Thanksgiving

I am thankful for all of the creatively wonderful friends I've met through blogging.  May you all enjoy a happy day with your family and friends.  Bless you all!!

Hello All!!!

I wanted to send out a Friday hello to everyone!!  I also thought I would show you what I've been working on.  I don't want to make this a sad post, but my dear friend, Paulie, was in hospice and did pass away on the 13th.  I have been so sad and weepy since I first saw him in hospice.  My solace is that he is no longer suffering.  Even though I will miss him.  

So, to keep my mind occupied, I've been working on snowmen.  I finished two more and managed to take some pix when we actually had a bit of sun.

I crocheted the hat and scarf for the first fella; the second one is "skating" on his own wee pond!!

I think they turned out rather cute.  I am working on a small one that I plan to make into an ornament.  I'm also working on an ELF.  I decided to follow my own idea to make him look more like my daughter's favorite Elf, Buddy.  I will post pix when I finish him!!  I keep getting different ideas, but must finish first things first!!!  I also have some gift giving items to make.  I will keep busy as I can!!!!

Here's the ornament fella.  I haven't even cut his legs out yet!!  LOL

On a much happier note - I have to commend all of the Ladies who recently participated in Meri's fun wreath-making party.  All of the wreaths are gorgeous and should be considered heirlooms to be!!  Meri has pix of them on her blog ImagiMeri's.  I think you will enjoy taking a peek.  It's good inspiration for me because I would love to make one myself.  I bought lots of goodies to make one last year, but never did.  So...maybe this year!!!!  *Smiles*  

Wishing everyone a great weekend.  I hope the weather is nice and the sun is out!  Oh, and one more thing ... I gave Johnny a bath today.  It's always interesting bathing a cat!  LOL  After my shower I had a bath!!!  But she smells good and cleaned up really nice!

Til next time ...

Welcome, Ann Estelle and Snowfella Finished!!!

Happy Friday All!!

Guess who arrived at my house the other day ... yep, my darling Ann Estelle doll "Bowl Full of Cherries"!!!  She is just so darned cute.  With her blonde bob and tiny round glasses and sweet cherry print dress.  Here, take a look ...

Ann Estelle waves Hello!

Isn't she darling?!

I like that I can position her head for different looks!

Her sweet embroidered apron.

Back View.

Such a sweet face!

SHE SENDS YOU ALL A HUG!!!

Now a few pix of my Snowfella.  I finished him last night while watching The Voice!  He gives a nod to Elizabeth for his body styling ... I made the box he stands on and his hat and scarf-from felt and some bits of hand-dyed hand woven felt from Quilting Acres.  (I have to say I LOVE the smell of this wool fabric!  It smells like little sheep that have had a bubble bath!  Sniff sniff...)  Everything else I just made little pix of and cut out the felt and hand sewed together.  I stiffened his hat brim because otherwise it tended to crinkle and I didn't like how it looked.  I think I'll offer him on Etsy!!!

Snowfella

The hat band, top of hat and scarf are made of the nice hand made felt.

Side view.  I punched out all the snowflakes from 2 different size punches, then glittered them.

Even though he has holly and berries on his hat, I decided he need a snowflake, too!

I tried a more egg shaped body to see how I liked it.  What do you think?

Mr. Snowfella

And one last thing - here's my WIP ...

Just the face is done.

Head not quite finished yet.

So, he's my weekend project - along with trying to get some other things done!  I still need to change over to my winter wardrobe.  It's gotten quite chilly and short sleeves just don't do it!!!!  LOL  

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Until next time,

I know you are probably thinking - okay, she's gotten all those craft supplies; ummm-has she DONE any crafting???  Yes, I have been busy in between.  I did finish my Whitman's Sampler ornies for the swap.  And I've tried to "draw" some things I'd like to try to make up.  Every time I want to make something, it seems I need to make up a pattern for it and then by trial and error, diddle with it until it actually makes something.  So, remember that poor disheveled and naked Strawberry Shortcake doll I got at a Sals??  Well, she is cleaned up, her hair combed and fixed, and dressed.  I made the cute little dress she's wearing from wool felt, sewn by hand - AND - my first attempt at making doll shoes (with cardboard in them like real doll shoes).

Here she is all cleaned up and dressed!!

Two little beaded pockets.  Can you see her teensy shoes?

Here's her back view.  I used a tiny button for the closure at the top.

The color of the felt is very pretty with her strawberry hair.  I added the picot-edged ribbons.  I think she looks cute.  I put her up on that cool shadow box I got!  I've started working on a dress for my poor Blythe doll.  (Her name is Verity Rose).  She was still wearing the 4th of July outfit I made for her!

Verity out in the garden.  The outfit is Red, White, and Blue although it looks a bit purplish.

I have started working on her dress.  But I can't decide what I want to do with it.  It's also made of the wool felt.  I guess I enjoy handwork, that's why I sew a lot by hand.  Anyhoo, when she's done I'll be sure to post a pic!

I also wanted to show you my, uhhh, portable craft table.  I like to sit here and do my handwork and watch TV.  I can turn on lights to brighten up the work area.  But another wishlist item is an Ott-Light.  For these poor old eyes!  You can see a little snow fella that I'm working on.  I'll have to see how I like him when he's done.  Maybe you might see the  finished pic!  LOL

It's one of those Lifetime Personal tables and I LOVE it!  It has a good sized surface, doesn't fall down if I move it, is lightweight, and folds down to slip away.

