Talk about jumping off the cliff to see if I can fly. Hello everyone, my name is Lillian and I've got to tell you all this is my first real venture into the Internet. But then I'm doing a lot of 'first times' this year.

I've been doodling around with all sorts of crafts all of my life. I'd gone to college with a Fine Arts scholarship a million years ago. Alas, college life ... school really, was not for me. Yet over the years I've picked up cross stitching and crocheting and kept on drawing, mostly cartoons to entertain friends and coworkers. I got to a place in my life a couple years ago where I just needed to find something to do with myself. I wanted to create, but nothing I was doing from my old bag of tricks was appealing to me anymore. So I jumped on line and started 'surfing' when I came upon Patti Culea's cloth dolls. These things were unbelievable and I was determined to learn how to make cloth dolls.

First I needed a sewing machine. Then I needed to learn how to sew. Yup, that's right folks, I never learned how to sew when I was in home ec a million years ago. My great grandmother and grandmother had been seamstresses but they had both pass away long before this. So I followed the instructions in the book and on the video on how to thread and turn the machine on. After making some pretty awful things, I did manage to get my very first dolly done. I still have her and though the craftsmanship in the sewing area was pretty awful, she's my very first beauty. I've been hooked every since ... and I've managed to make huge strides in my sewing skills.

Not only that, I've been given another form of art to showcase the cross stitching and crocheting. I've even learned how to bead (that's a whole art in and of itself!) and I've crafted some really cool polymer clay details to accompany my dollies.

A few months back, again whilst on the Internet, I found Kathy Withers of Unique Designs by Kathy. She lives in Tucson, as do I, and I went to her ranch to take a look at her yarn and wool. I'd been looking for other materials to use for my doll hair and, let me tell you, her stuff did the trick. Kathy has also generously invited me to be at her Tucson Wool Festival where visitors can see and buy my dolls as well as inspire them to do their own designs with Kathy's wool.

I'll get the photos of my dolls posted as soon as I can. Please enjoy and I would really appreciate feedback from you readers. I am always striving to make my creations better.

Have a wonderful day.

Lillian