We are almost done with the renovation of the old farmhouse, soon to be my art studio & gallery.

It has been a labor of love. We still need to finish the plumbing, install our kitchen antique dry sink (with running water), change out all the hardware on all the doors to the antique door knobs and plant our landscaping. This project has been in progress for the last two and a half years. We should be finished by February 2010 with all the interior work and we will be doing the landscaping in the spring of 2010.

Olivia Gets Her dress

Well it has taken me a long time to finish Olivia; however she is finally done. I broke my foot about four weeks ago and it has definitely slowed me down. I never realized what you go through when you don't have the use of both legs. Living on crutches for 4 weeks without putting weight on my left foot has really been an unpleasant experience. The Orthopedic says it will be another 6 weeks of this ordeal. God willing I will heal and move on with life.

Getting back to Olivia, she has been a labor of love. I have really enjoyed creating her and I am looking forward to my next doll project. I have developed a passion for early antique dolls so I am sure that the next one will be created in an early doll fashion as well.

Thank you for visiting my blog and following Olivia's progress. I have created another blog site exclusively for my doll making projects so please visit http://theprimitivedoll.blogspot.com/ in the future for all my future early doll creations.

Manasota Key Slide Show. Enjoy!

Hey! Olivia Has Legs! Great Arms Too!

Well, I finally got a chance to add arms & legs to Olivia this weekend. Boy, what a to do! I think she turned out pretty cool nonetheless.

Next is her fashionable dress, designed in the style of the mid 1800's. I have already purchased the fabric for her fashionable gown, which is a reproduction of an antique fabric. (I think I am getting carried away, but I love it.)

Who knows, maybe I found my new profession in the next phase of my life. (Having an age crisis this week, Ugh!)

Olivia loves to show off her marvelous shoes. I hope you enjoyed the photos of the on going project with Olivia, so comment and tell me what you think!

New Year, New Project, Great Start

It has been an interesting start to a new year. I got sick on New Years Eve with a sore throat and I am still battling a cold and a cough that keeps me up most nights. Nonetheless, I have managed to keep on moving and even got a little creative.

First, I have to thank a very special fellow artist & doll maker that has inspired me to try my hand at doll making. Her name is Rebecca Kerin, creator of four of my artist made collectible dolls from "Clothnclay". ( Her blog is listed as one of the blogs I follow.) She is terrific!

My first doll is a work in progress so I am posting a couple of photos of her so far. Her name will be "Olivia Farrington Lowell".

I started wanting to make a Parian style doll from the mid 1800's and somehow "Olivia" took on a look of her own. Her head is made from sculpting clay and her body is stuffed cloth. Her lower arms and legs have not been created yet. These limbs will be made from sculpting clay as well. I plan to work on them this weekend.

I got so excited wanting to make her clothes that I made her pantaloons before I even finished her legs. She will have the layered clothing worn in her era, made from mostly vintage fabrics and lace.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you like the way Olivia is turning out.