How’s that for a title? Long enough for you? I have lots to show you today…
This set is taking forever but my time has been limited the last few days… eventually it will all be done… I have one more piece to finish… a crinoline for the set and then I’ll be ready to list it… that is…AFTER I find something to use for Eden’s school desk. Every good teacher needs a desk… :o)
But let’s start with what I do have finished…
I wanted Eden to have a globe sitting on her desk…but do you know how HARD it is to find a miniature globe in a doll size version? VERY!! I knew if any place would have one, it would probably be Hobby Lobby… I looked in the arts and crafts sections; the “science” area (they had one I think called a “Magic Globe” but it was a little too big) and more than I wanted to spend. As I was wandering around in the store, I came across a little section of encyclopedia type things… book ends, hour glasses, etc and I spotted a few smaller and medium sized globes. There were some on a top shelf that were great doll sized ones, but the water on them was bright pink (???) and then I spotted it… the next size up globe, AND it had BLUE water and was sort of old world looking. But… *alas* I picked it up and it was broken… the paper was torn on the bottom and the screw holding it on the axis was missing. HOWEVER… my creative side kicked in and I started looking for an associate. I found an assistant manager…and I asked her about it… I “mentioned” that it was broken and the paper was peeling off the bottom… *hint hint* She tried to get the sku number to come up so she could tell me the original price, but she wasn’t able to pull it up. She said, “would you take it for $2.00?” Uhhh… YES! So that’s how I found the globe… I was thrilled but now I had to see if I could fix it…
This is where it was torn…
I had a kind of filigree sticker and punched a hole in the middle of it and put it over the bottom…it sort of hid the torn part… enough for a prop…
I asked my hubby if he possibly had a nut to go on the end and he did… It was silver so I painted it black… VIOLA! Eden’s globe!!
Next I was in search of an old looking map to put on the wall in Eden’s classroom… I looked for a piece of scrapbooking paper but couldn’t find anything that looked like a map. I searched all over the store for it… zilch! Then I went to the fabric department and just happened to mention to the clerk that I was looking for some kind of fabric that looked like an old map… She said, “Some lady was looking for that same thing the other day” so we looked till we found it… Here’s what it looked like…
For this, I went up stairs and found a frame I wasn’t using and cut my piece to the size of the inside of the frame and glued it in…
VIOLA! on the map!
Let’s see…what’s next. Oh, the books. Eden definitely needed some school books if she’s the teacher. For this, I went online and found a picture of some Civil War books and printed them out… Then I made some little books with layers of paper and glued them together… I think they look adorable. Looks like her students will be doing lots of Spelling! :o)
Since the American Girl dolls arms don’t bend, I decided to make Eden a book strap so she could carry her books and it look pretty authentic! I used a piece of navy Ultrasuede and looped it around the books and added a heart charm at the top.. She looks wonderful carrying them this way, I think.
Oh, yes, and I found one of my miniature apples for her to set on her desk… gotta have that!
I’m sorry I didn’t get to your comments yesterday, but I did read them and I took them to heart. I decided enough people didn’t like the white flowers looking like ears and horns, etc… so I took them off. I didn’t know what I was going to do to fix it but I figured I’d figure it out! I had to mail Susette’s red ruffled slip at the Post Office, so I ran in Hobby Lobby (AGAIN) and got a few black picks in the flower department. I decided an all black hat was probably okay… not too funeral looking but just a pretty black hat. I moved the flowers to just one side and sort of shifted the hat around on her head just a bit cocking it slightly… someone mentioned that! :o)
So here’s what the new hat or “chapeau” (thank you, Susette!), looks like now.
…and here’s a look at Eden from a distance…
So, I have to make that crinoline and find something to use for a desk and we’ll be ready to move ahead on this one. I hope you’ve enjoyed the crafting journey on this one! I have!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
While reading this, I thought you were going to say you used a bit of the dress fabric for a rosette or leaf or found a blue bird-ish feather for the hat.
Wow, you have been busy, Jeanne! And did you ever hit it lucky as to that globe–since no one is going to need to find a lot of details about Antarctica, using the filigree sticker worked great! Your wall “map” was genius, too, as were you books. If Eden is teaching in an old-fashioned one-room school, she will doubtless have students in different grades, and each grade has its own spelling book you know! 😉
Her had is really nice; I’m glad you took the white flowers off, as they really detracted from the overall look. I think the checked ribbon takes away from the “funereal” look–I think funeral garb in those days had to be solid black–although I do like Christal’s idea of a blue feather (or even a miniature bluebird). Still and all, the outfit is coming together beautifully, and you’ve put a lot of thought into the accessories!!
Jeanne, are you sure you aren’t the new official “craftsman” person for Hobby Lobby? 🙂 If you aren’t………..you should be! It is really fun to see what you can do with this and that, and turn things into such cute display pieces, which I am sure you are going to want to keep for other times. That globe is just darling, and the map, so realistic! The books are adorable, and I imagine they will go along to whomever buys the dress. All of these projects have gotten our creative juices flowing, you might say!
Oh, I am so happy about the hat! It looks just perfect now, no little horns or ears anymore!! I wanted to ask, what kind of glue did you use to put the black lace onto the edge of the hat, so that it doesn’t show? Is it glued underneath or over the top brim of it?
