A handmade doll for my niece

Yesterday was my niece May's christening day - it was great to see all my brothers and their families, we don't see that much of each other - we all lead busy lives and its just the way it is.   All my brothers - Christopher, Colin and Jonathan are younger than me and baby May Elizabeth is my middle brother and his wife Clare's first child - she's now about six months old.    So we all gathered on an unseasonably cold May day amidst the blossom
and the spring flowers to celebrate with her - when she was born I bought her a huge jewellery box, a beautiful wood one, which over the years I am going to stock with jewellery for her - I also enclosed a letter which said she could look at the jewellery, but she had to wait until she was 16 before she could officially have the it, that way everything's less likely to end up for dolly's dressing up toys.  

I know its traditional to give something like a money box for a christening, but I wanted to make her something, so I have been working on this doll for what seemed for ever.  Trust me, it was months; with all the things I CAN do creatively, can you believe I can't use a sewing machine?  Sad but true. But then I can't work the DVD player or the new TV we got last year either.   Technology overload, it seems I would probably be happier with a horse and cart.
'Rose'  is hand-stitched throughout; her body is made with fine cream cotton, she has stitched hair and an embroidered face.  She has lace underclothes, cotton and lace petticoats, I made her  clothes and finished off by giving her a necklace and bracelet.   I ran out of time; I wanted to make shoes but by that time it was the night before the big day  and I was holding up my eyes with matchsticks and I figured Rose was going to have to go barefoot.  I stitched small pieces of vintage and antique silk, satin and lace around her body and did a little embroidery here and there, and here she is, the finished article.   Trust me, this is a once and only event - I'm pleased with the end result but never again!   I thought she was a fitting gift for a special little girl.