Hoffman Challenge doll 2015 - Elf Star Taegg

This year's Hoffman Challenge doll is most likely also my last. Hoffman has discontinued the cloth doll part of their yearly challenge and have added Home Decor. So unless they change their minds this is my last entry and he did make the traveling team!!

This is Elf Star Taegg:

He does have a story:
My doll is Elf Star - Taegg. He is an idol in the Elf World. All he really wanted was to be was a minstrel like his father and grandfather before him. But the Elf public love and adore him - he shouldn't have put up the videos on YouTube. He is now famous and followed by fans and the Elf paparazzi everywhere he goes- who knew they had these problems in their world also! His fans like to emulate Taegg by wearing green contact lenses and Hoffman capes lined in gold lamé are now all the rage...
--
I made his guitar you can see it at the bottom of this image:

Taegg is now traveling throughout the US for a year so we won't see him again until September 2016.

I really like him the pictures don't do him justice..

Chienyi - Hoffman Challenge Doll 2014

In July 2014 I made and entered Chienyi in the 2014 Hoffman Challenge.
I made her in remembrance of the 230 School girls who were kidnapped from the Chibok Government Secondary School by Boko Haram Terrorists in Nigeria on 14 April 2014.. All 230 are still missing. #BringBackourGirls!
Here is a link to their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/bringbackourgirls

The shawl is made from the Challenge fabric

Statement Banners

Chienyi is a Nigerian activist hoping to make a difference. 

Close-up shot of her face

Chenyi is ready for her head scarf/Gele

She needs a body... :)

 

Hope Earrings

I am proud that Chienyi made the Hoffman traveling group and is traveling in Trunk #C.

Constance Elfsong - my 2013 Hoffman Challenge Doll

This is Constance Elfsong:

She is my entry in this year's Hoffman Challenge. I made her dress with the challenge fabric. 

Sulky thread is also a sponsor of the challenge so I made her hair from Sulky thread.

I named her for a friend and former visiting teacher of mine who always encourages me in my creations.

My friend, Connie, is an accomplished flutist so I've given Constance a pan-flute to emulate Connie.

Here is a picture of three of my granddaughters with Constance so you can see her size.

2012 Hoffman Challenge doll

I finally finished this year's Hoffman Challenge doll and she is on her way to Colorado. The fabric this year was difficult because of the 4 inch flowers which don't scale well with dolls that have to be under 20 inches tall. I was planning to make a bridesmaid in a purple flowered dress trying to catch the bouquet. But the doll decided that she was a beauty queen... So here is Miss Lavender USA - 2012.

I don't know if I used enough of the challenge fabric. I made three different sized tubes of the fabric then used the tubes to make ribbon roses.

I used the large roses for her bouquet, the medium around the base of the doll and the tiny ones above her bustle.

I mostly used Arley Berryhill's "Gwendolyn the Glamour Witch" pattern but also used Patti Medaris Culea's "Penny Cassandrea" pattern with my own modifications. I thought making a stump doll would be easier but it was hard to stuff smoothly and get the lumps out. I'm glad a had a stash of Buffalo Snow stuffing in the attic because she needed a lot.
I bought some HoloShimmer Sulky thread at the Sew Expo in Puyallup this year that matched the challenge fabric but I used it for her jewelry instead of embellishments.

Miss Lavender USA is now on her way to Colorado. Here is a photo of Michael holding her outside the UPS store: