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Marisole Monday’s Early Fall Shirts & Jeans

September 18, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Fall Fashions

Growing up in Alaska, autumn came very quickly. As soon as there was fresh snow on the mountain, known as termination dust, it was time to pull out boots and give up on summer. In Alabama, autumn comes in more slowly. It’s a gradual shift from the humid tropical weather of summer to a damp crisp autumn. While I don’t think the weather will last into this week, last week really felt like fall. Mostly, because we got rain from Irma, just rain- nothing serious where I live, and it made everything cooler and grey.

Of course, for a paper doll drawer like myself, the change of seasons gets me thinking about clothing. So, today, I wanted to share some transitional pieces. I’m not sure tank tops are really autumnal, but since it was in the 80s yesterday, I think they could be.

The colors are more autumn than the paper doll clothing designs. In the fall, I think of wines, rich purples and dark teals. To counter balance, the rich colors, I did light washed jeans. Apparently, bleached denim is back, so I thought I would share some.

I hope everyone is having a great autumn. I’m settling into my routine with grad school and work. The students have returned to campus (yay!) and I am enjoying working with them. I don’t know what it is about college students, but I adore interacting with them.

Meanwhile, what’s your favorite thing about autumn? Food? Weather? Getting to finally wear boots again?

Need a Marisole Monday & Friends Lady Paper Doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick One Out Here.

Summer Time Sun Dresses for Marisole Monday & Friends

August 21, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Sun Dresses

Personally, when it comes to sundresses, I am strictly a maxidress kinda girl. However, paper dolls get to wear anything I feel like, so we have a mix of two sun dresses today for Marisole Monday and her Lady Friends. These dresses will not fit the gents, I’m afraid.

I have been neglecting the gents of the Marisole series as of late. I should really do something for them soon.

Until then, I created these dresses for Marisole. They are both based on lightweight knit t-shirt sorts of dresses I have been seeing in the stores and in the magazines I read. I am very proud of the pattern on the warm grey dress, but not completely happy with the purse. It feels too structured for the dresses, but too late for it to change now.

I confess that until school starts, I tend to not get a feel for what students are wearing. I work at a college, so when the classes are in session, I feel like I get a good feel for what college students seem to be into these days.

(At least, college students at a small college in the South, which is a pretty limited sample size.)

As always, I love to hear what y’all think in the comments.

Oh, and I hope people take 15 minutes out of their day to go see the eclipse today! I’ve got my glasses thanks to my Mom and am ready for the event.

Need a Marisole Monday & Friends Lady Paper Doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick One Out Here.

Meet Janette, The New Mini-Maiden Paper Doll

December 12, 2020August 14, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Fashion Magazines and My Patrons

A few months ago, I asked my Patrons to vote on a name for a new Mini-Maiden paper doll. A lot happened and I just didn’t get around to finishing her until recently, but I am super excited to present Janette. There will be a Janette paper doll every day this week to get her off to a solid start as an addition to the Mini-Maiden family.

Janette can, of course, wear any of the already created Mini-Maiden clothing and share shoes with Faye, Greta, Hazel and Isadora.

(As it happens, I name the Mini-Maiden‘s in alphabetical order, because… I dunno. It seemed like a good idea at the time?)

The first of the three Janette’s that will be posting this week is a contemporary Janette. I thought it was a nice place to start.

She has a sundress based on designs from my fashion magazine obsession, as are her sandals.

I wanted to give her a short contemporary looking hair cut, as this it the “contemporary” Janette.

On Wednesday, Janette will go to Space!

As always, a big thank you to my Patrons for helping me pick out her name.

Well, what do you think of Janette? Let me know in a comment. I always love to hear from you all.

Need a more outfits for today’s Mini-Maiden Paper Doll? Find More Clothing Here.

Summery Printable Paper Doll Clothing for the Mini-Maidens

August 4, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: What I see in the Summer Fashion Magazines

So, for today’s paper doll clothing I created a skirt and two sleeveless blouses for the Mini-Maiden’s printable paper doll series. The designs are straight from the fashion magazines that seem to pile up on my coffee table while I’m not paying enough attention.

Truth be told, I’m not a big fan of summer. I dislike the heat and I really dislike the humidty. I never felt this way until I moved to Alabama and now I’ve learned why people don’t like summertime.

I do, however, enjoy looking at the seasonal fashion magazines though and seeing different clothing ideas. Flipping through fashion magazines always seems to make me want to draw. I see all sorts of things I’d like to try to recreate for my paper dolls.

Today’s pair of sleeveless tops and skirt all come from different fashion magazines. I tend to use Instyle and People StyleWatch most often. They have very easy to see photos of clothing.

