Author Archives: Cindy Rice

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About Cindy Rice

My wonderful husband, my beautiful daughter, and I live in northeastern Illinois with our two sweet chihuahua boys. For as long as I can remember I have loved dolls and making things. I got my first Barbie when I was only three years old! My mom sewed for my Barbie dolls and taught me how to use her sewing machine when I was only seven. I cannot believe she let me near that needle, but she did. Not having enough money for my clothes habit in high school and college led me to start sewing all of my own clothes. There were so many fabric stores around back then and fabric was so inexpensive. I would wait for the 99 cent pattern sale and go crazy. Sewing for myself continued well into my 30’s. (I even made my wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses.) Shortly after I got married I left my full time graphic design position and started designing cross stitch patterns. I called my company “The Lilac Studio” and sold my botanical patterns at trade shows, through distributors which sold to retail shops, and mail order. My most popular pattern, “A Bouquet of Pansies” sold 5000 copies and won a J&P Coats Golden Needle Award! I was also featured in various cross stitch magazines and designed special projects for the magazines. When my daughter was born I didn’t have the time needed to cross stitch and design patterns all day long so I let my pattern design business slip away. And then I started discovering dolls again and I now had an excuse to start buying them. The only problem was that they were for my daughter and not for me. I soon discovered all of the adult collectors out there and decided I would be one of them. I started small at first, collecting Mattel Kelly dolls. Soon I collected over 100 Kelly dolls! After Kelly, I discovered Helen Kish’s Riley and Tonner’s Ann Estelle. I have since learned to knit doll sweaters and love an excuse to knit so most of my doll outfits include a sweater and/or hat. I love creating miniature outfits for dolls and enjoy sharing them with others. Currently I create doll ensembles for Ruby Red Fashion Friends, Kish Bethany, Dianna Effner's Little Darlings, Wilde Imagination's teeny tiny Amelia, Kaye Wiggs BJD, Boneka 10", Linda Macario's Penny.

My New Christmas Doll

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Happy New Year! Sorry, I know it’s a little late; the days in this new year are already full and flying by. I am trying to catch them before they’re gone…

Big news! I have a new Christmas doll. She is the Ruby Red Fashion Friends 2020 Holiday Stella, and I’ve been wanting her in my collection since I saw her over a year ago. Stella is the holiday doll from 2020, so she is pretty much sold out everywhere, however, she was found for me at FAO Schwarz, and I am so happy she was! She has such a sweet face! I LOVE her!!! She is a most special gift!

I think I was drawn to her because she reminded me of Holly in one of my favorite stories, “Holly and Ivy”. Therefore, I am renaming Stella. She is now Holly. This is a first; I don’t think I’ve ever renamed a doll that has come to me named, but she is definitely Holly.

Maybe for Christmas 2022 Holly will be dressed as Barbara Cooney, the book’s illustrator, envisioned her.

Last year I took some video paging through this book on Christmas night. Here is a link to that video. It’s 1:32 into the video. I first came across this charming story at our local library when my daughter was young. That book was the 1985 version with Barbara Cooney’s illustrations. (This story, text only, was originally published in Ladies’ Home Journal in 1957.)

After checking the book out a few years in a row it had become an absolute favorite of mine. I found the illustrations cozy and charming, and the story heartwarming–perfect for Christmastime. I was thrilled to find the book on Amazon in 2009. “The Story of Holly and Ivy” had been republished in 2006. Now, over 10 years later I still look through, or read, this story every year.

Holly looks so sweet in her Christmas fancies, but I am currently working on something a little more for every day, and warmer, for Holly. I’ll show you soon.

I hope you are starting off the new year healthy and happy. Sending you a big hug for 2022. 🤗

Penny Wraps Up the Year

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The end of 2021 is upon us, and no, I cannot believe it, can you?

Penny (by Linda Macario) is wrapping up the year by showing you her holiday ensemble, my last make of the year. She is dressed warm and snuggly, and a good thing, too; we have snow coming tomorrow–the first measurable of the season. We’ve all been waiting… It will be magical!

Doesn’t Penny look warm dressed in “Homespun Holiday”? She wears a wooly cardigan and pixie hat along with rosy heather tights. The dress is sewn with one of my favorite holiday prints, “Under the Mistletoe” by Anni Downs of Hatched & Patched. I love the many primitive motifs and the palette of muted colors the designer used in this print. In 2015 I used this same fabric to make my Little Darling, Gina, a holiday ensemble. Here is a link to that ensemble’s post if you’d like to see more photos. Even though this fabric is probably impossible to find now Anni has a Christmas collection coming out in May which looks like there might be some cute prints included in it. Also, more pictures of her fabric here.

So as we wave ‘so long’ to 2021, Penny and I would like to wish you a very Happy New Year! Have a safe and enjoyable New Year’s Eve, too! Do you have exciting plans? It’ll be pretty quiet here by me.

Love 💖 from my girls and I. xoxo

Merry Christmas from My Dolls and I

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We want to wish you a very Merry Christmas (if you celebrate). If not, we want to wish you a happy weekend.

My doll room has been a busy place this season. Everyone you see with the exception of Millie is wearing a new holiday ensemble.

From left and standing, Rose (a Tuesday’s Child 10″ Boneka) wears “Festive and Frosty”. A Ruby Red Fashion Friend Bella wears “Decking the Halls”. Little 11″ Kaye Wiggs Millie wears “Little Frosty” from 2017. MSD sized Talyssa (Kaye Wiggs) wears “A Letter to Santa” and her sister Gracie wears “Snowflake Magic”. Seated on the park bench from left is Linda Macario’s Penny wearing (I still need to blog about this one) “Homespun Holiday. Wilde Imagination’s Patience wears “Cute and Quirky for Winter”. I am sorry to say that my three Little Darlings did not manage to dress for Christmas this year. I laid out their ensembles and they failed to take it from there. Maybe next year… Here they are from last year in their 2020 ensembles.

Wishing you a blessed holiday filled with peace and love. Sending warm holiday hugs 🤗 to you.