Happy Christmas!

Advent Dolls

24th December 2018

I thought I should end with a baby, well two babies. The right hand one was from eBay and the little one from a charity shop. They live together on top of a doll sized wooden trunk in the back room, so are happy to be let out for Christmas!

Here they are crawling.

Advent Dolls

23rd December 2018

This wooden head is another of my favourites. He belonged to Andy's Dad, and used to stand on top of one of the bookshelves in his study. I wish I had asked him where the head is from, but I never did. He makes me think of a classical Greek character. I think he is for a puppet rather than a doll. 

Advent Dolls

22nd December 2018

 

 These two are from the antique shop in Greenwich. They are made on top of what look like old tins, and are not really in a good state. Their arms need re-stringing. I think their faces are so beautiful. They make me think of "Jane Eyre" and "Wuthering Heights", or possibly, "Gone With the Wind".

Advent Dolls

21st December 2018 

The first topsy turvy dolls I came across were story telling ones, such as those with a wolf and a Little Red Riding Hood. I find them clever in how they are constructed, and have not ever made one, so don't exactly know how it is done. I have a collection of three graduated size black topsy turvy dolls, with bright cotton dresses and headscarves. I thing they are from the Caribbean. I got them at different times, and they make a nice group. I was trying to find out more about them and came across dolls that are black and white. Then I found information in different places about why they were made originally, which was for use by slave children. There are differing theories about how they were used. I refer you to this interesting article, and this one for some theories. After reading about these dolls, I was lucky enough to find one on eBay for the very reasonable price of £4! She is a Perrotti doll from the 1950s or 60s, and is similar in style to Lenci dolls, probably because  one of the Lenci designers moved to the Brazilian company at some point. 

I love the felt flowers and trim on the dresses, and the faces are so sweet. 

Advent Dolls

20th December 2018

 I saw a doll like this on eBay and either didn't win her or didn't try. She was one of those dolls made from a printed cotton pattern. I decided to make my own. She is cotton fabric, painted with gesso then acrylics. Her hat is the result of finally working out how fingers on gloves are made, but not actually making any gloves! I was looking through an interiors magazine a while after making her, and in some photos of a woman's house, spotted the exact same doll on her mantle piece.

Advent Dolls

19th December 2018

These are my favourite Christmassy dolls. Especially the two biggest with their red boots and folky costumes. They often stand around the tree, and this year will stand on it.