Happy Saturday everyone!
I hope you have something fun planned for today…Me? Well, I have things to do and places to go and things to fix, and dresses and pants and shirts to hem, and a myriad of other things planned for today! I plan to have a fun day… hope you do too!
The number of guests has increased to 20! Still a small crowd, but it will be nice and cozy… I’m used to planning couple’s parties where there are lots more than this so I should be able to pull this off… with lots of help from my sisters! :o)
Yes, Joy, that IS a grabber on the wall… my hubby has 4 or 5 of them placed strategically in various places around the house, in the garage and even in his truck! Good eye! Oh please, let me get through 65 before I start thinking of 70! I bet that one IS hard!
I remember when my mom turned 80, we asked her how old she felt and she said 21! I hope I can feel the same way!! :o)
Sally, when I think of the “gold” in ice cream, my favorite is a Peanut Buster Parfait! I just love those things! Rebecca did find what she wanted for some earrings… just some gold findings and she added some dangle things at the bottom… I’ll try and get a picture of them…
Linda, back on Mother’s Day, I got a very pretty pair of earrings and a beautiful necklace to match it. I haven’t worn them yet as they are very dressy, but maybe I was saving them for this wedding and just didn’t know it! :o)
Barbara, one of these days I’m hoping the major projects on our house will be done and we can just spend our time dabbling with things like changing pictures around or rearranging the furniture! That will be the day! Some days I wake up too, feeling like I’m 30, but as soon as my feet hit the floor, I realize it was just a dream… :o(
Rebecca certainly is her own person and she has ideas that most brides would never think of… she is a very non-conformist at most things… but she always loves the way things turn out!
Anne, I would have LOVED to have seen the Great British Sewing Bee.. I didn’t ever know that show existed… I might have to look it up online and see what it’s about. It sounds really fun to watch! I love the Great British Baking show!!!
Well, it’s time to show you the tiny doll I was talking about… Charlotte sent me this email…
“Hi Jeanne,
I thought I’d send you some pictures of the smallest doll I’ve ever sewn for.
There was an elderly gentleman (since gone to heaven) in our church who had a tiny doll that had originally belonged to his older sister, and he asked me if I thought I could make a dress for it; at the time, he just had a piece of ribbon wrapped around it, but it went on the Christmas tree every year, and he would like to see her dressed a little better!! (This man, John, was of the same generation as my father, and, in fact, reminded me of my father in many ways. He was such a dear, and he was every bit as nice and kind as my own dad was. I loved him.) Anyway, I said I would try.
The first picture shows the doll (who had lost her arms at some point in her history) next to my seam gauge, with her “clothes” that she had been wearing on the other side of her. As you can see, she was only 3″ tall. Since she was so tiny, I decided that only natural fibers would work well and have enough softness and drape to them to look appropriate.
The second picture shows her in the pink silk dress I made for her. It was, I believe, a scrap or perhaps a fat quarter of some silk fabric I had on hand. I basically made a tube of the silk, edging the neck with some dainty lace and the bottom of the dress with some embroidered trim that I had on hand.
Then I read an article, while I was finishing up that pink dress, about how you could make “arms” for a tiny doll by taking a length of ribbon and putting a knot in it, and folding it at the knot, so the knot serves as a hand, and the two ribbon parts together form the “arm”. I decided to try another dress, and this time give the little girl some arms. So that is what I did! I used batiste for the dress, made two small tubes into which I inserted the silk ribbon “arms/hands”, then stitched them onto the dress at the right spots, gathered up the neck, and added some red trim. It looks like I made a little petticoat for underneath, too–probably from a piece of eyelet.
As I recall, I did a fair bit of hand sewing on this project, which was done about 10 years ago. John was very happy with the results. I don’t know if his wife still has the doll and her dresses, or if one of their daughters has it now.
It was actually rather challenging to think just how to dress such a tiny doll; the fact that she had no arms did, in a way, make it easier, because I didn’t have to worry about armholes and such. I’m sure glad I came across that way to make little “arms” for her, though–I think it made a difference in the second dress!
