Tag Archives: little darlings

“A Rosy Cozy Fall”

Today is officially the last day of summer 2016! No more talking about how summer ends on Labor Day, or meteorological fall begins on September first. This is it, for real!

Are you ready for the autumn season to begin? I think I am finally ready to say I am ready for some fall-like weather. I do love those cozy sweaters, mugs of hot apple cider, and sitting in front of the fireplace, don’t you? I think autumn is the coziest of seasons.

Gina is here to welcome fall in her cozy new ensemble.

a-rosy-cozy-fall-951

Gina’s sweater, hat, and scarf are all knit with Peruvian Highland wool. This pink color is one of my favorites in this yarn. It is a rosy heather and absolutely gorgeous, in my opinion, but then I love pink. Her scarf is made out of a blue-ish red and colorful fringe coordinates it with this outfit.

The colors in this cotton floral fabric aren’t your typical fall colors, but I think they are perfect for fall. Besides the rosy pink, you’ll find raspberry, dark avocado outlines, yellow green leaves, and a surprising shade of a bluer green (love this one).

Gina’s sweater is a cropped long sleeved sweater which reaches to the bottom of the dress’s bodice. Since the flowers on the dress are petaled flowers, I made my bullion blossoms a bit different. I quite like the different shape of these.

a-rosy-cozy-fall-991

Gina’s hat is snuggly and warm with earflaps to cover her ears. The hat ties underneath her chin and off to the side. I made the ties different lengths so that when tied the bow’s tails are even. I added a bit of embroidery to the hat also.

a-rosy-cozy-fall-974

Gina has a coordinating necklace and bracelet to go with her fall ensemble. Off white tights keep her little legs warm.

a-rosy-cozy-fall-982

a-rosy-cozy-fall-951

Gina’s “A Rosy Cozy Fall” ensemble will be available tonight (September 21, 2016) at 7:00 pm CST, cindyricedesigns.com.

So what is your favorite part of fall? I’d love to hear! Thank you so much for stopping by and visiting with me today. ❤

“Teddy ‘n Me and the Apple Tree”

8 Replies

Hello everyone! Oh my, I’ve been absent for a while, haven’t I? Sorry I haven’t been around to chat with you all. My excuse is that I got on a Craftsy kick again. I purchased a few knitting related classes, so I’ve been preoccupied with learning some new skills and practicing them. If I could only do one craft I think it’d be knitting. I could give up sewing, embroidering, crocheting, but not knitting.

After my Little Darling, Gina, saw Lucy and Alice dressed up in their apple themed ensembles she got really sad until I made her one too. I cannot stand these tiny beauties sad! Good things come to those who wait though; the teddy bear was an afterthought, but made Gina extra happy! Doesn’t his golden color work perfectly with this set?

teddy-n-me-and-the-apple-tree-567

teddy-n-me-and-the-apple-tree-486

I customized Gina’s teddy bear with a little bow, a crocheted scarf, and an apple button. While we’re on the subject of accessories, Gina’s red delicious apple is kept safe in her crocheted apple cozy.

teddy-n-me-and-the-apple-tree-494

teddy-n-me-and-the-apple-tree-547

teddy-n-me-and-the-apple-tree-549

Gina’s light as a feather knit cardi is made with baby alpaca/silk lace weight yarn in a beautiful golden yellow. Little red bullion stitched embroidered apples decorate the front and wooden beads are used for buttons.

Gina’s beret is knit with a slightly heavier red wool. It is knit in the round without seams. The golden yellow rayon ribbon and English cotton Cluny lace were hand dyed to match this set.

teddy-n-me-and-the-apple-tree-493

teddy-n-me-and-the-apple-tree-525

Do you recognize this fabric? It is the same print (by Elea Lutz) I used for ” ‘Tis Apple Picking Season”, but in the white colorway. When they’re this cute who can buy just one!

teddy-n-me-and-the-apple-tree-541

“Teddy ‘n Me and the Apple Tree” will be available tonight (September 7, 2016) at 7:00 pm CST, cindyricedesigns.com.

teddy-n-me-and-the-apple-tree-575

In case you’d like to see all three of my Little Darlings side by side in their apple themed ensembles . . .

Lucy (#3 sculpt by Helen Skinner)

Alice (#1 sculpt by Nelly Valentino)

Gina (#1 sculpt by Geri Uribe)

Lucy’s “Apple Orchard Darling” is here, and Alice’s ” ‘Tis Apple Picking Season” blog post is here.

Thanks for visiting with me today!

“Woodland Whimsy”

11 Replies

Do you remember the mushroom motif craze in the 1970s? They’re back! Actually mushroom motifs have been popping up in design for a few+ years now, and in more modern colors, which I am happy about. Back in the ’70s they were mostly seen in those 1970s colors—orange, avocado green, brown, and harvest gold. Even though I cannot get used to that color scheme again, when I saw these canisters at the Volo Antique Mall last year I thought they were cute. (My aunt had these in her kitchen.)

volo antiques kitchen 528

I think the first year I started seeing mushrooms pop up again in design was 2012 when I saw this fabric designed by Natalie Lymer. I immediately fell in love with it. To this day, this is one of my favorites for Bethany.

P1060413ebay wm.jpg

P1060406ebay wm

I really need to make something for this girl again, she’s so cute! But, I digress, sorry about that.

I’ve been saving this new mushroom print by Lizzie Mackay for one of my first fall-ish ensembles. I know it’s not fall yet, but I couldn’t wait to use it!

Here is Lucy modeling “Woodland Whimsy”. Aren’t the colors in this print lovely? They’re modern, vintage, and cozy, all at the same time.

woodland whimsy 395

Did your see Lucy’s little girl gnome charm? She told me it’s for good luck.

woodland whimsy 414.jpg

I’m not sure how I initially got the idea to knit mushrooms for this ensemble. I get side tracked a lot, especially in the mornings. I think I picked up a scrap ball of bare wool, and started knitting in the round on my double pointed needles. I most likely wanted to practice starting with a few stitches to make sure I remembered this technique. (It is almost Santa hat season, and I start from the top down.) I guess a mushroom cap started forming, and all of a sudden I have accessories for “Woodland Whimsy”! Magic!

woodland whimsy 413

Lucy’s little capelet is knit with moair/silk lace weight yarn and her vintage styled headband hat is knit with a fingering weight Peruvian Highland wool in the same color. The colorful little mushrooms were fun to embroider in bullion and straight stitches.

woodland whimsy 405

woodland whimsy435

Lucy’s 3/4 length sleeve dress is finished beautifully inside. It is tedious as there is a lot of hand sewing to do, but I love to dress my dolls in dresses finished like this, it’s so luxurious. (lol) The dress is completely lined except for the sleeves so as to keep the bulk down. The sleeve seam allowances that show on the inside have been double turned and hand sewn in place. All the other seam allowances are hidden in the lining.

Since it took so long to finish the inside of this dress, I’d love to show you what it looks like. I think this bodice takes four times as long as a lined sleeveless bodice. All that just for sleeves!

Here is a sleeve turned inside out. You can see the tiny hand stitches holding the double turned underarm seam and hem in place. The bodice armhole lining is hand stitched to hide the top of sleeve’s seam allowance.

woodland whimsy 464