Robin's Egg Bleu

A new Greiner style doll!

2012-01-31T12:48:00.000-08:00

Well, I've finally finished this poor Greiner papier mache inspired repro doll! I've been purty busy lately so she's been simmering on the back burner and what not. I did take lots of photos of some other projects I've been working on, unfortunately I took them on my phone and my phone is currently not on speaking terms with my computer, which accounts for the lack of posts here on my poor neglected blog!

Anyhoos, this gal is made of liquid papier mache and is 21 inches tall. As always her clothing is completely handsewn in the period correct manner.

She's currently looking for a new home on ebay, where more information is listed about her! Please feel free to pop by for a visit and a chance to get to know her better!

Having a problem getting the link here, my ebay user name: robinseggbleu

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat....

2011-12-21T16:58:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year! I've been awfully busy, though you wouldn't know it from this blog. You know me...I mean well, just keep procrastinating. I did manage to get my Christmas Izannah off to a fabulous new home, and I imagine she's quite happy there. I made Mr. Whaley a smoking/lounge cap for the Whaley House Museum, an item that had been on my 'to do' list for quite awhile. Also finished up that reproduction papier mache doll I made for the museum, specifically to wear a dress that I made from the innards of Mrs. Whaley's supposed wedding dress. The gown disintegrated in my hands this summer while cataloging it, and the only parts salvageable were the lace and polished cotton lining. It lent itself to an 1850's style of wedding dress, so that's what I made out of it. Thomas and Anna Whaley wed in 1853. So I figured it was appropo. Originally, it was a late 1880's early '90's gown...so we know it wasn't really Mrs. Whaleys, nor that of her daughters. Just too late a period and besides, the gown was for someone at least 4 inches taller than I am...and I'm about 4 inches taller than any of the Whaley women. So no way could they have worn it. Just a donation from the '60s to the museum and touted as something it wasn't. But...the doll dress came out great. Dolly and dress are under a little Victorian tree swathed in strung popcorn at present.

We got the Whaley House and Marston House museums all dandied up for Christmas, had our big SOHO Holiday Party. Did some Christmassy this'n'that events. Currently I'm awash in pink and green glitter. The two little angels in my life asked Santa for a pink princess gown and a Tinkerbell costume. I'm 'almost' done with the princess gown, just finishing up the lining. Next comes the Tinkerbell costume.

Now, I know...I haven't taken any photos but I swear I will. Hopefully Friday I'll get pictures of at least Whaley House all decorated, along with the smoking cap and the papier mache repro doll in the 1850's wedding gown. And by next week, some pretty girls wearing glittery pink and green costumes!

It's been an eventful year, particularly the last few months. Some losses...the good kind and the bad kind. Lost 3 friends to cancer in the last month. But there's more angels in Heaven to look after us. Lost 60 pounds since September, so I feel much better, that's for sure.

Trying to keep up momentum of creative activities. Working on another doll, but not sure when she'll see the light of day! Hopefully by the end of January at the latest. Will sure try and get some photos posted on here of my handiwork. Till then, if I don't make it back on here before...

Happy Holidays!

Christmas Izannah redo

2011-11-27T21:40:00.000-08:00

Well, I went shopping in my cupboards for some more festive fabric and made my Christmas/Holiday Izannah a little...okay, a LOT happier by sewing a new frock for her. I must say, her demeanor has miraculously improved. She just needed a little color, poor thing! At any rate, I finally got her unmentionables finished too, and she's a very happy camper and has been a dreamboat to live with. I almost wish I could keep her....almost. I put her up for adoption this evening on ebay, you can pay her a little visit if you wish!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180764192959

New Christmas Izannah!

2011-11-18T11:26:00.000-08:00

A New Christmas Izannah In The Works!

She's not quite done yet, still working on trimming her unmentionables, which she's angry at me for mentioning. She's very embarrassed that it's taking me so long to finish her, that I've dilly dallied on finding just the right antique fabrics for her foundation garments (talk about ungrateful). She found out the hard way that I am a first class procrastinator. But hey...I've been busy. Really super busy. She's new, so she doesn't realize that we're smack dab in the middle of the Holiday Season and... I have things to do.

Hopefully, I'll get her undies done by Sunday so she can quit giving me the stink eye. I hate when they do that to me and it just furthers my resolve to sell them right out from under myself.

When she's fully presentable, I'll post more photos that are taken in decent light. It's a crappy day here today in what used to be sunny San Diego, and I'm a crappy photographer. Two crappy scenarios equal really crappy pictures. For instance, you can't tell from these images that her dress is the identical shade as this carefully selected text color. Perhaps no one's noticed yet, but I do that a lot. Her dress doesn't look brownish red. Just brown. In fact, now that I focus more clearly on this text color, it pretty much just looks brown too. Hmmm.............I may have been too hasty in my fabric selection. It's vintage polished cotton and I thought it'd look so fabulously deep, rich and Christmassy. Might have miscalculated. Might change my mind on the dress. Might take me longer to finish her.

Ho ho well, it'll just be a surprise then. By the way, she's the one in the photos that's bigger than the other. She's my largest Izannah thus far, and at 25 inches she's what we facetiously refer to as a "big boned gal." Really, she's her petite little sister's nemesis. She uses her girth to get her way on the shelf and I have found the little one suspiciously face down on the floor on more than one occasion. I hate to say it, but this one's a bit of a bully. Don't let her confident smirk fool you. Notice the concerned countenance on her little sister? There's a good reason for that. You can see from her body language how she's leaning away and doesn't want to get too close. Poor little thing. She's very sweet so I'll let her live with me longer (I have to because she's on an extended layaway). The big one's getting kicked out as soon as I can get rid of her.

You can see in the bottom photo that she's calmly plotting her next move against the little one. And as you can see...the little one is fully aware of this.

Dia de los Muertos Catrina Doll

2011-10-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

For the upcoming Dia de los Muertos Celebration here in Old Town, San Diego, I decided to 'revamp' a few of my old dolls into "Catrina" characters for altars.

This is the first one I've finished. She's been reincarnated a couple of times, this is her third manifestation. Originally, she was an adult Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland. Got tired of her pretty quick, she had some proportional issues, so she was recreated as Emily Dickinson.

When I decided to throw Emily under the bus, I chose to Halloween-ize her into a vampire. That was last year, and she was never finished. So this year, I am working on a Day of the Dead altar for the Old Town Saloon and I thought...hey, I know what I can do with this dead in the water vampira.

Truthfully, I was inspired by the absolutely amazing artist, William Bezek. He is THE master of all things Halloween and Day of the Dead... and I worship him. Plus, my sister, who also worships him, just purchased his majestic Vampire creation, "Luca" (with his own glass windowed coffin!!!!) and we felt that Luca needed some female companionship from the other side. So after Catrina is done watching over the souls who've passed on at the Old Town Saloon, she's going to live with Luca. Whether he likes it or not.

For her costume, I used an antique mantilla that I beaded for my "Vamp" doll (who got reincarnated into Debbie Reynolds), and an antique Victorian cape. Thank goodness I'm a packrat and save everything. Because San Diego is an early Spanish settlement, I chose a less "Late Victorian" Catrina look, and went for more of an early California look for her.

As always, I am a lousy photographer, as particularly evidenced in the second photo. Nearly every single photo I took of this doll has weird haze and 'orbs' swirling around her. Normally, I wouldn't appreciate that. But in this case....'spooky' works for me!

I've got a couple more reincarnations going, and hopefully, I'll be done with them before November 1st.

San Diego Celebrates Dia de los Muertos!

2011-10-10T11:03:00.000-07:00

Old Town San Diego Celebrates

Dia de los Muertos!

If you live in the San Diego region, please do stop by and participate in this amazing two day event! Dozens of fabulous Memorial Altars, Food, Music, Costumes, Face Painting, and our incredible Candle Light Procession!

(Procession takes place Wednesday, Nov. 2nd @ 7:00pm)

The Whaley House Museum is a major participant and will be open for evening tours, offering face painting and fun activities!

I'm pretty busy right now, painting sugar skulls, converting some of my old dolls into Catrinas for altars, and creating an overhead banner for the Procession! Also working on an altar for the Old Town Saloon, right across the street from the Whaley House, where one of my Catrina dolls will be keeping her eye on things...so do stop on by for a 'spirited' libation if you are kid-less! Photos to come!

Couple new project I'm working on!

2011-09-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple of dollies I've been working on: another little Izannah and attempting a papier mache from 1850 for the Whaley House museum. We're a little low on dollies in the nursery there so I thought I'd try to perk it up. Alas, the empress as yet has no clothes, just a humble chemise. A fabulous gown is my next project!

Whaley House Lambrequin

2011-08-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally got my camera chip to talk to my computer! So I've got a couple of very lousy, out of focus, badly taken photos of that lambrequin I created for the above rather naked original mantel in the Whaley House Museum!

Eh, it's okay without a lambrequin, but I like it better WITH one!

Used some of the antique Scalamandre silk drapery created for the dining room of the museum over 50 years ago, along with the guimpe braid and tassels to trim it off. We found an antique silk embroidered with chenille yarn and beads that was probably intended to be a bell pull that was never finished and used that as the center panel.

Unfortunately, my poor photography does not do it any favors! But it does pick up the colors in the Brussels carpet and the wallpaper quite nicely! It really looks nice in the evening when the lighting picks up all the gold in the wallpaper and the fixtures.

I know.....I'm a blog slacker.

2011-07-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

In case anyone is curious, I'm still around! It's been a crazy time for me these last few months. Lots of family issues, some health issues and working two jobs. It may not seem like I've been productive based upon the lack of posts but I have been a busy gal. If only my camera was cooperating with my computer I could show and tell. For now, I'll just 'tell'. Not very exciting, I know. I LOVE blogs with pictures.

Well, I made that fireplace lambrequin for the Whaley House Museum. I am extremely happy with it. Wish I could show it to you, along with some other goodies. Mrs. Whaley recently received an 1860's sewing machine and I'm anxious to get her some sewing supplies to go with it. We got Mr. Whaley an antique 'gout stool', which is a bizarre footstool in the shape of a big, fat rolling pin. It arrived with an unimpressive 50's needlepoint, which was removed in favor of an 1860's Berlinwork piece I was fortunate to come across. The difference is amazing, and I hope Mr. Whaley's wraith is enjoying sitting in his slipper rocker relieving his poor, downtrodden piggies. It's a lot of work haunting a house, just because he makes it look easy doesn't mean it is and he's generally very cranky. Now I have to get working on a smoking cap for him. We're on a serious budget so if I can make a reasonably foolproof reproduction of something, I'm going to. Maybe for Christmas if he's real good and doesn't show up in front of me anytime soon. I don't like surprises. He has a tendency to stand up on the stair landing staring down at long term docents in a rawther superior manner. I don't care for people who put on airs. Especially people made of air.

Revamped a display in the Whaley House General Store this week. The Whaley's personal items were housed in a make do sort of vintage homemade glass case propped up on scrap wood and casters for the last 50 years. Not attractive. So we can finally lose the old case and I designed a display for the 1860's storefront window case we've got. I'll get some photos of that too pretty soon. Came out nice I think.

The operators of the Whaley House, the Save Our Heritage Organisation currently operates 4 historic site museums and will acquire another pretty soon. So they keep me busy. Got plenty of curatorial work to do in a few of em. Works in progress every one. I love it. I've got canning to do for Whaley House, drapes to make for another house, etc. Lots of 'busy' work.

My dolls? Oh yes, that's right, I almost forgot. I'm supposed to be a doll maker according to my header and the photographs on the left side. Yikes, haven't made a doll in a loooooong time. Got one laying around here and another in progress and have abandoned them temporarily. Gotta say, I've lost my interest in making the Izannah's that I focused on for the last year or so. I still love them, but realistically....everybody's making them. Practically can't give them away. And doing the same thing gets boring for me. I devoted an alarmingly lengthy time period to making them, something rare for my attention deficiency.

I've got some ideas for some new dolls, still with a historical point of view. Just haven't got all my ducks in a row. Did lots of sculpting the last few months in "clay" clay, not paperclay. Just for practice and keeping my skills in existence. We'll see. Hope to have something around for Halloween.

Soon as I get a new camera I'll get some pictures loaded up here so you can see what I've been up to. Much more satisfying than just reading about it! And for those of you who haven't stopped following me due to my inactivity, I thank you! I log on here about once a week and do a quick stealth drop in on many of the blogs I follow here just to keep up with everyone. Sometimes I'm able to leave a comment, and there are occasions where I am but a mere ghost. But I'm still thinking about you all!

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T07:46:00.000-07:00

                                                                       Little "Dicky Dan"

                                                             August 3, 1934 - June 18, 1973

                                                    Happy Father's Day Dad, we sure miss you.

My New Baby..................

2011-04-07T19:34:00.000-07:00

Many of you probably think I fell off the face of the earth this last couple of months, my New Years resolution to post regularly flying right out the proverbial window!

I'm still alive and well, just super busy. I started a new job, that's kind of like an old job, but not. I began working for the historic Whaley House museum about 11 years ago, beginning initially as a volunteer docent...since my nest was newly emptied, I needed something to keep me off the streets.

I promptly was hired as a docent, then sort of a Jill of all trades. Worked on their historical clothing program in it's infancy, made most of the clothing they continue to use today. I was there for several years, then pursued other interests, such as dollmaking...although I've haunted the place pretty regularly since!

Now I am back again, no longer docenting, but working on the curating aspect instead. More fun I think! It's left me zero time for posting, let alone dollmaking. But I am having fun, nonetheless.

I'll be sharing some of the work I'll be doing there, as well as trying to get a doll or two out. The museum, though it has made amazing strides in the last decade still needs some fine tuning, so I'll be working on some projects that are a bit new to me.

My first is creating a lambrequin for the parlor mantel. After that, a smoking cap for Mr. Whaley (even though he's not allowed to smoke in the house...but he takes advantage of the fact that we can't see him), then I want to try to get really ambitious and figure out how to make berlin work slippers! Why do I have to make these things? I don't...but they'd be a great addition to the museum, and I'd like to learn how, because I think I can do a halfway decent job of it. Secondly, historical textiles appropriate to the period 1856-1870 don't drop into your lap every day. They tend to decay, and those that don't, are very very expensive. We're on a serious budget. Like most everyone these days.

In a few days, when I get my house vacuumed of all the thread that's currently felting the carpet, I'll take some photos of the lambrequin I'm making and post my progress here. And when it's all done, and installed, you'll get to see that too.

(I'm trying to entice you into visiting the museum...can you tell?)

The lovely parlor....but it needs a few something somethings! Like a lambrequin for the mantel, a footstool, a wardian case, I could go on and on!

The Tanner Troupe Theater, San Diego's first theater upstairs in the Whaley House. Gorgeous, no? But, it needs some sprucing up. Those lovely drapes are disintegrating and need major help.

The Whaley and Crosthwaite General Store, in the house at the same time as the theater. Busy place! Right now, we have sort of half general store, half this n' that museum room. Working on getting it into a complete 1870's general store that Mr. Whaley would be proud to allow customers to enter!

Here's a shot of the house when it was almost brand spankin' new. It's always been near and dear to my heart, it'll always be my baby. So I'm going to try to take very good care of it.

For more information on the Whaley House Museum, visit sohosandiego.org.

More Carte de Visite doubles!

2011-02-06T08:17:00.000-08:00

I've been a bad girl and broke my 'sort of' New Years resolution to try to post more often...as you can see it's been a month since my last post and I apologize for my laziness!

I just recently began an exciting new job and it's taken up an awful lot of my time...so much so that I haven't even gotten much done in the way of making dolls. I've got one large unfinished doll head sitting here staring at me for the last month and she's not pleased with me at all. But to try to make up for being so blog lazy I am posting a few more of my Carte de Visites that I have found over the years, miraculously of either the same family or the same person!

Three little sisters who desperately needed to be kept together!

I cannot figure out if these are all the same gal or if they are sisters, but I recognized this face and the very distinct hairline and knew they belonged together. All the images were taken at the same studio. I'd like to think they appreciate the reunion I gave them!

These two little girls were purchased at different times and it was perhaps a year later that I even realized they went together. A total accident. I purchased both of them because they had dolls and unique dresses which are nearly identical.

The same situation occurred with both of these CDV's....I bought them both because they had many young ladies in them, and you don't often find that. Eventually I realized the same girls are in both images, although what threw me was the fact that in the second one they've added two more people and changed their positions.

Two sisters that accidentally showed up in the same way! I thought, boy, these are awfully alike...same photographer, same town....they might not be related to each other, but the cameo style and their resemblance to one another in face and hair tell me they are sisters.

I thought these two girls looked an awful lot alike too....both photographed in the same city, although not the same studio. At first I thought that they were sisters, but upon examining the clothing styles, I think they are in fact the same girl at different times.

Another happy accident! Obviously by looking one can tell this is the same studio, VERY distinctive and lovely...and that's why I purchased the second cdv...I put them together because they 'went' so well together, then I realized that the baby in both images is the same child. I'm not sure why he appears with two different women (although they do indeed strongly resemble one another) and two different girls, one older and one much younger. I think perhaps one is the mother and one is the aunt and cousin. It's fun to try to figure out their lives! These two are from England. I find the European Carte de Visites often have more detailed studio backgrounds and often the clothing is very expensive.

Double Takes

2011-01-06T17:20:00.000-08:00

I collect Cartes de Visites from the mid Victorian era. I am addicted to these little gems! I have lost track of how many I have, and have purchased nearly but not all of them from ebay. Once in a while I'd come across a seller selling cdvs of the same person or same family members in a combined lot, but not very often. Most cdv's I purchase are singles, and I've found matching people from different sellers at different times, which I find amazing.

