Author Archives: Cindy Rice

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.

Too Many… Dolls!

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For me, that is. In the course of one day I suddenly decided that I NEED to get rid of the dolls that I am not making outfits for. Well, some of the them anyway. I guess the ones that I know I will never make anything for really should find new homes.

A couple of (maybe a few) years ago I sold the first 14″ Kish Chrysalis doll (Grace), two of Ann Estelle’s friends (Gracie and Georgia), and Marley Wentworth; it was fine. Of course it was fine. Look at the dolls I still have! I still have three other 14″ Kish Chrysalis dolls, 10″ Ann Estelle and Sophie. I also have a large Ann Estelle and Lilah (10″ Ann Estelle’s sister). I have lots of other Kish dolls: Tamsin, Alisha, four Riley sized: Riley, Tulah, Zsu Zse, and Avery, three of the small babies: Ellery, Jessamyn, and Miki, a Lisbet (who needs a new lip repaint). Two BJD dolls, a Bo Bergemann Dream Doll and a Pamela Macy Remy are also sitting around. These are all dolls that I do not actively sew for.

In addition to these dolls, I have huge cartons filled with NRFB Barbie, Skipper, Stacie, and Kelly dolls. Most of these are from the 1990s.

I am not a collector in the sense that one thinks of as a collector because I just don’t like to have a lot of things around. (And, it’s taken me many years to learn this about myself.) The one exception to this is my creative supplies: fabric, yarn, beads, etc. Having those “things” around sparks, not saps, my energy. These extra dolls are sapping my creative energy.

Really… already! I need to destash, declutter, downsize, or whatever it is called.

I snapped this photo yesterday of my 18″ Ann Estelle whom I’ve had since 2003. She is the largest in my “doll collection”. Poor, poor Ann gets no attention whatsoever. She has such a sweet face, doesn’t she?

Comments, please! Any thoughts you might have will help. Please! I need words of wisdom (or just simple words) on how to start, so I can move on.

Patience is “Lovely in Lavender”

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As summer starts to wind down, I am starting to turn towards a fall-ish palette with my new ensembles. I know that I am probably ahead of schedule, but I am always thinking 6-8 weeks ahead of the current date, so I am already designing for September/October. Thank goodness though, when I look outside it is still summer. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Hopefully the weather will act like summer for many weeks yet.

Patience’s new ensemble is pastel, but muted color—beige, ecru, rose, and lavender. It would look pretty any time of year, actually, but I was inspired to work with this fabric now.

Patience’s “light as a feather” cardigan is knit with lace weight mohair/silk yarn in a dusty lavender. I pulled rosy color from the dusty pink roses and off white color from the background to embroider the bullion roses. I was very happy how embroidering with these colors pulled the sweater and dress together so well.

In Patience’s hair is a crocheted rosebud that matches the sweater.

Two rows of ecru lace (English cotton Cluny) are tucked underneath two pin tucks on Patience’s skirt. Patience’s sash is from the same lace company in England, but this lace is a fine nylon. I dyed it ecru to match the lace on the skirt. It makes a pretty little sash, don’t you think?

Patience even found a little flower blossom that coordinates perfectly with her new ensemble.

For more information on Patience’s “Lovely in Lavender” ensemble, please visit my “Available for Sale” page at cindyricedesigns.com .

Mother Nature’s Power and Beauty

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I want to share with you some pictures my husband took of the storm that moved in to our area yesterday evening. He captured some beautiful colors and lightening bolts. It was quite a storm and even produced a small tornado that touched down about 15 minutes south of us.