Welcome to part 3 of my Meet the Peg Doll Maker series, sharing a bit more of the stories and behind the scenes of making our peg doll families.

For more information of the Meet the Maker concept if you’re just catching up, see my previous two posts.

Day 13: Photography 📷

In our old house we had a perfect south-facing conservatory for taking photos of my peg doll families. They only ever needed very little post-shoot editing. But in our new house, our little side-return “conservatory” faces the west. It is unevenly lit because it only has windows along one side. So my current simple set up takes place in the massive bay window in our lounge. I’m still not 100% happy, it takes a lot more tweaking this way than it used to. Photoshop actions are my late night friends! I’ve always kept my photos very simple to allow the colours and patterns of the dolls to shine, I am thinking of changing this up this year. I will be keeping the white backgrounds, but hope to explore props and staging a little more 📷 💕🐘

DAY 14: Creative Friends

I don’t really have a real life creative business circle that I brainstorm with. Being an introvert suffering with anxiety and depression (oh my goodness, I sound a right barrel of laughs! I’m not a TOTAL loon, I promise!), makes it hard to “get out there” and network. However, IG is fabulous for being inspired by others work and the way they operate their small/creative businesses. So it is a bit of a godsend! I have been fortunate to cross IG paths with lots of lovely lovely makers. There are a few who stick in my mind not only for their talents and the beautiful products they make, but for the warmth and friendliness they extend to their followers. I love the time they take to respond to comments and messages. This is something that is essential in running a small creative business. Have a little peep at their lovely work and beautiful souls:
a) Deedee & Boo Designs
b) Daisylions
c) @rhubarb_hill_crafts
d) Glenbach Weaving
e) Jessica Kathryn Art

Day 15: Work Clothes.

Comfort is key. Every day I get up and change into my “uniform”. This consists of some sort of soft, cosy pjs and my slipper boots. I have a little preference for the pj bottoms with the cuffed ankles and pockets . This makes them perfectly good “around the house day wear” in my books! In fact a couple of my friends think this is hilarious and regularly text me to ask what “lounge wear” I have on today. Isn’t jealousy an awful thing 😉😄 The slipper boots are a must. Once my feet are cold there is no thawing out for me and I become a very grumpy Natalie, as Mr T will vouch.

Here you can see the PPE I *should* wear.  It gets a bit smokey and dusty when I’m burning and sanding the dolls. I don’t wear it often enough though. I hope that’s not going to be something that bites me on the bottom in years to come 😨

Day 16: Time to Relax.

Mr T has been working his IT wizardry in Reading all week but is due home anytime soon. I am excited to spend the evening doing our favourite everyday thing…cwtching up together in our cosy lounge with a film, or binge watching a good series 💕 We’ve got a cinema projector that we haven’t yet set back up since we moved in to this house. I can’t wait to install it. This sofa was made for maximum relaxing and big screen watching! I usually sit catching up on admin on the laptop or drawing out peg dolls as we watch. We are both night owls so it’s not at all unusual for us to be up until 2 or 3 am. This is great for me, but not so much for Mr T who has to get up in the morning! I think you have to listen to your body rhythms. For as long as I can remember I have been a night owl. I always find my most productive time of day is between 3pm and midnight-ish.  When I was a uni student, working as a teacher and with what I do now. No wonder working in a “normal” job has always gotten me down/unwell. I always feel like I “come alive” or properly come around about 2 in the afternoon no matter what time I get up before that. But I’m no longer beating myself up for it and just going with it. Of course, I am fortunate to be in a situation where I can do it, and feel much healthier and happier for it.

Day 17: Feedback

I really have the loveliest customers who say the nicest things about my peg doll families. Feedback is so important that I have a whole page devoted to it on my website. Not only does is build up trust with potential customers when they see what people have to say about you, it absolutely keeps me going with what I do. It has given me a little purpose in life, certainly over the past 6 months. This email in particular was rather special. It made me cry knowing my work had made her cry!! Tears of joy of course!! 💕

 You can see lots more about what my lovely customers have said about my peg doll families by selecting “Feedback” from the menu at the top of this page 

Day 18: Hyperlapse

Find my Hyperlapse video here on YouTube

I am being a TOTAL cheat because I’m reposting the one I made for the December challenge! It’s got awful lighting and it’s off centre a lot of the time, but it took me soooo long to edit what I do into one minute. I couldn’t face doing another one! 😂 I’ve got one or two new followers since then, so it’s nice to re-show the process that every single one of my dolls goes through. Lots of people are surprised that I use pencil and not paint on my peg doll families. It takes a lot more time and effort but it’s worth it. When I shared this on Facebook in December, my Mother In Law gave me a row as she thought it made what I do look really easy 😂

That brings part III of Meet the Peg Doll Maker to a close. Stay tuned for part III; if you’re a cat lover, you are going to love it!

Cwtch ♥ Mawr