As a child Melanie Wesley was obsessed with dolls. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * As a child Melanie Wesley was obsessed with dolls. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? As a child Melanie Wesley was obsessed with dolls.
Growing up in a creative household, Wesley’s mother was a firm believer in the power of imaginative play and encouraged both her and her sister to develop hobbies that would stimulate and challenge them. The siblings played with paper dolls they made themselves, creating tiny make-believe worlds in dresser drawers pasted with pictures from old Sears catalogues. Today the 51-year-old still continues to “play” with handmade dolls, albeit ones which are made with rather more robust materials.
“I get to play when I work,” the dollmaker laughs. “I get to exercise my creative muscles and my imagination on a daily basis. I feel that keeps me young and engaged in life.
Some people describe their job as soulless, but mine is completely the opposite.” Wesley’s latest doll collection is based on rag dolls from the early part of the 20th century. She often has six to eight types of dolls available at a time and each doll can take anywhere from six to 20 hours to create.
Each doll assembly differs in size — Ragamuffins are 21 inches; Moppets and Minty dolls are 14 inches; Raggedy dolls are 11 inches; Dancing Mice are 15 inches and the Little Sister dolls are 15 inc.
