Good evening! Has anyone seen where Today ran off to? That little Today, I seem to chase after it constantly. Well, I haven't any idea where it went or where to look for it next, but now I'm off to tuck Tonight in. I plan to see Tomorrow in the morning and when I do, I promise I'll be present to finally introduce you to the new mamas of the little ones you see below. So, see you in the morrow. Lala Salama! (means good-night in Kiswahili)
Hello there! Whatever it is you are doing this weekend, my hope is that you are having a fantastic time. I'm sorry to have come back here so late. But, our day was full with music, play and friends. The weather was perfect as perfect gets...sunny and mild, clear skies, cool breeze, the scent of Spring fills the air as the flowers blossom and the bees and the birds were out singing. On this weekend, Spring is in full swing and it inspired the awakening of this young lady....
ELISE...
Her name came to me for a reason that was not quite clear initially. For me, naming a creation or a doll comes in one of three ways...1.) for a doll, very intentionally and with a lot of thought and consideration, 2.) for a critter, not always, but often times, whimsically, playfully and sometimes without too much logic or deep connection to any particular idea, and 3.) with strong inexplicable intuition. In past creations, Willow Mae, Aoife and Mochta, Serendipity (Seren), and Peigi fell in the last category. And each of them turned out to have an uncanny connection to something that was meaningful to the persons for whom I created those dolls.
Category 3 is how Elise received her name. Her name came to me out of the blues, very suddenly and with inexplicable certainty. When this happens, I take a momentary pause to ponder just a bit why the name came to mind and always I am not able to answer my own question, but rather shrug and say to myself, "Ok...it sounds wonderful." And always, each time unexpectedly, the answer unveils itself at a later time.
Today, as I was preparing to write this blog, I looked up the meaning and history of the name Elise. Turns out Elise means "oath of God" or "pledged to God." I take this as an uncanny coincidence to Easter weekend. She was to be presented today as the 5th gift of the week. So, I think she chose her name well, with full knowledge and intention.
Elise, the final gift of the week, sums up everything that is the essence of this past week and this weekend....a celebration of Easter, a celebration of Spring, a celebration of new beginnings and hence the reason that Scarlet Elfcup was introduced to the world at this time two years past.
The colors on Elise, her shoes and the hand embroidered flowers on her dress were inspired by colors and florals in my garden. Everything is so green, fragrant, fresh and beautiful.
Elise is created from Scarlet Elfcup's 8" Le Petite Elfcup doll pattern. She stands 8" (20 cm) tall. She is made with all natural materials. Her doll skin is made with 100% cotton jersey made in the USA. She is firmly stuffed with bio-wool also made in the USA. Her seams are sewn twice for reinforcement. She has embroidered facial features. Her facial structure is sculpted giving her a sweet little face with an itty-bitty chin, round chubby cheeks, and deeper set eyes. Her nose, cheeks and various body parts are blushed with red beeswax. Elise's full mane is made of 100% suri alpaca crocheted onto a mohair wig cap. She is a sitting doll. She also has a belly button and a bum.
Elise comes wearing a simple 100% cotton dress. The dress is detailed with a beautiful hand embroidered floral motif that I sketched and embroidered. In tiny stitches, the motif was inspired by things that grow in my garden at this time of year...dandelions, tiny mushrooms and one of my favorites, the forget-me-nots.
Elise's dress has tiny capped sleeves and opens fully on the back with two nickel-plated snap buttons. Underneath she wears a matching cotton bloomer.
Elise's shoes are hand knit with 100% alpaca, the color of brilliant forest green...one of my favorite shades of green and a green that can be seen all in our garden at this time of year, especially this year, after we've had a decently wet and luscious rainy winter. Elise also comes wearing a fanciful beret slouch hat made from pre-washed, clean, repurposed 100% cashmere.
Here she be...the last gift of the week...from Scarlet Elfcup. Thank you for being here to celebrate two years of dreams and adventures with us!
