Cerridwen, Mrs Lovett & A Tiny Pirate

So early in the week and I can tell it's going to be one of "those" already.
Seems like sometimes you just can't leave home without the world either trying to kill you or get on your last nerve. But at least I know there are some lovely supportive people in my life, like my husband who patiently reads my ranting text messages and simply replies "I love you". What a doll he is :)

I've been getting stuck in with my dolls and been planing to learn a few new techniques to help me achieve the look that I want for my girls.
Cerridwen is coming along slowly as me and Linda work out her details. And I get more and more excited as I see each new piece of lace Linda is making for Beth.
This week I had to find a way of getting some sort of base for Cerrid's head over to Florida for Linda so she can start in on making her a Juliet cap of fine wire and semi-precious stones. So I had a great messy time on Sat morning as I carved out a piece of polystyrene with a big kitchen knife to make a base to be covered with muslin. It was so funny to watch my cat Meanna chasing the little floaty beads as they fell on the floor, getting them stuck in her black fur so she looked like she'd been snowed on :)
Even though Cerridwen and Elizabeth are such different dolls, women with such a difference in both themselves and their stories, they are both developing into a really beautiful pair of very special dolls.

After considering Cerrid's look we both decided that she looked much too restricted, bound too tight by her high neckline and narrow sleeves. So I altered her neckline by bringing it down into a low square shape and added a tapestry ribbon sash high around her waist. I then used her original sleeves as under-sleeves to ones made of the same brocade at the rest of her over-gown, lining them with a soft pale gold silk and shaping them to hang in long points behind her elbows.
Now she's looking much more elegant and ethereal. Much more like herself I think :)
Next I think she'll be getting some hair once Linda has decided on the colour she'd like. And then while I wait for the first bits of lace to arrive from across the seas I can sit with my girls and add embroidery and snippets of lace to both their gowns.

Mrs Lovett is all dressed now and only waiting for me to make her a proper hat. She's not happy about having to wait but rejected my wonky fabric attempt so she now has to as I wait for some suppliers to arrive. I don't want to show you a proper pic yet until she's finished.
The very lovely Ashley of Mystic Magic Masquerade helped me out with some advice on the type of material I've been looking for to make tiny hats with and I ordered some up last week. Once it arrives I'll have a nice playing session learning how to shape this new stuff into a reasonable hat shape, and then all that Mrs Lovett will need is a few pies from her gruesome bake-house.

While I wait on all that I've been making up a tinny tiny version of my Captain Morgan's Daughter after being contacted through my facebook page by a nice lady that liked my full sized version but wanted something smaller. It's been fun to work on lovely tiny details and see this version of my imagined character come to life alongside her original. Tonight I get to finish off her little coat and embroider in the silver details. I'm hoping to get her all finished by the end of this week and off to her new home :)

How I always wish there was more time in my life for doll making.
Hope you all have a great week and avoid the idiots in this world.
Hugs and fairy dust wishes to everyone :)

PS - My brain has been cooking up a Vampire Siren all afternoon. She may have to be my next doll :) We'll see!!!