There IS a Method to My Madness in Making and Selling Gothic Girls and Zombie Babies!

Victorian Memento Mori Inspired Gothic Zombie Babies

This is one of only two babies I will do in this fashion and that is to use several muted colors to create this skin texture. They wear me out!

First of all, this little cutie weighs in at approximately 10 and that is a lot more than my two boys weighed at birth!

His weight is due to the reptile sand I put in his arms, legs, head, and body.

I'm saying this baby is a "he", but can also a "she" depending the outfit.

The vintage Christening gown is what really seals the deal with this baby giving him/her the gothic look of a Victorian Memento Mori photo. Not to make light of the death of babies, I am more fascinated in the process and popularity of photographing the deceased during the Victorian period.

But he also looks adorable in contemporary clothing and can wear newborn baby clothing making him/her the perfect Halloween Zombie Prop or One Of A Kind Art Doll to add to your collection!

S/he is a baby you can enjoy year round!

Victorian Memento Mori Inspired Gothic Zombie Babies

This is one of only two babies I will do in this fashion and that is to use several muted colors to create this skin texture. They wear me out!

First of all, this little cutie weighs in at approximately 10 and that is a lot more than my two boys weighed at birth!

His weight is due to the reptile sand I put in his arms, legs, head, and body.

I'm saying this baby is a "he", but can also a "she" depending the outfit.

The vintage Christening gown is what really seals the deal with this baby giving him/her the gothic look of a Victorian Memento Mori photo. Not to make light of the death of babies, I am more fascinated in the process and popularity of photographing the deceased during the Victorian period.

But he also looks adorable in contemporary clothing and can wear newborn baby clothing making him/her the perfect Halloween Zombie Prop or One Of A Kind Art Doll to add to your collection!

S/he is a baby you can enjoy year round!

Before You Bid on Items on the GOODWILL Auction Site...READ THIS!

I had to admit that I'm a bit addicted to eBay and recently, I've discovered that good deals can be found on another auction site: shopgoodwill.com.

But don't get too excited!

Because there is a catch.

I won the bid on a box of beautiful dolls from the artist/collector Greta Mae Hedgcock who once lived in Tuscan where she had a shop, Greta's Doll Nook, that she opened in 1979 and in the early 1980's she started the Tuscan Doll Guild.

When I bid on the dolls, I had no idea who the artist was but I knew the minute I saw them that they were special. Well, three were obviously mass produced "collectibles" but I could tell which ones were the quality dolls.

I was very excited about the two large male figures because you don't see many adult male dolls in porcelain dolls. And since I could not see most of the dolls, I took a chance based on the two large male dolls alone!

BUT...I've had trouble with Goodwill's shipping standards before and I've had some fragile things arrive broken so, in fear this would happen again, I contacted customer service and ask that they please wrap them carefully.

Well...I guess you know where this is heading!

Have you ever seen that Moluccan Cockatoo, Pebbles? If not, take a break and watch this video!
If you have seen Pebbles, then you'll know how I reacted when I opened the box and found that these fragile porcelain dolls had NOT BEEN WRAPPED in ANYTHING. They were just tossed in a box all piled up on top of each other with some peanuts dumped over them for good measure! HA!

Well, as it turned out, FIVE of the dolls were damaged and, you guessed it, TWO of those were the large male dolls. (You might want to watch the Peaches video again!)

I hate this happened but I would put boots on him anyway.

Okay! This REALLY made me open up a can of PEACHES!

Do you realize how impossible this will be to glue back together!

That is the "socket" where her ball joint rotates.

Chipped Knee

Broken MISSING finger.

 I know...they're only dolls!

But here is my perspective on this.

Yes, it is true that MANY people donate junk that they don't want to Goodwill just to be rid of it.

Another broken finger...but we found it!

However, there are those who truly believe that by donating good quality items to places like Goodwill they are helping out their community, those less fortunate, or hope that their collections and gently used items will go to someone else who can enjoy and appreciate them.