Elise is being given away as this week's 5th and last gift. To enter your name for the drawing, please join Scarlet Elfcup on Facebook...simply be a fan of the page, like the photo and link of Elise and share the post. Entry deadline is being extended because I was late in getting back here today. Entries will close on Sunday, March 27, 2016 at 12:00 PM (PST). Announcement of winners will occur sometime Sunday evening.
Thank you for stopping in to say 'hello.' And good luck to you in the drawing!
Happy Friday, everyone!
This is Elise. If you are interested in meeting her, please check back on the blog sometime tomorrow, Saturday, March 26. She is waiting on some clothes. Tomorrow, the anniversary week's final blog will be posted and included in the blog will be details regarding Elise.
Please have a wonderful evening and thank you for stopping by today.
For those of you who are greeting a new day...
Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
For those of you who are bidding a day farewell...
Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Today, on the fourth day of our week long celebration, the second to last gift of the week......a FREE Semi-custom 6" Wee-Bee Mini Elfcup to be delivered within the next 4 weeks.
The 6" Wee-Bee Mini Elfcup is Scarlet Elfcup's signature doll...the smallest doll in my line of dolls and my most favorite to create. The 6" Wee-Bee Mini Elfcup pattern was introduced in the Fall of 2014...nine months after I began Scarlet Elfcup. I fell so hopelessly in love with this size doll that I haven't been able to stop making them.
This tiny creation was derived from my original 6" doll, Gardien. The Gardien was one of my very first creations, begun because I wanted to make the smallest size doll possible which can still maintain a good form fit for detailed clothing. That's always been my thing....I LOVE SMALL. When I reflect on this, I find that this applies to almost everything in my life. When I camp and backpack, I pack only things that can be packed as small and as tight as possible. When I climb, the smaller the holds, the more gravitated I am and the more thrilled I am with the climb. When I pack for travel, I travel with the smallest pack I can...if it doesn't fit in the pack, it doesn't come. I traveled for 2 months through the Himalayas and India with one backpack the size of a daypack and carried with me exactly two pairs of clothes...one I wore on me and one I kept as a spare in my pack. (I handwashed and hung them to dry each day for 2 months...so, yes, I did bathe during those two months.) When I shop, I love to buy things that are small or that can be packed up small. When I knit, I love knitting with 0000 size needles. They are my favorites to knit with. There, you see...I just love all things SMALL.
So, it is no surprise that the first sized dolls I really wanted to create were the 6" dolls. When I created Gardien, I was pretty thrilled. But, I wasn't happy with how the Gardien looked. I wanted something equivalent to the large sized dolls...sophisticated, beautiful, well structured....but just many levels smaller. So, I worked to do exactly that and hence was born the 6" Wee-Bee Mini Elfcup. And to today, the 6" Wee-Bee Mini Elfcup remains the size I make the most of.
Today, I want to offer you a chance at a FREE Semi-custom Scarlet Elfcup 6" Wee-Bee Mini Elfcup. The doll will be created with mohair yarn, an unsculpted face (just like the original featured in all the photos above), and will come with one outfit. To enter your name for the drawing, simply leave a comment below and leave me your first and last name so that I may contact you in the case that you are a winner. (Note: If your comment doesn't appear on the comment block below straight away, do not fret. It takes some time to get processed and then it will eventually appear.)
Entries will close on Sunday, March 27, 2016 at 12:00 AM (PST). The winner will be announced via the Scarlet Elfcup blog sometime on Sunday, March 27, 2016.
Thank you for stopping by and good luck if you are entering your name for the drawing.
Hello again! I'm back today with a small friend I found. She was in the woods looking after some baby bird eggs. I named her Raspberry because she reminds me of Raspberry macarons. She's looking for a loving home. If you are interested in taking this baby bunny home, please look further down in the blog for info on how to enter your name for the drawing.
Raspberry measures 8" (25 cm) long. This sweet soft bunny is made with all natural materials. Raspberry is made with clean, pre-washed, repurposed 100% cashmere. Raspberry's ears, hands and feet are lined with a lovely 100% cotton fabric. Raspberry is stuffed with 100% clean carded wool. She is squishy and cuddly. Her eyes and nose are embroidered with 100% cotton embroidery floss. Her arms and legs are string jointed and will not withstand to rough play. So, gentle as she goes. She is recommended for ages 5+ only. She is not intended as a toy for young children who still mouth their toys.
