Happy 2009!

It's already day 5 of 2009! So, how many resolutions have you broken so far?

Have you thought about what you want this year to look like? Do you know what you want to be different in 365 days? (Well, 360 & dwindling.) Ah, the power of goals. So, got some?

I just spent the past week settling on my 2009 goals. I'm a list person - love making them, love checking them off. Unfortunately, I can spend too long making them & not long enough checking them off, but hey, always room for improvement!

And speaking of improvement, here are a few of my 2009 goals:

1) Read 1 nonfiction book a month. No, crossword books don't count.

2) Launch Toothpick Doll Craft Kits. Everything you need to make your very own toothpick doll, except a third hand.

3) Be a craft vendor at a fair. There's this Pirate Fest in southern Georgia...

4) Submit my work for feature in a doll magazine, like Art Doll Quarterly. It could happen!

5) Work through a Chinese Language study course. Why, oh why couldn't I want to learn Spanish?

6) Complete a manuscript for a fiction book. Imagine all the room I'll have in my head when I get that out of there!

So, what about you? Got goals for 2009? How about just for January? Post them!

"He who does not plan, plans to fail." Or something like that. Happy 2009!

Ze Important French Award

Mealy Monster has bestowed on Angela Michelle Dolls the quite important & impressive-looking Marie Antoinette award! Merci, Mealy! We are highly honored & duly big-headed today about the whole thing.

In keeping of the spirit of the game, I have nominated the following equally fabulous blogs:

Sleepy Hollow Folk Art Originals

KyEliza

Berry Blue Creations

JemJoop

Barton Originals

Noodle & Lou Studio

Whetnall Watercolours

"Masquerade" - 1-inch Penny People

the RULES of de game

1 Please ad the logo on your blog

2 Place a link to the person from whom you received the award.

3 nominate at least 7 or more blogs

4 put the links to those blogs on your blog

5 leave a message on their blogs to tell them they are the chosen ones

Nutcracker Giveaway!

This ends tomorrow, Dec. 11!

Go to http://www.raechele.blogspot.com/ to enter to win one of my toothpick Nutcracker Christmas Ornaments!

These nutcrackers are made of toothpicks like most of my dolls, & hand-wrapped. His hat is fashioned out of clay, then covered in needlepoint thread. His face is my favorite part - it's made from tiny bits of colored cardstock that I've cut to make his mouth, nose, & eyes. His eyebrows are actually single strands of thread, stiffened.

Note: Although he is as charming as all princes should be, this Nutcracker will object if you actually try to crack a nut in his mouth. Please refrain.

Drumroll, please...

We've reached the grand conclusion of the Toothpick Doll Tutorial! After cutting, glueing, curling, dressing, wrapping, designing, & creating, you now know how to make a toothpick doll! Congratulations! I want to see a picture!

You've mastered Toothpick Doll Basics! Next week's tutorial: Toothpick Doll Advanced...

Just kidding :) We'll start a little slower. Seriously, though - if you have questions or would like to know more about making toothpick dolls, ask! I'll be doing more tutorials, & can certainly fit your curiousity into the tutorial schedule.

And, as promised, I am giving away the toothpick doll I created during the tutorial. The winner is...

Jenn!

Please email me at angela@angelamichelledolls. Let me know your mailing address & if you'd like the doll mounted on a pinback or left plain. Please contact me by the end of the week!

Thanks to all who followed the tutorial - hope you had fun!

Toothpick Doll Tutorial #6: Finishing Touches

Tutorial & Giveaway!

All this week, I'm doing a toothpick doll tutorial, & at the end, I'll give away my finished doll. To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment on any of the Tutorial blog posts. Since there's a new post every day this week, you can enter every day! I'll announce the winner on Monday, Dec. 8. Enjoy the tutorial! Oh, & take some pictures of your dolls - I want to see them!

Bows & Such: Finishing Touches

By now, your doll is clothed & has arms, a head - all those things that are fairly necessary in recognizing your work as a doll. Now comes the incredibly satisfying part of adding little finishing touches. Don't skip this part! It really makes your doll look finished & will take some of the attention off of your mishapen head (maybe).

(Editor's note: Yes, I chew my nails. When you get to the level where you're making things like this 1-inch Queen, you will, too. Fair warning.)

You can add all the finishes your imagination can come up with, well...within reason. You may want to draw the line at the blinking eyes or spinning head. If your imagination isn't working for one reason or another, ask the nearest child - they'll come up with enough suggestions to keep you busy! When I make dolls with my nieces & nephew, we add faces, roses, bows, hats, anything we can come up with (& I can make!) My two oldest nieces are making their own dolls by now, & wow, are they good! We're talking ball gowns with feather hairpieces, & elven archers.

For now, let's keep it simple - bows. Bows are beautiful, chic, trendy, & highly undervalued in haute couture. Not to mention, EASY! (Don't underestimate that last reason!) People ask me all the time how I make such tiny bows. This question has always struck me as odd, probably because of the answer - you start with a big bow. No, I have no interest in spending an obscene amount of time & adding immeasurably to my stress level by attempting to tie a 1/4 inch bow. Not happening. At least, not today. Just tie a bow, any size, then gently pull the ends until it's as teeny tiny as you like. Presto! Instant marvel! So go ahead, tie a few bows, add them wherever your doll would like, and...

