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.

Busy With Dogs and Dolls

Hello!  So much time has gone by between my last post and this one…  I am sorry.

Our new puppy has taken up much of my time. We’ve had Pebbles, our chihuahua puppy, for two months now.  I’ve enjoyed these early days with him very much.  He’s gone on lots of socializing adventures to Home Depot and other stores (including a yarn shop), parks and walks in the neighborhood.  He is a very sweet boy, but a little scared in new places, so this effort while he is still young should make him a happier adult.

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Pebbles is now 7-months old.  Our vet said he is at his adult weight which is about 3-1/2 pounds!  I thought our older dog, also a chihuahua was little at 7-8 pounds.  This guy is even smaller.  So you can get an idea of his size here is a picture of me walking him.  Pebbles walks very nicely on a leash and enjoys going for walks.  He knows when we’ve turned around and are heading home which is when he will pull ahead and get a little excited.

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I try and include a little bit of dolly related making on my daily to do list.  I find that this is the only way for me to get anything accomplished for my dolls.  If I wait for everything else to be done…  well, it never is.  Sometimes I even have some cuddly company while working.

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I recently finished this spring ensemble for my beautiful Kaye Wiggs MSD sized Gracie.  I must say I wish I had a cardigan like Gracie’s!

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I have also started another spring ensemble for the Kaye Wiggs girls.  Last weekend found me seated at my sewing machine, gathering and sewing the skirt onto the bodice.

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During the week I finished the dress up by hand sewing the bodice lining to the waist seam and adding snaps.  The cardigan was knitted and waiting for the dress to be sewn.  Hopefully, either this weekend or next week I will find some time for completing the embroidery on the cardigan.

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I am wishing you all a wonderful weekend.  It is supposed to get into the 60s tomorrow here in northern Illinois!  I hope you are having some beautiful springlike weather also.

Take care–stay healthy, my friends!

New Year–New ???

Hello, hello, hello!  I have been waiting to write a blog post for you for when I had some doll clothes making progress to show you.  And it’s not happening…  I am going to blame it on…

Our new puppy!!!

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Two weeks ago we drove 4-1/2 hours south to meet this 5 month-old chihuahua puppy and, well, we decided to make him a part of our family.  He has a wonderful temperament–is as sweet as can be and loves to cuddle.  Our 10 year-old chi does a lot of grumbling at this little guy, but he tries his hardest to put up with him and his crazy energy level (when he isn’t sleeping that is).

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My lap is full of chihuahua loves!

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I cannot believe Christmas has come and gone along with New Year’s, and now we are over the halfway point in January!

Christmas Day here in northern Illinois was sunny with a blue sky and 55ºF!  We enjoyed a walk wearing light coats or no coat at all.  So, Halloween felt like Christmas, as it was snowing all day, and Christmas felt like an ideal Halloween!

Even though we never did get to the tree farm to find a real tree we made our little artificial tree look sparkly and festive.  On Christmas Day we all took part in making dinner: baked salmon, green beans with mushroom gravy, mashed sweet potatoes, and cookies for dessert–simple and yummy.

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We visited the Volo Antique Mall during the holiday break.  My daughter saw these Ideal Love Mate cards; I thought they were a hoot–my how things have changed, thank goodness.  The copyright on them is 1941.  I wanted to know more about these.  I found the original machine they came in on eBay.

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New Year’s Day morning found me starting my new planner and knitting on a pair of socks which I completed this past week.

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The colors are kind of wild, but they kept my feet warm while shoveling the snow this afternoon.

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Since I finished one pair of socks I started another!  These will be for my daughter.

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Cannot forget about the birds and how they get so hungry when the snow is falling.  Yesterday afternoon I layered sunflower seeds with a basic bird mix and headed out to the feeder which had been recently cleaned out by the squirrels.

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Last night was all blustery and snowy and cozy.  It was nice being indoors!

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It’s been an easy winter so far.  Even the snowfall last night, the first since early November wasn’t much, although if you ask Morris he would disagree.

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We all helped shovel today.  Thanks to physical therapy my back is so much better; I am very thankful that I can help out!  Notice the little chihuahua potty patch we shoveled.  Ha ha.

Our older chihuahua loves loves loves soft blankets!  This pure white blanket is as soft as can be.  Whoever manufactured it though failed to close up the hole that was used to turn it right side out.  Look who found it… and got in it!  He’s a funny dog.

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I thought I’d show you the list of puppy names we came up with for our new addition.  Can you guess which name we chose?  Naming this guy took days for us all to decide.

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And one last photo–this gorgeous sunset during the first week of January 2020!

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Our new puppy’s name is Pebbles!

Sending you all the warmest wishes for a happy and healthy 2020!

BTW, maybe if you all put thoughts out in the universe of me creating things for my dolls it will happen!  I am really missing it, but cannot seem to get down to my studio. *sigh*

 

 

Twilight Tour at the Pabst Mansion & Other Bits

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Hello friends!  And Happy Solstice!  It’s the shortest day of the year.  I think I read there are only 9 hours of daylight today.  We have some sunshine and warmer than normal temperatures happening now.  I think everyone in the US does too?  It’s not very Christmas-y, but so much easier to travel for everyone who is visiting family and friends.

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We’ve had lots of cloudy days this fall, but once in awhile sunsets like these happen.

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All you knitters and crocheters understand this ornament, don’t you?  We laugh about often at a local craft group I attend.  It’s a problem for most of us in the group.  I don’t really count when I am knitting, but definitely when I am crocheting.

We attended the Twilight Tour at the Pabst Mansion in Milwaukee, Wisconsin last night.  We had previously attended in 2017 and enjoyed it very much.  Photos from the three posts in 2017 can be found herehere, and here.  This year the rooms were decorated by different designers, so they looked a little different which was nice.

The smaller photos will enlarge if you click on them.

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Musician’s Nook

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Beautiful ornaments on the dining room trees

Now upstairs… second and third floors…

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Emma’s Bedroom (the youngest daughter)

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Elsbeth’s Bedroom (first grandchild and only child raised in this house)

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Second floor landing with stairs up to third floor

Up to the third floor…

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The Library

The library has been taken over by teddy bears–my favorite room in the house this year.

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There are two guest rooms on the third floor.  The larger one, the primary guest room, also has a sitting room.  The two sons’ bedroom is also on the third floor, but was closed this evening.

We enjoyed our Twilight Tour very much again this year.  This Pabst Mansion is a treasure and I am thankful to all those who helped to save it from becoming a parking lot!!!

I hope you enjoyed coming along with me.

What are you up to this weekend?