I just have to tell you, those who picked out that brown print fabric for Ten Ping the other day, (HERE) certainly knew what you were doing! I am astounded at how pretty it looks on Ten Ping and couldn’t be more pleased. I guess I should have you choose the fabrics for ALL my doll dresses! Plus, I’m not sure what happened, but I received a huge number of views/hits on yesterday’s post too! (HERE) What’s with that? I’m not sure if it was Ten Ping’s name in the title, or the fact that I was announcing a “reveal” or what, but I had 265 hits for my second highest post of all time! That was pretty exciting for me. The highest post I received hits for was when I asked which doll you wanted to see get the first Back to School dress… (HERE) that post received 267 hits.
Anyway, that was just a little side note… :o)
Would you like to see the finished dress for Ten Ping? I have to tell you, it’s my favorite one so far. I think she looks adorable in this one… and again, I’m not sure what it is… her teeny tiny 8″ size, the fabric color, the vintage lace, the shoes (maybe?) her new itty bitty earrings…(actually just little ball head pins I found in my pin cushion), but it’s just so cute on her. Even my daughter Rebecca mentioned how cute it was!
When I was getting ready to think of a “title” for it on Ebay, we were brainstorming in the kitchen and Rebecca thought of “Fall Fever” and it just seemed right! Guess what our second choice for a title was? “Chocolate Moose” (Mousse) NAH… I didn’t think so!
So, I better get some pictures up here for you to see if I’m telling the truth…this set included her dress, hat, thigh highs, her Mary Jane’s, and Mr. Moose!
[If you click on the pictures, they enlarge pretty big, so you can see the details a little better.]
This next picture of her thigh highs was taken before her dress was finished in the back… didn’t want you to see that and think I left it that way.
So was I exaggerating or isn’t she just the cutest thing ever? I’m taking notes on this dress and how I made it so I can replicate it again!
You can find it on Ebay by clicking HERE.
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Now to one of those questions from the other day…that post is HERE…
Paula wrote:
Good morning Jeanne,
I have two questions: (1) Your energy and passion is fascinating to me. When you write, “you got to bed really late”, you mean really late! I don’t know how you have the energy to sew beautiful outfits, repair clothing, write such an interesting blog, answer each person on your blog, volunteer for MANY things, work on daily chores, work on projects other than clothing, cook dinner…it’s amazing! I admire you but I don’t know how you do it!! *However, I forget that at one time I was a busy mother, wife, chauffer, volunteer, organizer and planner- I guess I forget what my previous life was like before I retired and my children grew up. Still, you amaze me- how do you do it all?
Well, Paula, I’m no different than anyone else… I have lots on my plate and somehow it always seems to get done. I do get to bed “too” late to suit me; generally between 12 midnight and 1:30 a.m. I don’t sleep terribly well, so I guess I figure if I’m up I’m getting something accomplished. My hubby is an early riser… (5-5:30 a.m.) but not me… I get to sleep in till about 7:30 or 8:00 most mornings. I LOVE to sew, but I don’t always make it to my sewing room on a daily basis… sometimes it just has to wait. My mom lives in the same town as I do, so there are things in her life that I get to do for her. My hubby does all the laundry, but I have to put it away…that’s a big plus ladies!!! There are some things that are set every week… I help out at the local Food Pantry on Wednesday’s from 10-2:00 and generally on Friday mornings I meet with Sara’s mom and we have a Discipleship lesson. I try to help out my hubby as much as I can each week with his work that he does at the church. Sometimes it’s making curtains for a project he’s working on and sometimes it’s running errands for him. We have chickens, so I’m always washing off eggs to give to someone.
My kids are grown, and Rebecca is the only one living at home now. She’s got one more year of college so she’s pretty self sufficient! :o)
Because I work from home I do get lots of calls about doing this or making that and I’m getting better at not overextending myself, but I do have a tendency to not say “no” as often as I really should.
I wake up each day and ask myself 3 things?
What do you want me to do today, Lord?
What can I do today that will show my hubby that I love him?
What’s for dinner tonight?
