Saturday, August 6, 2011

Talent/ability vs. raw determination

I guess one has to have both.  Some times I wish I were talented.  I think I'm creative but more like a "problem solver" type of creative than a "look what I came up with out of twigs and some twine" kind of creative.

Given a problem or maybe given specific materials, I think I can hold my own with coming up with a project.  If I were to just daydream and have something 'come to me'.  I think I'd be waiting a long time. (perhaps an eternity).  :0

My mom was over visiting.  Usually my things are not out (I keep them in a spare room), but they happened to be sprawled out on my dining room table (good flat surface).  She asked me about them, and much to my surprise she said she had wondered about the doll clothes, etc. that she saw me making.  (when I go with her to doctor's appts. or any where that there will be a wait, I generally take some hand sewing with me to pass the time).  We will sit in the waiting room and talk, but she doesn't really talk about what I'm making -- so I don't either.

She said something "interesting" to me.  It was about patience.  She thought I had a lot of it to do such small hand work.  She also said something funny.  It was that she would watch me, but didn't think she could do what I was doing even if she watched for the rest of her life.  :)  Then she said of all the children that she has (she has 3) -- she didn't think any of her other children would have the "patience to do what you do".  I laughed and said "you mean talent".  Then I thought about it.  I don't have talent either.  I guess I just have the desire to work on my Agnes project so I forge along with my trial and error methods and see what sticks.  Luckily Agnes doesn't talk -- so she can't complain.

She did have something nice to say about Agnes and she was surprised how little she is.  "She's so sweet and dainty" my mom commented.  I went on to show her that she is jointed.  That she has an elaborate spring system holding her together.... I think all this was lost on her.  She just smiled and said "she's a nice doll".  I took that.  I smiled and said, "Yes, yes she is".

Agnes is so much fun and she can be a little challenging (for me).  But I love the challenge.  And frankly, any doll would be a challenge.

I do "daydream" -- brain storm.  Here's a look at that:




So,  this is what you are looking at:
I'm in shoe mode.  I have some ready to post.  Look for those tomorrow or Monday.  Here's a pair or shoes in the making.  2 leather outersoles.  Those are the light colored shoe shapes in the middle at the bottom of the photo.  To each side of those, is the innersole of a cool fusible cloth material and cardboard.  The white half moon cloth thing is the lining for the shoe's upper, the funny half moon with the notches will be the shoe's upper.  It is that cool fusible fabric.  On one, there are the tiniest sequins and even tinier glass beads (these are the smallest glass beads I have ever seen.  Too small to be strung with even a beading needle.  (I'd say 1/3 or 1/2 the size of a standard seed bead -- even smaller than the Japanese ones).  The sequins are also tiny 1/8" -- these findings are all from my stash.  I bought them at Bead World in New York.  (Not a big place, but the selection is really incredible).   I'm working on beading the other upper and then assembling.  You'll see it when I have finished. ;)

The blue and white swatch at the top of the photo is yet another direction.  It is an old embroidered hanky.  I know that people make dresses for dolls from hankies.  They are nice and all, but I want to make a nightie of some kind  I look at this "swatch" for some inspiration,  I have a rough idea what I'd like to make, but I am limited to the size of the hankie... or am I?  More to come on this.

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