Thanks everyone, for your kind comments on the presentation I submitted to the Little Darling doll forum. I enjoyed writing it and putting my thoughts about the dolls on paper. I had LOTS of notes about the Little Darling dolls and tried to make it flow as best I could. They truly are fun to sew for and I enjoy seeing what I can come up with that’s different from what I’ve made in the past.
I hope your Thanksgiving plans are coming along and you find everything you need to make your food for Thursday. :o)
Rebecca and Karn arrived but after dinner and some chit chat, they were tired and went to bed. I thought this was the perfect time to show these pictures.
Linda sent me some wonderful pictures of her girls dressed up and I’m sure you’ll want to see them. This was her email to me…
A day or so ago, someone mentioned something about hanky dresses, and patterns for them from the House of Biscotti. Well, lo and behold, I remembered that I bought a hanky dress from House of Biscotti about 6 years ago! A dear friend gifted me with a beautiful knitted cape and hat for Betsy.. I was looking for a dress to go with it, and happened to find this hanky dress that matched up perfectly from House of Biscotti! While it was ready made, she did include a pattern so that I could make my own too. I really don’t have any hankies to do that, but if I did find something I might give it a try. It is a very delicate hanky, beige/pink with taupe flowers, a very sweet piece that matched up so well with the flowers on the cape.
Here are the pictures, one with the cape and hat, one with a side view, and one with the dress by itself. It’s not your usual bright colored outfit, but a very classic version and makes Betsy feel very grown up!
Then Linda sent me some more pictures of her girls in their Thanksgiving attire! I know you’ll love these…
This is what Linda wrote me about these pictures…
The first two pictures were taken a couple of years ago, but I thought they would work. The first is a pictures of the 40’s girls in a Thanksgiving school play. The second one is Molly and Susan breaking the wishbone. It is from a rotisserie chicken and it was the perfect size!
Next is now. Cecile and Kirsten are together, and doesn’t Kirsten look like a little servant girl? I just put her meet dress and a pretty apron together and when I looked at the picture, it looked like she was doing the serving!
Felicity is going to spend Thanksgiving at the Governor’s Palace! She is wearing one of Caroline’s dresses, and some Jeanne Marie fingerless gloves!
Next the 50’s girls with their pet turkey who seems to have escaped from being turned into dinner this year!
Then the modern girls, who wanted to go “glam” this year!
Hope this helps and have a wonderful thanksgiving with your family all gathered around your table!
It DID help, Linda! Thanks SO much! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving as well!
Joy is going to have a new girl join her family of Ruby Red Fashion Friend dolls… this is Alexandra…and she’s coming all the way from Russia… but not sure how long it will take for her to get to California… Hopefully for Joy’s sake… SOON! :o)
This came from Susette…also in CA.
I bought the dress and pinafore on eBay as well as the shawl which came from Canada 🍁 🇨🇦. Bella Rock Star is ready for Thanksgiving! I made a shawl rather exactly like that for myself about 50 years ago. I’ll send along a picture of mine.
These are some of my other dolls. A dear friend made the ⛄️ Snowman who’s out for Christmas. The picture is of my father’s mother.
Thank you, Susette! Your shawl and Bella’s are almost identical… just lovely!
Well, that’s it for today!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
What a fun post tonight!
Did Rebecca comment on your new guest room? I was wondering what she thought of all the changes to “her” room…
I don’t remember who first mentioned House of Biscotti patterns, but I’m the one who said I’d gone to the web site and bought three of them, including the hanky dress. Nice to see it all made up, and Betsy is, indeed, very grown-up looking in her PARIS frock!! (The hanky is from Paris!!) Loved your other pictures, too, Linda. The one with Molly and Susan pulling the wishbone is so cute, and I love Felicity in Cecile’s dress! So elegant, and really well-suited to her!
Judging by the picture, your Alexandra is going to be a lovely addition to your family, Joy!!
Susette, your Bella looks lovely in her outfit and shawl. Interesting the hers looks so much like the one you made for yourself! I love the snowman, too.
