Roche Dolls Christmas 2022

Lynne & Michael Roche

Dollmakers

Christmas 2022

Welcome

Roche Dolls Christmas Open Day is opening its doors for real once more. The ‘virtual’ version of the event has proved rather popular over the past years, so here we are with that too! We would like to thank all our customers and friends for your contribution and support throughout the year.

All good wishes, Lynne & Michael Christmas 2022

Deck the halls

And, of course, the front door to welcome guests to our Open Day...

Wreath making

The front door has had a new lick of paint – no longer red but every bit as festive once the wreath was added.

Friends gathered to make the wreaths and soon every house in our terrace boasted festive foliage decorations. The gathering always starts in the same way; raw materials all laid out while the ‘helpers’ examine every last berry and ribbon. As you can see, Daisy, Figgy Pudding and Plum are very thorough with their investigations.

Favourite Decorations

Old and new

We think that the best Christmas trees are not dressed in colour themes or look to latest fashions, they are decorated in favourite ornaments collected over many years. This doesn’t mean to say we don’t enjoy adding new ones, like Claude Monet holding a waterlily. (A souvenir from a trip to Monet’s glorious garden at Giverny.) Or buying replacements, like the time we found ourselves with only two Wise Men following some pussycat pranks.

It is very early in December but there must always be a tree for Open Day...

Creating our card

Lynne creates new artwork for our Christmas card each year...

Cosy inspiration

Morning in the Roche household means a certain amount of ritual. Michael with porridge – no matter what the season – and the more recent, but no less important, custom of the tea cosy being occupied by something more animate than the teapot.

From kitten-hood, Plum Pudding has requested that she should be allowed to use the cosy. A gentle tap of the teapot reveals that she is ready. This has led to the purchase of a second cosy for the pot itself and the additional ritual of Plum swapping cosies when she feels she has used up the warmth of the first.

However, it was the youngest of the feline family who stole the show when the camera came out. Daisy had a few coy moments behind a vase of flowers before coming forward for a close up. Lynne prefers to paint from life but that can be rather a challenge with a cat. Instead she selected a favourite image and added the festive mugs and sprig of holly to create the image for this year’s Christmas card.

‘Christmas Tea with Daisy’, Lynne’s original painting. roche-dolls.co.uk

Getting All

What to wear

Though we like to look our best for our Open Day, it isn’t what we wear that everyone looks forward to seeing...

For months now, fine yarns and beautiful fabrics have been being fashioned into the garments for our festive dolls. Every one differs very slightly to make each look unique.

It takes quite some time to get all the dolls dressed and ready. Here you can see the first time the clothes are all put together – a pile for each dolll with everything from knickers to mittens!

We hope you approve of the final looks...

The stars of our Open Day are made ready for our guests...

Dressed Up

Step inside our Christmas Showroom

Little Friends

Warmly dressed for winter, a very limited edition of our smaller dolls...

Rowan & Rosemary

Our ever-popular Little Friends stand 7in tall. Beaded holly decorates their hats and scarves – and each doll is accompanied by their very own dog, also cosily dressed for winter. 7in high, all bisque body with wooden ball joints, porcelain head & hands Edition of three Rosemarys and one Rowan available £725

Rowan 1/1 & Rosemary 1/3

Johnny, Rosemary & Primrose

7in high, all bisque body with wooden ball joints, porcelain head & hands Edition of three Rosemarys, two Primroses and one Johnny available £725

Primrose 1/2

Rosemary 3/3, Primrose 2/2, Johnny 1/1

May & Primrose

7in high, all bisque body with wooden ball joints, porcelain head & hands Edition of one May and two Primroses available £725

Elsie & Robyn

New

looks for Robyn, who first joined us in 2014, and Elsie the following year...

Lovely layers

Warm winter dresses, cotton petticoats and hats with the tiniest of crochet flowers. 14in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands One of each edition available £2200

Little Theo

The smaller version of our popular boy is back...

Wrapped up warm

Theo is dressed in softer winter colours –and, of course, has a distinctive ‘T’ for Theo appliqué on his cardigan.

14in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of two available £2200

Esme

Our girl models a very festive ensemble for Christmas...

All in the detail

A finely knitted Christmas tree motif decorates the front of the pinafore above bands of smocking highlighted with the tiniest of beads. 16in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of four available £2200

Esme

16in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of four available £2200

The taller version of our popular boy...

Ready to play

A soft wool jacket, variegated yarn trousers with a tweed look and his very own toy giraffe.

17in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of one available £2200

Thomasina

Dressed in winter blues for a new look...

Gorgeous ginghams

Lace-knit cardigans styled with frills over festive pinafores with delicate smocking. 17in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of two available £2200

Thomasina

Thomasina

Thomasina

Lillian & Emilia

Luxury looks for two of our older girls...

Extravagant knits

Luxurious peplum jackets with matching collars, fastened with unusual buttons. 20in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of one of each available £2200

Florence

A chance to share one of our very first dolls...

Among the first

Florence was one of the very first dolls we made in the 1980’s This one is in such nice condition and has the addition of a very sweet Grizzly cat. £1100

Minet Cherie

Another chance to see the girl who has everything...

Miniature marvel

Another early doll, Minet Cherie, in a leather trunk with all her lovely little accessories. £475

Lynne’s Paintings

Allowed to travel once more, we returned to Italy – and, of course, magical Venice...

Venice from the Balcony

11 x 14in, oil on board £275

roche-dolls.co.uk

Red Pelargoniums

11 x 14in, oil on board £375

*Now also available as a giclée print

Still Life and the Garden

12 x 16in, oil on board £350

View from the Window, Posara

7.5 x 7in, oil on linen £175

Venice from the Apartment Window

9 x 9in, pastel on paper £200

The garden with Poppies

8 x 8in, pastel on paper £200

roche-dolls.co.uk

Lynne has selected favourite paintings to turn into limited edition prints. She has a new range of greetings cards too. You can find out more about these and enjoy more of her artwork on her site.

Dollmakers Lynne & Michael Roche Celebrating over 40 years

©Yum Yum Books 2022

Photography: Lynne Roche ◼ Editing & presentation magic: Jenny Dixon