Just wanted to share this picture! I smile every time I walk by this display of vintage blocks atop my jelly cupboard (the first antique Dave & I purchased together.)
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby!
December 10, 2007 By 1 Comment
This little girl has been in charge of making all the sweet things. And boy does she have some special treats!
Ruby is my original design and is guaranteed one of a kind. I’ve used no patterns or molds to create her or her clothing. Ruby is 32" tall from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. Ruby has been made of muslin and stuffed with fiberfill. Her lower torso has been rag-stuffed & bean filled in order to weight her bottom. I’ve hand-painted & sanded Ruby many, many times. She has been treated to a series of paint washes that give her a beautiful, deeply aged patina, giving her the look of a well loved antique. Ruby’s arms are lightly wired allowing her to be gently posed.
Ruby’s facial features (nose & bottom lip) have been needle-sculpted & hand-painted. Her bottom lip pouts. She has sweet pink cheeks, detailed eyebrows, big brown eyes & what else but ruby red lips. Ruby’s fingers have been needle-sculpted. Ruby has been painted with premium acrylic paints. She has been accented & shaded heavily with oil pastels. Viola has been sealed top to bottom with clear, glossy acrylic sealer so that she may be lightly dusted over the years. 
Ruby sports tan painted gloves & sweet brown boots. Her gloves & boots have been shaded & accented & highlighted right down to her laces. Ruby also sports red & tan striped socks….perfectly fit for a girl in charge of the canes!
Ruby also wears a brown corduroy vest laced with chocolate ribbon over a white gathered ‘peasant’ blouse made from white muslin. It is gathered at the neck & sleeves. Ruby’s skirt has been made from a truly spectacular Robert Kaufman 100% cotton print. It is truly supple & silky to the touch. These three pieces feature tons of hand-stitching. All exposed hems have been hand-stitched as shown in the photos below. In addition, Ruby’s undershirt & skirt have been dyed in a coffee & lavender bud bath to gently age the appearance of the clothing. They were then hand-washed & pressed with linen water. Ruby’s sweet hat has been made from chocolate corduroy. It is lined with a striped 100% cotton print. It has been cuffed at the opening & pinned to Ruby’s head with corsage pins. She can be displayed without it & features a full head of honey blonde 100% mohair underneath. Ruby’s hair is fashioned into two side braids with cute wisps peeking out in the front. I’ve lightly glued Ruby’s hair to her head for extra stability, then carefully needle-felted it in place.
Ruby’s candy canes are 12" long. They are made front reproduction pillow ticking & a 100% cotton print that matches the lining in Ruby’s hat. The fabric has been treated to a coffee & lavender bud bath then hand-washed before being stuffed with polyfill. Ruby’s bundle is tied with a chartreuse satin ribbon.
Ruby will be available on eBay Dec. 9th-16th. This will be a regular 7 day auction. She will begin & end at 9PM EST. Click here to view or bid!
Viola, Primitive Angel of Peace
December 5, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Sometimes we all need an angel of peace–someone to comfort us, quiet our souls, & let us know that everything will be just fine. I’m proud to introduce to you Viola.
Viola is my original design and is guaranteed one of a kind. I’ve used no patterns or molds to create her or her clothing. Viola is 33" tall from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. Including her flying dove, she is 36" long. Viola has been made of muslin and stuffed with fiberfill. Her lower torso has been rag-stuffed & bean filled in order to weight her bottom. Viola has been hand-painted & sanded many, many times. She has been treated to a series of paint washes that give her a beautiful, deeply aged patina, giving her the look of a well loved antique. Viola’s arms are lightly wired allowing her to be gently posed.
Viola’s facial features (nose & bottom lip) have been needle-sculpted & hand-painted. Her little bottom lip pouts. She has beautiful peachy cheeks, detailed eyebrows & hazel eyes with pale green accents. Viola’s fingers have been needle-sculpted. She features painted fingernails & knuckles. Viola has been painted with premium acrylic paints. She has been accented & shaded heavily with oil pastels. Viola has been sealed top to bottom with clear, glossy acrylic sealer so that she may be lightly dusted over the years.