Last night was rough; Ron had a seizure in his sleep. I’ve suspected for a while now that his “shaky episodes” have been seizures, and this proved my case. He slept thru most of it (6-7 minutes) until I called his name to make sure I could rouse him, so he does remember a little of it. I did let the neurologist know this morning; Ron goes in on the 3rd (and couldn’t get in before that–I asked). Tonight he was feeling a little uneasy about going to bed, but I told him, it’s probably the safest place he could be in a seizure, all the soft bedding and everything! So he’s in there sleeping now (and I’m headed that way momentarily). I’ll keep you all posted. (Oh, and today I had to have a filling, and have a sore jaw now. If it’s not one thing, it’s another!)
Hi, Charlotte, I’m the one who first mentioned the House of Biscotti patterns. When I went to her website after you said you had bought three, I realized I had a lot of her patterns and they tend to be some I return to often.
I am so sorry to hear about Ron. It’s tough when you can’t get in to see a doctor right away and you have to worry. I will continue praying for the best for you and Ron.
Dear Charlotte, I will be praying for your household. Charlotte Noelle sends BIG hugs.
It certainly looks like Thanksgiving week has arrived! I love seeing what others have to show, and thank you Jeanne, for showing my pictures. I’m so happy that others also send in pictures, so I don’t feel like I am “taking over” with mine!
Joy, I certainly hope that Alexandra gets to you soon! She is darling!
Susette, Stella looks amazing In her new dress and I absolutely love that apron! So crisp and fresh looking! I too, can’t get over how her stole matches yours! I had no idea you had such a talent to crochet that beautiful stole! Love the snowman!
Charlotte, my thoughts are with you. Health is a precious thing, and harder to hang onto the older we get. You seem to be doing the lions share in taking care of Ron, and he is lucky to have you! I hope your tooth issues get resolved as soon as possible!
I would love to see your hanky dresses!
Glad Becca & Karn arrived safely. Long drive. Did Reuben go nuts?
So happy that Linda did the Thanksgiving scenes. Love seeing the fun photos with extraordinary details. That wishbone is tops! The modern girls are so cute, especially Betsy in that great hanky dress. Everything Linda does with her dolls is magical. 🙂
Susette’s, Bella, has a wonderful dress and the shawl is perfect. Then I saw the one that Susette made, some time ago, and had a great laugh because I too made a white shawl way back then. Hers is lovely, and mine much more of that of an amateur, but I can remember my younger cousin borrowing it to wear to her prom. That was a long time ago. The first thing I crocheted was a poncho. Now, that really was a long time ago. I’ll have to see if I can find that shawl. I think I still have it somewhere. Thanks for the memories Susette. 🙂 And I forgot. What a wonderful photo of your grandmother. You are so lucky to have it.
Thanks for sharing the fun photos Jeanne. And I might add, don’t go to Costco today unless really necessary. We dropped by around 10:30 yesterday and found the gas pump lines snaking around the parking lot. (They have the cheapest gas anywhere and right now it is a fortune for many to fill up.) I’m sure inside was crowded too. We passed on the gas and did other errands. 🙂
When I just hit submit, it went to the dreaded blank face. So, I right clicked and hit reload and miracle, it submitted again. Also said that the server might be down for repair or something like that. UGH.
When you see the blank screen, scroll up to see whatever your post is there. Iv found it just above the blank screen.
Nice to know that thing about the right click and reload!! Hope I remember that, should the case arise!!
Where do I start?! All the pictures are fantastic. Betsy’s hanky dress is absolutely beautiful and with the cape and hat she does indeed look very grown up. I always love Linda’s pictures. She seems to have all she needs to create a lovely tableau – food, furniture and most of all the dolls to pull it all off.
I love Susette’s picture of Stella in the beautiful pinafore dress. Stella looks absolutely lovely, and she looks very pretty in her crocheted shawl. The shawl Susette made is wonderful. I can’t believe how closely her shawl and Stella’s match. I love the final picture of the dolls and snowman and how wonderful Susette has such a lovely picture of her father’s mother.
By the Sea Maya arrived yesterday afternoon. She is busy getting acquainted with the rest of her dolly family. She is too cute. Joy mentioned the Maru Mini Pals yesterday and I said I have one, Savannah. Well now my second one is on the way. Her name is Chloe and she looks so precious I could not pass her up. Samantha’s Dolls is having a sale so of course I had to check things out. I was at first going for a Sylvia Natterer Minouche (Romy), which I still definitely want, but I could only afford one at a time and Chloe got in my head and wouldn’t leave so Chloe it is. My Les Cheries is also named Chloe so I’m going to have to come up with a middle name for this one. She reminds me of a doll I saw on the Dianna Effner doll collection auction website.
