tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50340373744942996032011-12-05T12:24:51.793-08:00Melody's Art Doll StudioAllegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.comBlogger611100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-78272541281410509342011-09-17T14:55:00.000-07:002011-09-17T14:59:19.694-07:00

The November Dolls Magazine is now online, and I'm featured in an article titled "Extreme Makeover: Artists show off their doll transformations" by Stephanie Finnegan! She told me in an email that they had so much positive response to the article last year that they wrote a follow-up.  Above is a scan of my part of the article (click to see it larger). Featured is my "Butterfly" doll complete

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-39712637076364494792011-08-30T17:48:00.000-07:002011-08-30T17:49:32.006-07:00

Demetria and Kiandra: customized Sasha dolls I've just finished two new customized Sasha dolls! Been a really long time since I've done any of these, and I'm pretty pleased with the way they came out.  They're both repainted, rewigged, and I made their dresses with fabric carefully chosen to complement their coloring. Demetria Demetria is a customized Sasha doll with

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-22368946619419884272011-08-30T00:34:00.000-07:002011-08-30T00:34:13.813-07:00

Late at night, finishing up a couple of customized Sasha dolls! Here's a photo of them prepped and ready for paint.... I plan to photograph them and put them in my Etsy Shop tomorrow (Tuesday). Been too busy to do much with dolls recently, but thought I'd do a couple of these because my Sashas will be featured in a forthcoming issue of Dolls Magazine!

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-403891285207400942011-05-14T09:07:00.000-07:002011-05-14T09:09:59.318-07:00

  My "Timepiece" doll was featured in the the April/Mai 2011 issue of Puppen & Spielzeug magazine (page 13)! The best part is that there's a nice long article about Akira Blount two pages after this one. It's been a while since I've made any art dolls, but my desire to make art remains. I really do hope to get back to artmaking soon - life just gets in the way sometimes.

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-21958444310882577292010-10-31T10:08:00.000-07:002010-10-31T10:08:38.230-07:00

My most recent art doll was featured in an art show at 105 Art Gallery downtown Albuquerque. The show was called "The Grateful Dead."   This is my "La Muerte", painted in the style of calaveras often seen at our local Día de Muertos parade.   She's made from air-dry clay, cloth, mixed media, and painted with acrylics.  She's about 14 inches tall, and sits on a little shelf. I might put her up on

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-74559663628579354442010-09-24T08:56:00.000-07:002010-09-24T08:56:27.426-07:00

My customized Sasha dolls have been featured in the November Dolls Magazine!  I've cut and pasted the parts about me into a page that you might be able to read here (click on the image to get a larger version). The article is eight pages long, and the author interviewed a number of artists. Many thanks to Stephanie Finnegan for the lovely article. I'm thrilled at the honor!

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-83435625140793686882010-09-22T09:53:00.000-07:002010-09-29T07:32:25.891-07:00

Here is my latest customized Sasha doll. She is a limited edition Harlequin, made in 1984. Harlequins had a lovely hairstyle, with a side part and a fringe brushed to the side. But I was never very fond of the ash blonde color. So when a Harlequin crossed my path I decided to be creative with her. This is what the original Harlequin looks like, next to the customized doll. She's interesting

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-6310857002962541412010-09-17T15:53:00.000-07:002010-09-17T22:24:06.357-07:00

Yesterday, I was the featured artist on the Art Dolls Only blog.  Check it out here. Many thanks to Sarah (Youngish) for the interview. 

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-70222230366993937592010-07-29T22:13:00.000-07:002010-07-29T22:13:42.844-07:00

Simone was my last Traveling Doll Project doll to work on with the Art Dolls Only artists. I joined a small group of three artists, and we exchanged three dolls, working on each one before we passed them around. Eventually each doll has returned to the person who started it. Here's the Traveling Doll Project Blog (Simone's up there on the front page right now but I'm sure there will be others

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-35757086236583414662010-07-16T11:24:00.000-07:002010-07-16T13:30:10.937-07:00

The sense of time and space in Wonderland is quite discombobulated. The rabbit keeps running past looking at his stopwatch, Alice grows and shrinks, and logic is thrown out the window. Alice grows and grows while inside a house, and her arm went out the window and her foot went up the chimney. I was always fascinated with this image. What if Alice had actually popped out of the house? What if

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-59829195899270502692010-07-11T18:08:00.000-07:002010-07-11T18:08:08.950-07:00

Still working on the Wonderland doll.... Sculpted, sanded, buffed. Started painting. Still lots to go!  Check back for more...

