An Introduction...

Welcome to my new blogspot...and to start, a little about my journey here...

I have a background in costume design and I have been making dolls for many years. My recent creations have been cloth dolls inspired by antique dolls and my family history (another of my favourite pastimes). I also love creating anything with fabric and I'm enjoying experimenting with different styles and designing unique items.

In this blog I will share doll info, tips and tricks that I have learnt over the years and also pics and even a few patterns, so please check back often to see what's new....

Saturday 19 June 2010

The cat's out of the bag....

I've had to confess to hubby what I'm planning to do with my money from selling the miniatures...I have to say he took it quite well.....although when I said I wanted to buy a rag doll, he just assumed it was a doll. I think he was just a bit surprised when I mentioned that it happened to be a breed of cat!! But, he's got used to the idea (only took a few days of persuading)...which is good really, as I'd already found 'the one' ! She's a beautiful blue point ragdoll kitten...and I'm going to meet her tomorrow...and I'm sooo excited! She won't be ready to come home with me for a few weeks yet, so I'll just have to be patient (not one of my strong points!)...

Sunday 13 June 2010

Don't You Just Hate It When...

It's happened AGAIN!...Someone (who shall remain nameless) is passing off my goods as her own on Etsy!!! I even gave her the benefit of the doubt by asking her where she found the items and she claimed to have made them herself!! I really don't have a problem with people making and selling my designs so long as they don't try to pass them off as their own, but it's even worse when they are selling my actual products and claiming to have made them....this has happened to me several times and I sometimes wonder why I bother....perhaps I should give up sharing my designs?

Saturday 12 June 2010

Pale and interesting...


I don't come across many dolls heads made in the UK, but both of these heads are marked 'House of Nisbet fine bone china 1980 made in England' (the House of Nisbet was founded by Peggy Nisbet in 1952, she died in 1995). They are unusual in that their colouring is very pale, (the china is almost white like the original china heads), I think they were probably originally sold in kit form.

'Surprise'!!


This head was another of my 'impulse' buys. She looks rather surprised with her high eyebrows and round eyes, though at least it looks like a pleasant surprise...she has just the hint of a smile! I'm planning to make her in the style of a French fashion doll complete with full trousseau.

Impulse buys....how guilty are you?


Okay, so hands up all those who are guilty of buying on impulse...then wondering why? Yes, I'm just as guilty as everyone else (we've all done that at some point, haven't we?)....you only have to look at this head to see it was a spur of the moment thing!! I can't use any of my usual excuses like...'felt sorry for it'.....or 'couldn't resist it'......it would be more like...'it was cheap, no one else wanted it' or maybe...'oops, look what I bought'!! So I'll have to dig deep to create a character around this one...I'm already thinking along the lines of a drag queen, complete with sparkly dress and big red hair....Then, perhaps at the next fair someone will come along and on impulse.....

Gypsy Caravan...


Well, my miniatures 'cull' is well and truly underway with lots for sale on ebay (and a few in Etsy too)...but this is one miniature (plus the few dozen I've managed to squeeze inside!!) that won't be going anywhere soon. I built it from a kit and it was a true labour of love with all of the rose pattern transfers added individually...it took me quite a while to complete. I may let you have a peek inside it at some point...when it looks like I can't get any more in it....and I'm satisfied that it's 'finished'....in the future...maybe

Monday 7 June 2010

Parting is such sweet sorrow....

Well, I finally decided to part with my dolls houses and miniatures collection(which has got a little out of hand), so I started the long (and a little painful) process of sorting them out and deciding which to put on ebay or sell in my etsy shop! It was a difficult decision, but I felt the need to spend more time concentrating on my dolls and less being distracted by so many other projects...I think hubby is secretly delighted...but not for long when he finds out what I'm planning to do with the money!!

Tuesday 1 June 2010

New Faces......Freebies

I have just added a few new faces to my free doll pattern list, these can be used as alternatives for Gypsy, Joel or Summer....enjoy!