Thankfully, where I live, we have a church run disaster relief thrift shop so we know our money and our donations are a part of something meaningful...and if you've read in the news some of the issues with Goodwill, then you know what I mean.

But I digress.

I feel it is the responsibility of these charitable organizations to treat the donated goods with some respect, not only as a sign of gratitude to those who donate, but to those willing to purchase said items.

If shopgoodwill.com wants to compete with the almighty eBay.com, then they will have to work on their customer service.

At least on eBay, there are checks and balances in place to maintain some sort of decorum, but apparently Goodwill does not appreciate the customer and since there are no repercussions save offering the buyer their money back (the offending Goodwill only offered me less than half of what I paid for the dolls), it does not offer anything in the form of damages to irreplaceable items such as these dolls.

I mean, I was so excited to get these dolls (that took the Goodwill way too long to ship! It was supposed to be 5 Days...more like 10) I was anxious to see them. Like any good work of art, you just want to look at it and study how it is done, right?

So, unboxing the damaged dolls made me SO stressed that I was up until 2 AM fretting about it.

Then, after some sleep, it dawned on me that is was not my purpose to finish or even keep these dolls.

I am a Zombie/Gothic Doll and Santa artist.

And since some of these beautiful dolls are really out of my league, I realized that it was my duty to see that these dolls go to someone who would cherish them. But not just the dolls, some history of their artist/collector as well.

I LOVE this lady!

She is wearing a toile or maybe it is her slip.

I always loved dolls as a little girl and I still do love them. I know, crazy, right?

Oh, you don't know crazy until you read this part!

I had no idea who "Greta" was, only that her name was engraved (when the porcelain was greenware) and the dates she worked on some of these dolls.

But as I "played" with each one, they revealed Greta's story to me.

I learned (having found nothing online about "Greta") from the dolls that she had died, and not recently. I also knew that these were not her only dolls, and that she had created many, many more. I knew the dolls clothing had been constructed by her as well. There really is an energy associated with each piece that she crafted, insomuch that when I picked up the Duck House, The Broadway Collection, or the other doll with the very long peach dress, I got nothing except a strong desire to turn them into zombies!

You see, when underpaid workers in China throw together mass produced dolls, there is a sense of apathy and disappointment that stays with the dolls. YOU THINK I'M KIDDING! Just look at their faces and their lifeless eyes. PURE APATHY and DISAPPOINTMENT!

But even when I get ahold of them and turn them into zombies they change and a personality develops!

Because when an ARTIST crafts a doll, they put some of themselves, usually the best of themselves, into their work and you can see it in the dolls eyes...probably because the artist sets or paints the eyes so they will look at you...but more because that is what being an artist is and that's what art is for!

Whether it is Starry Night or a rag doll sewn by my Grandmother...it's all an artistic and expression of very unique creativities.

These are from a ROMANS mold.

But I digress...again!

What I really want to share is that after photographing and "handling" this pair of her dolls, I had a feeling that I should look up where the Goodwill was that I purchased these dolls. When I found out it was in Arizona (Tuscan) I did a search under "Greta Tuscan Doll Artist" and found this wonderful article written by Kimberly Matas with the Arizona Daily Star.

Greta Mae Hedgcock: Dolls played a vital role in life of Tucson woman

I know...see! The dolls told me those things about her!

We live in a society where if one thing is good, more is better. And I honor that code as well as any hoarder! But...I am putting the majority of the dolls (along with some of my baby dolls that were too cute to zombify) on eBay in hopes they will find a home where they will be treasured.

I'm only keeping two or three of her dolls. Two boys with porcelain heads and composition bodies, because they are smaller and will fit neatly on a shelf in my studio. The larger boy is signed by Greta in 2002 and the smaller one is not signed but when I hold him in my hand, I get this feeling that he meant something to her and that he is supposed to stay with me. There is also small girl, signed by Greta, that I feel I am supposed to keep.

You know, I say I am going to "finish" them, but I have feeling they are already complete!

Thank you, Greta!

And you incompetent workers at Goodwill...well, I wonder what Pebbles would have to say about you!

