Welcome

Welcome! Sit down, peruse these pages, and indulge in the stories my dolls arouse within your imagination...

Once Upon A Doll began with my own love of dolls, especially hand made. My kids and I collect, play with, and love our dolls, and eventually I began to make dolls of my own. Although my dolls are based upon the principles of Waldorf doll making--natural and sustainably harvested materials (like wool stuffing and cotton interlock), hand spun and dyed wool yarns for hair, hand made doll clothes, 100% wool felt for shoes--my dolls cannot be called strictly Waldorf (more Waldorf-esque), as they have definite personalities, larger & more expressive eyes, and playful mouths. Once Upon A Doll features enchanted dolls made in the Waldorf tradition with a storybook theme for that special child in your life or the discriminating collector of handmade dolls.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Meet Malcom and Kaylee....... Custom browncoat dolls

"Take my love. Take my land.
Take me where I cannot stand.
I don't care, I'm still free.
You can't take the sky from me.
Take me out to the black.
Tell 'em I ain't comin' back.
Burn the land And boil the sea.
You can't take the sky from me
Have no place I can be
Since I found Serenity
But you can't take the sky from me."

--Theme song from the T.V. Series Firefly

These two little custom dolls are made especially for siblings who LOVE the movie Serenity and the T.V. series Firefly...

With handmade weather suede browncoats by Maddie Bean...
 ...and brown shirts with khaki pants by Blissality...
 ...and OF COURSE the famous Jayne Cobb hats...
They sit and stand unassisted...
 ..and have the sweetest smiles (don't let it fool you, though, they are spitfires ready for adventure)!
Malcom and Kaylee even have special "browncoat" buttons and zip-up suede boots.

They are off to their new homes for Christmas morning.

May your own holidays be a grand adventure as well,
Amy
Once Upon A Doll

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Meet Miss Pepper Mint and her little holiday minion

Just in time for Christmas shopping, please meet Miss Pepper Mint!


Pepper Mint loves Christmas, and she has the hardest time WAITING for all the festivities! Perhaps that is why she loves her little needle felted, candy striped holiday minion named "Ooga Booga" so very much: he loves to get into trouble! Ooga Booga is like a big soft marshmallow, and therefore a bit more delicate than some fellows--probably better for children five and over who are more gentle with their toys.


13 inches from the top of her head to the tip of her toes, she wears adorable handmade pajamas featuring red and green ooga booga monsters made especially for her by Mollys Playground. Her lush, long hair is hand spun merino wool yarn in candy cane, Christmas green and ivory boucle for that sassy curl! 

 Pepper Mint is a sassy little gal cannot WAIT to meet the special child who will love her on Christmas morning...what adventures they will have together!

Hope your holiday preparations are full of joy and unexpected blessings!
Amy
Once Upon A Doll

Friday, October 26, 2012

Halloween Delights!



Two little dolls finished just in time for the festivities celebrating when the veil is thinnest between our world and the world of the spirits...

 First is little Skelly and her friend ghost...she is all ready for Halloween with her upcycled pink skeleton pajama costume (made by Nanerjoy) and her adorable little ghost friend who actually sparkles!

Skelly is already on her way to her new home...to trick or treat and haunt houses to her heart's content!

And now for our second little doll, maybe her bracelet of howlite skulls and swarovski crystals gives you a clue as to her identity?
She LOVES Dias de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)...
She even has a Sugar Skull mask that she wears to celebrate it (secured by a red sequined skull clippy)...
 Meet little Muertita wearing her sugar skull mask!
She wears a festive sugar skull dress (made by Molly's Playground), and her adorable shoes coordinate with her Sugar Skull mask...

Muertita was just listed in my etsy shop--buy her by Sunday evening for guaranteed shipping by Day of the Dead (November 1st)!!

Happy haunting,
Amy
Once Upon A Doll


Thursday, October 18, 2012

Little Boo and her pet yeti, Herbert

I'm actually working on three somewhat October themed dolls right now, one of which I was able to finish tonight...meet "BOO", and her little yeti friend, Herbert.

