IOLCC Dolls

Gosh, what a busy time I am having this summer. I haven't been terribly productive in blogland. Being so darned busy, I have had little to no time to work on my IOLCC Dimensions in Dollmaking entries. Mentioned here in an earlier blog some ideas I had, and until this last week, didn't actually start doing anything towards those goals. Then again, that's SO me.

I do have two in the works, and they really have very little to do with this years theme: Make Em Laugh...or Make Me Laugh. Not sure which and does it really matter? As long as somebody's laughing.

I don't have photos yet, but they will be up hopefully this next week. When the girls are decent enough to be photographed.

I am almost ashamed to admit, that all I did was pull two abandoned projects lying dormant in my drawers to finish up so I could enter SOMETHING. I'd promised two, and I have to deliver.

The show is most severely lacking in entries this year. So if I bail it will be noticed, and these ladies are so nice I can't leave them shorthanded.

So if you have a doll that you want to enter, please, please do so!!! Just google IOLCC or Imitation of Life Construction Company. It's here in San Diego and their Dimensions In Dollmaking Show will be held September 16th at the San Diego Convention Center. Home of Comicon!!! They are taking entries up to September. From anywhere in the world. Get's lots of coverage in the magazines.

At any rate, the first doll I decided to finally complete is a historical figure who really had a lot of tragedy in her life. A nice lady with a sense of humor despite all the awful things that happened to her family. She's wearing mourning clothes, is depicted in middle age during the time her daughter committed suicide.

You probably think it's disrespectful to enter this poor lady in a show with humor as the theme. But really, this woman could use a laugh. She deserves it. I am temporarily renaming her for the show. Then she'll go back to being herself, and on another post closer to Halloween, I'll let you in on who she really, really is.

But for now, she's Anita Goode-Laffe. 'Cause she really could use one. Yeah, I know it's corny. But it's all I could pull out of my hat at the last minute.

The other entry is from Singing In The Rain. She's a representation of Kathy Selden jumping out of the Monumental Pictures Cake. Why? Because I don't think I can make a decent yellow slicker for her to wear. Was showing my little Sophie the youtube video of 'Make Em Laugh' with Donald O'Connor when she spied on the side column a tiny photo of a girl in pink jumping out of a cake. She HAD to see it and constantly requests it. Triggered an idea in the dusty attic I jokingly call my brain.

Don't think anyone will 'get it'....but then no one at this show ever does 'get' what I do! I'll post photos next week of their progress.

For now, headed from sunny, breezy San Diego for a fun filled family reunion in Tucson, where I hear tell it's not really THAT hot...it's a DRY heat you know.

Lazy Daze of Summer

I haven't done too much sewing or dollmaking, and I'd better get to that...

but I thought I'd show a few photos of Sophie in a couple of her little dresses I made her.

Here she is, wearing the same dress I made for her when she was a year and a half old. I have shown her in this on previous posts, when she first got it, and when she was two. It's a Civil War reproduction made from Civil War repro cotton. Amazingly, it still fits her and will probably fit her when she's four as well. I'll have to let out that tuck at the bottom by then. Got lucky and she was suddenly in the mood to wear her 'long ago' dresses and let me take photos.

Trying on her 'glass' slippers.

Sophie's third birthday request was a Cinderella dress. This came as a surprise, as she's no interest whatsoever in Disney princesses, Barbie dolls, etc. While she loves books, she's more Fern Arable than Belle. You'll see. Anyhoos, I remember how disappointing it is to NOT get what you ask for on your birthday...yet I could not bear to spend my time on a Disney production either. Since Sophie's never actually seen the Cinderella movie, I took great liberties. I made her another 19th century period dress...but in a lovely blue watermark print I have had laying in a drawer for 5 years (lots of things lie dormant in my drawers, and I mean that in every sense of the word). I decided to make a 'sparkly' overskirt that was removable so that she could have more versatility.

Here's Sophie tending her flock. She must have really been going for the Cinderella theme this year, because she also asked for baby chicks for her birthday. She received three chicks, oh so cute but my, how they've changed. They seem to be turning into chickens. Pooping, pooping, poopy chickens. We visit the poop coop daily. No eggs yet, but they will be fabulous colors when they start coming! No plain jane white eggs for this gal. And don't you just love a gal who's willing to wear her glass slippers in a poopy chicken coop? So down to earth.



Sophie and Blanche (she prefers the French pronunciation) . Here you can get a glimpse of her sparkly overskirt.

