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.

Thankful…

Life gives us so so many things to be thankful for.  On this special holiday, where it’s customary to reflect on those things, I cannot think of one or even a few things, there are so many; just being alive is a huge reason to be thankful.

I’ve had a good week.  My daughter came home from college for the Thanksgiving holiday.  I cannot even express to you what it means having her home.  My biggest wish granted?  Yes, something like that.

I made a simple vegetable soup for her welcome home dinner.  It was so nice to fill three bowls instead of two.  For dessert, I made apple crumble.  She doesn’t get a chance to bake at school and the scent of autumn flavors in the oven… well, there’s nothing like it; it’s pure coziness and deliciousness. Yum!

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I first made this apple crumble recipe for my husband’s birthday a month ago, and this is the fourth time I’ve made it since then.  Do we like it or what!  Well, I’ve been perfecting the recipe. 🙂

I got some work done on my scrappy quilt this week.  Yay!  It’s been awhile since I’ve pulled this out.  For some reason, I now have a system and the piecing went much quicker.

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It’s getting so large, my husband had to take this photoI am holding the quilt at eye level and it went down to about my mid calves.  I am starting to get excited and want it to be done, don’t think it will sit around as a work-in-progress much longer!

I started running out of scraps, so I am getting into my larger pieces and cutting off bits.  I have so much fabric that I won’t even miss these.

I’ve decided I am going to make a throw size quilt.  I think this size will get the most use.

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It’s been a sunny week.  I enjoy watching the feral cats and my chihuahua lay in the sun.  My chihuahua was on the bed a few mornings ago.  There was the tiniest patch of sunshine on it, and he made sure to find it.  The cats, too, spend the sunny days chasing the sun as it moves around the house.

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We did end up getting wet snowflakes over the weekend.  With Millie’s guidance, Ivy, my Warm Heart Bears mohair bear, cut out some paper snowflakes.  Aren’t they cute together?  We are ready for the first real snowfall.

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I made 18 shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse this year.  Collection week is over, but you can still build a shoebox online if you’d like to take part.

I want to share this old photo of a fabric store with you; Joy sent it to me.  Thank you, Joy!  The photo is from about 1889 and was located in the Santa Rosa, California area.  It’s pretty interesting to see how shoppers bought their fabric and notions in those dayshave a seat and anything you’d like to see is brought to you by hard working clerks.  Unfortunately, the store didn’t make it through the 1906 earthquake.

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Wishing my readers in the U.S. a very Happy Thanksgiving Day.  I’d love to hear what you are you thankful for today?

And to everyoneenjoy the day!

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Happy Friday!

I want to say “thank you” to all of you who have been following along with me this past week as each of my girls took their turn to show you their new Christmas ensembles.  This won’t be the end of them.  Hopefully, I will be able to get at least a few more completed during this soon to be hectic season.  I’m not complaining; I love the holidays, but it does get busy, doesn’t it!

Two weeks ago we had some very cold nights and I noticed that one of the feral cats that we feed had nowhere to spend the night.  He is the newest visitor—only being around a year or so.  I noticed he was crouched down in the mulch against the house, at night and into the morning, where the frost could get to him.  I never noticed him outside at night last winter.  After all, Miss Feral has a place; I thought he did too.

His having to be outside all winter without shelter worried me so much.  I looked on Amazon for cat houses and looked at YouTube videos for ideas.  I found nothing that seemed perfect for him, and easy enough for us to do.  I mentioned to my husband about how bad I felt for Morris.  My husband spent what seemed like 15 minutes looking at YouTube videos and found the perfect tutorial!  We went to Lowe’s last Friday night and bought the exact same plastic tub, insulation (ours is a tad thicker), a utility knife, and weather proof duct tape.  That’s all it took!

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I put the house out for him last Saturday afternoon.  We thought it would take awhile for him to trust it enough to go in there.  Nope, he spent the first night in there.  It’s like he was waiting for a house to call his own.  Every time I take the dog out I say “Hello Morris”.  He looks very content, and spends almost all his time in there.

I added his name to the house (with little pieces of duct tape), so the other cats know this is Morris’s house, not theirs.  Ha ha!  After all, the other cats have places to go at night.  Anyway, we were both so happy to make this little guy comfortable, and safe for the winter ahead!

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Our magnolia trees have finally given up and turned.  They still need to drop their leaves though.

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Most trees have dropped their leaves by now.  Winter will be here shortly.  I heard “rain turning to snow” in the forecast.

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The apple tree is almost bare, but this particular burning bush in the backyard is slow to turn, and drop its leaves too.

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The robins are still around.  I’m sure they’ll get out of here before it snows.  That reminds me, I need to get some bird seed for the bird feeder…

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Everyone, enjoy your Friday!

Bye for now! ❤

“Miss Cookie Elf”

Good morning!  Are you smiling this morning?  If not, Lucy can help you with that!

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My happy Little Darling is here to model her new ensemble… and she’s got a little bag of cookies for you.  And I promise these are calorie free. 🙂

Lucy’s dress is made with a simple cut out cookie print.  Hearts and stars are printed on a linen-like printed textured cotton.  I wanted to add some color and sparkle to this dress, so I outlined with embroidery random heart cookies in one of two shades of red, and gave the center of some star cookies a decoration of a golden iridescent seed bead (sewn on).  Delicate scalloped English cotton Cluny lace peeks out from the hemline.

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Lucy’s deep red cardigan sweater is hand knit with lace weight merino/wool yarn.  Embroidered around the neckline is a one-color decorative leaf/vine/berry design.  Mixed amongst the embroidery are the same beads (sewn on) as used on the dress.  The sweater can be left open or buttoned with coordinating glass pearl beads.

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A small knit lace motif has been added at the shoulders and the back of the sweater.

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Every helper elf needs a Santa, stocking, or elf cap.  Lucy’s Santa hat is hand knit in the round with wide stripes in both bright and deep red, a coordinating taupe-ish heather, and natural colored Peruvian Highland wool.  A multi-yarn pompom and gingerbread cookie button decorate the tip of this Santa hat.

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Lucy carries a bag filled with coordinating cookie shapes.  It is tied off with cotton thread.  Underneath it all is a pair of deep red rayon tights, and on her wrist is a bracelet with a heart dangle.

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“Miss Cookie Elf” will be available tonight (November 16, 2017) at 7:00 pm CST, cindyricedesigns.com.

I hope you all enjoy your day! ❤