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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Merry Christmas to One and All!

Betts will be conducting her Shadow Box class on April 19, 2018. Be sure to get additional info at the next meeting and sign up. 

Calendar Of Events 

December 3, (Sunday), Opening Reception of Bay Quilts, from 1 to 4 P.M., 5327 Jacuzzi St. #3-C, Richmond.  Mosaics, quilts and other art on display by local artists, including Phoebe Jo, and former Phoebe Suzanne Duran. 

December 14, (Thursday), Stitchin' for Kids Workday (from 9:30 A.M. to Noon), followed by the Phoebe Day Meeting 1 to 2:30 P.M. Alameda County Education Building. Bring your machine to workday and help make more crinkle items for Stitchin' for Kids outreach project, or just bring a UFO to finish and socialize! The exchange for the meeting has been changed to a challenge... bring something you made using a buckle.

December 16-17, (Sat,.and Sun.), Craneway Crafts Fair, 10 A.M. to 5 P.M., Craneway Pavillion on the Richmond Waterfront. Always a wonderful and exciting event!

January 18, 2018, (Thursday), Jo Magaraci's "Nasty Women" 12"12" Quilting Square Workshop, Noon to 4 P.M., Education Building. Free admission with a $10 kit fee. See July blog post for photos. Please contact Daisy for information and to sign up. The Phoebe meeting will take place in the evening from 6:30 to 9 P.M. The "assembled body parts" doll challenge will be due.

Exchange, and Show and Tell

The exchange at this meeting was an ornament. Five people participated and below are some of the ornaments, along with photos of wonderful original creations members have recently made.


For the exchange, Elizabeth received this beautiful mosaic
ornament from Suzanne. 

This is the very cute polymer mushroom that Elizabeth created.

Sue created this polymer Hawaiian Santa in a sea shell.

Daisy forgot to bring her Noel Troll to the meeting, so she drew a picture for Suzanne to keep until the next meeting.

This adorable owl was made by Harlene.

Several Phoebes brought dolls they had recently completed. The silver one above was made by Marcella.

This is Bonnie's tea pot doll. 

And Daisy displayed her two dogs fishing in a boat.

Marcella attended the Meditation Bead Workshop recently and used beautiful examples from her bead collection to make this stunning necklace.


Betts shared with us some beautiful vintage fabrics from her stash... many purchased in Europe.


Wednesday, October 25, 2017

A Bewitching Evening


The Phoebes arrived at the October meeting dressed in keeping with the Halloween spirit. Sue is modeling her cute witch's hat fascinator and jack-o'-lantern earrings. A feature of the meeting was Harlene's enrichment session (see more below), where she demonstrated how she crochets her wire necklaces. One was raffled off at the meeting, and the winner was none other than Sue, shown here proudly wearing it!  

Calendar Of Events 

November 4 and 5, (Saturday and Sunday), BABE (Bay Area Bead Extravaganza), Oakland Marriott City Center Hotel, 10th and Broadway. www.beadextravaganza.com

November 16, (Thursday), Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 to 9 P.M., Alameda County Education Building. The exchange for this month will be an ornament.

December 14, (Thursday), Crinkle Workday (from 9:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M., followed by the Phoebe Day Meeting 1 to 2:30 P.M., Alameda County Education Building. Bring your machine to workday and help make more crinkle items for Stitchin' for Kids outreach project. The exchange for the meeting has been changed to a challenge... bring something made using a buckle.

January 18, 2018, (Thursday), Jo Magaraci's "Nasty Women" 12"12" Quilting Square Workshop, 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., Education Building. Free admission with a $10 kit fee. See July blog post for photos. Please contact Daisy for information and to sign up. The Phoebe meeting will take place in the evening from 6:30 to 9 P.M.

Enrichment with Harlene



Harlene is shown here demonstrating how to create beautiful jewelry using floral wire and a knitting spool, and also by crocheting. Below is a close-up of one of her necklaces. A striking effect is made by inserting beads inside the tube as you crochet. If you scan through past posts of Phoebe meetings, you will find many more examples of her crochet/knit wire work.



Show and Tell

Members were invited to bring examples of Halloween dolls, either ones they have made, or ones they have collected, to the October meeting. Some people who missed the previous meeting brought some of their tiny dolls, which were due at that time. And, of course, there were also the many wonderful items our members have recently completed.



Betts shared with us her fabulous Halloween flat paper doll wall hanger...


...and a cute tiny bat-like figure...




...and so many other items, both above and below, such as a Sherry Goshan crow, a fabric-covered goblet, a beautiful necklace, and numerous booklets made with fabric and/or paper.





Anne shared with us a small selection from her amazing miniature chair collection, many of which she has made herself.


Carolyn is wearing the beautiful fiber necklace her daughter, Jennifer, lovingly made for her.



And, above is one of Carolyn's tiny dolls in Halloween colors.



Colleen amazed us with the strip-quilted "tuffet." Love the color/print selection. The top view is shown below.




Donna brought a pumpkin lady doll she made some time ago using paperclay.



And also a fabric owl, inspired by Christie Salacci's whimsical designs., plus a paperclay and fabric "Juggling Jack" doll she bought in 2008 from Deborah Muller, from Winters, CA.



Suzanne showed us one of the dolls used in the "Stitch'n for Kids" outreach project. Below are examples of the clothes and accessories created by the ladies at the Cotton Patch in Lafayette and numerous other volunteers, including Phoebes. These will accompany the dolls to their destination—young girls spending extended time in Bay Area hospitals.





Harlene proudly models her latest vest, which she made with colorful fabrics she found on the Phoebe donation table at our last meeting. Her vests are always amazing!




Linda, who's specialty is miniatures, shared with us a few items from her acquired collection, including a tiny Punch and Judy theater.


And, this is the cute and ghostly doll Linda purchased at "A Bewitching Fete," the art show recently held in Pleasanton. 




Marcella, always the amazing collector, displayed a Melissa Tereck paper machè witch in a cone, and several other creative Halloween-themed items.



Sue brought two witch dolls, including the larger one where she used feathers for the hair. It works beautifully!


And, above is the polymer doll created by Sue (check the amazing details on hands and feet), as well as her husband's carved gourd. What an artistically-talented couple!




Monday, September 25, 2017

Happy 30th Birthday Flying Phoebes!

September 2017 marked the 30th Anniversary of the Flying Phoebe Doll Club! We celebrated at our September meeting with a gala lasagna pot luck dinner, including birthday cake and even more yummy desserts. Thank you to everyone who contributed food to our wonderful feast! 
Calendar Of Events 

October 7, (Saturday from 10 to 4), Tinsel and Treasures Folk Art Show, Veterans Memorial Hall, Hartz @ Prospect, Danville. Holiday arts and crafts galore. Sharon will be participating.

October 12-15, (Thursday through Sunday), Pacific International Quilt Festival, Santa Clara Convention Center, www.quiltfest.com

October 14, (Saturday from 9:30 to 3:30), Northern California Doll and Teddy Bear Show, Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton. Go to www.crossroadsshows.com  for details.

October 16, (Monday), Elinor Wiley's Meditation Bead Workshop, 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., Alameda County Education Building. Free. More participants are needed! Please contact Daisy for information and to sign up.

October 19, (Thursday), Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 P.M., Alameda County Education Building. Pick up doll parts at meeting to construct exchange due in January.

November 4 and 5, (Saturday and Sunday), BABE (Bay Area Bead Extravaganza), Oakland Marriott City Center Hotel, 10th and Broadway. www.beadextravaganza.com

November 16, (Thursday), Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 P.M., Alameda County Education Building. The exchange for this month will be ornaments.

December 14, (Thursday), Crinkle Workday and Phoebe Day Meeting, Alameda County Education Building. Bring your machine and help make more crinkle items for Stitchin' for Kids outreach. Also bring something made using a buckle for the exchange this month.

January 18, 2018, (Thursday), Jo Magaraci "Nasty Women" 12'x12' Quilting Square Workshop, 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., Education Building. Free admission with a small kit fee. See July blog post for photos. Please contact Daisy for information and to sign up. The Phoebe meeting will take place later from 6:30 P.M. to 9 P.M.

Challenge and Show and Tell

The challenge for this month was to make a small doll, 6 inches or less, in preparation for the March exhibit at the Castro Valley Library. As a part of show and tell, members were encouraged to bring examples of small dolls they have collected over the years. The photos below are mostly a combination of the small dolls, either new or vintage, and other items members have completed recently.
Also, we are starting a new tradition of having a yearly September Phoebe birthday celebration, complete with a gift exchange. This party and gift exchange will replace the Christmas Party and exchange traditionally held in December. Some of the items shown below are also gifts received.


This is Betts' recently completed shadow box flat doll, beautifully displaying the luscious fabrics, laces and vintage buttons she has collected in her world travels. Basically, it is a display of a "few of her favorite things." We are hoping she will agree to do a workshop on this during the next year.



Above and below are examples of some of the tiny dolls Betts has collected over the years.





Above are some of Caroline's small dolls.


Above, small dolls Colleen has created using a variety of techniques and materials.

Daisy has just completed a trio of "Gatherers" displayed in what was formerly a candle holder. Two of her small dolls are also shown.


 Donna got a little carried away making flower fairies from pipe cleaners and floral wire. The smaller ones are just the right size to fit in the fairy house she made at Melissa Tereck's workshop.


Above is the completed 3D shadowbox from Linda's enrichment session in Alameda.


Donna just completed one more flower doll—this one made from Barbara's pattern but with a head, hands and feet made using Christine Shively's techniques.


Jennifer brought her father's collection of tiny Steiff bears for show and tell.


Jo recently made this adorable batik dragon. Just love him!


Kathy shared a few of her tiny dolls, some from around the world.


Linda, who's specialty is small items, is working on several small dolls, and displayed her new nametag. Really cute!


Marcella, a master collector, brought a few of her tiny dolls. Several she bought years ago in Venice, and one looks to be manufactured from a Kate Church design.


Marjorie displayed a cute little nametag figure and a Frieda doll.


Mary made this wonderful Japanese figure using Washi paper.


And, Mary shared her latest beautiful, lacy knitted shawl.


Pat displayed these amazingly tiny, antique dolls. The smallest is actually jointed. 


Sharon is once again busily creating a world of beautiful things for her upcoming Tinsel and Treasures show in Danville. Above is one of her newly designed ornaments and below are some of the cones she has made to fill and further decorate. She made all of the molded embellishments from paper clay.





Shawn brought a great assortment of small dolls. Don't you just love the expression on the little Asian one?


Sue is a master of modeling tiny, adorable fairies from polymer clay.


This tiny pink fairy is precious!


Tani is working on completing several new dolls. Love the faces.


Zanaib received this doll made by Colleen in the gift exchange.


This is Zanaib's completed Alice in Wonderland 3D rabbit from Linda's shadowbox project. Wonderful!