Rosie Dennis's completed doll from her
cyndi Mahlstadt class.

 

Stephanie Blythe Workshop Was Fabulous!

Zanaib's colors were so beautiful... she dipped and painted the dyes
on her silk and the result was yummy!

On January 10, fifteen Phoebes and friends gathered at the Alameda County Education Building for the Stephanie Blythe workshop. Stephanie, who lives in San Anselmo, has established a world-wide reputation as an outstanding porcelain doll artist and specializes in exquisite miniatures measuring from several inches to about eight inches tall. Her original concept of tea cup fairies brought her great recognition and commercial success, as have her figures inspired by “The Kiss.” Go to her Web site (www.stephanieblythe.com) to see these and other amazing dolls she has created.

The fine details she incorporates into her costuming are the result of decades of acquired techniques and skills, and she most generously shared many of them during the workshop. Her fabrics of choice are vintage, including fine silk velvet, and vintage trims, all of which she often custom dyes to match her color scheme of a piece. She brought several types of dyes to class and all had hours of fun experimenting with the many techniques of application she presented. The results were beautiful and it was truly an inspirational event. We couldn’t wait to go home and start dying all those white trims we have been hording in our stash. Thank you, Stephanie, for a delightful and memorable workshop!

Stephanie Blythe (right) was such a sweet and encouraging instructor.

  

Rosie is deep in concentration as she experiments with brush strokes.

 

Katie, Sharon, and Stephanie Smith show exactly how much fun we all had!

 

Laurie is shown dying some of the trims Stephanie most generously
supplied in her kit.

  

Here are two more photos of Zanaib's huge assortment
of fabrics and trims she dyed during the workshop.
She and Sharon were among the cleaver ones
who brought extra items from home to test the
dyes on. Beautiful!

 

 

The Phoebes window display at The Book Shop in Hayward was the most fabulous one yet!

Here are some photos from the December bookstore display:
Sharon, Stephanie and Kelly (the real Santa's helpers) were busy on Sunday, December 2, setting up the Phoebe window display at the bookstore on "B" Street in Hayward. They out-did themselves this year and the display is absolutely outstanding. As always, it is hard to take photos during the daylight hours, as there is so much reflection of buildings across the street on the window glass. However, these photos will give you some idea of just how adorable Santa's Workshop was this December.




Stephanie contributed her train set, which circled the Christmas tree. Her kitten doll and Zanaib's colorful lamb represented some of the toys in the workshop.

This elf worker (made by Jo) is taking a little much needed break from all the busy work that must be completed by Christmas Eve.



Another adorable elf is keeping busy making sure the toy makers have all the materials they need to finish the toys in time.

Santa is an equal opportunity employer, and you can be sure sure the female elves are a vintal part of the toy-making process! Mary did an outstanding job sculpting this one from clay.

Betts brought two of her toy inspectors to make sure all the toys are assembled correctly.

A quality control toy inspector carefully checks little lamb, and Donna's elf is double checking the list to make sure no child is overlooked.

Kelly's clay sculpted elf is sporting his new Christmas suspenders, while a toy inspector in his bunny slippers says the toy airplane is ready to be packed in the toy bag for Santa's sleigh.

Stephanie's sweet doll is going to make some little girl very happy this year. She is posing next to "The Night Before Christmas."

Phoebes Participate in the KPFA Crafts Fair 2012

A slightly different group of  Phoebes had a booth at the KPFA Crafts Fair at the Concourse in San Francisco on December 8 & 9. Once the booth was set up, everyone was in a hurry to beat the Friday afternoon traffic and head home. Some of my photos did not turn out and Suzanne's were slightly out of focus. However, these photos show some of the items not previously shown in the Fort Mason post. They give you an idea of what Phoebes and former Phoebes have been up to in the past months of preparation for the two shows.




Former long-time Phoebe Suzanne Duran displayed her amazing small dolls.

Here are two of Suzanne's "too cute" primitives and her adorable elf.

  

Donna Perry sold all but one of her fascinators.

 

Bonnie had a beautiful display of her hand-crafted pins.

 

This shows some of Stephanie's dolls, as well as her adorable animal ornaments, which were popular items.

 

Donna Perry displayed one of her newest dolls, "La Muse."

 

Another of Donna's dolls celebrated famous or influential women.

 

Donna also displayed fabric cuff bracelets with vintage costume jewelry embellishments.

 

This cuff Donna made from a vintage doily.

Phoebe Members Participate in Celebration of Craftswomen 2012

On November 24 and 25, former Phoebe Wanda Fudge organized a booth at the Celebration of Craftswomen show at Fort Mason in San Francisco. Phoebe members Mary Porter Vaughan, Zanaib Green, Kelly Mead, Bonnie Hoover, Stephanie Smith, and Donna Perry displayed dolls, as well as mixed media crafts.




Wanda's famous women series, complete with several Fridas, was a hit.



Bonnie's flat dolls, with her exquisite embellishments, were fabulous!

 

Bonnie's cloth doll was representative of her signature style.

 

Bonnie's two standing dolls on one base were so original and captivating.

 

Kelly's dolls, some with painted bodies, were primitive, yet feminine.



Kelly also displayed her famous tree toppers, and a very original mermaid.

 



A truly wonderful tree topper by Kelly.

 

Stephanie's sweet diminutive dolls were a sales success.



More of Stephanie adorable dolls—before they "flew out the door."

December Calendar and November Meeting Photos

Two dolls by Stephanie Smith

Calendar of Events

November 21-December 23, Sun Gallery Boutique, 1015 E. Street, Hayward. Reception December 8, 1-4 P.M. www.sungallery.org

 

November 24 and  25 (Saturday and Sunday 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.), Celebration of Craftswomen, Ft. Mason, Herbst Pavillion, S.F. Several Phoebes are participating. www.celebrationofcraftswomen.org

 

December 8 (Saturday 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.), Soroptimist International of the East Bay, Englander Restaurant, 101 Parrot Dr., San Leandro

 

December 10 and 11, KPFA Crafts Show, Concourse, 8^th and Brannan, S.F. Several Phoebes are participating.

 

December 13, Phoebe Christmas Party. Sweet and Savory Potluck. Bring a dish to share. Hand-made gift exchange. 6:30 P.M., Alameda County Education Building.

 

 

Zanaib's little lamb... so cute!

 



Jo's two elf dolls for December window display at
The Book Shop on "B" Street in Hayward

 

 



Beautiful quilt squares by Jo. They are made with silk ties.

 

 



Donna's doll in honor of  The Muse.

 

Photos from the October Phoebe Meeting

Sally and Bonnie checking out the

Phoebe 25th Anniversary cake

 

 

The Phoebes celebrated not only their 25th Anniversary, but also the opening of club membership to include more than the historcal number of 25 members. We welcomed the associates who became new members, as well and guests and soon-to-be first time new members. The theme was Halloween, and some got into the mood by wearing costumes and masks. There was a mask exchange and the creations were amazing. Barbara Willis donated one of her beautiful dolls to the raffle, and Sally Lampi donated a darling hand-felted pumpkin. Sally brought materials for a Halloween themed "make it and take it" craft project.

Our Historian Bonnie Hoover gave insight into the early beginnings of the club and provided photos, scrapbooks and mementos from the Phoebe archives. Show and tell participants displayed wonderful creations for all to see—silk and felted scarves, a needle-felted fish, a memory keeper book and tyvek covered book, and dolls, dolls, and more dolls. Dolls for the December "B" Street Bookstore window in Hayward. Altered dolls and dolls from Barbara Willis's class. There was ample time for sampling the food and cake, as well as visiting with and getting to know each other better. A very enjoyable evening.

 

Zanaib wearing her party hat!

 

A Flying Phoebe appliqued sweatshirt from the Phoebe archives. The design was from a doll pattern created by elinor peace bailey 25 years ago. 

 

Bonnie Hoover's Halloween themed doll

and Sally's felted pumpkin.

 

 

Barbara Willis's raffle doll

 

 

      Katie's altered dolls

Mary Porter Vaughan's sculpted elf doll for the window display

Some of the exchange masks



Colleen's giant felted fish