Posted on 03/23/2008 11:36:40 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick
Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.
At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."
Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.
A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."
[snipped]
She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.
"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
I have wondered about tomatoes in the greenhouse and am anxious to try that. I could really be ecstatic with a greenhouse to walk into from the house. I would probably be found there anytime I wasn’t in the kitchen or sleeping. And don’t think I haven’t thought of sleeping in my lawn chair in the greenhouse already!!!<<<
Here there have been several greenhouses built for tomatoes and one was growing enough to sell to the local stores, it was about 20 x 40 foot.
When you get your land, will you build on it?
If so, have them grade out your greenhouse, so that it is about 3 or 4 foot under ground and then build over the hole, it worked well for Don, we were building ours at the same time and it seemed his was under better temp control than mine, without any heaters or coolers, other that water barrels and going out with the water hose to wet down the walk ways.
If you have lots of rocks, make rock walls and you will have your passive heat storage built in.
When my Grandmother was about 75, I took her to her first rock shop, we had been out to lunch and I needed supplies for lapidary work, so stopped.
Granny picked up every rock in the shop and looked at it, and kept saying over and over “all those years of taking the rocks out of the fields and I never knew they looked like this inside.
I fell in loved with a slab of dyed lace agate, that had crystal pockets in it and bought it to make jewelry with.
When we got in the car, Granny handed me $10. to pay for it, a rare gift, from a woman who thought that I had too many harebrained ideas and had fussed about my wasting time looking for rocks and Granny had very little money to pass out.
The broach and earrings went to my daughter, when she got old enough to be a grandmother, but I have a small piece still and would buy it again today.
BTW, back 11 years or so ago . . . I understand the Phoenix huge UFO flyover began up North and West of you a bit. Did you or any of your local compadres see it at all?<<<
No, I missed it, but heard all about it on the old Art Bell programs.
Somewhere in all my thousands of new posts in my yahoo mail, there was a heading of “russia is now making spaceships”,
I meant to see what it was about, and went past it, you might find it in google.
That is a perfect photo and caption.
Thank you for sharing it.
I had no idea so many people were reading the thread, makes all the hours worthwhile.
There is nothing finer than a Freeper, for love, friendship or prayers.
No sweat.
Thanks for the heads up.
Blessings,
I am glad she tried it. It sounds like she is good for him.<<<
She is good for him, fun, hardworking and for the first time in her 50 years, has met a man she can trust, who is sober and hard working.
She brought a neighbor of hers today, he is going to fix the leaking toilet and the leak over my bed.
We get on with each other just fine.
My children say that I am the only one they know that gets all excited about a compost pile, but I bet Granny would understand my enthusiasm.<<<
Yes, granny understands........LOL
On my trips for the rotten horse manure, a woman who lived across the street, [I sold them the land they were on], would send her husband to help me load all my barrels, so that I had a pickup load.
I have not worked in many years with a large pile, but did keep small ones going in the greenhouses.
They worked fine, the bottom less trash cans, when I sat a rabbit cage on top of the can, fed the rabbit and put weeds, etc in the can and every week or so, stuck the water hose in the can to water the bed.......LOL, my version of a ‘rabbit factory’.
I shouldn’t take the credit for the idea, our niece lived with us and wanted a pet rabbit, so we got her one, but it was a winter of snow, so he went in the greenhouse.
I had a planter box of lettuce and it did not grow, so when Kendra cleaned her cage, I told her to toss the droppings in that bed, thinking that it would help for the next crop.
In a week the lettuce was growing beautifully.
I still think that a track [pipe suspended from the ceiling?] with a rabbit cage that could be pushed down the track, would work for fertilizing the entire plant bed........But Bill said NO.....LOL. Truth is, he did not like all my ideas.
Yes, I have noticed that we ate better in the hard times, than we did in the richer times. It takes too much of ones time to get rich, there are not enough hours to do both.
What fun, getting enough bread for the animals and neighbors too, it is more fun to share.
One of the shocks for me, Kingman and the surrounding area is not a friendly town and they do not share, I think that is why I liked Wellton, we were all poor and if a farmer said “I will plow tomorrow, get what you can salvage tonight, of the crop still in the fields, the men did and delivered it to the neighbors, lettuce, squash, grapes, whatever the crop was.
I have even had the rancher that we bought our alfalfa hay from come to the house and say “Ruth, I have ordered irrigation water for the fields, so get all the broken bales that you can, tonight...........for free.
LOL, the hardest that I ever worked, was at Mary’s one day, Bob, who bought and leased her farm, saw me there and told me that I could have all the bales in the field, as he was burning it ......Do Not every go to load hay, in shorts.......
We hooked Mary’s old trailer to my pickup and Mary at 75 years of age and I hauled hay to her place, until the fire reached us.
We were a year, getting it all moved to our place 6 or so miles away.
