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Story by
mck254,
weirdwolf
Published on September 8, 2009 in This Handmade Life |
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MP4 | Youtube | Blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes
(Music by Jonathan Cazenave, Lineland, animation by JuliaPott)
All Etsy videos are Creative Commons, so please embed them on your blog! Help spread the word!
UPDATE: Mimi announced the winner of her free pincushion giveaway today. Congratulations to Angela Recada who embedded the video on her blog. Mimi wrote, "Thanks so much to everyone that posted and entered. There were 82 entries all together. The random number generator picked #49 and that was Angela! [The following was originally posted on August 26, 2009.]
Mimi Kirchner, a.k.a. mck254, spent twenty years "being distracted" by ceramics before she discovered her true calling, making dolls. Mimi's childhood was spent surrounded by crafting materials. Her mother was an avid seamstress interested in high fashion, and she collected an endless array of gorgeous fabrics over the course of her life. After her mother stopped sewing, Mimi decided she wanted to make something out of her mother's legacy. Thus was the beginning of Mimi's doll making career.
Mimi and her sister with their fashionable mother.
Mimi's cozy attic studio is jam-packed with a lifetime's worth of inherited fabric, buttons and secondhand clothing awaiting reinvention. From bolts of her mother's tactile cashmere and tweeds to piles of vintage buttons and other thrift store odds-and-ends, Mimi has a veritable stockroom of supplies at the ready to produce her line of unique, handcrafted cloth dolls.
Little guy 6 by mck254, $140.
This injured fellow was inspired by Mimi's experience being hit in the face by a baseball as a kid. This little boy reminds me of my sweet nerdy brother getting into tussles at the playground.
Boy with black eye by mck254, $125.
Mimi's mother left her a huge supply of vintage girdle pieces, snaps, bra and garter hooks, zippers and other sewing hardware. The tiny mechanical parts inspired Mimi to create a line of robot dolls. This nerdy dude is adorable in his plaid pants.
Robot man in plaid by mck254 $250.
Mimi sticks to simple patterns for each of her dolls; by reducing the variables, it becomes all about the extras. Her female dolls are characterized by elaborate clothing and accessories, while her baby dolls are decorated with beautiful applique.
Sleeping swaddled baby by mck254, $125.
For more information about Mimi's work, check out her terrific blog, Doll: The Art and Work of Mimi Kircher.
"Tiny World" Pincushion Giveaway | $60 value
Mimi is doing a free giveaway of one of her adorable "Tiny World" pincushions! Embed the Handmade Portrait video on your blog and email the link to your post to mimi.kirchner.giveaway@gmail.com by 5 p.m. ET, Friday, September 4, 2009. Mimi will pick one lucky person using a random number generator. We'll announce the winner on Tuesday, September 8. This is the most ornate and fabulous pincushion we've ever seen! Don't you covet it?
If you don't know how to embed a video on your blog, no worries, it's simple. Here's how:
- Click the symbol that looks like this
on the video player at the top of this post. - Copy the embed code from the "embed" tab.
- Paste the embed code into the html of your own blog post.
- Send the link to your blog post to Mimi!
Browse Items by the Boston Handmade Team | Watch More Handmade Video Portraits
176 comments Login to add your own!
Kittysartandstuff
BeadinBabe
Ha! I love all of these! The little boy with the black eye is my favorite :) Not saying that I would like a little boy to have a black eye!! But it is a cute doll :) LOL
printedpretties
I love Mimi's work! What a great portrait, thank you so much! She just knows how to capture a bit of whimsy and nostalgia withe her little cloth people, I love them!
Emilie.
x
Aquanetta
Radness
penguinandfish
enhabiten
that was a great video! i love the tattooed men. such a funny and great doll idea. ps- mimi you were one cute kid. love seeing the old pictures. it gives me a more complete picture of the artist.
amoronia
I was actually introduced to it while reading a blog post by my friend Maria, aka psarokokalo, and I thought it was incredibly good!!!
madeinlowell
Oh this is just delightful! Mimi is fabulous and I have been completely drawn into her world of creations, thanks so much for showing this!
lynaslane
VixVintage
silentdisco
I love her work and her tattooed men so much. Thanks for sharing :)
VintageEye
nerdy robot man is awesome! thanks for allowing
us a peek into your world!
Knight27
steinschmuckdesign
littletank
lovelygifts
thecluelesscrafter
love the cozy sense of history that comes from using "inherited" fabrics. the sleeping baby is amazing, lovelygifts.
glasfaden
MeghanT
I like how you described getting an idea for an item and suddenly it just HAS to be made. When you went into details about your creative process using the tattooed man design as an example, all I could think was "Me too, me too!" This is why I carry around a sketch book. I'll be out somewhere and something will inspire me and BAM....I'm flooded with a new design concept that grow off each other. You have to rush home and try to bring it to life. My challenge is staying on task because one design idea forks off into others.
This wonderful feature made me realize how similar creative people are. I don't make things that aren't inspired by a strong emotion in me...it's why I try to include a bit of a story online with my creations. I want people to see what I saw, and understand the creative process. I agree with you: a well executed design should elicit some kind of emotional response in the viewer. That's what art is all about.
Bravo!
Slowshirts
Thanks goodness for people like you Mimi, it's so inspiring to see the different mediums you have worked with in your life. I love the fact you went from pottery to textiles. Great video, wonderful work!
mosey
DuBuhDuDesigns
Congrats Mimi~your work is truly beautiful and always seems fresh and new with each design that you create (your tattooed men are still my favorites)!
Wonderful video-I enjoyed hearing about your background and seeing a "real" artists studio :)
kitschcafe
WOW. love that! it's great to see that she uses old fabrics.
I love the video portraits. so fun!
MissAvocado
I'm SO glad to see this feature! Mimi's work is incredible and the craftsmanship on her dolls and creations is some of the best I've seen.
seaglassthings
ericawalker
i love this peek into your world- thank you.
i've admired your work for a long time and was finally able to see some in person in boston this spring. each piece is such a treasure- love them all.
Elizaveta
....I love how excited Mimi gets when talking about her work...
AtlasSigns
Mini - Can you make a Mini Teddy Kennedy Doll? I love the Tatooed Men. Exquisit!
1AEON
stitchface
This absolutely made my day! Thanks so much Mimi for giving us a glimpse into the creative workings behind your stunning dolls :D
TactileBaby
Mimi, how inspiring! Thank you for letting us take a peek into your artistic world.
ReclaimedToYou
Congratulations Mimi! Thrilled to see you and your work recognized in this way!
chromalab
paramountvintage
absolutely amazing! i am in awe of the talent and creativity of all of these artists. thanks for inspiring me!
WitNWhimsyArt
I love this site. I have not been so inspired by any other place on the web. I just love seeing all the different talents artists on here. Okay, I am done boosting egos:-) I really love it here.
MyMoms
Krystyna81
JessicaPoundstone
I've been waiting for this one ever since weirdwolf mentioned she was working on it. So worth the wait!!! Yay for Mimi : )
girltuesdayjewelry
MarianneW
blackeyedsuzie
Beautiful work by Mimi and another great video by Tara - just lovely! Thank you both for this glimpse into Mimi's world and process.
riorita
I love all these handmade dolls, The one with the black eye reminded me of my childhood!
teegee
Congrats Mimi from another Arlingtonian! I have always admired your dolls, well before etsy came along. They are beautiful! Congrats on the write up!
rowenamurillo
Love these dolls. Why are rag dolls always so charming? Of course, these are particularly charming.
heartbreakart
What amazing dolls! I never really thought much about dolls until seeing this video and Mimi's art! And she seems sooo nice too! :)
Vanessa
Here's Mimi's awesome post about make-dos too!
http://mimikirchner.com/blog/archives...
PipocaHandmade
Lovely article on the story behind the making of these dolls (especially those wonderful robot dolls!)!
lorirodgersart
Absolutely inspiring. Now I am going to go out to my ceramics studio and analyze my clay obsession. I am going to look at your site now! Thank you thank you thank you!
BeyondStitches
I just love Mimi's work, her story, her studio...how inspiring! Thank you for sharing.
ALittleWorld
worksandfinds
Congratulation. I love them all but the pincushion is fantastic.
mtraub
I just want to reach out and touch Mimi's dolls. The tattooed men, robots, and tiki dudes get me thinking about dollmaking in a totally new way!
LisaFerinDesigns
saraaires
I've been following Mimi's craft for a while (2, 3 years... gosh!) Since th first time I saw her characters I just got the impression of her as a great artist. They always strike you with a certain proper inner something. It's just great to see her portrait on etsy! Thanks for sharing!
shecological
SurrenderDorothy
BlueRoseRetro
I can look at Mimi's work over and over again. She has a great eye for colors, patterns and proportions. Her folkloric touches are quite unique. I love the guy with the black eye...crack me up!
