Jen's Whatnots

January Quilt Finished and Photographed

2012-01-30T16:48:00.000-05:00

I was able to finish quilting my quilt 2 Saturdays ago, but it took me a long time to get around to photographing it. I decided to just prop it up on an extra chair in my kitchen with my Raggedy Ann that I made using a Gail Wilson kit. I quilted in the ditch along all the sashing edges, and then quilted the crosses and diagonal lines in each block. I was able to figure out how to go down each side of the cross, across the diagonal line and then across the next cross side to get each block quilted in one "run."

Now, what will Kathy choose for February? I bet it will be fun, and maybe a touch romantic!

January Crosses Mourning Quilt Top

2012-01-15T15:59:00.000-05:00

Slow and steady progress is being made! Today I was able to combine the blocks with the sashing pieces, inner and outer borders, and stil watch the second half of the Ravens game.

Little known quilt fact: when I started, I couldn't find any navy thread, so the top is put together with Ravens Purple thread - seems appropriate given that they have made the Play Offs this year, and my family are fans of the Ravens. It doesn't show enough to really stand out on the top. I bought navy thread yesterday, so it will be machine quilted with a color that matches.

I've Got Blocks!

2012-01-08T17:21:00.000-05:00

What can I say? Saturday was very productive for me! Piecing these blocks together was a lot of fun, and not hard at all. There was one block that I had to "unsew" twice, but fortunately I caught both mistakes before I even finished the seam I was sewing, and I'm really good with a seam ripper! Guess trying to get a good fit on dolly clothes pays off!

So, here are the blocks. Now, to figure out how to arrange them... I think the one with the darkest light corners will be center.

In addition to getting all this sewing done this weekend, I managed to get laundry (almost) done, take M. to her piano lesson, go to church, go to the grocery store (twice), and watch some good "on demand" movies! What a great low-key weekend.

2012 Challenge

2012-01-06T20:14:00.001-05:00

It is hard to believe that we are already almost a week into the new year! I really neglected this blog in 2011 -hopefully 2012 will be better.
More and more of my doll loving friends are doing challenges again this year, like taking and posting one photo everyday day of one of their dolls or toys. I know that is not something that is anywhere near being possible for me; I found a doll a week photos in 2010 a challenge to keep up with! But, I wanted to do something more this year, and just didn't know what.
Then, a few days ago, I saw that one of my favorite quilt book authors, Kathleen Tracy, was doing another sort of challenge - one small quilt a month. I already have 3 or her 4 books, and have wanted the 4th one for a while. The January Quilt inspired me to take this on. I would love to be able to complete 12, but even if I can only do a few, I will be happy to have that much accomplished.
The January quilt is the Crosses Mourning Quilt. This seems like a good choice for this period of my life, as I am still adjusting to loosing my dad last October to radiation necrosis at the young age of only 67. He had an extremely strong faith, so I know that I will see him in Heaven some day, but at the same time, it is hard to see someone you love work very hard their entire lives, retire, and less than 2 months later find out that they have brain cancer. Dad's first loves were his LORD and his family, but he also enjoyed American History, boating, and politics. A quilt inspired by quilts and events in the mid-1800s that has crosses on it seems like a great way to begin this year-long challenge and work through the grieving process.
It seems like 2011 was a time for loss for many of my friends and co-workers. Since September, 2 people I know suddenly lost their young adult sons, another friend who lost her father and aunt, another friend lost her father-in-law, and several other people I know lost other relatives. I pray that they all knew Jesus and will be with their loved ones in Heaven.
I am determined that I want my life to be about more than working hard until I die. I want to enjoy time with my family and friends. I want to take time to do things that I enjoy now - not wait until I have the time, money, energy or opportunity - the perfect time never comes. I want to make a positive impact on other people's lives.
So, the day after I found out about this challenge, I picked out fabrics, dark blue and navy rather than black, since almost all of my blacks have pink floral prints! I wanted something more "Americana" for this one. I hope that in addition to working on this challenge that I will be ablet o post my progress here on this blog! Here is a photo of all the little bits and pieces cut out (except the binding that I still need to decide on). The fabric is all neat and organized for each of the 9 little blocks, but not laid out in proportion to how it will look. Yes, my compulsion for order can be seen in my need to have everything arranged just so - this is exactly how things were laid out when I was done - not arranged for a photo!
Anyone else want to join me in a quilting challenge? I'd love to follow your progress!

Rainbows

2011-11-29T21:12:00.000-05:00

Driving home from work this evening was full of rainbows. I counted 3 or 4 of them - hard to tell because they seem to move when the perspective changes along the highway. The first one was huge, but traffic was moving at a good speed for a change, so all I could do was try to admire it and still keep my eyes on the road! When traffic came to a standstill near the intersection of 2 major highways, I was able to snap some shots with my cell phone. I saw an older man parked on the other side of the road who was taking photos with a large camera. I think if I had had a better camera with me, I would have stopped.