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-24204788470061187232010-07-08T23:36:00.000-07:002010-07-08T23:36:21.529-07:00

Well, I'm supposed to be finished with my Wonderland doll today. But for various reasons (one of which is that I've been obsessively working on the brand new and fabulous Art Dolls Only web site), she's not done yet. But she's a work in progress.  Remember when Alice grew and grew inside the house and almost popped through -- well, what if she had actually popped through the roof?  Here's a

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-29183884460780064072010-06-10T08:44:00.000-07:002010-06-10T08:44:41.298-07:00

Planning a Wonderland-themed doll for the Art Dolls Only challenge! I'm working with the House Doll concept - a little house with arms, legs, and head sticking out of them. I really enjoyed creating the last house doll I made. My husband has already made me some little houses - now I just have to find the time to get to it! I'm reminded of the doll show review in Albuquerque's Journal a few

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-54312324529200642712010-05-27T13:26:00.000-07:002010-05-27T13:27:55.083-07:00

A cool collection by Kandra of art doll eyes over at the Art Dolls Only blog! I "borrowed" the image - go over to the blog to see which artists made them. Perhaps one of mine will show up in the next batch...

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-78536211313689567012010-05-04T10:46:00.000-07:002010-05-04T11:01:42.968-07:00

As promised, here are some photos from the Albuquirky House Tour and Fundraiser organized by OFFCenter!My "House Doll" sitting on the edge of a table. A "Cat House" by Jan Jackson. A piece by Frederico Vigil. He's working on the fresco inside the Torreon at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Another view of Frederico Vigil's house. Black house is by Angus McPherson. Bird house on a spring by

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-50166295286421330302010-05-01T09:36:00.000-07:002010-05-07T13:18:35.326-07:00

It's a beautiful spring day here in Albuquerque and we've got a full day planned - going to check out a couple of stops on the Albuquirky House Tour before heading over to the Cinco de Mayo Festival at La Parada. There should be lots of great folk art there - and I'll be playing fiddle with E. Christina Herr & Wild Frontier at 3pm, right after the Chihuahua Costume Contest.

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-72988339760470023782010-04-29T19:07:00.000-07:002010-05-04T10:49:58.373-07:00

My House Doll has been finished and delivered to OFFCenter Community Arts Project for their fundraiser! They're a community artmaking place, and open their doors to anyone who wants to come make art. Their fundraiser is in conjunction with their Albuquirky House Tour where people can tour several local art houses and folk art collections. The tour was recently featured on a local TV station, and

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-71111377732166060272010-04-25T11:30:00.000-07:002010-05-07T14:26:41.845-07:00

The apple tree in our back yard blossomed last week, letting us know that spring is indeed on its way. The flowers didn't last long, and the ground was soon covered with white flower petals as the green leaves made their way toward the warm sun. Primavera (which means "spring") has an apple tree painted on her torso. She's on Etsy now. She has gold-brown eyes and her black hair is made

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-45697213163471036872010-04-17T12:07:00.000-07:002010-05-07T13:24:37.896-07:00

I just finished and turned in a retablo for ABQ Nouveau Retablo, a local fundraiser. Of course, it's not a traditional retablo (the traditional retablos are usually religious in subject matter) - but it relates to the literal translation for "retablo" which means "painted/applied on a tablet." I painted and applied a paperclay crescent moon on a piece of wood that was supplied (it's about 11 x 9

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-83498064640120266412010-03-28T20:05:00.000-07:002010-03-28T20:05:31.014-07:00

As always, I'm working on several projects at once. One is a monochromatic doll for the ADO (Art Dolls Only) challenge. She does have a few other colors, but this one is going to be mostly purple. I just couldn't quite bring myself to paint purple skin or lips, but she does have purple eyes. I've got several different shades of purple to try for hair. The second is going to be a house-doll. I

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-8442970423190832122010-03-28T09:44:00.000-07:002010-03-28T09:44:36.318-07:00

Don't miss my two dolls on eBay, ending later this afternoon (5:25 PDT)! Last chance to bid on one for a bargain basement price! If they don't sell, they go back to Etsy tomorrow -- and at a higher price. And while you're there, search for "ADOT" on eBay to find pieces by other members of the Art Dolls Only Team. We plan to do group listings once a month around the beginning of the month, so

