Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Museum Donation Piece



Finally finished! Well, she's not the greatest in the world, but she's my contribution/donation to the National Miniature Trust Museum. It was an honor just to be chosen to create a doll with a toy to be donated to this great museum.


Her name is Cammi, she would be 4" tall if standing (that's right, 4"). She is resting against some barrels as she has been playing with her hoop and stick, a popular toy in the late 1800's/early 1900's and needs a break. Cheap and easy to come by, children -especially those from poorer or lower middle class families- had a toy that could keep them entertained for hours.


Some where made from wooden barrel bands (like this example) and some were metal (possibly from different types of barrels). Girls and boys alike played with these.


Cammi represents a child from a western "boomtown" family where her father is a metalsmith. Her father must be doing okay money-wise as she is dressed fairly well with lace accents on her petticoat, the skirt of her dress, and around the hem of her pinafore though she is currently barefooted!


The doll was fairly hard for me to costume as I had never worked with this tiny of a doll before. My ladies are 5-1/2" to around 5-3/4", a big difference from this little 4" girl. She also represents my first paint job (horrible), the first time I altered a pattern, and except for a corset, my first original design straight from my mind and not a kit!


I hope the docents at the museum like her and that the patrons do too.