Tiny Ballerina

I made a great discovery this last week. I found myself in need of a little gift for my ballerina the night before her recital. I wanted to make a little doll but I had to make do with materials I had on hand (since it was after 10pm!). I wanted a clothespin doll but I only had the small headed ones. I was thinking why not add sculpey clay. We had made clothespin dolls with matchstick arms and I thought that might work too. So I hot-glued arms on and then covered them with sculpey clay and shaped the bodice. I added clay to the head until it was the shape I wanted. Then I cooked the whole thing like it says in the directions. I really thought the whole thing would fall apart when the oven melted the hot glue. But it didn't! So now I am really excited to make other dolls this way.

She is dressed to model Brittany's costume this year. I painted stripes on a little box I had and added pretty paper too. The scary thing is to contemplate the craft stash I have on hand that I had everything I needed make her isn't it?

Do you think she looks like Miss Brittany?

Easter Bonnets for Everyone!

I have been working in a flurry this week trying to finish these girls. I had in my head that it would be fun to make them little bunny bonnets. I know I am on the edge of being too late but they are going in the shop today and I will promise to mail them the day of purchase of possible, the next for sure.

I really love this one, her dress is made from vintage sheets.

I had forgotten how fun the girls with slightly larger heads and yarn hair are.

I want a dress like this, it just makes me happy!

I want a soft pink corduroy dress with black Mary Janes too.

I guess I dress my dolls like I wish I could dress myself!

Handmade Toy Swap

I joined a handmade toy swap a few weeks ago in support of the effort to do something about the law that was going to go into effect limiting how we could produce handmade toys. By the way the effective date for that law has been postponed for a year! Yeah, we can still make toys! Anyway, I received the most darling set of embroidered dolls from my partner Kim.

Aren't they just adorable? I just love them!

This is what I sent her. I made a little family of my matryoshka dolls. I think I may have to do these again sometime. Speaking of making dolls I am hoping to start some new ones soon for Easter. After the dust settles a little from the move.

Valentine's Day Babushkas!

I finished a batch of Valentine's Day Babushkas. I guess I can't really call them Matryoshkas because they don't have little sisters inside. I am quite happy with them, wish I had bought more of the heart fabric. I think I just might use this picture as a banner for Valentine's Day!

They are in the shop.

New Funny Guys

I have been wanting to try making a stuffie/doll that was a little more manly for awhile. So I made these guys out of recycled goods. My boys seem to think they are okay, although Joshua thinks they are scary guys. They are going in the shop today, I haven't decided whether to list them as buddies or individually. What do you guys think? Do you like the funny guys?

Wanted: New Homes!

These girls are all in the shop! Except for the one in pink toile on the end and she was so much fun to make that if you fall in love with her and need one of your own you can email or convo me and I could be talked into making another!

I am hoping to have some nesting dolls and some birdie necklaces again soon too!

The Lovely Miss Eveline

I just have to show you the amazing new friend that was waiting for me when I arrived at my parents house! I signed up for a couple of Halloween swaps before I knew my life was going to blow up. I am so glad now that I did! Look at the amazing doll I received from Amelia from Sweetbfolkart.blogspot.com. She is so amazing! My mom and I are both in love with her. I think her name is Eveline. She is very refined, and just adores a good Halloween ball. She is dressed so beautifully in a Halloween ballgown. I just adore her Amelia! Thank you so much! I had to borrow Amelia's picture because my camera cable is somewhere in a warehouse because I failed to keep it out of the packers path.

**In moving news, we are pretty well settled at my amazingly generous parents' home. Lucky for us they have enough bedrooms in their basement for us and my kids sleep better here than anywhere on earth. I got them started in their old school yesterday and it did feel a lot like coming home. They both managed to get in the same classes as old friends so that is helping the adjustment a lot. Joshua is having a ball in my mom's playroom and out on her patio. Matthew has been playing with neighbor boys every night, something he never had in CA. He doesn't understand why we have to move at all, why can't we just stay here?

