Costume Fun in Miniature, Mignonette Style

 

October 31, 2024

                                                    

About two years ago a couple of mu internet dolly friends and I decided we would like to copy (sort 0f) a mignonette box we had seen at Carmel Doll Museum.  Since there were three of us, we thought each of us could use the Mignonette Book as our inspiration.  We each had the book and could make selections from it. 

Mignonette: Her History, Wardrobe & Miniature World, 1878-1917

By Mathilde and Samy Odin Heritier

https://www.amazon.com/Mignonnette-History-Wardrobe-Miniature-1878-1917/dp/2913684068

 

Every third month we picked an outfit to make.  Once picked we would each do that pattern to fit our mignonettes, all about 5.5 inches, with our own fabrics and interpretations.  I had every intention of using up some small pieces of fabric. 

About August, I began to think about my October decision and decided I would use the picture from “When Dreams Come True” as I had seen on Pinterest and saved to my Board. 

The original Doll is 14.5 inches tall.  A Bebe from Delcroix from the description.  https://www.trocadero.com/stores/whendreamscometrue/items/1339844

                                                            

I knew I would have to redesign as close as possible for my 5.5” mignonette. Mine is a Jumeau reproduction made for me by Sophie Pearson.

Using the picture noted above, I began working out the scale and changes or items needed to recreate this costume.  A very sweet party outfit described on a male doll.  However, my doll was a little girl.  I didn’t care.  My doll, my choice.  

I started with the skirt, which was the easiest thing to do.   All there is to do is a length of gathered fabric into a waistband and a closure.  The edging was serendipity and the black pom poms can be found at hobby stores. 

                                                        

The jacket took a bit more fitting and ingenuity.  Sometimes components are hard to get, make, or imagine how to complete.  I was lucky enough to have a small stash of ¼” velvet ribbon.  Sometimes you just make it work.  But I feel I was as close as I was going to get to the real thing. 

                                                            

Soon, I created and sent off the directions to my friends.  We have collected quite a wardrobe for out little ladies.  If you are a member of the Mignonettes group on IO, the directions are in the files there if you want to give this a go. Finished side and back photos.  

                    

                

In the meantime,

Have Fun, Kathi

 

 

 

 

A Little Explanation for delays.

 

10/19/24

 

In the past year and a half, I had a second surgery, (doing well, no worries), hired an organizer, Amy, (she’s great, I call her my task master), worked on the issues with the blog, helped my wonderful husband with his projects and doctor visits, and nagged him to be my obedient servant.  Didn’t work.  Try as I might to be boss, he’s not buying it.   (Yes, that is a joke.  The rule in this house, is we decide who’s boss before the project.  This works very well as we both have our strengths.). We are both boss types as well. 

 

This might come as shock, but this time away has made me realize I am aging.  It kind of sneaks when you least expect it.  I went through a process of deciding, with Amy pushing me on, what I really wanted to do.  I see my avocation as a designer, artist, miniaturist, seamstress, writer, teacher, and vocationally as a wife and homemaker.   (I have also done that a lot longer!) There was a lot of retrospection and conversation that went into the process.  Many decisions were made.  I am loving my new focus and lifestyle.  We’ll chat more about that coming up in new posts. 

 

My old computer, which isn’t very old by the by, decided it didn’t want to work anymore.  It does still work but it is picky about it.  Like having a child.  My husband got me a new computer.  It is a tablet/PC and does the job.  I like the PC, but I am constantly noticing I cannot work as I did before.  I need something else.  My little laptop is supposed to be easier, friendlier, BUT, it does not have any of the “old” ports on it. I had to buy a HUB to plug in my current peripheral’s into so I could use them.  I am so tired of chasing technology!  What I do like is that the computer people are getting together on all these proprietary plugs, so we have a method to use chargers the same.  That is most excellent, but in the meantime, nothing is the same.  We grow, we adapt. I grumble (a lot).  So I use two computers now, the old one where I can work faster at things I know, and the new one for emails, blog posts, and learning how to do things in a new way.

I have not wasted my time being absent.  Ultimately, I got here, ready to share more on the blog with you.  I had to relearn many things and catch up with changes on the computer.  (Grumble, grumble). I am almost a minimalist.  Not quite there, but I am an “in the middlest” for sure!  My term, I made it up, I should trademark it.  

The new start date was to be on October 1, 2024.  So, you can see I am late.  The truth of the matter is a tree, (2 of them) fell on our house during Helene.  It was frightening, and messy.  The roof was pierced, the ceiling upstairs also with holes, the rain pouring in.  Glass broken; windows shattered.  What a wallop.  My house is a house that looks like a two story on the front and a 4 story in the back.  (It’s two stories) Two 80 foot trees decided they couldn’t handle it anymore and gave up.  Silver linings are that we did get power back in three days, did lose all the food, stores are getting restocked.  Our systems can be awe inspiring, and we are resilient people.  The trees got removed, there is a tarp on the roof, holes in the house plugged for now.  We are waiting for our turn to have the adjustor/contractor come to estimate the damage.  Those estimates will be forwarded to insurance company.  We will wait. The insurance company will say what they approved and write a check.  And then we wait.  The company and we decide how much we want to fix and any added items that come up.  And we will wait.  Once all the work is agreed upon, we will wait for out turn in line for the contractor to make repairs.  This is going to take a while.  In the meantime, we are safe, have power, have food, friends, and we know we are very lucky.  We count our blessings every day. 

