Yikes! It seems incredible that it has been 2 months since I last posted to this blog. I have severely neglected this blog of late in the past year.
I have put aside the Borrowers project simply because of space. I haven't left it entirely, but on a project of this magnitude, I like to have room and with the severe cold weather, snow, and Arctic winds that have plagued us all through January and now into February, many things I do on a project of this magnitude I cannot do inside, except sew their clothing and customize the dolls and sort through 'found' objects. My original plan was to use a lamp box to make it look like the borrower's home underneath the floor.I had even looked at some old plumbing fittings and figured out how to make the rickety flooring with red scrapbook paper to resemble 'blotting' paper that Homily liked. Those plans are still in place, but I will need warmer weather and a place to store this diorama that will have to be disassembled later. I also still need to acquire Homily and Pod.
What I have been working on is a French chateau diorama project. I have long been obsessed with French history, from the Sun King - Louis XlV, to his descandants Louis XV and Louis XVl as well as Marie Antoinette...up to Napoleon. I love Versailles, Petite Trianon, French decor, art, porcelaine- you name it. The history of French artistry is one that is fascinating in a study of both economics on a global level that goes back to the Sun King's genius minister- Colbert. The genius behind dominating the luxury fashion, art, decor and fabric and porcelaine industry made France the country everyone turned to for what was the latest in fashion and design. Every monarch in other countries sought to replicate their own Versailles.
I have started a French Salon diorama first, as well as dolls that represent Marie Antoinette, Louis XVl, the Dauphin Louis Charles and their daughter, Madame Royale- Marie Therese. Though they had four children, the older Dauphin, Louis Joseph, died as did
their infant, Sophie. I may still replicate them in the famous picture of Marie Antoinette in red beside an empty cradle after Sophie passed and the older Dauphin is pointing to it.
I have spoken of this project for a few posts on my other blog THe One Sixth Scale Dollhouse . The Chateau project right now consists of a room- which is intended to be a music salon where Marie Antoinette and her family and friends, courtiers can congregate. I am working now on her children. I chose Lilac Frost Poppy Parker to be a young Marie Antoinette and the doll who will be Louis will be ready by June as I am having him re-painted and re-rooted to look like Louis- this is an Emmett Twilight doll who has the features of the young Louis.
I also just finished a tutorial on Foamcore French doors on my other blog, so please read it, they turned out very well for this diorama and are hinged and open and close.
Right now here are some photos of the project-
The doors are made of regular thickness of foamcore, but the walls are 1/2 inch thick foamcore. All rough edges on the doors and walls were covered with white contact paper and the doorknobs and hinges came from my local miniature dollhouse shop. I made the lit du polannaise settee/divan myself with fabrics in my stash and odds and ends. I also made the tassels myself on this project- I may still add a few touches.
The walls will be treated with embellishments of course, when I can get my additional supplies I need. I have a fireplace, overmantel and brackets on order as well. The doors will open onto the veranda terrace , I just have not finished the items for outside as I am concentrating on the salon. I am attempting to score a Suzy Goose piano, but no such luck right now, that would so resemble the Louis style I need for a music room. I may still add a harp.
The other characters I am attempting to replicate will be Madame Campan, Yolande (Gabrielle) de Polignac, and the Princesse de Lamballe, as well as Count Fersen. My inspiration for the characters are from history as well as the Kirsten Dunst Marie Antoinette movie. I have done alot of research on the portraits of these historical figures to get the clothing, hair, and face molds correct or as near as possible. Louis will be the ultimate in replicating him into doll form, so I hope I do this correctly. I am currently gathering fabrics for his coat, vest, shirt, and breeches. I found the most wonderful remnant at Joann's for a few bucks for the color of his breeches, wonderful material. I may use it on a gown for Gabrielle, who was the Queen's closest friend.
Here I have shown pictures of Louis, Marie Therese and Louis Charles, the older Dauphin, Louis Joseph, Marie Antoinette herself, and Kirsten Dunst in costume, as well as Lilac Frost Poppy Parker as Marie Antoinette. Just by luck I had the bright pink and gold India fabric with the silk ribbon and miniature lace for her gown. It really laces up in the back. I washed and reset her hair- no easy task to get it tall and stay that way. I used a pattern for the gown that was originally for an MSD sized bjd in Haute Doll, but resized it and altered it to fit a 12 inch fashion doll. The bodice was the most complicated part.
