Hi everyone,
I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Mine was nice, but super busy with a 50th birthday party for someone and another get together on Sunday with a spaghetti dinner I made. Let’s just say, I’m glad to see Monday coming!
I also wanted to thank the SIX new subscribers who joined my blog on Saturday! Thanks for being a part of this little (well, kind of big) group! One of the ladies here dubbed us the Sofa Sisters and I hope you’ll join right in with your comments. :o)
As promised, I said I would share the pictures from Charlotte… but she’ll have to share the spotlight with a few pictures of my Stella, as I finally have everything ready and pictures taken of her next set!
This is what Charlotte sent me first…
Hi Jeanne,
At long last, I have some pictures for you.
First up, pictures of Gigi in her pink and silver outfit that I won from your auction. The first picture shows her proudly modeling the entire ensemble. She was just thrilled to have a “real” fur coat–none of her dolly sisters has one!! All the silver accessories were just the icing on the cake! She has decided that, if a little sparkle is good, a lot of sparkle is better!
Picture two shows her doing her “model” pose, with the coat carelessly (!!) flung behind her. (This girl watches too many modeling videos!!
The third picture shows everything I received in the package. If you ladies have never won an auction from Jeanne before, you have a treat coming. Each time, she packages things a little differently, and it is like getting a Christmas present! Everything is wrapped, there are pretty stickers, and even bows! She also includes a little note (I think all three things I’ve won from her auctions have included notes). It’s really something to look forward to!
(Thank you Charlotte… what kind words you shared and I’m so thrilled you won that set! I think it had your name on it!) :o)
This next picture shows Freida, in the new dress I made for her. It’s from the same pattern I used for the other RRFF’s dresses. One of these days, I’ll get them all together for another group shot. Anyway, Freida wanted to hold the Annalee bunny, so, since it was her first time modeling, and she was a little nervous, I let her.
The second picture is a closer picture of the bodice detail. I’m not sure if you can see the detail (maybe if you enlarge it) but the bright pink ribbon has a glitter finish on both edges. As it worked out, I had a ribbon rose that exactly matched the color of the ribbon trim! The fabric is a Tutti Frutti print plisse’ that I had left from a dress I made for our granddaughter when she was younger. (She’s going to be 15 this year, so I don’t sew for her much any more!)
Thanks Charlotte… I’m sure Freida loves that you made her a new dress! It’s darling!
Stella wanted to know if I was going to show her new hair bow, and then a few more pictures? I told her, “but of course…then everyone will know I’m one step closer to getting it listed on Ebay!” So here they are…
I made Stella’s headband with a pretied bow and then added a button and an elastic loop at the end, so it’s easy to put on… no velcro, no snaps to match up… just a button and a loop…
Oh, and just for fun, here is my Rhododendron blooming and a huge hosta my hubby transplanted in the courtyard!
My hope is to get Stella’s dress set listed on Ebay Monday night, but no promises…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
My girls are feeling like rock stars tonight, sharing the spotlight with your Stella!!
I love the way you did that hairband for her. The button and elastic loop is a great idea, and no Velcro to get caught in her hair–yay!
Your rhododendron is such a pretty color–just about the color of our bridesmaids’ gowns 48 years ago! And that hosta plant is certainly getting large!
I should send you a picture of my azalea, too–it’s in full bloom right now, and it’s Huge! About 4′ across or more, and almost as high. It was just a little thing when we got married! It’s been raining this week, not so great for taking pictures, but I do have a photo I could send you from last year, if you’d like. Oh, was I going to send you a wedding picture, too? I have a feeling I’m still behind on some things!
I’ll try to check back later on if there are any questions about my pictures.
Dear Charlotte, tell your girls that Auntie Dorothy is very proud of them for posing so nicely. I do see that chocolate was involved so that might have been a factor (laugh).
Thank you, Dorothy. They are both beaming!!
Well, yes, chocolate was involved! (laugh)
HI Dorothy,
I’m not sure about Charlotte’s girls, but mine will do just about anything for Chocolate! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
Thanks for sending the pictures Charlotte!. Your girls look so happy in their new clothes.all the goodies in your pink coat package from Jeanne makes for very happy buyers too😋 The pink print on Freida sets off her pretty coloring. Such a good fit on that dress.
Thank you, Kathie.
The dress pattern is Basic Dress 2 by Fancy Frocks. It’s the one I use for my Little Darlings, so I enlarged the bodice and sleeves a little bit, to make it fit the RRFFs.