What have you all been working on??  I've seen some wonderful crafts on lots of blogs, so I know lots of you are busy bees!!  Are the shorter days bothering anyone else??  I miss the long daylight days of summer.  

So, until next time ...

Craft Supply FRENZY!!

I got myself into a craft supply frenzy ... which for me, isn't really hard to do!  Friday, it was off to Joann's for my monthly "feel good" craft trip.  For 5 hours!  At least!  I searched and scoured many departments, sometimes more than once many times. Depending on what craft supplies I'm looking for, I may only concentrate on those particular departments.  But lately, I gotta do a whole store run through.  LOL  There weren't too many Halloween items left.  But I peeked at those.  Checked out the Papercrafting stuff, fabrics, Christmas stuff, paints, buttons, ribbons, and of course, the mags and books.  I crawled around looking for sales and anything clearance that I might need use.  I did a little sit down to look at the mags and books I picked up and also looked in the Mc Call's pattern book.  I did pick two that were on sale for 1.29 each. 

Two Mc Call's patterns I picked up.  The doll clothes pattern is one that's out of print and I just got from eBay.

Doll undies material and some white muslin for dolls plus a few trims.

Paperclay to try - a new medium for me!!

Since there is a Michael's and a Savers in a shopping plaza on the other side of the street, I jumped plazas.  Michael's offered their Halloween leftovers for 80% off.  I picked up a few things there, but I had already put a lot of that stuff away before picture-taking time.  As soon as I get new supplies, I have to get it all organized quickly.  Usually that means a "project" because then I need to move things around to make room and kinda re-organize.  My poor feeties were already hurting, but I did a quick run-through at Savers. I found a couple of very nice paper crafting hard cover books there, plus a nice one on jewelry-making I had admired on Amazon.  And the cutest little Scottie dog pin!!  Now just imagine a little ribbon and tiny bell 'round his neck!!

Isn't he cute?  Might be vintage, kind of looks it!

These cute little painted wood pickies were  too cute to pass up!

I forgot to take pix of the books, and I also got a really pretty, old, Chinese horse that I will show a pic of down the road.  He got washed and is still drying!

So then ...

On Saturday, I went back to Michael's (the one closer to me) because I wasn't able to spend enough time there to satisfy my CRAFT CRAVING.  I was there so long that they went through a complete shift change - plus add a couple hours to each side of that!!!  Does anyone else do this?  I don't do it every week or anything.  Just the once a month or maybe bi-monthly.  I can wander around and around and not til I drop either even if I , go without food, heh heh.  Just for crafts, though.  Not other stuff.  I used to do it at Doll and Teddy Bear shows, too, with mom, but haven't done so in a long time.  But ... somewhere down the line, a doll show is calling my name!!  So, here's some of the other goodies I got.  Don't forget, besides stuff on sale or clearance, I came armed with COUPONS!!!

This is some Recollections items that were clearanced.  The wire basket hangs on the rod and so do those jar holders.

Some bits 'n bobs for Christmas crafting.

See those light pink boxes up on top??  They were 7 for $10. which is an excellent price.  I like the  pretty pink.  You can see that these boxes on top of my Craft Cupboard are now UP TO THE CEILING!!

I got this circle cutter to help with paper crafting.  I (with help from a kind manager) compared this one by ek with the one by Martha Stewart.  This one is much better!  It is in a ball-bearing frame which makes it easy to cut the circles.  Cuts circles 1" to 6" with lots of in-between sizes.  The MS one you have to HOLD with one hand and circle with the other.  The manager actually had used the MS one in a class and remarked he liked this one much better!  I used my coupon!!!  

Yes, I know, one of those wonderful electronic cutters would be much better, but that will come down the road.  I want the Silhouette Cameo and right now it's too pricey for me!!  But I know that it cuts so much MORE besides paper and connects to my computer so the possibilities are endless!

One more item I picked up from the 80% off stuff:

I got this for my kitchen because now I collect OWLS!  Here's the thing:  I NEED some ideas on how to spiff it up before it goes on the wall.  It's made of painted burlap over pressed board.  The little owl is painted wood.  It needs a touch here and there to really bring it to "creative" life.  Any SUGGESTIONS??????  

There you have it.  I was in a frenzy for two days.  Over craft stuff.  You know those pink boxes close to the ceiling?  Yup, filled already!!  I re-organized stuff inside the Craft Cupboard, too.  I have several more of those pretty boxes to use for  more organizing.  And one item I didn't get, but is also on my wishlist, is this:

This is the Desktop Carousel from Recollections at Michaels.   It would replace all of the separate holders I now have that are taking up way too much room on my already cramped craft desk.   I have  seen this in lots of craft room pix online, so I know it's a must-have.  Maybe even one of their cubes or shelves  if I remove the glass shelf on the desk corner.  My printer could then go on top of that and I would have the underneath to use.  Right now the space under that glass shelf is wasted because it's not high enough to fit much under it.  

Okay, that's it, I promise.  Except for 2 last pix.  This is a nice item I got off eBay for 1.25 (it was waiting for me when I got home):

This is such a beautiful book and just filled with her darling drawings.  I had to add it to my collection!

I just LOVE this self-portrait she did!  

I hope you all got that extra hour of sleep.  So, until next time,