Category Archives: Effner Dolls

“Princess and the Pearl”

Here are the photos from yesterday’s “miraculous” photo shoot! You can read why I thought it was “miraculous” here. BTW, the weather never improved after those couple of hours after noontime. And, this morning, it’s dark, dreary, and rainy, yet again. I keep reminding myself “April showers bring May flowers”.

The dress in this ensemble is the last of the 6 fabrics in this collection that I purchased. Three prints are from the cool palette and three are from the warm palette. Each palette had a tiny print, medium print, and a larger print with bouquet motifs. This is the tiniest print in the warm palette, and is the most delicate of all the prints.

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Gina’s dress is a longer bodice styled dress. The skirt is embellished with a double row of ecru English cotton Cluny lace snugged underneath pin tucks. The first row of pin tucks is decorated with hand made pink satin bows which are sewn on equidistant from the center front. The same ribbon is used for the waistline tie which ties twice around.

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The springtime lace capelet is hand knit with warm pink baby alpaca/silk lace weight yarn. Rows of eyelets separate the panels. Mirrored embroidery decorates the front panels and two of the back panels.

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Gina’s headband is very delicate and I think makes her look like a princess. I’ve carefully arranged and hand sewn three different kinds of blossoms, a bow, pearls, and seed beads onto the headband. I’ve sealed the blossoms to prevent them from fraying.

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Pearl, Gina’s bear, is my first needle felted bear. She is my fourth tiny animal–I am still learning this craft. I love her though, and Gina does too. She wears a matching bow around her neck and a heart appliqué (made from dress fabric) on her belly. She is always ready to give her mom, Gina, a tiny blossom to show her how much she loves her. ❤

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Pearl has a teeny tiny “beary” cute tail!

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The other accessories include a pair of pink nylon tights and a bracelet with a mother-of-pearl heart dangle. This ensemble was made with love and much care in its creation.

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“Princess and the Pearl” will be available tonight (April 4, 2017) at 7:00 pm CST, cindyricedesigns.com.

An End of the Weekend Hello!

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It’s been a few days—I wanted to pop in and say hello to you all. Have you had a nice weekend? Did you do anything different or relaxing? I’d love to hear how your weekend went, please share! ❤

We had the MOST gorgeous day yesterday! It was SUNNY and WARM, a very, very, rare occurrence around here lately, so it was imperative that we get outside and soak up some of those elusive golden rays. My husband and I took a drive out to a little town with a charming town square to meander through and cute shops to browse in. The town is actually where they filmed the movie Groundhog Day. Woodstock was bustling yesterday; everyone was happy to get outside, smiling faces everywhere you looked.

One of my favorite shops is also here. It is a vintage shop, but they also have new things. I love how they display the old with the new so creatively. I seem to always find things to purchase here, and yesterday was no exception, although I didn’t have to spend much at all. Recently I have become obsessed with cute figurines. Most of them are from Japan and are of animals. I saw this tiny cocker spaniel ($4!); he needed to join me in my sewing room. He even has a vintage Japan sticker on his bum.

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I also found this little mice figurine. The owner told me she brought this back from England with her. It looked like it belonged in a storybook. It is adorable, and oh, so, tiny! ($5!)

All this cuteness! I am a happy girl!

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Spring is very slowly starting to look the way it’s supposed to look, although with the exception of green grass it still pretty much looks like winter. However, I think our daffodils will bloom this week, and add some springlike color.

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A tiny patch of tulips have started to come up. Yes, this is the total for tulips in our yard. I once read tulips decrease in amount where daffodils increase or naturalize. Looks like our tulips are soon to be none. Maybe I’ll plant more this fall.

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In my studio “Princess and the Pearl” was completed hours ago. Here is Gina to show you a tiny bit. Her needle felted bear is named Pearl, in case you are wondering. Pearl is always ready to give her mom, Gina, a flower. As soon as we get a bright-ish day I will take photos. Right now it’s dreary and drizzly… yet again.

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I knit this lace bolero this past week and today have started sewing the dress. This ensemble will be all lilac and lavender yummy gloriousness.

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I have another bolero completed, but it is for my Kaye Wiggs Gracie; it is in fuchsia. The print to accompany that bolero is one that reminds me of a Liberty of London print, which I adore. Another work-in-progress is a hot pink mohair/silk cardigan for Patience. Her cardigan will go with a dress in the same print as Gracie’s, but it will be in a different colorway.

So, that’s all the news from my world for now. I hope you are all doing great and enjoying springtime, or fall if you’re down under. Talk to you soon, my friends!

Bye for now!

One More for March!

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Hello to you all! Yep, one more, and then March 2017 is a wrap.

My very spoiled Little Darlings worked out amongst themselves who would model this last ensemble. They decided that Alice, my Little Darling painted by Nelly Valentino, would be the one to get the job. I must say they chose well; she looks as sweet as sugar in this new spring set.

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Isn’t she a cutie pie! ❤ Alice shines in neutral, warm colors.

The fabric I used for this dress is the same print as used for “A Whisper of Spring”, but this one is in the warm palette. The colors coordinates with Gracie’s “A Springtime Garden Stroll”.

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This print is made up of salmon, blush pink shades, a bit of neutral gold, and a soft green. The background is the palest of peach, as light as ivory, but peachier. The hemline is edged with a beautiful scalloped English cotton Cluny lace in ecru.

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I chose to highlight the salmon color with a rayon ribbon sash and a hand made bow on the cloche hat. Alice’s cloche is crocheted with ivory cotton and white bamboo. The brim is edged with a feminine shell stitch. I like the brim turned up on the right side, a very stylish look. The bow is handmade with a multi pearl beaded center, and the knit leaf is in a soft green bamboo.

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Alice’s hand knit “light as a feather” cardigan is made with lace weight mohair/silk yarn. The floral embroidery coordinates with the dress.

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Alice’s spring basket is crocheted with blush pink cotton. Her little duckling is a vintage porcelain miniature, and sits atop a bit of green Easter grass. Alice’s bracelet is made with tiny pearls and pink seed beads. A peach/clear marbleized glass heart dangles from the bracelet. The tights are in the palest warm shade and are made with rayon Lycra® knit.

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