Summer's UFDC Online Event and The Virtual Doll Convention, Summer Fling

What a wild and fabulous month July was!  Okay.  So I went into a creative dive for awhile, but there were other things to fill my time and keep me busy.  Books mainly.  I read them like eating popcorn.  And, I've started becoming a little more creative in the kitchen.  Instead of continuing to make the same meals at the same speed as I usually do, I've been trying new recipes and simply taking my time.  Why not?  The continuing pandemic has certainly clipped my wings, but I still scratch and peck plenty in my cage.

July would normally be the time when doll collectors from all over the world would be flying out to a U.S. location, checking into their hotel rooms, greeting friends they haven't seen in a year, and preparing for a super week of nothing but dolls, dolls, dolls at the UFDC convention.  Not this year.  But!  The UFDC pulled off an Online Event that lasted a week, which was primarily shopping both what they would have offered at convention, and a host of online doll shops.  This was all done through Ruby Lane, and after a few glitches, seemed to work pretty well.  They also provided Youtube presentations, that I didn't watch, as they were on scheduled times.  What I found out later, was that each of the scheduled workshop and event presenters were asked if they wanted to make Youtubes of their presentations and classes, and no one wanted to do this!   This is so sad, because it would have made this Online Event spectacular.  So I mainly shopped. 

There was an "album" strictly offering dolls and workshop kits from the UFDC identified by the symbol of the Unity doll.  There was also an album dedicated to Ruby Red Galleria and this was the one I spent the first hour of online shopping in.  I'd been looking forward to shopping with them since I'd learned of their new introductions.  One of the items I picked up in the Unity album was a Bleuette workshop kit by Boneka.  Memories of sitting in the presence of my favorite seamstress and designer pulled at my heart and purse strings.  I learned to sew studying Rosemarie Ionker's work.  And I would learn some new things when this kit arrived.  Let's explore this first.

Memories of the First Year of School is an adorable collection of fall clothing that easily takes a child through the classroom to the cold snaps sure to come.  The kit contained a wool felt cape with a hood, a smocked red dress with puffed sleeves, and a striped jumper with white blouse beneath and a Peter Pan collar.  Much of these pieces were 85% sewn, and the workshop had you hem the dresses, finish the linings, make a ton of thread loops, sew on buttons, learn to make a frog closure and finish the end of a belt.  All the little details.  This is all the fiddly hand sewing that takes hours, and can be started in a class setting.  Were I at the convention, I would have done this in my room at night or when I needed quiet time.

The frog closure was the neat thing I learned.  Rosemarie made it by sewing three daisy petal embroidered stitches, then making a crocheted chain for the loop.  I don't crochet, so I did this by making a thread loop.  In the future, I can see myself making wee thread loops, then fastening them with one stitch at the tip of the petal to secure them, followed by the button loop.  It would be "braided", have substance then, instead of just looking decorative and functional.

I also learned something new with the pleated jumper.  Starting at the waist and down about and inch, stitches were made to the pleat folds.  This produced an almost blouson appearance to the bodice area of the jumper and a skirt to the length.  I loved this detail.  It cinched the waist and prepared it for the belt that buttoned around the jumper.  There are three buttons on the belt.  About 1 3/8" from the end, two buttons are sewn back to back so that the thread loops on the ends secure the belt as it laps over.  Thread loops at the sides of the waist keep the belt on.  I do this anyway, but it was fun to see described.  I was also amazed at the pattern of the cape and will refer to it in the future for dressing other dolls, as long as I'm using wool felt.  And, now Bernie has some bright, new school garments!

But, the real reason I waited by my computer for the minute the shopping hour began, was to purchase one of the new Girls Of the Orient by Ruby Red Galleria.  I bought two.  They didn't offer any extra outfits this year, so I'll probably try to sell the doll (nude) that was dressed in white and yellow.  The one I wanted was the girl dressed in pink.  I was certain she'd sell out in seconds.  She didn't, but I got her!  Earlier this summer, I'd put in an order for little Sophie (seen in the upper right).  She's an American cousin to Ten Ping and is precious.  You could buy a separate outfit for her, and I did that, too, when I placed my order.

But the girl in this lavish, frothy pink confection is gorgeous!  I can't wait to get her.

Of course I perused the offerings of the antique and vintage doll dealers, but nothing caught my attention.  Not one whisper of anything vintage Barbie, either.  That was a disappointment, seeing as how I've been enjoying the Dream House I put together.  I even found a near mint Patio Swing the other day, and when that arrived I put it together to sit on the side of the house.  I've really enjoyed playing vintage Barbie this summer.

