And so we come to last hours of the year 2021.  It is during this time, on this day, that I become most reflective on the year past, and also begin to plan the future, the new year.  In this last month I've been carefully selecting and purchasing a few new dolls to play with and create for in 2022.   And I look back on what I accomplished this past year.  What I want to try.  Where I want to take what I've learned. 

Of note, I acquired Dolly Dingle to enhance my enjoyment of The Virtual Doll Convention, Grace Marie Fitzpatrick, and Diana Vining's illustrations of them.  I made a needle felt Remmie Lou (Rachel's dog), to go with them, as Diana often added Remmie Lou in the artwork.  And, although I didn't publicize it, I won on Ebay, a MIB original Grace Marie Fitzpatrick, which now made me feel like a real member of the club.  Dolly, with her cubby little body and bent arms, has been and continues to be, very difficult to sew for.  Yet I still go for it.  I love Diana's illustrations of her!

Having her, I was finally able to make the Halloween witch costume Diana drew her in two years prior (could have been three).  And, with Club Grace, I was able to sew complimentary clothes for her to go with the Grace dresses in her outfit of the month.

But, this year of creating was a bit scattered.  I tried lots of things.  The year before, I spent several months creating a Flapper wardrobe for Heather's doll, Kitty, and that was the highlight of my creative year.  I did not make three coordinating holiday costumes for Louise, Lawrence and Laura this year.  I'm not sure where I'll go with them next, but the Victorian time frame is theirs and I'm content with creating contemporary and vintage presently.

Perhaps the most notable doll was Paloma the Puppeteer.  A tireless, intricate project that held my inspiration and fascination all the way through.  I was looking at Michael Cheval paintings the other day for inspiration for a new 15 1/2" Iacono I won on Ebay, and my jaw dropped when I discovered that he'd painted a male counterpart to 

the puppeteer painting Paloma was modeled after.  Should I perhaps, redo the Little Red Riding Hood (Iacono) and turn her into a boy for this?  It is awfully tempting.  Gosh, that was a lot of work though!  But, Paloma is my star accomplishment of the year 2021. But, I have other favorites.  Some of Dolly's costuming, the Red Riding Hood costume I made for Mignonette, Treva, and my dear Little Miss Christmas.  I can't pinpoint why I love this doll so much, but she made me feel like a little girl again, and needle felting the blue reindeer was a joy.  I have other paper dolls by this artist, and am sorely tempted to buy another vintage Madame Alexander and do it again.

One little doll I never shared, was made during September's Little Red Riding Hood theme.  She was to be a Christmas gift to Betsy, and I took a Wendy Lawton Abigail, gave her new eyes and wig, and transformed her into Red.  It was after I made her that I dressed the Iacono doll similarly.  see below  She wears tiny red tights beneath her layered dress.

TIGHTS!  That may have been one of my best, new accomplishments.  I'd made them for Dolly and now all my dolls will get them.  Of course, I have to rework the pattern each time, but tights allow me not to have to make the dreaded underwear.  That no one sees!  I know that some people love underwear, but it feels like such a wasted effort to me. 

Another outfit I haven't shared yet was completed Christmas Eve, although I did share it on Facebook.  I'll get to that in a minute.  But first, I was able to make Cissy's New Year's Eve party gown and finished it yesterday.  This was the last project in my hopper for the year, so I'm feeling very satisfied.  

I started by looking at 1950s cocktail dresses on 

Pinterest, and when I came upon this opera gown and coat from the 50s, I knew I'd hit the mark.  I'd bought some beautiful silks on sale from Farmhouse Fabrics, and wanted to make something in the midnight blue.  I also love that this outfit had a matching coat, as well as pearl beading on the bodice.

What I ended up doing was making something unique for Cissy based on this outfit.  I'm not much of a designer, but I do come up with original ideas from time to time.  Its just that I enjoy bringing illustrations to life more.  There's a challenge in both.

Cissy's gown has a V neck, and shoulders.  Imagine pulling all that silk through the shoulder width just to have it lined.  I line everything.  To recap, I learned the Magalie Dawson method of lining a dress years ago, and adapt it where needed for all my creations.  Its online.  Look it up if you've never seen it.  I lengthened the skirting to a cocktail dress pattern, and lengthened the coat hem to the pattern I used for Cissy's oatmeal colored wool 

coat that went with the olive green cocktail dress.  This outfit is completely made up from silk.  The lining is a beautiful, muted blue, and tiny pearls are scattered among the top of the bodice of the gown.  I was tempted to add them to the sleeves of the coat, but the lighter blue lining of the coat set it apart on its own.