I think you are having a lot of fun putting this whole scene together, the dress, hat and props and are really showing all the various skills you have. I can’t wait to see the new crinoline that is coming soon!!
This is all so delightful, Jeanne. I can surely imagine the creative fun you had doing all of this….Eden looks spectacular already…and I know she’ll look super charming once the scene is all set. Thanks for sharing such creative delight with us, with an outcome that has turned outstanding.
Blessings.
All of this work you have done is sensational. Jeanne, I know you enjoyed putting this all together. Hobby Lobby is wonderful. I enjoy browsing there.
The hat looks stunning. This is just so perfect
Dear Jeanne, thanks for taking us along on your shopping trip. I could just imagine us all lined up behind you as you strolled through Hobby Lobby. Of course the line was very long and stretched out of the door and wrapped around the block several times (laugh).
Do you still have any of the American Girl Scenes and Settings books? One of them might have a classroom with a desk.
I can’t wait to see the final photo with all of the accessories. Eden will definitely be the most stylish and well equipped teacher in town!
Love the hat with the picks added and flowers removed. Indicative of the times.
How fun to find a globe that looks so realistic and not in pink. What a perfect save you have made. Always makes me cringe that we don’t have a HL anywhere near here. I too was globe looking last time at Michaels. They had some all plastic models that were not nearly as nice and in “pink” for $5.00, in the back to school stuff. I thought about painting but didn’t buy because I was with other person. Probably long gone by now. Great idea for the classroom map. So creative. And the books of long ago add so much authenticity. How clever to make such a pretty and useful book strap too. I like what I think is the school desk you might use. I found one with a chair for sale, but the price was way too much for a photo opt. So, I plan on using a simple table and chair instead. When I get around to staging everything.
Thank you so much for sharing the school props. Fun!
Several years ago I sometimes went on jobs with my husband. He did site work with laser-controlled heavy equipment. Since he had to drive the big truck with the equipment, he had no way to get around during the day for lunch or running errands or get back home if it was a several-day job. I took my crocheting and it was kind of fun. On every job there was a Hobby Lobby a short distance away so you know where I actually spent most of my day. One job was also near an outlet mall. One of the men on the job told my hubby that he bet I was having fun shopping at the mall. David told him not when there was a Hobby Lobby store available.
I do like the hat all in black. Very pretty and very feminine. Looking forward to seeing this project in its totality. Great save on the globe. It’s perfect.
I love how the hat turned out! And cocking it a bit to one side is just the right amount of sassiness. A tiny shelf of tiny books is something I want to make. I have all the little books that come with the mini American Girl dolls. Now to dream up some bookends or even a mini bookcase.
Another amazing crafting day! Everything you do seems like magic to me! I did stop by Hobby Lobby yesterday and bought patterns including Simplicity 4654 which is for 18″ dolls with lots of casual clothes included in addition to the ones Charlotte suggested, 8940 and 8819 for 14″ dolls, $1.99 for each. Looks like I’ll be going again to check if they have the little globe. I think you really could have used it without the fix, but that’s Jeanne for you. Great job on everything.
The hat looks 100% better without the white horns 🙂 And tilting it a bit made it so cute. This whole ensemble will be just a perfect School theme. The globe and map are great but those little books!! Oh so clever and authentic !
Went to make your Amish Pickles yesterday and what I thought were Cucumbers in my fridge were Zuchini…so off to get some Cucumbers! That sounded so good!
Well, I’m finally back after a few busy days. Looks like I missed quite a bit of fun crafting and creating. Eden looks wonderful. You did a super job of re-crafting her hat and school books. The whole ensemble is just perfect. I love the school books. Did you find them on pinterest?
Just wanted to share something I find adorable. I have a large fan bunting on the porch and a sweet, little sparrow comes and sleeps each night in the upper most fold. He comes promptly at about a quarter to nine as I’ve seen him arrive and snuggle in for the night.
Love the bird story. Maybe it is a young one and this reminds him/her of a colorful nest? 🙂
Thanks, Joy. Sparrows are probably my favorite birds. They seem to always get along and treat each other kindly. They also do the funniest antics. They love to take dust baths together in the garden bed and bathe in our birdbath. One time there were about ten sparrows all in the bath at the same time when another come in, and finding no room, landed on one’s back and rode with it across the birdbath. I laughed so hard at that. We also have a robin that has built a nest in the curve of the drain pipe under the eaves for a few years now. The babies have a fair drop to the taxus bushes or rose of sharon below, but they always make it.
Great stories, Laura. Since our nesting Chimney Swifts have left, I kind of miss their chirping, but we installed a new chimney cap. Really don’t want them to become yearly house guests in the chimney. Saw them all flying around above before they left. Think they will probably be heading to Peru for the winter not long from now. 🙂
I do love accessories! The white flowers on the hat yesterday didn’t bother me, but I have to say, the black ones do look nicer. Especially with them being offset to one side. This info is too lat to be helpful, but it may help someone else. I found a small globe a few years ago at the Dollar Tree. It was about this time of year when the back to school supplies were on the shelves. At that time, they also had some small composition books. A little large for the AG dolls, but not bad. No the little books you printed are adorable!
Great job ! All is perfect and I do like the books.
(We say VOILA and not VIOLA)☺️