Jewels & Gemstones: Floral Elves Paper Dolls

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Well, when I decided to shift to this newsletter and monthly update schedule, I did not consider the downsides. The biggest one being that it’s much harder for me to step away as might be needed from time to time. I need to think on that, but I am enjoying the newsletter most of the time.

This month has just been very busy with non-paper doll related tasks. The statewide library conference was in-person for the first time in years, so I went to that. And I have two more library related conferences I’m attending this year. Plus, I’ve been working on a side project that isn’t quite ready for prime time (soon it will be and I couldn’t be more excited). And I’ve been prepping things to become prints for the paper doll party in May. Any leftovers from the party, I plan to offer for sale on Etsy, so maybe that’ll be an interesting change of pace.

Anyway, about this paper doll set- I admit that I started on these paper dolls largely, because I wanted to work with an old Marisole Monday set- Fabulous Fairy that I’ve always had a fondness for. Originally, I had planned on drawing wings, but actually ended up running out of paper in a sketchbook and not having a back up one. Opps. I really didn’t want to deal with paper I didn’t like. So, needless to say, the wings never happened.

Influences were largely flowers and the fact that I like gardens. I’m not much of a gardener, though I keep thinking I should take it up. I rent, so I don’t really know if tearing up the yard would be okay. I do keep herbs on my porch when spring comes and I like flowers. Flowers are pretty, useful to insects, and smell nice. It’s hard to be opposed to them, really. Plus, you can eat some of them.

The other big influence over this drawing fantasy hair which I don’t get to do nearly as much as I’d like. I love complicated hairstyles. You can check out some of my influences on my fantasy section of my Hair pinterest board.

If you’re a patron, there will be a Vivian gown sometime next week (exact date depending on how life shapes up) and we’ll continue on from there.

Vivian’s Dinner Dress for March 2023

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Nordic Winter Wishes: The February Printable Paper Doll

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For those of you who have been following along in my newsletter, you’ll likely notice there’s a few extra pieces on this set (specifcally the winter coat and one pair of the shoes). I went back and forth about what to do with that coat. I’m not 100% sure it will layer over all the sweaters and I didn’t feel right giving just one of the dolls a coat (what if the other dolls get cold?). So, I thought- I’ll just keep it as a fun extra for folks when they get the whole set.

Another little detail I didn’t talk about in the newsletters was the coffee cups. I don’t know why I thought it was a fun idea to draw a mug for every paper doll with a different motif, but I did and so I drew one. To give a secret look at my process- I actually did all this layout and design work before I split it up for the newsletters. I’m very happy with how it turned out.

A few differences in these dolls and my usual stuff- I gave the dolls permanent shoes. I go back and forth on this a lot. I used to be strictly anti-attached shoes. But then I spoke with my 5 year old niece and she was deeply bothered by my paper dolls that didn’t have shoes.

So, I realized that shoes were more important than I had often thought. If you’re an attached shoes fan, you can thank her for showing me the error of my ways (though I still think I’m a bit ambivalent on the subject.) And I tend to think it depends on the paper doll- like mermaids SHOULD not have attached shoes.

That’s just silly.

Speaking of shoes- largely thanks to the shoes, there’s over 85 outfit combinations- well over 100 if you add in the scarf or the coat into the mix. So, that’s super fun!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this collection of paper dolls as much I enjoyed drawing and sharing them all with you!

Vivian’s House Dress for February 2023

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Vivian’s Skating Costume for January 2023

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Happy 2023! Big Announcement!

First off: Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day to those in the USA who are celebrating.

Random Fact: I started PTP in 2008 and I was 23. So, 14 years (nearly 15) later, I think it might be time for some changes.

The internet doesn’t look like it looked back in 2008 nor does my life.

So, as an experiment, I am going to move my focus to my newsletter this year (or until I decide I’ve made a terrible mistake, whichever happens first).

Sign up here or at the end of this post, if you’re not already a subscriber.

But what does that mean, you may reasonably be wondering. Well, keep reading.

A little sneak preview of February’s series.

Here’s the plan:

There will be on January newsletter next Friday, just to make sure everyone is on the same page and aware of all these changes. I may have newsletter folks who aren’t blog readers. No idea. Just trying to spread the word far and wide.

Anyway, the plan…

  • The Newsletter will come out on Wednesday’s starting in February and will be weekly.
  • Each issue will contain a paper doll, an outfit for that paper doll, and anything else I feel like tossing in.
  • On the last Friday of the month, you can download the months worth of paper doll content formates for easy printing from the blog.
  • In the first newsletter of the month, there will be a paper doll coloring page using the Newsletter doll I started last year, because I really do like drawing for that paper doll.
  • Patrons will continue to get a Vivian paper doll each month, posted to the blog & some other fun stuff- more info to come for them.

You might be wondering: Which paper dolls will be featured in the newsletter?

Right now, I have been on obsessed with drawing for the 365 Day Paper Dolls as series I did way back in 2020 for Patreon and which has never graced the blog (though you can grab that whole project from Etsy here in black and white or in color or if you’re a Patron, grab them here).

So, February will be that series. It’s very cute. I can’t wait to share it. There’s a sneak peek above.

After that… I honestly have no idea. I have a Jewels and Gemstones Fairy set I sort of like that I’ve been dabbling in and I also have some Regency stuff and maybe… The point is I don’t know yet. That scares me a little (I tend to over plan), but I am trying to also let go and embrace a little more of the “not knowing” part of the process. I think my art has started to feel stagnant to me and that’s not a fun feeling. It’s time to stretch a little.

The last time I started a project like this with this little planning it was… well, I think it was this blog actually. And that worked out okay, so in the end- it’s ephemeral paper toys for children. The stakes are low, as Julie Matthews reminded me recently when I was panicked about something.

I’ve embedding a newsletter sign up form here for you, in case you aren’t already signed up!

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I will never, of course, sell or share your email. And you can unsubscribe anytime!

Questions? Comments? Thoughts? Let me know!

Oh and before I forget- my patrons will get the first Vivian dress of 2023 (it’s super cute) this week! I promise I haven’t forgotten y’all and next week there will be the big 2022 Jewels and Gemstones round up, because I did reach my 100 Jewels and Gemstones sets goal and I want to show off.

Taking a Little Winter Break

Wishing you all the joy, peace, and love that this time of year can bring. Happy holidays!

I’m planning to take, as I often do, a little break going into January. How long?

Probably until the 15th or so.

And what will happen when I come back?

Probably my usual year end round up posts and then I’m not 100% sure. I have signed up for a digital art class and I am super excited to see what will happen and how that might impact the ways I make my paper dolls. So, I guess I want to leave open lots of space for experimentation and growth.

Meanwhile, have a wonderful holiday/wintertime with those you love!

Dolly And Her Dresses for December 2022

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Vivian’s Winter Visiting Dress for December 2022

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Ruby Dressing Up in the Mid-1950s

A 1950s printable paper doll coloring sheet with a mix and match wardrobe.
A cute redheaded 1950s printable paper doll with her mix and match wardrobe.

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I mentioned in my last 1950s printable paper doll about how important I thought it was to have some 1950s fashions for these paper dolls that include pants and Ruby is getting two pairs of them. She has what was known as a “playsuit”- basically, a romper. There’s something very infantilizing about the terms “playsuit” and “romper”, though I’m not sure I have the energy to really dive into how infantilizing the 1950s was towards women. I mean women couldn’t get mortgages on their own until the 1970s, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.

I digress.

The point is that women wore pants in the 1950s and I wanted to illustrate some of those styles for this paper doll.

As usual, my references were mostly catalogs- Sears and Montgomery Ward. I went through do many catalog pages and I did not do the best job of documenting what I used. However, you can see the romper from 1954 here and the camisole and Bermuda shorts worn together from 1955 here. You can see some of the hats here from 1956 and one of the dresses here also from 1956.

As November wraps up, we are stumbling into December which is always a hit and miss month for me. I have an idea that I hope I’ll get finished. Then January will come which may be a month off, I’m still debating, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Hope everyone has been having a lovely end of Fall and beginning of winter (though given that it was -27 here yesterday, I think winter is already here in Alaska.)