Patitadolls in DollReader Magazine

Today I received a copy for the DollReader Magazine , October issue and what so honored to see that Isabella was published there. It is very exciting and I am very happy for it!

In a footnote, my new dolls are VERY different than the Isabella and Alexa that you already know. It has been taking so long because it does require time and effort to create these dolls specially new ones but also because I have re-done my prototype several times to perfect the new bodies. Soon, I will be showing you Isabella and Alexa with new bodies, face paintings and a new doll. Sophia is on my list too. I never finished her mold because I was unhappy with one of her ears and I got started on the new bodies before I had the chance to re-sculpt the ear and make her mold but I am hoping to have her ready before the holidays orders. Okay- back to work!

Patitadolls is Officially in Print!

I am so excited to announce that Patitadolls has been published in the November issue of Dolls Magazine. I feel truly honored for having such an article done over me and my "girls"!
The digital edition of the magazine is available online at http://www.dollsmagazine.com/ .
This past July, while at the Atlanta Doll Show, I had the opportunity and pleasure of meeting Carie Ferg ,editor-in-chief of Doll Magazine. She surprised me with the request of having a video interview! This video can also be viewed along with the digital magazine.
I was unable to download the pdf. file, so I printed and scanned the article and added it below. It's in an enlarged format, so hopefully it will be easy to read:) Otherwise, I will try to figure out another way to show you the article, and it will be under the "reviews" page of my website: http://www.patitadolls.com/ .

My very first dolls as a child were paper dolls. When Carie asked me if Diana E. Vining (a renowned paper doll artist) cloud design "Isabella" as a paper doll, I was thrilled:) If you are not a subscriber of this magazine, and you are truly into dolls, I would highly recommend subscribing. This magazine is wonderful!

p.s. The pictures below are the three used in the article. The baby face is the cover page.

Juliet.....WIP!

I am so anxious to finish my new molds, I can't hardly wait.*grin*
I will have a new pair of hands, 2 new torsos ( upper and lower bodies), and the new double joints.I also have a new face too and she may be one of my older looking dolls.
While I am loaded with mold making , this work in progress is a special order that I used Isabella's mold and sculpted directly on the face while the porcelain was at leather dry stage. As it was requested, I reduced Isabella's eyes and to my surprise I love her too! She is waiting for her new body . She will be dressed in gorgeous 1700's outfit and includes hat and silk shoes. Ohh yes, I will show her to you !

Wigs

I just finished taking more pictures of the girls and they are all ready to go. I love to change the wigs because it changes the doll looks so much. I guess it is true when people say that "Your hair is the frame of your face"... well, I kinda translated this saying from Portuguese so it may not make a sense.*grin*
Thank you all of you kind visitors , friends and artists. I really appreciate that you take the time to visit me and see my dolls. It has been a long road but a very enjoyable one in which I have learned so much and I can only say that this is just the beginning .... I am *full* of plans .... smiles to you!

New dolls

Hello there~
I am not particularly fond of taking pictures of my dolls in nude as I rather see them dressed but because I make these dolls for sale, I need to show you as much as possible how they look like and how they can pose. I will start dressing the dolls tomorrow so I thought to take a group picture first however they aren't all here.

Alexa has such a fun face to work with it... I have not written a profile for her but I will soon.

Isabella is so sweet looking .... I am thinking to make a new torso for her with younger body... but first I am working on another doll and Sophia.... Poor Sophia, I had some trouble with her mold ... she is now patiently waiting for me.

Here comes the bride...

I am pleased to introduce you my new doll - Alexa!
Alexa is dressed as a bride and she one of the six dolls that I will be bringing to the 22nd Annual Doll Festival , on July 11th- 15th In Atlanta -GA.

Alexa is a new sculpt and I just love the way she looks. She is very different than sweet Isabella , don't you agree?*grin*

This bride has green eyes however you will have a chance soon to meet one Alexa with blue eyes and another with brown eyes.

Alexa is a very lovely bride. I mixed a very white porcelain slip with a hint of pink and it turned up a very soft flesh color ... not like most doll flesh and honestly speaking I prefer this skintone than the white one.

Alexa has a long and soft ( real) mohair wig that is removable. She looks lovely with a dark color wig too , but I had to choose ....