Viola wears tan Mary Janes with white socks. They have been modeled after an antique pair of baby shoes.
Viola’s wings have been made of muslin & stuffed with fiberfill. They are 19" from tip to tip. I’ve hand-quilted them with specialty thread especially for hand-quilting. They have been painted & sanded twice, stained, then sanded again. I dusted the front of Viola’s wings with glass glitter & how they sparkle. They are especially pretty in evening light & resemble the twinkle of fresh fallen snow. Viola’s wings have been attached to her body with a vintage button & several strands of heavy-duty button thread.
Viola’s shirt & skirt have been made of white muslin. Her skirt features pretty, box pleats at the hem. Viola’s full sleeves have been gathered by hand at the wrist. Viola’s apron is made of taupe osnaburg. It has such texture! Viola’s clothing has been treated to a coffee & lavender bud bath. They do not smell, however. All clothes were hand-washed and pressed with linen water after being stained.
Viola’s little friends have been made from muslin & stuffed with fiberfill. They are 7.5" long. The flying dove is attached to wire which has been sewn to Viola’s wings. The dove wears a sweet annie wreath. Viola is holding her resting friend & an angelvine nest in her lap. It is filled with sweet annie & raffia. The peace banner is especially sweet! I hand-stamped each letter onto taupe cardstock with chocolate ink. I then strung each letter onto hemp twine & affixed it to the nest.
Viola’s hair is brown (not nearly as red as in the photos) 100% mohair. It has been lightly glued for extra stability & then carefully needle-felted to her head. It features loose pin curls in the back.
Viola’s wings:
Viola is now available on eBay. She is listed as a five day auction & will end Sunday night, Dec.9th at 9 PM EST. Click here to view or bid!
Happy Holidays!
December 3, 2007 By 1 Comment
It’s December, the beginning of Christmas madness for some. I hope all of you have a fantastic time as you plan, shop, decorate & hustle & bustle to and fro.
I’ve been working really hard over the weekend trying to finish two dolls for my eBay auctions this week. They were …almost… there, but not quite.
So I hope to get these two little girls listed on eBay Tuesday evening. They will run for 5 days instead of the normal 7. They are spectacular! And would be beautiful sitting beside a tree or an a mantle or table.
A big Thank You to everyone who placed a bid last night!
December started off with a Bang!
Here are a few pictures of some of my holiday decorations a couple of years ago! I love Christmas decorating…
My hand-stamped MERRY CHRISTMAS banner above a doorway.
The beginning of paperwhites. (They were so much fun & so beautiful during the holidays!)
My pretty, chipped, white cupboard decked out.
The window above our sink. The banner reads: Visions of sugar plums.
Magdalene, Primitive Angel of Hope
November 27, 2007 By 3 Comments
This is Magdalene, the Angel of Hope. She is my original design and is guaranteed one of a kind! I’ve used no patterns or molds to create Magdalene or her clothing. She is 15" tall with a wingspan of 10". She is made of muslin and has been stuffed with fiberfill. The lower part of Magdalene has been rag-stuffed & bean filled allowing her to stand properly. She has no legs. Magdalene’s head has been hand-sculpted out of paperclay without the use of any molds–only my hands & a paintbrush! I’ve hand-painted & sanded Magdalene from top to bottom several times. She has been stained for a super grungy appearance. She has the patina of a beautifully aged antique. Magdalene’s arms have been lightly wired, allowing them to be bent slightly.
Magdalene has peachy cheeks, brown eyebrows, pale pink lips & big green eyes with yellow accents. Her tiny fingers have been needle-sculpted by hand. Magdalene has been painted with premium acrylic paints. She has been sealed top to bottom with clear, glossy acrylic sealer so that she may be preserved beautifully over the years & kept a lifetime.
Magdalene carries a banner reminding us all to simply Hope this Christmas. Each letter was hand-stamped onto taupe card stock paper in a lovely chocolate brown ink. I then strung each letter onto hemp twine. The twine is simply tied around Magdalene’s hands & is removable should you decide to display her without it.
