Gracie's Halloween Costume

Two days to go!  Then its Halloween!  I really hadn't expected that I'd want to make just one more costume, and then I did.  Gracie called.  I just may die with an army of OOAK Gracie dolls.  Actually, I think this little doll is going to get a wardrobe.  Just a small one, but a holiday paper doll one.  

Way back when, I had a subscription to Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine.  I loved the paper dolls inside and they were the main reason I got the magazine.  Time and tide, many moves and life changes, the magazines went the way of the western wind.   Now that I'm sewing, I wish I had them all once again.  Thank goodness for Pinterest, since I can save off copies just to work from now.  Who needs all this paper in the house?  I seriously just dumped tons of doll catalogues from the 90's, a few months ago.  

As you know, I love Chinese dolls, so Gracie is just going to be a favorite for a long time to come.  Interestingly enough,

I just acquired two Helen Kish Song dolls to turn into OOAK art dolls.  The basic Song has lighter coloring.  I really like her.  Urban Song has darker face painting and will make a lovely doll to dress from some Chinese holiday at some point in time.  I had Urban Song many Chinese moons ago and sold her because I didn't like her clothing and I didn't sew.  Now when I collect, I'm recollecting dolls I once loved but for the purpose of creating something unique with them.  But let's get back to Mary Engelbreit.

I guess I had shared this Gracie paper doll on Facebook and a couple of the comments got me thinking, and that, then, was the challenge to make this costume.  I knew it was going to be involved, but I had a week and time on my hands, so I gave it a whack.

The most frustrating thing was not in the making of the costume, but in finding a suitable wig.  A red wig.  I ended up purchasing

several red wigs from a seller on Etsy, and when they arrived, I chopped away at the mohair one with bangs.  It just didn't have the "clown" look.  The hair smoothed under like the Gracie doll's wig and she looked awful in red hair.  What can I say?  Still I was able to achieve the short bob look, but the doll will never wear the wig.  The wig was the base for the cute little raspberry colored clown, bowler hat.

Funny how things work out, but I just tossed two little doll suitcases recently.  And of course I'd need one to put Gracie's wig in.  What does a clown carry with her?  A suitcase.  A suitcase of props and magic tricks.  I had this little pink metal suitcase in my stash, so I used that instead. Its small enough not to take up too much room on a shelf, displaying Gracie.

Gracie's Halloween clown costume is made from silk.  I looked for a moon and star fabric in my stash but must have tossed all the quilting cottons I had like that.  This is why I have so much "stuff".  You never know when you'll need this or that.  The moment you toss it, you find you need it.  Well, it would be doubtful that any of them would have been correct for the costume, so I'l have ended up making my own "fabric" anyway.

Dark purple and orange pumpkin silk make up the costume.  The moon and star appliques are yellow silk, backed by iron on interfacing.  The tiny appliques still tended to fray, but there wasn't anything I could do about that.  

I traced the tiny stars and moons onto the interfacing side, cut them out, then glued them to the purple silk with fabric glue.  After it dried, I touch ironed them to set them.

The ruffles gave me a fit.  Green silk that was edged in a zig-zag stitch.  It still frayed.  There's the big collar that has four layers, the ankle ruffles that also have four layers and the cuff ruffles that have two.  The collar snaps in the back, but the cuff and ankle ruffles close with hooks.

I had to go out and purchase green yarn to make the pom-poms.  I got the last green in this color at our Michael's store.  Once used, I put it away with my yarns from my knitting adventures.  I do not ever expect to knit again, but the yarn is there just in case I need a pom-pom.

The hat is needle felted.  It's pretty tiny, but I gave it a go and its cute.  It has three green leaves and a yellow flower with orange center.  Its all in the details. 

I probably could have gone to town on the accessories because they are all so wonderful.  Cookies, cupcakes, drink cups with spiral straws!  What fun!  But, it was the lanterns that caught my eye, and this is what I made. 

First I had to make her clown shoes.  I've never made clown shoes before, so I really had to think on this.  Clown shoes are supposed to be long, big, over-sized.  But if you cut out that paper doll costume, the clown shoes would fit perfectly over Gracie's Mary Janes.  Now how is that "over-sized?"

And her feet can't flop in them.  So I made them just a little little longer, like half an inch, and the heels are nice and snug.  The spats go over the big red clown shoes.  Why did clowns wear spats?  I think it was to make fun of "dandies".  Clowns were often dressed as hobos wearing over-sized suits trying to look dressed up.

In the paper doll illustration, Gracie's holding a little pumpkin.  So, I needle felted this little pumpkin and ran a thread through it to hook over her wrist.