On occasion, I've come across a cdv listing on ebay and thought, hmmm....that face looks awfully familiar! And lo and behold, I do indeed already possess that same person in my collection. Needless to say, I have an intrinsic need to keep these poor people together, so I give it my all in the bidding process to bring them home. Sadly, there have been some that have gotten away that I truly regret losing out on. This is the situation in the case of the images below.

They are of Amelie Beaufour, a little Parisian girl between 1861 and 1866. I lost out on her Confirmation photograph and her older sister's Confirmation photograph. I'm still peeved about it! The first four images you see here are the front and back of the Amelie Beaufour cdv's I have in my possession. The following three I found amazingly in a recent book purchase. I tried to contact the writer of the book and got nowhere. I really want these last three cdv's to keep them all together.

The following images of Amelie Beaufour are found in "Hats, Caps & Bonnets: 1855-1875; 12 Patterns for Dolls & An Illustrated History" by Marianne Burke.

Mademoiselle Beaufour was obviously a young lady of upper class, and her parents were able to have her portrait taken every year, and she's dressed to the nines in each image. Lucky girl! I do have more 'double takes' that I will post during the next few days. Amelie is my very favorite, because I am able to some degree watch this little girl grow up in another lifetime. Oh how I wish I were able to find more of her. I might get lucky!

New Year, new goals!

2011-01-02T07:48:00.000-08:00

Given that I am "post challenged" and have only posted lately when I've completed a little dolly, there's quite a span of time between posts! I'm a bad blogger and my resolution (meaning for about a week) is to be better about posting more frequently. In going over my blog and trying to see what's lacking, I realized that I neglect to share some of my other little hobbies and activities, which could certainly increase the number of posts between doll completions.

I've got about a million fabulous Cartes de Visites I've collected over the years, rotting away in their albums that I could dust off, and dresses made for antique dolls and for big people too!

However, in order to accomplish that goal, it's necessary for me to go trolling through my files and 'stuff', where I tend to get waylaid and forget why I'm there in the first place. When I 'snoop' through my own forgotten stuff, I could be gone for hours, days, weeks. So again, you might not hear from me till next month. But I'm trying, I swear to that.

I decided this Christmas vacation to relax and finally got a chance to go explore some amazing blogs I hadn't seen before, and that's so addicting! Like being in a candy store with nobody telling you to pack it in and go home already.

I have to spend a little time today on self-maintenance, meaning I can wait no longer to henna out the full 3/4 inch of gray hair that's crept up on me. Back to my real job tomorrow and I don't want to scare anyone. Heaven forbid they actually figure out I AM as old as I look. Of course, while I'm waiting for that henna to set, I'll be back exploring all the goodies you other fabulous bloggers have to offer! Should only take a few hours. Got another dolly drying out in the oven so I can't work on her, and I might as well enjoy myself this last day of vacation.

Thank you so much to all you wonderful people out there who take the time out of your day to keep up with what I'm doing, I really appreciate it! Have a wonderful, fabulous New Year, and don't kill yourself over those pesky resolutions. Before you know it, it'll be 2012 and you can make them all over again anyway. That's what I do.

A Happy and Prosperous, Peaceful New Year to all!

2010-12-31T23:17:00.000-08:00

Newest Izannah Walker style doll

2010-12-26T16:49:00.000-08:00

Sold

Here is my latest Izannah Walker style doll!

She's 18 inches tall, completely hand made from cloth and paperclay. I never use molds, and she's hand sculpted using photographs of original Izannah Walker dolls.

She comes with TWO dresses! Both are completely handsewn in the period correct manner. No shortcuts taken on clothing. Both dresses are made from early 19th century reproduction cotton, which has been treated to convey an antique patina.

Her blue dress features three growth pleats in the skirt, and short puffed sleeves.

She comes with complete underpinnings; drawers, petticoat and chemise. All are removeable.

She's available for sale through this site. If you are interested in purchasing her, have any questions or wish to see additional photographs, please email me: robinseggbleu@yahoo.com

Thanks so much for taking a peek at her!

How I spent my Thanksgiving Weekend

2010-11-27T22:04:00.000-08:00

Hope your weekend was as good as mine!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T09:34:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-21T19:19:00.000-08:00

Well folks, Turkey Time is nearly upon us, and this little gal is going to take full advantage of all that Thanksgiving brings; family, friends, love, delectable delights and yes, that good old overwhelming need children have to speed up Christmas.

She's stuffed her pretty little face with carbs, specially potatoes, stuffing, corn and bread, bread bread. Oh yes, let us not forget pumpkin pie. Slathered with homemade whipped cream. Being so young, and that she will never grow any larger, she can get away with this. I am green with envy and living vicariously through her.

She's wearing her special 'coral' necklace, which was commonly worn for good luck by Victorian children. She's also gearing up for the holiday mood by reading her little first edition 'copy' of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.

Oops...looks like she's overdosed on tryptophan (either that or carbohydrate poisoning) and she's about ready to tip over and pass out. Smelling salts, anyone?

She is available for adoption this evening on ebay for anyone who'd like to revive her!

Tried to put in my ebay link and it does NOT want to cooperate. If you're interested in this little gal and take a trip over to ebayland, my user name is: robinseggbleu

Finally, another dolly!

2010-11-03T22:51:00.000-07:00

Well, after what seemed an eternal summer of not doing anything fun creative wise...I finally got to make another dolly! And yes, she's another gal inspired by my favorite Victorian dollmaker, Izannah Walker. Who was likely, as am I...inspired by early 19th century primitive portrait paintings of children.

In the spirit of autumn I whipped up this little gal. Actually, whipping her up is a bit of a fib. I made her a year ago and submitted her to "Prims" Magazine. She finally got into the fall 2010 publication, and recently arrived back home in my mailbox. After not seeing her in so long, I was a bit shocked to see her again. She was, I hate to admit, a rush job, and it showed. Honestly, I didn't think she had a snowball's chance in hades of getting into the magazine...so I wasn't too worried about not handing in my best work. Oops. If you get a chance to peruse this edition, I highly recommend it. However, she's hiding in the back and doesn't want to be found. She's embarrassed that I let her out of the house in that condition.

To make amends, I gave her a new face that she and I both are much, much happier with. I haven't named her, but "Autumn" wouldn't be a terrible choice. Not too historical perhaps, but hey...I'm feelin' lazy this week.

As always, she's completely handmade (cloth and paperclay), handsculpted, her clothes are handsewn in the period correct manner. And she just got finished feeding the chickens. She's equally at home on the farm or in the city. She doesn't eat much either. With a sweet countenance to boot.

This little gal is now up for adoption and available on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180582983425

The Whaley House

2010-10-15T22:40:00.000-07:00

The Whaley House in the 1860's

One of my very favorite places in the world is the Historic Whaley House Museum here in San Diego, California. As Halloween approaches, I thought it'd be a nice idea to share my favorite haunt with you all. I have loved this home since driving past at the age of six (well okay, my mom was driving). It was the very first 'old fashioned' house I'd ever seen, growing up in a 1960's modern subdivision. It had me at first glance! I recall saying..."Mommy, what IS that place?" She shared with me a bit of it's history, and I knew I just had to get in there. I still recall what I wore on my first visit at the age of 12. The house was different then than it is now; it was a victim of midcentury restoration practices. But at least it was saved. Gone now are the early American reproduction light fixtures, the historic San Diego Trolley that sat in the yard, the ferns and hedges, the wagon wheel rose garden, the Woolworth Mannequins in Antebellum clothing frozen in a life size diorama behind plexiglass, and the dozens of lovely dollies in the nursery.

The Thomas Whaley Family in 1860: Thomas, Anna, Francis and baby Anna Jr.

The Whaley House is a pretty unique place. It was built on a site occupied by a ghost. It was built by ghosts. It was saved by ghosts. The Whaley House is in itself a ghost. I know...you're saying that's just not possible. But it IS! The house was built on property which had been San Diego's execution grounds, just outside 'town.' Really, a hop, skip and a jump from the main plaza. A new San Diego resident, young native New Yorker Thomas Whaley witnessed the hanging of "Yankee Jim" Robinson here in 1852. A somewhat botched hanging. A few years later, the property was available for purchase and Whaley, knowing what a good piece of land this was, went ahead and bought it. He probably didn't tell his bride to be that he'd be building their dream home on the towns hanging ground. You know how men are sometimes. What she didn't know certainly wouldn't hurt her...would it?

                                                                          The Parlor

So, Thomas began construction of this home in 1856. He built a two story brick Greek Revival 'showcase' home in the little dusty frontier pueblo...quite stately among the typical adobe style of construction. Thomas was a merchant, and was very good at making money. For a short while.  He built this home for his bride, fellow New Yorker Anna Eloise De Launay. They had six children: Francis, Thomas Jr., Anna Jr., George, Violet Eloise and Lillian. They had the best of everything; a Rockaway carriage with a span of sorrels, brussels carpets, mahogany furnishings, etc. They also had a ghost...Yankee Jim Robinson apparently liked to stomp around in his heavy ghostly boots.

Now, perhaps it's not a good idea to build upon bloodstained ground.   As quickly as the Whaley's dream lifestyle began it came to a careening halt. The Whaley's lost their store to an arsonist...next, they lost their second son Thomas to Scarlet Fever at 18 months in the house. Employment continued to elude a bitter, depressed Thomas Whaley. Son George fell into alcoholism. Their daughter Violet Eloise committed suicide, shooting herself in the outhouse and subsequently dying in the same room her brother baby Thomas died in.   The Whaley's granddaughter Theresa Eloise died at the age of 10...their 3 year old great granddaughter Marion Eloise ingested ant poison at the house which was fatal. Lots of family tragedy.   Was the property cursed? Was the family name of Eloise cursed? Who knows. But at any rate...there's been ghostly goings on and bumps in the night in the place since it was built.

The home was the most unique in southern California at the time. It was the County Seat; the north annex of the home housed San Diego's courtroom. It was the site of San Diego's first commercial theater, home of "The Tanner Troupe." The home housed Thomas' general store. For all the work Thomas put into the house, they certainly didn't live here much. They moved to San Francisco in 1858 after the death of little Thomas. Returned in 1868 and left again in 1885. Returned to live out their years after the turn of the 20th century. The home sat alternately rented or unoccupied during the Whaley's absence..

Thomas Whaley passed away in 1890 in another home he'd built in "New Town" San Diego. Anna Whaley, the matriarch, died in the Whaley House in 1913, followed by her eldest son Francis a year later. Their daughter Lillian resided primarily alone in the house until her death in 1953. The house sat abandoned and slowly decayed.

The Whaley House was slated for demolition in the late 1950's. Thankfully, this unique home was saved at the 11th hour by a fledgling group of preservationists. It was opened as a museum in 1960. Unfortunately, Old Town San Diego was 'the other side of the tracks' at the time and business was NOT booming. It appeared that the Whaley House Museum would have to close it's doors.

Once again, at the proverbial 11th hour, the home was again saved. By GHOSTS.   Suddenly, little ghost stories began slipping out and appearing in the San Diego Union. Predictably, interest in the old brick house picked up. A San Diego television personality named Regis Philbin agreed to do a fluff piece on the house and spend the night there. And the rest is history. Famed ghosthunter Hans Holzer further publicized the house. The operators even came up with a claim that the California Chamber of Commerce had declared the Whaley House an 'official' haunted house.

Who is haunting this house, you may wonder? Well, there's the builder, good old Thomas Whaley himself, his wife Anna, their daughter Violet, possibly the baby Thomas, and of course that scurrilous scoundrel Yankee Jim Robinson. The original operators apparently made a deal with the Whaley descendants not to discuss either Violet's suicide or little Marion's poisoning. Instead, they put them in the ghostly witness protection program and came up with alternate identities for their spirits.

The apparition of a suicidal woman holding a knife became 'someone affiliated with the theater', and the ghostly little girl who runs about the property became a neighbor child who ran into a low lying clothesline.

The Tanner Troupe Theater

The Whaley House is now operated by the Save Our Heritage Organisation, and among the restoration and improvements they've made to the property, they've also been able to provide many missing puzzle pieces and tell us the truth about the Whaley family...their accomplishments, their joys, their tragedies. So we know much more now about the spirits who seem to continue to reside within the house's walls.

Many people come to the Whaley House to see a 'ghost'....and walk away thinking they haven't. But they have. The Whaley House is in itself a ghost. It's depicts a way of life and a time that we can glimpse but not fully get our hands on. No matter the quality, authenticity and beauty of the restoration, in order for us to visit this wonderful place... there are velvet ropes keeping us out of parlors, docents instead of residents, spectators instead of gracious visitors. There is no cashier in the general store, no judge pounding a gavel in the courtroom, the theater stage stands empty. The organ and guitar are unplayed. No dishes or laundry or babies being washed in the kitchen tin tub. No laundry drying on the line in the sunshine outside. The stove stands ice cold. No plump little hands to propel the dolls in their carriage. The pitter patter of little feet have disappeared; replaced by the running stomps of teenage ghosthunters. The flicker of candlelight has given way to camera flashes.

The Whaley & Crosthwaite General Store

I don't know if the Whaley House has ever experienced peace...except when abandoned. I know there were some happy times in the place, and I prefer to imagine the family in their rare moments of bliss. Others like to focus on the tragedies. Or the furniture...the wallpaper, the antiques, the architecture...or the spirits.

Whatever your interests in an old place, if you are ever in San Diego, please do come visit this awesome home. And while you may not see the Whaleys.....you can be sure they are probably watching you! For more information on the Whaley House Museum, it's history and it's restoration, please visit: http://www.whaleyhouse.org/ and it's operators, The Save Our Heritage Organisation: http://sohosandiego.org/

Where've I been? In a sweatshop of my own making.

2010-10-10T20:32:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to post anything in a while, and it occured to me that perhaps one or two of you may wonder if perhaps I've perished and am now floating about on the other side of the veil. Sometimes I wish I were, but not as yet....I've merely become a self-imposed hermit hunched over a Dickensian dimly lit sewing machine in my own little magical sweatshop of my own creation. And I am completely, positively burned out.

Why, you ask? Because though I appear to be made of human flesh, my atoms consist primarily of jute and rubber. What I really am, is a doormat. And while I am thought to possess a rather broad vocabulary for something one wipes their feet upon...there is one word I have not been able to master vocalizing:   "NO."

Lets just say I've been inundated with requests for large scale custom sewing projects over the last few months that have taken up literally every free moment of my time. I work 60 hours a week in my 'day' job, so what precious little free time I have, I prefer to spend on my loved ones and my dollmaking. But...there's that inability to say 'no' to friends and family that prevented this. I know, I know...it's my own fault.

I spoke with three costumers yesterday, and I find I am in good company. Seems any one who has worked hard to master sewing skills is literally inundated by constant good natured requests for favors. And to keep their sanity, they've all had to learn not only to edit what they do, but also to firmly state the word "NO." To family, friends and foes alike. Specifically so that their family and friends do not become their foes.

I have come to the conclusion that in order for me to be able to live a remotely happy life, I need to start making some big changes. My time is so very, very limited and precious, and I really don't get anything out of sewing slipcovers, pillowcases, sanitary napkin belts or custom clothing.   Slipcovers and gowns take up too much real estate in my 400 square foot cottage. It's a pain to have to try to lay out fabric for these and crawl around on the floor pining pattern pieces to fabric. Furthermore, I rarely get paid for these 'favors'. Sure, there's the occasional treat to lunch or trinket in a lovely little bag.   And that's very sweet. I do appreciate them. But a much needed paycheck in a bad economy, these are not.

Most of these individual 'favors' each require about 45 man hours of labor on my part. I need to think about my retirement and I will be on the streets in a few years if I continue to give up all my free time for free. I find it has become a burden I no longer wish to deal with. It makes me cranky. This causes residual crankiness on the part of my husband. It's affecting my marriage.   At some point, something has to give.

I realize that most if not all of my loved ones will still love me and keep me around when I finally tell them the dreaded "no". And anyone who disappears upon hearing it...well, I suppose they aren't worth keeping around anyway.

So, I'm condemning my sweatshop and closing it down. No more sewing favors, no more freebies. No more sewing services, period. I just don't have time. Unless, of course, I raised you from infancy. I've raised six of these gals so I need to limit even them, cause that can add up to a lot of halloween costumes, prom dresses, wedding gowns and christening gowns. I'm seriously banking on them only wanting designer gowns and taking their business to a showroom floor and not my front porch. Seriously. Thank goodness their ages are pretty evenly staggered.

What I want to do with my spare time now is focus on my dollmaking. So that's what I'm going to do. And I'm going to love every minute of it!

By the way...Stampington has been gracious enough to include a bit of my older work in their new publication "Prims", the October 2010 edition. Eh...I don't make dolls like the ones you'll see in this issue anymore, and truth be told, at this moment I am currently giving them each a new face! But it's nice to be included among the company of the really great artists you'll see in this magazine!

They were sweet enough to ask for more submissions for their Spring 2011 issue, and since there's a fairly close deadline for that, I'm going to have to really hustle. So...clearly I don't have time to make those pillowshams for my husband. Sorry honey...I don't sew pillowshams anymore.

New little cabinet sized friends!

2010-08-08T17:37:00.000-07:00

Here are my two newest little friends!

They are 10.5 and 5.5 inches tall and come sitting in their own comfy little windsor arm chair. Yes, the windsor arm chair that blended in so well with my black background that it appears invisible. But it's there...I swear it. While at one time I was head docent in a haunted house museum, my dolls can't levitate. Not yet anyway.

These gals are, as is the usual case, looking for a new home!