Raspberry's floral crown is hand knitted from a delicate halo of 100% mohair yarn and permanently fixed to her head.
Raspberry comes with a nest of bird eggs wrapped in a hand crocheted bowl. The bowl is made from 100% cotton yarn. The three small wooden eggs each measure a little over 1" (2.5 cm) tall. The trio of unfinished wooden eggs are perfect for decorating to your heart's desire.
Raspberry Bunny is being given away as Day 3's FREE gift from Scarlet Elfcup for being here to celebrate our 2-year birthday. See below for details.
If you are interested in entering your name into the drawing to bring Raspberry home for FREE simply follow Scarlet Elfcup on Instagram, leave a comment or 'love' the photo of Raspberry on Instagram. This will help me identify those who are interested in participating in the drawing so that I don't inadvertently spam all of my followers on Instagram. You can also enter the drawing by leaving a comment in the comment box below (be sure to leave your first and last name so that I can contact you in the case that you are a winner).
Entries will close on Sunday, March 27, 2016 at 12:00 AM (PST). The winner will be notified sometime on Sunday via the Scarlet Elfcup blog.
Hello and happy belated Tuesday! If you were here yesterday, you'll know that I had run out of daylight to photograph Fifi Bunny and blog on the topic of photography in the creative business. So, I'm back today to show you some pretty pictures of the pretty girl and to give my two cents on what I've learned in the past couple of years in taking photos for an online creative business.
I hesitate to provide any sort of instructions or know-how on my blog. I feel that I'm pretty far from being experienced in any of this much less give tips and direction on any topic. So, today, I really want to just share what I've learned about photographing the things that I make. I'll share the mistakes I've learned as well as tools and things that have worked for me. If you're a maker, maybe you'll be able to take some of it with you or maybe you'll correct me and tell me how it's really done because you are very welcome to comment and provide feedback anytime.
The online creative small business is a rapidly expanding one. There are thousands upon thousands of amazing artists who operate a global business from a single studio in their home or in a simple small space which means that they are marketing their products purely from cyber space which then means that their customers are not able to have the real-time experience of touching, smelling or feeling the item or piece of art that they want to hold, wear or display in their homes. As such, creative photography is an art in this arena.
Presentation is everything! How do you get someone on the other end of the computer to fully understand the experience that you have in real-time with the item that you've made? How do you express the softness, the lightness, the playfulness, the beauty or the usefulness of the item that you have designed specifically for these purposes? Well, let's take a look at some of my favorite places to go when I want to "experience" something....
NATURE - Fig & Me must be the first place I'll always mention because that's where I started my journey into the world of making and frolicking with dolls. If you're reading this blog, most likely you know very well Fig & Me. If you are new to all of this, then, please...go there and you'll see. I never tire of looking into Fabiola's magical world. Her photography captures every essence of what she makes. Her creations are beyond stunning to begin with. Then, you add creative photography to it and you get a magical, whimsical world filled with fresh air, funny characters, rich textures and the essence of a quality handmade item. If you ask me to spurt a single sentence that immediately comes to mind when I think of Fig & Me I'll say, "beautiful little beings in flurry soft white snow in the woodlands." In her photography of the dolls that she makes, Fabiola uses a lot of the nature around her and it really resonates with everything that she makes. And when you enter this world, you can envision yourself not just holding the doll that she's made, but 'being' or wishing you could be the doll that she made.
PROCESS - Lalinda. At Lalinda, I get to visit and feel as if I'm in Agnieszka's studio. Her photos are always set up differently for each doll. It gives me the sense that I'm in a play world. The backgrounds are ever changing but so contextual to the item that she's displaying. I love seeing photos of parts of her process of making the dolls or the bird or the hand felted worlds. It's fun to see a picture of the felted head uncovered and then to see side by side a photo of what that felted head looks like on a completed facial structure. Fun, fast and furious is what I think of when I visit Lalinda because she's so darn quick! There's always something new that she's made that is displayed in a very linear and methodical way because she posts them in the same manner on a frequent basis.