Bill fell in love with Kingman and we moved here, if I had known it was such a cold/selfish town, I would have stayed in Wellton.
I thought it was something wrong with me, but then some of the people that I sold places to, left for the same reason.
I look back at Wellton and find it was the best part of my life, we fought to survive and the challenge of surviving is a lot better than writing a check for every thing.
Granny, here’s the link to the thread you missed. Hope you can see the photo at #8.
I’m still laughing...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2175720/posts
DANGEROUS CHOCOLATE CAKE-IN-A-MUG RECIPE
1 coffee mug
4 Tbsp. Cake Flour (plain, not self-rising)
4 Tbsp. Sugar
2 Tbsp. Cocoa
1 Egg
3 Tbsp. Milk
3 Tbsp. oil or melted Butter
Small splash of Vanilla
3 Tbsp. Chocolate Chips, optional
Add dry ingredients to mug, mix well with a fork.
Add Egg, mix thoroughly.
Pour in Milk and oil and Vanilla, mix well.
Add Chips, if using.
Put mug in microwave, and cook for three minutes on 1000 watts.
Cake will rise over top of mug—do not be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little; tip onto a plate if desired.
Enjoy!
(This can serve two if you want to feel slightly more virtuous.)
***And WHY is this a dangerous cake recipe?
Because now we are all only five minutes away from Chocolate Cake any time of the day or night!!!***
Yes, spring is nipping at everyone’s heels......LOL, first spelled it as heals, and that fits too, as spring will heal the soul.
How large is your deck? Is there a window that opens on to it?
You could have a greenhouse of sorts and of course it would be easy to nail uprights to it and cover it with plastic.
But I am attempting to plan one you can do yourself and take with you.....[now you are in trouble, when I start inventing]
A few years ago, they went crazy building all kinds of furniture and greenhouses out of plastic water pipe.
It comes in 10’ foot pieces. It is easy to put together with the right pipe glue and they sell all kinds of fittings, that will take it off at an angle.
What if you got some 5 gallon or larger buckets, filled with soil and rocks and planted your pipe in it?
now you have the upright, add the roof supports and a frame to join to the house. Or get it as close to the house as you can and use something to seal it, like the foamrubber mattress pad that Walmart sells and I like, and that wild cat kept peeing on, until I bought a new one and got the cat out of the house.
LOL, of course I did not throw it in the trash, it will make wonderful strips to seal several areas, if I ever catch a willing pair of hands, the smell is gone now, LOL, or at least until the next rain.
If you own the house, you could do it differently, but if it is a rental, the landlord may not want any nailing.
I see 6 or 8 buckets, holding the pipe/posts up and if it covers a window area, you will be amazed at the heat you will get in the winter from the sunshine warmed air in the greenhouse.
Not perfect, but it would work.
Google for: free plastic pipe greenhouse pattern
I know it will work, as the last time I went crazy planting seeds, all of a sudden all those pots that I had sat out there in the added on room, by the wood stove in the cold January nights, potting away, were now pots of plants, needing to be hardened off and more sunlight.
I had a deck that was a couple feet off the ground, and had a railing on 3 sides or half of it.
I strung heavy grape vine wire, crisscrossed across the top, went outside the railing and using a thin board, tacked the plastic drop cloths that Walmart then sold for $5.00 for a 20’ roll 10’ wide , up from the outside/bottom of the deck and over the wires, which did need 3 or 4 short sticks to prop up the middle of it.
Kept it closed with clothes pins, opened it when it needed air.
I had a 3 foot high greenhouse, about 6 foot wide and 15 or 20 foot long.
The plants loved it, grew well and it worked for an instant wild idea that passed thru my pea brain.
Ok, do I have to admit that it felt good, while I was in there crawling on hands and knees to water it.
with your house plants, you have a good start on this spring, now for a tub big enough to grow the large size sweet potatoes.
I am glad you have lavender for your pillow.
I used my dehydrator for squash, herbs, greens, all vegetables and would have done fruits, if I had it.
You can make fruit leathers, they sell a cloth type thing that goes on the tray. The instructions seem easy enough.
I did not do meats in it, I like my meat well done and do not like jerky.
There is something about eating dried out raw meat, that does not tempt me.
I discovered years ago that I like the taste of dehydrated spinach, better than regular.
I buy at Walton Feed.com dehydrated onions, celery, and mushrooms for soups. But it you had them, you could do them at home.
You steam them for a couple minutes, then rinse with cool water and put on the tray, for a lot of the veggies.
You could put the dried veg in a blender and make flour out of them, if you wanted to make fancy noodles, or put extra food values in your breads, etc.
I wore my small one out, but picked up another just like it at the thrift store for $10.00, I checked it out and it ran, the fan worked, so I saved over $20. on it.
Do not do as I did, set it on top of the microwave, almost touching the cabinet above it, as it simple got too hot and quit.
I have another one that was a gift, it does not have a fan, and is mostly used for making yogurt.