I hope you follow my other blog the One Sixth Scale dollhouse as I will be posting more on the Chateau Project. Hopefully during the summer I will be able to continue the Borrowers project, along the similar lines of when I did the Ingalls' dugout home from LIttle House on the Prairie.
I have put aside the Borrowers project simply because of space. I haven't left it entirely, but on a project of this magnitude, I like to have room and with the severe cold weather, snow, and Arctic winds that have plagued us all through January and now into February, many things I do on a project of this magnitude I cannot do inside, except sew their clothing and customize the dolls and sort through 'found' objects. My original plan was to use a lamp box to make it look like the borrower's home underneath the floor.I had even looked at some old plumbing fittings and figured out how to make the rickety flooring with red scrapbook paper to resemble 'blotting' paper that Homily liked. Those plans are still in place, but I will need warmer weather and a place to store this diorama that will have to be disassembled later. I also still need to acquire Homily and Pod.
What I have been working on is a French chateau diorama project. I have long been obsessed with French history, from the Sun King - Louis XlV, to his descandants Louis XV and Louis XVl as well as Marie Antoinette...up to Napoleon. I love Versailles, Petite Trianon, French decor, art, porcelaine- you name it. The history of French artistry is one that is fascinating in a study of both economics on a global level that goes back to the Sun King's genius minister- Colbert. The genius behind dominating the luxury fashion, art, decor and fabric and porcelaine industry made France the country everyone turned to for what was the latest in fashion and design. Every monarch in other countries sought to replicate their own Versailles.
I have started a French Salon diorama first, as well as dolls that represent Marie Antoinette, Louis XVl, the Dauphin Louis Charles and their daughter, Madame Royale- Marie Therese. Though they had four children, the older Dauphin, Louis Joseph, died as did
their infant, Sophie. I may still replicate them in the famous picture of Marie Antoinette in red beside an empty cradle after Sophie passed and the older Dauphin is pointing to it.
I have spoken of this project for a few posts on my other blog THe One Sixth Scale Dollhouse . The Chateau project right now consists of a room- which is intended to be a music salon where Marie Antoinette and her family and friends, courtiers can congregate. I am working now on her children. I chose Lilac Frost Poppy Parker to be a young Marie Antoinette and the doll who will be Louis will be ready by June as I am having him re-painted and re-rooted to look like Louis- this is an Emmett Twilight doll who has the features of the young Louis.
I also just finished a tutorial on Foamcore French doors on my other blog, so please read it, they turned out very well for this diorama and are hinged and open and close.
Right now here are some photos of the project-
The doors are made of regular thickness of foamcore, but the walls are 1/2 inch thick foamcore. All rough edges on the doors and walls were covered with white contact paper and the doorknobs and hinges came from my local miniature dollhouse shop. I made the lit du polannaise settee/divan myself with fabrics in my stash and odds and ends. I also made the tassels myself on this project- I may still add a few touches.
The walls will be treated with embellishments of course, when I can get my additional supplies I need. I have a fireplace, overmantel and brackets on order as well. The doors will open onto the veranda terrace , I just have not finished the items for outside as I am concentrating on the salon. I am attempting to score a Suzy Goose piano, but no such luck right now, that would so resemble the Louis style I need for a music room. I may still add a harp.
The other characters I am attempting to replicate will be Madame Campan, Yolande (Gabrielle) de Polignac, and the Princesse de Lamballe, as well as Count Fersen. My inspiration for the characters are from history as well as the Kirsten Dunst Marie Antoinette movie. I have done alot of research on the portraits of these historical figures to get the clothing, hair, and face molds correct or as near as possible. Louis will be the ultimate in replicating him into doll form, so I hope I do this correctly. I am currently gathering fabrics for his coat, vest, shirt, and breeches. I found the most wonderful remnant at Joann's for a few bucks for the color of his breeches, wonderful material. I may use it on a gown for Gabrielle, who was the Queen's closest friend.
I hope you follow my other blog the One Sixth Scale dollhouse as I will be posting more on the Chateau Project. Hopefully during the summer I will be able to continue the Borrowers project, along the similar lines of when I did the Ingalls' dugout home from LIttle House on the Prairie.
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