Home and Us

  We went out the other day and made a few pictures of the lake where we live. It's a private community. It is also gated, which I don't like, but I don't have any choice about that. All in all I do really like it here. We have been here for about 30 plus years, and it's home now for sure. Years ago we bought a lot here and decided to build us something to live in, which we did and it has evolved  over time into a pretty comfortable place. We bought some more lots around us, so we wouldn't get crowed by neighbors to close, and that is nice. It gives you room to breathe and lots of green empty spaces that make home more peaceful and quiet. I think a lot of people ( by today's standards ) would find the house lacking in a few conveniences, like central heat and air conditioning, but we have plenty of heat and air conditioners to keep us comfortable enough. Here is a  picture of me and my husband bobby,  and our dogs, Tootie and Fruity. I have always shied away from getting my picture taken, but why worry about it now. I told my husband to just take a picture of me at my worst. My shirt is on inside out. HaHa   In the weeks to come, I thought I would share some pictures of  our house and us. I have enjoyed seeing other folks pictures of their homes and them doing various things, so I thought I might do that too. The lake is beautiful and it is nice to be near so much water to enjoy.

Fashion Update

I made a few quicky pictures of my fashion. She is evolving steadily. I have her arms ready as well as Henry's arms, but haven't  sewed them on yet. There is always some little something to hold you off a little bit longer before getting everything in place. Look at her hair, isn't it just beautiful. I don't take any credit for that. I bought her hair. It's human and jet black, long and silky. I never had hair as pretty as this. My husband likes it down, but I still am hoping for a fancier hair do. she has delicate hands with stitched fingers, but they are not like an Izannah doll. I can't describe them, but you will see them soon enough. they are very dainty, but not tiny. She has an hour glass figure, big heavy upper legs, and fat shorter feet. She will need  hefty shoes for them.  I have decided on cream colored gauzy fabric for the underslip  and vintage cream to yellowish dotted swiss lace fabric. this particular fabric is hard to find, but I lucked up on a bunch of it awhile back. It was in huge curtain panels. I could never have bought enough fabric or found this on a bolt anywhere. Anyway, this is the plan. I have been looking for patterns, but nothing is anywhere near as big or fat in the chest and shoulderplate as she is. I'll keep looking though. I'm not sure I could, without tons of trouble, change the pattern to fit her from what it is originally. Henry is telling me that he is in the picture too. He also is coming along very well. His arms will be finished soon, and on to making him some clothes too. He is a sweet boy, but a little more grown up than I planned. Isn't that the way of doll making, or is it not enough planning or experience on my part to know how and what I need to do to get just the right look. I don't think I will ever have that kind of experience, and maybe it's better. My mistakes brings good things sometimes too. Have a happy doll making weekend and we will be posting some pictures of the lake and  some pictures of ourselves ( ouch ) on my next post.

Making a French Fashion doll

A very sweet girl I know loves black dolls. She loves all dolls, but has a huge collection of black dolls of all kinds and sizes. she mentioned to me that I might try to make her a black French fashion doll. Well...I began to try to search out pictures of the black french fashions, and through all my looking I found only about 3. Pictures abound of the white fashion dolls, but not so the black ones. I never saw one that I could really use, so I began to sculpt a beauty of my own, based on a white fashion. This doll is made of cloth. The head is another molded cloth head that I used to make this girl, or should I say Lady, so, this is the only one I have of her and no mold to make any others. I have bought her a black human hair wig that has long curls. I debated about a platinum colored skin wig, but decided it might be to modern, and we don't want modern, we want antique with all the frills. If you have looked at many fashion dolls, you probably have seen them with an empress wig, it is a wig that has curls piled on top of the head and long curls down the back, that is what I wanted, so we will have to try to style her hair that way. The hair is very silky and smooth, so I don't know how that will work out. For the moment I put cut off safety pins in her ears to keep my holes open for her real earrings she will have. Road block after road block has appeared before me on this doll, mainly, the leather arms. the body suit, the clothes and hat, and the French fashion shoes she will need. She needs all sorts of extras like a corset, a bustle, stockings and her jewelry. I am leaning toward Pink silk stripe fabric, as I think that would be very French. I just decided to put up her picture and one more of another doll I will talk about in a moment. This has and will continue to be a long undertaking. I stepped way out of my comfort zone on this doll. HaHa, but I am determined she will be the toast of Paris.   The other doll shown here is Henry. Henry is not finished yet, he still needs his lambskin wig, and a few other things. He is a sweet boy that the same girl wanted to go with her Izannah family she already has. Henry has been good and caused me absolutely no trouble and I will reward him with a set of clothes that includes a pretty white  shirt of vintage dotted swiss fabric that has big tuffs of cotton all over. I just love that stuff. If anyone has any suggestions about clothes, please tell  me, I am not very knowledgeable about lots of clothes, and I need to get the best dress I can for my fashion doll.