Thanks to everyone who voted… There were 100 votes placed and a few of you even voted for a 4th dress…(I know it was hard to pick just three) but I only counted the top 3 you had chosen. I had a hard time choosing MY favorites too… maybe I’ll share my choices tomorrow…
Right now, let’s get to the voting…
In THIRD PLACE with 9 votes, we had a tie… the honor goes to Addy in “Winter Elegance” and Emmie in “Christmas Sparkle.” Let me show you why they were so popular…
It all started with this button I found at an Estate Sale… It went PERFECTLY with the fabric I already had at home.
Here is Emmie in “Christmas Sparkle.”
In the NUMBER 2 SPOT, 11 votes went to Felicity for “Colonial Spring!”
…and the NUMBER ONE DRESS GOES TO Rozen for “Victorian Charm!” It received 15 votes moving it to the top spot!
Two ladies on here, got the 3 top dresses right…not in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, place order… but they picked the right dresses…(having at least ONE of the dresses that was tied for 3rd place right.) Those ladies were Laura and Linda Gronvall… congratulations ladies… good choices…
Now that we know who wore the favorite dress of 2021, how about something fun… my sister Cindy, took down her Christmas tree yesterday and sent me a few pictures. One picture is just beautiful and the other is quite interesting…
Doesn’t that look like it came from a magazine? Even her MESSES look great!!
Cindy told me the branches were so dry and sharp that when they tried to take it out her door, it scraped and scratched the walls and door frame, so last year they discovered trimming off the branches and discarding them in a trash can worked well. But, it sure does look funny, bare like that, doesn’t it?
Well, I’ll have to see what is next for the new year!!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
I guess I’m not too surprised at the winners–they were all lovely dresses. I almost voted for Victoria Charm myself, but I liked my other choices better (at least at that moment!!).
Oh, my goodness, Cindy certainly does take her decorations off in an interesting and lovely way! I just normally pack them as I take them off–I know certain ones fit in certain places, so take them off in that order. And her tree…!! Having wrestled with dry trees in the past, her way of taking it apart before she takes it out certainly makes sense! She’ll probably still be vacuuming up needles for weeks, though!
I forgot to tell you, I finally finished those purses (will send pictures soon, I promise!) and last night made Ron a new mask. He was always complaining about the one mask being so hard to breathe in– it was three layers thick, and very dense! So his new one is two layers, and of slightly lighter weight fabrics, and he is much happier now.
There is also rejoicing among the dollies, because I have Finally started on Delaney’s smocked dress! I had the smocking done last summer/fall, and then it sat. She has been waiting and waiting for her turn for a smocked dress!
Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for voting…when it comes to favorites, there are bound to be lots of varied picks. Each person likes different outfits for different reasons.
I hope to make at least one smocked dress this year… I hope yours goes together quickly.
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
Well, how about that? Two of my 3 picks were in the list of winners, Felicity’s and Rozen’s! Can’t complain about that!
Cindy’s way of taking down her tree is quite interesting, but it wouldn’t work for me, since we have two artificial trees. I am in the middle of taking down the big tree now, and I am trying to keep ornaments that are similar together, but after awhile, it gets very hard to do, since you can’t find things when you want to. I have the candy canes together, that is easy, but the rest, good grief, people, food, animals, etc. it just gets worse every year, becuase I always get several new ornaments. I got the new Hallmark treadle sewing machine ornament, so cute!
I don’t know what just happened, but half of my comments just disappeared! Better close now before I lose it all!
Hi Linda,
Sorry about your comments disapearing….I wish I knew why that happens…
Have fun taking your tree down…I’m glad I only had one, instead of 2 like you…
I have a little sewing machine ornament, but don’t know offhand if it is Hallmark…
Thanks Linda,
I hope you are getting the sunshine we are today!
Blessings, Jeanne
A nice review of all your beautiful dresses, I am glad you are going to reveal your favorite, that was going to be my question. Also which one do you think took the most time? Those straw hats must take a bit of time. Also when you work up a new pattern like the rompers.
Two of my grandchildren go out in their back yard (woods) and cut a tree and they look almost as bad as Cindy from the beginning. That’s OK because it is free!
Have a good day, it is 22 here and the sun is bright!
Hi Sylvia,
It’s 22 degrees here too, with a wind chill of 14. A bit too chilly for me!!!
I will tell my favorite dress, hopefully tomorrow…and maybe give a little commentary of some others…
Thanks Sylvia,
Blessings, Jeanne
Interesting how Cindy undecorates. Lovely table view. Seeing that crispy tree reminds me why we have an artificial one, lights included, that just fits in the space we have available. However, even the artificial one leaves behind a few plastic needles. 🙂
I wonder what the first dress of 2022, will be? Maybe a snow parka or ski jacket? Just wishing. We’re already 10 days into the New Year too. Time’s a flitting and Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. 🙂
Hi Joy,
I’m working on the next 2022 outfit and hope it will be ready soon!
Valentines Day is creeping up too quickly to suit me… time to get busy!!
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
The contest was fun and the results “fitting.” Ha, ha! I loved Monkey Business and actually found the monkey patch but am not sewing it due to the complicated pattern. I’ll be the first to buy your pattern if you ever sell it.
I have a suggestion I saw decades ago about preserving Christmas trees. Because the trees have been cut weeks before they reach the buyer, it’s a good idea to saw off the last 2-3” of the trunk back to fresh wood that isn’t dried out. It’s like cutting the last inch or so off of flowers before arranging them. Sometimes the people who sell the trees will do this for you. Cindy may already be aware of this.
I didn’t comment on Anne’s wonderful Red Panda cake the other day. I’ve only see one in the Beijing Zoo. Does your granddaughter really have a live one or does she have a stuffed animal? They certainly are a rare and endangered species. Maybe share a picture either way. Thanks for sharing the picture of the cake. The tee shirt idea is also wonderful.
Hi Susette,
Cindy gave me a book on creating and selling patterns…so I’m a little closer to that…
I’ve read the first 2 chapters… a little over my head…I think I’ll have to read them again…too much to digest…
I couldn’t believe Anne’s panda cake…I wouldn’t have a clue where to start onmaking something like that.
Thanks Susette,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi everybody, just a comment on my tree undoing. I put so much stuff on my tree I sort it in the dining room table as I take things off. Icicles together, Shiny Brite ornaments together, handmade Moravian stars together, vintage pieces from my MIL. All the different kinds decor are all mixed together on the tree so it just goes faster if we sort into piles as they come off. Then they can go into their proper boxes. As for the tree, we cut it ourselves at a tree farm & it was still hanging onto its needles even after a month. Cutting it apart makes it easier to manage through the house w/o moving furniture. I know somehow it seems wrong even though it’s totally dead😉
Hi Cindy,
I had to show your pictures..
I loved the one with your ornaments on the table…. it just looked so pretty…
And the 2nd picture of the cut up tree… made me laugh…
Thanks and love you, Jeanne
Glad to hear your tree wasn’t crispy! 🙂 I’m sure it smelled wonderful. The ornament display is a lovely montage. I think the photo should be in a magazine. 🙂
Well, wow, I picked the three winners, just not in the same order. IMO, it means one thing. There should be more Colonial, Antebellem/Civil War, and Victorian/Edwardian dresses made this year which just happen to be my top three favorite eras.
Cindy has an interesting way of taking down her tree. I have specific labeled boxes for the various kinds of ornaments and when they come off they go into that box. because they have dividers and padding for the fragile glass ones. I always start at the bottom and work my way up. Angel on the top is always the first thing on and last thing off.
Hi Laura,
Yep, you guessed all three top favorites…congrats again!!
I’ll be sure and make plenty of Colonial, Victorian and civil war dresses this year.
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
That was sure fun. Fun seeing all the dresses and fun seeing the voting. I didn’t read very carefully so only voted for one but it was the winner. Loved it so much!
Taking down our tree is time consuming since I kept all the Hallmark boxes so we play the match game but that way they all stay in good condition. Hallmark sold some ornament boxes years ago..heavy cardboard with drawers that are are divided for the ornaments and they keep them nice as well. The Angel we use my parents received in 1944. A NOMA Angel…I was born on the 27th so the Angel is 77 years old this year. She has had many dresses and some years ago my hubby put gold leaf on her wings…they look great….aluminum foil had been on them for a long time but the gold leaf shows off all the feather detail. Anxious to hear what was your fav… and other details🥰
Hi Kathie,
When I saw you had only voted for one dress, I sent you an email, but guess you didn’t see it in time.
You’ll see my comments on the dresses tomorrow!!
Thanks so much!
Blessings, Jeanne
I have spent the whole day so far trying to console Lolla because her outfit, Precious in Pink, did not even make honorable mention. She said she loves her outfit and just doesn’t understand why everyone else doesn’t feel the same. So, Jeanne, it looks like you are going to have to make some of the more popular “era” styles for the smaller girls, so they don’t feel left out of the year-end competition. Now there’s a challenge for you.
I love all the dresses that won. They were all deserving of the honor, and I’m not surprised that they were picked by many, especially the number one choice. That is an adorable outfit
Speaking of trees, when we lived in Bethlehem, PA, we would go to the Poconos and cut down our tree. We never put our trees up until Christmas Eve, but they stayed up through Epiphany and they remained fresh and didn’t lose their needles at all. Having this in my background, after I moved to Texas I felt I needed to have a live tree. That idea lasted one year when my tree lost every needle on it when i took it down, and that was after keeping it watered. After that it was a series of artificial trees, each one prettier than the last and now I have a pre-lit tree. I especially love that one because it has lights even when I haven’t gotten around to decorating it yet. I keep certain ornaments in certain boxes which makes sorting them easier. I actually have ornaments left over after decorating the tree and that is after I gave the kids all theirs for their own trees. Maybe I need a bigger tree. Fewer ornaments is out of the question.
I sure wish our temperatures here would be more consistent. I end up with the crud because of the roller coaster temperatures. It’s like a cross between allergies and a cold. I can usually avoid it if I stay reasonably stress free at this time of year but this year stress-free was not in the cards. It usually only lasts three to five days but it does sap my energy some. Oh well, I’ll just use it as an excuse to keep my tree up a little longer.
Barbara, sure hope your illness isn’t Omicron. Out here in CA, it probably would be. It’s everywhere. Those ill can’t find a place to get tested. Either no openings or no home tests available. Lots of workers out so some places can’t open. Schools that were open may have to close as the staff is also sick and there are not enough substitutes. Crazy virus. Stay safe.
Hi Barbara,
Tell Lolla to watch tomorrow…I think she’ll be happy…I already have it dubbed for a special dress!!! :o)
Tell Lolla making her dress and jacket was fun for me. I think it was the only embroidered jacket this year, so how special is that???
Thanks Barbara,
Blessings, Jeanne