Saddle Seat

     Yesterday I posted a couple of random western pleasure dolls I have for sale. Random means they were not orders and they were just whatever my brain decided to make. All of my dolls are going to be random dolls for the foreseeable future. But I do have a couple more dolls to talk about that were ordered. This saddle seat doll was one of my last orders. He is wearing a vest made from a material with the same pattern, though a different color, as one of the western pleasure dolls I talked about yesterday. 

      I actually don't make a ton of saddle seat dolls. I have a lot of different reasons for that. One of them is they do sort of take more work than some other types of dolls. Another reason is that they are, in some ways, a specialty doll. They can do saddle seat. Period. Yes, it IS possible to use saddle seat tack/attire in almost any English class, just as you can do the same with side saddle. But it is not usually something that is done. So you end up with a doll that you can use for one class, that you also need special tack for. So they are not a doll I think to make all that often. And I can't make a bowler hat. Women wear bowler hats for saddle seat and I have not yet been able to make one that I actually really like. So for many reasons I don't really gravitate to making saddle seat dolls. But this guy was an order, and it was nice to make a saddle seat doll again. And it was nice to work with a Breyer guy. I think I have one more Breyer guy left that has the original small head.

     Closing my order books still seems to be the best decision I could have made for myself. At least currently. It has been so much less stressful to just make whatever I want, or even change the plan mid-doll when things get a bit messed up. Maybe I might open the books for a bit for the summer. When, theoretically, I have a bit more time in my day (lol, that's funny. Time has a way of filling itself). But I also might not. 

     Things at school have been interesting. We have made some really excellent progress with the kids. I have been working on some new skills with Travis, and that has been going well. I have a lot of different things I try to fit into my days, and I have been doing better at balancing all the things. Not perfectly, and some days are still really unbalanced, but I have been doing a lot better. And I have been kinder to myself. I do think a big part of that is not doing custom orders. And also not holding myself to the strictest of deadlines when it comes to finishing dolls, or even jewelry pieces. Though I have been slacking on jewelry for a bit and I want to get back into that this weekend. I have a bunch of new connector charms that I want to incorporate into some designs and I got a bunch more stones yesterday. Not that I needed more, I just can't help but get more, lol. So I might do some jewelry making this weekend, or even during the week, in addition to, or instead of, dolls. I am leaving my options open a bit. 

Western Week

     My goal these days is to try to finish just two dolls a week. I don't think that is a huge ask of myself, seeing as I used to make an average of 5 a week, most weeks. There are definitely weeks I don't meet my fairly simple goal. And you know what? That's OK. Sometimes it happens and I have been cutting myself some slack. Sometimes I am just too tired to work on the dolls. Sometimes I am just so unmotivated that dolls are not going to happen. This week though, I managed to get past the maybe-I-can-just-skip-working-on-dolls feeling and I got these two ladies done. And I am quite pleased with them. 

     First we will talk about this lady. I love black and white outfits. I think they are classy, timeless, and go with pretty much everything. This lady was done on the Lena body from KC's Galloping Gals. I think she turned out really nicely. (On hold)

    The front and back designs on her outfit are identical. 

They are also the same on her sleeves.

     This is the only type of symmetry that I am really comfortable with. I do like the look of symmetrical designs, but usually that means something swirly and mirrored. And I just can't seem to get those done all that well. But I like this sort of symmetrical design. 

     This lady was meant to be a casual western doll. But when I put her shirt on glue seeped through on the front. When that happens it is nearly impossible to get it off. My first thought was to add some decorative bits to turn her into a western pleasure doll, which I did, but I also pulled out this cool fabric and made her a vest. 

     I don't even know if vests are currently popular or not, they come and go, but I like the look of this doll. 

     She's a bit more basic, less flashy, but still has visual interest. I like that sort of thing. 

       Sometimes I like to make really elaborate western pleasure dolls. Sometimes I like to make them even more basic than this one. I do like variety. I also know that some people prefer a more basic look, without much bling. 

