The Dolls for Christmas 2023

 

Well Christmas has begun in my studio, this little gingerbread witch is called Gudrun and she is dressed in a delightful Acufactum fabric called Little Christmas Bakery. Gingerbread, cinnamon sticks and hearts abounding.

This little witch has tiger's eye to her heart with frankincense in her stuffing. A tiny piece of resin with a little essential oil. Warming for Christmas. I just love the colourway, the rich reds of Christmas with the homely gingers of the biscuits.

Gretel and Gudrun together, just showing their different sizes. Although I think what Gretel lacks in height she makes up for in hair!

Again both have tiger's eye and frankincense in their stuffing and each is dressed in the little gingerbread print from Acufactum.

Gudrun's dress is teamed with red dots while Gretel is teamed with ginger dots.

Gretel really makes me smile, I love her dark hair and her expression. Each doll is made to an exact pattern and facial features are delineated with dots but no two faces ever come out the same. The tiny microvariations must make all the difference.

I love the ginger dots with this fabric, it gives it a real warmth for Christmas. The fabric is covered with gingerbread and spices. Cloves, star anise and cinnamon to name but a few. I can look at this fabric forever!

Mab and Meabh in Bird Prince Dresses

 

Can I thank everyone for their kind words, we were really touched and appreciated your support. Thank you xx

Mab is a little Lancashire witch dressed in a pretty autumn fabric with tiny birds, crowns and keys abounding. Called Bird Prince, it is one of my favourites.

Mab has citrine to her heart with chamomile in her stuffing, little copper acorns on her hat and her sampler. A gentle girl with a serene expression, she would make a good companion.

This is Mab and Meabh together to give an idea of scale. Meabh, a tiny fae is much smaller than my witch doll. The tiny fae are the smallest dolls I make but I love to fiddle with them and their antennae really make me smile.

Tiny Meabh is dressed also in Bird Prince by Acufactum with wings that pick up the fabric in her underskirts and a tiny embroidered felt flower. Their hair is styled differently with a centre parting and their faces are a different pattern with wider eyes and a very tiny nose.

Each fae has a pair of tiny antennae peeping through their hair. With a copper acorn on her sampler she is a pretty autumn fae.

Agatha, A Fairy Godmother

 

Little Agatha is my last autumn fairy godmother before I start making Christmas Fae. A stately little lady dressed in Acufactum Seed Heads with grass seeds and pods abounding on a taupe ground. Trimmed in softest pink and with warm oatmeal wool tops for hair. Sporting a tiny felt wand and a wee coronet, she is ready to make wishes come true.

Taupe and the softest pink make this a delightful print from Acufactum. Teamed here with pale pink spot fabric and finished with tiny leather shoes and a little embroidered sampler she is a gentle fae.

From her stripy legs to her tiny felt wand, Agatha is a gentle fae with wishes to grant. Inspired by Flora, Fauna and Merryweather my fairy godmothers are good hearted working fae with nothing but good intentions.

Jocosa, A Fairy God Mother

 

A few tiny fairy godmothers on the table, sweet little Jocosa is the first.

Dressed in a fabulous Acufactum fabric called RoseHip Guests she has citrine to her heart with chamomile in her stuffing.

Her wing fabric is carried through to her underskirts and she is finished with tiny buttons, organza ribbon and a little felt wand.

She is a practical working fae with a no nonsense approach to life and a good heart.

All the little details are such fun to make. I must admit to really enjoying the process of making a textile illustration that you can hold in your hand.

This particular fabric is by Daniela Drescher, a German illustrator from Munich who writes and illustrates the most wonderful fairy books. Many of her fabric designs have tiny elves, fairies and gnomes worked among the flowers and birds. The tiny birds that run across this fabric are a delight.

Finished with hand styled wool tops in a rich auburn for her hair with a tiny coronet, each face is hand painted and then the brows and lashes are embroidered. No two faces are ever the same, the pattern being so tiny that micro variations give rise to infinite variety.

The wings are attached by four tiny buttons that are a pleasing detail and hold the wings firmly in place.

I am just starting to plan my Christmas dolls as we have just passed 100 days to Christmas but I have not got the festive spirit yet still very much in autumn mode. Enjoy the colours, the falling leaves and here in Lancashire the rain xx

Frogs on my Mind

 

I am working on a large froggy wedding for a lovely bride who is a herpetologist. I cannot share her dolls but I have frogs on the brain so I am showing two of my frogs, George and Dalipha, who live in my workshop.

For the froggy wedding, my bride has sent ivy leaves and ivy berries to dye the dupion silk a rich warm green. I have been sent flowers, leaves and seed heads which I have dried to go inside each doll. These have come from my bride's family home, along with pieces of moss agate there are other little keepsakes in each frog. Little poems and tiny photographs making each one special for the recipient. The little froggy brooches are by Kayleigh Radcliffe and can be found at www.etsy.com/uk/shop/kayleighradcliffe

The frogs are both large and small, boys and girls each tied together with a lily of the valley fabric by Lewis and Irene from Flo's Wild Flowers of 2018. It is a considered commission and I am loving every inch of it.

Witches on the way to Eden Gallery

 

Pip is one of three little witches on the way to Eden Gallery and Tea Rooms in Newburgh. If you want a relaxed tasty lunch and a wander around a beautiful gallery with splendid exhibition you need to visit Eden. Have a peep at @eden_gallery_newburgh

Pip is dressed in a lovely Acufactum dress in softest pinky taupe with poppy heads, pips and pods abounding in pinks and greys. Warm ash wool tops for hair with a gentle hand painted face and delicate embroidered features.

She has rose quartz to her heart and rose petals in her stuffing. A companiable Lancashire witch who loves roaming the hedgerows.

Crimini, named for a type of mushroom, is dressed in a fungal laden fabric with ferns running across the white ground. A true Autumn witch with warm auburn wool tops for hair and a gentle hand painted and hand embroidered face. This little witch has carnelian to her heart with chamomile in her stuffing.

Finished with tiny buttons, organza ribbon and an embroidered sachet, she will also be at Eden Gallery in Newburgh.

Three Little Witches

 

The Folksy Shop has Reopened with an Autumn Sale

These three little ladies are all dressed in lovely fabric by Acufactum, just right for Autumn. If you like this fabric, which is German, the best source in the UK is Elmhirst Fabrics in West Yorkshire. There you will find lots of lovely fabric and ribbons to coordinate.

Each little witch has a hand painted face with hand embroidered details. With a crystal to their heart and scented herbs in their stuffing. Most of the herbs I use are from my own garden, here in Lancashire. I add a few drops of essential oil to the herbs in the stuffing to help the fragrance develop.

We are at The Mysterious Earth Conference this weekend. Lots of talks and stalls around the theme of the sacred earth. Should be a fascinating weekend and looking forward to it. The shop will be shut this weekend for the duration of the conference as some stock will be on sale at the show.

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