New Tiny Nurse Dolls

 

I finally have working pattern for the new nurse dolls. I have based them on photographs of my Mum and my Mother in Law who were both nurses. Mum worked in orthopaedics and Joan was both a midwife and then a health visitor.

The style of the dress is based on the Norman Hartnell design from the 1940's and 1950's. I have been amazed at the variety of colours and combinations used throughout the period and into the 1980's.

I am making them in a variety of colours and they can come with or without a cape. I am happy to take commissions on this design to get hair colour, uniform colours etc just right if they are a gift for a nurse.

Mum has loved reminiscing about these days and got quite hung up on details. I had to remind her that these dolls are only 12 inches tall!

It has been great to shop for tiny buttons, buckles and to make the little bag that Mum said she carried.

Each nurse with a cape is £50 and without a cape £45. Please note the capes do not come off.

The capes are lined with a Liberty tana lawn for a little bit of colour variation and the little red cross bags are of brown leather. Mum always carried one between hospitals and when she travelled in the ambulances. The little cap design is based on one Mum still had and is so simple to construct and held with a single button.

Just a note to anyone in the area we will be on The Spot On Makers Market on June 15th in Poulton le Fylde. This is a new venue for us and we are really looking forward to it.

We will be there with lots of dolls and little gifts on the Saturday at the Teanlowe Centre in the town. It would be lovely to see your there and there will be nurses with me.

Dittany A Summer Fairy God Mother

 

Dittany is a tiny Fairy God Mother so pretty in pink. Dressed in a new Acufactum print called Flower Meadow, her dress is covered in clover and other summer meadow flowers.

A blush plain teams with the floral and she has the softest pale pink hair. With rose quartz to her heart and a mixture of rose petals and red clover to her stuffing.

As ever she sports a tiny tiara with a little felt wand. Her tiny leather shoes are a soft pink to tone with her outfit. She is a gently fae with a good heart and warm intensions. She completes a trio of Fairy God Mothers currently on the shop

This fabric is truly delightful, packed with roving clover and red campions it is a riot of summer meadow flowers. The book used as a companion in the photoshoot is one of the Enchanted Library by Carolyn Turgeon. This latest edition was a gift for my birthday and features Unicorns. The other two in the series are Fairies and Mermaids. They are a delightful series and I find my bookshelf tends towards the fae and the magical these days. Brian Froud's Fairies still being a favourite and the Folio Society's edition of How to See Fairies. Coupled with lots of books on costume and dress with a host of embroidery books that is how my bookshelf now looks with far too many books of wild flowers!

I must admit to loving anything pink and these candy floss fae are among my favourites. Hair, the bigger the better all in a soft baby pink.

Busy this weekend working on Summer Witches and then finally getting ready to make Norman Hartnell nurses in their smart navy capes. I have sourced some of the tiniest buckles for their belts, all very exciting. I made the first one as a commission and have been itching to make more. Made to my tiniest pattern they are smart non nonsense girls with a great attitude.

Have a lovely weekend and my warmest wishes to you all xx

Melusine, A River Maid

 

This is Melusine, a one of a kind lily pad river maid. Inspired by the folk story of Melusine the river daughter.

Each water lily is supported by a silk or felt lily pad and the theme is carried on onto her hand with a tiny water lily.

Dragonfly charms run across the design and she has a piece of malachite to her heart.

The fabric used is an Acufactum print called By the River and tiny perch peep among the lily pads. Her hair is chartreuse green merino wool and her scrim is hand dyed in various shades of pond green. Her tail is a rich green silk as are some of her lily pads. She has a tiny dragonfly gliding across her back.

Melusine's story is a folk tale that is found across Europe. Her mother met and married the King of Scotland, Elinas. She agreed to marry him so long as he never saw her bathe. She gave him three daughters one of whom was Melusine with Melior and Palatine. Unable to hide his curiosity he peeped at Pressine in her bath. Cursing him for seeing her as a half fish she took her daughters and fled to Avalon. Enraged at their father's betrayal, the three sisters captured him and hid him inside a mountain. At this point Pressine lost her temper with her daughters and then cursed them. Melusine becoming a river maid with a fish tail. Sometimes she is described as having two tails.