She was inspired by my daughter, who proclaimed that she LOVES monsters and Halloween, but that monsters DON'T have to be "scary"!
Boo wears a lovely dress made of imported Japanese Kawaii fabric called "Thriller Restaurant" featuring an array of cute little monsters...
Her hand spun art yarn hair was especially spun JUST for her, to match her gorgeous dress!
She has a little monster pet yeti named "Herbert"--he has two large fangs, but he doesn't bite!
They really are the BEST of friends...
Boo and Herbert were just listed in my etsy shop, still plenty of time for Halloween delivery for a very special child's gift.
Two more October dolls coming...stay tuned!
Amy
Once Upon A Doll

 


Monday, October 15, 2012

Meet Bella...a custom doll

After making Renesmee (from Breaking Dawn and Twilight fame), a friend approached me about making a custom Bella doll. I was SO excited!
I began with a Bella bracelet with the crystal heart (for Edward) and the wolf (for Jacob).
Since this Bella would be post Breaking Dawn, she needed vampire red eyes and itty bitty vampire fangs, too!
I added a custom upcycled outfit by Nanerjoy--with Edward on the front (of course) and a very special skirt and cap sleeves featuring fabric by Smoking Lily. Also, I needed to create a new type of shoe for this doll...Bella would never willingly wear bows on her shoes :)...


Bella needed her "classic" brown hoodie from the movies, and so Maddie Bean agreed to make this!

 Bella's hair is her classic chocolate brown, but I added a touch of vermillion to match her vampire eyes and a bit of the curly boucle I used in Renesmee's hair...


 Bella was BORN to be a vampire, don't you think?


 

Voila! Hello, Isabella Cullen (Swan) !

What a beauty!
Thanks so much for meeting Bella with me,
Amy
Once Upon A Doll

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Meet Alexia...the Steam Punk Doll

 Meet Alexia, a little doll made especially for lovers of all things Steam Punk!
 Alexia comes with:
*A Victorian hat with real watch works, a working compass and telescope...even dirigibles (balloons)
*Victorian dress with lace up corset (both velcro in the back for easy on/off)
*Matching "mommy and me" steam punk necklaces (with working red panic button) made especially for Alexia by Steam Punk jewelry artist SleeplessStoryteller.
*Black scarf
*Lace up knee high wool felt boots
*Frilly bloomers
*Pose-able glassicals (steam punk glasses) also by artist SleeplessStoryteller.

 She is a handmade doll, crafted lovingly in the Waldorf tradition. 13 inches from the top of her head to the tip of her toes (taller with her hair gathered on top of her head and her hat on), she wears a Victorian dress and corset made by Molly's Playground. Her lush, long hair is made of hand spun merino wool--black, white, silver, and zebra...incredibly soft and with LOTS of various hues and texture! She is stuffed with clean carded local wool and her “skin” fabric is cotton interlock imported from Europe. Her grey eyes and red mouth are hand embroidered—notice those lovely eyelashes—and her wool felt boots have contrast stitching.
Alexia is intended for the older child or doll collector, as she has little pointy parts on her hat and throughout her ensemble that require extra care (and might poke a smaller child or even pose a choking hazard)!

~Matching Mommy and Me Steam Punk Necklaces~

Alexia was a JOY to make--thanks so much for enjoying her with me!
Amy
Once Upon A Doll

Friday, September 28, 2012

Meet Iris...a Rainbow Princess


Little Iris simply shimmers with personality...from her unusually hued blue eyes, to her iridescent rainbow mouth...
 She sits unassisted...
 ...and is QUITE the playful minx, really!
Her hair is buttery soft hand spun rainbow wool yarn, with raspberry mohair and rainbow wool curly dreads...
 Her rainbow dress and boots are knitted by Turtlekeeper Designs!
Iris wants me to tell you that she's waiting for you to love, just listed in my Etsy shop!
Have a wonderful weekend,
Amy
Once Upon A Doll

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Meet Autumn...she LOVES Halloween and sushi

Meet little Autumn...she loves SUSHI...

...and PUMPKINS...
Autumn has winsome teardrop eyes and hair is the color of the pumpkin patch and fall leaves, cut into a graduated bob.
 She has the most adorable white bloomers under her sushi dress, and a shrimp sushi hair clip!
Autumn has decided to be a Jack-o-lantern for Halloween...see how she shimmers in her sweet sequined costume!
Autumn is already, SOLD, but I am working on three new delightful dolls that will soon be available for you to enjoy!
Blessings,
Amy
Once Upon A Doll