Go Ask Alice.....

I LOVE Alice. Always have, always will.

I love that sneaky kitty of hers too.

So I made one. Actually, the Cheshire Cat was made a couple of years ago for an IOLCC Dimensions In Dollmaking show. He was made to taunt my adult Alice Liddell that her youth was far behind her, could never get those Wonderland days back, and the clock keeps ticking.

But I ravaged that Alice and remade her into poor recluse Emily Dickinson, and poor Cheshire Cat was stuffed into a drawer. I couldn't bear to toss him. Thank you Johnny Depp, for giving me an idea with which to revive poor Chessy and give him a new victim to taunt.

So, here's my new Alice, young, clueless and completely innappropriately attired for crawling down rabbit holes. Her mother will have her head for dirtying that dress.

And the sneaky Cheshire Cat is enjoying every moment of imagining Alice choosing the switch off the tree which will remind her that young ladies do NOT soil their expensive dresses whilst canoodling with unsavory characters who drink "tea" and smoke hookahs. And hang out with little girls taking lots and lots and LOTS of photos of them.

Poor Mr. Dodgson. So very misunderstood I suppose. We may never really know why he hung out with little kids, or what he was smoking, besides a pipe. But he did leave a fabulous story, and an intriguing mystery...why DID Mrs. Liddell suddenly forbid contact between her children, specifically Alice, and Charles Dodgson? And why did he publish the stories he invented for Alice under 'Lewis Carroll'? Perhaps to distance his book from any rumors possibly circulating regarding the sudden cutoff between he and the Liddells? The only way to find out is to go ask Alice, for I should think she knows.

More information regarding my Alice and Cheshire Cat are available on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180474827709

Beatrice

I'd like to introduce Beatrice, my newest little Izannah Walker inspired doll.

Beatrice is named for Beatrice Harraden, a writer born in London in 1864. Her debut novel, "Ships That Pass In The Night" was published in 1893. A love story set in a tuberculosis sanatorium, I imagine to be quite the tear jerker...a 'la "Love Story." Not certain I could get through reading it. Beatrice wrote 11 novels, and was heavily involved women's rights, publishing her work in the suffragette paper "Votes For Women". She passed from this world in 1936.

My little Beatrice is made from paperclay over a cloth body, is handsculpted and wears a completely handmade frock of glazed cotton in a lovely deep shade of madder red.

She's got a lovely petticoat with tiny pintucks and lace, drawers (what self-respecting little gal wouldn't?) and painted striped stockings with little handsculpted balmoral boots.

Beatrice is for sale on ebay, and if anyone cares to give her a good home, she'd surely appreciate it! She's all dressed for Valentines, so she is of course under the impression she's going to some big fancy party... so I hope someone takes pity on her and she doesn't suffer the horrific dreaded female condition of 'all dressed up and nowhere to go'. Besides, if she doesn't sell, I'm just gonna stick her in a drawer and forget about her. I tend to be rather neglectful of little dolls who, through no fault of their own remain trapped in my nest.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP.dll?ViewItem&item=180466741111...



Thanks so much for looking, and please, as always...pardon my incredible lack of photography skills.

Arabella

Another Izannah Walker inspired dolly, made from paperclay over cloth. I decided to mix it up a little and give her ginger hair...oh, what do they call it? Titian, I believe.

Kept the crackle patina to a minimum this time, and I like it better this way. Sometimes, less is more. Her frock is completely handsewn in the period correct manner and style of the mid 19th century from 1860 reproduction fabric. Once again, I assigned my better half the task of selecting the dress fabric, even though I already had decided what I liked best for this particular doll. He chose the same fabric! He's done this successfully for the last two dolls I've made, so he's been hired! Now he wants to accompany me to the fabric store. While I suppose I should be pleased as punch, I do view that domain as MY turf. Not so sure I want to share it!

Arabella is now available on ebay if anyone is interested in giving her a good home!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAP.dll?ViewItem&item=180458895927...

I always name my girls after someone I find to be an inspirational historical person, and I named this doll after Arabella Mansfield. That's her you see above. Arabella or 'Belle', was an Iowan, and was the first woman to pass the bar exam in 1868. She was the first woman admitted to the bar in 1869...and the first woman to practice law in the WORLD. That's a pretty incredible position to hold! Belle was once just a little Victorian girl playing with her dolls, and look what she became, and the road she paved for all women the world over.

