I was on a roll today so I just kept going…I mean sewing!!
I found out today, small floral appliques are hard to find. Most of the appliques were babyish or cartoon characters, Disney themed, or just stars and anchors and butterflies. The only thing I could find today was a puppy dog face with pink bows by her ears, a floral spray that was in 3 sections, but the small spray was almost “too” small…
…and a monkey hanging from a tree branch…
I knew I had a scrap of a brown cotton that would make a nice peasant top with panties attached… and I also knew of a few other things I could use if I used the monkey…
So let me just show you what happened as I went along… I decided to make this one more of a back to school set or maybe even one for Fall.
This was the peasant top I came up with…
And these are the thigh highs I made…
This is how it looks when you are dressing the doll… slide it up, velcro it over, and snap in place…
I found some brown buttons and decided to go ahead and iron on the monkey to the romper…
I had made these brown leather boots a while back and decided to use them with this outfit…
Here are a few more shots of her in the set…I must tell you, Joy, when I told Stella that Luca was watching her, she got a bit crazy with her poses in our photo shoot… she was turning this way and that, and smiling from ear to ear… :o)
The other thing I remembered I had at home was a little monkey that would work fine for her… she’s calling him JoJo!
So that’s how “Monkey Business” was born… I’m not finished yet, but got a lot of work done today…
Now I want to hear what you think…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
WOW!!!! This is just SOOOO cute!! I’m not a “brown person”, but I love this outfit, and Bella is thinking it would look good with her red hair!! LOL I’m guessing a bidding war could be in the future!!
Thank you Charlotte,
I’m glad you like it… and Bella too! I hope you’re right about the bidding war… those are the only wars I like… :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, isn’t that great, when one idea leads to another, and another, until you have a complete outfit that stays with the original theme? From the brown peasant blouse, to the monkey applique, to the thigh highs, to the boots and darling stuffed monkey, this is completely adorable!
I love the back of the romper too, it’s just as cute as the front! You DO have a winner here! What’s left to do?? A headband??
HI Linda,
Yes, I like it too, when everything comes together like this one did… the only trouble I had on it was finding an applique… I hoped I made the right decision… Stella said I did…and now you and Charlotte seem to think so…
I want to try something else just for fun…
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
So cute! Love the brown!
Thanks so much Julia,
Glad you like the brown…oops… LOVE the brown!
I hope your dad is doing better and getting around okay…
Blessings, Jeanne
Well if that isnât the cutest! The monkey is much cuter than the other appliquĂ©s and the boots and little monkey just top it off.
Monkey lovers will love it!
Hi Kathie,
Thanks so much for your compliments on Stella’s new “Monkey” romper… It’s so much fun to see her in it in person…
Calling all Monkey lovers… ;o)
Blessings, Jeanne
I’m speechless! Well maybe. đ What a fun outfit. Love the fall look and the monkey theme. Who doesn’t like monkeys? And those great boots add a perfect pizazz.
Please tell Stella that someone here is watching and smiling right back! He is also giving me the elbow nudge as he wants his new shirt and shorts done right now so he can show Stella. I’ll give you a hint, it involves fruit. đ
Hard to believe, but next month, everyone here will start back to school, so the timing of Stella’s new shortalls is perfect. I was just thinking that if I start now, just maybe I’ll have an outfit done. So slow here. We almost have 4th of July completed. What? Is that holiday already over?
I hate to say it, but looks like we have another heatwave headed our way soon. đ
HI Joy,
Thanks so much…and tell Luca, Stella can’t wait to see his fruit shirt either! Ooooo…sounds like “together” they could have a tropical theme going on…
Yes, I can’t believe it’s almost school time either… It was Rebecca’s idea to do something for school… glad I listened to her…
It seemed to me like July got here too quickly… half the year is gone… already! Good Grief!
Sorry about the heat wave…we are supposed to get up to 91 today… I think I’ll take it instead of what you are getting… :o)
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Such a fun adorable outfit! I can see hiking, tree climbing, a farm visit with hubbyâs chickens and owls . . . Oh the fun side of this outfit. Yesterday I looked online at appliquĂ©s and as you say there isnât really much so you did really well with your choices. Although, anchors and stars on a white romper and bucket hat could be pretty beachy. I canât help but mention how it seems youâve gone full circle to once again embellishing plain jane clothes creatively!! I remember you posted about some of the flea market kids clothes you did years ago. The gray puppy appliquĂ© could be a yorkie OR a Reuben er I mean schnauzer! Wouldnât Reuben enjoy being an inspiration for an outfit?
I wanted to ask if any of the sofa sisters have removed the wigs on the fashion friends? I have Hanna but didnât really like her hairstyle, not versatile enough for me. So I removed it and with her coloring almost anything goes. I had been thinking about Maya but with a long dark wig, I love Hanna even more!! And seeing your Rozenâs beautiful hair I took off Stellaâs too and tried a long braided pigtail with tendrils I had. Itâs red and I rolled the braids into side buns and I love her all over again. And Sara in a long white curly wig is too sweet! Anyone else? After reading Sallyâs post yesterday I searched and found the pink haired fairy fashion friend and Iâm not wanting one. I could not find the limited edition Sally mentioned, I just wanted to see what she looked like đ . Have a great day all.
