I had a crazy day… taking my hubby to the church so he could bring one of our church vans to our house to get ready to sell. He did most of the upkeep and maintenance on it, so he was asked to sell it. Well, he did his part and my part was to take pictures, and get them ready for Craigslist. I have done it many times, but today, it was giving me fits… wouldn’t take my credit card (a $5 fee for cars/trucks), the login wouldn’t go through, it took me 2 hours of waiting for a new login password. But in the end we got it done and have someone coming tomorrow to look at it… and hopefully buy it.
Then someone came over to visit…and that took time…
I did my dishes and swept my floor, gave my sewing table another coat of polycrylic, took some more pictures of Chrissa in her new dress set, listed it on Ebay, cleaned up a broken plate my hubby dropped that shattered into a million tiny pieces, answered your comments and now I’m writing my post for Wednesday. It’s 8:25 and I’m wondering where the day went.
Here are a few new pictures I took today…I know…I know…they look just like yesterday’s pics! :o)
If you’d like to see the listing on Ebay, you can click on the picture at the right side bar, or click HERE. I hope you’ll take a peek…
Today I have something special from Anne. She sent pictures of some of her doll creations. I hope you enjoy her pictures. She’s from New Zealand and loves to sew for her Our Generation girls..and she’s got granddaughters whom she plays dolls with! :o)
This is what she emailed me…
Hi Jeanne, All the dolls have shoes or boots that I have made, Amy, who is wearing the dressing gown has pyjamas underneath, Phoenix has lacy stretch stockings (made from stretch lace gloves) and blue garters and a tulle slip that I made as per your Pinterest picture with stretch lace top. I also used your method of making gloves for Phoenix’s wedding outfit from stretch lace. I sold two of the outfits for $30 each which is about $23 US.
Hope you like them. Anne”
Don’t you just LOVE that white lace??? It is exquisite Anne!
Don’t miss what’s underneath that adorable robe… look at those slippers she made!
Knitting, sewing, boot making, yep! I think Anne has talent!
…and NO, Anne, I am not offended that you would ask about pleating Chrissa’s skirt instead of gathering it. I might try that next time… never thought of doing that. Thanks for the suggestion.
But, of course, we like them Anne. I can really tell you love your dolls and their outfits and shoes are adorable. Thank you so much for sharing them with us!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Congrats on getting your outfit finished and posted already, Jeanne! It’s really lovely.
Anne, it was a real treat to see your dolls and the lovely outfits you made for them. I would be hard-pressed to choose a favorite, I think! (Well, maybe the white eyelet….)
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Charlotte
I’m already thinking of who will be next… :o)
I’m with you on that white eyelet dress. I think its beautiful!!
Thank you Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
Well, Jeanne, you certainly did have a busy, if not planned day yesterday! But you DID get the skirt and blouse on Ebay, and that was the important thing!
Anne really does have talent! I can’t believe how she can do it all! Knit, shoe making, sewing, and even photography! I do love that white bride dress too! it reminds me of one of my doll’s First Communion dresses that I really love. And that pretty pink robe looks so soft and warm! Love the darling slippers too!
Hi Linda,
Of course George fended for himself for dinner. But he said it was okay for me to keep working! :o)
I think Anne’s white eyelet dress is the top pick from everyone. Let’s hope she has more of the fabric to make another one…
Thanks Linda
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne’s Busy Day! Great title for a book. Can’t believe how much you get done. Perfect timing on the latest listing too.
Anne’s outfits are lovely. Knits, shoes, and more. Wonderful.
Around here, we’ve been indoors trying to beat the horrible heat as well as to refrain from inhaling smoke particles. Yes, more wildfires from the lightning storm. The biggest one in our county, there are tons of fires, has mandatory evacuations and is burning uncontrolled south towards the historic Armstrong Grove Redwoods. Would be so awful if that area burned. Some of the largest trees in CA. Other fires, next county east are also burning uncontrolled. Hoping the wonderful firefighters can get some control soon.
Hi Joy,
Another busy day…sold the van, steel wooled the top of my sewing table and waxed it. Walked 8000 steps…swept my floors. Did the dishes, broke off the ends of some fresh green beans and put them in the crock pot, now George wants a haircut and it’s time to change his pouch again…this hot sticky weather is murder for getting it to stick to his skin for longer than 1 or 2 days!!
I hope you get some unexpected rain to put out all the fires that are burning. It certainly must keep you all on your toes…
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
I’m very fond of the black, red. and white outfit with the lacy white blouse. And the ski sweater. Already each outfit is attracting an admirer.
Jeanne, you get so much done. I do think Chrissa was a good choice for you. She certainly models well and looks enthusiastic about her cause. I like the idea of her being Irish-American.