They're both made of paperclay handsculpted over a handsewn cloth body.

Their clothing is, as alway, completely handsewn in the historically correct manner. Their frocks are documented 19th century reproduction cottons, stained to convey an aged appearance. Their underpinnings are vintage linen with lace.

You can pay them a visit at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180544465214

So sorry to be redundant with my posts, but....

2010-07-13T21:08:00.000-07:00

I am not the best photographer, and I took the prior photos of this doll set in the evening. Got a request on ebay that I shoot some more photos of the doll in real light. Can't figure out how to post them on ebay because there's a bid on the doll now and ebay said, "No Robin, you don't get to post additional pictures!"
So, I figured the next best thing is to stick 'em on here in case anyone wants to see the daylight versions. These were taken late afternoon, because well, I work and can't bring dollys with me to take photos of during the middle of the day. They do look a bit different in differing light sources.

Izzy in Pink

2010-07-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

I love pink. Not "Barbie" pink, but sweet pinks! I've been wanting to use this fabulous 19th century reproduction cotton for ages, and finally made a dolly to wear it!

This little Izannah is bigger than my normal dolls, she's 18 inches tall. More or less, the standard size for the original dolls that inspired this one. She comes with her own itty bitty Izzy too!

She's paperclay over cloth body, clothes all handsewn in period correct manner.

I have to say, I think I like this doll best of all the dolls I've made.

She's available on ebay tonight if anyone else out there likes pink as much as I do!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180532486390

Newest Primitive Izannah Walker style doll

2010-06-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

Here is my newest Izannah Walker style doll. She's hand sculpted from paperclay over a cloth body. I never use molds. I went a little grittier this time and aged her a bit more, along with her clothing to give her a more primitive appearance.

She's 16 inches tall, and can sit or stand. She likes to read, and has her own little first edition copy of "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland."

Her little blue gingham handsewn dress has been stained to give it an aged patina.

She's got on nice little underpinnings, which include a pleated lace petticoat and drawstring drawers.

Her little balmoral boots are sculpted onto her feet, and she's wearing her favorite (I mean MY favorite, because all my dolls wear these) handpainted striped stockings. No self-respecting Victorian gal went out without her striped stockings! She comes with her book and a stand, hand painted to copy a carpet/floorcloth depicted in several early American primitive portraits of children. She was created in a smoke and pet free environment.

She's currently listed on ebay, looking for a good home! Please pay her a visit at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180526272278

Little Boy Bleu

2010-05-31T15:03:00.000-07:00

It's Memorial Day today. Many of us have lost a father, brother, husband, partner, daughter or son in the line of duty to our country. I lost my father. He was a United States Navy fighter pilot, and he was killed in 1973 when I was 11 years old.

I don't usually make 'boy' dolls, but in the spirit of this day, I decided a month or so ago to make a little boy. Every young man who has fought for this country was once just a wee innocent little boy, playing with his toys, blissfully unaware of what would be expected of him in just a few short years...and unaware of what he would be willing to sacrifice for future generations of little boys and girls. Because of my dad, who was once just little Dickie Dan...riding his tricycle and making paper airplanes, I made Little Boy Bleu in honor of the thousands of little boys who had to become men too soon, and who, like my dad gave up their lives for us.

I took my inspiration for this doll from an old primitive folk art portrait, painted I presume about 1850. I really immediately connected with the naive simplicity of it. And while I realize that many will think this is a girl, he definitely is not. We can tell from his side part and the whip he's holding. Most little boys in the Victorian era were dressed nearly identical to little girls.

It's most likely this little fellow, who was approximately 3-5 years old in the painting, found himself on one side or the other of the bloodiest war this country has ever been involved in. He'd have been about 15 years old at the time of the Civil War. Whether he was from the north or south, he was old enough to fight, and it's likely he did not came home in one piece, if at all. He was scared, exhausted, starving and sick, and wanted nothing more than to go home, hug his mama and be a kid again.

In this painting, the little boy is holding a whip and a pull toy. The image of the pull toy is obscured so I took creative license and decided it must have been a horse, which was very popular during that era. Plus, you'd need a whip for a horse, wouldn't you?

I made Little Boy Bleu's dress to emulate the dress in the painting, from reproduction cotton fabric in use from 1820-1860. It's completely handsewn in the period correct manner. I made him with a cloth body and head handsculpted from Paperclay, a clay form of papier mache.

I made his horse from Paperclay as well. I don't 'do' animals, and thus far have made one snake, a Cheshire Cat and this horse. It's handsculpted and painted to give it some aged patina. My wonderful husband was nice enough to help me construct it's little pull base. Difficult to tell in this photo, but I painted the stand base to emulate the carpet the little boy is standing on in the painting.

Since I don't have room for Little Boy Bleu, and in hoping that someone out there has a special place for him in their heart and home, he's available on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180514976996

Dolly Blasts from my past.....part 1

2010-05-21T19:14:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty busy lately with non-dolly things. Feel bad about not posting anything. The other night, I started reminiscing about my childhood and the close friends I shared it with, and thought it might be nice to document them while I can still remember who was who!

I know I received dolls from about age 3, but do not recall nor have photographic evidence of any dolls in my 'toddlerhood.' But I DO recall vividly at age 4, that my parents stuffed me and my two little sisters into a station wagon, to go see our very first movie. "Mary Poppins" was my first movie, my first drive-in movie, and my first doll of memory. I was madly in love with Mary Poppins. In 1965, I remember receiving her for Christmas, and while there IS a photo of me with her, I cannot for the life of me locate it at the moment. Favorite doll EVER. I'm still in love with Mary Poppins.

Betsy Wetsy

Santa brought Betsy into my life in 1966. I snuck downstairs in the middle of the night to see what Santa left me, brought my precious Betsy back upstairs and into my top bunk. I must have snuck too many of the Christmas cookies adorning the tree that my mother had made...for I lost those cookies in the middle of the night, all over Betsy's face. Her 'crying' eyes were filled with barf. They rusted and never worked again.

Tutti and Todd

I got these two little sugar lovin' tots when I got my tonsils out in 1966. Like Tutti and Todd, I too enjoyed many ice cream and gelatanous treats to soothe my sore throat.

American Girl Barbie

My first Barbie doll ever. Dad brought her home from Westpac in Japan in 1967. I think she was one of the first with the 'bendable' legs. My dad always brought home special treats to his girls when he came home from overseas. He got a big kick out of the Japanese toy stores and loved shopping there and playing Santa Claus.

Got a few more old friends to share in the next couple of days.

Itty Bitty Izzie Sissy's

2010-04-25T10:54:00.001-07:00

Here are my two newest Izannahs. They are sisters, and itty bitty creatures they are. I made them simultaneously, and they refuse to be separated. They're pretty demanding.

They are approximately 5.5 and 6 inches tall.

They have taken some sort of oath of silence and absolutely refuse to tell me their names.

All I really know about them is that they are completely hand made from cloth with hadsculpted paperclay heads (and I only know this because I made them), and are wearing handsewn Civil War reproduction fabric cotton dresses (scraps I had lying in my drawers that I loved too much to throw out), and undergarments made from vintage fabric.

These teensy tots are a little high maintenance...they want a new home with better furniture than my circa 1976 Ideal* cheap plastic Jody Victorian Doll set. Even though I repainted the tacky purple plastic sofa that had lost nearly all of it's 'velvet' flocking for these picky gals, there was a diminutive revolt. Early this morning, I stepped on a straight pin that had been strategically placed in the rug impaled through a tiny note...with little words cut out and pasted on it. They must have gotten into my cabinets and excised the tiny words from various jars and bottles that I need a magnifying glass to read.

You should have seen their list of demands: Wooden four poster bed with quilt AND linens

Velvet settee

Table and chair set

China tea set

A HOUSE!

Preferably... Greek Revival, but Queen Anne will suffice as a second choice.

Are they kidding? Don't they understand the California real estate situation? A Victorian doll house is a huge money pit. Pretty pricey to furnish. Furthermore, if I HAD the money for a Victorian house, I really must insist upon being able to fit inside of it.

How greedy of them. With their champagne appetites on my vintage cheap plastic budget.

I politely informed them that if they don't appreciate the facilities here, they will have to leave. They wholeheartedly agreed.

They are now available on ebay!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180499063486

Hallie Quinn Brown

2010-04-04T20:05:00.000-07:00

I don't know how I found this amazing woman, I think somehow, she found me. Her story is incredible. Hallie Quinn Brown was born between 1845 and 1850 in Pennsylvania, to freed slaves, Thomas Arthur Brown and Frances Jane Scroggins. Her grandparents on both sides were caucasian plantation owners. Given the way of plantation life, that doesn't seem too surprising. Hallie's mother was given her freedom from her grandfather, who was a Revolutionary War officer. What's rather unbelievable is how Hallie's father attained his freedom. Thomas Brown was forced to purchase his freedom from his own parent. From his own MOTHER. She was a Scottish plantation owner, and his father was the black overseer. I cannot fathom a mother choosing to enslave her own child, and make him PAY her for his freedom. Oh, I suppose societal restrictions gave her little choice in the matter. But still...she could have given him his freedom instead of trying to make a buck off of it. I'm guessing Hallie wasn't too close to Grandma.

Whatever their upbringing, fortunately for Hallie's parents, they both received good educations. They became educators themselves, and were actively involved in the Underground Railroad. In a home of educated freed slaves, naturally Hallie was well educated, and graduated from Wilberforce University in Ohio. She became a teacher, with a focus on providing/improving literacy among former slave children. Hallie worked with Booker T. Washington, authored several books, traveled as a lecturer on African American culture, speaking before Queen Victoria. Hallie was instrumental in the preservation and maintenance of Frederick Douglass' home as a museum in Washington, D.C. What a woman!

Naturally, I was inspired by Hallie in the creation of this doll. She's Hallie too. I know, I know, another Izannah Walker style doll. I'm addicted. I tried to depict Hallie during her childhood, in the late 1850's/early 1860's. Hallie is wearing a cotton 1840 reproduction fabric dress in the style popular during her childhood. Hallie is completely handmade of fabric and paperclay. I never use molds. Her clothing is completely handsewn, in the historical manner.

Hallie has her own rag doll, which I believe she helped her mother create. Little girls learned sewing at their mother's knee, often by sewing rag dolls and their little doll dresses. Hallie's doll is very primitive in appearance, as all rag dolls of the time were. Her stand is painted to resemble both a quilt as well as the floorcloths popular at the time.

For more information on my little Hallie, please pay her a little visit on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180490112297

She's looking for a new home, because the earthquake she trembled through this afternoon scared the daylights out of her, and she's not certain California is a safe place right now!

Martha and her little itty bitty Izzy

2010-03-15T20:19:00.000-07:00

I found online a daguerreotype of a child believed to be Martha Chase holding her own Izannah Walker doll. I was inspired by this image to make my own with her own itty bitty Izzy!

Because I do not have the right to use the image of the dag, I cannot post it here. But it can be seen on the Dolls of Yore Izannah Walker picturetrail. It's adorable! She's got fat little cheeks, sausage curls and pale blue eyes. Her doll is pretty awesome too!

So I thought I'd make my own little version. My Martha has pale eyes too! She's 15 inches tall, and her dolly is 6 inches tall. They're both made of cloth with paperclay heads, handsculpted...clothing handsewn of early 19th century reproduction fabrics.

If you'd like more information on little Martha and her dolly, please visit my ebay listing. They'd really enjoy a new home...preferably one with a nice tea set, because they love little tea parties.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180481828718

Go Ask Alice.....

2010-02-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

I LOVE Alice. Always have, always will.

I love that sneaky kitty of hers too.

So I made one. Actually, the Cheshire Cat was made a couple of years ago for an IOLCC Dimensions In Dollmaking show. He was made to taunt my adult Alice Liddell that her youth was far behind her, could never get those Wonderland days back, and the clock keeps ticking.

But I ravaged that Alice and remade her into poor recluse Emily Dickinson, and poor Cheshire Cat was stuffed into a drawer. I couldn't bear to toss him. Thank you Johnny Depp, for giving me an idea with which to revive poor Chessy and give him a new victim to taunt.

So, here's my new Alice, young, clueless and completely innappropriately attired for crawling down rabbit holes. Her mother will have her head for dirtying that dress.

And the sneaky Cheshire Cat is enjoying every moment of imagining Alice choosing the switch off the tree which will remind her that young ladies do NOT soil their expensive dresses whilst canoodling with unsavory characters who drink "tea" and smoke hookahs. And hang out with little girls taking lots and lots and LOTS of photos of them.

Poor Mr. Dodgson. So very misunderstood I suppose. We may never really know why he hung out with little kids, or what he was smoking, besides a pipe. But he did leave a fabulous story, and an intriguing mystery...why DID Mrs. Liddell suddenly forbid contact between her children, specifically Alice, and Charles Dodgson? And why did he publish the stories he invented for Alice under 'Lewis Carroll'? Perhaps to distance his book from any rumors possibly circulating regarding the sudden cutoff between he and the Liddells? The only way to find out is to go ask Alice, for I should think she knows.

More information regarding my Alice and Cheshire Cat are available on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180474827709

Beatrice

2010-02-07T10:30:00.001-08:00

I'd like to introduce Beatrice, my newest little Izannah Walker inspired doll.

Beatrice is named for Beatrice Harraden, a writer born in London in 1864. Her debut novel, "Ships That Pass In The Night" was published in 1893. A love story set in a tuberculosis sanatorium, I imagine to be quite the tear jerker...a 'la "Love Story." Not certain I could get through reading it. Beatrice wrote 11 novels, and was heavily involved women's rights, publishing her work in the suffragette paper "Votes For Women". She passed from this world in 1936.

My little Beatrice is made from paperclay over a cloth body, is handsculpted and wears a completely handmade frock of glazed cotton in a lovely deep shade of madder red.

She's got a lovely petticoat with tiny pintucks and lace, drawers (what self-respecting little gal wouldn't?) and painted striped stockings with little handsculpted balmoral boots.

Beatrice is for sale on ebay, and if anyone cares to give her a good home, she'd surely appreciate it! She's all dressed for Valentines, so she is of course under the impression she's going to some big fancy party... so I hope someone takes pity on her and she doesn't suffer the horrific dreaded female condition of 'all dressed up and nowhere to go'. Besides, if she doesn't sell, I'm just gonna stick her in a drawer and forget about her. I tend to be rather neglectful of little dolls who, through no fault of their own remain trapped in my nest.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP.dll?ViewItem&item=180466741111...

Thanks so much for looking, and please, as always...pardon my incredible lack of photography skills.

Arabella

2010-01-19T20:38:00.000-08:00

Another Izannah Walker inspired dolly, made from paperclay over cloth. I decided to mix it up a little and give her ginger hair...oh, what do they call it? Titian, I believe.

Kept the crackle patina to a minimum this time, and I like it better this way. Sometimes, less is more. Her frock is completely handsewn in the period correct manner and style of the mid 19th century from 1860 reproduction fabric. Once again, I assigned my better half the task of selecting the dress fabric, even though I already had decided what I liked best for this particular doll. He chose the same fabric! He's done this successfully for the last two dolls I've made, so he's been hired! Now he wants to accompany me to the fabric store. While I suppose I should be pleased as punch, I do view that domain as MY turf. Not so sure I want to share it!

Arabella is now available on ebay if anyone is interested in giving her a good home!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAP.dll?ViewItem&item=180458895927...

I always name my girls after someone I find to be an inspirational historical person, and I named this doll after Arabella Mansfield. That's her you see above. Arabella or 'Belle', was an Iowan, and was the first woman to pass the bar exam in 1868. She was the first woman admitted to the bar in 1869...and the first woman to practice law in the WORLD. That's a pretty incredible position to hold! Belle was once just a little Victorian girl playing with her dolls, and look what she became, and the road she paved for all women the world over.

Return To Cranford

2010-01-17T16:59:00.001-08:00

My favorite group of middling, yet helpful ladies, the women of Cranford will be keeping me fine company this evening as I settle in for a second helping of Return To Cranford! What can I say but yippy skippy! I LOVE this series...well written drama and humor, great characters, fabulous costuming!

Last week left us mourning the loss of the formidable Lady Ludlow...and the return of her absent and incredibly selfish son , Lord Septimus. Which for faithful viewers of Cranford, was actually his introduction. Finally he shows up, just in time to bury mommy and collect his winnings. A more self-centered twit there never was....but wait, there's something awfully familiar about Lord Septimus...

Initially, I couldn't put my finger on it, but gosh darn it, Septimus was really reminding me of someone unpleasant. Where on earth had I seen him before? And then I realized with great horror, he is closely related to another selfish twit...

Mr. Henry Salt. No wonder Veruca's such a witch. It's genetic.
I must admit, I found it pretty amusing that Roy Kinnear, famous father of Veruca Salt, the most spoiled brat in movie history would sire Lord Septimus, the most spoiled brat of BBC bonnet dramas, Rory Kinnear! No wonder Lord Septimus looked so darned familiar. I can almost picture his snotty little pug face muttering to Lady Ludlow .... "I want it NOW, MUMMY". Can't wait for tonights installment!
I want it on NOW!

The Young Victoria

2010-01-15T16:53:00.000-08:00

I recently attended a showing of the new film "The Young Victoria." Though I LIVE for the proverbial 'bonnet drama', I was apprehensive about seeing this film...I'd heard they added drama that never took place, and I cannot abide that in a historical biographical film. I also was not sure about the casting: Emily Blunt as Victoria seemed a bit of a fanciful stretch. A talented actress, no doubt. But could she pull off the role of one of the most famous women in the history of Brittany?