In the magazine, the paper dolls booties were heavily decorated with cut outs. When I tried to draw the cut outs, they ended up looking really odd. So, I have omitted them from today’s paper doll.

You’ll just have to imagine cut outs.

Love today’s paper doll clothing? Hate it? Let me know in a comment.

Need a Mini-Maiden paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick a Mini-Maiden Paper Doll Here.

Summer Time Paper Doll Fashions for Ms. Mannequin

July 27, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Spring and Summer Fashions

I’ve been wanting for a while to take the Ms. Mannequin printable paper dolls back to their roots a little. So today’s post is contemporary spring and summer fashions. Contemporary fashion was what I originally designed them to be all about. Personally, I think today’s summer paper doll clothes are what a fashionable girl might wear to a picnic.

A super fashionable picnic- the kind with champagne and tiny sandwiches. I have never been to one of these.

I really wanted to play around with pastels this time and embrace soft smoky colors. I was particularly excited with how the blue dress came out. It really reminds me of blue linen, though I have no idea why.

Perhaps I am fantasizing about linen, because summer has finally come to Alabama. After a blessedly cold spring, we are now hitting the heat and humidity we’re known for. I very much dislike the summer in the South.

I think I would dislike it less if my office weren’t always freezing. Books like 65 degrees and 40% humidity. People are not so keen on those temps, so I wear a cardigan to work every day and swelter in the jaunt from my car to the office.

Still, it is more important that my collection is happy than it is that I am happy. I will suffer for my historical papers, as any good Special Collections librarian should. (This is also why I once draped by coat over a book in a sudden unexpected snowfall to protect it and froze walking back across campus.)

And now that I have managed to fill today’s post with complaining about the weather, which is basically the sport that rivals college football in Alabama, I would love to know what you think of today’s summer paper doll clothes. Leave me a comment ad let me know.

Need a paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick out a Ms. Mannequin Paper Doll Here

A New Modern Curvy Paper Doll and Her Summery Chambray Dress

October 21, 2019July 24, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:Chambray Summer Dresses and Sandals

Sometimes, I draw paper dolls and I have wonderful detailed ideas of what I want to say about them. Sometimes, I draw paper dolls and I have really nothing to say about them. Today’s paper doll falls into the later category. I just don’t really have much meaningful to say about her.

I like her, don’t get me wrong, but she’s not as full of complex inspiration as some of my other work.

She was a case of drawing the dress and then drawing a doll to go with the dress. I wanted to draw a short chambray dress. One of the big trends this summer is chambray dresses. I mostly use chambray for sewing doll jeans. It’s super useful for that, but it also works really well as a sundress material.

My plan was to make two sundresses and use them as a clothing post. I hated the other sundress so much that I scribbled it out of my sketchbook, so that didn’t work out.

To salvage the dress that I had, I decided to draw a doll do go with it. Drawing her hair gave me a chance to practice short hair. I need to practice short hair more. Also, I am sort of in love with her eyebrows and I can’t explain why.

I designed her shoes to be basics. I wanted them to go with pretty much anything else she might decide to wear.

So, what do you think? Cute? Looking slightly pissed off? Let me know in a comment. I always love to hear from you all.

Need to get some more clothing for this Bodacious & Buxom paper doll to wear? Pick out some clothing here

Sprites Summery Paper Doll Clothing

July 21, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Stuff I See Kids Wearing These Days

One of the classic problems I face is that I tend to draw and then ink and then scan and then post. Sometimes, this means I am posting weeks or months after I drew the paper doll content. While I actually like this schedule, because it keeps me from going nuts, there is a downside.

The downside is that sometimes I really don’t remember why I drew a set of paper doll clothing or what inspired me.

Take today’s summery Sprite clothing, for example. I have no idea why I drew these. I have the vague recollection that I felt like the Sprites had gotten so much fantasy stuff, that I should create something that was not fantasy.

“Something not fantasy” is not the most revolutionary reason to create a paper doll set, but that doesn’t make it less true.

I do remember in the coloring process that I struggled to find a color scheme that could be both masculine and feminine. It is no doubt a sign that I have stereotypical views of color, but I struggle with putting male paper dolls in pink.

If you do feel comfortable putting male paper dolls in pink, there is always the black and white version of today’s paper doll clothing.

In a side note, I really like the butterflies on the green dress and am super proud at how they turned out. Drawing tiny butterflies is hard and I am pleased with those.

