Good Monday morning to you all…
It’s Thanksgiving week and I bet you all are as busy as I am! In between doing things to get ready for my day here, I managed to get a bit more done on Ten Pings dress set. Well, actually, I just finished it this evening, but I had limited time to take pictures and was really hoping the weather would cooperate and I could take a few outside… we’ll see!
Okay, so what’s happened since we last met?
Well, I took the snaps off the back of Ten Ping’s dress and made the back area a little neater looking. My white lining was showing at the top and I didn’t like that. The snaps were sticking out too far right along the waistline, so I streamlined that area just a bit and got the serger threads tucked to the back. I also sewed on some tiny red buttons… much better…
This was before…
…and now…
Ten Ping wanted an Ultrasuede purse to match her shoes… so I complied and even made it match the little accent on her dress bodice.
I also took off the red button (thank you very much, Kathie, for your suggestion) and added some glass seed beads for my holly berries. I know holly berries are generally not in clusters like this, but I had to improvise and couldn’t really have the beads spread out…
I guess you probably noticed the hair bow too… It’s a bit oversized and has a snap clip on the back… These next 3 pictures are probably the best at showing what the fabric color really looks like…
Ten Ping wanted to take a few more pictures of her in the slip because she NOW has a hair bow…
Ten Ping wants to do what Navi did and send the winner of this dress set a Christmasy Sweet Treat! I love looking for the perfect treat to match the dress!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Well, you just know, Jeanne, that Gigi is peeking over my shoulder and saying, “Mine!” about this outfit! She is particularly enthralled with the little purse. You know how little girls Love to carry purses around!
Seriously, I do love the changes you’ve made; the back of the dress is as beautiful as the front, and the little red beads are so much better than the red button (which was okay) on the dress, as well as the purse.
I think we have another winner!
HI Charlotte (and Gigi…cause I know you’re watching!) :o)
I have the dress listed on Ebay so you better let Gigi see it. There are some outside pictures that she might like to see! :o)
Check it out and let me know what you think!
Blessings, Jeanne
Ten Ping looks adorable in her new dress, well, I mean the dress she is modeling! The colors are so crisp and fresh looking in this batch of pictures! I also love the addition of the tiny beads, much more like holly berries than the button!
Oh, I know plenty about little girls carrying purses around…………..then losing track of where they left them! My daughter did that all the time, and I think there must be half a dozen , if not more, places where we have lost track of a purse! As we were about to leave a place, there was that last minute hunt for a purse! Ten Ping’s purse is darling!
Now I think you had better make a tiny hankie for her when she has to take her dress off!
HI Linda,
I found a site somewhere the other day, ( I have lost it and can’t find it again…) but it will filled with all kinds of teeny tiny purses and they were very detailed… I had a great time looking at them… but forgot to save the site or even write it down.
She might cry over this one… she loves this purse and she said the shoes don’t hurt her feet one bit! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
There’s going to be a rush of little fingers pushing the bid button on this one. It is lovely. The details are just enough and not overwhelming for little Ten. I’m sure she loves her purse and matching shoes too. I agree with Linda that she’ll need that hankie soon.
So what’s the plan on cabinet painting? Need inspiration here. 🙂
That’s very cute. The changes you made were perfect, and Ten Ping looks adorable.
Thank you Carolyn,
I’m so glad you like Ten Ping’s dress set. It was fun to put together… and I got a new glue gun out of it! Yay!
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
Thank you Joy,
I enjoyed this one very much… except for that mix up on the skirt length… ugh!
Ten Ping DOES love her shoes and purse… and thinks she’s a big shot.
The plan on cabinet painting… it’s on hold… but I think about it all the time… almost every time I walk through the kitchen… You need inspiration? I need inspiration… maybe I’ll get it done before long… I sure hope so…
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Ten Ping’s ensemble is coming together perfectly. She is beyond cute and looks so sweet. I think this outfit would fit my Ginny doll since I’ve seen patterns that are supposed to fit both, but Ginny and my Shirley Temple picked out there dresses for Christmas already so I’ll leave this one for Charlotte’s Gigi.
I never think outside the box when it’s someone else’s project, but Kathie’s suggestion about the beads was a good one. I really like the effect. Can’t wait to see what the sweet treat is. I know Ten Ping will need the suggested hankie when she has to hand her dress over, but she will cry in private because she doesn’t want to make you feel guilty for taking her very most favorite outfit ever away from her. Okay, maybe that was a little over the top but I had many tiny voices telling me I’d better never try this. Very intimidating. You definitely have more control over your dolly family than I do.
