Boudoir Dolls

When I visited my grandmother as a small child I remember that she always had a doll seated on top of the console TV and one on her bed.  The dolls were dressed in beautiful costumes with full ruffled skirts.  I was always fascinated with these dolls, and if I recall correctly, they were boudoir dolls.

Boudoir dolls were popular during the 1920’s.   When I started creating dolls I became intrigued with Lenci dolls and fell in love with the Lenci boudoir dolls. There were several different types made but the ones that fascinated me the most were the ones elaborately dressed in romantic court dresses such as those worn by Marie Antoinette.   Out of my love for these dolls I created Mistique and costumed her with all of the ruffles and frills I could imagine worn by a beautiful boudoir doll.

Mistique is a 17” needle-sculpted ball jointed cloth doll inspired by the romantically styled boudoir dolls of the 1920’s that I have always loved.  I will be teaching a workshop on how to create your own Mistique on May 22^nd online for A for Artistic.  This work-shop will present a multitude of cloth doll making techniques. You will receive instruction on needle-sculpting a cloth doll head, hands, and feet. The workshop will present techniques on creating hidden ball joints, using watercolors for cloth doll facial coloring, needle-felting an elaborate hairstyle, how to create an elaborate costume, and how to create beautiful doll shoes. All of these techniques will be presented while you are in the process of creating a beautiful heirloom doll!

Hope to see you in class!

Mistique Workshop

I just wanted to share with you some pictures of the Mistique doll workshop that I taught on A for Artistic.  This doll was created by Christine Chumley.  Isn't she just lovely!

Day 31 of 51 Days of Art

Today is the 31^st day of the 51 days I set aside to create art.  The act of engaging in artistic pursuits for 31 days has created changes within.  There is an ever-present inner smile that brims from ear to ear that often finds itself expressed upon my face.  There is more of a bounce to each step I take, laughter flows more freely, and there is an ever-growing calm that pervades my essence.  I wake each morning excited about what I am going to work on each day and often find myself working on projects way into the night.  I have not found o loss of projects to work on, instead a multitude of new projects have been added to my list. I’d like to share some of the progress I have been making with my art.

I am currently teaching an online class Mistique on A for Artistic  which you can find out more about here  http://www.aforartistic.com/Mistique.html  .  While teaching the class I get to talk to wonderful doll-makers from all over the world every day!  

I am still working on the Make a Face Challenge.  She is not finished yet, needs much more regal embellishment!

This is the beginnings of one of the sea nymphs dancing in my head.  I am currently trying to figure out how I want to make her tail fins and hair.  I will share more pictures soon.

And I am still working on putting together a free tutorial for Warm Hugs for Enchanted Makeovers. 

Mistique is on A for Artistic!

You can sign up for my new online class  by clicking on  Mistique Workshop   It will bring you to the A for Artistic website for a course outline, description, and to sign up if you would like. She is a 17" cloth ball jointed, needle-sculpted doll inspired by the beautiful 1920's boudoir dolls.   I can't wait for the class to begin!

Mistique Online Needle Sculpted Cloth doll class

I am still working on putting together my next online class, Mistique.  She is a needle sculpted cloth boudoir doll inspired by the beautiful boudoir dolls of the 1920's. I finally completed her dress and she now has hair!  All she needs now is a pair of shoes and some final embellishments.  I will keep you posted on her completion and when the online class will be given.

A Sneak Preview of Mistique

This is a sneak preview of the new workshop, "Mistique" that I have been working on.  She is dressed in an unfinished pinned together costume and doesn't have any hair yet but thought you would like to see her in process. I am having a lot of fun working on "Mistique."  She is a 17" needle sculpted ball jointed cloth doll with patterns and instructions for a Marie Antoinette inspired costume and hairstyle.  The workshop will also provide instruction on how to use watercolors for facial coloring, how to needle felt a "Marie Antoinette" style hairdo, how to create "hidden" ball joints at the elbows, knees, and neck.  I am hoping to present this workshop in July.  I will keep you posted on her progress and the online workshop.