Hi,

Its been a while, now that Kerry's gone, I haven't been doing a great
deal and have been feeling very sorry for myself?  Anyhows have been
busy painting, from the CD's I have received from Christine. And
although I am a painter on canvas I find it very hard to do?  Its
getting to know your mediums? Paint on china is very different!  I
found that picking up the features and making them stand out the whole
head looked streaky!  Anyways I overblushed it all in the end and the
results were a little better, but it takes a lot of practice!

What about all of you, especially Candy how are you holding up in the
financial climate?  My husband finally retires on Friday this week.  We
have hired a truck to start taking stuff up to the Barn and well to
have a look at it?  With the financial disasters, and the stocks and
shares, interest rates and the likes, I find I'm a little short of cash.
So I have been doing markets and fairs.  I have been doing lines, of
things.  Packaging my items, labelling and making sure the prices are
well shown.  I have been concentrating on small dolls, and baby dolls,
and cloth dolls.

I have also been sewing a lot.  Learning techniques, and how to
embellish things very prettily! So at this stage I am busy doing the
Xmas markets and fairs right till Xmas and then going up the coast near
the farm to do the tourist treck!  When January is finished the kids
will be going back to school and things will drop off, I'll concentrate
on getting my stock back in order and updating my web, and reorganising
myself for the upcoming year.

Please keep in touch and give us some ideas for the New Year!  I think
it would help us all? Hope to hear from you and wish you all the best
for the holidays........  Natascha

How is everyone fairing in this economic climate?  I have been busy
doing fairs and speciality markets. It hasn't been too bad. I think
with the olympic games the Chinese haven't been able to get things out
on time for Xmas. With the economic weather it doesn't help them either
but for us guys, well there is a little light at the end of the tunnel!

I have been sewing a lot so I can get a whole lot done. I think sewing
can be rather pretty, especially if you have any talent at all!  I have
been doing classes, but coming up with my own ideas, going back to
basics. I have even been having a go at making my own miniatures than
buying them?  I am even having a go at making dogs and cats, even bears
with felting!  What are you guys all up to??.......we are all
ears?...Natascha

Oh thank you so much for taking time and writing to us all here!  I
haven't heard from anybody, not even Kerry these days!  I thought that
no-one was interested!  Its so good to hear from you.  We have had
very cold days here too but the summer is arriving in a week or so
and things are really warming up.  I haven't been too well!  I think
its this cold weather I came down with something!  I have been
catching up with things.  I have finished my stumpwork and framed it.
I have been doing bodies for dolls that I too want to do a theme
for.  I have been so busy mucking around with my sewing machine. I
went to the markets and looked around and found that there wasn't
much in sight there either.  Everyones doing what everyones doing!  I
have been sewing cause theres so many pretty things around you can do
with the sewing machine these days.  I find handknitting and
crochetting takes too much time when I can sit on the machine and
wedge it in solvy and make the same thing even prettier with all the
pretty yarns, materials, laces and whatever one can get their hands
on.  I am doing some soft sculptured dolls playing with different
mediums. I love porcelain but it is getting very expensive.  I like
doing dolls in motion.

I have been sculpting away their heads in paper clay mediums and have
just found out that one is able to make it!  The web is awesome these
days finding out whatever one wants.  I did pour out some babies in
porcelain and with the painting techniques that Christian gave me I
sit in my room to do some portraitures.  I have also cleaned up some
more legs and arms and bodies of more dolls to put together.

I love the miniature museum but I am doing that sort of thing in my
barn!  I have tried in the past to get people to donate and to help
but things when they get bad, people seem to lose interest.
In Tasmania in one of the old homes that is left for heritage and
museum has a beautiful large mansion in the middle room built of a
home from England.  It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!
They have an old kitchen and a parlour!  You see everything hung up
like the old days. It was owned by a surgeon and his wife spent hours
whittling away with a doctors scarpel all the people and boy you
would swear they are porcelain.  Its lovely that people are doing and
getting interested in it again!

Its the same here, years ago they had a lot of these places but today
cause of the young ones the interest is fading!  I am desperately
trying to do something in my neck of the woods to bring it back or
something????  At Port Macquarie there used to be fantasy woods.
A lady did dolls and they were all doing things in a fantasy forest.
I think she got most of the things from somebody working at Disney
land.  No-body wanted to take it over!  Shes gone now and so has all
of that!  What a shame!  Thanks so much for my etsy shop!  I am
working away at making and preparing more things!  I am making dogs
and cats for my dolls and looking for furniture or anything to give
them a theme.  Everyone is going broke here in the doll world!  I
have bought a chest thats musical and it opens and closes with a
Bluette beside it. The trouble is the body is too big for a Bluette
maybe I'll use another slightly bigger Antique head.  I am at the
moment doing a whole scene of googleys!  I used to dislike them but
then I saw them doing things and dressed up they are so cute!

