NEW DOLL

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!  I can't believe it has been since July since I've posted anything.  After we got back from the National Doll Festival, all attention was placed on our new (old) house!  Having just moved from Mississippi, everything was placed on hold to do the doll show.  Since then, we have really been working hard painting, etc.  Now, our entire kitchen has been torn out, and we are in the midst of a total remodel of kitchen, family room, breakfast room, and also have had a new rear deck built.  What a mess!!  However, I hope it is totally worth it when all is done.  Hopefully before Christmas.  I have managed to set up the upstairs of our house as my total doll headquarters!  I have finished one special order doll, which I picture here, and am working on two others.  THEN, I have to start making new dolls for next years NDF in Washington DC in July!!  I always come home from these shows thinking I have so much time to make new dolls, but here it is November already!!  Anyhow, I always manage somehow, as doll making is my total passion.  Luckily, I have a very understanding husband! 
   This new little doll, "Carrie Ann" ,   has just arrived in her new home in Connecticut.  She is a 12" tall Izannah Walker reproduction.  Her dress is made of antique fabric from the 1860's.  I made the little cat toy for her to keep her company on her long journey north.  I have decided to try to make the majority of the dolls for the next show in this size or slightly larger; so many of my ladies that buy my dolls are asking for the smaller sizes, as they are running out of room with their collections!  The small ones are really fun to make, and I'll be making not only IW repros, but others dressed in outfits from the Jane Austen era up to the 1880's.  I will also be making extra outfits for the dolls, accessories and furniture.  Stay tuned for more pictures! 

                                        

DOLLS FROM THE 2015 NATIONAL DOLL FESTIVAL

 Here are some photos of my booth at the NDF.  If you get a chance you should really try to attend one of these shows.  There are mostly antique dolls, but also there are artists like me and modern dolls for sale, plus fabric, lace, accessories, furniture, etc;  anything you could possibly want for your dolls!  Next year, the show will be in Washington, D.C. at the end of July.  


                                              

"JOHNNIE MAE"

"THE YOUNG MARIE ANTOINETTE"

'LIZZIE BORDEN'

"GRACE BEDELL" 

Writing a letter to Abraham Lincoln

"SWEET PEA"

"MADAME C.J. WALKER"

America's first female self-made millionaire!

NATIONAL DOLL FESTIVAL 2015

I can't believe it has been so long since I've posted anything!  But the last few months have been a real whirlwind.  We sold our house in Mississippi and have moved to Florida; and it all happened just before my biggest doll show of the year, the National Doll Festival.  I managed, however, and wanted to post some pictures of some of the dolls.  Most of them sold, but I will be listing others on my Etsy site very soon!  Remember, I take custom orders, and would be happy to make a very special historic doll to meet your exact needs.

MISS NELLIE GRANT

Good afternoon everyone!  I am sitting here in sweatshirt and sweatpants today as this big cold front has swept through Mississippi.  It got into the 20's last night!  Hard to believe at it was in the high 70's last week. 
   I wanted to share with you a new doll that I just completed for a lady in Louisiana.  She wanted a doll to represent Nellie Grant, who was General Ulysses S. Grant's only daughter.  I found some pictures of her on-line, and this is my interpretation of her.  She is about 24" tall, with cloth body, and paper clay head, shoulder plate, arms and hands.  The lady who commissioned her sent me the fabulous antique doll boots for her to wear.  She has been oil-painted, and her wig is synthetic mohair.  My customer also sent a linen handkerchief that was her mother's to be incorporated into the outfit, so I used some of it to make the linen "guimpe" (blouse).  Her cape is wool, and I added crochet trim and the fringe from wool yarn.  Her jumper type dress is of rusty red velvet, as well as her jaunty little hat.  Nellie was a lot of fun to make, and as usual, I love planning the outfits and picking just the right fabrics.                                                        

                                                                         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

NEW DOLL

I just wanted to show you a picture of my latest doll, a special order for a great customer from Massachusetts.  She bought my "Elizabeth Keckley" doll in San Antonio,  and wanted me to make a little girl to pose with her.  As Elizabeth was the fabulous seamstress for Mary Todd Lincoln,  my customer wanted this little girl to represent a pupil of Keckley learning how to sew.  I named her "Georgiana", and she's about 18" tall.  I used human hair for her hairdo, and  silk taffeta for her dress. As always, she is sculpted of paper clay and oil painted. 


                                                  "Georgiana"

                                                            

 

 

Good evening!!

I can't believe this is September already!  That is the only bad thing about getting older, I've found--the years just fly by with frightening speed.  But, I guess doing something you love makes the time go quickly, but very pleasantly!   
   I wanted to let you know I have added some dolls for sale on my Etsy page.  Check them out;  just go to my website, www.ladywithapast.com, and then click on the "Shop" button; it will take you directly to my Etsy shop.   As I've said before, I will take custom orders.  Also, I am advertising in Antique Doll Collector magazine in their "Emporium" section. 
  
  The three little gals on the picture above are all sold, but I wanted to show them to you.  All three dolls have cloth bodies, and their heads and shoulder plates are sculpted of paper clay, then oil painted. The doll on the left is about 12" tall, and she has molded hair.  The little 10"Izannah-type in the center has a rather whimsical expression, and the larger 14' Izannah- type on the right has a downright pouty look!  Perhaps she is upset to be sharing the spotlight.  Her dress was fashioned of two antique brown print fabrics from the 1860's. 

                                                                       
                                                                       

 

 

The following doll started off with a different outfit, but since it is a ladies prerogative to change her mind,  we decided this was a better look for her!

Her story is based on a true one from the Civil War era.  She represents Lizzie Scott, carrying her little doll Nina. Lizzie is sold, and has gone to a wonderful new home in Massachusetts!   During the war, many ladies tried to smuggle medicines, food, etc. to the troops by hiding things in their hair, or sewn inside their voluminous hoop skirts.  Perhaps Lizzie was the youngest smuggler on record.  Her uncle was a Major General in the Confederacy, and Lizzie traveled with his wife, her aunt, to Tennessee to visit him.  Totally unknown to her, the doll she was carrying had a hollow head, and it had been filled with quinine, perhaps by her aunt,  to take to the Confederate troops under her husband's command.  They passed through the Union checkpoints with no problem.  What soldier would ever suspect a young girl with her beloved doll?   The real Nina, along with another paper mache doll, are on display in the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia.

 

 

 

"LIZZIE SCOTT AND NINA"

 

HOME FROM THE SHOW

We are back from the NDF in San Antonio very tired, but happy, safe and sound!  What a wonderful experience it is to do this show!  Rowbear Lowman
has put on these shows for over 25 years, and does a great job getting the best vendors and artists.  The atmosphere is friendly and fun.  I highly encourage any of you that can make it to try to attend.  Next year's show in July will be in Kansas City, Missouri.   This is the third show I have done with Rowbear, and each one gets better!  It is really a wonderful feeling for me as a doll artist to see returning customers that continue to love my dolls and purchase that special one for their collection, and also to welcome new admirers!   The kind comments about my work really inspire me to continue making the dolls, and is a real honor, coming from such seasoned collectors.