I had a Vietnamese student worker who came in one day and said, “This afternoon I will become a citizen. Choose a new name for me.” I had an open name book on my desk when she returned. She glanced at the page and said, “Tara. I’ve always liked that name. What does it mean?” It’s something different in every culture — a town, a river, a goddess. In Ireland it was the hill where the high kings were crowned. So now our former student is Tara, which went nicely with her last name.
Now, 15 or 20 years later, she’d probably keep her original name and let us learn to pronounce it because even in this short time we have become more multi-cultural.
If you watched the convention last night, you know that each delegate announcing votes also says something about his or her state or territory. The young woman representing Tennessee reminded us that Tennessee was the last state needed to ratify the 19th amendment and said this would be her first time voting. I felt she represented all of us blog/sofa sisters and was happy to feel that Chrissa and her outfit were represented in spirit.
Dear Marilyn, I did watch the convention and I remember the young women you mentioned. She was so happy and proud. And I think that the Suffragists would be proud of her.
I think it is important to tell our ancestor stories. We all came from immigrants or relocated people (slaves) unless we are Native American, who were already here. It is when we tell our stories that we know who we really are and who America is, a proud nation.
Thanks Dorothy,
We’ve learned some new things this week and it’s all because you suggested a dress/ costume for something I had never made before. Of course if you take away the vote sign this could just be any old dress.
Thank you
Blessings, Jeanne
This could never be “any old dress.”
Hi Marilyn
It does seem like everyone has their favorites from Anne…
I’m still trying with the names…and now I have Tara to toss in the mix. I like it…
I even looked up the 200 most popular names from 1920 and found lots of my ladies names here on the blog on that list. It’s hard to decide.
I’m glad Chrissa came to live with me too…I think she’ll find her spot… :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
Those are cute outfits. I was looking through the pictures trying to pick a favorite and I narrowed it down to two: the pajama/robe with the doggie slippers and the knitted sweater and cap. Anne, your knitting is lovely.
Hi Carolyn
I told Anne everyone would love to see what she had made. And I was right…I’m glad you found a few favorites among her outfits too!
Blessings ,Jeanne
“Chrissa” is truly a beautiful doll. Her outfit really brings all that out. I’m loving all the information people are providing about the 19th Amendment. I love history and while I knew a lot of this, there was some I didn’t, but now I do.
I need to accomplish as much in a day as you do, but that seldom happens. The other day I went out to mow. I got about two passes done when the mower cratered. David picked up my new mower yesterday. I say my mower because I do the mowing that isn’t the shop or pasture. He’s going to see if he can fix up the old one for around the shop to save wear and tear on the new one. I just know I needed something that wasn’t always breaking down. But it is seven years old and has been used heavily, since here in Texas you often mow most of the year around.
I really enjoyed seeing Anne’s outfits. So creative! All of them were wonderful and I could never pick just one to have. The Our Generation dolls have so many wonderful accessories and they can be found on e-bay for good prices. The school desks I used in last year’s back-to-school pictures and the background were Our Generation. My MA Gracie has an Our Generation bicycle. I guess now I have to find one for Natalie. I often see bicycles for the smaller dolls in pictures but I can never find the bikes that size. Any suggestions anyone?
I’m proctoring the grandkids again this morning. I will be glad when they return to in-person and so will they. They live in Harris County and we found out the other day the reason for the huge uptick in COVID numbers was because they were miscoding. Our numbers are actually down and holding steady, so hopefully the kids will be able to go back on the day after Labor Day as predicted. The kids are pretty amazing (listening to Jaiden’s third grade class again). There are 17 children on Zoom with the teacher. They have trouble logging in sometimes but they are being so calm about it. They tell the teacher and they all work it out together, but this is a difficult way to educate children, especially young ones. Sitting in front of a computer from 8 a.m. till 4 p.m. (with breaks and lunch) makes for a long day, even for me. Jaiden finally was able to “join” a lesson after much trying and she gave a whoop of joy. Then she said “I’m really good at this!”. The teacher just had to tell one of the kids to put their water bottle down. And there are numerous requests to use the restroom. I want them back in school, but this has been entertainment for me.
Hi Barbara,
I think we all learned a few things this week, didn’t we?
I’m liking Chrissa better every day and think she’ll naturally fall into her special spot soon.
I found myself looking at the Our Generation school room the other day on facebook marketplace. They do make some nice stuff.
I hope you are having fun corraling your grandkids for school. It sounds like you have your hands full…but I know everyone will be happiest when school is in session the way it used to be.
Thanks Barbara,
Enjoy that new mower!!