I have to say, phony dramatic scenes and much too pretty of an actress in the lead role aside, that I did indeed enjoy the film. The costuming was amazing, and I'm thrilled they showed Victoria's slippers. You don't typically see the footware in these romantic era films. I did feel that Ms. Blunt did work hard to capture the essence of the young girl who became queen.

And I enjoyed the fact that Prince Andrew's daughter Beatrice was able to have at least a momentary role in the film about her great great etc etc..grandmother. But when I saw her, for that split second on screen, I noticed something I'd not noticed before;

Princess Beatrice looks a hell of a lot more like Queen Victoria than Emily Blunt ever will. Bless her royal little heart.

I am now curious to see whether or not The Young Beatrice has any acting chops, because I think she'd be fabulous featured as the young queen in a documentary film...are you listening, Fergie?

Althea

2010-01-03T15:48:00.001-08:00

I've been neglecting to do anything remotely creative this holiday season other than making gifts for other people, and not really anything for 'me'....

Which is probably pretty typical for most people this time of year!

I did sell a couple of doll dresses on ebay a couple of weeks ago, but those were dresses that'd been as usual, lying around in my drawers for some time!

Went to Las Vegas over the Christmas holiday (can you think of a less 'Godly' place to spend Christmas?) And I was bored silly! Not my thing, I suppose. Sort of wasted on someone like me who doesn't drink, smoke, party or gamble. I couldn't wait to get back home and start on a new dolly!

Started on this little one New Years Eve and finished her up today! This is Althea (yes, I'm still on "A" names), she's a little smaller than my other Izannah type babies, about 13.5 inches instead of 16. She's named after a lady who's house I had to clean up after she passed on. Althea lived to be nearly 100, never married, lived alone until she died. She was a career girl, independent, a world traveler, an adventurer, gorgeous... and dressed to the nines. In her home I found fabulous clothing she'd saved from the 1940's, guns, and gold mining equipment. She must have been an extremely interesting woman. She had no family left to speak of, save a brother and his wife who had no interest in any of her personal things, letters, photographs, etc. Just send any cash and jewelry, please. So sad. I hope that while she has no one of her own to remember her, somehow, she knows that I do, and I had a fabulous time getting to know her!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-24T08:06:00.001-08:00

God Bless Us, Everyone

Where ever you are, whatever your creed, and however you celebrate this Holiday Season, I wish you peace and joy.

Christmas Meme

2009-12-08T20:48:00.000-08:00

I saw this evening on another blog I follow a fabulous idea: The Christmas Meme. So I thought, since I have been busy with other things besides posting here, this would be a good way to swing back into it!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

BOTH! Have you never put egg nog in your hot chocolate? Or your coffee? Better yet, egg nog and Amaretto. Even better, hot chocolate, egg nog and Amaretto.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or place them under the tree?

In my world, Santa NEVER wraps. How are you supposed to tell what he left if his gifts blend in with everyone else's? Nooo. The good stuff is displayed out in the open...and the 'useful' gifts from Mom and Dad are wrapped, i.e. pajamas, underwear, socks, clothes.

3. Lights on the tree: colored or white?

The more lights, the better. White, colored, who cares? The important thing is, there are lights.

4. Mistletoe?

We never did mistletoe. My parents had six girls, one boy. Did we want to have to kiss HIM? Heck no. I was not burdened by the potentially embarrasing idea of mistletoe until working as a docent in a historic house museum. They hang it there, and this one new docent who was beyond creepy AND wife shopping tried to talk me into standing under it. I'd like to think I let him down gently, but he did slam the 150 year old front door on his way out.

5. When to begin decorating?

My dad had a fabulous tradition that my mom let die the moment he did. I know that doesn't sound nice, but hey, what mother of 7 children wants to have to wait until Christmas Eve to drag the kids out to the tree farm (remember those?) to pick out the Charley Brown-iest snaggletoothed arbor, drag it home, set it up, string the lights, let the kids pile on approximately 3 packages of tinsel within a square foot radius, AND bake cookies to hang on the tree as well. Not to mention, the driving around the neighborhood looking at the exterior lights the rest of the world had the forethought to hang BEFORE Christmas Eve...for our viewing pleasure. Not to mention the labor waiting for the parentals after they managed to get us all in bed for the night.

My tradition? Decorate as soon as ethically possible, which means the day after Thanksgiving. I find it easier to just leave the decorations up all year. Less work. I haven't made it an entire year, but once I did decide at tax time perhaps I should take them down.

6. Favorite Christmas Dish?

My family makes Mexican food. While we are not Hispanic, we're smart enough to know it's the best food on the planet. It just doesn't get any better. And my sister makes this terrific casserole (formerly coined 'Chicken Tijuana') only twice a year: Christmas and Easter. When we noticed that it was deemed acceptable to prepare this culinary masterpiece solely on religious holidays, we named it appropriately: at Christmas it's called "Chicken Christ is Kickin". On Easter, it's "Chicken Christ is Risen." Hope that doesn't offend anyone. We say it with love.

7. Favorite Holiday Memory?

Oddly it was the year I figured out there wasn't a Santa. My youngest siblings (twins) were about a year and a half old. So there was a wide range of kids from age 8 to toddlers. More kids, more fun! And toddler people are party pleasers anytime of year. Plus, it's the first one I really remember clearly, being 8. My dad and Gramps made us a giant dollhouse that had four huge rooms, it stacked in all these cool ways. They made it big enough for 6 girls and one slightly effeminate boy to crowd in front of at once. Some of the furniture was 'real', meaning plastic, and some my mom made from household items. The house had the grooviest wallpaper...sooo very late 1960's. Somehow, my sister Kathy and I scored two groovy go-go dresses that matched the wallpaper pretty darned closely. But then again, most home and fashion textiles of that era were affected by Timothy Leary in some form or another.

8. When did you find out the truth about Santa?

Again, I was 8 years old. I'd found, whilst accidentally on purpose snooping for evidence that would prove my friends theories correct on the reality of parent as Santa...several boxes of Barbie Bedroom Suite furniture under my parents bed. Really Mom, you WANTED me to figure it out, didn't you? Out of their 7, my parents had 3 of the nosiest kids on the planet. You don't plant Mattel Barbie boxes under your bed in November unless you want your kids to finally give YOU credit for the glory Santa's been getting for nearly a decade.

Plus, I'd have had to be an idiot to believe that Santa made all that stuff you can get in any store up in his workshop. An even bigger idiot to believe that his elves made doll furniture from egg cartons and empty soup cans covered in fabric you recognize from the Easter dress your mom made. I guess having 7 kids wears out one's ability for stealth in the Christmas department.

9. Snow: Love it or Hate it?

I love it, as long as I don't have to be in it.

10. Can you ice skate?

Heaven's no.

11. Favorite Gift?

My favorite gift was one I never 'really' got. My dad was a straight laced Catholic who would allow us to wear a go-go dress (as long as our knees didn't show) but would NEVER permit us to wear the fashion necessity commonly referred to as the 'go-go boot'. He was the meanest Dad ever. Nor were we allowed to chew gum under any circumstances. That's another story. When I was 11, there were three shoebox sized boxes under the tree for me, Kathy and Debbie. In my father's handwriting on each box: "Open Last." Which of course we did. Three pairs of black go-go boots. Heaven. He'd relented and was only the coolest Dad EVER. One problem...mine were waaayyyyy too small. My parents were too busy with 7 kids to ever get around to exchanging my boots, so I never got to wear them...and soon after my Dad was killed in a plane crash. My favorite childhood present were those boots that never fit. No..it was the look on my Dad's face when I opened them. That's the best gift I got as a kid.

12. Most important thing about Christmas?

Family. The bigger, the better. The noisier, the best.

13. Favorite Tradition?

My Dad (that old stick in the mud) HATED it when people ripped open their presents all at once. We were never allowed to do this. We all sat in a circle, and the smallest children who had most recently learned to read were given the task of passing out the gifts to all. We all took turns, one gift at a time, around the circle opening and sharing with everyone what was received. And nary a thankyou was forgotten. I loved that...it was exciting and maddening at the same time. My Dad was a smart guy, who loved the idea of anticipation and appreciation of receiving a gift. I'd never do it any other way.

14. Giving or Receiving?

When I was a kid, of course it was receiving. But once I had kids, it never occured to me to ask for anything. Because I already had it. I much prefer giving, it's an adrenaline rush.

15. Favorite Christmas Song?

That's a tough one. I've got three: "O Holy Night", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "Silent Night." Specifically by Manheim Steamroller (Silent Night...not the others).

16. Saddest Christmas Song?

Again, a tough one to pin down. ' Mary Did You Know' brings a tear to my eye. But what will send me over the edge and one that I don't like to hear on the radio on the way to work as I will arrive in tears with everyone thinking my husband must be beating me instead of believing that it really was a Christmas song...is "Silent Night" by aforementioned Manheim Steamroller. Those violins actually tear at my heartstrings, and at the end, where the wind is whooshing and you can hear the bells jingle on Santa's sleigh brings back all my childhood Christmas memories to a weird little video playing in my head.

It's pretty much my everything as far as Christmas songs go. I see the nativity set my mom made in ceramics class. The weird cone shaped Wisemen on the mantle with the silky angel hair we were forbidden to touch because it could cut our fingers. The sounds of dishes being washed down in the kitchen while we lay in bed waiting for our parents to hurry up and get to bed so Santa could come. The creaky steps we gingerly avoided treading on as we snuck downstairs to see our presents under the tree, and the excitement with which we quickly raced back up to report to the others (who were too much of a weenie to risk getting caught out of bed) what treasures lay below. Of getting dressed up in new dresses our Mom made and new patent leather maryjane shoes for church. Of seeing the Baby Jesus at the altar and wishing we could pick him up and hold him. And of coming home, sitting around in a circle and opening our presents...and of the two people who made that all possible.

17. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum?

Now, I'm a person who believes a Christmas tree should be laden with candy canes. I will never eat them, but they ARE useful for stirring hot chocolate...specifically hot chocolate that's been laced with Amaretto, Irish Cream....and egg nog.

Where have I been?

2009-11-16T20:09:00.000-08:00

Well, once again I've been a delinguent blogger. Every once in a while that happens. I get sick, somebody else gets sick, one of my kids does some unimaginably foolish thing, etc......ugh!

At any rate, I have been doing some dollmaking, it's just taken me longer to get anything done lately. Really liking the Izannah Walker dollies, they're somewhat addictive! My wonderful sister notified me that her friends at Stampington Co (Art Doll Quarterly) are premiering a new magazine on Primitives, and she suggested I make a submission.

So, with three weeks before their submission deadline, I started my two dollies. Not sure that they will actually be considered anything near to 'primitive', but hey, I gave it a shot.

So this morning I boxed up my two dollies and drove them up to Laguna Niguel, where I bid my just last night finished dollies farewell for the next few months.

Anna

Yep, I'm still doing "A" names for my girls. I tried a bit more crackle on these two girls, hoping it would deem them more 'primitive'. Not sure if it worked. But I like her just the same. Anna's got coral beads, the kind little children typically wore for good luck in the early Victorian era.

Anna's dressed in a Civil War reproduction cotton, fabric I've had laying around in my drawers for the last 5 years. Tried to make a quilt from this, never finished. Glad I saved the remnants, just the right amount for a little dollie.

Amelia

Like Anna, Amelia is wearing Civil War reproduction cotton and antique lace at the neckline. Both girls are wearing the typical gathered bodice, Amelia's got puffed sleeves instead of the 'angel' or trumpet sleeves that Anna's got.

When I get the girls back, I'll most likely put them up for adoption on Ebay. Not sure when that will be, but I'll make an announcement when that happens.

For now, it's time to make Christmas gifts, so no more dollmaking for a month or so. My little Sophie and Milla will be getting a new historical dress, with a matching one for their respective baby dolls. Well, Milla has a baby doll. Sophie prefers to dress her stuffed cats.

When I get these dresses done, I'll post photos. Gotta love adopted granddaughters...adorable, loving, and they give me an excuse to keep sewing for little girls.

Ada Lee, another Izannah inspired doll

2009-10-04T18:34:00.000-07:00

Here is my newest Izannah Walker inspired doll, Ada Lee. Ada Lee is named after my great grandmother, and actually rather resembles her. That's how she got her name.

Ada Lee and her sister Annabelle

The reason I began to attempt making this style of historical doll was the fabulous Dixie Redmond, of North Dixie Designs (blogspot). I'd always wanted to do this type doll, but didn't feel I could accomplish it until I found her blog "The Izannah Chronicles" (for everything Izannah!) and subsequently, "The Izannah Walker Doll Group". This is a fabulous group of people who all cherish these old dolls, and many have been making their own special versions.

Dixie provides her readers with a free pattern template to get started on your own Izannah style doll, and tons of support and terrific advice! They are just fabulous over there, and if you love historical dolls, please visit these sites. It's such a treat to look over the wonderful dolls all these members are creating. I did eventually tweak the pattern a bit here and there, but it's that little free pattern template that got me started on this journey and I have Dixie to thank!

I did Ada Lee a little differently than my first two, with more crackle finish for a more aged appearance. Her clothing is all handsewn. Her underpinnings are vintage fabrics with vintage crocheted lace. Her dress is Civil War reproduction cotton. She's made of paperclay over cloth, and is one of a kind. She's about 16 inches tall.

Ada Lee in her unmentionables

Ada Lee is available for purchase on ebay (seller username: robinseggbleu) for anyone interested in giving her a home! She likes being with her 'sister' Annabelle, but they will be separated in a day or so and she too will want to set out for parts unknown on a new adventure...

Introducing Annabelle, and Her Ghostly Legend

2009-09-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

Halloween is coming...my favorite time of year, and so I wanted to share with you my newest one of a kind art doll and her story:

There is a legend of a little girl named Annabelle, who lived 150 years ago in a dusty pueblo, sparsely populated with adobe shacks and false front wooden buildings. There were few trees, the town situated in a chapparal by the sea. Looking to the east, there was nothing but barren brown hills. Looking to the west, the ocean.

At the far end of the little pueblo, past the plaza where the townspeople gathered for bullfights, cockfights, dogfights, hangings, and fiestas stood a lonely brick mansion. The occupants, a large family with many children, were accustomed to the children of the town playing in their spacious yard, cooled by the shade of the pepper trees planted by the lady of the house.

One of the frequent playmates of the resident children was a little girl named Annabelle. Poor little Annabelle suffered a tragic fate...one day, whilst playing in the large yard of the mansion, she was running down the hill...probably engaged in a game of tag, or perhaps chasing the family dog Dolly. Not watching where she was heading, Annabelle ran into a low-slung clothesline, sagging perhaps from the weight of children hanging and swinging upon it during playtime.

Annabelle's trachea was crushed. The man of the house happened to be home at the time, shodding his horses in the adjacent corral, and saw the incident. He raced to Annabelle, brought her into the kitchen, laid her upon the table crying for his wife to attend her while he sought a doctor. Little Annabelle Washburn died upon that kitchen table. She is thought to have been about 12 years old.

It is said that over the course of the next 150 years, that the spirit of little Annabelle Washburn has never left the happy home of her dear playmates. She has been seen in a white dress, scampering about the yard, and skipping through the deserted halls of the old brick mansion.

'Tis said, that the warm, cozy kitchen where she passed from this world...and beyond the veil to the other...that strange, in-between place where time stands still...is her favorite room in the house. Her most witnessed activity is that of moving the utensils hanging on the kitchen wall.

And her little footsteps scampering down the hallway. She seems to be happy there, and has no intention of leaving her ghostly playground.

But history must prevail, and while Annabelle Washburn did exist, and is buried in the same cemetery as the members of the family which built the legendary brick mansion...there's a few holes in her story.

The cemetery where she is buried did not exist at the time of her reported death. There were no families by the name of Washburn in the pueblo at the time the mansion's owner had small children. There is no record of her accident in the newspapers of the time, and a child's death in the house of a prominent citizen would have been big news.

Her gravestone indicates she was one month old when she died, hardly old enough to be running into anything. And her death took place nearly 50 years after the timeline of her story. So, here we must turn our back on the ghost of Annabelle, and send her away. For she is not real. She is truly a 'legend'. A make-believe story. A ghost story.

But do not leave this tale disappointed...for the brick mansion does indeed exist, and possesses unearthly spirits permanently contained within it's walls. There IS the wraith of a small girl child scampering about, chasing after a little dog...her identity finally solved.

She's a three year old girl, the great-granddaughter of the builder of the house. She found ant poison in the cupboard and ingested it. She died a horrifyingly painful and tragic death, and her mother, still living at the time her ancestral home was designated a historical museum, asked the curator not to discuss the family tragedies with the paying public.

Word got out that there was a little ghost inhabiting the museum, and to keep her word to the family, the curator simply made up a new identity for the child...and is presumed to have found this identity while walking about the graves of the home's owners...the grave of little Annabelle Washburn. What a pretty name to assign a child in the spiritual witness protection program! And who, pray tell... who would ever find this little lost grave in an old cemetery in the worst part of town, and question the story that could not be proven?

Little did the curator know, I was yet to be born. And find the grave I did, (accidentally) while... ironically, searching for the graves of the family who built the house the little girl supposedly haunts. She is their neighbor, and she is up the hill a bit....but that's where the truth about Annabelle ends.

Halloween is coming...and Annabelle is trapped in the netherworld of my cluttered workspace. She's pretty ticked off, and has a habit of hiding my scissors. Please do consider giving little Annabelle a real home of her own to haunt....quite frankly I have had it with her antics so I am listing her on ebay tomorrow! (username: robinseggbleu)

Annabelle is made of paperclay with a cloth body, in the style inspired by Izannah Walker's dolls, who, incidentally, Annabelle might actually have played with had she lived longer than one month. She's about 16 and a half inches tall. (Her clothes are made of vintage linens, and no historically significant textile was destroyed in order to dress her.)

