Nancy In The Making

Dear diary, Christmas being just around the corner is a seasonal reminder of the annual ritual of gifting.  I relish Dickensian tales of austerity and the ingenuity of the characters  that embrace the philosophy of a gentle economy, where there was little to waste.

  Giving something luxurious and thoughtful that entices a warm midwinter glow during the darkest part of the year is what I endeavour to do.  Although handmade by me the time invested can never be considered an exercise in penny pinching.  After all one cannot bestow compliments of the season with a miserly approach, there are no Scrooges here thank you.

An important familial tradition and an absolute pleasure over the years, has been to create little characters as gifts.  My children are grown yet there is still a desire to create these dolls, not for playing with as previously but as an heirloom piece or a decorative artefact; this was where the original inspiration for Nancy was born.

The simplistic charm of a traditional rag doll cannot be surpassed; it conjures a retrospective sentiment, traditionally from nothing more than odds and ends of this and that and is appreciated and loved by young and old alike. 

I can’t explain my endless fascination with doll making it is a palpable feeling rooted within that compels and motivates me.

 I am renowned for over complicating designs and miniaturizing a thing.  Although I wholeheartedly appreciate the beauty of simplicity in the work of others, however, when faced with a choice of static versus articulated limbs the joints win every time.  I am quite a contradiction.  I feel the introduction of dynamics elevates a fabric figure from a play thing into a holistic character that is fully pose able; unfortunately this takes time and requires much experimentation hence several attempts to achieve proportional and balanced limbs.

Nancy is a historic representation of the stories and knowledge of my forbears, of making and crafting using traditional skills; I pay homage to the generation that I succeed.

I am taking a small break from doll making this week as my attention turns to more homely pursuits.  My lounge and conservatory are receiving new window treatments, handmade by me of course, an indulgence long overdue.

Farewell, until next time.

The British Craft Trade Fair

Dear diary it has been a rather hectic week all in all.  Balancing the family dramas of normalcy and work does not ease regardless of how old, practiced or experienced one becomes.  As the tick of a clock marks the passage of time with monotonous regularity, the depths of my subconscious is equally pricked by an urgency; a cumbersome reminder that my journey continues without any physical effort from myself.  However, I shall continue to endure the imminent pressure of the deadline which, for me, is par for the course.

In August, somewhat rashly perhaps, I decided to exhibit my wares at the British Craft Trade Fair this coming April, and have been developing and refining my ideas for this event.  Being totally absorbed in the making process that my submission for their online catalogue had completely eluded me.  So began the onerous task of finding images and a narrative that portray Raganory within a specified word count, hence all the deadline drama.  The effort was made, the entry submitted and the panic swiftly set in.  Alas fait accompli, my dreams reside in the uncertainty of speculation and opinion.

An impromptu photoshoot was organized in my current workroom for the catalogue images, which hopefully illustrates the diversity of my craft.

A truly satisfying moment occurred midweek when all my industry resulted in a rather charming online catalogue page, none of which would be possible without the efforts, on my behalf, of the British Craft Trade Fair.

A view of my entry on the listings page.

My planned diary entry is scheduled later this week, which is the first instalment that details the making of a new doll Nancy. For now however, I’m off to work on a miniature bear.

Farewell, until next time.

A New Age

Dear diary it was my birthday yesterday, I was forty-nine.  I said that without the sharp intake of breath or audible gasping that’s associated with an incremental age hike.  Now on the threshold of my fifth decade I’m reminded of those predictable clichés, ‘forty being the old age of youth and fifty being the youth of old age’, need I say more?  I no longer feel the need to be placated and reassured about age related decline, in fact it’s quite the opposite, the once familiar and funny I find rather patronizing and not at all to my taste.  Perhaps I’m finally feeling a little more comfortable in my own skin, a little more confident, more accepting or maybe it’s just my age.

I have been absent from my blog for some months now. However, in that time I have made the monumental decision to exhibit at the British Craft Trade Fair next year and I’m currently developing my designs with that mind.  The diminishing timeframe inevitably creates obvious pressures with my working practices; the tension is almost palpable, hopefully not to my detriment as I strive to perform.

Currently I’m working on a new cloth doll; she is dynamic and has several articulating joints in the upper and lower limb; she is made exclusively from small quantities of rescued natural fibres, definitely rag by nature. 

She possesses a hand knotted silk wig, bespoke clothing and shoes.  

I started this project during the lead up to Christmas last year; unfortunately she was temporarily postponed due to a particular fascination of all things ursine. 

 I can confidently report that my grizzly enchantment has somewhat dissipated allowing for a more balanced approach and portfolio of work.

Although life is busy, frantically so at times, I endeavour to write regularly regarding the creation and processes involved with my approach to doll making.

Until next time, farewell.