     Since I still had the jeans I made for this doll when she was supposed to be a casual doll, I made another shirt (not in this color. I am out of that fabric) and I have something else in the works already for next week. I think. Maybe. I don't actually remember. I'm tired. I woke up about an hour early this morning and decided I might as well get up. I have reached the point of the day where I am regretting that choice just a bit, since I don't want to go to bed at 7:00.

     Both of these dolls are available for purchase. $240 each plus shipping. As usual, these dolls are not going to be advertised anywhere other than here on the blog for now. If they don't sell right away they will be available at my next live sale, which I am still planning to have at the end of this month. Though I have not made as much progress on pulling things out for sale as I have planned to. Part of that is crappy weather. I like to take photos outdoors and it has rained a lot, or snowed. Winter waited until the end of the season to show up in Massachusetts. I am hoping to get the next batch of stuff, which is minis, posted soon. We'll see if the weather lets that happen.

Someone A Little Different

      So a while back, when I discovered that Classic TV Toys has the small, 6" Yvonne-type dolls, I discovered they also have this smaller scale male rider doll. And I was intrigued. Not every person is exactly the same size or shape after all, so options are always nice. I picked up one of these guys to see what I could do with him. And then he sat in my doll drawer for a long time until I got around to getting started on him. When I got started on him I ripped a seam out of the first shirt I made for him. So he got put aside for a bit longer. But finally, he's finished. 

     So this male rider doll is smaller than the average traditional scale rider. But I am sure he is too large to be classic scale. Unless you have a huge classic scale model. Or freedom scale, whatever Breyer is calling it these days. I would say this doll would be great for those small traditional models, as a young teen, or just a small adult. Honestly, not all people are super tall. I included a ruler so you could see how tall he is, how long his legs are, etc. He fits nicely in my western saddle that was made to fit a Stone Pony. 

     And he is versatile. Not only can this guy do regular ranch work, or just hang out around the barn, he also has removable cutting chaps so he can do working classes. 

     I slimmed down the body a little bit, because that beefy guy body is pretty beefy. Not everyone is super tall and not every guy is a body builder after all. He's still not super slim, I don't have a great option for a male doll like that unless I really alter an Yvonne type doll to be a guy. Which does work if you are careful. 

     But for someone a bit different, this guy might be just what you are looking for. Not too tall or too small. Casual, working, if it's western, he can do it. 

     I think the head could pass for an adult or a teen. It's sold as a "teen" head, but I also work in a middle school, and I would say this guy for sure could pass for a teen. Probably not younger because of how buff he is, lol, but a teen. 

    Hat and chaps are both removable, as you can see, so he is ready to come and work for you. This guy is available for $260 plus shipping. I am not planning on listing him anywhere else at the moment so if he doesn't sell now he will be available at my live sale at the end of March. I am also going to be offering a variety of things from my personal collection. I have the micros already listed here. There may be some other micros I decide to let go of. I am hoping to get photos of minis soon and get those listed next. I don't have a ton, but some, OF, CM, and ARs. 

    As a reminder, my order books are currently closed so if you want a doll from me it has to be one I decide to make. I have two more in the works at the moment, another casual western lady and a western pleasure lady. I'm not sure what I will make after that. One thing at a time. 

 

Western Side Saddle

      My custom order books are closed, at least for now, but one of the last orders I got was for this western side saddle doll. I was asked to make a western side saddle doll similar to the last western pleasure doll I made. This doll, who is still available. I had enough of the design fabric left to make that happen, so I made the doll. 

     She is not identical to the other doll, no doll is actually identical, but her outfit has a similar feel to it. And I really like how she came out. I also like that I have a western side saddle to put her on! Joan Yount made my western side saddle. 

        It's been a bit weird to tell people who contact me that my order books are closed. They were open for 16 years. But it is nice to know I don't have to make things for a particular time. And I can just make whatever pops into my head. Which is fun. If I don't have a lot of time to work on dolls, which happens a lot these days, I don't have to feel rushed. It's a good feeling.

