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Saturday, April 9, 2016

The First Lady...

We all have to start somewhere. I just found the first mini doll that I EVER made.  She has been around since 1982.  She is really old!

I was working in a miniature store, part time and learning as I went. 

I had just done a life size doll that was done with my own proportions.  So I figured how hard could it be to do in miniature size. 

Maybe we should call her the first Tessie.  She never had a name, but was always chattering away at me.

I missed the mark in several areas.  She is not tall enough.  She doesn't have the proper wingspan... That is, her hands, when outstretched don't equal her height.

My only excuse is, I had not seen more than a couple of dolls in miniature at the time...

I kind of made her up as I went along...Yes.  My usual way of doing things.

She was made on a chenille stem armature and wrapped in cotton batting. Then totally covered in nylon stocking material.  Her face and hands were stitched to indicate features and fingers.

Her dress stood out from her hips because of a large covered piece of cotton batting. 

To my credit, she did have bloomers and a petticoat.

OK..  So I painted a pair of April's Barbie doll shoes.  I am NOT proud of that! I hadn't learned to make proper leather shoes yet.

Here she is sitting down.  That darned bustle did not work exactly the way I wanted it to. 

Her dress was made from a man's necktie.  The three things down the front of her dress were jewelry findings.  There's also one in her hair.

Considering that she has hung in there for the past 34 years, I think that she deserves to live on my desk in the workroom.  She has access to the TV.  Any furniture that I happen to leave on the desk is hers and she sometimes gets to move to other venues. I don't think that she would like living in a proper room box.  She likes her freedom. 

This just goes to show you that everybody has to start somewhere.  She was my first...

I tend to keep the first one of anything I make.  That way I can see if I have improved on newer versions... I think that I am doing a little better now.

Back to cleaning out the snake pit.

See you tomorrow!

10 comments:

Phyllisa said...

Hi Casey. Thank you for showing us your first made doll. One of my art teachers
said we should hold onto our first attempts at art and I did. It looks quite primitive
now!
Does she get along with Tessie?
Phyllisa


Caseymini said...

Phyllisa, I seldom let them even see each other. They just argue over which of them is the "real" Tessie. It's kind of like "which came first? The chicken or the egg?".

Kate said...

She looks like she could be Tessie's Elizabethan ancestor. She does resemble Tessie. People were much smaller in those days, so maybe her size is just right for the era. It wasn't a safe time to be a witch though!

I think she has a lot of personality and I love the way you've costumed her. I think you should give her a name and a back story 😊 I would guess, knowing Tessie, that she has some pretty colorful forebears!

Caseymini said...

Kate, that's the problem.they both claim to be the one and only Tessie!LOL

elizabeth s said...

Hi Casey! I agree with Kate that she does indeed resemble someone Elizabethan. I still have some of my original dolls that I made in the early 70's and although I rarely use dolls in my displays, I used to all the time when I was new to this hobby.
I think that it is good to have a tangible reference point and good also that she is in such great shape to be able to re-surface and take her rightful place alongside Tessie, Zar as well as the rest of the miniature population residing at your house. :D

niela said...

What a Beautiful Lady!I love the way you've costumed her. MAyby some story connected to her? It will be intresting to hear from you next time.
Hugs!
WELCOME TO MY BLOG (CLICK)

Caseymini said...

Elizabeth, the First Lady will live quietly in the workroom. She is in a class of her own. She prefers to be one of a kind. She was Elizabethan at the time that I made her... Then I got better at costuming in 1/12 scale.

Caseymini said...

Niele, there is no more backstory. She will always be a mystery. That's the way she wants it. Very mysterious.

mcddiss said...

siempre esta bien ver a traves de algunas piezas nuestra evolucion a traves del tiempo, seguro que en tu escritorio estara divinamente

besitos

Mari

Caseymini said...

Mari, I am finding more and more people that save early examples of their work. I think that it is the best way of seeing what progress is made.