Morphine Doll Ornament

Also just listed is a new Doll ornament I call "For What Ails You ". Based on the popularity of Morphine and it's many uses during the Victorian era as well as it's addictions and death inducing traits..a very fascinating subject for me of course. She comes complete with prescription paper, a bottle of morphine, needle, and spoon all handsculpted from polymer clay .

Althought my doll ornaments are made to hang I find that they add a nice touch to book ends and corners of shelves, as they can be made sit up. My favorite way to display them is on my book shelves.Such nice little touches among my old books :)

Do drop by and take a look.

http://cgi.ebay.com/OOAK-Victorian-Gothic-Folk-Art-Morphine-Doll-Ornament_W0QQitemZ260216186158QQihZ016QQcategoryZ73503QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Listed this morning are two new bottle ornaments, a "Witches Brew" Spell bottle for beauty and transformation spells, and an "Elixer of Death" to bring your loved one back in case of early departure or accidental death ( I could have used this one when I was learning to cook many, many years ago;)

http://cgi.ebay.com/OOAK-Goth-Victorian-Witches-Brew-Spell-Bottle-Ornament_W0QQitemZ260216191089QQihZ016QQcategoryZ73503QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Victorian-Gothic-Winged-Skull-Coffin-Bottle-Ornament_W0QQitemZ260216188388QQihZ016QQcategoryZ73503QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

New Mourning Topsy Turvy Doll "Tear Drop Memories"

"Tear Drop Memories" Topsy Turvy Doll
One side is a mourning doll holding a family album or "book of the dead" with

post mortum photographs .

The other side is a mourning doll with a gold momento locket which has a photograph of the deceased and a lock of braided hair.

Just listed her this morning a new Topsy Turvy doll called "Tear Drop Memories ".
My inspiration for this being Victorian Mourning customs of post mortum photographs and momento hair lockets worn in remembrance of the deceased.
A one of a kind creation indeed, and another I am having a hard time parting with ;)
Drop by and take a looksie.
Nina.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260215606654&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=016

Gothic Victorian Folk Art Doll Ornaments

One day I decided to try to make a new type of doll that's style was similar to the Victorian China doll . I love the sleek look they have of white faces and black hair, not to mention the beautiful Victorian clothing they are dressed in. I did not want to use a mold so that each one would be unique in facial features, so I made the head out of polymer clay. The hands and legs were done in the same way, I spent many hours trying to get the shape right based on pictures I saw in my doll books. When it came time for the body to be made and stuffed, the torso came out well, but the arms and legs were something to be desired... uneven and lumpy . I do not allow myself to use patterns and most of my doll bodies are done with freehand cutting and measurements meaning I just look at the fabric and start to cut "eyeballing it"if you will. This gives it a more of a custom make to the doll I feel and you not using a pattern someone else made. Well, needless to say the fist one of these I did I was not very happy with. The legs are a big problem for me (looks like she had gout ;) so as I mentioned in blog before if a project goes wrong I turn it into an ornament. I am very glad I did as this had such a wonderful turn out. So what you see is a mini doll ornament done in some what of a Victorian China doll style of my own sculpted head design . I hand stitch the clothes and give them strange little accessories and features made of polymer clay as well to go along with the theme of the doll .
I suppose eventually I will start to make these as "real dolls "and on a larger scale with more detail and better sewing craftsmanship to where if one buys it and happens to undress the doll they won't think it was part Frankenstein doll ...although that would be a good idea for a doll too ;)
I am my worst critic I guess, but I will keep trying until I get it right .

"The Undertaker's Wife- with small coffin and certificate of death
" Tea Time"-with a clock, poison design tea cup and paper will
" Lady Opium" with poppy pod pot and unusual death /snake opium pipe
" Time Keeper" with small skull with wings clock
" The Spell Caster " with a small book of spells and her pet black crow perched on a skull .

Ornies, Ornies...all types of Ornies!

Ornament making is so much fun because you can make an ornament out of any thing. Sometimes when projects do not come out well, I can "revamp" it into an ornament and it turned out better that the original plan! Mainly my ornaments are made in a style of Torso Doll you hang or can sit on a shelf. I like to occasionally fill them with fragrance, and herbs as they can double as a sachet to let off a scent where ever you may display them . Art with a scent, hmm...imagine that ;)

" Ouija Ghost "
"Love and Pain" Stuffed with roses scented with Sandalwood Rose fragrance.
" Story Teller"

" Absinthe" Ornament stuffed with real Fennel , Wormwood and scented with Anise oil
Stuffed with real Roses and Jasmine petals fragranced with a Rose, Jasmine, Frankincense scent.
"Haunted Harriet" First Torso Doll Ornament I sold .
"Fine Art of Poisoning" glass poison bottle ornament
" Lenore "Tribute to Poe


"Ghost Banshee"
"Witches Apothecary" Ornament

Pin Cushions

Here are few styles of pin cushions I have created in the past year. I created my first one out of neccessity when I lost 5 needles in 1 hour ! You see,I have a very bad habit of not putting things back where they belong and in my madness of creating I tend to pull things out and then forget where I left them too . I spend most of my time searching for things, and infact you can often find me in my studio spinning in circles, while wildly looking for my lost items. So it was in a frustrated moment of sewing I decided to make a pumpkin pin cushion for myself. Something that would would be big enough and eye cathing for me to remember and want to use for placing my pins and needles. It came out so well that I decided to make another similar .It was one of the first items that sold for me on eBay that was non bath and body . That was all she wrote, and now I make these every chance I get . I still miss place things, but not my needles any more :)

"Dark Valentine" Pin Cushion

"Love Eternal" Crow Pin Cushion
My first pin cushion creation "Wicked and Wild "

Ouija Board Pin Cushion
" Pin-elope Mori" with matching hand sculpted clay skull head pins

Skeleton Head Pin Cushion

My Topsy Turvy Dolls

( A little history...)
Topsy Turvy Dolls are reversible dolls that flip upside down to reveal storybook characters who have on contrasting outfits.
It is believed that the art of Topsy Turvy designs began around the time of the Civil War. One of the first style of of topsy turvy doll designs were that of a black doll on one side and and white doll on the other
It has been said that "a slave mother designed this type of doll for her child because slave children were not allowed to play with white dolls. This designed allowed the black child to play with the white doll but when a master, overseer or any white individual were present the child could flip the doll and play with the black doll."
Though the years the topsy turvy doll design changed and has become more of a story telling doll of child hood fairy tales and fables, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and the more traditional style of a sleep and awake doll .
I have always been fascinated with these dolls ,and how they were made. It was not until a few years back that my sewing skill improved and I dared to venture and try my hand at making one . I then had to give give it my own special touch of creepy, and from that day on I have enjoyed making these dolls with unique macabre stories of their own . So here I have added some pictures of past creations that I have sold, and am still working on more... in fact one is to be completed this week .

Mourning Bride/ Ghost Bride-
Poison Tea /Poison Coffee
"Victorian Spiritualism" -Tea Leaf Reader/ Lady of Seance
"Death Becomes Her" -Illness / Death
" Dark Changes" Bittten/Transformed