Category Archives: Work in Progress

This Past Week & Looking Ahead

I wonder… do your days and weeks fly by fast, fast, fast? I try to hold onto each day, but it just seems to slip through my fingers before I can get a hold of it, and before I know it the entire week is over.

So, I am wondering, what did I accomplish this week that is out of the ordinary? Anything? Well, here are a few things that happened… ordinary or not.

This week I added a link to my Instagram account. The link is located within the right column’s paragraph below my photo right here on this blog. I am trying to keep my Instagram photos casual and different than those you will see elsewhere, so you might want to follow me, or if you don’t have an Instagram account you can click that link every now and then to see what I am up to. Here is the link to my Instagram account too. My Instagram is still very small and new, but everything takes time, right? I only have 5 followers right now, so if you follow me I will greatly appreciate it!

I spent the entire day on Thursday photographing my next set of dolls that are looking for new homes. There will be 5 of them on eBay tonight and will start as the other two auctions are ending. Thanks to everyone who is willing to bring my dolls into their homes; it helps me a lot knowing where they will be going. Here are a few preview photos.

Kish Tamsin is one of Helen’s bent leg vinyl babies who fit nicely with the 14″ Chrysalis girls. She was very attached to Song (who is up for adoption now) and spent her time in Song’s lap while living with me. Wish I had a photo to show you of the two of them together, they were so cute.

I have 5 Riley and friends dolls. My daughter has fond memories of Riley and Tulah, so I am keeping those two dolls. I have decided to part with Avery, Zsu Zse, and Anjali. All three have had a successful modeling career with me, so are used dolls and quite nude as their outfits are long gone. It was very heart breaking to me was when I pulled Avery from her storage box and saw that one of her thumbs had a brownish stain. I have no idea where that came from and had never seen it on her before. Boo hoo, poor thing! A little doll manicure is what she needs.

Aside from a few rubs on their vinyl, Zsu Zse and Anjali are in good shape. Their hair has been taken out of pigtails and braids, but can be put back to its original style.

My last doll that I am putting up for adoption this week is the only doll that I have ever bought from a local doll shop, long since closed; all my other dolls have been purchased online. It is funny, but when I purchased her I had no idea what her body would be like underneath that rabbit costume. The costume was stuffed with fiberfill and it looked like she was a stuffie with a vinyl head and hands, but I bought her anyway. She is the 12-1/2″ White Rabbit doll, companion to the 16″ Alice in Wonderland from 1996. Now that I have read Helen Kish: The Artist and Her Dolls by Louise Fecher, I know that The White Rabbit is part of Helen’s first multi-jointed vinyl dolls and is the Jesse sculpt (a boy doll). I made a few dresses for this doll, but mainly used her (or him) as the Easter Bunny for the Riley and friends line. Oh, Kish and Company graciously restrung her for me a while back, so her elastic is nice and fresh.

White Rabbit’s 2-piece bunny costume is made out of a nice wool felt and has a fluffy bunny tail. I didn’t use the vest when White Rabbit was acting as the Easter Bunny.

To be taken to my eBay “items for sale” page click to the photo in the right column. These 5 dolls will be available for bidding at 9:00 pm CST, tonight.

Also this week, I finished knitting Talyssa’s sweater in Diadem, a super luxurious (mulberry silk/baby alpaca) single ply yarn, and yesterday I completed the embroidery on it. Working with a single ply yarn did get easier after I got used to it, but I cannot say that I would buy more single plied yarn. It is very slow going as you have to be careful to catch all of those threads with every stitch. With multi-plied yarn each strand is twisted together, so it tends to stick together. On the plus side, the sweater is very soft and slightly fluffy with a beautiful sheen from the silk. Her new ensemble will be available very soon.

I have to share this one last photo with you. It was about 7:00 in the morning and this little bunny was enjoying an apple that had fallen from our apple tree. I had to take this photo from inside the house, so I didn’t scare it. It had already seen me however, and had stopped munching.

Wishing you all a great week!

This Past Week’s Odds & Ends

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Mother’s Day came and went so fast. Weather-wise, we had a doozy of a day: cold, damp, dark, and foggy—the entire day. No one wanted to do anything. I didn’t even feel like creating for my dolls, and that hardly ever happens. I guess that’s what those kind of days can do to you.

My husband and daughter secretly bought flowers and planted a large planter and two hanging baskets for me. They are so sweet. They remembered my absolute favorite flower for planters as well, lobelias. I love these tiny trailing flowers so much. Lobelias are the white and dark purple tiny blossoms. They also planted trailing tiny petunias, moss roses, and snapdragons in a rainbow of colors.

The feral cat that hangs around was patiently waiting for breakfast while I took pictures this morning.

We cannot touch this kitty; if we put our hand out she will bat (and scratch) us, but she will get fairly close to us. When we moved into this house 7 years ago, she wouldn’t let us even look at her. She comes around most days and has someplace to go when the weather is bad. We know this because the fur on her back gets trimmed by something she climbs under. It must be a tight fit. Since she has a corner of her ear clipped off, she probably was trapped and taken in for spaying years ago. There is a feral cat colony that a couple of ladies take care of down the block. We think that this kitty may not have gotten along with them and went out on her own.

Our crab apple tree is in its glory right now. Isn’t it beautiful? Our magnolia that I showed you (here) now is all leaves and the tiny honeysuckle to the right of it only has a few blossoms left. We still have a set of lilac bushes yet to bloom and another bush that blooms with light pink flowers. I don’t know what it is. I will share a photo of it and maybe someone can help me identify it. 🙂

Earlier in the week I went to reorder my bamboo thread and discovered that it is being discontinued. What???!!! There is nothing else out there to substitute for it, and it is the perfect weight and fiber for summery sweaters and dresses.

Well, I searched for what I needed (and lots more to make sure that I would never ever run out), and placed a couple of orders. This is what arrived! My husband asked me if I was opening a store. LOL!

Does this make me a hoarder?

What I’ve been working on this week… yesterday’s photo.

And today, I embroidered the cardigan. Any guesses as to who this is for? (The piece of lace knitting doesn’t go with the dress, hat, or cardigan set.)

I didn’t have the right color of ribbon or fabric for this ensemble, so I dyed rayon ribbon and some Lycra knit tonight. I hope to get this outfit finished up this weekend, I hope…

You all have a fabulous weekend!

This Past Week

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Here are a couple of shots from inside my studio this past week. My desk photo shows my two projects that I had going on towards the end of the week. Patience’s outfit is finished, but I am still knitting the dress for the Little Darlings; lots of stitches in this one. Amelia Thimble and Izzy have been hanging out with Bella (my Bo Bergemann Dream Doll). She is happy to have the little ones to keep her company.

This weather this past week in northern Illinois was quite perfect. Some days were a bit warmer than others, but all were sunny! Since yesterday felt like summer I had to get out for a nice long walk. I brought along my iPhone to capture spring’s progress out and about.

This weeping willow looked so pretty with its yellow green buds against the blue sky. I found clumps of squill growing along the side of the road; they’re so tiny and blue.

These are our daffodils in full bloom.

Our largest magnolia tree looks snowy when in bloom.

I love our pink magnolia tree, the blossom’s colors are gorgeous. Today I finished Patience’s outfit and thought the tree would be the perfect backdrop for a couple of photos.