Photo Inspired Doll Challenge

I'm participating in Maida Doll Group's Summer Challenge.  It's to make a doll inspired by an old photo or postcard.  I'm using Dixie Redmond's Izannah Walker pattern for this doll.

Here's my photo.  It was probably taken in 1922.   The tall girl is my great aunt, Betty Lou.  The little girl is my grandmother, Dorothy Francis - she had red hair and I can almost tell from the photo, even though it's not in color.  And the little boy is my great uncle, Robert Lewis.  I just love the bobbed hair styles and that sailor dress is so sweet.  I wish that I had the little doll that my grandmother is holding.  I think that my new doll will be a mix between Dorothy and her big sister, whom she loved VERY much.  This photo challenge is making me think about this little family.  They are no longer here, but they were all good people.

Avis

Bluebonnets and teenagers

Dolls

I needed a doll with earrings.

I was inspired by a photo of a paper mache doll from the 1810's.

She's going to get a sheer, white dress with an empire waist.

Allie still loves her dolls.  She bought a new BJD with her Christmas money and it arrived yesterday.  A very happy day for Allie.

Walter

Doll with side part

Since he has a side part, he's a boy.  Hopefully, I'll make him some clothes before summer!  He's made from Dixie's pattern.

Elaine and Gypsy

Here I am with my pup.

Texas Coast in Winter

Patrick and Mike

Allie

Christopher

Gull

A beautiful bench, embroidery, and new doll

My brother, Jeff, made this beautiful cherry doll bench for me for Christmas.   I LOVE it!  He's so talented.   He looked at a photo of a life size bench on the internet, drew up some plans, and produced this little beauty.  Mom made the pretty quilt that hangs over the back.

My dolls sit perfectly on it.

My newest adventure will be teaching an embroidery class to a bunch of girls at my kids' home school co-op this winter.  I can't wait!

I just put a fresh coat of gesso on my newest Dixie IW doll.

Happy Birthday to my three 14 year olds

Patrick, Allie, Christopher

Black Friday Dress for Thankful

The dress fabric is some sort of vintage cotton that I found at a doll show several years ago.  It's been waiting to be worn by Thankful.

For Christmas, I am going to sew her a pelisse from a design that was recently in "Antique Doll Collector" magazine.

Thankful

Since she was completed on Thanksgiving, her name is Thankful.

Thankful's first Thanksgiving is warm and sunny.

She is contemplating her dress.

She is made from Dixie Redmond's Izannah Walker pattern, enlarged to 150%.  Tomorrow, I will spend Black Friday sewing her a dress instead of shopping.  I am thankful that I don't have to leave the house tomorrow!

quilts, dolls, kids

My newest creation

My mom, Martha Rutledge, made this quilt as a birthday gift for her little sister.

The sleigh is Martha's fantastic thrift shop find of the week.  She also made the quilts in the sleigh.

My little cotton spun shard ornaments have come out from hiding to celebrate the holidays.  Here's the post on how they were made: SHARDS.

Every November, my kids make hand turkeys.  I laminate them and hang the entire collection up to ring in the holidays.  The kids really enjoy looking at the funny creations from the past.

Gobble, gobble.

My kids are almost 14 and they're still willing to make their hand turkeys.  I love my babies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween 2011

Patrick's pumpkin

Allie made a feather head dress for a costume that she did not wear.

Christopher was a Czech soldier.  Patrick was Jack Pilgrim.  Allie was ????

Allie wielding a knife

2009 doll, re-sculpted and re-painted

I never liked the doll on the left.  Here she is in 2009.

Here she is now.  I'm still not sure if I like her.

I don't like how huge and far apart her eyes are.

She doesn't want to be altered again...

...but I might not be able to resist.

Important Items

My mother, my daughter and I went to a doll show together yesterday.   I found this darling book which features photos of John Wright dolls.  I can't wait to read it to some little people!  Maybe I'll force my 13-year-olds to listen to it tonight.  They owe me.  This doll show was especially exciting for me because I got to see dolls made by two of my favorite internet doll-making buddies - Jan Conwell and Martha Bishop.  Martha's website is http://www.maboriginals.com/.  Jan's is http://jdconwell.blogspot.com/.  Their dolls were SO beautiful!

Three little ladies - shards found in the mud - have found a home in my home.  I love giving life to these shards.

My newest doll - I feel so happy when I have a doll to work on.