I like turnips/& greens, squash and or cabbage in a soup, so I toss what ever I have in and freeze part of it.
I have even done swiss chard and the pigweed leaves in it for soups.
Batchelors website has a lot of interesting stories including the nuke bomb possibility.<<
I will have to check it out, I couldn’t get him last Sunday, the station would not come in.
There are a lot of problems with these older computers, some of the programs I want to use, don’t work in this XP.
Sounds like you do need to find an old pair of glasses to keep by the bed and take those contacts out at night.
You may be getting something of the dogs hair, or even the dead skin.
Just take this into consideration when or if you are about to choose a career or occupation. Knowing that money will be better if the son picks up the family trade or business makes such profession much more attractive.<<<
I agree.
I tried to get all the kids that I had contact with, to learn to be a waitress, it is the one job that never let me down.
Even at 60, I was able to get a waitress job, started at 16.
As usual he has written an important message, if we are smart enough to listen.
We don’t use chlorine in the local water, but they do use something now, iodine I suspect.
My Pur and Britta water pitchers make it drinkable.
Thanks for the recipe, LOL, I will pass it on to Scott’s lady friend, Debbie told me tonight that she love chocolate.
Smile, Scott could even make this one.
Of course neither of them need more cake.
Thank you for sending me to look, I see the bikini cats are there too and am going to send a copy to my sister.
http://www.librum.us/
Wow! What a treasure box of reading material concerning all things survival/mechanical/ad infinitum... even has the first 6 volumes of Foxfire!
Definetly Bookmark worthy!
Jane Gorsuch, now 83 was 16 in this 1942 Victory Garden movie.
We’ve featured this film before, both on our old site and on this web site back
in April 2008. Today we feature it once again because of an amazing letter we received
today from the young girl who acted in this movie almost 70 years ago!
Family members
spotted our posting of the video last year and surprised their grandmother with
a copy of it at Christmas this year.
Here is the letter. (Mike)
Email from Jane Dudderar Gorsuch.
Hello, Mr, Michael Levenson. I am writing to thank you for the time and effort it
took for you to create the Victory Garden movie. My name is Jane Dudderar Gorsuch
and I am the girl in that movie.
I had never seen the movie before, - only still
pictures, so this was quite a treat.
I was 16 years old then and am 83 now. The
movie brought back a lot of the details that were lost over the years. My family
gave it to me for Christmas, and we all (22) huddled around to see their old grandmother
being a “movie star”!!!!
Continued on our web site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See the whole story here:
City Farmer News [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102429941685&e=0010RS2UxgCDeaBFV-Cobu93GFpeBrhFfOqRDyIOhUI6GMAQOXjvhkQ8_e-Oxx8oQ6B8OOYDWW45uJzvHApJCPPVkAdHx5BHq-ExOLV_9qIdlG3j93Fd35PVg==]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looks like an excellent site, thanks for the link.
Smile, you kids keep finding sites I missed and once I was sure that I could see every site on the web, LOL so that was more than 10 years ago.
Dollmaker’s Journey CUSTOMER CONNECTION
Dream ~ Imagine ~ Create ~ Grow ~ Believe ~ Magic
At http://dollmakersjourney.com we help your creative dreams come true.
*** Please Note: We are moving to a new mailing service. In the future the newsletter will come from GoogleGroups. Everyone will be moved automatically over during the next few weeks. You will receive a Welcome message when the move is complete. Thank you.
January 2009 Issue 86
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Copyright 2009 by Dollmaker’s Journey
Dollmaker’s Journey Customer Connection newsletter is a free e-mail newsletter. Tell your friends, family and fellow dollmakers about us, and feel free to forward this newsletter to those who might be interested. You can visit our companion website at:
http://www.dollmakersjourney.com/
**Notice!**
You can view this issue online. Go to
http://dollmakersjourney.com/newsletter/cc86.html
You can read all the past issues online. Go to:
http://dollmakersjourney.com/newsletter/archives.html
The archives include an easy to follow index to all the past issues.
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Dear Dollmaking Friends,
Linda Misa shared a wonderful idea for the New Year with us as follows:
” Another thought I want to share with you - and I know many of you do this really well already....is to make this a RE year....REuse, REthink, RElax, REjoice, REcycle, REjuvenate, REal. Feel free to add your own RE words to the list. I am going to print them out and have it sitting in front of me on the wall....cause I need REminding to help keep me on track when REtail therapy thinks it might rear its head!!! All the best for 2009 - kind regards from Linda Misa.”
You can see some of Linda’s great patterns at http://dollmakersjourney.com/misa.html
Here at Dollmaker’s Journey we encourage you to REsolve this year to create something beautiful, learn something new, and do something just for fun to REnew your spirit. Have a wonderful New Year!
