The story begins…

One of the favourite past-times of my youth was putting outfits together. I spent many-an-hour in my bedroom engaging in “trying-on-sessions,” a phrase coined by my sister. I grew up watching classic films with my father as well, which fuelled my love of vintage fashion. And later, as an actress, I had the pleasure of seeing and wearing some extraordinary vintage fashion pieces on movie sets, which was a true joy for me! 

Starting at age 10, I began buying vintage magazines and catalogues and spent many hours pouring over them, drinking in all the glorious old-world items. If I had ever been invited to go back in time, I surely would have!

Fast forward, and along came the Internet, a proverbial candy store of vintage images. I have spent many hours online, seeking, searching and admiring the beautiful fashions of by-gone eras. When that no longer satisfied my hunger, I began printing these beautiful and colourful images and putting them into large scrap books, where I could peruse them at my leisure and pleasure! I was in heaven!

But my yearning for more was once again ignited as I began to long for the thrill of putting these classic outfits together myself, just as I had enjoyed throughout my youth. I longed to couple this sweater with that dress, that blouse with this skirt, those shoes with that outfit and so on.  To satisfy my creative craving, I began hand drawing these lovely vintage pieces and putting them together. At one point, one whole wall of my apartment was filled with these drawings. But alas, they had no colour! How could I fulfill this new aspiration I began to ask? One day, the light bulb went off and I surmised that I might be able to draw them on my computer somehow, thereby enabling me to add colour to them and maybe even patterns. I was thrilled at the thought, gleeful with anticipation of what I might create. The only program I knew was Paintbrush, which came with my PC. Paintbrush was by no means a sophisticated or comprehensive program, but I knew how to use and well… where there’s s a will, there is a way! And so the electronic chapter began!

I scanned in a body figure and went to town. The arms hung out awkwardly from the body and the hands resembled a lobster’s, but I was in my element, spending hours and hours drawing each outfit and adding colours and patterns. It was a never-ending trying-on-session with an endless supply of outfits! Paradise!

Then one day, I got the next inspiration. “I think I can put heads on these,” I thought. I was off and running once again, spending hours and days looking up heads, cutting them out and placing them on my outfitted figures. This is really when the first sand-e-doll was born! I began adding hats and scarves and purses to my creations. What fun! And I soon learned how to modify the hair colours and the pattern colours as well. The creative possibilities were endless! 

I began posting them on Facebook for fun. I really wanted to share my work and my passion with others. Knowing I was going to share my creations added incentive and enthusiasm to each project! I began naming my dolls and adding backgrounds and quotes. They starting to emerge as real artistic renderings, an expression of me and it was wonderful getting feedback and encouragement.

But as always, I began yearning for something more. The Paintbrush Program had served its purpose, but it could take me no further. I began seeking answers about my next step and settled on advise from another artist and began working with Adobe Illustrator. A new intensive learning phase began as I navigated this new program and all it had to offer. I taught myself Illustrator by watching Youtube videos and it was overwhelming at first. But I had no choice. I was far past ever giving up creating my sand-e-dolls and I yearned for more capabilities that offered more possibilities. And so, I struggled through the painstaking process of new learning and exponential personal growth.

The next phase was to bring the hair and faces up to snuff! Sticking barbie heads on my figures would no longer suffice in quality or in matching my vision. I searched diligently to find an artist who could provide them using Illustrator. I received some renderings back, but they just wouldn’t do! So, the next phase brought a whole new challenge of learning to make the faces and hair myself. It was hard work and I wanted to give up many a time, but I couldn’t. My girls were calling out for pretty eyes and puckered lips and flowing hair, so I had to stick with it and buck the resistance! I am so glad an artist never appeared, because I now have greater control and creative freedom of every aspect of my sand-e-dolls!

That moment came, when I knew my dolls were ready to go to market and it was time to get them onto products for others to enjoy. It was time to get a web site up and to get the word out and so here we are! I am so excited to present them to the world for all to enjoy. There is nothing as grand as living to work, when work is really PLAY! 

It’s been quite a journey, but it’s all been worth it! I still love to learn new ways to take my sand-e-dolls to the next level. Illustrator offers endless possibilities for enhancements and of course, my sand-e-dolls continuously call to me for newness; something different to add, something new to learn and something unique to create for them. It has become clear that my sand-e-dolls will be an on-going and life-long obsession!