Happy New Year to All

January 18th at the Education Building in Hayward was filled by a much enjoyed "Nasty Women" workshop led by Jo Magaraci from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. and the eventful Phoebe meeting from 6:30 to 9 P.M. Rosie was in charge of enrichment this month and organized a fun session where we stamped pattern tissues with various member's stamps. These can be replicated on our printers and used in various mixed media collages. Thank you, Rosie. Many colorful photos of all the day's activities follow, (workshop, challenge, exchange, show and tell).

Calendar Of Events 

February 15, 2018, (Thursday), Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 to 9 P.M., Alameda County Education Building, Hayward. Bring tiny dolls (yours or ones you have collected) for the Castro Valley Library display in March. Be sure to have your name on everything! Bring a doll head and unusual alternative material for doll hair.

March 1, (Thursday), Set up library display. Contact Suzanne if you would like to help. 

March 15, (Thursday), Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 to 9 P.M., Alameda County Education Building, Hayward.

March 17, (Saturday, 11 to 1), Outreach Make-it-and-Take-it at the Castro Valley Library. Volunteers are always appreciated. Contact Diane for info.

April 19, (Thursday), Betts Vidal Shadow Box Workshop, 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., Alameda County Education Building, Hayward. Remember to buy your 12"x12"x1" shadow box before class and bring $$ for class fee.

 April 19, (Thursday), Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 to 9 P.M., Alameda County Education Building, Hayward.

Exchanges and Challenges

The buckle exchange or challenge was due at this meeting, as was the doll parts challenge. Those who participated came up with the following amazing creations.

Marcella used buckles for these two beautiful bracelets. One she gave away as an exchange, and one she kept for herself!

What a showcase for her lovely tapestry ribbon.

Donna made a necklace with a silk yoyo and attached a vintage mother of pearl buckle. She sculpted the Victorian hand bead from polymer clay.

Elizabeth used her recycled head to make a doll with a hand-maiden-like bonnet.

Harlene's adorable angel was made with a recycled head, and some hands she found at Hallmark.  

Shawn used various recycled doll parts for her assemblages. Note her Donald Trump doll with a large red button in an appropriate place.

Sue rescued Donna's fabric doll body with no head and sculpted a beautiful new one from polymer. The mermaid has been reborn as a striking beauty!

Colleen put together numerous legs and arms for this new life form. Colleen's imagination is an inspiration to us all!

"Nasty Women" Workshop

Members remarked on what a great time they had at Jo's "Nasty Women" fabric collage workshop. The results were truly amazing. With scissors, fusible webbing, and an iron, wonderful compositions took shape. Above and below are Colleen's creative pieces.

Daisy also completed two collages. The one on the left appears to be a self-portrait. So wonderful!

Marjorie made this sweet face with a cloud-like background.

Not sure if this one was done by Marjorie or Linda, but it is wonderful!

Harlene created the one above and Shawn the one below. Each and every one was so different and original.

Sue used a photo of her granddaughter printed on fusible fabric as the focal point for her collage. 

And Suzanne, a very talented and successful mosaic artist, created this fabric mosaic-like square.

Thank you, Jo, for a super workshop!

Show and Tell

Valentines Day is quickly approaching. If you are looking for ideas, check out some of the numerous items Bonnie brought to show and tell. These all have been created with a heart motif. Some are from paper, some are from fabric—all are beautiful. Thank you for sharing, Bonnie!

Betts shared her exquisite paper collages featuring an envelope she purchased in Paris. 

It was addressed to someone with the same last name as hers!

Marcella shared this cute little Scandinavian Santa from her doll collection.

Marjorie brought a Leslie Molen "Lightening Bug" doll. She is hoping for an opportunity to take a class from Leslie in the future.

And, she showed us her felt partridge in a pear tree ornaments. Perfect for the miniature doll display.

Sally is shown with one of her latest beautiful mixed media collages. She also displayed two book covers she made with washi tape (not shown).

Sue used mixed media, including polymer clay, for these amazing book covers. 

What a talented group we are!!!!!

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.

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!