Keepsake Dolls
Handmade to Order
Handmade to Order
Do you need a gift for a close friend or a relative with a sentimental streak?
A special gift for someone who likes to keep their special memories alive?
Or maybe you have your own special moments which you’d like to cherish more vividly?
A personalised handmade one-of-a-kind Keepsake Doll can fit the bill.
I created a doll to commemorate my grandmother and all manner of tiny forgotten incidents came to mind.
I created a doll wearing my school uniform and was astounded by the emotional memories it evoked.
These keepsake dolls are far more than replicas of a memory because they have the power to trigger emotions that are long forgotten. For this reason I would only recommend they be created to evoke positive memories!
My keepsake dolls are made of fabric. They are created, usually from a photograph supplied by the customer, to remind the recipient of a special occasion in life by being dressed, as identically as possible given the smaller scale, as the recipient on the occasion to be remembered. Each doll is approximately 40cm tall.
Clothing and accessories made for the doll are not intended to be removable.
Do you want a special reminder of your wedding day?
A memory that isn’t shut away in an album?
This bride now owns a doll who wears a replica of her wedding dress. Some of the fabrics used are leftovers from the original.
The lace jacket around the shoulders, has been made from a smaller piece of lace.
The original embroidered lace that was used wasn’t suitable for such a small garment although pieces of it have been added to the dress as was the case with the original.
The bride wore red shoes on her wedding day. The doll too has red shoes but hers are finished with two tiny red bows with a diamanté centre. These same bows were part of the original wedding invitations.
The bride wore a borrowed pearl necklace for her wedding. The doll wears a necklace made from small glass pearl beads finished with an Ooak Gifts charm.
This doll also has the word “Wedding” and the date embroidered on the front of her knickers.
This is a replica of the outfit worn by a bridesmaid. The mixed race bride wanted to acknowledge her oriental roots so chose a red cheongsam for her only attendant.
Some of the original duchesse satin was available to make this dress although its thickness made the task quite difficult on a small scale as satin tends to fray quite easily. To keep it tidy the doll’s dress was fully lined.
The doll has the word “Bridesmaid” and the date embroidered on her knickers. She has an Ooak Gifts charm on a garter around her thigh.
I created a slightly different eye shape for this doll and can offer this to customers who prefer a more oriental look for their dolls.
Are you the proud parent or grandparent of a young woman who has just graduated after much hard work?
Do you want to give her, or yourself, a special gift?
Most graduates hire their gowns for the occasion and have only a photo to remind them how they looked.
A proud mother commissioned the making of this doll to bear testament to the culmination of many years of study and travel in order for her daughter to achieve her goal of a doctorate in her chosen profession.
The cap and gown were only hired for the award ceremony but the doll will be wearing hers as a reminder of that special day for many years to come.
Has there been an occasion either recently or maybe in the past for which someone, wore a memorable outfit? Maybe a prom…?
Many young women would love a constant reminder of that special prom dress. Or perhaps the occasion was a special birthday, a never-to-be-repeated celebration, retirement party, Palace garden party… A keepsake memory doll in replica clothes will provide a lasting souvenir.
The owner of this dress wore it to a school leavers’ dance very many years ago. This was all long before mobile phones existed and there are no photos of the dress being worn. Nevertheless she was unable to part with it. Her memories of the night in question are now revived in her keepsake doll.
The skirt of the doll’s dress is made from some leftover scraps of the original fabric. On her feet she wears golden shoes. Around her neck is a necklace of matching multicoloured crystal beads and an Ooak Gifts charm.
Is there someone close who has been on the stage – perhaps an especially memorable performance?
A performance as a ballerina for a national ballet company was the trigger for the creation of this doll.
The embroidered waistcoat has been copied as accurately as is possible on the much smaller scale, as has the headdress.
The front of the doll’s knickers are embroidered with the name of the ballet and the date of this special performance. She has an Ooak Gifts charm on a garter around her thigh.
Would one of these dolls make a good gift for a child?
No. These are collectible display dolls for adults. They are not designed to withstand the rough and tumble of play, neither are they UKCA/CE marked as a toy would have to be.
If I want a doll showing my wedding gown will I have to cut up the original for her dress?
No, I would try and find something similar and focus on recreating the style of the dress. Very often the fabric that is used for our clothes is not suitable for doll clothing as it can be too heavy and can’t easily be draped in the way required.
Can I choose the hair colour and the colour of the eyes?
I try and match the hair colour and style to that shown in the photograph supplied by the customer. Eyes can be blue, brown, green or violet although the shades available are limited.
Will my doll look exactly like the person in the photograph?
The dolls’ faces are machine embroidered and will all look similar to those shown in the examples above. It is the style of clothing that is intended to be similar to the original. Please compare the original photos of people with the dolls that have been created from them to understand the similarities.
Find other ordering details in my shop, Ooak Gifts, at The British Craft House