HI everyone,
We had “Christmas” last night (I know it’s early but it’s because my kids are here!) It was fun and fruitful… (I got a Hobby Lobby Gift Card from Rebecca!) One of my favorite places to shop (and dream!) We are hitting a few thrift shops tomorrow, and I’ll be doing some alterations for Rebecca!
Barbara is taking a turn today… This is what she wrote me…
Hi Jeanne,
I heard from Magalie Dawson this morning that my new Little Darling Sculpt #5 is ready to join our family. Her name is Julia Hélène. Isn’t she lovely. Her sister, L’il Dreamer Lynzi, arrived yesterday. I had to change the color of Julia’s hair because Magalie did not have the darker wig I initially wanted. I changed to this color because I like the color and the style. When Lynzi arrived I realized the two dolls had much the same coloring and looked like they were sisters so that’s the plan.
Barbara
Thanks Barbara… now we need to see Lynzi… I don’t think we have seen her yet… (have we?)
I also hope you don’t mind, Barbara, but I wanted to add someone else to your day because I missed her…
I missed posting Linda Gronvall’s email and pictures to me, so today I’m making it up to her. She sent this to me on Veteran’s Day!
Hi Jeanne,
My husband is a veteran and I was inspired to set up this shot today when the Flanders Field poem showed up on my social media…
Yes, it’s a 48 star flag, the kind that 1930’s Kit would be familiar with (and some of us readers!) She is wearing her poppy, a reminder of WWI soldiers.
Blessings,
Linda G from MN
Love watching you create the incredible doll clothes and enjoy the camaraderie of the sofa sisters. 😉
Okay, now I think I’m caught up on emails and pictures… if I missed you or your pictures, please let me know…
Have a wonderful weekend,
See you Monday,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, Jeanne, that’s one of my favorite kinds of presents–a HL gift card!! Enjoy spending it!!
And hopefully you’ll get some photos of your thrift store adventures to share, too? Hint hint!
Barbara, your new little girl is just wonderful. And what a pretty name, Julia Helene (sorry, I don’t know how to do the accent marks–I know there’s a way but….). My Pearl is by Magalie, too, and she certainly does a lovely job!
I hope you’ll share a picture of Lynzi, too!
Linda, thanks for sharing the poem, and also the picture of your Kit all ready for Veteran’s Day! Yes, I certainly remember when our flag only had 48 stars! And then for a few months it had 49 (Alaska) and after that, 50 (Hawaii).
I have gone thru and replied to everyone (I think) from yesterday’s blog. Thank you all for your kind comments. My toe is already feeling quite a bit better, the redness and swelling are receding, and it isn’t quite so painful as yesterday.
Julia Hélène says thanks for the compliment. I think she’s lovely too. I have five Little Darlings and Magalie has done four of them. My first was from Geri Uribe but after that there was never a chance to order one from Geri or Dianna. I found Magalie and have been going to her for dolls and patterns all the time now. I had a little trouble with the accents too because I couldn’t figure out how to do it in an email. So I created a Word document just for her name. I copy and paste when I want to use it. Magalie had no trouble because she uses French titles for her patterns so she said her husband set up a file for her to access the accented letters. So glad your toe is improving. We spend so much time on our feet we can’t have them hurting in any way.
As I said, I do have one of Magalie’s dolls, as well as some of her patterns. I have made at least one of them up a few times, a dress, with a choice of skirts, as I recall. I don’t have a Geri, but I have Helen Skinner, Joyce Matthews (who I think is my favorite; her dolls have such a soft sweet look), two Dianna’s, and I can’t remember what else (7 total), plus a couple of Bonekas.
That is a clever idea, setting up a Word document or file for accented letters. One time I found a place that had a bunch of shortcuts to get many different symbols, and I wrote down some of them, so maybe I have it tucked away somewhere!
Jeanne, I htink we all would love a Hobby Lobby gift card!! Lucky you!