God made many promises to His people. He keeps them all. He reminds us every time we open his Book, witness new life, are spared a sorrow...or like today, stuck in traffic on a rainy afternoon, surrounded by rainbows.

Summer Flowers

2011-07-07T18:29:00.000-04:00

I have really ignored this blog for too long! So, anyway, here are some snapshots of the flowers in and around my yard that I took today!

My Hydrangeas!

2010-06-11T17:21:00.000-04:00

I am so excited! My hydrangeas are doing better than ever! The largest was a cutting I took from my mother-in-laws hydrangea bush over 10 years ago - I brought it home from North Carolina in a soda can filled with water! The rest are from a garden center, but I'd only get a few flowers every summer. Last winter, I made up my mind to dig them up this fall if they didn't bloom and replace them with something else that would do better. No chance of that now! W. hit them with the lawn fertilizer this year, and I think that little extra shot did just the thing they needed. So why did I never think of that!

Some sewing

2010-05-29T12:46:00.002-04:00

Since American Girl archived Kirsten before I could get all of her outfits, I had to make my own birthday dress and apron for her, using the patterns from AG. I had purchased the patterns from AG a long time ago when I got Kirsten, but the patterns are available here: American Girl Playthings Dress Patterns.

I lengthened the skirt pattern, but wish I had added even a bit more! The tiny rick rack was tricky to sew. I ended up using a fabric glue to attach it and then sewed it on. When I finished the apron, I didn't have very good light, and didn't realize that I had the bib on the apron on backwards (I lined the top). So, the rick rack on the apron skirt is behind the edge, but on the top, it is on the front. I will probably make this pattern again in other fabrics and see if I can make more improvements to it.

My First "Face Ups"

2010-04-04T13:49:00.005-04:00

I ordered 2 Petite Ai dolls, Sariel and Jenniel, from Custom House last November during a buy one-get one sale. They finally arrived on March 22nd. These are the first ball jointed dolls that I've bought without their "face ups." It was certainly a different experience to open the box to find pure resin dolls without any eyes or any color on them at all. My nose told me that these were freshly made dolls - the resin smelled different than any other doll that has arrived here!

I got out my watercolor pencils, chalk pastels, clear matte sealer, and clear gloss. Here they are during the early steps of the face up.

Once the clear sealer had dried, I put gloss on their lips and eyelids. When that dried, I glued on some eyelashes that I had in my supply box. Jenniel got dark blond lashes, and Sariel got brown.

Then I had to wait until I could go to the store to get some poster tac so that I could insert some eyes. Fortunately, the family agreed to make time to do that early on Saturday! Last night, I inserted their eyes: brown for Sariel, and natural grey for Jenniel. I didn't care for the bright green eyes that CH sent with them, and these were the only eyes in my stash that really fit in their eye wells.

Here they are with their eyes. I tried on 3 or 4 wigs on each of them, but none seemed right. I ordered some new wigs, and I hope that they'll find something that fits them in size and style! While we wait, we'll have to think of some better names for them!

Amigurumi Koalas in Pajamas

2010-02-25T22:09:00.002-05:00

I made these two pals for a friend. Now M. would like a big koala for herself, but she'll pick out the color of the pj's! What could be better for a cold winter night than a cuddly friend all ready for bed!

MORE Snow

2010-02-07T20:19:00.004-05:00

It started to snow after lunch on Friday. It snowed all through the night and all day on Saturday, not tapering off until evening. Here is W4 in our front yard on Saturday afternoon - snow still coming down.

Another picture from Saturday, my poor crepe myrtle and our grill.

This morning, the sun came out, and it was truely beautiful (a view of our side yard).

Until it came time to think about how we would ever get out! W4 had a lot of shoveling ahead of him! M. and I helped a little bit, but he did most of the work. Here you can see his car parked on the street - the mound of snow between the apple tree and the house across the street. You can almost see his taillight.

After getting my car dug out and the sidewalk in front of our house, he decided that since his classes at college are canceled tomorrow, and he doesn't have to work until 3 PM, that he'd finish digging out his car tomorrow. There's really too much snow on our street for his car to do very well anyway. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow.

The path from the street, past my car, W3's truck and up to our house.

I captured this great picture today of Josie. She has really been enjoying this snow. Her favorite part was on Saturday, when we had paths cleared in big circles around the front yard, but not out to the street. She could run as fast as she wanted around the yard without worrying about a person holding her back by her leash!

I wonder how long it will take for life to get back to normal? The weather forecast calls for more snow on Tuesday night and Wednesday. I hope that it doesn't amount to anything!

And Now He is Done!

2010-02-06T11:08:00.003-05:00

I finished my bear on Wednesday evening. I am really excited about how he turned out! I don't think he really looks like an "Old World Bear" since I used a more modern mohair and much larger eyes and made the nose differently. He isn't stuffed with excelsior anyway, so he is more of a modern bear with deep roots.