Charlotte
Thanks Charlotte, I think she’s adorable with those ribbon arms and I had never seen that tip before, so I learned something new here today!
I also received an email from Joy this afternoon… Dolly fever struck her again and this time it was an adorable 11″ Meadow Doll, named Coco, who came to live in California. She will be in good company with all those other sisters of Joys! She is a real cutie and has teeth that can be taken out if you like! :o)
Thank you ladies!
See you Monday!
Blessings, Jeanne
What a nice surprise to see my pictures on your blog tonight, Jeanne! I will try to read comments and answer any questions tomorrow night, but not sure how late it will be (I’m the night owl!), so if you ask a question, you might want to check back.
Joy, your little Coco is just adorable!! I have yet to succumb to one of these Meadow dolls; I suppose it is just a matter of time.
Jeanne, I’m glad things are falling together for the wedding, Rebecca found the things she wanted for her earrings, etc. Your house is looking better and better all the time!!
Also, about aging….the one that “got” me was turning 40. Oh, I did NOT want to turn 40!! Don’t even tease me about it!! Don’t even!! And then….I turned 40, and it was like, what was the big deal?!!! Now I’m 75, and sometimes wish I could be 40 again, just to have that kind of energy, etc.!! Turning 65, even 70…no biggy. Hope it’ll turn out to be like that for you, too, Jeanne!
I’m sorry I didn’t get to read the blog last night; it was a VERY long day, and I was exhausted. I was in bed by 1 a.m., which is unusually early for me, and got probably close to 9 hours of sleep last night. I feel Much better today!
The reason I was so tired: I was to play for a funeral today, so yesterday right after lunch I headed up to Zion (which, years ago, was a church my dad served as pastor) and practiced on the organ, which had just been fixed a couple of days before, and the pipes were to be tuned later that day.
From Zion I went down to my own church, Grace, and ran thru all my prelude music, timing it. I found I was over, so was able to remove 2 or 3 pieces from the bunch. I also ran thru the music for Sunday for our own church.
From there, the grocery store. Also fixed supper, did a load of wash, washed the dishes….I think I was just about asleep on my feet by the time I got to the computer, so I wasn’t on nearly as long as usual!
I’m happy to say that, for the most part, the music went pretty well, and I had some nice comments. Gemma, the daughter of the lady whose funeral it was, was just thrilled that the organ was working! (When I tried it three weeks ago, it was not, so decided to just use the piano.) I didn’t try using the pedalboard, as I had very little actual practice time on the organ itself, but I think the music went okay, overall.
On FB tonight, I wrote, “I have become my mother.” (She used to be organist at Zion during some of the years my dad was the pastor.) When I got home tonight, there were a few little tears; daddy has been gone 16 years, and momma, 14.
One last bit: One of the attendees today was Gail, my college suitemate!! She had been Bernice’s last boss before Bernice retired. We had a lovely reunion, including hugs. I’ve known Gail since 1967!
Charlotte, thatās simply genius to be able to make the little doll whole again. Thanks for taking such great pictures so youād be able to share them with us years later. How did you know to look up how to make the arms? I hope the doll has an honored place on the familyās Christmas tree this year.
I hope you only have fun as the only thing left to do, Jeanne, before the wedding. Youāve got me so interested that I checked the weather ten days out. Looks like itāll rain itself out most of the week and be pleasant for the wedding! Happy for Rebecca having exactly the wedding she wants.
Hi Charlotte you’ve got the energizer bunny thing going on just like Jeanne! I actually got tired reading what your day entailed… you deserve an early to bed pass! LOL You are on facebook? So am I … add me as a friend if you like ->
https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.banach
Dear Charlotte, what a cutie doll and what lovely outfits. I would name the doll Pinky. I am not sure why. Maybe because she is only as tall as one’s pinky.
It was nice of you to create a wardrobe for her.
Jeanne and Joy, I too have the adorable Cocco doll and mine has her teeth in, because that shows her cute little over bite. I had that over bite as a thumb sucking kid and just had to have that doll. I got her at MDCC.
Charlotte, I love what you did with the tiny doll. The ribbon arms added so much to her.
