My Story

To be an artist is to make an interesting life long journey.

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I’ve been doing something creative all my life, from being taught how to knit by my beloved grandmother at the age of four, to drawing, painting, sewing, embroidery or dollmaking. The act of designing a new piece, be it a new outfit for a doll, is exciting for me! Beginning with researching the project, to drawing the design, choosing the fabric, the threads and trim and the execution, and finally seeing the finished design!

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After successfully graduating as a Fashion Designer from the Durban University of Technology in 1976, I worked in the fashion industry as a Senior Designer.

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Once I married and had my son, I started my own design and dressmaking business, where I catered for private and corporate clients. It was during this time, I started to make cloth dolls for sale.

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Dolls were always a favourite gift as a child from baby dolls to paper dolls – it didn’t matter! After receiving a Skipper doll when I was 12 years old – I started to hand make and knit a wardrobe for her and so began my ‘fashion’ designing! My interest now, is to design and make beautiful ‘haute couture’ clothes for dolls from quality natural fabrics.

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Over the years I also started to design and sell embroidery kits for silk ribbon, surface and cross stitch embroidery. My embroidery designs have been photographed and featured in two national magazines – ‘Talking Threads’ and ‘Stitches and Bears’.

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I have now decided to have an online presence regarding my doll’s clothes business.

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Thank you for visiting my boutique.

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I do hope you enjoy your visit.

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Barbara