How do i begin...... Creatively

i am waking...

blinking, stretching, and looking around the world with interest after a season of semi-hibernation. There are so many things that I want to learn about and try, but I don't know where to begin. I am also a little afraid; and don't want to plunge in, waste a lot of money (and probably time), and just end up with a lot more piles of accumulated mess scattered around our home.

These are my current curiosities:

ball-joint dolls
making a cloth doll
sewing
crocheting
knitting
ATC
digital collaging
drawing
writing

These are some of my questions:

How do i get started? (i mean the very beginning - don't assume i know anything - because i really don't)
What supplies do i need?
What resources are there?
How can i find community?

These are some of my parameters:

*finances are an issue; so frugality is a must
*there are no craft or hobby stores within my city
*also no garage sales, flea markets, or Goodwill
*no used English book stores (or anything in English for that matter)
*there are material markets and basic hardware and paint stores and small yarn and cross-stitch stores (cross-stitch has become very popular here in the last five or so years)
*there are some small basic art supplies stores near college street

As far as i can tell, most of these forms of creative expression have just not taken off in my city yet. i would love to find someone online, as well as someone right here where i live, to share these interests and pursuits with.

Your mission, should you chose to accept it, is to share your wisdom, experience, and passion; thereby pushing a little fledgling dreamer out of the nest and into the big world of creative discovery.

Tell me the truth, "Am i overstepping my resources and abilities?"

Thank you to foxypar4 at Flickr Creative Commons for the cute Fledgling photo.

Wanderings in Doll Land

So I'm sitting here listening to fireworks* and looking at Etsy. I've already exhausted the "rabbit" search and have also perused some wonderful ring bling (as my mother is a true, fashionable southern lady). And I decided to enter the words "cloth doll." Well, I shouldn't have done that; since I'm supposed to be saving up for a vintage Ada Lum doll ( yay, I get to link to myself :) and still have a long way to go. There are some really sweet cloth dolls and creative doll artists out there. I do have a particular weakness in this area. So I thought I might share a few of the ones I found with you.


Katherine at Katesmeister's Shop has created these simply elegant Jane Austen heroines. I'm pleased to present to you Fanny Price from "Mansfield Park" and Lizzie & Jane from "Pride and Prejudice." She also has some lovely knitting in her store and is asking for suggestions of other Literary Ladies to sew. (I'm going to recommend Elizabeth Gaskell's Molly Gibson.)

Another pleasant discovery I made was this precious storybook girl with a little bird perched on her shoulder. Isn't she dear? And what a darling black cat.

"Little Red" was created by Aimee from Sidney who is also a wonderful bear artist. She combines mohair with other fabrics to make truly unique bear friends. You can find her lovable, quirky creations here at Teddy Allsorts.


This beautiful EFA doll, Meg March of "Little Women," is the artistic inspiration of Bettsi at Tender Arts. Her dolls are amazing.

Don't even get me started on EFA dolls. I only recently found out about them and absolutely adore them. I think they have the dearest expressions and daintily detailed hair, clothes, and shoes. Plus I love their vintage appearance. I think Bettsi excels at capturing Ackley's sweet old-fashioned look while at the same time making special dolls that are distinctly her own. Edith Flack Ackley was a woman of great insight and ingenuity, as are those who recreate her treasures.

Speaking of little birds and vintage treasures.... Have you been to visit Little Jenny Wren? She makes precious Steiner/Waldorf type dolls with old-fashioned and hand-knitted clothing right out of the pages of by-gone catalogs and storybooks. I had such a difficult time deciding which of her dolls to post here, because I love them all. Each has an endearing personality all his or her own. "Little Jenny Wren" is also a fantastic vintage-living blogsite with lovely photographs and ideas.


Okay, clearly I need to get out more. My leg is still bothering me some, but I think I might go for a long explore tomorrow. By the way, the boys got back safe and sound and had an awesome weekend.

Thanks so for dropping by! You make my day.

*see this post related to the15th day after Chinese New Year.

And thank you to all of the ladies who generously allowed me to use pictures from and introduce their Etsy shops & Blogs. I enjoy sharing things I like. I hope it has been enjoyable for you too.