I had wanted to post something Halloweeny yesterday, but couldn't muster the enthusiasm to find a paper doll in costume (though I had a couple in mind who are wearing masquerade ball gowns ~ nothing too exciting anyway, so it's probably just as well.
Instead, today, in commemoration of All Saints, I'm sharing one of the most famous of the 19th Century saints of the Roman Catholic Church: Saint Therese of Lisieux, who was also called the "Little Flower" (you can read her story and see images of her at the Patron Saint Index if you click her name). The artist is Patricia Anderson Milan, who has done a handful of saints in paper doll form. Unfortunately, these appear to be out of print, but you can still find copies floating around.
There are a good number of things I love about these dolls. They are made for young children, so they are large, bright, and extremely easy to cut out (all of the dolls and dresses are very simple shapes, making most of the clothing interchangeable between characters (an added bonus). Also, there are just so many of them! This set includes Therese as a child and an adult, her sisters, aunt, uncle, cousin, parents, friends, and even her dog. The range of clothing includes school clothes, everyday wear, Communion dresses, and numerous habits of her religious order. Although the artwork is somewhat crude, it's got a handmade charm you can't get from super-polished work (with which I have a love/hate relationship). And because they are so easy to cut and handle, the set really does encourage play (more complex sets can seem too fragile or have too many very small pieces).
Click on the images to see more details. The overall quality of these dolls make them worth every penny.
Meanwhile, I actually have been working on making clothes. I just haven't had much energy to scan and post anything. As usual, I am at that place where suddenly I dislike my own creations rather intensely. I tend to get bogged down at this stage. Everything comes to a grinding halt. Why continue making a doll I dislike?
I will continue to muddle.
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