Finished my doll!

I haven't mentioned my doll that I've been working on. I wanted to make sure that I was actually able to get her done. I was asked to make a doll to display at the Houston International Quilt Show. I've never been to the Houston show but I hear it is huge and fabulous. There are also some doll exhibits.

So, a couple of months ago I set off to make a doll, I felt this was a big honor to be asked and wanted to get a doll done. I found this lantern, it is actually made for a candle, and my husband came up with the idea to make a beach scene in the lantern. I decided the beach scene wouldn't travel very well. I saw a glass lamp at Pier 1 Imports and it was filled with shells and knew right then what to do with my lantern. Then the doll came together in my head. She ended up looking almost exactly what I first thought she would look like. It was quite a journey for me considering I never designed a doll before. Five bodies and I don't know how many arms later I have my doll. I did use one of my favorite doll head patterns by Barbara Schoenoff though. So Quennachelle was born, that is Gaelic for Queen of Shells but that isn't what I really wanted to name her. She is more like the keeper of all shells. Her skirt is a shell motif batik, her top has Swarovski fish hanging down and some coral-looking fringe and she has a starfish in her hair and of course her stash of shells in her lantern. I'm pretty happy with the way she turned out so tomorrow it is off to the UPS store to get a box and bubble wrap and get her shipped off to Houston!