Thank you Charlotte,
I think Gigi and Freida are enjoying their new found fame! I hope they are seen world wide! :o) Thanks for sharing with us!
Linda just sent me a picture of her Azaela… we should have an Azaela Day from the Sofa Sisters! That might be fun!
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
How cute Gigi looks in her new outfit, Charlotte! Oh, I know that Jeanne is quite the packager, if there is such a word! Although i have never won an outfit, I have bought several things from her, and know how fun it is to get them with her little personal notes and cute stickers and such!
So cute to see that Gigi is still a little girl and one of her stockings slipping down! Things like that always happen here too, when you see something askew AFTER the picture is taken!
Freida’s dress is so colorful and shows off her dark coloring perfectly! You did a wonderful job!
Jeanne, I love the way you fixed that headband! So much easier than putting in all the way down on her head and then pushing it back up and mussing up her hair. Stella looks wonderful! It’s just the perfect little outfit for any doll!
Wow, that Rhododendron is beautiful! And that Hosta! I thought they only like shade, so I have been hesitant to plant them, but I see yours is in the sun, and is really growing! Like Charlotte, I have a beautiful azalea too, that is in full bloom right now! Maybe a picture will come your way of that!
Thank you for your nice comments, Linda.
We actually have some sunshine today, so maybe I’ll slip outside and take a new photo of my azalea. It’s a fuchsia pink color–very bright!
HI Linda,
I searched for a bead that could be slipped up like the way a bolo tie does, but didn’t have a bead with a big enough center hole, so I opted for a button…and it worked very well. it’s nice and neat and easy to put on!
I received your Azaela picture today… like I told Charlotte, we have to have a Sofa Sisters Azaela day! :o)
The sun will eventually get to the Hosta but for now it’s good!
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Thanks so much Charlotte and Jeanne for sharing the fun photos. Freida’s dress is awfully cute. Great for spring and the summer months. I like the ribbon trim. Adds just enough interest. Please tell Freida that she did an excellent job modeling. 🙂
That green carpet that Jeanne has installed all around her yard is so lovely and lush. Such a great backdrop for the Hosta and Rhodie. That lilac shade is exquisite. Around here, we have a bumper crop of weed varieties. 🙁 Tried to see the moon eclipse/blood moon last evening, but it was too low and behind the hills. However, later it was huge and shining brightly. Didn’t farmers of old plant by the light of the moon for some reason? Curious. 🙂
Freida says to tell you thank you, Joy. She’s quite happy with her new dress, and loves the bright ribbon trim! We do need to get some more summery shoes, though!
HI Joy,
That Rhodendron used to be about 3 bushes and covered the whole window but it was leggy and not very pretty…my hubby pruned it down and it’s much prettier now…just the one bush. They don’t last very long but I sure do love to sit at that window and look out at it.
I’ve loved how you described our yard… “installed green carpet!” :o)
We saw it last night, but we had just had rain and the clouds were getting in the way…
It seems like I remember something about the farmers planting by the light of the moon… maybe someone knows.
Ohhh… Stella asked me to ask you if you’d say hi to Luca from her?
Thanks Joy,
blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne, Stella looks so pretty in her outfit. I am sure she will not want to part with it.
Did you see that Fleurs de Colibri (toy store in France and online) has some store exclusive Fashion Friends Dolls for sale? One is Petunia. She is very pretty. I am still hoping to one day get Victoria if she comes up on the secondary market.
I added a URL (below) but it seems to be in Africa! How do I get to the online store you found?
Dear Marilyn, hello. Duh on me! I wrote the wrong name. Here is the link to the site. It’s called Un Bonheur de Colibri. It means happiness of the Hummingbird in French.
https://www.unbonheurdecolibri.be/
The site is in French but one of the owners is fluent in English so you can always send an email if your have a question. I have purchased items from these vendors.
HI Dorothy,
I DID see that post from them… and I’m like you, sorry I coudn’t get Victoria when she came out… I think she’s so cute!
Blessings, Jeanne
Charlotte I love that Gigi’s stocking is askew. Reminded me of how my own daughters were always too busy with life to care about the little things that. Made me smile. Frieda’s dress is darling. Looks so summery too! Just needs a “Jeannemarie” big hat and sandals for a summer vacation look! When packing for a trip you need to go from party to beach play quick! Lol
Stella will look great posing by the rhododendron and the hosta too.