UglyBaby
swallowfield
papermenagerie
I'm so glad you were featured, Mimi! I'm so lucky I got to admire your work and process in person as part of Boston Handmade :)
zeropumpkin
sandali
Mimi your work is AWESOME !!!! I love all the fun & trigger happy characters ;)
AUTOMATIEK
MaryLittfin
This was a most inspiring video. The passion and feeling you have about your work flows. I just love your work and the use of "found" items. I wish I could just walk into your home and savor every corner. Thank you so much for sharing.
hiyadollface
Kyotoqt
Oh- I think this is just wonderful- Your work is so creative- keep going!
EJPcreations
SimpleTraditions
allthenumbers
Ohmygosh Mimi!! Congratulations! They could not have spotlighted a more talented or deserving artist! Your creations inspire me more than words can say!
lizroca
Another wonderful portrait! Mimi, I love your dolls and your colorful studio.
ChloesRuffleButt
Beautiful work Mimi! I can't throw anything away either.
Zooguu
Yay! I've been waiting for this to come out!
Congratulations, Mimi - your work is fantastic and your environment is so inspiring. I love that photo of you and Ben, too! It was nice to see our green leaf tiki man in one of the photos - he's currently hanging in our living room and we cherish him very much.
recycledwares
who doesn't love a cute and cuddly doll? so many cute ones here.
astulabee
oh! so wonderful! I first learned of etsy after seeing a magnet with a photo of Mimi Kirchner's dolls and her etsy address below on my sister's refrigerator in Boston!
wonderlandia
What beautiful dolls, I love the sculpted noses it gives the face so much more life. I have the same problem as Mimi - I have stuff coming out of my ears and yet I still keep collecting...
ReclaimedDesigns
theweddingcontessa
What talent!!!! Love your dolls and your creativity!!!! Great job on following your dreams!
twolefthands
LaViejaTunTun
PeonySTreet
themagicalbean
KimsCraftyApple
Beadz2Pleaz
Such amazing talent! I love how Mimi lives her craft/art, oozing character and personality. Thanks for sharing!
missbatch
Mimi- your work is so endearing and lovely. Thanks for sharing. Your relationship to materials-- finding small treasures and working them into your art, just using what you already have-- is very inspiring and gives me hope that my collections are just looking for their outlet!
Tara, another beautiful portrait.
Furiousdreams
This was a very interesting exposé of how an artisan works and is inspired. I loved seeing her roots and early interests. Seems as though she's come full circle! The tatooed circus dolls are unique.
Great video portrait too~
norakaren
waxandwool
Thank you so much for featuring Mimi, I've been an avid reader of her blog and fan of her work. Watching this makes me hope that I get out to Boston or she gets out to San Francisco soon! Congratulations Mimi! So richly deserved!
maclancy
ooo I have always loved Mimi's dolls!! all that cashmere is my idea of a dream come true attic. I cannot wait to see what dolls will evolve from her in future... thank you so much for this feature on her.
JudithEloiseHooper
SeptemberStars
TheSingingBird
Mimi your work is so beautiful and inspiring, thank you for opening up your home and process for all of us to enjoy! I just wish this video was longer!! :)
lushbeads
What a wonderful look into your creative process. Congratulations, Mimi!
Iammie
blossomnbird
wow wonderful...thanks for that great story and beautiful work!
evihan
LaBellaAmour
Great little short film
love the story
Im so inspired
I almost cried
xoxoxo Belle
lilworkerb
Love the video. The dolls are so creative, and beautiful! Love it!
breadandroses
My jaw dropped hearing this wonderful story - parallel lives on so many counts! Totally understand the inability to throw much of anything away. Now I know why I've been saving those old girdle garter snaps.
Mimi, your shop was one of the first I discovered when I joined Etsy. Your work is exquisite in concept and craftsmanship and has inspired me more than I can say. Thank you!
StonehouseStudio
Way to go, Mimi! Mimi's dolls always make me smile - and the real life details are amazing - like a felt band-aid on a little girl doll's knee!