I added a little bow to the neckline of the coat where it snaps close, and a big bow to the top and side of the skirt.  Basically, I made this all up as I went along.  I try to stay with traditional Cissy styling, but I have to do my own thing as well.  She's wearing silver strappy shoes beneath her gown.  

The little tiara was one that came with a Little Darling outfit knitted by one of my Russian favorites.  

Now the truth, and the funny thing, is that I'd forgotten how to piece this coat together and struggled for three hours trying to figure it out - until I read the directions.  Haha!  I made notes on the pattern and will never forget now.

While I was puzzling this out, I removed and boxed up all the ornaments on our Christmas tree yesterday.  I've decided that New Year's Eve needs the sparkle and lights of the tree, but not the tedium of putting the ornaments away the next day.  My tradition has been to have all of Christmas put away before the new year, not bringing the old into the new.  So now I'm being flexible.  I like the lights and I will miss the tree.

And, here is Dolly's second outfit from Diana Vining's adorable Christmas paper doll.  At first I thought I couldn't do it.  The Gingerbread Dress.  I struggled over the fabrics, the time and tedium, and as you know, created the one the paper doll came dressed in.  But, I really loved the gingerbread dress, so before Cissy's New Year's Eve party gown, I made it.  

This dress was made with a velveteen bodice and silk tiered and ruffled skirting.  Silk ruffles also end at the wrists on the velveteen bodice.  Vintage white rick rack is the icing and tiny pom poms are the gumdrops.  A smattering of flat backed jewels are scattered over the bodice as close to the illustration as I could get them.  The peppermint brooch is hand painted silk, the same as the peppermint on her headband.

Once again, Diana's artwork. Should I do the third dress?  Maybe next year if Diana doesn't entice me to create something else with her Dolly Dingle paper doll couture.

The back in detail.  Every pom pom is hand sewed one.

And, my beautiful Grace doll.  I still haven't undressed her as I'm marveling over my big win.  She's holding the mini paper doll page that Diana made for the Club Grace December box.  Of course, Remmie Lou gets in on the action - still chewing on Grace's red glove.

In the final notes of this year, I have to say that the last four months were the finest.  I love the Bers, as my mother called them.  Septem-ber through Decem-ber.  I had more doggone fun making Peggy Sue's Mechanical Man costume, and as I love making costumes, she'll get a new one every Halloween.  She did get two this year!  Inspiration without breaks was key.  I just kept on going until every idea, new and hoppered, was complete.  Sometimes I'm just fueled on sheer determination, but this is also how I play dolls.  

And, if that's not enough, the Doug James flapper doll, the 1470 as he's calling it, will be coming, hopefully in January.  He's made some gorgeous outfits for her, so I'm not sure, if I'm lucky enough to get them, that I'll sew for her, but sewing for her is the plan.  The thing is, I don't mess with perfection.  And, his new outfit collection that's been posting to Facebook is divine.

I also bought an original Tonner 13" Fancy Nancy recently.  I have several of the books.  I've always wanted to sew the outfits for her.  And maybe make her little dolly for her.  I had this doll once, and let her go, and won't do that again.  Fancy Nancy makes me smile, and isn't that what our dolls should do for us?

I'm not thinking past the moment today.  New Year's Eve is all about resting, reflecting on the year past and hopefully all the good it brought.  We create our own joy, and as long as I can create for dolls, the joy will sparkle like the sun on snow.

Wishing you a Happy New Year, with health and prosperity - and lots of new dolls!

Love, Melissa

9" Red Riding Hood Gift

First Outfit for Dolly Dingle

The Long-Awaited Witch Costume

Enchanting Paloma

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Paloma's Partner

Mignonette's RRH Costume

Peggy Sue's Mechanical Man

Sweet Treva and Her Dala Toys

Little Miss Christmas

 

Esme's Christmas Holly - Evergreen

Welcome Winter Solstice!  The shortest day of the year brings with it the promise of Light and Spring.  And, the use of holly to decorate a home was as symbolic in centuries past, as it is today to celebrate the Christmas season.

To the Druids, the plant was sacred.  Celtic civilizations used and valued this evergreen leaf as a symbol of protection and good luck.  It was believed that the holly leaf protected the fairies from winter, as it was observed that small insects sought shelter in the spikey, leathery leaves during winter storms.