I love hosta (unfortunately the deer here do too). There are so many varieties big to small, some love the sun and some are shade garden saviors when nothing else will prosper and look so pretty. Another plus for me is that Hummingbirds really like the flowers.
Have a great day all.
Dorothy, snails are pretty fond of hostas too lol
Thank you, Dorothy. I only had a son, no daughters, but I know what you mean! With Daniel, it was usually his hair that would spring out of place after being carefully combed! Until we got it cut really short, and then there was no problem!! 😄
Freida is looking forward to going shoe shopping soon! I think she’d like one of every style, though!!
HI Dorothy,
Last year the deer ate the tops of my Hydrangea off… down to nubbins! This year my hubby has a little wire around them, but I’m not sure the deer will be deterred.
It would have been nice to have Stella pose by the Rhododendron, but it’s too far off the ground and too leggy to make a nice picture. We just used the sewing room table. I never made it outside today…
Thanks so much,
blessings, Jeanne
Stella’s sweet dress and your blooming rhododendron are ushering in the early days of summer. Summer seems to be a few weeks early this year. We will get to 95 Saturday, I don’t know how our flowers will like that, I know it is too hot for me.
Charlotte, thanks so much for sharing your spectacular sparkly outfit from Jeanne. An outfit from Jeanne’s sewing room is always a gift. Frieda looks very happy with her bright and cheerful Easter dress. I can tell from those sleeves that you have had a lifetime of sewing experience. Cute design and perfectly puffed. When my daughter was young and I was still sewing it was always the sleeves that I had to do over and over, all those little gathers. The rosebud at the neck is such a sweet finishing touch.
Thank you, Debbie. I agree, getting a package from Jeanne is always a treat!
Yes, actually, I’ve been sewing since I started in 4H in 1956 when I was 10! So, a lifetime. But I keep learning new things all the time. Jeanne’s tip about three rows of gathering stitches rather than two was immensely helpful, and I think improved my puffed sleeves quite a bit. I have also had to take them out and put them back in, and I can tell you, it’s harder to do on doll clothes than on children’s clothes!! I think one time I just cut a whole new bodice and sleeves, and started over, it was that bad!!
Been there, done that too, Charlotte!
HI Debbie,
We’ve already had a few days that had a heat index over 100 degrees! It’s TOO EARLY TO BE THIS HOT! :o{
You mentioned the sleeves… I still remember one time putting in some sleeves for a lady’s dress… (BACKWARDS)… EEP! It was awful picking them out of the cotton fabric… I had zig zagged them on the edges and I was snarling the whole time! Oh well, that’s one of the few times I remember doing it!
Thanks Debbie,
Blessings, Jeanne
Gigi looks so cute, Charlotte. Freida looks adorable in her beautiful butterfly dress. the sparkly ribbon is perfect for it. She did a great job for her modeling debut.
Stella’s hairband is lovely, Jeanne, and what at great way to attach it to avoid snagging her hair.
your azalea is beautiful. They are blooming here as well and are so pretty.
Thank you so much, Laura. It was fun–both the sewing for Freida and the picture-taking!
Thank you Laura,
It looks like Azalea’s and Rhododendron’s are blooming nationwide! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
Hope you have a good week coming up Jeanne. Busy is your middle name! Good luck listing this latest one. The shoes and purse are over the top and that is a clever way to do the headband
Thank you Kathie,
I could use a good week… maybe a peaceful week…
I appreciate your kind comments!
Blessings, Jeanne
Sad to say here in Texas my Azaleas have come and gone. They were pretty while they lasted.
Charlotte, I love Freida’s dress. So colorful and happy looking. My granddaughter would love that fabric. She’s crazy about butterflies. I love the basket and the bunny. She did a wonderful job of modeling as did Gigi. I can imagine the dramatic effect of her flipping the coat behind her and posing. I must confess I didn’t see the slipping stocking until you mentioned it. I always miss something in the pictures I send. It brought back a funny story from when my daughter was little. I had a friend who had twin daughters in elementary school at the time. My friend never seemed to notice when her girls did not quite have their wearing attire in order, but I never said anything to her figuring it was really none of my business. I usually was pretty finicky about how my own children looked when they left the house but darned if my daughter doesn’t come to church one Sunday wearing two white sandals that didn’t match. I don’t know how I missed it but who should notice it but my friend who couldn’t help but mention it to me. I guess it’s kind of like proofreading. You’re more apt to notice other’s mistakes.
