Billie was very excited about a doll she had seen on display at a local Stamping Arts store. The picture above is one she took at the store and sent to Chris and I in e-mail. She told us that she had purchased some old dolls at a thrift store and we should bring supplies to her house to alter them.

I’ve got to be honest and say that the doll in the picture didn’t do anything inspiring to me. I stared at it for a while and was no closer to a plan than I had been before I saw it. Then the emails began. “Billie, I need to see the dolls we will actually be working with. ” Billie sent the new photo and I was still drawing blanks. “Tell me the basic technique plan so I’ll know what to bring with me.” “There is no plan, I thought we could just work on them and see what we come up with.” Billie doesn’t do a lot of planning. She loves the thrill of the spontaneous idea. This is a method that works very well for Billie but at this point it was scaring the crap out of me. I made a snarky comment about the plan being just to glue a bunch of crap to the body and limbs. Billie said that was pretty much it and I was really starting to dread this little adventure. None of my doom and gloom, and snarky comments was going to derail Billies enthusiasm for the project and I’d already discarded the idea of faking a last minute illness, so I was along for this ride if I liked it or not.

The big day arrived and when we got to Billie’s house these dolls were waiting for us. Wow, look at all that hair. These girls were clearly having a bad hair day. We’ll have to do something about that.

With some encouragement from Billie I took the tough love approach and yanks that tangled mess right off her little head. I think she looks better already.

Meanwhile, Chris is using a gentler approach and is just giving her doll a new cut and style.

I now have a plan in mind and this new fiber “do” is the first step.

Obviously Billie has a different plan than I do.

I ask you, is that a face only a mother could love, or what?

I’m on to step two. I dyed some plain muslin and started making some clothes for the doll.

Chris has also moved on to the dressing stage and her doll is starting to look a bit fancy.

Billie’s doll is getting new fiber hair and looking more wild all the time.

I’ve been busy stitching and my doll is realy starting to come together. Yes, somewhere in that mess is my doll.

None of us finished our dolls, but we came close enough to the end for me to share them with you. Our plan is to finish them on our own and get together next week to compare the finished work. While viewing the next three images keep in mind that they are works in progress.

Chris and her Ice Princess.

Billie and her Warrior Woman.

My Mother Nature doll.