ANGELIQUE MINIATURES CELEBRATES 28 YEARS TODAY!

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To celebrate this anniversary I thought I would share some pictures of my favourite doll projects from more recent years (since digital cameras and the internet!!!).

From fairies and fantasy to historical characters, I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them. The planning, research and actual creating never fails to excite me and I look forward to each new project that comes my way, so please enjoy my selection:

Anne Boleyn costume for 16 inch fashion doll.

Anne Boleyn costume for 16 inch fashion doll.

Miniature Fairy riding a unicorn.

Miniature Fairy riding a unicorn.

 Princess Diana wedding gown on miniature mannequin.

Princess Diana wedding gown on miniature mannequin.

 Miniature late Victorian Summer Bride.

Miniature late Victorian Summer Bride.

Custom made Aurora Rose tutu for 16 inch ballerina doll.

Custom made Aurora Rose tutu for 16 inch ballerina doll.

Miniature Giselle or Sylphide tutu set.

Miniature Giselle or Sylphide tutu set.

Miniature Fairy Slippers (shown with an English penny and American five cent piece).

Miniature Fairy Slippers (shown with an English penny and American five cent piece).

Miniature Fairy Flower Seller with her unicorn companion and helper.

Miniature Fairy Flower Seller with her unicorn companion and helper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Miniature Dita Von Teese style gown and hat. one twelfth style.

Miniature Dita Von Teese style gown and hat. one twelfth style.

 Valentine Ball gown for 16 inch fashion doll.

Valentine Ball gown for 16 inch fashion doll.

Miniature Faerie of Spring and New Life.

Miniature Faerie of Spring and New Life.

Miniature Princess Grace wedding gown on mannequin.

Miniature Princess Grace wedding gown on mannequin.

The miniature Elizabeth Bennett Regency wedding bonnet.

The miniature Elizabeth Bennett Regency wedding bonnet.

Front view of the miniature Fairy Harp. The harp stood about six and a half inches tall.

Front view of the miniature Fairy Harp. The harp stood about six and a half inches tall.

Miniature Young King Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon.

Miniature Young King Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon.

Miniature Queen Jane Seymour.

Miniature Queen Jane Seymour.

 Miniature King Richard III with his wife Queen Anne Neville.

Miniature King Richard III with his wife Queen Anne Neville.

Miniature King John and his wife Queen Isabella.

Miniature King John and his wife Queen Isabella.

Miniature Elizabeth 1st doll complete in room setting.

Miniature Elizabeth 1st doll complete in room setting.

Miniature Scrooge.

Miniature Scrooge.

Miniature Ross and Demelza Poldark.

Miniature Ross and Demelza Poldark.

Miniature tricorn hat.

Miniature tricorn hat.

Miniature Anne Boleyn and Thomas Cranmer.

Miniature Anne Boleyn and Thomas Cranmer.

Battle of Flodden (c 1513) Scottish Pikeman outfit for action figue (around 12 inches tall).

Battle of Flodden (c 1513) Scottish Pikeman outfit for action figue (around 12 inches tall).

Coronation robes for 17 inch male fashion doll.

Coronation robes for 17 inch male fashion doll.

Victorian underwear for 16 inch fashion doll.

Victorian underwear for 16 inch fashion doll.

'Romanza' ballet costume for 16 inch ballerina doll.

‘Romanza’ ballet costume for 16 inch ballerina doll.

French (Breton) costume for 16 inch doll.

French (Breton) costume for 16 inch doll.

Alice in Wonderland costume for 12 inch fashion doll.

Alice in Wonderland costume for 12 inch fashion doll.

Miniature Lord Byron Albanian costume.

Miniature Lord Byron Albanian costume.

Miniature Lord Byron Regency tail coat outfit.

Miniature Lord Byron Regency tail coat outfit.

And last but not least:

Medieval style Autumn costume for 16 inch fashion doll.

Medieval style Autumn costume for 16 inch fashion doll.

Miniature Queen Mary 1st (Mary Tudor).

Miniature Queen Mary 1st (Mary Tudor).

I hope you have enjoyed my selection…just a few of the many favourites I have created over the last few years. All of them have given me enormous pleasure and taught me such valuable skills and patience.

 

 

 

 

 

THE BELLS ARE RINGING FOR HIM AND HIS GIRL (PART TWO)

There see!……..I told you I’d be back, didn’t I?

