"D" is for Dollies

I began making cloth dolls in 1989. Bunnies, cows, baby dolls, Raggedy Ann and Andy. In 2009 I began dabbling in creating the primitive dolls with a Raggedy Ann look.  Most dolls are made from muslin or cotton broadcloth with the baby dolls being made of craft velour. Little girls just love the hug-ability of this fabric. 

We have dolls of all sizes ranging from 10” to the huge and loveable 36” Raggedy Andy.

My current project is with my first design – a 12” tall prim bunny with hand painted features, long floppy ears and big big bunny feet. I am going to be featuring this doll as a boy or girl and offering seasonal/holiday clothing. We are working on a web page specifically for this doll at Holly’s Dollies.

Recently I have begun dabbling in sculpting dolls in polymer clay. A fun challenge but really not getting anywhere fast. The eventual goal is a 14” ball-jointed-doll who can model the 14” doll clothes line for me.

I have a very small collection of dolls. Two Galoob Baby Face Dolls, a 25” crow doll, 1 Berenguer, 2 unknown vinyl dolls, 1 CBK, 2 DinkyBaby dolls, 1 MoxieGirlz the blonde and 5 Barbies.  I am hoping to find some dolls this coming Yard Sale season. Only two thrift stores in this area so findings are rare. I am looking for Skipper, Crissy and any inexpensive dolls needing TLC of various sizes so that I can use them for making sure the doll clothes fit.

Handmade Doll Easter Bunny

Welcome to another Shop Hop Saturday post! At Shop Hop Saturday we share our business related blog posts for the week. And help others who have shared their posts by following their blogs, commenting and sharing the ups and downs of online business.

This week's challenge is to promote one product I sell and try to encourage others to purchase the item. I have chosen my very first original doll. I drew up the design myself. I always use other peoples patterns for my dolls, so this has been a big milestone for me to create my own item. 

     

       

This adorable little bunny stands 12” high. 

Her ears and facial features are hand painted. Her body has been lightly stained with a coffee/vanilla/cinnamon mixture. Her dress and bloomers are removable so that she can be dressed for different holidays and occasions.  Her bow can be easily removed.

 

This bunny is a one of a kind doll made by me, Holly Gordon, of Holly’s Dollies. As she is the prototype doll for this line, she will be highly collectible. 

Polly is dressed in a yellow Easter Print dress, matching bow and white bloomers. The dress, bloomers and bow were not stained. She would be a great addition to your home as an Easter or Prim decoration. I will be offering a line of dresses and outfits for various holidays and seasons for this doll. Watch for her sweetie, Peter, coming down the Bunny Trail.

Polly is currently available at my Etsy Shoppe. Please stop by and show her some love. She told me this morning she is lonely, so I will be creating some sisters and brothers for her. Of course, each will be different in it's own way, from staining to facial features.

All dolls are signed by me, Holly's Dollies, and dated with month/year created.

Note: This doll is not meant for a play doll for children. It is only as a decoration piece for adults to love and cuddle and display in their collections.

An Awesome Doll Selling/Buying Site

I came across this site through a link in a group member's sig.
I feel it is well deserving of a mention!
The Doll Page
http://www.thedollpage.com/ads/index.php
Membership is free. There are no fees to list, no fees once item sells, 30 day listings, for "fashion dolls" only.
Upon viewing just a few of the listings, the nude dolls are very affordably priced!
So, go check it out! If you are looking for a certain doll, or doll clothes this is a great and friendly place to look. It is also very seller friendly.

New Prim Cloth Doll Finished

This adorable little girl turned out so nice!
Her body is made from hand dyed muslin to a wonderful walnut cocoa brown. Of course, I saved the dye mixture for future dolls! I've tried so many times to get a nice brown color. Mostly always ended up with a maroon or purple-ey black.
Hand painted features with gorgeously shaded brown eyes done in acrylic paint and colored pencil.
Featured in my Etsy Shoppe.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/65779458/prim-african-american-doll-raggedy-10

Primitive Doll Crow

Pictures at last!
I don't think I have ever had so much trouble making a doll. My goal for this gal was to use only "on hand" supplies.
I repainted the "lazy eye" and it looks a lot better. I love her green eyes.
No lace trim so I had to hand crochet a lace edging.
This was a pattern for a draft dodger doll. I changed things around a little bit. Her hands aren't sewn together and her dress and pinafore are adapted so that she can be dressed seasonally.
I would really love to offer her and 4 dress/pinafore/bloomer sets as a complete set. Would that be of some interest? Maybe offer the clothing separately? Your comments and ideas are welcome!!!! Let me know! She is available at my website.

15" Raggedy Ann and Andy photographed

I don't see how professional crafters/doll artists manage! How do you juggle production, website management, PR and housework???! Kudos to those who do all of this themselves. I am having a hard time trying to manage!

Anyway, it is a wonderful challenge to get much as I can done... in  a day (week?). The frustration is having dishes piled 3 feet high in the sink, dust bunnies running rampant, and a bored kid.

I finished a 15" Raggedy Ann and Andy pair and finally got pictures taken. The quality of my pictures is improving! Getting better and better! Charlie is still trying to get pictures of lightning...keep trying bud! 

This pair was made with small children in mind. Hand painted features in non-toxic acrylic paint, sewn on wig, no buttons.

The 36" dolls are incredible! Always wanted a huge dolly growing up. I still need to add hair to one; stuff, paint and add hair to the other one. Their clothing is already made and ready for button accents.
See them here: http://hollys-dollies.sweetwatercreations.com/raggedies.html

With the sound of thunder, I shall sign off here....egads the horse and chickens will soon be sprouting gills... but the garden is looking fabulous!

Goings On

I haven't been very inspired lately. All this rain and the humidity. I haven't felt like knitting or crocheting. So I decided to spend some time sewing!

I got quite a bit accomplished with the traditional Raggedy Ann and Andys. 3 dresses (3 sizes), 3 outfits for Andy (3 sizes). 2 15" dolls done (one waiting for wig), 2 36" dolls sewn (1 stuffed and face painted), 2 15" dolls sewn. Still need to cut out and sew bloomers and aprons.

Then I sewed (is that really a word??) a 12" prim kitty and got her painted and stained. And then this morning I sewed a Jumper and long sleeve top for a 14-16" baby type doll.

This evening I plan to crochet an outfit for 14" baby type dolls. Who knows... never a dull moment around here.

Visit http://hollys-dollies.sweetwatercreations.com/doll-clothes.html to see handmade knitted, crocheted and sewn doll clothes!

Holly’s Dollies Website Updated

     Hard to believe it’s Monday already! The time just flies by here and I don’t seem to be able to get as much accomplished as I want to! The “to do” and “ideas” form keeps getting longer rather than shorter as the projects get marked off or added.

     I finally took some nicer pictures of 3 finished dollies and one blank body and uploaded them to the site. These are all prim raggedies.

http://hollys-dollies.sweetwatercreations.com 

     Going to work on a traditional Raggedy Ann and Andy set today. Would also like to make some African American raggedy dolls this week.

     I am toying with the idea of starting up a country crafts and collectibles advertising shoppe. I might approach shoppe owner to see if maybe they will be willing to help me get started and up and running. Being as I love working on web sites and pages, I think this would be another wonderful challenge.