I gave him a felt nose before doing the embroidery - that worked so much better than just going straight for the embroidery floss - no need to worry about little hairs coming through!

Now, back to making amigurumi...

Almost a Bear

2010-01-31T21:15:00.002-05:00

I've been working on this bear since before Christmas. I decided to sew it all by hand. I finished the stuffing and jointing on Friday night. W3 helped me with some of the cotter pins. I was all set to do his face, when I discovered that I don't have the correct size of glass eyes in my teddy bear tool box! I ordered extra eyes on Saturday morning.

Profile shot. No ears yet (they go over the threads from the eyes). Can't do the nose or mouth until I see how the eyes look. So, my faceless bear must wait. You might be able to see the threads that mark where everything goes (according to the pattern, anyway!).

More about this bear's beginnings here: Baybearyscottage.blogspot.com

This bear is a little ditsy...

2010-01-17T20:21:00.003-05:00

I finished this little amigurumi bear last week. M. was sick, so I let her keep him.

more Amigurumi

2010-01-06T18:58:00.000-05:00

This owl finished off the beige yarn I had left over from my afghan - I had less than 2 yards left. I was really getting nervous as I got down to the end - would there be enough?

This snail was a lot of fun - a very quick little project.

There's a little brown bear in my yarn bag now, waiting to be born...

A Great Find

2010-01-03T12:01:00.001-05:00

We are supposed to be working on our kitchen, but sometimes you find something that's just so great, you've got to get it. While checking out the after Christmas sales at the mall last week, I found these wonderful framed prints that match my favorite bedspread. I had to get them. They were 50% off and the cashier used a $10 off coupon, too. I'm not hanging them until the kitchen project is done (so excuse the cardboard corners - keeping them from getting messed up), but I think they're going to be great over our bed!

More Amigurumi

2010-01-01T16:18:00.000-05:00

Since the sewing machine and cutting table aren't available, I've gotten back to crocheting some amigurumi. I'm working on some for a swap with a friend. I sure hope that she'll like what I'm making! More amigurumi to come - it is great for keeping hands busy while watching television with family!

The turtle is from Amigurmi World: Seriously Cute Crochet (by Ana Paula Rimoli), and the bluebird is from Amigurumi Two!

Starting the next decade with a new color...

2010-01-01T15:36:00.000-05:00

Since Christmas, the wallpaper border "chair rail" has been taken down. Old screw holes have been filled and the walls prepped. There's one big hole that was behind the exhaust fan over the stove that is slowly being repaired and filled. When it has been sanded, we'll be ready to paint. Until then, we wait for the drywall compound to dry and dream about using the kitchen like regular people do again. I am really looking forward to Pale Chamois instead of multiple rose colors.

A Tiny Little Bear Project

2009-12-26T08:31:00.000-05:00

The few days before Christmas, I needed to work on a little project between batches of cookies. This little fella is from a kit that I purchased years ago from Edinburgh Imports that included the Tattered & True pattern by Pam Holton. He didn't end up looking exactly like the picture on the pattern, but I think he's pretty cute for someone who is just 5" tall!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

You, O Bethlehem...who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for Me one who is to be ruler in Israel. Michah 5:2

For unto us a Child is born.

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Wishing Everyone the Joy and Peace of the assurance of our salvation

as we celebrate the birth of our Lord.

Merry Christmas!

Snowman

2009-12-23T09:34:00.000-05:00

The kids aren't tired of the snow yet! They built a huge snowman in the front yard near the sidewalk late yesterday afternoon.

They also built a snow "cave", but Daddy made them crash it in after pictures were taken. We didn't want any neighborhood kids to play there and have it collapse on them and get hurt!!

Last but not least, our little schipperke saw that our foxhound mixed breed shelter dog made the blog this week and didn't want to be left out. He has finally conquered his fear of being put on top of huge snow piles and posed for his picture:

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2009-12-22T06:39:00.000-05:00

Snow:

Sheep:

Candycanes:

The tree:

And now we wait:

Queen Anne's Lace Pillowcases

2009-12-18T20:30:00.002-05:00

While browsing blogs last week, I came across this pattern on Posie Gets Cozy. Since I love doing embroidery, but haven't done it in way too long, I decided that I must make these pillowcases as a special Christmas gift. I hope the intended recipient isn't peeking! Fun!

Starting to Decorate for Christmas

2009-12-11T21:06:00.004-05:00

This year, the Christmas decorations are coming out very slowly. The kitchen is almost done. My snowman collection is on display on the wall shelf. Over the years. the kids have made some, I've bought others, and still others were gifts.

As my parents went through their big move to a new house, they gave us their hutch (over 40 years old) and their kitchen table and chairs. It all fit in quite nicely in our kitchen. The hutch is "decorated" for Christmas, except for the nativity scene that will go in the center space between the radio and silver chest. I'll be getting that out this weekend.