I agree about your packaging having been blessed with winning a few of your auctions and also receiving other things from you. I have all the sweet little notes saved. But so far I’ve missed out on the chocolates.
Stella’s bow headband is lovely and the loop and button are perfect for ease in putting it on. Headbands/hair adornments can be a real pain at times.
Your Rhododendron is beautiful and your Hosta is amazing. I thought they had to be planted in the shade too but yours is thriving in the sunshine. Your yard looks so cool and inviting.
Thank you, Barbara; my granddaughter loved the dress I made for her out of that fabric! She was about 8 at the time, I think (almost 15 now). It had a waistband of a more solid-looking deep pink. I can look at those RRFF dresses I’ve made, and recall the outfits I made for Lily from those same fabrics!
Well, it seems like sometimes little girls do have those “oopsies” with their wardrobes, and this time it was Gigi’s turn. That is a great story about your friend noticing your daughter’s mismatched sandals! I did something like that when I was working–wore one navy and one brown shoe to work one afternoon, and didn’t notice it until it was almost time to go home that evening! Well, in my defense, they were almost identical styles, and it Was dark over by the closet….!!
HI Barbara,
We’re going to have to do about that chocolate situation for you some day!
Loved the story about the 2 different shoes. I think I did that once, but don’t remember all the details.
I like the headband done this way too. I’m always trying to think of ways to make things easier to dress our dolls…pre tied bows, bows that fasten with velcro to stay in place, sleeve headers to keep those sleeves from drooping… etc.
Thanks for the compliments on the yard. It’s mostly all my hubby’s doing… he loves piddling in the yard…at least when it’s not too hot..
Thanks Barbara,
Blessings, Jeanne
Charlotte it was lovely seeing your girls modelling. They did a great job. They are luckier than Jeanne’s girls they get to keep their outfits lol.
Jeanne I love rhodi’s and azaleas perhaps because they signify spring. Got a long way to go for that here! I could send pictures of my garden but they aren’t very interesting. We haven’t had a frost yet but it has been pretty cold at night so the petunias and impatience are still flowering but it is a bit of a struggle for them. I don’t much like winter! Today will be a day for washing. We have had 3 days of miserable damp. Sometimes rain, some times nasty drizzle or mizzle. (Mizzle is a Scottish term meaning a cross between drizzle and heavy mist.) Today we have a Nor wester (think Sou west in your part of the world) hopefully not gale force! and 21C. It all turns to custard again tomorrow so need to get as much of the heavy washing done today (I don’t have a dryer)
Yay my workroom is done!. Not completely, still have some sorting to do but it is clean and tidy and there is room for me to work. Sam and Jono are moving his stuff into the part he will be using for the next 2 months, my kitchen, where I do my cake decorating, If anyone wants a cake between now and August it will have to be a small one! I plan to spend 30 mins, when I go in to do some sewing, doing some sorting. That’s the plan but you all know what happens to them.
Thank you for your kind words, Anne.
I’m glad to hear you got the rooms set up now, and hopefully it won’t be too much longer before Jono will have his own “real” room!
HI Anne,
I’ve never heard of mizzle… I might have to use that sometime and show off to my hubby! :o)
congrats on getting your workroom finished… well, “almost” finished. So far, I’ve been keeping my room neat every night. I take just a few minutes and put things back where they came from and so far it’s working… I really like having it neat when I walk into it each time. I hope your 30 minute plan works…
I don’t like winter weather much either… the only thing good about it is, as it draws to an end, Spring is next in line! YAY!
Thanks Anne,
blessings, Jeanne
It’s still spring here but summer heat is coming fast. It used to rain all May, and now not a drop. The house in back of me is for sale and the realtor is over-watering their huge back yard, wasting water and flooding my patio. I’ll have to see if I can do something about it.
I tried finding the store for Colibri dolls — no luck, but here’s the Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/colibridolls/
Dear Marilyn, hello. Here is the link:
https://www.unbonheurdecolibri.be/
I wrote the wrong name for the shop. It’s Un Bonheur de Colibri. They have an array of beautiful dolls.
Hi Marilyn,
It’s supposed to be in the upper 80’s all this week… which is better than last week…it was the 90’s last week, with heat index readings in the 100’s! UGH!
I hope you can figure out something to do with the excess water running into your yard… that’s no fun…
I looked down the facebook page of the Colibri dolls, but decided I better get off that site before I saw something I thought I NEEDED!
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne