Upcoming Events:

•  The New York Week of Workshops (NYWOW) 2008 - May 13-19, 2008, Holiday Inn, Fishkill, NY; With the blessing of Joyce Miko, Gerri and Beverly Nostro  will continue the tradition of a week of workshops for dollmakers of assorted mediums.  Check out the website: http://www.thenewyorkwow.com/;email: thenewyorkwow@aol.com. Instructors include:  Diane Keeler, Adele Sciortino, Judy Skeel, and Gloria “Mimi” Winer. Previously WOW was run by Joyce Miko and her sister Janet. Joyce could no longer run the event after losing her sister. Now two more sisters have picked it up and are running the NYWOW with Joyce's guidance. It should be a blast, especially with this awesome line up of teachers!

• Gala 2008 Aurora, Ohio, May 16 18 - Theme:  Think Pink!  It's a Girl Thing.  Check out their web page at www.clothdollconnection.com/dollgatherers. Teachers: epb, Barbara Willis, Patti Culea and Karen Shifton. in 2007 this event was called Flowers, Fairies and Fiber Fancies, a Garden Gala, based on their theme. They have changed their name because the event was so good they are having a second one... with a new theme.

• Fiber Optics: Art Quilts and Dolls - May 28- June 28, High Road Gallery 12 East Stafford Avenue, Worthington, OH 43082, http://www.highroadgallery.com/  Artists Reception: Sunday, June 1, 2:00 − 4:00 pm. I will have several pieces for sale along with my local doll guild, The Guilded Lilies.

• All Dolled Up, Ottawa, Canada June 4-9, 2008 -  Contact Roberta Russell . Workshops Angel Fish the Mermaid Bride (twice) and Altered Fabric.

• 11th Annual Enchanted Doll Artists Conference (EDAC) - July 17-20, 2008 Embassy Suites, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Contact: Rae Sook, 9827 N. 151st E. Ave., Owasso, OK  74055; website:  http://www.enchanteddollartistsconference.org/ 2008 will have the best line up of teachers EDAC has ever had! Pearl Red Moon from Australia, Patti Medaris Culea, Arley Berryhill, Barbara Schoenoff of Chicago (she may be new to you but she is worth getting to know!), Adele Sciortino from Canada and Diane Keeler, a NIADA and ODACA member who teaches polymer clay. Additional activities will include a flat doll event with 5 doll Diva's, epb, Patti Culea, Barbara Willis, Betts Vidal and Sally Lampi, and the Grand Finale will be a Sock Monkey Wedding; a marvelous display of monkeys as well as their family and friend wedding guests. Of all events each year this has always been my favorite. I'll be teaching "UTEE with Judy" Saturday evening.

• National Institute of American Doll Artists (NIADA) 2008 Annual Conference - Thursday, July 24 – Sunday, July 27, Las Vegas, Nevada

1 Day Classes | 2 Day Classes | 3 Day Classes
 

   I have been teaching more than a dozen years in shops and private settings as well as at conventions. Always working on creating new designs, patterns and adapting classes, my skills focus on detailed faces with accents on highlights and shading, ribbon and fabric manipulation and extensive embellishment techniques; all the extra touches that can transform an average doll into someone special. The center theme of all of these fun and relaxed classes is:

Workshop fees: $300 per day (6 to 7 hours each day), traveling expenses, including airfare if more than 2 1/2 hours of driving required, an escort to and from the airport, plus room and board. Overnight accommodations may be in a student’s non-smoking home or in a hotel. Class size is preferably limited to 15 students for the fairness of personal attention to each student. Additional kit fees may apply. 
Customized workshops are available on request. Ask about weekly workshops at Skeelhaven.

