Shop update

I have finally got round to updating the shop and adding the latest flower brooches that i have made...



I have also braved the cold today and finally photographed (outside as the light was good) the remaining handmade decorative dolls and have added them at a reduced price.


Isadora is a decorative fairy doll perfect for the top of the tree. (has a hanging loop at the back of her neck) We only have six left now but they are dressed in a variety of wonderful vintage prints. Each doll has been lovingly designed and handmade by either Alice or myself and we really hope they will find new homes this Christmas. (they are boxed and i could really do with the space now as my studio is very cramped... hence the reduced prices).



Matilda is probably the doll that we have enjoyed making the most. We have three different Matildas left. I think this gold one is my favourite as i just love her skirt which is made from such a beautiful sumptuous piece of fabric.



Lastly our Flora gardener dolls, most sporting Liberty print Tana lawn blouses recycled from Liberty print blouses. They all wear a quirky little flowerpot hat and have an apron to keep their garden twine and seeds safe.

All the dolls are placed on a bed of raffia in a specially made and decorated box. They do make a lovely gift. Please take a look at the website at our other designs.
thanks
ginny x


Edit to add.... Author signed copies of our book Sew Fabulous Fabric now available here with free postage to the UK.
We have had a lovely review of the book in the latest issue of Sew Hip and I discovered by chance a great review here at Whip Up... a fabulous site that if you haven't come across it before I urge you to take a look. x G

sorting out the old and moving forward

Today started off so sunny but soon the rain came. I confess that i am not good when it's cold, grey AND raining. I need sunlight or at least a little warmth and i love clear skies.
To take my mind off the weather i have been catching up with a few friends... one who i hope to meet finally this weekend!

I have also been getting reacquainted with a few other friends. Some poor lost souls who have been in storage since our move out of the Flour Loft studio.


They are some old doll designs.... Isadora fairies,which i know we will make again as they were very successful and so lovely to make, and Flora gardener dolls which we made when Alice and i were still working as folkydokee. They are boxed and would make a great present.



We really want to clear some space now (as we have much smaller workrooms) so they are on offer at £20.00 each plus postage (which varies depending on location to be sent). I photographed some of them today and will be adding them to the new aliceandginny website soon... once i work out how to add the shop facility. We would be really happy to see them go to off to new homes to be loved rather than stay with us in a box.



Our old folkydokee website was designed by my husband and it really was lovely. We had an online shop added but as it was so difficult for me to upkeep and change and add things then we - i - decided to buy a basic Mr Site package. It uses templates... a little like a blog which i am used to although it is a little frustrating trying to change the fonts and sizes as it adds all sorts of strange html code... it is not particularly sophisticated either. Has anyone else used Mr site? I would be interested to know how you got on with it. At least i won't have to rely on asking my husband when i want to make changes now... goodness knows i keep him busy already... poor man! I am surprised he wants to come home sometimes...

The new website will be more of a space where we can add tutorials, tips and info about what we are up to. We have added a gallery of some past work too and we will add a few things to purchase from the online shop from time to time.

As well as working on the website i have actually done some sewing today....I have been working out a new prototype doll pattern - a slightly larger one with a separate head as well as limbs. I always think they look so odd till they have their faces embroidered on and they have clothes and hair added. It is nice to see them come to life. I think i am going to try to sew a little each day as i really have missed it recently.
back to my doll stuffing...
Happy evenings to you all.
g x

Handmade Fabric Dolls

1. Vintage Isadora 2. Esther 3. Flora

4. Vintage Charity 5. Matilda Jade, Matilda Button 6. Rose

7. Retro Isadora 8. Raspberry Isadora 9. Charity


I have been playing with photoshop and have put together a few of the dolls we have made in the past. We love making the dolls and each one takes on its own personality. Once the face has been stitched we never change it. Some look wistful, whilst others look cheeky. All the dolls pictured, except the Retro Isadora have found new homes.
Other available dolls can be found on our website.