They were very popular character dolls in the 1930's maybe that's it
bring them all back in style like Mildred Seeley used to do??  Don't
they say nothing is of value unless you can get someone interested in
it???  What have you been making or doing, or getting interested in?
It's actually easy making and sculpting miniatures!  You have to make
a frame first. and then work at each of the sections, like the head
and the body then the arms and last legs! My esty address or how you
can find it is Nataschasdolls & Collectables  or
www.nataschasdolls.com I would love you advice on improvement or what
other things to do?  You learn by others? am awaiting your reply and
thank you, thank you.  I too am wondering how Candy is?  Shes a
hardworking persons. In the midst of it all when things are down she
always says the nicest things and makes one feel so good to get on
with it!  She's remarkable.  Hope to hear.......Natascha

Just a short message to you all!
Invest in yourself and your dreams come true!

No such thing as "IDLE CHATTER" you look beyond
and you learn, things always work out!
Behind every closed door, another opens!
You are not given happiness, its up to you.
Patience is a byproduct of tribulations,
it isn't granted, it is learned.......Natascha

Thought I would post some more things to say. I am so glad to hear
from  Candy, I wonder if your name is Candice! Such a gorgeous name!
I went to my daughter No.2 graduation last week! She came up from
Tasmania it was the biggest highlight in my life watching the look on
her face when she was handed the certificate.  She has really worked
hard for it, a single mother she had lost her jobs, business and
everything!  Out of it all the tears and frustration she made it!

One thing that she has said to me is mum come down here and open up a
place with your things! You would do so well!  Well Candy I have done
my etsy shop and like a real shop I find I don't have customers
walking in yet and buying!!!  So I am thinking, thinking and looking
at what next to do. Yeah fix up my shop front, and put on some
specials that would attract people!  I thought I would sit down this
week and do a
lot of sewing. (cause its quicker) and also put on some dolls they
could dress themselves. Even make outfits so they can put them on and
some of the accessories. I have boxed things away when I had the shop
and am going through the boxes and pulling stuff out!

I didn't realise how expensive dolls house furniture has become! The
small dolls. So this week I'll work on those things and do a display
and the rest of it just have it laid on the table in order of
sequence of what I am making.  I have met a lady who used to come to
my classes that absolutely loves craft and we are going to open the
garage and do displays that lead into my studio!  I have been
cleaning and putting things together and boxing them for the next
thing to do. I have been reading magazines about all the top people
and how they started.  They all said the same thing they started from
home did a few showings and put it on the web!  They all started from
humble beginnings!  I have been talking about it and talking about it
and have never been able to get the show on the road! So I have made
a date Easter next year 2009!  I will make a date and time soon and
start to put it in magazines, local paper, around shopping centres
straight after Xmas when things get going again! Around March/April.

I thought that now its too late! People would be buying for Xmas
already and I haven't anything really to show!  If it goes well I
will do another one next Sept/October ready for Xmas! and of course
for my Barn!  I should be then getting ready for the Barn next
Christmas and have this place all sorted out!  I have been doing a
lot of gardening here! I am so proud its starting to really look so
pretty!  I find the gardening is so soothing!  and you can talk to
yourself and think of what you want to do! I have all the Iris's out
at the moment and they are so so pretty!  Beautiful ideas for my
flower brooches!  This week my stumpwork is finished and I'll be
framing it with along the others! I am doing more projects. I am
doing a baby rug with strawberries and rabbits, and new stumpwork 3D.
I can put around displays with my small fairies!  So I am busy I hope
to see some of you with inspiring ideas too, gives more food for
thought!  Please don't give up folks!  Life is awesome its much
better than sitting back and doing nothing!  Hope to hear from you as
you all work through this climate of stress and greed!  Out of it
comes light!  Don't let your dreams go!   .....   Natascha

Hi, hows everybody doing? How are you doing Kerry with your beaded
dolls? How are you going with the porcelain dolls?  I have missed
hearing from you. I have been busy doing nothing?  I have had no
incentive lately which is not good!  My daughter had her graduation
last week and it was her birthday on the 8th as well.  My
granddaughter
came in with the excited dogs and Cynthia Parker smashed down to the
ground!  I just stood there frozen to the spot! I just didn't know
what to say? I couldn't blame her cause it was in the way.  I was
going to pull her arms higher cause I wasn't pleased with her!  I
went out earlier that night doing my stumpwork!  So I had completely
forgotten
cause when I came back at 9:30pm we went to the airport to pick them
up from Tasmania.