My house isn’t spotless as probably most of yours are, but ours is lived in and very comfy… I do wish I could carve out more time to do more home projects…(curtains in my bedroom, a new dust ruffle, paint a chest, paint my bedroom floor and stencil it, finish cabinets, and chairs, and buffets, etc.) But I made a deal with my hubby, when I quit my job, working outside the home… If I could sew and make some extra money and be there for our kids when they were little (and even bigger) could I do that? He always liked the idea of me being home and taking care of things while I sewed on the side. I’ve been doing it since 1998. I do enjoy being able to stay at home and have dinner ready for my hubby when he gets home and I’m able to walk Reuben every couple of hours outside. It works out well for us. I’m not bringing in millions, but it gives us some extra spending money for special times…
(2) How did you come up with the names of some of your doll models if they weren’t already named? Josefina was already named Josefina but the Little Darlings you named? Eden? It’s interesting to hear how people come up with their doll names.
You’d never believe it but when I got Eden, I got out my Baby Names book, sat her on a table in front of me and went through all the names, saying them out loud to see which ones I liked. Eden was the one that worked for her. Lily, my layered blonde headed #27, was the same way. I wanted something soft and feminine sounding and that’s what I came up with.
My Isabelle was already named that by Dianna Effner, and I never wanted to change it. The same way with Lian… Joyce Mathews, who painted her, had her named Lian on the card she came with. I couldn’t think of a better name and it was a perfect fit for her. When I got Janie, her card said her name was Helen. I didn’t think she looked like a Helen, so I did the baby names again with her and decided she was a little girl named Janie. It just stuck too!
All of my historical dolls have kept their original names… Julie, Felicity, Elizabeth, Josefina, Kirsten, Molly, Rebecca and Saige. I never wanted to change their names…
Well, this is a long post, so I guess I better quit for now… Thanks for your questions Paula. I hope I answered them okay…
I’ll get some more questions answered very soon…
See you all tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Just as I thought that dress couldn’t get any cuter—–it did!! Oh, those little embroidered flowers are just perfect! They really do make the dress look so “finished” and give it the “just right” touch! Love it!
Oh, we WON last night, and I must say that I didn’t see your post until this morning, so last night didn’t work out for emailing you about the game. I’ll do better tonight. Yes, the game is on cable, but you don’t have cable? We have no choice but to get cable or dish or whatever. It’s that or nothing.
You did a wonderful job on answering those questions. I am more like your hubby when it comes to getting up and going to bed early! I’m now looking forward to installment two of “The Life and Times of Jeannie Marie”!!
Thank you Linda, for your kind compliments on Ten Ping’s dress set. I really like this one too… oh dear, I may shed a tear as I pack this one up… no, I’ll have to be strong because I’ll be consoling Ten Ping!
I was busy writing posts last night or I would have listened to it on the radio. Our pastor’s wife is a real Cubs fan, and he’s a Cardinal’s fan, so it’s interesting for them!! :o)
“The Life and Times of Jeanne Marie”…now that’s an interesting way to put it!
Thanks so much Linda,
Have a great weekend!
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne.
I love Ten Pings’s new outfit. The ribbon embroidery on the lace is beautiful, really a pretty touch. The entire ensemble is just lovely! (I had that same moose; he looked like a reindeer to me, so I turned him into Rudolph.)
I enjoyed reading about your typical week. You are very busy. I won’t lecture you on getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night… I promise. If I get to bed after 10:00 I cannot fall asleep until the wee hours, so I put everything away at 9:00, or try to anyway!
Have a great weekend, Jeanne!
Good morning Cindy,
Thanks so much for your kind comments, Cindy. I was going to do bullion roses, but I thought of yours and chickened out…
I know, I know, I have got to get to bed earlier… I just have to. I need to take my cue from you and shoot for closing things down at 9:00 and then wind down for the day. Maybe I’ll try again…
Thanks Cindy,
You have a great weekend too…
Blessings, Jeanne
Good morning Jeanne, I agree with Linda, that darling dress couldn’t get any cuter but the embroidered flowers, the earrings and hat are just too precious and raise the bar. Love your choice of her little moose and the two names you came up with. Chocolate Moose has to be used with some outfit!
You are an inspiration Jeanne, you truly are. I love the questions you ask yourself each morning. That is something everyone of us should do if they aren’t doing that already…it’s an inspiration from Jeanne to pass on.
And I thought I was the only one who used the baby names book!! I have a friend who sits and carefully scrutinizes her doll before naming her as you do. It’s a doll collector’s duty!!
Thank dear Jeanne for answering the questions. Blessings!
HI Paula,
Thank you for being so sweet and adding your comments about Ten Ping’s dress. I like it when an outfit “looks” good on the doll, not just looks good by itself!
