For Crying Girl, the most difficult part was not construction—it was expression.

I kept returning to small shifts: eyelids, the angle of the mouth, the way light sits on the surface.

This is the process as I remember it: careful, repetitive, and very focused on the face.

The final look of this doll didn’t come right away. I went through a few ideas before I found what felt right. Now I think I’ve got it. She has mouse ears and a tail — and they suit her perfectly. She’s crying, though no one knows why. I love the contrast between this soft, tearful mouse and the little cat she’s holding. There’s something in these details that feels like a story. Maybe someone will want to tell it.