Evangeline Ghastly | Made of Rags

I´m back. The last two years were not quite easy and I had to deal with some issues. I had to give up millinery and had also enough of filling my wardrobe with endless clothing until it bursts.

And what does a girl, when she´s frustrated and looking for a new way? She craws in her cellar, rummages through boxes and chests…. and stumbles finally over the long forgotten box with the vintage Barbie-doll collection….

My husband called it “The opening of Pandoras box”, because I found out, I still enjoyed playing with the dolls. And it gave me another idea: I never knew exactly, what to do with the big amount of rags and leftovers from all my projects. But I´d sewed Barbie clothes many years ago and why shouldn´t I try it again?

But soon I had to realise, that my eyesight isn´t what it was anymore and working in 12″ scale much to stressful for me.

That´s when I finally hopped into the 16″ doll world. I sold most of my old Barbies, kept only my favourites and bought some second- and third- hand 16″ beauties.

Working in this scale is much more comfortable for me and some rags turned into new clothes for the dolls.

Of course I wanted to share the results with friends and acquaintences. That meant: Doll shooting. But I couldn´t find any good place in the whole house to make pictures. The balcony was an option, but rather limited. And not very useful in winter.

Another idea turned up: Why not build a doll box, like a little theater, where I could make sets?

Unfortunately I´m the worst woodcrafter in the world. When it comes to that subject, I always fail. And sad enough, it´s the same with my husband.

But I tried it anyway. We screwed and nailed something together, nobody with experience would ever go near that thing by choice! But finished, I found out, I love it. It´s mine! Selfmade! And I don´t care about all the mistakes we made and the horrible look it has.

All the “Humble Little Doll Theater” needed, was the magic, that some vintage items, antique fabrics and a litte bit of fantasy could do.

I began with a simple set and one of my two Miss Ghastlys. “Evi” had just gotten her “hunting suit”. I don´t know, what- for a doll needs a hunting suit, but she insisted on the subject. An old 1950s curtain did the job and from the remains, I sewed some rather dusty and gloomy looking curtains for the theater.

So that was my first set. Modest and unimpressive, without any storyline, but I learned fast and I got better with every set . Wait and see!