An Easter Tree

I was determined to make myself one this year.  I think they are great...and if you Google them you will see all sorts of different types of trees.
This one is in Germany..outside.  They are a German tradition.

Traditional German Easter Tree - The traditional German Easter tree is called an Osterbaum. The tree is not merely created from flowering branches collected in a vase, but can be made from living trees and shrubs situated around the house. The vase or planter that the tree is in is usually decorated with wooden eggs set on the top of the soil as well as hung from the branches. The eggs are almost always colorful as the environment in Germany around Easter is usually drab; the tree is meant to add a colorful, spring-like touch to the home.

... I stole this photo from somebody's blog and now can't remember whose...if it is yours... please say so...
It is a lovely curly shrub isn't it? ...

Pastel origami ornaments (after our traditional Christmas colours) have been on the go for the past few weeks.  In anticipation of hanging them on an Easter Tree.

Muriel,  who makes them with me, reminded me that I better get on it if I was going to do one...it is already into the Easter week..

My 'tree" was going to be just a branch or branches and already I'd been scouting the area for some that would be good for hanging ornaments .   I did notice some perfect trees in the Safeway parking lot and was going to take my pruning shears there one evening ... but, didn't have to do it after all.


The story goes like this.

There was an Estate Sale up the block last week...and I decided to see if they had any old Corning Ware with handles (lots of the new stuff is pretty white containers, but, alas, straight sides ..no handles... )  What the heck? They are useless and dangerous.  Especially when full of blistering hot food.  I know.  I have three. They are difficult to grab with pot holders or gloves or anything really.. too slippery to hold them safely.  I'm going back to the old stuff...and, decided not to pay full price for it either.  Guess what?  I found 3 containers almost brand new.  One has hardly, if ever, been used.  .. only two had lids but I have an extra lid anyway...so, for a whopping $8 ... I have new, safe containers... wooohoo ... and, I intend to check out a few more garage sales this summer as well..for a couple more and a few extra lids.

Anyway...back to the story of my Easter Tree..hahahahha.. man, I digress don't I ??   ..." and all around the circle" la la la ..... la la ......

On the way back from the Estate Sale... with arms loaded...I spied some great branches growing in the alleyway.  Two different shrubs.. managing to grow in pavement..

I broke off a couple 2 foot branches and carried them back as well.  Planted one in my little pastel pail that I got at Safeway for $4.99 ...  added some limestone rocks and a bit of fake moss and voilà ...  my Easter Tree.

Little "Sheepie" loves it.  He stood and admired it for hours...

And,.... see the little tiny buds on the branches?  I mentioned to my sister that I thought they looked like they could bloom or something...and, she said... put a bit of water in the pot.  They probably will.  Well................. today they are looking very green..... I think they may leaf today or tomorrow... how cute will that be?  I have a feeling it might be a Nanking shrub..... they could even flower.....  I'm standing around looking at it a lot now....

hoping...............................

Eight Dotee babies...

...but, the last one left home the same day she was completed.  As a matter of fact..I had to work diligently to get her done.. she was a gift for somebody's birthday..
A friend who does origami with me.  I wish she had mentioned her special day a few sooner than she did... but, at least I got it done the following day.

She noticed the pink brocade when I was showing her my little collection of dollies... said she would like one made with that.  I wasn't really going to bother trying to make one with it initially.  It was just sitting there on top of the pile of possible fabrics I wanted to use.. ... you know how brocade is... erm...well, it is for me anyway...but, I remembered to leave plenty of seam allowance and it worked out okay.  I trimmed it closer later... leaving it a bit wider at the closure. Whew...

Click to see her closer and see the pretty beads and pearls ...

I put on some pearls and gave her one of the special silver beads we bought for some silvery papered origami ornaments.  We only found one small strand so we use them sparingly.



















She loves her; says she will carry her around for the better part of the day .. and is trying to decide on a name ...  so, for now... I call her Miko... we'll see if it sticks.

So, there were eight ..for about half an hour. .. but, now we are back to seven..  lucky number 7 again...

Here she is ...ready to leave home...

Little Miko... sorry, she is slightly out of focus... but I had already delivered her before I looked at the photo on the computer ...darn it... she looks so cute in her comfy papers......

Surprise!

Two more ... hahahhahahhahahhaha........wheeeeeee.....I'm losing it!  And, don't even ask what I'm going to do with them all!  I haven't a clue.....yet.

The purple one I made a few days ago..but, wanted to add some little bugle beads on the long strokes in the Pansy type flower...and, re-take the pics...I only had two on there and didn't really like the look of it.  I'm naming her Pansy ...of course.

Click on them to see some of the beads ... it will get you closer ...

They are both made from fabrics I received years ago from the Hoffman Challenge when Madame Pompadour took fourth place.  They sent me a pile of lovely stuff...

This one is still called "little girl" .... I'm thinking of names for her ... the fabric has a fall look to it... with some gold on the edges of the leaves... so I went with gold and green beads.

We now have septuplets.... they look like a bunch of Easter Eggs sitting on the table....

Dotee quintuplets

Did any of you notice there were 5 "danglies" in the photo last time?  No? ... Well, there were.

That means there were 5 Dotees to take pics of.. and here is the fifth...

I know, I know .....   I've gone crazy with them...but, they are such fun!  They come together quite easily (with the exception of the 'dangly'..   I still need to figure out a better system) and it is a great way to pass an hour especially at night before going to bed.  No computer screen glare depleting what little Melatonin my body possesses.  Actually I don't think I have any at all .. I never feel sleepy at night at all.  My eyes don't always want to do fine work ...but, my body never wants to sleep.

Then, in the morning... it won't wake up either.  I worked night shift for too many years back in the day I guess......

Roxy (short for Roxanne) ...  
As my sister says ...they all look like babies in their 'blankies'.  Yes, indeed they do.  All so serene and sleeping ... or, maybe they're smug and sleeping .... little buggers.... just teasing me cuz I can't sleep ..........  hmmmm...........

Dotee Dolls ... the beading .....

One of the most fun parts of a Dotee is the beading.  Well, it is for me anyway.  I love making the "danglies" and the hangers.  It's fun to arrange the lovely colours to complement the dolly.

Over the past few months a friend and I have been doing a lot of origami ornaments.. she saw some of mine before Christmas and wanted to learn how to fold and assemble...I was thrilled to have somebody to play with..so we spent many an enjoyable hour doing those.  Now, I'm making some in Easter colours...for my Easter Tree.  They have a little gold thread to hang them....with beads on it to complement the colours of the papers of the ornaments.

 I seemed to acquire lots of colours and sizes ..but, you can never have too many beads, right?  They are even fun just to look at and run your fingers through.
Last week, with my 50% off coupon at Michael's, I got this.

A whole container with thousands of seed beads...   whopping total ....  $19.49.  I bought a fairly large string of them at the bead store for $7.00 a month ago...  ...but..... they were all the same colour.  So, if I bought only 3 strings of beads in different colours... I would already have spent $21... what a bargain.

It is a good idea to scrutinize every aspect of it very carefully though...and to make sure how to open each of the containers so as not to spill out any ...(or plenty!) of the seed beads.  Trust me on this.  You turn the carousel on it's side and jiggle and shake it back and forth gently to make sure all the beads are settled into their various compartments.. BEFORE opening the lid.   And, then, when you close the lid... make sure it is done properly and is securely fastened.  See that little crevice in the photo below? (on the red beads) ... a lot of tiny beads can fall out of that opening!  And ... they did!  'Til I figured it out.  Much blue air ensued after the first careless closing.  I failed to realize that the lids fit just so, and must accommodate the corner tabs inside the lid properly, before trying to close the snap tabs on the outside of the lid.   And beads must not be on those little dividers either ..or the lid doesn't close properly.  It's a good system and it works ..if you pay attention.  Just sayin'......... if you buy one .... make certain you have it figured out ... please...

 Then, get a glass of wine and do some beading...oh, just a minute ...I'm empty... hang on I'll go for a refill.... .................  .........................  ......................

Don't you love my clutter?  It's the way I work.  Everything within easy reach ... and as I know you are aware ..all of a sudden, all of it is all over the place.  Soon I'm working in a pretty small space ... like ..  about 8 X 8 ....inches, that is!

Works for me.

It's still kinda organized....  (the ex-dental assistant) ..hahhaha....

....   and don't think I don't use every single tool on that mat either.  They are indispensable.  Every single one of them.


Of course, there is doubt, consternation and downright curiosity from various onlookers....

Well, of course, not everybody is interested in beading.....

Each to his own ........

Dotee Dolls..... a quartet...

So far I've not heard them singing or anything ....but, there are four of them, so they could if they wanted to.  Unfortunately, I can't help them... I don't. Sing that is.  Can't carry a note in a bucket.

The new girl is Sunny.  My sister think she looks like her.  hahahah...I think they all look pretty similar... maybe she meant looks like "hers"... oh, yeh, that's probably it.