We just lowered the price on the house, and are hoping with the slightly more stable Stock Market we will sell it soon. We have had some fun looking around at houses here though. I am hoping to make more regular rounds in blogland now that the kids are in school and I have figured out how to work William's laptop! Oh, and I ordered a new camera cable so hopefully there will be pictures again soon!

New dolls in the Shop!

Well, I just finished putting three new dolls in the shop!







I had to snap their picture among the miniature roses on our walk to school today. As you can tell I am really hooked on the combination of black and white with the pink hair! See that little tiniest one in front, she just about drove me nuts!
Here are their studio portraits, you can see them a little more clearly.



This little girl is totally different than her sisters, funny when having pink hair makes you one of the crowd!







Thanks so much for all the lovely comments you girls leave me, they mean so much to me. And it make creating these little girls so much more fun!

A new doll and a shop update!

I just finished a new Little Miss Polka Dots. She is over in the shop and I think I will actually have four more done for a little shop update over there tomorrow at 1 p.m. Pacific time. These will probably be my last for awhile. With school ending and getting ready to go visit the homeland in Utah I probably won't have time for awhile.

And how did I have time today?

This is how! Bless Elmo's furry little heart!

More Pink Ladies!

I finished two new little girls last night. I am really liking this new size. I did one that is even tinier but I am not happy with her yet. I think this is going to be the size I stick with for awhile, I guess I finally learned that less really is more. I am so happy that they have been well received and you guys like them! This is one of my number one favorite things about blogging. I love having someone to show my little creations to, it makes creating them even more fun!

So here they are!





I tried the pink and brown combo that seems to be popular right now. I like how she is kind of soft looking.





This Miss Polka Dots is ready for a party! Maybe one celebrating Spring? I love this happy color of pink and as you can see I covered her in pink!





So they are over in the shop waiting for new homes, I will definitely be making more. I like how they come together faster and take less of my favorite fabrics. I really don't enjoy turning their tiny little limbs. I need to teach my kids how to do it, I bet it would be easier for them with their little fingers. That is it, I could start my own little sweatshop!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day!

New Girls and a new light studio!

I finally finished the two dolls I have been working on. It is so funny to me how I use basically the same pattern every time and yet they turn out so different.



This is Annabelle



This is Heather

They are both outfitted and in the shop! It is so silly, but I think I like their ity-bity flowers they like to wear in their hair and their stripey stockings the very best! Why don't we wear stripey stocking more in real life? They are so fun!



I have been working on making my own little light studio ever since I saw Adri working on hers. She gave me some good tips and I am happy with my results I think. I took the photos of these dolls with it. The best part was I was able to take them at 11:00 at night when I get no interruptions! I may add some different fabric, I don't know if I can take white all the time but I am thinking they may work better on etsy this way.



Here is my fancy new studio. I think I will probably try and make a large one. Best of all it was really cheap to make!

So Excited!

I am so excited! Julie from onthedotcreations featured me on her blog today! This is so exciting to me, I love validation from people who don't even know me! She features some sellers from etsy every Friday who use polka dots in their work and I was part of the group! So go on over, she has a darling blog, and see what you think!

I finished another doll using the new pattern too. She is not sure whether she is ready for motherhood. I gave her a baby because of Mother's Day approaching put me in the mood, but I am not sure, she may need to remain a party girl awhile longer. What do you think? Baby or no baby? Funny, I wasn't sure I liked her all that much until I put the flower in her hair last night and now I really like her!
She is in the shop now.
And so it this little nesting mama!

New Little Mothers for Mother's Day!
These little nesting mothers are in the shop!

New Doll!


Well, we survived the day of great yuckiness yesterday and have had a much better one today. Thanks for all the flu empathy, I knew I could count on you guys! I did manage to finish the mother and child doll I have been working on for the last week or two. I wasn't sure if she looked too much like she was going to a party but when I added the baby I decided I like her. She is in the shop!

The Enchanted Swap!