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-7099676101545476442010-03-20T18:07:00.000-07:002010-03-20T18:08:11.400-07:00

Payten visited Albuquerque for about a month, and I had fun working on her. She started off as a "blank" doll, and I painted her and added her hair and some clothing. She goes to SpiritMama next before returning home to Mealy Monster Land, where she started her journey. You can read more about her here at the TDP blog. You can also read about Peregrina, the doll that I began, here. Now I have

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-21905387393992004802010-03-14T13:59:00.000-07:002010-03-14T14:03:26.314-07:00

A group of us from Art Dolls Only (ADO) have gotten together to make our art dolls available on eBay. You can find all sorts of unique and creative art dolls by members by searching for ADO under the Dolls category. So far, we have some folk art dolls, a fairy godmother, a wizard in a box, a forest spirit, a sweet cloth and clay girl from Australia, with more to come. Please visit our listings

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-82754349227816643552010-03-06T23:08:00.000-08:002010-03-09T19:49:50.167-08:00

Today we went to the Artiquerque Craft Carnival and got to see lots of great handmade stuff.  It was organized by the Artiquerque Crafters. Here are some photos I took. I figured that since we didn't have any money to spend, I could at least help promote some fellow artists through my blog. Many of the crafters sell their wares on Etsy - this one is by Bigfootlovestacos.  Here's the booth. 

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-135780255255201682010-03-04T16:24:00.000-08:002010-03-04T16:40:09.426-08:00

I'm in the process of working on my second Traveling Doll Project doll, Payton. She came from Mealy Monster Land, and I've heard that she wants to join the circus. I've started painting her face, and began searching for inspiration for the rest of her. I was reminded of a short film I watched recently called the Butterfly Circus. It's a wonderful film, and definitely worth the 20 minutes to

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-35380884362455966172010-02-28T19:40:00.000-08:002010-02-28T19:45:33.105-08:00

Erté, Kells, and Cactus Wren are the three little dolls that I've just finished. I've listed all three of them in my Etsy shop (and you can click on the photos to go to their listing). Each is about 7.5 inches tall, or 19 centimeters, if standing. I called this one "Erté" because she was inspired by the great art deco artist and designer. I've painted an abstract design on her torso.  Her face is

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-90318129035827989162010-02-27T22:07:00.000-08:002010-02-27T22:07:08.451-08:00

For several reasons (some perhaps unknown to me), I decided to make a few small dolls - each 7.5 inches high (about 19 centimeters). The first was my little Bluebird, made especially for my blog giveaway. I liked her so much that I had to hang on to her for just a while longer so I wouldn't forget how I made her. So now I have made four and Bluebird is going to fly to her new home next week.

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-1461307128563872472010-02-15T09:30:00.000-08:002010-02-15T09:51:36.099-08:00

Time to announce the One World One Heart Giveaway Winner!  Here's little Bluebird waiting to go on her trip to her new home. Well, I have drawn a number through the Random Number Generator. It's not as dramatic as pulling a number out of a hat, but it sure is a lot easier than organizing that many numbers. Oh - I wish I had taken a screen shot of that before I closed the window!  I did figure

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-32310359872619055932010-02-14T09:22:00.000-08:002010-02-14T09:22:14.376-08:00

My giveaway ends tonight at midnight, so make sure to go to my One World One Heart (OWOH) post and leave a comment over there to be entered into a drawing for an original art doll! Sure has been fun checking out the other blogs signed up for the OWOH event. Here's a photo of my giveaway again: There are some art dolls that I would just love to win (not to mention the bags, jewelry, beads, and

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-69882040950257883882010-02-12T20:16:00.000-08:002010-02-12T21:24:14.893-08:00

It's been quite an adventure, visiting all the other One World One Heart blogs and signing up to be in the running for different giveaways.  It's a great way to make connections, and I'm finding out that other bloggers often run giveaways to help get the word out about their great products.  Here's a wonderful one: Click on the image to go to the Patina Soul blog and leave a comment to enter a

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-12091676301701885742010-02-09T15:32:00.000-08:002010-02-11T10:17:06.560-08:00

Today was the unveiling of the other two dolls that I will be working on as part of the Team Docka for the Traveling Doll Project.  Here is Simone by Spiritmama: And here is Payten by Mealy Monster Land: Payten is already home with me, and I have lots of ideas of what to do with her.... Click on the images to see the blog posts about each doll.

