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Friday, July 29, 2011

Peaking in







I guess you can tell from the picture I AM TIRED whew.  I think for the rest of the weekend I am going to try and not do any sewing.  I just burned out right now I have been sewing all week and when you get to this point you start making mistakes.  Just today I made a slip for a Mammy doll only after putting the whole thing together it is way too long.  Oh well I can do one or two things I can make another doll with a much longer skirt or I could do a pin tuck around it hmmm that's a lot work.  Too tired to figure it all out right now and the darn heat is back so I am going to take it easy and relax.  Have a wonderful weekend all
Peace and Blessings
Cheryl...Snatch JOY~!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

I Love My Mammys

Hello Dearies today is not as hot it is going to be a productive day for me.  Here is another Sneak Peak of what I am working on today.  This another one of my Mammy Kitchen helpers.  Maybe I shouldn't call them all kitchen helpers for some of these Gals did more than cook.  Most worked out in the field or did laundry.


I enjoy making them often times I get so full of stories that each one of them wants me to speak out for them and share with you.  I really can't give you one or even two reasons for my love of making these Mammy dolls each one come to me as a gift that I must produce and share.  I can remember when I first started making dolls of this type I caused a bit of controversy.  Not to mention the negative feedback that was given to me.  One I will always remember is of a young woman who thought I was White and how dare me call myself Mammy Stitches.  She went as far as to form a group of others to have my Etsy Shop shut down.  I got the last laugh. She didn't realize I belonged to the same Art group I Introduced myself to her that I am Mammy Stitches.

The Mammy name can cause so much of  a stir for some.  Others it brings back memories, I know the past of Mammy has not always been all good, but I believe in my heart are some precious moments that need to be shared.  I want to share those stories of the unspoken Mammy.  Some stories who knows may even be true and some just the stories that jumps out from my imagination.  Either way I hope you enjoy the Journey as I take you back to a simply time.  This also will explain to some why my Mammy's do not have faces as you learn the life of each one I create you will be able to envision that person faces will appear I know they do for me. 

I am not a writer nor am I great with putting together proper sentences and paragraphs etc. etc.  I am just a woman who Loves Mammy and want to share my gift to the world.  Thank you all who have continued to follow me and Hello and thank you to all my new followers.  Have a Wonderful Day

Peace and Blessings
Cheryl....Snatch JOY~!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Excuse the Mess

Whew its still flaming hot I did make a little more progress today on my doll.  Also Mista made me a stand so that I can stand them when taking pictures or using at a show.  I will be doing more cutting tomorrow starting on another doll.  I hope this picture also gives you a better idea of the size.  I really went over board on this last Rag Muffin. Her ties are Black Velvet ribbons and the ribbon framing her head is 1 1/2 inch wide gross grain.  I refuse to cut back on materials lol. 




Well this was a quick one.  Stay Cool everyone
Peace and Blessings
Cheryl...Snatch JOY~!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Somebody Send Me some ICE!


Hello Wonderful People.  If your in a cool weather climate awww how I envy you right now.  I know that topic for most of us is the heat.  It's too hot to even move.  I have tried staying busy but there is no AC  in my closet size of a studio so I shouldn't be complaining I thought about how times might have been back in the day when Mammy had to fight through the heat. Whew don't know but right now I know I would not have made it.  Gosh all those clothes good grief lol.  I have AC in all the other rooms except this one and the basement what was I thinking ugh!

Well enough about heat here is another Sneak Peak of  what I have manage to do in this oven of a room


I will work on it more later still have to stain the body.  It probably dry in 5mins in here lol
Stay Cool Ladies

Peace and Blessings
Cheryl...Snatch JOY~!

Monday, July 18, 2011

This is Going to be a Long one!

Hello Dearies this is going to be a long post so you might want to grab something to drink put your feet up and relax.  I have so much to talk about I figured I just get it all out right now.  Well let me begin with showing you a sneak peak of my Newest Mammy that I have been working on now for 2 weeks.



So far as you can see she is almost ready.  I still have a little more things to do with her and not sure if I am going to make her an apron.  Which brings me on to the my next subject for so long I have felt unsure of myself, my art and my life in general pretty sad huh? but that is not what this is about nothing sad here I just decided to stop trying to be the Crowd Pleaser and as the saying goes Be True To Thy Self with that came an awakening. 

I have met some wonderful people through Blogging some personally and some just through sharing words in Blogging.  The other day I was doing some Blog Hopping I seem to do a lot of that lately lol sometimes it just can't be helped.  Well this is where it all starts to get even longer so if you haven't grab your cup of coffee yet maybe now would be a good time. 

First I found this Blog here http://olabelhe.blogspot.com/ Let me tell you I was stop dead in my Hop I couldn't travel on to another blog after being there on hers.  Dawn is a wonderful seamstress and her story on how she started sewing reminds me of a little of myself.  I adore the dresses she makes and she did one in particular that I have the very same fabric here and didn't know what to use it for and now I do you will see in a few weeks.  So later on in the week I ended up on my Friends Sams Blog http://sewdollswhosnext.blogspot.com/2011/07/when-i-am-not-bloggingi-actually-stitch.html#comments Here she shares her Beautiful Cozies and tells a heart warm story which brought back memories how her and I connected a few years ago.  She is such a delight and always brings me up out of any down moment that I might be having.  I have been making Mammy Dolls for many years now through trial error and many tears often just saying the heck with my passion for wanting to make this doll would not allow me to give up.  Sam did all the creative work to my blog I can never thank her enough for taking out the time for doing this for me. 

It is because of these two Ladies and My Muse  that I am driven to focus to never give up and not try to be the Crowd pleaser.  I had to find myself  to tell the Stories of  Mammy and give her a voice.  I had drawn away from that and try doing other things or making my dolls in a way I felt they would sell.  Well as you can guess most never sold and in my basement tuck away in a corner packed away are all my past creations of unwanted dolls.  Why because I was not being true to Thy Self I was too busy trying to be a Crowd Pleaser. 

I want to also thank Christel http://christelhutson.blogspot.com/ ,Deb http://debsvintagesoul.blogspot.com/ ,DessaRae http://dessaraeartdolls.blogspot.com/ Amy http://bumblebeelanecottage.blogspot.com/, and so many others for your kind words and taking out the time to follow me even though at times I haven't been the best of a blogger.  So again I want to say THANK YOU!! and I am still also working on my 100th follower giveaway to all my new followers thank you so much. 

Let your Spirit within shine through let your heart touch another share patience to another give thanks to everyday you take a Breath of Life
Peace and Blessings
Cheryl.....Snatch JOY~!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Rag Muffin





My Latest Rag Muffin to be listed this week.  It's been a Hot Summer so far best time to stay indoors and sew my heart away.  Everyone stay cool and try not to be out in this heat if all possible.  Temps will be in the 3 digits numbers here in Maryland again today. 

I want to thank all of you who have continued to follow my blog and with my lack of blogging these days I can understand those who have just gave up following me.  I am working on getting better with this.  I wanted to do a Give Away when I had reached 100 followers the funny part about that is one week I have it the next I don't.  Well just stay tuned I am still going to do it not like I had wanted to do before but all and all it will be a good one.  I will keep you posted
Have a great day all
Peace and Blessings
Cheryl.....Snatch JOY ~!