Bellabelle's Blog

A wonderful gift and The Grand Studio Tidy Up for 2012 !

2012-01-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

The most wonderfully packaged parcel arrived to cheer me up this january , it certainly chased away the winter blues ! I was delighted to win Rose's giveaway http://bbflockling.blogspot.com/
just before xmas and even more delighted when Pickering arrived at my home !
Now the xmas decorations are all packed away but I couldnt bear to pack Pickering away so have decided he may live in my studio ( AKA the shed ! ) and now he hangs over my work desk to keep me company .
I think he looks very fine there !
In honour of the new year I decided to give my shed a complete tidy out. In the few years I have worked in there I have gradually amassed more and more " stuff " , it just seems to accumulate !
More and more storage boxes have crept in and now there is barely any space left for me , but its still my favourite place to be .

You can see not an inch of space is wasted ! A mixture of old junk furniture and ikea stoage boxes line the walls, I even have a small chest on the hearth now next to my stove.....

Lucckily I work in miniature as my desk too is lined with storage drawers. I love it as everything is at my fingertips , and I have natural light from the window as well as my daylight lamp.

This little oven fires all my sculpts and the cushion on the floor is for my puppy, although she can usually be found curled in the wicker chair !

More storage boxes sit on the old sideboard which is topped by a glass fronted notice board rescued from and old working mans club . I had intended to paint this cream and line it with pretty fabric, one day perhaps but for now it is in its original state and a fine place for my antique postcards and gloves to hang .
I have been working happily in my newly tidied shed and have some wonderful new characters who I will post about soon.

Until then I would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year !

julie xxx

Xmas Gift to my Etsy customers

2011-12-14T06:39:00.001-08:00

Its beginning to feel a lot like Christmas here , and as I am feeling Christmassy I am offering

15 % off everything in my Etsy Shop from now until January 1st 2012.

Simply use the coupon code xmas1 when buying .

Happy shopping !

julie xx

Cindy Lou Who a very xmassy commission doll !

2011-12-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

I had such fun working on this little doll. Some of you may remember I worked on the grinch earlier this year. Well my customer commissioned cindy lou to go alongside him and I think this has to be on of my all time favourite commissions !

The bit I liked best was using real eyelashes. I have been wanting to try this for some time and as cindy lou is blessed with incredibly long ones this was almost a dream come true !

I am very happy with the technique I eventually used, and I think i will be doing this a lot more in future.

Some of you might have noticed the change in my dolls eyes over the past few months. I have always simply sculpted them into the clay as I work on the face, but recently I have started to make eyeballs and cure them first, then insert them as I sculpt. I hand paint the whole face once the doll is cured and I am very pleased with the result, Cindy Lou's eyes are a great example of the eyes I am now making and I think you will agree they are more lifelike.

Hope everyone is enjoying the build up to xmas or whatever holiday you celebrate :0)

julie xx

Still stocking the etsy shop, new ghost just listed

2011-12-04T14:14:00.001-08:00

I have been busily stocking my Etsy shop with my accessories tonight and couldnt resist rounding off the evening with a new ghost lady for sale there.

The white lady is a beautiful and tragic figure who will haunt any miniature abode !

I had hoped to have her listed for Halloween but someone must have messed with the time as I blinked and all of a sudden it was december !

julie x

Catching Up and stocking up !

2011-12-04T02:02:00.000-08:00

It has been a busy year and somewhere along the line I forgot to blog ! I have a lot of catching up to do as I have missed visiting my favourite blogs and keeping up with everyone.
I have just got home from the Kensington Xmas festival which as always was a lovely event. The atmosphere was wonderful and the whole place was just bustling with customers. I didnt get much chance to look around but when i did I couldnt resist purchasing something special for my miniature toy shop to followers of my other blog will be getting an update soon !
As always I like to start the new year afresh and will be selling the last of the dolls I made this year both on ebay and in my etsy shop to clear the decks for all my new ideas .
The Mad professor and his robot marotika are now available in my etsy shop. Just follow the link in the sidebar to visit.
I will be stocking the shop with more dolls so please pop in to see whats there !
I ventured into miniature accessories this year with some boutique style busts with necklaces made with swarofski crystals , mannequin heads and jewellry stands.
I have decided not to make any more as they are very time consuming and my real love is making dolls so I am selling these at special reduced prices in my etsy shop. When they are gone there will be no more so grab the chance to buy some beautiful accessories for a steal .
I will listing these items today and tomorrow.........going, going , gone !
julie x

Pumpkin People

2011-09-08T11:59:00.000-07:00

Something a little different as Autumn sets in !

Mrs Pumpkin is nursing Baby Pumpkin. They are such a sweet pair ! A few months ago I made a pair of pumpkin children and decided they needed a family.

So last week I made a lovely old Pumpkin gardener. I fell in love with him, and decided he needed a wife ..........and of course the wife needed a baby to hold.........so now I have a whole pumpkin family :0)

The family will be on my table at Miniatura and I am happy to take orders for any other pumpkin characters. They are such fun to make and I love to add character to their little pumpkin heads !

julie xx

More Art Deco and Hercule Poirot !

2011-09-03T10:24:00.001-07:00

I am still enjoying my foray into the Art Deco era and here are a rather lovely young couple enjoying pre dinner cocktails !

The lady is dressed in an antique silk hankerchief I have been just waiting for the opportunity to use .

The gentleman is dressed in a handsewn tuxedo jacket and trousers. I have been experimenting with jackets and am really pleased with this one :0)

Both dolls are displayed on my new handmade stands. These are very unobtrusive painted wooden discs with prongs that fit into the dolls feet . The dolls now stand steadily without unsightly metal stands showing.

In keeping with the period I have just finished a customer order for hercule Poirot the great detective. I had such fun with him I am now working on Miss Marple, hope to have photos soon.

Only three weeks now until Miniatura at the Birmingham NEC please come and say hello if you are visiting the show. I promise to have an eyecatching display !

julie xxx

Art Deco Lady

2011-08-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

I was recently commissioned to make a group of glamourous Art deco ladies to fill an Art deco period house. I adore this period but have never really made dolls dressed in Art deco style because of one thing.................arms ! Most evening wear of this period is sleeveless and I make dolls with soft wired upper arms.

This commission was just too much fun though to turn down, the ladies are all to be very beautiful party types who smoke cigarettes , drink cocktails , wear the latest fashions and have a wonderful time !

This lady's costume it based around an original costume and I had a lot of fun making the beaded head dress. It feels strange making arms in a different way but it worked so well I am now working on 3 more ladies all in quite different evening costumes.

I will post photos as I finish them, just wanted to share this one as I enjoyed making her so much. I am also making some men of the period in dinner suits ......and Hercule Poirot :0)

julie xx

Getting the balance right !

2011-08-21T00:51:00.000-07:00

Those that know me know I have never been one for getting the balance right ! I am an all or nothing kind of girl, wether thats work or play ( or whiskey or chocolate ! ) .
I cant seem to do anything in moderation. If I do something, well I really do it .
This summer I mostly gardened. The gardening obsession hit me with such force it surprised even me !
I dug and planted and turned my building site of a garden into a rather lovely place to be , even growing vegetables on the porch of my shed........where I should really have been making dolls.
Then I looked at the calendar and counted the weeks until the first of the Autumn shows and realised there arent many of them !
So I am now working to the hilt in the shed making new dolls and hardly coming up for air....... I think I need to get the balance right. I sense a new year resolution ready for 2012.
I didnt completely forget my dolls over the summer. I have been selling my work on ebay . I decided early in the year that I wanted to have fresh work on my table at shows each season so my customers would enjoy seeing new dolls and not familiar ones.
This has worked really well and those of you visiting Miniatura will see a completely fresh table of new work . I hope you will like it as much as I do.

Bert the chimney sweep and Mary Poppins are being auctioned this evening on ebay. They have had so many compliments at the spring shows but are still looking for the right home .

I have been showing some of my new work on facebook. For those of you who arent facebook members here are just a few or my favourites.

Old fred is a lovely old ghost and comes with a wonderful gravestone and wall by mags of mags-nificent miniatures .

As always I have some ghostly mirrors . These are always popular and I have three new ones, all very different. This witch is my favourite .

This Magician and his glamourous assistant were so much fun to work on.

I am currently working on some very glamourous art deco ladies and gents and I will post here when they are ready.

Thanks to all of you who are still following me despite my all or nothing posting , I really appreciate it :0)

julie xx

Millicent Nightshade

2011-07-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

Millicent Nightshade

My very first flying witch and definitely not my last !

I have had so much fun making this character, she will be on my table at Autumn Miniatura this september.

Millicent is sitting proudly on her broomstick taking off into the night sky. Autumn leaves are scattered below her and Millicent is looking up to the sky eager to take off.

I dont kniow why I waited so long to try something like this but I now feel the sky's the limit so watch out for more flying dolls , maybe a ghost next !

julie xxx

Hetty Birch

2011-06-19T00:09:00.001-07:00

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180683868694&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Hetty is another who didnt make it to Kensington this May ! Time just ran away with me and Hetty refused to go without a hat and broom so at home she stayed.

As my little witch sold so quickly on ebay yesterday I have listed Hetty too . She is dressed in the same cotton print which I love. Unfortunately I have now almost used it all up and cant remember where on earth i bought it from ! If anyone knows who supplies this miniature patchwork cotton please let me know .

Hettys auction runs for one week ending on saturday.

I will also be auctioning my Pierrot this evening ( see previous posts for photos ) taking full advantage of ebays free listing weekend !

Then its back to commissions for me, I am wading through my backlog and making some really lovely characters so once again if you are waiting for a commissioned doll thanks for your patience, I hope to be back on track within the next few weeks :0)

julie xx

Now on Ebay , The Little Witch

2011-06-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180683786421

I had intended to take this little witch with me to Kensington Dollshouse Festival this May but I didnt get her dressed on time.

She is finally ready and cant wait to move on , I have just listed her on Ebay with a Buy it now option for anyone who doesnt want to take a chance on winning the auction.

She is holding a pumpkin made for me by Mags Cassidy who is an IGMA Artisan like myself and I think she is cute as a button, hope you agree !

julie xxx

Old Dolls, New Tricks !

2011-06-18T06:28:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a doll just isnt quite right. You cant put your finger on it but its just not right.
When I do a doll like that I often put it to one side and eventually it tells me what it needs.
Sometimes I take it to a fair anyway to see if its just me . Often they sell to a delighted customer who maybe has the perfect accessory to bring the doll to life.
Last week I took a couple of these dolls who had been out to fairs and still not found the right home and I stood them on my worktable to see if they could tell me what they needed.

This beautiful lady just needed a hat ! She told me this as I was working on a 24th scale commission so during my teabreak I got out the silks and feathers and hey presto I had a hat and it looked just perfect set into her powdered wig .
A little extra trim on her dress and I just fell in love with this lady. Hopefully now someone else will too and she will finally find a new home .

Not to be left out Pierrot whispered to me that he too needed a hat !

Actually poor Pierrot needed a head. My work has changed a lot over the last few years and Pierrot has been waiting for a home for too long .

So Pierrot had a lovely new head sculpted and painted .

And of course he got his hat complete with 3 black pompoms. I think he looks just fab and he is very happy with his makeover !

So there we go, old dolls, new tricks and hopefully they wont be homeless for too much longer !

julie xx

The Cat and the Fiddle and a Bundle Baby !

2011-06-12T22:29:00.001-07:00

New on Ebay this week , my cat and the fiddle. One of my favourite pieces, the cat is a great character dressed in his snazzy suit and holding his beautiful fiddle. He took so long to make as his "fur" is finely detailed with my needle tool . He has glass eyes that I painted myself.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180680638330&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Also on ebay this week is a tiny bundle baby. I love making these little ones, they are so sweet and are perfect to pop into prams and cots or even just to nestle on a miniature knee !

This one is special as she is wearing a blanket made from an antique babies knitted vest.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180680638330&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

julie xx

The Grinch, a Xmas commission in June

2011-06-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

I have been catching up with commissions and as is often the way for dollmakers, I am doing xmas in June !

