Welcome!

Come on in for a cup of tea and see what's new...

Greetings and welcome!

      Check out my on line workshops above and my blog listed at left.

       I released new patterns and they are available at Joggles, Dollmakers Journey and Cloth Doll Patterns.  I haven't had a chance to put them on this site yet as I am designing a new series of four patterns an traveling to events and workshops.  Keep checking back for information and photos!

      Here are the two new patterns: Faerie and Lace Mini Case and Flavia the Flat Mermaid.

        In the issue #49 of the Association For People Who Play With Dolls newsletter I announced a Blank Canvas Body Doll Challenge. The Winners have been selected and you can see them here as well as almost all the 175+ entries. The original challenge info is still posted here, in case you would like your own copy of the pattern. I was thrilled with the number of entries and even added extra prizes with the help and support of Mary Ann Kaahanui and Bonnie Lewis at Dollmakers Journey.

      Now the APWPWD newsletter is available as a PDF file to be sent via email in color to all that request it. The best news is it will be $15 no matter where you live. Our Australian readers have been paying $25 for 4 issues. It’s time they got a break, you know? I will continue to print and mail black and white copies to anyone that wants a hard copy in their hot little hands. If you want to switch to email you can print your own copy IN COLOR. You can find the details at the catalogue, listed in the side bar at your left here. I will not change subscriptions without written request. We still have many readers without computers and I want to celebrate all dollmakers here!  

Gypsy Dragon Fish and Her Sea Sprite Claret by Judy Skeel

       Above you will see photos of my entry for the Treasures of the Gypsy Challenge offered by Pamela Armas and displayed at the Houston Quilt Festival, Gypsy Dragon Fish and Her sea Sprite Claret. The theme was "Gypsy of the Sea" and I didn't want to do another mermaid so Gypsy Dragon Fish was my answer. The Gypsy Dragon Fish travels the world by oceans and seas gathering trinkets and treasures to admire and trade from time to time. Typically Gypsy can be seen near sunken ships with her friend Claret, a Sea Sprite who helps adorn her with baubles. Fresh water pearls, gems, a star fish bridle and a scull canteen are only some of her adornments. The fabric base of the Gypsy Fish was created with a felting machine using layers of organdy and Gypsy fabrics and trims then topped with a layer of gold mesh. Claret was completed as a cloth doll, given Apoxie Sculpt flippers and covered with lace that was decoupaged to resemble scales with an exterior spine created of mini mirrors.

       I finally got to go to Festival this year as we arranged a trip to visit family the same week. It was incredible. Everyone told me I would need days to make it through to see everything and that was true. The dolls were amazing and the quilts beautiful. Shopping was fun but sadly, because I was due for knee surgery a few days later I could only walk around for a few hours on my hubby Craig's arm. He tried to get me to stay longer... can you image?  He's a gem!  The surgery went well, I had arthroscopy and a lateral release done.  I've been home recovering, doing exercises everyday and have scheduled the second knee for January since things have gone so well. Because surgery has restricted traveling I have been teaching on line workshops from home. I have really enjoyed teaching on line and since students can post photos and ask for help it's almost as good as being there. I can't peak over a student's shoulder and tell them an easier way to do things without them mentioning they need help, though, and that's why in person workshops are still my favorite. But I do like teaching in my jammies!

Wild Poppy   By Judy Skeel

Meet Poppy, an elegant Flower Fairy who is a new doll and soon to be a new pattern. Her costume is adapted from silk flower petals and is embellished with lavish beadwork and fiber fancies while her delicate shoes are made of thin leather with beaded straps. Her pattern focuses on techniques to attach limbs for a natural body contour, how to shape hands realistically with graceful poses while creating individually wired fingers with delicate finger nails, to manipulate various silk flowers for an illusionary costume embellished with beadwork and fibers, shape a wild hair-do using fancy yarns and fun fibers and create unique exotic pose able wings. Facial details are taught with a step-by-step method focusing on proportion, needle sculpting, how to shape and draw individual features as well as shading and highlighting. Poppy is approximately 15 inches when displayed on her base but alternate pattern pieces are provided to allow the doll to be displayed in a seated position.

Poppy is not a beginner doll, however optional pattern pieces are included to accommodate beginner dollmakers with a simple torso, and mitten hands.

About once a month someone asks me if my house is still in the air and slanted. The answer to the question that always follows is, "No, I didn't kill my husband." If you haven’t heard about our wild adventure (jacking the house 4 feet to turn a crawl space into a basement) check out the family page and the “House Raising.” This past summer the project was landscaping. I finally have my cottage garden back and a few herbs again.

Check out the list of upcoming events on the workshop page and what workshops I offer for your club or event.  I’ll be traveling and teaching various classes for doll clubs and still have a few dates open in 2008 if your club is looking for a doll workshop. I’ll go anywhere to play dolls!

Please sign my guest book and say hello! Browse the site and enjoy… and come back often because there is never a dull moment at Skeelhaven!

                                                                                         Fondly,

                                                                             Judy 

Last updated May 8, 2008