Meet Tashi- Talia’s Friend and her Refined Winter Wardrobe

A printable paper doll coloring page set with one doll and a 17 piece wardrobe.
A paper doll printable with a 17 piece fashion wardrobe.

Download the 2 Page Black and White PDF | Download the 2 Page Color PDF | More Talia Tuesday & Friends Dolls

Meet Talia’s first friend Tashi! My patrons helped me name her. Tashi is a Tibetan name that means “good fortune” and beat out several other names to win the poll I shared on Patreon. Thanks Patrons for helping me name her! I had planned to wait a while to share her, because I had several other Talia dolls finished, but I really wanted to show off her and her fun winter looks, so she jumped the line- as paper dolls sometimes do!

According to my research into Winter trends for this year, I noticed a few things- tapered trousers, pleated skirts, mini-skirts, puffed sleeve sweaters and crop tops with high waisted styles. Interestingly, I also noticed that these lady-like styles got paired with more chunky masculine boots which felt very 1990s. Anyone else getting Doc Marten’s with floral dresses flashbacks? Anyone?

Colorwise, lilac has been an on-trend color for Fall 2021, so I decided to embrace that when I was coloring this paper doll set. I really like pastels for winter, but you have to keep them dusty and vintage feeling, or else you get into saccharine sweet territory.

If you want to get to help me name paper dolls, than join us on Patreon.

DDJ: A Medieval Inspired Set of Fantasy Gowns

A paper doll printable coloring page with fantasy gowns.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Dolls Du Jour Paper Dolls

So, I tend to categorize my fantasy paper dolls in my head based on the time periods that inspired them. This paper doll is vaguely medieval while last year I did a Renaissance inspired Twilight paper doll set. Evening is my newest member of the Dolls Du Jour family who I created because I wanted a more medium-brown skin-tone.

Evening has two dresses which in my head are a Winter Dress and a Summer Dress, though I suppose they could be anything you might want them to be. I had particular fun with this color scheme that I wanted to feel soft and muted, but also rich. I am of the Lord of the Rings Movies generation, so those costume designs have long impacted the way I have thought about fantasy gowns for paper dolls.

Evening, like all the Dolls Du Jour, was named with the help of my Patrons. So, as always a big thank you to those folks without whom this site would be a lot less fun. Also, tomorrow is a newsletter day, so sign up here if you want to get that sent straight to your inbox.

Meet Talia Tuesday & Her Retro Ski Winter Fashion

A black and white printable paper doll two page set with 16 piece mix and match wardrobe. Fun to color and cut out and play with.
Amazing screen free fun with a printable paper doll and her 16 piece winter retro wardrobe.

Download the 2 Page Black and White PDF | Download the 2 Page Color PDF | More Talia Tuesday & Friends Dolls

I do not know where to start with this one, so let me start at the beginning I guess. Last year, I decided to just draw whatever I felt like for my 5 dollar patrons. One of the experiments that came out of that year was this paper doll pose. Inspired by a pose I’ve seen, but never tried to draw (and like it only looks correct because the amazing Julie Matthews saved me on foot placement- you’re the best Julie). I liked the doll, but the pose is totally new to me and is taking some getting used too. It’s making me stretch and I think that’s always a good thing.

So, I decided one of the things I wanted to do was a two page series, due to the paper doll’s pose and size. After I shared her for my Patrons last year, I reformatted her and did some adjustments to her face and came up with a name. Meet Talia Tuesday & Friends!

She’ll post not every Tuesday, because that would be bananas, but like some Tuesdays. This first Talia Tuesday is inspired by the retro ski trend that seems to be all over the place this winter with lots of 1980s and 1990s inspired ski wear. I don’t think any of this is really practical ski clothing, so I didn’t feel weird giving Talia a big silver earrings.

Don’t worry, Talia will have friends soon. If you love paper dolls and want more of them every month, I’ve got Patreon page where even more paper dolls happen (plus you get to see things like this in the early days) and a newsletter.

Ombre Stripes in Purples with Lapis

A printable paper doll in pwith a 9 piece mix and match wardrobe.
A blond printable paper doll in purples and teals with a 9 piece mix and match wardrobe.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones 2.0

So, according to the internet, source of all wisdom, lilac is a big color for Winter 2022. I wanted to really focus on two colors- purple and teal- for the this paper doll. The set was supposed to be a look at monochrome colors which isn’t something I do a lot in my paper doll coloring.

