A is for Annabelle!

Introducing....Annabelle our new resident at the one sixth scale dollhouse! No, my Fashion  Royalty & Silkstone divas haven't moved out. I have always wanted a reproduction french fashion doll such as this one. I have named her Annabelle after Tasha Tudor's book...A is for Annabelle .I believe that Tasha's doll was actually a Lady Jumea. My doll was made by Sylvia Butler, a guilded Doll artisan & member of G.M.D.M. of Tarhill Creations. I met Sylvia at the recent Capital doll club show at the Showplace where I was a dealer this past Saturday on Feb. 26th. She comes to this show alot and I have always lusted after oneof these little ladies! This show I got my wish.
Annabelle is an FG head on a Seeley body, better in my opinion than the Guildebrief body. She has glass eyes and pearl earrings. I plan to start sewing different projects in spare time- what's that? lol to make her a trousseau.
This weekend I started cutting out pieces of muslin for the negligee from a past issue of Gildebrief, to try my hand at sewing for her. Annabelle stook over me nearby and supervised....

I am having loads of fun with her, and want to replicate items from the book as a project, one of my doll yahoo groups talked about how some doll clubs had made items in the book for their french fashion dolls. While she is a little lady, she also has a child like quality to her sculpt which appeals to me a bit, the Francois Gaultier molds have a similar Huret style to them, and Huret is one of my favorites. She has already claimed one of the Bespaq Louis chairs for her own...

Sorry for the bright pics at the end, it was difficult yesterday to get good lighting for these pictures, especially when I took some time out to work on the cutting of the pattern pieces. I think the chair looks stunning next to her, this one is in 1:4 scale but since she is somewhat chunky she looks ok next to it, technically she is about 1:6 scale. These dolls were the original 'Barbie' of the 1840's- 1890's- the creme de la creme of fashion dolls.

For sources on reproduction & antique french fashion dolls, especially the 12 inch ones- here are some useful links which have helped me, a novice and which might start the fever for you to own one of these stunning dolls:

Gildebrief Magazine  - this magazine is produced in English as well as German. You can also buy copies on Ebay, it runs about $18.95 each, but extremely useful and cost effective for patterns for these dolls,
Alice Leverett originals  creator of the 'Ultimate ' fashion doll. Last year in 2010 her Ultimate fashion doll was the UFDC convention doll, and highly prized. She gives workshops all around the country.
Theriault's auction house  known for being an auctioneer of some of the most premiere antique  collections of dolls or dollhouses in the  world. Florence Theriault is one of the leading experts today and gives classes on how to appraise and identify antique dolls
Jackie's Porcelain dolls  Another creator of french fashion dolls, BLuette, Daisy, etc.
Petite Pandore a yahoo group that is devoted to 12inch and larger french fashion dolls. Moderator is Barbara Devilbiss. Lots of useful info from talented collectors and experts on this group- I have learned somuch here!
Dollspart Supply  useful site for wigs, tools, supplies to either create your own French fashion doll or to buy patterns, kits, accessories for these little ladies. Also a great source for the hard to find books on French fashion dolls. Highly recommend.


These are just a few of the well known links, there are others and also other talented artisans out there as well. I reommend from my own experience in doing a bit of research before buying your doll, as she is an investment. If you are a purist, and truly wish to own an antique lady, then auctions are probably your best source.

~Lisa

New project: Miniature 1:12 scale Steampunk Tea table

Welcome to my new project! I know this is a post unusual to the one sixth scale dollhouse blog, but I have ventured back in to my 1:12 scale creations and am having a ball. I have been fascinated with steampunk, and steampunk miniatures. The world of steampunk is so creative, whether it be jewelry, clothing or decor.

My steampunk miniature tea table is in 1:12 scale. Not finished yet, but pics are posted on facebook page as well my King William Miniatures facebook page also. I did a special birds' eye maple on the table, and made the teacup/bread etegere, along with the cup rack. If you look closely, you can see the 'hot' water and the cogs and wheels underneath the server working to pump 'hot' water into the teacups. I also made all of the breads on the rack. Doll is from my personal collection by Sherri Colvin.
Enjoy! I will update the photos after I put the finishing touches on this item. Look for more steampunk items coming your way!
~Lisa

Hello there!

Well hello there! How are you? Just stopping by Minuette's shop and picking up some mail. Oh, yes, we've been settling in quite well at the Manor. The pig? Meet Oink...isn't she adorable? Iknow, but I haven't ever owned a piggy before.

I have so much exciting news to tell you! We are going to be able to re0institute our postal system again. There is a lovely little bird who has agreed to carry letters from all the dolls at the Pumpkin Patch. Miss Lisa is so pleased....so she told us to start preparing our letters so they could be delivered. Our little bird hasn't arrived yet, and so we are pretty excited. This means all of the dolls will be able to correspond with each other. It really makes it easier than relying on if Miss Lisa puts us all on the same shelf or table to keep in touch!
I'm heading to the Manor now...maybe you can catch up & meet me there??

Whew- you are quick! Let's take these letters upstairs!

hmm, looks...like an invitation of some sort for Valentine's day Miss Lisa has sent me. I have to get all of the correspondence, so I will have to inform the rest of the dolls in the 'Patch....I'll look at the rest of this later.

Well, thanks for being patient with me. Well, lots has been going on here at Pumpkin Hill. I have had alot to do. The dog? That is Fifi...Minuette thought the poodle should have a French name. I like how she matches my dress. Oink isn't allowed in the house....We've been doing alot to get ready for Valentine's day...do you like my new dress?

Well, what we've been doing...Minuette & I have been trying out new cookie recipes for Valentines' day....

What do you think Minuette? Minuette: I think they are rather small...that's not big enough cookie...

I like them, oops, I guess I had to eat one!

We also all three of us, decided to have tea and discuss our plans for Valentine's day. Maizie was being disagreeable and wanted to eat Strawberry shortcake. She wouldn't try on her new Valentine's day dress...but I guess her red striped shirt would do....

As you can tell, Minuette & I are on a pink and red kic I think I am more of a girly doll than Maizie...& I just like everything to match.
So I've also been overseeing the work that is to begin onthe old dollhouse of MIss Lisa's...where all of us tinies will be living...after all this big house is somewhat small....and Mrs. Woodenhouse might want to move back in soon.........

.
Yeah, those are paint cans and that is a brush Miss Lisa wanted me- ME to pick up with...and just when she had made me a new dress. This house will need more than paint to make it better...is what I told her. hmph....

Maizie has a new bicycle...and isn't it darling? Miss Lisa said she had a bike just like it, only much, much bigger when she was a little girl...and hers wasn't red it was purple....

We have been getting alot of mail from Miss Lisa...Maizie and I are run ragged keeping up...Here I am at Miss Lisa's shop getting a package! Maizie is beginning to make regular trips to the post office box as well.

Even some of the Divas that live in the One Sixth Scale Dollhouse are baking and getting ready for Valentine's day with delicious stuff to eat...Learning to Cook Barbie was packing up this cake in a cake box when I spotter her...I asked Miss Lisa why she was called that...and Miss Lisa just grinned and said, 'Well Dixie, she's still learning to cook!'

(just between you & me, Miss Barbie is a little OLD not to know how to cook! Isn't she like., 50???)

Anyways, the cake looked yummy. I couldn't resist taking a slice for myself when Miss Barbie wasn't looking... But I guess she checked the cake again and found a slice gone...well us Brownies work up an appetite...

Well, that is all the news on me, Maizie, & Minuette. I will update you more later when there is more to tell.

~blog updated by Dixie, resident Brownie of Strawberry Hill Manor

Dixie & the tinies settle in....

Dixie silently typing on her laptop,,,

Type type type....
(Dixie hears something, turns around...)

Oh my, didn't you give me a start! Hello there! What? Oh yes, Miss Lisa has me hooked on barbiecollector.com Research you know- soon the One Sixth Scale Dollhouse, the diva's dollhouse, will be coming home from the shop soon, so I have to know what type of dolls I will be dealing with...you startled me! But this house is pretty old. I'm not crazy about my office- it will be redecorated soon...

Well, I guess I should catch you up on how we tinies here are settling in at Strawberry Hill Manor. Pretty good, if I do say so myself. My office is going to be repainted and Miss Lisa brought home an unfinished bookshelf- it's behind me- and my office will be done in modern, painted white. I will order my computer desk when Minuette decides what kind of stove & sink she wants in the kitchen. As for settling in...
everyone kind of has their own routine now.

Maizie helps in the kitchen...

She's really great at making pies! My favorite is being made right now- banana cream pie! Maizie is one cool doll.
We also got a new dining room set, which looks much more nicer with the pretty wallpaper, and brighter...

We all had dinner last night on the new dining room, with the new Rement coffee cups that had arrived. It was a treat! Last night it was baked ham...Minuette, Maizie & I talked about the preparations for the new tiny who will be here in a few months...

Minuette takes care of our mail, and general tidying of the house, which isn't easy-- since this is such a big house! Today she received a package from  Sparrow Post Va.  (we have our own version of Sparrow Post down here in the South- pretty fast since the birds are always migrating south, we get our mail quickly.)

And me, I'm settling in as well.

My office is really coming along. Hopefully I will have some lamps in here as well so I can do my work.

Wow, it's good to stretch. I've been working most of the day to update the blog,. Hope you enjoy the pics of us settling in!
~Dixie the Brownie

More of Strawberry Hill Manor dollhouse...

So as promised, I took some more in depth pics of the Strawberry Hill dollhouse that is going to be the tinies' home for a little while. This dollhouse was a yard sale find for $20 at a church yard sale and came with some old furniture, the only thing missing was the components for the slant roof over the attic rooms. I am in the process of looking for some battery powered lights for it. But in these pics you can see the dollhouse front with the doors closed, and open. It currently sits on a small wood cube stand in my display room. I love the furniture in the kitchen and dining room, but it needs to be more comfy & modern. The office, next to the parlor, will be updated with a computer for Dixie as well, and a bed in the night nursery will be added too. I still have an attic bedroom not finished, that could be Minuette's room, since she doesn't like the furnished children's attic room- says the bed is not comfortable. dolls....the Realpuki when she arrives may sleep inthe night nursery.

Minuette loves the kitchen, but it is dark and cramped, and the best use of space hasn't been made. I may move that large hutch into the dining room, it will match the white & pine table and chairs I have for it already. The scandanavian table and chair are just too adorable, and they and the stove were given to me by Susan Sirkis, one of my miniature doll friends. But the stove needs to be more modern, so the sink and stove will come out and make way for a more modern one ,
All for now, more updated pics as I do more on the house, and working on cleaning out the display room.