 3 Day Workshops

Destiny

Destiny, a 17 inch elegant doll is distinguished in Stiletto heels that show off her shapely legs and allow her to stand. She can be Gothic in all black with a spider tattoo on one breast or changing the colors and a few details she may be a glorious bride or debutante. Techniques in this workshop include needle sculpting a cloth face and applying cloth over cloth to hide face seams, step-by-step face color details including makeup suitable for a bride and gothic face, detailed bead work to create an elegant collar and wrist bands including the peyote stitch, picot stitch and free form beading as well as painting a faux marble base. Students will learn secrets to making elegant hands with tips to stitch and turn perfect fingers as well as techniques to properly wire, stuff and shape hands in realistic poses. Options include how to distress fabric to age her gown, silk ribbon embroidery accents, creating a beaded Queen Anne collar, cape and wedding veil and a variety of hair alternatives.               

The Elven King of Moonmothia

   Highly detailed and embellished, the Elven King wears removable leather boots and an embroidered silk shirt. Needle sculpting defines his chest with nipples, pecks and abs as well as an Adams apple and collar bones. His cape is covered with dangling fall leaves created with various embellishing techniques including hand-dyed appliqués, and free motion embroidery. This class requires intermediate sewing machine skills as well as hand sewing.  Optional face and cape kits will be available for purchase in class as well as other hard to find supplies. These details will be sent to students several weeks before the workshop. This workshop will require a sewing machine and could be completed in three days with pre-sewing.
 

Embellishing the Whimsical Doll

In this 3-day class students will focus on embellishments, use of color, texture and and learn to finish a cloth doll with panache!  Techniques include fabric manipulation, manipulating ribbon and trims into embellishments, illusioncostuming, incorporating beadwork , step-by-step facial details - realistic and  “character” variations and  hats and head wraps. Beginner to advanced students will benefit from this workshop. Students must be able to machine and hand sew to complete this project. Bring a sense of adventure and plan to have a great time playing dolls! There will be prep work for this class so a sewing machine will be optional class and may be completed in two days with pre-sewing.

2 Day Workshops:
 

Angel Fish: The Mermaid Bride

Angel fish collects riches from ship wrecks and has embellished her wedding gown with her treasures. This two or three day work shop features Judy’s detailed step-by-step methods to needle sculpt and add dimension to a cloth face with color. Create this elegant mermaid doll to learn free form embellishing techniques including silk ribbon embroidery stitches, ribbon and fabric manipulation and incorporating beadwork as well as creating lace unique embellishments from lace to create this beautiful doll. Additional techniques taught in this workshop include how to naturally pose feminine articulated hands gracefully with the option for individual fingers or mitten hands including fingernails and easy but elegant dolly rings and jewelry. Two day class will not include several embellishment techniques though the doll may be completed in three days, depending on the student.

There is no such thing as an ugly piece of fabric because any piece of fabric can be transformed into something wonderful. Through demonstrations and hands on techniques students will learn to create unique fabrics and to adapt tired and plain fabrics and trims for future dolls, cloth journals, quilts and imagination projects. Students will play with fabric and fibers all day to their hearts content. There is no pre-class work and no project to complete but students will have an assortment of one of a kind fabrics to use for their favorite fiber art and the knowledge and experiences to alter more fabrics at home. Various products used include paint, dye, ink, crayons, stamps, fusible webbing, Angelina Fibers, water soluble oil pastels and Tyvek and fabrics will include cotton, polyester, silk, rayon, tulle, cheese cloth, organdy, velvet, lace and miscellaneous fibers. More detailed techniques will be taught in the two day workshop.

Camille

Camille is a two day cloth doll workshop to create an elegant Flower Fairy. Her costume and wings are 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. Seated, Camille is 9 inches in height but alternate pattern pieces will allow the opportunity to create a wide variety of fairies seated, standing, and flying, and students will learn how to adapt the body to show a doll in motion. Additional pattern pieces will also be included for beginner dollmakers to sew a simple torso and mitten hands which can also be wired and made to appear as individual fingers without “the work.” This fun filled workshop will be suitable for dollmakers of all levels. Pre-class sewing and stuffing will be required so no sewing machine will be needed in the classroom. 

The Harpy

   The Harpy is a hybrid creature from Greek mythology. This doll is half cloth woman and half Apoxie Sculpt vultureand free standing to measure 8 inches in height. The Harpy had detailed legs and claws sculpted from Apoxie Sculpt (a two part compound that hardens without baking) which are painted in layers to appear naturally soiled. Techniques taught in this workshop include needle sculpting a cloth face, applying cloth over a cloth needle sculpted face for a three dimensional head with no center face seam, how to turn, wire and pose realistic looking hands, sculpting techniques with Apoxie Sculpt and how to cover the vulture torso with feathers and create believable wings. Additional techniques include creating a wig from Tibetan lamb skin, dressing her in a tattered leather halter and as Harpy’s are known to be vile creatures the class will teach how to soil the doll and her hair for a realistic effect.

Beetle Babe

Briwyn is a garden faerie and stands on her beetle buddy Brody’s back holding securely to vine woven reigns as she patrols under the hosta leaves and in between the bluebells and the columbine to make sure things are in order. Her costume is hand dyed and singed silk, draped in fibers and beads and toped with a Free Motion Embroidery (FME). Brody has a shell also made with FME using different types of fibers. This workshop is full of techniques and options including: a flat face and a needle sculpted head as well as a choice between individually wired articulated fingers and mitten hands. With the added options this pattern will be fun for doll makers of all skill levels. Make this doll with as many or as few techniques as you choose!

Enchantment: A Cloth Doll Captured Within and Apoxie Sculpt Tree

   Enchanted and captured within a tree this beautiful lady awaits a hero to break the curse and whisk her away for a happy-ever-after life. This artistic piece is comprised of a cloth doll with a stump body captured within an enchanted tree of Apoxie Sculpt; a compound that can be manipulated similar to polymer clay and hardens over night. For a three day work shop we add detailed needle sculpting and additional embellishment options for the tree or for the two day workshop students may choose the 4 part head and to needle sculpt a face in advance or choose the flat faced doll option. Both faces will be taught emphasizing shadows and highlights for a 3-dimensional appearance.

Olivia Masquerades as an Ostrich

   Olivia has a three dimensional head with optional light needle sculpting. She is whimsically dressed for a Masquerade party as an Ostrich with a nest of birds in her hair and carries her egg as a purse. Mounted on a removable stand Olivia holds her one-of-a-kind polymer clay mask while she waits for the party host to answer the door and invite her inside. Techniques taught in this workshop include how to gracefully pose feminine articulated hands with the option for individual fingers or a mitten hand including fingernails, beginner needle sculpting, designing an ornate polymer clay mask and how to create a removable base for a doll. Students will also learn how to adjust the costume to fit the proportions of the doll.  There will be prep work for this class and may be completed in two days with pre-sewing.

Wee Whimsies:

Funny little men with attitude!

   Originally inspired by the incredible artist James Christensen the characters created in this class are unique and a blast to embellish! Judy's own techniques for adapting ribbons and trims as well fabric scraps to overdress these peculiar characters will excite you and you will find you need to make several of these little guys! Needle sculpted, detailed faces add to the personality of these unique dolls. These self-standing dolls range from 8 to 12 inches in height with the fascinating option to mix and match body parts! The sky is the limit on these extremely detailed whimsical pieces of art that focus on color and embellishing. With some pre-sewing work this class may be taught in 2-days.
 

Gemini: The Fairy of Two Seasons
 

   Create two fairies with individual costuming for each 16” doll. This all cloth doll work shop boasts two detailed faces allowing the workshop to focus on color combinations and makeup techniques for flat faces. Harvest Moon wears a raggedy layered skirt and leaf speckled over skirt, Mid Summers' Eve Fairy wears a pants and midriff combination including bead work. This workshop will also teach articulated fingers with nails and how to shape and pose hands for a natural appearance as well as a needle sculpted mitten hand option and needle sculpted feet. One doll may be completed in two days. Beginner to intermediate level.

Penelope Ponders the Preposterous Proposal of the Pompous Prince Phillip
 

   Dollmaking and fiber embellishing skills in one! Created to sit or stand with wired legs, this highly detailed exquisite doll has layers of undergarments, lace, fabulous boots, and individually wired fingers with nails. 17" standing, Penelope wears a regal head piece with oodles of lace as well as beads, gems, and fiber embellishments. Step by step face details make the artistic far easier than it looks even for the non artist. Learn embellishment skills on her layered faces as well as her glorious garments. With some pre sewing work this class may be taught in 2 days. Intermediate level.

1 Day Workshops:
 

Lady Grace

  Lady Grace is an elegant wall hanging doll with a multi-layered head wrap above and an embellished tassel below her billowing skirt. She is now available as a workshop that focuses on creating graceful expressive hands, including how to properly turn, wire, stuff and shape hands for a realistic shape and natural pose as well as  creating elongated finger nails. Facial details include detailed needle sculpting steps as well as facial drawing, coloring, and the application of eye make-up along with highlights and shadows for a face with depth. This 15 page pattern is full of digital drawings to guide dollmakers step by step through the creating process and to create the beaded brooch on her chest.

Cloth Marrotte:
A head for the class!

   This head on a stick workshop will help students learn that just stuffing is not enough! Needle sculpted features, enhanced by color, highlights and shading will create the character of your choice from several different head options. Embellishing the head with hair, hats or head wraps and  imagination will complete each one of a kind Marrotte. This class will require intermediate sewing machine skills as well as hand sewing and is suitable for all doll makers. With pre-sewing this workshop may be completed in one day.
 

Wobble Whimsie:
A bean bag body with a needle sculpted face.
 

   Create your own Wobble Whimsy Lady with a baggy body that can sit or lounge just about anywhere! In this class we will learn the beginning details of needle sculpted facial features, and facial color, as well as embellish whimsical details, and elegantly coiffured hair. Plan to create a colorful lady to bring a smile! Be sure to bring your imagination and sense of adventure!!! Hand and machine sewing skills will be required. This class will require intermediate sewing machine skills as well as hand sewing. This class is suitable for beginner and intermediate doll makers.

Wally-Mama's:
A modular wall doll with oodles of options!
 

   These Mama's can range from classic elegant Victorian ladies to purple haired punk-rockers! Techniques for beaded jewelry are included in this fun workshop that focuses on faces and embellishments, as well as surprising hair techniques. There are three finishing designs to choose from in the pattern and we will work on options and adaptations to create one-of-a-kind dolls. This class will require intermediate sewing machine skills as well as hand sewing and is suitable for beginner and intermediate doll makers. With pre-sewing this class may be taught in one day and not require a sewing machine in class.

Embellished Angel:
Graceful fabric manipulation and extensive embellishing.
 

   In creating this unique wall hanging doll, we will stitch a simple body and learn step-by-step detailed face techniques. We will focus on artistic draping with lightweight silky fabrics and embellishing with ribbons, beads, buttons, and trinkets, etc. The student may choose an angel, faerie or doll without wings for this class. Intermediate sewing machine use and knowledge required for this creative artistic doll, as well as hand sewing skills. This class will require intermediate sewing machine skills as well as hand sewing. This class is suitable for beginner doll makers as well as intermediate students. With pre-sewing this class may be taught in 1-day.
 

Treasure Purses:
Each button trinket and gem on this purse
are there to remind you that you are a treasure!
 

   Faces and embellishments seem to be the most requested techniques to learn in my classes. These treasure purses  are the perfect answer as well as fabulous gifts! Each is unique and can be a family heirloom gift using grandma's favorite button collection, antique lace or hankies as well as old jewelry pieces or may be created as a new work of art in vivid colors to suit one's taste. The purses are beautiful neck adornments as well as just the right size to hold credit cards and cash for hands free shopping. This is a one day workshop and is suitable for all doll makers.
 

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