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-52124410678056578012010-02-07T16:49:00.000-08:002010-02-08T10:08:54.323-08:00

I've finally finished my doll for the Art Dolls Only Traveling Doll Project!  This is Peregrina, a "blank" doll to be sent on to Mealy Monster Land (Nicole) and SpiritMama (Waxela) on our mini travel doll challenge!  She's made of cloth with paperclay, painted with acrylics, and stands about 14 inches tall. I debated whether to paint her face, but in the end I couldn't resist. It also seemed

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-52059494266062625912010-02-05T21:43:00.000-08:002010-02-05T21:50:49.283-08:00

Getting all this attention from the One World One Heart (OWOH) blog event has inspired me to update my blog and web design.  (Scroll down through a few entries below to find the giveaway.) So my web site now has a new look, as well as the masthead for this blog and my Etsy store. A couple of very late nights (and procrastinating on other projects I should be finishing) found me tweaking and

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-58924956574437212272010-02-04T13:11:00.000-08:002010-02-06T14:24:21.735-08:00

I thought you might enjoy seeing a photo of Timepiece (recently returned from her gallery show) and the new little Bluebird.  Timepiece is about 19 inches tall (if she were to stand). I've got a couple more small dolls in progress, as well as some medium-sized (14-inch) ones.

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-14946240842081850502010-02-03T14:36:00.000-08:002010-02-15T09:53:52.632-08:00

Update 2/15: The drawing is officially closed with 254 entries (number 254 is one person who was unable to leave a message). Check back to find out the winner.  One World One Heart (OWOH) is an international blogging event that was begun three years ago by Lisa Swifka of A Whimsical Bohemian.  It's about meeting other bloggers and exploring their work, whether they are an artist, a writer, or

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com254tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-84093117196872954732010-02-02T13:20:00.000-08:002010-02-03T08:03:57.293-08:00

Perhaps Mother Goose is an imaginary character who made her way into children's poems; perhaps she was a real person in Boston who sang jingles to her children and grandchildren; perhaps she was a French queen who spun tales.  The rhymes and stories that are attached to her name have survived for hundreds of years, traced back to the seventeenth century.  Each of us carries some Mother Goose in

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-16981106416433637422010-01-15T08:00:00.000-08:002010-01-15T08:00:12.434-08:00

I'm thrilled to be featured today in the Art Dolls Only Traveling Doll Project Blog! I sent them a self-portrait taken in my kitchen with a couple of my dolls. My digital camera has a little screen that flips around, so I can set up the picture field. Then I put it on timer, reach over and click the shutter, and have 10 seconds to compose. A remote control would probably make it even easier.

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-66658291103888234952010-01-11T12:04:00.000-08:002010-05-04T10:51:29.893-07:00

Corazón is the Spanish word for heart. Our physical hearts are inside us, but our spiritual hearts can be touched by others. Does she hold her own heart in her hands? Or does someone else hold it? Corazón is made from paperclay, cloth, and mixed media, and painted with acrylics. She's about 14 inches high if she were to stand. She sits on a little wooden shelf that hangs on the wall. She is in

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-63741115151921295822010-01-07T22:14:00.000-08:002010-01-07T22:15:41.537-08:00

Finished my first doll for 2010!  I'm calling her Paz, as she has a dove and a little olive branch painted on her. She's small - about 13 inches high. I originally made her to be a cloth doll, but really didn't like painting the face on cloth, so I made her head of paperclay and sculpted her face. She's got lambswool hair, a little net skirt, and button joints so she can sit comfortably. Her

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-8212960405459501942010-01-03T16:00:00.000-08:002010-02-06T14:25:24.285-08:00

I was thrilled to open the paper this morning and see a review of the Valley of the Art Dolls show that specifically mentions my doll!  Here's my favorite part of the article: "With wild and crazy red hair, striped tights and clockwork digestive system, Mock's girl wonder could easily show Alice a few untrammeled trails through Wonderland." The critic, Wesley Pulkka, also called my doll "

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-14699014775538269682009-12-04T11:15:00.000-08:002010-01-07T22:24:42.588-08:00

Three dolls in progress. Little one is almost done, middle is in the works, and the third is just begun! The first one is kind of child-like, or perhaps elf-like, with large eyes that are set a little lower on the head, which is a little larger proportionally for her body. Lots of painting on her (including her back).  I'll take more photos when they're done!

