I posted this on Facebook’s Meadow Fan Club site, and also in the Chibbi Travels facebook page… so if you’ve seen it, just skim over it… Poppy is a little 8″ traveling doll who gets to visit with me for 2 weeks, then move on to the next house…
Today is Day 5 with Poppy:
Poppy (Fabbi Tan) was looking in my props some more only to discover a tiny sewing machine… and asked me if I sewed?
“Uhh… yesssss….”
Could you make me something?
“Uhh… yesssss…”
Do you have any fabric?
“Uhh… YESSSSS…”
Can I see some?
“Uhh… yesssss…”
So Poppy stacked up some chairs and has been looking at my fabrics all afternoon trying to decide…
…stay tuned…
Miroslava (the artist who created the Chibbi’s) decided to put these little tips on her head cap, to keep the wigs in place… 3 are at the back to hold the wig down and one on the top to catch and hold the wig from popping off.
They work very well when you have a wig the right size… the little brown wig she came in is so small, the inside cap of the wig doesn’t even come close to being able to catch on these tips…
Next, want to see my Amaryllis today? It’s bloomed out 2 of the 4 flowers on one stalk and the second stalk is starting to unfold today. When it gets all bloomed out, there will be 8 flowers on it. I think it’s very pretty!
Next it’s Addy’s turn. I worked on a bonnet for her today and she loves it. I had a straw bonnet that had way too big of a brim on it, so I took it apart and made it smaller, using my handy-dandy glue gun to put it back together. I used a fancy black trim that I had and only decorated it “slightly.” I used some gold flowers I had and accented them with white ones and then added black beads. A black rayon ribbon was used as a tie under her chin. I tied it over to the side so it wouldn’t get in the way of her “fancy” brooch! :o)
Then I turned my sewing to a crinoline to hold out her dress. It’s much nicer when you have a dress with any kind of stripe to hold it out so the stripes show. I used a gauzy fabric and made just a simple crinoline with boning in the bottom and a casing at the waist that has elastic enclosed and then ties on the end for a bow in the back.
Here is her dress with the crinoline underneath… (the dress still hasn’t been hemmed yet… still deciding on the length.)
This was without the crinoline…
The crinoline really helps hold it out…
She’s starting to look like a pretty little Civil War beauty, isn’t she?
Well, that was my weekend… hope yours was as productive!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
I see that rascal Poppy has been stacking chairs and climbing again!! I think her mom better get her into some gymnastics or something!!
It does look like she’s got her eye on your purple fabrics, or possibly the aquas on the top shelf!
What an interesting way to make her head! Makes a lot of sense. It’s too bad they didn’t send her with a properly-fitting wig, though.
Addy’s bonnet looks lovely on her, and the crinoline really helps show off the skirt to full advantage. I had a thought about adding some of that braid (from the hat) to the lower edge of the skirt but that might be a bit too much, or might get lost in the print or something. I do like the longer length, though!!
Actually, my weekend was somewhat productive–I cut out and started making a skirt for myself, then adapted the Fancy Frocks Basic Dresses 2 pattern (which I often use for both smocked and regular dresses for the Little Darlings) to better fit the RRFF dolls, and cut out a nightie for Bella. Since Hanna is on the way, I will need to think about one for her, too!
HI Charlotte,
Poppy is quite active…even in my sewing room… We haven’t gone anywhere yet… no pictures of her painting the town…and there might not be! She’s having too much fun checking things out in my house…
I’m glad you like Addy’s bonnet…it was simple in looks, but I think it’s okay for this busy print dress.
I need to do some sewing for me… I can’t even tell you what was the last thing I made for myself. Oh well, the dolls come first… I guess.
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
That Poppy is going to be going to the emergency room at the local hospital if she doesn’t watch herself! LOL She is certainly getting to know you well, Jeanne, and it looks like she wants a little “something” for herself! Yoiu are going to need some R&R after she leaves!
Your Amaryllis is looking beautiful! Mine is all filled out already!! Ha, it’s artificial!
Addy’s hat is just darling and what is needed for this dress. For sure, it is a dress for going somewhere, not sitting around at home! I love the way the slip makes it stand out to show the pattern of the material so much better. I’m guess you had to change her hairstyle to get it on? I like the longer style too, but maybe if you make the pantelettes, and turn up the dress so we can see both ways, it might change things. Who knows?
My weekend went pretty well, since I got about half of my decorations down. Still have a way to go though. What’s the rush anyway? Nobody sees it!
HI Linda,
I wish Poppy could handle a paint brush… I could use her help… :o)
I’m going to miss checking on my Amaryllis when it’s done blooming… I check on it a couple of times a day just to see what it’s doing…
Maybe I could do that… make the pantalettes and pin up the hem of the dress and show that and see if that changes any minds… just a thought.
Happy “undecorating!”
