Once Upon A Time

"The belief in a thing makes it happen."
                                                     Frank Lloyd Wright

 

Yesterday I shared with you some of the dolls that have been very memorable to me. Today I wanted to share a few dolls that I actually made myself. A number of years ago a friend said she was signing up to take classes in making porcelain dolls. I was going through a period when I was really attracted to them. Whenever I went to doll shows and looks at the prices, I kept thinking how beautiful, but so very expensive. So I signed up and next thing I knew I was making and finally had completed my very first porcelain doll. I made it as a baby boy and ended up giving it to my mother for Christmas


It's body was filled with a filler that made it feel like you were holding a real baby and it's eyes were suppose to be closed.   I bought a cute little buggy for him to stay in at her house.   After she passed away, I gave the buggy away but kept the doll.   I just  handwove the cradle a few years ago and as you can see, I still haven't painted or stained it yet...

I found a woman who made and sold the bedding for the cradle and I bought this many years ago and finally got my cradle made to put it into...

The next doll I made was from the same mold as the little boy, above; but I made it with eyes open and as a little girl...

By this time I had decided this just wasn't my "thing".   The details had to be meticulous and I didn't like that; however, I had already bought a pattern and spent some money on some beautiful fabric for another doll I had wanted to make.   I made the face, but from that point on, I paid someone to put on her hair and to make the outfit.   She is really pretty and I do like her, but man, oh, man...no more doll making for me...

I applaud all porcelain doll makers. There's so much work and detail that goes into these dolls that I now understand the high pricing on some of them.