Does ANYONE sell 100% Cotton Gingham?

I have searched all over the internet for 100% cotton gingham to make my next art doll. Why is gingham only 65/35 poly/cotton blend? Has this old time favorite gone polyester on me! I have looked at all the retail chain fabric stores. Woe is me! Why did I move from LA! They had all those little back street jobbers with tons of fabrics! I finally found 100% cotton gingham at a cute little online shop call Adrienne's Attic but wouldn't you know she is going out of business! She only had a tiny 1/8 inch check. I wanted at least a ¼ inch check. But I ordered it anyway. So far I have at least 5 different types of gingham that are not really what I want. Yet I keep buying them. I know. . .how insane is that! One is actually a linen/cotton blend but the color is not the right shade of blue. I am not going to give up hope. Being the fabricholic that I am I will never accept defeat! Someone out there has to have 100% cotton gingham in the blue I want. If anyone reads this blog and knows of any place I can find ¼ inch, medium blue, 100%cotton gingham please tell me! The shade of blue I am looking for is the same as Dorothy jumper in the Wizard of Oz.

New Spiritual Enlightenment

Well it has been a long time since my last post. So many things going on in my tailor shop but not enough time to really finish the new dolls I started this past winter. Boy that seems so long ago but it is almost winter again. I have several doll started but only one finished. I have to photograph her then list her for sale on eBay. I have worked on her all summer. I tried a different watercolor painting technique that I'd like to continue using. It gives me my own style of painting. I enjoy that because at least it gives me a style that is unlike other dolls artist. I definitely what to be unique in my approach to creating dollart.
I went to a spiritual retreat last weekend that really got my create juices flowing again. I am now on fire for Jesus. That means my art has to reflect my new found passion for God. Takes me back to the time I use to create the God Boxes. Just a symbolic way to give your troubles to God by writing them down and putting them in a box. By doing that you give god the problem and let go and let God handles it. It is freeing like nailing your problems on the cross like we did at the retreat. I wanted to create my dolls for the glory of god not just make dolls that have no meaning. So I am revising them according to me newfound spiritual enlightenment.

Retreat Week

I am getting ready to go on a 3 day retreat to camp friedenswald . I will be nice to rest. I am a workholic that really never sits down more than a few hours at night. I haven't even had time to keep up my blog. Not that I am going to do any blogging on this retreat.  I am sure they don't have a port for your lap top so I will get some much needed rest and hopefully some exercise.

Rest is good for the soul. One needs to take time to be still. One of my favorite Bible scripture is. . . . Be still and know I am God. The retreat is coming at a good time since I tore out the closet in my sewing shop this past weekend. It was a simple project or so I thought. . .until I had to wallpaper the walls, paint, add carpet and trim. I even built a bookcase. So needless to say I am too pooped to pop!

I haven't been to the gym since last Wednesday. I was so tired from all the construction work I slept in for the last two days. Tomorrow I am going back the the gym.

Chester is OK!

My brother had open heart surgery on Friday. He has been in critical condition but through much prayer he is improving and today he held my hand. God is good. I kept praying that Chester would live so he can continue to creat.  So that was an inspiration for me to keep creating. My brother is also an artist. Art runs in our blood! For all the creative types just keep creating. It is a divine gift that must be used.

Cassie and her bonnet

Well I finally finished little Cassie and her bonnet also. She looks so sweet in that bonnet. It was a great touch. It makes her look so vintage. This is one of the best dolls I think I have ever made so far. This experience was definately full of new techniques that filled my creative world with joy.  I am sure that it will get better as time goes by. This is such a enjoyable time in my life.

Cassie's Body Completed

Cassie finally has her body done. I am thinking about adding oils over her arms and legs. Mainly because I want to add details to the shoes and I can't seem to get the arcylic paints to do what I want to do.  The oils take soooooooo long to dry but they give me the result I am looking for so what is a girl to do. Wait! Last night I read a post on the Izannah Walker site by Deanna http://blueherondolls.blogspot.com/ 
about using color pencils for shading but I have not tried that technique as yet.

Sweetness

 I am busy making dolls but mostly sewing and altering pageant gowns this week. Hopefully Friday I will get to start painting my next doll Carla. She is my big doll. 24inches. I like to make large dolls. They do take up more space but they have a presence that the medium sized one don't create. The smaller dolls are fun to make also. Here is a photo of one of my smaller doll Sweetness. She need some clothing.. . .but I am working on that : -)

The Izannah Walker doll

Cassie is one of the finished heads that I have completed in Dixie Redmonds' Izannah Walker Workshop.The classic IW dolls have painted hair.  Izannah Walker made a black doll. Unlike many of her other dolls it had wool hair. So I felted wool to make the wig and twisted it like braids. I love the Izannah Walker Dollmaking workshop.  I am currently making two other dolls but these heads are not painted. Keep coming back for more updates. I will be adding more of photos of the dolls.