Patti Medaris Culea

Here are the patterns that I have retired. When they are sold out I will remove their photo from this post.

Tassel Lass with rubber stamp

Stargaze Origami with rubber stamp

Perky Peggy sitting on a Posy

Kessa

Karen

Dancing Chubettes – wearable dolls

Banbury Cross Beth

Doll for 2013 cruise

My goal is to keep up with my blog.  I decided to share a doll in the making.  This is the doll I’ll be teaching on the cruise in February 2013.  Every other year we have an all cloth doll making cruise.  They have been great fun and close friendships have developed.

I’ve posted a photo of Annie’s doll, and wanted to show my doll, although she isn’t finished.  She needs hair and her crown.  She’s an elf princess without a name.  She’ll have her name soon.

The doll body will be made by each person going on the cruise before we depart.  During the cruise we’ll do her face, create her clothing and the beaded joints.  Simple beaded flowers will be made, along with silk ribbon flowers.  Some embroidery will be done, too.  The kit supplied by me will include the beautiful fabric that her dress is made from, along with a bead kit and several other goodies.

If you are interested in the cruise go to www.clothdollcruises.com for more details and also contact Barbara Roby at barbara@brtravelservices.com

Many of you know how I love Prague in the Czech Republic.  I've been invited twice to go teach there and will be going again at the end of March.

Bohdana Klatilova and the Czech Doll Club along with Bernina are sponsoring the first Doll Exhibit & Competition with classes in Prague April 1-3, 2011.  Marlaine Verhelst and I will be the tutors.  I'm so excited to see Marlaine.  I met her ages ago and have admired her work.

Bohdana has been a true friend and encourager for both Marlaine and I and I know this is going to be a spectacular event.

For more details contact:  bohdana.klatilova@gmail.com

To see what the doll club there does, go to their website:

http://czechdollsclub.com

This is one very talented group.

Marlaine's website:

http://marlaineverhelst.com

While in England DMC contacted me about doing a project for their booth at various trade shows.  When I arrived home there was a huge box awaiting me filled to the brim with every thread they manufacture.  They also sent me a birdcage to create a fairy scene inside.

I had met Mr. Davies last year at the Knitting & Stitching Show in London and purchased his magical book on knotted gardens.  I decided that was what I would do for the floor of the cage.  Yes.  I was out of my mind!  45 working hours later I decided to make a few changes.

My idea was to do cross-stitch, as shown with the black and white threads, a pond using seed stitch, then flowers using French knots.  I also started creating a path using a different stitch and woven leaves.  The photo to the right had taken me 45 hours.  So, I decided to knit some "grass" and use my embellisher (felting machine) to "grass" it up.  You can see the knitted piece before felting on the upper left side.

If you click on any of the photo's they'll take you to a larger image.

On the left is the knitted piece being "felted".  I find it helpful to felt on one side, then flip it over and felt on the wrong side.

This helps create the more grassy effect.  I also had to be careful to not catch my leaves.  I used a piece of tape to tape them towards the checkered walkway.

After the grass was finished I started more French knots for flowers.  I used various threads from the magic box DMC had sent.  And the little curled up bits along the one path are made from DMC's Memory Thread.  This is beautiful threads wrapped around wire so you can shape it in any way you want. 

Because the knotted garden was taking even more time I decided to create a more fairyish scene by throwing down some Angelina along with the wool threads from DMC and felting them.  The tapestry I was working on is a 16 count linen, also in the box. 

It was now time to create the fairy that would reside in the garden.  I actually made 3 fairies, but ran out of time to complete them all.  I'll finish them after Christmas and take them to the CHA show in January and place them in the garden.

To create the fairy I reduced my "Leona" pattern by 30%.  Leona is normally 10-inches tall.  This reduced her down to 5 1/2-inches.  I had learned how to make fairy wings with Angelina and Angelina film from Rosemary Hernandez at the local doll club's Doll Camp.  Her sleeves and skirt were made from DMC's metallic threads.  Like a dummy I didn't take a photo of her before I placed her in the cage so didn't get many close-ups of her.  In her left hand she's holding a flower she's going to plant in the garden.

Even though she's too big for the garden, she still looks pretty cute.  She's actually one of the fairies that is planting the garden for the wee fairy folk, who are much smaller than the garden fairies.

I created a few vines by wrapping some wire with DMC pearl cotton.  I added flowers I made with their wool thead.  You can see the vines in the photo taken from the opening in the top of the cage.

Now you know what I've been doing for the past two weeks.  John has been wonderful.  He's brought home dinner several nights so I could continue working.  I averaged 16 hours a day.  I did take Thanksgiving Day off until later in the evening.  And, Sunday's I only worked for a few hours in the afternoons and another two hours in the evening after church.

This was a fun project to work on and whenever you see DMC at any shows be sure to stop by and visit.  Don't forget, two more fairies will join in planting the garden.  Someday.

John and I arrived home this evening after 4 hilarious days with some of our classmates from 1960.  This was our 50th high school reunion. The group to the right is just a few of us who went to the Saturday morning Continental breakfast and tour of the school.

From left to right are:  Steve Kerr,  Teddi Neal Nicolosi, Rosemary Davis Logan, Betty List Zaslowsky, Leona Spurling Nelson, Patti Medaris Culea and John Culea.

                    These photos show Steve Kerr and John Culea in 1958 and 2010.  These two were some of the "class clowns".  Steve refered to John as "you big dummy!"  He still does.

Steve was one of my favorite classmates from 1958 to 1960.  I loved his car almost as much as I loved Steve.  I didn't love Steve as a "boy friend", but as one of my best friends.  As you know I ended up marrying John in 1973.  But, in high school. I didn't like him.  I found my diary from high school and I wrote in my diary June 15, 1959 "Had a date with John Culea.  Didn't like him.  He kissed me at the door."  We've been married for 37 years so guess I got used to the kisses!

We were amazed at how many of our classmates have gone on to Heaven.  We have lost 12, that we know of.  Two of the photo's are from a surprise birthday party my friend, Betty List, gave for me in 1958.  Shown are Anne Malmgren Raines, who went to heaven this year in March;  and Jim Round who was killed in a plane crash shortly after we graduated in 1960.  Below is Chuck Reedy, who was killed in a car accident in 1958. 

Below are a few of us who went to one of our favorite hang outs after football games – Mary Coyle's Ice Cream Parlour.  Mary Coyle's is still around and we had to go after the Homecoming game Friday evening.  Starting at the lower left is Rosemary Davis Logan, me, John, JoAnn Stephens Harte, JoAnn's husband Jim.  Then Teddi Neal Nicolosi, Leona Spurling Nelson, Hazel Schierbeek Andringa and her husband, Jack.  As you can see we can still enjoy ice cream sundaes.  What am I saying?  I'm a farm girl.  I always enjoy ice cream sundaes.  In fact, on our way home today John stopped in Dateland so I could have a famous date shake!

Our classmate, Bob Porter, and his wife Judie opened their amazing home to our class for our get-together Saturday night.  Bob and Judie are the most generous people John and I know.  They are very humble and are dedicated 100% to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Their home is built for entertainment.  We had Macayo's Mexican Restaurant do the catering and we all enjoyed catching up with what we have been doing the past 50 years. 

All I can say is I highly recommend attending your high school reunions.  They are fun, hilarious, emotional and rewarding.

One of my favorite stands to hit when I go to the Knitting & Stitching Show in London is Crafty Notions.  Sarah Lawrence is one of the most innovative and creative people I know.  Last year she and I discussed my coming to teach in her new workshop at their warehouse.  I naturally jumped at the chance.                    

We decided on my Fantasy Purses as a project and 7 women joined in.  The photo is of Sarah setting up a machine for one of the participants.

We used both regular sewing machines and embellishing machines.  Some had never used the embellishing machines before and all decided they loved the technique.

Sarah's workshop area is full of inspiration.  All of her "stuff" is there for all of us to use, which we did.  I don't have samples here, but Sarah has new Mica powders that have a binding agent in them so all you need is water and  you have the most beautiful, shimmery paints.  But, back to our time there.

Here Gill and Chris are looking over the base of the purse Gill has finished.  Nearly everyone got their base done, which included stamping a face onto plain fabric and painting it with Sarah's Colourful Thoughts all purpose paints. 

I didn't get photo's of everyone in the workshop.  Jacquie and Elinor are missing in nearly all the photo's.  Don't know how I missed them.  They were obviously downstairs in the warehouse shopping.  Which we all did a fair amount of.

Val brought an album she had made of her grandchildren and said it was based on my book "Creative Cloth Explorations".  I think it was all her original idea.  There were several pages dedicated to her 3 grandchildren and the book is fantastic.  Wish I had space to put photo's of each of the pages.  Beautifully done and such a terrific idea.

Today, Sunday Oct. 17, was another free day and Peggy took me on a walk-about through downtown Newark.  I wish I had a photo of Peggy and I together.  She's almost 6 feet tall (5'11 1/2").  Together we made quite a pair (I'm 4'11").

Newark is a beautiful city.  It is about 1 1/2 hours north of London, by train.  The weather was absolutely perfect today.  Clear, sunny, cool.  I couldn't resist taking a photo of the 5 young swans as they started swimming towards us hoping we had some bread for them.  We didn't so they swam on.

Newark is full of beautiful, old buildings like the one below where Prince Rupert stayed when he had an argument with King Charles.  The building was built in 1475!  Peggy took me upstairs so I could see the ceiling beams and how low the ceilings were then.  Simply amazing.