Blessings, Jeanne
The little doll is so cute, especially with the antics you put her through. Have fun making an outfit for her. Perhaps your contribution should be the wig she is wearing instead or in addition to an outfit.
Is the hair on Addy original to the doll? I can’t seem to do a thing with the hair on my doll. I have no talent in that regard anyway but would like to know what you did to it to make it look so great. The dress is beautiful. I think it should remain long and even be faced so it won’t lose any length. At most a tiny bit could be turned under so the boots would show. Great all around from pattern to fabric.
Cool on the fill-ins on the website now! Thanks.
Hi Susette,
Is your Addy a Pleasant Company version? The earlier dolls have thicker hair, but it did tend to become drier, especially the textured hair on Addy and Josefina. Braid spray or braid sheen in the ethnic hair care section is great for conditioning, even synthetic hair.
https://www.houseofbeautyworld.com/starmantabrs.html?cmp=googleproducts&kw=starmantabrs&gclid=CjwKCAiAi_D_BRApEiwASslbJ6WyCp29KlpNfODZzp6hqEqJV8tahahdHXDtHIH___kYSAeMNlOzsxoCbYkQAvD_BwE
I’ve seen this one, but there are others.
HI Susette,
I don’t think Bailey would like it very much if I gave up her red wig… but it certainly does fit better than that little dark brown one.
My Addy doesn’t have Pleasant Company on the back of her neck, but tiny little lettering of American Girl… She may be one of the transition dolls, but her hair is original to her…long and coarse and pretty thick. I had to take out the braids on the sides to get the bonnet to fit so I pulled back the top and braided it and then with the hair that was hanging down, I curled it under and rolled it around my finger and then bobby pinned it underneath. It looks like she has a net on it, but it’s just rolled in place.
Thanks Susette,
Blessings, Jeanne
Susette, I have no talent for hair, either! It took me four tries before I could get Molly’s braids to come out even halfway even, the first time I had to redo them. (She was “working” as a model at the doll shop where I worked then, and got her clothes changed fairly often, as we’d sell them right off her back! LOL)
I’ve always said the Lord knew what he was doing when he gave me a boy and not a girl, just because of the hair thing!! LOL
Little Poppy is a cutie pie! I love the shots of her kneeling at the sewing machine.
Addy’s dress and bonnet are really beautiful. The colors are just perfect on her. I’m thinking a hem just short enough to give a peak of some buttoned boots, I think it’s Rebecca who came with the ivory ones with black buttons.
HI Linda,
Thanks for your comments on Poppy… she certainly is anxious for me to make her something…
I do have a pair of those black and creamy white boots and was planning on using them with this dress… Now to get it all pulled together…
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
The amaryllis here is about bloomed out. I’m going to operate soon and see about the condition of the bulb. If not too bad, it can be repotted aka saved! Some would toss, but the one here will live to see another day. 🙂
I’m for facing the dress hem to keep the length. The hat is sweet, but I wouldn’t use the straight on shot as it appears that the hat is popping off of Addy’s head in several photos. The side views are much better. 🙂
Exciting weekend sale over at the Meadow dolls place. Refreshing constantly to try and nab a doll of choice. A sweet chocolate Dumpling Minni will be landing here in the near future. 🙂
HI Joy,
I noticed that too, about the bonnet looking like she had a cone head…and was wondering if it was from the braid underneath. I’m planning to investigate and see what is making it look like that… I’m glad you spoke up…
Congrats on getting a new little Dumpling… Minni… you will have more camp shirts and shorts to make now… Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to remind you… ;o)
Blessings, Jeanne
Good morning Jeanne. I see you have put a different wig on the Poppy doll, and I have to say it is so much better. When I saw her last week, I thought she was really a homely little doll. The wig she is wearing now makes her quite cute. It’s not just the size—the color and the style are so much better for her little features.
Addy, of course, is beautiful in most things, and this new dress is no exception. I think the crinoline is perfect. I am in the camp that likes the shorter hemlines for the younger girls of that era as it is historically appropriate, but I don’t know what your buyers prefer. I’m sure that’s something you have to keep in mind.
HI Carolyn,
Poppy does like this red wig but I wonder about her coloring and it… I was thinking something darker might be better, but lots of ladies have commented on Facebook Chibbi Travels that they like the red wig… hmmm…
I was looking in some historical books of mine and the majority of young girls DID have the shorter version dresses, so I’m still debating… I guess I could make it long and if the winner wanted it shorter I could hem it shorter… OR make it shorter and let the hem out if the winner wanted it longer…
Thanks Carolyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Poppy is so cute but those things on the back of her heard creep me out. She and others like her are off my list.
The amaryllis is looking fab! I see the pollen sacks are still attached but your blossom isn’t sprinkled with it.
