Hi All,

Oh my, we only need 3 more followers to the blog until there are 200. 

Once there are 200 followers, I will have another contest, as I promised, for a free blank (unpainted) doll kit of Katelyn, my teen doll. 

She is about 4 1/2 ” tall (she can be made taller or shorter to suit your needs), she is very versatile and can be either a young girl or a young woman.

As you can see she can have very different looks.  You can use your creativity and imagination to paint her and costume her any way you like.

To enter the 200 followers give away for a miniature handcrafted doll fan, miniature crystals, tiny glass beads and paper roses please go here: http://miniaturedolls.blogspot.com/2012/05/new-prize-give-away.html  and click on “follow” at left side of page, then leave a comment letting me know you want to be entered in the contest!

Hi All,

It was brought to my attention that my miniature doll, china painting tutorial was missing several pages.   I am not sure how that happened, but I am happy to report it is back up and complete.  You can see the tutorial on my website, here: http://ginabellousdolls.com/china-painting/

I am so sorry for the inconvenence.  I am still adding back the tutorials from my old site as time allows.  I appreciate your following and your patience.

Hugs,

Gina

As Summer has now blown in with a gentle breeze and my children have flown off in different directions like the seeds of a dandelion delicately drifting towards their destinations I have found myself wanting to rekindle lost friendships and reacquaint myself with me.

I want to find myself again now that my permanent job as keeper of dreams, nurse of scraped knees, doctor of tummy aches, cook, storyteller, money tree, & chauffeur to all places big and small has taken a back seat.  I sometimes feel like I spent my whole life so wrapped up in being a mother that suddenly being laid off from some of those  jobs has left me wondering…now what? 

My children will always need me, this much I know, but now is a time for reinvention.  I recently called a good friend of mine who I had lost touch with.  It was like no time had gone by.  We were talking at a bubbling speed trying to catch up on all of the years.  She reminded me of a doll that I made for her daughter way back when I first started in the business.  She told me she had put it away all of these years for fear that her daughter would get rid of it in her teen years.  I haven’t seen it , but it made me really look back and see how my passion for dolls started and how much my work has transformed thoughout the years. 

I remember just sort of throwing myself into dollmaking after seeing the most beautiful miniature doll I had ever seen in a miniatures shop.  I was spell bound, as I held her tiny form in my hand. I had to make my own doll. This was over 23 years ago.

Do you remember when your love of dolls first hit you?  When you felt you just had to make dolls?  What was your passion?  Please leave your comments.

Big Hugs,

Gina

I want to thank everyone for their continued support.

I hope to be able to post some doll related messages here soon. 

I am adding some more items to my “Fan” give away! We only need 9 more followers to have the contest. http://miniaturedolls.blogspot.com/2012/06/new-items-added-to-give-away.html

I have added some lovely paper roses, tiny glass beads & antique “amethyst” crystals (24 pcs.)

Hi All,

Many thanks for all of your comments and to my new followers.  If you are leaving a comment and you are a new follower, be sure to click on the “followers” box towards the bottom of the right column of the page.  We just need a few more and then we can have the contest.

http://miniaturedolls.blogspot.com/2012/05/new-prize-give-away.html

I am still finishing up some older order and then I will be back posting new dolls and tips of making miniatures, etc.

Hi All,

Sorry I have been away.  Both of my kids are graduating.  My daughter graduated from High School and my son is graduating from UC Irvine this Saturday with honors in directing.  We had a huge party for them last week so I am still recovering (read…getting my house back in order, lol).

Thank you to all who have signed up as new followers.  We only have to get 15 more followers until the number reaches 200.  Then I will put everyone who made a comment on that post into a “hat” and pull the lucky winner of the fan.

http://miniaturedolls.blogspot.com/2012/05/new-prize-give-away.html

I will also be giving away some lovely paper roses and rhinestones and beads to go with the fan.

Big Hugs,

Gina

Hi,
Thanks to all for your continued comments.  Keep them coming.  I will let you know when I will announce the winner! 
Big Hugs to all,
Gina

Hi,

I happen to have an extra fan left over from my recent “Chantelle” doll that I created.  It is slightly darker than the one pictured.  Please post this giveaway to your blog!  When the followers get to 200 I will give the fan away and post a new giveaway in celebration!  Please just leave a comment letting me know you want to be entered.
Hugs,
Gina

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! 
May your day be filled with, peace, joy, happiness & the love of your family!

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As promised, here are several new photos of Chantelle.  I will put them on my website for a higher resolution.
Chantelle is an original miniature porcelain doll.  She is created from original molds by me.  She is 1/12th scale and stands approximatley 5 1/2″ tall.  She is a special one of a kind lady with exquisite details.

In this side view you can see the tiny rose in her hair.  It is handmade by miniature artist Carol Wagner.  I just love her amazing flowers, they are so lifelike.

Chantelle has a tiny hand applied and fired-on 24 caret gold necklace with tiny Swarovski Crystals.  She has piercing blue eyes and fiery red hair.  You can also see a close up of her dark charcoal 3/4 length gloves. 

Here is a back view of the bodice of Chantelle’s gown.  All of the lace on her gown is antique andhand dyed to a dark charcoal gray color.  It compliments the plum color of her gown and sets off her red hair.

You can see how fine the antique lace is in this photo and how nicely it lays and drapes.  You can also see the detail in the styling of her hair.

A nice detail of the front of Chantelle’s bodice.  It features tiny beading at her decolatage and lovely swags of purple silk cording, tiny beads and Swarovski Crystals.

Chantelle looks regal in her gown.  She is ready for the ball.