I have a lovely santa Claus almost finished and today put the finishing touches to my Grinch.

I hope my customer will like him, I think he turned out really well .

He has been a lot of work, its impossible to find grinch coloured fur so I have had to do some trickery with some copic marker pens and some rather illuminous green fun fur !

I have also just spent 3 hours snipping his white fur trim to scale , a very itchy experience :0)

The things we do to replicate something in 12th scale !

Hope you like the result,

julie xxx

Petite Bella is back , even sweeter and more poseable than before !

2011-06-02T23:37:00.000-07:00

I have been busy making a new batch of Petite Bella tiny dolls. I had meant to simplify these little dolls but no, I couldnt resist making a few changes to the way I put the dolls together and it ended up taking more time not less !

I am now wiring the limbs in much the same way as I do with my 12th scale figures but on a much smaller scale. The result is very poseable and strong little dolls.

The faces havent changed and I will be making some modern Bella dolls but these little vinatage ones are my favourites.

The standing dolls come with boxes, slimmer versions of the originals and the little sitting dolls simply come as they are ready to sit on a chair or shelf or bed and incredibly cute.

As always no two are the same .

Hope you like seeing a little of how I make these dolls .

Finally my apologies for not commenting on anyones blogs recently. I have been having real problems , although frustratingly I could comment on my own blog ! I am so happy to have visited Bloggers help forum this morning and now I can comment again ! Apparently the commenting problem is due to the embedded comment forms and the simplest way to fix it if you are having problems is simply to uncheck the "stay signed in" button when prompted to enter your email and password . So easy and thanks to " The new katney " for explaining it so simply on the forum.

julie xx

My first slideshow attempt !

2011-05-30T02:35:00.000-07:00

My first slideshow attempt, maybe not the most technically fabulous slideshow you ever saw but my very favourite dolls are here so take a peek see if any of your favourites are there too !
julie xxx

..and now for something completely different

2011-05-28T08:40:00.000-07:00

As promised........something completely different ! Ever the entrepreneur I have been testing out my ideas for smaller items to make alongside my dolls. At shows not everyone can afford or wants a doll, so it pays to have a selection of smaller items available.
For some time I have been making and selling some tiny toys to go alongside my dolls but I have always been drawn to beautiful shiny things and art deco styling and wanted to do something that incorporated that.
Finally with a gap between shows I have been able to try out my ideas and the result is Bellabelle's Boutique !
A range of fine accessories suitable for your ladies dressing table or boutiques .
Initially I have been working on Art Deco style mannequin heads, ideal as jewellry, wig or hat stands, necklace display busts and Art Deco style jewellry display hands.
Each item is beautifully handcrafted. Mannequins are all OOAK hand sculpted and painted and set on a wooden base. Necklaces are designed by myself and each tiny bead and swarovski crystal is hand applied to a OOAK polymer clay hand sculpted bust set on a wooden painted base.
The Art Deco hands are individually sculpted , painted and decorated with a jewelled bracelet and ring.
Please visit my website http://www.bellabelledolls.co.uk/ to see the full range so far . Boutique items are now for sale in my Etsy shop .
julie xx

My dolls in the new Talk Talk TV advert

2011-05-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year I had a call from an advertising company working on a new advert for Talk Talk.
The advert was to feature a dollshouse that comes to life and I created the mum and dad of the house .
I have just seen the advert for the first time this evening and its wonderful. So strange to see my little characters come to life !
Hope you enjoy watching it too

julie xx

Tweet , tweet...

2011-05-18T13:26:00.001-07:00

I tried twitter last year, for a few weeks. I felt like a twit ! I closed my account.............

A few of you will know me well enough by now to know I like to change my mind ! So after numerous Etsy newsletters telling me about the joy of tweeting I decided I had better give it another go.

So tonight I joined twitter again, and tweeted to myself as I have no followers yet.

It really does bring talking to yourself to a whole new level of silliness !

So if you are on twitter too you might like to follow me , and save me from myself .....theres a link in the sidebar :0)

julie xxx

House sold and KDF photos

2011-05-17T04:36:00.001-07:00

First I must mention that my tudor house has now found a new home, I am delighted about that !
Then I must thank Jain for bringing her camera to KDF and taking these pictures, I always forget to bring mine !

We had a great show. You can see from the first photo how nicely our styles complement each other and I thought the table looked great. We had a lot of compliments on how eyecatching the stand was .

I am used to a 6 foot stand of my own at Miniatura so its always a challenge to condense down but there were soon some gaps on the table. We both had a successful show .

Kensington is a really lovely show, so many talented makers there and the venue is really nice.

There were a few celebrities around this year too, notable Anneka rice and helena Bonham Carter .

We always have a nice time at Kensington catching up with old friends and chatting .

We had fun after the show too, a bunch of us ( you know who you are ! ) went out to eat on the friday which was fun and we spotted a wonderful cake shop with the most enticing window display !

So the following night Jain and I headed there and it was fab, nothing nicer after a day standing at a show than putting your feet up with fabulous cake !

Anyway these photos were taken before the show opened.

I now have my longed for break until Miniatura in september and will be in the shed tomorrow to start work on commissions.

I also have some fab ideas for some new items I will be selling both at fairs and in my etsy shop which I will post about after I have tried them out :0)
Please check out my ebay auctions , my new seller name is BellabelleDolls and I have some lovely doll auctions lined up over the next few weeks.

I will also be selling a few items of really nice furniture, I am having a clear out !

julie xx

Loving home needed for unloved but lovely Tudor house / shop !

2011-05-16T09:46:00.001-07:00

I bought this beautiful Tudor house on a whim a few years ago at a fair . I was exhibiting next to the stand where it stood and all day it called me.

It was handmade by a gentleman who no longer made houses and the lady on the stand was selling the last of his work. There was one thing I didnt like which was the lower front, it was a false front with an out of scale window and door, but nevertheless I paid the lady my £225 and took it home planning to make a new lower front.

This I did , and that was that ! I had many plans, a witches house, an old curiousity shop, a dickensian public house. Oh the plans !

Still it sits in my dining room filling me with guilt and unloved.

So I have just listed this at a very low start price on ebay, for UK bidders only.

If anyone in the UK and in blogland is interested here is the link to the auction

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180667998970

Should anyone fall in love with it before bidding starts I am open to offers and will end the auction for a reasonable offer, I dont expect a high price but I would love this to find a new home.
The lower front has been bricked with real brick slips and I have used DHE door and window which I have distressed. The inside of the front is undecorated, just plain plaster , but the inside of the house was beautifully beamed by the craftsman who made the house .
I really hope someone will give a home to this house ,
julie xxx

The Final Royal Wedding doll photos........

2011-05-09T09:59:00.005-07:00

The wedding is over now and just a lovely memory for most, but for me I have only just finished dressing the bride !

It hasnt been easy, but finally I am happy (after three attempts ! ) and the dolls are now ready for sale. They will be on my table at KDF this weekend , if you are visiting please come along and say hello :0)

..............................................and now for something completely different.......................................

coming soon !

julie ;0)

It's all go here !

2011-05-08T23:38:00.001-07:00

Its been all go here this since I got back from Chicago. Much as I loved meeting everyone over there and exhibiting at such a fab show it really did exhaust me being bang smack in the middle between Miniatura and Kensington. I used to thrive on the adrenalin rushing to get stock together for lots of shows but this time it just stressed me out ! I keep telling myself I want to take time to smell the roses but never actually do it . This year I am putting my foot down !
I have whittled my shows down nicely and will only be doing UK shows for the forseeable future. Its just no fun for me travelling with all my stock.
I am auctioning again on ebay, the Hovis Boy above is this weeks auction. He is really sweet and comes with his bicycle which I customised and of course his bread which was made by the lovely mags of magsnificent miniatures.
I am off to Kensington Festival this weekend. I love the show , as most of you know I share a table with jain of giddy kipper Dolls and we always have a great weekend. This old wizard will be on my table along with lots of new dolls, I havent had time to do a preview this time so hope you can come along and see the dolls in person.
I have packed my camera this time ! so there will be photos when I come back !
When I get back I will be taking some time to concentrate solely on commission work so if you are waiting patiently for your commission I hope to have caught up with orders soon .
julie :0)

New witch on ebay now......yes thats right .....ebay !

2011-05-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

Well as you probably remember I announced last year that I was finished with Ebay. Never again would I auction my dolls there ................
What can i say, I changed my mind. I cant help it, I missed it ! I do feel a wee bit embarrassed though as I have done this twice now. Next time I get fed up with the fees and get in a strop I will do it quietly without announcing it to the world ......
So without further ado here she is , Old Mother Murdoch up now for auction and looking for a new home. She is a lovely old soul if i say so myself :0)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180661266529
I also have the very last of my last years toddlers for auction. My work has been evolving and changing quite a lot and this last little girl is beautiful , but as she is quite different from the toddlers I am now making, hence she has a low starting price.
I am also keeping this ebay account just for selling my work and so whiskeybella17 is no more ! I have a new seller name , which is appropriately bellabelledolls .
julie xx

Royal Wedding, how close did I get ?

2011-04-28T23:54:00.000-07:00

Well the big day has finally arrived and I for one wish William and Kate a wonderful day and a future full of happiness.

Sadly I didnt get an invite LOL so will be watching at home with my sketch pad at the ready ..........

I have a feeling the royal couple wont look anything like my miniature version , made for Dolls House magazine earlier this year. It will be fun though to see if I even come close !

I have the dolls back and cant resist redressing them authentically. I am just praying that Kate chooses long sleeves ( or borrows a cardigan ! ) as if she bares her arms I will have to sculpt new ones !

I will be posting pics of the newly dressed couple next week and the dolls will be for sale at Kensington Dollshouse festival along with a copy of the dolls house magazine where they featured both inside and on the front cover.

It promises to be a great show as usual so come along and see me 13th , 14th and 15th May, Kensington Town Hall, London. My table is on the lower foyer and as always I am sharing with the lovely Jain of Giddy Kipper Dolls .

Now to go make sure I have plenty of scones and tea, I have a royal wedding to watch !

julie xxx

Happy Easter !

2011-04-24T01:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter !

Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays . I have been out in the fresh air gardening which makes a lovely change from doll making ! I will be back in the shed though on tuesday cracking on with commissions and am eagerly awaiting the Royal wedding on friday. I am planning to redress my royal couple authentically so am on tenterhooks waiting to see the wedding outfits. I just know Kate is going to look gorgeous !

I have just updated my Etsy shop and have some new babies and children in there now. If you would like to take a peek follow the link on the sidebar.

julie xxx

Chicago ! and home again

2011-04-17T02:53:00.000-07:00

I am back from the Windy City ! Chicago was certainly an experience and both myself and my "partner in crime" Jain who came along to help me, are exhausted . The travelling wasnt a lot of fun, but we managed to get there and back in one piece and I had no problems getting my suitcase of dolls through customs !

This is a very nervous looking me at my table just as the show was opening. I neednt have been nervous as it was a lovely show . I was in between Elle Piccolo and Jane Davies , they were both such lovely ladies as well as being fabulously talented doll makers. I couldnt have picked a nicer spot for the weekend if I had tried. Jane's friend Pat was a lot of fun and kept us entertained for most of the weekend

The show itself was amazing. I didnt get to see half of it ! I never like to leave my table for too long as I hate to miss anyone who has came along to see me , so I only had a quick look around but there was so much to see. The most talented artisans with tables just full of beautiful miniatures. This show would be a real treat to visit as a shopper.

I was in the doll room which was a real feast for the eyes. Everyones tables were stunning , a few really stood out for me and those were Elle Piccolo, Jane Davies , Jamie Carrington, Anna Hardman and Lisa Tabbanor but I loved seeing everyones work and all the dolls were just wonderful. It was great to meet some makers I had only met online before and lovely to see some like Nancy Cronin who I had admired for years, and yes she was just as lovely as I knew she would be !

It was also really lovely to meet some fellow bloggers and Facebook members, everyone was even nicer in real life than they were online !

I sold well at the show which was an added bonus with it being my first so all in all it was a success.

After the show jain and I headed off to Downtown Chicago which was really lovely. Our hotel was fab and bang smack in the middle of the theatre district which was lovely. We shopped till we dropped, ate fabulous food and had a great 2 days. We didnt get to see a lot but we did get to the Art Institute which was lovely, the Thorne rooms are there, the most perfect miniature rooms anyone ever saw and well worth a visit to see.

Back home again now and it all seems like a dream !

Although I have been invited back to next years show I wont be taking up the invitation. The travelling really knocked me for six and it will be a long time before I can face another 8 hour flight, but I am really pleased I went, I have some great memories and met some wonderful people.

Now back to reality........ just 3 weeks to get ready for Kensington ........no rest for the wicked as they say ;0)

julie xxxx

Ta Da !

2011-04-01T03:14:00.000-07:00

It was a real "Ta Da !" moment for me when my copy of the Dolls House magazine dropped through my letterbox yesterday morning ! I am just thrilled with the front cover featuring my dolls alongside some other beautiful miniature work. There is a lovely article inside about my making the dolls and even some fun cut out paper plates for a miniature street party featuring my version of the royal couple . Thank you to the Dolls House Magazine for having faith in me and asking me to make the dolls. It has been so much fun from start to finish :0) Only days now until I set off for Chicago. The show has a themed display of dolls in the foyer which all doll artists exhibiting contribute to. I only found this out a few weeks ago and so have been working hard on my display piece. The theme was "fashion through the ages " so I chose to do a 1930's lady of fashion reclining amongst her fashionable accessories and magazines and of course with a cocktail in her hand.

She will be on display and available to purchase at the show.

It has been the most hectic start to the year and the pace shows no signs of letting up just yet.

For those of you patiently waiting for commissions I promise I will be working on them just as soon as I return from Kensington in May and thank you for being so patient!

For anyone thinking about placing a commission , my waiting list is currently 12 months.

julie xxx

I'm a Cover Girl.......well almost !

2011-03-22T01:13:00.000-07:00

I am just back from Miniatura where I had a lovely weekend.

One of the highlights for me was the news that my portrait dolls of Prince William and Kate Middleton were going to be on the cover of the "Dolls House Magazine" Royal Wedding Special
which will be on sale this weekend.

The magazine asked me to make the dolls for a scene they were putting together featuring the work of lots of talented makers. I was delighted to take on the challenge and am now absolutely thrilled that they have made the cover !

I had a very good Miniatura , took lots of orders as well as selling quite a few dolls.

My waiting list for commissions is now 12 months so I am going to be busy :0)

Thanks to all of you who came along.

Now to get back in the shed and get ready for Chicago less than three weeks now !

julie xxx

Last of the Miniatura preview dolls

2011-03-05T10:37:00.001-08:00

Well I am now officially ready for Miniatura ! Its been a hectic week where I havent had as much time as usual in the shed but I'm so pleased that all the dolls are now boxed up ready for my trip to Birningham in a fortnights time .
This lovely old cleaning lady is Elsie, she will be on my table looking for a new home

She comes with her bucket of water and cloth and her mop handmade by myself of course :0)

This lovely fellow is as you can see the cat and the fiddle ! I based him around my own gorgeous old boy Pepsi. I just love a black and white cat :0)

I've spent the day busy with sculpting some special dolls for Chicago and will post some photos they are done. I have a really colourful list of characters and its going to be nose to the grindstone from now until April . I hope I will still find time to post some preview photos .

julie xxx

Chicago ...here I come !

2011-02-25T10:30:00.000-08:00

I had some wonderful news this morning........like Calamity Jane here I'm heading for the windy city.........!

I will be exhibiting at the ChicagoInternational Show this April 8th 9th and 10th and I am absolutely thrilled :0)

It will be so lovely to meet some of my lovely American friends and customers !

I have been a bit of a calamity this week , its been one of those weeks where if it can possibly go wrong then it will. It just shows the truth of the old proverb more haste less speed as in my attempts to get ready in time for Miniatura I have managed to bring more than a few dolls to sticky ends... one lost her head, one was burned black as the ace of spades and one was run over by my office chair !

I'm going to take my time finishing the dolls who survived and will be back to post some photos as soon as they are ready. I am working on some fab steampunk characters and a couple of little witchy children,one of whom will be in my etsy shop just as soon as she is dressed .

Just wanted to share my good news !

julie xxx

Mother and baby new in my Etsy shop

2011-02-20T10:02:00.000-08:00

This young mother and baby are newly listed for sale in my Etsy shop.

I havent looked back at all since I finally stopped listing my dolls on ebay.I am much happier selling from my Etsy shop, I love it there !

I will also be making some tiny babies to sell there this week after requests following my last blog post .

Thanks to everyone who has visited my shop :0) I will be selling a real variety of characters there this year so I hope you will visit regularly !

julie x

Woe is my laptop.....and new babies, shame about the pics !

2011-02-17T11:59:00.001-08:00

Woe is my laptop ! I dont know quite what is wrong with it but it is driving me to distraction ! If I click anything it thinksI have clicked it 3 times ..........if I try to correct any type or add a space I missed it highlights everything in black and if I'm not careful deletes it all ! Certain letters are sticking, visiting websites is not easy as it whizzes through the pages at the speed of light ,and blogging is very difficult indeed, it has taken me almost an hour to write this post !

My camera seems to have joined in the mutiny and try as I might I cant get a good photo of my new babies.

I have posted these photos anyway because my lovely friend Diane has been knitting in miniature for me and these are the first babies I have dressed in her lovely work.

Diane had been knitting happily in "real life" size for a long time and sells her beautiful baby blankets on ebay. So I persuaded her to try making miniature versions and they turned out wonderfully .

I love these little cardigans and blankets and will definitely be asking Diane to make more for me :0)

These little ones will be on my table at Miniatura and these photos dont do the dolls or the knitting any justice at all !

julie x

...and the Dish ran away with the Spoon !

2011-02-11T06:26:00.000-08:00

Based on the nursery ryhme "Hey Diddle Diddle ! " here is my interpretation of the dish who ran away with the spoon .....

My spoon is a bit of a wimp ! he really doesnt want to run off with the rather blowsy dish.....

The dish is determined to get her man !

I hadnt intended to give the dish any hair at all but she seemed to demand some platinum curls so of course she got them !

The spoon looks most surprised and rather worried !

These were so much fun to do , those of you on Facebook might have seen the W.I.P. I posted abouyt the making of them. I have posted a step by step of the spoons head being sculpted.

Now I need to get on with the cat and the fiddle , although I dont think I will be making the cow jumping over the moon LOL

These dolls will be for sale on my table at Spring Miniatura , Birmingham NEC March 19th and 20th

julie x

Pirates, rock'n'roll icons and a new doll for Etsy too !

2011-02-06T07:55:00.001-08:00

Its been another incredibly hectic week here as I frantically prepare for Miniatura ! This Pirate is my favourite this week, I really went to town with allthings piratey so he has a peg leg, a hook and an eye patch too !

I think I might have to make a bonny wench to stand alongside him on my table !

I've also been busy catching up with commissions and really loved making this one.......

Slash, from the rock band Guns'n'Roses ! I hope I've captured him ,with his shades and his ciggie hanging out of the corner of his mouth.

I have also just listed a new doll in my Etsy shop, in contrast to the hectic pace here I have a lovely old lady , Gran, knitting in her favourite chair.

She really is a sweet old soul and comes with her chair, patchwork throw, knitting and basket of accessories.

Just click the link in the sidebar to visit my Etsy Shop.

julie x

Harry Potter, Ebay, Etsy and other ramblings !

2011-01-30T01:54:00.000-08:00

Apologies to those who have already seen these photos on Facebook, but I forgot toput them on my blog !

Harry Potter, aged 16 and looking rather serious and determined !

My customer was thrilled to bits with these dolls, and was one of many customers who have commented that the photos really dont do them justice.

I really need to sort out my photography ! I bought a light tent which has sort of helped LOL but no matter what I do I never seem to get the lighting or the focus right.

If anyone knows any good online tutorials please send me the link !

Today sees the end of my last ebay auctions for the forseeable future. You might remember last year I decided no more Ebay, but was lured back by the thrill of the auction format.........

I think I got over the thrill LOL

I have been working hard on my new dolls and am really pleased with my new creations. I want to sell them at a fair buy it now price and so I have just tidied up and overhauled my Etsy shop .

Just click the link in the sidebar to visit my Etsy shop at any time to see what is new .

julie xx

Driving M'lady

2011-01-26T09:23:00.000-08:00

This snooty old lady and her ever ready to please Chauffeur will be on my table at Miniatura this March :0)

Entitled "Driving M'lady" these were a lot of fun to make and the old lady is wearing my very first Edwardian hat ! I never attempt to make hats for my dolls but this was such a lot of fun I think I will have to make a few more in this style so watch out for more Edwardian ladies .

The dolls come as a pair with the vintage style tin car and make a really lovely vignette

julie x

Dumbledore !

2011-01-25T10:19:00.000-08:00

Its great to be finally getting on with my commission work and today I finished Dumbledore !

The second of the three harry Potter characters I was commissioned to work on. I hope to have pictures of Harry himself tomorrow.

Here you can see how tall Hagrid actually is ! He will fit nicely into a 12th scale room setting but he still looks very much the giant standing next to Dumbledore. I think the dolls compliment each other very well and hope you will agree :0)

julie x

Hagrid and a Saucy French maid !

2011-01-24T09:42:00.000-08:00

Its great to be back to work again and I am having a lot of fun making up for lost time !
Finally I am catching up with commission work and I really enjoyed making my version of Hagrid for a lovely customer who has also commissioned Dumbledore and Harry.

Needless to say,I will post pictures of those two when I finish costuming them this week but for now I am happy to share pictures of Hagrid.

As most of you know I have been auctioning some of my stock to clear the way for new work and I know have a very empty stock box ! With Miniatura looming ( Birmingham NEC 19th and 20th March ) I am now hard at work making new characters for the event.

I have a long list of ideas and not a lot of time so my stand will be a little more minimal this year but what it lacks in numbers it will more than make up for in quality. I have been working very hard to bring even more detail to my sculpts and incorporate yet more detailing in the costumes.

This Saucy French maid is the first new doll who will be on my table at the show.

I hope you like her, I have ideas for lots more characters and cant wait to introduce them as I make them !

I have also been working on some very special dolls who will be featured in one of the UK miniature magazines very soon.

More about those later,for now I am sworn to silence ! They will also be on my Miniatura table and I have had a lot of fun with them .
julie xxx

By George..is that the time !

2011-01-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

Time seems to go by very fast when you are recuperating, I had been trying to get well and back into the shed by the 1st of January and suddenly here we are on the 9th and I still havent began work for 2011 !
Tomorrow I intend to step gingerly into the shed and try it out again for size ....... I'm looking forward to feeling clay in my hands again and although I be working slower than my usual frantic pace at first, I just cant wait to see the first face that comes out of my clay for 2011.

Here are two of my favourite faces from 2010.......... I had a Georgian phase in 2010.

Oh how I love the Georgian period and oh how I loved making Georgian dolls. Unfortunately, my customers dont seem to love the Georgian period quite as much as I do.

"Oh he is wonderful ! " they would exclaim , or " Look at her face ! she is fabulous !"..........followed by "But they just wouldnt look right in my Victorian/ wartime/haunted house".

So I am auctioning Georgian dolls on Ebay over the next few weeks in the hope that someone with a wonderful Georgian House might fall in love.

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/whiskeybella17/m.html

julie xx

New Year , New Start, No More 24th scale !

2010-12-28T05:41:00.000-08:00

The New Year is fast approaching , time for new starts and resolutions and plans to be made !

I had planned to spend the xmas holidays working on some new ideas , the best laid plans of mice and men.........

