HI everyone,
I go back to the doctor Friday to see his final assessment of how my leg surgery went. I had the post ultrasound yesterday and hope for a good report from him. I am up walking around and doing things, but I’m wearing a compression hose and not doing any heavy lifting. My leg is still pretty bruised and sore in spots but so far so good… I think!
I have been working some in my sewing room and hope to start the new year off with lots of organized spaces! Maybe that will help me sew faster!
I found a few emails from ladies in my Spam folder and am sorry if I missed something you were saying to me. A few wanted slips and one wanted to buy Ten Ping’s outfit and carry bag, so I’ll have to keep an eye out to make sure no more go to Spam!
Anyway, I received the sweetest picture from Jan in Baton Rouge, Louisiana! It’s just one picture, but you’ll love how her “January Dolls” (as she called them) are arranged! They are just SO BEAUTIFUL! Enjoy this picture… and click on it (especially if you are on a desktop or laptop) to enlarge the picture so you can see all the pretty details. We had red and pink from Debbie and now you’ll be treated to blues from Jan!
This was something she added in an email to me that will explain her picture a bit more.
My dolls are being displayed in a variety of cases and domes I have purchased over the years.
They are in a room dedicated to my dolls (and which also serves as my dressing room).
I change the display monthly according to season, theme, color scheme, or just a whim.
My other dolls are around the room in cases and domes; I try to keep every doll protected from dust and harsh light.
January is always winter themed, but also focuses on the colors blue and white, so there are a few non-winter outfits in there.
I also redress some dolls; others I leave in their original clothes.
This display features dolls by Little Darling, American Girl/Pleasant Company, Madame Alexander, Ruby Red Fashion Friends,
Kathe Kruse, Effanbee, Barbie, and Mel Odom.
Thank you Jan!
Wasn’t that just the prettiest display? I love how every little “enclosure” of a doll has something fun inside as an accent piece! Very pretty Jan!
Well, that’s it for another week from me…
I’ll see you Monday… and hopefully I will have been doing something in my sewing room!
See you then,
Blessings, Jeanne
I’m praying for a good report from your doctor, Jeanne! So glad to hear you’re back in the sewing room, even if “all” you’re doing is reorganizing things. When I was recovering from a back injury a few years ago and really couldn’t do much of anything for a while, just going in there and patting fabric helped! Eventually I could start doing little things, like folding fabric or rearranging threads, etc., and that helped even more!
Jan, thank you so much for sharing that picture! What a gorgeous display! I love the domes and cases, which seem to help highlight the various dolls more than a traditional shelf display does, nice though that might also be. I think my favorite is the Gene doll in her gorgeous white furry cape!! I have Gene, actually, I think I have 2 or 3, and lots of outfits, but not that particular outfit! Beautiful.
Debbie, I saw in your comments that your birthday is next week–so is mine! On the 28th. Yours? Jan/Feb is a big time in our family–something like 10 birthdays between Jan. 13 and Feb. 9, including my husband, his daughter, two of the grandchildren and one great-grandchild, my son, and the mother of three of the grands! And then there are my cousins…..3 of them!
I am making progress on my “twinsie challenge” cardigan. The fabric is turning out to be not nearly so difficult as I thought it would be. Stay tuned!
Happy Early Birthday Charlotte! We have back to back birthdays, mine is on the 29th.
Looking forward to seeing your twinsie challenge cardigan. I have enjoyed past photos of your excellent talent as a seamstress.
Thanks Debbie, and happy early birthday to you, too! My friend Elizabeth (at church) has a Jan. 29th birthday, too!
Thank you for the compliment. My cardigan has sleeves now!
Hi Charlotte – thank you! It is fun to do a variety of little scenes! And I do love this Gene doll and always look forward to displaying her in January. I bought her in the pin-up lingerie outfit and replaced it with the blue evening gown and the cape/muff separate outfits. It is hard to choose from the dolls and outfits – they are all so beautiful!
Jeanne, prayers for your Doc appointment! I will look for your letting us know later!
We are hitting the road, going home to our busy life. We have had such a relaxed 3 weeks, and hate to leave. We aren’t sure about some of the roads, like 95, for instance, so could use a prayer or two.
Jan, I love your beautiful display, and hope you will send more photos as you change it. The little princes and her prince at the bottom are so cute, and I love the skater with the skating boy at her feet. The are all lovely, thank you for sharing.
Prayers for safe travel Sissy. I was hoping for a short trip somewhere to celebrate our birthdays next week. Hubby won’t budge because we drove to Norfolk, Virginia in a blizzard a few years ago during the birthday week. It was white knuckle for 7 hours. I think you will be ok on the main roads.
I am so glad to hear you had a wonderful, relaxing time and still had some time for sewing. Thank you for that.
What a beautiful way to display the dolls! You have a wonderful collection to share. The cases remind me of the ones that are used for displaying dolls in Japanese homes. The domes are such a surprise, perfect! Everyone dressed to the nine for skating. Thanks for sharing the dolls and the ideas with us.
Glad you are recovering well, Jeanne. Please take it easy but, of course, not to easy. Next week will be challenging.
Thank you Suzette! I actually know what Japanese display cases you are referring to, and I love them! They really show off those beautiful dolls too – oh, the fabrics! We get snow here in Louisiana about once every seven years (this year was a tremendous treat; we had not had this much since 1985!), so displaying the ice skaters is my vicarious way of enjoying that winter sport!
