Ugly again

As I've been making this doll, I've really had to fight with the term ugly. What I realized - when I tried to make ugly, I was making a characature of the worst features of women, and I found myself less and less comfortable. I've decided that Laidronette is just not beautiful, which is unusual in and of itself. How many stories have heroines that are not beautiful. I'm feeling much more comfortable with this view. Now to finish!

Deliberately Ugly Doll

I buried her eyes bulged her nose and forehead and pulled her ears out, and am adding an out of proportion, shortened body with huge feet and arms. Now I would say she qualifies as ugly. But she also looks more badly made than deliberately ugly. Today, I am going to work on eyes, and make them as well painted as I can to take away from the poorly made image. I like the sawdust base, but I also will go back and refine the ears and repaint the mouth.

The stories that I have read about Laidronette never describe her. I found another source though, and will read through that carefully.

More Pondering of Ugly

A couple of pictures of twin dolls. If you follow my Josiah Gammage House blog , you must close your eyes , because these dolls are still on their way from Davenport Iowa, and aren't in the story yet.

Laidronette

What makes a woman the ugliest woman in the world? A ruddy complexion? A bulging forehead? Rough pitted skin? A short lip and mouth out of proportion?

The Maida group has taken on the challenge of creating a doll based on a fairy tale. I chose the fascinating , 1600's story of Laidronette. Laidronette was born one of twin princesses . An angry witch turned her into the ugliest woman in the world, while sparing her sister Bellote.

I've started the doll, and am having such a time making her ugly! My instinct is to shrink the mouth, add a lip and smooth out the asymmetry, but that wouldn't be true to the story. Anyway, who ever heard of an ugly heroine? We'll explore more of the story as she develops.

My dollhouse blog

I'm not sure why I decided to separate these two, but I now have a blog on 1/2 and quarter scale dollhouse miniatures.. And yes, I still have dolls in progress! The blog is http://halfscaledollhousegammagehouse.blogspot.com Dollhouse Blog I'm not sure if it chronicles my dollhousestreets or my attention issues! Check it out. Please! I need followers, and readers, and comments!

Letting dolls go

The other day I walked by this doll I made, who I named Sari, and realized I was ready to let her go. I have a pact with myself to act on this impulse whenever I have it because I have way too many dolls, and lots in the works, so on Ebay she went!

Sari is a practice doll, and I can't get a pic of her that I feel represents her, but in any event she is a strange looking creature. She's one of those dolls that just makes you smile. But now I'm sad she's going, and it seems for only enough to pay for materials...but still the sense of satisfaction for me that someone wants something I made . One fear that I have is that they will use only the clothes and that she will be found in a dumpster .see, I am really, really too attached!




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Dolls I'm working on.

I started out trying to make copies of my favorite Izannah dolls , because I was sure I could never afford one.

But now I think my goal is just to make dolls with integrity! Here are the latest-  two still unfinished, and one finished. I have fun finding names on my family tree- Peninah Flanner is on the right, and Panthea on the left.

I just found out that Peninah grew up to be a Quaker minister, so I guess the new dress needs to be plain instead of the lace trimmed dress she had on before the repaint.

Sari, who is below , reminds me a bit of the post patent dolls for some reason. I almost didn't finish her , but really like her now. Sometimes you just have to put projects away for a while I think.