothing and hat that look so much like pictures we see of  Juliette Gordon Low.  Congratulations, Ann!

We thank our participants in this year's challenge.  Not only are the dolls a challenge but the year itself has been too.  It has been hard for many of us to get motivated to be creative and do the things we would normally do.  These ladies have shared their creativity with all of us who read the blog and our Facebook page.  They are an inspiration to us all and we thank you for that!

November 2020 Newsletter

 November 2020 Newsletter

Upcoming Meetings

November 21 -Virtual meeting due to Covid

December 19 -Virtual meeting due to Covid

Please note:  This agenda is tentative and subject to change

Meeting Minutes

Our October meeting was another virtual Zoom meeting.  Attending were Andrea, Denise, Julie W., Katie, Virginia, Joan, Ann C., Maggie, and Jude.

Show and Tell

No  Show and Tell this month.😞

Business 

Woman in History Challenge Dolls were the main topic of discussion at this meeting.  Andrea has a hectic schedule so Katie volunteered to take over Survey Monkey for the voting on challenge dolls.  The deadline for the dolls was extended an extra week to allow a little extra time for finishing.  Members were to email pictures of their entries to the co-chairman Katie and Julie W.  Sue and Virginia will send prizes and ribbons to the winners who will be announced on Saturday, November 14 on both this blog and our Facebook page.  At our November zoom meeting we will have show and tell so entrants can reveal themselves and tell about their dolls.

We will be doing a Christmas gift mail exchange this year.  Any member who wants to participate will create a doll, small quilt, bag, ornament, or any other small gift  you wish to make (no masks - we all have enough!).The theme is "Snow" and the item must be handmade by the participant, not purchased.  You will then mail or deliver your gift to your Holiday Friend.  Sue has sent the participants the name  of their Secret Holiday Friend.  Gifts should be mailed  by December 1st  or delivered by December 10.  We will open the gifts at the December Zoom meeting on December 19th.

At the December meeting we will start making plans for next year's Challenge.  Sue suggested we continue with two challenges a year, one due in May and the other in November. In December we would plan the May Challenge and then in May plan the November Challenge.

Upcoming Challenges and Events

Edgar Allen Poe Challenge Doll-postponed for now

November 21, 2020- 18th Annual Holiday Art Fair and  Art Doll Show-cancelled

December -  Christmas mail gift exchange.

Next Meeting

Next meeting is Saturday, November 21  by Zoom at 10:00 a.m,  Invitations will be emailed prior to the meeting.

2020 Challenge Dolls

2020 Challenge Dolls

The dolls you are viewing in this post are those entered in our 2020 Challenge:  Woman in History.

These dolls are normally on display at our annual November Holiday Art Fair and Show.  Due to Covid this event was cancelled, but we still wanted to do our challenge and decided to post pictures of the entries on our blog and Facebook page and let viewers vote on their favorite.  This year's challenge was inspired by the 100th Anniversary of the Women's Right to Vote.  Members could select a Woman in History they admired from anywhere in the world.  Please look at our entries and then follow the link to vote for your favorite.  You do not have to be a member to vote!  Voting starts November 3rd and runs thru November 13th.  The doll with the most votes will win the "People's Choice Award" for 2020.

We have three entries and there are three pictures of each doll followed by a description.

Juliette Gordon Low

Juliette Gordon Low

Juliette Gordon Low Inspiration Photo

Juliette Gordon Low (1860-1927) was the founder and first leader of the Girl Scouts.  

The doll creator adapted the pattern "January Girl" by Barbara Schoenoff and used the head pattern from the Triplet pattern by Kathryn Walmsley.  The doll's hair is made of strips of fabric and all visible portions of the doll are gessoed and painted with acrylic paints.

Sacagawea 

Sacagawea 

Sacagawea 

Sacagawea and her baby are original designs made by the creator.  No pattern or molds were used.  Sacagawea has a cloth body and polymer clay head and hands.  The baby is all polymer clay.  Her lamb suede garments, moccasins and cradle board are hand sewn.  Her dress is in the style of the early 1800's Plains Indians.  The yoke is accented with  beads and a small tuft of fur.  The fringe was wetted and twisted to give it a graceful look.  Her belt and cradle board is hand beaded by the artist.  Her braided hair is Merino wool.  She is about 12 inches tall and stands on a flat rock.