LippincottSoapCo
ImperfectlyPretty
Oh my goodness! I love Mimi's dolls and all her tons of bits and pieces waiting to become parts of dolls! I want to sit in Mimi's beautiful studio and have a cup of tea, surrounded by all those wonderful fabric people! Thank you, Mimi!!
dollfacekillah
what a talented and interesting lady!! i'm with imperfectlypretty when she said she wanted to sit in mimi's studio with a cup of tea surrounded by all her little people!
thank you, etsy, for giving this amazing woman a place to display her craft!
PhineasandLou
Your work is so amazing! I LOVE and appreciated how you describe something that "has to be made". Thanks for sharing a bit of your world :)
yaelfran
elsita
Dear Mimi,
I am so happy to see you in this video!
You're beautiful and I really love the passion that you put into everything that you create.
I am so honored to own one of your dolls, she is right next to my bed, I love seeing her everyday. You're the real deal when the comes to doll making. it is like you were born for doing what you do. Everything about what you do is so authentic and special. Your work is unique, there is only one Mimi out there in the world and your work inspire lots of other people including myself.
Thank you so much for your art.
I send you a big hug!
Elsita :)
StudioCherie
mealymonster
wonderful video. great work, I love all the character each doll has and the twist of whimsy and fun that is added.
:) Nicole
vol25
awww this was sweet! I LOVED the stong men tattooed circus dolls. Soo clever!
ALso- our house was built in 1892!! :)
SerendipityVintage
I am so moved by her art! Her dolls remind me of some of the cloth dolls I had as a child. I'm so glad that Etsy did this handmade portrait so I could discover her work.
sharonclancydesigns
Mimi's dolls are one of my absolute favorites on etsy! I love love love her work. I can't stop putting them in my treasuries because they are just so awesome! I'm so pleased to see her featured here, so well deserved!
AliceIsDreaming
I LOVE Mimi's work, and more importantly her story! I really enjoyed watching her video. The emotion in her voice when she spoke about her work was very moving and insspiring. Thank you Mimi!
loopyboopy
nancyrosetta
I really love this look into Mimi's craft. I've watched it three times already, and I want to watch it again!
It's incredibly inspiring! Thanks Mimi, and Etsy!
ThePurlMinx
weirdwolf
What a treat to shoot this video. Watching Mimi effortlessly move from one work in progress to another, with imagination and precision, was incredibly inspiring. I own one of Mimi's cloth dolls and I have to say it's one of the prettiest things in my home. Yay Mimi!
GgaBulShop
heidicooper
That was so interesting and inspiring! What an amazing artist!!
knitalatte
I loved this video glimpse of the life and inspiration behind Mimi the artist , collector and dollmaker. Seeing her own hands stitching and holding her dolls was fantastic. I love her attic studio filled to the brim with dolls and potential. I would love to see a video like this starring Elsita Mora.
chelseasroom
Great work... love the boo-boos details... really inspiring for me -since I just started my Etsy store!!!
PaperPetalCreations
Great video! Thanks for sharing this insight into your creations. It's always fun to see how other artists express their crafty side.
mutsuko
paddyridge
adorable and clever....love the inspiration from all these etsy artists!
lilc
Do you remember the Crissy doll? She was one of the first baby dolls where her hair could grow longer or made shorter...my older brother destroyed her! And she also happened to be the only doll I owned. Since that day, I have had a passion for dolls - beautiful dolls, (...and their clothes, carriages...). Mimi, some of your dolls are exquisite, and all of them are a wonderful story. Watching your video really warmed my heart. Thank you for sharing.
littlemissmaimun
I don't know her and... i think i love her already!. That's real art... 'when there's an emotional response'.
laspottery
awesome work and I like how she surrounds herself with the craft she loves!
winsomehollow
anadiazarte
marabradforddesigns
Hi Neighbor,
I live on Gloucester St. and go by your house on my way to Johnny's. I knew someone creative had to live in your house, because of your garden out front, and now my suspicion is confirmed! I LOVE what you do and hope to meet you around town someday.
ColourHarmonics
namao
Dear Mimi, I'm so impressed by your art I wish I could be your neighbour and visit you on your attic ! Complimenti !!!
MonniebeanFolkart
Wonderful and inspiring-it's amazing how many different dolls us people can make!
schoolyard
dogdaisy92
Its so fantastic to see you and hear you talk about your work.I've been a big fan on flickr for a long time , especially the tattooed men.
