Her name is Patty. She has a wooden head and a felt covered wire armature, so she can be posed. She can bend her arms and legs and sit down.
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| Her dress has a heart shaped pocket. |
She's only about 2 inches tall. Her cloth clothes aren't removable,and her shoes are painted on.
I decided to leave her with just a ponytail because I liked her that way.
I really hate letting go of the dolls I make! But the intention was to earn some money instead of sitting at home not earning money. I was a stay at home mom while my kids were growing up. They were spaced 4 years apart, accidentally. I don't like the idea of leaving even a 12 year old home alone, or watching other smaller kids. I also liked being home in case the kids got sick and had to be taken care of. When the kids were really small school still allowed the kids to celebrate birthdays, with parents bringing in a cake. I spent a lot of time at school as a 'room mother', helping out with holiday parties and Easter egg hunts. When the kids got older I also had my dad to take care of. He had dementia, and he lived with us for almost 3 years before he had to go in the nursing home. By the time he went in the nursing home, Emma was at college and Fuzz had a job. With only one vehicle, that meant that I had to drive Ken to work at 4,so I had the car to drive Fuzz to work at 9. That meant I had to go pick Ken up at 2 AM. That didn't leave much time for a job of my own, even if I had been ok with leaving Ivy, at 10 or 11 years old, home alone. I didn't like leaving her alone long enough to pick Ken up. By the time all that got sorted out my shoulders were so bad I'm not sure I could have held a job. Now days I can't be on my feet for long periods of time without intense back pain. So the miniature making was supposed to help bring some money in, as my 'job'. I got discouraged though, because it took so long to make a significant amount of stuff to sell, and then it took a while to sell it. I did pretty well on Etsy, but it took a while. I was also discouraged by the times I took my stuff to doll or miniature shows and people looked at it and said how good it was, but then nobody bought anything. Tables at shows are too expensive anyway. I had to give shows up because I couldn't make a profit after table costs. So I should make more things to sell, but I began to wonder if it was worth it. My eyes had gotten worse too. What do you think? I've posted quite a few of the dolls I've made. (You can look under 'Dolls of my own making' in the side bar.) What do you think? Should I make more? Should I change the type of dolls I make? (I've made at least three different kinds: dolls like this one, with wooden heads and felt covered wire armatures, polymer clay dolls, and cloth dolls.)
Patty is adorable. I like her pony tail also. The dress with the tie around the neck is so cute.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, it sounds like you have costed out what it would take to make and sell dolls on ebay and at doll fairs.
Maybe you could think about making dolls on commission. Maybe you could make dolls as gifts for bridemaids, or for family reunions, or for outgoing doll club officers.
Is it easier to make small dolls (2 inch) or larger dolls (say 8 inch)? I say go with what is easier.
Thank you. It's not that it's too expensive to sell on Ebay,although they do charge too much in fees. Etsy at least is cheaper. I just got frustrated at the time it takes to make enough of the dolls to have a table full of merchandise at a show. And then at shows they rarely sell! All but one of the dolls I put on Etsy sold,and that one eventually sold at a doll show. Also,people don't want to pay what the dolls are worth in the time they took to make. One lady at a doll show suggested I could make 100 of my Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, (see them at:
Deletehttp://planetofthedolls.blogspot.com/2014/03/doll-day-83-dolls-of-my-own-making.html
...as pins for a doll club! And she was talking about paying very little for them. That floored and insulted me, because those dolls took a whole day each to make--and I'm not talking about an 8 hour work day either! I sold them for $50,and I should have charged more. The problem is, people want things for nothing.
The question isn't who to make the dolls for. I'd have to get orders from the people you mention,and how to get those without having sold so many people know of them? I enjoy making the small dolls. I don't make dolls as big as 8 inches. At least, I haven't so far. I'd like to try though.
I think she's very cute but I don't know, it just seems so hard to sell things these days. I wonder is it too much competition, or are people spending less? I have no idea but it can be discouraging. I used to have an Etsy store but Etsy closed it as I didn't sign up for something that I was supposed to...but maybe I will open it again one day.
ReplyDeleteI would say that if you have the time and the enthusiasm to do so, you could give it another go and see how you get on :) I guess if you don't try, then you'll never know!!
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I think part of it is the economy. Ebay for example used to be easy to sell on. It got to the point that things just weren't selling. I got so frustrated because people would look at my things at shows and say how cute they were,and how much they loved them,and yet they didn't buy anything.
DeleteI have tried to sell my crochet a time or two. Yeah, that didn't work well. I suck at deadlines (the stress makes it not fun) and I am not good at pricing either. Under instead of over. WAY under, so I know how you feel. I love your little dolls. I think you are very talented.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much. It's good to hear that now and then!
DeleteMy sister makes things too, and she says she works to slowly to have a bunch of stuff in stock all the time. I'm the same way. I priced my stuff way too cheap too.
These are probably the smallest dolls I have ever made. All of them are for miscarriages/stillborn/infant deaths of people I either knew or just found their story and felt a need. Even the biggest are not very big. None of them have a pattern, all free handed in whatever design called to me. I did follow hair color if the mother knew and of course gender. I think my favorite set is the quintuplets in the tiny pot. I hope you can see these since they are Ravelry.
Deletehttps://www.ravelry.com/projects/MichelleBogart/cradle-purse-memory-angel-doll-2
I have made bigger dolls and dolls not designed around loss, but these the same size as what you make.
It says I have to have an account. What is Ravelry?
DeleteOh darn, sorry about that. Ravelry is for spinners, crocheters and knitters. I was hoping you didn't have to have an account. If I ever figure out another way to show them, I will. I am enjoying your dolls either way. :)
DeleteWell if you figure it out, I'll want to see what you made.
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