ROotie News

May 15, 2013

Other Blogs of Mine

Hello All,

For now, I have moved away from this blog.

BUT there are others for you to check out!

Website ROotie StudiO: link here

Membership: NIADA

Shop Patterns: Dollmakers Journey

May 10, 2012

Just back from diving in Cozumel...one of the things that strikes me the most is the color of the water...blue. But like no other blue you have ever seen...varies shades of blue that gracefully merge within themselves..blue...ranging from sandy light aqua to the deepest darkest blue...calming. We have about an hour boat ride to the dive site...all the way I over look the water with all its beauty......calm blue water.

photo by Mike Goins..notice the diver in the lower left corner!?

Blue is the coolest color - the color of the sky, ocean, sleep, twilight. A pure blue is the color of inspiration, sincerity and spirituality. Blue gives a feeling of distance. Artists use it to to show perspective. This is a good way to understand the energy of the color blue - it allows us to look beyond and increase our perspective outward. It contains a cool vibration that is helpful to communication.

The vibration if blue can be used to open energy flow where it is blocked. Using blue to relax will encourage feelings of communication and peace.

Right before my travels to Mexico, I was in Ohio, teaching a lovely group of students through Pam Rowe. I was so fortunate because they were all returning students!! Yeah!!

missing Barbara- she was kind enough to take the photo!!

Chun Woo~ Spring Rain or Gift from Above was our project we created together!
She is Ling Li's sister and btw- coming to you as online classes next year..so hold tight- they're coming!!

Here are the girl's pieces- fabulous!!

The girls learned needlesculpting in cloth, making and inserting the eyes, and doing an overlay in cloth. Plus costuming and all those little details- fun fun fun!

~special thank you to Pam and Jim for being rockin' great hosts!

Since this E-News is about blue and water..thought I would share close-ups of Chun Woo's Raindrop Hat with you!

raindrop hat from vintage kimono fabric

Backside- gathered raindrops

Nothing is iconic as the American blue jean...I love my jeans...any Colorado girl has gotta have her favorite jeans and her pair of boots...cowboy boots that is!

Jean...it is such a fabulous and sturdy fabric- even well worn...it lends itself to many different forms of re-use...from delightful...

by Gary Harvey more info below...

to useful...as these blue jean coasters!
link here to make your own- easy peasy!

or an elegant necklace
link here for more information and more items!

Part of my love of dollmaking is sharing it with others..inspiring others...teaching...this month Simone, the 11 year who comes for weekly lessons, and I hand-dyed yarn...she brought in varies natural yarns.

wool and bamboo yarns. we unwrapped them
and put them into larger tied loops ready for dye.

dyed with procion dyes that Simone had painted on. drying in the sun

final yarns, rolled into balls and ready for the next step!

So we tried crocheting..not quite her favorite...next week knitting! We have just got to use these luscious yarns!

Taking it further and making it into fabulous!!
Taking that extra step in the details and overall appearance to create an illusion from the ordinary...is all about love of the project...

Gary Harvey, a creative director put together these gorgeous eco-friendly pieces that were featured at the Estethica Exhibition at London Fashion Week in February of 2007. Gary’s stunning dresses, all inspired by the drama and proportion you find in vintage couture and all made out of recycled clothing. link here to see more

where to go?? what to do?? how to create beyond your dreams??

2012 Classes at ROotie

Classes are held at ROotie StudiO 1855 South Pearl St #5 Denver, CO 80210 303-996-0655 Class Time: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm ~One day classes $69 ~Two Day Classes $115 ~Private Lesson $65/hour *Series of Classes Traveling Dates ROotie StudiO Dates Studio Closed
* Mama’s Sewing Box-Inner Boxes	May 26-27
Marionette	June 11-15	JCC
* Veg Head Dolls -Cecelia Strawberry	June 30- July 1
* Mama’s Sewing Box-Pincushion & Scissor Holder	July 14-15	ROotie
* Veg Head Dolls- TBD	July 28-29
Personal Studio Time	July 31-Aug 3	ROotie
Ling Li or Chun Woo	August 10-11	ROotie
Ling Li’s Carrying Case	August 12	ROotie
Personal Studio Time	Aug 20- Sept 26	ROotie
NIADA Classic Conference	Sept 27-30	Stamford, CT
NIADA Dollmaking School	Oct 1-3
Art is You Conference	October 4- 8
Santos Cage Doll	Oct 27-28	Piecemakers CA
* Mama’s Sewing Box-Needlcase-2 small Needlecases	Nov 3-4
Surprise Holiday Doll!!	Nov 17-18

ROotie Cancellation Policy:

If you need to cancel a confirmed workshop for any reason, the following will apply:

~More than a week before start date: No charge
~Less than one week before start date: ½ Class Fee charged + kit/pattern/shipping fee
~24 hours or less before class start: Full Class fee charged + kit/pattern/shipping fee

All other Venues will have their own Cancellation Policies

over the next couple months...
rootie.com is being re-newed and re-invented!
great new things are in store for us all!
If you would like to purchase a pattern, fabric,
or just want to say hi
you can contact me here email Leslie

Change the rules...

ha! sometimes all you have to do is change your perspective!

...and a vacation sure can help!

until next month- use the color blue in something!

April 10, 2012

April 2012

As summer approaches, we put away our grey and black dark clothing and start to pull out our fun summer colors! The grey ground and bare trees start to sprout with color!

Beautiful and alive with brightness! Color.~how it reaches us...Color~ how it inspires us...

Hello All-

In celebration of my of my birthday month-April and of Spring

I will be hosting a Lucky Rabbit Pincushion Give-away!

link here to from these hands blog

Away:
This past month, I was invited to go to Indianapolis to teach Chun Woo to this fabulous doll group*!
Indie Dollmakers Link

Not sure if you remember that is when they had all those wild tornadoes... hail...rain..wind...dollmaking can be magical and this was the case when I arrived the clouds parted and the sun peeped its shining face out! whew!

What fun we had...what beautiful dolls were created by this talented group!

I always love going back over these photos and think back fondly of our time together!

*Special thanks to Julie and her wonderful husband for taking such good care of me!!

Here at ROotie:

Here in my studio we all came together to create one of the Veg Head Dolls- Esperanza Eggplant!

We would like to share with you our finished pieces:

Learn and grow all you can; serve and befriend all you can; enrich and inspire all you can" WA Ward

Simone and her Mother came about a year ago to visit my studio...and for the last year Simone has been working at creating her own dolls- yes on her own! Her Mom called to see if I would be bale to take Simone (11 years old) as a private student...Of course!!-especially since she was so determined.

So our adventures has started...

drafting her own design for a pattern

finished "ugly" doll

creating a sock doll without a pattern- determined yes- even with her cast!

finished piece + with extra we made a wrist corsage!

So far we have created a Pixie, pattern drafting-Ugly Doll, creating on your own-Sock Doll.

Next we are dying yarn...to crochet a bag and flowers!!

what will I become?!?

We have a great and fun line-up...so stay tuned~much more to come!!

What can be used that is an everyday item and turned into the beautiful?

ROotie contributor: Marles

Coffee Filter Roses!

How to dye and make coffee filter flowers

link one

link two

link three

Blooming and Gorgeous!!! Color!!

“Your eyes see the flower, but only your heart knows its beauty

Your eyes can see, but only your heart can know the soul”

May we be so fortunate to have, at least once, touched a Soul.

As an artist, we never know where or how our heart-felt pieces will reach another heart. We are so fortunate to hear that, yes, indeed our creation brought joy to another...to me...that is what doll making is all about!

David came to me Christmas 2010 to make a doll for his Mother. We decided to create her beloved cat- Timmy...

...and Timmy the doll was created...

Forward to this past year...

Mabel was struck with cancer and eventually needed complete care with hospice. I was so touched to hear that during Mabel's last two weeks, it was Timmy (doll) who gave her comfort and brought a smile to her face...I believe that nothing, nothing can come even close to being fulfilled when you hear how something you made with your hands, from your heart, helped another human being.

Mabel Glynn 1922 - 2012

Word of the Year! Change the rules!

When it isn't working you need to make changes...sometimes there are no set rules and you are flying by the seat of your pants.
With every change comes challenge- you know "if it where easy..everyone would be doing it"
I am working on making changes to help reach more of you...patience...I am telling myself this! I want it to be right and to be wonderful- just for you!