Hi everyone,
I am SO happy that the Ruby Red Fashion Friends red and white and blue set found a new home! I was so hoping someone would buy it this time and I hope they’ll be happy with it.
Marilyn sent me some pictures and some descriptions of them and I’ll be showing them tomorrow… I’ll give you a hint… It’s big and has to do with water and royalty! :o)
Now, for today… I was debating about who to sew for next, and Debbie mentioned that she had bought and sold 11 different Felicity’s trying to get the perfect one… Then Joy seconded the idea of a dress for her, Marilyn chimed in about how she got her Felicity and how she had to fix her up a bit and then we ALL know how much Laura loves the Historical dolls, especially her West Germany Felicity doll.
…and since it seemed like it has been forever I decided to go with Felicity and make her a new dress, not too Patriotic but just slightly. I found a pretty fabric, maybe slightly on the calico side, but not necessarily. It’s a very pretty, almost dark teal/navy mix with tiny red flowers. Anyway, I liked it next to Felicity’s red hair and decided to go for it.
I only managed to get it cut out but spent quite a while trying to find the right lace for it. I’ve narrowed it down to two pieces.
Here are the pieces cut out…
This is how the color looks next to Felicity’s skin and hair.
After I had it cut out, I was trying to find the perfect lace for it… SURELY I have SOMETHING I can use in this cabinet…
Poor Felicity stood there while I draped countless pieces across her shoulders and around her neckline.
She actually was a pretty good sport…probably glad to get out of that dolly cabinet.
I have this white Heirloom lace that can drawn up with a thread and slightly gathered around the neckline…
Or I have this vintage very interesting lace that can go around a finished neckline…
OOPS… I just spotted a slight flaw in the fabric… a slub of threads were knotted up on the backside… so I will be cutting out a new bodice…
Well, that’s it for me as far as sewing goes.
My hubby wanted homemade Beef Stroganoff today and lemon bars for our late lunch today. It wasn’t very typical for the Memorial Day holiday, but it sure was tasty!
Well, I better get to bed…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Congrats on a successful auction, Jeanne!
Looking forward to Marilyn’s pictures.
All the talk about Felicity in the previous blog, and I thought I’d chime in on how I got my own Felicity. I think it was the year Ron retired (2001), and we took a road trip. I think we must have left in early May, and on our way east, he kept reminding me to be sure to look around for something I might want as an anniversary present (our anniversary was May 18th). One day he said that, and then he said, You’re going to wait until we get to American Girl Place in Chicago to choose your anniversary present, aren’t you?! 😁 Heh heh heh….he knew me too well! Yes, Felicity was my anniversary present, and I looked at two or three of them, I think, before I picked the one I wanted. I got a “few” other items, too, and we had the entire box shipped home, it was that big! Since we get our mail at a PO box, we didn’t have to worry about it sitting out in front of the house.
I’m glad to see that Felicity is next on the docket–it really Has been quite a while since you last made something for her. That is such an interesting print, and I could see trimming it in a variety of ways–not just lace but maybe some narrow soutache braid that picks up one of the colors, or some satin or velvet ribbon bows in either the red or the darkest color (black?). As to the two laces you chose, I do like both. The heirloom lace (that has the thread to pull for gathering), is nice, but I rather like the other one, as the little picots (loops) along the edges kind of echo the “leaves” in the print. You could do a band of it around the skirt (if you have enough), and/or sleeves, possibly on the bodice or neckline, too.
I had a rough night last night, with little sleep, and was feeling very emotional this morning, it being Memorial day and all. Finally after lunch I decided it would be best if I got out of the house. It was raining, so I didn’t go to the cemetery; instead, it was time for some “retail therapy”!! Half Price Books and Hobby Lobby, to be exact. HPB was having their 20% off sale, so four books came home with me, and at HL I got to talk to my friend Susan briefly (she works in the fabric department–I’ve known her since she worked over at our much-missed Hancock Fabrics, years ago) and did a bit of shopping there, too. Why yes, I DID need those mini-Turtles!! (Candy) Yum!
Forgot to tell you, I finally got back to working on Nolan’s t-shirt. It shouldn’t be much longer now.
Sometimes retail therapy is the right fix. Thankful for our men and women who have served our country.
I love your ideas for Felicity’s dress, so many ways to trim it and keep the heritage look.
I remember after my divorce years ago (he decided he didn’t want to be married any longer after four years) I was single for eight years. I tend to be a loner but sometimes I just needed to get a people fix. I lived in Texas and all my family was in the northeast so dropping in on them wasn’t an option, so I went to the mall. I took myself to dinner and while I didn’t always buy anything it was good to get out amongst the hustle and bustle for a while – and then go home to the peace and quiet of my usual life.
Barbara, I am sorry you had to go through that trauma of a divorce.
I am so glad you chose to take good care of yourself, and I bet you learned it was a good thing in the end. God is always in control
Barbara, I occasionally take myself out for dinner alone. I always have something to read with me, so sometimes I’ll sit and read when I’m eating (something my mother would not let us do when we were kids!).
Jeanne, that material looks perfect for Felicity! I rather like the antique lace, the second one you showed, for the trim. It looks authentic for her times, at least to me. I too, have a Felicity story!
When we first married, Michael was stationed at Ft. Lee, Virginia, waiting to be shipped out to Viet Nam. He had three months training there, so I lived there for his three months, and we did sightseeing all around that area during that time, including Williamsburg. Oh, how I loved that place, so rich in history and so beautiful! Many years later, we had two 7th and 8th grade children, and decided to go back to show them that wonderful place.
Then, next thing you know, I am a grandmother(!) and getting dolls for my granddaughters. By that time, Pleasant Company and American Girl were the popular dolls, and since I was getting a catalog, I was aware of them. One granddaughter wanted Kit, and the other wanted Samantha, so that Christmas, that is who they got, plus I was gifted a Molly from my husband, so I could play with them! Molly was right uo my alley, being a ‘40’s girl. Of course, you can’t just buy one, as the saying goes, and I started dreaming of getting a different doll, totally different than Molly, and that’s where Felicity stole my heart.
It was fun finding her clothes and accessories, and I slowly began my quest to get most everything I could buy and afford for her. She stands in my daughter’s bedroom now, with her lamb, her nightstand, little sister Polly in her cradle and her beautiful table and chairs. While her bed is too big for the space, she has a lot of her accessories, her guitar, her Noah’s Ark, and just about all of her dishes and food. I am always on the lookout for a few more of her things, but at most Ebay prices, I feel that I am getting priced out!
I think Felicity is slowly getting more popular as time goes by, especially with our country’s 250th anniversary coming up, so it is a good idea to make something for her. Plus you seldom find clothes for her on Ebay.
Speaking of what you had for lunch, do you actually have dinner after that? We eat very sparingly at lunch time, but our dinner is the biggest meal of the day.
I love the inspiration for your Felicity. I am still trying to get to Williamsburg now that we are only 4 hours away. Maybe this year for the 250th.
Eight years ago I was scouring ebay for her clothes and accessories and I found a family of 3 girls in California selling their childhood Felicity items. No doll but I was able to get all of her furniture, clothing, and accessories for a reasonable price. The move to North Carolina forced me to sell most of it but I kept the wooden doll, the lamb, and her green trunk.
When I was deciding on a 40th anniversary doll I read the reviews. Felicity had many more than the other dolls. She is not always on the website but remains a fan favorite.
Oh my gosh, Debbie! You sold most of your things for Felicity? So sorry about that, but hang onto what you have. I have her wooden doll and lamb also, but not the green trunk, and that is getting pricier all the time. I bought a small little trunk at Hobby Lobby to put some things in, but the green trunk seems out of my reach for now. I would certainly suggest you investing in a Felicity doll. I’m sure the day will come when she is no longer available from AG, and in new condition.
Thanks for the warning and encouragement! I will guard what is left and get the new doll while I still can.
Oooh that must have been very difficult to sell all of your precious accessories. Yikes.
Hubbs and I did downsize, but really we kept everything we wanted. Our house is stuffed 😂
Debbie, look into hotel reservations now. 🥰
It is a lot of fun and a beautiful area. Both of my daughters went to William and Mary.
Hi, Good choice doing a dress for Felicity, Mattel has just introduced 8 of the Historical dolls, Felicity is one of them. I do very well when I have a colonial dress for sale. It being the forty anniversary of American Girl dolls. I just got the new book The Making of American Girl, a great read if you are into the dolls. I will send along some of my 250 dresses I have been making! Have a Good Day!
HI Sylvia,
You’ve made 250 DOLL DRESSES? I’m astounded! Yes, please send pictures!
hooray Felicity! I love the blue fabric and I love the antique lace. My mom could make lace like that. Felicity looks thrilled to get outta that cabinet and she is on her best behavior, or just thrilled!! 😁
My oldest daughter has Samantha! My youngest daughter had Felicity. I have her now. I will give it to her one day, but they are purgers living in a very small townhouse with 4 kiddos. At present both of Lizzie’s dolls live upstairs with me. I gave all of the furniture and beds of all AG dolls to Christina, my oldest. Anyhoo, Felicity and a Girl of Today named Christina live upstairs and they are happy, also living with a doll from Target named …. Chloe? All three of them are wearing shorts and t-shirts or small blouses at present, and bare feets!!
Charlotte, you are always on my mind. I wish I could give you a hug.
I agree with your points on the lace. I am happy you are having some progress with Nolans shirt. I need to make more shirts for my girls.
Beef stroganoff sounds delish, Jeanne!! I have not made that in years! Good idea Jeanne!
I made frozen Red Baron pizza last night for dinner. I buy the plain cheese and add our own favorite toppings like sliced tomatoes and hubbs likes pepperoni
Lunch time, I try to eat a larger meal, and breakfast just moderate, Dinner, I usually have a salad and some protein, but I caved to pizza.
Dinner, we usually eat at 4:30 or 5, early but it ran late last evening and I had to take a pepcid near bed time. I have been very undisciplined with eating lately, and way too much snacking. I have to get off of that snack bus!!!
I like lemon bars Jeanne. I have not had them in ages either. Great idea.
I bought some of these Walmart brand iced lemon shortbread cookies that are delicious. They have ZERO nutritional value but they are yummy to eat in small bites and let the lemon icing melt on your tongue https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/574622271 Really bad. I love sugar. Hubbs like Nutter Butter cookies and Pepperidge Farm oatmeal cookies. He keeps them in a tightly sealed jar on the counter top. I do not eat them because I just do not need another cookie addiction. I keep my cookies, when opened, in a zip bag in the freezer – that just makes them less “present” haha haha
I also have Walmart brand Chippers in the freezer. Hubbs and I snack too much.
We are both rather stick like people but still, sugar and snacks are just so yummy.
Tonight I do not have to make dinner because hubbs can have the left over pizza, and I will finally eat a good salad with maybe a bit of quality canned Salmon.
Today I am going to go full willpower and skip the snacks.
Jeanne, I made a little bag from the pattern you shared. I will show it some time soon.
We have had a lot of rain and I am not complaining one single bit!
I see seedlings coming up in the gardens and I hope they survive any little bunnies.
I do not have any fencing on my small front yard garden. I have a very small property now in our new neighborhood. It faces north and gets sun very nicely on each side morning and night. I got some potted sun flowers at Walmart two weeks ago and I think I need to either put them in the ground or find an even larger pot for them.
I like your lace collection and filing system, Jeanne! upstairs, I am installing closet maid shelves, very slowly. but I still have my “bathtub filing closet” Oh my.
One day I will go through all of it. I have so much fabric! and other arty supplies, I found some fun hand sewing projects I could work on during our 2 hours of PM tv.
There is no good answer to this but whyyyy must there be so much swearing on tv shows now? Remember when d**n was such a shock to hear on tv? okay yeah, darn was kind of a shocking word for me as a kid.
Anyway, it is difficult to find a show that does not have ANY disgusting points in it.
Of the shows that are good, we have watched them already, some twice.
I will end here. I love all of you. I hope you have a hint of sunshine.
Who can resist pizza? We are trying to get back to our low carb diet but holidays and celebrations keep getting in our path. I just can’t afford to keep buying new clothes, for me that is.
I have a Kirsten from the 90’s and all of her outfits living in the guest room closet. Daughter is a minimalist living in a white and grey house with no storage. So many childhood things did not survive our 2 moves but I do think a girl needs her special childhood doll.
Our daughter lives with her husband and son in a “tiny house” (not a small house but an actual tiny house) so all of her keepsakes are still living at here. I guess when the day comes to clear things out she can decide to find a place to store them elsewhere or just give them away or trash them. If I know her husband it will be one of the latter two since he seems to have a problem with her having a life before him.
this is a sad but true outcome for many.
I will hold on to Lizzie’s things. Perhaps later she can decide.
My older daughter Christina is also very good with finding new special homes for things. I think if Lizzie does not want her dolls, Christina will joyfully adopt them.
I have them here and really like having them
I totally agree about the degradation of our TV viewing. I remember when they couldn’t put a toilet in the bathroom on “The Brady Bunch” and Lucy and Ricky had to sleep in twin beds. We tend to watch a lot of the older shoes like “Perry Mason”, “Murder She Wrote”, and the classic “Hawaii Five-O” but some of the new shows we watch are great too like “Tracker” and “The Rookie”. We don’t have to be afraid of what’s next on those shows. We were watching a show once with Billy Bob Thornton – can’t remember the name – and there was male nudity. It was so unexpected I totally missed it but David didn’t. It was a good show but we stopped watching after that.
So so so many of the new shows are full of swearing, every other word, nudity, and *much more*. It is disgusting. 🤮
When we find a show, we give it ONE episode test. If it seems sensible we might move ahead to another. If they have even a hint of “ewww gross” we have to pass. I just do not feel like wasting time on trash tv.
Yes, I think I did see one with Billy Bob Thornton. I thought all of his shows are full of foul behavior, and really deviant morals. Yikes.
Yes the old shows are so great! We watched the Rockford Files, and yes, all of Murder She Wrote. I think we have seen all of the good shows, even some old Johnny Carson is funny. When I was a teen ager, I loved Merv Griffin
Y’all make me sorry I never bought AG dolls. When they first came in I almost bought Molly. She reminded me so much of my childhood, the clothes, the toys, she is just my age. When they came out I was sewing clothes for the Mary Engellbreit dolls made by Tonner and just stuck to those. My granddaughters loved them. As they grew older they got into the AG dolls and I bought an old doll from Jeanne to use to make a few clothes for them. All three of my grands got matching PJ’s and robes for them and their dolls. Simone is much younger than her cousins and when we visited them she and I had so much fun playing school. She is fourteen now but still has her dolls under her bed. I told her to keep them because she would be sorry someday if she didn’t.
Yesterday was awful. I told y’all that last week we had to go to 4 lunches in a row and we also went to a pot luck Saturday evening. Our last lunch after church on Sunday Peyton did not eat it. He was sick from eating something Saturday evening. He was really sick yesterday and we had to go 30 miles to the walk in clinic. We had to wait for the prescription because of the holiday.
We were gone most of the morning and I had to be a nurse most of the day.
He is still on the meds and I am following what was told that he could eat. I am still having to force him to eat what the doctor said, but he is a bit better today.
Going to cook something for him now.
Sorry to hear about Peyton. Not fun at all for either of you. Hope he feels better today.
I personally do not eat at potlucks. Way too picky here. I remember way back when they had a luncheon at school and by one o’clock all the teachers were sick. Principal who did not partake as he was doing yard duty so the teachers could enjoy their lunch, was the only one who didn’t become ill. I think the kids all ended up in the auditorium watching a movie that day. I wonder if anyone else became ill from the food on Saturday evening?
I was fine from the potluck and I thought he and I had eaten the same thing but I guess not. I haven’t heard from any one else but I did tell our leader and she didn’t say any thing about any one else. Peyton buys weard snacks that I don’t touch, maybe he ate one of those during the day, I don’t know.
I always loved potlucks at church. Some of the churches I’ve gone to had members who were amazing cooks. But when we have a potluck at our current church I usually decide to go somewhere else for lunch. We have a lot of Nigerian members and they cook food that is so spicy that I can’t eat it, not to mention some of what they cook isn’t recognizable to me. I’ll stay for special luncheons provided by the church but potlucks these days not so much.
So sorry that your fun week ended in Peyton’s illness. I hope he has a quick recovery. Like Joy I steer clear of potluck. Our school district banned homemade food items for all occasions.
Thank you, Debbie. We do have a potluck every month at our subdivision and we have not been sick once. Maybe it was just too many of those meals for him that week. I gained 3 pounds!!
Hi Sissy, so sorry to hear Peyton was ill. Potluck food concerns me as well as there’s no way to know what is always in a dish or if it has been kept at the right temperature.
I was smitten with the PC dolls from that first catalog in 1988. Of course, my daughter got them first and I did only after she downsized and mostly just displayed them. The combination of beautiful dolls, historical books, as well as historical clothing and miniature replicas was the best. I do like RRFFs also and they can share a lot of the PC/AG accessories.
Thank you, Laura, it still a hard road getting him back to himself. Don’t know if we will be able to go to the y this week. Just want him well.
Like I said, this group as made me wished I had collected some AG dolls.
Congrats on the sale of the cute summer group, Jeanne. Now, on to a forth of July outfit for some Ruby Reds, maybe.
I love the fabric for Felicity. However, the white lace seems to take away from the lovely print. Charlotte, mentioned bringing out the darker colors. I too would like to see some of the darker colors emphasized. The white is kind of jarring to me unless it is done in a small dose. What about some black lace and the darkest red for other trim? Just a thought.
There is a Felicity here that Laura, identified some time ago as an older one. She is still standing around in undies I believe, as her dress was stained. I’m not even sure where it has gone. Guess that I should look into that.
Yesterday, it was so cold, and after the memorial at the cemetery, we walked home and warmed up. Neither of us wanted to clean the BBQ so we ended up dropping by El Pollo Loco , aka Crazy Chicken, and picked up a chicken quesadilla that we shared for a late lunch. We did get the new tomato cages placed and the plants planted. The sun is finally out this morning, so hopefully, we will have that Tri-tip later today.
El Pollo Loco, best chicken ever! Unfortunately ours never seemed to recover fully after COVID. First it was closed completely, then for drive-thru only which lasted forever because they said they had a lack of employee problem. We used to go there a lot with Sean and his family but we needed to eat in. When that stopped we haven’t been there in ages, but David keeps it at the top of his dining wish list.
As I remember, I think ours was only open for drive up during Covid too. We usually get it to go so we can head home and watch tv news or something.
This will be fun! I might have to unbox Felicity so she can watch the progress. I like the vintage lace or maybe a matching ruffle. Since it is summer, a lighter palate might be the thing. Some RR will be happy with their summer duds.
Oh, yes, a self-fabric ruffle would be nice, too, Debbie! I hadn’t thought of that.
YAY!! This, of all years, is the year to sew for Felicity!! Being the 250th she should certainly be entitled to two new gowns. I can’t even recall the last dress she got. Truly one of the prettiest girls.
The fabric is very pretty. My vote is definitely for the second lace. It instantly reminded me of a pineapple which was a common decoration in colonial times.
My daughter was born in 1981. The Pleasant dolls came out in 1986 so she would have been five. I remember getting a catalog and I thought they were great dolls but Andrea never seemed interested. She actually wasn’t much interested in dolls at all. Too sedate a play time for her, she liked to be more active. So, sadly, I missed out on the dolls since I never thought of buying one for myself. i thought they were kind of pricey and while I would have bought one for her, I didn’t think of it as an option for myself. I now own a Truly Me doll and am thinking of maybe a Samantha to celebrate AG’s 40th year. I’m not a big colonial gal but am fascinated by the “turn of the century” timeframe (the 1900 one) hence Samantha. Who would have also lived around the time of my maternal grandmother.
I’m actually nearly finished with the dress I am making for RRFF Bella to wear with her pretty white sweater. She will be wearing it when she goes to the movies with Alex. I’m enjoying being back to sewing again but find I can’t sit and do it for hours like I used to. Fortunately doll clothes go together rather quickly and that works for me at the moment. Maybe after a few sessions of PT I can sit longer without getting so antsy.
I’m on my own for the day again. David and Sean headed up to the out-of-town job to see how it fared since that area has had quite a bit of rain. It’s also election day here so some important run-offs. I will go to lunch and then go vote and come back and finish up the dress and hopefully have time to cut out the other piece of the “sweater” outfit – a jumpsuit.
Can;t wait to see some pics of Bella in her new dress and white sweater. 🙂
Well my new cooker is finally installed and working. Kai celebrated by making a lemon cake with lemon frosting and gave me a piece with ice cream. It was delicious but the cake was made with butter, so was the icing and Ice cream but dairy gives me eczema and I can feel the effects this morning! Only very mild and as long as I don’t repeat it today it will go away. So, no more cake and ice cream, boo. I can see the future being a problem, Kai loves baking.
Russell (my youngest) is going to come over at the weekend and take the old cooker to the dump. It seems a shame because the hob is still working perfectly, however it is nearly 15 yrs old and these days that is probably about right for appliances. My fridge is at least 25 yrs old so I expect that to be the next thing to go. While it is doing its job it can stay where it is!
We are going out for dinner tonight to celebrate Sam’s birthday. Jono wants to come as well, I hope he can find something he wants to eat! Asher will be staying at home, she doesn’t like restaurants or cafe’s. If she gets up today and helps her Mum with a big clean up in the garden she might get takeaways otherwise no. She stays up all night then can’t wake up in the morning. I think she went to school once last week and hasn’t been this week yet. The school has given her Wednesdays off but she is supposed to work on those days, not stay in bed all day!!
I will be working on my crossroads quilt. I have put 4 rows together and the fifth one is all quilted, I just have to join the blocks. I ran out of batting so the last row can’t be quilted till I cut some more (I bought another roll). Then I have to join the rows together and sew on the binding so it isn’t far off being finished. When I cut out the batting for the last four blocks I will also cut out the batting for the two smaller quilts that I have made blocks for. The roll is so big and heavy, especially a new roll, that I prefer to do as much as I can at the time.
Have a good day everyone
A big congrats on the new cooker! I hope it lasts a long time. I’ve found that our new one had a learning curve. All of those timers, lights, etc. took awhile to figure out, but now I’m liking it. Well, almost. 🙂