#CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF DOLLS

People have been crafting dolls for thousands and thousands of years. In ancient times they were made of any available materials, including clay, stone, bone, ivory, rags, leather, wax, and wood. Dolls have even been made from paper. Dolls were used as playthings for children and in various mystical and religious rituals and ceremonies.

The handcrafted doll featured above was a gift from a relative who brought it back from a trip to Hawaii. It’s crafted from many natural materials such as straw, shells, nuts, and spices.

In Death By Killer Mop Doll Anastasia creates dolls from string mop heads.

Death By Killer Mop Doll

An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 2

Overdue bills and constant mother vs. mother-in-law battles at home are bad enough. But crafts editor Anastasia Pollack's stress level is maxed out when she and her fellow American Woman editors get roped into unpaid gigs for a revamped morning TV show. Before the glue is dry on Anastasia's mop dolls, morning TV turns crime drama when the studio is trashed and the producer is murdered. Former co-hosts Vince and Monica—sleazy D-list celebrities—stand out among a lengthy lineup of suspects, all furious over the show's new format. And Anastasia has no clue her snooping has landed her directly in the killer's unforgiving spotlight.

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CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA - SPOON DOLL PUPPETS

In keeping with featuring some kids crafts throughout the summer, here's a project that first appeared on the blog back in its infancy. 

What kid doesn’t love puppets? These spoon dolls are easy to make and make great puppets for impromptu puppet shows. -- AP

Materials
12” wooden spoon; 6-1/2” x 16” piece of fabric; 3” x 4” flesh-colored felt; 3/4-yd. 1-3/4” wide gathered lace; 4” length of 1” wide gathered lace; 1/2-yd. 1/8” wide satin ribbon; acrylic paint: flesh, dk. flesh, pink and black; acrylic satin varnish; paint brushes; curly doll hair; 4” straw hat; 1” miniature butterfly; paint brushes; tacky glue; low-temp glue gun; graphite paper; pencil; basic sewing supplies

1. Paint spoon bowl, sides of bowl, and approximately 1” of the handle below the bowl with 2 coats flesh paint, allowing paint to dry between coats.

2. Print out face and hand patterns, enlarging face pattern box to 1-3/4” wide and hand pattern box to 2-1/4” wide.

3. Using graphite paper and pencil, ransfer face pattern to the bowl of the spoon.

4. Paint the mouth pink. To make eyes and freckles, dip the brush handle end into paint and dot eyes in black and freckles in dk. flesh. Allow to dry.

5. Apply 2 coats of satin varnish over painted areas.

6. Sew a length of wide lace to the bottom long edge of the print fabric. Using a 1/4” seam, sew the short ends of the fabric right sides together. Press under remaining long edge 1/4”.

7. To make the dress, run a gathering stitch along the pressed edge of the fabric. Gather tightly around the spoon directly under the bowl. Apply a small amount of tacky glue to hold the fabric to the spoon at the neck.

8. Gather a 6” length of remaining wide lace. Tie tightly around the neck over the gathered fabric for a collar.

9. Gut two hands from the flesh felt. Glue a hand to either side of the dress as shown in photo. Cut the 1” lace in half. Glue each half over a hand to form cuff.

9. Using tacky glue, glue lengths of doll hair to back and edges of spoon.

10. Using the glue gun, glue hat to the back of the head and butterfly to hat brim.

11. Make a bow from the ribbon. Glue to center front of collar.

Great rainy day activity, right? What else do you do with your kids on rainy summer days? Let's hear from you.  -- AP

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- INDIAN PRINCESS YARN DOLL

Refer to the materials list and directions from May 23, 2011 to make the basic yarn doll using green bulky yarn. Decorate the doll as follows:

Materials:
black 4-ply yarn for hair
2” x 8” piece rust felt
three 1/2” x 12” pieces gold felt
5” autumn floral craft pick
three 6” craft feathers
circle template, pencil and ruler
tacky glue or glue gun

1. Make doll according to Basic Yarn Doll directions (5/23/11.)

2. To make yarn braids, cut fourteen 1” pieces and thirty-three 15” pieces of black yarn. Glue short pieces to head over muslin for bangs. Apply a line of glue down the center of head. Center yarn lengths over the glue, working from top of head to back neck. Allow to dry. Pull yarn tightly over head to either side. Braid each side, tying off 1” above ends.

