The January evening meeting was preceded by a day-long doll workshop, "Me, Myself and I" conducted by Elinor Peace Bailey. Elinor, a founding member of the club and creator of the famous "Flying Phoebe" doll pattern after which the club was named, treated us to a glorious day filled with wit, humor, insight into her background, tips, tricks and techniques in sewing and doll-making, and a wealth of sage advice and philosophy she has developed during her life and artistic journeys. For many of us, it was the most fun-filled class we had ever taken and proof is evident in the broad smiles in the photo above. See more photos of the class and Elinor and her creations in the following post.
Calendar Of Events
February 18, Thursday, Phoebe Workday and Daytime Meeting, 10 A.M. to 4 P.M., Alameda Education Building, Hayward. Daisy will lead an outreach sewing project in the morning (bring your lunch and your sewing machines and any fleece scraps you have that are 5 inches wide or larger). Lunch and the business meeting will start at 1 P.M.
February 18-20 (Thurs/Fri/Sat), San Mateo Quilt Show, San Mateo Convention Center. Free entry, parking about $10.
February 26-28 (Fri/Sat/Sun), 10-6, Bead and Boutique Arts Show, Hilton Concord. $10 entry, parking free. Go to www.beadandboutique.com
March 1 thru 31, Phoebe "Tilda Exhibit" at the Castro Valley Library. We are pleased to once again exhibit our dolls in the beautiful glass case at the entrance to this library. Be sure to drop by sometime during the month if you possibly can.
March 4-5 (Fri/Sat), Scrapbook Expo, Alameda County Fairgrounds. Go to www.scrapbookexpo.com for details.
March 11-13 (Fri. 12-6/Sat.10-6/Sun.10-5), Gem Faire, Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton. $7 entry, parking $10
March 5, Phoebe "Make It and Take It" at the Castro Valley Library. This is a free event for library patrons of all ages to assemble and adorn stump dolls. Contact Diane to volunteer.
March 17, Thursday, Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 to 9:30 P.M., Alameda Education Building, Hayward. Bring your doll or art piece made from the "noodle" strips of fabric you picked up at the January meeting. Bring a bowl of noodles for yourself for the pasta potluck. Help yourself to the spaghetti sauce provided at the meeting.
April 21 (Thursday, 9 to 4), Laurie Scott Cloth Embellished Necklace Workshop. Many different techniques will be explored. Contact Colleen at colleen.patell@gmail.com to sign up, and send her a check to make sure your space is reserved.
April 21, Thursday, Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 to 9:30 P.M., Alameda Education Building, Hayward. Pick up a spool for the challenge due in June. Use it to make any type of creative piece.
May 19, Thursday, Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 to 9:30 P.M., Alameda Education Building, Hayward. Dolls for the Petaluma Exhibit will be due.
June 16, Thursday, Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 to 9:30 P.M., Alameda Education Building, Hayward.
Spool Challenge will be due.
June 23, Petaluma Doll Exhibit. This is a two-month long, invitation only, juried exhibit and we are proud to be invited as a club for the second time. Many internationally known doll makers (including the Frouds) will exhibiting, as well as conducting workshops. More details to follow. Our dolls will be due at the May meeting.
Workshop Photos
During the workshop, Rosie and Suzanne discuss Rosie's thrilling opportunity to create one of her amazing necklaces for Elinor.
Elinor, shown with Suzanne, was so generous in sharing her skills and knowledge with all of us.
Colleen is giving the creation of her doll her full concentration!
As are Marcella and Geri, who are enjoying the experience.
Elinor's Presentation and Trunk Show
The highlight of the meeting was Elinor's trunk show. She brought huge suitcases of her dolls, both old and new, and we could appreciate her aesthetic and her vision to create figures that show a variety of sizes, shapes and attitudes, and demonstrate her artistic eye in combining color and pattern.
It was truly a wonderland of amazing figures... tributes to her endless creativity and originality.
Shown above is the frame of a chair she is currently in the process of making and an example of her personal "Me, Myself and I" doll. Elinor even treated us to some of her original, humorous poetry and sang a rendition of "Hello Dolly" in her beautifully throaty voice! She elevated our moods and we left the meeting later, still smiling. Thanks for a delightful day and evening, Elinor!!!
Colleen brought this item to the meeting for the raffle. Watch for more exciting items to be raffled off at future meetings.
Show and Tell at Meeting
Above is Colleen's doll from the workshop, which features an original Elinor-drawn face. Elinor offered the opportunity for each of us to have her create her interpretation of our face on one of our cloth heads. We were thrilled to have this personal memento to keep.
Colleen has been busy working on more ceramics, and the assemblages above and below feature her latest ceramic heads and hands.
Above is Donna's doll from Elinor's workshop, and below are two of the finished "Dancing Fools" figures she made in the Kate Church workshop.
"Butterfly Catcher"
"Tripping Around Paris"
