A Sweet Note & A Fond Farewell

May 5, 2017 paulawalton2 Comments

Emmaline says goodbye — Emmaline took time to say farewell to some of her older relatives before packing her bags for her journey home…

I just want to take a moment to say that one of the most rewarding parts of being a doll maker is the receiving all the lovely notes from the doll’s new owners. ❤ All of them touch my heart and make the many hours I spend working on each doll worthwhile. Thank you!

I’d like to share just a bit of Emmaline’s farewell note…

“Hi Paula,

She’s gorgeous! The whole package works, I love the way all the colours complement each other. I searched long and hard before I ordered this girl, without really knowing which one, although Anna is a favourite. As this is likely to be the only one that I own made using original methods I wanted a very traditional Izannah. You have made just that.”

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

Emmaline’s paint is a bit shiny and new now, but over time as her paint oxidizes, it will look more and more like her antique sister’s…

Custom Made Dolls · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll

Jane’s Doll Is Ready To Travel To Her New Home

May 4, 2017 paulawaltonLeave a comment

I’ve just finished this sweet custom made doll especially for Jane. She is the very first reproduction I’ve made of Emmaline, an amazing Izannah Walker doll that I restored last year. Emmaline’s owner has very generously allowed me to reproduce her and share her with other Izannahphiles ❤ ❤ ❤ Which has earned her my everlasting thanks!

So without further ado I’d like to introduce you to my version of Emmaline.

This Emmaline has a peach colored vintage glazed cotton “2nd” skin.

Bare feet and ringlet curls…

Emmaline ❤

I am smitten by her aged paint surface ❤

Curls… ❤

Chemise and split pantlettes.

Broderie Anglaise trim on pantalettes and petticoat…

I looked through my stash of antique lace and trims… where I was lucky enough to find a wide ruffle of broiderie anglaise at the hem of an antique 19th century woman’s petticoat. The petticoat was saddly smoke damaged, but dilligent soaking in sodium perborate allowed me to remove much of the smoke stains and use part of the ruffle to make this doll size petticoat!

Emmanline ❤

Handmade leather shoes, silk stockings, and growth tucks in her dress…

I love the way this doll turned out ❤

Packing up to head to her new home.

Emmaline in the kitchen…

Emmaline close-up…

such a sweet smile…

wavy hair and curls

One last cup of tea before leaving…

Emmaline’s dress fabric comes from the back of a 19th century crazy quilt, that was lavishlu embroidered… sadly the silk embroidery floss is melting away and moths and time have irreversably damaged the fabrics that make-up the top of the quilt.

The 19th century petticoat ruffle and a bolt of unused “store stock” which a almost a match!

Jane wanted Emmaline’s dress to be made in the same style as this brown polka-dot dress, with the addition of an extra growth tuck in the skirt ❤

*Click on any photograph to enlarge it and read the captions.

To read about Emmaline, the original antique Izannah Walker doll click here.

Custom Made Dolls · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · Uncategorized

Creating a Doll for Jane; An Extraordinary Adventure in Doll Making

April 21, 2017 paulawaltonLeave a comment

This post is especially for Jane. Filled with many photographs to help her make the final wardrobe selections for her doll ❤

“second skin” body covering fabric choices

Body covering fabric selections in the desired color range… (click on any photo to enlarge)

Velvet ribbon trim?

Velvet ribbon trim? Which color?

Hmmmmmm… Ribbon trim, plain, or tucks?

Custom Made Dolls · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll

Claudia’s Doll

April 18, 2017 paulawalton4 Comments

Claudia's Doll close-up — Claudia’s little Anna is wearing an all white dress fashioned from an antique c. 1840-1850 hand sewn, tucked petticoat ❤

Tiny toes…

toes!

Blue shoes ❤

dress back

Custom Made Dolls · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll

Ismay and Isabeau, Two Dolls for Connie

February 26, 2017February 26, 2017 paulawalton2 Comments

Two sweet sisters all ready to to begin life in their new home. Very special custom order dolls for Connie made from my Ismay and Isabeau molds.

Connie’s Isabeau and Ismay have matching chemises, pantalettes, a petticoats, all made from antique white cotton fabrics, lace and buttons.

Isabeau has an extra linen petticoat with lovely hemstitched details.

Isabeau is showing off her extra petticoat, made from hemstitched antique linen.

Because sisters love to raid each others closets, I made sure that their dresses will fit both dolls ❤

I love both of the dress fabrics that Connie chose. Both dresses have extra fabric, for fuller skirts, a deep hem on the paisley dress and two growth tucks on the double pink dress. ❤

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Custom Made Dolls · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll

Anita’s Custom Order Ismay

February 3, 2017February 4, 2017 paulawalton9 Comments

A sweet little Ismay, almost ready to head to her brand new home ❤

Making this Ismay has been a great treat for me, as I am not often asked to make black reproductions of Izannah’s dolls. This is the very first time that I have made a black version of Ismay and I am completely smitten with her such a lovely doll in person and so very difficult to take photos of!!! Poor dear, my photography skills do not do her justice…

izannah-walker-doll-antique-doll-world-article-sept-oct-1993-black-doll — Formerly part of the Richard Wright collection, this amazing black Izannah Walker doll is the only surviving extant example that I am aware of.

black-izannah-close-up — Scarcer than hen’s teeth, this charming doll is one of the few Izannah Walker dolls with a wig. In a newspaper article many, many years ago, Norma H. Robertson, Izannah Walker’s grand-niece, stated that her great aunt made “darkie”, or as we would now refer to them, black dolls. So there must have been more than just this one. 🙂

au natural

a 2nd skin made from antique glazed cotton

bare Ismay

“look Ma, no clothes!”

tiny toes

chemise and pantalettes

lovely lacey petticoat

a dress fashioned from an antique cheddar print fabric trimmed in black velvet ribbon

Ismay makes a quick stop in the kitchen for a snack.

Ismay

A sweet little Ismay, almost ready to head to her brand new home ❤

Ismay

I made Ismay’s second skin body covering from and antique petticoat that I’ve had for at least twenty years. I finally found the perfect use for it! ❤

19th century petticoat…

close-up of brown glazed cotton petticoat

This next dress that Ismay is modeling is not part of her wardrobe. She borrowed it from Cloe so that she could show her new Momma what she looks like in a different style of dress. Anita and I have been discussing a rather extensive wardrobe for Ismay, made from fabrics that Anita has been collecting. ❤

Ismay

short gathered sleeves

Ismay wearing her borrowed dress ❤

a soft painted hairline and Nigerian kid skin wig

monochromatic dress

Ismay in brown

sitting pretty

Ismay

an Ismay for Anita

Ismay will be ready to travel just as soon as she decides what color shoes she wants. February is much too cold for bare feet! She’ll have to wait until summer for that.

Cloe’s dresses… the brown size doll dress is the one Ismay borrowed 🙂

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Custom Made Dolls · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll

A Custom Made Doll for Paula M.

December 15, 2016 paulawalton4 Comments

All ready to head to her new home in time for Christmas! This is a special order custom doll for Paula M. She is a reproduction of my Isabeau with an almost perfect paint surface, bare feet, and a dress made from fabric in her new mom’s stash of reproduction Civil War era cotton prints.

Trimming the tree.

Paula’s doll took a few minutes to help decorate the parlor, before packing for her trip to her new home ❤

Hmmm… which color ornament to hang first?

Black velvet bows on her shoulders add a dressy touch to her dress.

Back details…

Ringlett curls 🙂

A new doll for Paula M. ❤

Click on any photo to enlarge it and read the caption.

Thank you for stopping by!!!

Custom Made Dolls · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll

Trick or TREAT! For Anita

October 28, 2016October 28, 2016 paulawalton6 Comments

A very special Halloween treat for Anita. Her own custom made Anna 🙂

Happy Halloween!!!!

click on any photo to enlarge

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Custom Made Dolls · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll

Suzanne’s Izzybelle

October 10, 2016 paulawalton2 Comments

This little Izzybelle is a special order doll for Suzanne. Izzybelle has packed her clothes and is all ready to travel to her new home. ❤ She can hardly wait!

Izzybelle has a tiny gold thimbe necklace.

Izzybelle’s second skin is made from pale blue antique linen.

Izzybelle’s knee length chemise makes a perfect nighty too!

Dark blue homespun checked dress, with cartridge pleating, growth tuck and pointed sleeve overlays.

My antique Izzybelle (on the right) poses with her new sister (on the left)/

Izzybelle’s second dress has pagoda sleeves. Her new mom plans to make her white undersleeves to complete her mid-nineteenth century look.

Izzybelle’s shoes are made from royal blue kid skin leather,

You may click on any photograph to enlarge it and read the caption.

Custom Made Dolls · Doll Clothing · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll

A Very Special Doll for Sharon

August 14, 2016 paulawalton14 Comments

Meet Sharon’s doll! She is an 18-1/2 inch reproduction of my antique Izannah Walker doll, Isabeau, with a gently aged paint surface. Sharon requested an extensive custom wardrobe for her doll.

For her doll’s first dress, Sharon chose a long sleeved, high neck dress that is a copy of one of the antique doll dresses in my personal collection. Sharon’s fabric choice is a antique off white and black print cotton.

For chores and gardening she has an embroidered pinafore apron with a pocket, to carry around her clothes pins and flower seeds. ❤

For hot summer days, Sharon selected a short sleeved white dress made of antique cotton fabric, trimmed with tucks and lace insertion and a black and white sunbonnet.

Sharon’s doll has bare feet, stockings fashioned from antique stockings, and hand-made red leather shoes, with tiny scallops and red silk laces.

When autumn winds bring crisp, cool nights this young miss will stay warm, wrapped up in an embroidered wool paletot.

At the end of a long busy day sweet dreams await in this reproduction of an antique doll’s nightgown, sewn from antique white cotton and trimmed with mid- 19th century glass buttons and lace.