Making New Dolls~

I am finally making new dolls. Well, I have been working on them for a while now, but it takes a while for them to look like anything but a bunch of wire and foil. Now they have little faces and some paint. Am I slow or do I just do things the old fashioned way? I hope it is the 2nd. I sure get lost in my own little world when making any of my art and time just flows in a very different way. So, here are some of my new folks so far.

Years ago when I started making my funny looking dolls, they were based on my love of Greek and Egyptian sculptures like the ones pictured below. I had just returned from going to university in Athens, Greece. Everything ancient and mysterious is magic to me. To that, I add my own Fairy Tales, other favourite artistic periods and my own imagination to create these dolls as well as the rest of my art.

When I get to the wig-making part for my dolls, I can count on my 4 little cats to help me like they are doing in the photos below. This is a BIG help. I may have to film this bit as I look like an idiot chasing after the balls of yarn. I am confident my cats are laughing at me and that this makes their day! If I was them I would be laughing at me too. OK, I am laughing at me already-it really is funny!

Thank you Glastonbury!

For the Love of Regency Fashion

Lately, while I work on projects from beading to drawings, paintings and dolls, I have been watching some of my favourite films over and over. I love these films because I love the Regency Style Fashion in them. Yes, they are films so the fashion may not be totally correct, but that is fine with me(movie magic and all that!). In particular, I have been watching "Vanity Fair" with Reese Witherspoon-wow! Her costumes are just fantastic! And, I have been watching the 2005 version of "Pride and Prejudice" with Keira Knightly. I love the fashions in this version as well. The interiours and exteriours in these movies are also amazing.

Here are some of my paintings of my Regency inspired Ladies. They have all been done with watercolours and gouache paints, metallic inks, coloured pencils and pastels on archival cotton rag paper. Most of them can be found in my Etsy shop http://www.pascal4aqua.etsy.com/ so check them out if you have a chance. I plan on doing more too! Even my faeries are wearing Regency-ish styles these days-they are wearing long mitts and gloves and fancy detailed gowns-all of which I wish I could wear myself!

"Violetta"

"Lady with Amythest Cross"

"Venchenza"

"Regency Lady in Turquoise and Aqua"

"Lila"

"The Blue Lace Veil"

"Springtime Faerie"

"Violet"


A Commissioned family portrait where Mom is wearing Regeny Fineries including her gown and opera length emerald green gloves~

My Twin in her Regency style Wedding Ensemble of a blush pink silk wedding gown with organza cap sleeves and pintucked bodice, purple velvet overcoat that is lined in fuschia satin and matching Juliet cap. For the reception, she took off the coat. I designed the outfit and my mom(who is an amazing seamstress) made it a reality-I am still not sure how she did it! It was a gorgeous 30 October Wedding in 1999.

Nearly 6 years later, I found this gorgeous outfit in the Jane Austen Museum in Bath, England. I was very freaked out as it was so much like my Twin's outfit! I even made my twin a little purse like this but in pinks and purples!

With the leftover wedding gown and jacket fabric, I made this "Bride Doll" of my twin with my own crazy twist on everything. She even has a little mask as the Wedding was Masque Ball for Halloween and I got to make both masks-how fun-they are both covered in the finest glass glitter and rhinestones so they sparkle! I love making these dolls and any other commissioned dolls or portraits for folks so feel free to ask me about it!

Photo Self Portraits "Thoughts of Jane"

Inspiraton from "Pride and Prejudice" 2005

Inspiration from "Vanity Fair" with Reese Witherspoon

Esty Sale still going on~

http://pascal4aqua.etsy.com/

My Esty shop sale will be going on until the 2nd week of March. I hope to have new pieces to add to my shop at that point. I am going to start selling my photographs, dolls and my cat busts(I may try to add a fairy and a cat bust to the sale! Then, I can start on new ones).

Today I was inspired by some really gorgeous fancy papers. I actually got several sheets, new sealing wax and will be looking for some more vintage ribbon so I can start a new series of plaques. Plus, it is time for new beads(shiny! sparkle!) for headpieces and new jewelry. I am teaching my little girl cat Bijou to help me out with this as she loves beads and wire so much. We all have a love for gorgeous fabrics-I like to make things out them and my little cats like to sleep on them! I am loving all kinds of pinks with moss green right now-love these sweet fabric flowers and vintage shoes!

My little herd of black cats(The Littles as I call them) have been telling me some pretty incredible stories of what they have been up to so I must start writing those down.

Here are some images of things that have been inspiring me-fashion always inspires my paintings and my dolls.

I am loving fairy things-toadstools, fairy wings, moss green~ I am also loving so many colours-as I always do-but I am feeling the pinks, aqua, browns, purples and more.

I am loving ancient Greek things-like these gold sandals, and ancient Greek jewelry. Add to all this anything folklore-y plus some vintage lace, feathers, beads, (nice big black boots too of course!) and little cats and animals and you have what is running through my mind-busy place!

Hope all is well with all of you!