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.

I Am Ready to Be Creative Today!

I straightened up a bit in my studio yesterday, and I do feel better, more relaxed.  I like things to be put away in their place, but I am finding that a lot of creative people thrive with things left out in the open.  It is so interesting to see how everyone is different, right?

Gretchen Rubin, an author who writes, makes video and podcasts (LOVE her podcast, BTW) about happiness and healthy habits often says, “Outer Order Contributes to Inner Calm”.  This saying fits me, most definitely.  I need to be calm and relaxed in order to be creative.  When there is too much clutter I cannot think clearly or create.

It probably looks boring, but I will mess it up again soon, I promise.

09-28-15 327My Bo Bergemann, BJD Bella told the naked Izzy to go get herself some clothes on and poor Lisbet went into her box waiting for her lips to be repainted (some day).  In the meantime, she found a little Kelly doll dressed as a fairy for Halloween.  I dressed Bella in her only other outfit, but she doesn’t remember it, so she thinks it is new.

09-28-15 321My fabric is still towering, but not as much, and is in a neat stack.  I left the Christmas pieces on the top of the pile since I will be using this next.

09-28-15 317My embroidery floss is all put away in its correct color group and in numerical order, so I can find it quickly!

09-28-15 floss 313

09-28-25 314Kish’s Alisha and Tonner’s Lilah (Ann Estelle’s little sister) are dressed for fall.  I kept teddy on the rocking chair, but put away the spring hats and gave him a few pumpkins.

09-28-15 316

Wonder how long things will stay this neat, a day, a week?

Do you thrive with clutter or neatness?

Thanks for reading along.  Have a great Monday!

I Feel Like Alice…

I walked into my sewing room this morning and I feel like Alice who just fell down the rabbit hole.  I snapped some quick photos to show you what I mean.  Only one photo makes sense, and that is Gina who is all posed and dressed, waiting for the weather to change so that she can have her picture taken outdoors in her new fall outfit, the last one.

Do these make any sense to you?

studio 09-27-15 250A wig set on the branch of a blown glass Christmas tree?  Or how about wigs in a vintage fruit bowl?  These wigs should all be in that plastic shoe box labeled “wigs”.

studio 09-27-15 245Amelia Thimble and Sugar posing like they are still wearing their pumpkin dresses?  Don’t they know they are naked?  Geez!

studio 09-27-15 246Fabric that is ready to fall over because it is twice as high as it should be?  Going one way is Christmas, the other way is my new stuff, the other way is more new stuff, then the fabric that is supposed to be there?  See, total confusion.

studio 09-27-15 253Leftover props are laying about:  a stuffed bear wearing Amelia Thimble’s hat, another hat balancing on the edge of the rocking chair, Raggedy Ann who lost her sweater, floppy puppy needing to be put away.

studio 09-27-15 247Bella is still playing babysitter (in the same dress she’s been wearing for over a year) to whichever tiny one decides to sit in her lap.  Right now it’s Izzy, who is naked, and Lisbet, whom I don’t know what to do with (she needs a lip repaint and I don’t know how).  Well, I tried and my paint was too thick and dark; that’s another story.

studio 09-27-15 249Two different sweaters are being blocked, lace yarn remnants from the tiny pumpkin patch dresses, floss still not put away from those pumpkin patch dresses.

studio 09-27-15 252And,… here is the only thing that makes sense, Gina in her new fall outfit.  Hopefully, the day will brighten up so I can get some photos taken of her.

sweet 'n cozy fall 237In addition to taking photos today, I think that I had better do some straightening up, don’t you?  Maybe I will have some “nice and neat” studio pictures to show you.

Hopefully, your day is making more sense to you.  Enjoy your Sunday and thanks for reading!

 

Cotton Candy Anyone?

I never liked eating cotton candy much at all (no idea why, all kids do), but this yarn I like love very much.  Whenever I knit with this pink mohair/silk yarn I am reminded of cotton candy in those food stalls at the fair, fun and happy times.  Come to think about it, I have always been in a good mood when I am knitting with this pink yarn.

Today I collected photos of my cardigans in this sweet color.  There aren’t as many as there are in the white, but still fun to see all together in a group.

pink & plum encore 733 pink 'n plum 244 pink mohair cardigan 254 a vision in pink 318

Our Summer Garden 2014

sweet valentine 872

fall for pink 069 wm

Tiny Flower set with matching Patience outfit 2013

Cotton Candy Roses Cardigan 2013

P1120010ebaySo which color do you like better?  The white is very versatile and makes great “fur” trim for Christmas pieces, but the pink is delectable sweetness.

P1120138ebay

This is the first weekend of fall (in this part of the world).  Hope you have a great one!

Bye for today and thanks for reading!