I didn't have any of those fancy new-fangled coverable buttons, so I used metal washers. Handmade the button holes. Unfortunately, this type of detail goes largely unnoticed in the three year old brain. That's why the good Lord helped us to invent cameras.

IOLCC Doll Competition Dilemma!

Well, it's time for me to start planning what the hell I am going to make for this years Imitation of Life Construction Company's (IOLCC) annual international "Dimensions in Dollmaking" show. Hosted annually by the San Diego Quilt Show at the fabulous San Diego Convention Center, this event showcases the work of artists from as far off as Tasmania and Israel! It is I feel, the most visited concession at the quilt show, and with good reason! The best of the best is on display...along with the works of those determinedly on their way to joining those ranks. The show has been covered by Art Doll Quarterly and many other magazines.

So it's pretty daunting to me to come up not only with a doll worthy of sitting on those tables...but one that fits the theme without me feeling like I am 'selling out' to a typical and

expected idea.

This year's theme is "Make Me Laugh". Instantly, tables filled with 78-104 clowns appeared in the vacuous space that also is considerate enough to allow for my tiny brain. Now, the artists that send their work to this show are for the most part imaginative, original people. I know because I sit there monitoring the booth and am pretty familiar with the pieces. But then again, there are some who do create the first thing that probably popped into their heads. I am diametrically opposed to doing this, and it is my mission in life to defy pretty much everything. Particularly those things that are common sense and make most people's lives easier.

The thing is, that the people who DO make the first thing that popped into their heads, create a piece that is the first thing that most visitors relate to. And therefore, the most popular.

What I do is pretty predictable...if you know me. It's going to have to be a female, and she's going to have to bear historic significance. ALWAYS. But I do try to come up with a persona that nobody else will think of. Not just for the sake of originality, but also education. I think it's fun to discover a person I knew little to nothing of. But that might be just me.

In contemplating a female of historic interest who made people laugh, a few popped up immediately.

Lucille Ball

Now really, is there anyone funnier than Lucille Ball? She raised that ballet bar pretty damn high. She's THE person to aspire to if you are a woman comedian. She's also the first person who's going to pop into the heads of at least 1/3 of the artists participating in this competition.

Lucy is also probably THE most recognizable person that the visitors will relate to in making their vote. Is she worthy? Heck yes! Is she original? She's been done to death in the doll world. So, no, I don't think so. Is she a shoo-in? Ehhh.......depends on how she's depicted. She'd have to be recognizable. Otherwise nobody would 'get it'. A Lucy from her earliest days looks very different from the Lucy the world knows and loves.

Barbra Streisand
(as Fanny Brice)

Then, there's Barbra Streisand. Not only is she a funny girl, she portrayed a historic comedienne in a very well known movie. She's well loved, instantly recognizable, and she's pretty distinctive. Will anybody else come up with a Barbra? Not as likely as a Lucy. But the visitors would be able to relate to her. She'd probably need to be in character as Funny Girl, Fanny Brice for people to really 'get it'. The pregnant bride springs instantly to mind.

Fanny Brice


Which naturally, takes me to Fanny Brice. THE original Funny Girl. I highly doubt that anyone else will do her. I believe that this is because no visitors will be quite able to remember her. Whoever remembers her will likely be dead, and therefore not able to visit the display. People will relate to Streisand AS Fanny Brice. But probably not realize she was actually a real person. Which makes me want to shove her down the public's collective throats, so they learn a little something new. Will anyone relate? Naw. Will anyone look at her twice? Not much more than to say, "Oh, that's nice. Who's Fanny Brice?"

Fannie Beane

My ultimate desire is to represent somebody NOBODY ever heard of, and that's Fannie Beane! Why do I like Fannie Beane? Because she is one of the earliest vaudeville comediennes, and she played DEADWOOD. How cool is that? She headlined at the famed Bella Union Hotel. That can't have been an easy audience! You history buffs who've cried (as I have) at the demise of HBO's "Deadwood" will know that establishment.

Will anyone relate? NO. Will anyone look at her twice? Probably NOT, other than to say:
"Who the hell is Fannie Beane and why did she think it was okay to show her face at this show, which is obviously about funny things, like Lucy, and...clowns?"

So yeah, having a hard time deciding what to do. My Dave says go with Lucy. I said no way. Then again, selling out and making a clown might finally get me in one of them fancy periodicals.

Jenny Lind, the Swedish Nightingale

Jenny Lind

The Swedish Nightingale

Jenny Lind was born Johanna Maria Lind, October 6, 1820 in Stockholm, Sweden. Jenny was (shock!!) the illegitimate daughter of Anne Marie Fellborg, a schoolteacher, and Niclas Jonas Lind, a bookkeeper. Her parents did not marry until Jenny was 14 years of age. Wow. You just don't hear of that type situation that often in the 19th century. Makes us 21st century live-in sinners seem more normal, doesn't it?

