My Doll Making Journey
I have always loved dolls. Primitive, elegant or bizarre - paper, clay, cloth, porcelain, wood, or whatever - I love them all!!
My doll making journey goes back to the mid 1990s when I signed up for classes in making reproduction porcelain dolls under the tutelage of a certified doll maker. I did this for several years and enjoyed it thoroughly until I came across a book at my local library on the subject of cloth dolls. Up until that point, I had never thought of cloth dolls as being anything more than playthings for children so I was quite surprised to see a picture as well as instructions in the book on how to make a cloth doll dressed as a medieval princess. I was instantly intrigued and with book in hand, couldn't wait to get home to give it a try. Once I began designing and making historical cloth dolls, I was hooked!
As I made my dolls, it soon became apparent that people were interested in purchasing them so I would sell them here and there by word of mouth. I soon realized though that I should find a better way to market my dolls and this is where I discovered Etsy.
I see my doll making as an escape with each doll taking me on a new adventure. I am also interested in what other doll makers are doing and am constantly inspired by their work. So much so, that I have begun combining other mediums with my cloth doll making such as the air drying clays. As with all creative processes, my doll making will evolve over time and I look forward to what the future will bring.
