Going for a few days up north into the wilderness, and am taking some dolls along in the hopes there will be some good photo opportunities. I had hoped to take Layla and Miki and their fairy outfits, but Miki had a disastrous reaction to the sealer and had to be totally stripped and re-painted. So I'm taking my smaller Asa with some fairy outfits and her new Mother Nature costume. Hopefully I'll find some interesting spots to photograph her on the rocks and in the woods. I'm also taking Narae with two sun dresses - you never know. Before my next little holiday I need to make my dolls some co-ordinating outfits so I can do some group shots.
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I've been working on a "Mother Nature", fun pattern challenge on Resin Cafe (an online BJD forum). The free patterns were designed with Kaye Wiggs dolls in mind, but mine are away, so Asa (JID) who has almost the same torso measurement, stepped in as model. Part of the challenge was to recycle some used clothing, and I used an embroidered, semi-sheer, olive green skirt from Value Village. The skirt lining was made into an underskirt for the doll dress. I altered the free pattern a bit, changing the bodice a little so it dips down in front, and I added some tiny darts. The lower skirt had almost 100 different yarns machine-stitched on, and I hand-stitched dozens of leaves and beads over top. I was very happy with how it turned out, but the photos I've taken so far do not do it justice. The colour of the fabric comes out too brown making the yarns and leaves contrast too much. No amount of PhotoShop makes it look the right colour - so I'm just posting a close-up which shows the bodice and upper sleeves for now.  Today is my youngest granddaughter's third birthday. She loves all the cat figures in my doll room so I thought I'd take a photo of some, and make her a special card.  I finished my Luna Moth Fairy outfits for my Kaye Wiggs girls, but since they are away, and Asa has almost the same measurements, she stood in as my model this week. It's a real challenge finding a nice place for photos in the garden anymore, but I thought the purples and pinks of the perennial geraniums and falling clematis petals were the perfect accent for all the greens and aquas of the Luna Moth dress and wings.  It's taken me awhile but the photos of our spring trip to Florida are finally all posted. Now I just need to choose two images for a button for the photo page on my other website, and then I'm totally finished! Here's a few of my favourite photos....     I'm in the middle of the tedious process of drafting patterns for my EID girls. I've decided the first gown will be an Italian Renaissance style. I've chosen three fabric combos I think might work; light and dark green brocades with gold and cream accents, purple and gold brocades with gold and cream accents, and silver and blue brocades with pink and white accents. But first I have to finish the patterns. Then I'll see which colour I tackle first.  I'm also trying to finish the Flower Fairy outfits I started awhile back. All they need now is their flower wreaths, but I didn't have enough flowers in the right colours, so had to paint some of them - purple flowers that needed a touch of pink, pink flowers that needed a touch of purple, and pale pink flowers that needed to be a deeper colour, and then there were the flowers with white stems that needed to have their stems painted green. All very fiddly work!  I received some nice Tibetan lambskin recently and decided to make some new wigs. This time I machine stitched all the seams after hand-stitching the various parts together. I think it makes for much neater seams on the outside, and I intend to go back and machine-stitch all my Tibetan lambskin wigs that I've already made up until now. Asa and Carina are modeling the new wigs, although I personally think they both look better in the dark brown. It's nice how so many of my dolls can all wear the same size wig. I expect my Kaye Wigs girls to be wearing these wigs most of the time, but since seven of my dolls can wear them, it's nice to have options.  Yesterday I made a dressing gown for my new EID girl. She's such a beautiful realistic body sculpt that I needed something to throw on her if I got unexpected guests. I also need something to cover her up between outfits. I was looking for a nice soft fabric that drapes well, and decided to use some colourful chiffon I'd bought last summer for sundresses. It's totally wrinkle-resistant and easy care. Today I'll make a second robe out of it for Cuprit who is also standing around in just her pantaloons. Last night I changed my EID from Carina into Asa - it's actually quite easy to do. I love Asa's face. She's the very first Iplehouse doll I fell in love with when I first discovered BJDs. I took some quick photos this morning, but really need to go get my tri-pod since none of the photos of her with the second wig turned out - but then, 1/4 of a second is a rather slow speed to be hand-holding the camera.  I picked up my Iplehouse girls from Charie's yesterday. She did an absolutely amazing job on their faces! She also gave her a body blush, manicure and pedicure. I think Carina will be the 'default' head I use most often, with Asa reserved for more exotic costumes. The doll looks so realistic! I have nothing for her to wear yet, so wrapped her in an Indian sari. I tried a few different wigs on her, and find she looks good in everything. Iplehouse makes the most beautiful doll sculpts, and with faceups by Charie Wilson, they are even more gorgeous. I'm so happy with her!  I finally finished my fairy commission. It's the third and final version of Mini Carnelia. The bodice brocade is finally used up, so that puts and end to any more duplicates of any of the Forest Fairy series of outfits. Many of the fabrics for all six different versions have been used up, so none of them can be duplicated anymore, and if I want to make any more outfits in this style they will have to be in new colour and fabric combinations.  I took Miki out in the garden for some photos in the new outfit. It's convenient that fairies will fit with any size flowers.  |
AuthorMartha Boers is an award-winning Canadian doll maker and costumer specializing in fantasy and historical-style costumes. Archives
March 2023
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