Jeanne, as always, I may be silent most of the time, but I read every day. I am enjoying both the construction work, wedding excitement and photos from other.
Oh, how fun that you also have Cocco. Saw some pics of the convention and glad that you were able to attend. Wish I could go to one too. Maybe some day. I suspect that my cutie will arrive next week. Can’t wait to see that overbite. I’m sure she’ll be waving at your Cocco and Sissi too. š
Happy to hear that the wedding guest list will now accommodate a few more. Should be perfect. Getting excited now as the day is fast approaching. I know you mentioned making little cakes. I think I remember you made some cute cakes for a shower or something and used store bought cakes but did special icing? Maybe that would be a way to cut something off of the to do list as a time saver? We don’t want the mother of the bride to have deep circles under her eyes from lack of sleep now do we. š
Thanks Charlotte and Jeanne for sharing the vintage dolly fix. The ribbon arms add so much to her presentation. I’m sure she was very happy too.
I’m excited that Cocco will be headed this way next week. So many have been in the name drawings that I didn’t think I had a chance to purchase her, but lucked out this time. Only Dumpling made for this year. Guess I’ll have to make another Camp Meadow outfit. Good thing I have more fabric. š
Here, smoky like yesterday, but the wind is due to change soon. Fortunately, after our extreme heat yesterday, the fog rolled in so it is much cooler this morning. Definitely going to be an itchy eye day today. Maybe I’ll get some sewing done as anything outside is not recommended.
Dear Joy, Coco is adorable. I certainly understand dolly “fever.” I didn’t really have it until I joined my local doll club and then “boom!” I caught it.
Right now I am looking for a Kaye Wiggs Holly in the Sunkissed tone. After that, I am sure that another dolly will be on my must have list (laugh).
Hi Jeanne! I’m like Sissy – silent most of the time, but do read and enjoy your blog every day, no matter if it’s sewing, remodeling, wedding prep, whatever… š
But I had to comment today, to wish my “one year older twin” a very Happy Birthday tomorrow! I will have another year to fret the big “65”, and all that fun medicare stuff that goes along with it. Have already been through it with hubby, and I find it all so confusing. But, I’ll muddle through! š
So have a great day! I’ve got some Godiva molten lava cakes I think I’ll indulge in!
Charlotte,
What a perfect way to make that little Dolly have arms and it made so much of a difference. Even the fact he wanted that little doll to look better is so sweet. Your busy day wore me out just reading about it!āŗļø
Joy your Cocoa has the most lovable expression. Canāt wait to see her among her cousins. Whoever does those Meadows faces has a way of capturing childrenās looks to a āTā.
Jeanne you will have a day as busy as Charlottes was yesterday. Weddings are lots of preparations but so much fun.
Iām late to the conversation today, but it is oh, so much fun to read everyoneās comments! Iām usually the second one to make a comment, so I miss all the fun, you might say!
Oh, Charlotte, that little dolly is such a tiny little thing, but you have given her a new lease on life! She looks so much happier now that she has arms! A little pair of wings could have turned her into an angel! Great job on the dress and arms, Charlotte, and I am sure the owner is so happy about her now!
So you are a church organist! So was my mother, and she did that for over 50 years! We always had pianos and organs at our house and I miss hearing my mother play. There is something special about a church organist!
Joy, that is one of the cutest little Meadow dolls I have ever seen! I too would love to see that cute āoverbiteā!
Tomorrow is the ābigā day for a special someoneā that has given us so much joy through these years and has invited us to share in her life, the ups and downs, happiness and tears. I have loved every minute of it, dear Jeanne, and you deserve a special day just for you! You are still young, at least to me!
My, Jeanne, it’s go go go go . It’s nice a few more people will enjoy Rebecca’s special day. As to your special day, I have two sayings for you. Like your mom said “You’re only as old as you feel” and my personal favorite is you take your age and subtract 21 from it. So, for example, I’m 53 and I say I’m 21 with 32 years of experience. or I could be 18 with 35 years of experience. š
How sweet you were able to fix the tiny doll and even give her arms, Charlotte. She reminds me a little of the Frozen Charlottes my mom has from childhood. I’m sure your efforts were most appreciated.