WONDER & MAGIC - Mister Finch...well...who doesn't know or love Mister Finch? If you are remotely interested in the world of textile art, then surely you are already familiar with Mister Finch. Mister Finch makes the most amazing creations I've seen around. I like to visit his website, not because I can afford much of anything that he makes, but when I go there I'm in a completely different world....magical, wonderful, beautiful, exotic, mysterious, curious, whimsical, imaginative, creative, happy....these are just a few descriptions of the feelings or experiences I get when I visit Mister Finch. His photography is mostly simple...extraordinary handmade museum quality pieces of art presented on mostly plain backgrounds. His work is so exquisite that any "noise" added to the visual effect would almost be too much for the eye. Mister Finch's work is marked by the extraordinary detail in colors and textures and the items themselves are often so curious that he simply needs a plain jane background and good lighting to highlight his creation. But, it's not just that...you'll notice that his props are very unique and creative...spiders serving tea with their long, wiry legs, birds lying in peace inside glass coffins, fat furry bumblebees towing old world hearses. Now, who would ever want to go back into the real world after visiting Mister Finch?
Those are just three of many makers and bloggers that I like to follow and be awed and inspired by their work and also to enjoy and relish in how they photograph their work. In my own personal experience, I like to try different things and I haven't quite nailed down what my style is just yet. But, here are some thoughts on some of my tried, failed or satisfactory photo sessions:
I can go on and on about photography because it is one of the things that I love to spend time on. But, my depth of knowledge on the subject is really quite shallow and the topic can be delved in so deeply, which is why there are books already written for people like you and me. So, I'll end today's chatter by sharing a few of my most necessary tools and resources in regards to creative business photography and let you get on with your day.
Now, on to the treat of the day! Fifi Bunny.
About Fifi Bunny
Fifi Bunny is an 8" (20 cm) doll, made with natural materials. Her facial skin is made with premium quality swiss cotton interlock and her body/bodysuit is composed of ultra-soft, pre-washed, clean, repurposed 100% cashmere. She is softly stuffed with bio-wool and weighted with non-toxic, washable stuffing beads. Her bunny bodysuit is permanently sewn on, but her hat is remove-able to reveal a sweet head of red hair. Her hair is made of mohair yarn tied into two braids. Her bunny hat is adorned with a piece of printed 100% cotton fabric for the bow. The same fabric lines the inside of her hood, paws and feet. Her facial features are embroidered with 100% cotton floss. Her facial structure is sculpted to give her round full cheeks, an itty bitty nose, lips and chin. Her cheeks are blushed with red beeswax. She is made from Scarlet Elfcup's Fall Critters pattern....one of my favorite patterns to make something of for the Fall and now for the Spring.
Fifi Bunny is being given away as Day 2's FREE gift from Scarlet Elfcup for being here to celebrate our 2-year birthday.
If you are interested in entering your name into the drawing to bring Fifi Bunny home for FREE simply follow Scarlet Elfcup on Flickr AND leave a comment or 'favorite' this photo of Fifi Bunny on Flickr. This will help me identify those who are interested in participating in the drawing so that I don't inadvertently spam all of my followers on Flickr. You can also enter the drawing by leaving a comment in the comment box below (be sure to leave your first and last name so that I can contact you in the case that you are a winner).
Entries will close on Sunday, March 27, 2016 at 12:00 AM (PST). The winner will be notified sometime on Sunday via the Scarlet Elfcup blog.
When I started Scarlet Elfcup two years ago, I dived headlong into it not knowing one thing about doll making or running an online creative business. The only thing I knew was that I had the chance to try something absolutely new and different from anything I've ever done or dreamed of doing. And so, I propelled forward and took a leap of faith with the following quote by Tim Ferris inspiring me:
"Conditions are never perfect. 'Someday' is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you. If it's important to you and you want to do it 'eventually', just do it and correct the course along the way."
So, began the journey.