Three Little Dolls Dressed in Pink

I just love these little girls but my studio (and home) are so full of projects that I don't have room to display them. :( And I don't think my husband wants them in our bedroom. Our dining room and a big cabinet in our foyer are already over run with SANTAS as it is!

Growing up, my older sister had three Madame Alexander dolls: Scarlett O'Hara, Little Miss Muffet, and Little Bo Peep. We were not allowed to play with them. They were "displayed" on our dresser and the only "handling" allowed was when we dusted.

Except that I was a rebellious child and I snuck a play ever now and then. ;)

But we cherished the little booklet that came with them and fantasized about collecting ALL of the mini dolls. Especially the Little Women sisters.

My mother reminded me the other day that my sister and I shared a full sized bed even when she was in college. You'd think we'd be closer...but right now we aren't speaking based on a "difference of opinion". Her decision, not mine. I still love her!

But I digress.

Anyway, I had a friend in high school who had a HUGE collection of Madame Alexander dolls! I asked her if she ever played with them and she, too, was instructed to not play with them because they were for display only. :(

So, when I happened upon this sweet little Amy doll at a thrift store (sans shoes) I just had to buy her to "play" with her. But really, I've only actually displayed her so now I'm putting her along with her little friends on eBay in hopes of finding them a new home and hopefully, one where Amy can be played with!

The doll on the left is all porcelain and has the sweetest face, much like that of the Madame Alexander mini dolls. She's still sort of on my "hope she doesn't sell" list because she's just SO adorable! But I don't have anywhere to display her, so...

The one on the right is a 1999 Uneeda Precious Expressions doll. Normally, these babies come with only a little bit of beads but that makes them too floppy so I modified her and added some stuffing so that she could sit up and hold her cute little head up.

I have two sons, grown now, so I never had the chance to play dolls but I can tell you a lot about Star Wars and Batman action figures!

Still, there is something about dolls that still make me smile and really want to play with them.

So, when I start posting my ZOMBIE BABIES again, I want you to remember this image, and that not all dolls are scary!

31 DAYS of SANTA CLAUS Day 31 It's Not Over...It Has Only Just Begun!

I can't believe I made it! I posted 31 times during the month of October in spite of all the other things I had going on.

So, HAPPY HALLOWEEN from my Zombie Baby!

I actually carried him around to stores today and he got a lot of attention. He even had his photo taken a few times. He already had a cute Halloween onesie but then I found this tiger costume at Goodwill for $1.99. I was just meant to have it.

During this past 31 days, I had really hoped to have crafted more Santas but what I gained by doing research for my blog (on eBay...LOL!) I feel more inspired to get back to creating my own.

I purchased a few Santas that have not arrived and I have really changed the course of my collection from chalkware, hand carved, and resin reproductions of popular Santa artists, to a lot figures.

Here are a few I am waiting to receive:

Santa's Uncle Swede

This little Santa's Uncle Swede  Doll measures 12 inches tall. With Stand  This cloth sculpture was designed from pattern through finish in the heart of South central Pennsylvania. form #355(7/93). A one of a kind. Hand made collectible. .Hand numbered 2802 .. He carries his sack full of toys.. A perfect addition to your holidays display or for gift giving.

House of Hatten

I bought this lot just for the House of Hatten Santa Sitting on the box.

After I received my Santa designed by Dee Gann, I just had to bid on tis one...

And I won!

Other than three for which I am waiting on an invoice, and a couple I bid on that have not closed out, my goal is NO SANTA NOVEMBER when it comes to buying Santa Claus Figures, Ornaments, Art Work, etc. off eBay.

But that doesn't mean I won't visit my favorite shops locally!

But seriously, I do want to thank all of my new readers as well as my old, and I hope you will continue to follow me as I attempt a new goal...

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS! Starting November 1st.

I will be still be talking about my Santa Collection and Santa Crafting but will be adding more about my other creative activities during the holiday season.

God Bless Us, Everyone!

31 DAYS of SANTA CLAUS Day 20 If the Lord Meant for Me to Have It...

Yes, I've been blessed with another gift of something I've wanted for a long time. After about 26 to years of waiting, I finally have a Lee Middleton Doll.

