Friday, April 25, 2014

Alabama Baby Dolls

Back awhile ago the Maida Dolls Group had a Alabama Baby Doll or ( Ella Smith Indestructible Doll ) challenge. I had wanted to learn to make these dolls for a long time, so this was a golden opportunity to get started. I really like these dolls and admire Ella Smith's creative talent and determination to make a doll like this. I imagine she borrowed from other dolls in certain ways, but there is no other doll out there that looks like a Ella Smith doll. A few years ago, I was able to buy an original antique Ala. baby, she was in sad repair, but all there. I have leaned on her to help me make my copies. I made a face mold of her face, and studied her body, and the way she has been painted. I hope I was able to transfer some of her uniqueness to my dolls. Now, these are my first ones, so don't laugh at the extra big hands or the necks that are a tad to long, or the ears that I didn't get right this first time around, to name just a few of my mistakes, but all in all I like them a lot. Also, I have been trying to make a high collar dress, and this is my first attempt. The collars on these two dresses are not finished, but just tucked in place. I will have to go back and stitch them down and perhaps add a little lace. I wanted the dolls to be dressed plainly, but with real dresses and I think these fit the bill. One dress is floral flower sack that is stained pretty much all over, but gently, and the other dress is made from a very old futon cover that is very light weight cotton and is naturally faded and does have some little holes here and there. After I made these two, I went ahead and made two more, making my improvements and will post them eventually, they will be dressed in these same clothes. Hope you enjoy seeing them.



6 comments:

  1. There is no other doll out there that looks like an Ella Smith doll, nor, for that matter, no other dolls is out there that looks like a Martha Bishop doll, either. And, I love them both!!!

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  2. You painting gets better and better....wonderful dolls ...such personality!

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  3. Thank you Mary and Alice. Ella Smith made some really beautiful dolls, and I aim to make some copies of them, it might mean making a sculpt of another of her dolls, but I will in time get there. I don't know where she got her ideas about how to make her dolls, it is not hard, but a lot to do to add the face mask to the head and finish them out, other wise a simple doll to make.

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  4. These are sweet dolls. I like their little lips. Cute dresses too. I am painting the big rabbit with the basket on his back and the little carved animals. I don't know if they will turn out as well as the other rabbits, but I am having a much better experience this time around!

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  5. Martha, these are very sweet dolls.

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  6. Yep, what Mary said. These look so close to the originals, but they are Martha babies, in all their glory. Love the colors you've dressed them in...

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