It’s been requested I do the traditional fruit salad for our Thanksgiving dinner and David always does Pumpkin and Cherry pies. Son and dil are doing everything else and the menu sounds scrumptious. Can’t wait.
Barbara I read your post from Saturday where you mentioned all the different celebrations around Christmas and I was reminded of some changes here for the winter. NZ, having a strong British heritage, have always celebrated November 5th (Guy Fawkes Day) with fireworks. It has always been an odd ‘celebration’ to me, why would anyone want to celebrate a failed attempt to blow up Parliament nearly 500 years ago! (Now if he had succeeded…..!) It is even more irrelevant in the southern Hemisphere where it is still light at 9pm at that time of the year. Maori have always celebrated Matariki which is a winter festival with moveable dates rather like Easter but around the middle of July. Next year we are to have a public holiday for Matariki with fireworks displays moved from Nov 5th. Certainly makes a lot more sense to me. People often have a Mid Winter Christmas here, not with present giving but the winter type food. The first Christmas I was here (1974) I had all the sort of food I usually had at Christmas. Hot soup, Turkey, gravy, (I even managed to find frozen Brussell sprouts), hot Christmas pudding. It was 33C !!!!. My Dad said “Next year we should have a bbq on the beach, have a Kiwi Christmas”. Christmas 1975 was 8C!!! We even lit the fire. Go figure! It has been known to snow at Christmas way back in the 40’s but generally the weather is pretty good on Christmas Day. It usually all turns to custard at New Year. When the children go back to school at the end of Jan early Feb the weather is more settled and gets pretty hot. If it wasn’t for Christmas the holidays would mirror the Northern Hemisphere and the kids would finish around the end of Jan and go back early March which would be much more sensible. Anyway we will be sitting in the sun having breakfast at my older son’s then lunch at my youngest’s house. Unless there is another serious outbreak of Covid but so far they seem to be able put a lid on the few cases that make it out of managed isolation.
Jeanne the outfit is lovely. I couldn’t see anything wrong with the first picture until you put up the new version it makes quite a difference. What a perfectionist. I love her little bag. Is the ultra suede actually a very fine leather or an imitation? It looks lovely whatever but I was just wondering. I don’t think I have ever seen it here but not sure I would know where to look.
Have a fabulous Thanksgiving. I’m glad we don’t celebrate it here, I don’t think I could cope with another big occasion so close to Christmas! If you don’t know what I mean try to imagine having Christmas at the end of June and everything else that happens at that time. End of year exams, harvest season, school break up, holiday planning. Then add Christmas into it, you might get some idea!!!! Happy Holidays everyone
Ann, I love hearing about all your traditions. My birthday is December 26. I celebrate three holidays on that day: Boxing Day, St. Stephen’s Day and Kwanzaa. Well, maybe I should say honor them all. I’ve never been to a Kwanzaa celebration but I’m sure it is wonderful. My one uncle (also my Godfather) was Jewish. He and my Gentile aunt had everything figured out. My two cousins got “stocking” gifts for the days of Chanukah and then their bigger gifts on Christmas. My aunt could decorate inside to her hearts content but not outside. I learned early the value of compromise and there is room for all everywhere. Here in Texas we have a lot of Latinos. They celebrate their occasions and ours too. In Latino countries Christmas is a religious event so when we started having more moving here in town, they did not decorate. They picked up on the Christmas decoration idea pretty quickly and our town is lovely at this time of year. I just came back from walking at the park and saw more and more houses decorated. I will put my tree up tomorrow when my son and grandkids come to help. This Saturday is Fantasy of Lights here in Sealy. Since our COVID numbers are very low and while any death is a loss, we have had only 11 since March, and since the event is outdoors and involves a lighted parade, we will be celebrating that event. I usually don’t go to the events during the day since the kids are grown and my grandkids moved away, but try to make the parade. Small town parades are easy to get to and, even though people come from surrounding communities, there is no trouble finding a place to watch from.
HI Anne,
Wow…what a history lesson we get from you… and all the tidbits that you’d probably never hear from anyone else! Thanks!
I’m not sure if Ultrasuede is an imitation suede or not… I’m guessing it probably is…but it looks just like the real thing but it’s maybe softer and a bit lighter weight. It truly is WONDERFUL to work with… very soft and easy to sew.
I’m glad you don’t have to worry about Christmas either, Anne… you need a LONG nap and some time to sew…that’s what you need! :o) Hope you get both!
