Some of my drawings. Practice for dollmaking!

Pin Happy Pig!

This delightful Pinchshion was made from my pattern by Becke, who said she made three before she was happy with it!  Becke says she is not an accomplished sewer, so I was thrilled with her perseverance at making this project!  Well done Becke!

Saucy Sal!

Saucy Sal is my latest Saloon Gal doll.  I was trying out some different techniques to see if I could get a pose that would work, i.e. legs that would stand, a body shape and arms.

 Using silk worked really well as her dress.  Pleasing gathers to scale. 

 I liked the way her legs fit on her hips while giving the impression one hip is raised.  The dress hitched up helps this illusion too!

 The beading was some a friend made for me to use on dolls, but it only goes as far as you can see, so looks more like a collar to frame her ...um...assets!

 All clothing is stitched on.  I liked the roundness of her rump, so didn't want to hide it.

 All the proportions on this doll are exaggerated, i.e. the head is too big for the body, the legs are too small, the waist too narrow, but it adds to the characterisation of the doll.

On the good side - she stands unaided on her booted feet!

Her arms have no hands to give the illusion of fists on hips.

  What do you think?

Problem solving details.

 Here are a few more details of how I resolved some things. I did a lot of research while doing this piece of work.  I want it to look like any soldier, not a specific nationality.  Also with the nurse.  I took my inspiration from a pamphlet I found on the net. 

For his head, I didn't want to create ears, so made some wadding and wound the gauze around it, with the fur fabric hair scrap (I only had a little bit of this) tufting out of it.

The nurses uniform needed to be made from lightweight fabrics which polyester worked quite well.  Her cape was a problem and I spent ages making one from cotton, but it was stiff and just stuck out.  then luckily, I spied a scrap of red lycra poking out form under something!  Just the thing as it falls so naturally.  So not everything can be cotton as I prefer.

 I made a last to make the boots, which are constructed from black calico with buckram underneath, and leather soles. Painted with matt ModPodge to harden, then touched up with watercolour paint and mud!

The nurses shoes, I didn't want to go to too much bother with as they will hardly be seen, so I used a stretch fabric over her foot shape and a cardboard sole, slightly longer than her foot so it would give a good shape. 

The parcel has a printed out label glued on it for some sort of authenticity, and crinkled brown paper wrapping, tied with linen thread, which was also used as laces on the boots.

With doll making it's about what it looks like, rather than what it actually is! The important thing that people look at is the general posture to convey the story without words and the faces.

Thank you all for looking and I welcome opinions and critiques as this will go on display for ANZAC week and I want to convey the right message!

Un-named Soldier WW1 Commemoration Figures.

Finished! These are initial photo's of my unnamed soldier, being offered a care parcel from an attentive nurse. 

With this work, I am thinking about what was important to the men and women in wartime, away from home and loved ones, injured, not knowing their fate, living with ever present danger, then receiving word that somewhere , someone was thinking about them. 

I was thinking about the contribution made by people in active service, about disillusionment, fear and exhaustion, but pockets where compassion is present in the form of a small parcel from an unknown person to prisoners and captives, whomever they were.

The unknown soldier.

Here the soldier has his jacket finally made, hair and bandages applied to his head.

Two of his fingers blew out of the cloth, so they got wrapped too!  I used tissue paper for his letter and glued it to his bandaged hand.

This is not his final position, but what do you tinl of the sandbags he's sitting on?  I was quite pleased with those!  They will be messy on the day the display goes up, but that will add to the display.  War is messy.

Commemorating 100 years since WW1, NZ April 2014

 I am designing a wounded WW1 Soldier and Nurse to display in an exhibition at The Oamaru Textile Emporium (TOTE) where I sell my dolls.

The Exhibition is to commemorate the 100 years since WW1 this year, so I am showing my progress as I make these dolls as a reminder to us all of the futility of war, but of the sacrifices that were made.  My father was in the 26th Battallion and I am thinking of him and his friends as I do this.

I want to make him look exhausted and battle weary.

I think he must be already as he got tired waiting for me to make his boots!  LOL!

Now he's had his boots and helmet painted so he can really rest with his feet up!

New Pattern just released!

HI everyone!  I have just finished making a new pattern - a Doorstop Doll called "Hello Dolly!"  this doll is  approximately 18” (46 cm) tall.  She is a functional, needle-sculpted doll and  is made from a plastic milk container with other recycled materials also used in her construction.  

I decided to make a pattern of this doll because I was getting a few requests to make them from people, so when I have to make more than one- (because I hate doing it twice!) I make a pattern!

Her dress has an overskirt that is easily raised at the back to reach under and grasp the handle of the milk bottle she stands on!

 This sassy doll has a great side view and is most welcoming to all people arriving at your door!

 Like her name sake, she has style!  Learn how to make tiny bows for embellishing - if you don't already know!  Make her into a Showgirl, a Goth, A saloon girl, A lady!  You are limited only by your imagination!

 And a feather fan to hold!

Her head looks up so you don't just see the top of her hat! 

 You can have fun with this one!  You will find it on Fabric Addictions website and in my Etsy Shop!

Bella Bomba Ballerina!

I have recently finished making a tiny marionette of a fairy ballerina I called Bella Bomba!  That was fun!  So now I am learning to make a video to show her off.  Here it is - enjoy!

New Year - new dolls!

Happy New Year everyone! I have been forced offline for the last 35 days due to my (new) computer and my laser printer getting blasted by a sudden electrical storm!  I had so much planned to do, and had to resort to the written word!  Horrors! No, really, that wasn't such a chore, but I do dislike doing things twice!
Anyway, I kept myself busy and made this little marionette fairy.

Here she is waiting for her shoes to dry!

Like the hair?  Made from one of those new yarns, which had been knitted into a scarf and which I found in an Op Shop!  I loved the colour and it worked!

Can't see the strings here, but I will post a better pic later!

Nativity - new beginnings!

I made this very poor copy of the Nativity, originally designed by Tatiana Ovshinnikova, who does some amazingly beautiful work!  I'd love to learn how she does it!  Anyway, my version was made for my lovely 18 year old Niece Sharon, who has Cerebral Palsy.  She is the youngest of five and all her siblings have now left home, married and are having babies. At home, it's just mum, dad and Sharon now.  Life is moving on.  This Nativity is to remind her that even though family are scattered far and wide, we are still together.  A reminder of new beginnings - especially with new babies in the family, but that just means - more family - and at this time of year, we reach out to families!  So to all our families, I wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and best wishes and blessings for all our families, wherever they are scattered!

T'was the night after Christmas...........

T'was the night after Xmas...................and Santa was stuffed

Climbing over things made him quite puffed!

He snoozed by the TV.........

He snuggled the dog................. (that was lucky!)

When he finally conked out

He was all partied out!

More dolls for Strawberry Fare!

Our group has been hard at it trying to get things finished for the Strawberry Fare.

Julie has been cranking out these wonderful Prim Santa's.  Aren't they cute?

Here's another Prim Gardener doll she made and is showing us how she made the mini book for her pocket!

Raelene has been making up these pop up clowns, that she makes each year!  They are very popular with children of all ages!  I'm not sure what I am taking yet.  Better get cracking I think!

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!