Valentine's Day Dress for a Pretend Lady Mary

For over five years I have been following the events in the lives of the characters on the PBS program Downton Abbey.  Lady Mary has been my favorite Grantham character (followed closely by her mother Lady Cora).  The sixth season has brought so many beautiful new costumes for Lady Mary.   I wanted to interpret one of  her costumes for my Kelsey Doll from the Journey Girls Line.  I used the Liberty Jane Aspen Party Dress Pattern that you can find HERE .  This Pattern was available as a free download a couple of months back on Freebie Friday at Liberty Jane.  It has a nice after five look to it and it kind of fit the mood I was looking for to create this outfit with. I chose red satin for the lining with black lace over it to simulate a costume from a while back. 

The necklace and the beads seem to be a integral part of Lady Mary's outfits as well as her hats and hair adornments.

 Somewhere on the PBS site for Downton Abbey I had read the necklaces were all about the beads for the costumes. My Lady Mary's beads are tied in the back and dangling like I have seen in recent programs.

I want to make another version of this dress that would come down to the middle of her ankles.  But for right now I have to be content with finishing a Fairy costume for another doll that will go to granddaughter Little Joe later in the spring.  Jo had asked for a pink and purple fairy costume with white and pink flowers last month when I had taken over another doll and costume for her to play with. I am not fond of how the petals look on the bodice and may just end up redoing the petals.  The doll is a recent thrift store find. She was scrubbed down and her hair was washed and allowed to dry without combing out to help maintain the curls in her black hair.  I think she will make a splendid fairy when the costume is finished.  I tend to want to name her Glena but ultimately Little Jo will name her what she wants to.

Here is a closer look at the petals and bodice of the fairy costume.

There have been several other dolls added to the family since the beginning of  December (and a couple from before that but not yet named or shown on my blog).

Heart for Hearts Lillian doll is in the middle holding baby BeBe. Lillian was waiting for me to find her at the Goodwill store.  Except for shoes she was fully dressed in her original Russian costume for just $2.00!

The girl scout uniform came from a china doll.

This little Lotus Doll would make a great doll to redo into a boy doll.

Notice how pretty and natural looking the teeth are, inset and not a glaring white-white

like some of the very expensive dolls out there.

 Karito Kids Doll Ling.  I found her at the VOA fully clothed.  She did cost a bit more (nearly ten dollars) but she is well worth it.

 The doll below is marked 1997 Just Pretend, Inc on her neck.  I thought she might be one of the Dream Designer Dolls called Kiri Tanaka.  This doll has sleep eyes and the info on the Kiri Doll did not list Kiri as a sleep eye doll.  If anyone can identify her for me I would Really appreciate it. 

She was dressed in a AG Samantha doll dress when I found her.

 Her outfit today is an AG skate dress also from the VOA.

 Leza is a Karito Kid Doll too. Her clothes are from all different sources.

And then there is Callie, another Journey doll.  She is my latest Ebay purchase.  It turns out that Callie comes from a home full of love and dolls. She came to me in this beautiful dress and with the bow in her hair.  She was carefully wrapped to prevent any injuries.   Thank you dotsydoodle for all the love you showed to Callie!

All of the dolls have their own stories.  As they are introduced into the family in their new homemade clothes their stories will be told (Hint Lillian is first!).

Have fun and make sure to visit some thrift stores like the Volunteers of America and the Salvation Army Family Store,  you never know what you will find there.  Make a difference - keep your money in this country and help give jobs to those who are in need in your community.   Good luck hunting for your treasures.