HI Dorothy,
Yes, Stella can do ALL those things you mentioned in her new romper… Now I have lots of ideas for storylines.
I was looking on Etsy for small appliques and found a few but didn’t buy any… they ARE hard to find just the right thing… of course it helps to know what you are looking for…and I didn’t! I just wanted flowers, but that got ruled out pretty quickly.
I did have a puppy face that may have worked but his ears came all the way to the edge of the bib and it looked a bit oversized… so I passed…it needs to be on a top, but not on a bib.
I haven’t changed any of my girls wigs, but I know lots of ladies on the Facebook site have and they are wonderful. It’s like having several different dolls when you can change their wigs… Good for you! You’ll have to send me some pictures of the girls and their new looks!
I’m not a fan of the fairy doll either… she was an easy one to pass on..at least to me… I like pretty, regular looking young ladies! Sounds like you do too.
Thanks Dorothy,
blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne, it was great that you were monkeying around with your ideas, the ensemble looks adorable (laugh). Adding JoJo is the perfect touch!
And now to my 2nd Dorothy,
I’m glad you like Stella’s new romper. I guess I was monkeying around with things for her and it worked out just fine…
Thanks for your compliments,
Blessings, Jeanne
Applause! đđđđ„°
As you were talking about the monkey before you showed it, I was skeptical that it might be plain silly. Canât say I am a fan of the dog head and cat head, but when you finally showed the monkey, my eyes lit right up. Jeanne, you have created a most fantastic set. I am so glad you gave in to trying to tweak your new pattern. The first set is darn cute, but this one? A true âholy cow!â
I went back to yesterdayâs blog and added some comments here and there but it was late and I realized it would be âyesterdayâs news.â
DOROTHY L, the fairy is the new Ltd. Ed. What Ruby did was to advertise (I saw it on FB) that the doll would only be available during a 4 hour window., and the number of orders would be the size of the edition. I didnât go for her because she is too limited with the bling on her face for modeling clothes and, well, I just wasnât nuts about her. I think the price was $229 but I may be wrong. Sounds like you have been flipping wigs all over the place! I hear that Siblie wigs are much easier to remove than the RRFF.
Hi Sally,
Oh my goodness…how can I stand your compliment of “holy cow?” That made me laugh, but I’m glad you like it that much… :o)
It only took me a half a second to know the “fairy” girl wasn’t for me…guess I’m not alone…
So far, I have loved the wigs on my RRFF girls. But I’m not opposed to those who do…in fact there was just a poll asking whether we’d like the dolls to have removable wigs, and yours truly voted yes!!
Thanks Sally,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi, Jeanne,
We shall see. I saw that poll, too, but did not respond. Miss Rebecca that I ordered from France is supposed to come this month and comes with two wigs. Since I am not the greatest with fooling around with wigs, I am curious how easy these two will be to change. Also curious if the doll will come with one on and one off, or both off. Somehow opening a new doll to find it bald in the box sounds like a âdownerâ. đ
Hi Sally,
I too am waiting for Rebecca from France. It never crossed my mind that she might be bald upon arrival. Yes, that would be a downer. I was prepared to love her in the wig she was wearing. I voted “glued on” to that poll. I can barely get their clothes on and off let alone the wig. No fairy for me either. Fingers crossed that we love our Rebecca’s!
Debbie
Amen, Sofa Sister Debbie! Guess weâre in the same boat on several scoresâŠdressing and wigging. Rebecca is, though, adorable in both wigs. Yes, fingers crossed!
Sally
I was thinking when I saw the outfit that it would be perfect for back-to-school but that was a long way off yet. I still think in terms of when I was a kid and we started school the day after Labor Day. While my dolly children don’t start until after Labor Day my grandkids go back I think August 22 so it looks like you’re actually right on time with this outfit. I think it’s beyond cute and the boots are perfect. And I love brown! One year when my kids were in school they went back August 15. That’s just crazy to me because there’s still a lot of summer left and getting them focused on school when they wanted to go to the pool was very difficult.
No, Dorothy L, I have not tried changing any of my RRFF’s wigs. Even the thought scares me. I actually like what they arrived in and I’m sticking to the originals so I can’t seem to be interested in any of the new Bella’s, etc., with different colored hair. When it comes to hair I’ve got no imagination. I have changed the wigs on some of my dolls, but usually stick to the same color as before. When my kids were growing up I told them they could wear all the funky clothes they liked (including once one neon green sock and one neon pink sock because those were the colors in the outfit), but they had to leave the hair alone. I guess I conveyed that thought to my dolly girls too because they never ask unless their hair is suffering from serious dry rot (as Ginny and my two rescue dolls did).
My creative instincts just don’t seem to extend to anything above the neck, and that includes hair adornments and changing eye colors. I get e-mails from Doll of a Kind. They sell really interesting eyes for dolls. I look but I’m just not adventurous enough to buy. Some of them make the dolls look very strange.