A close up of my Hummel Christmas angels. These were all Christmas gifts from my parents. The olive wood nativity was hand carved by Christians in Bethlehem. Each fall, a representative brings their carvings to our church to sell to help enable the Christians to stay in Bethlehem when tourism has slowly been decreasing.

My little Hummel boy with the bunnies is surrounded by little bunnies that came in boxes of Red Rose tea. He is joined by my 2 Christmas Boyds figurines.

Did you notice my rose/pink walls? We've decided that color scheme and wallpaper border are due for replacement. More than 15 years is enough! We are hoping to repaint the kitchen between Christmas and New Year's, if all goes well.

The 11 Month Afghan!

2009-12-11T20:57:00.003-05:00

I bought the yarn (Lion Brand Vanna's Choice) for this afghan on January 1st, 2009. I started working on it that day. Each stripe is 2 rows of double crochet. I worked on it off an on all year, with a long pause in the summer. I finally finished it the week before Thanksgiving! I am enjoying it as an extra layer to sleep under when W. decides to turn on the ceiling fan!

Some New Fuzzy Friends

2009-12-09T20:57:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago, on a sunny, warm November afternoon, I took a lunch break to visit the Savage Mill mall. There are several shops I really like to browse in: Bearing Gifts, And Sew It Goes, Lucy and Ethel's, and The Polish Pottery Mart. There are always so many things to see and enjoy, but I don't always make a purchase when I visit. Just getting out of the office and seeing something different can be a real treat during a tough week.

On my last visit, I found a special little bear. She is an Angel bear with a pine halo, and country style wings and a necklace with her name: Faith. She will join my Christmas bears for the next few weeks. Rather than hibernating after Christmas, I think I'm going to see if I can remove her halo and wings and make them a seasonal costume so that I can enjoy her year round.

Today, a new friend arrived. His name is Benjamin. He is a pogo from The Pogoshop on Etsy. He was made from an upcycled beige lambswool sweater and is stuffed with bamboo fiberfill. I think he'd like to go out and play in the woods, but since it is cold and rainy outside, he's happy to stay inside and visit.

Benjamin brought his own special heather green wool sleepsack to cuddle into for nice cozy naps:

Sometimes...

2009-09-20T20:24:00.001-04:00

It feels good to take a break and just let go of life's busy-ness. Keeping up with what is happening in the world can be tiring. What could be better than a nap on your best pal's bed in a warm spot of sunshine?

From a Retired Gail Wilson kit

2009-08-30T18:17:00.004-04:00

After recovering from our trips, jury duty and the back to school rush (which isn't really over quite yet), I decided to ease back into making things. I choose a little kit from my stash of Gail Wilson kits to get back into sewing. I made this little dolly last Sunday, and her pantaloons, dress, and apron were accomplished in little bits of time stolen throughout the week. She's about 3 1/4" tall. Isn't she a fantastic little doll's doll? Raggedy Ann better watch out, her dolly is likely to be snatched by the Hittys if they see her!

A Little Amigurumi

2009-08-30T17:48:00.003-04:00

Catching up on blogging now that things have settled down after Nationals in South Bend, IN, and our trip to Shands and Walt Disney World. Here's a little amigurumi cupcake that I made for my mother's birthday. She can use it as a pincushion.

I also made this cute little bunny. Isn't he sweet? I have a thing for bunnies. Both patterns came from the book: Amigurumi World.

Will We Get a Big Crop This Year?

2009-06-28T14:28:00.005-04:00

I took the picture above of our tomato plants on June 20th, but didn't get to post it. Today, I noticed that the tips of the plants are higher than our neighbor's 6' privacy fence! These plants are covered with little flowers and I could count at least 6 tomatoes. I have never had such healthy, robust plants. I guess ordering early, planting them when they arrived, using the red plastic "sheet mulch", a lot of rain (we often forget or don't have time to water), and liberal tomato food applications could be paying off. My fear? The tomato cages are only half the height of the plants! I hope they are crowded enough that they migh support each other? I planted 4 plants in a tiny area because it has been a while since we've had much luck with our tomato plants. If they all live and produce, I have no idea how we will get to the fruit! We'll have to wait and see what happens!

Good Luck, Dynamics!

2009-04-02T20:51:00.001-04:00

These talented girls are heading to Belgium to compete at NBTA Worlds, and are the Senior member of M's dance-twirl team. M. dreams of going to Worlds someday. The senior girls and their coach were featured on the local news this week (here's a link to the segment video). Some of them couldn't make the 530 AM filming, since they are so far away from The Volleyball House.

Here's a link to the team's website, if you want to learn more about them.

GOOD LUCK, TEAM USA! Go, DYNAMICS!

A sign of Spring

2009-02-15T14:39:00.003-05:00

Look what I discovered!

Happy Bunny

2009-02-15T14:28:00.003-05:00

M. and I love to look for cute pictures and to read doll and stuffy related blogs. We found Wendy's Spooky Bunny and thought - how cute! We checked out a Flickr group called * BuNnY MoNsTeRz EvErYwHeRe * and the Etsy Shop for StarMonkey. We loved the fleece bunnies and wanted to try to make our own.

Here's mine:

It was a free form, do what you want project - a lot of fun!

Manic Monday

2009-02-09T18:35:00.003-05:00

Today we got up at 4 AM. That was an hour earlier than usual for me, an hour earlier than usual for M., and sometimes W3 stays up almost that "late!" We met at M's school at 5:15 and W. lead the caravan of cars to Fell's Point.

We stood on the old cobblestone square and waited for our moment of fame. We performed Manic Monday for the entire Baltimore metropolitan area. You can click the link and pick Feb. 9, 2009 to see our performance! M, W3 and I were in the crowd behind Ron Matz.

When we were all done, we ate breakfast at Jimmy's. This is a famous "greasy spoon" where stars of Homicide hung out when the show was being filmed. The police station used for the series was right around the corner from where we were. It was a great start to the day. I was back home and working on line by 8 AM.

It was too dark for pictures, but if you'd like to see it, you can check out the link, or google Fell's Point.

M's First Quilt

2009-01-27T19:50:00.003-05:00

My oldest nephew is a soldier who is deployed to Iraq. His wife is waiting for him to return in Texas. In December, their first child was born, a baby girl.

M. has loved Home Ec. this school year. She wanted to make a baby quilt for our newest family member. We bought a kit at Joann's called Fairy Beary. I coached her on what to do, and helped with a few little things, but it is mostly her work. The kit had some challenges in it - stretchy velour type fabric, and sheer, shiny pink fabric that tends to ravel. I think she did an excellent job for her first quilt, don't you?

We will have to wrap it up and send it to Texas as soon as we can!

Uncle Will

2009-01-18T15:46:00.003-05:00

For Christmas, W4 gave me a two miniature mohair bear patterns and kits. The first I did was the kit to make Pam Holton's 6 1/2" Uncle Will bear. I finished him today. Here he is:

Books Read in 2008

2009-01-17T14:47:00.002-05:00

I love to read. Since I've already started my reading list for 2009, I thought I'd share a list of what I read in 2008. Here it is:

Light From Heaven, Jan Karon

Dear John, Nicholas Sparks

The Choice, Nicholas Sparks

Yada Yada Gets Rolling, Neta Jackson

*************************************************************************************

By Laura Ingalls Wilder:

Little House on the Prairie

On The Banks of Plum Creek

By the Shores of Silver Lake

The Long Winter

Little Town on the Prairie

These Happy Golden Years

The First Four Years

Farmer Boy

A Little House Traveler (includes: On the Way Home, West from Home and The Road Back)

*************************************************************************************

Alone Yet Not Alone, Tracy Michelle Leininger

Seabird, Holling Clancy Holling

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Kate Douglas Wiggin

Memoirs of A London Doll, Richard Henry Horne

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out, Neta Jackson

*************************************************************************************

By Beverly Lewis:

The Preacher's Daughter

The Englisher

The Brethren

October Song

The Covenant

The Betrayal

The Prodigal

The Revelation

The Sanctuary

The Postcard

Amigurumi Mouse

2008-12-28T11:04:00.001-05:00

I've been observing the latest trends in crochet and have seen some really cute stuffies made in the amigurumi style. I found a free pattern on the web to try it out. I made this mouse using a larger hook and yarn than the pattern, and found buttons in my button box for the eyes. I was able to make him in one afternoon, between folding laundry and picking up M. from practice. He's larger than a real mouse, but I think he turned out pretty cute for my first try at amigurumi.

Christmas Lights

2008-12-24T19:42:00.006-05:00

Last night (December 23rd), we took a ride to Sandy Point State Park to see Lights on the Bay. Here are some pictures from our ride. When we paid our admission, we were told what radio station to tune in to hear Christmas music. The station played a nice mix of religious carols, classic Christmas songs and more recent releases. We had a great time.

Early American Companion Doll Outfit

2008-11-02T13:03:00.003-05:00

While I had finished making this doll and her pantalettes a long time ago, she had been wearing a "borrowed dress" ever since. I've finally gotten around to making her chemise, slip, dress, pinafore and bonnet. She looks quite pleased with the results, doesn't she?

A Tray and Teddies

2008-10-12T14:26:00.001-04:00

My mother gave me this terrific tray that she's had a very long time. I always liked it and had told her to not get rid of it. As she was making room for my grandmother to move more of her things into their house, she was parting with some things. I was the lucky recipient of the tray I'd admired for so long. It was too big to fit on top of my kitchen cabinets or on my plate shelf, so I found a spot in my family room. It required that I rearrange quite a few of my collections, so I decided to have fun and gather the smallest bears in my collection for these shelves. I have so many bears that many only get to come out for a special season, but these little ones have persuaded me that they don't take up too much room and should be out to participate in life all the time!

