We went to the woods on the town-line yesterday and I took Saphira and Phairby along just in case the scillas were still half-decent. They were still pretty nice under the trees, so I took some photos, even though they were back-lit in the midday sun....
My new dragon is finally finished! That just took five whole weeks, but the way time is flying these days it somehow didn't feel that long. We went to the woods on the town-line yesterday and I took Saphira and Phairby along just in case the scillas were still half-decent. They were still pretty nice under the trees, so I took some photos, even though they were back-lit in the midday sun.... Then back at home in the studio. I have Saphira posed with Phairby, since she's going to get a saddle with a little Elf Warrior rider Phairby's size... Then a comparison photo with Winston. It's not meant to be their first meeting, but strictly a comparison photo. Saphira is a little bigger, but then female dragons are. I added 1/4" in her upper torso to help accommodate a saddle and rider. I also straightened the curves in the neck so that I can bend it to whatever curves I want without popping the seams. And I also added 1/2" to the length of her lower legs and a bit of width to her thighs. Everything else is from the same patterns. Then to celebrate a friend's birthday, I had her pose with a cake, balloons, and gifts....
My dragon has been coming along rather slowly. I had stuffed the arms and legs. Thank goodness for forceps, since I'd never have been able to stuff them without one.... I sewed the pre-made Apoxie claws onto the ends of the toes... ...and beads onto the ends of all the fingers.... The next step was to build up the ends of the toes with Apoxie... ..as well as the nail-beds on the fingers... Then I added the knuckles with 3-D fabric paint.... Yesterday I finally painted the feet.... ...and the hands.... I'd already started the beading on the upper thighs.... *Note that the colour differences between the photos is due to the different lighting. The arms and legs are nowhere near as brightly coloured as in some of the photos. The following photos of the finished 'dragon drumsticks' are closer to the real colour.... Now I have to put her together....
Naomi went to visit the royal children, and when they took a walk in the meadow they came across some bunnies...
I saw some lambs at the Dollar store, and thought they'd make cute friends for the fairies in my scillas. So I bought two, touched up their faces, and let everyone get acquainted...
Yesterday was a busy day. I had really wanted to take a few more photos with some dolls in the scillas on the town line, but there were showers in the forecast, so we tucked our pants legs into our socks, and headed over first thing in the morning when the sun was still struggling to come through, and before the rain clouds moved in. I brought Miho and Winston, and will post more photos of them at a later date.....but just had to share one.... I also brought Baron and Naomi for some scenes that will get posted some time later this year.. Then we headed over to Hamilton to find Sussman's Supplies, a store that used to be on Queen Street in downtown Toronto. I used to go there every year or two and stock up on my favourite trims that no one else carried. I hadn't been there in years, and I knew the shop had moved to Hamilton, and I had run out of several colours of my favourite trim. The lady at the shop said sales had been really bad the past few years, and she was considering closing the store. So I figured I better stock up, just in case. After all, the shop wasn't exactly the easiest to go to. It requires an hour and a half along some of North America's craziest, busiest highways, which are often stop and go even in the middle of the day. But I really wanted to get some more trims.... I couldn't resist getting some mulberry paper flowers as well. I'd have loved to get a lot more - they have so many gorgeous colours in so many great sizes - but I didn't have an unlimited budget. It will be a shame if the store closes. I always loved going there. It was always packed with racks with row upon row of beads in all colours and sizes, feathers in every colour and size, fabric and paper flowers, and whole walls with endless rolls of laces and trims. A costumer's paradise. Most of the things in the shop can't be found anywhere else - at least not in person at a real store - but I managed to restrain myself and 'only' bought $200. worth. So now I'm all set for a while!
I needed some photos of the Frog Prince, possibly for a scene in an upcoming story. But I only need one photo for that, so decided to post all of them here first.
Lisa decoded to take her brother and sisters to the farm to look at the geese.... Sena got all excited when the geese came over to the fence...
Finally, here's the reason I had to take an intermission in my White Cat story. The next chapter has several scenes towards the end that take place in the Wizard's home, and I still had to create the set and shoot those scenes before I felt comfortable continuing with the story. Then with my dragon under construction, and Scilla photography needing to be taken advantage of, dining-room table sat empty for a while. Well, now the set is almost finished. I spent two days arranging walls and furniture before I was happy with the layout. Then I started adding all the props. I also secured a rod across the top to suspend things from. Then yesterday I created lots of scrolls, and put together the 'solar system' mobile. It's from a Special Days photo taken ten years ago. Yes, I save EVERYTHING! The Wizard also needed a lab to create his special potions, so I spent much of yesterday creating a tiny science lab. It looked especially nice in the window with the sun shining through.... Even though the space is very crowded and messy, there's a table in the back corner, kept clear for eating at. After all, he can't have food stains getting on his precious books and manuscripts... The room is almost ready... I still need to make the bed for his cats, which will be under the table by the window... ...and I'm hoping to turn a timer from an old game into a proper hour glass. And then photography can commence. As soon as I finish with this year's Scilla photos.
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AuthorMartha Boers is an award-winning Canadian doll maker and costumer specializing in fantasy and historical-style costumes. Archives
February 2025
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