Sallyjane ~ Cloth Doll Artist~ Welcome!!
I was a normal person once, housewife, mother of 2 and occasionally took an interest in arts & crafts. But over the past 4 years I’ve gradually turned into an eccentric doll maker, apparently it’s not that unusual. Now I’m everything “cloth doll maker“, mounds of fabric festoon the house, ironing is a thing of the past and tea is rarely at tea time.
My status as mother, to my beautiful children has been downgraded as they are now grownups and thankfully my long suffering husband turns a blind eye to the chaos that the fairies make (it’s not my fault you understand)
I’ve a magpie mentality and will rummage through the many boxes of textiles, flowers, feathers etc, until I alight at some piece of potential fairy yummy- ness and the creative urge will take hold of me and then I’m immersed into the art of doll making. I really am “away with the fairies“.
What never ceases to amaze me is the different outcome of any fairy; you see a certain kind of magic happens when I start to create a doll… She will “talk” to me, making it plain that she wants a specific colour, theme and hair style and until I do her bidding she refuses to look right. I’ve long realised that I’m not in charge, that it is them and them alone who create themselves from their mystical realm into ours.
It appears they work their magic on their new owners too. I have a sneaky suspicion that they choose you!
When the time has come to hand over the fairy and her adoption certificate, I do feel a sad tenderness at our parting, but as usual, the new owner is as mad as me and I know they will have a loving home.
I’m working on some unusual designs at the moment they are in their early stages so as normal I’m knee deep in rejected work with piles of discarded fabric and deformed fairies. It’s a challenge to get a collection ready for any oncoming fair, I find myself thinking I’ve got loads of time and then bang its one week away and I’m burning the midnight oil.
This is when I’m lucky to have my Mum, Valerie, sewing woman extraordinaire! Who also was a normal person and mother of two until, like me, the fairies commandeered her to do their work. Valerie has developed a fairy that’s unique and so cute, she has called her “Fairy Wishes” this little fairy has a bag filled with lovely items and a card so that you can place your wishes on. Valerie also makes all the “Travel Home Bags” she makes them from re-cycled materials custom made for the adopted fairies to travel home in.
We have worked together for years and as our approach to doll making is worlds apart, Mum makes Cute and Innocent, I do Goth and Burlesque. The display this creates at shows has something to suit all tastes. Now Mum and I are both “away with the fairies“. Our conversations are in “Fairy Talk“, full of exchanging ideas, techniques and obviously the next fairy, …. You don’t have to be mad to make fairies (or to be in our family)… but it helps.
The fairs I’ve booked, so far are Kelham (all dates for 2009) and of course the crowd pleasing Doll International at Peterborough in June. Other dates are yet to be confirmed and as soon as they are I will add them to my website.
Well I must be off now there is this little piece of black lace that’s just calling out to be part of a Goth Brides wedding dress!!.
Sally
