Jaelece's New Pigtail

Jaelece, a polymer clay doll is seen in her original photo from 2010.

Jaelece, an 11-inch folk art doll is made of polymer clay.  She is permanently attached to a vintage alphabet block that bears the first initial of her name.  Kept on a shelf of my personal desk in front of a pencil holder, while reaching for a pen or pencil, I have accidentally bumped Jaelece on more than one occasion causing her to tumble to the desktop or onto the floor.  Recently she fell one time too many causing the tip of one of her pigtails to break.

Jaelece's new pigtail (fatter than the original) has been air dried and ready for painting.

I used air drying clay to fashion another pigtail for her.  After it dried, I painted it as well as the rest of her molded hair.

Jaelece's new pigtail and original ones have been painted.

Jaelece and sister, Patsy

She's ready to be placed back on the shelf with her sister Patsy.  Now, however, to prevent future falls, the pencil holder is in front of the girls.

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Unexplained Shoe Deterioration

Angelica by Philip Heath (1999) is seen in this 2003 photo with other dolls in a more calmer and gentler doll room than it is today.  The shoes she wore in this photo were new; they are now in a state of deterioration. 

When purchased some 13 years ago, Angelica by Philip Heath arrived with bare feet.  To match her ivory dress of voile fabric, I purchased nude stockings and a pair of ivory shoes for her huge feet (the child wears a size 7 wide in a girl's shoe).  At 38 inches with articulation throughout, Angelica can sit or stand.  She is usually kept in her very own chair in the seated position.

I have no idea why her shoes deteriorated in the manner illustrated below:

Is she walking around the doll room when no one is looking?

I traced her foot onto a piece of cardboard to make a pattern of her foot before going shoe shopping.   I used the foot pattern to get the correct length and width replacement shoes by inserting it inside the shoe choices at the store.  My plan had been to find another ivory pair of shoes.  In their absence, I opted for black sandals which had been reduced to $3.  Hey, that price was excellent based on full prices of up to $17.99.  (I only paid $9.99 for the now worn pair, but of course that was some 13 years ago.)

Angelica models her new black sandals.  (That girl standing behind her on the right, Cecelie, is wearing one shoe because the sole of the other came unglued. It has long been repaired.  I just have not put it back on her foot. I guess they are all walking around the doll room when no one is looking.)

At the store where the sandals were purchased, size 7's were very limited, but I found a pair of black faux suede shoes in that size.  Later that week at the thrift store, I found a pair of pink real leather shoes by Mini Burbujas for $4.99. 

Whether Angelica is wearing her shoes out by walking around the doll room or not, she's all set in the shoe department for at least another decade or more. 
:-)


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I Am a Doll-Collecting Doll

Black yarn was used to fashion the curly hair of my mini me doll-collecting doll.

Fellow collector, Julia Bush, shared images of several delightful clothespin dolls purchased from Etsy seller, Peggy Spackman.  I fell in absolute love and had to have the seller's contact information after Julia shared that some of her dolls were custom made. 

I sent Peggy the following message through Etsy:

Hello - Can you make an African American clothespin doll that is a doll lover -- she has at least one African American doll? She and her doll have natural textured hair (not straight). I am not in a hurry for it? Thanks!

 Peggy's interest was conveyed in her immediate reply:

I do make African American clothespin dolls. Happen to be sold out of all but one fireman. I only make the hair out of yarn, mostly curled.
Questions:
Would this be a doll or ornament?
Would the doll maker be African American?
Would you want the " dolls" to be African American?
Could I see a picture of this person?

A picture of this person?... Hmmm, I thought.  I wasn't really thinking of a particular person, just a generic doll (not ornament) that loves dolls.  But since she asked, I clarified that the person was not a doll maker, but a doll lover/collector and sent a picture of myself taken with dolls in the background.  I also shared my favorite color with her.

This is the photo I sent Peggy that inspired my clothespin doll's creation.

What happened next was pure magic!

Approximately a week later, the doll was ready and I was given the following preview photo (the background of which is modified). 

Clothespin doll collector doll inspired by a photo of me.

Peggy sent another message asking if I wanted the doll to hold the dolls. My answer was, "Yes." Within another week, my too cute little mini me clothespin doll collector arrived clutching three dolls:  a wooden nesting-style doll, a queen with scepter, and a cleverly crafted bride.  Her metal doll stand was also included.

She and her dolls are just too darn cute!

In her right hand arm she cuddles her wooden doll and queen with scepter.

She holds a bride doll in her left arm.

I smile each time I look at my little clothespin doll-collecting doll. 

Visit Peggy Spackman's Clothesline Cuties Etsy store to view current stock of dolls and ornaments.  Send her a message if a custom clothespin doll or ornament interests you.



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