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Tuesday, July 16, 2013

An Evening with Roxanne Padgett and Show and Tell From May and June

 
The May meeting was a very special one in many ways, but the highlight of the evening was the lecture and presentation by former Phoebe Roxanne Padgett, who has just published her new book, Acrylic Techniques in Mixed Media, Layer, Scribble, Stencil, Stamp.
 
 
Roxanne Padgett addressing the Phoebes on May 16, 2013.
 
Roxanne brought tons of examples of her work, including many of the items featured in her book. She lectured on the endless ways to create surface designs on paper and fabric using a basic color palette and items found around the house and from dollar stores or home improvement stores to make stencils and prints. She shared a wealth of knowledge she has learned from an artful life... including experience as an art teacher in public schools and in her work at the Museum of Children's Art in Oakland, CA. Everyone enjoyed her lecture immensely and we were excited to go home and try the techniques we learned from her.

Roxanne brought examples of her layered mixed media papers and canvases.

Her colors and shapes virtually "pop" from the pages.

She brought books, journals, tags and zippered bags covered with
her fabulous designs.

This journal cover featuring a hand design was exceptional.

Her bird with moveable wings and pencil legs was a knock-out.

Roxanne's work has been featured in many publications,
including numerous issues of Somerset Magazine, Sew Somerset, and Stuffed.

A dynamic creation based on the color wheel.
 
 
Thank you, Roxanne, for a memorable evening!

Mary Porter Vaughan brought her sculpted Fimo clay doll
to "Show and Tell" for all to admire.

Harlene's cloth doll was so cute.

Mary also brought a doll made using techniques
learned in the Akira Blount workshop.

Several wonderful examples of needle felted dolls from
the Deborah Pope workshop were exhibited—and as you
can see—were truly amazing.

Monday, May 6, 2013

May 2013 Update



Colleen brought this doll to her April Enrichment Presentation
to illustrate one of the many possibilities for attaching doll hair.
 
Calendar of Events 2013

June 1-2, 8-9, Pro Arts East Bay Open Studios in Alameda. Visit studios of the many talented artists located in Alameda. Several Phoebes will be exhibiting at Goose Cottage, 1610 Minturn Street. Studio listings and maps will be available there.

June 6, Phoebe Board Meeting, 7 P.M., Sally's

June 20, Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 P.M., Alameda County Education Building, Hayward. Enrichment: Barbara Willis will be covering "Stuffing Class #2." Challenge and exchange theme is "men and/or flags." Make It and Take It" will be led by Harlene Strauss, who will show us how to make a bead bracelet. Bring needle nose pliers and some beads, if you have some you would like to use. Harlene will also have some available.

June 27-30, NIADA (National Institute of American Doll Artists) Convention to be held in the Bay Area. A doll-making school will be offered June 24-26. Check NIADA Web site for information.

June 29 (Saturday), Phoebe Alameda County Fair "Make It and Take It" Outreach Event, noon to 6 P.M. Contact Diane at cwlwld@pacbell.net to sign up for a shift. This is always a fun and personally rewarding experience for everyone who volunteers.

July 11 and 12, Leslie Molen "Ling Ling Doll Workshop." Contact Stephanie Smith at smitharts2002@yahoo.com for details.

August 1 (Thursday), Bonnie Hoover's Beginning Doll Making Workshop for beginner and intermediate doll makers. Make a doll from Bonnie's 17" Thalia pattern and learn basic construction, as well as the art of embellishment with yoyos, covered buttons, braid and more, including wig styles. Class is $40 plus $7 for her published pattern. Class is limited to 12 people. Contact Bonnie at bondonhoov@sbcglobal.net. You do not have to be a Phoebe to attend this class, so please pass this information on to an interested friend.  

Bonnie Hoover "Thalia" doll


October 3, Christine Delgadillo Altered Book Workshop, 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. at the Alameda County Education Building. See Christine's work at http://classkitsbychristine.blogspot.com/ Contact Stephanie Smith at smitharts2002@yahoo.com.

March 1, 2014, Zanaib's Altered Book Window Display for The Book Shop in Hayward. Contact Zanaib at zanaibsplace@gmail.com for details and participation.
 
Photos from the Deborah Pope Needle Felting Workshop in April
 These photos from the workshop were submitted by Stephanie. The workshop was well attended and we are looking forward to hearing all the details and seeing some completed class projects at the May meeting.
 
 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Here are some examples of the
April meeting's Show and Tell. 
 
Daisy's Native American Storyteller Doll.



One of three new dolls Stephanie has completed.


These are the dolls Stephanie has added paperclay to
in order to enhance their facial features.


Very sweet faces, indeed!

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

April Update


Suzanne's adorable doll she brought to the March meeting for show and tell.

Calendar of Events 2013

April 18, Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 P.M. at the Alameda County Education Building. The Exchange and Challenge theme for this month is "April Fools—surprise us!" Bring 5 buttons to exchange and something small using theme buttons to keep for yourself. Bring your tool kit for enrichment and remember to wear your nametag.

