I Am Not a Robot

I’ve finished the 11-tuck skirt of Lily Auguste’s first dress. The tucks are not perfect.  Looking back at my inspiration, a dress made by school girls for Rose Percy, I think they were driven to perfection by their instructors, used a very precise sewing machine or they were robots.  I am not a robot.  I am human and I can live with my wonky tucks.  Whilst hand sewing 660 inches … Continue reading

A New Wispy and a New BLUE

The first weekend in December I ticked two of my favorite collecting boxes at the Gaithersburg doll show. And I saw and talked with several doll friends that I haven’t seen in a while. It was a good day. First, I found this charming French papier-mâché doll with the short, wispy hairdo that I find so appealing. She’s my first papier-mâché doll and I have to admit that I don’t … Continue reading

Cabinets

Last weekend a doll friend and her husband came for a visit. So, the week before that I cleaned, dusted and reorganized a couple of my doll cabinets. I wanted to share pictures of how nice they look, but I have not mastered photographing big stuff yet. Here’s a fuzzy picture of my big cabinet. It was my grandmother’s china cabinet which my mom had professionally refinished when she inherited … Continue reading

Must Love Dogs

My dolls love their dogs. So do I. We have lots of them. The French Mignonettes have a porcelain French Bulldog. Of course. Two German bisque dolls tend an antique German fur dog. The tiny mignonettes share a tiny metal bulldog (and a bear). A plush French Poodle and a black pug (painted like my pug, Lily, by a dear friend) live amongst the tiny dolls. A black French poodle watches over … Continue reading

New French Fashion Accessories

The UFDC national convention is next week and I’m sadly not going. With my new, expensive 17th century embroidery obsession, I had to make a choice. I went to my first one in 2000 and have only missed a few since. It is always fun and reassuring to be around so many other people who share my interests. And the shopping is fantastic. Over the years, I have collected French … Continue reading

Antique French Fashion Accessories

Today’s post is all about the pictures. And a few words. I’ve mentioned before that some dolls are collectors. French fashion dolls are notorious for this.  Here are some of the antique accessories my FF’s have collected: Wood, hand-painted fan with orange silk ribbon. Purchased at Paris flea market. I tried to barter, but my shaky french didn’t help. Faux ivory fan with hand-painted silk leaves. Two pairs of doll-sized … Continue reading

Shoes, Socks and a Pair of Stockings

One day, I’ll show you how to make shoes for your dolls. I know how, but it’s a bit fidgety. In the meantime, let’s look at some doll shoes made by other people. First, here is a pair of antique heeled boots. They are black leather, decorated with buckles and shiny metal buttons. They belong to this lovely lady. She is a German, painted-eye fashion with such a sweet face. Her … Continue reading