The hearty evergreen leaves, and bright red berries of the female plants, bring warmth and cheer to a barren winter landscape.  Could the colors of red and green to symbolize Christmas have come from the holly?

Winter Solstice is my favorite marker of time.  Just four days before Christmas Day, the steadily darkening days take a turn back to longer days of sunlight.  It is often one of the coldest times of the year due to the lack of sunlight, but with that comes snowfall, and it's no secret how much I love the snow.  But, beyond that, the celebration of Winter Solstice tugs at my heart for the hope it brings.  As a lover of nature, there is no more perfect way to celebrate the day that a hike in woods, or a ski on the winter pack.  In the absence of fog, the night sky is sparkling at its best with tiny spots of light.  And, it is out of this love of Winter Solstice and the magical charm of sweet holly, that I chose to make Esme's Leaf Umbrella, a 5 1/2" Maggie Iacono doll, a holly outfit.

My dearest and most generous friend, Betsy, bought her for me as a Christmas gift.  We were having one of our weekly phone visits since she lives in Ohio, and myself in California, and we were looking at Gail Wilson auctions for two tiny dolls not already in her collection.  The seller of the two dolls of interest, had also listed 

Esme', and I went nuts.  I knew the doll would sell, but I couldn't afford to buy her at the time.  Then my Christmas box from Betsy arrived, and she begged me to open it then, so I could enjoy the contents in November - still very much our golden autumn.  I just about flipped, and she told me Esme was "a must have for a little girl born in September".  Bless that beautiful woman's heart!  And, she knew I'd play with her.  Make her something for Christmas.  In fact, Esme could have a spring and summer costume, too, and she will.

To be truthful, it wasn't too far a stretch to undress the little doll, turn her gorgeous little costume inside out, and draft a pattern from it.  Esme even has little wool felt undies beneath the dress.  I am no Maggie Iacono.  I don't even try to be - to recreate the glorious wool felt costuming she's done for her dolls.  I have neither her skills, tools, or creative vision, but I can play with her dolls and make similar outfits to display the dolls in.  Treva, at 10", was designed from Jan Brett's Christmas Trolls book, whereas Esme is a botanical sprite and should remain so. 

I tried to "cheat".  I thought I had this all down pat!  I purchased a set of thirty-six small felt holly leaves from an Etsy seller in Oregon, and planned on just making the underpants, smock and boots.  I'd be free to decorate the smock with the die cut leaves.  Hah!  What was I thinking?  There simply weren't enough leaves in each size and color to create this vision.  I muttered and fussed and tried several ways to create this little outfit with them, then gave up.  

I ended up using two of the leaves as patterns and hand-cut 30 or so of my own from my heavier wool felt.  That was a bonus in itself.  The heavier felt.  Easier to manipulate. 

Even though, and I'm sharing them below, illustrations for inspiration, including Cicely Mary Barker's Holly Fairy, I wanted something Iacono-esque.  I considered making Esme a holly arbor and calling the costume Esme's Holly Arbor, but the fact that her leaf umbrella is cumbersome for her to hold, I chose to give her a holly hat.

After cutting all those leaves and fussing with machine stitching at the centers of the upper most leaves, I wasn't about to let any go to waste.  This is where I came up with the back spray of holly with berries.  The pom poms on the dress are only 3mm in size.  The three on the center of her holly hat are the half inch size - or perhaps smaller?  I had a bag of multiple colored pom poms in the "larger" size.  I was lucky I found it!

Just try to find pom poms this time of year!  Especially this year.  If you think the grocery store shelves look barren, go into a Michael's.  There wasn't but one small aisle left of Christmas decorations in ours as of three days ago.  The entire store looked dead and empty.  There will be no after Christmas sale there. 

I enjoyed making this tiny costume.  Perhaps my favorite part of designing it came with the boots.  Some of you may recall the Holly Sprite outfit I made for Lettie Lane eight or nine years ago.  The boots were awesome!   

So I made tiny Esme similar ones.  It was a bit of a struggle to turn them inside out, and I did not affix a leather sole to their bottoms as Maggie would have, but Esme is a tiny doll and I don't think the costume lacks from the omission of soles on the shoes.

It occurred to me as I was photographing Esme in her Christmas Holly that I spent a good deal of time over the last two months cutting holly leaves.  Earlier, I had made Betsy a Christmas dress for her Maggie Iacono "play doll", and used holly leaves to decorate the hem (see below).  Then there was Little Miss Christmas, who takes the cake for the amount of leaves I had to cut for the costume. And, of course, there was Lettie's from long ago, a costume I sold to a customer.  Wish I had it now!

