Hold that thought for just a minute….
It seems kind of trivial to be talking about doll dresses and which one is your favorite when so much is burning in California. I hope all of my ladies who are subscribed to my blog are safe along with their homes. May the Lord keep His hand over all to protect them. Let’s keep them in our prayers until these fires are all contained.
I had another trip to the doctor today and as we were heading out today for the first time since our ice storm hit, we got to see just how many trees had fallen over or lost branches. There were lots in our area and as we drove along the roads the ice on the trees was something I can’t ever remember seeing like this. It was like something out of a cartoon where the ice just glistened and sparkled like diamonds. All of the media and some electric lines looked like they had fringe on them as the ice had formed little droplets evenly spaced out and went on and on for miles. As we drove by, I wanted to stop and take pictures of so many things, but we had to keep going. I tried snapping a few pictures as we were driving and a few turned out. If you click on them, you might be able to see them sparkle. The sun was shining on them but the temp was 19 degrees so there was no melting… at least today.
Okay, now we can see what happened with the voting for the most Favorite Dress of 2024. It was close on a few of them. 30 people voted in the comments and emailed me their choices and this is how it came out…
In THIRD place, with 10 votes, the winner was “New Year’s Sparkle!” Modeled by my new Lavender, she was thrilled to have been the last dress of the year and still end up in Third place. Here are some pictures of that set. It was my first time making a sweater this size and those silver shoes were a first too. I think I have the slip on shoe perfected…
In SECOND place, just beating out Silver Sparkle by ONE vote, with 11, was “Sassy Scottie!” It was modeled by my new Mae, by My Meadow dolls and this was the dress I was dreaming of making her as I was waiting for her to arrive. Black and white checked with a touch of red, and I knew I wanted to use a Scottie dog applique on the front of her skirt.
And the FAVORITE DOLL of 2024 was “BEE’S KNEES!” I know Susette has to be so happy as she won this dress and her sweet Rosalyn is now a Super Star! It was a challenge to make and yet, so much fun trying to figure it out as I sewed it. This was my first pair of T-strap leather shoes and I think they are so cute. I loved her headband and then when I came up with the idea to bead her purse onto a hooped filigree earring, I was thrilled. The fabric was super sheer and a bit tricky and delicate to sew, but I LOVED it in the end… here are some pictures of it…
Let’s let Rosalyn go first…
Thanks everyone for voting! Here is how the rest of the dresses stacked up in the voting.
4th place had 9 votes and they went to “Summer Lace” modeled by Rebecca…
5th place went to “Springtime Sweetness” with 8 votes. It was modeled by Molly and my new Kate, standing in for Kit! It was another fun one to make, as I tried to give it two different looks with 2 detachable collars and those gloves were fun too!
6th place was awarded to “Boysenberry Bliss” with Mae modeling it. It received 7 votes. I couldn’t believe I had some leather the exact color I needed to make her those shoes. This is one of my favorite corduroys too!
7th place went to Lian when she modeled “Lovely Little Lassie!” It was a fun green and white dress with some green leather shoes!
There was a 3 way tie for 8th place.. with 4 votes apiece, here are those dresses. Old Fashioned Charm, Easter Charm and Denim and Doggie Fun!
The rest of the dresses got 3, 2 or 1 votes.
Except for these couple of dresses who went home with only the honor of having modeled to the best of their ability! :o)
Mini Bailey in Bunny in my pocket, Tinkerbell in Blue for Two, Molly in 4th of July picnic, Sara in Fall’s Final Fling and Rebecca’s Christmas is coming!
I guess it’s time for me to start thinking about who will be the first doll to be picked for the first dress of the 2025 year!
Thanks for a wonderful year for me! I hope to make 2025 even better!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Congratulations to the winners!!
Jeanne, your pictures are wonderful–the ice-decked trees look like a fairyland!! That’s how I remember it from that ice storm in 1974, too.
Thank you, everyone, for all the lovely comments about that, by the way. Linda and Ingrid, I did reply to your comments, if you wish to go back and read them. (If you are wondering, It was probably only about 6 months from our first date to our wedding. Neither of us was “looking”; it just happened. He visited our church one Sunday, mom invited him home for dinner (he was my sister-in-law’s brother), and asked me if I would help him Christmas shop for his sister!)
And here we are, in the second week of January already!!
Those pictures are just beautiful, Jeanne! Yes, I do remember going through a time when we went to Branson, there had been a huge ice storm a few days before. While it was beautiful seeing the branches glistening in the sun, it was heartbreaking to see all the downed trees and branches. Did I see that you are in for another round of ice tonight and tomorrow? We are getting more snow, but I sure hope you don’t have more problems with ice!
Oh how wonderful that Susette has the Number 1 dress of the year! That was so deserved, and I remember when you made it that things weren’t working out, but through much deliberaton, it turned out to be so unique, and yes, it DID deserve to be picked Number 1!
I’m squealing with delight! How exciting! I simply couldn’t pass up The Bee’s Knees. Thank you to everyone who voted for her. The doll is Rose with a blond wig. The dress has been and will remain on permanent display. Thank you, Jeanne, for such a special ensemble! ❤️
The ice photos are lovely. Great shots on the fly. That’s more manageable than the fires 35 miles north of where I live in Southern California. It’s so sad and tragic. So sad seeing the ladies with their little bare legs being windblown in wheelchairs to be transferred to other homes. The attendants who stayed with them are angels on earth. When there was a fire 70 miles inland from where I live 8 miles back from the beach, ash fell on my neighborhood for months. This has ripple effects that are almost immeasurable including the people who work in support of those neighborhoods. Prayers for all those affected. ❤️🩹
All of the dresses were winners! Picking a favorite is not easy!!
Jeanne, I know with each outfit, you refine your skills and that spurs your ideas.
The ice looks magical. We have had heavy ice storms in Northern Virginia very much like what you have experienced. It is so beautiful but so destructive on many levels.
When you are outside you can hear that eerie cracking with the slightest movement.
We have had heavy winds that past few days which makes the below freezing temps feel so bitter.
The traveling ice show is a wonder. Thanks for the pics Jeanne.
Loved seeing the dress winners and thrilled that Susette has that special dress.
My main concern today is that more fires started up late yesterday in LA, adding to the misery. The devastation is beyond comprehension. Firefighters from around the state and states nearby have converged on LA with hopes of getting the beasts under control. We’ll see what today brings.
The funeral for former President Carter in happening now. A well deserved memorial.
Well, none of my picks were in the top three this year. Congrats to you, Susette, for having the top dress of the year. I probably cast the lone vote for “Christmas is Coming:.
Prayers that the fires in CA get under control soon. I saw that many iconic landmarks were being threatened.
By comparison, the ice is lovely.. Like a fairy wonderland or something out of Narnia. The sun is out here as well and the snow is glistening. A toasty 27 here.
Looking forward to see who gets chosen for the first dress of the year. I think we need a refresher course on what dolls you even have, Jeanne.
I saw that Grauman’s Chinese Theatre was threatened and where the fire had broken out behind the Hollywood sign. The devastation in the neighborhoods is terrible. It will take years for these poor people to get their lives back together.