I will provide more information about the brick mansion in a future post!

Dimensions In Dollmaking @ San Diego Quilt Show

2009-09-17T20:37:00.001-07:00

Well, showtime is here for IOLCC's Dimension In Dollmaking Exhibition at the annual San Diego Quilt Show, held at the San Diego Convention Center. I haven't been around to any of the quilting booths yet, but saw some delicious quilts on the way to OUR booth. The Quilt Show runs through Saturday, September 19th. If you live in the Southern California area, it's worth stopping by to take a peek...something for everyone! Quilts, notions, machines, luscious fabrics, trims, books, patterns, jewelry, garments, even shoes!

PLUS...our dolls! Our booth is always a big attention getter, and we love attention. We've got over 70 wonderful dolls displayed this year. Artists contribute from all over the nation, and some from overseas.

Our theme for this years show is "Make Me Laugh". I know a while back I produced a somewhat snippy post about the theme, how I expected there to be 60 clowns there. To my pleasant surprise, the typical, garden variety circus clown was elusive this year. Although a clown in the style of Cirque de Soleil would have been pretty cool. Gotta love the French. We had a jester, and a Punch & Judy, and a mournful little hobo. All fabulous.

I really enjoyed so many original interpretations on the theme. These artists went all out this year and it was eye candy! I've posted most of them here so you can see the variety of dolls and the wonderful talent of the artists.

You can see my Project Runway Losing Hatbox Dress challenge doll above. She's supposed to be Kathy Selden jumping out of the Monumental Pictures Cake at the beginning of Singing In The Rain...but unfortunately, she looks like she stepped out of an Esther Williams pool set and found a nice cake skirt to wear. I just don't do 'whimsical' very well.

My Very First Izannah Walker Doll

2009-09-13T11:38:00.001-07:00

I joined the Izannah Walker Dolls Group and decided that I finally would challenge myself to attempt to create my own version of the classic Izannah Walker Doll.

I finished her on 09-09-09. Thought that was kind of neat.

I took a poll on names for her and was offered some very good examples, and almost named her Annabelle. But last night, my little dolly told me that her name is Araminta. I named her after a member of one of my favorite historical San Diego pioneer families. Araminta was one of 10 children and she died as a toddler circa 1832. She's buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. Her family owned much of the land which became New York's Central Park. She is dressed in antique mourning fabric. With a string of coral beads for good luck in her next life.

My dollies can never just be dollies. They insist on being somebody.

Araminta is made of paperclay and cloth, and handpainted to look a little aged.

She's about 15 inches tall, the smallest size of doll made by Izannah Walker. Her clothing is all antique fabrics. No antique garment of historical importance or significance was mutilated in the creation of Araminta's clothing. She is wearing the classic child's dress with gathered bodice, bell sleeves, tiny self-fabric piping at the neckline and waistband. Her dress has tiny black hook-and-eye closure. Her false hem is made from antique brown polished cotton.

Araminta's underpinnings are made from one very stained and hole ridden antique petticoat. She's got it all: chemise, drawers and petticoat.

She's wearing the striped stockings so popular amongst the girls back then; no plain jane white stockings for this gal. Her little boots are the early square-toed type made on a straight last. Meaning, no actual 'left' and 'right' shoe. Sort of Balmoral style lace ups. I added paperclay to her feet to create her boots.

Most folks in the Doll Making World know who Izannah Walker is. For those who don't, Izannah was a single woman who made a career of dollmaking in the mid-nineteenth century. She received a patent for a special set of metal dies/dyes (sp?) to form an indestructible 'soft' doll. She was a woman ahead of her time, and wished she'd been born a man to enjoy all the priveledges that came with the luck of being born a Victorian male.

Her dolls are very primitive and unique...they have their own soul. They are my favorite of all historical dolls. No two are alike. Izannah put her three sisters to work painting the faces of these dolls so they are all just a little different. Like sisters themselves.

I'd post some photos of original Izannah dolls here, but most, if not all of the images I found on the web are copyrighted...I don't want to get into trouble for posting them. But you can look her up and discover her yourself, if you are not familiar...but beware...you will probably fall in love with them!

I have listed Araminta on ebay today, so please stop by and check her out! If you are interested in giving her a home, stop by...my username is: robinseggbleu.

Finally finished off those IOLCC Dolls!

2009-09-01T19:09:00.000-07:00

"Anita Goode-Laffe"

This years Imitation Of Life Construction Company's "Dimensions In Dollmaking" show at the San Diego Convention Center (courtesy of the FABULOUS San Diego Quilt Show) gave a theme challenge of "Make Me Laugh". I have said it before, and repeat my prior disclaimer....I don't do 'funny'. I don't do 'whimsical'. Heck, I pretty much don't even do 'color'. I was totally disenchanted with this years theme. So when I lack interest in something, I basically don't even bother with it. I become lazy and don't hand in my best work. Lifelong flaw.

So here's my 'lazy'. I did finish a doll long before begun and abandoned in my drawers. There's nothing funny about her. She represents a real person, who though in possession of a fabulous sense of humor, suffered through much heartache and tragedy. This tragedy is behind why she is believed to have never really left her old home. I'll go into more detail about who she really is closer to Halloween.

At any rate, this woman's countenance did not portray the happy moments in her life. She became a dour, pinched (albeit extraordinarily well dressed) version of her younger self. And who can blame her? Her husband became abusive, her toddler died in her arms, her daughter committed suicide, her son became a town drunk who hung out in the red light district, her other daughter died young leaving two children to raise, her granddaughter was killed at the age of 8, her wee 3 year old great granddaughter found poison (at grandma's house). I could go on, but it's too depressing.

So, if anyone needs a laugh or a happy moment, it's obviously this poor woman. So she decided to attend this doll show with her own challenge to the other dolls: 'make me laugh...PLEASE', she says to them. I gave her a tacky alias...in case anyone doesn't understand why she's attending the show. I presume anyone reading her name will get it. And if they don't, I suppose I am too tired of getting ready for this show to really care?

"Anita" is made of cloth over wire armature, with head, arms and legs made of Creative Paperclay. This is a papier-mache type air drying clay. I LOVE this stuff. Her clothing is all handmade, much of it antique fabric and trims from items too fargone to salvage in their original condition. I never cut up historically significant or displayable garments or fabrics. If it's already falling apart or dismantled, I go for the gold. Her hat is made from antique fabric and trims as well as her parasol. Not having parasol skills, this one doesn't open. Her 'floor' is actually taken from the entry hall of her old home. Ashlar block pattern in faux marble. She represents the time period of 1885-1890.

"The Belle Of Amherst"

(Better known as Emily Dickinson)

Yes, here's another gal who was a real person who could have used a few more laughs in her life. Not the happiest persona. So that's how she got here too. Plus, she 'told' me that is who she wanted to be and there's just no getting around that. Lucky her, she gets to keep her real identity. That poor Anita is a local San Diegan and would be embarrassed to be seen out trying to have a good time when in mourning. Just another reason to keep her anonymous at this time.

So, Emily is also made of Paperclay. Her clothing is all handsewn. Mostly from modern fabrics. Her dress is reproduction cotton from about 1840. Antique lace at collar and cuffs. Changeable silk taffeta bonnet with antique lace. She's wearing 'coral' beads because she could use some good karma. Really what she needs is to get out more often. I had to literally drag her kicking and screaming out of my house to get her to attend this show.

I failed to get a full length shot of her, but that doesn't matter because I am a pretty lousy photographer and all my photos make my girls look like they are short legged when in fact they are not. She's holding a book, that represents her poetry. Really, I stole it from poor Alice Liddell and painted out the Alice In Wonderland title. Hadn't gotten 'round to 'recovering' the book for her at the time I took these pictures. I didn't feel like making another book. See....LAZY.

I am not showing any photos of my third entry, which I did SORT of attempt to accomodate the theme of the show. I made Kathy Seldon (Singing in the Rain) jumping out of the Monumental Pictures cake at the beginning of the film. It's the most 'whimsical' thing I have attempted and failed miserably in production. She just looks like she's standing there wearing a cake dress. So, she got into the show by default because they were running short on entries. She's a mercy entry. Who looks like she's got the losing Hatbox Challenge dress from Project Runway.

If you live in the San Diego or Southern California area and love textiles, quilts, modern and antique, artistry and dolls....PLEASE come to the Annual San Diego Quilt Show at the San Diego Convention Center! It runs September 16th-19th. It's a fabulous show, has something for neary everyone. Heck, I might even go.

Little Milla and her 'regency' birthday dress

2009-08-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

Precious Milla's First Birthday Party

I tried to make her a Regency style ensemble that would be practical for todays modern woman. She needs to be able to get around that skirt and climb and be able to fall off the sofa with grace and dignity. She just learned to walk this week. She still hasn't crawled.

Receiving a psychic birthday greeting from her sister Sophie's chicken.

And here she is in her birthday crown, not sure about all these people standing around serenading her. She's holding her baby who she rarely lets go of. Milla got a new, slightly bigger baby shortly after this shot, who surprisingly didn't displace the dirty little old baby. Now Millie walks around with a baby in each arm. She doesn't like to let them go, so 'eating it' has become a problem when has no arm to catch herself.

One thing I've noticed about little Millie, is that she prefers to be in the kitchen getting into things, whilst clutching a baby in her arm. She's obsessed with the stove. Is barefoot most of the time. She'll make some old fashioned man very happy one day.

Where on earth have I been?

2009-08-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

Gosh, I haven't done anything here other than spend my morning coffee moments browsing other people's fabulous blogs! I feel rather badly about my apparent laziness. It's actually been a rather busy summer, filled with birthday parties (and homemade dresses) for little girls, family and college reunions as well as trying to get my act together for the Dimensions In Dollmaking show in September.

They don't have enough dolls for the show, so I opened my big mouth and promised them one more doll on top of the promised two I haven't finished yet. They are due this coming Sunday and not a one of them can I call finished.

They are coming along, and I work best under pressure and a last minute deadline. God forbid I actually get something done a week ahead of time so I can relax and enjoy my accomplishment. Nope, I have to finish them and stuff them into a box at the last second and drive them up to Carlsbad and not see them again until they are on display. Which is always a nice surprise, to see them with all the other wonderful dolls. Also a surprise is the fact that they always seem to be missing at least one finger apiece the next time I see them. Not a good surprise, that's for sure.

So out of three entries for this year, the Debbie Reynolds "Kathy" from Singing In The Rain, Anita Goode-Laffe and Emily Dickinson, I wonder which one will suffer the fate of Ada in "The Piano" and have her finger lobbed off. Probably not Emily, for I have taken pains with her to use for the first time a wire skeletal hand armature support. But the other two can pretty much forget about coming through this event unscathed. Poor dears. At least Anita will have a Goode reason for a sour face.

I'm not at a place where I feel comfortable shooting photos of them, probably not till I get ready to pack them up. When I do, this coming weekend, I'll post pictures of the girls. I'll most likely post some photos in the next couple of days of my little Milla's first birthday dress.

Happy Birthday, Mom and Dad

2009-08-03T17:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Mom and Dad

Mom and Dad (with me)

One of our Grandmother's famous 'unbirthday' parties.
One a year is easier than dozens!

Mom, Dad...you are much loved and so very, very missed. We had a great big, fabulous Birthday Party for you this weekend...I know you were there in spirit. Dad, all your siblings were there, their children and grandchildren too! Amazing to see how everyone's changed and grown. We all have such a good time together! Stacy's cake was a work of art! It truly was a fabulous reunion.

Nothing like a game of "Apples To Apples" to break the ice and get to know long lost cousins! Great to hang out with all of the Arizona crew, being such a far flung family. Hadn't seen some of them since childhood. Great to see Uncle Bob's face watching all his kids together for the first time in so long. The party next year will be even bigger, with karaoke machine, a dance floor and who knows what else. We can't wait, and wish you both had really, really been there.

In Loving Memory:

Dick

August 3, 1934-June 18, 1973

Raye

August 3, 1937-November 16, 1992

(Our 'Raye Raye')

Mom, if I knew how to upload a song here for you, it would be Andy William's "Try To Remember".

(It's the thought that counts)

Love you Mom and Dad.

IOLCC Dolls

2009-07-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

Gosh, what a busy time I am having this summer. I haven't been terribly productive in blogland. Being so darned busy, I have had little to no time to work on my IOLCC Dimensions in Dollmaking entries. Mentioned here in an earlier blog some ideas I had, and until this last week, didn't actually start doing anything towards those goals. Then again, that's SO me.

I do have two in the works, and they really have very little to do with this years theme: Make Em Laugh...or Make Me Laugh. Not sure which and does it really matter? As long as somebody's laughing.

I don't have photos yet, but they will be up hopefully this next week. When the girls are decent enough to be photographed.

I am almost ashamed to admit, that all I did was pull two abandoned projects lying dormant in my drawers to finish up so I could enter SOMETHING. I'd promised two, and I have to deliver.

The show is most severely lacking in entries this year. So if I bail it will be noticed, and these ladies are so nice I can't leave them shorthanded.

So if you have a doll that you want to enter, please, please do so!!! Just google IOLCC or Imitation of Life Construction Company. It's here in San Diego and their Dimensions In Dollmaking Show will be held September 16th at the San Diego Convention Center. Home of Comicon!!! They are taking entries up to September. From anywhere in the world. Get's lots of coverage in the magazines.

At any rate, the first doll I decided to finally complete is a historical figure who really had a lot of tragedy in her life. A nice lady with a sense of humor despite all the awful things that happened to her family. She's wearing mourning clothes, is depicted in middle age during the time her daughter committed suicide.

You probably think it's disrespectful to enter this poor lady in a show with humor as the theme. But really, this woman could use a laugh. She deserves it. I am temporarily renaming her for the show. Then she'll go back to being herself, and on another post closer to Halloween, I'll let you in on who she really, really is.

But for now, she's Anita Goode-Laffe. 'Cause she really could use one. Yeah, I know it's corny. But it's all I could pull out of my hat at the last minute.

The other entry is from Singing In The Rain. She's a representation of Kathy Selden jumping out of the Monumental Pictures Cake. Why? Because I don't think I can make a decent yellow slicker for her to wear. Was showing my little Sophie the youtube video of 'Make Em Laugh' with Donald O'Connor when she spied on the side column a tiny photo of a girl in pink jumping out of a cake. She HAD to see it and constantly requests it. Triggered an idea in the dusty attic I jokingly call my brain.

Don't think anyone will 'get it'....but then no one at this show ever does 'get' what I do! I'll post photos next week of their progress.

For now, headed from sunny, breezy San Diego for a fun filled family reunion in Tucson, where I hear tell it's not really THAT hot...it's a DRY heat you know.

Lazy Daze of Summer

2009-07-01T21:55:00.001-07:00

I haven't done too much sewing or dollmaking, and I'd better get to that...

but I thought I'd show a few photos of Sophie in a couple of her little dresses I made her.

Here she is, wearing the same dress I made for her when she was a year and a half old. I have shown her in this on previous posts, when she first got it, and when she was two. It's a Civil War reproduction made from Civil War repro cotton. Amazingly, it still fits her and will probably fit her when she's four as well. I'll have to let out that tuck at the bottom by then. Got lucky and she was suddenly in the mood to wear her 'long ago' dresses and let me take photos.

Trying on her 'glass' slippers.

Sophie's third birthday request was a Cinderella dress. This came as a surprise, as she's no interest whatsoever in Disney princesses, Barbie dolls, etc. While she loves books, she's more Fern Arable than Belle. You'll see. Anyhoos, I remember how disappointing it is to NOT get what you ask for on your birthday...yet I could not bear to spend my time on a Disney production either. Since Sophie's never actually seen the Cinderella movie, I took great liberties. I made her another 19th century period dress...but in a lovely blue watermark print I have had laying in a drawer for 5 years (lots of things lie dormant in my drawers, and I mean that in every sense of the word). I decided to make a 'sparkly' overskirt that was removable so that she could have more versatility.

Here's Sophie tending her flock. She must have really been going for the Cinderella theme this year, because she also asked for baby chicks for her birthday. She received three chicks, oh so cute but my, how they've changed. They seem to be turning into chickens. Pooping, pooping, poopy chickens. We visit the poop coop daily. No eggs yet, but they will be fabulous colors when they start coming! No plain jane white eggs for this gal. And don't you just love a gal who's willing to wear her glass slippers in a poopy chicken coop? So down to earth.

Sophie and Blanche (she prefers the French pronunciation) . Here you can get a glimpse of her sparkly overskirt.

I didn't have any of those fancy new-fangled coverable buttons, so I used metal washers. Handmade the button holes. Unfortunately, this type of detail goes largely unnoticed in the three year old brain. That's why the good Lord helped us to invent cameras.

IOLCC Doll Competition Dilemma!

2009-05-24T08:36:00.001-07:00

Well, it's time for me to start planning what the hell I am going to make for this years Imitation of Life Construction Company's (IOLCC) annual international "Dimensions in Dollmaking" show. Hosted annually by the San Diego Quilt Show at the fabulous San Diego Convention Center, this event showcases the work of artists from as far off as Tasmania and Israel! It is I feel, the most visited concession at the quilt show, and with good reason! The best of the best is on display...along with the works of those determinedly on their way to joining those ranks. The show has been covered by Art Doll Quarterly and many other magazines.

So it's pretty daunting to me to come up not only with a doll worthy of sitting on those tables...but one that fits the theme without me feeling like I am 'selling out' to a typical and

expected idea.

