Preparing for Sauder Village!

This will be a fairly busy weekend for me.  With my trip next week, I need to do a lot of things this weekend in preparation.  Since Hubby and Daughter are staying home, I want to make sure it will be an easy few days for them.  I plan to pre-cook some meals and freeze them so all they will have to do is pop it in the oven when they get hungry!  I also plan on doing a "big" house cleaning along with all the laudry.  This way, all they will have to do is pick up after themselves and maybe do a load of laundry or two while I am gone to keep not only the house, but their clothes clean!  I try to make things as easy as I can for my Family.  The last time I went on Vacation, I was gone for a week and my preparations for that trip did help them a lot. 

I don't plan on packing anything until Tuesday.  My selection of clothes that I wear is actually very small so I have to keep them out until right before I leave.  I have a check-in time confirmed with Sauder Inn at 3:00 p.m. August 1, 2012.  Since the drive will be about 4.5 - 5 hours long, I plan to leave around 9:00 a.m.  This gives me plenty of time so if I have to stop to use the restroom, eat or just take a short driving break, I will have the time to spare.  As for my return trip, my check-out time is 10:00 a.m. August 4, 2012 but the actual Doll and Teddy Bear Show and Sale begins on the 4th and with my enrollment in the Workshop, I also will receive a ticket to the  Private Preview Event on Saturday that is from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.  Then the actual Show and Sale begins.  I did want to stay for a while and shop around and talk to other doll and teddy bear makers.  I think it will be fun meeting other people who love dolls as much as I do!  So, my departure time is not set yet.  I feel I will more than likely stay until 3:00 p.m. before heading back home. 

Sauder Village does have a website that has tons of information.  Here is the link:   http://www.saudervillage.com/home/default.asp
I just know this is really going to be a fun experience!  Not only am I going to enjoy the workshop, but I am also going to have a very good time exploring the Village and taking in all the wonderful things it has to offer!  My only regret is my Family will not be with me.  I am planning on taking tons of pictures and posting all about my experience here after I return!  So, until then, I am off to start my preparations.  Have a safe and fun weekend everyone and I will be back with more soon!

Brand Spankin' New Blog!

Hello all my fellow Dollmaking and Collecting Friends!  I had started out this morning with the intention of just updating my old blog, but unfortunately, was unable to find it!  So, I figured it would just be easier to start a new one since I am no longer working with Polymer Clay and have decided to stick with my Porcelain and Fabric Dolls for now.  I am also starting a small collection of Resin Ball Jointed Dolls and Vinyl Dolls.  My collection started with Kaye Wiggs Layla!  She is so beautiful I just couldn't resist.  Since I got her, I added a Souldoll Soulkid Yoni-P and Dianna Effner Chantel painted by Geri Uribe.  I also have a Dianna Effner Lena painted by Lana Dobbs on order.  There are so many beautiful BJD's out there and I want them all!  Unfortunately, I have neither the money or space for a lot of them.  I am about out of room for my handmade porcelain dolls...and would rather add to that collection than the other...but the weather and my hands just refuse to cooperate with me. 

For the past few weeks, I have been slowly working on a replacement Saggedy Sam Doll for a Customer who purchased a Molly and Saggedy Set from me about two years ago.  Her dog decided Saggedy looked like a good snack and just tore him up pretty badly so I am slowly working on him.  I am also working on 3 porcelain dolls.  11" Dimples by Dianna Effner, 24" Kerry Lee by Kaye Wiggs and my very first porcelain BJD Mito Sculpted by Byakuya and sold by New York Doll Products.  I am very excited about Mito!  I just know she will be beautiful once completed.  I am making her ONLY for my Personal Collection.  The Molds have a very strict Terms Of Use policy and I want to be able to make many more in the years to come....so I plan on following those terms so Byakuya will sculpt more!  The Porcelain Place also sells BJD Molds, but currently they just don't have any head molds that I like.  They will be releasing more heads this summer sometime and I am looking forward to seeing those.

What I am Most excited about today, however, is my upcoming trip to Sauder Village next week.  For the past two years, Dianna Effner has been teaching a Costuming Workshop during their Annul Doll and Teddy Bear Show and Sale.  On Wednesday next week, I will be heading out for the 5 hour drive to Archbold, Ohio and Sauder Village!  I really want to share the experience with everyone!  I am planning on taking tons of pictures and keeping a small diary so when I get home, I can update this Blog and share it with you all!  I return on Saturday, August 4, 2012 close to 6:00 p.m.  They have a Private Preview and Sale early Saturday Morning before the actual Show begins and I will be there for that.  After the Preview, I do plan to shop a while before heading back to West Virginia!  I think a Blog is the best way to share this with everyone who is unable to attend. 

Well, I suppose I should get some work done today.  I have a lot of projects in the works and they are not going to get themselves done...lol.  I hope I am able to keep this blog going this time.  I really do feel it is a good way to share things!