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.

What happens when you don’t listen to the weather forecast for days? Surprises that’s what and not the kind that make me smile. The first words out of my mouth as I was pushing back the curtains in my bedroom were, “Oh, no!!!!!!!” Who would’ve thought? The crocuses were blooming so nicely. It’s been gradually warming up. Spring arrived two days ago. The street cleaner came by on Saturday to clean the gravel off the sides of the road. Who would’ve thought? All these positive springlike things were taking place. Snow was not on my radar except maybe to see it in December, which is 9 months from now. But, Mother Nature likes to surprise us, doesn’t she?

Once again, here is the view out my studio window.

The poor robin probably wishes that she had stayed south for awhile longer.

I think it is supposed to snow all morning long and it will stay cold so will not melt right away. Someone please give me some springlike news. I feel like I just fell down the rabbit hole.

What a glorious day this would be! Imagine a garden filled with your favorite pink roses and the most wonderful scent of roses filling the air!

My perfect pink rose garden would include every imaginable shade of pink from the palest “barely there” pink to the darkest “almost red” pink. I would have English Roses as well as Hybrid Tea Roses. I love both of these rose types. What kind of pink roses would fill your perfect pink rose garden?

Patience has a new outfit to show you and it’s filled with pink roses!