Is a fox a doll?

Here is my fox. He/she is life size. I was asked by a friend to help make an animal for a puppet theatre play that a local school puts on every year. I love a challenge, but I stress so much. Of course there was no pattern and I had to blow up a photocopy of a photo to the size I needed. I then had to create the pattern and decide on how to make the fox stand without falling over when picked up and put down by the players. I took these pics before I did the final stitching up, you can still see the pin in the ear. I have to say I am very pleased with how my fox turned out. I think the director will like it. The play is in June so I will be attending opening night to see my fox perform. By the way the play is 'The Secret Garden' and my friend Lois has made a red robin, a black bird, rabbit and a lamb. She is amazing, there is no way I could make the things she does. The fox was quite enough for now...

So very sad

For the last two days we have had terrible news reports about loss of life and complete townships from fires in Victoria. It brings home the importance of life and loved ones. These tragedies make you realise just how fortunate our quiet lives are and how people pull together to help those who have lost so much.

Something new - but it's a secret......

I have had the inspiration to make a doll. I will just show some progress photos for now, because I don't want to jinx this. She is paperclay over cloth, which is different to the Darwi clay I have used in the past. After adding clay,I painted the legs, arms and head. I find I do enjoy this method. Making dolls is like a process of elimination. You start to make something and if you don't like it, it just takes ages to do. It seems this is why I get stuck all the time and have so many UFO's. When you enjoy the process, you just do the step by step and before you know it the doll has come together. So this is what I have learned......find the thing you really enjoy doing and do lots of it. Each time you do it, it gets easier and you then develop your own style. I feel like I am so near, yet so far. I have lots more to do to find what my dolls really want to be. What a revelation!