Please meet Sunny

I even found a little yellow flower to put in her hair ... along with some orange and pink beads..

A quartet of dollies...

I've taken to calling them the Dotee Divas........ or, the DDs for short....

Dotee Dolls .... ad infinitum.....

hahahhaha.... they're everywhere now!  the birds have tried to carry them off ..or at least carry them around.  Looks like storks delivering babies.  Yikes!  Please, no!!

                                                           


















The third is a little redhead.... with blues, reds and some lovely pale green beads ...

So, now ...we have triplets!

All looking so content and almost cosy and sleepy.... perfect.....

.... and, soon we'll have a quartet..... as a matter of fact, she's already in the works.  I hope she can sing because I sure as heck can't ....

Who was it that mentioned I was mad ..or that this could be come an addiction?  ...well, of course, all of you were correct..... I am and it has....... oh, well......it could be worse.

Dotee Dolls

My second Dotee .. or Ditto Dotee as I call her....

A piece of pretty blue embroidered light weight fabric .. lightweight enough that I could have/should have backed it with another piece of lightweight something ...   I'll get it down pat by about the 4th or 5th...I'm sure of it.  And,... still a learning curve.. remind myself to leave more of a seam allowance on the third Dotee body.  I seem to stitch only about 1/8" from the edge no matter what I am stitching.

Probably from the bear making days...always trying not to waste any expensive mohair fabric.  With the cheap little bits of fabric I use for these...and I do seem to have a lot of it around from the doll making days... it is no big deal.  Just cut them out larger and leave a good seam allowance.

I was merrily stitching away when, all of a sudden,  realized that I had totally forgotten to leave enough room to turn it right side out!  acckkk!!  Look at this...only about 1/2 an inch left.
hah!  can't fool me.  I have turned teensy weeny fingers on dolls.  I have the tools and the expertise for this!!

An array of haemostats ... that'll do the trick.

Grabbed it deep down near the dangly tail piece...pulled carefully through the opening...then, teased the face disc though the tiny space as well... being careful not to pull it away from the fabric... and phew  ...  done and all still intact.













Then, stuffing through that little opening was no problemo ...done that before with little bears as well... but the fabric was fraying like nobody's business.  That was a problem.  I ended up stitching the hanger to a piece of twill and tucked it into the seam and stitched the fabric onto that at the seam.  Works like a charm.  But...next time.... bigger seam allowance so I don't have to wrestle with anything.  And, somehow, remember to stop stitching before I leave too small an opening for turning it right side out!

The colours in the first few are all out of whack due to the camera setting....I wasn't paying attention.  As you can see it even has the "sparkle" effect turned on.... sheeeesh........ oh, well...

here is one that is the proper colours.... a lovely soft blue with pinks..... and, hair.  My sweetie liked the "hair" on the first one and I have managed to find some yarn of appropriate colours to use for hair on all three (yes there are already triplets!) ....as a matter fact ..now I've begun a fourth.... and, she too, will have hair.  Must be my signature.....

and, I got fancy with her beads and used some pearls.... Maggi, you know where the small ones and the tear drop one are from......

Please meet Dotee Pearl .....

Dotee Doll (part three)...

Same day ... later.  You know I couldn't just walk away ... once I found some more 'stuff' to use.

I finished her instead of bothering with vacuuming, laundry, etc..  although I did do the treadmill and some other exercise.  So... I'm feeling okay about it. There's always tomorrow for the other things...

She is finished and I'm pretty happy with her.  I learned several things and will do them a bit differently next time..and, I will definitely look for some transparent beading line if there is any...or use white next time... but, other than that.... she's pretty cute.

That was fun.

The "Dot" pose...   this is always how she displayed them... oops... got her on the wrong finger .... okay, so .....close then, but not exactly, which is fine, because she is not exactly a Dot doll but similar, and that's what I was aiming for when I began this.

and...reclining on a chair.... you can see some colour on her cheeks and nose in this one....I used some blush on a Q tip.... instead of doing more beads..I thought there was plenty around her face already.  Next one I may not use quite that many...and, in retrospect... I wish I had used some greens on her face ... the purple seems a bit blah to me.  But, as I say...  not necessary for her to be perfect.... they are just cute, fun little projects.

Next ..... I'm dragging out my fabric and choosing a second bit of colour for a Ditto Dotee ..  ... but, first I must eat.

There is always tomorrow................................................

I

Dotee Dolls (part two)....

.... there could be 37 parts to the story...hahhahahhah... okay...just kidding. But, it might be awhile...