Barbara, your new little doll is darling and looks so perfectly dressed, which is always the way Magalie does her dolls! Is that Magalie’s picture or yours? Is she home with you? You must send a picture of both Julia Helene and Lynzi!
Linda, (love your name!), oh yes, your picture of Kit reminds me of my own pea coat I wore in fourth grade back in 1950! And the 48 star flag is one that I remember being in our classroom too! I have one that comes with Molly’s camping accessories, is that where you got yours? Love the poem and sentiment, so fitting for Veteran’s Day!
Thank you both for your pictures and Jeanne for showing them!
Thanks for the compliment. Julia Hélène is indeed lovely. Magalie does amazing work. This was the picture I received when she sent the email for approval. There were four pictures. Usually there is just one but this time I ordered the sweater and cap so I got more pictures. I didn’t send a picture with the cap because I wanted her hair to show and I loved the headband. Magalie does indeed dress her dolls lovely. Last summer I had my four Little Darlings from Magalie dressed in the outfits they came in. Perfect summer attire. Problem is my Sculpt #1 did not come from Magalie so Claire did not have an outfit and she was sad. I’m going to check Magalie’s patterns and see if I can find that one or one similar for next summer. Yes, Julia Hélène has been home with me since shortly after the email with the picture arrived. Lynzi came a few days before. She is a L’il Dreamer.
What a beautiful doll your Julia is, Barbara! The hair style and eye color you chose are so pretty. The clothes are perfect too. Megalie is a true artist.
I remember the pea coats too. I graduated from Burtonwood American High School near Liverpool in 1958. I’m wondering where you live in England, Linda? Love the picture of Kit with the flag and all the leaves 🍁 🍃 🍂.
I forgot to comment yesterday on Charlotte’s dolls. Good choices. Sandy’s dress almost got me to adopt her but I’ve ordered two others recently so that’s not happening. Thanks for including pictures of your grandson’s lovely family. It’s nice to put faces to names too.
Sorry, I didn’t notice that Linda is from Minnesota, not England. Are there any followers who do like in England?
Thank you Susette. I had to change her hairstyle and I wanted one with bangs so I chose this one. I love the color and don’t have another doll, until Lynzi, with the same coloring. Magalie is indeed a great artist and pattern designer.
Glad to hear that Jeanne had a nice Christmas. Can’t wait to see what may be found at the thrift stores. 🙂
Barbara’s latest Magalie girl is adorable. I really like the wig too.
Linda G.’s pics from Veteran’s day are perfect. Love the poem and her poppy too. 🙂
Here, it’s still raining, if you can believe. Our front steps looked like a river yesterday and to get out, required hopping over the drainpipe shooting out like a firehose. Kind of crazy. Lots of street flooding around here in the flatlands. Apparently, Sutter Med Center parking lot flooded trapping everyone there. So, they had to bring the patients out by fire truck. We just received an update and it said rain stopping in 14 minutes. But, then starting again soon. And today thunderstorms are expected. Just what we need, heavy rain. Doesn’t look like it will be over for many more days. I feel like the Dutch boy sticking his finger in the dike to stem the flow of water. Crazy.
Have a dry weekend everyone.
Thanks, Joy. Julia Hélène is adorable and enjoying spending time with her little sister Lynzi.
You totally are in the midst of a deluge. I guess you don’t have to worry about forest fires for awhile. Just trying to cheer you up.
Yes, no fire danger is definitely something happy. 🙂 And hopefully, we’ll get enough rain statewide to preclude any drought this year.
Dear Jeanne, thanks for sharing the photos. Merry Christmas to you! Have a wonderful weekend.
Dear Barbara, I love Julia. She is beautiful. I had not seen a Diana Effner Sculpt 5 up close. I like the wig you have chosen. I bet her siblings are delighted to welcome her into the family.
