Boudoir Darlings

A few months ago I discovered, and became really interested in 1920s boudoir dolls. I love them because they had such a short run, just though the 20's and 30's, and are so perfectly frivolous!

For any one as late to the pary as me, boudoir dolls came about as part of the many crafts coming into Paris from Russia at that time. Relativly simple cloth bodies, painted faces, and at the time more Russian style costume. They became more and more popular and soon they were being made in fantastic18th century inspired costumes, as fashionable flappers and seedy undesirables. Women would drape them around their bedrooms and personal spaces. They represented the style of the times, and also the fantasies and daydreams of the young women holled up in these rooms. The dolls weren't only restricted to the house, some daring flappers would carry their dolls out for a night on the town. More than just a fashion doll, they were dolls as fashion accessories!

 You can spot them quite often in old movies, and they show up fairly regularly in photos of film stars and flappers through out the 20's and 30's.

I design clothing and accessories for a living, but also make and customize dolls pleasure, so these have so much appeal to me as dolls and as accessories.
 from cute but beat up to "I can't believe it stayed so clean for so long!" Trawling through listings and photos I found myself more and more wanting to make my own so that it could be just as personal as some of the dolls that appeared to be to their owners in the old photos like the one above.

It took a while, but after getting my hands covered in clay, and clothes whited out with dust, I finally managed to steal some time the other day to finish off my first boudoir doll! She looks like a Constance so that's what she's called.

She went from a creepy head on a stick to a (apparently still creepy) well dressed girl, swimming in ruffles, ribbons and art deco styling!

She has a little floss wig, picture dress, and lots of little ribbon trimmings, right down to mini knee level garters!

There's whole line of projects to work on using this doll, and it's got me started making old style dolls which is something I've been wanting to do for a while.

A few things I might do differently next time around, but over all she makes me smile, and a great starting point for bringing yet another new old thing into my life :) More photos over on Dolly Daydream (including the dolly garters!!!) along with a lot of the other dolls I've made and customized over the years.

 

Zombie Elvis

A while back whilst talking monster high with friends, the subject came up of how awesome a zombie Elvis doll would be! Since my husband is an Elvis fan, and had a large hand in the idea/design, zombie Elvis ended up coming to unlife as part of his birthday present this year.

The challenge was set as, must be fat Elvis and must have the eagle jumpsuit.

The biggest challenge was adding a few pounds to the doll, and having him still fit the stand. The extra "fluff" was made with a bit of teddy bear stuffing in the jump suit. The next biggest challenge was the "rhinestone" eagle motif. For that inherited tubes of fabric paint!

The hair is hands down my favorite part on this doll. I re-rooted in a little left over black hair up front for the quiff, flocked the sideburns, and concrete hair lacquered the lot in place.

Complete with box he cuts quite the zombie scene! (at some point I just need to make him a zombie chimp for a pet)

Tiki Postcards

One thing I love is tiki style, I love tiki pin up shoots, I have a long standing dream of creating a tiki soda bar for my (next) house, and I love the Monster High Skull Shores dolls and their fantastic tki style!

I was taking photos for my shop, trying to come up with something that would really bring out the retro pin up in these dolls, and created a little scene using some tiki-tastic pieces from my little collection.

Inspired by one of my favorite pin up photographers the insanely talented Viva Van Story, and with a little photoshop aging magic these are a few of the photos I put together with my personal de-boxed dolls.

I have to say the Ghoulia from this line doesn't get enough love. She's pure 60's dream girl, and the clashing green in her outfit makes her one of my favorite Ghoulias to date. In fact I want her swim suite so bad!

There are more photos over at Dolly Daydream, and you can pick up the dolls for a tiki party of your own over at the shop!

Dedicated Doll Blog!

My dolls have seceded from the main blog over at Quaintrelle life, and made themselves a new home here on the new Dolly Daydream blog.

For the most part my doll adventures tend to focus on vintage and retro themes which made them fit with the vintage lifestyle focus over on Quaintrelle life. But I was holding back posting about them when I hadn't had chance to post about other things in between.

So from now on I'll be dolly blogging over here, and fashion and lifestyle blogging over on Quaintrelle Life (probably with a few cross overs)

Thoroughly Modern Martian

I've been in a mod kinda mood this week, partly because we're getting into the mid 60's with Mad Men and I'm ready for that show to start up in just a few days, and also because I've been working on a modernist martian girl.
I remember being all about all things mod back in high school, but haven't thought much about it all till now. I find myself with a bit of a hankering to mix some of this style back into my wardrobe again after working on this project. It set off my nostalgia for my adolescent nostalgia for another generation's adolescent verve.

(More photos of the doll and the scooter over on Dolly Daydream)

Little Sisters

One of the things I love about the Monster High dolls (after the fantastic retro detailing on a lot of them) is the little back stories they put behind each doll. It makes them more than just pretty fashion models, but also gives them a personality you can relate to.

My latest acquisition from the line reminded me a lot of what it was like being a big sister growing up. I remember arguments and fights over not wanting to lend my clothes to my little sister, and the usual "she's so annoying" moments. But I also remembered how we were then and still are now best friends and that I would take on any threat that dared to mess with my little sister!

She's a kick ass chemist now and all grown up (and taller than me) but once a big sister always a big sister, These little vinyl toys gave me a wistful sense of nostalgia for when we kids.

Dresses and Dolls Oh My!

OK I'm back in the county, my body has adjusted back to the right time zone, so it's time to start blogging!

Whilst over in the UK for the past month (ish) we flew over for a few days in the Netherlands staying in the Hague. By pure luck one of the museums out there had 2 amazing temporary exhibitions running at that time with my name written all over them! A huge collection of dolls, miniatures and doll houses from the 17th century up, and a collection of fashion from the early 1900's to today, and their inspirations in fine art. Three things I love most in the world all together in one place!

The doll exhibition was the first bit we hit up. It really is amazing the details that used to go into these things. One of the first  things I noticed was a great Dior bar suit Barbie in all her 50's glamor. I love the suit in full scale, and it was captivating again in miniature!

A simmering fondness of Queen Anne dolls was heated up a little too. They had some wonderful 18th century examples all with their brocade dresses and fluffy wigs! One day I'd love to make one, but that's another project for another day.

The fashion exhibition was a real winner too. I loved seeing Schiaparelli's dresses and accessories in person again, and a little tableau of Vivienne Westwood gowns with an 18th century flare gave a bit of a taste of the recent Versailles fashion exhibit I messed. I never get tired of seeing beautiful silks in opulent settings!

Sure we had to walk over 2 miles each way in gale force winds and pouring rain, but I can safely say it was well worth it!

You can see more from the exhibition over on the Gemeentemuseum's website. XXSmall and Fashion ♥ Art. For now here are a few of the photos I managed to get whilst we wandered round...

(I promise a break from dolls next post and some more food inspiration instead!)