I think I WILL have to use that Chocolate Moose as a name sometime too…
Thanks for asking your questions Paula. I hope I answered them to your satisfaction. It’s kind of funny to think that someone wanted to know about “me…”
I think a Baby Names book is a must for someone who collects dolls! There are lots of fun names out there that are hardly ever used…
Blessings, Jeanne
Now it is perfect! The ribbon embroidery adds so much. Love it. Your energy is inspiring.
Thanks for your compliments on Ten Ping’s set, Joy! I appreciate them very much!
Blessings, Jeanne
By writing and then when we read your blog, you become part of our lives. Thank you for writing about your days and family. I am glad you are able to sleep in the morning as you need to refresh body and spirit for all you accomplish.
Thanks so much Jan,
Yes, it’s a good thing I don’t have a job I have to get up and go to at 6:00 or something… I’d be a wreck… I guess I’d have to start going to be earlier!
Thanks for reading each day…
Blessings, Jeanne
Just getting to read your post. Ten Ping looks darling! She is so sweet. Even thought I wouldn’t
have picked that fabric, I must say it is as adorable as the doll is! Love it. I admire you for all that you do. I find that I have to get myself off the computer lately as I am not getting a lot done. I wouldn’t miss one of your blogs though. That is the first thing that I look at (usually in the morning)
7:40 tonight. Thanks for all you do! Sylvia
HI Sylvia,
Thanks for your very kind words about Ten Ping’s dress set. I was thinking she needed something brighter myself, but she looks pretty cute in the brown after all.
I need to make myself do more too… off the computer… I tend sometimes to dream on Pinterest, or on Ebay and Etsy…
Thanks again Sylvia,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I have to say that even though I didn’t choose this fabric, it is my favorite dress you have made for Ten Ping. I love the ribbon embroidery.
HI Regina,
Well, I’m right there with you! This is my favorite dress so far for Ten Ping too! I just think she looks like such an innocent little girl in it.
Thank you for letting me know your thoughts…
Blessings, Jeanne
I’m with everyone else — I love the ribbon embroidery and the way it looks on the lace. You’ll have to do some for the AGs and the Effners so that they don’t get jealous. They make a special dress even more special. This is an especially wonderful outfit.
Most libraries have books of names and their meanings. One of our Vietnamese students came in one day and said, “I am going to become an American citizen this afternoon. Will you choose a name for me, something that starts with T like my Vietnamese name?” Nikki, the librarian who worked next door to me, ran out for the first name books, but choosing a name is very personal, and we weren’t feeling satisfied. Thoung came back, looked down at the open book, and said, “Tara. I have always loved that name.” We all tried it out in sentences, and now it’s her name.
Like you, I usually keep the doll’s original name if it has one. But I often add a name. Nellie is now Nell Scarlet O’Malley, and Kit is Diana Katherine Kittridge, called Kit for Katherine (Kit) Cornell, the then first lady of the American stage.
Take care and have a good night,
Marilyn
Thanks for your compliments on Ten Ping’s dress Marilyn! I really enjoyed making this one and was so happy with how it turned out.
What a wonderful story about how Tara got her new name. I have a Vietnamese friend and her name is Bopah…I guess she kept her original name…
I do have a name picked out for a new Little Darling that I have had on order for 18 months. I was intending to call her Emmie, but I think I’ll have to wait until I see her to make sure it “fits!” I guess I need a middle name too… Emmie…..?
Thanks Marilyn,
blessings, Jeanne
Love the finished outfit, Jeanne!
Well, I have always loved names and their meanings, and I think I have everyone beat: I own EIGHT baby name books, including three kind of unusual ones: African/American names, Hebrew names, and Scandinavian names! I have been known to work for Hours to choose just the right name for a doll! I think it took less time to name our son than it has for me to name some of my dolls! LOL
Yes Charlotte, I think we’ll have to give you the award for having the most baby names books! Your line about it taking less time to name your son made me laugh!
Thanks for sharing,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hello, Jeanne! Just wanted to tell you that Ten Ping and her outfit are beyond adorable! I think that brown with her dark brown hair and eyes is just perfect…how cute anyway, are those little legs and lace stockings and shoes….oh my…she is just precious!! I wish for you and for many of your readers and for myself…more sleep!!
Love in Christ,
Bobi
HI Bobi,
Thank you so much for your very kind compliments on Ten Ping’s dress. It’s wonderful that everyone likes how it turned out. I was pretty pleased myself. She is a precious little thing, isn’t she?
I got a short nap in this afternoon, did you?
Blessings, Jeanne