History of Sacagawea -- 1788-1812

Sacagawea was a Shoshone interpreter best known for serving as a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition into the American West--and for being the only woman on the famous excursion.. At the time she joined the expedition in November of 1804, at the age of 16, she was pregnant with her first child, but she chose to accompany her husband on this expedition.  A son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, was born in February 1805.  Despite traveling with a newborn child during the trek, Sacagawea proved to be helpful in many ways during her 26 months with the expedition.  She was skilled at finding edible plants.  When a boat in which she was riding capsized, she was able to save some of its cargo, including important documents and supplies.  Sacagawea was able to arrange, through her Indian kinsmen, for the expedition's safe passage over the Rockies.  After the expedition, she bore a second child but died a few months later.  Clark was her children's godfather,  After her death, he raised and educated her children.

Sacagawea became a symbol for women's rights and a face for the National American Woman Suffrage Association in 1905.

Marie Curie

Marie Curie

Marie Curie

Marie Curie's creator chose Arley Berryhill's "Penny Dreadful" pattern.  Marie's gown is green to symbolize the radiation field she is famous for.  She is holding a piece of uranium (faux of course!).  Marie Curie was famous for keeping a piece of uranium in her pocket, which eventually killed her.

Marie Curie is best known for being the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.  She is also the first and the only woman to receive two Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields.  In 1903 she earned her Doctor of Science degree.  That same year she won her first Nobel Prize along with her husband and Antoine Becquerel for their study of spontaneous radiation.  Her second prize was in Chemistry in radioactivity.  She developed mobile radiography units for X-ray to be used in field hospitals during World War I.  She was also appointed director of the Curie Laboratory of Radium Institute of the University of Paris in 1914.  Her research with uranium and X-ray changed the way we understand and use radiation.

 

Please choose your favorite of the three dolls, then go to this link to vote:  2020 Art Doll Challenge  

  Remember you do not have to be a member of our club to vote.  The winner will be announced after the voting ends.  We hope you enjoy viewing our members' creativity!  Thank you for voting!

 

October 2020 Newsletter

 October 2020 Newsletter

Upcoming Meetings

October 17 -  Virtual meeting due to Covid

November 21 -Virtual meeting due to Covid

December 19 -Virtual meeting due to Covid

Please note:  This agenda is tentative and subject to change

Member Birthdays

 Happy October Birthday, Barbara, our one and only this month!

Meeting Minutes

Our September meeting was another virtual Zoom meeting.  Attending were Andrea, Ann C., Julie W., Denise, Maggie, Katie, Virginia, Sue, Kathryn, Jude, and Joan.

Show and Tell

No  Show and Tell this month as we only had one hour to go over what we are doing the next few months.

Business 

We discussed the annual challenge which will soon be coming up.  Katie and Julie W. are co-chairing this year's virtual challenge which is a Woman in History Doll inspired by this year's 100th anniversary of the Women's Right to Vote. The entry can be any woman in history that we admire from any country or time in history. Viewers of our blog and Facebook page will be given the opportunity to vote by a link that will be posted on this blog as well as our Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/indyclothdollmakers. Andrea is working on getting Survey Monkey set up for the voting which will begin on November 3rd and continue thru November 13th. Pictures will be posted here on this blog and on our Facebook page. Participating members will send pictures of their completed doll to Katie and Julie W. who will post them on our Facebook page and on this blog. These pictures will need to be sent between October 17-20 to allow time for Katie and Julie W. to get them ready to post on Election Day, November 3.  Voting will continue for 10 days (November 13).  Doll's maker will be anonymous until votes are tallied and winners are announced.  The winners will be revealed at our November 21st Zoom meeting.