 It was just impossible to fit in all the wedding gowns that I wanted to share with you last time in one post, so without further ado, here are a few more:

Remember I told you about Tracie, the lovely lady who has commissioned quite a few very interesting wedding gowns in miniature from me. She is the lady who owns the miniature church and holds exhibitions in it on her blog. (I hope that you were able to go and visit Tracie’s blog and see the wonderful miniature church and exhibits in it). Anyway, amongst Tracie’s interests is the Regency period, (the early 1800’s) that most elegant era at the end of the Georgian period but before the Victorian. Amongst the miniature Regency costumes that I was asked to make for Tracie was  the wedding gown of Lady Byron. I made this costume on a mannequin.

Miniature version of Lady Byron's Regency wedding gown.

 Tracie was lucky enough to be able to visit the costume museum in Bath in order to have a private viewing of Lady Byron’s wedding attire and was even allowed to touch it and take close-up photos of it!!!!!! I don’t usually feel envy but I have to admit I was almost emerald at that one!!

Despite being in quite delicate condition, Tracie was able to take some wonderful photos and the above interpretation in miniature is as a result of the pictures that she took. The real dress was made from light-weight cotton trimmed with cotton lace and is very plain compared to some of the celebrity wedding gowns that we are used to today. However, it was indeed bang on trend in it its simplicity for those times. My moniature version is also made from very fine cotton trimmed with narrow cotton lace that has been cut down from a much too wide lace.

Whilst at the costume museum, Trace was also able to see…….. and touch(……….excuse me while I just flush emerald again!!!) Lady Byron’s wedding pelisse (a pelisse is a type of ladies Regency long coat). The pelisse was made in creamy coloured silk and was apparently quite dirty, especially along the hem. This is probably not too unusual as the Byron’s were married in Winter. The real one had quite a warm lining which of course Lady Byron would have needed for a Winter wedding over that thin little cotton dress.

Here is my interpretation of the Lady Byron wedding pelisse, this time on a miniature doll (faceless to resemble a shop model) This miniature version was made in lovely pure silk satin, in a delicate beigy/creamy shade and made to look as if it is being worn over the dress:

Lady Byron miniature wedding pelisse.

Still on a Regency wedding theme, Tracie also commisioned some general wedding attire of this period including another pelisse, this time on a hanger and also two wedding gowns on mannequins and two Regency wedding bonnets. Here is the other pelisse, made in a beautiful cream silk jacquard edged with tiny braid:

The other miniature Regency silk wedding pelisse on a hanger.

 Here is the first of the wedding gowns and this one is quite fancy with a train and trimmed with plenty of lovely lace. This was made in ivory silk dupion:

A fancy miniature Regency wedding gown and matching bonnet.

 Below is a close-up picture of the matching wide-brimmed bonnet showing the detail on the back:

Close up view of the back of the Regency wedding wide-brimmed bonnet.

 This is the other Regency wedding gown…..much plainer in style but typical of the times. The gown was again made in pure silk dupion with an over-dress of silk jacquard:

Slightly plainer but still as charming miniature Regency wedding gown.

 But for me, one of the most favourite of miniature challenges was the little Regency veiled wedding bonnet, based on the one worn by the character Elizabeth Bennett in the 1990’s BBC TV production of Pride and Prejudice. The base was made in silk-covered card with tiny hand gathered silk tulle along the length of the bonnet, ending in a tiny veil at the back. Decorating the bonnet were bands of narrow braid and tiny hand-dyed dried flowers. The inside of the bonnet was also lined with silk and trimmed with lace:

The miniature Elizabeth Bennett Regency wedding bonnet.

 Not to be left out of the wedding dress fiesta, here are a couple of the larger dolls modelling theirs. First up is the Spring Bride wedding gown and veil modelled here by 16 inch Tyler Wentworth. This gown was made in ivory silk dupion ruched at the hem with little cream and yellow rose buds and worn over a petticoat trimmed with delicate cotton lace. Underneath was a stiff net petticoat to hold out the skirt.

 

Spring Bride modelled by Tyler.

Next is Clea Bella the 16 inch ballerina modelling a One Of A Kind long tutu called ‘Wedding Belle’  This one was made using a small remnant (a lucky find!) of embroidered and beaded organza and was placed over the net tutu layers. I managed to find a lace trim that was very similar to the border of the fabric and this was used both to trim the dress and the tulle veil. 

Wedding Belle modelled by Clea Bella.

Last but by no means least in the wedding own fiesta are two miniature dolls. The first one you have seen before in a previous post last year and this is the Late Victorian Summer bride. Dressed in ivory silk trimmed with cotton lace, this bride’s costume is typical of the 1870’s /1880’s.

Miniature Late Victorian Summer Bride.

