Friday, May 31, 2013

Dollmaker on Thursday. Liz Stuckey at Rococo Barocco.

(Pretend it's Thursday.)

This week's Dollmaker
is Liz Stuckey

Liz makes the most wonderful 
boudoir dolls.


Gorgeous ladies on a theme of Marie.
This one is sunny and golden.

I love the details;
the little shoes,
the tiara,
the earrings!

I should point out that Liz
also makes these lovely things
in people size, too.


(Liz fills her with little gifts)







Liz's Marie dolls
show a delightful playfulness
with the 18th century Rococo theme.

 Why not?


I really love the roses on the shoes
and the naughty masquerade mask.

How about a
I have your attention now, haven't I?


Liz's other enduring theme
is the artist 

There are earrings.
 (See above!)

There are scented sachets.




As well as all these
amazingly creative talents,
Liz is an absolute sweetheart!

I admired one of her little keys around
a Marie's neck, and she sent me one,
all sweetly wrapped.
She also sent me some wonderful hat straw,
and instructions on how to use it.

Thank you, Liz!

Liz makes some pretty amazing hats.



(I love, love love,
the  diamante 
mermaid skeleton!)



However,
my favourite dolls accessory?

The fabulously Baroque



I know!

Aren't these wonderful?

Pop over to Liz's Etsy shop
and see some of her wonderful things.







Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Maid in Waiting


Shared on the wonderful
over at
Ivy and Elephants.

It's their 2nd Bloiversary!
.



My little
Milkmaid Princess
is making progress.
but she's still a maid-in-waiting.

Waiting for a body.


Waiting for some clay.


Waiting for some paint.


 Waiting for the glue.


Waiting for some drawers.


Waiting for a petticoat.


Still waiting for another petticoat.


Waiting for the dress.


She does have fingers, though.


And toes.


I did a rough
(very rough!)
design for what I want.
I have some green and rose chintz-y fabric,
and lots of pink ribbon roses.


Sewing tomorrow,
I can't wait!



Sunday, May 26, 2013

Miss Molly and her Dolly


Well,
Miss Molly Cottontail
is finished,
and she'll be up on Etsy


I made her a 
little pink bonnet,
but she hates it
and refuses to wear it.


Alice feels the same way about hats.


Here is Molly,
posing in the meadow.


Her pink dress
is very light and cool.


She wants to know
if you like it?


Relaxing in the 
warm Spring sunshine.

I'm showing off
Miss Molly's
little pink dress at
Pink Saturday!

This is the 5th anniversary
so get yourself 
over there!



Friday, May 17, 2013

Marie Antoinette and the Heart-Shaped Cheese. Now with added cheese.


Castles, Crowns and Cottages.


I'm honoured, and delighted,
to be included In
Castles, Crowns and Cottages
exploration of 
La Belle France.




So here was my inspiration.

A doll with the painted face
of an 18th century princess,
playing at a milkmaid.



With contemporary 18th century portraits
as a reference for the features.


 The eyes suggested with paint
in monochrome, like a grisaille.


The irises in a grey blue,
wide and innocent.


A rosebud mouth, 
small and slightly pouting.


Paint and powder,
a natural blush deepened 
by a touch of carmine.


And finally, soft white hair,
powdered, pomaded and piled high,
to be decorated with 
rows of roses.


And I know what she'd make,
this little princess milkmaid.

She'd make heart-shaped cheese.

(PS. I didn't make this particular cheese. I wish I had.
If I made these wonderful, dreamy cheeses,
 this would be a cheese blog, not a doll blog.)

No, no, my dears!
Not the stuff in the block
by the cream cheeses
at Wal*Mart.

This is the real thing.
Salty and tangy and crumbly-delicious.

I miss it so.

So, I made a heart-shaped cheese of my own,
with herbs and garlic.


And this is the recipe.
 Ingredients.
1 block of neufchatel cheese
(or cream cheese; full fat,
fat free, whatever)

1 or 2 cloves fresh garlic
(To taste.)

A handful of fresh herbs.
I  used parsley,
but any mild, soft-leaved herb would do
either alone or blended.

Method. 
First, puree the garlic.

(My Aunty Joanne who was
 the most glamorous woman I ever knew
taught me this method.)

Peel the garlic cloves
and sprinkle on a good pinch of salt.
Start to chop the raw garlic into the salt,
scraping the knife and gathering the 
chopped bits back together.
 The garlic will start out as little chunks
but will slowly transform into a thick puree.

Chop the clean herbs into tiny flakes.
Yes, by hand.

Line your heart-shaped mould
with foil and sprinkle the base 
with a light layer of chopped herbs.

Combine the remainder of the herbs 
and the fresh garlic puree into the neufchatel cheese.

Spoon gently into the mould
and press into shape.

Chill. 
An hour or two is fine
Overnight is better.

Turn out of the mould.


Serve with good bread,
  buttery crackers
and 
cold, crisp white wine.



(If you don't have a suitable mould,
form the cheese into a cylinder, 
then roll in chopped herbs
 and wrap tightly in foil or cling film.)









Thursday, May 16, 2013

Dollmaker on Thursday: Summer Covington Smith

 Summer Covington Smith
is a wonderfully talented 
doll maker.

I first found her dolls on her blog,
and I was entranced.


Her dolls are quirky and wicked,
and somehow still full of a 
gentle sweetness.

Like Trogg, here.



And Isabella,
biting her lip.
Those huge eyes
 full of worry,
make you just want to 
give her a hug.


Gretta, all Gothic 
in stark black and white
displays wide blank eyes
over sewn lips.
A doll to tell secrets to,
perhaps?


Summer's blog is generously full
with hints and tips and
her work-in-progress shots.

This is the creepiest smile, right?


Right!
And even if you're not scared of clowns
there's something deeply unsettling about
Barstow here.

Does it surprise you 
he also has a
blood splashed axe?


This is Madeline.
I love how she still looks
sweet and vulnerable
even with a zip
for her mouth.



Her elegant little dress
with a single red rose 
keeps our attention
on her expressive face.


Oh, I love the fidgeting toes!


Summer also make 
wonderful cloth dolls.
is a sultry stunner.
Look at those boots!




 She also makes
Goddess dolls.
Her cool greens and warm pinks
are like a rose garden


Summer has a wonderful eye
for grotesque faces
that are appealing
and  full of character.
 Like Stink-Eye here.



Or tender and cute,
like Mallory.


But I must admit a soft spot
for wicked old
Lord Arsenic!



She also sells crocheted gloves
and scarves and wallets.
Go and see!