Belladonna

Belladonna is a mysterious Day of the Dead doll, draped in black from head to toe. A delicate cobweb veil shadows her stitched face — was she once a bride? Her gown falls like mourning silk, bridal in shape yet touched with sorrow. In her hands she carries a small bouquet… though it’s hard to tell whether the flowers were meant for a wedding aisle or laid gently upon a grave. She was stitched into being in the dim light of my sitting room, where the floorboards creak in quiet protest and the clock ticks a little too loudly in the hush. Around her, my rag dolls sit with button eyes glinting in soft curiosity, silent witnesses to her creation. Like all my heritage collectible dolls, Belladonna is hand-sewn from mismatched fabrics and fragments of old lace, each piece chosen with care. And as always, a few secrets are tucked deep within her seams — hidden where only she can keep them.