dolls

There are 31 posts tagged dolls (this is page 2 of 6).

Merry Creepy Christmas 2012

This was originally published on HubPages, for Christmas 2012.

This makes me think it's something right out of a creepy Doctor Who Christmas special. It just needs a weeping angel tree topper. Source: Art Ware Editions
This makes me think it’s something right out of a creepy Doctor Who Christmas special. It just needs a weeping angel tree topper.
Source: Art Ware Editions

Not everyone celebrates Christmas. But, some people find the Christmas season frightening, creepy and spooky too. Some people don’t like Christmas because it’s scary.

Christmas can be overwhelming. Endlessly repeating Christmas carols, shopping mall Santas, hungry reindeers, cold-hearted snowmen, stunted looking elves and any other ghastly or terribly ugly Christmas related horrors.

This year we put up two Christmas wreaths, mostly decorated with Christmas lights and gingerbread men we made from felt, beads and other accessories. But, they didn’t look much like the creepy one I found on Deviant Art and we didn’t have zombies on our wreaths. We don’t have zombies on the Christmas tree either. Of course, our tree doesn’t have quite the glow (sort of a manic glow) as this tree all in red lights with a spooky tree topper too. I like of like the creepy dolls on the tree, though I may not rush out to get them this year.

weeping angelsDo you like a Christmas advent calendar? I do. I usually get one every year. There’s a little surprise behind every window. Ever since I was a kid and bought my first advent calendar at the German Christmas Bazaar I’ve made sure to have an advent calendar with little chocolates behind each window every holiday. But, I never thought to look for a Creepy Advent Calendar. A bit late to start it now, but it will probably be around next year – lurking around your windows and doors no doubt.

gingerzombies1It’s not hard to find creepy Christmas cards. Some of them don’t even intend to be creepy, spooky or just plain weird, but they are. Sometimes the artist just draws Santa’s face with an odd leering, grumpy or wicked expression. Sometimes it’s more, so much more sinister. Not every Santa is created like a jolly old elf in a red suit.

gingerzombies2When you get your creepy Christmas cards all written, stamped and addresses, don’t forget to finish them off and give them that extra creepy polish with creepy Christmas mail art.

I even found killer Christmas tree business cards available for the ordering.

Christmas can be Weird

ghastly stocking

tree

Bed Dolls Will be Seen but not Heard

This bed doll with her poodle skirt comes from Td Creations Crochet on Etsy. I’ve also seen these dolls called boudoir dolls, a fancier sounding name for sure. The doll is not meant to be a child’s toy. She was a fancy girl, dressed up with her hair in a complicated style and her clothing […]

Like-Like Baby Dolls: Cute or Creepy?

Have you ever seen a reborn baby doll? They are dolls that look like real babies and are created/ bought by women and treated like real babies. Dressed up, taken for walks in the park, have birthday parties, given a car seat of their own and so on. I’m sure not every woman who keeps […]

Toilet Roll Doll: Restore and Repurpose Dolls

Did Your Grandmother Have Dolls in her Bathroom?

I remember these from my Grandmother’s house, in the bathroom. She knitted her own from patterns that have disappeared along with most of her stuff after her death years ago. I don’t know how to knit (I learned to crochet on my own) but it would have been nice to have some of her old knitting patterns. Sometimes I see interesting or unusual patterns in the thrift store but I don’t buy them. I don’t knit after all.

The History of the Toilet Roll Dolly

There isn’t a lot of history to the dolls. In the 1960’s they began appearing in North America and likely various Common Wealth and European locations too. I can only vouch for those I saw in Canada, mainly Ontario.

I expect the idea came along when there was extra yarn, some time for a new project, maybe a broken doll and the idea was born. Pretty up your bathroom. In the 1960’s there were other home made fashions in the bathroom. I can think of toilet seat covers, something I haven’t seen a big return on with all the vintage and retro ideas. You could co-ordinate your doll’s dress with your pretty toilet seat cover, the bathroom floor rug and anything else already decorating the bathroom. Maybe that was how she really got started. Not only could you add more home made crafts, more colour and keep that broken doll around for a reason but you could … make it all shades of pink matching.

There was likely some idea about modestly hiding that unsightly naked toilet roll too.

Specifications for Making Your Own Toilet Roll Doll Cosie

I have yet to see a vintage pattern for those old toilet roll cover dolls. That’s how I started writing about them today. I’m seeing what I can turn up online.

I can find an endless supply of the little dolls at thrift stores. They are abandoned by children everywhere, so it would be a good way to recycle/ repurpose some of them. You can pick and choose from weird blue hair colour to a weird blue skin colour and the standard human shades of brown colours too.

The only thing that matters about the doll is her height and width. She can’t stand too tall and tip over inside the toilet roll. She also needs to be the right width to fit through the centre of the cardboard roll from about the waist down. Mainly her legs need to be inside the roll as the skirt of her dress covers the toilet paper roll – that leaves her above the roll from the waist up.

Free Toilet Roll Cosie Patterns

Toilet Paper Doll Cover: Crochetnmore.com
Toilet Paper Roll Cover and Kitschy Doily
My Kid Craft: Paper Toilet Roll Doll

The last pattern is an update on the vintage dolls. This one can be made with children, from paper and crayons. Simple and faster for those who don’t want to buy one.

\What do you Call your Toilet Roll Doll?

I guess you could properly call them toilet roll cosies, or toilet roll toppers too. I never found out what my Grandmother actually called hers. I always enjoyed seeing them though. She never made one for me, that I can remember. Maybe she just thought they weren’t really anything special. But, they were.

If you haven’t had enough toilet roll dolls yet…

YouTube – The Toilet Roll Dolls Perform Some Juggling

YouTube – The Toilet Roll Dolls Help Themselves to Chocolate

Big Eye (Eyed) Girl: Vintage Art

I was a child in the 70’s. I still like 70’s music more than any other. I remember my bedroom being decorated with huge flowers – the wallpaper and curtains matched. At the time it didn’t seem at all retro or vintage. It takes time for anything to look kitschy after all.

There were so many little things I had back then that are prized artifacts now. I wish I had been able to keep more of them. But, we moved a lot. Then I grew up and started moving a lot myself.

One thing I miss are the big eyed girls I used to have on my walls. I didn’t get them new, even back then. I had to wander into them at yard sales and thrift stores. That’s still the only way I seem to find them now. But, I hardly ever find them these days.

I used to have about half a dozen of those sloe eyed girls. I liked the ones in the jester outfits, the girls who didn’t look like children but could have been teenagers. I had a few in jester clothes and at least 2 others which were ballerinas. My little sister liked them too. She took a couple of mine and wouldn’t give them back. Sisters…

Anyway, these days I only have one big eyed girl print left. I don’t even have her up on a wall. I keep her packed away. I guess I either don’t want to lose my last one or I want to make sure she isn’t left out during the next move (whenever that will happen along).