Doll Project Number 2

Here's Harold.
(I had him on the blog before - when he returned home to me, but I accidentally deleted him - still not too hot on this blogging thing, Whoopsie! So here he is reinstated).
Harold came back to me at the start of this year after a very long visit to lots of other designer makers. He left me as a sweet innocent little monkey baby with a liking for chewing wires; just a stripy toweling body, ears and a blank face and he has returned to me a... well, I'm not quite sure really... he is quite extraordinary.
An enormous amount of skill, talent, time, love and care has gone into creating the individual components, which put together as a whole make the most barmy creature I have ever seen.
The rules were the same as with Doll Project Number 1 Maud, but this one had a few more makers involved. An exquisite pink knit jump suit by jeweller and illustrator Rachel Eardley. I love the colours and the sweet green stitching down the sides.
And this miniature printed satin bomber jacket by Heather Martin is enough to bring tears to my eyes.
They added to the journal as Harold visited them:
Jo Sheffield (Baby things) made some perfect hobnail boots. Lisa Marklew (Ceramics) made monkey madness with a pair of ceramic banana earrings. Jo Gordon (Knitwear) gave him a diamonte earings and some arms. Jo Hill crafted a paper guitar. Rachel Eardley (Jewellery and illustration) made his jumpsuit. Heather Martin (Textiles) made the bomber jacket. Ken Eardley (Ceramics) gave him a moustache. Claire Fletcher (illustration). Isabel Stanley (Lampshades) who I think made his legs.
Thank you all x x x

Doll Project Number 1 at the start....

I'm looking through old photos and findings some nice old friends. Here is Maud before she headed off on her journey to be added to in the first doll project. You can see her finished here.
She had the tea cosy pattern in the box when she set off so she'd have something nice to read. I had forgotten that she has a mustard couloured gusset that her legs are sewn into and that earned her the nickname 'Custard Knickers' Yuk - probably best forgotten again!

Terence

A few years ago I was commissioned to make a squirrel for a client, he was a beautiful mustard colour (the squirrel, not the client) and we were quite sad to see him go. He settled very well into his new home and was much loved. He was a one-off so I'll never make another to sell, but I made him a grey twin to live with us. His personality has grown out of control and he now has a silver chain and tag with his name on, a signet ring, his tail is covered in badges made by our friends, and he has a bag to carry his Nuts in (the magazine not the food). We're very fond of Terence, he sits on our mantel shelf and squeaks sometimes.

Doll Project Number 1

This is Maud (Mischievous Maud was named after this Maud). She was made in 2004/5 as part of a really fantastic doll project run by Jackie Parsons of Bo Peep Kids, who makes funny, lovely sock dolls and monkeys. There were 10 of us in all, all designer makers: Jo Gordon, Isabel Stanley, Petra Boase, Me, Nina Mankin, Jackie, Ken Eardley, Emma, Rachel Eardley, Cecilie Telle.
On month 1; we each made the beginnings of a doll, on month 2; we each posted the doll to the next person on the list and so, at the end of month 9, our dolls were returned to us complete having been worked on and added to by everyone in the project.
Once Maud came back to me, I made her a baby to live in her apron pocket. It turned out a little unsettling though once Arran pointed out that the baby has pink cheeks, scared eyes and he thought that it was crying all the time, and I said that was because she stole the baby (Whoops! BAD MAUD), and since then, to allow ourselves to sleep at night, we've had to take the zip mouth off and pretend that the baby is teething and does love Maud very much.