Tomorrow I will work at the college in the morning and then whizz down to the studio at lunchtime to meet Alice. Over the next month we will be sorting through our stock and fabrics and deciding what to keep, what to sell off and what to donate to local schools. We are sad to be leaving our Flour Loft Studio, but excited at what the freedom of not running the business will bring. We will also be putting our business name 'folkydokee handmade' to rest and will in the future collaborate under our own names of Alice and Ginny. Our website will eventually change it's name and any future work either together or individually will be linked from there.


My next job is to convert my outside garden building into an arty, crafty, sewing home studio for all the family. I am thinking that if i blog about the progress of this project that it'll give us a focus and a kick up the arse and hopefully we will get it done in the Spring.
Tomorrow is Monday, hope your weekend was good, enjoy the week.
g
x

Proof i am still sewing.....

This is to prove i am still sewing and creating .....

even though the posts of late, haven't included much reference to this.



notice all the threads and scraps? ..must get the broom out!

I have been taking lots of step by step shots of new things we have been making and have had the camera permanently in my hand.. this shot just appeared in my view finder and reminded me of a many similar blog shots I've seen. These are my 'pretty' sandals.. the only ones really as my usual footwear attire is more suited to walking and gardening.

Unfortunately i can't show you what i am doing as it's a secret...

I haven't wanted to say till now, as it is all a little unreal, but Alice and I are writing a book. Still won't believe it till it's published. Deadlines are getting close... with our first photo shoot next week! arghhh! Actually i am really looking forward to it and am loving the opportunity of creating new projects for this book with Alice. This is what we really love doing best.... the challenge of designing, the collaboration of ideas and the joy of creating. The book is already written in synopsis form and all the projects it shall include were agreed earlier in the year. Last week we submitted the first two completed projects with all the 'blurb' and step by steps. The publishers create a BLAD (book , layout and design) from this with cover shots and contents page and use this to discuss and fine tune the final layout and design of the book. It is hard work but very exciting and we feel so lucky to be given this opportunity.

Life in the studio still continues and we are also working on some commissions.

Some cushions adapted from our 'Tree of Life' Cushion,

Some specially commissioned Angel dolls as Holy Communion gifts and a made to order Advent. (yes it is coming around again..).

So life is very full , but also very creative, which is what makes me happy!

Have a great weekend.
G
x

Show week

Hi again...
I am shattered tonight (thurs) so will just keep it brief ( if i can)and post some stand photos.

Shed door with handmade handbag, garland and applique apple curtains.

Flora ( gardener) dolls in presentation boxes.

Handbags and cushions

Apple and strawberry t shirts

Lemon drizzle cake and wellies (ours as it has been so muddy).

Alice and me (i) on Wednesday ( Alice's birthday).
Happy Birthday Al!

Today (thursday) has been a great day and everyone who came on the stand was lovely. The weather was so much better which i feel put everyone in a more cheerful mood... that and lots of Pimms! My sister and aunt came on a coach trip from Alton (where our studio is) to the show today. It has been great for Alton as a local infant school won a prize for the best small garden. There is also a Hampshire garden 'Selbourneiseis' which was designed bya local woman... i loved it. Selbourne is a pretty village just outside Alton where naturalist Gilbert White lived.
I have taken some photos and will post them soon.
Off to bed early tonight. The show is open 10 till 7.30 so its a long old day..i need rest.
Thanks again for all the supportive comments. Much appreciated. I will spend next week catching up on all your lovely blogs.
G
x

Countdown....Days 4 and 3

Just a quick post tonight as i'm tired and need to get up at 6am tomorrow....my bed is calling.
Yesterday was a chill out day. Catching up with household tasks.. like buying food, laundry..etc.. preparing for a week with me working long hours. The kids are excited as with both myself and my 'lovely' man back late they will be playing with friends every day after school and even having a few sleepovers. I also had a very early night, last night.. 9.30.. unheard of for me. I needed it as working a show can be exhausting.. on your feet all day.. long days.. chatting (well we are both very good at that).

