The Arrival of Imp Squeak

 

Well here they are, this is our new doll design for our new business Imp Squeak.

This is a collaboration between myself and Reuba. They make the porcelain hands, feet and sculpted head. Then we make the bodies, sometimes dressed in a pretty frock or with a fur body and finished with a tiny ruff.

The dolls sit, not stand or hang. They have a weighted bottom and would be too heavy to hang but do sit so very nice and quiet.

Some have a glazed eye and delicate pink features others are plain or with a tiny teardrop or heart. Each one is different and no two are the same.

We have a new Instagram page at @impsqueak and a with a new Folksy shop at folksy.com/shops/impsqueak.

Reuba will run the business with my help to give them that experience of invoices, book keeping and sourcing materials and I will keep making the bodies, the dresses and the ruffs. It really is going to be ImpSqueak by Pook and Reuban!

We are really very proud of our creations and love how slightly creepy they are. We have had so much fun in the making and looking forward to see where we go.

They dolls have a hand carved porcelain head and limbs with a cloth body in fur, calico or linen fabric.

Reuba first designs the head, then they work the head in wax before building a mould to cast each individual head in porcelain. They technique is used for the paws.

Reuba then carves each individual head and paw so that they are finished to their standards and they are happy with them. They are then fired in the kiln.

They then come to me and I build the body and dress them accordingly. The textile work is so much faster than the porcelain but suddenly Reuba has ten heads and paws and we are off again. It has been remarkable to work through someone else's process.

So far they come in black and white and will be available at The Festival of Making before being added to the Folksy Shop and we have a couple of galleries interested already.

Reuba is already working on a sparrow Imp with tiny porcelain wings and delightful bird feet. Again they will sit and be the same size as the mice.

We are now ready for production of the the mice and they will be available after The Festival of Making. It has been a great journey lots of laughter and a few tense moments, we rarely fall out but so lovely to work together on such a joint enterprise. Have a lovely weekend and let us know what you think xx

Happy International Fairy Day

 

From Hollyhock and me a very Happy International Fairy Day!
All the fae are so excited for International Fairy Day and are sending everyone their very best and warmest wishes xx

Elfi, A Midnight Vixen

 

This little sweetheart is now living in Poulton le Fylde. A midnight fox dressed in a beautiful Acufactum print called Elves and Toadstools. This gorgeous fabric is now sadly discontinued but so lovely to use. Trimmed with red and with a tiny silver acorn to her pillow.

She has a piece of obsidian to her heart and rosemary in her stuffing which creates a gentle aroma. Finished with tiny buttons, organza ribbon and little leather shoes.

We are getting ready for the Festival of Making in Blackburn and there will be more Midnight Creatures for the event.

As always I love all the tiny details associated with doll making. All those tiny buttons and dainty ribbons. I tend to think of each doll as an illustration with texture. The play of different textures and materials is very important to me and gives a great deal of satisfaction. I have to day that, even though I like the effect of black hardanger pillows, the fabric is jolly hard to work on. How folk make large pieces of work on black evenweave I don't know and can only admire.

Well we are really making progress now with our collaboration of ImpSqueeks for the new shop Mausi by Pook and Reuban. It has been so interesting to follow someone else's process. I tend to work to three dolls every two days depending on the doll type. It has taken Reuban three months to design, model in wax, then make a mould, which is pure alchemy to me. How they visualise that is baffling! Once the mould is created and dried Reuban then casts each head and set of paws, glazes eyes and stains noses before firing in their kiln. The suddenly we have ten heads!

After lots of fiddling yesterday we now have a working body with attendant hands and feet. Today is dressing and finishing the little sweethearts. I cannot wait to share them, it as been such a journey.

A Trio of Lancashire Witches

 

Marjoram is one of three little Lancashire witches now on the shop. Each has a hand painted face with embroidery details. They have different crystals to their heart with herbs in their stuffing. Standing just twelve inches tall they are sweet little witches without an ounce of malice.

All dressed in pretty Acufactum fabric each has a coordinating little hat with leaves and a charm which is matched to the charm on her little pillow. With leather shoes and lace petticoats they make for pretty little witches.

Each has hand styled wool tops for hair and their body is made from hand dyed calico. Finished with organza ribbon, broderie anglais drawers and lots of tiny buttons they are a sweet set.

Just to let everyone know I am the Spot On Festival makers market this Saturday and will have lots of gifts and dolls on my stall.

The makers market is in Poulton le Fylde and will run from 11am to 4pm. If you get the chance to visit come and say hello, it would be lovely to see you.

Leah is another little witch keeping an eye on what is going on. Again dressed in a lovely summer print from Acufactum she is a gentle fae with a good heart. I do love the contrast between her ash grey hair and her hat. Set with ruby leaves and a dragonfly charm. Butterflies and bees dance across her dressed littered with summer meadow flowers.