A Very Productive Weekend

I love productive weekends. And also that rare weekend that the house is actually still clean and I only have to whip round with the duster and cloth instead of spending all of Saturday scrubbing. If only houses would clean themselves :)
I got loads done. Tons of things finished and projects moving forward. It's been such a nice time. We even got out Sunday morning to visit a local car boot sale looking for nice vintage things for Hubby's shop and both came away very happy. He managed to find the most allusive of treasures and came away with a 1980's Starwars Atat (one very happy husband :), and I found a vintage 50's half moon basket work handbag.

I finished up all the little details for my commission Mini Captain Morgan's Daughter, and she looks very sweet in her tiny 25cm size. I did have trouble trying to make her a sword as everything I tried just kept bending. In the end I realised that a dollhouse miniature would be the perfect size and I'd wasted quite a bit of time fighting with metal things. But I got one ordered up for her and as soon as it arrives she'll be off to her new home.
In the end I had to make one other small change to her design as the silver thread I'd used on the larger version to embroider her jacket was way too springy and unruly to work so small. I used a lovely gold silk thread instead which worked perfectly.

I had fun with some messy stuff and made my Mrs Lovett some of her gruesome pies to sit on using Styrofoam, modelling rock (plaster bandage) and paperclay. If you've never tried modelling rock I highly recommend it, it's so much fun. Just cut to size and soak for a little minute in water. Once it's flexible you can wrap and push, stretch and smooth it onto anything, covering objects or using things as a mould. you end up covered in plaster of paris and splashed with white spots but it dries quickly within a few minutes and is rock hard. After cutting tube shaped chunks of foam I covered them with this lovely stuff and then once dry covered again with paperclay to get a nice pastry like crust. They look quite cute now their all painted and varnished. And I added just a touch of gloss to the top to give them the look of having an egg wash before baking.

Mrs Lovett is the familiar character from the very well-known legend of Sweeney Todd. But what was it that led this woman to butcher and cook her fellow human beings, and then to go so far as to sell them to her customers?
Was Mrs Lovett motivated by money and success, greed or her love for the man that hardly noticed her in his obsession for revenge?
Even though she’s a fictional character there are true accounts in both British and European history of human flesh making it into the food chain. Meat was expensive, and the more criminally minded of vendors often replaced what we would think of as acceptable food for the meat of cats, rats and anything else they could catch. Some even resorted to dealings with the body snatchers or murder to supply their businesses as the contemporary court files reveal. And the story of Mrs Lovett and Sweeney Todd draws these facts together in a gruesome horrific tale of murder, butchery, clever depraved criminals and pies!

Mrs Lovett has proper Victorian underwear with split crotch drawers, chemise and corset, along with a few long cotton petticoats. Her dress is made of soft striped cotton in red and cream that has a low bodice front and three quarter sleeves. To try and make herself look more fancily dressed she’s trimmed her homespun dress with a box pleated hem trim, over sleeves and crossed bodice in a dark red silky fabric. And she has a smart black bonnet trimmed with spotted veil, ribbon, and matching lace mittens. Her three ghastly pies can be arranged with her or stacked up for her to sit on.

My massive project with Lovely Linda is a little on hold while we both wait on supplies to arrive, but I have been working on Cerridwen's sleeve design and her accessories, as well as working on Beth's gown while Linda works on the crochet metal lace for her.

Even more I got done. Can you believe it!

I've no idea where I found time. Honestly I really don't, but I've been on a mission and have already started on my next doll. There are just so many dolls I want to make I just can't stop. And before I knew what was happening I now have Miss Mina Murray (later Harker) sat on my work box in her drawers, chemise, corset and petticoats. I gave in to the little voice and made her top petticoat from pure silk in a cotton weave. This fabric is so so lovely, and has that unmistakable rustle when it moves. Fuller in back with a small pad underneath her skirts train out behind in that classic Victorian shape, and of course, how could I resist the temptation to try and re-create that amazing red silk gown from the film.

I know I'm letting myself in for trouble with all those ruffles and pleats, but I just couldn't help myself. My Godmother gave me a little box of goodies for Christmas and along with pretty lace and ribbons was a generous piece of silky dark red fabric that is just perfect for her. The original dress was a brighter colour red, but for a doll the darker richer colour is going to work well I think. And I'll be setting the pleats for her underskirt tonight :)
Now I just have to decide if I'll be giving her Vampire fangs or not???

With these big fancy dresses I think I'm going to have to sort out some way of making stands for some of these girls. Maybe I'll have to drag the Husband in to help me so that I can ensure all the hard work of sewing these things I do can actually be displayed properly...