Winds of Change: They Are a Blowin'

last time i checked in(embarrassingly, 6 months ago), i went on and on about how much i love making Waldorf-inspired dolls, and then, i proceeded to only make 3 more for 6 months. yeesh.
my passion for these dolls hasn't waned in the slightest...i've designed dozens on paper, but i haven't quite managed to get any of them birthed into reality. there are myriad reasons for this, not the least of which is the fun and frolic that naturally accompanies summer...
i'd like to announce that major changes are coming to Imogen's Garden. soon and very soon, you will see fewer options in the shop, but i believe you will absolutely love what you do see!!! (so if there is something you love hanging out in there now, you'd better grab it while you can!)
do you remember the doll giveaway i was talking about? well, it's ON, baby! check back over the weekend to see photos of this little beauty and learn how to enter the giveaway...fantastic way to score an early Christmas gift for the little flower in your life. sorry, this giveaway is for US residents only. i hope to be able to include my international friends in the next one.


finally...patterns for Jane/Peter and Anya dolls are up in the shop! get yours and get to crafting your own custom dolls!! go! now!!

big squishy love to you all....♥anna

obsession

dollmaking.

i thought it was bad when i was making only rag dolls. then i ventured into the wooden ones...love them, too.

but Waldorf-inspired dolls...

wow.

it's all i think about anymore!

it's fun to daydream dresses for my girls and for my shop. i love to hear that a mom is especially happy with a skirt i custom made for her hard-to-fit-daughter...but none of that compares with the deep, obsessive love i have for this doll making.

i have made six 14/15 inch dolls to date and 3 little snuggle dolls (and one wee pocket-sized doll for my daughter who was obsessively jealous of the pocket doll given to me by Ulla of Germandolls. (check out her shop...we do the same things, but so differently...she is really, really gifted...and her dolls are made from a *secret family recipie*!) i refuse to share...i made her a poor replica instead)

right now, i have 5 dolls in the hopper. 2 boys for my 2 boys (but don't tell the big kids on the bus), 2 mermaids, and 1 golden skinned doll who must be River's little sister. i wonder what her name is...

anyway...here are photos of Helen's doll *Rosa*. she's made from wool i sourced locally with the most fabulous hair! i would never have picked it...leave it to Helen to choose something totally unconventional and have it totally rock. the thick slubby stuff is yarn i handspun from a roving by Woolyhands. the rest we chose at the same sheep farm from which Rosa's stuffing came. i made Rosa's dress and bloomers, but her FABULOUS sweater came from Elaine at GrannysKnits with a button for closure by Gina at GinaMStudios. there are more sweaters on the way...assuming i can keep them out of Helen's greedy little mits.




i've been pondering a Waldorf-inspired doll giveaway...what say you all?

New Wooden Friends

well, lovies...i have been quite negligent in the blog posting department. i assure you, it is not without cause!

Helen and i have been making hoards and swarms of little wooden friends(okay, i've been making them, and Helen's been supervising)...and now you may pick up your favorite in my Etsy shop!

this time i made gnomes, pirates, mermaids, fairies, ballerinas, bathing beauties, and a grandmother with her grandson.

i estimate that it takes about 45 minutes of constant painting to complete each doll. however, each doll requires drying time between multiple coats of paint and many of them have loads of details. to save time and sanity, i try to make several dolls at once. this means that you'll see new dolls less frequently, but when they are ready...loads of them will appear all at once!



here are photos of the dolls in process and of Helen painting a doll house for all of her new wooden friends.

A Joyful Girl

my girl Clara is a bubble. always cheerful. always loving. generally agreeable. always moving...impossible to get a good photograph.
this week we designed a skirt together, and i asked her to model it for my shop. she agreed, and i was able to snap some wonderful photos of my joyful girl. don't you just want to eat her up?

Isn't She Lovely?

isn't she wonderful? (thanks, Stevie, i always hear you when i see my girls)

without ANY assistance (or permission-CLARA!), they've gotten all dressed up. and Mommy gets to order new make-up!

*Sophie*

so, i've been busily making Waldorf-inspired dolls (and loving every minute of it ~ here's *Fawn* for those of you who have yet to meet her)



my girl Helen (4) is busily designing hers. we've agreed that i'll only make her one EVER, so she needs to think a bit about what she wants her doll to look like (so far, she's firmly decided on peach colored skin and pinky-peach hair, but she's still debating the eye color...lavender at last check, but yesterday it was black...we'll see)

Clara (2) desperately wants one of these lovelies, too. since she's so little, i just cannot imagine giving her a dress-up doll...besides, the doll she wants at 2 is not likely to be the doll she'd design at 4 or 5...and she only gets one EVER. but, we all know i'm a giant sucker for big brown eyes and strawberry-blond ringlets...SO



here's *Sophie* the snuggle doll. she has a super soft cotton velour body, so the clothes don't frustrate my baby, but she still has *big girl* hair...it's just tied up in short little pony tails that are easily repairable if need be. Clara chose the grassy green color of her suit, and i tried to mimic Clara's features for the rest of the doll.



i'm pretty sure *Sophie* is named for the daughter of www.LuLusWoobies.etsy.com i recently painted a custom set of dolls for LuLu's girls, and Clara has been fascinated by the name *Sophie* ever since!



we're pretty excited about these snuggle dolls around here, so Connor and Zoe will be making their debut at Imogen's Garden at Etsy very soon!

Happy Birthday, Jackson!

i've got 4 kids, but my #2 is the one who shocks me each year. somehow, i can never get a grip on how much he's grown...how much time has passed from one birthday to the next.

today is Jack's 7th birthday (really? seriously? 7?). he's an orange nut, and it is so difficult to find orange things! i looked to Etsy and hit the jackpot...