SOME OF MY FAVOURITE PROJECTS FROM 2010.

First of all, may I wish you all a very happy and peaceful 2011. I hope it will be all that you want it to be and more.

As some of you know, 2010 wasn’t the happiest of years for me in my personal life but, what kept me going most of all, were the exciting and varied orders and commissions that I received from my wonderful customers. A big thank you therefore to all of you who helped make a sad year bearable.

So, to welcome in the start of a new and hopefully much happier year I’d like to share with you pictures of some of the lovely items I was commissioned to make during 2010.

Those of you who like the Regency era will, I’m sure, enjoy the following miniature and larger doll bonnets and clothing:

Regency stove pipe bonnet modelled by 16 inch Tyler Wentworth. Made with pure hand-dyed silver-grey wool and lined with ivory silk.

 

Side View of the bonnet showing the stove pipe shaping.

Full length view showing the bonnet along with the matching pelisse (cape) and reticule (purse).

Now for the miniature Regency items, all in one twelfth scale:

Miniature Spencer jacket with matching bonnet and reticule. Made in pure silk and hand-dyed cotton lace.

Side View of the bonnet.

 

Miniature Brown silk bonnet with shirred ivory silk lining and matching reticule.

 

Miniature striped cotton walking dress with matching tall bonnet and reticule.

 

Miniature Regency wedding bonnet based on the one worn by Elizabeth Bennet in the BBC's 1990's TV drama 'Pride and Prejudice'. The bonnet is approx just under an inch tall. and is made from silk with shirred silk tulle along the length of the top, ending in a short veil. The little flowers are all hand-dyed by me.

Something for the Maid. A much plainer cotton house dress and apron along with a little mop cap.

 For those of you who like the earlier Georgean (Colonial) era, an interesting order arrived where I had to’ miniaturise’ a larger Marie Antoinette style doll costume, complete with all the underwear.

Here is the original larger doll costume:

18th Century Marie Antoinette style gown modelled by 16 inch Tyler Wentworth. Made in pure silk.

The panniers and petticoat underneath. (16 inch version)

 

Miniature 18th Century Marie Antoinette style gown also in pure silk.

Here is the one twelfth scale miniature version:
Here is the one twelfth scale miniature version:
The miniature version of the panniers with petticoat and hand-applied shoes.

  

 

For the ballet lovers, one of the lovliest projects I worked on was the re-designing of my Lilac Fairy costume for 16 inch ballerina dolls:

New Lilac Fairy tutu (from the Sleeping Beauty ballet).

  

Detail on the top of the tutu.

And finally a most enjoyable project came in the form of a miniature wedding gown based on the one worn by Burlesque star Dita Von Teese.

Miniature version of the Dita Von Teese style gown in one twelfth scale with tricorn hat.Side view of gown.

Close up of miniature stockings, suspenders and hand-applied silk and leather shoes.
To add to my enjoyment was a Barbie sized version of the lovely purple silk dress and hat:

Dita style dress modelled by Barbie.

  

 

Close up of the Tricorn hat.

 

So, all in all there were some really different projects during 2010 and 2011 looks set to continue along that same path.
See you all again soon.
Don’t forget to check out the AIM (Artisans in Miniature) on-line magazine (see my blog links).