Then I spotted R. John Wright's Space Man.  It was selling for $550, and I said, "No way."  I just don't drop that kind of money on dolls.  But, I did.  This adorable little fellow stands 6 1/2" tall.  I wish he'd been larger, but he is sweet.  I grew up loving The Jetsons, Lost in Space, Star Trek, and all the Twilight Zones episodes that dealt with astronauts.  I had to have him.  Sadly, the workmanship was not stellar, but I can forgive this because I don't want to deal with disappointment.  Primarily, the bronze paint around the helmet is tacky, sticky.  Did they rush the process?  Did it deteriorate in the hot summer shipping houses?  Who knows?  And, the helmet doesn't sit square on his shoulders.  Also there's a bit of scratches near the inside bottom of the helmet on one side.  For $550. I do get to be a critic, thank you very much.  He now resides with my Tonner Martian family.

What's a convention without a souvenir doll?  First of all, I have two Little Darlings.  I really didn't need a third and thought the price was a bit steep for Peggy Sue.  Its amazing how our minds can convince us we "need" a new doll.  Alice Leverette had created a pattern set for Peggy Sue.  That did it for me.  I bought the pattern set and a week later, the Peggy Sue after she showed up in the UFDC shop.  Why not?  This will be a perfect fall project to keep me busy sewing.  Alice had made the outfits and a display trunk for the doll, and auctioned as a Helper on Ebay.  The thing sold for $800.  I wasn't too keen on the fabric colors and choices she made, but I loved the idea.  So I searched online and bought Peggy Sue a display case for me to decorate and create as a place to hold her outfits once sewn.  Its deep enough that she can fit in it at an angle.  I loved the pink and aqua 50's color.  So far, as of this journaling, I have all the stuff I need to decorate and finish the display trunk.  And, I had a few fabrics that I was going to use for Cissy, that will work, and ordered some others.  All bright and cheery.

Right on the heels of the UFDC Online Event, came The Virtual Doll Convention hosted by Rachel Hoffman and Michael Canadas and David Robinson of the Carmel Doll Shop and Grovian Doll Museum.  They had an earlier VDC that I didn't pay too much attention to, but this one was fabulous!

The theme was Summer Fling and it just got better and better each day.  Diana Vining, a paper doll artist that I've loved for years, illustrated so many fun and lovely things that you could print out from pdf files, and they were all FREE!  The first was a Dolly Dingle, who seems to be their mascot for these VDC's.  I printed her out, cut her out and assembled her with mini brads.  The idea was that they provided you plenty to play with as the days went along.

There was a door hanger just like the kind you'd find on your hotel door.  Coloring books and pages, kites to cut out, shopping bags to cut out and assemble, paper dolls to play with!  I dutifully printed out everything and have a binder I will put this all in as a souvenir of the event.  Diana Vining's talent and generosity could not have been more appreciated, and the VDC wouldn't have been half as much fun without these special toys.  Examples of some of these things are below.

Tonner introduced his new Grace Marie Fitzpatrick, on the RTB101 body for the VDC.  I fell in love with her.  Artists made outfits for the doll that you could buy.  Marcia Friend had shoes made for her, and other accessories.  Another artist made luggage for her.  Well, I had to have her, too.  It was the paper dolls that Diana drew of her that prompted the purchase more than anything, and I intend to make my Grace the wardrobe Diana illustrated for her.  Diana even made a paper doll of Rachel, so you can imagine how much fun she was having.  To satisfy the French Fashion crowd, she drew a maze puzzle of a Huret to while the hours away with.

Each day there were Youtubes to watch and these were archived so that you could watch them anytime in the future.  Daily email updates were made by Rachel, so you'd never miss a thing.  There was a luncheon created by David Robinson and recipes were provided. They took you on doll tours and spectacularly entertained us for a week.  These folks put more than untold hours into this, they put their hearts into it.  I'm eternally grateful to them.  All for the cost of $25.  You sign up through Facebook.  I hope you'll think about joining in on the fun come the holiday season.  There's my plug.  It wasn't meant to be one, but I had so much fun with this, and hope you'll give it a try.  All from the comfort of your favorite chair in front of your computer.

The best news of all, after the VDC was over, was that they intend to do it again for Christmas!  I cannot wait!

Now, I'm going to share something with you that causes me concern.  My blog site is "upgrading".  Why can't they leave well enough alone?  Don't fix what's not broken!  When I went to write this, the new program came up and I spent two hours trying to make it work and was frustrated beyond imagining.  This old format is going away come September and I'm going to spend some time trying to learn how to make it work for me, for us.  As it was, I had to completely start over fives times, then discovered that just for August I could revert back to the good old format before the change.  I hope we can continue to share this journey of creating together, but it may take awhile to learn the new programming.  So the blogs may look weird or be really short for awhile.  I'm not sure.  I'll try.  And, there is a helpline, so I'll be using it. 

And, I just wanted to say that I love hearing from you.  It helps me know that you're enjoying what I'm doing and sharing, and I love hearing what you're doing for your dolls, too.  Let's enjoy the rest of summer together.  I'm doing my best to slow time down, but the seasons have a mind of their own.  Sending my best wishes to you all!

Love,
Melissa