Southern Belles AGM

Looking forward to our monthly doll club meeting tomorrow. AGM and secret project, I'll show you after the event! There will be the usual chatter and show and Tell to enjoy.
see more about the club here.........

Last Years project Doll 'Lucy' lead by me

Plenty to chat about.......

And another month went by...........

Still struggling to figure out where all the time has gone, BUT....I have been very busy. We just pulled off a great little mini doll convention in Bournemouth thanks to Lesley and Mike of Ellies Doll Workshop, I am so proud of my club The Southern Belles, we did it!

Carole Ably demonstrating wefting mohair to make wigs for antique reproduction dolls

Elaine teaching a little sewing workshop to make a little sewing caddy. I didn't get a picture of the finished article unfortunately.

Sylvia and Eddie minding the club stand and my stand whilst I was helping with the registration and competition entries.

Some of the competition dolls

This was my own exhibition stand, I couldn't be with it a lot of the time but I hope people enjoyed some of my stuff!

Nearly finished!

I know I've been a bit behind in keeping news up to date but I have been productive...honest! My workroom is in real need of a good sort out and all the unfinished projects need a priority order but I have nearly finished the costume for the little Jumeau 'Intrepide'.

Just need to to finish off all the trims and style her wig.

What a lovely day............

Birthday flowers.

It's my Birthday, not that I'm counting any more but I have just had a simply lovely day. The weather has been beautiful and sunny despite forecasts for rain. I've been for a lovely long walk with my two favourite boys, I've been rummaging in my fabrics and laces to find the right colour for this 16"Jumeau I made last year, A naughty treat (A custard tart) for lunch and the day isn't over yet, my daughter informs me we have to go to my friends up the road at 5.30 but she won't say why......I've got a pretty good idea though!

I'm so lucky to live right in the English countryside

Alfie did try to bring half a tree home, he was a little upset with me when I made him leave it at the gate!

Barnaby at the watering hole.

16" Jumeau 'Intrepide' ready to dress

This 2 way Thai silk looks lovely on her, matching her eyes just right!

And some antique lace to finish off, looking forward to getting started on designing and making her dress.

New wigs and costumes......

This weekend I spent most of my time trying (trying being the word!) to get on top of the housework and sort out my workspace and that was around being 'Mum's taxi service' too!

I have set myself 3 tasks...these dolls need wigs and costumes with patterns, Before I start anything else (says I!)

They are a 24" Bru, Its taken me this long to finish writing up all the instructions to make the Chevrot leather body and the other is a 16" Jumeau. I have an idea for their costumes but now need to check out my fabric supply and check I have enough of something suitable.


This little raggedy has been asking to be finished for so long now, she's already becoming suitably 'distressed' !

It's nearly holiday time.......

It has been a very long week this week. I am so looking forward to our annual trip to north Cornwall. Only two more work days to go and then a day or two at home to get sorted and travel down in the early hours of Saturday morning. It's tradition to be at the Little Diner when it opens at 6.00 am for breakfast!

I should have been doing some housework today but, you know how it is.... I got distracted! I decided that these little embroideries I did would make cute little pillows....what d'ya think?

And a quick little project......

A friend asked me to redress this little doll for her which I believe is going to be used as a prop in a film next year. The brief was to replicate her existing costume but in a specific material that I was given. It was fun to do......just hope she is what is wanted!

In her new underwear

And redressed!

Such a beautiful day.....

In this part of the world, it seams that nature is catching up with itself and after such a cold winter and spring, it has flipped and it's actually too hot to sit outside! I've been distracted by all sorts of things in the garden, still frustrated at the lack of shed as the grass needs mowing and I can't get the mower out of the tent at the moment, let alone tackle the grass that is growing around the tent! Anyway, we are taking advantage and some good friends will be joining us tomorrow for a barbeque.



I'm supposed to be getting ready for an exhibition next weekend in Bournemouth at Ellie's doll fair. I have at least made a start and laundered all the baby gowns, the sun will do its bit of bleaching!

The lilac blossom has been lovely this year, well actually it has been a good year for the blossom all round

Hats, Hats and more Hats!

My task this weekend at our monthly doll club is to demonstrate how to make an ordinary commercially bought straw hat into something else. our project doll is the Kestners little Googly, so I have come up with 3 different straw hats for her.

Back to Basics.....

It appears that there is simply no time....where does it go. I have so many ideas swimming around my head and so much I want to do BUT...getting it all in some sort of achievable order just seams impossible.



And, having taken another look at my website i realise how woefully out of date it all is and I need to spend at least a few days on the computer getting it all sorted. I'm complaining about time again aren't I!


This little Googly is in the totally beginners range of projects that I'm currently putting together. I'm hoping that I might encourage dollmakers to look at Antique reproductions in a new light or encourage those who have never made a doll before to have a go.

And finally...........

I have been very negligent in keeping up with this blog but I do finally have something to show you...still not entirely finished but we're getting there!!

This is my little antique K*R 126 newly dressed as a little boy in Summer wear. he is travelling to the States with me in 10 days time to strut his stuff in the competition........


This is the little bear I designed for the competition - 'Critter with a Las Vegas theme' I'm just happy to call him my souvenir bear.....Elvis, dolls what more could I want?


Here showing some of the detail on the fabric designed and printed just for this event.

Works in progress

I did manage to have a bit of time in my workroom today. I sewed the little collar for my little boys outfit and made him his shorts. They fit quite nicely. They still need buttonholes made in them and he needs his hat, socks and shoes....still quite a long way to go!

I also decided on my design for these cardboard trunks which are eventually going to be two lady doll trousseaux with all the bits....A long job I know but at least the first coat of paint is on!!

Work in Progress......

The weather has been so glorious there has been more to do outside and very little time to sit in the workroom.......

The task for today, if I get the energy together is to sand my garden benches down and repaint them for the summer, poor things are showing the signs of a wet summer last year and the winter months but the wood is still sound, so to the rescue........

I've managed to get on with the little shirt for my antique K*R126, just need to finish his collar and that bit is done.

A better day!!

Well I finally managed to sort the workroom out a bit, i've given myself some clear space and I have a list of things to do.....but sorted into boxes so I can work on one thing at a time.


During my grand tidy up I came across a few little treasures that I had forgotten about. one was this lovely little kimono, I made this on one of the doll conventions that I attended a few years ago, but as usual I didn't get it finished then and it has been laid away unfinished since. I have a little doll in mind for this and I intend to finish this with a little obi and make a Japanes doll to go with some of the others that I have.


I also came across this little sewing bag that I made as a Southern Belles project some years ago. I would like to tweak my own design a bit and make a few sewing sets.....somebody might like them enough to buy one!!



The best news is that confirmation of my place at the UFDC convention in Las Vegas has arrived! My daughter and I are going to have the holiday of a lifetime, hopefully the flights will be confirmed soon and we're all set......but to the competition. one of the sections is for costuming so i have to enter. This little doll is an antique K*R 126 he needs a new costume of his era....so watch this space and see what I come up with, I know what I would like him to look like......


And finally the challenge from Kipper Workshops through Crafts Forum....the box has arrived, Steve would like us to decorate the box in our own style and report back exactly what we did....I've got a good idea for this I think.........


Oh what fun.....better get round to sorting out more often!!