What a great day. Jeanne, is getting back to normal, and I know she will have an excellent report today. I’m wondering if having a stand up table for her sewing machine that adjusts up and down, like they have in offices, would be useful? That way, she could sew standing up part of the time and take the pressure off her legs.
Then, we get to see Jan’s dollies. What an absolutely delightful way to display dolls. They are all dressed so nicely too. Loved seeing all of the different dolls and their oh so cute outfits. Thanks for sharing Jan and Jeanne.
So, the weather people are saying that we may get a few sprinkles tomorrow. We haven’t had rain here in a very long time. Guess we’ll find out. 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
Thank you Joy! I am pleased you enjoyed my winter dolls! It is especially fun to dress them for winter because we rarely get to dress that way here in Louisiana. I even remember one Christmas when I was a young girl that was so warm, I wore shorts and swatted mosquitoes outside! The unusual snow this year was a massive treat!
That first post op visit is always a relief. Praying for excellent news and a relaxing weekend. Can’t wait to see what you have been working on during your recovery.
Jan, as always your doll room is a balm for my soul. It is truly a testament to a hobby well loved. The coordination of color and attention to detail is an inspiration that I can only achieve in small measure. Thank you for sharing in books, text messages, and most of all in person.
Debbie – thank you! But I have to give you credit for helping me make some great decisions in my doll and doll clothes selections! You are in no way “small measure” when it comes to this wonderful hobby; your collection is museum worthy! Inspiring indeed!
Jeanne, I hope your doc appointment goes smoothly. Meantime,. good thing you are moving around. So sorry for the bruising. That must bother you when you are sleeping at night.
Jan, your dolls are fantastic. I adore all of them. Is that a little dutch girl on the top left area? You have a beautiful collection, and lovely winter outfits!
I like this display in cases.
Sissy, I wish you a safe travel trip home. I am pretty sure with the sunshine, there has been a great effort to maintain the roads and melting with the treatments. If you are fastidious about your car, you might want to run it through the car wash to get all of the interstate road treatment chemicals off of the under side and sides. (sorry, just a silly suggestion)
Happy Friday everyone. Enjoy a happy week-end
Rosemary – thank you! The little Dutch girl is a Madame Alexander Gretel Brinker and I do love her! She is wearing red wooden shoes and carrying silver skates. She has a red crocheted shawl but I chose not to display it so I could admire the Dutch pattern on her dress. Glad you like my cases too!
I am also hoping and praying for a good report from your doctor, Jeanne! I’m sure you are itching to get back to your sewing, and we are too! By the way, what WAS that gift that George is making for you? I don’t believe you ever said, so maybe something so you can sew while keeping off your leg?
Oh my Jan, I just gasped when I saw your lovely doll display! What a a beautiful way to display them and keep them immaculate! I love how all the colors coordinate and the fact that they are dressed so beautifully! Each one is perfection, but I especially like then American Girl doll on the right, and the darling skaters you have. I don’t know what it is about skating outfits on dolls, but I just love them!
Who is the American Girl doll that is so beautifully dressed? I love outfits like that! Thank you so much for showing us, and be sure to send more pictures when you change them! I’m looking forward to seeing those!
Hi Linda! Thank you for your kind review! It is fun to coordinate the colors; sometimes that helps the display not get too busy. It took several seasons to get my American Girl (it’s Emily Bennett) and her Etsy hat was the final touch this year. I really enjoy my skaters too; in fact I had way too many for a while- lol.
I hope that you receive a good report from your doctor, Jeanne, so you get back to doing what you love.
Wow, what a wonderful way to display your lovely dolls, Jan! I picked out your Kathe Kruse right away. Such a lovely face.. So nice to see your RRFFs. The outfit on your PC/AG is gorgeous. I love that sweater. I, too, am trying to decipher who she is. My initial guess was Emily, but I’m not sure. Thank you sharing and yes, please do send photos when you change them.
Praying for safe travels home, Sissy. Looking forward to seeing more of your gorgeous hankie dresses in the future.
Hi Laura! Yes, my PC/AG is Emily Bennett – good catch! I especially enjoy her as a dress-me because her hair never gets messed up – falls right back into place. I was so fond of her sweater, I worked on her outfit for several seasons just so I could justify keeping it! My final addition was the Etsy hat this year. I’m still looking for some camel colored Uggs that might go with the skirt and hat. It’s as fun to work on an outfit as it is to buy one already assembled! And Kathe Kruse is a wonderful line of dolls; I wish I had more!
Hi everyone,
We are driving back home from the doctor visit and I wanted to check in and let you know I got a good report. The vein in my leg “is no more!” That’s what we wanted. My Saphenous vein has been cauterized and the swelling in my leg will continue to go down over the next 7 weeks or so. They say it usually takes it 8 weeks to get back to normal.
I don’t think it’s my imagination that it seems less swollen and tight than it was before. I can’t wait.
Joy mentioned about a stand up desk and that might be a good idea…
Linda mentioned about the “wood project” and I hope to show it possibly Monday. We had worked on it the week before my leg surgery, but didn’t get it finished. Soon!!
Blessings to you all… have a wonderful weekend!!
~ Jeanne
Hope your doctor’s visit went well. A good sign is that you’re moving around. Bruises sometimes take a while to disappear.
Jan your doll display is wonderful! I especially like how you have used the accenting pieces in the displays. Thank you so much for sharing and hope you remember to share again.
Thank you Dorothy! I’m thrilled you noticed the accent pieces; finding them is one of the real joys of assembling a display.