A few other bookkeeping sorts of thing, I am starting a graduate program in the Fall. I don’t know how it will impact the blog, yet. I hope to continue posting regularly and with a minimum of disruption. However, I can not confidently promise that will be the case. So, I am just trying to let people know ahead of time.

Meanwhile, if you want to support the blogs continued “life on the web” than consider becoming a patron and making a small monthly (or one time) donation.

Looking for some Sprite paper dolls to wear these outfits? Pick out Sprite paper dolls here.

Sprites Get Some Summer Paper Doll Clothing

July 11, 2017June 21, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Vintage Inspired Contemporary Clothing & College Students

I wanted to make some summer paper doll clothing, but I confess men’s clothing isn’t my gift. Drawing contemporary men’s clothing still is something I find rather challenging, because I struggle to regularly come up with new ideas.

The guy Sprite’s t-shirt today is based off one I saw a student wearing on the campus where I work. The orange shorts are well, just a pair of orange shorts.

I mean, sometimes even guys want non-neutral pants, right? (I have no idea if this is true, actually.)

The Sprites ladies top is from a contemporary catalog. Her jeans are flares which I have been told are in fashion. I added the designs to the bottom when I decided there was something sorta vintage 1970s going on. Those designs were originally going to go on her top, but I thought that was too busy. The

Sprites, just like every series, I think think need a mix of clothing. I really enjoyed contemporary paper dolls when I was kid, usually ones from Golden Books which had punch out dolls and clothing. I preferred the cut out books, because with the punch out books the tabs often got ripped.

So, when I design contemporary stuff I’m always thinking of those old books, though today’s summer paper doll clothing owes more to what I see on the college campus where I work.

Speaking of all clothing types, tomorrow there will be a historical dress and then Friday there will be something sci-fi. I’m super busy this week and will be traveling a bit, so I will try to respond to comments and emails and such, but that might not happen.

What types of paper doll clothing do you like best? Let me know in a comment!

Looking for some Sprite paper dolls to wear these outfits? Pick out Sprite paper dolls here.

Ms. Mannequinn’s Paper Doll Dresses for Spring or Summer

May 26, 2017May 24, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Summer Dresses

A pair of super cute summer dresses for the Ms. Mannequin series paper dolls. I really wish I could sit here and wax philosophical about this set. I could talk about inspiration and such…

However, the truth is that I just decided that I wanted to draw a pair of spring/summer dresses. The blue dress is sorta meant to be chambray which is a fabric that looks like denim, but is really light weight. (It’s great for sewing doll jeans, FYI.)

Along with the dresses, this set has two purses. I sorta thought the blue purse could go with the yellow dress and the pink purse with the blue dress, but I encourage you to pick your own favorite.

Being that I live in the Deep South, the weather has been already very hot and very humid, even though it is just May. So, I think I maybe breaking out my maxi dresses early this year. I’m not much of a short dress person, but part of the fun of paper dolls is that they get to have wardrobes that maybe I wouldn’t want to have.

I mean, I’m not exactly in the business of wearing dresses like this work every day. Unless, of course, my work was being an evil sorceress in which case… I would totally wear that dress.

I digress.

What do you think of these two dresses? Your style? I personally love the yellow one best, but what do you think?

Also, there’s a new set of paper doll clothing in the Etsy store. Super cute summery outfits in color or in black and white for coloring. Check them out here.

Need a paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick out a Ms. Mannequin Paper Doll Here

A Mia Paper Doll and Her Printable Summer Clothing

December 6, 2020May 22, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Pantone 2017 Color Report

I had the realization that the last time I had posted a Mia paper doll was back in November of 2016 when I was doing my Bird Masquerade series. She got a masquerade gown based on a Loon. I loved that gown.

Anyway, I felt pretty strongly that I wanted to create a new Mia, since it has been six months. I went back and forth about a style for her. I thought about doing a fantasy set or a cyberpunk set, but I ended up settling on a casual summer set.

Color scheme wise, I based these colors Pantone’s 2017 Spring color report. I set a personal rule for myself that I couldn’t use any warm colors- no pinks, yellows or reds. Those are some of my favorite colors, so saying no to them was hard.

However, limitations sometimes create better stuff and I really love the peaceful feeling that this Mia clothing set has without the warm colors.

To give credit where credit is due, the blouse on the left was inspired by one I saw a student wearing at the college where I work. Hers was in reds and yellows, but since I was on a “no warm colors” kick, I ended up doing with blues and greens.

Well, what do you think of Mia’s outfit? Love those colors? Wish I’d gone with my tendency towards pink? Let me know in a comment. I always love to hear from you.

Need a more outfits for today’s Marisole Monday & Friends Paper Doll? Find More Ladies Clothing Here.

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