So here is what I worked on last night, trying to finish it up in time to send today. I should wait until the lovely Sarah gets it but I just can't wait. So Sarah, if you are reading and don't want to know what is coming click on out of here!
This is one of the dolls I made after discovering gesso over muslin. She is supposed to be Giselle from the movie Enchanted, before she ends up in New York. She is a bit more chubby, but I really like how she turned out. I hope Sarah does too.
And what princess doesn't need a tiara? Sarah's favoite color is blue and of course I had to sneak in a bit of pink. This picture is a bit weird so maybe that will help disguise it for a surprise. Sarah was so kind to let me join, even after the sign up had ended, I wanted to make her something extra nice!
And this was my first test run with this sort of doll She is supposed to be Ariel.
And how did I manage to finish up these little projects this morning?

Well, this is the price I paid! Matthew, the spider boy!

Asking for doll advise!

I have been working on a new doll. After the doll party in blogland last week Christine emailed me and said she thought I should try making a new doll sort of like one I showed. Well when someone as talented as Christine gives me advice like this let me tell you, I listen! She has the most amazing talent. Go see her dolls she is having a shop update tomorrow afternoon, you will be astounded I promise! Anyway, I got this new doll in my head and have been working away on her. After making four heads for her I think I have finally got something I like.
Here she is
I do like how her hair turned out.

And here she is with the doll that inspired her. I was trying to eliminate some of that embroidery work but still keep the look. I think I may try one with a dress made of the fabric behind them next. I have been thinking of trying one holding a baby for Mother's day. What do you think sweet blog friends? Should I just stick with my original doll design or do we like her too? She is in the shop.
I finished some more nesting dolls and they looked so cute all lined up I had to take their picture. The green one is a new addition for me.
There is still a black and white one in the shop. I will be starting a new batch in a couple of days. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

This post is fairly interactive today with me asking your advice! But when you are a stay at home mom your blog friends are your best resource! And it is always fun to show someone a finished project! Don't get me wrong though, my kids definitely have opinions! William not so much.

Another New Nesting Doll
I finished this one last night.
It is in the shop!

Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!

Lori is having a blogland doll party today and if there is anything I love it is dolls! I have always loved dolls.
This is a picture of my very first doll, and Effanbee Baby Huggums on the right. I got her around age two and I loved her so much I tried to eat her! See her sad little hands? That is because I kept putting them in my mouth. Poor baby, but I just can't get rid of her! A few years ago my mom gave me the new, replacement Baby Huggums for my birthday. I love her too, but I don't try to eat her!
My mom gave me one of my very favorite dolls, her Madame Alexander Alice in Wonderland doll from when she was a girl.
She remade her clothes for me, the originals were loved to death.
My mom has always fostered my love of good dolls. She obviously knew I wasn't going to outgrow my love of dolls early on. She made this porcelain doll in her christening dress when I was twelve.
She even made her underclothes and had a dear friend crochet little booties so her feet wouldn't clink togetherI have a couple of fun reproduction dolls, these are my Shirley Temple as Heidi and my Kewpie doll. Think Mom gave me those too!
My mom isn't the only one to feed this habit. My hubby figured out early on this was a great Christmas present for me too. These are some of the dolls he has given me.
Of course there are the dolls I have made myself. All of these except the Christmas one are in my shop. I sure have had fun making these. It has been great to have an excuse to play with dolls all the time. Not that Brittany and I really need one! My newest one, the little nesting dolls with painted faces I just finished today. They are in the shop too. I am working on them in my favorite toile too
And the obsession continues! This is doll corner in my daughter's room. They look so cute because we were just playing with them together last week!

Thanks for visiting with me and my dolls! I am going over to Lori's to visit some more!

The girls are ready!

The girls are ready and looking for new homes! They will be in the shop today at 1 pm. pacific time. You can see how happy I am with how they turned out, they are taking over this blog! It isn't very often something in my head turns out as well as I saw it and these did!


I really love these toile girls! The black and white one is already sold to my friend Circe I think, but if you love her too let me know. I think I am going to have to make more of the toile girls, I love how they turned out!


And these are the Springtime girls. don't they look like sisters?


I managed to finish a bluebird made like my little nesing dolls and they will be in the shop too.

Is anyone else having weird blogspot problems?