When Jenny was nine, her singing was overheard by the maid of Mademoiselle Lundberg, the Principal Dancer of the Royal Swedish Opera. Thus began Jenny's illustrious singing career.

Hans Christian Anderson fell in love with Jenny in 1843, and while they remained close friends, his romantic feelings were not returned. Hans wrote three fairytales inspired by Jenny; The Ugly Duckling, The Angel, and The Nightingale. The Nightingale fit....and from then on, Jenny Lind became known worldwide as "The Swedish Nightingale".

Jenny married Otto Goldschmidt in 1852, and bore him three children. This was her only marriage. She gave her last performance in Dusseldorf in 1870, and died of cancer November 2, 1887.

Jenny Lind was one of the first worldwide celebrities, coming to the United States after an invitation from P.T. Barnum to tour. She may well be the first celebrity to become a 'brand'. Her name graced cribs and cradles...dolls and songs. Women strove in droves to imitate her fashions. So, step aside Cher, Madonna and Britney. You've got enormous shoes to fill.

Here is my version of Jenny Lind, made for the IOLCC (Imitation of Life Construction Company) competition in San Diego last year. The theme was...oh god, what was it? Oh yes...something about having wings. I can't go into the world of fairies and faes, it's just not my thing. I don't do animals. Not well. So me being me, and going against the grain, I had to find something historical to get around the whole 'wing' thing.

Is a Nightingale not a winged thing? That's how I came up with Jenny.

Jenny is made of paperclay over an armiture..and she's quite a heavy gal. I mean, um...sturdy. No girl wants to be referred to as heavy. She is completely handsculpted. I did try to come up with some resemblance to the real Jenny, but the plastic surgeon in me did whittle her somewhat bulbous proboscis down a just a tad. Her hair is also hand modeled, as I didn't want to risk sending her into the hands of others to display and having mohair somehow get pulled out of shape. And it's a good thing I did....because Jenny came back from the show missing a couple of her digits. She's lucky she wasn't a pianist...

She's wearing a ballgown made from contemporary changeable silk taffeta, which is enhanced by antique fabrics and beaded trims. No good, useable, historically significant, displayable, wearable antique garment was destroyed to create Jenny's gown. The gown is covered with netting (with pleats of silk ribbon) from an antique gown that was shredded Her headpiece is all antique 'bits' as well. She holds a miniature reproduction of sheet music (I believe it's the Jenny Lind Polka...can't truly remember, it got lost in the show). Her mitts are also antique lace. I like how she turned out, and apparently a lot of other people did too. Which made me a happy camper.

There was a gentleman at the show who kept staring at her, leaving...coming back and staring at her. He said she looked just like his niece, who worked at the Whaley House Museum in San Diego. Hmmm...............that was very interesting, as I was Head Docent there for a few years. What a coincidence. But you'd think I'd know who he was talking about..I couldn't figure out who worked there (and I know EVERYONE who does and has since 2000) that this doll could possibly resemble.

Finally figured it out, he was right! She's just much younger than Jenny...and much more lovely. I wonder now how much of my memory bank threw this gal into this doll? Weird.

Alas, I still haven't gotten round to rebuilding her poor little fingers.

My comments on the topic of "cutting".....

Whilst perusing the blogs I follow this morning, I came across one whose work I truly admire. I don't know it this person follows mine, I doubt it, but I do comment on hers in a complimentary fashion on a frequent basis. This blogger is a fabulous artist, makes things that I can never in my wildest dreams emulate. I have only the greatest respect for her work as an artist and a textile curator.

That said, there seem to be growing concerns about a populace referred to as "cutters". A 'cutter' by definition is one who cuts into antique garments to either sell piecemeal for what would be (probably incorrectly) assumed to make a higher profit...or me, the dollmaker/doll dresser.

Not certain if this person was singling me out, though it surely felt like it.

It is her general opinion that all should boycott someone like myself, who uses pieces of antique garments to repurpose into doll clothes for antique dolls, or doll making.

We are all entitled to our passions and feelings, and I do not want to make any waves or discredit anyone's opinion.

Making a generalization against anyone or anything is a trepidatious thing.

I do wish to publicize my opinion on the subject of 'cutters' and take this opportunity to defend myself and those who are included in this persons request to boycott the work of anyone who uses antique fabrics/garments in the creation of a new item.

Not all of us are disrespectfully taking an 1850 silk gown in displayable condition and cutting it up needlessly for our own profit. I'd say there are very FEW persons who would consider cutting up a truly historical garment, and these are the people who sell the fabric piecemeal. They are not doing anything constructive with the item, and these are the same folks who would take a Peterson's Magazine or Godey's and pull out all the colored fashion plates to sell individually, destroying the historical integrity of the magazine.

It's a crazy world we live in, and some people are out for merely profit...and some are persons of integrity who have worked hard to learn a nearly lost craft.

I am a CUTTER. I proudly admit that.

I am a Living Historian.

I am a craftsperson.

I cut up old nasty petticoats that are bloodstained in many places, are ripped, have torn and shredded lace and hems. These petticoats are from the late 19th/early 20th century. They are not displayable. They are not wearable. The work required to make them such is so costly and time consuming as to be a deterrent, which is why so many of these common articles wind up stashed in a trunk rotting and disintegrating.

I buy lots of clothing from sellers who don't even know what they've got. Just a trunk full of pieces of clothing. These items are most often falling apart at the seams and everywhere else.

Do I plunder such useless textiles for my work? YES. Where else are you going to find real brass hooks and eyes? Jet buttons. Beaded trims. A world of treasure that somebody initially threw away. There's no integrity left as a complete garment, so why waste the precious gems left behind?

There are people like myself, who see a treasure in someone else's 'trash', and make a new treasure out of it.

Recycling.

Being 'green'.

Historically accurate .

Most clothing from any century other than our own spoiled, throwaway 21st was re-used in some fashion. It was re-styled as fashions changed...and the remaining fabric not used, stored away for some purpose in the future (and often forgotton till someone like me comes along). The useable garments were then repurposed into childrens clothing. Then doll clothes. Crazy quilts. Pillows. Then lastly, cut into rags for homekeeping.

To call for an outright boycott of anyone using antique fabrics in their work is unfair.

I have pieces of collars, bodices, skirts and skirt linings, sleeves....they came that way, straight out of the trunk and they WEREN'T cut apart by the seller. There is no way to restore them to their original condition.

Should I throw these items away or let them continue to hide away for another century till there's nothing left of them?

I will continue to use what's left of salvageable parts of late 19th century garments. I am recycling them into a smaller version of their former selves for others to enjoy. And lets face it, there's not too much profit in that...the hours of tedious handsewing are never 'paid' for. I make far less than minimum wage on most projects. It's a labor of love and a desire to keep the past alive that keeps me doing what I do.

There are plenty of people who want their antique french fashion doll to wear a dress that looks like it actually belongs to the doll! A discarded, torn apart bodice will make a dress for this doll.

There are NOT many options for modern fabrics that replicate antique fabrics.

Yes, there are cotton reproductions aplenty. BUT, many textile blends from early times are no longer manufactured nor is it even known how many were made.

I would sincerely appreciate buyers take my statements into consideration that not all craftspersons are "ignorantly" plundering historical garments.

If in doubt, ask questions before committing to an all-out boycott.

Thanks for letting me express my humble opinion.

Been a lazy bum on Spring Break!

The World Famous (or infamous?) Madonna Inn

Well, I've been off on a fabulous Spring Break up

the coast of California...being somewhat lazy, but not totally! I did sew a nice doll dress while in the car for hours on end. We stayed at the Madonna Inn up in San Luis Obispo and I just have to say....WOW.

I've seen some tacky places, but this place takes tacky to a whole new level. On first glance, it looks a bit Disney-esque. Disney Swiss Chateau. On Acid.

But then you get inside. If you are in California, you have got to at least stop in and peek around. Our room was "Misty Rock". Four walls made of boulders and rocks. The one 'true' wall covered in bordello worthy wallpaper of metallic gold with rusty-red leaves. The extremely low slung ceiling, made of railroad ties stained green. Teal carpet. Dark green brocade drapes. Faux-alligator vinyl swivel chairs. Heavy 'victorian' furniture. The bedcovering was a huge floral print. No headboard to speak of, just lots of boulders jutting out where you would normally rest your back against. Ouch. But there was a very cool rock waterfall shower!

The Madonna Inn Dining Room

If you've ever wondered what a restaurant collaboration between cosmetics queen Mary Kay, Liberace, and Barbie would look like, stop in here for the ride of your life.

