AnnieTaylor

Will the real Sadie Hennessy please stand up? Mabel and I won the lookalike competition @gallery2atbrucewilliamsart which was I think a bit rich, tbh, considering we borrowed our outfits from @memphishennessy . A brilliant afternoon with great art, fabulous folk and lots of Marina Abramovic references, with a wonderful performance by @janetdistrictcouncil channelling the Dover Marina Abramovic, and @miriam_elia_artist telling the amazing true story behind her new fairytale. I left Mabel drinking and mingling. Possibly not the best idea. And I’ve only just spotted that we also match @brucewilliamsartist ’s coffee pot painting. #hasshenothingbettertodo #lookalike #whitstable #independentartgallery #sundayshenanigans #dressup #matchymatchy #softsculpture #textileartist #textileart #reusereducerecycle #bigdolls #mannequin #sundayfunday #twins

Well that was all just marvellous. The sun shone, the sea waved and the mermaids gathered. What a fabulous first ever @margate_mermaid_parade Let’s hope it is the first of many. I do love saying “what this old thing? It was just hanging in the back of the cupboard”. Which is true, as you will know if you’ve followed me for long. I also love saying “I’m a rubbish mermaid”, which is also true. This was all made from rubbish I collected off the beach when I was a beach cleaner, and from the shop/gallery I worked in. Fortunately other mermaids were quick to catch and return bits of me that fell off - don’t want to be putting the rubbish back on the beach!!! Big cheers to @daphna_rowe for making this happen. Everyone looked splendid. I’m resting my fins now and wanting more beer. It was thirsty work. #hasshenothingbettertodo #mermaids #margate #margatemermaidparade #mermen #mermaidparade #rubbishmermaid #ohidoliketobebesidetheseaside #mermaidfriends #somethingfishygoingonhere

Sunday sewing. She’s taking shape, literally, as I battle with the wire so she’s posable in her teacup. Am listening to @cerys6music , a couple of hours late, as is my wont, and the Mer and I are fascinated by the stories of stones being shared today. Realising I’m going to have to listen to it again because @_indiana_stones_ talks very quick, and between stitching and thinking and listening, not enough is going in… Always been a bit partial to a standing stone, or a stone with a hole in it (Mexico Jo in my family, have no idea why, hagstones most elsewhere). After twenty years living at the coast I can go for a walk without coming back with heavy pockets. Which feels like quite an achievement. Like not taking hundreds of photos only to delete later…Still can’t resist a conker though, having grown up on horse chestnut tree lined streets. See what I mean, brain rambling off all over… Surely it’s lunch time. Will hint to the Engineer (also our head chef); actually no, I’m going to stitch that spine wire in place. And listen again to the last hour, and focus this time, instead of just picking up on the enthusiasm! #hasshenothingbettertodo #mermaid #bernina #artdoll #sundaysewing #drawingwithmysewingmachine #stitchedillustration #commission #takingshape #listeningtobbc6music

In case you wondered what I’ve actually been up to in the studio, I’m on a couple of commissions. Considering how grumpy I’ve been about making any more mermaids, it takes a brave person to ask! And so of course I said “yes” as the client had a lovely idea about the reading material for the mermaid in her teacup. Have just finished her tiny “Coastal Cowgirl” magazine, and am rather pleased with how it has come out. It’s about 5cm tall. Always good to enjoy what you are doing. Hope you’ve had a good day too! #hasshenothingbettertodo #mermaid #artdoll #softsculpture #coastalcowgirl #enjoywhatyoudo #dollmaker #drawingwithmysewingmachine #stitchedillustration

Always wanted to do an Oscars speech - somewhere between Sally Field (you really like me 😖) and Marlon Brando (where he sent Sacheen Littlefeather to refuse in protest of Hollywood’s treatment of Native Americans). But I digress. Obvs 🙄 Am bloody delighted that Fitchers Vogel has been officially selected for the @phantasmal.gallery 2026 Film Festival. It proudly takes its place alongside a tremendous variety of horror films, and is in the Supernatural AF category. This film was commissioned by the @small_house_gallery for the @whitbien satellite, and was filmed in stop motion animation. It is a Grimm tale… I will put links in bio and all that. So go on, block out the daylight, and scare yourself silly… #hasshenothingbettertodo #phantasmalfilmfestival #horrorfilm #stopmotionanimation #filmfestival #notcannesfilmfestival #textileartist #prismtextiles #fitchersvogel #grimmfairytales #agrimmtale #bloodychamber #angelscarter #smallhousegallery

And another day lost down the 🐇 🕳️ of family research. Am kind of stuck on poor Mary Dillon, found as a newborn abandoned on Columbus Street on 31st October 1864. She could be my great great grandmother. She could. There are facts that fit. There’s also other Mary Dillon’s that fit too: actually there are quite a lot of Mary Dillons full stop. But I sort of want to adopt this one. The thing is, another one I’ve found has a Catherine for a mother, and there is a Kitty Dillon in the family myths, so that is also tempting. This is my Mum’s father’s mother’s line I am trying to trace. I’ve spent a lot of time today looking at old photos of steps in St Peter’s Port and the Quayside of St Sampson in Guernsey. The pic of Constitution Steps is from Alamy (you can see the watermark) and it isn’t the steps I want. No.1 Arcade Steps is what I’m looking for, if anyone happens to be passing and can send me a snap! This project began to try and get some answers for Mum. I found more for Dad, but that’s another story. I’m beginning to think that Granny, Mum’s Mum, told all sorts of stories to make life more interesting for Mum. It certainly worked for me: Greek Witches, Turkish Pirates, Romanies painted by Augustus John, friends of the Jersey Lily, and descendants of Vesta Tilley. We had a framed postcard of her on the mantlepiece. ☺️ The list of Ann Taylors is just because there sure are a lot of them. I have them on both sides! Well, it is time to pack them all away again, and get back on with making tomorrow. Another commission before I can crack on with whatever is buzzing around in my head. Might just make the family tree Mum wants, sod the facts. Especially when they are so hard to find. #hasshenothingbettertodo #ancestry #familyhistory #arcadestepsguernsey #guernsey #makeitallup #fairystories #familymyths #downtherabbithole

Activity bag stitching today: beginning to sew the words people pinned onto the dress during the @wamtrail . I was hoping for “horse and carriage” to stitch around the hem. @rhissanna said it, and then @dollynb gave me a gorgeous drawing. So while I’m minding @anchorsaweighvintage (and trying not to adopt too much fabric or other cute nostalgic goodies) I’m starting to stitch. The dress isn’t exactly small in the activity bag stakes, but it is perfectly manageable - unlike say a Big Doll leg… Thankyou everyone who has contributed so far. I shall be adding to it! #hasshenothingbettertodo #activitybag #whitstable #loveandmarriage #horseandcarriage #franksinatra #handembroidery #audienceparticipation #calicotoile

This very timely memory popped up today from Neon Blue Tales at the @piefactorymargate in 2019. Delighted to say that Neon Blue Tales 4 is due to happen in August, and the Big Dolls are all very excited, as am I. I feel very fortunate to have run amok in this fabulous venue so many times over the years, and really looking forward to being back. Big Yellow and Long Pink want to know what they’ll be wearing and whether I’ll finally write their stories. I think I might. I’ll put that on a List. There are currently a lot of Lists on the desk. This is a good thing. Mabel has a story. She’s Mabel’s Syrup the female wrestler. She always sighs a bit when I tell her tale, in a sort of “oh not that again” like it’s an uncomfortable fit. She is much preferring currently being a female astronaut. We’ll talk about it. Lots to do between now and then though. Lots and lots of Lists!! #hasshenothingbettertodo #neonbluetales #puppets #softsculpture #figurativetextileart #fabricfriends #reusereducerecycle #margate #todolist #lovelylists #dollmaker

WhitstableMay Day Parade: the Beasts followed the Hooden Horses in amongst more Morris than you could shake a stick at (boom boom 😉) Jolly good fun but very hot when mostly wearing nylon and carrying a flamingo made from a duvet. Not as hot as @memphishennessy who was underneath the world’s biggest prize winning cat. Horses, cow, bear, owls, parrots, horses, flamingo… this collections of Beasts is a little reminder to keep the #blessingofthebeasts in mind. Rather delighted to have taken part in the traditional walk along the sea wall - and not fallen off ☺️ 🦩 Some nice people did ask us what was going on. We asked what on earth they meant, it’s just a ho hum normal Monday… The birds got in a flap in the Offy. Two Green Men, lots of dancing, lots of laughing. Thankyou for letting us come out to play. #hasshenothingbettertodo #maydayparade #whitstable #jackinthegreen #deadhorsemorris #hoodenhorse #flamingo #justanormalday

Well that’s all been huge fun! Thankyou everyone who visited us over this @wamtrail weekend. We, by which I mean the dolls, @oldhandswatches and me, have thoroughly enjoyed meeting you and welcoming back those of you who have been before. This clip courtesy of @imogentinkleroninsta is brilliant - four pairs of little hands working together to ever so swiftly nest and un-nest the Russian Dolls. The dolls almost bigger than the smallest child. I thoroughly enjoyed explaining why Victoria looked so cross. We were at times rather full housed and so I forgot to say to leave emails if you would like my fairly random newsletter - I only send when I’m doing something. There is a sign up link in my linktree. Thankyou again. It really has been a fab weekend. #hasshenothingbettertodo #wamtrail #whitstableartistsandmakerstrail #whitstableartistsandmakers #whitstable #softsculpture #softsculptureart #puppets #openstudios #maybankholidayweekend #dollmaker

Big Alice’s dress was filling up nicely on the @wamtrail yesterday with comments on Love and Marriage. Heard some lovely stories, some astounding stories, and had a few right laughs about things that weren’t funny for the teller at the time - but perspective is everything… The “yes dear” is from the Engineer, and @rhissanna has just offered up “horse and carriage” which I’ve been hoping for: I was almost spoon feeding the phrase at one point. It will probably be the first thing I embroider, and it will be in picture form. Maybe a whole row around the hem. Or maybe not! We open again at 11am, and if the BBC weather app is correct, which it often is, the next splat of rain won’t be along before we close at 4pm. Some folk managed all 16 venues yesterday - which makes me wonder about a loyalty stamp and then I tell my brain to stop as actually is Wamettes have quite enough on our plates anyway, and yesterday was at times quite bonkers with people trying to limbo around Big Alice and each other. All good fun. Looking forward to seeing you today! #hasshenothingbettertodo #dollmaker #softsculpture #softsculptureartist #bigalice #whitstable #whitstableartistsandmakers #whitstableartistsandmakerstrail #wamtrail #textileart #arttrail

Our member Annie Taylor (@whitstabletail ) and Big Alice (photo 2) and the other ladies, are looking forward to greeting visitors on the @wamtrail this weekend. Annie’s at house no.14 on the Trail, alongside @oldhandswatches . The @wamtrail Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd May 11am to 4pm. #wamtrail #annietaylor #openhouse