TADAAAA!!! You have a toothpick doll, your very first. I'm so proud. Always, always, ALWAYS keep your first doll! Never give her away, sell her, misplace her, or chuck her out. I still have the very first doll I made from about 15 years ago, the pathetic little thing. She's got a special spot in my heart, not the least because she's absolutely hilarious to look at! Not saying that your first doll is a laughing matter, of course. But just in case she may someday derive a chuckle, keep her! It's fun to see where you've come from.

If you do decide to use this tutorial & make a doll, please send me a picture! I'd love to see your creativity. Not to mention it'll do my teacher-heart good. Hope you enjoyed the journey!

Leave a comment to enter the giveaway!

You can leave as many comments as you like, asking questions, making astute observations, etc., although your name only gets entered once every day. Yes, you can go back & comment on past days if you missed some!

You can enter the giveway up through Sunday, Dec. 7. On Monday, I'll draw a name & announce the winner. If you like, I'll mount the doll on a pinback. She'd be cute on a hoodie or cardigan, or on a totebag or bookbag. Check back Monday to see if you've won!

Toothpick Doll Tutorial #5: Toothpick Salon

Tutorial & Giveaway!

All this week, I'm doing a toothpick doll tutorial, & at the end of the week, I'll give away my finished doll. To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment on any of the Tutorial blog posts. Since there's a new post every day this week, you can enter every day! I'll announce the winner on Monday, Dec. 8. Enjoy the tutorial! Oh, & take some pictures of your dolls - I want to see them!

Hairstyling in Miniature

Ok, have you gotten over the stress of making your first head? Good! Now let's cover it.


If you got really ambitious, you should have curls by now. If working on tiny things can leave you in a stressed-out, jittery mess, may I suggest you go with straight hair. Quite fashionable.
Regardless, you're going to begin the same way. Put down a line of glue that starts behind one ear, comes up across the forehead, & ends behind the other ear. (No, there are no actual ears. You're making a craft! If your imagination isn't on yet, now would be a good time to flip the switch.) You're basically tracing the doll's hairline. Now follow that line with your first piece of thread (see picture above). When using curly hair, you'll have to finagle the thread a tad to get it to lay down in a straight line. Again, straight hair is all the rage with beginner dolls. Perfect for preventing nervous breakdowns.

Take a deep breath, ya done good. Now do it again, & keep right on going until your doll is bald no more. You'll be pretty good at the glue, thread, glue, finagle, thread, deep breath, glue, thread routine.

Yay, she's done! Beauty like none other! The Mona Lisa's smile is now tinged with deep envy. Oh, alright, if you don't prefer the "windblown by a hurricane" look, we'll fix her hair...

Now comes my favorite part - hairstyling. Have fun with this - it's the only time you can guarantee a good hair day because you get to glue the hair in place! Maybe this is why I struggle with doing real hair. Give her a trim where needed, & just start glueing the hair down wherever you like. I cut a short snippet of curls & glued them in place for bangs on my gal.

Tomorrow: Finishing Touches!

translation: You're almost stinkin' done!

Leave a comment to enter the giveaway!

You can leave as many comments as you like, asking questions, making astute observations, etc., although your name only gets entered once every day. Yes, you can go back & comment on past days if you missed some!

Toothpick Doll Tutorial #4: Finally a Head!

Tutorial & Giveaway!

All this week, I'm doing a toothpick doll tutorial, & at the end of the week, I'll give away my finished doll. To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment on any of the Tutorial blog posts. Since there's a new post every day this week, you can enter every day! I'll announce the winner on Monday, Dec. 8. Enjoy the tutorial! Oh, & take some pictures of your dolls - I want to see them!

Just How Do You Make Those Heads?

This is probably the question I get asked most often. So now, just for you, I shall reveal the Secret of the Head. Take good notes.

Start your thread where your shoulders left off & wrap along the toothpick until you reach the end. From here on out, just wrap back & forth along that toothpick until you get a head-shape. Don't worry - there are pictures to follow! I'm not just leaving you with that.

TIP: When you get to the end of the toothpick (like in the picture above), put a little dot of glue there & use that to help secure the thread wrapping at the end. This small act will single-handedly save your sanity.

See in the picture above - you just wrap back & forth until you're satisfied. Where you need to, put a dab of glue to hold the thread in place. This takes practice! I give you full permission to let your very first doll be a conehead. Mine had a rather thin oval for a head - give yourself a break! Now, when you're finished, end of the thread at the back.

Don't get too excited - you're not done yet! Now it's time to seal the head.

Put some drops of glue around the top & chin of your head (well, your doll's head, then). With your finger, smooth the glue OVER THE ENTIRE HEAD. Try to do it in just a few smooth wipes, then let the head dry. The glue will dry clear.

WARNING: Failure to seal the head can result in your head popping off. If this happens to you, I will probably be able to hear your wretched wail from here. Don't let your head pop off!

NOW, you're done. Take a deep breath, your doll looks lovely! At this point, you should feel so proud of yourself that you don't even mind that your doll is as bald as a beach ball.

Tomorrow: Hairstyles in Miniature

But first - if you would like curly hair for your doll, there's one more step you need to do today. Wrap some thread around a toothpick & secure it with a small piece of tape. Soak it for about an hour or so & let it dry overnight. Tomorrow, you shall have curls. Be safe & wrap 3-4 toothpicks of hair to make sure you have enough. Make it 12 if you're going for the Rapunzel look. (Not recommended on your first doll, by the way!)

Leave a comment to enter the giveaway!

You can leave as many comments as you like, asking questions, making astute observations, etc., although your name only gets entered once every day you leave a comment. Yes, you can go back & comment on past days if you missed some!