Oh, my word. Hot pink naugahyde booths snaking and undulating throughout the restaurant...though a bit faded in their glory now...and irreplaceable! Pink tablecloths. Pink China. Pink crytal stemware. Pink SUGAR. Pink carpet with huge roses and posies. A gargantuan chandelier looming over the entire room covered in paper roses the size of manhole covers. With twinkle lights woven in and out...with cupids, candlabras and goodness knows what else thrown in. Not to mention, the large mannequin little girl doll up above everyone's head, standing on a rose-vine covered swing...swinging back and forth. Quite unsettling.

Mission San Antonio de Padua

Our goal this little jaunt was not to see the tackiest hotel in Ameria...but to see some more of the chain of 21 missions established by Father Junipero Serra. This trip we saw San Antonio de Padua, which is way the heck out on a military base, but so out of the way from the rest of the world that it was almost like going back in time. A lovely, lovely calm place.

Then we saw the mission Soledad, of which there's nothing left but ruins. A reproduction chapel was built over the original site, and charming it was. After that it was Mission San Miguel, which was so damaged by the Paso Robles earthquake awhile back that we couldn't enter it. And this one is the only mission to retain it's original interior painting, so we were truly disappointed not to be able to see it. The museum and surrounding outbuildings were worth the trip.

Lastly, we saw Mission San Luis Opispo. Of all the missions I have seen, this was my least favorite. It looks brand spanking new, and the interior painting, so perfectly suited for a Mexican restaurant...didn't exactly exude the aged charm of the other missions. Too modern, to pristine, it just seemed a little phony to me. Now the painting was fabulous, as far as quality of that type of work goes. The tromp l'oei (spelling?) was incredible. But too european in style, not at all like the primitive style in the other missions.

We did find a lovely creek behind the Mission grounds, an idyllic setting with water rippling over stones and larger rocks and boulders to climb upon, filled with families with small children gleefully splashing about. We found a nice bench in the shade, and had a nice picnic.

We watched a fellow giving a group of elderly folks a 'go native' type of tour through the creek bed, locating and describing for them the different edible vegetation growing there out of the water...giving all of them a nice sample of each to chew upon. Isn't that sweet?

That night, on the local news, there was a report of a raw sewage spill that had contaminated this very same idyllic creek. They didn't put any signs out, but were initially in the early hours of the morning letting some people know not to play in the water there.

I guess whoever it was that was supposed to shoo away all the little children in their bare feet out of the water took a lunch break about the same time we did.

I feel so bad for those little elderly people who were blithely eating the dandelions and whatever else that lay in the path of the raw sewage spilling out over it only hours before.

YUCK!!!!!!!!!

Can you spell "l-a-w-s-u-i-t"?

Mission San Luis Obispo

Don't play in the creek near this one. You might grow a third arm.

New dress for a large China, Greiner or Covered Wagon Doll

So this is what I've been up to the last week, a new 1845-50 dress for a 25 inch China Doll. It would also be okay for a Greiner or Covered Wagon, but might be too fussy for one of them, as they are really better suited to dresses for younger girls. But hey, all adolescent girls want to dress older, don't they?

This dress is completely handsewn, in the old manner, of 100% cotton reproduction fabric. I love, love, love this print! If I was still doing living history, I'd have to have a matching dress! Unfortunately, I only found a yard and a half of this so I'd be out of luck. So I can't cry about it. I used another reproduction fabric to make the false hem. I really like how this dress turned out.

I listed this on ebay yesterday, so if anyone has a naked doll, or just one who's name is Flora McFlimsey and never has enough dresses, please visit me on ebay...my username is robinseggbleu. No caps, no separations between letters, it's sometimes confusing when people try to look me up. I guess I should look myself up and see if there are any problems. Never thought of doing that before.

This dress is being sold with a lovely 'antique' petticoat. The petticoat is made from an antique petticoat, but not an antique by it's own right, as it's never been a petticoat for a doll before. I know, I know, I shouldn't cut up antique garments...that's a pretty big 'no no' . But I only cut up a garment if it's no longer useable or displayable. In some cases, I feel that one 'wrong' can become a 'right', and this is one of those cases. I only turn a petticoat into a smaller version of itself, to continue to be appreciated for the workmanship that originally went into it, and the same with dress materials. I think of it as recycling. Rather than let it rot in a drawer unseen, it can be admired in a new version of it's original self. This poor petticoat, had many 'womanly' ghosts marking it, making it sort of 'iffy' for display. You girls know what I mean, right? No one wants their DNA displayed in such a fashion. So I sort of work around it. Whatever is left after I plunder a petticoat is used for little drawers and a chemise. I like making doll's clothes in this way because they really lend themselves to smaller cuts of fabric, and I love to give the items a new life.