Bonnie and Mary Ann
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JANUARY SALE
If it’s January it must be time for our ANNUAL GENERAL SUPPLY SALE! We noticed that so many of you like to stock up in January for all your new projects and we’re delighted to help you replenish by taking 20% off all the general supplies until the end of the month.
PLEASE NOTE - To maintain the product’s quality PAVERPOL is not being shipped due to freezing weather at shipping location. PAVERPOL will be made available as weather permits.
http://www.dollmakersjourney.com/supplies.html
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DECEMBER QUIZ WINNER
Q: Which of these is NOT a kind of Christmas cookie?
A. Lubkuchen
B. Pfeffernusse
C. Stargazy
D. Belsnickel
E. Joulutortut
F. Pepparkakor
A: C – Stargazy was the correct answer. It is a Cornish pie made of baked pilchards, sardines and other kinds of fish, covered with a pastry crust. NO WAY could this be considered a Christmas cookie! Lubkuchen is a German spice and honey cake/cookie. Pfeffernusse is also called Pepper Nut, a German cookie my grandmother made us each year. They are about the size of a nickel, hard as a rock when first baked, but they soften with time (if you can leave them alone long enough!) My grandmother mailed us a huge box with at least 500 cookies in it each December. Joulutortut are Finnish star pastries/cookies, and Pepparkakor is my daughter Amy’s favorite, a traditional Swedish Christmas cookie, crispy, brown, and wonderful plain or decorated. About half of you answered that Belsnickel was a German name for Santa, which is true, but did you know that the Pennsylvania Dutch created a Belsnickel cookie in Saint Nicholas’ honor? These were given to carolers during the month of Decembe!
r. The
recipe will appear later in this newsletter in case you want to try making them.
Congratulations to Ann Macdonald from British Columbia, Canada. Your name was selected at random from all of the correct quiz entries, and you will receive a $10 gift certificate from Dollmaker’s Journey. Watch for your name in a coming month!
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JANUARY QUESTION
Q: What famous duo’s early stage names were Cleo and Caesar?
Everyone who emails in the correct answers by February 15th will be entered into a drawing for a $10 gift certificate to Dollmaker’s Journey. The winner will be announced in the next newsletter. Email your answers to Bonnie at EnchantedR@aol.com Put January Quiz in subject box. Please include your full name and where you live (state/country) in your email. NOTE: Several times in the past a winner was
drawn with no name or state/country included. When that happens we have to draw again. So please, make sure you include this information with your answer.
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JUST FOR FUN - Belsnickel Christmas Cakes/Cookies
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
Pour melted butter over sugar in a bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.
Add the eggs, beating one at a time, into the mixture.
Sift the baking soda, salt, and flour together and add to the mixture.
Place covered dough in the refrigerator for an hour. Roll out on floured board until quite thin.
Cut into small rounds or other festive shapes. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in 400 degrees F. oven for 10 minutes.
Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Ready in: 40 minutes
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CUSTOMER QUERIES
Q: I didn’t realize the importance of using the correct felting needle size when I originally purchased my 12 pack of assorted needles. I have several loose needles that all “look alike” except one that appears to have a lighter color handle. Is there any way to tell the actual size of each needle? I recently read a tip in Soft Dolls and Animals to tape 2 needles to a craft stick for better coverage that I would like to try but want to use the size 38 as I’m felting mostly curly mohair.
A: Mary Ann responds - The Size #40 is the smallest in length and is more silver in color. The size 36 is the longest. Each of the 3 small envelopes in an assorted felting needle package has a label that indicates the size and the best use for that size needle.
Kathy Hays recommends attaching several needles to a pencil which also works well.
When you receive new needles you may want to mark the tops with nail polish to differentiate the sizes if you don’t want to use the envelopes they came in. You might also want to trace one of each to use as a reference.
Q: What do you use to seal cloth doll faces and/or bodies? I no longer see Createx fabric medium listed on doll supply websites. Is there a substitute?
A: Mary Ann answered: “Unfortunately they are no longer making Createx. Many dollmakers use Krylon Spray Fixative. I never seal my faces and I’ve never had a problem.” Bonnie uses Krylon Workable Fixative (this way you can keep working on the face after sealing the first layer). Other dollmakers use Krylon Matt Finish after the face is completed. The key is to spray lightly (just a fine mist). Repeat this several times. DO NOT use hairspray. It yellows with time and can leave the fabric sticky. If you have inset eyes mask them with masking tape before spraying. The matt spray will dull plastic or glass eyes.
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OVERCOMING OBSTACLES TO MEET A CHALLENGE
By Bonnie B. Lewis
October 2008 the G Street Doll Club in Rockville, Maryland issued a challenge to its members. Create a doll using a molded dressmaker’s form. Each person was handed a 13” papier mache mannequin (torso on a base - no arms, legs or head). In addition, we received a color wheel and were told to choose our least favorite color to dress the doll and use the color wheel to find several complementary colors to use as accents. I knew immediately what color to choose – bright neon orange. Fortunately the triad colors (violet and green) were ones I could live with. But the thought of dressing a doll in neon orange just made me cringe. To add insult to injury, we also had to utilize a product or technique we had never tried/used before. I think they were trying to get us to think outside the box.
