Raindrops and Dandelions

Right now, my life is pretty full. It's full of family, full of activities, full of memorable moments, full of inspiration and creativity. My days are filled to the brim with play, music, reading, climbing, house work, laundry, groceries, preschool, family events, schedules. It's full of happy and it's a pretty lucky place to be in. That's not to say that everything is perfect. It's not. Some days can feel very full and it's important for me to take pause and balance the fullness with just being in the moment.

There have been some of the most memorable and happiest times I've had in recent months. Those were the days spent just being with my children...the days of walking in the rain with no purpose except to walk in the rain. In those moments, my children showed me a world filled with the simplest, yet most beautiful delights...hunting for rain puddles, stomping in them, looking deep into reflections, watching for dandelions.

Focusing on the things that make my life full and joyful provides me with all the inspiration for my creative world. So, naturally, from time to time I like to share a glimpse of our life on my blog. Here's to my tiny little man who recently discovered that he loves rain puddles and dandelions and hence brought both worlds of this magic into our lives. Mister Riley is his name. He is a tad over three and his recently developed obsession has taken us outside on all the rainy days to hunt for both puddles and white fluffy wishing wands. Any chance that he gets, he brings home small bouquets of dandelions for me. And through him, I too have taken to an obsession with the magic of raindrops and dandelions.

I am currently working to finish a pair of siblings, inspired by my two very own little hearts...the ones that showed me the way back into the magical world of childhood where small wonders rule the universe. For my little Miss Claire and little Mister Riley, who loves rain and dandelions.

A boy and a girl who carry with them memories of both raindrops and dandelions will come to life in the week ahead. So, stay tuned.

Elise Giveaway

This is the second round of Elise's Giveway drawing. Our first round winner did not come forward to claim her prize. So, we are looking for another home for Elise. Here she is!

Elise's new mama....THALITA ESSINGER! Congratulations! Please contact me within 24 hours to claim your little one. You can email me at young@scarletelfcup.com so that we can arrange for her trip home! Yay!!!!

Thank You for a Really Fun Week

I want to conclude this week by saying, thank you so much for your support of Scarlet Elfcup creations and the natural fiber arts. It would not be possible for me to learn and grow and have the time of my life dreaming, creating and living an adventure all at once, without you.

The existence of Scarlet Elfcup has been made possible not only by the people who love and support Scarlet Elfcup creations but also by the people who've provided inspiration for handmade fiber arts....these women are mothers, business owners, crafters, artists. There are a few significant individuals that I would like to send my deepest gratitude to. It is because of these individuals that Scarlet Elfcup came to life and continues to thrive and grow. 

Brandy Fortune from Pixie Purls, author of Just Like Me Knits - this is where it all started for me. At the end of 2013, while looking for more knit projects, I accidentally came across this book and it changed my entire course of interest. It was through this book that I discovered the beautiful world of Waldorf dolls/dolls made from fabric and it is also where I discovered the makers behind the dolls. One particular maker, Fig&Me, would be a pivotal inspiration. So, thank you, Brandy, for creating this sweet sweet book full of fun knits for the little ones and the little one's little one.

Fabiola Perez, maker behind Fig&Me - it is through Fabiola's blog and her incredible creations that I hopelessly fell in love with the making of these fabric dolls. It was through following Fabiola's own journey that sparked the fire in my heart to dive headlong into this beautiful craft. And this in turn, has had a profound impact on my personal life. Fabiola's creations are nothing less than magical, beautiful and soulful. Fabiola, herself, is also a person full of gentleness, kindness and wit....a creative genius and a savvy business woman. I have told Fabiola all this before and I will continue to tell her for as long as Scarlet Elfcup exists...that my gratitude and respect for her runs wide and deep and I'll always remember that.

Karyn Maizymoo, knitting needle wielder of Maizy Moo Knits - not only is Karyn a charismatic maker of children's and doll's clothing, she is also one of the nicest, kindest and funniest people I've met yet through Scarlet Elfcup. Anytime I need a good laugh I go over to Karyn's nest. Karyn not only ran a successful business of making the most beautiful hand knits for all manner of dolls, but she is also someone whose generosity and thoughtfulness is always meant to boost somebody else's creations or makings. I am grateful to have crossed paths with Karyn. Karyn has been on a break from her knitting needles. So, I haven't seen much of her around. I do miss her so. And I can't wait for her return when the time comes.

Julie Colby, maker behind Inviting Play - Julie has been my "go-to" person for so many Dollectable related technical support and beyond. She has always been there to answer any questions that I have and has made herself so completely available for all of the Dollectable members as well as provide direction and guidance in so many respects. Julie makes the most charming and incredibly playful dolls and her creations always sells instantly on Dollectable. So, we all know how busy life is for her. Even so, Julie is beyond generous when she gives so much of her time to help everyone else out. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Julie. You are a gem!

Dollectable - when Dollectable reached out to me at the end of last year and invited Scarlet Elfcup to join the group, my jaw simply dropped. Never in my dreams could I imagine that I would be able to work side by side with some of the most amazing, talented, funny, interesting and incredible doll makers around. The journey with this group of makers has been nothing less than wonderful and fun and inspiring. Thank you for letting me be a part of it all.

Without further ado, let me now introduce you to the new mamas of this week's giveaways....

Happy Easter!

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)

A Final Small Anniversary Gift

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. 

Day 4 Anniversary Giveaway

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.

Day 3 Anniversary Giveaway

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.

The Art of Photography in a Creative Business

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 like black backgrounds. I wish I could use it for everything. But, it doesn't always work for everything. On the photo to the left, it worked beautifully for Seren. The lighting was great and the photo really highlights that tiny doll and her size. On the right, it worked terribly for Amandina. The lighting was not good and her face is shadowed. It also provides no context for scale or texture...just a boring and dark background.

• I've used white backgrounds as well. If there is a lot of detail and good lighting, the white background really places the focus on the thing that matters the most...what you made. (First row below) 
• If there is not good lighting or it's too busy, the white background really gives no context for size or what you made. (Second row below)
• If the item you made is so small, a macro lens and a plain black or white background work perfectly together. But, make sure the lighting is good. 

• On the topic of lighting, we all know that natural, indirect lighting is the best form of lighting for photography. Mark my mistake here. If you're going to do a nature photo session, choose a location and time of day when the sun is not directly on the subject. The photo session for Cicindela and Elytra was one of my worst sessions yet. I chose a space that offered only direct lighting and I chose a time when that very lighting loved to cast shadows that just made every photo agonizing to shoot. So, if you are going to do an outdoors shoot, don't do what I did for Cicindela and Elytra's photo session. You can see I have a lot to learn still.

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.

• Flash - I don't like using the flash, but it's quite handy as reflective lighting and I always have it on me.
• Wireless remote clicker - This wonderful little tool makes it very convenient for you to fire your camera without touching it, therefore providing less room for blurriness in your photos.
• Tripod - a must if you want photos to come out clear when using a Macro lens to photograph small things or small details.
• Artful blogging magazine - I pick these up at the stores from time to time because I love to look at the beautiful photographs by bloggers and it's very inspiring.
• The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos by Heidi Adnum - This book is a great resource if you want to learn the ins and outs of photographing your handmade goods. It'll give you useful things like how to DIY your own light box so that you don't have to spend hundreds on a store bought one.

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.