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-71863986116023435292009-12-01T09:03:00.000-08:002009-12-01T09:03:24.850-08:00

I'm working on two new dolls at the moment. They're sculpted, stuffed, mostly assembled, and just need to be painted, wigged, dressed, and finished!  They're made of paperclay and cloth - I'm experimenting with tinting the clay for a flesh tone. More photos soon! 

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-25771252980982536512009-11-19T20:12:00.000-08:002010-01-07T22:23:34.181-08:00

Tick tock tick tock. Most clocks are no longer made with big brass cogs and gears which wind up with a key - they're little bitty things that run on batteries. But the insides of old clocks are so fascinating that I decided to make a doll with old clock movements. I can think of all sorts of expressions using the concept of time or clocks.  Time after time. Out of time.  Her clock is ticking.

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-27032751337732605142009-10-21T14:24:00.000-07:002009-11-22T19:52:46.294-08:00

Murina the Bat Doll got a little more work done on her - I added eyelashes, worked on her face a little more, and painted some little flying bats on her neck (which was looking rather bare). She's available for sale on Etsy: www.allegromelody.etsy.com Here are some more photos! Red and black paisley fabric wings and skirt. I think her eyes look much sharper with more definition.   Her

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-14968520890365342092009-10-16T19:39:00.000-07:002009-10-21T15:56:41.164-07:00

Finally finished my Halloween project - Murina the Bat Girl doll! She has just been listed on Etsy: www.allegromelody.etsy.com She's made from paperclay (head and hands) and cloth.  The paperclay is sculpted over part of her cloth torso, too.  She's got paisley bat wings (wired for posing) and her feet are painted in a similar pattern. Her knees are jointed with wooden beads, and her arms are

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-15287869833864910512009-09-14T09:49:00.000-07:002010-02-06T14:26:27.098-08:00

Ran into my friend Leighanna Light at the We Art the People folk art festival in Albuquerque yesterday, and thought I'd share some of her work! She makes these lovely mixed-media figures out of found objects and clay, and gives workshops around the country.   

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-67693376423234447432009-08-25T08:47:00.000-07:002009-08-25T08:52:34.644-07:00

Getting started on a new doll. Clay head, cloth body. This time I wanted to be able to turn its head, so I'm working on figuring out how to connect it. She will be similar to Redwing, but I haven't decided whether the hands and feet will be sculpted or cloth.... Sometimes I feel like I spend more time figuring out how to do something than I do actually making the piece! She will definitely

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-20156235325220613732009-08-24T10:48:00.000-07:002010-02-06T14:27:19.356-08:00

The Cart Before the Horse team (Jo and Dylan) are a couple of people who I never met, but whose work I have been following for some time now. They make wonderful, whimsical figures and other works of art. Click on the image above to visit their blog. Watching how they consistently crank out work, market it, and sell it over the net has encouraged me to consider doing the same thing (in my

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-45046511527992686482009-08-20T13:13:00.000-07:002009-08-20T13:56:57.804-07:00

Here's Calypso.I'm sure I could keep working on this doll for a while, but I'll stop with her for now! I worked on her features more, gave her some tattoos on her cheeks and chin, added ears and earrings, made her a necklace, put some beads in her hair, and finished up lots of loose edges. She sits on a candlestick which has a red glass globe.The character that inspired her, Tia Dalma from the

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-198462414682050392009-08-16T16:40:00.001-07:002010-02-06T14:28:29.513-08:00

My newest doll project is Calypso, a gypsy pirate character. This weekend I took a class with doll artist Arley Berryhill, who also lives here in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The class was to make a "witch" candlestick doll, but of course I had to deviate from the established path and make my own. I learned a whole lot - Arley's background in theatrical makeup and costuming was invaluable. She's

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-78961057626944321172009-08-01T12:49:00.000-07:002010-02-03T15:24:33.213-08:00

When we visit our local Botanical Gardens in the summertime, one of our favorite places is the Butterfly Pavillion. We love watching the lovely butterflies float from one flower to the next, and sometimes even land on our heads or shoulders. It is easy to imagine the the butterflies are little fairies. My daughter loves to pretend she's a fairy - she used to have a little dress with fairy