Congratulations on your latest Meadow doll, Coco, Joy. I’m sure she’s fitting right in with the rest of your cuties. I love her red hair and pretty eyes. At least the pet and dolly worlds are safe from the Covid scourge.
LOL Laura love it! Looks like Oct 10th I’ll have 40 years of experience!
Thank you Charlotte for sharing your tiny doll experience. Making the arms was inspirational, she looks so much better.
Jeanne Happy birthday, you share it with my youngest son Russell who is 42 today. It won’t be his usual celebration (which Mum doesn’t get to go to thank goodness!!!!) because we are in lockdown but I hope your family spoil you today.
Charlotte, I spent my 40th birthday travelling from UK so was in the air for most of it. Although it wasn’t a conscious decision, I think I changed a lot after that birthday. My husband obviously noticed because when we were breaking up he said our marriage had been in trouble for several years! He obviously didn’t like the new me!
We had 82 new cases yesterday, all in Auckland bringing our total to 429, and although it wasn’t spelled out I think they were mostly from the Samoan Church cluster. It was unfortunate that there were so many people at that service and then so many others connected to those people. As long as they can connect new cases to other known cases the Government is happy that it is contained even though the cases keep growing. It is when it escapes and starts showing up randomly that it is a worry which is why we are still in lockdown, it is the only way to prevent that happening.
The first few days of Lockdown the weather cooperated but unfortunately the rain started on Friday and has continued on and off since then. It makes it hard for families, kids start to get cabin fever. So does my dog! He only got a short walk yesterday and it will be the same today if the rain doesn’t stop.
Have a lovely day Jeanne and I will see you Tuesday.
Hello, CHARLOTTE!
Seeing your transformation of that wee dolly into a very attractive ornament was really interesting. Adding the arms was a brilliant idea, and it all came together so wonderfully. How sweet that your friend John asked you to make something for his sisterās doll. Itās not often that we see a man being sentimental over an object like this. What a lovely story and wonderful outcome. Thank you and Jeanne for sharing these photos and story with us.
JOY, that little Cocco is as cute as baby Jahniah the other day. I just want to pinch and squeeze them both as they are so darling. Congratulations: I do think you won the cream of the crop there. We are all looking forward to hearing how you will manage to slip this newcomer into your house. Good luck! And Miss Cocco will feel much more at home when she gets her own Camp Meadow outfit. Glad you still have some extra fabric. Were you, by chance, anticipating increasing camp enrollment when you were buying fabric???
JEANNE, happy birthday tomorrow. Medicare is fantastic, and so are Peanut Buster Parfaits! Man, when I read that, I remembered going to our local DQ back in NH and having those, and sometimes taking a box of the Peanut Buster Bars to take home for the freezer. Well, my friend, I hope there is one of those in store for you VERY soon. Enjoy a bite for me, please. It has been too many years. š„²But when we move back to NH, I am going to indulge. Good choice, Jeanne!!
Love reading everyoneās comments, always. Everyone enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Hugs,
Sally
I’m late to the blog today. I was out trying to put the finishing touches on cleaning up the garden that Skyy helped me with a week ago. It’s looking tidy but it will be next spring before it sees any new flowers. I’m trying to decide how best to do it with containers so I need to do a lot of research. Ideas from anyone would be much appreciated. I’m really out of my element here. But I had to tell Charlotte what a wonderful job she did on those tiny doll dresses. She looks so sweet in both dresses. The second one looks very Christmasy and that is great for being an ornament on a Christmas tree.
And Joy’s Cocco, those dolls just keep getting cuter and cuter. Obviously we want pictures after she gets to her new home. I do want to know how Joy gets so many dolly children into her house under the radar. I only have one Meadow doll. I’m still hoping for a Dumpling Bailey one day. Right now I have to wait a little while on more expensive dolls. But I am itching to get another Little Darling. Maybe I can order one as a Christmas present from hubby this year.
I’m a conservative/traditionalist myself but my daughter is the opposite. She pretty much put her own wedding together, along with her fiancĆ© so I was a little bit like a guest in seeing things for the first time. It was a venue wedding at a Plantation House in College Station, TX. She made her own gown and it was simple but very sweet.