Thanks, Dorothy. She is beautiful. I love Magalie’s work and conversing with her. I would love to meet her in person. She has done all the designs for the clothes for the L’il Dreamers along with all the other things she does. She must be the best at time management. Julia Hélène hasn’t been totally welcomed home by her dolly peers just yet. Right now she is sitting on the coffee table in my living room so I can admire her some more. Lynzi is there also.
A Hobby Lobby gift card. Too great! Two years in a row David gave me $100 gift cards to JoAnn’s. I put the first one aside waiting to see if I needed or desperately wanted something. Still hadn’t spent it by the next Christmas so I then had $200 to spend. I didn’t really need anything but wanted Liberty of London Tana Lawn fabric. JoAnn’s had a sale on it and I had a blast buying something I normally couldn’t afford. Spent the whole $200 on it and still haven’t made any of it up. I’m trying to decide what I want to make with it. It’s so precious I want to make sure to get the most from it.
I love the pictures from Linda G. The poem is one of my favorites but it always makes me reach for a tissue when I read it. The picture is beautiful. I love Kit in her Veterans’ Day outfit. I definitely remember the flag with 48 stars well into my childhood.
I hope to be taking some pictures soon. My twin Mini Hannas, Jamie and Jodie, are wanting to get out of their pretty dresses and back into their play clothes but I told them they can’t until I take pictures. I also told them their next outfits would be their Christmas/holiday dresses. That didn’t go over well but I’m the boss – I think. Never sure with those two. I will take some of Julia Hélène and Lynzi at the same time. Need to do those soon because I need to dress all the dolls that got new Christmas outfits I made after the holidays last year. It was almost Easter before I finished so a bit too late for the previous holiday season.
Can’t wait to see the results of your thrift shop adventure – and what else Santa brought you.
I forgot to mention that Julia Hélène and I had no problem sharing the limelight with Linda G., her lovely picture and Kit. We sofa sisters are very good about sharing and there was a lot of space left after my picture and comment.
Barbara, I have some of that Tana Lawn, too, and actually made a blouse with one of the pieces! First of all, try your blouse pattern in a “lesser” fabric, something that, if it doesn’t fit quite right, or there are problems with the instructions or something, you won’t feel crushed if you can’t wear it. That’s what I did (I used fabric I bought at the annual sale our Clothing and Textile Advisors have to support sewing classes, where they charge by the pound for most, so think “cheap”!!)–the fabric is definitely wearable, although maybe a little outdated, but it’s fairly neutral. It gave me a chance to test the fit, neckline, etc., and when I had that done, then I took a deep breath and cut!! (I did prewash mine, but I don’t know if everyone does on the Tana Lawn.) The blouse came out beautifully, and I not only got a blue ribbon on it in the fair, but class and division winner rosettes, too! And now I’ve worn it several times, and I love it! So….test first, then cut and sew “the good stuff”. It’s a dream to sew on.
Dear Linda, thank you for sharing the poem and the photo. And thank you for reminding us of the brave women and men who dedicated their lives and talents to this country. Kit looks so sweet.
Barbara, your doll is so beautiful and the outfit is so adorable it is jaw dropping! oh goodness! Julia Hélène is very pretty in this amazing fall setting.
Linda your Kit is so pretty in this woolie coat, gorgeous clothes beret and setting with those cool shoes!
Happy Friday all. Enjoy the week-end
Thanks, Rosemary. Julia Hélène is a lovely doll and Magalie is the best at creating wearing attire for the dolls she paints.
Barbara, thank you for sharing Julia Hélène with us. She is truly a lovely doll. And what a sweet outfit. I enjoy all you ladies with the new dolls sharing them with us. Nothing like the thrill of opening a new doll box!!!
Thank you Sofa Sisters for your kind comments about Kit. I’m so glad to be able to share “Playing with Dolls” with all of you!!! Granddaughters have packed theirs away as they are all in/out of college now. But they did keep them!
Jeanne, Enjoy your special days with family! We’ll all still be here when they leave, waiting to hear about your adventures.
Have a good weekend Everyone… and remember to think about thawing that turkey!