I pierced her ears and she can wear earrings....mmmm, I love that!*grin*

One thing about Patitadolls that I like to bring to attention is that all my dolls can stand alone without support. I study their anatomy a lot when I was designing these dolls because I want to make sure my dolls would be proportional, including their feet and hands

Patitadolls has a set of joints that hides the *bulkiness* of the balls. It is inserted in way that not only locks the legs perfectly, but also retain the natural look of a human legs.... if you read my earlier posts from last year , you know how much work I put into these joints . It was very important to me.

(((Thank you))) so much for visiting me and meeting my new doll... if you are interested to see my other dolls, come back next week as I plan to post some more pictures!

Exciting news!

I am so excited because Isabella will be soon published in a wonderful magazine. It took a lot time and effort to create her and to be able to share the news with more people makes me so happy.

I took several new pictures and I am placing few here today. I love the black hair, don't you? *grin*

Isabella is so much fun to play with it. Ireally enjoyed dressing her and taking the pictures; although I confess is not my forte!

I will let you know the name of the magazine as soon as I have the information in which issue she will be featuring.

* I plan to fire Sophia next week. yuppieeee!

Isabella in Etsy!!!

Isabella is now available on my new Etsy store !!

If you like to see my new dolls , make you you save me in your favorites when you visit me there!*grin*

Sophia

I have been working many hours every evening ... I am doing so many things at the same time, one would be dizzy to see *me*. grin. My children knows me well and they are always ready to say a kind work to encourage me or to make me coffee at 9:00pm, grin. Yes, I drink strong coffee right before I go to bed too . I grow up in a coffee farm in Brazil and as far I remember I started drinking coffee when I was probably two.

Okay, about Sophia.... I posted her prototype and her plaster mold. Last night I poured porcelain and it is now , what is called leather dry. I will have to wait few days to have it dried and then fire it bisque, in which is a soft fire although the porcelain still very fragile but can be sanded in water . Next , I will fire porcelain then comes china painting. I still have a long way to go but I thought to share as I progress with her.

Pink is pretty too!

While I was making Isabella , my mind was so focus on the mold making that took way any thoughts of afterwards ... well, now I only think about playing with her... can you tell?*grin*

Pretty in blue!

This little outfit is very simple , but I like simple too.*grin*.

I sew it last year and saved it for Isabella. It is 100% cotton . I love silk ribbons, always have. If you ever received a hand painted card from me, you know what I mean. *grin*.I can use silk ribbons in so many things and lately I have discovered that one can make flowers and adorn an edge of a dress in a simple but elegant way.

Playing with her.....

Ohhh, Iam having so much fun with Isabella. I *love* the way she poses ....

Innocent Isabella...

Yes, she is here and available to become yours!*grin*

I am pleased to introduce you to my first porcelain Ball- Jointed Doll, Isabella Monet. I started working on this project in June 2008, and after many trials and adjustments, I have been able to create this doll.
She is able to articulate much like a human being, allowing her to be posed in many fun and life-like ways. T o view more pictures, or to order an Isabella doll, please visit my website http://www.patitadolls.com/ . I will be happy to answer questions at patitadoll@msn.com .

Making Sophia

I am so busy , like a honeybee in spring time!*grin*

I am working with my book, with the marionettes (Snow white) and my BJD's.

I painted Isabella early this morning and I am looking forward to *show* her to you. Although I will have only 2 dolls completed , I will be taking orders then. Also , I am painting 4 different faces to give you more options of lip/eye colors. It has been fun!

Meanwhile, I am working with Sophia's mold. I posted about my troubles when I baked the prototype , but I also told you that I would fix it. So , here you can see her mold and if you take a look inside , there is no defect. All the orange stuff is what I used to fix her . Although she has the visible lines , they were repaired and sanded so smoothly , that if you would hold the head and run your fingers through it you can't feel a thing!*grin*

It is getting close. Isabella will be ready very soon, I am now busy trying to design some outfit for her.

Hands and Feet

Hi this is a little update on my BJD's progress. Isabella has been fired and she is complete!Yeahh!!!

I have done one layer in china paint and I will have to do this 6 more times to active the final colors.I will then have 2 dolls ready.Here is a picture showing her hands and feet... they have one layer of paint , more to come. The greatest thing about this process has been what I have learn from my errors. I have improved in many areas and one that I am most excited about it is that I learned to sculpt directly on the porcelain.