This year's theme is "Make Me Laugh". Instantly, tables filled with 78-104 clowns appeared in the vacuous space that also is considerate enough to allow for my tiny brain. Now, the artists that send their work to this show are for the most part imaginative, original people. I know because I sit there monitoring the booth and am pretty familiar with the pieces. But then again, there are some who do create the first thing that probably popped into their heads. I am diametrically opposed to doing this, and it is my mission in life to defy pretty much everything. Particularly those things that are common sense and make most people's lives easier.

The thing is, that the people who DO make the first thing that popped into their heads, create a piece that is the first thing that most visitors relate to. And therefore, the most popular.

What I do is pretty predictable...if you know me. It's going to have to be a female, and she's going to have to bear historic significance. ALWAYS. But I do try to come up with a persona that nobody else will think of. Not just for the sake of originality, but also education. I think it's fun to discover a person I knew little to nothing of. But that might be just me.

In contemplating a female of historic interest who made people laugh, a few popped up immediately.

Lucille Ball

Now really, is there anyone funnier than Lucille Ball? She raised that ballet bar pretty damn high. She's THE person to aspire to if you are a woman comedian. She's also the first person who's going to pop into the heads of at least 1/3 of the artists participating in this competition.

Lucy is also probably THE most recognizable person that the visitors will relate to in making their vote. Is she worthy? Heck yes! Is she original? She's been done to death in the doll world. So, no, I don't think so. Is she a shoo-in? Ehhh.......depends on how she's depicted. She'd have to be recognizable. Otherwise nobody would 'get it'. A Lucy from her earliest days looks very different from the Lucy the world knows and loves.

Barbra Streisand
(as Fanny Brice)

Then, there's Barbra Streisand. Not only is she a funny girl, she portrayed a historic comedienne in a very well known movie. She's well loved, instantly recognizable, and she's pretty distinctive. Will anybody else come up with a Barbra? Not as likely as a Lucy. But the visitors would be able to relate to her. She'd probably need to be in character as Funny Girl, Fanny Brice for people to really 'get it'. The pregnant bride springs instantly to mind.

Fanny Brice

Which naturally, takes me to Fanny Brice. THE original Funny Girl. I highly doubt that anyone else will do her. I believe that this is because no visitors will be quite able to remember her. Whoever remembers her will likely be dead, and therefore not able to visit the display. People will relate to Streisand AS Fanny Brice. But probably not realize she was actually a real person. Which makes me want to shove her down the public's collective throats, so they learn a little something new. Will anyone relate? Naw. Will anyone look at her twice? Not much more than to say, "Oh, that's nice. Who's Fanny Brice?"

Fannie Beane

My ultimate desire is to represent somebody NOBODY ever heard of, and that's Fannie Beane! Why do I like Fannie Beane? Because she is one of the earliest vaudeville comediennes, and she played DEADWOOD. How cool is that? She headlined at the famed Bella Union Hotel. That can't have been an easy audience! You history buffs who've cried (as I have) at the demise of HBO's "Deadwood" will know that establishment.

Will anyone relate? NO. Will anyone look at her twice? Probably NOT, other than to say:
"Who the hell is Fannie Beane and why did she think it was okay to show her face at this show, which is obviously about funny things, like Lucy, and...clowns?"

So yeah, having a hard time deciding what to do. My Dave says go with Lucy. I said no way. Then again, selling out and making a clown might finally get me in one of them fancy periodicals.

Jenny Lind, the Swedish Nightingale

2009-05-16T20:48:00.001-07:00

Jenny Lind

The Swedish Nightingale

Jenny Lind was born Johanna Maria Lind, October 6, 1820 in Stockholm, Sweden. Jenny was (shock!!) the illegitimate daughter of Anne Marie Fellborg, a schoolteacher, and Niclas Jonas Lind, a bookkeeper. Her parents did not marry until Jenny was 14 years of age. Wow. You just don't hear of that type situation that often in the 19th century. Makes us 21st century live-in sinners seem more normal, doesn't it?

When Jenny was nine, her singing was overheard by the maid of Mademoiselle Lundberg, the Principal Dancer of the Royal Swedish Opera. Thus began Jenny's illustrious singing career.

Hans Christian Anderson fell in love with Jenny in 1843, and while they remained close friends, his romantic feelings were not returned. Hans wrote three fairytales inspired by Jenny; The Ugly Duckling, The Angel, and The Nightingale. The Nightingale fit....and from then on, Jenny Lind became known worldwide as "The Swedish Nightingale".

Jenny married Otto Goldschmidt in 1852, and bore him three children. This was her only marriage. She gave her last performance in Dusseldorf in 1870, and died of cancer November 2, 1887.

Jenny Lind was one of the first worldwide celebrities, coming to the United States after an invitation from P.T. Barnum to tour. She may well be the first celebrity to become a 'brand'. Her name graced cribs and cradles...dolls and songs. Women strove in droves to imitate her fashions. So, step aside Cher, Madonna and Britney. You've got enormous shoes to fill.

Here is my version of Jenny Lind, made for the IOLCC (Imitation of Life Construction Company) competition in San Diego last year. The theme was...oh god, what was it? Oh yes...something about having wings. I can't go into the world of fairies and faes, it's just not my thing. I don't do animals. Not well. So me being me, and going against the grain, I had to find something historical to get around the whole 'wing' thing.

Is a Nightingale not a winged thing? That's how I came up with Jenny.

Jenny is made of paperclay over an armiture..and she's quite a heavy gal. I mean, um...sturdy. No girl wants to be referred to as heavy. She is completely handsculpted. I did try to come up with some resemblance to the real Jenny, but the plastic surgeon in me did whittle her somewhat bulbous proboscis down a just a tad. Her hair is also hand modeled, as I didn't want to risk sending her into the hands of others to display and having mohair somehow get pulled out of shape. And it's a good thing I did....because Jenny came back from the show missing a couple of her digits. She's lucky she wasn't a pianist...

She's wearing a ballgown made from contemporary changeable silk taffeta, which is enhanced by antique fabrics and beaded trims. No good, useable, historically significant, displayable, wearable antique garment was destroyed to create Jenny's gown. The gown is covered with netting (with pleats of silk ribbon) from an antique gown that was shredded Her headpiece is all antique 'bits' as well. She holds a miniature reproduction of sheet music (I believe it's the Jenny Lind Polka...can't truly remember, it got lost in the show). Her mitts are also antique lace. I like how she turned out, and apparently a lot of other people did too. Which made me a happy camper.

There was a gentleman at the show who kept staring at her, leaving...coming back and staring at her. He said she looked just like his niece, who worked at the Whaley House Museum in San Diego. Hmmm...............that was very interesting, as I was Head Docent there for a few years. What a coincidence. But you'd think I'd know who he was talking about..I couldn't figure out who worked there (and I know EVERYONE who does and has since 2000) that this doll could possibly resemble.

Finally figured it out, he was right! She's just much younger than Jenny...and much more lovely. I wonder now how much of my memory bank threw this gal into this doll? Weird.

Alas, I still haven't gotten round to rebuilding her poor little fingers.

My comments on the topic of "cutting".....

2009-04-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

Whilst perusing the blogs I follow this morning, I came across one whose work I truly admire. I don't know it this person follows mine, I doubt it, but I do comment on hers in a complimentary fashion on a frequent basis. This blogger is a fabulous artist, makes things that I can never in my wildest dreams emulate. I have only the greatest respect for her work as an artist and a textile curator.

That said, there seem to be growing concerns about a populace referred to as "cutters". A 'cutter' by definition is one who cuts into antique garments to either sell piecemeal for what would be (probably incorrectly) assumed to make a higher profit...or me, the dollmaker/doll dresser.

Not certain if this person was singling me out, though it surely felt like it.

It is her general opinion that all should boycott someone like myself, who uses pieces of antique garments to repurpose into doll clothes for antique dolls, or doll making.

We are all entitled to our passions and feelings, and I do not want to make any waves or discredit anyone's opinion.

Making a generalization against anyone or anything is a trepidatious thing.

I do wish to publicize my opinion on the subject of 'cutters' and take this opportunity to defend myself and those who are included in this persons request to boycott the work of anyone who uses antique fabrics/garments in the creation of a new item.

Not all of us are disrespectfully taking an 1850 silk gown in displayable condition and cutting it up needlessly for our own profit. I'd say there are very FEW persons who would consider cutting up a truly historical garment, and these are the people who sell the fabric piecemeal. They are not doing anything constructive with the item, and these are the same folks who would take a Peterson's Magazine or Godey's and pull out all the colored fashion plates to sell individually, destroying the historical integrity of the magazine.

It's a crazy world we live in, and some people are out for merely profit...and some are persons of integrity who have worked hard to learn a nearly lost craft.

I am a CUTTER. I proudly admit that.

I am a Living Historian.

I am a craftsperson.

I cut up old nasty petticoats that are bloodstained in many places, are ripped, have torn and shredded lace and hems. These petticoats are from the late 19th/early 20th century. They are not displayable. They are not wearable. The work required to make them such is so costly and time consuming as to be a deterrent, which is why so many of these common articles wind up stashed in a trunk rotting and disintegrating.

I buy lots of clothing from sellers who don't even know what they've got. Just a trunk full of pieces of clothing. These items are most often falling apart at the seams and everywhere else.

Do I plunder such useless textiles for my work? YES. Where else are you going to find real brass hooks and eyes? Jet buttons. Beaded trims. A world of treasure that somebody initially threw away. There's no integrity left as a complete garment, so why waste the precious gems left behind?

There are people like myself, who see a treasure in someone else's 'trash', and make a new treasure out of it.

Recycling.

Being 'green'.

Historically accurate .

Most clothing from any century other than our own spoiled, throwaway 21st was re-used in some fashion. It was re-styled as fashions changed...and the remaining fabric not used, stored away for some purpose in the future (and often forgotton till someone like me comes along). The useable garments were then repurposed into childrens clothing. Then doll clothes. Crazy quilts. Pillows. Then lastly, cut into rags for homekeeping.

To call for an outright boycott of anyone using antique fabrics in their work is unfair.

I have pieces of collars, bodices, skirts and skirt linings, sleeves....they came that way, straight out of the trunk and they WEREN'T cut apart by the seller. There is no way to restore them to their original condition.

Should I throw these items away or let them continue to hide away for another century till there's nothing left of them?

I will continue to use what's left of salvageable parts of late 19th century garments. I am recycling them into a smaller version of their former selves for others to enjoy. And lets face it, there's not too much profit in that...the hours of tedious handsewing are never 'paid' for. I make far less than minimum wage on most projects. It's a labor of love and a desire to keep the past alive that keeps me doing what I do.

There are plenty of people who want their antique french fashion doll to wear a dress that looks like it actually belongs to the doll! A discarded, torn apart bodice will make a dress for this doll.

There are NOT many options for modern fabrics that replicate antique fabrics.

Yes, there are cotton reproductions aplenty. BUT, many textile blends from early times are no longer manufactured nor is it even known how many were made.

I would sincerely appreciate buyers take my statements into consideration that not all craftspersons are "ignorantly" plundering historical garments.

If in doubt, ask questions before committing to an all-out boycott.

Thanks for letting me express my humble opinion.

Been a lazy bum on Spring Break!

2009-04-21T10:26:00.001-07:00

The World Famous (or infamous?) Madonna Inn

Well, I've been off on a fabulous Spring Break up

the coast of California...being somewhat lazy, but not totally! I did sew a nice doll dress while in the car for hours on end. We stayed at the Madonna Inn up in San Luis Obispo and I just have to say....WOW.

I've seen some tacky places, but this place takes tacky to a whole new level. On first glance, it looks a bit Disney-esque. Disney Swiss Chateau. On Acid.

But then you get inside. If you are in California, you have got to at least stop in and peek around. Our room was "Misty Rock". Four walls made of boulders and rocks. The one 'true' wall covered in bordello worthy wallpaper of metallic gold with rusty-red leaves. The extremely low slung ceiling, made of railroad ties stained green. Teal carpet. Dark green brocade drapes. Faux-alligator vinyl swivel chairs. Heavy 'victorian' furniture. The bedcovering was a huge floral print. No headboard to speak of, just lots of boulders jutting out where you would normally rest your back against. Ouch. But there was a very cool rock waterfall shower!

The Madonna Inn Dining Room

If you've ever wondered what a restaurant collaboration between cosmetics queen Mary Kay, Liberace, and Barbie would look like, stop in here for the ride of your life.

Oh, my word. Hot pink naugahyde booths snaking and undulating throughout the restaurant...though a bit faded in their glory now...and irreplaceable! Pink tablecloths. Pink China. Pink crytal stemware. Pink SUGAR. Pink carpet with huge roses and posies. A gargantuan chandelier looming over the entire room covered in paper roses the size of manhole covers. With twinkle lights woven in and out...with cupids, candlabras and goodness knows what else thrown in. Not to mention, the large mannequin little girl doll up above everyone's head, standing on a rose-vine covered swing...swinging back and forth. Quite unsettling.

Mission San Antonio de Padua

Our goal this little jaunt was not to see the tackiest hotel in Ameria...but to see some more of the chain of 21 missions established by Father Junipero Serra. This trip we saw San Antonio de Padua, which is way the heck out on a military base, but so out of the way from the rest of the world that it was almost like going back in time. A lovely, lovely calm place.

Then we saw the mission Soledad, of which there's nothing left but ruins. A reproduction chapel was built over the original site, and charming it was. After that it was Mission San Miguel, which was so damaged by the Paso Robles earthquake awhile back that we couldn't enter it. And this one is the only mission to retain it's original interior painting, so we were truly disappointed not to be able to see it. The museum and surrounding outbuildings were worth the trip.

Lastly, we saw Mission San Luis Opispo. Of all the missions I have seen, this was my least favorite. It looks brand spanking new, and the interior painting, so perfectly suited for a Mexican restaurant...didn't exactly exude the aged charm of the other missions. Too modern, to pristine, it just seemed a little phony to me. Now the painting was fabulous, as far as quality of that type of work goes. The tromp l'oei (spelling?) was incredible. But too european in style, not at all like the primitive style in the other missions.

We did find a lovely creek behind the Mission grounds, an idyllic setting with water rippling over stones and larger rocks and boulders to climb upon, filled with families with small children gleefully splashing about. We found a nice bench in the shade, and had a nice picnic.

We watched a fellow giving a group of elderly folks a 'go native' type of tour through the creek bed, locating and describing for them the different edible vegetation growing there out of the water...giving all of them a nice sample of each to chew upon. Isn't that sweet?

That night, on the local news, there was a report of a raw sewage spill that had contaminated this very same idyllic creek. They didn't put any signs out, but were initially in the early hours of the morning letting some people know not to play in the water there.

I guess whoever it was that was supposed to shoo away all the little children in their bare feet out of the water took a lunch break about the same time we did.

I feel so bad for those little elderly people who were blithely eating the dandelions and whatever else that lay in the path of the raw sewage spilling out over it only hours before.

YUCK!!!!!!!!!

Can you spell "l-a-w-s-u-i-t"?

Mission San Luis Obispo

Don't play in the creek near this one. You might grow a third arm.

New dress for a large China, Greiner or Covered Wagon Doll

2009-04-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

So this is what I've been up to the last week, a new 1845-50 dress for a 25 inch China Doll. It would also be okay for a Greiner or Covered Wagon, but might be too fussy for one of them, as they are really better suited to dresses for younger girls. But hey, all adolescent girls want to dress older, don't they?

This dress is completely handsewn, in the old manner, of 100% cotton reproduction fabric. I love, love, love this print! If I was still doing living history, I'd have to have a matching dress! Unfortunately, I only found a yard and a half of this so I'd be out of luck. So I can't cry about it. I used another reproduction fabric to make the false hem. I really like how this dress turned out.

I listed this on ebay yesterday, so if anyone has a naked doll, or just one who's name is Flora McFlimsey and never has enough dresses, please visit me on ebay...my username is robinseggbleu. No caps, no separations between letters, it's sometimes confusing when people try to look me up. I guess I should look myself up and see if there are any problems. Never thought of doing that before.

This dress is being sold with a lovely 'antique' petticoat. The petticoat is made from an antique petticoat, but not an antique by it's own right, as it's never been a petticoat for a doll before. I know, I know, I shouldn't cut up antique garments...that's a pretty big 'no no' . But I only cut up a garment if it's no longer useable or displayable. In some cases, I feel that one 'wrong' can become a 'right', and this is one of those cases. I only turn a petticoat into a smaller version of itself, to continue to be appreciated for the workmanship that originally went into it, and the same with dress materials. I think of it as recycling. Rather than let it rot in a drawer unseen, it can be admired in a new version of it's original self. This poor petticoat, had many 'womanly' ghosts marking it, making it sort of 'iffy' for display. You girls know what I mean, right? No one wants their DNA displayed in such a fashion. So I sort of work around it. Whatever is left after I plunder a petticoat is used for little drawers and a chemise. I like making doll's clothes in this way because they really lend themselves to smaller cuts of fabric, and I love to give the items a new life.

Finally, my little 'papier mache' is done!

2009-03-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

Hannah

Here's Hannah, finally all done!

Hannah is a new departure for me. I've been salivating over the fabulous Izannahs, Queen Annes, Primitives and Milliner's Models I've been seeing my extraordinarily talented sisters in dollmaking creating! My style tends to be different, although with a historical bent. I decided that I'd like to try my hand at something more primitive, antique and 'loved'. Not sure if I achieved that, but I gave it my all on this first shot. I really enjoyed the difference and would like to try some more styles, such as the Milliner's models with the hairstyle's a'la giraffe...and maybe I might even try to attempt an Izannah (my personal favorite!)