Keep on making. It gives everyone so much pleasure.
thefrenchfleashop
pixieblossoms
Esma
Great story! I love how you utilize fabrics and things that you've picked up through the years.... makes for beautiful and interesting dolls!
fantasticbeasts
Wait, everyone -- brown! Brown-skinned dolls! Oh man, I how often does Etsy feature something without lily-white skin? And these dolls are so endearingly quirky and well-constructed. So awesome.
Thank you for spotlighting some diversity, even if it's just among (amazing) dolls!
(Seriously though, Etsy's favoring of caucasians borders on criminal. IMHO.)
woolandwater
I am so happy to see this! I found Mimi's work years ago when she was making the painted dolls and I became an instant fan. There are layers of expression in her dolls that you don't find anywhere else. I truly admire her work.
Tresijas
This is wonderful! Such an interesting video and comforting to see another person that collects lots of btis and bobs to be made famous later. gorgeous work!
lindapaloma
Thank you for the inspiration! I'm going back into the studio right now, even though it's 110 degrees in there this afternoon. Mimi's beautiful dolls kick started my creativity.
23rdstreetvintage
I would love to have my triplets done as these dolls.
Then I could carry them around and pretend they listen to me for once!
SmilingGirlStudio
leafprintstudio
modkee
Amazing how the emotional connection I had to Mimi's work was almost instantanious and through a video no less! Mimi~ you are very talented and passionate. Keep up the good work!
OctoberMansion
A very well made video. But that comes as no surprise when you see the attention to detail in Mimi's dolls. I want to live in Mimi's mini universe...please...
BBDexter
sugarcubed
BlissForest
I recently discovered Mimi's dolls, and loved looking through her store. I love her current line of work, and look forward to seeing more of her humor (the tattooed men and robots) as well as her clean cut school kid dolls. I appreciate the sharing about her personal process and history. Thanks Mimi!
Aly
SplyPixie
Well what a lovely day to start the day!! You strike me as such a lovely warm person with so much imagination and love of pretty things and all of that is reflected in those gorgeous dolls. What a range of styles too! really wonderful - made me feel all warm, fuzzy and creative...just like one of your dolls :o)
I'm a fan and will now sneak off to look at the rest of your creations!
Katya Xx
seboldsoriginals
cinnamonsticks
Thank you for sharing! I love being able to see a creation brought to life by two hands. Inspiring!
blainedesign
One of the best Handmade Portraits ever, both for the amazing, exacting work, and the spirit of genuine genius and creativity. A story like this one reawakens in me a deep feeling of community and fellowship with other makers of things. Loved it!
AlchemicMuse
EarthenTreasures
Your work is whimsical, yet practical. I love that you reuse clothing and accessories! In my purses, I love to do that, too! Thanks for sharing.
PaperedFair
These dolls are very special! Thanks for sharing your story!
DalkullanJewelry
ClothesbyValery
Gorgeous dolls,and I love those little dollclothes too.All items are so adorables!Thanks for sharing!
cadestudios
I particularly LOVE your tattooed men and the robots.
Fantastic work!!!
Have you done any celebrity look-alike dolls?
joyceweaver
I love the dolls AND your video! I'm a doll maker too so I can relate to a lot of the same things. Good luck to you & your wonderful dolls!
quiltwork
I started my own blog a little over a week ago. To initiate it I am running a free giveaway - please stop by to enter free giveaway, and look around my blog - I hope you will find it interesting! All you need to do is a give me a suggestion on how to name the portrait quilt:
FruitOfMyHands
I have loved every one of these videos from my handmade life. This one was great also.
littlepumpkincrafts
The babies are so great! I love that she is a big collector, makes me feel better about my own habit.
asherjasper
gladiwrapaprons
The tour of Mimi Kirchner's studio and home and creative process was a privilege. I felt like a child peering into an elaborate Victorian dollhouse. I am overawed by the incredible beauty and diversity of her creations!
JeanB123
I am a fan Now of your doll. i have a mind like yours i do not like to get rid of things i love material. I live in a very small place though so i had to rid myself of a lot of my items. HOO HUM. So just a big fan so interesting so wonderful.
tree2
obi1
konkokto
wow, the fact that she taught herself from books at an early age is amazing.... yeah !
MetroGypsy
Just downloaded this for my Ipod on Itunes, watched it today while @ work and again- what an *inspiration*!
workhomeunion
modernbird
i loved this peek into Mimi's life and her creations, this is my 3rd time visiting the video!!
thank you!
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