We will be doing a Christmas gift mail exchange this year.  Any member who wants to participate will create a doll, small quilt, bag, ornament, or any other small gift  you wish to make (no masks - we all have enough!).The theme is "Snow" and the item must be handmade by the participant, not purchased.  You will then mail or deliver your gift to your Holiday Friend.  Participants need to email Sue to let her know you are participating by October 16.  She will then send the participant the name and address of their Secret Holiday Friend by October 23rd. Gifts should be mailed or delivered by December 1st.  We will open the gifts at the December Zoom meeting on December 19th.

   Kathryn Walmsley shared information on her Triplet class.  Jude has been working with her to get PDF's and videos to class members so they can get to work on making their dolls.  Kathryn has done a lot of work to put all this together so class members will have adequate instructions in place of our in person class.  She invites class members to contact her for help on any aspect of the class.  Thank you, Kathryn, so much for all you have done to make this happen!  And thank you, Jude, for being her able bodied virtual assistant!

Upcoming Challenges and Events

Edgar Allen Poe Challenge Doll-postponed for now
Kathryn Walmsley Class 

October 17 -  Woman in History Challenge Doll Due

November 3-13 - Election Day virtual voting for Challenge Doll

November 21, 2020- 18th Annual Holiday Art Fair and  Art Doll Show-cancelled

December -  Christmas mail gift exchange.

Next Meeting

Next meeting is Saturday, October 17  by Zoom at 10:00 a.m,  Invitations will be emailed prior to the meeting.

 

September 2020 Newsletter

September 2020 Newsletter

         

                  

                 
             

Upcoming Meetings

September 19 -Virtual meeting due to Covid

October 17 -  Virtual meeting due to Covid

November 21 -Virtual meeting due to Covid

December 19 -Virtual meeting due to Covid

Please note:  This agenda is tentative and subject to change

Member Birthdays

Mary, Kathryn, and Denise celebrate their birthdays this month.  Happy Birthday to each of you!

Meeting Minutes

Our August meeting was a virtual Zoom meeting.  Attending were Andrea, Julie W., Katie, Ann C., Joan, Vicki, Virginia, Maggie, and Jude.

Show and Tell

A few members had some show and tell.  Ann C. showed us a pearl baby necklace that was remade into a beautiful bracelet.  How nice to be able to  pass on such a sweet memento.  She also showed us a cute Barbara Schoenoff bunny she had made.

Vicki showed us a really cute soft sculpture elephant she had made.

Andrea brought a smile to our faces with her puppet.  She showed us her new peg board in her studio.

Katie is working on a new technique of handwork.  She showed us her Barbara Schoenoff  bunny, and a headless cat she needle felted.

Virginia made a bunny from a pattern she got on etsy and showed us a Raggedy Ann doll she made from a pattern she got on her birthday which she had died with coffee and vanilla.

Jude also showed a Barbara Schoenoff bunny she had made and her Tilda Santa doll.

Joan has made a mask with adjustable straps.

Business 

 We continue to have virtual meetings via zoom.

There are plans to still have our Annual Challenge which for 2020 is a Woman in History Doll but this  will be conducted virtually. Pictures of your completed doll should be sent to Katie and Julie W. who will post them on our Facebook page and on our Blog to be voted on. These pictures will need to be sent between October 17-20 to allow time for Katie and Julie W. to get them ready to post on Election Day, November 3 to commemorate women's right to vote.  Voting will continue for 10 days (November 13).  Doll's maker will be anonymous until votes are tallied and winners are announced.  

We are considering a Christmas gift mail exchange and Virginia is working on a way to do it.

Kathryn Walmsley is developing a way to do our Triplet class by doing videos and PDFs for those who signed up for the class.  Jude will be her virtual assistant.  Class participants will be notified.

Upcoming Challenges and Events

Edgar Allen Poe Challenge Doll-postponed for now
Kathryn Walmsley Class 

October 17 -  Woman in History Challenge Doll Due

November 3-13 - Election Day virtual voting for Challenge Doll

November 21, 2020- 18th Annual Holiday Art Fair and  Art Doll Show-cancelled

December - Christmas mail gift exchange.

Next Meeting

Next meeting is Saturday, September 19 by Zoom at 10:)) a.m,  Invitations will be emailed prior to the meeting.

 

August 2020 Newsletter

August 2020 Newsletter

Upcoming Meetings

August 15  - Virtual meeting due to Covid

September 19 -Virtual meeting due to Covid

October 17 -  Virtual meeting due to Covid

November 21 -Virtual meeting due to Covid

December 19 -Virtual meeting due to Covid

Please note:  This agenda is tentative and subject to change

Member Birthdays

Happy Birthday Elena and Andrea!

Meeting Minutes

Joan hosted a zoom meeting for us in July.  Andrea, Denise, Julie W., and Ann C. joined in.

Show and Tell

Andrea showed us a tatted crown she has made for a doll.  Joan is wanting to complete her Patti Culea doll and is excited about her newly purchased sewing machine.  Denise has been making eyes.  Julie W. has been working on some quilts.  Ann C. has been searching for just the right sword for her Mac which won the 2019 challenge.  She was able to get a miniature from Edinburgh Scotland which is very close to what an authentic highlander sword would look like.  She wants to make a leather scabbard for it.  Virtual tours of dollmaking studios were a treat.

Business 

Due to Covid we will be unable to have our regular meetings at the library for the remainder of the year.  We will have virtual meetings via zoom instead.

There are plans to still have our Annual Challenge which for 2020 is a Woman in History Doll but this would be done virtually with online voting.

Upcoming Challenges and Events

Edgar Allen Poe Challenge Doll-postponed for now
August 20th-23rd - NIADA Virtual Conference

September 10-13 Windy City Doll Workshop, Chicago postponed until June 17-20, 2021

Kathryn Walmsley Class TBD 

October 17 -  Woman in History Doll Challenge (virtual)

November 21, 2020- 18th Annual Holiday Art Fair and  Art Doll Show-cancelled

Next Meeting

We will have a virtual Zoom meeting on Saturday, August 15.

July 2020 Newsletter

July 2020 Newsletter

July 18 - No meeting due to Covid

August 15 - beading?

September 19 - 20 - (no regular meeting) Kathryn Walmsley Class

October 17 - Julie G. - Intentional Mending

November 21 - (no regular meeting) 18th Annual Art Doll Show and Sale

December 19 - Christmas party

Please note:  This agenda is tentative and subject to change

Member Birthdays

Birthday wishes go out to Danielle, Nita, and Vicki this hot July.  Stay cool ladies!

June Meeting Minutes

Unfortunately there was no official meeting again in June.  Some members got together via Zoom.  Thank you Joan for putting that together for us.  The first meeting on June 20 included Joan, Maggie, Ann C., Katie, and Julie W.  The second meeting on June 27 included Joan, Vicki, Andrea, Dimple, Katie, Denise, Ann C., and Julie W.

Show and Tell
At our zoom meetings members could see each other and the room they were in.  What fun to get tours of some of their studios!  A special treat was to see and hear from Dimple  who lives in Missouri.  She shared a couple of new dolls she has created.  Joan has been dying fabric, Vicki shared a quilt she had made.  Andrea continues her tatting and showed us a crown and basket she had made (miniature doll size of course!)  Katie has loved making her Blue Bird and plans to make more.  Ann C. is working on her Poe Challenge doll.

Business
  Andrea informed us that we still will not be able to have a meeting at the library.  One reason is our room is being used as a holding room for returned materials. 

Check this out:  NIADA Virtual Conference:  Visit NIADA.org for information

Upcoming Challenges and Events

June - Edgar Allen Poe Challenge Doll-postponed for now
August 20th-23rd - NIADA Virtual Conference

September 10-13 Windy City Doll Workshop, Chicago postponed until June 17-20, 2021

September 19 - 20 - (no regular meeting) Kathryn Walmsley Class

November 21, 2020- 18th Annual Holiday Art Fair and  Art Doll Show

and  Woman in History Doll Challenge

Next Meeting

  Maybe we will get to have a meeting in August????? Time will tell and we will keep members posted.   In the mean time everyone stay safe and well!