It's a long story, but if you've read my other posts, I mentioned that I worked in a mall in San Antonio, TX back in 1987-88. During my dinner break, I would stroll around the mall and visit with some of the friends I had made at other stores.

There was an upscale toy store that carried Madame Alexander and other pricey dolls, including Lee Middleton Dolls. I would go in there and visit the babies. These were really the first dolls I had ever seen that looked so incredibly lifelike.

A brief history of Lee Middleton.

Lee Middleton was a self-taught artist from Ohio who, in 1978, began sculpting her dolls in her home. Her original vinyl dolls with a porcelain feel started production in 1984. Sadly, she passed away in 1997, but her company and quality of dolls continues with the current artists Reva Schick, Eva Helland, and Jane Pinkstaff crafting beautiful babies with a variety of expressions.

So, I found some Lee Middleton dolls on shopgoodwill.com and there was one (a Reva Schick sculpt) that closely resembled my son, Ross, when he was a toddler. I figured if I was going to invest in a Lee Middleton doll, I may as well try to find one that looked like one of my children. According to the auction's description, it is a boy...a boy wearing pink.

This particular doll reminds of Ross at around 2 years old, especially the tussled hair. I've bid my maximum amount plus shipping and handling is really high on shopgoodwill.com. I have some competition and there are still 3 days left so there is a chance I won't be the winning bidder.

However, if you've read my previous posts, you'll know that one of my favorite sayings is, "If the Lord meant for me to have it, I'd find it at Rolling Hills." (or a garage sale, thrift shop, eBay, etc.) Well, today I had this feeling I should go to Rolling Hills. I needed some craft paint and a small piece of fabric for a cape for the Santa I wrote about yesterday because I'm not too crazy about his outfit. 

The minute I walked in the door, I spied a Lee Middleton Doll on the shelf and for only $18.75 + tax. 

Her (the doll was wearing a dress) hair was a mess. In fact, even after I conditioned it and combed it out, it is still a mess but I found out that I can use a curling iron on it and that should smooth it out some. Still, she/he had the same face as the one I liked on the Goodwill auction site. 

So, I carried the doll around the store while I look to see if they had any craft supplies, I found a great piece of fabric, then I shopped for boy clothes and found this cute Halloween outfit. 

I got a lot of smiles, and few people stopped to look at the doll, but when I went to check out, the girl behind the counter was horrified. 

You see, they know me there, and lately I've been scooping up baby dolls to make Zombie Babies. Perhaps she was afraid that the Lee Middleton doll was about to suffer the same fate. Oh, please! I only zombiefy the dolls who are a little worse for wear and give them a whole new life...and UNDEAD life. Bah-haa-haa-haa!

Anyway, back to this doll's sweet face. Here he is pictured with my son at two years old. There is no sculpt that I am aware of that looks any closer to Ross. The shape of the face is very similar, and so are the eyes, but the mouth is a bit different, and as Ross put it, the skin is quite a bit darker. Come to think of it, Ross did get rather orange when he started eating carrot and sweet potato baby foods. Hmmm?

This doll reminds me more of Ross between 10 to 18 months when he had his beautiful curly hair. He's about 16 months in the photo. Once we started cutting his hair, it was wavy but it never really got those baby curls back. We called them doo-doo rolls because our son, Gray, who was five then, thought that was funny. 

From this angle, the doll looks so much like the back of my son's head and fat cheeks when he was little that it gives me chills. 

So, my plan is to give this doll a good cleaning, see what I can do to make this hair smooth and shiny again, add lashes, and paint Ross's eyebrows and hairline on the face. 

After all the reading I've done on Reborns (for my Zombie Baby research) and the images I've seen, I think I should try my hand at this popular craft. Who knows, perhaps I will become a "Reborn Artist". 

Well, I supposed it sounds better than a Zombie Baby artist.

So what does all this have to do with Santas? I've been looking on eBay for Santa outfits, size 0-3 months. Let me know if you find one...with a hat!