Monday, December 16, 2013

In which a doll is born
















Our sweet little Claire turned 4 years old this weekend. During the last month of my pregnancy I began working on a special doll for her, a baby doll. I knew I wanted it to look a bit like her new baby sister that was on the way. So with that in mind I set to work. I created a doll with arms and legs that are jointed and can move, to make dressing easier. Plus her new baby would be able to sit up and hug and do all of those fun things you need movable arms and legs for. I embroidered her baby's eyes to match Claire's own eye color as closely as possible. We had a very clear ultrasound picture of Violet at 36 weeks and her face shape was just like Claire's was as a newborn, so I carefully sculpted the new doll's face to have a sweet pointy chin, chubby kissable cheeks and a darling little nose, just like my sweet girls. Her skin is organic cotton, and her hair is a mohair and wool blend. It was a natural white, and we gathered black walnuts from our woods and I dyed her hair with them after I crocheted the little cap to the correct size for her head. She is firmly stuffed with wool. 

Ever since Violet was born 3 weeks ago, Claire has been watching everything I do with the new baby very closely. Doll play in our house has become much more serious business now! Claire has spent the past couple of weeks playing "mommy with a newborn". She mentioned how she wished one of her babies had short soft fuzzy hair, like my newborn. She also told me several times that she would like to have diapers for her baby, so she could change it's diapers. (Lately a very frequent occurrence that she has witnessed about a million times around here!) So I made her new baby a couple of diapers that close with velcro. The diapers turned out to be a very big hit! Claire's baby has had her diapers changed even more frequently than her baby sister's in the past few days. During the time I worked on the doll, Claire had no idea that I was making something for her! She was so surprised to open up her gift on her birthday

With everything that has been happening over the past few weeks I gave myself a break and decided not to make her handmade clothing right now. So she is being dressed in "real preemie baby" sized clothing for the time being. The little pale blue pixie hat with velvet ribbons and the embroidered violets on it was borrowed from my own little Violet Penelope! I made it from the softest cashmere sweater. The pink hat with matching tiny Mary Jane shoes were actually Claire's when she was a newborn! They were made for her by her adoring Grandmother!

Claire and I decided to wrap our new born babies up in their blankets and take pictures of them together. Playing Mommy with my sweet little girl is so much fun. 

Joining in with Nicole at Frontier Dreams today and Linda at Natural Suburbia

12 comments:

  1. Oh, how lovely! The pictures in this post just melt me.

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  2. How sweet! I so miss the days of little dolls and dress up. Happy Birthday, Claire!

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  3. How sweet! I so miss the days of dolls and dress up. Happy Birthday, Claire!

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  4. Happy birthday, Claire.
    And what a beautiful doll.
    Lovely

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  5. Oh my word. Your real little newborn is positively dreamy. The cheeks, the fuzzy head, the sleeping fist, those eyes...sigh. And the doll! She's incredible! Such a beautiful creation. Just look at your daughter's expression on receiving her! It looks like she's holding a real wee newborn in that one shot. FANTASTIC!

    You amaze me, mama.

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  6. Such an adorable post. The doll is gorgeous, I love her eyes. And your daughters are adorable

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  7. This is so sweet and wow, the doll is beautiful! Hope you are well.

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    Replies
    1. Oh my goodness - you embroidered those beautiful eyes?! You are beyond amazing!! Seeing Violet with the doll is priceless. She is such a gorgeous baby <3 Happy birthday to Claire!!

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  8. Happy Birthday! Such a beautiful doll and a gorgeous wee baby :)

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  9. How beautiful!!! What a sweet doll!! Happy birthday to your little girl! She looks delighted with you new baby.

    Baby Violet is adorable and what sweet pics of the two babies together. :)

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  10. What a beautiful doll!!! And baby!!!!
    Blessings and magic,
    Donni

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