Recently, I got a question from a reader asking if I did anything with my finished paper dolls. At first, I didn’t understand the question. What did “do anything with” mean? I wondered. I told her about my messy files, my boxes of sketchbooks in my office closet, but that answer didn’t feel right. It’s been percolating in my brain for the last week.

What do I “do with” my finished work?

And then the answer occurred to me as I was working on scheduling this months paper doll posts and it was utterly obvious…. What I do with my finished paper dolls is this. PTP is what I do with my finished work. Completing things is deeply satisfying for me and how I complete my paper dolls is sharing them with all of you.

Once I thought about for a while, the answer was obvious. So, thank you for being a part of my process and a part of my little corner of the inter-webs. If you’d like to support my little corner of the internet further, I have a Patreon page, Etsy store, and a newsletter.

Happy Purim & A Paper Doll to Celebrate

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones 2.0

Oh, where to start… Okay, so Purim begins at sunset tonight and as it is a Jewish holiday where dressing up is a tradition, I’m sort of embarrassed I haven’t done a Purim paper doll since this one way back in 2011. So, here we are to rectify that situation. To be honest, I tend to forget about Purim until after the fact which is not really fair to what is technically one of my favorite Jewish holidays (which I am like 80% into because of the amazing cookies involved.)

So, what is Purim? Well, Purim is a holiday that usually falls in March or April and commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, who was planning to have all of Persia’s Jewish subjects killed, by Esther and Mordecai as recounted in the Book of Esther. There’s more to the story of course (some of it involving a lot of drinking and nudity, oh my!), but to make a long story short, the day that the Jews weren’t killed is now remembered as Purim. If any of this did actually happen (a subject of some debate) it would have been around 400-500 BCE in the Persian empire of the time. By the way, this is the cutest 4 minute video of this story ever, if you want a kid-friendly primer.

Reading the Book of Esther from the Esther Scroll (the Book of Esther doesn’t appear in the Torah) is a religious requirement of Purim, as is giving to the poor, exchanging food with friends, and eating a celebratory meal. Non-religious traditions of the holiday include making noise (using a noise maker or just booing loudly) when the name Hamen heard during the reading of the Book of Esther, dressing up in costume as characters in the story (or just costume in general), and making hamentashen. Hamentashen are a traditional cookie shaped like a triangle and filled with poppy seed, prune, or apricot filling (or, if you’re me, raspberry). It is said they looked like Hamen’s hat, but I think there’s no historical backing for that one.

I like this hamentashen recipe, though I sub out the brandy usually with orange juice, and I think it is better than my Grandma’s recipe. (Don’t tell!) I usually buy my poppy seed filling, because I’m a little lazy about it. However, you can make your own poppy seed filling which I might have to do, because poppy seed filling is super hard to find in the grocery stores around here. I would add that if you’re used to making cookies with butter, than traditional hamentashen will taste odd perhaps, because they’re usually made without dairy for kosher cooking reasons. I’ve been known to make hamantashen outside of Purim as a non-dairy cookie for friends who don’t eat dairy.

Anyway, as a kid, I loved Purim. I love getting to dress up as Esther, or one memorable year, as a hamantashen. I loved getting to use a noise maker, hearing the story of Esther, and the general feeling of celebration the holiday creates. There’s also something about the slow slog towards spring when everything still is frozen up here in Alaska which makes baking some cookies and having a party seem like a really good thing to be doing.

I didn’t want to make a paper doll of Esther, because honestly, that was way more research than I was about to undertake. What did Jewish people wear in Persia in 400BCE? No idea!

Instead, I decided to draw someone celebrating Purim with a hamantashen t-shirt (because that’s fun) and some Esther costumes. For some reason I had it in my head that this whole thing took place in 1400 BCE, not 400 BCE, while I was sketching, so these outfits are way too early for the actual period, but I’m not sweating it. The trim on the second costume is supposed to look a little like hamentashen. I also included a traditional noise maker called a gragger (or grogger, or grager, or… there’s like a million ways to transliterate Yiddish, I swear) and plate of hamantashen. (Note: Drawing a plate of cookies is hard!)

For anyone else celebrating, have a happy Purim! For everyone not celebrating, have an amazing Wednesday evening and Thursday! I’m spending mine baking.