I made Hannah with a paperclay head, shoulderplate, and lower arms. Her body is cloth, as well as her legs and feet. I used a crackle medium to age her, and a paler shade of skin tone, with extremely dark (almost black) brown hair. I have to say, I really, really enjoy making the hairstyles with paperclay. You can pretty much do whatever you want! For Hannah's hair, I was inspired by the old Currier & Ive's lithograph prints of little girls in the 1840's and 50's. My absoloute favorite Currier and Ive's litho is 'The Little Sisters'. I've got an original and adore it.

Hannah's eyes are paperclay, but I painted them to resemble the old glass eyes often seen on the early papier mache dolls. Those glass eyes originally only came in one iris color: black. So Hannah has black 'glass' eyes, clouded with age to go with her little cracks. I used a high gloss medium on them to give them their glassy appearance. I am a @#$%^& photographer, so you can't really see that detail as well as I'd like.

Hannah is wearing a dress in the style of the 1840's, of reproduction cotton fabric in a print used from the 1840's to the 1860's. The dress is completely hand-sewn, and has the gathered bodice, with narrow sleeves, sleeve caps and self-fabric piping at the neckline, armscyes, waist, and sleeve cuffs and sleeve caps. Her skirt has a 'false hem' in another reproduction fabric. Hannah is wearing a tucked petticoat and drawers made of old fabric. Her stockings and shoes are painted on, white 'stockings' and black slippers.

I listed Hannah on ebay yesterday (robinseggbleu) so if anyone should decide they cannot live without her, please, feel free to bid away! Otherwise, she'll be relegated to living in an abusive home, like all my other dolls who don't escape. Stuck in a drawer and forgotten, or worse, incarcerated in deep storage under a freeway overpass.

I've been a bad, bad lazy blogger!

2009-03-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

My newest roommate!

Well, I've been super lazy about coming up with something to say for myself, and I have no excuse other than I've been spending all my time looking at other people's fabulous blogs!

I sold my dolls, Hope and Marie Laveau....and sent them on their way to their new homes. Now that I've made some more room in my hovel, I went and spent the money I made from their sale and respent it on...you guessed it, another doll. I am very naughty. But a wonderful Bru Smiler repro came up for sale at a very decent price, and I couldn't resist. She's only 16 inches and the perfect size to sew for. I'll never be able to afford the real thing, so she was a good substitute. And I love her.

I didn't care for her outfit, so I cleaned it up a bit and turned around and listed it for sale, adding some old lace to the hem to jazz it up and a petticoat. I figure I might as well try to offset some of her initial cost. I like color and prints, not a fan of white clothes. Plus I'll just get something on the dress anyway if it stays in my clutches. And now, I'll HAVE to make her something new.

Speaking of making something new, here is my latest little dolly.

I don't know what I'll call her yet. But I was inspired by a doll that Rachael Kinnison (of the Lady's Repository Museum and Diamond K Folk Art) restored from the 1840's, a lovely papier mache. I thought I'd try something reminiscent of a papier mache from the 1840's-50's. This doll is paper clay because I just don't do papier mache.

I am trying to make her look aged, with a crackle finish...hope I don't wreck her by doing that! I never did crackle finishing on anything before, so I can't say I have a clue what I'm doing. Her arms didn't turn out too badly, so I'll probably try to do her face tonight.

Have got a couple of Springtime doll challenges awaiting me at the end of this month, with Rags To Riches Dolls and Coffee With Tea Dolls. So this little gal gets to go towards one of those challenges. Still trying to come up with a fabric for her dress.

I decided that my Theda Bara wanted to get out of her type cast role of Vamp and audition for a sweet Mary Pickford type role, as in a Springtime Doll Challenge. It's a period piece...1830's, So I hacked her up and am now allowing her arms to move around. She was forced to shed her dark vampy sleazy outfit and she's getting a nice, decent 1830 style repro calico a 'la Cranford. She had to lose the goth makeup and she looks like a Lady now. Don't have any photos of her in her current state, but will show some pretty soon. I'll try to be better about posting!

Selling stuff so I can justify making more messes around here!

2009-02-23T22:05:00.000-08:00

Here's a little 11x 14 painting I did based on a Civil War CDV in my collection. I was looking at these the other day, and I thought t'was a shame they weren't in color! Got bored and thought about 'colorizing' one. So I trotted off to Michael's and bought some canvas boards and came home to doodle. I had a lot of fun sitting and painting this weekend. Tried to represent the cdv this image came from and also was sort of going for a slightly 'primitive' look. 'Cept I don't do primitive terribly well. You have to have a real feel for that type of art and I really don't think I've got that ability.

At any rate, I thought I'd list this on Ebay to see if anyone might consider giving it a home. I don't have any wall space, and besides, the gentleman I share my shoebox with wasn't exactly giving me any feedback on this, meaning he's afraid if he gives it a compliment it'll wind up on the walls around here. He's such a chicken.

Since it's Black History Month, and I have to clear out some space around here, and Marie's not having the best time laying in a box shoved in the closet, I thought I'd put her on Ebay too. I am hoping someone will like her enough to give her a good home.

Unfortunately, Hope saw how I have been treating Marie Laveau and the other dolls around here...and she is afraid I am going to put her in a box and stuff her in the closet as well, so she is running away from home with Marie. I think she feels safer doing this with an adult accompanying her. She'd never try it alone. She's a smart girl.

At any rate, I listed these poor girls tonight on Ebay, so if anyone's interested, look up robinseggbleu to see the listings! If I can sell them, I can justify to Dave my need to make another enormous mess around here. He doesn't mind the messes, but I think he's afraid of living surrounded by dolls staring at him. He's a bartender, so you'd think he'd be used to folks sitting around all day staring at him with blank expressions... but I suppose it's just too creepy for him to have this at home as well.

Happy Valentines Day!

2009-02-14T08:36:00.000-08:00

Well, I've just got the sweetest man around. Am so thankful for that! I was on my little Barbara Gaskill round-up addiction, having just watched Cranford and Wives and Daughters. I decided that when I got around to it, I'd try and see if I could find her North and South on Netflix.

Low and behold I find our latest netflix in the mail yesterday, North and South. I know that I was not the one who ordered it, and I didn't even know Dave knew about it. What a sweetie. He knew how much I enjoyed the first two films, and looked up Barbara Gaskill and discovered the North and South series and ordered them in secret.

This morning I woke up to find a lovely card and FOUR new books!!!!!! Mary Barton, Ruth, Wives and Daughters, and North and South. Someone knows his gal to a tee! I'd never read any of them, nor heard of Barbara Gaskill until Cranford. I might not get anything done for awhile now that I've got these books to dive into.

Unfortunately, Dave has to work today, but the sun is shining, the sky is blue, and I have all day to do nothing but sit on my fat derriere (sp?) and read! I'm a lucky girl!

Theda Bara.....The Vamp

2009-02-11T16:00:00.000-08:00

Theda Bara aka "The Vamp"

of the Silent Film Era

Theda was born Theodosia Burr Goodman in Cincinnati in 1885, to a prominent Jewish tailor. She went into the pictures with the intention of being known as a conventional romantic heroine in the silent film era. Unfortunately, her attempt at a 'sweetness and light' role in 'Kathleen Mauvorneen' in 1919 was a complete flop. Hollywood had already manufactured her in the image of "the Vamp" and this could not be undone.

She became Theda Bara, which is an anagram for 'Arab Death'. She was rumored to be the daughter of a French painter and his Egyptian mistress. Don't you just love historical 'spin'? She portrayed an often wicked 'siren' in nearly 40 films, her first in 1915 in "A Fool There Was", which was an adaptation of a Rudyard Kipling novel, "The Vampire". This role sealed her fate in Hollywood. Theodosia Goodman would forever be known as "The Vamp".

I made Theda Bara for an IOLCC (Imitation of Life Construction Company) Dimensions in Dollmaking show. This is an annual international show in San Diego, and a fabulous honor to be involved in.

I made Theda a full body sculpt in Paperclay with a wire skeleton. For the first time, I had to make a 'bottom', breasts, stomach, thighs, ankles, etc. I was going for her most famous image of The Vamp and knew that her clothing would cling so I'd better try real hard to get the body semi-human in scale. Nothing I wrapped her in seemed to fit right, then I settled on the idea of using an antique mantilla I had. I draped this on and liked it, but then there was the problem of certain things showing through the lace. So I began to bead the mantilla in strategic places. You could still see through a bit so I decided rather than paint her in a 'smooth' fashion, she'd get some real parts. Just to make it look more real.

I was going to use black mohair but worried that since it was supposed to stay pulled up in her hands, that it wouldn't remain that way in transit and setting up for the show. So I decided on a beaded headdress, thinking that would be safer and EASIER. What a dummy I was. I hand strung about a bazillion strands of glass bugle beads for 'hair'. A total pain, but I do like how the headdress turned out over all.

After going through more photos of Theda, I found one where she's pretty much draped in lace and it's beaded in all the right spots. This made me feel better about my choice in deviating from the original image of her as The Vamp.

As it's another cold, gray day unworthy of taking better photos of my Hope doll, I thought I'd drag Theda out of the old photo cupboard to share with everyone. And she's still wondering where the hell her bloody little finger crawled off to.

Elizabeth Gaskill Worthy Weather

2009-02-09T20:51:00.000-08:00

"Wives and Daughters"

After a quite emotional and exhausting week, and the depressing rain didn't help (although I am grateful for the rain...especially at night whilst going to sleep), I decided to treat myself last night and tonight with a viewing of Elizabeth Gaskill's "Wives and Daughters". I netflixed this right after seeing "Cranford" which I LOVED. Have to say that Wives and Daughters, while still a treat on a quiet rainy evening, didn't quite measure up to Cranford. It was just....heavier. It took a while to get into it. But by the end of this evening, I was really enjoying it. Not in the same way as I did Cranford. Now I have to go about finding "North and South" to see how that measures up!

I was hoping to take some better photos of my Hope doll, but with all this rain, it's been pretty dark and gloomy around here. Just waiting for that sunny day to come along. So instead of worrying about that, I will spend the rest of this evening watching Antiques Road Show and hitting the sack early...and hopefully the storm outside will cooperate with me and it will rain enough to lull me to sleep! Oh wait....Antiques Road Show is over, and instead it's a show on Abraham Lincoln. Well, I cannot exactly miss that, can I? Think I'll brew a little pot of Queen Victoria tea (my favourite!) and cozy up with Mr. Lincoln.

A rainy day filled with Hope

2009-02-07T17:25:00.001-08:00

Hope

I finally finished Hope early this morning, while listening to the rain fall, and I wondered if sometimes, the rain is God crying. After I took Hope's photos, I left to go work on photos of another kind. My friend's 16 year old daughter was murdered this week. I just got home from a very, very long day putting together photo boards for her funeral tomorrow morning.

So I got to thinking about "HOPE" and what that means. Hope for our country, our families, friends and the future. Hope for freedom from oppression from all sorts of evils. You just never think you will have to hope for your children's freedom from oppression from their own peers. My hope for Hannah is that she is in a better place free now from that kind of oppression, from CHILDREN who would shoot a girl in the stomach for the crime of trying to better her life and disassociate herself from those so impassive and desensitised to violence that taking another life is as simple as point and click. Just like a video game.

I made Hope in honor of Black History Month, and sort of an homage to our country in the hope of no longer seeing things solely in terms of black and white. Now I think she also represents hope for our little girls, to be able to grow up and become women, mothers, grandmothers, friends, confidants, companions. Little girls are necessary. The world would be lost without them. So I hope that gun laws are made stronger, that people raise their children to respect human life, and hope that the concept of judging someone for the way they dress, the language they speak and the color of their skin becomes extinct.

Finally getting some progress on my Hope doll!

2009-02-04T20:52:00.000-08:00

FINALLY got started on my Hope doll, making some progress! She's got a paperclay head and arms, and a cloth body. I usually make paperclay feet, but this time I thought I'd just try to make do with the cloth feet and paint them.

She's getting striped stockings, red 'balmoral' boots with black 'patent leather' foxing at the toes and heels. A nice paint job is what Hope will be getting tonight!

Made some progress on her dress, the fabric's white with a blue design with tiny red circles. It's got the bell sleeves and will have a very full skirt with two rows of growth pleats. After seeing a recent posting about tea staining fabric....I am thinking of doing the same with Hope's dress. It's a tough decision. I like the bright white, it's so fresh looking. Then again, there's something to be said for gently 'aged' fabric. I like the primitive look of it, so here I sit, unable to make a decision!

It must be the darned San Diego heat causing my brain to malfunction. Can you believe it? It's been like summer all week! Last week too! My gosh, we're spoiled. Sure, we may slide into the ocean in a few years, but we aren't trapped indoors freezing our tushies off like most of the US. We are very fortunate and also thankful for this wonderful weather. I feel terrible for those who are having such a difficult winter. My sister recently left Kentucky to return to San Diego and I bet she's thanking the good Lord she moved here when she did. Those poor people back east. I sure hope they get a break and soon. Mother Nature needs to share the wealth a bit on all fronts...spread the cold around evenly, so we all get a nice chilly winter, but not so much that we are stuck home with kids on snow days with no power. Yikes. It's supposed to rain here tomorrow.....ha! I'll believe it when I see it. They're always so wrong about the rain.

Sophie in her 1840 dress

2009-01-28T20:57:00.000-08:00

Sophie up in her club house, contemplating life,

or at least how on earth she got up there in that skirt.

These photos uploaded backwards, it seems...

Sophie, just recovering from a spin and twirl session

Wheeeeeee!!!!!!

That's her very special cow she's holding.

There was not too much cooperation in store for me in attempting to get photos of her today. I took some in color, but they came out even worse than these! Her dress is red, her stockings cream with red diamonds, white bloomers with tucks and ruffles at the hem, and her brown velvet maryjanes are trimmed with ruched brown polished cotton and antique buttons.

She was so cute. I just love her.

A silly little girl

2009-01-28T06:53:00.000-08:00

Sophie's Civil War Cross Dressing Elmo

Made this dress for Sophie, here at age two

It's a little big for her...but does wonders for the Cinderella effect!

She actually thinks this is FUN. I'll allow her to follow this disillusion as long as I can get away with it.

Wheeeeeeee!

It's been almost a year since these photos were shot of Sophie helping out around the house...oddly, she has developed a sudden aversion to picking up after herself, but she still likes to 'mop' and 'clean' windows. More work for someone else later, but it's totally worth the entertainment.

Today I will try and get some more photos of her in this dress, it should actually fit her by now, and I made her another long sleeved one that is more 1840's-50's. That one's a little close fitting so I need to get photos of her in it because it won't last too long on her.

Still working on my little Hope doll....Alice is now in a box so I don't see her giving me dirty nasty looks from across the room because I dissed her in favor of a new project. Hope has her head on her body, all primed and ready to paint, will try to get photos of her 'naked' before she gets a face and an outfit!

Finally not so sick anymore, but that's only temporary, I'm sure. When you have a green slimy nosed tot climbing all over you all day, you are sure to be reinfected in no time flat.

But, ahhhhh.....they're only little for a short time, and you've gotta enjoy it as much as you can, boogers and all!

Guilty pleasures

2009-01-24T21:25:00.000-08:00

"Cranford"

My newest eye candy addiction!

Man, being sick on a Saturday is the pits. Got sick early last Sunday evening, thought for SURE that I'd be feeling better by the bloody weekend. Guess this is the flu. So, since my Saturday has been stolen from me by disease carrying toddlers out to destroy the planet, I felt that I needed to spoil myself today.

Started the day with a late breakfast at my favorite Saturday watering hole, Hob Nob Hill. I go every weekend, and if I am too sick and spreading germs, I don't care. Their breakfast is totally worth it. I mean, they spoil you the old fashioned way....if you order an iced tea, they bring you a little plate with a doilie and a chilled ice tea spoon. If you order soup, you get the plate and doilie with a hot spoon. It's like having your grandmother fuss over you. The waitresses all wear their oldie uniforms. They all know you by name...but when you are someone like me who insists on showing up and bothering them every Saturday, they get used to you. They will be on the Food Network (channel 67) this Monday night at 7pm on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I am setting my DVR. If you live in San Diego, you HAVE to try this restaurant, it's been there forever.

Since I am feeling like #$%&, I came home from breakfast and took a nap. Got up at 4pm and sat my fat self down in my pj's for a dose of my newest guilty pleasure, "Cranford"...BBC period production. Hilarious, and eye candy to boot. I love love love the BBC. I love British television, British people, British accents, British history....everything but their food probably. Except the scones. And tea. Had some hot lemon tea with honey to go with my Cranford. Did a little tiny bit of work on my Alice, but she's been a persnickety teenager this last week and doesn't want her 'mother' pestering her. She just wants to be left alone, damn it. Found a chair for her on ebay but some other needy soul feels they also need this same exact chair and is annoyingly driving up my bid.

So I did what I always do, when my dolls get moody and don't want me touching them. I leave them unfinished and start another one just to piss them off. My newest child is one I haven't tried before, she's a little African American girl who I have already named Hope in honor of our new leader. I have her little face pretty much worked out, and her dress fabric is Civil War reproduction white with blue and red print. I think she will be sort of like an Izannah, but not quite. I don't think I could pull off an Izannah. I have a feeling she will be done before I get Alice done. But that's Alice's problem, not mine. I think she forgot I am the queen around here and she should be super nice to me and not cop an attitude if she wants to be completed.

Anyhooos, hopefully I will get a substantial amount of work done on one of these girls tomorrow...as I have decided that I will feel better, even if I don't. I am the queen of denial and this has worked pretty well for me so far.