Magdalene wears two dresses. The under dress has been fashioned out of white muslin. Her overdress has been fashioned with fabric from a vintage slip. It features delicate embroidery & crochet insets. Her dress is tied around the waist with a long chocolate ribbon. Magdalene’s overdress is long allowing it to pool beautifully at her base. These dresses feature hand-stitching around the hems, necklines & arm holes. They have been dyed in a coffee & lavender bud bath. They do not smell, however. I simply dyed them in those substances to obtain the desired hue. I then hand-washed them & pressed them with linen water.
Magdalene carries a fragrant bouquet made of sweet annie & dried rose hips I plucked from the woods behind our house. It is tied simply with a piece of hemp twine. Magdalene’s charming batik, polka dot wings have been made from fine, handmade 100% lotka paper that I purchased from a specialty shop. They have been glued to heavyweight chocolate cardstock & then sealed with many layers of mod podge. Magdalene’s wings have been affixed to her body with a vintage button & heavy-duty button thread.
And just look at all these guys together!!! I’m super proud to offer these dolls this week.
Magdalene will be available on eBay beginning tonight at 9PM EST. This will be a 5 day auction. She will end on Sunday at 9PM EST. Click here to view or bid!
Stanley, the rowdiest bear in Town!
November 25, 2007 By Leave a Comment
This little guy can’t wait to play some toe-tapping, down home, bluegrass music!
I am so happy to introduce to you Stanley, the sweetest little banjo picker in existence. This doll & his instrument of choice was inspired by a Land of Nod catalog cover I found many years ago. I loved the imagery & decided to make a doll out of it! You won’t find another doll like this around. I’ve used no patterns to create this set. Stanley, named after a popular bluegrass legend, is 28″ tall. His rocking banjo is 18″ long & 6.5″ at the widest part. This set has been made of muslin and stuffed with fiberfill. Stanley’s lower torso has been rag-stuffed & bean filled in order to weight his little bottom. I’ve hand-painted & sanded Stanley & his banjo from top to bottom. Then I hand-painted & sanded them again. Stanley has been treated to a series of paint washes that give him a beautiful, deeply aged patina & make him look oh so vintage. His banjo has been stained to give it a super grungy appearance. Stanley’s arms are lightly wired allowing him to be slightly posed.
Stanley’s facial features have been entirely hand-painted. He has rosy cheeks, big green eyes & a super wide smile. Stanley has black dots all over him! Stanley’s fingers & cute little bear feet have been needle-sculpted & hand-painted. Stanley wears brown painted gloves to protect his fingers when he starts picking a real fast tune! He & his banjo have been painted with premium acrylic paints and have been accented & shaded heavily with oil & chalk pastels. They have been sealed top to bottom with clear, glossy acrylic sealer so that they may be preserved beautifully over the years & kept a lifetime.
It’s only a matter of time until he hits Nashville. And with a banjo like this, I’m sure he’ll be the talk of the town!
Stanley is wearing chocolate corduroy pants which have been hand-gathered just above his feet. They have been secured at the waist with elastic. He’s sporting yellow polka dot suspenders, made from a high quality calico print. They were treated to a coffee & lavender bud bath. They were then hand-washed.
Stanley would make the perfect Christmas gift for any music fan or bear collector or would look at home displayed with Santa & some of his little elves this Christmas season!
Stanley will be available on eBay at 9PM EST 11/25 – 12/02. Click here to view or bid!
Saint Nicholas: Father of the Foundling, a primitive Christmas Doll Set
November 25, 2007 By 2 Comments
“There is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.”
This is such an impressive set & pictures truly do not do it justice! It is, in one word, breath-taking.
I’m proud to introduce to you Saint Nicholas, Father of the Foundling, and the humble gifts he plans to bestow upon some very special children. This set is my original design and is guaranteed one of a kind! I’ve used no patterns or molds to create any piece of this set.