Your simplified hoop skirt is a great idea and something I want to attempt. The ones I’ve seen with multiple hoops are way above my pay scale! I don’t really understand the bow in back. Is it functional even with the elastic or just for decoration?
We went to Son’s house to get his old junky ‘89 pickup that Hubs bought. It’s been pretty dependable for Z, even tho it’s kind of a wreck. My philosophy is if we are going to have an old truck then lets not mess around with kinda, sorta, almost. Go big or go home! The truck is named Brutus! The pick up we had was great until a deer hit it. D has fixed most of it but the last thing looked like a different motor was going to be necessary. That one is off to the salvage yard. While we were there we stopped at a thrift store we hadn’t been to before. I haven’t been in a thrift store since 2019! I kept thinking that can’t be right. But it really is. I would hit our 2 any time I was in town. Now one is closed permanently and I just never got to the other one when it reopened in 2020. I found some nice pieces of colored glass to add to my collection. 2 are probably painted. They will go out to my she shed. Most of my colored glass is on shelves in front of south facing windows in The Hen House (My she shed has a name! 😆) I do have a depression glass collection but that stays in my house. THAT was my week end.
HI Julia,
Sorry Poppy’s wig catchers creep you out… she’s a very popular doll… well the 3 versions of the dolls are very popular… I should show the other versions…
The crinoline ties in back but the ties are attached to elastic and sewn just at the ends… I’ll show a picture of what I mean…
How fun… a new (old) truck and thrift shopping! Sounds like fun to me! You’ll have to show us a picture of your She Shed (The Hen House) sometime… We would all love to see it, I’m sure!
Thanks Julia,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I love your creativity. I would struggle trying to bring Poppy to life and you seem to do it so effortlessly. I agree with everyone else, the wig makes her look so much cuter.
I am a bit like Poppy I am in awe at how tidy your fabric shelves are. They look as though you never take anything off them and we know that isn’t true. Mine look tidy at first but as soon as I start to use the pieces they never go back the way they did and before long the shelves are a mess again. I am in the process of sorting mine out and tidying them and it is really hard to stay motivated, I would much rather be sewing.
I love the crinoline you made, I will have to remember how to do that. I rather like Addy’s dress the length it is but whatever you decide I am sure it will look fabulous, if only because of the fabric choice. I love it.
Since just before Christmas our weather here in Christchurch has been a bit depressing. Not cold since it is still summer, just lots of grey days. Not even a lot of rain just cloud cover (but would rather that than the torrential rain, flooding and road washouts they have had further down south). I sometimes get fed up with our weather and news presenters who seem to think that if it is sunny in Auckland it means NZ is having great weather!
Love the name of your she shed, Julia, mine is just the workroom. When the guy came to sign it off just after I had it built he said “I have seen lots of Man Caves but never seen a Woman Cave before” lol.
HI Anne,
Oh, I’m glad you think I’m being creative with Poppy… Some of the ladies who have the traveling dolls have taken pictures of them in front of famous churches, in front of fields of flowers, on boats, in front of statues, etc. Mine have all been inside… mostly in the props section! Oh well, at least I’m getting some pictures in…
I do love seeing my fabrics stacked up the way they are now… and even though they aren’t perfect, they are good enough to suit me… I hope you get yours done… it took me weeks to get all the fabrics rolled like this… I used a long ruler and rolled them on it, so they would all be the same size… You can do it!!! :o)
Maybe your weather will get better soon… nothing like gray depressing days to stifle your creativity…
Thanks Anne,
Blessings, Jeanne
Poppy is certainly enjoying exploring. I’m surprised she didn’t realized you sewed or wondered why all the other dollies were standing around in the buff.
Yep, it sure looks like Poppy is either pointing to the purples or aquas.
Love Addy’s crinoline. Those hold the Civil War dresses out so well. Her dress fabric is so elegant. I’m still thinking the dress should be shorter with pantalettes showing because Addy is a young girl. Put her in black stockings and her original cap toe boots or black boots with side buttons. Of course, there’s the option of making pantalettes and leaving the dress long and then asking the winner if they want it shortened which you could do quickly, I think.
HI Laura,
When Poppy spotted the sewing machine, that’s when she realized “maybe I sewed” for the naked dollies on the shelves… She picked out 2 fabrics today and we’ll see which one has the most possibilities… :o)
I think I might just hem the dress long and see what the winner wants me to do… It’s easier to shorten it since there wouldn’t be a crease line if it was shorter… Maybe I’ll make the pantalettes and see if the response changes…
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, forgot to comment on the Amaryllis. It’s just beautiful and with more blooms to come will certainly cheer up the “heart of winter”.