A young knight spied the beautiful Melusine sitting by the river and fell in love. Only for the story repeating itself and after giving Reymond ten sons he peeped at her in her bath and she fled cursing him. Forever after she could not take the form of a human again. She is linked to the Dukes of Luxembourg and predicts deaths in the family. So there you go!

I loved making this river maid and there a some more mermaids now live on the shop. These new mermaids are in stronger colours for a change.

I love Melusine's water lily flowers, the one at her breast is in silk and the others are in felt. She really is a one of a kind doll and I will not be repeating her. Wonderfully fiddly to make, I enjoyed every part of her.

Catching up with gallery work and then hoping to complete my nurse dolls. Enjoy the sunshine and my warmest wishes to every one xx

New Tiny Mermaids

 

These little mermaids are new for the Craft Drop on Folksy this weekend. There were five but four have sold and I have just listed Asterope as the last one but I will make more.

With lavish locks and a discreetly placed star fish they are a work of pure joy. They have a nautical themed tail detailed with tiny shell charms and starfish. I have used hand dyed scrim to give them an added texture which I feel lends to the mermaid theme.

The starfish is discreetly placed to give her a modest look and is beaded with embroidery detail. The motif is repeated on her hand as a sort of starfish tatoo. A tiny wave to her back and seashells with pearl beads in her hair.

I have made mermaids before but this is a tiny pattern with far more detailing and embroidery.

This little trio is Acaste Argia and Asterope, all named for daughters of Poseidon. They have a stone to their heart including sea glass with a silk machine worked tail and a silk starfish to their breast.

I tried to make the photoshoot look like they were underwater with seaweed ferns. The glorious array of shells were collected by my Great Aunt Connie who had a huge collection so seashells, a true conchologist. When she died the collection was split between several nieces and great nieces which was a shame. I wanted to keep them all together but as the youngest was over ruled. I now have my selection and my Aunty Irene's selection, I am plotting to get my hands on my cousin Shelly's collection too!

Mermaid Acaste, (Now Sold) is a jewel of a mermaid with sea glass to her heart and a piece of turquoise. Her mint green locks are adorned with mint green pearl beads and tiny sea shells. Her sea shell charms are silver and her scrim is hand dyed turquoise and blue green in colour.

I have loved making these little mermaids and will be making some more in the next few weeks. The nurses are on hold for the present.

They are a joy to work on and I love the texture changes and the flowing hair. The last one was listed on the shop this morning to take part in the Folksy Craft Drop. The idea being that we launch something new for this weekend. As most of my mermaids have sold mine will be a quiet shout out but have a peep there should be some lovely work.

Looking Back at Mistle

 

Mistle was made and sold twelve months ago and I was looking back. It was her fabric that caught my attention, it is Acufactum Chirping Birds and Nests.

All our nest boxes have families in them and they are so busy. The starlings are back for the season and they are eating Flutter Butter with relish. We never see a starling except for the months when they are building and feeding. Shortly they will bring their chicks and the garden will sing to their chatter.

This just seemed the perfect picture for the week, with her birdie dress and forget me knot card, even a tiny bit of blossom.

These are just my colours, cool blues with a hint of warmth from the brown and gold. This is a truly lovely fabric, an aquamarine ground with tiny nests, birds and feather running across it. The coolness of the blue is lifted with tiny eggs in rich tones. I teamed her dress with tiny fawn leather shoes which I felt complemented the mohair of her body.

Many of Acufactum's prints are by Daniela Drescher but this print is by Kirsten Hess and the spring theme is so cheerful with such a lovely palette.

The mermaids are coming along well but we didn't have time to take any photographs this week as a large landscaping job was in progress at Aunty Irene's House. She has a garden but he doesn't garden to my mind just cuts grass and prunes things into lollipop shapes. Reuba worked so hard and is now stiff and tired but we got it done.

The new mermaids will be shown with the Folksy New Product drop next weekend and then it is nurses. Little nurses in their Norman Hartnell dresses with tiny capes. I made one as a commission and loved her so much I am going to make some for the shop and my galleries.

Have a lovely weekend and my warmest wishes to you all.