Pumpkin & Oakwood

2008-10-04T18:56:00.002-04:00

Here are are 2 little bunnies that I made using Gail Wilson's retired girl and boy rabbit kits. I had bought the girl kit on one of Gail's sales, and the boy kit was a gift from my Mom and Dad. They are made of wool, have button "joints" and button eyes. Pumpkin has pantelettes, dress and pinafore, while Oakwood has a shirt and overalls.

The Fashion Doll's Day Dress

2008-09-28T21:56:00.001-04:00

I finished the Gail Wilson Fashion Doll's day dress about a week and a half ago, but haven't been able to post any blog updates due to laptop issues. Now that I have a new laptop, uploading pictures is going much smoother, so hopefully, I will be able to post a little more often! The underskirt and blouse are actually a dress, and the overdress is like a jumper that goes over it. There are buttons down the back of both, with thread loops to close it. I really like how this outfit turned out. It was tricky to make, but very much worth the effort!

The Hat Box

2008-08-23T18:45:00.004-04:00

The Fashion Doll class included making a box for the hat. I worked on it today. Gail Wilson provided printies for lining the box, but I used some scrapbook paper I had to line the bottom and the lid, and just used the "newsprint" for the sides. Making it took most of the afternoon, but it was fun to do, and I'm pleased with the results! Now Louisa, my Fashion Doll, will have a place to store her hat when she isn't wearing it!

Gail Wilson Fashion Doll Silk Hat

2008-08-17T21:32:00.005-04:00

I had a lot of mixed feelings about this hat. It makes Louisa look so stuffy - prim and proper and all about showing off. But making this wasn't all that hard, and I was able to get it done in a day. I made a few mistakes, but I think that only I will notice those!I like the fabric and the decorations, so I guess she will wear it with her walking dress. So, here's some pics of Louisa in her 2 piece walking dress and silk hat.

Fashion Doll: Two Piece Walking Dress

2008-08-10T18:50:00.002-04:00

At last, the two piece walking dress is complete. This part of the class took me almost a month to complete, pausing for other projects and only working for short bits of time. I am glad to have it done and am looking forward to completing the rest of the class.

Two more

2008-08-02T16:00:00.000-04:00

I couldn't help myself. I made two more pocketbooks for Mom's birthday. Since her birthday is August 1st, I made one in lighter colors for the end of summer, and the other in darker fall colors. She can carry those colors much better than I can, so it was fun to make something in colors I don't normally choose for myself. I love the dark wooden handles on the darker one - they are larger and smoother than mine - perfect for shoulder comfort!

Pocketbooks!

2008-08-01T21:02:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite subscriptions is the one I have to American Patchwork & Quilting. The August issue has an article called "Towels with a Twist" that show how to use dish towels to make handbags. When I first saw the article, I thought "Oh, how cool! Someday I might have to try that out."

As luck would have it, I saw some towls that I really liked two days before leaving for Nationals. I got the great idea that in addition to shopping, laundry, packing and other last minute preparations, I'd make a few pocketbooks - one for me, one for Melanie, and 3 more (gifts for her individuals coach, her big sister on the team and another friend). It was so easy, I really did get them done in one day and still manage to get all the travel preparations done! And it was really fun and not the least bit stressfu! It was really nice to get a sewing fix before going away for a week.

I really like mine, although I wish I'd found a bit larger handles so that it would slip on my shoulder a little less tightly. There are 4 roomy pockets on the outside. One pocket holds my sunglass case, another pens, calculator and my epipen, another a nail file, comb and chapstick, and another is available for my cell phone. That leaves the interior for little notebooks, wallet, calendar, checkbook and other necessities. Very roomy! Mine is on the left (fully loaded) and M.'s is on the right.

Special Things

2008-07-13T20:17:00.004-04:00

One of my doll groups was talking about childhood memories of special birthday gifts that were dolls. It reminded me of this lovely glass "doll" figurine that was given to me by my great grandmother when I was a little girl. I love how her blue glass sparkles and reflects other colors. I don't recall how old I was when I got her, but I do have some wonderful memories of visiting my grandparents in Cumberland, MD. Grandma K. lived with them and she was very good at making things with her hands. I have an afghan of knitted squares in some very interesting colors that I keep in my hope chest that I will never part with, even if it matches nothing, I know it was made by someone very special. Some days, I really miss all of my grandparents that have gone to heaven ahead of me (only one dear grandmother is still with us). I love to tell my children stories about them: what I did with them when I was little, or what habits I have that I learned from them.

Shoes!