    This winter has been incredibly mild. We have had a few really cold days, but we also have had many days that are above freezing, or even in the 40s and 50s. Which might be normal for some places, but is very abnormal for Massachusetts. We also have had a lot of rain and very little snow. Until last night. We got an actual winter storm last night. It dumped at least 7 inches of snow, which is not nearly the most we have gotten all at once around here, but is the most we have gotten all at once this winter. And this storm isn't actually done. It is supposed to snow for most of the day today as well, with a 2 hour break for more rain. Awesome. They called a snow day, which is good, but I have to go to the doctor later. I already don't want to go. 

    Last week was February vacation and I got things done that I have had not put off for a while. I did a few larger cleaning projects, though I really wish I had talked myself into a few more. I read books, that had no pictures, and it was nice. I wish I had been able to make time for more reading. I worked on some dolls a bit and I worked on a lot of new jewelry. It was a nice break. We went back to school for one day and now we are off today. We'll see if I can go tomorrow or not. It all depends on whether or not the roads are cleared for tomorrow. If they have to delay school I have to call out. There is no point in going in for an hour, to have to leave to get home for Travis (if school is delayed, Sunshine Village will be closed, and Ethan can't call out of work). So we'll see. 

     Today I want to extend the vacation feeling. I have plans to finish a book that I am nearly done with. I have a necklace design in my head that I want to get out. I have dolls in the works that I can work on. Hopefully I can get a lot done today. Even with having to leave to go to the doctor. And then there are just 3 more days until the weekend. And we are one day closer to Spring. Even if it doesn't look like it. 
 

Micros for Sale!

      Since I am on vacation this week and technically have extra time in the day (not that it really seems that way...) I decided I would start photographing and listing things for sale. Today's post is all about micros. I have unpainted, painted, started painted, started prepping, pretty much everything. As I have mentioned before, you are welcome to purchase them now, please email me at fieldofdolls@gmail.com, and if they don't sell now they will be in my live sale at the end of March. I am mostly looking to have less stuff, but I am not looking to just give away everything I own. I am however offering some discounts for bulk purchases. Buy 2 micros, get $5 off. Buy 3 micros and get $10 off. But 4 or more and get $10 off and free shipping. Buy a whole bunch more than that and feel free to bundle and haggle. The worst I can say is no. I may have some other micros I decide to let go of, but this is what I have to start. Happy hunting.

Alpheratz and Matar 2021 subscriber exclusive. $100 for the pair. I likely have the stand for Matar somewhere. I have all the cards. 

Upbitty, prepped (maybe even well), with a gold base coat started in pan pastels. $60 (sold)

Jewel painted by me. $60

Sixjay painted by Kenzie Williams $125

Maelzela painted by Sarah Hampson $100 SOLD

 Ember painted by ? $60 (sold)

Bitty Barnaby painted by Kristen Cermele. He apparently lost an ear, I have no idea when, that hurts a lot. He is a gorgeous little horse and has such tiny ears you don't even see his boo-boo unless you take him out to take photos (or show. Don't do that). Sadly this guy is just a shelf piece unless he gets repaired. Selling for way less than I paid, $100 (sold)

Maple Stirrup painted by me. This guy doesn't look as bad in person as he does in these photos. Still, I am not a fantastic painter and had not learned the pasteling tricks I have now. $75 and I won't be offended is someone was to paint over him. SOLD

Tennytoo, prepped and base coated. Might be glued onto the stand, might be stuck. $50

Rhedyn $30

Micro Juggernaught gold base coat started. $60 SOLD

Chaos Mode $30

Ember, pewter. Prepping started $40

Escape Foot Callie $30

Castanea, no card $30

Annie $35

Poppyseed $35

Kranig $35

Armstrong $30

Rhino $35

Weatherwax $35