August Editorial

Gus is lounging through the lush tropical foliage. The air is filled with the hum of tree-dwelling insects, musical bird calls, and the spiced scent of unfurling flowers! Gus is modeling a hand appliquéd outfit that I designed especially for the Tiny Apparel fashion report in the 2nd issue of the instagram doll magazine: #dollslifemagazine! The shirt is inspired by the beautiful resortwear designed, this season, by Casablanca, and Dolce & Gabbana. To see the full August 2020 magazine, click here. Gus is on page 8.

The 007 Romper

This weekend, I completed a very special project: My first ever miniature film costume! Now, Gus gets to model a little blue terry romper, like the iconic piece, worn by Sean Connery, when he played James Bond, in 1964. The original garment was a really unique and intriguing design, and I had a blast figuring out the construction. A great big Thank You to @dawsondigsdolls for requesting this amazing project!

 

While I was studying footage of James Bond's famous blue romper, I noticed that he was also strolling around in a pair of matching blue mules! The terry cloth that I was using happened to be smooth on one side, so I flipped it over, and made a little pair of mules to complete the look! They are a smooth knit on the outside, and fluffy terry on the inside! Today, I was posting photos of the romper on instagram, and @dawsondigsdolls informed me that it was Sean Connery's birthday! What a wild and fun coincidence! Perfect timing! I hope Mike Dawson's dolls have a oodles of fun with their fluffy new romper.

A Present for Barry

Miniature enthusiast, @stovallthedoll, just sent Gus an incredible surprise in the mail! It's a complete set of grooming supplies, for making Gus' Hackney pony, Barry, look his absolute best! The set includes a real working soft bristled brush, a comb, a black rubber curry, a can of hoof moisturizer, a towel, a graduated spray bottle, and even a classic red hoof pick! I am totally wowed! I had no idea these items existed in 1:6 scale, and they are perfect down to every detail! A big Thank You to "Stovall's Giant," Cody, for this thoughtful gift! I made a little monogrammed box out of popsicle sticks, to display them. 

Below, Gus, spends a little quality time with Barry, and his new brushes. I think Barry knows that Gus has peppermints waiting for him in his shirt pocket. 

Dining Alfresco with Gus and Lucian

Since he was signed on as a fashion model last fall, Lucian has been living at his cousin Gus’ house, and I do think they help bring out the best in each other. Lucian has a penchant for history research, and today, Gus thinks he has been sitting in a corner, geeking out over 100-year-old trade journals, for too long. “Out you go, little cuz! You’re having lunch in the garden!” Wishing everybody safe sunshine.

Here are Gus and Lucian, enjoying lunch, alfresco, with pesto provolone sandwiches, fresh blueberries, iced lemonade, and a wild story about the time Gus' beagle helped track down a designer watch that had been mislaid at a modeling gig! I think Lucian is quite glad he let his chatty cousin shove him outdoors.

The Man in the Hot Pink Suit

I spotted this bright, playful take on suits, walking on several runways for the last couple of seasons! This spring, miniature enthusiasts, @stovallthedoll and @adrian.dollslife, encouraged me to make one for Gus, and I’m so glad they did! Here he is, in monochromatic hot fuchsia, and loving it!

The looks on the right are from @edithmarcel_official Spring/Summer 2020,  @alexandermcqueen Spring/Summer 2020, @berluti Fall/Winter 2019, and @louisvuitton Spring/Summer 2020

Retro Swimwear

I just finished sewing a fun and festive collection of bespoke 1960s-inspired swimming trunks, using beautifully imaginative retro-style prints by @arngedesign . On the right, Gus is going off to try them on for a little photo shoot. Heads up, Gus, those are in a vintage cut, and might be a little more snug than what your used to! 

These bright little bathing shorts, were commissioned by designer, and vintage doll enthusiast, @dawsondigsdolls. Below, you can see a reference image of mid-century swimwear, that I used to create the design. I was especially inspired by the pair of the upper left.  

These pieces were made in collaboration with Arnge designs, so I embroidered a little orange "a" on each garment label, in addition to my T. A. mark. 

Here is Gus, modeling the trunks. 

An Adventure Novel

Gus is ensconced in his favorite chair, fully absorbed in a tale of adventure on the high seas! A good book can take your imagination to far off times and places, all from the comfort of a cozy armchair.

Tiny Home Goods

Here is the first ever, Tiny Apparel bedding set! A cozy, custom mid-century-inspired gift set, crafted for our friend, Stovall. He was doing some decorating in his doll house, and needed some soft, comfortable cushions to relax in. 

For extra coziness, I hand quilted the comforter with a layer of batting on the inside. I also included a personalized watercolor card, painted to match the rustic bird motif on the comforter. 

I know that Stovall is a doll with a keen sense of style, so I made a whole collection of throw pillows for him to choose from, which reflected colors his decor. That way, he can mix and match create different looks in his rooms. 

Bespoke Tailoring for the Enterbay Gentleman

I recently completed one of my biggest projects yet! A set of bespoke shirts and blazers for Ram, an incredibly stylish 1:6 scale Enterbay action figure gentleman. Miniature artist,  @carliekarl, creates charming photos, featuring Ram and his wife, Chari (a barbie), on his instagram account. I am very excited to see how he styles these pieces. 

I got to try several new techniques on this project, including creating a custom textile by hand-embroidering plaid designs on a printed cotton, and then dying the piece with Earl Grey tea, as well as creating miniature working shirt cuffs! Many thanks to @carliekarl, for thinking up with these awesome designs, and sending me lots of very helpful reference photos along the way.