New dolls on the way, eventually!

Just to arrest any thoughts that I rarely make dolls these days (sadly true, life and design work keep taking precedence) here are some pics of my latest effort. She is another Xmas StrAngel, this time a Christmas Tree decoration destined for one of my fellow ADO doll makers as part of the festive Ornament Swap. Sssshhh, not allowed to say who it's for, but she will be wrapped and on her way tomorrow... just hope the recipient likes her! :o)





And, poor Belladonna STILL hasn't made it into the shop, because I decided to make her a "Travel Coffin"... those long fine feathers on her hat need protection so she will be getting an acetate hat tube and loads of bubble wrap before I take her to the Post Office to get some shipping quotes! The coffin is quite sturdy, a couple of paper maché layers over foam board, but, because of the appalling weather we have been having, I haven't been able to give this as many layers of paint and lacquer that I would have liked.... still, surely it's the doll someone will want to buy?

Fab new book

Wow, I treated myself to a new book from dear old Amazon the other day, it's called "Patterns of Fashion Vol 1:1660-1860" by Janet Arnold. I've heard loads about this book as it seems to be a bible for Costume Designers and people who make period clothing for re-enactments. It is absolutely wonderful and has detailed drawings of the construction of various costumes from the V&A and other amazing collections and has patterns for making up the items too.





When I was making The Frost Fairy, I intended her to have a 1780's (ish!) skirt with big paniers over the hips. I naively thought it would be plain sailing once the paniers were made, but draping the skirt was a nightmare and eventually I just removed the paniers altogether and went for the gathered skirt she ended up in! I am actually going to have a few hours for dollmaking this evening (JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and once I've gotten my head around this book who knows what elaborate costumes will work their way into my Freaky Little Things? :o)

Cried buckets

I just watched "the Duchess" with Keira Knightly (well she was in it, not with me eating maltesers!) and cried buckets... kind of annoying as the film sort of skims the surface of a particularly interesting period of time and a character who was right in the thick of it. It's absolutely beautiful though and Keira Knightley and Raeph Fiennes are both excellent, but you will definitely need a box of hankies!





On the subject of the Fiennes brothers, what on earth has happened to Joseph? He was soooo gorgeous in Shakespeare in Love, etc... but seems to have had a total charisma bypass in the tedious "Flashforward"... I'm beginning to despair of that show, I gave up on any plot logic in week 2 and was just hanging in there for the eye-candy... then my fave threw himself off a roof and Joseph is a total wet blanket... thank the lord for Jack Davenport! Shallow, moi? :o)

Sooah becomes Isobel

Here she is trying on wigs with her new face... she came out a little more haughty than I was intending! I am really beginning to enjoy doing faces but you never know how they are going to turn out. I think I might have over-emphasised how "real" this face mould is in comparison to the other 2, but I can always re-do in a few months if I can't get used to her :o)





tee hee, look who wants to join in the fun :o)

Elfdoll Sooah :o)

OK, so I have been VERY bad on the BJD front over the last 4 months... well, It has taken long enough to save up the money! For some reason, even though the doll money was in a separate account and all came from selling off various dolls (mainly Tonner, I don't miss them at all!) and bits that I've collected over the last few years... I still feel a tiny twinge of guilt about the price of these dolls...

What the hell, though, they are soooo beautiful and I love them to bits! I wasn't planning on getting anymore after Lishe (who I showed you a few posts back) and my newly arrived Skiya (will present her next week, she's still a bit shy right now) but saw this Elfdoll Sooah on ebay and went MAD... that's every penny gone and a few more besides, but I love this face mould and you can't buy Sooah direct anymore. Elfdoll may have discontinued her altogether, I can't check because Elfdoll is members only, you can't even view their website!

My Sooah (it means "Extremely Beautiful" in Korean but I have just re-named her as Isobel) was owned from new by a dolly dressmaker, Idollise Creations, who kept her in her box when she wasn't modeling clothes. She is in excellent condition and I was overjoyed when the box came as I was just expecting a nude doll, but she was sent to me with 2 wigs, some stockings, 3 beautiful dresses and a lovely jewelled choker! All are the work of idollise-creations and beautiful quality and really well finished off, check out her website. Sooah/Isobel has now had her make-up stripped and is undergoing a transformation, check back tomorrow to see her new face and hopefully the beginnings of my latest Freaky Little Things doll too :o)

Oooohhh!

An Angel at My Table

I received a lovely treat through the post the other day that really brightened up my morning... well, not literally, sadly, I've been waiting for the merest hint of sun to take pics of Abi's lovely work, but these didn't come out so well.

We all know Abi Monroe as a Doll Artist extrordinaire and tireless supporter of other people's work through her blog An Angel at my Table but have you taken a look at Abi's fantastic Etsy shop . It's full of gorgeous goodies and I had to have one of her sweet little imbossed clay hearts. I was taken aback at the way she packages the smallest items though, truly beautiful even if the "gift" happens to be for yourself!