2008-06-28T18:52:00.003-04:00

Things progressed very quickly today! It is always amazing how much I can get done in a few hours before everyone else gets out of bed. I'm definitely a morning person. The pantalets went quickly - not much different than other's I've made from Gail Wilson's kits. I must say that I am getting much better at sewing on lace. The bottoms of the legs practically gathered themselves when I did the basting on my maching - this batiste is so delicate it was a breeze. The socks are more like leg warmers and they fit perfectly. I don't think she'll need stirrups or garter stitches for these as long as I don't take them off and on too much and stretch them out. Isn't it nice how the lace shows up on the dark socks? The shoes were a challenge, but they didn't turn out too poorly for someone who has such limited experience with leather. If I make another Fashion Doll, I could be tempted to just paint on the shoes!!! I'm enjoying this girl more and more. I need to come up with a pretty, old fashioned name for her. Hmmmm...

Fashion Doll

2008-06-28T07:32:00.005-04:00

I am in Gail Wilson's on-line Fashion Doll class this spring and summer. It has been a very enjoyable class. Some of the members of the class are seriously into historical accuracy and are sharing everything they know or can find about the era. Others are asking questions or sharing tips to help the dolls turn out the best that we can. Some have chosen to give their dolls earrings , crocheted snoods, and fancy mitts. Mine is more of an all-American, down to earth girl who finds beauty in simpler things. I had a hard time with getting the snood to work with her hair. I might not have trimmed or thinned the wig enough, but after looking at other's photos, I really think the netting just isn't as stretchy or large as the crocheted snoods. Maybe I shouldn't have given up with crocheting one and moved up to a larger hook size (I tend to crochet so tight, I found the size impossible to see and work with). I like the way she is turning out, so I'm not going to dwell on that! Last weekend I made her camisole/petticoat onesie - I am hoping that she will get her pantalets, socks and shoes in the next few days so that I can move on to her clothes!

Little Fallen Bird

2008-06-21T15:41:00.004-04:00

When I returned hom with W. and M. after taking W4 to leave for a mission trip in Richmond, we found a tiny, baby bird under the apple tree. It could barely fly. We knew there was a nest in the tree, but could not see one within reach. We could hear other baby birds chirping, so we knew it was higher in the tree, out of reach.

We put the bird up on a branch of the tree several times. It would try to fly again and fall back to the ground. Poor little bird.

After a few attempts at flying out of the tree, we put it on a smaller branch, and it was able to climb on the tree a bit.

Before we went inside, we put it on the highest branch in the tree that we could reach. We hope that it will not be found by a wandering cat or other predator. We know that God knows about every fallen sparrow. It will be up to Him to protect it when we can't. We will just have to treasure the time when we tried to help a little, lost creature in trouble.

- Jen

Something Sweet

2008-06-17T19:51:00.005-04:00

I really have been very busy since my last post. Really. I bought 2 leotards from Show-Off, and adorned them with sequins, appliques and rhinestones for M. to wear at her baton twirling contests. Those kept me busy for a lot longer than I planned!

I've been taking the Gail Wilson on-line Fashion Doll class. The doll is made and wigged, and I've even finished the stand. I am woefully behind on her clothing - onsie slip, pantelettes, socks, shoes, 2 piece outfit and hat. When she isn't naked, I'll take some pictures and post them.

Until then, I thought I'd share a pic of something M. and I made last week for her brother's high school graduation party. She jokingly called them smorgashboards, but you'll figure out what they really are supposed to look like...

I saw the idea on Kraft's website. We covered graham crackers with melted milk chocolate morsels. The cupcake tops were cut off. The graham crackers were attached to the cupcakes with chocolate frosting. M. trimmed fruit roll ups to make the tassels and then stuck Skittles on top for the buttons. M. & W.'s cousins gobbled them right up - and I think the adults enjoyed them, too.

Kate Greenaway Class Dolls

2008-02-08T19:12:00.001-05:00

At last, I have finished my Kate Greenaway class dolls. Gail Wilson's online class was fantastic. I have made a lot of her doll kits, but this was my first class, and my first boy doll. I learned a lot during the class and know that I'll be able to use what I learned on future dolls.

Another very long project nearly finished today

2008-01-20T20:44:00.000-05:00

I started crocheting these granny squares about 3 years ago, I think. While we were in North Carolina, I finally managed to crochet them all together. I've been adding the borders over the past week while watching television. I say it is "almost" finished because it still needs to be "blocked" - maybe that's something I can do next weekend.

More Elephants!

2008-01-20T20:39:00.000-05:00

Not a great picture, but these elephants wanted to make their presence known! They were all started the week before Christmas. The red and blue ones were finished the day before we left for North Carolina for this kids, and the grey one was finished on New Year's Day for hubby. The red and grey socks were smaller socks that I found at the grocery store when I couldn't find the colors I wanted at other stores. The quality wasn't so good - more losely knitted and the grey just wouldn't stretch the way I wanted it to. Anyway, they are being enjoyed now and that's one more thing crossed off of my "to do" list!

