Dolly LOVE

Isn't she just incredible? The detail is so exquisite.

Most likely she is a Fashion Doll... or a 'Pandora'.

English Doll 1755-1760  via V&A Collection

"Pandoras were used from the 14th century to convey the latest 

fashion among courts of Europe.... by the end of the 18th century 

the pandoras had given way in importance to fashion magazines. 

The figures were not designed as toys, but, after (fulfilling) their 

original purpose they may been given to children to play with."

-words from the V&A Collection website

I love the patina of these beautiful old dolls and doll houses.

Lu Flux

LOVE the doll house theme...

'Everything But The Kitchen Sink' Autumn Winter 2012 

collection from the wonderfully ad hoc Lu Flux

More images here

Sophie Blackall

I love Sophie Blackall's beautiful and quirky illustrations.

'We Shared a Bear Suit' from Sophie's book 

'Missed Connections' available at Amazon

Recently, I stumbled across an article at 'The Inside Source'

with some wonderful photographs of Sophie's home and lovely 

collection of inspirational objects and fantastical curiosities...

To quote the article...

"Blackall's Brooklyn home and studio are a window into her creative process. 

One step inside, and it’s like you’ve been transported into a Harry Potter novel 

or Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.  Blackall’s home, which 

she shares with her two children, is filled with carefully-curated, nearly-ghoulish 

oddities that don’t necessarily creep you out, but just like her illustrations, instead 
bring an odd smile to your face ....  in Blackall’s own words, her dwelling is 
something of a “Victorian Natural History Museum....”  you can view more here

Oh, I love it all! xox

The Dollhouse #3

Wonderful article and links on doll houses

& modern designer minatures  here

The Dollhouse #1

found here

A living Dollhouse created by Heather Benning

the dollybird

You can view all their links via this treasury

which I put together a few days ago,

and you can view my other treasuries here 

{Mirka}

The Mirka exhibition at 

HEIDE 

finishes tomorrow.

Mirka Mora and the circle of artists she belonged to,

have been of such inspiration to me and my work.

Books on her art, and that of the rest of the Heide Circle ,

have been at my fingertips ever since I can remember...

the exhibition catalogue

is available here online

her use of symbolism... flowers, birds, angels, dolls, animals;

'primativ style; mythical, fairytale themes and vast portfolio

metamorphosising as painting, sculpture, mosaic and more,

has captured my vivid imagination ever since I was a child.

Mirka Mora with her soft sculptures

My grandmother Clare, learnt doll-making from Mirka at 

the CAE in the 1970s and produced many beautiful mythical

creatures and dolls in this house where I am now living.

She and my grandfather ran a kind of folk art gallery up here

with a regular weekend market selling local arts and crafts,

and had glass cases built in which Clare exhibited her dolls.

doll by Clare K. Woods (my grandmother)

I spent endless hours as a little girl watching my

'Nana' create all manner of beautiful art objects.

Strangely enough, where we were living in the city for 3 years,

was directly across from Mirka's old studio at 8 Rankins Lane.

my 'Heidi' doll

I would stare at it every day from my own tiny workroom...

How nice it would have been to have popped into Mirka's on

my breaks for a cup of coffee and a chat about doll making.

Ari outside the doorway to Mirka's old studio

The Museum of Modern Art at Heide 

is one of my favourite places to visit around Melbourne

the old farm house at Heide

I love the history of the place, and I love so much the work

of the artists that it (and John and Sunday Reed) supported.

Girl by Joy Hester 1957

The gardens are so beautiful, especially th kitchen garden,

and the modernist building is a really incredible space to visit...

Heide II

But it's such a pleasure to me, being able to walk through

the old house since it's restoration, and imagine what it would

     have been like...

as a sanctuary for artists through the 1930s to the 1950s

John Reed cutting Joy Hester's hair 

while Sunday Reed Watched

The Shape of Things to Come

glimpses of a collage series 

which I am currently working on...

The Living Doll 

 I will post more images in the weeks & years to come

( and hopefully have some prints availiable in my shop! )

dolly LOVE

I love dollies, it's true. 

Not the hideous collectible kind that one might find in the back 

of old women's weeklies, but 1960s pose dolls?   yes please!

Justine's collection of reproduction Blythe dolls?   hell yeah! 

And dismembered vintage bisque dolls or parts there of 

always provoke a strange kind of yearning in me.... 

a yearning for what, exactly, I'm not quite sure, but there is something so strangely beautiful and disturbingly alluring about decrepid old porcelain ladies, that I  find  myself trawling far too often through the... 

Etsy vintage doll listings 

I could go on and, as my blogging progresses, I probably will, but for now I'll leave you with the above link and the handmade eye candy below

let's not forget the homely beauty of the traditional cloth doll

via wovenplay  

makers of beautiful sustainable children's wear, 

and on occassion doll clothes,

and Jess Brown : the doll maker

SO

because I love dollies, and I most probably like princesses too 
(as I am a girl) my thoughtful little man drew these for me today...

'prince and princess dolls"

standing outside their palace

(the signs say 'PALACE' and "enter here")

'princess dolly in polka dot dress'

(these are very much responsible for the above dolly ramblings)

TODAY

We did loads of drawing, then we watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (but we covered our eyes during the scary bits) 


We ate vanilla plum jam on crusty bread ( jam made from the fruit of a wild cherry plum tree that grows in our garden ), we rescued a beautiful black and white moth from a spider's web, we played with Sneaky, our crazy kitten and chatted to our budgies Coo Coo and Loco. 


Then Ari had a bath with his new favourite sailing ship (Batman's boat-mobile) and I watched the sun set over the distant hills while I cooked pasta in our country kitchen and drank sweet chai tea.

Somedays life is just good, 
and I am thankful to be mama to such a 

precious little soul.

pretty little maids

via ETSY, of course 

never has the relentless nature of household chores
seemed so sweet