Resurrecting Alice

2009-01-18T07:25:00.000-08:00

Mr. Carroll's Muse

Well, it's a lovely summer-like Sunday morning here in Sunny San Diego where we apparently no longer have a cool 'winter' season. This morning I am working on Alice Liddell, the 'real' Alice in Wonderland. She's been in cold storage for a couple of years now, and she looked pretty unappealing to me when I got her out. As I mentioned earlier, I ripped off her hair, sculpted new 'hair' and have given her some actual shoulders! Her body was unstable and wonky, so I decided this is simply because she is tired and can't stand anymore. She is over 150 years old, after all. No wonder she's unsteady on her feet. So I altered her legs, she can sit now, with legs bent and new 'knees'. But she keeps falling backwards, so I am in the process of giving her some junk in the trunk. This gal needs a booty and bad. Unfortunately, no matter how big it gets, it still isn't letting her sit up quite like I'd like.

Also, I have to start a search for a suitable chair, since she is a lady and doesn't want to sit criss cross applesauce on the floor. I tried Tuesday Morning, which always USED to have lovely miniature upholstered chairs there when I didn't need one. I suppose ebay is my next step. Wish I knew how to make and upholster furniture.

Still trying to work out a color combination for Alice's new clothes. I have some lovely antique silk faille in a gold color from a dress made around 1870. It had turquise blue silk trim, but that's too decimated to use. I have some vintage silk from Japan that my Dad bought for my Mom in nearly the same shade, so that would probably work. Alice has red stockings, but I think she wants something a little more jazzy and whimsical now that she'll be sitting and her ankles will be more noticeable. I am considering thin red and white stripes.

The original doll depicts Alice as an adult, contemplating her childhood...one that was possibly taken advantage of, one that became public view, and the fantasy created from it. She was holding the pocket watch, to represent the White Rabbit, and to show that time stands still for no man, even famous little girls who must grow up. She wore dark clothing...not mourning clothes exactly, there was some red in them to attach to the many themes of red in the book. She held the original Alice book in her hands (I replicated the appearance of the original first edition), with the grinning Cheshire Cat at her feet, and the Red Queen staring up at her, holding a portrait of Alice taken by Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) as a child...sort of a 'remember who you were...who this man MADE you' sort of thing. They all stood on a chess board, and there were some cards lying at her feet as well. Had to squeeze the Queen of Hearts in there somewhere. Copied early playing cards to do this.

This time, I am trying to make Alice more of a teenager, who isn't quite so serious (but her face still is, because she was a serious girl) with more colorful clothes, sitting down with the book and perhaps the Cheshire Cat in her arms. I might keep the pocket watch in there somewhere, too. Don't know if I'll keep the chess board base or not. But I do want her to be a little more whimsical, and not too dark. I think the Red Queen has to go...I never liked her anyway!

When I get Alice looking like she's getting somewhere, I'll post some pics. For now, just the one I have that exists from the IOLCC show will do. And any ideas would be welcomed!

Debbie, these are for you!

2009-01-14T21:00:00.000-08:00

Lafayette Cemetery

Garden District

New Orleans Cemeteries are known as "the cities of the dead"

Jackson Square

French Quarter

Bourbon Street

French Quarter

( I got quite a kick out of this sign!)

Abandoned French Quarter Creole Townhouse

Esplanade Avenue

Garden of same mansion

Side view of abandoned mansion

Laura Plantation Slave quarters

Builders and Original Occupants of Laura Plantation

Formerly called "l'habitation Duparc"
Guillaume and Nanette Duparc nee Prud'Homme
(Doesn't she look like a sweetheart? Just don't get on her bad side;
she had a tendency to have her intials branded on both cheeks of slaves who ran away)
She got hers in the end....an elderly invalid during the Civil War, the family left her behind
in her bed while the Yankees were shelling the house. There was nothing left of her.

Front of Laura Plantation

'maison principale' or "big house"

Front porch of Laura Plantation

On our recent Christmas vacation to New Orleans, we stayed in a Victorian House bed & breakfast fronting Louis Armstrong park at the edge of the French Quarter. Nice place! A former Storeyville bordello, our room fronted the house on the second floor. 14 foot ceilings. 'Six over Nine' windows that slid from the floor into the walls above, allowing us to walk through onto the private balcony. Floor to ceiling lace curtains. Fireplace, original hardwood floors and oriental carpets. Four poster bed, extremely high. Clawfoot bathtub in bathroom, with it's own 6 over 9 floor to ceiling window! HEAVEN!!!!!

Nice room, if you don't have to stay in it. Being very short and very stout, I had an extraordinarily difficult time hoisting myself up into the bed, and the first night I slept in it, when getting out in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, I forgot I was about 2 feet higher than normal. The trip to the floor was MEMORABLE, and not in a good way.

Eventually, I began to remember to slowly slide down to the floor when getting out of the bed.

A Bed and Breakfast that has 14 foot ceilings, has a staircase of about 10 steps more than a normal contemporary staircase does. 25 extremely steep, narrow stairs to climb every single damn time you think you are ready to head out the door and realize you forgot some random but necessary thing waaaaaaaaay up there, in your room.

After we finally remembered everything we needed for our first day out, and spending an entire day walking throughout the French Quarter we drug ourselves back late that night. Standing at the foot of those stairs, exhausted....looking up to the second floor landing, so far, far away, I cursed myself for being too good to stay in a damn Ramada Inn where they have ELEVATORS.

But then again, who was more deserving of a long, hot soak in an old, deep clawfoot tub, looking out through the lace curtains down onto the street below enjoying a glass of wine? Forgot to buy the wine at the market three blocks away. The water came out of the spigot with the speed of a thick hot lava flow. Ice cold and barely warmed up. No way to keep the water in the friggin' tub. Shoved a washcloth down the drain but that doesn't quite work.

You'd have thought I'd have learned a lesson about Victorian scale furnishings and equipment from the night before when I fell out of the bed. But NO. Forgetting that clawfoot bathtubs are by their nature much deeper than a normal tub, and that this itself is yet another 6 or 7 inches off the ground, trying to get in was it's own adventure. But it was the getting out that was nearly fatal. Totally ate it, wound up nearly going through the 6 over 9 window right next to the tub. I can only imagine the show the 15 cab drivers parked along the opposite side of Rampart Street got that night through the lace curtains.

The charming antique toilet, with it's oak tank cover and pull flusher up near the ceiling, ran all night long. The lights from Rampart street blinded us in our room all night long. The drunk people emerging from the French Quarter looking for cabs, whooping and yelling ....all night long. I just HAD to stay in a French Quarter historical B & B.

Next time, screw the charm and history. I'm staying at the Hilton.

We mostly did the historical sights, toured the 1850 House in the Pontalba Building on Jackson Square. Toured also the Beauregard-Keyes House and the Urseline Convent. Visited the Cabildo and Presbytere museums on Jackson Square, the Mint, took a buggy ride, stopped in to visit with pirate Jean Lafitte for a drink in his old Blacksmith Shop. Didn't do too much partying on Bourbon Street, we're too old and had to be in bed by 10pm. Plus, we knew we'd never make it up the steps to our room alive if we were drunk. And if the trip up the stairs didn't kill us, some piece of furniture in the room would.

Took the St. Charles streetcar into the Garden District, and me, who'd been there before 12 years ago and therefore didn't need to do any planning...couldn't figure our way around. But we did find the Lafayette Cemetery, and Ann Rice's former home.

Got wise and rented a car in order to visit some plantations. Saw Oak Alley first, pretty much like going to Disneyland, where they sort of forget about the people that made that lifestyle possible, the slaves. Middle aged women in polyester 'period clothing' that if made correctly, only young teenagers would have worn. Being somewhat educated on historicity of what their clothing should have looked like, this nearly drove me over the edge. Didn't take any photos of Oak Alley because I was not impressed.

Next stop, St. Joseph Plantation. Newly restored by original family who's always been there, this was pretty primitive and my favorite in it's simplicity.

Last stop, Laura Plantation. Under restoration during my visit 12 years prior, I was thrilled to be able to finally see it. Lovely place, and they acknowledge to some degree the reason these people were able to live the Creole lifestyle...the slaves. A little honesty goes a long way.

Since we had a car for the night, we decided to venture into the Garden District to go out to a nice dinner, after a week of eating in the Quarter. I was to select the restaurant, from the passenger seat of the car and nothing else to go on. Saw a well lit, fanciful fun looking place called the something or other grill. Went through hell finding a parking spot. Turned out to be a Mexican restaurant. Which is okay, if you don't work in Old Town, San Diego and are surrounded by the best Mexican cuisine all year long. And New Orlean's Mexican food is NOT like the goods you get in San Diego. Somebody was NOT very happy with me for selecting, through no fault of my own, something very NON New Orleanian. Geez. Then we got lost going back to our B&B. Somebody didn't pay attention to the backseat driver next to him in the passenger seat and we wound up in a very, very, very NOT OKAY part of New Orleans in the dark of night. I suppose if I hadn't goofed up on dinner, he'd have listened to my directions and we would have had a very uneventful, unmemorable evening. ( I think somebody was still grouchy from the 2 hour time-share promotion I let us get suckered into earlier in the day)

All in all, the mix-ups and misunderstandings made our trip more fun, and we did get to sneak into a French Quarter abandoned house for sale, which was the creepiest thing in the world. I think we had a fabulous time, and I wouldn't change a minute of it. Except for the view the cabbies across the street got of my fat naked self hurtling against the window as I stumbled out of the tub.

Marie Laveau, The Voodoo Queen of New Orleans....the real one, and my mini Marie!

2009-01-12T21:04:00.000-08:00

The Family Tomb of Marie Laveau
Infamous Voodoo Queen of New Orleans

Portrait alleged to be Marie Laveau
Painted in 1837 by George Catlin

My interpretation of Marie Laveau
complete with pet snake Zombie, and a rosary to reflect the Catholic
influence on the Voodoo faith (somewhere I lost her bag of gris-gris).
(sorry, but my photography skills are non-existent!)

Marie's also known as The Widow Paris

First husband Jacques Paris mysteriously vanished
after most likely fathering the first two of Marie's children,
both of whom likely died as young children. It's whispered that Marie
hexed him with some voodoo, but the reality is, he was just one of those guys who ran

away from his responsibilities.

Marie's second husband, Christophe Duminy de Glapion stuck around quite a bit longer, fathering several more children, though likely NOT the 15 that is normally reported (more like 7, hmm...just like in my family!) There are many legends about Marie that are not based upon fact, such as that she danced in Congo Square with her pet python "Zombie"... writhing, conjuring, etc....tabloid reporting didn't start in this century, folks. It's always been around!

At any rate, Ms. Laveau was a woman ahead of her time, a Free Person of Color in a time of slavery in the deep south, who made her own living, raised her own children, and owned her own slaves. Much of her reputation is undeserved, she seemed to be a compassionate person, visiting condemned prisoners, helpful to her neighbors, and generally misunderstood by outsiders fearful of the uniqueness and differences of those outside their own culture. Perhaps she took advantage of these fears held by the Old Europeans and New Americans in her city. Maybe she played it to the hilt and had the last laugh. Can you blame her?

Her lineage is that of African, Native American and French. In making my doll, I attempted to depict these features, and also her age at about 1837, which would have been her late 30's to 40. In those days, women aged more quickly so I tried to show this in her face. I hope I came close to accomplishing this.

Marie's clothing is made from antique cotton mourning fabric in an appropriate scale print, and she wears the typical 'ballet' style slippers made from black antique silk ribbon. I painted her stand to simulate the early floorcloths popular in the early 19th century. She wears the popular 'tignon', a wrapped head piece to cover the hair of Women of Color in New Orleans in the 1800's. While these head wraps were a cultural identity...they were also used as a means around a nasty little law enacted against Women of Color due to the jealousy of the Creole French and Spanish and American Caucasian women in town. The Women of Color were just a little too pretty, a little too exotic and a little too tempting to the menfolk for these ladies' liking, so all Women of Color, Free or not, were required to cover their hair...like that was going to keep the men from noticing how lovely they were!

Unlike most of my dolls, Marie does have a mohair wig instead of sculpted paperclay. It is center parted, with braids looping over the ears, typical for the style of the time. I wanted to give her hoop earrings, but they pushed the hair loops straight out to the sides and this gave Marie a decidely undignified, dorky appearance. Just not acceptable for the formidable, renowned Voodoo Queen!

I really like Marie, and I hope that someday, someone makes a really fabulous Biopic on her. Queen Latifah would make a wonderful Marie Laveau!

By the way, I just got back from New Orleans, spent my Christmas vacation there, so that visit made me reminisce on this subject. Will write more on my trip in the next days.

Resurrecting old dolls

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Marie Laveau, Voodoo Queen of New Orleans

2007 IOLCC (Imitation of Life Construction Company) International Doll Challenge

Spent a glorious day in sunny San Diego going through my depressing, crammed to the rafters storage unit, pulling out a few of the dolls I made for past doll challenges for the wonderful artist group IOLCC (Imitation of Life Construction Company). I never really took photos of them, so I figured I might as well do that now! It's so strange to look at something you made a long time ago, that you worked really hard on and thought was pretty good....and now suddenly every flaw jumps out at you and slaps you in the face! I still like my Marie Laveau, but she got scratched on her nose and needs a touch up. Her snake Zombie has a hairline crack. My Jenny Lind has mysteriously broken a finger. Finger not to be located. My Theda Bara (the Vamp of the silent film era) has ALSO mysteriously lost a finger. Not to be found. Where in the world did these two little, tiny fingers crawl off to? Something tells me something went horribly awry in the return packaging of the dolls from the show. There are probably two tiny fingers rolling around the San Diego Convention Center...What a disappointment. My Alice Liddell suddenly let me know that she's completely out of proportion...big head, narrow shoulders, short waisted, long legged...I could go on and on. In hindsight the ONLY thing I like about her is her face. Soooo, I have some repair work to do on the others and a complete overhaul of Alice. She got new shoulders this afternoon, and I trashed her homemade wig (first attempt and a lousy one at that at wig making). I am doing what I normally do for my dolls, which is handsculpt their hair from paperclay. Her dress of course will no longer fit, so I have to make her a new one. But she's a nice girl and deserves one, and never really liked the one I forced on her in the first place. I'll post photos of these gals as soon as I get them out of the doctor's office. Ironically, the one I think is the most disappointing, Alice, is the one who won an award. Ain't life strange, how we see our work so differently than others do. Haven't gotten too much done today as I am now addicted to these blog sites, it's like going into a candy store where they locked the door and won't let you out! I am in heaven visiting all these wonderful sights with the fabulous dolls and artwork!

Some of my Paperclay dolls

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Sophie

Paperclay over cloth, Sophie reflects the 1830's aesthetic in hair and dress. Her dress is an 1830's Reproduction cotton print, and the lace trim is antique, along with her petticoat and drawers. Her dress features the really large gigot sleeves popular in the era. Sophie is named after one of my most favorite people, whose precocious little face will most likely appear on this blog someday.

Paperclay Doll

I am embarrased to admit I forgot her name! That's very naughty of me, I know. What I do know, is she's Paperclay over cloth, styled in the manner of the late 1830's. I was inspired by the papier mache dolls of the time. Her dress is a muted brown sateen in the style of the 1830's, with the shorter waist, tight upper sleeves and billowy lower gigot sleeves, and pleated front bodice treatment. Her dress, as well as the garments of all my dolls, are completely handsewn in the period correct manner. Her skirt is gauged, and there is tiny self-fabric piping in the appropriate seams.

Victoria Regina

Queen Victoria (or Miss Vickie, as I like to call her) is made from Paperclay over cloth, with fore-arms and legs of Paperclay over cloth. I originally tried to make a cloth Godey's Lady doll, but the pattern was quite complicated and the cloth doll just didn't hold up like she should have and was really wonky looking. So I laid over her head with Paperclay and hand sculped it, adding the clay to the arms and feet. As a result, this little gal has limited movement, so her rigidity fits her role as Mother England. I let her fester abandoned in a drawer for a couple of years trying to determine if I should put her out of her misery and leave her out in the alley to become an unwilling mistress of feral cats, rats and opossums. But I really liked her face so she was saved at the 11th hour. I figured I'd put so much work into her, I might as well give her a dress and see if she improved. She did, enough to rate a new adopted home with someone who loves her, so she was worth the effort. I know she looks much prettier than the real Queen Victoria is generally depicted, but that's okay. I tried to place her at her nicest looking decade, the 1830's. She is wearing an 1830 Reproduction fabric, in the style appropriate to the time, with the slightly higher waist, tight upper sleeves and large lower gigot sleeves. Her daycap is antique striped silk organza, and she sports scarlet slippers under her antique fabric and lace petticoats and drawers. She has a 'dickie' of antique silk organza and a 'mantel' of antique lace which is removeable.

Clara

I made this doll for an ebay Rags To Riches Dolls challenge this past Christmas. She is made of cloth with a Paperclay head, arms and legs. She represents the Civil War period and is dressed in a garment typical of children in the early to mid 1860's. Her dress is made from Civil War Reproduction fabric from Rosie's Calico Cupboard in La Mesa, California (what a dreamy place that is!). She wears a period correct bonnet made from vintage Scalamandre velvet, with antique cream soutache trim, with embroidered silk strings (ties). Although you cannot see in this photo, she is wearing a petticoat and bloomers of antique fabric and lace, and striped 'stockings' with deep red Balmoral boots with black 'patent leather' foxing at the heels and toes. She carries her own Nutcracker, when she's in the mood to tote him around. She was lucky enough to find an incredibly good foster home where she is as happy as a clam!