The lantern is the best of the costume.  I thought long and hard on how to make both lanterns as I love the owl, too.  I started the owl, but the shape wasn't quite right so I just may try again this weekend.  Something to do.  

After buying ping pong balls and cutting holes out of them with a hot knife, I decided to try foam balls.  I had Styrofoam but didn't like the rough surface.  So, I bought the smooth ones.  Now the way you're supposed to make these according to someone on the Internet, is with rice paper papier mached over balloons, then once dry, you pop the balloon.  Ummm....  I'm not sure, and you'd never get one this tiny.  

So I drilled out a hole in the smooth foam ball with a 3/4" bit.  Then I used Mod Podge and string to make the "wire form".  Once dried, I papier mached tissue paper over the lantern.  This is all miniature work, or doll accessory work.  The lantern came out sweet for Gracie to hold, but I think you can tell that two balls, one smaller, would just not do for the owl.  The body needed to be oblong and paper wings and tail and all other manner of paper bits would have to be cut out and applied to make the owl.  It's also a very gluey mess and nasty to clean off your fingers, but I may give it a go this weekend anyway just for fun.  I would use the grainy Styfoam balls because you can pinch them into shape.  

I'd love to make Ann Estelle's ruffled jester costume someday.  And I've had plans to make an Audrey Ann.  Tonner did not make her into a doll, and I love her.  I've enjoyed having the magnetic paper doll f her.  I know exactly what I'll do to make her and then she'll get her own paper doll wardrobe.  Just as soon as the Tonner doll I wish to use appears on Ebay.  

I'm still having fun, and I love sharing these things with you.  I'm sorry if you haven't been getting my blog posts through email notifications.  I tried to look into this and there is no technical support for this blog.  It is free through Google.  If you recall, I had this notification about needing to export all the subscribers, back in 2019.  I thought I'd done it correctly as things seemed to be going along smoothly, then a couple of close friends of mine said they weren't getting notifications any longer.  There is nothing I can do to fix this.  

I hope if you've enjoyed my blog and are reading this, that you might join me on Facebook under the name Melissa Hoover.  I post all my new creations there and provide a link the blog posting I wrote about it.  I apologize if you haven't been getting the posts, but I just can't find a way to fix this.  You are what keeps me motivated and inspired.  I hope you'll consider this option.

Monday is the big day.  Happy Halloween!  When I write again it will be during that quiet month of November when we begin preparing for Christmas.  I think the tree will go up mid-month.  Why not?!  It takes so long to decorate it that its worth having it up a bit longer.

Love, Melissa

 

Test to see if you're getting these in your email.

 Some of you have mentioned to me that you're not receiving my blogs any longer.  I just changed something in the settings, so let's see if this works.  One of you, please let me know you got this.

Halloween Dolls

I don't know why I never did this before.  Well, maybe I have.  Created a Halloween costume for Wendy Lawton's 9" Mignonette doll.  Mignonette and Her Malle du Voyage has been my favorite Lawton doll since I lay eyes on her so very long ago.  She was created in 1999, one of Wendy's best years, inspired by a Simon and Halbig antique trunk doll that Wendy found in an antique shop in New Orleans.  The color theme of the doll costuming was pink, and Boneka did a phenomenal job replicating the costuming and accessories, while Wendy sculpted the sweetest little doll imaginable.  

Wendy was still working with Boneka to costume her dolls at this time, and this was one of her Masterpiece Editions.  It sold for $1995, which was the going rate on her yearly masterpiece editions.  I have owned up to three of these trunk collections before, but now I am down to two.  The one I add costumes to, and the MIB set.  And I mean 

mint in the box.  If the house began to burn down, I know just what I would tuck under my arm before I dashed out the door.  I won't even have to think about it.

After finishing Cissy's costume, I worked on creating a 50's poodle skirt outfit for Dolly Dingle to match the Club Grace "Halloween" costume.  Diana Vining once again drew the loveliest illustration, this time of Dolly in a pink poodle skirt and there was no question of whether or not I'd play Club Grace this month.  Earlier I had dressed Grace in the cat suit from last year, and Dolly in the purple witch costume I made last year when Diana shared the illustration with me.  I'd joined the Virtual Doll Convention online group on Facebook a year after it began, and it was during that year that Diana drew Dolly in her witch costume.  Diana Vining is one of the loveliest and most generous humans I've ever met.

But, yes, I played Club Grace this month with the 50's theme.  I like the 50's.  I'm not the biggest fan of poodle skirts as they are so

"expected", but I did have fun making the costume.

After that I cleaned my studio and foodled around for a while, I was really in need of just one more project for Halloween.  Mignonette was still in her Little Red Cap (Little Red Riding Hood) costume from a year ago, September, and I thought, Why not make her a pink witch's costume?

I suppose when I made her the gypsy costume, it was for Halloween, but it was not a witch costume.  And that's been my focus this Halloween season.  I also had some tiny star tulle yet to use, so I thought I'd give it a try.

After pulling out my pink and mauve, which is sort of pink, silks, for some reason, the mauve looked so much better or "witchier" under the tulle than pink.  So that was the direction I went in.

This time I got the hat correct the first time.  I actually used Tamara Casey's Grace witch hat pattern to make the brim but used my own wedge for the crown since I like them very tall.

There's not much to say on the construction of this costume.  It's a pattern I created and have used in the past.  I just lengthened it.  There's black lace on the edge of the sleeves. 

I made her a magic wand, gave her a cauldron, made her a broomstick to sweep the steps or ride upon.  The darling wolf that has kept her company in Little Red Cap, stays with her now and is a perfect Halloween companion.  He does not turn into a werewolf, but he does a nice job of protecting her and keeping Mignonette company.

This was a simple project and just the right "last" thing to make for Halloween, as far as costuming for my dolls.

This blog posting is more about Halloween dolls than just sharing a new costume for one of my dolls.  This was the year that two of my favorite doll artists delighted me with their versions of Halloween.  

Ruby Red Galleria for their Ruby Red Friends line, created Luna and Selena in gorgeous, gorgeous witch costumes.

And Integrity offered a special Limited-Edition doll called Spookie Sooki.  She came with two outfits and lots of little accessories in what they called The Thirteen Days of Halloween.  The display box had thirteen doors to open to remove the accessories from.

What a dream come true all of this was!  Top it off with a great Club Grace and I'm smiling ear to ear!

Here's Diana's illustration of Grace in her 50's masquerade outfit.

And the real Grace doll, with Dolly Dingle and masked Remmie Lou, the bulldog.

The poodle on Grace's skirt was white cotton velveteen, so I made the same for Dolly.  Dolly also has pink and white saddle shoes.

Both Remmie Lou and Dolly have hula hoops made from pipe cleaners.  Funny, but no one even mentioned them.  I guess they just blended in with everything else, but the hula hoop construction was my light bulb moment in this.

Diana's sweet drawing.

Remmie Lou in a cat mask of her own.  This is Diana's cat.  If I recall, the cat's name is Prince.  I could be wrong so please don't quote me on this.  I'm too embarrassed to ask her.  I think the cat's name is Prince though.

A darling card of masks came in the Club Grace box for Grace to select from.  In the photo above, Grace carries a Remmie Lou mask to wear.  The Club Grace box also contained a round record-shaped handbag, and a cut-out and put-together record album.  The shoes Grace wears are the crowning glory of this entire box.  I added bobby socks to complete the look.

As this blog also serves as an archive of my work, no matter how small the effort, I like to include it for those purposes. 

I just love Halloween and this month has been one of the best I've experienced for playing Halloween with my dolls.

American Girl came out with Harry Potter clothing and accessories, so I bought the set for Gryffindor for my Blaire doll.  I have noticed that seamstresses I know are having as much fun this year as I am, creating Halloween costumes for their dolls.  This is awesome! 

I hope you'll enjoy the photos below.  And I hope your days are full of the beauty of autumn and the excitement of the holiday season to come.  For me, it's already here!

Love, Melissa

 

Ruby Red Friends Luna and Selena

Spookie Sooki in outfit #1

The album I used for Sooki's accessory

Outfit #2, a Frankie costume

Happy Halloween, Mignonette!

 

Cissy's Halloween Masquerade

Here's a spell that very few non-magical people have ever heard about.  On Halloween night, catch an autumn leaf as it falls from its branch toward the ground below, and you and your family will have a year of good fortune.  Let it drop and the leaf's magic will be lost forever.

Love spells, good fortune spells, spells against those who've done you wrong.  There's a spell to scare away a monster!  Monsters lurking far and near, Your jaws of death I do not fear.  There are no children sleeping here, so scamper off and disappear!

We associate spells with witches.  Probably the most famous of all witches, and wizards, are those from the Harry Potter stories.  And my favorite witch will always be Samantha Stevens, from the 1960s TV show, Bewitched.  Apparently. there were five Halloween

episodes during Bewitched's run.  I hope to see them all on YouTube before the month is out.  But currently I'm slowly trudging through Ann Rice's huge tome, The Witching Hour.  Its good.  There is no question that the story is well told. It just could have been told in a third of the book - at least that's what my sister said. 