The dress form went home and sat by my sewing machine for two months. I knew what I wanted to make – a fairy sitting on a mushroom knitting fairy wings from spider silk and dew – but the form was too big. The fairy would have to be at least 22” high to be in scale. And how big would the mushroom have to be? The whole project seemed impossible.
Finally in December a light went off. I whacked off the base (6” high) with a serrated bread knife. This could be the stem of my mushroom! Next I looked through all my Styrofoam balls for a large one I could cut in half to make the top of the mushroom. All of them were too small. And of course that day it decided to snow with ice covering the road, so I couldn’t drive to a store to buy a larger one. Nevertheless, I decided to start. I tore orange/brown fabric with a basket weave pattern into 1” strips, covered the base with Paverpol, and started smoothing on the fabric. I then put Paverpol all over the outside of the fabric to seal in any raw edges. I cut a circle of brown felt and glued it to the bottom. I knew the mushroom needed to be heavy to support the weight of a 22” doll, so I went in the back yard, dug under the snow, and picked up some rocks. After washing and drying them, I poured them into the base. They rattled, shifted, and were unstable. So I poured some Paver!
pol on
top. It seeped down into the rocks and sealed them in place. One problem solved!
Next for the mushroom top. I did some research and discovered that not all mushrooms are round on the top. Many of them are flat and misshapen. Perfect! Besides, it would be easier for a fairy to perch on top of a flat mushroom. I looked in my cupboard and found a paper plate. It was just the right size. I clipped the rim all the way around and bent down the edge. I then covered it with Paverpol and bright speckled orange, red and yellow fabric.
For the underneath part I cut the rim off about 20 paper plates, gradually making them smaller and smaller. I glued them together and put them underneath the top plate. I still needed more filler, because the weight of the doll would cause the top paper plate to sag in the middle, so I added cut up pieces of discarded rims and glued them to the top of the stacked plates. Since the bottom of mushroom caps are covered with ridges called gills, I knew I needed something to simulate that. So I took a piece of gold finely pleated trim, gathered one long edge tight to make a circle, and sewed the two short ends together. I then glued this to the bottom of the paper plates with the edge folding over the top edge of the stack of plates. To add interest I wrapped the stem and bottom of the mushroom with chenille wired netting. A glob of Paverpol to the top of the stem and bottom of mushroom, more Paverpol around the edge and center of stacked plates, add the top, weight with a book a!
nd let
dry overnight. The Paverpol dried strong and clear – so strong I could pick up the mushroom by the cap without mishap.
To finish the mushroom I painted large metallic violet spots on the top. I hesitated for a moment, but the color wheel assured me that violet was a good complementary color. I stripped the wire from an old silk fern, folded it in half lengthwise, and glued it around the base for grass. One-half of the project was done!
I sculpted a head from a nylon stocking using techniques I learned from Dorit Schendzielorz, giving my elf green eyes and pointed ears. Hair was chenille fringe in multi shades of brown and green. Eyes and lips were sealed with Crystal Lacquer. (http://dollmakersjourney.com/supplies.html#pens)
In the book Cloth Dolls for Textile Artists by Ray Slater (http://dollmakersjourney.com/books.html) I found wonderful patterns for arms and legs. I just had to enlarge them a bit (115%) to have them in scale with the torso. I made them out of a tree branch patterned fabric, creating the hands from ethnic fabric (http://dollmakersjourney.com/fabrics.html) to match the face. Of course I used chenille stems in the hands so they could be positioned to hold knitting needles later. At this time I created fingernails using copper paint and Crystal Laquer.
I made knitting needles from meat skewers. I measured a regular knitting needle, used a proportional scale wheel, and knew that for the height of my doll (22”) they needed to be 4-1/4” long. I glued wooden beads on top and painted them metallic green. So far so good.
Now the problems began. I wanted to use Paverpol to cover the torso with a tiger fabric (orange, naturally). However, I knew that once I did it would be difficult to attach arms, legs, or a head. Of course, I wanted the arms and legs to move. I decided to use the invisible button jointing method I learned from Judi Ward. I punched holes in the torso where I wanted the arms and legs to attach. I then embedded buttons in the arms and legs with the shank pointed out. (http://dollmakersjourney.com/supplies.html#supplies) For more details Mimi Kirchner created a wonderful tutorial inspired by Judi Ward at
http://mimikirchner.com/blog/archives/2007/03/hidden-button-movable-joint/
I covered the top with Paverpol, stretched the nylon stocking over the neck and top of the chest to create a shoulder plate, and pinned the nylon stocking in place. After this was dry I stuck skewers through the arm and leg holes so I wouldn’t lose them, and covered the torso with torn 1” strips of tiger fabric and Paverpol, leaving the bottom open where I had cut off the base. I did have to rotate and move the skewers in and out as the torso dried so they didn’t get stuck in the holes. I then threaded 20 gauge wire through the holes and button shanks, securing the arms and legs in place. (It was helpful to have an open bottom so I could see where to thread the wires.) After everything was attached, I turned the torso upside down, added a few rocks, cut a base from heavy cardboard to fit the bottom of the torso, glued it in place, and used Paverpol to cover it with a circle of matching fabric.
The last challenge had me dreaming about solutions for a week. How could you create a knit fabric from Angelina Fiber that looked like fairy wings? I ended up cutting long thin strips of orange Textiva Fusible Iridescent Film. I placed a layer of purple Angelina Fiber on tissue paper, lay strips of film lengthwise, sprinkled with green holographic sequins, and added another layer of Angelina Fiber on top. When fused, it created a wonderful fabric that looks like spun spider silk and dewdrops, with bits of shed dragon scales mixed in. I fused loops of film on one end and slid the knitting needles in place. A bit of trim around wrists, neck and bodice, a chenille net shawl, and an orange beaded necklace, and the doll was finished.
A final note: My son-in-law brought me a special gift that his mother sent me from Uganda. She wove me a wonderful bag in black and white and created two necklaces and matching bracelets for me to wear. The first beads were black and white, and the second – ORANGE. I put on my only blouse with a hint of orange, and the jewelry looks fantastic! Who would have dreamed that in meeting a challenge with a color I hated I would end up loving it. I even made a matching necklace for the doll. So when it came time to choose a name I asked my son-in-law what he would suggest. He said she looked like Nambi, who is a princess, and the mother of all women born in his country. So I ended up with a Ugandan jungle elf, sitting on a toadstool, knitting snakeskins and fairy wings. Sometimes when life gives you a challenge you move in unexpected directions.
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DYEING SCULPEY
Debbie Y, one of our readers sent the following tip: “For those that may not have discovered this, you can dye cured Sculpey. I was at odds as how to do a black child’s hands and feet. So I used the usual pink Sculpey, cured it, and dipped the piece in liquid brown Rit dye and then wiped off the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. I’ve used many different colors this way. It works great and it’s permanent!!”
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CHALLENGES/COMPETITIONS
Mermaid and Merwomen in Black Folklore Art Doll and Art Quilt Opportunity
February 20 - March 31, 2009
Entry deadline January 25, 2009
You can get all the details here - http://www.cofc.edu/avery/mermaid_merwomen.htm
2009 All Dolled Up: Beaded Art Doll Competition
Due date: August 31, 2009
Theme: Earthen Mother
Official rules posted here: http://www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup.htm
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UPCOMING EVENTS YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS
April 30 - May 3, 2009 - Artistic Figures in Cloth
Columbus, Ohio
For information go to http://www.cyndysdolls.com/
April 30 - May 3, 2009 - Canadian Doll Artists Association 10th Anniversary Conference
Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
For information email conference_registrar@dollartists.ca
OR visit their website at http://www.doll_artists.ca
June 11 - 14, 2009 - Figurative Artists Consortium Conference
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Check out their website at http://www.figurativeartistsconsortium.com
July 11-15, 2009 - National Doll Festival
Atlanta, Georgia
Holiday Inn Select Capitol Conference Center
Free shuttle bus to Marriott Marquis
Email DollFestival@aol.com for further information
July 2009 - UFDC (United Federation of Doll Clubs) National Convention
Atlanta, Georgia
Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta
July 2009 - ODACA (Original Doll Artists Council of America) National Convention
Atlanta, Georgia
Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta
July 2009 - NIADA (National Institute of American Doll Artists) National Convention
Atlanta, Georgia
To save yourself time and energy, get all the details on upcoming doll related events at
CLOTH DOLL CONNECTION: http://clothdollconnection.com/
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SPECIAL GIFTS FOR YOU
Hoe Down Pin Doll Pattern by Madeleine Sara Maddocks is available at
http://dollmakersjourney.com/hoedown.html
You can read more about Madeleine at
http://dollmakersjourney.com/designers.html#maddocks
Bon Bon Ornament courtesy of Edwina’s Dolls. Make a bunch for next Christmas.
www.edwinadolls.com/freebies.htm
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NEW PATTERNS/BOOKS/CD-ROMs/DVDs/MOLDS
We’re starting off the New Years with some terrific new items and many more to come in the following weeks! First up is PATTI CULEA’S magnificent “Valandrial” - so many great techniques to be learned from this former class doll. http://dollmakersjourney.com/culea.html
PATTI LA VALLEY has just released a gorgeous “Cupid” complete with bow, arrows and quiver. http://dollmakersjourney.com/lavalley.html
“Alexa Rose” is a precious new baby pattern from VICKI RILEY that would delight a child of any age. http://dollmakersjourney.com/riley.html
Hot off the plane from New Zealand - “Voilet” - JILL MAAS’ newest confection. You are going to love this Goth Chick Wanabee!