Unfortunately I have been recuperating from some rather difficult oral surgery and am still not feeling well enough to do much. I have been able to start planning though and have some wonderful new ideas for 2011 !

I've also spent a lot of time thinking about what I do and dont want to spend time on and about the direction I want to take with my new dolls.

I know 24th scale is proving popular with miniaturists but having worked in this scale over the last couple of years its not something I want to continue with.

My love lies with 12th scale and I want to concentrate on that.

I also have plans to work on some larger dolls , I have been quietly planning my first ball jointed doll which I had hoped to work on over the holidays.

For now she will stay in the planning stage but it is something I am excited about doing in 2011 !

I have just three little 24th scale dolls left in my stock box, and so am auctioning them now on ebay at very low start prices to clear the way for my new work.

Please check out the auctions, my seller name is : whiskeybella17

This is the last chance to buy my work in this scale and I do hope they find good homes !

I have a few commissions left to do in 24th scale and once they are completed I will cease 24th scale work completely.

I am really looking forward to 2011 and would like to wish all of you a Very Happy New Year
julie xx

Dolls for sale on my website

2010-12-08T11:46:00.000-08:00

Better late than never I have finally got to grips with my sales page on the website and listed a lovely bunch of characters. All one of a kind and ready to post in time for xmas !

I have been wanting to list a selection of dolls for months now and as the year has whizzed past at vast speed I havent got round to it..........until now !

2011 will see me doing a few less fairs. Hopefully this will give me more time to work on the dolls I really want to create !

I've always had galleries of sold dolls to see on my website , now I also want to have available dolls on my For Sale page as often as possible.

Please use the dolls for sale link here on my blog or visit my website www.bellabelledolls.co.uk and see whats available. I have some wonderful new ideas so check back often to see what I come up with !

Both of the dolls pictured here are for sale as well as quite a few others ..........

julie xxx

Back from KDF and the last Ebay auctions of 2010

2010-12-05T11:07:00.000-08:00

I'm back in snowy Tyneside after a lovely day at KDF yesterday. I travelled by train with jain of Giddy kipper Dolls.We share a table and always have a lovely time and this year was no exception despite the awful weather. Being from the North East of England we didnt really know wether we would make it but despite a few delays and an uncertain journey there we arrived with time to spare and had a very successful show.
It was great that so many customers turned out . So sorry that some of my miniature friends couldnt make it , it was such a shame the weather just made it too dangerous for some to make the journey.

As always when I return from the last show of the year I do a stock take and make plans for the new year, jotting down my ideas for new dolls in my notebook !

I have listed a lovely selection of dolls on Ebay this evening all with buy it now options.

These will be my last auctions of 2010 and will all arrive in time for xmas should you bid /buy .

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/whiskeybella17/m.html

For some reason this link was only showing 2 dolls, there are 6 auctions so just use "see sellers other items " on the ebay page to view them all.
Thank you everyone who came to the stand yesterday , it was lovely to see both friends and customers. A special thanks to those of you who bought dolls :0)
julie xx

New auctions on Ebay and a perfect little real life miniature !

2010-11-21T11:11:00.000-08:00

Life has been incredibly hectic of late ! what with poorly me,a poorly cat and a very pregnant daughter and the run of Autumn minature fairs it hasnt been the easiest of times but somethingwonderful happened in the very early hours of wednesday morning...........my daughter gave birth to a beautiful baby girl
Here is Lyla looking absolutely adorable and the most perfect little miniature in the world to us !
It is so lovely to have a newborn in the family again and it has quite taken my mind off my painful jaw. I will be having an op to sort this out and am seeing the consultant in 3 weeks time so I am in need of some distraction , I cant think of a better one !
I'm working hard to get ready for the Kensington xmas festival in 2weeks time so it really is all go here and I am also auctioning some dolls on ebay over the next few weeks.
The lovely old cook , Mrs Mills , is just one of the two dolls on ebay this week.
My seller name is whiskeybella17 so please add me to your favourites so as not to miss out over the coming weeks.
The link to the cooks auction is http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180590395670&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT
There is also a lovely parlour maid up for auction ths week. Both auctions end on sunday 28th November.
xxx

BBC Children in Need Charity Auction....... those elves again !

2010-11-10T23:51:00.000-08:00

Yes its those elves again !
Every year I do an auction with proceeds donated to the BBC Children in Need fund.
I love to support this charity and always get excited about doing the auction. I havent had time this year to make a special piece and was wondering what to do and then I realised I already had the perfect piece.........The Elves and the Shoe !
I have started it at a very low price and already have a few bids but am hoping for a few more.
50 % of the final price will be donated to Children in Need. The auction ends Sunday evening and here is the link to the auction
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180583459514&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT
julie xxx

Peek - a - BOO !

2010-10-31T10:12:00.001-07:00

Peek - a - BOO ! tonight is the night the ghosts come out to play !

Peek - a - BOO ! better watch out............tonight is the night the ghosts come out to play

What fun this little ghost is having hiding from her mama ! Of course mama ghost pretends not to know she is hiding behind her skirts,even ghost mamas play games with their little ones.

Happy Hallowe'en to everyone , hope you have a wonderfully spooky night wherever you are and I hope that the ghosts who come to play near you are as friendly as these two................
I'll leave you with a little music to help your Hallowe'en go with a swing, be careful though
you never know who or what might be dancing behind you.................

julie xxx

The Pumpkin Sweeper

2010-10-30T11:24:00.001-07:00

Every year around this time the pumpkin crops are at their peak and the pumpkins are in much demand as each little boy and girl wants their own to carve for Hallowe'en.

But they dont know about the Pumpkin Sweeper . Every year she appears with her broom to sweep around the pumpkins and make sure they are ready for the harvest . She sweeps away any bad spirits that may enter the pumpkins and spoil them and any nasty creepies and crawlies that may lurk creep inside them to jump out at unsuspecting pumpkin carvers....

If you see her,shhhhhh............... dont make a sound,or she will surely dissappear as fast as the blink of an eye and an unswept pumpkin is a very bad thing indeed..................
julie xxxx

The witching hour is nigh.............

2010-10-30T00:56:00.000-07:00

The witching hour is nigh................ and what do we have in store for you ?.....................

Esmarelda looks into her crystal ball and sees not one but three new and creepy creations waiting to appear here this Hallowe'en weekend...............

Dare you return for more Ghosties and Ghoulies and long legged beasties and things that go bump in the night ?

Esmarelda thinks you might..............................................................and I hope she is right !

julie xx

Cruella de Vil

2010-10-24T02:11:00.001-07:00

I've been a bit like a british bus this week........no posts for ages and then lots come all at once !
So here I am again,with my new "favourite ever" doll ......Cruella de Vil

My last favourite ever doll was my Mad Hatter, but Cruella is now top of my list . I just had a ball making her !

She didnt even take long to sculpt, its like she was waiting in the clay for me to bring her out and now she is out she wants to be noticed !

I hope you all like her as much as I do !

She will be for sale on my table at the Kensington Xmas Festival so if you are coming along be sure to visit my table . I always like to have a special doll there exclusively for KDF customers and this year its Cruella :0) The show is at Kensington Town Hall, London, December 4th

julie xxx

still working on commissions and something for Pudsey

2010-10-23T01:32:00.000-07:00

As promised here is the old man playing his harmonica who is the second partof my commission order to go with the "thomas !" lady :0) He will be sitting on a porch in a rocking chair when he gets to his new home but had to make do with this kitchen chair for the photos.

I love how he turned out and then as I had some of the clay mix left I was able to complete another commission for a black lighthouse keeper. Here he is with a lovely beard !

Never one to waste good clay I decided tomake this wee fellow with what was left over, He is having fun with his box cart and will be on my table at Pudsey fair in 2 weeks time .

Cant believe how quick this year is whizzing past, I'm still cracking on with commission work and hope to get everyones orders out well in time for xmas........ better get back in the shed !

julie xxx

Thomas !

2010-10-21T03:38:00.001-07:00

I should be getting ready for the last of the years miniature shows, but am mostly working on commissions right now. My daughters new baby is due to arrive soon and I want some time free to spend with the new baby and my lovely little grand daughter who we hope will love having a new sister !

So I am working hard on the commissions and making some lovely characters.

I really enjoyed working on this one, she was to be based on the character in the Tom and Jerry cartoons :0) I only had legs really for inspiration as you usually dont see further than her knees !

I am working on her husband now, he is just waiting for his hair , a bit of a challenge for me to do short grey afro hair but I have somewool roving which I think will work...fingers crossed ! he is playing his harmonica so I have been watching lots of old you tube footage of blues singers playing their harmonicas !

As I had mixed up this lovely shade of clay I used up what was left on another commission for a lighthouse keeper and then a little 40's style boy on a box cart for my fair table , Hope to have lots of pics before the week is out !

julie xxx

Mother Goose on Ebay

2010-10-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

Mother goose is now up for auction on ebay, complete with her wooden goose ! Of course she isnt permanently attached so will fit in just about anywhere you fancy .

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180575805262&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

ebay seller name whiskeybella17
Mother Goose is one of my favourite dolls , I will be sad to part with her but she is ready for a new home and I know whoever wins her auction will be thrilled with her.

She is special to me as I have such a love of fairytales and nursery rhymes, I am currently planning to work on some dolls based around well loved childrens stories, I have a little list I am hugging to myself right now but just cant wait to start work on them !
julie xx

Pumpkin Candy Witch Auction ends Sunday 17th October

2010-10-10T23:59:00.000-07:00

Here are some more photos of my Pumpkin Candy Witch . The auction started last night and runs through till sunday 17th october so whoever wins will recieve the witch in time for halloween !

Here is the link to the auction :

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180572125284&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Here she is sitting in my hand so you can see her size. She would be 5 and a half inches tall if standing.

This is her base,she can be posed anywhere,maybe in a rocking chair in a witches cottage or in a witchy roombox, but this is the base that comes with her.

I made the pumpkin candy holder from polymer clay and filled it with candy also made from polymer clay. Her sign is made from balsa wood .

Hope everyone likes her, she is one of my favourites.

julie xxx

New items on Ebay this weekend and a special Xmas commission

2010-10-09T06:06:00.001-07:00

First steps 12th scale doll and baby walker

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180572132878&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

I am taking advantage of Ebay's free listing weekend and listing a few dolls.These two little girls are both listed now , alongside a pretty dressed dressing table and stool.

Erin 12th scale doll http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180572129609&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

The Pumpkin Candy witch will start her auction tomorrow ( sunday ) evening at 8.30 GMT I will add a link when the auction goes live.

Its been a busy week for me, despite feeling rather sorry for myself with some dental problems that are taking forever to sort out. I've been trying hard to take my mind off it and working on some commissions. I am a little behind so if you are waiting for dolls please bear with me,I am working on them and hope to be well up to date before the end of November.

Here are the first ones, I was so pleased with how they turned out. Mr and Mrs Santa Claus both have spectacles too but here they are without them,accompanied by two really sweet little elves.

One of the nicest things about commission work is that you work with ideas you might never have thought of yourself ! These elves are the perfect example :0) They will be off to their new home this week :0)
julie xxx

New items In my Etsy Shop

2010-10-08T02:13:00.000-07:00

Its those elves again ! I've just listed this vignette in my etsy shop, I hope it might make a lovely xmas present for someone :0)
The elves and the shoe have been displayed at both Kensington Dolls House festival and Miniatura this year . They recieved so many lovely compliments but although they enjoyed their moment in the spotlight they have whispered to me that they dont want to be put back in the box and would like a permanent new home !
http://www.etsy.com/listing/58416437/the-elves-and-the-shoe-12th-scale-doll

julie xxx

Home from Miniatura

2010-10-04T00:52:00.001-07:00

I'm back from Miniatura and here are some pics of my stand before the show opened on the saturday morning.

It was a much quieter Miniatura than usual. My table was at the front of the room and I could see the queue building up so was anticipating a busy day but the queue dispersed quickly .It was a tickets only day on saturday but there were a lot less people there than usual.

It didnt seem to affect me much though , I sold steadily throughout the weekend , but it did feel like a very quiet show with lots of lulls where I could enjoy a cuppa !

Customers did notice but they liked the fact they didnt have to wait to get to tables ..... and they all seemed to be having a lovely time.

It was great to meet up with customers and some of the lovely stand holders there and of course fellow bloggers too .

Huge thanks to Jain for being my "right hand woman" this weekend. I wasn't feeling too well throughout the weekend and it made such a difference to have her there when I needed a quick "collapse" behind the table :0)

julie xxx

Xmas Cut outs in DHMS magazine and Miniatura table number

2010-09-25T23:52:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to design one of the free cut out pages featured in this months Dolls House and Miniature Scene magazine.

The Xmas themed cut outs are for some fun jumping jacks and there is a special xmas edition of my dress up paper doll exclusive to DHMS.

I enjoyed designing the xmas themed outfits for the dress up paper doll. Although based around the paper dolls I now sell this version has a different box design and is slightly larger than the ones I now have for sale and will only be available as a cut out in the magazine.

The jumping jacks are easy to put together and I had a lot of fun designing the characters.

I hope readers will enjoy the page and really hope younger readers will have a go putting them together !

Also in the mag is a fab hat project by Kat the Hat lady ! well worth buying !

The magazine is in the shops now and will also be on sale at the DHMS table at Miniatura next weekend alongside the Dolls House Projects magazine featuring my Hansel and Gretel project.

My table number is B11 please come seeme if you are visiting !

I am taking the Hansel and Gretel project with me despite not being able to fit it on my table LOL My shelves are quite narrow and I cant balance the open book project on it securely.

I'm trying to come up with a safe way to do this before the weekend..........

julie xxx

A Hairy Commission and new dolls

2010-09-20T00:03:00.001-07:00

I've been very busy last week and havent had a lot of blogging time ! Thought I would show you some of the dolls I've been working on. The first is Mr.Tumnus. As you can see this Mr.Tumnus is not a portrait doll from the movie, although I loved James Macavoy in the role !
My customer wanted him like this with hairy shoulders and chest.He is really very hairy indeed and both my customer and I are really pleased with him.He will be putting in a brief appearance at Miniatura as he will be collected there along with a blonde sleeping Lucy.

Also on my table willbe this Geisha.I love to make Geisha girls and tend todress themin black or red soit was nice to do this pretty peacock printed kimono. I am so pleased with this doll , I wanted to give her delicate features and a graceful stance and she turned out just as I wanted.

Last but not least my lovely old hunchbacked steampunk witch ! A great inventor this witch doesnt wear a witches hat or ride a broomstick. No, she prefers her Tophat and cane and although she is more than capable of casting a spell she much prefers to invent magical gadgets in her old workshop.

I think she is one of my favourite creations

julie xxx

Miss Havisham and a special Nanny for a special customer !

2010-09-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

I have longed to make Miss Havisham since I began to make dolls but for one reason or another never got round to her. A piece of damaged antique lace caught my eye at a market and I knew this was Miss Havisham's dress. So here she is !
Her dress has worn thin and yellowed with time.
She wears only one shoe,the other is on her dressing table which I am still working one. My friend Mags http://www.magsnificentminiatures.blogspot.com/ has made me a rotten wedding cake to go on it and I have stopped the clock at the exact time she read the letter to find she had been jilted.
The whole piece will be at Miniatura in 2 weeks time,if you are going please come and say hello !

I hope you can tell who this is !! Thoseof you on Facebook have alreasy seen Nanny McPhee.Commissioned by the very talented Michelle of http://www.michelle
I am really looking forward to seeing Michelle work on her Nanny McPhee house.

Here is nanny pushing the wonderful Roberson's pram that Michelle had made for her, it is such a beauty ! Sitting inside is baby Aggie who I loved making,such a pretty little thing :0)
I'm having a really busy time right now working on commissions ,I am working on Mr. Tumnus now and the characters from the movie Twilight,and next week I have a lovely xmas themed commission to work on so hope to have lots more photos soon !
julie xxx

She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah !

2010-09-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

These boys have kept me oh so busy this week !!! A special commission to go into a miniature room box of "the Cavern " here are the Beatles circa 1963.........the year I was born !!

This is how the real ones looked back then , I have had such fun with these dolls despite Paul Mccartney refusing to do as he was told for 2 days LOL
I have listened to their songs as I worked and now I will be quite sad to see them go.
Fingers crossed my customer likes them.
Everyone had a favourite Beatle.......................mine was gorgeous George, which one was your favourite ???
julie xxx

She's So Modern......guess who's on Facebook ... and a New Ghost !

2010-09-03T23:54:00.000-07:00

Well , in the words of the Boomtown Rats ( I know I'm showing my age !) I am feeling such a modern girl ,oh yeah LOL

I have taken the plunge and I am now on Facebook !

Oh my ! I can see how it could take over your life if you let it . I am hoping I wont suddenly become obsessed with changing my status LOL or I will never get any dolls done .

It was really nice though to join up and suddenly find old friends I hadnt spoken to in ages popping up , it is a great way to network too . Now if I could just rub my lamp and have a Genie pop out to grant me an extra 24 hours in each day I will have time to have somefun there !!

Anyway for anyone who would like to keep up with me there you can find me at www.facebook.com/BellabelleDolls

This week I have been so busy and finished a very special commission but I dont want to unveil her until she has arrived at her new home so instead I will show you a ghost lady I finished just before Falkirk fair last sunday.

This poor old tealady has been delivering the tea for what seems eternity, back and forth she goes with her trolley, with only mice for company.

She will be on my table at Miniatura alongside a ghostly butler and someother spookies in time for Hallowe'en.

Today I have an important date with the Beatles in the shed for another special commission.

John, Paul, George and Ringo.......here I come , watch out for pics soon.

julie xxx

Etsy shop open again and New Paper Dolls !

2010-08-31T00:41:00.001-07:00

My Etsy shop has been closed for the Summer ,but today with Autumn fast approaching I have reopened it .

As well as my miniature dolls I think Etsy will be the perfect place to sell some of my new exclusive miniatures . Petite Bella of course is available there and also a new range of marottes will be appearing there soon based on Comedia del Arte characters. I will post upon the blog when these become available.

First though I wantto show you my new paper dolls.

These are now for sale in my Etsy Shop. I have listed one to start with but will relist as ( and when !!) they sell and intend to have these available to purchase on a regular basis.

I based the paper doll on Petite Bella, she comes ready to stand and with 6 costumes ready to cut out and for her to wear. They were designed by myself , drawn and coloured with water colour pencils for a lovely muted look and then printed onto silk paper.

The boxes are hand made and I are think these are really lovely items for a really reasonable price, £7 at all my upcoming fairs and listed on Etsy for $10 .

Also for sale is Wilbur the Giant and Jack with his hen.

I'm just back from Scotland after exhibiting at the Falkirk fair. I had a quiet day there but it was nice to catch up with some of my lovely scottish friends and I am now concentrating on getting ready for Miniatura, one of my favourite Autumn events .

julie xxx

It's Christmas.....in August !

2010-08-26T23:58:00.000-07:00

Autumn is still waiting round the corner, Hallowee'en is yet to come , and here I am with Christmas already ! Well , I just couldnt resist .
These are my first festive dolls of the year, going with me to Falkirk on sunday . Santa is plum tuckered out after a hard night delivering presents. I will probably be feeling much like this on sunday night but hopefully not as well rounded !
This is the Head Elf, in charge of "the list" and very important!!

Last but not least a sweet little Elf with the very important job of tying ribbons.

It has been really xmassy in my shed lately ! This year I have designed a page of xmas cut-outs for "Dolls house and Miniature Scene " magazine which I am excited about.

They are fun paper toys to cut out and put together and I will post more details when the magazine goes to print.

I recently designed a miniature paper doll based on my Petite Bella dolls house dolls.
These will be available for sale at all my future fairs and will be making their debut at Falkirk this sunday.

I am putting the finishing touches to the costumes this morning and will post a picture up in the sidebar later today.

I always loved dressing paper dolls as a child and am very pleased with my
miniature designs. I hope they will be a popular pocket money priced item on my table !
Well, only 2 days now till the fair so I had best get busy,

julie xxx

"Looks like Rain again......." New Ghost

2010-08-25T07:18:00.000-07:00

Firstly I really want to thank everyone for your support this week, it really has meant a lot .
I've brushed myself off and am going to put it down to experience and just get on with what I do best, making dolls !
This lady I have entitled "Looks like rain again ...." and I think she is my favourite ghost yet.
She sort of has a Bette Davis melodramatic look to her and she wanted an umbrella.
This one started life as a cocktail umbrella . I stripped it down, painted it and then covered it in netting and black flowersoft which gives a wonderful haunted parasol effect !
This lady is dressed in fabric from an antique childs dress which was falling apart but too precious to waste.
I hope you all like her as much as I do. She will be for sale on the table at Falkirk this sunday 29th August and if the right person doesnt find her she will be travelling with me to Miniatura.
I'm busy doing my rehearsal table for the fair this afternoon so hope to have more photos to show soon :0)
julie xxx

Autumn is on the way.........Hurray !

2010-08-15T00:47:00.001-07:00

I know its still August but I can feel a definite change in the air and already the trees on my street are shedding their leaves which means Autumn is definitely on its way. I couldnt resist posting this photo of my wee grand daughter on her first visit to Edingburgh Zoo a few weeks ago ! Her little face pretty much sums up how I feel about Autumn coming..........Hurray !!

For a lot of people Spring heralds a new start but for me it has always been Autumn.

I work better in Autumn, cool crisp days are perfect for dollmaking ! Summer in a hot sticky workroom is never fun for me.

I have spent the last few weeks clearing the way for new work and auctioning the last of my older dolls on ebay.

I am now making my dolls slightly differently and am very excited about my new dolls.

Today is the last of these auctions and after a short break to get ready for my next show, September will herald new dolls and new auctions.
This lovely old dear and also her sweet little niece will be on Ebay tonight.
(Sorry, blogger seems to have eaten my photo ! It wont let me post it again so will put a link to the auction with a photo in my sidebar tonight )
I will announce the start of my new auctions in September .
Until then hope everyone is enjoying the last days of summer
julie xxx

Falkirk Fair in 2 weeks time !

2010-08-12T08:53:00.000-07:00

I have had a three month gap between fairs.

I looked forward to this gap, a chance to make some dolls just for the fun of it and catch up on commissions, maybe write a little , waft about leisurely and all in all have a wonderful time....................

Where did it go ??? All of a sudden I have a fair looming in 2 weeks , not very many new dolls and still havent caught up with commissions !

This week was the week I was going to get organised. First though I had a minor repair to do in the bathroom.................. Of course as often happens in our house with minor repairs, the damage was a lot worse than we thought and this led to a major overhaul , with me doing the overhauling !

After a week of retiling, papering and painting and muttering "never again " I have just finished, well, more or less, and my mind has turned again to fairs and commissions with a whiff of panic .

Sunday 29th of August is Falkirk Fair , run by Pat Kay of Brentwood Fairs. Its a small fair but one I always enjoy , with a lovely bunch of regular customers and the chance to meet new ones too. These are three of the dolls who will be on my table, a rather dark and handsome Regency chap, a dreamy new period style mum and baby and a cute little toddler wanting to be picked up and hugged :0)

I hope to finish a few more dolls before heading for Scotland and will post photos here if I'm not too busy panicking in the shed............. best get to work !

julie xxx

Sneak preview "Gingerbread House " Project

2010-08-04T03:02:00.000-07:00

I have been working away on a simple , fun project which will be featured in the Autumn issue of "Dolls house Projects" magazine. I am really pleased with the results so wanted to show you all :0)

The project is to make a Gingerbread house inside a book . I will have this on display and available for sale at Miniatura this October complete with the little Hansel and Gretel characters I made to illustrate the story.

I hope you like it as much as I do . The steps are easy to follow and the project is suitable for children too so I hope it will be popular and if any fellow bloggers purchase the magazine and make their own I would love to see the results !

I kept mine simple so the tutorial wouldnt be daunting for beginners but this was so much fun and they make such a great display item that I plan to do some more elaborate book boxes to illustrate my favourite fairytales.

julie xxx

Becka and Kitty

2010-07-28T22:23:00.001-07:00

I meant to post these photos last night but in the end I worked late and when I sat down my lovely old tom cat Pepsi settled on my knee for the night !

Anyway here is Becka and kitty !

I love Beckas red hair , my daughter katie is expecting her new baby in the Autumn and we know the baby is a little girl, I would love it if she had red hair like my mam had :0)

I wanted to make a special doll for Becka to hold and as cats have been very much on my mind lately I made a tiny dressed cat doll.

I hope everyone likes it as much as I do. I am thinking of making more of these to sell at fairs alongside my petite bella dolls .

I would be grateful for opinions , are they something that would appeal to collectors do you think ?

Being such a cat lover I may be biased LOL

Thank you all for the lovely comments about Amelie. I have enjoyed working on these children.

I need to really knuckle down now with the run of Autumn fairs starting soon.

I will be at Falkirk Fair in Scotland at the end of next month so need to get on .

Its going to be a busy few months !

julie xxx

Amelie

2010-07-27T22:19:00.001-07:00

Amelie is one of my new children, 4 years old and a little bit shy !

I am now sculpting the head and bodies of my dolls in one piece, although they still have poseable arms and legs .

I love working this way ! I can now pose the neck and head at exactly the right incline for the expression I want to show and then when I paint the doll it just comes to life.

I am so excited about my new way of working, before I always had to make sure the neck joint was hidden with hair and this way holds so many possibilities :0)

This is Amelie and Becka before painting and assembling. Becka ( the more slender of the two ) is a little older and she is so sweet. I just need to wig her now and will post her picture later. She holds a tiny dressed cat doll that I have also made and I am looking forward to photographing the pair.

I also have a couple of babies waiting to be dressed.

Better get down to the shed and start work !

julie xxx

Still Clearing....Japanese Garden now on Ebay

2010-07-27T03:45:00.001-07:00

I am still clearing out !!
I promise some pictures of new work will be appearing here soon. Right now I am still clearing the way for my new work.
I have decided to sell my Japanese Garden . It is so pretty and yet it is stored in a box in a cupboard hidden from sight which seems such a shame. I have nowhere to display it on my table at fairs so I think the time has come for it to find a new home.
This little Geisha in red will be included. It is on Ebay now.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180538618954

Tonight there will also be a little ghostly boy available. I will post link to him in the sidebar when the auction starts. He is very sweet with a tragic little face .

Its all very busy here in the shed ........... I am working on some commissions this week and also have been beavering away on my new project for the autumn issue of Dolls House Projects magazine which is a lot of fun.
I will post a sneak preview of this when I get the finishing touches done. It is a unique vignette take on the witches cottage from Hansel and Gretel and I hope it will be a fun, simple and enjoyable project !
Of course I also get to make Hansel and Gretel to display alongside the finished project and I have been wanting to make these characters for a long time .
I hope to have them ready by next week :0)
julie xxx

Clearing the way

2010-07-18T00:34:00.001-07:00

First of all Thank you to everyone who emailed or left a kind comment this week.

I really appreciate it .

I didnt have the heart to sculpt anything after losing Mitsy, just felt too sad, so I have spent some time working on my Miniature toyshop ( follow the link in the sidebar if you would like to see it ) and some time clearing the way for my new work.

As artists we all grow and change and sometimes there is a visible shift in the work we do.

It happens every so often, it feels a bit like growing and shedding our skin !

I love the feeling when this happens , theres a new excitement for creating and seemingly endless possibilities and new ideas.

I felt like this last weekend and although I took time out this week I can feel the urge to get back in the shed now and work on my ideas .

So yesterday I had a good sort through the dolls I have here to decide who would be coming with me to the Autumn shows .

I have a few old favourites who havent yet found new homes and who wont be accompanying me to any more shows.

These I will be auctioning on ebay over the next few weeks to clear the way for my new work.

Each is special and unique. Maybe extra special because my work has changed and I will never make any more quite like them. Here you can see Headless Alf, a lovely old ghost who is thrilled to be heading off to new haunts !

There is a link to my ebay auctions in the side bar.

I'm currently working on some very sweet children and babies , I have a little group of them sitting on my table in the shed waiting patiently for me to paint them. I am quite excited about them and I hope to have them ready this week :0)

julie xxx

Mitsy, always in my heart

2010-07-15T22:34:00.000-07:00

My sweet Mitsy passed away on wednesday, one tiny cat with one big attitude . She gave us 17 years of love and mischief and we miss her so much .

julie xxx

Blanche and the Girls

2010-07-09T11:04:00.001-07:00

Meet Blanche and the girls ! Guaranteed to give you a good time as long as you dont mess with Blanche, she has been in the game a long time and takes no nonsense from anyone.

Blanche looks after the girls well and they stick by her side she's always been good to them.

Dark and sultry Lola

Blonde and beautiful Madeleine

Blanche !

I had such fun making these good time girls ! I have been refining my sculpting lately and sculpting the head neck and body all in one so I can get more detail into the necks and jaw lines.

I am so happy working this way, although the legs and arms are poseable I can now make sure each doll keeps his or her "attitude " and the head stays at the angle I intended when creating the pose.

These three ladies will be for sale at Autumn Miniatura along with a whole host of new dolls !

I am working through my notebook of ideas and loving having this time over the summer to "play" with my clay and hopefully come up with some wonderful new creations.

Hope you like these three,

julie xxx

The big website clean up !

2010-07-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

Its been long overdue, I couldnt put it off much longer and a very windy day here made my mind up......................it was time for the BIG CLEAN UP !

My website has been around for a few years now and finally I have cleaned out a lot of the old photos and streamlined the pages ...................its took me all day.........................I officially hate technology !

now me and technology are a bad combination, no matter which way you mix it, so today has been one step forwards, two steps back and one horrible moment of "oh my god I think I've deleted the whole blooming thing !"

Now though the deed is done and I'm feeling quite virtuous in a deranged sort of way :0)

It was strange too looking at some of the old photos on there, my work has changed so much over the past few years . I have a soft spot for some of my older work so have left a few old favourites but some of the galleries are looking quite empty and I have lots of ideas for new dolls to fill them up again.

So for anyone who would like to take a peek at my newly tidy up to date website visit

www.bellabelledolls.co.uk

I have linked the "For Sale " page here on my blog to my website "For Sale " page and I will be selling my dolls from there from now on and closing my Etsy store........................wish me luck !

I'm happy to have everything in one place and it will be easy to see at a glance which dolls are available to buy.......................I hope LOL

So thats me organised....................for now :0)

julie xxx

Back to work with Captain Jack !

2010-06-30T12:39:00.001-07:00

Back to work this week and I am busy finishing some long overdue commissions. I had two commissions for Jack Sparrow in his full costume and had fun making both of them ! Here is the last of them in all his glory, well almost, his sword will arrive tomorrow with a bit of luck and then he will be ready to go to his new home !
I have some really interesting commissions lined up so will post some pictures up as I complete them. I am working on Charles Rennie Macintosh and Margaret Macdonald as well as some lovely portrait commissions this week and really enjoying them .
I've been struggling to fit everything in lately but today I did one little thing that made all the difference..........................I took my phone out of the shed LOL
Who would have thought that something so simple would give me back so much time !
No more cold callers and recorded messages telling me I had won a prize ................. no more taking calls only to find they were for my lads and having to run up to the house with the phone because they cant be bothered to answer it !
It was wonderful, after an initial pang that I just might miss an important call, I realised people would leave a message or ring back if its important, and I had a lovely peaceful working day with no interruptions..........................bliss :0)
julie xxx

"For Sale" page now up and running !

2010-06-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

I have now got my For Sale page up and running.

I will be updating it regularly with all kinds of characters from witches and ghosts to sweet toddlers and mucky servants !

Check back to see whats new.

I will still be running my Ebay auctions and Etsy store as usual.

The For Sale page is just another way to buy for those that like a buy it now price, or just prefer to buy direct from the seller without the wait for a commission piece .

Thanks for looking !

julie xxxx

A peek at my Parisian Goodies !

2010-06-24T22:57:00.000-07:00

As promised here is a little peek at some of the goodies I bought at S.I.M.P .
Not all LOL I have saved the best till last and will be showing that on my "Diary of an Edwardian Dolls House " blog on my next update.
Everything I bought will be going into the Toyshop !
This tiny little doll has been so beautifully made. She has hand sewn embroidery on her bonnet and dress and real crystal eyes. The photo doesnt show quite how perfect she is and I would have bought more if I had been richer :0)

The tiny Pierrot ornament is one of my favourite things. See how tiny she is !

Made by Veronique
Cornish ,she is so fragile and dainty I just fell in love with her and had to buy her

The little horse was so sweet I could not resist !

The little painting will go in Belle's room,moreof that on the toyshop blog later !

These two little dollies look perfect in the toy shop.

This little teddy seems to say "Hello" with its bright little face, one look and I knew it was coming home with me "

This marrotte is rather creepy but in a good way !

And finally the one that got away !

By the time I got close to Rosanna's table I had spent all my money. Her table was just beautiful and I will definitely be treating myself to a tea cosy soon as I am planning yet another new project. My 1940's terrraced street now has a bakery with a tearoom upstairs ! I wont be working on it for a while yet but when I do begin I shall be needing some of these beautiful tea cosies !

While at the show I was also doing my best "roving reporter" impression. I am writing a review on S.I.M.P. with lots of beautiful photos for the August issue of the wonderful free online AIM magazine. I will post a link when it comes out.

Now it may seem I have forgotten all about my dolls LOL

Not so ! I will be back in the shed sculpting new creations on monday , I feel very inspired after "people watching" in Paris............

Also my "For Sale " page goes live tonight !

I hope you will want to take a peek,

julie xxxx

Back from Paris !

2010-06-23T05:11:00.000-07:00

We are back from Paris !
My feet havent quite touched the ground yet.........mostly because they are totally worn out and look a bit like old lady feet !!
Jain and I managed to cover more of Paris in 3 days than most people do in a week :0)
We were queens of the Paris Metro and it took us every where we wanted to go and our feet did the rest .
Here are some of the photos I took. You can see it was quite cold and overcast in some of these but I think that leads a splendidly gloomy gothic twist to the pics ,especially this one of the Arc de Triomph :0)

We visited the Sacre Coeur on our first day there and it was so beautiful.
Friday was the warmest day and we watched the street dancers outside and drank lemon presse's outside a cafe at the bottom of the steps.
Paris has lots of steps and I am trying to convince myself that the walking up and down these has wore off all the calories consumed while there .............;0)

The Eiffel Tower is also looking rather gloomy, but we didnt let the weather bother us.

There was so much to see and do I cant wait to go back !
We found a street market which was mostly antiques and amongst them was a little stall with the most wonderful antique lace, buttons,threads and fabrics.
I could have spent allmy S.I.M.P money there but managed to hold back. Both of us came home with some beautiful old french lace which will be worn by new dolls inthe coming months .

This is the view from my room. I am scared of heights so it took great courage to actualy take this picture LOL It was terrifying on that balcony !!! but beautiful.
There were some very friendly pigeons who liked my balcony too so I had company up there .

The SIMP show itself was just wonderful , I spent every penny I took and could have spent a lot more as every table seemed to have something I wanted to take home.
I bought so many goodies I will do another post to show you all later. I also met some of our fellow bloggers which was lovely, more on the show later.
I will also have news of my new " For Sale " section on the blog which will be up and running on friday.
Back to reality now............................sigh...........
julie xxx

Back from Scottish Miniatura .....time to relax !

2010-06-16T03:32:00.000-07:00

Things have been hectic and there hasnt been much time to blog but finally I seem to be catching up !

I couldnt resist posting this pic of our adopted stray, Charlie relaxing in his own special way :0)

I feel a bit like this now with no more fairs until the end of August.................Yippee !

I plan to work on commissions and also Belle's Toy Emporium. What a treat :0)

Scottish Miniatura was such a great fair for me.

The morning was incredibly busy and I sold almost as many dolls as I did at Autumn Miniatura which runs for two days ! It was really nice to catch up with old customers and fellow bloggers too. Irene ,who has some great blogs ,was there and I enjoyed looking at the booklet she has about the tenement she is recreating. Its a great project and talking to her really made me want to get on with my project , which most of you know is the Emporium.

I bought a few items for this at the fair and will be posting pictures onto the "Diary of an Edwardian Dolls House " blog later today. Just click the link on the sidebar here to visit if you havent been before.

I am now well and truly in holiday mode and have made a huge list of "wants" for the long planned jolly to Paris this weekend. The combination of Paris and a miniature fair to shop at is just irresistable and I'm practically counting the hours LOL

Welcome too to my new followers , I will hopefully have some new dolls to see here soon,

julie xxx

Witches, Wizards and a handful of babies .....

2010-06-03T00:10:00.000-07:00

Scottish Miniatura is coming up very soon , 12th June ! So I have been busy making a few new dolls to take along with me.

Esme is a very friendly witch, with a lovely face .
I have the feeling she would stand for no nonsense but she is a good sort !
I have been making leather hats for my witches and wizards and really love the look and feel of them.

The Old Wizard is a bit sterner, but has a good heart too. You might be forgiven for thinking I only make witches , wizards and spooky dolls, but they are only a very small part of what I do. I make all sorts of characters but do have a soft spot for those with a little bit of magic !

Myrtle here is a cheeky old character, which may be because she forgot to put her teeth in this morning !

The eagle eyed will spot she is reading a pile of newspapers from Nikki, well she would be reading them if she wasnt so nosy ,she obviously has her curious eye on something !

We have had some sad news in our family and I havent felt much like blogging , but as always when there is upset I concentrate on my work, its the one thing that I can totally lose myself in.

I made ten of these little bundle babies this week.

I wanted to have something on my table at fairs that was more affordable and also that children could play with.

These little ones are virtually unbreakable ! They are also very sweet and would look ever so cute in a crib or pram or nestled just about anywhere.

They will be on my table at fairs from now on and also for sale on my website once I figure out how to get my for sale page up and running. Bundle babies will be just £15 and every one is unique . Some are modern, some are not, Iwill have bundle babies to fit into any era,from tudor to modern day and I even do an elfin bundle baby with tiny pointed ears !

Hope you like them as much as I do

julie xxx

where oh where has my get up and go gone ?

2010-05-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

Oh where , oh where is my get up and go ??? It appears to have got up and went before I did this morning........
I am busy right now, so busy that I seem to have gone on strike !

Today has been mostly spent looking. In the cupboards, at the table, into space , on the internet when I should have been working.................... this wasnt all bad though and finally Jain and I got our hotel booked for Paris S.I.M.P. which is just as well as its not long now until we go.
I cant wait ! Paris and wonderful French Miniatures all in one weekend, how good can it get !!
Maybe if I stopped day dreaming about it I would get more work done :0)

Here is the lady ghost who a lot of you spotted on my kensington table.
She is heading off to a lovely new home . But I am busy making more ghosts for my next fairs and hope to have some for sale here on the blog within the next few weeks.
I use my special mix of clays so that each ghost glows in the dark , yet still has a ghostly white complexion.

Only 2 weeks now until I head off to Scotland for Scottish Miniatura and as always I am really looking forward to it.
My husband will be "helping" as always and chauffering me there and back which is lovely.

I always enjoy the Scottish fairs, if you are visiting pop along and say hello :0)

In the meantime, if anyone finds my get up and go please point it in my direction !

julie xxx

A bit of a Shake up and wee slice of Humble Pie............

2010-05-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

I have been having a bit of a shake up on my blog !

Some of you may have noticed the new buttons under my banner . I am hoping to use this blog more like my website as its a whole lot easier to keep up to date. If it works the blog will eventually replace my website.

I welcome any comments, have you thought of doing this too ? do you already use your blog as your website ?

I will be adding a few more pages over the weekend . If theres something you think I should add that I havent please let me know :0)

Now its also time for me to eat a little bit of humble pie ....................

I recently announced my grand departure from ebay.......................

I dont like the charges and decided to flounce off and never return.

But I miss the thrill of the auction.

I also miss my ebay customers and they seem to miss me too , so I am going to be returning ............blushing just a little !

I wont be doing weekly auctions, I cant afford the cost but I am going to auction one or two special dolls each month. Hopefully everyone will be happy. Those that like the auction thrill of the last minute bid can follow my ebay auctions, whilst those who would prefer to buy right away if they like something can purchase from my etsy shop.

Phew ! time for a cuppa now to go with that pie ......................

julie :0)

Back from KDF and new items in my Etsy Shop !

2010-05-19T05:44:00.000-07:00

Little Miss Muffet, now for sale on etsy

The Princess and the Frog, now for sale on etsy

I am back from London, tired but having had a lovely time :0) It is a long journey for me as I start with a 2 hour drive to meet up with Jain ( Giddy Kipper ) and then we have almost 5 hours drive ahead of us but we always stop off for a cupof tea and a gossip !

We dropped everything off at Kensington town hall on the friday night then headed to our hotel .

We had an early start on the friday to set up properly . This was the first time we have shared a table , although we have had our tables side by side before !

I have learned a lot about sharing tables LOL I made the mistake of trying to fit everything I usually have on my 6 foot table into 3 feet. I think you can see from the photos just how much I tried to cram on. Also we arranged our table with the intention of standing at either side to sell..................... then we found out we had a table sideways along each of our table sides and we couldnt actually get out without lots of "excuse me's ". You can see from the photo the man next to me ( who was lovely ) filled the gap totally !!

All teething troubles aside, we had a lovely time !

It was so nice having company behind the table and we could cover for each other when we needed a break. We were both pleased with the look of the table,I think our dolls compliment each other perfectly while still being completely different !

We had such a good time we are sharing again in december , but with a different set up so we can both see out the front and talk to customers .

It was lovely to meet old and new customers and of course bloggers !

It was lovely to meet Kate and her beautiful daughter Lola (Thank you Kate for the lovely chocolate cakes, they went down a treat LOL ), Janice, Michelle and her lovely mum, it was also lovely to see Sandra and Sue again , Linda and her lovely daughter and if I have missed you its only because I am so shattered, feelfree to slap my wrists !

We got together with Nikki for a pizza on saturday night and had a laugh, it was a lovely night and altogether a great weekend.

Looking forward to the next one already !

I have listed some new dolls in my etsy shop so if you would like to take a peek the link is in the sidebar,

now to finish unpacking, I'm sure all this stuff fitted in the house once but I cant get it in now !

julie xxx

The Elves and the Shoe

2010-05-10T00:33:00.000-07:00

I finally found a little time to photograph more ofthe dolls forKensington Festival. This is "The Elves and the Shoe " , made with the other half of the pair of ladies Edwardian boots I was so pleased to find.

I made a stand for the boot which I stained a nice walnut colour , then I added some vintage pieces to the board. The cotton reels and old tape measure are probably from around 1950, the metal reel and thimble are a lot older, around 1900's . I also added some little miniature tools for the elves to "work" with,adding leather handles to the hammers for a nice authentic look.

First we have Theo, the sensible one who does most of the work ! He likes to sew and has to wear spectacles as he stitches so neatly and with such tiny stitches .

Then we have Barnaby who is a bit silly, always laughing, dancing and singing. He doesnt do a lot of work but is very sweet and is in charge of tying shoe laces...........

Then we have Smudge who is the naughtiest elf, always up to mischief ! he is busy hammering shoe nails in as thats his favourite job.

I really enjoyed making this up, I wanted all the elves to be very different with different characters , in the fairytale there were only two elves, both naked ! SoI did use a littleartistic license but I think I can be forgiven :0)

This vignette will be for sale at Kensington Festival May 14th, 15th and 16th
julie xxx

Nearly ready ........6 days to go

2010-05-08T03:39:00.000-07:00

Time seems to be flying past at an incredible speed these days............ its always the same before a big show, you have all the time in the world then suddenly, oops ! its almost time to go and still lots to do :0)

So here as promised is Jack, a rather hairy chicken covered in real chicken feathers and of course Wilbur the Giant who was very well behaved for the photo shoot !

I would have taken some photos of the stand but had a last minute panicking realisation that I definitely couldnt actually see out from behind it in any way. The Christmas Festival had my table tightly wedged between two others and had this happened again I would have had to climb up a ladder to actually see any customers, not recommended LOL

So its time for plan B and I am busy painting up a small folding corner shelf to display jack and the beanstalk and the other nursery ryhme and fairytale dolls.

I have pictured little Bo Peep as she is rather sweet, and I hope to have time to post up one more picture before I leave for London on thursday.

Some of you might remember the Old Woman in the Shoe that I made a while ago.

Well the Edwardian ladies boot I used was one of a pair and so I have used the other boot in a vignette for my fairytale display....................no prizes for guessing this one, its "The Elves and the Shoemaker " ! I have used a little artistic license and unlike the fairy tale my little elves arent naked ! However they are very cute and I am so pleased with the piece.

I hope to find time to photograph it tomorrow.

I was delighted to see I have now got 201 followers ! I have been waiting patiently for the elusive 200 for sometime , so it was a lovely surprise to discover this week a few more crept in while I was busy .

A big welcome to my new followers, thank you for taking an interest in my miniature world !

julie xxx

Meet Wilbur.......all 13 inches of him !

2010-04-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

If you read the comments on my last blog post you will know that the lovely Kel guessed right, those hands belonged to a giant !

Wilbur to be precise ............ dont ask why I called him that LOL he chose his own name . I sculpted his eyes and as soon as they looked back at me they told me his name .

Now you know I am making Jack and the Beanstalk to display at Kensington Festival in 3 weeks time. We all know the story and when we think of the giant we think of him saying "Fee Fi Fo Fum , I smell the blood of an English man , be he alive or be he dead I'll grind his bones to make my bread " .................................

Well Wilbur isnt like that really . He's all talk !

As you can see Wilbur is a very gentle giant and wouldnt dream of grinding any bones. In fact he is a vegetarian, but dont tell anyone, it would cramp his style somewhat .

So we'll keep that between me and you and I wont let Jack know. He'sbusy now trying to get down the beanstalk with the hen that laid the golden egg and I promise to post pics very soon, if I can catch him before Wilbur does ..............

julie ;0) xxx

Out to lunch and a clue !

2010-04-22T03:08:00.000-07:00

Well despite being hectically busy , my husband is whisking me off for a pub lunch today and I'm letting him ! Will be good to get out of the shed for a few hours.

The kensington prep has been keeping me very busy

Couldnt resist posting a little clue for those of you who have been wondering about my heavy hint of something big, something small and a chicken !

So here is part of the "something big " . I have small hands so you will get a good idea of the size of the hands I have just finished and what they may be attached to............................

and thats enough teasing for today :0)

julie xxx

Nose to the grindstone .......

2010-04-17T22:10:00.000-07:00

The realisation has finally hit..............I only have 3and a half weeks until Kensington festival and I had better get my nose to the grindstone and fast !
I can only concentrate on one fair at any given time , so have been working hard for Pudsey where I had quite a successful fair yesterday . Always nice and big thanks to Doreen as usual for putting on a good show :0)
On the journey home though it really sunk in just what a lot I want to fit into the next 3 weeks .
I have never exhibited at a three day show before and feel quite nervous about having the right amount of stock. One of the joys of sharing a table is that I only have 3 foot of space to fill instead of 6 !
So for the next three weeks I willbe mostly in my shed ,and hopefully creating some fab dolls to take with me to kensington :0)

In the mean time I have listed some special edition Petite Bellas in my Etsy store.
Just click on the link at the side bar to see them. I have a very sweet little Pierrot Bella ,a Vintage Bella and an Alice in Wonderland Bella for sale there now.

Thank you to everyone who has sent me awards last week :0)
They too are in my side bar and I would like to follow the lovely Kate's lead and give these awards to all of my followers. Thank you so much for following my blog and listening to my ramblings, I'd feel so silly if I were sitting here talking to myself !!
julie xxx

And now for something completely different..........

2010-04-09T09:57:00.001-07:00

A Japanese Garden in 24th scale complete with tiny Geisha Girls !

I created this Japanese Garden as a step by step project which will be featured in the June issue (192) of "Dolls House and Miniature Scene " magazine, which is due out at the end of this month.

This is the Japanese Cherry Blossom Tree featured in the garden, the project shows how to make this step by step . I promise its a whole lot easier than it looks :0)

I hope everyone will enjoy the project, it is easy to follow and based around a 24th scale garden kit by "The Dolls House Builder".

It was lovely to make something a little different although being me I had to include some little dolls so made the 24th scale Geishas to bring the garden to life.

The Japanese Garden complete with dolls will be for sale at Kensington Festival , 14th 15th and 16th of May at a special show price . It is a truly one of a kind piece and the Geishas are beautifully detailed, one has a tiny butterfly on her finger courtesy of the extremely talented Julia Cissell of "Gods Flying Flowers" and there is another butterfly on the lily on the pond.

Both DHMS magazine and The Dolls House Builder will also be at the festival so if you are visiting and would like to make your own garden following my instructions you can purchase the magazine and the kit there too !

I will of course be happy to chat to anyone planning on making their own :0)
Hope everyone is enjoying some beautiful Spring weather, today was glorious and I was able to work with the shed door open and listen to the frogs in our little pond croaking and the birds singing. I dont know what it is about spring but it just makes you feel so enthusiastic !

I cant believe there are only 5 weeks to go until Kensington Festival , I have a lot still to do so it will be great if this weather keeps up and my enthusiasm with it !

As always I will post some preview pics as the event draws nearer :0)

julie xxx

Goodbye Ebay........Hello Etsy !

2010-04-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Well the day has finally dawned , I have decided thats it ! no more of these monstrous fees !
No more emails from dissapointed customers pipped at the post at the last minute !
I have finally said goodbye to Ebay.
Ebay and I have had a love hate relationship for the last few years. I do love the thrill of the auction and I always had a soft spot for Ebay as that is where I sold my very first doll .
Selling that doll gave me the confidence to make more and then eventually start my own website, so I will always be grateful that it was there to start me off .
However the escalating costs have been worrying me for some time and when I awoke to a huge bill this morning I decided that is it, its been fun, but its over now.
So I will now be selling my work on Etsy.
I reopened my shop there earlier this year and from now on that is where you will find my new dolls .
This little ghost girl has just been listed today and I hope to be listing a new doll every week or two from now on . I will show them here on my blog too so anyone interested in buying will be able to see new dolls the minute they are available :0)
I hope everyone has had a lovely Easter,
julie xxx

Home from Miniatura

2010-03-30T00:24:00.001-07:00

Well I am back home and tired but happy after a great weekend ! I took these photos before the show started on the saturday before some wof the dolls went to their new homes .

The mad hatter sold within the first few minutes of the show starting,but poor little alice was left alone and didnt find a new home .

It was so nice having my table next to Jain ( the giddy kipper ) and we both enjoyed the show.

We had a lovely friendly lot next to us and were opposite the lovely mags ( magsnificent miniatures) who managed to appear with treats every time we needed some !

It was great to meet some bloggers over the weekend. I finally met Julia and Hywel from Bear cabin miniatures who are both really lovely :0) It was also lovely to meet janice and kelly and catch up with some old customers. I met some lovely new customers too , and almost talked myself hoarse LOL

Jain and I are sharing a table at kensington so we are both very excited about that. I will be doing some fairytale and nursery rhyme inspired dolls as well as my other dolls so do come and see us both , I promise it will be a treat :0)

My wizard of oz dolls will also be on display, it was such fun having them at Miniatura, they really were a crowd pleaser and just seeing the childrens faces made my weekend. I lost count of the little girls who skipped away from the table singing "we're off to see the wizard " LOL

They wouldnt really fit into the average dolls house so I am hoping a collector will fall in love with them at Kensington.

julie xxx

Absolutely Alice..............

2010-03-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

That Mad Hatter, he just doesnt want to be packed away in the box yet so here he is again LOL

I couldnt resist making Alice, and as my favourite of the dresses she wore was the one the hatter whiped up for her in seconds I had to make her small enough to fit it.

So here she is , absolutely Alice and just 3 inches tall ! I didnt try to make a portrait doll as she was so small, rather she is inspired by the film version .

These two are very happy to have found each other and I am really looking forward to displaying them this weekend .

I am really looking forward to the whole show, its going to be such fun being next to Jain ( Giddy kipper dolls) and I think her table is going to be wonderful.

I will post again when I return with some photos of my stand and hopefully a wonderful show report !

Wish me luck !

julie xxx

Return to Oz...............

2010-03-17T13:30:00.001-07:00

I have spent today in the shed putting the final touches to Dorothy and The Wicked Witch of the West to complete my Oz display for Miniatura :0)

I wish I had time to do some munchkins too !

Dorothy was lovely to make, I used red glitter for her ruby slippers and made her a basket too. Although technically toto never rode in Dorothy'sbasket it seemed a good place to put him .He is the first dog I have ever made, well he is just a head and shoulders really LOL but he was fun to do so one day I might try a whole one !

The wicked witch is not very photogenic , I always find it hard to photograph a doll wearing all black and she was no exception but she is very wicked looking .

Tomorrow I hope to start work on Alice to go with my mad hatter. I am making her in 24th scale so she will take a little time but I will post photos when she is ready.

Only 9 days to go before the show and it is all go here ! I'm really looking forward to it.

My stand number is N10 so if you are visiting come and say hello :0)

julie xxx

Mad as a Hatter !

2010-03-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

Well , I just couldn't resist ! I know quite a few doll makers who are working on or have made this character. He really is irresistable so this is my take on him.

His costume was so much fun to recreate. I'm still not sure how I made his hat LOL a little trial and a lot of error but eventually I got it to look the way I wanted . I'm very pleased with it and it fits him perfectly.

This character goes through so many moods in the movie , I have made him in a very genial, pleased to meet you type mood, he is ready to invite you to tea :0)

Hope you like him, he will be for sale at Spring Miniatura alongside a tiny 24th scale Alice who is still waiting in my imagination but should be ready this time next week .
julie xxx

We're off to see the Wizard...................

2010-03-09T12:04:00.000-08:00

"We're off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz " !

If I only had a heart................................................

The nerve................................

A brain.............................

Here are the first of my Oz dolls, with Dorothy and the Wicked Witch of the West still to come !

I have had sooooo much fun making these dolls . I have been able to watch one of my favourite ever films while I worked which was a real treat and it has just been a real pleasure to make each of these. Even the cowardly lion who looked so cute I didnt mind having fake fur up my nose and in my eyes !

The scarecrow was a lot of fun. I sculpted him from polymer clay then covered his face in a layer of muslin and pva before I painted his features. I did the same with his hands and love the effect.

The tin man was a real challenge. His tin suit is made from painted cardboard which was then covered in modge podge to waterproof and protect it.

Of course once his costume was in place he was no longer poseable. His head turns but the rest of him is stuck firmly in place. So, I gave him some rust, quite a lot of it too, enough so that like in the movie he is unable to move. I am making an axe for him but I was impatient to post the photos up here so its not ready yet :0)

I had hoped to make some munchkins too but time is running out. You never know, I might manage one or two :0)

Just 17 days to go now until Miniatura and I am still working on my Mad Hatter who I really want to take with me . I am off to see the new Tim Burton movie on thursday and will be costuming my Hatter over the weekend so look out for pics soon .

I'm so excited to have an afternoon off work and see a film !

A rare treat , I think the last time I went to the movies was to see the second Harry Potter film, this will also be my very first visit to the IMax cinema, and the first 3D movie I have ever seen .

I just cant wait !

julie xxx

More Miniatura Previews !

2010-03-08T00:04:00.000-08:00

More Miniatura previews ! I think the dolls I've previewed in the past few days really show how

varied the dolls on my table will be :0)

Anyone whos been following my blog for a while will recognise this fairytale nanny. Not quite a witch, not quite a fairy and with a little elfin baby this pair were inspired by the antique miniature pram I found .I dont really know where they came from , I just made them going with the flow and not planning how they would end up. Or where they will fit in with the average miniature collector !! Luckily most of the miniature collectors I know are anything but average :0)

They are such a sweet little pair I hope someone will fall in love with them.

This afternoon I plan to start work on my cowardly lion's costume. It is a bit of a challenge to say the least LOL I really dislike working with fur wether fake or real. It gets everywhere !

Combined with my unfortunate habit of covering myself in glue when I get anywhere near the stuff and the fact I will be forced to use it with the fake fur , I will probably emerge from the shed looking extremely hairy by the end of the day...........................

wish me luck !

julie xxxx

Marcus Antonius !

2010-03-07T06:49:00.001-08:00

Finally I finished Mark Antony or to give him his Roman name Marcus Antonius :0)

I think hes a handsome chap and although his costume was a bit of a challenge it all seemed to come together in the end so here he is in all his glory !

Now I can concentrate on my Oz characters who should be appearing here within the next few days.

So far the scare crow and the tin man have been the most fun. I have made them in the way they were in real life, sculpting first the man then adding the makeup and costume .

I have a wonderful behind the scenes dvd which shows the costumes in detail and has some very interesting snippets of trivia which I will post up alongside each doll.

For now though hope you like Mark, he will be standing proudly next to Cleopatra on my Miniatura table .

julie xxx

Shiner

2010-03-06T02:25:00.000-08:00

When I am getting ready for a big fair like Miniatura I try to make as varied a selection as possible. On my stand you will see spooky ghosts, beautiful period dolls in fine costumes, witches and fantasy dolls, portraits of well known characters, amusing character dolls, and of course children.

I love children. They dont hide their emotions, they dont put on a false front. They just be themselves and wether that is a sweet shy little girl , or a naughty little boy I love to make them !

Meet Jack.

Jack is a bit of a wee rascal. He likes nothing better than to cause some mischief ! He is a good lad really,he just cant help getting into scraps and that catapult of his gets him into so much trouble ! He has a black eye fromone of his scraps.What we call a "shiner" .

He will be on my table at Miniatura and who knows where he will end up as he would fit into any setting from the early 1900's onwards.

I often wonder where my dolls end up. Some people buy what will fit in with the theme of their dolls house.

Others fall in love with a character and dont know where they would fit in so they make a room box setting or display them on a shelf.

One lady bought a whole family of dolls then admitted she would now have to buy a dolls house :0)

Wherever they end up , as long as they are making someone smile I am happy :0)

julie xxx

Miniatura Previews start here !

2010-03-04T23:55:00.001-08:00

Well as you all know I'm going to be exhibiting again at Spring Miniatura ! The show is March 27th and 28th at Birmingham NEC .I will be there in good company with some of the most talented artisans. Visit the website formore details www.miniatura.co.uk

As always in the weeks leading up to the show I am overcome with what I like to term "Miniatura Madness " !

I am working frantically to make some really special pieces and will preview them here :0)

This first lovely old ghost is not a new doll. he has always been a bit shy and tends to blend into the background and be overlooked. So I gave him a makeover !

A new Einstein inspired hair style and some silver buckles on his shoes really perked him up and he is now ready to haunt any miniature property.

As you can see he does love his books and I have made his display base accordingly so he works as a stand alone figure.

He is not attached permanently to the stand so can really go anywhere he pleases !

Of course like all my ghosts he glows spookily in the dark :0)

julie xxx