Thanks Laura,
I have the Amaryllis sitting on my dining room table so I look at it OFTEN! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
I love Poppy’s new “do”. Makes her look so cute. She is quite the little climber. Reminds me of my son when he was about 18 months. We were at the older kids gymnastics class one Saturday when the coach yelled my name and looked over to the area where the students left their shoes, warm ups, etc. I went around the corner and there was Sean about half way up the wall of cubbies. I called for David and he went over and took him down. He was over my head so I couldn’t get him. Yes my heart was in my throat.
I love Addy’s bonnet. It is perfect with her beautiful dress. I’m up in the air on whether the dress should be short or long. But I will say that Addy does seem to be of the age where she would not be showing her pantalettes. But maybe she’s younger than I think. I like the hoop petticoat and it does show the dress off well.
An update on David’s angioplasty. All went well with the procedure but the outcome is not at all what we expected. There was more blockage than showed up on the scans. So, he will be having open-heart surgery sometime soon. He sees the heart surgeon on Wednesday and then the surgery has to be scheduled in compliance with the COVID restrictions, since beds have to be allowed for possible COVID patients. But Houston has a lot of hospital beds and things are going well so hopefully he will have the surgery soon. They want to do it while his heart is strong and not after a heart attack. Since he can’t have the knee surgery until after he has completely recovered from the heart surgery, surgery and recovery could be our life this year. Since I’d like to have him around and without pain for a good many more years, I’m okay with playing nurse for a few months. Our 41st anniversary is coming up on January 19. And somewhere around then we will have the new addition to the family. It’s turning out to be a very busy start to the New Year.
Quite cold here right now. We thought we might have snow last night but the precip stopped just about the time it could happen. All day yesterday it was rainy and really cold. Never got above the mid 30s all day. Cold and windy today.
HI Barbara,
Yes, kids will be climbers and Poppy knows I’m there to rescue her if she gets TOO high… :o)
I’m still deciding on the length of the skirt… maybe I will make the pantalettes and then see what everyone thinks…
Oh, my goodness, Barbara… I’m sure that’s not what you were expecting or hoping to hear, but it sounds like he is in good hands and hopefully this can happen quickly and then he can begin his road to recovery… You ARE having a very busy start to your year… nothing like getting everything over with at once…
It has been in the 20’s all day here and just not hit the high for the day… 30 degrees… we has snow flurries flying around all morning… I guess that’s what happens in January!
Blessings, Jeanne
Dear Barbara,
I’m so sorry the news was not what you’d hoped for. The doctor is right, though–better to do the heart surgery now than after a heart attack!! You will both be in my prayers. It certainly is a busy start to your year!!
Charlotte
Dear Jeanne, I am so enjoying your Poppy story. She has really taken over your sewing room and is having such fun.
I was thinking the same thing about Addy’s hair that was already mentioned. The Pleasant Company Addy (which I have) has coarse hair. Your Addy’s hair is lovely. Not that the coarse hair isn’t lovely also, it’s just different.
The dress is very pretty and will surely be prized by some American Girl.
HI Dorothy,
I was working on tomorrow’s post so you’ll be surprised about what happened to Addy’s hair… :o)
Glad you are enjoying Poppy’s story… she has taken over more than my sewing room… maybe just a little part of my heart! :o)
I’m also glad you like Addy’s dress. I didn’t get anything done on it today… but I got more cabinets primed! Yay!
Thanks Dorothy…and thanks again for showing my blog to your ladies in your doll Club… I picked up 3 new subscribers today and wondered if maybe they were from your group or possibly from the Chibbi lovers! hmmm…
Well, I better get back to my post…
Blessings, Jeanne
I think some of us see our American Girls as ten year olds but others see them as teen-agers. Whether we want long or shorter skirts depends on how we see the dolls. This fabric design is dark and sophisticated, so I’d go for the longer length. It might be fun to choose something lighter and go for a more girlish look.
I agree with Joy that the bonnet seems to sit a little high on Addy’s head, but I think she has more hair than most AGs. How would the bonnet look on one of your other girls?
I do think that Poppy is having a wonderful time at your house and your pictures will be different but in the nicest, most creative way. I like Bailey’s wig on her but I also liked the chestnut color you showed earlier. Is there any way you could order a new wig for Poppy? You have demonstrated that she badly needs one.
HI Marilyn,
You caught me up still…
I think I’ve decided to leave the dress the longer length and if the winner wants it shortened, I can do that to please them…
The bonnet issue has been solved… I redid her hairdo…and now the bonnet sits on her head better. It did look kind of silly…
I only have Poppy for 2 weeks, but Kathie sent me some pictures of some she had and I think she might be sending me a few to try… She does need a new wig terribly… The wig cap is only about the size of a quarter… so it’s almost impossible to keep it on her head…
We had a little fun tonight with making something…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
As I recall, in the Original “birthday” stories, the PC American Girls were turning 10 years old. I do have all of Molly’s stories; I guess I should go check, but may have to do that tomorrow–I need to get to bed pretty soon!