http://www.dollmakersjourney.com/maas.html
If you’ve been saving your prettiest trims for just the right doll than BARBARA WILLIS’ beautiful “Chelsea” is just what you’ve been waiting for.
http://www.dollmakersjourney.com/willis.html
We have another wonderful pressmold from SHERRY GOSHON - “Libelle.” This versatile face can be used with a variety of her doll bodies such as Fern,Mannequin or Cinnamon. http://www.dollmakersjourney.com/goshon.html
“Happy Ann” is another great face stamp with an open mouth smile from BARB and DOUG KEELING. http://www.dollmakersjourney.com/keeling.html#new
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WEIRD HEALTH TIPS THAT WORK!
My husband and I have tried several of these tips, and were amazed that they really work. We found them in a Woman’s World Magazine, Dec. 22, 2008. I especially like the one to quiet coughs!
*Quiet coughs with chocolate. The main ingredient in chocolate – theobromine – is more effective at stopping a cough than prescription medicine. Dark chocolate is especially effective. Dissolve a piece of Dove dark chocolate or 2 dark Hershey kisses in your mouth and coughing will stop for up to 4 hours. This is 33% more effective than cough medicine containing codeine. It works by suppressing the vagus nerve, which is responsible for causing you to cough. So the next time you or someone you love gets a persistent cough, offer them a chocolate bar instead of cough syrup. (I now carry Dove dark chocolate squares in my purse all the time, just in case.)
*Cure hiccups with sugar. Next time you can’t get rid of hiccups, put a teaspoon of white granulated sugar on your tongue and let it dissolve. “The granules irritate the phrenic nerve, which is responsible for the hiccupping reflex, and cause the diaphragm to immediately stop spasming,” says Joe Graeden, M.S.
*Ease a sore throat with pineapple. Instead of reaching for a sore throat drop, have a piece of FRESH pineapple instead. It’s loaded with bromelain, which has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that reduce pain and swelling. It also has lots of Vitamin C, which speeds healing. Bromelain is deactivated by heat, so use only fresh pineapple. Keep nibbling until you feel better.
*Burn yourself in the kitchen or on a hot glue gun? Cover the burn with honey. Honey is more effective at healing burns than gauzes, dressings and other treatments doctors use. It has antibiotic properties that kill germs, and enzymes that help remove dead tissue, making it easier for healthy tissues to grow. Of course, having an aloe vera plant close by also works. Just remove a piece and squeeze the juice on your burn.
Disclaimer: We have tried these and they work. However, as with all medical advice, consult your doctor and follow his recommendations for serious illnesses.
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THOUGHTS TO LIVE BY
Picasso said: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
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SUPPLIES
We are expanding our HAIR DEPARTMENT to include economical Long Pile craft furs in two sizes. The four shades of “Craft Fur” come in 9”x12” pieces and the four shades of “Designer Fur” are 12”x15”. http://dollmakersjourney.com/hair.html
We’ve just added Acrylic POM POMS in 2 sizes for inserting in the tips of noses and into breasts.
http://dollmakersjourney.com/supplies.html
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NEWS FROM THE HOME FRONT
Bonnie had a wonderful Christmas and New Year, with all 20 grandchildren, 8 children, their spouses, and lots of friends over. In January she begins speaking at a series of Ward Conferences for 10 different church congregations in the area in conjunction with her new church calling as Stake Relief Society President. She is encouraging members to knit or crochet something for charity this year, and has provided lots of patterns suitable for charitable giving. She is coordinating efforts with a knit and crochet for charity group in her community that includes women from many different churches. Classes will also be held teaching people these skills who have never learned how to knit or crochet. Items include toys, dolls, scarves, sweaters, afghans, hats (especially needed are those for chemo patients and babies), etc. Of course, in order to showcase what is needed, she had to make a lot of items. If there is any interest, links to some of these projects can be provided in a fu!
ture n
ewsletter, even though they aren’t strictly doll related. As a visual aid, she created Nambi, a jungle Ugandan elf sitting on a toadstool knitting fairy wings from spider silk, dew drops, shed snake skins, and moonbeams. Nambi will accompany her as she speaks to different groups about the joy of giving and the importance of creating something beautiful this year.
Mary Ann has spent the last week getting her house cleaned up and reorganized while our assistant Tara has done a wonderful job getting the office (Mary Ann’s basement) in tip-top shape. We decided to redecorate by hanging a wide variety of dolls on the walls so that they can be enjoyed every day. There are dolls Mak has made along with dolls received as gifts or from swaps – so many treasured memories. We found that you can also hang favorite doll pins by slipping a jump ring over the pin. Bonnie likes to display hers on a quilted wall hanging. Mary Ann, Jim and daughter Ana attended a fabulous performance of “West Side Story” – a production that’s headed to Broadway. They duplicated the choreography that was in the movie and it was out of this world! This week they are eagerly awaiting attending the Dancing With the Stars Tour in DC. Now that Mak’s environment has been straightened out she’s feeling the creative juices stirring. No telling what will emerge……………sta!
y tune
d!