Return To Cranford

My favorite group of middling, yet helpful ladies, the women of Cranford will be keeping me fine company this evening as I settle in for a second helping of Return To Cranford! What can I say but yippy skippy! I LOVE this series...well written drama and humor, great characters, fabulous costuming!

Last week left us mourning the loss of the formidable Lady Ludlow...and the return of her absent and incredibly selfish son , Lord Septimus. Which for faithful viewers of Cranford, was actually his introduction. Finally he shows up, just in time to bury mommy and collect his winnings. A more self-centered twit there never was....but wait, there's something awfully familiar about Lord Septimus...


Initially, I couldn't put my finger on it, but gosh darn it, Septimus was really reminding me of someone unpleasant. Where on earth had I seen him before? And then I realized with great horror, he is closely related to another selfish twit...

Mr. Henry Salt. No wonder Veruca's such a witch. It's genetic.
I must admit, I found it pretty amusing that Roy Kinnear, famous father of Veruca Salt, the most spoiled brat in movie history would sire Lord Septimus, the most spoiled brat of BBC bonnet dramas, Rory Kinnear! No wonder Lord Septimus looked so darned familiar. I can almost picture his snotty little pug face muttering to Lady Ludlow .... "I want it NOW, MUMMY". Can't wait for tonights installment!
I want it on NOW!

The Young Victoria

I recently attended a showing of the new film "The Young Victoria." Though I LIVE for the proverbial 'bonnet drama', I was apprehensive about seeing this film...I'd heard they added drama that never took place, and I cannot abide that in a historical biographical film. I also was not sure about the casting: Emily Blunt as Victoria seemed a bit of a fanciful stretch. A talented actress, no doubt. But could she pull off the role of one of the most famous women in the history of Brittany?

I have to say, phony dramatic scenes and much too pretty of an actress in the lead role aside, that I did indeed enjoy the film. The costuming was amazing, and I'm thrilled they showed Victoria's slippers. You don't typically see the footware in these romantic era films. I did feel that Ms. Blunt did work hard to capture the essence of the young girl who became queen.

And I enjoyed the fact that Prince Andrew's daughter Beatrice was able to have at least a momentary role in the film about her great great etc etc..grandmother. But when I saw her, for that split second on screen, I noticed something I'd not noticed before;

Princess Beatrice looks a hell of a lot more like Queen Victoria than Emily Blunt ever will. Bless her royal little heart.

I am now curious to see whether or not The Young Beatrice has any acting chops, because I think she'd be fabulous featured as the young queen in a documentary film...are you listening, Fergie?

Althea

I've been neglecting to do anything remotely creative this holiday season other than making gifts for other people, and not really anything for 'me'....

Which is probably pretty typical for most people this time of year!

I did sell a couple of doll dresses on ebay a couple of weeks ago, but those were dresses that'd been as usual, lying around in my drawers for some time!

Went to Las Vegas over the Christmas holiday (can you think of a less 'Godly' place to spend Christmas?) And I was bored silly! Not my thing, I suppose. Sort of wasted on someone like me who doesn't drink, smoke, party or gamble. I couldn't wait to get back home and start on a new dolly!

Started on this little one New Years Eve and finished her up today! This is Althea (yes, I'm still on "A" names), she's a little smaller than my other Izannah type babies, about 13.5 inches instead of 16. She's named after a lady who's house I had to clean up after she passed on. Althea lived to be nearly 100, never married, lived alone until she died. She was a career girl, independent, a world traveler, an adventurer, gorgeous... and dressed to the nines. In her home I found fabulous clothing she'd saved from the 1940's, guns, and gold mining equipment. She must have been an extremely interesting woman. She had no family left to speak of, save a brother and his wife who had no interest in any of her personal things, letters, photographs, etc. Just send any cash and jewelry, please. So sad. I hope that while she has no one of her own to remember her, somehow, she knows that I do, and I had a fabulous time getting to know her!

Happy Holidays!

God Bless Us, Everyone

Where ever you are, whatever your creed, and however you celebrate this Holiday Season, I wish you peace and joy.