Santa is a massive doll. Santa is, from head to toe, 34.5″ long. With his hood & wreath on, he measures 36.5″ long. Santa’s rocking horse measures 24″ front to back, stands 17″ inches tall, and is 5″ wide. Santa’s sweet little rag doll is 20.5″ long. All dolls have been made of muslin & stuffed with fiberfill. Santa’s lower torso has been rag-stuffed & bean filled in order to weight his bottom. Santa & his rocking horse have been hand-painted & sanded from top to bottom several times. Santa has been treated to a series of paint washes that give him a beautiful, deeply aged patina. Santa’s rocking horse has been stained to give him a super grungy look. Santa arms are lightly wired allowing him to gently hold special toys.
Santa’s facial features (nose & bottom lip) have been needle sculpted & hand-painted. He has the Kindest pale blue eyes with light green highlights. He has rosy cheeks (as every Santa should), detailed eyebrows & highly detailed wrinkles. Santa’s fingers have been needle sculpted. He sports brown painted & distressed gloves. Santa & his rocking horse have been accented & shaded heavily with oil pastels. They have been sealed top to bottom with clear, glossy sealer so that they may be preserved beautifully over the years & kept a lifetime.
I’ve constructed Santa’s sweet little rocking horse from 7 separate pieces. His legs have been lightly wired for extra stability. Each leg has been attached to the body with several strands of heavy duty button thread. The horse is attached to a 3/4″ plywood base constructed by my father, the wood artist. (I have yet to master the art of the jigsaw!) It has been painted & crackled. The horse is attached with hemp twine that has been sewn through the hoof & then wrapped around the wood base. This sweet horse’s mane & tail is made of raw sheep’s wool that I hand-dyed. It was lightly glued for extra stability & then needle-felted to the horse.
Santa’s super primitive rag doll was made by me so many years ago. She is one of the first dolls I ever made back when I was just seeing if I could make one. She is made from tea-dyed muslin. Her hair is braided raffia. She sports a pink & white flannel dress & a white lacy apron stitched with contrasting pink thread. Both fabrics are vintage. She is topped off with vintage buttons. Her primitive, unfinished look adds to her charm.
Santa’s sturdy boots have been highly detailed & distressed. They feature hand-painted laces. Santa’s bag has been made of high-quality, brown velveteen. It is lined with a sweet green calico & ties with a taupe satin ribbon. Inside it are several packages that have been wrapped in kraft paper & tied with twine & chocolate ribbons.
Santa is gonna stay super warm this year! Santa is wearing an off-white flannel shirt with vintage buttons. It features extensive hand-stitching & was dyed in a coffee & lavender bath. He is also wearing brown corduroy pants (with suspenders) which are hand-gathered above his boots. Santa’s removable robe is made from high-quality, hunter-green velveteen. I hand-finished the inside seams to help keep the “fuzzies” off Santa. I’ve trimmed Santa’s robe brown & camel faux fur. It has been attached by hand.
Santa’s wreath has been hand-made by me. It is only a half-wreath, making it fully adjustable. It has been made from sweet annie, bay leaves & dried rose hips which I plucked out of the woods behind our home.
Santa will be available on eBay beginning 9pm EST 11/25 – 12/02. Click here to view or bid!
miller campbell designs: mailing list
November 23, 2007 By 4 Comments
If you joined my mailing list & submitted your email address to me via the contact form on this website, please do so again. That information has been lost.
After receiving you information, I will send you a confirmation email to let you know that you’ve been added.
Thanks so much!
Sneak Preview: St. Nicholas, Father of the Foundling
November 23, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Santa Close up:
One of Santa’s sweet presents:
Stay tuned Sunday for more pictures, a detailed description & a link to my eBay listing!
Santa is coming…
November 22, 2007 By Leave a Comment
He is! He is!
I had hoped to list him last Sunday…however some key materials did not arrive. But now, Santa & his gang (this is a massive, massive set) are complete. And they are spectacular! (I gasped out loud when I stepped back from the display.)
Santa will be available on eBay beginning Sunday night at 9:00pm EST. But there will be a little preview here & for those who have joined my mailing list.
Bid big on this one, cause he will not be duplicated & is my only ‘Santa’ for the year.
Happy Holidays!
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