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WEBSITES:
Great tutorial on how to draw eyes spotted by Barb Keeling
www.onlypencil.com/blog/tutorials/drawing-the-human-eye/
31 pages of how to draw faces (cartoon style)
http://tinyurl.com/6w7rma
Fun video on U Tube on how to draw realistic eyes. Also check out other videos on drawing faces and mouths. Perfect for dolls.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DkeF7gfyM-U&NR=1
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We’d love to hear your thoughts about our Customer Connection newsletter.
Contact the editor Bonnie B. Lewis at enchantedR@aol.com with any comments, suggestions, etc.
Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to any of your friends. Help us spread the word about Dollmaker’s Journey! All we ask is that you forward it intact, with all the subscription information included.
Thanks!
(By the way, you might want to print this out and put it into a binder to keep for reference….) To subscribe to Dollmaker’s Journey Customer Connection, go to:
http://dollmakersjourney.com/subscribe.html
Copyright © 2009 Dollmaker’s Journey
Cyber Security Tip ST06-007
Defending Cell Phones and PDAs Against Attack
As cell phones and PDAs become more technologically advanced, attackers are
finding new ways to target victims. By using text messaging or email, an
attacker could lure you to a malicious site or convince you to install
malicious code on your portable device.
What unique risks do cell phones and PDAs present?
Most current cell phones have the ability to send and receive text messages.
Some cell phones and PDAs also offer the ability to connect to the internet.
Although these are features that you might find useful and convenient,
attackers may try to take advantage of them. As a result, an attacker may be
able to accomplish the following:
* abuse your service - Most cell phone plans limit the number of text
messages you can send and receive. If an attacker spams you with text
messages, you may be charged additional fees. An attacker may also be
able to infect your phone or PDA with malicious code that will allow
them to use your service. Because the contract is in your name, you will
be responsible for the charges.
* lure you to a malicious web site - While PDAs and cell phones that give
you access to email are targets for standard phishing attacks, attackers
are now sending text messages to cell phones. These messages, supposedly
from a legitimate company, may try to convince you to visit a malicious
site by claiming that there is a problem with your account or stating
that you have been subscribed to a service. Once you visit the site, you
may be lured into providing personal information or downloading a
malicious file (see Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks for
more information).
* use your cell phone or PDA in an attack - Attackers who can gain control
of your service may use your cell phone or PDA to attack others. Not
only does this hide the real attacker’s identity, it allows the attacker
to increase the number of targets (see Understanding Denial-of-Service
Attacks for more information).
* gain access to account information - In some areas, cell phones are
becoming capable of performing certain transactions (from paying for
parking or groceries to conducting larger financial transactions). An
attacker who can gain access to a phone that is used for these types of
transactions may be able to discover your account information and use or
sell it.
What can you do to protect yourself?
* Follow general guidelines for protecting portable devices - Take
precautions to secure your cell phone and PDA the same way you should
secure your computer (see Cybersecurity for Electronic Devices and
Protecting Portable Devices: Data Security for more information).
* Be careful about posting your cell phone number and email address -
Attackers often use software that browses web sites for email addresses.
These addresses then become targets for attacks and spam (see Reducing
Spam for more information). Cell phone numbers can be collected
automatically, too. By limiting the number of people who have access to
your information, you limit your risk of becoming a victim.
* Do not follow links sent in email or text messages - Be suspicious of
URLs sent in unsolicited email or text messages. While the links may
appear to be legitimate, they may actually direct you to a malicious web
site.
* Be wary of downloadable software - There are many sites that offer games
and other software you can download onto your cell phone or PDA. This
software could include malicious code. Avoid downloading files from
sites that you do not trust. If you are getting the files from a
supposedly secure site, look for a web site certificate (see
Understanding Web Site Certificates for more information). If you do
download a file from a web site, consider saving it to your computer and
manually scanning it for viruses before opening it.
* Evaluate your security settings - Make sure that you take advantage of
the security features offered on your device. Attackers may take
advantage of Bluetooth connections to access or download information on
your device. Disable Bluetooth when you are not using it to avoid
unauthorized access (see Understanding Bluetooth Technology for more
information).
_________________________________________________________________
Author: Mindi McDowell
_________________________________________________________________
Produced 2006 by US-CERT, a government organization.
Note: This tip was previously published and is being re-distributed
to increase awareness.
Terms of use
http://www.us-cert.gov/legal.html
This document can also be found at
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST06-007.html
For instructions on subscribing to or unsubscribing from this
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