Some of My Paper Dolls In Teal

I feel like every time I do one of these “paper doll color collections” I say that the color is my favorite color, but then I really do love a lot of colors and I chose colors I like. I mean, I don’t want to spend a lot of time staring at colors I don’t like. The thing is, I really like all the colors. Teal though has the honor of being the one I own the most clothing in. I was once told I had to stop buying teal sweaters by a dear friend when she pointed out that I owned five.

Five was, perhaps, excessive. But I like teal!

One of the things I like about teal is that it can be blue or green and depending on what you pair it with, it changes a bit how it feels. It can be modern with orange or romantic and old fashioned tone on tone.

30 Different Paper Dolls In Teal

As I always do, I tried do a variety of themes like steampunk, fantasy and fashion. I don’t have a lot of historical things in teal I did realize when I was selecting pieces for this little showcase. Maybe I should get on more of that, I guess.

Teal is also a color that I think can like winter or summer depending on what you pair it with. I’m currently planning my wedding and people keep asking me about my colors. I have no idea, but I guess I’ll have to make up my mind soon. (My fiancé has suggested a hot dog themed wedding which would mean red, green, and mustard yellow… I have told him that is NOT happening.)

I digress. Enjoy the paper dolls! And there’s a newsletter tomorrow so sign up here if you want to get it and it’s a St. Patrick’s Day paper doll.

Meet Citrine! New Paper Doll Whose Name I Keep Spelling Wrong! And her evening gowns!

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Dolly & Her Dresses For March 2022

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Goals for 2022

All right, it’s time for goal setting. I like goals. I like working towards things. I’m trying not to be too ambitious this year, because I am starting late and sort of feeling still pretty drained as I recover from some medical treatment (nothing life threatening) and also plan my wedding for June (also not life threatening, I hope).

1. 100 Jewels and Gemstones 2.0 Paper Dolls

Currently, there are about 68 Jewels and Gemstones paper dolls on the blog and I’d really like to hit 100 before the end of 2022. If I included all the Jewels and Gemstones paper dolls that I’ve shared on Patreon, I am probably closer, but I think 100 on the blog is the goal. Of course, I’ll still be putting up my monthly Jewels and Gemstones paper doll for my Patrons. Sign up at the 2 dollar level if you’d like to see those.

2. 10 Historical Paper Dolls

When I asked my Patrons, historical paper dolls won for the thing they wanted to see more of. So, since there are ten months left in the year, I’m setting a goal for 10 different historical paper dolls. So far, I have a 14th century one waiting in the wings and a few more that I have ideas for. If there’s a time period you’d like to see, leave me a comment and I’ll consider adding it to my list. Right now, the top of my to do list is the 1980s, which my Patrons requested last year.

3. Send Things to OPDAG for Paper Doll Review

I feel like this is has been a goal in the past and I have failed miserably at it. The next theme is Animals and after that is Mad about Plaid and Checks. I tend to wait until the last minute to do these and then run out of time. So, my goal is to submit something to those two. I actually love drawing checks and hate drawing plaids, so I should be able to do something. Animals does have me a little stumped I confess. I have a cartoony style, but I don’t think it’s super kawaii which I feel like Animal paper dolls should be.

4. Finish Another Book/Print Project

My first ever book project (You can pick up a copy here) was super fun, complex and I really want to do another one. I have an idea even, so I want to try to finish that. I also have other ideas for print projects, but I can’t 100% decide if I am ready to expand my Etsy store in that direction or not. Anyway, another book is doable and that’s my goal for 2022.

5. Continue with the Newsletter for 2022

I love doing my Newsletter, so I want to continue with it for 2022. It makes me happy and I hope it makes other’s happy, too. Sign up here, if you haven’t. There’s a paper doll in every issue.

6. 10 Dolls Du Jour This Year

Yeah, I did like four last year and I feel guilty about it, okay? So, I’m shooting for ten. I like them. I don’t know why I seem to not instinctively want to draw more of them. The paper doll series deserves more love.

And that’s it! So, I’ll check in with these around Rosh Hashanah as I usually do in September to see how things are going. In the meantime, I am should get too drawing, because those 100 Jewels and Gemstones paper dolls aren’t going to draw themselves, let me tell you.

DDJ: It is Pirate Paper Doll Time!

A pirate coloring page paper doll to print with a mix and match wardrobe.
A printable paper doll pirate with mix and match clothing, a map and swords. She has dark skin and dreadlocks.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Dolls Du Jour Paper Dolls

Happy March!

There are paper doll themes I think I’ve done a lot of- like pirates-, but then when I actually go through my own archives I realize- I really haven’t done that very many pirate paper doll sets. (I have a similar relationship with fairy paper dolls.)

The problem, I suspect, is that I don’t feel like there are that many ways to draw a pirate. So, I guess that’s a factor. I should expand more into space pirates or steampunk pirates or… I dunno… Need to think on it.

Anyway, one of the things I am doing over on Patreon is working on my goals for 2022. One of those goals is more Dolls Du Jour, I was slightly embarrassed to realize I only did 4 last year. Plus, they were nearly all based on things I actually drew in 2020. (This isn’t super uncommon. Some things sit on my computer a long time before I finish them, because I am fickle and have more ideas than time.)

So, anyway, one goal is more Dolls Du Jour. I have been finishing up my Goals post. The hope is to get that up later this week, so it’ll be “Official”. I like having all that sort of thing in one place, because I will refer to it later. I know I will.

More and more over the last few years, I havecome to think of the blog as a long form sort of art project. I like having most things here, because I know I own this space. No algorithm can interfere with what I’ve built here.

Meanwhile, if you’d like to support the blog, then there’s a way to do over on Patreon. My Patreon projects for this year is a gothic/steampunk fantasy thing for Vivian and a set of Antique Doll paper dolls. I’m super excited about both.

A Whimsical Winter Paper Doll to Print

A winter themed paper doll with nine mix and match clothing pieces including coats, jeans, sweaters, and hats.
A winter themed paper doll clothing page with nine mix and match clothing pieces.

Black and White PDF | Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones 2.0 Paper Dolls

In my world, it is still way below zero and the snow is still deep. People tell me spring will come, but I am beginning to have my doubts. I’m antsy and super tired of winter. Up here, some people call this feeling the “heebie-jeebies” – that antsy icky anxiety that comes from wanting winter to end. This time of the year time seems to blur together. There’s not enough day light yet and there’s not enough changes in the weather. You start wonder- will Winter ever end?

Different people deal in different ways. I deal by being deeply and intensely attracted to all things cheerful and whimsical. I want hats that look like pandas and pink shoes. So, I designed this paper doll set to capture the whimsy of winter- the things I seem to crave as the dark and cold feels like it will never end.

Other coping strategies this time of the year for me include covering my planner in flower stickers and sticking unicorn washi tape all over my journal . What do you do to deal with long winters? Or do you live in a place where spring is already on the way? I’m only a little jealous.

By the way, I have restarted my newsletter for 2022 quietly. If you haven’t signed up, you can do that here- Newsletter Sign Up. It usually goes out about every two weeks and there’s a paper doll coloring page in every issue.

If you’d like to support PTP in a more direct way (plus get extra paper dolls very month and access to a backlog of wonderful things as well) you can sign up to be a patron on Patreon. It was a slow start to 2022, so you haven’t missed anything new there.

Happy Valentine’s Day with a Rockabilly Vintage Paper Doll

A Valentine's Day printable paper doll coloring page with a mix and match wardrobe. Great idea for kids crafting over the holiday!
A Valentine's Day printable paper doll with a mix and match wardrobe in teals and pinks. Great idea for kids crafting over the holiday!

Black and White PDF | Color PDF | More Dolls Du Jour Paper Dolls

I have a deep fondness for Valentine’s Day paper dolls despite having a long history of having truly awful Valentine’s Days. However, my grandmother used to send me and my sister cards for Valentine’s Day and they often included paper dolls, so I like to continue that tradition here in her honor.

So, first off, Happy Valentine’s Day. I hope it is, if not great, at least uneventful and, tomorrow, there’s a lot of cheap chocolate available which always seems like a nice perk. It’s also a good time to get some roses on sale if you like roses. I confess to being more of a peonies person myself, but each to their own.

For today’s Valentine’s Day paper doll I wanted try out something I hadn’t done before, so I slipped into the world of vintage inspired rockabilly fashion. If that wasn’t a stretch enough, I then gave myself the challenge of coloring the whole thing without using any red, because I do think the color schemes for Valentine’s Day can get a little boring. How. much pink and red does one person need?

If you’re looking for even more Valentine’s Day fun, I did a Valentine’s Paper Doll Coloring Page in my first newsletter of 2022. (Sign up here if you’d like to get it.)

Meanwhile, you can get any number of additional Valentine’s Day paper dolls from previous years here and let me know if you’ve got plans for the holiday in a comment.