Today was filled with final labelling, packaging and paperwork type things. Postcards have arrived and look good and the van is now packed thanks to Alice's 'lovely' man. (yes he really is lovely too). Tomorrow we leave early to go and set up and paint, put up shelves and get the space ready to display our stock.

Thank you everyone who has left supportive comments. I will leave you with some pictures of our fairie doll. We call her Isadora. Her dress is made from floral fabrics, mostly vintage , some retro , all with beautiful vintage lace trims. She has twine hair and and embroidered wings.

detail

Hair and dress detail



Retro, wildflowers Isadora

Isadora Fairie ( late 40's/early 50's floral)

I am away now to dream with the fairies....
G
x

New dolls...

Introducing our new traditional rag doll.....

A sweet doll with stripey or spotty tights, little suede shoes, a swing jacket with outsize buttons and coordinating skirt ( either kilt style or gathered ). She has an embroidered face , jute locks and pretty hair ribbon. She does not (as yet) have a name.......

We have loved designing and making her and her friends. There are about 12 more finished and ready to photograph in a variety of different fabrics and colours.( will post these soon ).
These dolls have been individually designed and many of the fabrics and trims used are vintage and precious. They are designed as decorative dolls for adults and older children and their clothes are sewn fixed. So not really for young children unless used as an ornament and put out of reach of little hands until a bit older. ( not for under 3 years due to buttons and twine hair ).

We have not been able to agree on a name for her and welcome your comments and suggestions... please....

All our other dolls have a generic name, eg our fairy dolls are all called Isadora and our gardener dolls are all called Flora. These rag dolls are so individual that we can't decide if we should name them all individually or give them an overall generic name. Maybe their new families would prefer to choose the name ?

Here is another doll who we thinks looks very French ....maybe she should have a French name?

The kilt style skirt is a needlecord with a bold floral print and i love the jacket with the ric rac trim and retro buttons. Very stylish.

Other news.
My daughter had a lovely extended birthday this year... Family party on Thursday, Pirates of the Carribben birthday treat with her friends on Friday and the first b.b.q of the year spent with family friends on Saturday. We have all had some late nights this half term and the girls went back to school with hollow eyes this morning .. still they have had fun! So it is once again back to the normal routine of work during the school day and as we have less than 4 weeks to Hampton Court , work at any other time possible!
Have a good week.
G x

Esther

This is a picture of Esther our pioneer doll. She used to have a mate called Zeb but unfortunately he is no longer around. There are some Zebs out there somewhere though. We only made a few... maybe one day we will be inspired to make him again. Esther nowadays is mainly made to order. She has been created in many different colours. My favourite being in soft lavender needle cord with a small lilac check blouse and bonnet. Almost kept her, but luckily I still see her now and again as she took up residence at my lovely friend Sarah's house.

Today has been a doll day.....
The Flora outfits have been stitched and her apron sewn. Just her clogs and hat to do now, then clothing her, adding the hair and embroidering her face. Quite a few processes to each of these sweet gardener dolls. We do love making them though.

Isadora is our fairy doll. She was originally made in plain coloured linens. Last Christmas we showcased a vintage and retro Isadora range, which proved really popular. We have been sourcing fabrics for these today and have 10 different fabrics ready to cut and make into dresses.

We also have a new doll which we are prototyping... we shall keep her a secret for the moment ... and if she works out we will post her later on. We are still musing over her name.
Speaking of names Cherry at pixie wood has opened up a competition asking for readers to name a bag... think I might have a go.
Cherry is the first person who has read this blog (other than my family) and made contact. Thanks so much, it made my Sunday!
Also check out her 'In the bag' on her food blog about creating a recipe from three pre chosen seasonal foods. A really great idea. I will be checking back for inspiration.
G