Below is a photo of David & Sarah Lawrence, and Peggy, with whom I stayed in her home.  The embroidered wall hanging behind them was lovingly put together by many people and Sarah pulled it all together.  It is the main streets of Newark as it was in the past.  It was given to the Millgate Museum and if you are ever in the area go see it.  The lighting was really bad during the time we were there so I couldn't get a really good photo.  It is a master piece.                

I really hated to leave Newark, but my time here is over.  I head to Heathrow tomorrow and fly home on Tuesday.  England is close to my heart and I'll be back next September/October.

First, before I report on my time in Prague I have to share a new photo of my grandson, Theo.  A friend gave them a new outfit for him. He's now ready for Halloween.

Isn't that the cutest photo you've ever seen?  He is really enjoying his new pumpkin outfit.  He does love pumpkin to eat, too.

How I miss him, and his mommy and daddy.  My time with them was far too short.

After my 3 1/2 days with my daughter, son-in-law and grandson in Belgium I flew to Prague to teach a workshop.

I taught one of my favorite classes – creating faces with Shiva/Markal Paintstiks.  This group took to it like a fish in water.  They loved the technique and every face they did was

excellent.       After several of the doll group members shared dolls they have made from either my books, patterns or when I was there in February.  This is an extraordinary group.                                                                  Very enthusiastic and extremely talented as you can see by these photos.

After my workshop I had a free day to do a bit more site-seeing and Jane, the club president and Bohdana, who owns the Creative Center where I taught the workshop showed me around town.  The two buildings are called Fred & Ginger.  Truly beautiful buildings. 

Bohdana then took me to see a special Mucha exhibit at their National Museum.  Fabulous.  Photo's weren't allowed inside the exhibit, naturally, but I did get this near the entrance.  His work is one of my sources of inspiration for my work.

I also got to meet Sarka Rooya, who owns a fabulous bead store in Prague, and also is editor of a bead magazine.

While there she shared with us some of what she's been doing with lampwork beads.  She gave me a beautiful heart shaped bead she has made.  Beautiful young woman.                                                         

Below are Mirek and Bohdana.  They always show me the best time.  Prague is a beautiful city, but the people are the best part of it.

For the past 3 fabulous days I've been with our daughter, son-in-law and grandson here in Belgium.  We've gone to a kind of flea market, small village but mostly just hung out at their home so I can get reacquainted with Theo.

The weather has been amazing.  Sunny & warm for two days and sunny and cool today (Sunday, Oct. 10).  All I have cared about is playing with our grandson.  So, here are a few pictures of my time here:

This is my 4th year coming to Torquay.  My class was a bit smaller this year, but I really didn't want more than 12 in the class, and that was the final number.  We were creating my LiMei doll and she's quite involved and smaller numbers in a class means more gets done.

The first day was the nitty-gritty day,  We created a wire armature and filled the bodies with stuffing around the wire.  Then we drew and sculpted the face.  Day two was the dyeing day.  The bodies were dyed, along with the clothing fabrics.  We had a beautiful day for everything to be outside to dry in the sun.

One of the things I love about coming to Sylvia's here in Torquay is the walk in the mornings and evenings.  I can walk along the edge of the cliffs and see the sea below.  It is truly beautiful.  But, as you can see, they have the same problems we have in California – cliffs falling into the sea. 

In the evenings Carl whisks me away for an adventure.  This trip was to Brixham to see where more D-Day events happened.  Many of our men and women embarked from various points along the Devonshire coast before D-Day.

But, as were leaving the Battery Gardens we noticed we had a flat tire.  Every year I have to have some adventure with Carl.  Last year, as he was helping me on the train to return to London the train took off with Carl still on the train with me.  Fortunately, Torre is a short distance from Torquay and he was able to get off and return to Torquay to meet Sylvia.  Who was standing in shock as the train took off with her husband still with me.

 After the class on Sunday Carl took me to see two very narrow bridges that are hundreds of years old.  With the recent rains the river was running quite fast and the sound wonderful.  After we visited the bridges we returned to Buckfast Abbey for Sunday Vespers.  We had gone there last year and Carl knew how I loved the pipe organ and the chantings of the monks.  This year there was an additional Benedictine service.  I even knew the hymn sung at the end.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Here's the fun group with their dolls in various stages of completion at the end of the day on Sunday.  Everyone enjoyed working with the Embellisher machines we had, and we all loved the All in One dyes from Colourcraft.  Everyone did like using the Shiva/Markal Paintstiks for coloring the faces and upper bodies.  I do have to say that everyone's dolls turned out great and I can't wait to see the finished dolls when I return next year.                                                                                                              Today, Oct. 4, was my last day in Torquay.  Sylvia took me to a beautiful spot along the coast where we had tea and a light lunch before I had to get on the train.  The day was perfect – warm, sunny, breezy.

When I return next year we'll be doing my new Kiri doll based on the movie "Avatar".  Keep tuned.

Next, I'll be briefly visiting the Knitting & Stitching Show in London Thursday, then that afternoon heading to Belgium to see our daughter, son-in-law and grandson.