From Summer 2018

Now that the summer is gone, or just about...I am looking through my photos of Gene Marshall doll and thinking what a beautiful time I had! I was not going out early this morning as I usually do because I wanted to work on some of the old composition dolls I have on my work table in bits....lots and lots of bits, paint, and Milliput filler. I have "milliputted " one dolls cracked face and have prepared some other parts for the airbrush. I now have to wait for it all to dry hard....
So here is Summer 2018.
The first photo is out by Wetherby an ruined Castle. Spofforth . Once the home of the great Yorkshire ruling family of the de Percys. This is now a fave place to visit on my way around when over that way.

Otley Church.....Gene Marshall doll designed by Mel Odom.

Sun rise at Yeadon Tarn......

I looked out this morning. I had planned to work on my dolls. I was very tempted to go out with my camera as the light drew me in to the water as ever....but i stayed in and got two dolls painted ready for hair and make up later on...maybe today ...doubtful though...as I have to "work".

Spofforth Castle ruin out by Wetherby again.....

This doll was my one and only Gene Marshall doll.....Then this year for my birthday I was sent a box containing a treasure trove.....Gene   and Rose from Titanic and a 1950's bride doll.....

bride dolls are a favourite. Here is Gene Marshall at Yeadon Tarn.......

My garden...or part of it.....this is the front "little garden" which I filled with pots of flowers....

The crpt at St Stephen's church Kirkstall.....

Yeadon Tarn ....Early. This was my favourite time, as there was only me if I got there early enough. Now others had discovered that this is what I do and have started to chat to me....fair enough! but it has ruined it for me......I am really antisocial with a dislike of people. SoI have given going out to the water early a rest for a couple of days.......

I will find some where else to walk.....

All these photos were taken early and before people started to chat.....I had managed to avoid this for well over a year...so I suppose I did not do too badly.
I am now drinking lots of tea and contemplating the day. Whilst waiting for paint and Milliput to dry out.
One of the dolls I am repainting is beginning to bother me. It is a turn of the century composition Armand Marseille doll head on a papier mashe body crumbling composition legs and arms. It was something I was given on my trips out to the Tarn early mornings. One of the old guys who hangs out at the boathouse drinking tea.......This doll came to me in a carrier bag.
"can yer do out wi' it?" I was asked.
So why is it bothering me? well....I have taken her all to bits...as I do! and cleaned all the nicotine off her......absolutely caked in it! and then I have mended her right eye socket....as it had been bashed......sanded it in and repainted the face. I have taken out the eyes and need to reset them too. The body as I say is paper and much disintegrated, and one hand crumbled away too, so I replaced that and sanded and painted that too. It is bothering me now.....Have I done the right thing? it is not after all my doll! I have some knitted clothes that I am going to put her in.....they are not the clothes she should wear originally...but dressed is still better than naked and damaged in a shoe box as she was.
Having said that The old guy who gave me it to see what I could do does not know me and has only ever seen me out early at the Tarn! It is something he found in amongst his sister's stuff in a shoe box. He has just put his sister into a home for the elderly and it was her doll from childhood....He said she has been in the shoe box for 50 years!!!!!!!!!!
Any way I have done the repaint now so it is too late to worry. Once all this is dry I was going to air brush hair and cheek colour. So if I have not "done the right thing" it is tough really.....

Lee says " shove it all in a bag and give it back to him it is bothering you and stressing you out !"

yes it is and I am very tempted to do just that.