Hi everyone,
I had to laugh at all your chicken comments on yesterday’s post. We have very docile hens and my hubby suggested I show you how easy it is to collect the eggs, even when one of them is sitting on the eggs. He might have to come out to the coop and video me as I don’t know how I could hold my camera and do it myself. We’ll see…
I did like Marilyn’s idea/code of Aunt Sally or someone visiting so you’d know when I’m out of town, or can’t find time to comment… Good thinking!
Also, I HAD to comment on how happy I was for Rosemary and her dream and how it came true! WOW! I am so thrilled for you and your hubby!
Also, we had a “world traveler” on the red sweater made by Anne and won by Theresa! It took 17 days to get to her house, and it’s only 350 miles away! Theresa mentioned the Pony Express could have been faster… I was sorry, she missed it for Valentine’s Day, but she sent me a picture of her Ruby Red Fashion Friend, Lavender, in a blonde wig wearing it. It looks adorable with the black and white houndstooth check romper. Don’t you agree???
Okay, now the cat will be out of the bag… the pink dress is going to be modeled by Natasha! Someone guessed a Little Darling… I think it was Dorothy in PA, but not positive. Anyway, I had to use one of the smaller dolls because I was limited by how much fabric was in that sleeveless blouse. Charlotte was right, it is a Voile… I had forgotten there was a specific name for such sheer fabric. It’s quite tedious to sew… I knew it would be, but when it’s finished, I’ll be smiling!
I don’t know why my pictures aren’t the greatest…a bit blurry again… maybe my lens on the camera is dirty again… but I hope you can tell a little bit about it.
I used those long bias strips with the tufts on one side along the inside edge of the square neckline… then I stitched it with a very short stitch to hold it in place. Now I won’t have to worry about the winner of this pulling the corners out.
I set the sleeves in and made them about 3/4 length, but as I was playing with it, I realized it’s SO lightweight, it can be pushed up to a short sleeve or even a very short sleeve… I’ll show you some pictures of what I mean… I think I might have a ribbon at the gathered part…
They look different in person. They appear like blobs in my pictures, but in person, they are easy to see as sleeves vs. bodice.
The sleeve on the left had a bit of static electricity in it and it just kept clinging to her arm… I’ll have to get a dryer sheet and rub over her arm to get it to stop.
Well, that’s it for me… not much accomplished, but it seems like I’m sewing in slow motion with this fabric; trying to be extra careful. I have the skirt cut out and it’s next!
I’ll see you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
First of all, Rosemary, I am just thrilled and so pleased that your daughter called you and you had such a lovely visit! Prayers continue for that situation.
Theresa, I’m so glad you got that sweater, even though it did take the “slow boat to China” to get there! Lavender looks darling in it, and it goes so well with the romper she’s wearing!
Jeanne, the dress is coming along nicely, I think. I love that you were able to reuse that delicate picot trim.
I just realized I haven’t sent my Expo photos to Jeanne yet, so I have a note to do that tomorrow. I need to get to bed now..
Theresa’s sweater is so pretty and looks adorable on the romper. I bet it is relived to be there at last!
Jeanne, the dress is off to a lovely start, as all yours do. I always love to see them come to life.
Looking forward to seeing the chickens! Prayers for George!!
As usual we are off to the Y on another cold day. Thank goodness the pool has a nice temperature.
Jeanne, Natasha looks so sweet in her new dress, or what has been started! The delicate voile and colors are perfect for a Little Darling doll! This looks like it is going to be a wonderful Easter dress for a little someone!
Theresa put together a darling outfit to show off her doll’s new sweater! I love the black and white houndstooth check, and it shows off the pretty pink sweater wonderfully! What’s going on with the mail being so slow? It has happened to me too!
Rosemary, I’m so happy for you! Dreams DO come true!
Me too on the mail thing. I was just about to contact Jeanne about my sweater thinking it might have got lost in the mail when it finally showed up.
Slow boat to China is a good one, Charlotte! I was going to say “Turtle Express”
With tracking numbers and scanners now, Hubbs has seen some packages take a US tour before they make it to Virginia. Haha
Jeanne, this dress is a beauty and I love Little Darlings dolls. I am eager to
see how this dress finishes up, I know it will be very feminine and perfect. Jeanne, you are busy as a bee in the hen house now.
Theresa, your cutiepie Lavender is adorable. I love red, and this outfit is so cute, the sweater is perfect!! Lavender looks so happy.
Yes, I posted yesterday afternoon, was it 2:30!? Still kind of feeling dazed (as usual) about the dream the night before. It was nothing vivid, I only remember Elizabeth and I being so happy, hugging just like we used to be. We used to be so close… and then waking up crying!! that is also not a first but I learned over the YEARS not to wake hubby.
