Some Progress on the Alabama Baby Doll

A sculpted Baby new year: this is the doll I am working on for the Alabama Baby Challenge for the Maida group.

I changed her eyes from my original sculpt, made her head more rectangular, and when I added fabric to her, put a seam at the top, as is shown in some of the photos of the antique dolls.  It looks a little Frankensteinish, but oh well, how can you get the first sculpt totally right.  It's to learn.

I kept seeing more things, the more photos I looked at.  The main thing was the eyes; they have no lids, they are sort of like triangles.... and so many variations in head shape among the photos I looked at. 

But be that as it may, I came up with this, and am now making a body pattern. 

I like dolls in this stage; when I have decided on them.  I feel some relief that I have decided in some corner of my mind; saying okay, move forward. Although I kind of wish I had just started over, rather than changing the sculpt I did originally!

Happy New Year!

Alabama Baby Challenge

There is a challenge going on at the Maida dolls group, to make an "Alabama baby" doll.  This was billed as an "indestructable" doll, made from around 1905 to the early thirties. 

 Image  from Theriault's - hope they don't mind

I looked at several of the doll photos online, and was all set to go....I sculpted a head using Paperclay, trying to get her little turned up nose

and the jowly cheeks; but I didn't have a firm grasp of the eyes...or the mouth...
 so I ended up sculpting them more like this:

Image from Skinner auction site.  This is a Philadelphia Baby!

My sculpt

 So I have to change her face later, if I am to call her an Alabama Baby doll....

Hope everyone is having a good Holidays.

   

New Googly Available

This Googly is now available for sale on Etsy..... she is twelve inches long, and comes with all her clothing pictured.  She seemed to like pink so much, I gave her as much pink as I could.  Her wig is made of human hair, and all her clothing is handmade. 

The dress is cotton with vintage old stock crepe du chine sleeves.  Her underthings are of the same crepe du chine.  For her dress and hat trim I found old matching ribbon.  Her shoes are made of leather with tiny bows. 

Her hair can be styled, combed, even washed or wetted to take curlers.  I could not think of a name for her yet, but am calling her "Pinky."  I think she has some of that Googly childish yet somewhat adventuresome charm.  Her face is made from a mold I took of my own sculpt.  I painted her in acrylics.  I do enjoy making these dolls.  

Note to Maida members:  If you are interested in this doll, I am offering a discount to Maida members.  Please contact me through this site or through Maida, and I will adjust the Etsy price.