Today is

By: Ikedi Ani-okoye.

Doll making introduction

There are many forms of doll making such as cloth, plastic, woodwork, porcelain and more. For many years women have been creating dolls from materials such as paper, and scrap fabrics. The hair and face of the doll can be shaped any way desired by the imagination. You may do some research at your local library to find out additional information on the history of doll making.

A Doll maker

Located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park , in a heart-warming little shop, known as "Peggy's Dolls", along side a small craft community flanked by a working grist mill from the 1800's, Peggy Sue Cosey makes, dresses, and displays her exquisite handmade porcelain dolls.

Upon meeting her, you can tell that she truly loves what she does, as she should, since she's been creating these Heirlooms for the last 28 years! This is where I met Peggy and discussed marketing her cherished dolls on the internet for her. It was a dream come true for me, as I have always been a collector of porcelain dolls. These dolls were so unique and nothing like the average so called “collector” dolls you see in other shops. It was quite apparent that these were very special dolls.

Porcelain Doll making

Porcelain dollmaking is a unique art.  Watching a jug of $20 liquid clay turn into a valuable porcelain doll through the craft of a dollmaker is fascinating, and uses multiple skills of the dollmaker--painting, wigging, costuming, and more .  Porcelain dollmaking is also a hobby that has grown exponentially in the last decade, thanks not only to the wonderful creative process, but also to innovative greenware cleaning techniques and painting products that have made the hobby safer for the home hobbyists.

CONCLUSION

For many thousands of years, dolls have been made to look like small people, and children have been attracted to them. When children play with dolls, the dolls become very real to them. Sometimes they represent the child, and sometimes they become storybook characters. Dolls as playthings give children an opportunity to be in charge, to make decisions, to give and receive love, and to practice what they have learned from observing adults. But dolls have not always been playthings.