Rhona, A Rhoda Doll

 I have neglected my blog and this stops now, it is a lovely record of my development from a tinkerer in doll making to a busy full time doll maker and I want to continue that. That being said I wanted to share Rhona a doll made to my Rhoda doll pattern that has just been purchased so I want a record of her.
I had not made these dolls for some time and then a lovely lady called Samara asked for one to be commissioned for her Mum's birthday.  She wanted the Rhoda doll to have her colouring and her style of clothes so I revisited a long abandoned pattern and thoroughly enjoyed making her. So I made a few more.
Rhona is 50cm tall and is a long slim doll with big bottom! She is dressed in a pretty Liberty Lawn called Poppy and Daisy in delicate shades of pink and green.  She sports a cute little beret in blackberry cotton and a little embroidered sachet with her name embroidered upon it. She makes a lovely girl in soft pastels that I am very happy to have made.

Reba, A Robin for the New Year

 This is my first robin of 2019 in a glorious fabric called Christelle by Liberty. I have embroidered to her front and back as usual with stitch to delineate the plumage but have replaced the chain stitch with a white darning stitch and I think I like it better.
The fabric is lovely it is in shades of pink and orange with a little green highlight. I have teamed it with a soft pink Oakshott cotton and finished with a pretty lace petticoat.  She has a rose quartz heart and lavender in her stuffing for a gentle scent. I love making her and just adore this fabric xx

Dorcas, A Little Christmas Mouse

This is Dorcas, a daisy mouse with a crocheted snowflake on her little sachet. She is a hand embroidered mouse with little leather ears and tail. She is dressed in a beautiful Moda cotton fabric with red mistletoe on a cream background and coordinating underskirts and cotton lace bloomers. Her dress is finished with organza ribbon, tiny buttons and little leather shoes.

She is softly stuffed with lavender in her stuffing for a gentle scent and she has a tiny rose quartz crystal at her heart for love.

She stands 8 inches tall

Moppiedoll from Holland

Found these pretty dolls on Etsy when looking for new doll makers.  Jessica makes dolls in Middenmeer near Amsterdam and lives with a growing family and three cats.

The dolls are not porcelain but Fimo professional  polymer clay made with a wire armature.  Each doll is unique being sculpted not cast and they have hand painted faces.  Their clothes and the details of the faces are lovely with touching expressions and real individuality.

Have a look at the Etsy shops at www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Moppiedoll, many dolls are reserved and can be purchased in instalments but others are able to be bought direct. Lovely dolls and a real find.

New Goldcrest for Autumn

 This is a new goldcrest for Autumn and I have made her very tiny, smaller than my other two goldcrests but returning to the same fabric, a Liberty Print in Tana Lawn called Garden Trail but this little bird is just over seven inches.  Her dress is trimmed with a green satin and she has Mocha brown legs as before but I think this little girl's feet are too big so I must work on that.

The book on which she is photographed I have had since I was a little girl, part of the Blandford Colour Series.  If you spot any copies anywhere they have lovely illustrations going back to the sixties, really beautful. 

I have been working on my photographs with the help of my wonderful daughter, Becca.  Started on an instagram journey at pookbarwell, have a peep and tell me what you think.

A Brilliant Exhibition at The YSP

 The exhibition is the Wish Post by Mr Finch and is showing at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park near Wakefield.  It runs until the 23rd of September and is a must for anyone interested in dolls or textiles.
Mr Finch is a bit of a hero of mine, I love his work and his attitude to life.

The exhibition itself is magical, we shared the space with a couple of primary school classes and the little ones were stunned into silence by the space.  That made the atmosphere even more special.

There are moles, rabbits, hedgehogs and even rats resplendant in sumptuous costumes but for me it was the mice, lots of tiny mice looking wonderful.  There is a book of the exhibition available from the YSP shop if you cannot make it or it is too far, that is lovely also with lots of photos and an outline of the story of wishes breathed into letters for the badger postmen.  Had a great time, highly recommended.

Having a Big Sale on Folksy

Having a Great Big Sale on Folksy Everything listed is half price or less, good deal on postage too. I am making way for a series of new pieces for Christmas and a whole new body of work in the new year. So if you fancy a bargain pop along to Folksy and have a peep. The little birds are £25 and the mice are £10 as well as a frog for £20 and dolls for £15.
The shop is on Folksy at folksy.com/shops/PooksStudio