Blessings, Jeanne
Yes, Ultrasuede is an imitation suede. You can read more about it here: https://www.ultrasuede.us/about/what_is_ultrasuede.html
Thank you Barbara,
Ten Ping IS adorable and I’m so glad to have her in my collection. I’m not sure of Ginny’s size… but I might have to search for her measurements… this dress is just a tad snug on Ten Ping…and I even made a few adjustments on the pattern for next time to have a little bit of breathing room for her…
You are Too funny… you have to TRAIN your dolls Barbara! You tell them they can come live with you and they get to model pretty dresses, but they are always for someone else… you repeat it over and over again and eventually they get it… and stand quietly on the shelf till it’s their turn.
Yummy pies… eat a piece of cherry pie for me! :o)
Have a great visit!
Blessings, Jeanne
These tiny articulated dolls are sooo cute. I checked into the meadow doll preorder. Yikes. I’ll just continue to admire all the little dolls I see here. Those berry beads really were a good idea. They add a bit of sparkle.
HI Julia,
The Meadow dolls can be quite pricy, and that’s why I have to be so picky… I have 2 and would love more of the same size, but can’t really justify it when I “just” sew for them… one model in each size is “really” all I need, but not necessarily what I “want!”
I’m glad you like Ten Ping’s dress now… I just listed it on Ebay…
Blessings, Jeanne
Ten Ping’s little dress is just lovely. Kathie’s suggestion of seed beads was wonderful. The little purse is so cute and yes, every little girl needs a purse. The over-sized hair bow is the perfect finishing touch.
Thank you for your kind compliments, Laura,
I think I like making little purses as much as I do making little shoes! I enjoyed this set very much!
Thanks again,
Blessings, Jeanne
Ten Ping is really happy…even if it doesn’t show. She is the perfect model in that dress, shoes and purse! I guess you liked the idea of the seed beads…☺️. They do look cute and the cluster of holly berries is just right. I found more ultra suede for you too.
Hope this week is a good one..lots of cooking and extra busyness. Not sure I said our Thanksgiving plans in my son’s barn with each family at their own table but that plan changed cause one of his daughters tested positive. My daughters figured out plan B….since we all had our assignments we are going to meet here in the driveway at 10:00 am on Thanksgiving morning. We are each bringing our assigned dishes in 5 containers, We swap containers and everyone takes them home to cook. Makes the best of a ruined plan I think😉
HI Kathie,
I DID like the idea of the seed beads…and thanks for speaking up…that plain ole button wasn’t nearly as pretty as something sparkly! :o)
Ooooo, more Ultrasuede… means more shoes… yippee!
I think there are going to be lots of Plan B’s around the country… yours sounds pretty good to me…. you can all wish each other a Happy Thanksgiving at a distance…and blow each other kisses across the driveway! :o)
Thanks Kathie,
Blessings, Jeanne
The little tiny dress for Ten Ping is darling. Changes are great. May I make one more picky suggestion? How about a third button on the back? I think it will fit. I realized after enlarging the pictures that the leaves are made of a holly print fabric. Great finishing touch with the brads.
My funny Christmas story is from 1983 when we were stationed in Japan. My son was in the Air Force and came to visit. He was laughing so hard when we greeted him coming off the plane. He thought he’d escaped the constant barrage of children’s Christmas songs as elevator music, but there it was: The Chipmunks singing “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” was blasting on the PA system all through the terminal at Narita International Airport outside Tokyo!
HI Susette,
I had actually thought about sewing one more button on the back and now I will… thanks for the suggestion! I just listed it on Ebay, but I can still add a button and I bet no one will ever know! :o)
I love your story and I LOVE that Chipmunks song… now it’s going to be stuck in my head tonight… Merry Early Christmas!
Blessings, Jeanne
I’m wondering about a couple of beads on the hairbow. I love the way they have added Christmas sparkle to the whole outfit.
Anne’s description of the holidays in NZ were interesting. I have relatives there but he teaches a semester a year in Virginia and his cards are sensibly mailed here. My cousin’s wife was born and raised in China, attended college and was married here, and now lives in NZ — think of the holidays she’s had.
Then there’s your lovely Haitian family — i wonder how their Christmas is different from ours.
HI Marilyn,
Well, Susette suggested one more button on the back of the dress, and I said I would… now I can surely add a few beads to the hairbow… I just listed it on Ebay…but surely that won’t bother anyone if I do…
I’ll have to find out when they come over this week how they celebrate Christmas… I’m not sure I’ve ever asked them before…
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
I would love to know how the Haitians celebrate Christmas too. Perhaps you could find out and let us know. I’m sure Bithar would love to share.
HI Barbara,
I’ll try to find out… and let you all know…
Blessings, Jeanne