April 25-26, Deborah Pope Needle Felting Doll Workshop at the Boy Scout Building in San Leandro. Set up at 9 A.M. Contact Stephanie Smith at smitharts2002@yahoo.com. See Deborah Pope at www.deborahpope.typepad.com.

May 16, Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 P.M. at the Alameda County Education Building, Hayward. The Exchange and Challenge theme for the month is "Ladies, Fashions, Hats!" Bring 5 buttons to exchange and something small using theme buttons to keep for yourself. Bring your tool kit for enrichment and remember to wear your nametag. Also bring the beginnings of the doll you want to make for your 2013 project.

June 1-2, 8-9, Alameda Open Studios. Visit the studios of the many talented artists located in Alameda. Several Phoebes will be exhibiting at Goose Cottage on Minturn Street. Maps are available online or at the Frank Bette Gallery.

June 27-30, NIADA (National Institute of American Doll Artists) Convention to be held in the Bay Area. A doll-making school will be offered June 24-26. Check NIADA Web site for information.

June 29 (Saturday), Phoebe Alameda County Fair "Make It and Take It" Outreach Event, noon to 6 P.M. Contact Diane at cwlwld@pacbell.net to sign up for a shift. This is always a fun and personally rewarding experience for everyone who volunteers.

July 11 and 12, Leslie Molen "Ling Ling Doll Workshop." Contact Stephanie Smith at smitharts2002@yahoo.com for details.

August (TBD), Bonnie Hoover's Beginning Doll Workshop.

October 3, Christine Delgadillo Altered Book Workshop, 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. at the Alameda County Education Building. See Christine's work at http://classkitsbychristine.blogspot.com/ Contact Stephanie Smith at smitharts2002@yahoo.com.

March 1, 2014, Zanaib's Altered Book Window Display for The Book Shop in Hayward. Contact Zanaib for details and participation.

Here are some examples of the March meeting's Show and Tell.
 
Close up of Donna's new "Frida Kahlo."


Barbara's exquisite little lady.

Another of Barbara's beautiful lace adorned dolls.


Pame brought her traveling doll, who came with her very own suitcase!

Tani's gypsy was a delight!

Another example of Tani's wonderful doll making skills.

An adorable doll by Stephanie. Love the curls!

Diane Willis brought lovely necklaces she made using the embellished metal washers
we painted and ink colored during Zanaib's enrichment exercise.

Zanaib brought examples of her fabulous dolls she exhibited at her recent Book Shop
window display in Hayward and the Olive Hyde exhibit in Fremont. She also brought
some of her completed pinwheels from Sharon's March enrichment presentation.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Upcoming Events

The February meeting's "make it and take it" project was a paper pinwheel
ornament created under the direction of Sharon Martin. Everyone made a beautiful paper creation to take home. We loved it!

Calendar of Events 2013

March 21, Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 P.M. at the Alameda County Education Building. The Exchange and Challenge theme for this month is "Spring" (green, flowers). Bring 5 buttons for the exchange. The challenge is a small item for yourself using theme buttons. Bring your pattern for the 1-year doll project (or choose from ones available at the meeting). Tami will be leading a "make it and take it" session, so bring your tool kit.

April 25-26, Deborah Pope Needle Felting Doll Workshop at the Boy Scout Building in San Leandro. Set up at 9 A.M. Contact Stephanie Smith at smitharts2002@yahoo.com. See Deborah Pope at www.deborahpope.typepad.com.

June 27-30, NIADA (National Institute of American Doll Artists) Convention to be held in the Bay Area. A doll-making school will be offered June 24-26.

June 29, Saturday, Phoebe Outreach Make it and Take it Day at the Alameda County Fair.

July 11-12, Leslie Molen “Ling Ling” Doll Workshop. Contact Stephanie Smith at smitharts2002@yahoo.com. See Leslie Molen at www.fromthesehandsblog.blogspot.com
This is a photo of the book project for Christine Delgadillo's workshop. It includes tiny drawers made from matchboxes.
October 3, Christine Delgadillo Altered Book Workshop, 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. at the Alameda County Education Building. See Christine's work at http://classkitsbychristine.blogspot.com/   Contact Stephanie Smith at smitharts2002@yahoo.com.
Another sample of Christine Delgadillo's altered art—a desktop organizer
made with book pages.

One of Christine's altered books.

Beautiful beadwork brought by Ofelia Aguirre for "show and tell."
 
Anne Klocko brought her dresses made from various reused
metal objects.
 
Anne's dress made from a metal tin.
 
Two more fabulous examples of Anne's metal art.

Stephanie brought several sculptures in progress to show her use of
paper clay over cloth to build up facial features.

 

 

Sunday, January 13, 2013

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

 

Saturday, January 12, 2013

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!
 
 

Sunday, December 30, 2012

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."