Work in Progress

2007-12-21T19:30:00.000-05:00

Just to show that I haven't been sitting around doing nothing - here's some evidence of hard work. I've been following along with Gail Wilson's Kate Greenaway on-line class. The dolls are done and are waiting for their clothing (to be made in the new year!). The hair line is a variation from the pattern - I started with Gail's guidelines, then modified it based on my impression of the artwork in a Kate Greenaway book I had borrowed from the library. These little dolls have been a lot of fun so far. I can wait to get them dressed and on display with my other Gail Wilson dolls.

Christmas Cactus

2007-12-16T21:04:00.001-05:00

I have been busy working on a few dolls, but they aren't ready for pictures yet. In the meantime, I thought I'd share a picture of my Christmas cactus, which has been blooming, one blossom at a time, on my desk at work.

Ella the Elephant

2007-11-11T12:17:00.001-05:00

This is Ella the Elephant. I made her using a pair of socks and a pattern from Q. D. Patooties. Lisa posted her pattern, which is free, here: http://www.twincubs.com/freepattern.html

This project went really fast! I used buttons from my button box for her eyes, and I had a piece of felt, the ribbon and stuffing on hand, too.

My husband isn't always all that interested in the things I make, but he actually took Ella with him to show her off to another member of our family. He wants me to make him a gray one. My daughter wants a baby blue one. My son wants a red one and a smaller orange one. My kids think we should have holiday elephants and use the socks that they sell for the different holiday seasons - can you imagine a candy-cane elephant? They can. I think they'll be lucky to get their own! Especially with my on-line class starting next weekend!

A lot to come

2007-11-09T22:47:00.000-05:00

I am so excited. I have signed up for an online Gail Wilson class - my first on line class with Gail. We'll be making 2 dolls based on Kate Greenaway illustrations. The little girl in the blue dress on the left side of my blog is a Kate Greenaway drawing. I can't wait to learn more from Gail!

Last night, I finished something I want to share with you. I hope I can take a picture of it in the next day or so. It was something that I was able to make for less than $5 and took less than 2 hours - and the instructions were free. I found them while surfing through other blogs. I'll share the link when I post the picture. How's that for a teaser?

Peanut Butter

2007-10-28T16:54:00.000-04:00

Today I finished making Peanut Butter. He began ad a kit from Edinburgh Imports. His pattern was by Pam Holton Designs. He's about 8" tall and is jointed with cotter pins and discs. He's sewn entirely by hand, and I finished him in a week - that's pretty quick for me!

His smile is a bit lop-sided. I think his tongue might be stuck to the roof of his mouth!

Early American Companion Doll

2007-10-27T20:32:00.000-04:00

I am working on more little bear kits, and a mohair teddy bear, so I hope that I'll have some photos of new things to post soon. I thought I'd share something I worked on earlier this year.

This summer, I made the Early American Companion Doll - another Gail Wilson kit. I finally took her outside so I could get some good pictures of her. She's a wonderful little doll, and I am hoping to begin working on her outfit kit as soon as I finish the bear kits.

Bear Work in Progress

2007-10-21T17:07:00.001-04:00

I'm a big fan of Gail Wilson Designs. I love making her kits. Several sales ago, I purchased all of the felt teddy bear kits, except that she only had instructions for their home, not the kit. I thought that I would make the home using Gail's instructions, but everything sat in a box under my bed for a long time. Then I saw what people were doing with the CD houses that Michael's has been carrying. I got to thinking that maybe that would work for my bears - at least temporarily. The house was painted with a primer, blue paint from my family room, off white paint from trim work somewhere in my house, and a dark brown from Gail. I then used acrylics to paint grass and flowers around the house.

Here's one side.

Here's the back. It is a little plain, but it is the back, after all.

Here is the other side. I printed brick paper from the web (http://www.printmini.com/printables/). Before gluing it to the chimney, I sprayed it with a matte sealer.

I made 5 little felt bears from the Gail Wilson bear kit. The first one I made was given to my daughter. Their arms and legs are rolls of felt. I still have to dress them, but here they are.

I made the table and chairs kit, and the high chair kit. The high chair was a surprise - when I stirred the paint, I realized it was purple! I love purple, but the photo of it didn't turn out so well.

This is the baby bear's bed. It has a mattress, pillow, pillowcase trimmed with lace, and a pieced quilt that is actually like a pillowcase for the mattress.

Here are the bears with their table and chairs on the first floor of the little house. I used left-over dollhouse flooring on the floors. I will put fabric or scrapbook paper on the back walls when all the furniture and accessories are done and I have a better idea of what will coordinate with everything.

This is a young bear in the little bed upstairs.

I have more kits to make and will post my progress here. Not all of it will fit in the house, so I will have to figure out how to make it all work.