An Eclectic Handcrafted dottie angel Workshop with a Vintage Vibe
Seattle, Washington, USA
April 13 - 16, 2012
dottie angel lives in a rundown cottage overlooking the sea. She has two airstream trailers in the yard, one is her studio and the other stores her vast collection of vintage notions. her eight children are home schooled and spend the day outside running barefoot and their evenings sitting by the fireplace, learning ancient crafting techniques. They never talk back to their mother and always smile. dottie has several chickens, seven rescued greyhounds and a bearded dragon named STIG. She spends most days dressed in an old vintage slip that belonged to her grandmother, which she customized. She thinks to herself, surely everyone dreams of living this life, or at least dressing like they do...
in many ways, Tif is most ordinary, living a very ordinary life, she is a Brit misplaced abroad in suburbia, she shares her world with her man, four children (who talk back), countless critters, some furry, others with feathers and one with a shell. On most days she can be found spending quality time with Miss Ethel, her trusty sewing machine and pottling around her local thrift store discovering forsaken souls on the shelves of despair. however Tif has an extra ordinary thing inside called ‘my imagination’ and on days she allows it out to play, those are the days dottie angel gets to shine in all her glory.
Tif’s creations from recycled secondhand goodness and along with her nest ‘Mossy Shed’, have been featured in many international publications and recently her first book was published through UPPERCASE. dottie angel, ‘the peachy crafty world of Tif Fussell’ has been very well received by crafty souls all over the globe and this has made Tif most happy.
In partnership with her soul sister Debbie she has set up Dottie Angel LTD and together they are producing beautiful dottie angel inspired products made ethically and in England.
When time and sanity allow, she continues to handcraft and sell her wares on Etsy and also ramble upon her shiny place www.dottieangel.blogspot.com about day to day life with her family and staying on the righteous and goodly path of handcrafted and thrifty goodness. at the beginning of 2012 a new blog was born ‘postcards from across a pond’ (www.postcardsacrossapond.blogspot.com) with a nod towards friendships of old, highlighting Panini and Bernina’s thrifty crafty escapades living across the pond from each other.
a year ago, Tif had the good fortune to adopt an auntie with a trusty sewing machine named Mr Bill, and most recently an exotic goat called PIP’S FRIEND. she knows him to be exotic for he lives in foreign climes. it warms her heart to think of PIP’S FRIEND living out there in the big wide world with nice folks in their bit of yard, helping them daily with things goats are good at helping with.
Tif is proud to be a self taught crafter and loves to share her way of crafting with likeminded souls. If you have a passion for vintage and retro textiles to the point you find tears in your eyes when you talk about them, if a doily makes your knees weak and a yard of old lace has your heart beating a little faster, then a dottie angel workshop is perfectly perfect for you. Tif will spend her time wisely showing you how she goes about crafting the dottie angel way and by the end of your two day workshop you will be positively beaming with crafty pride at the peachy handcrafted goodness you hold in your hands.
dottie angel from UPPERCASE gallery on Vimeo.
Read the dottie angel blog - here
Have a look at her wares on Etsy.
Follow her creating on Facebook.
The Suitcase Series - Volume 2 - can be purchased on the UPPERCASE website.
...and for lovely more adventures have a read of Postcards from across a pond - the crafty thrifty tales of Bernina and Panini.
the nitty gritty
fabby Friday ~
meet & greet with fellow dearies and then spend a rather splendid time with Tif in her favorite thrifty location in Seattle, doing a bit of pottling and indeed quite possibly a bit of spending. (this might be a good reason to bring those pennies from your piggy bank ). after which we will head to the wonderful world of Japanese craft books where upon we will do some browsing of the shelves, and without doubt, find ourselves inspired to feel a little crafty. how nice to finish off our ‘jolly trip’ out and about, with dinner at the international food court, (sounds exotic but ‘tis quite casual) returning back to our beds so we may get some shut eye for our jammy packed crafty days which lay ahead. of course you may be a little like me and if that is the case, you may not sleep for the giddy feeling inside your tummy but rest you must.
spiffy Saturday ~
after a hearty freshly prepared breakfast, we will start beavering away on our first project for the day, ‘summer apron wraps’! yes indeedy, the perfect starter for learning to stitch the dottie angel way. once your completed peachy apron is donned upon your bod, it will be time to stop for a nourishing lunch prepared by folks who are very good at such things. the afternoon will pass in a haze of twiddling and fiddling to make ‘hangy-me-jigs’ using a lovely mis mash of bits and bobs and a handy dandy lampshade frame. our day of crafty doings will come to an end over a table filled with good food, your favorite tipple and surrounded by newly found ‘bees knees’ friends.
stitchy Sunday ~
rising early, with an inner need to get stitching, we will launch into our day for making lappity lap blankets, hurrah hooray! this day will be one of those days with a nod towards the days of old, when women would gather and spend their time wisely making quilts from old remnants of clothing and sheets. in-between a brilliantly tasty breakfast, spiffy lunch and fabby dinner we will sit and piece together our quilts from layers of vintage fabrics, doilies, little snippets of lace and indeed some hand embroidery if you so feel inclined. upon completion of your lappity lap blanket, you will feel immense inner pride at what your creative soul has created and for years to come, the patched and pieced blanket you hold in your hand, will bring back fond memories of a dottie angel crafting weekend spent ‘oh so long ago’.
marvelous Monday ~
after a peachy breakfast, suitcases will be filled with vintage fabric leftovers, handcrafted goodness and wonderful memories of a weekend spent beavering away with likeminded crafty souls and friends… leaving you inspired to continue upon the righteous and goodly path of handcrafting with a little bit of dottie angel by your side.
thoughts on fitting attire for a dottie angel camp ~
do not fret nor worry about your clothing attire however you may wish to know ahead of time that it is most acceptable if you wish to wear a frock, perhaps a slip peeking out from below, clogs, braids, and any other item of clothing which may help channel your inner dottie. however there is no mandatory dress code at dottie angel camps, no sirree, for that would never do. I would recommend you do pack your rose colored specs though, they are always a help when dabbling with snippity snipping fabrics.
nearer the date of our handcrafted camp I will be sure to consult ‘weather bug’ and ask his wisdom as to whether it will be rain or shine so you may pack your bag accordingly. although I do pride myself greatly on the fact I have lived in our Mossy Shed nearly 12 years just outside of Seattle and as of yet, do not own a rain coat. actually that is a fib, I bought one off Ebay several years back and learnt the first trip out in a drizzle that it may look peachy but it was crappity crap at keeping the rain at bay. so I don’t think that can count as a rain coat do you?
REGISTER - here
This workshop includes:
- 2 day workshop with dottie angel
- 2 dinners, 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, snacks + beverages
- 3 nights accommodation at very modern house in a very cool neighborhood
- A signed original poster made especially for this workshop.
- More vintage fabric in one room than you ever thought possible.
Fee: $695.00 USD - airfare is not included.
Deposit: $495.00 USD - due when place in workshop is confirmed.
Final Payment of $200.00 USD due by February 28, 2012
There are 4 spots for workshop only - this is on a first come basis.
Fee: $395.00 (this includes lunch)
Space is limited to 14 participants. (4 spaces will be allotted for workshop only)
You will be happily sent a supply list upon confirmation of your registration.
Note: Participants have been known to share their vintagy fabrics.
REGISTER - here
Rita Silauri said, “The dottie angel craft workshop (in Seattle) was incredible. It was so well organized and just the right number of people so everyone connected so well. A weekend of good crafting, good meals together and lasting connections. Thank you Angela for an experience beyonds words.”