Hi everyone,
JUST A REMINDER: The outfit Violette has been modeling for a week (and actually still has on), ends Monday evening, (tonight) so if you were interested in it, don’t forget to check it out on Ebay… You can click on the picture at the right side bar, or you can click HERE.
First of all, I want to thank everyone for your comments about this set on Yu Ping… I was having so much trouble liking it and if “I” don’t like something, it’s hard to make it sell… which it didn’t the first time and I sure didn’t want to go for TWO NO SALES, so I changed some things…
But first I wanted to thank of those of you who were semi-brutal and honest: It was just what I needed to hear! Rosemary and Laura talked about things being expensive right now and money is tight and people aren’t as free with it as they used to be, and so I’m guessing if something doesn’t just make your “heart sing” you have to pass on it. I do the exact same thing myself. Then Laura said the dress looked very plain and unfinished without any special trims on the dress, sweater or even the hat…
Joy said maybe it was the wig; it was maybe too puffy of a style for little Yu Ping… but I looked at a ton of pictures on Google and Pinterest and most EVERYONE who owns a Yu Ping doll has that exact same wig or one similar to it. There was even a version of Yu Ping with a wig that had those little braided knots on the side of her head. I think the wig is called Lucky, but it would have even been worse. So, I decided to wig needed to stay as it was… Joy mentioned maybe taking the wig off and trying the hat on Yu Ping just to see the difference without it on… You’re going to laugh… and I MEAN OUT LOUD! Look!!!
Then I got a comment from Mary Sue in Northern Ohio… that I think hit the nail on the head… at least for me… I copied her comment in case you missed it… Thank you for your honesty!
I think the timing of the listing was not optimal. I like to think that people were busy that week with Easter Prep and celebrations, maybe Spring Break.
I like the newer hat better, but I think I more dainty ribbon rather than the fabric tie might be a better scale.
I didn’t follow the construction of this dress, but my initial reaction is that it lacked the “JeanneMarie” magic touch. I love to see what you do with lace and trims and buttons on the dresses you make. I watch the progress and think things look pretty, then you add some trim or button or whatnot and Wow! That clever touch makes the dress so much more interesting and attractive. This dress is sweet, but it’s not anything special. Sorry.
So, I read the comments several times to see if I could determine where to go from there… oh, there were more things to comment on too, but those were the biggies to me… and this is what I decided!
There wasn’t any reason to continue making this set for Yu Ping. Clearly something was lacking in the creative juices when I was making it for her…and if it didn’t look like a “Jeanne Marie” I certainly didn’t want to put it out there…
SO… I did this…
I put it on Bailey… it fit her because the Twinkles (6″ Bailey size) and Yu Ping (5.5″ size) have almost the same body size… Bailey is just a bit taller than Yu Ping… The color immediately looked better on Bailey.
I added my favorite batiste white lace to the bottom of the dress…
I added some pink lace panties to her dress, so there wouldn’t be any OOPSIE incidents!
The colors of the fabric and hat are still not right, so I’m hoping to get a few taken outside so you can see just how pretty and pink it truly is. It’s a VERY pretty fabric and the hat is such a pretty color too!
I added a flower grouping to the front of the dress picking up the colors of the leaves, and the flowers on the hat.
I added a pink sheer bow to the back of the hat…I think I forgot to get that picture… you can sort of see it in a few pictures.
I added a pink elastic cord, WITH A PRE-TIED BOW at the side… you just have to slip it on your dolls head. The inside of the hat had a piece of the dress fabric added to cover up where the elastic was added inside. It makes it a bit more sturdy as you pull on the elastic to get it under your dolls chin.
As soon as I started working on it for Bailey, my whole focus changed, and I hope you think so too… Here are a few more pictures of Bailey in the dress… she is such a cutie.
Well, if all goes well, I hope to get it listed on Ebay… if I get it done tomorrow night, it will end on a Saturday evening again…Hmmmm… I’m not sure I want to do that again, so I may wait a day or two before it goes on…
I do have something else to share tomorrow… it’s colorful and fun!
I’ll see you then,
Blessings, Jeanne
What a difference!! Adding those trims, changing to the pink elastic on the hat and so on, the outfit now “sings”! And it definitely is more Bailey’s color and “vibe” than it is Yu Ping’s. I’m sure somewhere there will be another fabric that will be better with Yu Ping’s coloring, and then we will see her “come alive”, too.
That was sheer genius, Jeanne on changing the looks of the dress and hat! You certainly do take criticisms at heart in a good way, and make things better! I am the kind that prefers if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything. But in this case, it really did help you, and you know, we are all on your side!
Every single thing you did to make it different, actually made it better! The whole set is so adorable and certainly now can be rightly said, a real Jeanne Marie Original! Your special touches are there and you put it on a doll that can carry it off! Little Ten Ping will get her turn, I am sure of that!
Excuse, me, I meant Yu Ping, not Ten Ping!
Jeanne, I didn’t get the blog in my mail today so I fiddled around until I found it. What a difference the little outfit is, not just on Bailey, but also with the “real Jeanne” additions added. I know little TuPing is sad her dress has gone to another, but I know you will make an outfit just for her. I didn’t give you my thought about the ultra suede shoes, but I will now. When I made shoes with my ultra suede I had the other side on top, not the rough side you used. It is smooth and nicer looking. What do you think?
Some of you asked to see the photos of the shrimp boats from yesterday. I will try to send some of them to Jeanne later today. We are off to the Y as usual in a few minutes.
These dolls are so cute. Your YuPing reminds me that my daughter Elizabeth really wanted a very small doll when she was young. She used to draw pictures of her clothes.
Both of these dolls are adorable. The dress is really cute. I love the hat. I actually do love these littlest dolls the best. They are so darling.
I hope all of you had a nice week-end. It went very fast. It was warm, but today is brrrr chilly cold, we have the heat on this morning. Saturday and yesterday, instead of going to the old house and going through Elizabeth’s many boxes of treasures. …. I brought them here! Now our house is really full. I have not thoroughly emptied my car. I will, I will crush everything in the room with the piano and book shelves. I think I am going to take photos of all of the things but Elizabeth insists she does not want anything. I will probably end up with about 4 full boxes to save for her. Things she forgot about and treasures from my parents.
Today I am going to occupy myself with some other things because going through these boxes is so time consuming and not that enjoyable… yes, it is kind of a chore!
It is chilly today. Maybe I will get some chores done around this place and sew up 4 goose rear ends!
I don’t think any of us were trying to be mean on Friday, when we were making suggestions of how to improve the outlook of YuPing and her dress. I do think that bitty Bailey’s head shape carries the hat better and dress color as well. Yay! The addition of the hem lace really gives the dress some depth and helps to tie in the white on the shoes. I hope that there can be some outdoor pics of Bailey and her pup without the candy. I love the pic of the pup on her lap. For whatever reason, the yellow on the Starburst conflicts with the pink dress to me. I guess it’s kind of like are we selling the dress or candy? Maybe she needs a tiny little basket to carry sandwiches for a picnic or that sweater if it gets too cold? Maybe the sweater would work now with the addition of the white lace? I do think that buyers are really watching their spending especially since the ever upward prices are hitting the food budget as well as transportation.
And we have a new pet here. Well, not exactly a pet that we want around, because Callie Cat is not a happy camper. Awhile back, we had a racoon on the deck. I noticed yesterday that Callie Cat was really sniffing around the deck railings, but thought that it was a neighboring cat that had visited. However, it wasn’t a racoon, but a possum. Guess we could open a wildlife exhibit here. Late last evening, other person caught a glance of something on the deck and thought that it was Callie Cat, but upon another observation, it was a possum. It even got a drink from Callie Cat’s water bowl. We don’t leave out food, but it must have smelled something like the salmon cat food, that was the treat of the day yesterday. Hope it heads on to another location soon.
And today we’re supposed to get some rain. Hasn’t started yet, but hopefully soon. Definitely need more rain.
We are desperate for rain here, too, Joy. As for the possum, they eat ticks, so be happy to have one around, unless you don’t have ticks in your yard.
In the fifty years that we have lived here, we’ve never seen or gotten a tick. Lucky us. We do have deer in the front yard, but even with that, no ticks. 🙂
Hi Joy,
Be thrilled to have a possum!! We have one that visits the porch most nights and eats some cat food. Then it headed to the ground under the bird feeder to eat fallen seeds. I’ve also seen another (mother) and two joeys.
Unlike the raccoons, the possums never make a mess of the water bowl or remaining food, nor do they fight over it. As Sissy said, they eat ticks and bad insects and very best of all, they CANNOT carry rabies. Their body temperature is too cold. In addition They are not aggressive, gentle, and prefer to avoid conflict by fleeing or “playing dead”. I’ve seen them on the porch at the same time as the outdoor kitties with zero incidents.
My kitties love to look out and watch them.
Good to know about the possum. I was aware that they do help control ticks, yay, but not that they are gentle. Those we’ve run into before, actually growl or grunt. Glad that yours is beneficial, but I would prefer that he/she here heads elsewhere. We have a new kitty visiting. His name is Pursey, and lives across the street. He does not like either Charlotte or Callie Cat, and has gotten into it with both of them. He is a whitish Siamese mix. Pretty cat, but does not play well with others.
We have possums here too though they are Aussie imports. They are pests who destroy our trees (they ringbark them) and eat the eggs of our native birds. They are endangered in Australia so we wish they would take them back!
Yes, someone should start a travel fund for some of them. I know that racoons eat bird eggs, but didn’t know about the possums. TKs for the info.
The dress look good on Bailey and the lace looks nice with the white on the shoes. Did you try the other (first) hat on Bailey? I think this “coolie” type hat looked much better on Yu Ping. Face it Jeanne, you’ve spoiled us!!
Have a good day all.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!! What a massive difference! You know I’ve seen your creations since September of 2014, Jeanne, and it really looked like you had stopped in the middle. I certainly wasn’t trying to be mean. The trims make the difference as does the doll. Bailey looks lovely in it.
I’m also wondering whether the sweater would be a nice addition since there is white lace at the bottom. I love the little black pup and agree with Joy that the photo of him on her lap is adorable!
Since I just love Bailey (of any size) I was pleased to see her wearing this dress and hat. Bailey can pull off anything but the changes to the dress really are wonderful and look great on her. I think you have a sure fired winner now.
I must say, Bailey looks so much better than Yu Pin in the outfit. I am not sure if it is the doll or the outfit? Mind you I think Bailey would make any outfit “sing” she is so cute.
On our News over the weekend they reported that spending here was down. The one area that isn’t down is in electric car sales! (90% of our electricity comes from hydro, solar or wind). I mentioned before that not only do we have higher prices for food and petrol (it is over NZ$3 per LITRE here, multiply that by 3.87 to get the price per gallon) we also have the possibility of having no petrol in the country. Australia has the same issue and a week ago their problem was made much worse because a refinery in Victoria exploded in flames reducing their supply by a lot! My son is heading for USA and Canada for the World Cup in June, I hope for his sake the planes are still flying!
We have had more flooding in the country, this time in Wellington and when most people were asleep in bed. They had 77mm in one hour overwhelming their drainage system. Search parties are looking for one man who is missing, believed dead. One elderly woman managed to climb into a tiny cupboard above her wardrobe and the water came up to the edge of that cupboard, I guess that would be about 7 or 8 feet deep. Her son, with a policeman, swam into the house to try and find her and the rescuers were able to pick up her and her dog. It was super-fast apparently and no warning. Apparently it went down just as fast but of course the damage was done. We had a sprinkle again. I am not complaining, I don’t want the flooding but we really need some rain here. Christchurch has been like an Island, the rain has been all around us. The North Island has really been hammered since Jan. There has hardly been a month when somewhere up there has been flooded.
Winter has arrived here as well, nearly anyway. It is “7C (feels like 4C)” to quote my phone!
On that happy note I have to go for my shower it is coffee morning today.
Sorry to hear of more flooding, but glad it isn’t in your area. There are so many here who want hybrid electric cars, us too, that they can’t keep up with production. Some cars are partially made here, but others imported. We want a hybrid, but they don’t come with a full spare tire, only a tire repair kit which doesn’t work if your have a side blow out. Our last tire episodes have always been side blow outs. Anyway, there are now a few companies that include a donut tire, which is a sort of mini tire, that would work until you can get another tire. Otherwise, you have to have your car towed. And a lot of tire places won’t touch a tire that has had the repair goo shot inside. So, a tire repair would be iffy. For a tow, you may have to wait several hours if you are not in town. Always something, but our gas prices keep going up here.
And we no longer have any incentives to have solar panels installed, so, that puts a damper on even considering them. And wind power installations offshore have also been stopped. It is a sad situation here.