This blog posting is a celebration of Christmas Holly and Winter Solstice.  In that, I am sharing some wonderfully delightful holly illustrations from years past.  I'm filling this page with glorious shades of green and sweet images to brighten this day for you.

This season has been a prolific one for me and I still feel inspired to keep going.  I just may tackle that gingerbread costume for Dolly Dingle.  After Christmas, the plan is to make Cissy a New Year's gown.  But, for just today, I'm putting my feet up and maybe finishing Donna Ashcroft's The Christmas Countdown, watching a couple of Christmas movies, and taking note of all that has past, and what I wish for tomorrow. 

I hope you've enjoyed Esme's Christmas Holly costume, and will find delight in the images below, as I have.

Love and Christmas hugs, Melissa

 

10" Treva, 5 1/2" Esme

Lettie Lane's Holly Sprite

Betsy's Christmas Dress

Little Miss Christmas

Esme's Leaf Umbrella

Merry Christmas!

 

A Dolly Dingle Christmas 2021

Just finished watching that most precious of Christmas movies, Prancer.  When Prancer snuggles up to the fallen Jessica, I simply fall apart.  I love animals, and they did such an awesome job on this special movie.  Then again, who can argue with watching Sam Elliott for a couple of hours with a glimpse of him in long johns?

And, if you really want a special treat, find copy of the new Christmas book, Grande Jete and Me!  It was written by a former prima ballerina and illustrated by Robin Priess Glasser, of Fancy Nancy fame.  The story is about the former ballerina taking her granddaughter to see The New York City Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker.  Is it any wonder that I collect beautifully illustrated children's books? (see below for book cover)

It was while designing and sewing for Little Miss Christmas, that the December Club Grace box arrived in the mail.  Rachel simply pulled out the stops with this one, and I think it will have to be my favorite of this year's selections.  Snow boots, and a fur snow coat, with add-ons of a scarf and hat and fabulous red boots to go Christmas shopping in.  

But, the greatest surprise and joy to me, was the inclusion of a tiny Dolly Dingle Christmas paper doll by Diana Vining.  I simply flipped!  You know how I love Diana's artwork of Grace and Dolly, and this was such a happy surprise.  I'd fully intended on making Dolly the red holiday dress from last year (remember, I didn't get Dolly until this year), and that idea went poof! when I saw this sweet paper doll page.

How could I not do one on the costumes?  Yes.  I know.  I wanted to make up the gingerbread cookie, but I really did not have the right fabric for the brown.  The pink would have been 

velveteen, which I had, but for a three-tiered ruffled skirt, velveteen would have been too thick.  Oh, I still might try it, maybe in silk or cotton, but gingerbread cookie means thick sweetness to me, and velveteen is so rich.  Remember, this doll is very small, and tubby!

So I made the costume the paper doll is wearing.  Where on earth was I going to get jersey for those tights?!  Well, I made it.  I had a baby's sleeper in the red and white stripes, and I cut the tights pattern at an angle to get both legs' stripes going the same way.  Then I painted in the green dashes.  Seriously.  What a task!

The jumper is one that Dolly can climb into with straps that snap in the back.  The A-line jumper is velveteen and the brown cookie trim is brown silk.  Vintage, cotton white rick-rack was hand-sewn on at the points, top and bottom, with a hidden stitch.  The jumper is lined in red silk.  

Two little pom-poms were sewn at the ends of the straps, and the gingerbread boy decal is hand-painted faux suede (or mole skin?). 

Her little blue top, or sweater, is cotton jersey and snaps in the back.

The red shoes with pink and blue bows, opposite the pom-poms on her dress (love Diana's design!), have little straps with a pearl "button" in the center.

Detail of tights and shoes.

Dolly's little head band is a peppermint band of silk wrapped metal sheeting (that's how I do my head bands), with a red and blue pom-pom on either side of a peppermint.  The peppermint round is silk wrapped cardboard, with hand painted red details.  

To make these photographs extra Christmassy, I channeled Fancy Nancy, and set Dolly up with my little lighted ceramic trees.  I had a green one, and couldn't find it earlier this month, so I bought a pink one and a green replacement.  I adore these little trees.  They're the perfect Christmassy color spot, anywhere you put them.

I hope you'll enjoy Dolly's new outfit.  Below are some of Diana Vining's brilliant artwork for Club Grace December, and a few more photos of our little moppet, Dolly Dingle.

Happy Christmas wishes, Melissa