A Tale of Two Cities

 

Paperdolls from Booklet, Background by Diana Vining, 

and paper doll scene construction by Melissa Turner

Do you like Paper Dolls? 

I do!  My father was a career Airman. Whenever we moved there was a lot of cleaning out and leaving behind, either donated or trashed of our toys especially.  I had been allotted a 3 cubic foot box to have as a toy box and if it fits, it shipped.  (Thank you post office advertising.) Military members have weight allowances and a lot doesn’t make it onto the truck.  My little twin bed, and my narrow 4 or 5 drawer chest, a box of clothes, a suitcase, and my “toy box” were all I had.  I might have had to divest of dolls and things, but with a nice shoebox, some paper separators, my paper dolls were good to go. 

Sadly, I do not have a single box of paper dolls now.  How is that possible?  Married a Marine.  More weight limits and well, toys didn’t make the cut.  Had my mother stayed in one house perhaps I would have had my things stored, but eventually, she moved as well, and so did dad, and anything left was gone.  It’s a life. 

Never-the-less; I love paper dolls and find that any I have collected now over the years are in small books that are stored and not cut out.  But oh, how I love a pair of scissors!  Snip, snip, cut, cut, turn, a knife to get just there, PERFECT! 

And that sound.  You know the one I mean; it is as wonderful as the sound of scissors sliding across the table to cut fabric.  Crunch. 

But I digress. 

I remember reading Rachel Hoffman, most recently of Virtual Doll Conventions and boy do we love them, writing in her blog that “we are enough!”  Who hasn’t felt marginalized at some point?  I have never been a great participator.  I don’t like belonging to clubs as I prefer to do my own thing.  Introverted, but not shy. I will speak up and I have done a couple club presentations.  I wanted to do something to participate from afar for the Winter Virtual Doll Convention.  Silly me, I asked, “What can I do to help?”

 She was so sweet, and not knowing what I do or when I do it, she said, “Make some paper dolls.”  Oh, for goodness sake!  Really?  I have never painted a paper doll in my life.  My mind was going this way and that.  How was I to tell her no?  So, I just warned her I would give it a try.  I asked her what she would like, and she said, “Queen Victoria!”  Yikes.    I emphasize I have never done this before.  I did not want to let her down.  I asked her to give me a call.  We talked on the phone and I know she was worried that I would renege on my offer, and I said, I wouldn’t, but really did not want to over-promise anything.  My deadline was December 1.  It took me months to do, months.  I drew and painted every day.  I used, and still do, a couple of friends, to critique my work.  They helped me a lot.  Thank you, Debbie and Gillian. They have different gifts and I felt many things were covered in their criticisms.  They helped me to provide a nice product in the end. 

So, the day came for the paper dolls to be introduced to everyone as a souvenir and there were technical issues.  The next day was Saturday, and Rachel was so kind in her explanations about the dolls.  I can now provide them to you all as well.  I am hoping you who like paper dolls will be able to download the PDF.  And I hope you enjoy having them as much as I worried about making them. 

Have Fun!

Kathi

If clicking the picture above does not take you to the link to download try this link:

https://www.minidolls.com/images/Eugenie%20and%20Victoria%20by%20Kathi%20Mendenhall.pdf

 

Technical Issues

 

 Here come the excuses, well reasons, really.  

I wrote a new blog, but I have a problem or two and it cannot get posted.  I need to write another or figure out my problem.  Fast! 

If I have not responded to you, it is because the mailing address for this blog is incorrect now, and I am having a problem fixing it.  They never make it easy.  

Hold fast my friends, I am working on it.  

Thank you.

Go back to Having Fun. 

Kathi

 

 

 

Christmas in August - Sort Of

 

Do you belong to a club?  Draw names?  Must make the gift yourself?  Need an idea? This was me a few years back.  I drew the name of a collector of beautiful things and maker par excellence!  She did not, she had said, I remembered, have much room left.  And I knew she liked the little ladies.  What to do, what to do? 

Here I am with a small gift and some easy instructions.  Not detailed mind, but if you make miniatures this could be easy. 

All you need is a 5” X 7” picture frame with a small mat, some scrap papers, a copier, some photo paper, and a half-scale doll.  The almost 3” size.

Create a small black box of a bottom dimension of 3” X 5”.  I made a box of black scrapbooking paper with a 1” side to it.  Borrow a picture of a pretty folding screen (outside) from the internet and print this onto shiny photo paper.  Scale it to fit inside the little black box.  (You can do this in any program now by squeezing to fit or dragging corners.) Cut this out with a scalpel.

This picture will allow you to see the size and scale of the project.  

Now copy a couple of dresses you like, size them, and print them on some cardstock.  Use bits of fabrics and ribbons to glue on the paper dresses for hanging on the screen.    And, dress your little dolly with small scraps by shaping and wrapping.  Embellish as you like.  Use a long glass head pin wrapped with ribbon as a parasol.  Add any other items you may have to spruce it up and bring your creation to life.   

This is a closer view.  Click to enlarge more.  

Put it all together.  Use some scrap paper to line the bottom of your little box representing wallpaper.  Using a ruler and ball stylus, score from the backside, the screen, and fold into thirds.  Sharpen up edges of the screen with scalpel and markers.  Then glue you pretend dresses as if they are thrown over or hanging on the screen. 

Glue the mat onto the box and allow to dry then frame it up with the glass holding it all together.  The frame stand should be free to sit on a desk or table or hang on the wall. 

This is a picture of the final presentation with the frame added.  

Have Fun, Kathi

 

Notes for Sewing Room Outside

 

I began with a box that had been created for us in a club situation.  One of our members Pate Steele’s husband created them for us.   I bought a few of them.  (Many mini and doll projects were calling.)

They looked like this:

I painted the box black and filled the interior with the Itsy Bitsy Mini wallpaper in fashion design.   I could not locate my specific pattern, but there are many from which to choose and personalize your room box. 

When that was complete, I decided to then paper the box, though I had already painted it.  So, I began to choose from some shelf papers in a French Toile pattern. 

After covering the lower portion of the box with the toile, I tried to think of something different for the top portion.  The box sat for a little while.  (I played with the interior a bit, to be honest.)   I thought and thought, and came upon the idea that this was a pattern box.  It was a sewing room or shop after all.  Placing a number of patterns in a basket, I took pictures from the top, bottom, right, left, back, and then printed, and cropped until I got the right picture for the top edges of the room box.  That was fun, however; it took a great deal more time than I thought. 

A little braid trim to hide the seam line and it was time for the fun stuff!!! 

And here is the fun stuff again! 

Use your imagination, and Have Fun!

Kathi

Sewing Box, Redefined!

Welcome to August. This week we look at a finished project.  I had a lovely box, a trifold box, just waiting for a doll and her wardrobe.  But for some reason, I wondered if this couldn’t be something else.  And look, it could!  

I wanted to do something with the myriad sewing supplies I had made and collected in miniature.  Some things were from round tables, Ann Vanture Paper Minis, baskets as gifts, small prizes won, door prizes, gift bags, and other collectibles from many artists.  They were all within the theme of sewing. 

(http://www.paperminis.com/gateway-to-dollhouse-scale.htm  Look for other scales as well.  A wonderful place to fill out just what you need and have a little craft time, too.)  

This week the finished project, and next week a few tricks of how I pulled it together as a “Sewing Box”.  

The overall finished box was a trifold box, finished with paper and latches. 

 The Center of the box, partially opened, contained the sewing room itself.  The Victorian Armoire with children’s dresses I had made, a crocheted purse by Lajuana Whitwell, a little porcelain pincushion.  The Wallpaper from Itty Bitty purchased at Miniature Cottage in Nashville, TN.  The gown created by Mary Carl Robertson.  All my friends from the Nashville Miniature Club.  Paper mini-posters and boxes and some of the all-around items by Ann Vanture.  Miscellaneous bits of ribbons and laces. 

(Miniature Cottage, Nashville, TN.  https://miniaturecottage.com/shop/  Be sure to stop in for all sorts of delights.) 

On the left side of “the room” are mannequins, books, more clothing, and hats.  A shelf made from a kit purchased at Suzanne Andres Miniature shop in Nashville.  (No longer there.) Bolts of fabrics and more sewing baskets.  A shoe as a bookend and an outsized pair of scissors.  Just fun stuff. 

 To the right is a cabinet with bolts of fabric, also Ann Vanture Paperminis, a little glass bird on more shelves, a lamp for the late nights meeting deadlines.  More books, more laces, more ribbons. 

 And finally, the whole box insides for a room box to delight.  How else to spread out and take up less room at the same time.  One can surely corral any number of disparate things to have a wonderful display. 

 I think next week I will tell you how I accomplished a few things with this project and perhaps one thing could inspire you to a new room, too!

Until next week.  

Have Fun!

Kathi