3. Draw a 5/8” circle at center of rust felt. Draw a line halfway between one short end of felt up to circle. Cut along this line and cut out circle. Fringe short ends of felt with 1/2" cuts.

4. Place rust felt over doll with opening in front. Tie at waist with one strip of gold felt.

5. Cut one piece of gold felt into four 3" pieces. Glue two around tied sections of braids and two around wrists, trimming as necessary.

5. Glue remaining gold felt strip around head for headband, sandwiching feather stems between overlapped edges at back of head and trimming away excess felt.

6. Glue floral pick into crook of doll’s left arm.

Check back for more yarn doll variations in future weeks.


Post a comment to enter the drawing for a book from this week's Book Club Friday author. -- AP

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- BALLERINA YARN DOLL

Refer to the materials list and directions from May 23, 2011 to make the basic yarn doll using a mohair type white yarn with pastel flecks. Decorate the doll as follows:

Materials:
strawberry blond curly doll hair
two 8” x 18” pieces and three 3” x 4” piece white tulle fabric
3 yds. 1/8” wide pink satin ribbon
three 1/2” pink ribbon roses
1-1/2” craft butterfly
pink colored pencil or blush
needle and thread
tacky glue or glue gun

1. Make doll according to Basic Yarn Doll directions (5/23/11.)

2. Cut 3-4 strands at a time of curly doll hair twice the desired length of hair. Glue midpoint of the hair to head, applying along the edge of muslin first. Then work in neat, evenly spaced horizontal rows from back of the neck up to top of the head. Untangle and trim to even out the length.

3. Divide body below waist into two equal sections with chenille stem as part of one section. Beginning at top of leg, crisscross a 1-yd. piece of ribbon around each leg the way ballet slippers are tied. Tie ends into a large bow 2-1/2” above bottom of each leg.

4. With one piece on top of the other, fold 8” x 18” tulle pieces in half lengthwise. With needle and thread gather along folded edge 1/4” from fold. Tie gathered tulle around waist for tutu.

5. Stack remaining tulle on top of one another and tie all three pieces tightly in half to form bow. Glue to front of doll above tutu.

6. Glue a ribbon rose to center of tulle bow and one to each wrist.

7. Glue butterfly to side of forehead.

8. Make six small bows from remaining ribbon. Glue around bottom edge of top layer of tulle tutu.

9. Color cheeks with pink pencil or blush.

Check back for more yarn doll variations in future weeks.


Post a comment. You could win the book giveaway from this week's Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- VICTORIAN LADY YARN DOLL

Refer to the materials list and directions from May 23, 2011 to make the basic yarn doll using a mohair type rose colored yarn. Decorate the doll as follows:

Materials:
sandy blond curly doll hair
4” doll hat
3” ecru lace fan
five 1/4” mauve ribbon roses
1/2 yd. 1/8” wide mauve satin ribbon
6” length 1” wide ecru lace
1/2 yd. 3/4" wide ecru lace
needle and thread
small amount baby’s breath
pink colored pencil or blush
scissors
tacky glue

1. Make doll according to Basic Yarn Doll directions (5/23/11.)

2. Cut 3-4 strands at a time of curly doll hair twice the desired length of hair. Glue midpoint of the hair to head, applying along the edge of muslin first. Then work in neat, evenly spaced horizontal rows from back of the neck up to top of the head. Untangle and trim to even out the length.

3. Cut 1” lace into three 2” pieces. Fold two pieces in half lengthwise. Using needle and thread, gather at folded edge. Tie one around each wrist.

4. Using needle and thread, gather remaining piece of 2” lace along one long edge. Glue under neck for jabot.

5. Glue a ribbon rose to top of jabot and at each cuff.

6. Glue hat to head. Glue 1/8” ribbon around hat, tying ends at center back. Glue baby’s breath and two ribbon roses to front of hat slightly off-center.

7. Glue fan to front of doll. Glue arms over fan.

8. Cut 3/4” lace into three 6” pieces. Tie each into a bow. Glue to bottom of “skirt.”

9. Color cheeks with pink pencil or blush.

Check back for more yarn doll variations in future weeks.