It has been an incredible journey. But, like all journeys, the incredible is defined as much by the beautiful moments as it is by the hard and challenging times. Running an online creative business takes a whole lot of heart and courage. If I had asked myself the question, "What could I possibly have to offer that would be any different from the thousands upon thousands of other blogs, doll makers or fiber artists out there?", I wouldn't be here having the time of my life. That's a question I'm happy I didn't ask myself when I started this journey.
Running an online creative business is an art...the art of the balancing act...a skill I've never been able to achieve. Nonetheless, it's worth a try over and over again. Living, learning and keeping up with the times is only a small part of what it takes to thrive in this world filled with creative geniuses.
Starting and maintaining a creative business is hard work. It takes:
This leads me to today's "live and learn" moment...my exploration into the world of Tumblr...the online photo blogging place. So, if you're there...help Scarlet Elfcup through it. If you're not, and you're interested in trying something new, then, let's go together and learn it together.
Follow Scarlet Elfcup on Tumblr...just for the fun of it...or for the chance to win today's giveaway...
A set of 3 Rainbabies
The Rainbaby was Scarlet Elfcup's very first and original creation. Scarlet Elfcup's Rainbaby was inspired by California's drought. They were called the Rainbabies in Hibernation.
At the time that they were created, California had been in severe drought for several years and there had been little to no snow on many California mountains. Those of us who live here felt it in the air. So, it was no wonder that rain was on my mind a lot and therefore I wanted to bring the whimsical idea of rain into the world...it was perhaps just a piece of hope...a dream, a wish for water from the heavens.
These Rainbabies are amongst hundreds and thousands of Rainbabies still in hibernation...in a deep deep slumber they slept. The question was, "When will they rise and shine to shower California with much needed water?" Sweet little slumbering ones, they were.
Well, today, we can all sigh a brief sigh of relief that the rains finally came to California. This year was the first year in many long years that California enjoyed a most wonderful gift from nature...rain! And so, the Rainbabies finally stirred and graced us with their waking sleepyheads. As such, I felt that I really wanted to make some of these sweet babies again. The last time my fingers enjoyed the sweetness of their tiny and super soft bodies was back in early 2014. It is time they came back into the world.
These precious palm-sized (3.5") Rainbabies are handmade from pre-washed, re-purposed, 100% cashmere and stuffed with clean carded wool. Their doll skin is made with 100% cotton jersey. Their facial features are made of 100% cotton embroidery floss. They come in 100% cotton muslin bags hand embroidered by me with a design that I created and drew myself...the word 'baby' with the Rainbaby emblem.
The Rainbabies are perfect for baby shower favors. They can be given to a special someone as a gift or gift tag attached to a gift box.
The Rainbaby can also be given to a loved one to carry around in the pocket. Or they can be hung as an ornament for any holiday, any time of the year.
If you are interested in entering your name into the drawing to take these Rainbabies home for FREE simply follow Scarlet Elfcup on Tumblr, like the blog post and reblog the post.
Entries will close on Sunday, March 27, 2016 at 12:00 AM (PST). The winner will be notified via the Scarlet Elfcup blog.
Today, on the 20th of March, Scarlet Elfcup is proud to celebrate two years in the making! The fact that today marks the official start of Spring and the Vernal Equinox is no coincidence. Spring is all about change and new beginnings. As such, today seemed appropriate to open Scarlet Elfcup to the world. And so, she was introduced on this day, two years past.
The fact that Scarlet Elfcup still exists today is a gift that I do not take for granted. She has come far and it is not without a lot of hard work, passion, and commitment. But, this part is only the half of it. The rest come from the support of those who appreciate handmade, natural fiber arts. Without this support, we would not be here. So, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I want to take time throughout the course of this coming week to express my gratitude to all the people who've made it possible for Scarlet Elfcup to continue to thrive and exist.
Come! I invite you to join in celebrating Scarlet Elfcup's two-year birthday! Starting from tomorrow, Monday, March 21st, Scarlet Elfcup will be giving away one handmade creation a day for 5 days!!! Simply check in, here, on the blog to find out how to win the giveaways. I hope to see you around for the celebration this week!
With All My Gratitude -
Young, maker and creator of Scarlet Elfcup