I began a little Dotee last night .... only to discover I didn't really know much about beading.  So little in fact, that it was embarrassing.. (but mostly frustrating).
After spending some time..(quite a bit of time, actually) trying to figure out how I would thread the beads onto what kind of thread..etc... for the dangly "tail" and, just let me say, it was a bear trying to thread any needle I found that was small enough to go through a seed bead .....  silly me.   With our origami, we even thread the seed beads just with the lovely gold thread that is stiff enough to go through the holes without being on a needle!
I was looking for more info about beading this morning and all of sudden remembered...I took a short lesson on beading some time ago.   I think it was with a local doll group.  This should not be difficult for me.  And, I knew I must still have some beading thread.. I don't throw much away.  Found it.  White and black.  On little bobbin type thingies.  Alright!

Also, I discovered I don't have to go to the quilting or craft shop...I found beading needles too.  A whole new pack of them.  Now I have some ammo to attack the dangly and the hanger again.  I still don't understand how to get it attached to the inside of the wrong side of the fabric ..and, have no thread showing or to somehow not lose the last few beads up inside of her...but, maybe that's the ticket... put lots of the right colour on near the end of the loop or the 'dangly' and don't worry if they hide up inside...better than seeing empty spaces on a too long thread.

So... today I have now added a dangly thing and the hanging loop... and, was working on her face prior to that.  Honestly, I know how to embroider, but for the life of me I didn't get the stitches looking great on the first few mouths I tried.  And, the piece of felt I bought at Michael's ?... forget it.  So cheap it is almost transparent... I'll either be looking for some better stuff or adding a circle of cotton under it so you can't see the colour of the body showing through.

She has a cute little face... simple just like Dot made her little gals.....  no show and tell just yet.... and, even when you do see her ...she will be my prototype...on which I am learning as I go... and, I have to say the stitching is not great.... you know how it goes when you want to see the first one done already.... but, she will live with us and we will love her all the same.... just as she is.

Show and tell soon....

Dotee Dolls

Do you know of them?  They were really popular several years ago and everybody in the doll making world and also the embroidery and beading circles was making and trading them.

Dot Christian is the lady who first created them and they are named for her....  such sweet little things they are.... she said she liked to use them to spread friendship, love and joy.  They sure did a lot of that.  My understanding is that they were never to be sold....just traded or given as gifts.  She made hundreds (I wonder how many she did make?) and traded with people all over the world.

I wish her blog was still around...she had so many great photos of dozens of them and little stories about them and where they went and where some sent to her came from.   I have collected quite a few photos of the ones I really like and am always on the lookout for a pretty coloured one or a cute shape or the amazing beading work, etc....

Since long before Christmas I have been having fun making origami ornaments ... buying and using all sorts of pretty beads.  You can already see where this is going can't you? ....

Now... I really should be putting away the beautiful beads, pretty papers and gold and silver threads... ((OH< AND... may I just put this out there before I go on with the dolls??))

I have almost run out of single ply gold thread to hang up the origami ornaments.  I did manage to find 12 more rolls of the silver on an Easy site, but, gold is nowhere to be found.  It is a craft thread I suppose more than a sewing supply... found in bead shops.  All it says on the label is one ply thread made in Japan and the yardage .. sold for about $2.50 a spool.  The spool is a skinny cardboard  2 1/2 inches long with a 3/8 inch diameter.  If anybody knows where I might find some can you please let me know?  Or if you have some of the same stuff, do you want to sell it to me?  or will you trade it for something? .........

Onward...

I want to make a Dotee Doll.  I can still play with pretty colours but in fabric instead of papers... and do some fun beading... all around their little faces, on the hangers and the tails, and on the bodies and ... ..oh, the hair ...the list of supplies to use for hair is amazing...

Also, I had a thought about incorporating some of the embroidery techniques and fabric scraps from the classes I took with Karen.... I could make a white on white with lovely embroidery stitches and perhaps some soft pastels placed here and there .... I think that might be a great little dolly.... I'm "imagineering" even as I'm writing this.

Anyway,  most of these are Dot's own design and dolls... ... although, one of these is not like the others and is not hers ...but, I love the colours and so am showing you that as well....

Does anybody have an original Dotee Doll of their very own?   I would be interested to see a photo of it if you do.

So, as far as I know...the above dolls were made by Dot herself...that is her hand displaying them...

This one I think somebody made for her... the facial embroidery is so much different than her own.

I love the colours and beads... and, it seems to be a different type of body than her usual...but, I like it too.  Aren't they all so sweet? ...

Click them to enlarge for more detail..... and ...     stay tuned for my very own first Dotee doll... soon..... .