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A ER Attention to the smallest details mark china dolls (From page 26) a mass-produced doll is fingers that aren't separated. Many dolls have fingers that are attached by porcelain webs. Shirley takes the time to make sure each finger is completely separated, and each nail is tinted pink to make the doll even more natural-looking. '""That's one of the things you don't notice until you start doing it yourself,"" she says. "One doll I saw, where the whites of the eyes are supposed to be, were: orange." It all comes down to the old expression, you get what you pay for. Not everybody can afford a doll made by Shirley or someone like he, and are perfectly content with a cheaper doll. ~ "It's what they can afford,' she explains. "It's only certain people who can afford these dolls, and they're usually custom made. I've only actually done two custom orders because I haven't really started into a real business yet. I'd like to, though." As Shirley points out, it's tough to make money creating quality porcelain dolls. Materials alone for one doll cost more than $100, not to mention the time she spends (around 40 hours per doll), and the -cash she must shell out for firing the porcelain and running it back and forth to Oshawa (where she buys her materials and has her work fired). "You don't get what you should, that's for sure," she exclaims. "Lots of times I'd be - making 25 cents an hour if I was paid." Although her dolls could sell for more in the city, Shirley is willing to let most of her dolls go for a little over $300, but that's without clothes. "For that price, people can dress the dolls themselves,' she says firmly. The clothes in Shir- ley's collection are, for the most part, made by friend and neighbour Audrey Brown. It's the only part of the doll- making process Shirley doesn't do herself. "Some of the girls in my ceramics classes (she teaches as well) will do an entire figurine or whatever and then ask me to- paint their eyes,"" she says. "I'll paint them if they really want me too, but I think it's nicer to be able to say 'I made this' instead of saying 'I made all of this except the eyes.' Which is why she is making dolls in the first place. "To make a living at this, I'd have to charge $450 or more for each doll. But I feel that I enjoy doing it so I keep my prices low simply because I know -most people I know can't afford $450." ~~ Shirley has always fostered an interest in art, painting and sketch- ing as a girl and then channeling her artistic abilities into ceramics later on. She took up doll- making two years ago when a leg injury forced her to be laid up from September 1980 to the summer of 82. With all kinds of time on her hands, Shirley looked around for something to do. - "I sort of got bored with ceramics because I didn't feel.I was learn- ing anything new," she says. So she took up porce- lain dollmaking--with- out lessons. The only help she got was from a friend over the telphone but that didn't faze her at all. And what's more, the friend marvelled at how well the doll turned out. "Really, she said I was doing a good job, in spite of not knowing what | was doing," she laughs. "'I don't know, I sort of felt . my way around." The work itself is often more tedious than artistic. Liquid proce- lain (she likes french bisque best) is poured into molds, and then dried by, commercial operations like the one she deals with in Oshawa. Then it's up to Shirley to carefully take the seams off without breaking or digging into the fragile "green- ware.' When the seams are invisible she sands the entire project with a nylon stocking until it is perfectly smooth. Then she cuts out the eyes (if she is using glass eyes, which can cost any- where up to $35) and fills the hollow space of the doll with prop (fibre- glass material used to protect the doll from the high temperatures of the kiln). . Once the doll is filled with prop, she drives down to Oshawa, has it fired, and then brings it back for more sanding until, she says, it feels like silk. Then she has to wash each piece of the doll. (they don't come whole, 'they come like a box of fried chicken with legs, arms, heads and chest in separated pieces) in water to ensure the porcelain is dust and particle-free. And then, when she's positive the surface of the porcelain is as smooth as she can get it, she bégins to paint, which is where" her artistic background comes in handy. She prefers to paint the eyelashes, although some other dollmakers like the glue-on type (she finds they stick out too much) and she applies cheeck colour the same way she does on herself. Shirley also paints the mouth (light-. er for boys than girl dolls) and uses a brush to paint the eyebrows. She also likes to rosy up the hands,knees and feet of the dolls with a little extya pink wash. She then has to drive back to Oshawa for yet another firing. When that's done she inserts the glass eyes (holding them steady with plaster of paris), wires up the body parts of the doll with elastic thread (it's trickier than it sounds), puts, on the wig, dresses the doll and makes final -adjust- 'ments for display. The result of all that effort? A beautiful china doll fit for the fussiest doll colléctor. LESSONS © SUPPLIES © WOODENWARE What Is Folk Art?? - Decorative painting on wood or tin - Originated in Elirope, done by peasant people to make inexpensive articles more attractive - Revived art form now used for beauty & pleasure - No artistic talent necessary - just practice and patience. . ~-OPEN HOUSE -1t0 4 P.M. - FRIDAY - SATURDAY - SUNDAY JANUARY 11th - 12th - 13th Jennifer Currie (705) 357-3204 * Lessons begin week of January 21st. | Stonehouse Folk Ant R.R. 2, OAKWOOD 2 miles east of Manilla Corner of No. 7 & 46 hn It's not far. Conveniently located at the Port Perry Pet Shop, Julie offers bathing, grooming and complete, hygiene care for your dog or cat. $5 OFF From now until February 15, if you give this ad to Julie, she'll give you a $5 rebate on the cost of grooming your pet. For an appointment call 985-8065. WV After business hours call 985-8100 ___ Pick-up and delivery service available. JULTES JULIE'S PET GROOMING SALON At the Port Perry Pet Shop 158 Queen Street, Port Perry 985-8065 or 985-8100 p PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, Jan. 7, 1985 -- 27 Her namie is Gail Karen, but Shirley's husband Ken insists she is Scarlett O'Hara and proclaims her as his favourite doll in the Hud- son collection. : ot * 3 re . roy A as . * Fok g SHO har or Nh * we TR Fi ns a ~ This young fellow needs no introduction. Prince William oc- cupies the finest chair in the Hudson parlour, as is fitting a doll resembling the heir to the throne.