The Open House Season

Well here we are again - it's time set up shop once more, drink mulled wine and meet fellow artists and customers. I took time out of the May Festival this year so I'm feeling fresh

as we approach the Christmas Open Houses. I will also be showing as usual at the Dragonfly House , 48 , Ditchling Rise Brighton on 27th and 28th November and 4th and 5th December,

11am - 6pm. I will be taking my girls to both venues but I will be sad if I sell any as I'm feeling particularly fond of them ( that won't pay the bills I know, but always a good sign that the work is good I suppose. Sometimes I will make something and have to talk myself into it's quality but that piece will eventually get cut up  to be used in the future or if it's REALLY bad then chucked - even if long hours have been spent on it. )

Anyway having assured myself that all is well with the dolls I have been sewing their labels into their outfits, ' A Betty Bib Dolly' with the number penned with indelible ink after it.

From the front view you can see I have named them ( great fun ! ) and tied a tag round the wrist with information on the inside about the materials used and the fact that they are collector's dolls and not suitable for young children.

Rosebud £30 6 inches 

Betsy 8 inches £120 

Gwendoline  8 inches   £ 140

Violet  Angel Beatrice  7 inches 

I'm particularly pleased with these three ; I've dressed them for the party  season in silk organza and calico dresses, diamante buckles and cashmere cardigans and they are all £ 95.

I wouldn't like to totally ignore the fairies on this post - here are a batch of the tiny boxed ones who have their secret name on a scroll in the lid - they have diddly little fairy names like Dimity, Pippin, Twinkle etc though sometimes one comes along that needs a much more substantial name like 'Esmerelda'. These are £8.

Last but not least the mermaids and their names are suitably salty like  Sandy , Pebbles,

Marina and Shingle. Also £8.

Back to my Blog !

Well long time no see ! I've taken most of the year off from writing this blog and have taken the time to play and just see what turns up. I have been painting in oils - illustrating some new ideas for a children's book , embroidering and just lately making dollies !

I will be showing some of the above over the next few weeks but at the moment am enjoying making the dolls so much I've just got to talk about them.

 Below is the first one I attempted and like anything else it takes a while to to get to grips with new materials - in this case it was polymer clay ( fimo and sculpey ) and this was after trying my hardest to get my hands on the Paper Clay they sell in the U.S but not it seems over here - well not in the pre made up form that you can see Martha Stewart use. You can get a crude form of the paper mix which air dries but then needs lots of sanding  afterwards - great for larger projects but not for dainty dolls.

So I'm hoping that one day we will be able to get the super smooth mix available over the pond but in the meantime the stuff you have to bake will have to do. The flower head doll below was my second attempt and as you can see I'm experimenting with the style of face to paint on. All these figures are button jointed which means getting the holes in the bodies and joints in the correct place and big enough to thread the elastic through. All extremely fiddly but then I never seem to pick the quick and easy option ! 

What I particularly enjoy is the use of all my long collected fabrics , trimmings and buttons. The cameo brooch on the red doll  at the top of the page was from a tiny pair of earrings found in an old button tin and proved perfect for this job. So glad I'm a hoarder. 

We are now onto the next batch of girlies who by the way measure about 6 inches in height.

The paint is more translucent on their faces but nice and opaque on their tights. By this stage I am feeling more confident in selling them !

Millie 6 inches  £30

My third batch had a more wintry theme and here I've used some lovely fine woolen printed fabric that a friend must have given me over twenty years ago for the skirt - the jacket is felt and the jumper and tights are old socks !  Boots are velvet and she has a diamante buckle.

Poppet 8 inches NFS

Another piece of the woolen print , painted legs and a velvet bow.

Audrey 7 inches £50

I will be posting more up soon and opening up my etsy shop again - well Christmas is coming and it's good to be back on the blog - do hope someone is listening !

Open House Over

Last week end I had a lovely time showing my work at Jo Sweeting's open house ( her beautiful carved work below.) Always a good opportunity to mix with friends and meet the nice people who buy your work.  I probably expressed those sentiments on my last post - if I did I'm sorry, I'm feeling a bit punch drunk with  working towards the next one , trying to fit in some Christmas shopping and true to form I have received  a large illustration commission to do for an angel magazine in New York ... a lovely job which I will put up on the blog when it's been published - not until spring next year I'm afraid ... mind you, the way time hurtles on that won't be long !

Next up is Joy Fox's colourful button jewellery - one can never have too many of her creations ...

Victor Stuart Graham's driftwood boat and seascapes ...

Carol Butler's delicate hand embroidered shawls and scarves ...

Just sticking on the end a few more of my open boxes  for sale and just to let everybody know that I shall be away from the 7th December for two weeks so I'll only be able to send off 

orders up until that time - so no last minute shopping I'm afraid ! 

Many thanks to all who have e mailed with orders and for your heart warming comments

 ... they are always really appreciated , working as one does in isolation for weeks on end ( a cosy one with the radio for company maybe,  but so good to hear that the magic I try to conjour up is recognised ! )

Pink gem oxo fairy £15

Pink bow oxo fairy £15

Silver thimble oxo fairy £15

China rose thimble fairy £15

Fairies For Sale

I now have some fairies for sale in the run up to Christmas ... I am also selling them at two Open Houses in Brighton; at Jo Sweeting's lovely House at 72, Ashford Road on the 14th and 15th of November and at the very popular Dragonfly House , 48, Ditchling Rise on the week ends of the 28th of November and the 5th of December. For everyone who lives further away here is a bit of a sneak preview and the chance to buy by post ( lets hope this postal  strike doesn't go on too long ! )

The fairy below measures 7x5cms ( the box ) and has a brass ring on the back so it can be hung straight on to the wall. These open boxed tableaux are a brand new range which I have developed as an answer to how to display my little oxo box and thimble fairies.

Gingham oxo fairy £15.

Sitting Flower Fairy £15   

Pink Butterfly Fairy £15

Green Butterfly Fairy @15

Silver Shoe Fairy £15.

Will put some Thimble fairies up on the next post !

Next up is another of the tree top fairies but this time with her wand ( all the ones I posted up before are still for sale , all with wands , except the pink feather fairy. ) 

Gold Tree Top £48

Below is a single hanging fairy, approximately 8cms high , excluding her hanger. I make lots of these and further down are some of the colourways. they are £4 each and I'm afraid I have to ask for a minimum order of £12 as I think I  would go completely mad packing off individual fairies ! They are made of metallic and silk organzas and embellished with sequins, stars and fairy dust! Perfect for the tree but I know a lot of people who keep them up all year.

Red bow fairies.


Purple fairies.
Shocking pink fairies.
White on white fairies.
Silver fairies. These have got some special pink frosted feet !
Gold fairies.
Hope all your Christmas preparations are going to plan ... if you have started that is !!

Whoooops !

What I mean't to say back there was I am selling these fairies from this site for £48 each ! Not much of a saving at £58 ... more pictures WITH wands to come ...

Christmas Is Coming !

I have been developing some new and special fairies to go on top of the tree and based on the memory of the fairy that was dusted down every year at home as a child. She had a gauzy

skirt, a netted petticoat and some stiff silvery lace . The idea is that they become treasured keepsakes, so they come in a nice box with a bow on top, some shredded tissue to lie on and I have a printed label to finish the whole thing off. Oh yes and every one has her name on a scroll in the lid.

I am working on some wands for them to hold and then they should be ready for the shops.

They will be retailing at £60 but I am selling them for £58 from this site, plus postage.

Marrakesh

Oh dear , it has been a while since I posted, partly because I have been to wonderfully stimulating Marrakesh. All of life is there - including snake charmers, acrobats, storytellers and medicine men ... it is also a place of great contrasts with the hustle and bustle of the Medina and its myriad shopkeepers and  their wares and  quiet and peaceful courtyards and fountains just set back behind a wall or glimpsed through an Arabian Nights style door.

 Rose petals floating in tiled troughs ...

An assortment of shiny sinks ...

More floating roses ...

A saffron dyed carpet ...

Salmon pink painted walls are the corporate look of old and new Marrakesh and they look stunning as the sun sets against them as they change from all shades of rose to purple.

Another thing that predisposes me to the place is their tradition of afternoon tea - the tea being the sweet mint variety ...

... and the cakes and biscuits nice and almondy with a hint of orange flower.

The tinkling of a fountain shaded by orange trees...

... and everywhere you look there are splendid Islamic patterns.

Another good thing about it is that if you live in England it is only a 3 hour flight away and so you are not too pooped when you get back ( which is just as well as I've now got to knuckle down to serious fairy making for Christmas ! )