Dorothy in PA and the World please take a picture of your Lissy when she feels ready for a public appearance. I have Cotton Candy Lissy. I think she was a Convention doll one year but I got her on eBay. She is such a pretty little doll.
Dear Barbara, I promise to show a photo as soon as my Lissy (now called Alyssa) has been strung and has received something to wear.
I think you have a newer Lissy. My Lissy is from the 1960s, I believe.
If you come back to PA for a visit, our Lissys can take Afternoon Tea (smile).
Hi Barbara
I know what you mean about school starting already… we have a principal at our church and she said summer school ends soon and then the new school year starts…not much of a break for her…
That’s one thing I haven’t changed on my AG dolls… their wigs or their eyes… maybe some day… but I generally only buy dolls that I love and rarely want to change them….
Thanks Barbara,
Blessings, Jeanne
Barbara in SE TX, Iâm with you on the wigs. I built up quite a supply for my LDâs but generally have a bit of a struggle to get them on right and stay whether or not I use the silicone cap. I am buying my RRFF with hairstyles I like. I can barely manage my own hair! Getting older and lazier here.
Barbara, you made me laugh with the wigs and eyes. “Nothing above the neck” LOL. I second that!
Love the look and you have really nailed the romper. Not a brown fan especially for children but this really works. Maybe you should get an embroidery machine like my friend had then you could make any motifs to suit lol.
When I was at school we went back in the first week of Sep, I think they still do in UK. Unfortunately here the summer break has to fit around Christmas, it wouldn’t really work any other way so generally the younger ones finish on the Friday or so before Christmas day which is equivalent to end of June. They used to go back early Feb (equivalent to August) but decided on a 4 term year instead of 3 terms so shortened the summer break so they go back in Jan now. Feb is usually the hottest month of the year here and Jan often the wettest of the summer anyway so not sure how popular it is.
My two older boys have only a week between their birthdays, one 29 Jan and the other 3 Feb. Darren found it very frustrating that Rob was always on holiday for his birthday and he was always at school, sometimes the first day! Lol
Hi Anne,
Oh I already have an embroidery machine, but it was easier just to iron on an applique…
I probably should look through the patterns I’ve got …maybe I’ve had something all along…
My friend, Alba, in Colombia, South America, says school goes all year long there…with a few breaks through the year…I’m not sure if I was a kid, if I’d like that…
Thanks Anne,
Blessings, Jeanne
Lorna in the UK says
July 6, 2021 at 20:16 pm
Schools closing for the summer varies a bit round the UK but the school I work in finishes on 16th July for students and 21st for staff. We go back on the 1st September. It seems strange that you are looking towards school opening and new clothes when we are hanging on to finish for the summer đ
New clothes for school is very different over here as all students from the 4 year olds in reception to the 16 year olds have to wear a uniform (there are very few schools that don’t have uniforms) this is all schools not just the private ones. So instead of going out to find fun clothes for school I will be dragging a stroppy 12 year old out to find trousers that are acceptable to the school, black, not too tight, not too skinny or a plain black skirt knee length and not tight, plain black polishable shoes, white shirts a tie and I’m hoping her blazer will still fit this year and the school PE kit. Get it wrong and she risks being sent home when uniforms are checked. Of course her idea of what is suitable and the schools don’t always agree.
Lorna, I taught part of my career in a parochial school and am an ardent fan of school uniforms. They reduce everyone to a âlevel playing fieldâ. Interesting reading about school terms in the UK and Australia.
Hi Lorna
It sounds like you have your work cut out for you and your daughter… finding the perfect pieces for her perfect uniform look…I hope you succeed…
My daughter is 5’9″ and just finding pants long enough for her is a real job…she is always searching and ordering and trying on to find something…
Have fun getting ready for the new year!
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, This outfit is soooooooo adorable for your doll. I love the fact that she calls him Jo Jo. I had a coconut piggy bank that my sister and I and our brother each had when we were little kids and mine was called Jo Jo. They looked like monkeys on a wooden platform and they had a slit in the coconut head and we put our pennies in it to save. I believe they were each made in Florida around the area where our Great Grandmother from Sweden lived in Kississimme, Florida. So cute. Keep up the good work. I don’t know how you sell these adorable creations. I would have such a hard time parting with any of them. Hope you and your family had a wonderful 4th of July?
Hi Elaine
It’s funny you had a JoJo….the reason I picked the name JoJo was because my sister Cindy had a monkey named JoJo… my family actually had a wreck and JoJo was lost somewhere in the mess…
We had a very uneventful 4th, but it was nice…we did what we wanted and everyone was happy…
Selling my doll outfits is what I do…there have been a few I have wanted to keep… but it brings me joy to know others love seeing my followers outfits on their dolls…
Thanks Elaine,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, The monkey romper just works! Now that the Fourth is over I let my mind wander towards autumn with the brown blouse and boots and nubby stockings. Good luck with the auctions for the rompers!
Debbie
Thank you Debbie
Fall will be here before we know it…I guess maybe I’m just starting early so I can get more in!! :o)
Thanks so much!
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne.
I am not a monkey fan, but I love the outfit!! It all works so well together!
I LOVE the stockings; the fabric you chose is perfect!!
Another great outfit – well done!