Below is the other miniature bride and this time she dressed in a much earlier style based on the crinolines of the mid 1800’s. This is the Winter Bride wearing a coat of ‘fur’-trimmed cream silk jacquard with large bell-shaped sleeves and a matching cream ‘fur’ muff. The coat is worn over a full ivory silk skirt with a deep frill of delicate cotton lace along with a lace-trimmed blouse, embellished with timy crystals. On her head is a small matching bonnet with a dainty little tulle veil that drapes over the back of her hair.

Miniature Winter Bride.

Now before I go, I have one quick question for you. Here it is: Whilst the following creature has nothing to do with weddings (at least I don’t think it has!) what has it got to do with the month of April 

What does this beautiful dragon to do with the month of April?

What does this beautiful dragon to do with the month of April?

 Would you like a clue?……….OK………..the clue is: 23rd April.

If you think you know the answer, just for fun, leave me a message at the end of this post.

In the meantime, you might like to visit Tracie’s blog page to see her lovely costume (and other) displays in her miniature church.

Please also take a look at the latest AIM (Artisans In Miniature) on-line magazine here.

Until next time……bye for now.

Costumes inspired by St. Valentine’s Day.

Hello again,

I thought I would share with you some of the costumes and miniature dolls that I have made over the past few years that have been inspired by St. Valentine’s Day……can’t believe we are into February already! Where did January go?!!

Anyway, below is one of my favourites originally created for 16 inch Clea Bella but it also works well in one twelfth scale miniature. This ball gown is based on those worn in the 1870’s and has a bustle and train at the back. Below are the pictures of the 16 inch version, made in pink silk:

16 inch Clea Bella models the Valentine Ball gown (side view)

       

Back view of the ball gown showing puff detail, train and tails.

The front view of the ball gown showing frills and trim.

 

Below is the miniature version of this lovely ball gown but this time shown on a mini  dress stand (or dummy) rather than a doll. I found that I was able to use the same trim for both sizes with no problems:

Front view of the miniature Valentine Ball gown.The flowers are a mixture of hand-dyed dried and hand-made silk.

Back view of miniature version.

                                                        

Side view of the miniature Valentine Ball gown.

 

Of course, pink is not the only popular colour used for costmes inspired by St. Valentine’s Day. Red is probably the most used and several years ago I found a gorgeous cotton fabric with tiny red hearts all over it.

I found that the fabric was suitable for miniature dolls and larger doll costumes alike. Here are some examples of costumes using this very versatile fabric:

16 inch Kish doll wearing 'Sweet Valentine Kishes' costume.

 

16 inch Clea Bella wearing 'Valentine Polka' ballet costume.

                                                                                                                                                                          

Miniature dolls. The Queen wears the heart fabric for her under dress.

And last but by no means least, one of my favourites. This little doll is less than six inches tall and she made the perfect model for this cute little tutu:

Little Riley Kish wearing 'Funny Valentine' ballet costume. The tiny red foil hearts were 'table confetti'.

Brand new Late-Victorian Summer Bride.

The front of the gown.

The front of the lovely wedding gown.

This lovely hand-crafted one twelfth scale miniature doll stands approx, five and a half inches tall.

She wears a late Victorian bustle gown of ivory silk jacquard, decorated with lashings of fine cotton lace and a delicate cream and gold fancy braid. The front of the gown skirt has a ruched apron-swag over a straight front panel and two long silk brocade ‘tails’. The back of the gown is puffed and trained with two angled and pointed ‘tails’ and a large bow. The off-the-shoulder bodice is fitted with a brocade centre panel under a deep frill of lace. Around her neck, the bride wears a golden heart pendant embellished with pearls and crystals. Her lace-trimmed puffed sleeves end at the elbows and she wears a pair of delicate lace mittens.

The dress is trimmed with peach silk roses, greenery and tiny ivory coloured buds that are echoed at the top of the fine full-length silk tulle veil that floats over the bride’s chestnut hair.

The Bride poses in the gardens.

The Bride poses in the gardens.

Underneath the bride wears white, lace-trimmed cotton pantaloons and a fancy trained petticoat. On her feet are painted golden shoes decorated with pale blue silk rosettes.

Below are some other views of the dress.

The detail at the back of the skirt.

Showing the left side of the gown.

Showing the right side of the gown.

 A couple of fun pictures taken in one of my dollshouses.

The Bride checks her dress before she leaves her bedroom.

 

The Bride waits at the front door for her carriage to arrive.

 The Summer Bride is currently looking for a new home. If you would like her to come and live with you, please contact me for further details.