Anyways the shocks over now and I did find a shoulder plate which I
will fire again and the hand that was broken.  Lucky her head didn't
break then I would have given the game away!  I also started and
finished my etsy shop. I suppose the more I can advertise the better
it shall be!  I am now busy sewing doing a display for easier and
cheaper things to sell.  Something that I can put into an envelope
and send instantly with no hassels. I have been putting lots of dolls
together and fixing up their bodies.  I have four Shays I am doing
and have poured out their legs. Cause a lot of them have broken legs
or no legs.  I will put them all together so they can be displayed.

My I miss you Kerry cause I have finished all these dolls I was
talking about the box load I got from a show they were dreadful!
Well I redid their faces, (Iwas going to paint them as black dolls)
But when I blushed them and touched them up they look so cute and can
do easily with crochetted outfits or knitted.  To me they look like
they were celluloid dolls and then the moulds used for porcelain.  I
think they were Ellen Masseys via Byron moulds from long ago.  They
are very old moulds, but very characteristic.  Only two need wigs and
they are similar to Tammy with painted eyes, and bisque bodies.

Anyways I put them in a box with the rest I have finished. They are
labelled for the next stage.  I am doing Shay, Flossie baby and
todler, Diane Effner babies, Caroline Bebe, Hanna with dipped Laces
and flowers in porcelain, Half Dolls, Santa in the beading book (old
world Santa) so that is at the moment. At least it keeps the days
going at this stage.  I don't do the markets anymore I am
concentrating on the web. Maybe I'll do some shows in the New Year or
advertise in the doll magazines. Anyways what are the rest of you all
doing.  How are you Christine with your health I have been praying
for you. What about Richard haven't heard from you I am beginning to
worry. Candy how are you fairing with this economic climate, anyways
waiting to hear........    Natascha  Will send new pics of new
ventures

Dear Christine'

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the details on
painting techniques!  I am an artist and I didn't realise that you
can do those things like a proper artwork.  I am so excited and have
poured out dolls to have a try!  Even my husband is blown out cause
I can paint!  I can do portraits.  I don't know why I didn't realise
the techniques are similar, but instead of spraying medium in between
or letting it dry in between you just fire in between.

I am stoked, the painting is what I have never been happy about!
The price of eyes too these days makes it hard as well and also
to obtain them.  Now all I have to do is the clothing well I have looked
on the internet and it seems that simplicity and a good line is the key!
Just the finishing parts play a big part!  So off I go experimenting
again and if I win this time I can do my own dolls, sculpt them myself
and do what I have always wanted to do?    Thank you so much with the
bottom of my heart shall show you pics as soon as I have finished.

Not only that I don't have to buy wigs again, I love the way the
artists play with real mohair or fibre. When I get to the farm I will
put those animals on, so that I have these things in my favour.

Natascha

Wow, it great that your barn is almost finished, you will have a lot
of work to do with the emtying of the warehouse, storage sheds, shops
and so on of all your craft, is Jean moving with you, have fun, kerry

Hi Natascha, thats a shame about the show, did you not take the boxes
of bears and cloth dolls you have made, that would have been a good
outlet seeing as you have soooo many, Kerry

Hi everyone! I went to a show last weekend mainly a teddy bear show
though they had a lot of cloth dolls!  It was a pretty venue, the lady
who held it was very nice indeed!  I had my dolls the milettes or call
them really Bluettes, they are one and the same really!  So I found out!

I was disappointed about the dolls, everyone admired them but nobody
bought or were really interested.  What a shame If I had picked up
those knitted teddies from Kerry I would have done so well???  Ho hum
that is the breaks!  Seems to be Teddies are still the flavour of the
month!

So doing a scene like Candy is the answer I think? just with small
dolls! Keep the large ones in theme in my Barn idea?  I have to tell
you all my barn has been started the concrete and the driveway has been
laid and they are putting the rest together this week!  So my dreams
come true!  I am going down to Tassy (that is right at the bottom of
Australia) for our friends overseas.  Its a pretty unspoilt place and
still smells nice!  Apparently a few people have gone down there to
start a few things off and I am going to have a sticky!

Anyways folks I am not giving up!  Although another sad bit of news
I took my sewing machines to have serviced and bad news on my
computerised machine the mother box which is the computer needs repair
only a minor thing, I have to wait news from Pfaff what the damage
is???  Maybe I have to leave it for a while??  That is till things pick
up!  If its not one thing its another!

Have been quiet though, although the grandkids were up last weekend
while I was away!  Price is 4 was on my cell phone begging me to come
home to play!  But I couldn't I was at the show and it was too far!
Never mind I sent them up some costumes I made them. That will make
them think of their nan!

Anyways anybody with anymore ideas please talk, need some
inspirations!......  Natascha

Hi Natascha,
good to hear from you. In Denmark it is Fall, our summer is over and
it is going to get colder.

I am looking forward to see your painted lady dolls. It is so
exciting to see this technique. And I also would like to see the
things, you produce with this sewing machine of yours, it sounds so
interesting.

I sure hope, our group will awake, I miss these mails.

I still work on the same Greeland project, it seems endless.
Greetings to you all
Christine

--- In nataschasdolls@..., "natascharutherford"
<natascharutherford@...> wrote:
>
> Ok folks sounds like you are all quiet which either means you are
> busy,
> or bored, or doing other things?  I have had a dreadful winter here
> and
> just could not pour any slip!  It was a nightmare, and when I went
to
> my dealers, they said it was nation  wide!
>
> People had orders but they just couldn't fulfil them.  The days are
> just gorgeous here now that Spring is arriving although the
mornings
> and nights are still cold!  But during the day it is heaven!  You
> could not ask for more. I have actually been outside with nature
and
> admiring her with full swing.  In fact I have been cleaning up and
> seeing what sort of projects I could get on with.  Richard I have
to
> thank you for the dress pattern links.  I have had a good look at
> them and they give me a lot of ideas.
>
> I have picked up some of the faces of lady dolls and decided to do
a
> portrait on them. Painting them like I am an artist.  I am so
> flabbergasted at the results.  Am still firing them there is a lot
of
> firings.  I am so looking forward to a new kiln!  This poor old
thing
> has really had it's days.
>
> Anyways I have pulled out some Diana Effner's babies, for the start.
> I didn't realise I had so many.  I bought them years ago and forgot
> all about them!  I have pulled out my machine and have been playing
> around with my sewing skills. Am impressed with the results and
soon
> I will be putting new pics on.  In todays market things are so
hard,
> but I have decided to do overthetop things my way, like a true
artist
> and see if I get any response??
>
> Christine and Richard you have inspired me now I will show you what
> it takes when one learns from each other?  Hope to hear from you
> guys!  I have also been busy doing my web, boy I am learning,
Richard
> that is something good for you to participate in?  It's very
> rewarding and all I can say it improves with practice!......Hoping
to
> hear from you all to see what you all are up to.......Natascha
>

Ok folks sounds like you are all quiet which either means you are
busy,
or bored, or doing other things?  I have had a dreadful winter here
and
just could not pour any slip!  It was a nightmare, and when I went to
my dealers, they said it was nation  wide!

People had orders but they just couldn't fulfil them.  The days are
just gorgeous here now that Spring is arriving although the mornings
and nights are still cold!  But during the day it is heaven!  You
could not ask for more. I have actually been outside with nature and
admiring her with full swing.  In fact I have been cleaning up and
seeing what sort of projects I could get on with.  Richard I have to
thank you for the dress pattern links.  I have had a good look at
them and they give me a lot of ideas.

I have picked up some of the faces of lady dolls and decided to do a
portrait on them. Painting them like I am an artist.  I am so
flabbergasted at the results.  Am still firing them there is a lot of
firings.  I am so looking forward to a new kiln!  This poor old thing
has really had it's days.

Anyways I have pulled out some Diana Effner's babies, for the start.
I didn't realise I had so many.  I bought them years ago and forgot
all about them!  I have pulled out my machine and have been playing
around with my sewing skills. Am impressed with the results and soon
I will be putting new pics on.  In todays market things are so hard,
but I have decided to do overthetop things my way, like a true artist
and see if I get any response??

Christine and Richard you have inspired me now I will show you what
it takes when one learns from each other?  Hope to hear from you
guys!  I have also been busy doing my web, boy I am learning, Richard
that is something good for you to participate in?  It's very
rewarding and all I can say it improves with practice!......Hoping to
hear from you all to see what you all are up to.......Natascha