Humpty Dumpty, character of the times!

How do you make a doll with just a head, arms and legs? You make Suzette Glastonbury Rugulo's Humpty Dumpty!  

Of course you can make it your own way, as I did, but the pattern is great! I have had it for years and promised myself I would make it one day, and just recently I found a picture that really appealed to me, so I used it as my inspiration for doing this face! 

The eyes and mouth fascinated me, so I had to try it! 

Do you ever do that?

Such a fun pattern and Suzette is one of my favourite designers, who still challenges me!

I did want to give him a swing, but that was too problematical! Love it!

Steampunk Octopus!

I've been having fun making this Steampunk Octopus, designed by Susan Barmore, of Frowning Frances Patterns!  I love Susan's work and have made several crows - and magpies!

   So after I had stuffed it and added the suckers, here it is Gesso'd and hanging to dry!

 Dry and waiting for painting

 Painted black and grey.

 Don't know what happened with the colouring here, but it is grey, not blue on the underside!

Had fun finding bits and pieces to make the eye.  Used a large ring of some sort, a curtain ring and a done after I had marked the sides of the clay.  I inset a plastic dolls eye under the rings.

Here is the finished Steam Punk Octopus!  

With Elena's doll Pippi, who is not in the least scared of this wild creature!

Verdigris - a thieving Magpie!

My last Steam Punk Crow - converted into a thieving Magpie called Verdigris!

 Just look what he's collected out of my junk!  Some round shiny rings from my old fella's junk tin! Bits of old chain chain and in his hat is a magnet, holding on his wire propeller! 

 A toe ring for his knee! Bits of copper for his scrawny legs!

  An ancient buckle from my buckle cache,an old zipper from my old fella's pants!

 The old front door key.

 So I painted his hat verdigris green, thinking one day, the copper will corrode to that colour too!

And this is where he snatched it all from!  Caught in the act!

Over the moon!

 Here is a fun pattern I am making!  I call it "Over the moon!"  The 'far flung' Santa has no filling, but his hands, boots and head are stuffed, so he hangs quite well.

The moon is only needlesculpted on one side because it needs to be flat against the wall.  Santa's face is needlesculpted and you can see he looks a little disgruntled!

My clever granddaughter Frankie photoshopped this delightful background!  Wouldn't it make a great Xmas Card?  Would also make a good Xmas ornament for a wall?  What do you think?

New dolls!

This saucy little minx is waiting for summer to come!  Love Jane Coughlan's pattern of the Beach Babe.  Had to reduce the size by half, but it was fun to make! Jane is a very clever pattern designer!

Meet Quardle-oodle-ardle! He's an alarmist, attached to the Hedgrow Emergency Team, always on the alert for intruders in the Magpie Territorials!  He takes his job very seriously, ever ready to ward off low-flying, maurdering hawks or unsuspecting passers by, who hear his triumphant Quardle-oodle-ardle battle cry as they start to run!

This is a pattern designed by Susan Barmore, of Frowning Francis Patterns.  I really admire her work.  I love her octopus and walrus design and it was a toss-up between that and the crow!  I chose this one because I prefer not to use clay, but these dolls are great fun to make.  I used an old handbag a friend gave me for most of the embellishments.  The badge on his back pack is from the Red Cross that I found in my button box.

A very happy little Troll!

 Troll for Tree

Baby Troll

A day alone today!  Yay!  The last week I have made three baby Trolls, and when I got one finished, my granddaughter grabbed that one and then my sister Tree the next, so I’ve just about finished my third!  I wanted to complete one for my doll class to see if they wanted to make one for Easter.  They turn out different each time I make one!  So cute!  These are Ute's Trolls of course, and don;t take long to make.  You could make them crawling, sleeping, hiding - anything!  They are delightful fun!  Thanks Ute!

I just had to make this little bookworm too!  Terrible photo, but the dog.......you know?  The tassle on the camera was too much for her and the temptation of the bookworm had her squirming on the floor beside me while I was holding her down and taking a photo at the same time!  Then I had to take her for a walk so this is what I've got!  At least I feel like I've made something this weekend!

My version of Jill Maas pattern High Octave Hester.  I modelled her on my favourite opera singer "Monserrat Caballe", who sang with Freddie Murcury - Barcelona!  Just love her voice, and she presents as such a cheerful character who  loves what she does so well.  Spent the time making her while listening to Monserrat singing on utube!  Very inspiring to make dolls to music!



My first project for 2011 - A nosey Gnome who hasn't got a Gnome to go to!  It a laughing Gnome - belongs to the Gnome Association of course! From Gnome-man's land!  Ha!

This is a Boudoir Doll I've just finished from Antonette Cely's pattern.  A very interesting pattern with some good construction techniques.  I designed the dress, which has a rectangular skirt to make a lovely flare.  It hangs beautifully and was inspired by my original 1920's Boudoir Doll.  I made the dress from silk lining fabric over 20 years vintage.  Same with the hat - recylcled.  The red ribbon is at least 30 years old, so fitting for a doll of this romantic era.

Back view shows how beautifully the skirt drapes.

So Gracious, with such shapely legs and her bloomers just showing!

This Doll is 25 inches tall and sits well with her hands to prop her up for balance.

Wee One

This doll is only five inches tall.  Doesn't matter how small they are, they still seeem to take the same amount of time to make!  Funny that!  Guess it's because it's a bit fiddly.

Winnie & Winston

I had a play with a Prim doll just for fun!

This is a Patti Culea Doll.  Very versatile pattern!

Elf Help!  He was fun to make!  Shelly Hawkeys Pattern I think, but I designed the wee doll he's taking all the credit for!

Another doll finished - and a fish!

What shall I call her?  Any suggestions?  My sister thinks "Lanae".  Jennifer thinks "Hine".

This is the latest doll I've made and I wish it was my pattern - it's so good!  It's by Colleen Babcock and is loaded with exciting possibilities!  I loved making it and I may even keep it!  I'll certainly make more! 

This is Claudia with her birthday doll!

This beautiful doll I made from Kezi Mathews pattern 'Dear Ones"  It's almost bigger than my one year old granddaughter Claudia, who got it for her birthday!  It's a lovely doll to make with great instructions.  I made it from doll velour and used a reborning wig which fits perfectly.