Pursuing Art...Life and Dreams!: and birds

Many of you know that I have been working on a special gift for my friend, Dot, of Dot's Life and Art, in Australia. I finally received word that her gift survived it's journey and arrived! I did share some sneak peek pictures in a prior post, but am delighted to share what I've been working on for awhile. Dot wanted to do a Dotee swap with me ages ago...longer than I care to admit! She has patiently waited a long time and I wanted to do something extra special for her.

I started with the Dotee doll! As I began to pull fabric and beads to begin...all of a sudden I froze! I have made 17 Dotee dolls before, but I seriously realized that I was stitching a Dotee for *THE* Dot and I knew in my heart that it better be special and unique. I decided that it definitely needed to have a bird! So I cut a little bird out of Ultrasuede. I used vintage opaque black seed beads...16/0 for the eye and 18/0 for the body. I used vintage green matte iridescent seed beads on the leaves and lots of 2 mm amethyst Swarovski crystal beads for the flowers. Her hair is loaded with green leaf beads and amethyst flower beads with Swarovski crystal beads in the center and a Swarovski butterfly bead near the flowers. Her hanger and tail are amethyst 4mm and 6mm Swarovski bicones with a sterling silver bird charm hanging at the end. All pictures are clickable to enlarge.

She had her photo shoot outside on a beautiful day and she is hanging from one of my hanging flower baskets.

Here is a close up of the little bird and one side of the charm. I love the saying!

Here is the embroidered back and the other side of the charm!

I made a brooch/pendant from a Czech glass butterfly button. It is lacy glass and 1-1/16". It is iridescent blue/purple with a dash of pink, has a silvered mirror back with gold lustered butterflies. I used beautiful vintage facet cut blue beads with a purple luster that went perfectly with the button, vintage gold lined clear beads and new 15/0 seed beads.

I knew I wanted to bead a small doll for Dot too. In looking through my doll forms, I spotted the perfect one. It is my most favorite art doll form that Monica makes, although I love them all! But what was so perfect is that it was orange fabric with *dots*! ~wink~

When I started to teach myself to bead embroider in 2005/2006, I fell in love with a beaded face that I kept seeing. It was started by Gabe Cyr and she taught it to Anne Hesse (doll makers). So I bought the instructions for "No Rules Face Beading" by Anne Hesse. I have wanted to bead a face for years now and haven't taken the time. Well, I realized it was time and would be great for this doll. The doll sits about 5-1/2" tall and her face is about 1-1/2". Her face is pretty small and I knew to get good detail I needed to use small beads. So I decided to use my vintage 16/0 seed beads for her face. The only new beads were the gold bugle beads for her eyelashes. I started bead fringe for her hair but got worried that she may topple backwards from the weight of it when done...so I restarted again with beaded loops and short hair. I beaded her hair and body with 15/0 seed beads and matte black sequins. I used vintage beads for bosooms...thought she needed a bit of a feminine touch. I had so much fun beading this doll..she turned out a bit funky and wild...but I really like her! I don't know what it is about beaded art dolls...but they really turn my crank...I just love them!

Here is a close up of her face...

As I started finishing her, I knew she needed one more thing...a beading tray. I was intending to have her hold the beading tray in her lap and stitch it to her hands or leg. But when I finished it, I felt it just covered up too much of her body and took away from the charm of her crossed legs. So her beading tray sits before her instead.

I painted a wooden matchstick box black and then cut out a pattern to line it with. I cut some black Ultrasuede and stitched Dot's name and added some beads to the front. Then I cut out a piece for the inside of the box and beaded little piles of beads and a *tiny* little bird...representing one of Dot's famous little beaded birds. I used vintage 18/0 seed beads. I included a needle threaded with Fireline beading thread.

Here is a shot looking down into the beading tray...

And, here is a final side shot of her...

I've been learning to run my sewing machine again and have tried two different bird patterns to begin with. I thought they would be fun to bead or embellish. So I've stitched and stuffed a little flock of birds and have another batch cut and ready to sew too. It has been fun and refreshing to work on something a bit different and get the feel for sewing again.

It was such a pleasure to stitch up some love and smiles for Dot! She is a sweetheart and has been an inspiration to me for a long time!!! Did you hear the latest that the girls (Dot and Amelia) have been published in the new issue of Stuffed?!! It is such exciting news and she's so deserving!

Now it's back to working on the BJP, beading up something for the Pink Artists Drawing Part 2 and starting on another gift. My blueberries are calling me too...they are loaded this year and I want to get some picked to freeze before the birds get to them this year! :)

Here are a few snaps from our yard...