Oh, another silver lining, our view to the lake is so much better now.   

Pray for those in need, and if you can afford to give, please do.  East TN and VA and FL need you ever so much.  

I hope to have another post soon.  It will be about projects and what has been completed.  Thank you to all of you who have enjoyed these posts.  And to those who have reached out and checked on me.  You are kind, thoughtful, and appreciated.  

Until the next post, as always,

Have Fun!  

Kathi

Yes, It has been a long time!

Before I start writing for the blog again, there are a couple of updates for you. I share this blog with Michelle Mahler of Minidolls.com. Michelle is hoping to sell The Doll Artist’s Workshop, where she sells supplies, fabrics, trims, and assorted items to create and dress miniature dolls. 

 I will be writing this blog. 

 We have worked out, or rather not yet figured out why the reading view was covered up with the red background. We tried many ways to fix this, and the result was to remove the background and voila a readable blog. For those who were unaware of the issues, I will share them with you. And because I am both an iPad and PC user, the information came to me a little late. I hadn’t noticed. Readers on Apple or iOS products (Mac, iPhone, iPad) were getting different views. Is the level of upgrade the problem, or is it Google? Is it something else? Were the programming languages colliding in some way? We do not know but are greatly appreciative of those who checked things out and reported findings. For those who had no issues, this is what was happening. This is the original format and how we wanted it to look.

This picture clearly shows that the background is now covering all content. The background for the iOS users was on top and not behind the content.

The header with Emilie Claire doll will remain the same.

The simplest answer was to remove the background. The content is now visible with the background removed.

I like this view. The content is readable, it is lovely as linen as it represents our primary content is sewing for dolls. Going forward, I have retained a professional to take care of these things for me so I can create some meaningful content. Kathi

 August 15, 2022

A Hitch in my Get-Along

 

Well in another week it will be a year since I last posted.  You would not believe all that happened.  Whew, it is something isn’t it how quickly time can go and get away from us? 

 

I am an irregular blogger to be sure, but a couple weeks from the time I last wrote I had an “event” we’ll say that didn’t bother me so much as the doctor when I described it.  I felt no different, but apparently, I needed tests done, and NOW!  After a few echocardiograms, I was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect.  Imagine at my age finding out I have had this since birth?  Why did I not know sooner?  And this is a common heart defect.  When I was born the hole in which my mother fed me during gestation did not close automatically when I was born. This is called a PFO. (Just look it up, I cannot even pronounce it.) As I aged, the whole grew larger, and a microscopic piece, possibly, of blood trash did not get cleaned up and caused me to have what appeared to be a stroke.  Honestly, I am not sure as it was so minor, but the doctors were being cautious. 

Fast forward to 25 doctor visits, all kinds of them, pick a specialty. 

In January, the hole was closed.  I was all fixed.  Except for a stint in the ER.  Wow, that was scary, I thought “the plug” had become dislodged, but no. Just a fault in the electricity of the heart beats. 

 On July 5th, I got my 6-month check-up and am all wonderful and perfect again. 

I was homesick and wanted to get back to my family and old friends.  We made plans, ready to list the house when I got out of the hospital, to hopefully move back to my hometown.  The areas which we were considering had grown so expensive that it did not make sense to make the move. All the work that one does to put a house on the market now had to be reversed.   The unwinding and redefining what life looks like going forward has taken extra time, too. 

The Queen size bed is stacked under, over, and around.  

And in the bathroom and excess in another room, embarrassing.

I now have boxes stored in the guest room.  However, there is a silver lining.  I have a closet upstairs that the original owner had finished from an attic area.  It is a good 12 X 12 feet on the floor, but the room is not quite 8’ tall.  As we speak my painter extraordinaire, Justin is repairing the walls and repainting.  If all goes well, new shelves are being installed this week.  I am excited to get my hoarded, stashed, stock, yes stock put away and organized in a room of its own.  I shall call it my stockroom.  Stocking supplies sounds so much better than hoarding, doesn’t it? 

I shall share the progress with you.  I hear from my husband that I am lacking in making decisions.  I never knew that about myself, I thought I was quite a decisive person.  I have purged until there is only the best left, and by looks, it appears there is more of that to be done.  No doubt, sad face, I will need to gift and donate some more.    

I will be posting more blog entries as I have not been a sloth while healing!  I will share things I have done, and outfits completed soon. 

Have Fun!

Kathi

 August 26, 2021

When I last posted I was showing that there had been great progress on completing the “Knight to Remember” Dress.  This was an Alice Leverette workshop at St. Simons Island.  It was a full workshop with about 30 participants.  Due to me being in the sponsoring club, I also had work assignments for the weekend and managed to not complete the garment and allowed it to sit for quite some time.

But alas with some perseverance, the dress was complete.  All the beading and flowers have been added. 

It was time to add some jewels.  Here you see a necklace being made, and the earrings to match. 

Progression of making the necklace. 

    Jewels are just right! 

Perfect additions!

She needed some pretty flowers for her hair.  Alas, totally complete.  

Pretty floral coronet

How about a fan!  

What dance is complete with a fan?

Beautiful! 

Complete!  

A new project awaits.  

Whatever you create, 
Have Fun!
Kathi