We will be going to Sean’s for Thanksgiving. Since we haven’t been to church in a few weeks and I went by myself last Sunday because I had a luncheon meeting to attend, I haven’t seen my grandkids in three weeks. I need a grandkid fix which I will get on Thursday. David usually makes the pumpkin and cherry pies but obviously this year his energy is limited so Sean will be here tomorrow to help him do the pies. Sean is quite the cook these days and loves being in the kitchen. After he’s finished here tomorrow he will go home and bake some pecan pies. I sure wish he would have had this cooking inclination when he was growing up and I was working. I usually didn’t get home until 6 p.m. and coming home to a meal occasionally would have been better than having to create one when I got home. I always wished my creative inclination would have been for cooking rather than sewing because cooking was something I had to do but didn’t find as fun and rewarding as my sewing and other craft endeavors.
Wishing a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving Day to you and all my sofa sisters. Enjoy your time with Rebecca and Karn. Can’t wait to see pictures.
lol Barbara. I’m not much of a gardener and my dad once said “Why don’t you make gardening your hobby instead of sewing (and other crafts)?” I tried to explain that hobbies don’t work like that, you don’t choose hobbies they choose you! I often wish I loved gardening and cooking instead of all the other things I do!!!
Dear Jeanne, I am so happy that the newlyweds have arrived. I am sure there were hugs all around.
I love the dolly photos today. Susette’s pictures are so sweet. Linda’s girls are definitely having a nice time.
Your hanky dress is lovely.
Since you were talking about patterns, I wanted to share some pattern information. I know this is shocking coming from the non-sewer, non-crafter, non-cook, but here it is. Martha Boers of Antique Lilac sometimes posts information about her patterns. She sews for BJDs, small ones and fashion sized one. Here is a link to information about a free pattern:
https://www.antiquelilac.com/naomi-jacket-outfit—gallery-2021.html
Happy Thanksgiving to you and the Sofa Sisters. Gobble, gobble!
Omgosh….I just wrote the longest post ever complimenting everyone, concern, and Thanksgiving wishes and it is GONE😵💫🥴
Hugs to you all…appreciated every post!
So sorry about your post. Mine also went blank after I sent. There was a note that the server may be down or something like that and to try again later. I was able to right click and refresh and my post reappeared. Lucky me. But so sad about yours.
Hello, sisters!
First, I missed yesterday. Jeanne, it’s always such a pleasure to see your sweet LD’s and all the superb outfits you have made. It was such a pleasure to read and see your presentation. Thank you so much.
Good to hear the kids arrived safely. I’ll bet little Reuben was one ecstatic little guy. Did the kids rave about the changes in the house since the wedding? Sure hope so, because all that work has made a stupendous difference. Enjoy each other.
Linda, I tip my hat to you. You get so into your truly delightful tableaux and are so kind to share the photos with us. Seeing how you take the time to get little items attached to their fingers makes me appreciate that effort so much. Even in better days, doing that was so frustrating so I just stopped. Thank you so much. And little Betsy looks wonderful. I own several Biscotti outfits that Linda made and smocked. Of course, I have never made anything with her patterns.
Susette, Miss Bella has perfect coloring for that dear outfit and what fun about the shawls! Like the others, I admire that old photo in the oval frame. Thank you for sharing. Some of our ancestors got painted and those wonderful paintings are on a wall in the great room of our former house in NH. It’s fun going back to say hi to them and playing a few songs on my baby grand that had to be left there, too. Love old connections.
Joy, my Alexandra is cheering yours on. Hope the trip is smooth. My fingers are crossed that my BTS dolls arrive today or tomorrow when I can get the box inside without Mr. Snorty and roller of the eyes noticing.
Barbara, good for you. Glad Maya joined your group. I think she is a hoot. And how great that Sean will help with pies. David’s next knee gets done next week or the following? Sure sounds like he has sailed through this extremely well. That is super.
