FRILLS, FROCKS & FANCIES

They're Safe and Sound!!

The first thing I want to say is that I got a reply from the buyer who bought the two dolls that I made Winifred (in yellow) and Milicent (left) and then regretted selling. 

Well it was good news and bad news.  The bad news is that they're not for sale but the good news is that it's because the buyer said she loves them so much and doesn't want to part with them!  It is good news because I was so happy to hear that they went to a home that really appreciates them and is taking good care of them.  They're both together and obviously being looked after very well and the buyer sounded very kind, so although they won't be returning to me it's made me feel so much happier and I'm glad I asked.  I feel inspired to maybe start making them again and do have a few that I never finished....it'll be a nice Winter evening project and this time I won't be selling them!

On to Malphi news....

The first Verity Hope Dresses for this season are now available on Etsy and www.malphistyle.com.  As previewed before this is the Verity Hope Dress in MOONLIGHT....

It's available in four sizes...

They're in very limited numbers and I'll be adding the remaining sizes as soon as I can along with the Bloomers in OATMEAL...

They're also available in four sizes...

Size	S	M	L	XL
Waist	26"-28"	30"-32"	34"-36"	38"-40"
Hips	35"-37"	38"-40"	41"-43"	44"-46"

This is the new darker BROWN Verity Hope Dress...

If a size is not available I'll try and replace it within a few weeks so do keep checking back....

Size	S	M	L	XL
Bust	34"-36"	36"-38"	38"-40"	42"-44"
Waist	26"-28"	30"-32"	34"-36"	38"-40"
Hips	35"-37"	38"-40"	41"-43"	44"-46"

This is the line up of colours that are already out or coming out:

             

     Moonlight                     Brown                     Loganberry                 Forest              Oatmeal (Bloomers)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

New Verity Hope Dresses coming very soon!

It's been a long time coming but my new line of Linen Verity Hope Dresses are finally on their way!   I have four new colours for the Winter months: a deep blue called moonlight, deep forest green, loganberry and the brown was so popular I've brought it out again but slightly darker.   I'm so pleased with how they're turning out.  Here's a peak at the Moonlight...

 

The new dresses vary slightly from last season.  These ones have higher frills, no bow and the arms are slightly looser around the elbow.  I love experimenting with little ways here and there.

I'm hoping to get the Moonlight in the Etsy shop as early as this week along with more Bloomers.  They'll be available in four sizes: SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE AND X-LARGE and the BROWN will then follow.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Bust	34"-36"	36"-38"	38"-40"	42"-44"
Waist	26"-28"	30"-32"	34"-36"	38"-40"
Hips	35"-37"	38"-40"	41"-43"	44"-46"

I have so much I want to work on including some more Dana Ashley Dresses (a more casual Verity Hope minus the frill) out of some amazing prints I picked up in London last week.   Here's one I've just finished which is now on Etsy and on RUSTIC CHIC.

It's a size Medium in a soft touch cotton with a subtle satin sheen. 

We took the photographs locally this time down by the river.  I don't know why I didn't think of that location before...the flowers were still out in full bloom in some places and it felt like summer.

I'm thinking of incorporating Paypal into the main website www.malphistyle.com to make it easier with the currency and I know I always prefer the familiarity of Paypal.  A project on the 'To do list'.  Would love to hear from anyone who does use a Paypal shoping cart on their own website and whether they would recommend it over another?

I just had to show you this apron!  I didn't make it but it epitimizes everything I love about aprons!  Feminine, cheerful, floral, floaty, dreamy...

I added some little buttons here and there sewn with green embroidery thread to match the tiny leaves.

 I was getting it ready to put in Apronologie™ but I love it so much I've decided to keep it!  So many aprons and dresses pass through my hands that you forget sometimes to treat yourself now and again and enjoy the things you love.   A few years back I made some dolls and still regret to this day about selling them. 

Here's little WINIFRED....

 

and darling MILLICENT....

I knew at the time when I was taking them to the post office that I was really going to regret letting them go.  Fortunately they both went to the same home.  Two years have now passed and I STILL think about them so it's time to TAKE ACTION!   I made a grand decision last night!!!....I've actually contacted the buyer!!!  I emailed her last night to let her know that I would be very interested in buying them back if she ever wanted to sell them.  It's a long shot, they may have moved on already...and I know they're only dolls and there are far worse problems in the world but since I have that chance then I SHOULD TAKE IT!   Haven't heard back yet but fingers crossed!! X

Cordelias'a Summer...

Cordelia was enjoying her summer holidays out in the garden.  She had been given a list of jobs to do but liked nothing more than smelling the early morning fragrance of her favourite flower...

or chatting with the honeybees...

 and laughing with her friend Montgomery, who always cracked her up with his joke of the day...

She had made many friends that summer and whenever she had a problem she knew she could always turn to Timothy...

who believed in taking life slowly...to get things done but not to over exert or be in a rush about it.  Cordelia liked this philosophy and had adopted it all summer long.  Spending her days enjoying the quiet moments...

and letting things just take care of themselves.  This was not quite what Timothy had meant but still, Cordelia had learned not to rush and was taking more in....

"Mmm", Cordelia sighed... "why can't life be always like this?".

"It's all well and good, but some of us have responsibilities!" Myrtle cried out, who had been feeling the strain of single motherhood.

"Oh just ignore her" said Benjamin..."Lets round everybody up and have a jolly knees up!"  Cordelia thought this was a super idea...

BUT.....party time was over for Cordelia...Frau Schmidt had arrived!!!

McCall's Peg Wooden Doll

I bought this pattern for a reproduction Peg Wooden Tuck Comb doll a few years back on Ebay. The seller is oregonraindrops and here is the link to her shop: http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Patterns-and-Transfers.  She sells wonderful cloth doll patterns too! It's a copy of one produced in the McCall's Needlework Annual in the 1980s. Not being a wood crafter myself (though I'd love to try) I kept a look out for ages on Ebay to see if a ready made doll would come up.� I couldn't believe it when one by the well known Fred T. Laughon came up for auction AND with a costume just like the one in the original pic!

When she arrived the dress was quite faded and blue in colour so I soaked it in a green dye to bring the colours up again and more in line with the drawing.

Her Bloomers and Petticoat also needed a good wash.

I repainted her body and face so that she would feel all new again.� I'm really not great with a brush and paint so cheated a bit and used a fine nib pen to do the small features.

Now I'm writing this because for months after her first repaint she stood happily but 'sternly' on my desk but we just didn't bond.� Her mouth always bothered me, it didn't suit her and her eyes didn't look kind enough and the white colour made her too much like a China Doll...which was what she was not! SO I've finally taken the plunge and scraped off her wonky mouth and repainted her to a more golden glow.

I'm so pleased I did it and she's never looked back. Her features may still not be the greatest artistic work in the world BUT she stands taller, brighter and much more approachable altogether. Okay I know she's not smiling as much now but her cheeks are Rosy perky and we've now bonded! Does anyone else collect these dolls? I'd love to hear.

The Sandy Ones...

The next dolls had the same pattern as before but I wanted to add some weight to them.  I was living out in India at the time and right by a beach so experimented by using sand (steralized first of course!) and filled their bodies using a funnel.  It helped Malphi and Athalie to sit nicely...

Although not so well on the floor...

I had to use simple bead jointing with them because of the sand filling.

I didn't use a pattern this time for the clothing.  I just made some simple Pants for Malphi and a funny sort of apron thing over the top.  Not sure gender he/she wishes to be?

What do you think? Probably a she...

Athalie is definitely a girl. For her clothing I cut up a piece of patchwork I'd made by hand from scraps years ago and then re-stitched them so the patches would be more in scale.

I think she's pleased with her outfit...

Some of my first cloth doll creations...

These doll have all been inspired by a wonderful cloth doll maker called Barbara Willis.  She does the most amazing designs.  I used her pattern for the doll bodies and some of the clothing.

I was experimenting with casting and made a silicone mold from a vintage doll.  Had to take the hair out of the poor doll head, kind of regretting that now as I write so maybe I might just have to re-root her.  Anyway, I then cast some heads from the mold using polyurethane foam.  It's lighter than resin but still goes in to all the nooks and crannies to bring out the features.  Very messy to work with but very rewarding.  I then covered the cast with cotton fabric.  This was my first doll I completed, she's called Elspeth...

As I'm not a natural artist at all, I used some cut out eyes from a magazine and covered them with a silicone glue coating to bring out a glaze on them.  It's not actually a terribly pretty result as she looks a little cross but not bad for first effort.

These were my next three dolls...Meredith, Martha and Eloise.

This time I had a go at painting on the eyes.  I'm not a natural artist at all so kept it simple as you can see on Martha.

I also used felt to cover the face instead of cotton fabric.  It brought out the features a lot more.  I used a Barbara Willis pattern for the clothing.

Barbara generally uses mohair for her doll hair but I experimented with acrylic as shown off here by Meredith.

This outfit on Eloise is one of my favourites...