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.

It’s Almost Fall

6 Replies

Yes, it is. Although it is technically still summer (and yesterday morning was 80 degrees) today it is 20+ degrees colder. When I go outside I think of Halloween. No, not yet, please…

Here is my Little Darling, Gina, modeling a new fall outfit for you. It is made up of a cotton floral dress, hand knit and embroidered sweater, hand knit beret, cotton tights, and a bracelet. I bought the dress’s fabric from Vogue Fabrics in Evanston, IL many years ago. I fell in love with the colors in this muted, yet colorful fabric. The top I made for myself fast became a favorite of mine which I wore so much that I wore it out. Looking back at my photo albums the top I had made found it’s way into many pictures over a period of 2-3 years. My favorite colors in this floral print are the violet and blush pink so I chose to highlight those colors for this 5-piece ensemble.

For more information on Gina’s “It’s Almost Fall” ensemble please visit my website.

A Visit to the Chicago Botanic Gardens

6 Replies

I’ve professed my love for the Chicago Botanic Gardens in a previous post. Well, we finally made it there today for the first time this year. Since we usually only get there once a year, it’s interesting to mix up the visits as to the time of year. At the end of the summer the vegetable garden is in it’s full glory and it is massive. I kept saying to my daughter, “I wish I lived here.” Today they had a little farmer’s market too, and we were able to buy some of the vegetables grown at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Yum!

As we were walking through the apple orchard we noticed that the trees were bare of fruit, like our apple tree in our backyard. I wrote about our apple tree last year and took pictures of Amelia Thimble climbing around in it. Well, this sign told us why.

I looked up and took this picture of the grapes growing above out heads in the arbor, so pretty against the blue sky. I wanted to pick a bunch and start munching on them, but didn’t…

I brought my Pukipuki Sugar and Izzy with me. We found a pink rosebush that happened to be in the shade while we were still in the vegetable garden. Sugar climbed up and I got a picture of her. The roses match her dress so nicely.

In the walled English Garden I took a few pictures of Izzy and Sugar under a tree with dappled shade.

Then they each wanted to climb a tree. 🙂 Hang on tight!

Here are a few more pictures of some things we saw today.

Hope your day was as beautiful as ours was here in Illinois.

Fall?…No… It’s Still Summer!

1 Reply

Fall is right around the corner…!? No, say it isn’t so! I think it was just the Fourth of July yesterday. (thinking about it…) Oh no… that was almost two months ago. Yikes. Where did our summer go?

I do like fall, I really do. Here in Illinois autumn is usually still feeling warm and usually sunny. So, no complaints with fall (autumn). It’s the season that tries to slide in unnoticed right after fall, (and sometimes even before fall has finished up it’s time in the spotlight) now that’s the one that I don’t particularly like and that’s saying it nicely. Anyway… (I’m not even going to think about that bully of a season right now.)

I’ve been creating some things for fall, but not too fall”ish”. Don’t want to dive right in when I can get by with simply dipping my big toe in, right? And, I’m not quite ready to let glorious summertime go.

First up, is a new ensemble for our favorite Effner Little Darlings. It is colorful yet with a muted palette goes beautifully this time of year. Gina’s floral print cotton dress is reminiscent of the 1970’s with it’s folksy feel and the 1980’s with those large cabbage roses. The muted shades of rose, blue, yellow, green, and white are on a ground of chocolate brown. See, a fall palette can be quite colorful. The lace cardigan is hand knit out of fine baby alpaca/silk in a rosy pink tonal colorway. Tiny Delica seed beads knitted into the sweater add sparkle amongst the lace panels. Pink glass pearls button up the sweater, if desired. Gina’s cap is a slightly slouchy style with a hand made tassel. Both the sweater and cap are hand embroidered, with rosebuds on the sweater and a rose on the cap. This fall”ish” ensemble is finished off with rosy hued pastel cotton knit tights, a bracelet with a cloisonne bead and metal heart charm, and a white cotton lacy sash that ties in the back.

Another lace panel is on the center back of sweet Gina’s cardigan.

Next, is a dress/hat set for little Amelia Thimble and Izzy which I call “Tiny Bit for Fall”. Aster colored colonial knot clusters, warm pink bullion rosebuds, and straight stitched fall grass decorate this hand knit oat colored mohair/silk set. The tiniest pink satin ribbon bows are sewn onto the dress and hat for some extra “pink”.