Empress Elisabeth of Austria von Wittelsbach-Flutterbutt

Elisabeth, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia as spouse of Emperor Francis Joseph I, or as her friends and family knew her "Sisi" has captured my imagination since I read her biography several weeks ago.

Kaiserin Elisabeth von Österreich 1865 (Franz Xaver Winterhalter)

A tragic character, full of passion for life, love, and country - who found her dream, of becoming queen, is very far from the life she wished for herself. A free spirit, she found it hard to adjust to the strict protocol of court and lived a troubled life full of losses, tragedies, and melancholy. She was clinically depressed (as most of Wittelsbach family at her time), and probably anorectic as well. As blackness grew nearer and nearer, she spent more and more of her time traveling and kept away from her family and court.

Having found her pictures (including photographs) online, I was struck with her great beauty. Dark piercing eyes, extremely long hair (which was her great pride, along with her amazingly narrow waist line). I found her gaze haunting, and was sad to find out there is only one official portrait of her smiling out of the hundreds taken. I decided I want to make a Flutterbutt inspired by one of her early portraits. Hoping the free spirit of the art doll will encourage her to give a little happy smile to the camera. I wish I could somehow reach my hand throughout the years that passed, and tell her how much she is still loved, admired, and mostly - that she will never be forgotten.

Elizabeth at her coronation as Queen of Hungary in 1867

Her gown took me a very long time to make. I made the undergarment out of tulle and lace ribbon which I glued together to create a firm skirt.

And here she is, my little Sisi. I hope she will find a good home with someone who loves Sisi as much as I do.

A rear view of the gown