The dolls will be poured into molds, but each doll , when is in *leather dry* stage allows some sculpting to be done. for ex. the picture is showing her feet . Each toe was sculpted , or *carved* out to create the curves. There is a right time to do that. If one does it when the porcelain is too wet, is not good or to dry , it will break it.

Sophia first mold is been poured. For her head, I had to make a 4 piece mold because I like to sculpt detailed ear and if I made 2 parts mold , I have found it out that does not work, at least for me.

I will have to fire Sophia and make another mold to shrink to her petite body size. I found out that I sculpt better faces if they are larger than smaller... I will also show you Sophia prototype after all my repairs so if you are curious , bookmark my page or visit me often. I have 2 other blogs and few websites ... lots work at the same time ,grin, believe me I am most productive this way because I don't spend a lot a time at once so I feel refreshed when I get back to something that I let set for while....

Sophia ~ New doll

I normally don't blog often , but today I am *twice*.
I am excited about my new doll. I have been working on her face for the past 3 months. I love her look and she is so different than Isabella and I think she will be amazing. Isabella is a french doll.... I am not sure yet what Sophia should be... any suggestion would be appreciated.

Do see the lines on her face? Well, I was so sad when I saw but sometimes when I open the oven to soon , it happens. I will add liquid apoxie ... it will be fine. Also I have a lot of sanding to do in her before I make her plaster mold. I plan to take some pictures with all I have done in order to get to the point that I am now... but before I must to have Isabella ready.

Knee Joints mold

Finally the knee molds are done. I am pouring the porcelain slip today. I am crossing my finger to work out. I should be able to fire in couple days , then start what I like to do the best - china painting.

Joints!!!!!!!!

If you are following me , you must be *tired* by now from hearing about my troubles with porcelain. I am tired myself!
So much work , I do plan to post a picture (with Isabella in the center) surrounded by all the PARTS that I was NOT happy with.
The Joints for the elbows turned out great and they fit her perfectly , but the joints for the knees were too small. I need to find a middle between my first joints and the last ones.
Well I , once again, modified the prototype and made another set of joints. I KNOW these will work out because I placed leather on my prototype doll legs and the new joints fits very nicely. A set of molds were made today.
I will have to wait about a week and start pouring again. I have all the other parts ready ... just need this last mold to work and then I will be able to make Isabella for sale.
It has been a long time and waiting but I don't make porcelain dolls only and I never intend to be a doll maker solo. I LOVE dolls and making Isabella was a challenge but I loved all the steps, even the difficulties, because I have learned how to make molds and make porcelain BJDS.
I always hear people saying that they make one porcelain doll at a time .... I wonder about that ... I honestly have to make at least 3 to get one doll perfect. For those that do not know ... when the porcelain is poured into the mold and even after a soft fire , the doll still VERY fragile. Sometimes I am sanding and I THINK I am just about done , then bang!! I see an imperfection... such as a little hole , a line or anything that will show up after I fire to the mature stage ... that leg is no good to me.
I broke several pieces during the learning process and I fired several pieces that I will never use on any of my dolls. Measuring the amount of work and time consuming , when my molds will be ready for doll making , they will be limited for 10 to 12 dolls a year.
Meanwhile, ( and I know this sounds crazy, because I have not finished Isabella yet) , I have sculpted a new doll - Sophia!

Isabella is waiting....

When I first made Isabella prototype , I had an idea in mind. My first mold ( see the brown eyes doll ) had the joints permantely attached to the legs and arms. I did not like it because I found limitations to movements.

I worked out new joints , separated for the legs and arms, in which meant that I had to make new molds for the legs and arms a well.

Nothing ever has come to me easily...sigh... I know better that good things requires time and effort.*grin*

After I re-did all I was very excited however I found out as I added the leather to the joints that the joints were now *showing*. I don't want that at all!

Tomorrow, I will start a new mold for the joints.... it is alright because all I have to do is to use the ones I have to make a new mold. Porcelain shrinks and that is all I need.

I should have the dolls ready in 10 days maximum.

I am a perfectionist... being a professional ballerina in my early years has thaught me a lot. I will confess to you that a full kiln allows me 7 complete dolls however because I have to choose the best parts for my final dolls I will be happy when I consider 3 dolls for sale!

I know the pictures are not the best but I want you to see Isabella and my wood shop where I make my molds and furniture.