Charlotte, all my best to you and Ron. Those seizures have to be so awfully unsettling.
My kitchen is smelling of the jalapeño cheddar bread I am baking right now. The loaves of rosemary olive oil have been torn up to dry for the stuffing. So glad everything is here so no more visits to the store for any provisions. We are set. Our two dearest friends will be joining us. As Tom said, “the season for eating has arrived!” And as a post of FB has said, showing a cartoonish turkey, “Don’t forget to turn your scales back 15 pounds the night before Thanksgiving!”
Happy Thanksgiving dear Jeanne and sofa sisters.
Betsy looks lovely, Linda, and I see it’s a Paris original as well. Your ’40s girls look great and Ruthie is especially sweet in Felicity’s work dress. That was the one outfit from her PC collection I didn’t feel the need to have. I stopped with the Town Fair and purple Travel dress when it was part of the story story.
Love all you other photos. i think Addy’s plaid summer dress apron looks great on Kirsten. I like that whole outfit on my Shiloh (Marie-Grace) because of all the ruffles.
Alexandra is a sweetie, Joy. Congrats on your new addition and hope she arrives soon.
Bella looks beautiful in her dress and shawl. which is indeed almost identical to yours.
Your display is so pretty.
I’m sure you wil enjoy the time with Rebecca and Karn, Jeanne. I, too, wonder what Rebecca thought about the changes to her old room.
So sorry to hear about Ron’s seizures, Charlotte. Praying the doctor has some answers for you when you go.
Thanksgiving blessings to all the sofa sisters
Jeanne, I am sure you are having a wonderful time with Rebecca and Karn. I bet Rueben was excited to see her!
Loved the photos today. Linda the handkerchief dress is just lovely. Makes me want to go out and find handkerchiefs to use .The cape and hat are just lovely too.
Susette, Bella looks wonderful and I love the shawl. They were very popular in the 70’s and one year I made one for Christmas for several people. I was working then and had a twenty minute+ bus ride twice a day so I would take my crocheting with me and work on the bus and at lunch time at work. Luckily my stop was one of the first so I always got a seat! i think I still have the one I made for my Mum.
My Grandfathers were labourers so there wasn’t much money for painted portraits or even large photos. I have a lovely photo of my Dad’s mother at her sisters wedding, she was about 14 at the time, that is in the family scrapbook album that Sam and I did. Unfortunately Great-grandad Soons passed away very shortly after the wedding and that sister was the only one who got the fancy wedding. I don’t have any photos of my grandparents wedding on my fathers side but I do have one of my maternal grandparents also in the album.
Have a great Thanksgiving everyone, It is one celebration we haven’t ‘borrowed’ from you lol
Jeanne, I just read your presentation for the Little Darling Forum. Your journey of inviting them into your collection was so touching and comforting. I could not believe that I was considering buying one and my dolly best friend talked me out of purchasing for 3 months! Like you I kept returning to the website and staring at them for hours, listing my favorites and changing the order each morning. Finally in July I could not stand it anymore and completed my order. My dolly best friend caved a month later and now we wait. I just realized that I learned about the Little Darlings and the Ruby Red’s from following your blog!
We now officially live in North Carolina. Over 150 boxes are waiting to be unpacked.
Have a wonderful holiday with your family, especially the newlyweds. ❤️
Debbie (formerly of Tennessee)
Jeanne, I just read your presentation for the Little Darlings Forum. It was so touching and comforting to hear how they made their way to your collection. The first time I saw a Little Darling, or a Ruby Red was reading your blog. Like you I found the Doll Studio website and began a search for artists selling them. Everyday I found time to stare at their perfect faces, making lists of my favorites then reorganizing the list the next day. My dolly best friend talked me out of ordering for 3 months. Without telling her I finally ordered in July. She caved a month later. Now we wait and wait.
We are officially in North Carolina now surrounded by mountains of boxes but looking forward to our first Thanksgiving with our son in 10 years.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving with your family and the newlyweds!
Happy Thanksgiving to all! ❤️
Curious. I clicked on Becca’s corner at the top and found her jewelry for sale. Is that not connected to your Etsy site? Because it has things for sale etc. Maybe that part of your site wasn’t hacked?