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-92001536667221090722009-07-17T09:31:00.001-07:002010-02-06T14:29:25.829-08:00

Last spring, we took a trip south of Albuquerque to the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge. We walked out on a bridge across a lake as the sun lowered in the sky. The place was filled with redwing blackbirds, who flew across the water and called to each other. Those moments live inside me, and I've created a figure which embodies the spirit of the redwing. The Art Dolls Only Challenge was to

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-61676544042487496362009-07-15T12:33:00.000-07:002010-02-06T14:30:13.434-08:00

As I delve into the world of making my own dolls, I've been looking at lots of other handmade dolls. Art Dolls Only issued a challenge to make a doll based on the elements. I hope my latest doll will fit right in! Images will be posted on Friday, but I'll post a preview image now as a teaser. (More preview available on my Allegro Melody FaceBook page!) This is Redwing, a doll made from

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-70228328221523377182009-06-27T16:20:00.000-07:002009-06-27T16:24:51.645-07:00

Gabi is blogging the Sasha Festival on location in Rochester, NY:http://poshknits.wordpress.comYou can see some images of the Lila Sasha there! It looks like more items have been added to her package. She is to be raffled, with proceeds to benefit the Children's Fund.

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-31230647785178536922009-06-26T10:22:00.000-07:002009-06-26T10:29:55.115-07:00

Tilily Tangerine, the traveling Sasha doll, has been home in New Mexico for a while. Yesterday, she visited our friend Frank McCulloch's art studio.Then we had lunch down the street at the Golden Crown Panaderia, where Tilily posed under some dried New Mexican corn.

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-54340837653143149952009-06-16T16:47:00.001-07:002009-08-04T08:46:57.929-07:00

Happy Summer!Just finished a new custom Sasha doll (who has now been adopted). Here are some photos:Her name is Palila (a type of Hawaiian finch), and she has a brown wig with lots of little curls.Her eyes are painted hazel - brown around the edges, greens inside with hints of brown and gold. A darker green rims her irises. She was painted with artist acrylics after all original paint was

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-30314603291569001102009-05-22T12:11:00.000-07:002010-03-28T19:28:40.348-07:00

Just finished Lila, a custom Sasha donated to the Sasha Festival Children's Fund auction. The doll was donated by Sheila Foery, and she comes with an outfit by Jackie Hyatt, one by Beverly Miller, and four pairs of shoes by Carrol of Dollyblue! All packaged up in this really cool box I found that has butterflies and lilacs on it. Check her out if you're going to the Sasha Festival in Rochester,

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-63178754374678329182009-04-23T13:07:00.001-07:002009-04-23T13:12:24.699-07:00

I've been itching to make my own doll for a while now... and I've finally done it! I joined an online class called Cloth and Clay Dolls (http://clothclaydolls.ning.com) and followed the video classes. Here's what I came up with!She has a cloth body and her head and torso are covered (and sculpted) with clay. I gave her a head of mohair, and did a lot of painting all over her. She's a bit rough

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-66911975125915194122009-04-08T14:14:00.000-07:002009-04-10T08:59:21.027-07:00

I can't believe it's been this long.... but I just finished a doll that I have had sitting on my shelf for many months. She's a special project for someone that asked me to paint her a very long time ago -- a little redheaded hippie girl with a wonderful outfit custom made by Sharon Clancy. She's got two wig possibilities: one commercially made long red hair and the other made of curly

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-19317315556132815052009-03-07T17:31:00.000-08:002009-03-07T19:30:26.435-08:00

Allegro Melody now has a Facebook page. It doesn't yet seem to be coming up in a search, as it was just posted yesterday, but check back and it should be there soon! Or just send me your email or Facebook name and I'll send you a friend invitation.I also added an Allegro Melody artist page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Allegro-Melody/58542256785You can sign up here to be a "fan" and receive

Allegro Melody Art Dollshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135862851083930277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034037374494299603.post-71129881008888792882008-12-14T16:14:00.000-08:002009-04-25T08:26:16.221-07:00

HelloAs my web site is currently unavailable (long story - basically, I can't update it at the moment), I've started this blog to keep everyone updated on Allegro Melody happenings.I recently updated the book I put together of images of almost all of the Sasha dolls that I have customized over the past few years.Here are some photos to give you an idea of what the book looks like. The book also

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