Blessings, Jeanne
Thank you, everyone, especially Jeanne for your kind comments. I have loved making the outfits. The lovely fabric for the wedding dress was a piece on our free table at my patchwork guild meeting It was only narrow but full width of the fabric so I cut it into three pieces and joined them with the lace panel in front to make the skirt. There were some other small pieces that I managed to use to make the sleeves and bodice. The flowers on the lace were 3D and some of them were falling off so I sewed a tiny pearl bead into the centre which anchored them and looked pretty as well.
The leather for the boots and waistcoat I picked up at Creative Junk which is exactly what it sounds like. It is almost impossible to describe it but I will get Sam to take some photos next time she goes there and send them to you, Jeanne. Sam is a member so we get a bag for $4 except for some stuff which is priced (like the leather). The red leatherette hat and bag came from a handbag someone put in a box outside their house (do people do that over there) a horrible bag but some lovely fittings on it. (Did I mention that I sometimes make bags as well lol). The lovely eyelet lace for the blouse is a huge roll about 6 inches wide of proper eyelet lace finished both sides. It does have faults in it so I have to work around that but it is great. I really can’t remember where that came from! The pink, black and white dress was a skirt that Sam’s girls didn’t wear much which had a wide black knit band as a waistband. I cut the whole thing in half sewed the seams and had some black bra elastic which was very pretty so used that for shoulder straps. The waistband made the bodice. The skirt made two dresses so Ashley got one of them The other one sold. The blingy silver fabric came off the free table again. Getting so much stuff for free or next to nothing is the only way I can sell my outfits for so little.
Your President made some comments about NZ the other day, that we have had a ‘huge upsurge’ in cases of covid. I am not sure I would call it that. We have 96 active cases all but one already in quarantine or one ‘cluster’ in Auckland. Everyone who has close contact with a case is tracked and told to isolate and get tested. If they test positive they go into quarantine (4 and 5 star hotels, can’t be bad!). 5 are in hospital no one in ICU. It is disappointing that it is back but it isn’t affecting us too much outside Auckland unless you run a tourist business or sports venue but the government has extended the wage subsidy that will help. Some of the high schools in Auckland are opening up for the senior students who have exams in Oct/Nov. Schools are open everywhere else outside Auckland. We enjoyed our 102 days of ‘freedom’ hope it returns soon.
Just to reassure those whose children/grandchildren are unable to go to school, after our Feb 2011 earthquake some children in Christchurch were unable to go to school for several months (we were still having aftershocks (we had over twenty thousand)and in fact had two more actual quakes (four altogether all over 6.2) over the next few months so it was really not safe. There was no distance learning then the internet wasn’t quite as advance as it is now. Research has shown that the children all caught up very quickly and exam results were comparable and sometimes better than previous years. In fact the children worst affected were those who were under 5 at the time which included Ashley. She became what they termed a runner. She probably had 2 months actual learning time from age 6-7. The teachers just couldn’t keep her in class. She is now nearly 10 and is where she should be for her age. Children are very resilient.
Sorry I have written so much!! Maybe I am a frustrated novelist lol
Hi Anne,
You sew like I do some of the time…repurposing things I find and stretching my imagination to make something from something else. I love it!
Thanks for explaining how you made things and from what they were first! I am reminded of Kit’s books back in the 30’s when everything and I mean everything was used for something…nothing was thrown away.
It sounds like your Covid cases are basically under control. How interesting that the ones who test positive are put up in a fancy hotel.
It seems like there are varying ways schools are planning on opening around here. Some are only online, some are zoom for part of the classes and some are staggering the classes so only 10 kids at a time are in the classroom. It will be interesting to see how things go the first month or so…
Thanks again Anne for sending the pictures. See, I told you everyone would love them!
blessings, Jeanne
Today completely got away for me. I’ve tried to find time to comment five different times.
Finally, but has to be short and sweet. Chrissa dress is lovely.
Anne, your doll outfits are wonderful. The lace bride’s dress is gorgeous and your knitted sweater are fantastic. The red and white look a little like Kirsten’s knit woolens, great job!
Thanks Laura,
I know how your day can get eaten up by things… but glad you found time to pop in and say hi… maybe tomorrow will be a bit less busy!
blessings, Jeanne
I just really noticed the boots this time around. What a lot of talent. I also like how you’ve managed so much upcycling.
NZ has received a lot of praise in our media for its control of COVID 19. Keep up the good work. The comments here are almost all positive (or envious). Could you clone your PM, do you think?
HI again Marilyn,
I had to look at Anne’s pictures again… to look at all the little things she made to go with each outfit. I especially liked how she told what she used for each piece.
thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne