Crypt Stitch

New Changeling - Dia de los Muertos...

A new changeling doll, this one in honour of an amazing day of celebration - Dia de los Muertos. I had already decided it was time for another Halloween party this year (Halloween is only just starting to take off over here. It's strange that it didn't become part of our culture as well, being that we have just as many immigrants here as the USA does. I would guess that it is because the celebration is essentially due to the season, and in honour of the final reaping of the spring sewing, where here we are coming into spring at that time, and are instead in the throws of Beltaine) - our last was five years ago. I think we might also go for a familial Dia de los Muertos the next day, too - a way of remembering and celebrating our own dead, as well as honouring the complex and amazing culture for whom the day is an ancient tradition. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the material I used for the skirts, vibrant and colourful and goth and disturbing all at the same time. She'll be in the shop later today...

A new changeling doll

I have a new changeling doll. I love to do the changeling dolls, I think they are loads of fun and can’t imagine being a little girl without one. Or four. I think I’m going to make a bunch of different ones, I'm enjoying playing with material (colours and patterns) at the moment. This one isn’t as large as my moon phase changeling  or my cat changeling  She’s about 30cm tall, and I made her with young children specifically in mind (no small parts). She is ‘crow girl and shadow girl’, and she (they?) love to frolic with wild abandon in the garden (don’t we all?). She’ll be off to the shop today.

Attic Dolls...

Attic Dolls are the shadows of dolls that centuries ago were stored away or thrown away and forgotten. Because they are no longer loved by their little girls they can't remember what they looked like and so become a shade, black and featureless. Their dresses, while still patterned, loose their vibrancy and are seen as muted in colour and in tones of black and grey. The dolls all live together in an attic just to the side of the reality you're in now, and spend their days playing dress ups together, taking turn to tuck each other into their doll pram and having high tea parties four or five times a day. What they want most though is to be loved and cherished the way their own little girls once did, to revel in high pitched giggles and squeals of delight.  mAlice visits them sometimes, though she quickly tires of High Teas where the tea and sandwiches and cakes are all make-believe. She thinks the miniature crockery is divine, however, extravagant gold rims with tiny depictions of a game of croquet in blue on the porcelain.

 

Please meet Miss Marguerite, the first in my Attic Doll series. She is a jointed doll, with the most beautiful soft black and dirty grey rose print dress with matching bonnet, and black print pantaloons. Won’t you take her home to play?

 

Miss Marguerite is in the Shoppe now!

 

 

Cryptic Cryptlets...

Introducing the Cryptic Cryptlets!

They live deep underground in both natural crypts and those made lovingly for them by the roots of immense trees. They are good friends with mAlice and her sisters, and like to visit them when the moon is full in the sky. Cryptic Cryptlets talk in cryptic couplets - but only at a whisper. They don't talk very often, though, preferring to hum songs the trees have taught them, and to dance wildly, flinging their feet around like accomplished Irish dancers, all the while entwining their arms in elaborate knots and unfurling them with immense drama!

I have named the first three Cryptic Cryptlets after women whose blogs have been a creative inspiration for me! Please meet:

Elsa

Heather

and Cobwebs

They'll be off to the shoppe  tomorrow! Have a spook-tacular day!