Proud new doll mamas!

You may remember that I told you about the doll class we started at our local Senior Center (Center 50 +) here in Salem, Oregon earlier this year. The ladies are starting on their second dolls now, and I thought you might enjoy seeing some shots of our class in action.

Since everyone was brand new to doll making when we started, we had everyone working on the same doll, which made it so much easier to keep them all on track. Instead of having to demonstrate each step on totally different faces or bodies, or whatever, one demonstration of the next part of the process for everyone all together, followed by individual help as required did the trick and met their needs while keeping me sane.

We initiated out “transport boards” to carry home freshly painted pieces to be fired without having to worry about them getting smeared in the process, and it worked out fantastically. If you’re interested in the carry boards, you’ll find instructions for making your own in the Freebies section of this site.

The bulk of each student’s doll parts and individual supplies fit nicely into sets of plastic drawers which were labeled to keep everything straight, and the doll pieces were each initialed with to help us tell them apart when they came out of the kiln.

This is Ruby Rhodes, our latest new mama. She just completed her Jenny doll at our last session, and is proudly showing her off to the rest of the class. As you can see, she is dressed and all ready to be put on display at home.It may take a bit longer to be ready to move on to a new doll, but we are encouraging the class to start making their costumes as soon as they have their doll bodies together enough to begin fitting their clothes. The goal is to be able to take a completed doll out of the classroom, and not have it laying around gathering dust at home in its “birthday suit”.

Not all of the students sew, but there are web sites where completed costumes can be purchased, or, in our case, they paid me to make some of them. Maybe some of the ladies in your classes sew for some of the others. Anyway, not being a seamstress doesn’t mean they can’t make dolls!

The 50 + Center was good enough to give us a really nice write up in the Senior paper that goes out to a good sized area here in Oregon, and we are getting folks signed up for another class, this time one that will meet in the evening each week to allow working gals to attend. We’re excited about adding even more new doll makers to the local doll community, and the benefits will trickle upward as more supplies are required for our projects! This class will be starting with Molly, either as a girl or boy, whichever they choose.

We will be having tables at the next local Doll Show, the Crossroads Dolls, Teddy Bears & More Show & Sales that will take place on September 5th at the National Guard Armory located at 10000 NE 33rd DR, Portland, Oregon. We plan to give out information about known doll classes in Oregon, have a production line type display on making a doll for the benefit of those who haven’t tried it yet, and will be making Ultra chic Porcelain available for those who are ready to pick up some more. If you would like to pre-order porcelain slip, let us know so we have what you need available. Come on out and support the doll community! You’ll have a good time and maybe meet some new doll makers.