I was more involved in my son’s wedding. His wife had a difficult childhood. Her mother left her dad leaving behind two children when she was just two months old. Over the years she lived off and on with whatever relatives would take them in or with her dad and a new wife or girlfriend who usually had their own daughter and acted like she was chopped liver. So she never really had a mother. I was glad to fill the bill and we had fun picking out her gown and flowers and getting things set up for the wedding. It really has taken us awhile to develop a solid relationship because, simply put, she didn’t trust “mothers”. Aside from what happened in her childhood, she was married for a few months a few years before she met my son and her ex-mother-in-law didn’t want his son to marry her so she made her life difficult. She did everything she could to break them up and finally managed to do so. Dionne is a strong woman to go through what she has and come out the loving mother she is. Even while she was working overtime to reject me and assumed I was in collaboration with my son to once again make her life miserable, I still had a lot of respect for her. The only thing we still haven’t resolved is her not allowing me to sew for the grandkids. Still haven’t figured that one out but I’m not taking it personal.
How great you have the perfect jewelry for the wedding. I never wear anything but simple jewelry usually but it’s nice to have something for special occasions.
Hi Jeanne,
Happy almost Birthday! Hope you enjoy your special day. The hallway project looks great. Wonderful idea painting everything white, it’ll look fresh and oh so pretty. I love the farmhouse vibe!
Charlotte, that is the cutest little doll. It reminds me of a Kewpie doll. What you did to freshen it up was genius. Wouldn’t it be fun if you found out it now decorates Johns grandchildrens christmas tree.
Joy, what fun another Meadow! Coco is the only new Meadow doll this year, you lucky girl you! I’m loving her little toothy grin!
Hugs to all
Ingrid
Dear Jeanne, happy Saturday to you also. Can you believe that Wednesday will bring us September?
Last Wednesday, I traveled all the way to Brittany, France and returned home 90 minutes later! Of course, I did this via Zoom. I have been “traveling” with Girl Travel Tours for a few months.
Next week I am “time traveling” to Victorian England. It’s free.
I will place the link below in case any of the Sofa Sisters want to be traveling companions.
https://www.girltraveltours.com/virtual-tours
Thank you all for the nice comments. Susette, I think I saw something online–just came across it by happenstance, really–about making those little ribbon arms. Wish I’d known about that when I did the pink dress, too, but at least I gave her arms for the one dress!
Ingrid, I did “Friend” you on FB!
Linda, I’m actually a pianist, but I have played organ at times in the past (and my mom, who really Was an organist, taught organ lessons at our church in Mich., and I was one of her students for a while), so when I found out the organ was repaired after all, I decided to go ahead and try it, as a special surprise for Gemma (the daughter of the lady who died). And she was SO thrilled! I was really happy it worked out as well as it did.
Sally, John was of the same generation as my dad (my dad was born in 1916 and I think John was in 1919), and I think men of that generation were sometimes a little–for lack of a better word–“sweeter” than most men are these days. Not effeminate at all, but just a different kind of gentleman. John reminded me of my dad in many ways–somewhat in looks, but also mannerisms. Even my girlfriend Joyce commented on it, when she met him.
Ingrid, John had two daughters, several grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren! His wife is still alive, so I’m not sure if she still has that little doll or if she’s passed it along to someon.
I hope I’ve answered everyone’s questions! Thanks again for all the nice comments. I’m off to bed–Sunday School and church tomorrow!
Happy Birthday! Enjoy your day and take some time for yourself today. You have been non stop for weeks and deserve it.
Waves hello to everyone from her bed rather than her sofa. I’ve been reading everyday but replying is difficult. Had a fall in the middle of the night (I have a severe balance issue)and hurt my neck. Am okay….just painful.
Hello, dear Sandra,
I am so very sorry to hear about your fall and balance issues. Please take care of yourself, and I sure hope you have help nearby. Balance becomes quite a problem, doesnāt it? Iām having trouble with falls and will be starting PT to improve it. Have you tried PT?
Sending you prayers and all my best wishes,
Sally