Pam Alderton's Page

It's an absolute age since I wrote anything here. I've had a very hectic few months starting my own business and I've been snowed under with orders for dolls. I have actually stopped using Etsy because I think that as I am based in the UK people really don't want to pay what I have to charge for shipping. I've started listing on Ebay again and my things are selling like wild fire. I'm also trying out a new UK site called Folksy, the same as Etsy but based in the UK.

When I look at the

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I've been asked to create a designer doll for a lady in Canada to sell in some big store or other. It all seems a bit hit and miss to me and I'm wondering if she has researched the market or if it's just a whim. It's supposed to be aimed at teenagers to carry around with them and have big hips and big breasts. Now, I don't know about teenagers in Canada but here in the UK they all want to be stick thin and look like Kate Moss or some other top model or celeb. I've said I'll think about it for a… Continue

Today I've been really busy making lilac rabbits! They're about 9 inches tall and I've wired the ears so that they can be posed. They're all ready to be dressed now. I think that I'd better have a few days making clothes for all of the dolls I've made in the last 10 days or so because they are all sitting in a big clump looking cold and unloved, to say nothing of bare!

I've started an ebay UK group called the Primitive Gals and I've also been invited to join another one. At this rate I… Continue

I've spent the last 10 days or so sewing like mad and I've made about 20 new dolls. They aren't dressed yet as I wanted to get some to the nearly finished stage and dressing them is always the last thing that I do. Most of them have hair and facial features and I like to do that before I dress them because to a certain extent that dictates how I shall dress them. Each and every one of them seems to have it's own personality once it's hair and face are finished. I've done them in loads of differe… Continue

I think I've seen it all now. A lady was arrested today for being considered racist for having gollies in her shop. It has really made me stop and think. I love making black dolls as they are so much fun but if I have black dolls on my stall at the Victorian weekend will I be considered racist. In my opinion if I don't have any black dolls for sale then I could be seen as being racist and discriminating against black people. As most of the dolls that I shall be making for the 3 days will be aime… Continue

I've been given the opportunity to have a stall at Glossop Victorian Weekend. I'm thrilled because it is a large local event and brings in thousands of visitors over the 3 day event. So, now I've got to get busy making enough dolls and things for three days. It's a good job it isn't until September because I'm going to need to have an absolute mountain of things to sell. I've also approached someone regarding another local event, a one day community fair and that is at the end of the month. I ha… Continue

I've spent most of the weekend working on another reproduction Mammy doll. I'm really enjoying making these dolls but they are very time consuming. It took me nearly 4 hours to attach her hair, braid it and prod it about with my felting needle until it looked like the original. I adore embroidering their little faces and I am almost sure that this one and the previous one that I made were originally made by the same person. I keep on imagining a loving Mom working by candle light to make these b… Continue

I've just finished a new Mammy doll and she is so cute. I found her photograph when I was messing about on the internet looking at antiques - not that I can afford to buy them, but I do enjoy looking! In fact I found a lot of "proper" primitive dolls, all vintage and original and they have inspired me to start making my dolls in the original and primitive way, without a pattern, cutting straight from the cloth. Being from the UK I must admit that I couldn't quite see the point of making cloth do… Continue

I've got a new doll under construction. I love antiques and I found an original antique primitive cloth doll on a web site that I visit and she was so lovely that I decided to try to reproduce her. The original doll was so beautifully made and her face was painted to perfection so I think she must have been made by an artist of some kind. Anyway I've made her and stained her, painted her face and varnished her so all I've got to do now is to make her a dress, bloomers, prairie hat and stockings.… Continue

Thanks ladies for all of the support you have given to me. It really is appreciated and I feel so much better knowing that there are still people out there who have time to stop and care about others. People nowadays seem to be too busy to have the time to stop and offer a helping hand to others. I was a family therapist before my back trouble and I really do miss being out there in the community working with people who need a helping hand to get their lives back on track. I sure met some great… Continue