Another famous witch was Dorothy's witch in The Wizard of Oz.  But I like good witches, silly witches, ridiculously warty witches, witches on brooms and beautiful witches, and even ones that turn to brown sugar when dosed with a bucket of water. 

My mother is in part to blame for my love of witches.  She loved scary Halloween witches and decorated our house each October with Beistle cardboard die cuts of pumpkins, witches, ghosts and the like. Beistle was founded in 1900 in Pennsylvania by Martin Luther Beistle, who created the company after being inspired by his experiences as a calendar salesperson and his exposure to a form of paper craft during his visit to Germany.  Beistle's line of Halloween-themed products were introduced 

in the 1920s.  They helped popularize Halloween decorating in the U.S.  And oh how I love to decorate at Halloween!

And of course, dress my dolls up in new costumes.  Its one of the ways I enjoy the season and Halloween.  Sorry if I disappointed you with Wendy the Good Little Witch for Peggy Sue, but I had so much fun reminiscing and as simple as her costume looks, it did take some designing effort.  

I've had so much fun dressing Cissy this last year, that it was time to make her, her very own Halloween Masquerade outfit.  I've enjoyed my large Evangeline Ghastly dolls in their Tonner Halloween Convention witch costumes, so I decided I might try something for my big girl, Cissy.

Let's give credit where credit is due.  This outfit was inspired greatly by Mel Odom's My Favorite Witch for Gene, given at a Gene convention.  I did not attend this, but was lucky to acquire her and all 

the conventions extras, a couple of years ago. She was the first-ever Gene convention doll with a limited edition of 350.  Very rare, you never see her offered on Ebay.  I paid a fortune for her and love her.  When you have as many dolls as I do, it's the rare ones you try to collect.  There's a photo of her standing next to Cissy at the end of this blog.  The primary differences in design are a net covered hat and full-skirted gown for Cissy.

I really loved the cocktail/hostess net-lace coat.  This hostess style was popular in both the 40's and 50's.  Lucy wore one and Franklin Mint created it for her "William Holden" outfit.  Tonner made one for the 18" Kitty Collier.  Tim Kennedy designed one for the masquerade Gene.  I'm sure there are other examples that I just haven't seen, but it's a favorite style of mine.  And it was a challenge.  Often I will try to copy a designer's doll costume and this teaches me new things.  I've also never sewn netting into a garment.  I've used it as a trim, but this was the first time I worked with it to create a garment.  

I cannot be certain how the costume I studied was pieced together, but I used a zig-zag stitch for the seams.  What looks like a thick dark thread is the zig-zag gathering the edges together.  Sometimes I had to go over an area twice to make sure the threads grabbed the delicate netting, but as with most of what I do, once and never again, I do whatever it takes to make it work.

I created a full-skirted gown from an orangy silk.  I made the skirt width about 4" less wide than the width of the jacket's skirt so the jacket would flow over it.  While I was doing this, a length of pre-pleated netting arrived.  I played with it some and decided to give the hem of the dress a ruffle.  So, this was also a difference from Gene's.  Gene's costume was a full-length pencil skirt with a slit up the front for that 40s look.  This was my attempt to bring the look into the next decade.

I was having a bit of a problem with not enough fabric left over for a hat, so when I made the hat too big, I chose to cut the back of the brim to make it smaller and seamed it.  I know it doesn't look as nice, but at least we have the hat.  

Added to the hat was a little paper velour bat with golden crystal eyes.  This followed on the heels of Cissy's mask made of the same black velour paper.  The paper has a peel off sticky back, so both the bat and mask were applied to black silk and recut.  

Cissy's a big girl and this is a big costume with that very tall hat.  I think one of the reasons we love Cissy is that she is impressive because of her "stature".  This costume came out exactly as I'd hoped (save for the hat scufuffle.)  A snap closes the jacket, and a crystal button decorates the center waist.  She has little star earrings on that match the stars in her moon and star costume. (Gene's was dots.) 

Cissy's carrying a "broom" very similar to Gene's, and her mask has the elastic thread, whereas Gene holds hers on a stick.  Cissy's look is finished with a little plastic cauldron for collecting treats (or giving them out), at the party.

Below are some of my favorite recent witch illustration finds.  They're FUN, colorful and imaginative.   

I hope this month is shaping up nicely for you and you're enjoying these gorgeous autumn days.  

Love, Melissa