Hubbs phone rang at 2:30-ish. and he said “hi Elizabeth” and realized (shock) she was calling to have a phone visit so he put her on speaker. We asked questions about the kids (4) and what they were doing. and how she was doing and Jerome. Just maintaining an”untramatized” composure. It was good. Rex (hubbs) and I will just remain hopeful. She asked how Rex’s health was… and She did not really say how are you doing mom, but she did ask what I had been doing here in the new neighborhood. I think one degree of comfort she had to make the call, is that Jerome was not working from home anymore, so she had that quiet “freedom” to call. She sounded very happy and cheerful.
Anyway, yesterday after that, I just had to share my dream come true and progress. Thank you all for your prayers. I truly believe that very brave advance I made last December made her feel our old connection and it is a thing we can mend.
We were supposed to get snow overnight and it was a bust! and I am glad. I have to go to the dentist. I hope all of you have a nice day. It looks mighty cloudy here, so if you have the same, try to make your own sunshine.
Love, Rosemary
I am so happy your dream came true Rosemary. I can so relate to your feelings about your daughter. It seemed the minute they got married my daughter’s husband was in a rush to move her away from us. They moved to Colorado. Not bad, just two days away and we invaded their space once a year, except for the year they knew we were coming and went to the Pacific Northwest to visit her stepsister who she had no relationship with whatsoever. One year we went to their place for Thanksgiving and they left to spend the holiday with his family. Never wanting to put her in the middle of things, we endured. But she used to call me on her way home from work and we had a nice chat – until she got home and her husband was there. Total change in demeanor. The past few years, after they moved to Maine, and we did a video chat her husband loomed in the background and our grandson was there so we never really got to have a mother-daughter chat. But lately I noticed she seemed to want to talk to me more and sets it up for a Wednesday morning when our grandson is at nature school. She goes over to their AirBNB cabin and putters around there while she talks to me. It’s the best we can do for the moment so I’ll take it. I love seeing my grandson but he has a problem with his mother paying attention to someone else since he usually has the undivided attention of his parents being an only child and homeschooled. Praying for more lovely visits with your daughter for you and your hubby.
I am so glad you got that wonderful call yesterday! I hope you will have more now that her Hubbs is out of the house. Prayers!
So glad that your dream actually came true. Those vibes we can put out amaze me sometimes. 🙂
Oh, Theresa’s, sweet sweater by Anne, is adorable on her RR. And Lavender, is so cute as a blond with that fun wig. Interesting, but I sent Valentine’s to the grands as usual and mailed them six days before the date, and it still took all six days to travel an hour and a half away. Now, what’s with that?? I always say that they must have gone by oxcart, the mode of transportation used by my relatives from Indiana, Illinois, Mo, Arkansas, way back in the 1850’s and before. 🙂
Natasha, is a perfect model for the dress. The sleeves pushed all the way up is my favorite look. Can’t wait to see the skirt attached.
And I definitely look forward to some chicken flicks. 🙂 I well remember my grandparents huge flock in the chicken sheds in their in town backyard in the early 50’s. I was not fond of walking around in there at all. Scary!
Yesterday, I bought a new pattern and downloaded it and then discovered that it is not my usual style of sewing or as I thought it was constructed. Cut out the pieces anyway and now, I need to pin it together as I wanted it to be and make a new pattern from the pieces. The bodice of the pattern that I purchased has no side seams and the armholes are not symmetrical. I thought it would be a very simple pattern, and now I have something completely different to mess with. I’m not sure that it will even fit my Meadow Ady. Kind of crazy and way more work than I had planned on. On top of that, it looked to be a one piece romper, but actually, the pattern has a separate bodice. Oh bother.
The weather people say that we have some high winds coming in the next few days, so it’s definitely March kite weather. I’m not fond of wind at all. Messes with my hair too much.
Happy Tuesday, everyone!
yes, the wind is brutal. I only really love it in Summer, but we rarely get wind in Summer.
I hope your sewing adventures are manageable. Patterns can be tricky.
I remember when I first visited Texas before moving here. It was hot but there always seemed to be a breeze in the afternoon. Moving here I realized it is a sea breeze from the Gulf and very welcome on a hot, humid summer day. You definitely notice when it’s not there.
I am sorry about your pattern, Joy! Will you bother to finish it? If not, I would like to send it. Also, I have some small “foods” for dolls i would be happy to send you, just for the shipping if you would want them. Send me an email if you still have it.
I do have your email and will contact you. 🙂
Lavender looks lovely in the beautiful red sweater, Theresa. I’m glad it finally made it to you. Wouldn’t want Anne’s gorgeous knitting getting lost in the mail.
So thrilled for you Rosemary that Elizabeth called you. I hope she continues to reach out and often.
Natasha looks so pretty in the start of her new dress. I like it best with short sleeves.
yes, I like the short puffy sleeves too…. but at present I really like how they are adjustable. This is kind of a nifty option!!
I love Natasha’s almost dress. The sleeves are intriguing. I like all the lengths. Can’t wait to see it with the skirt attached. Natasha is a beautiful doll.
And Lavendar looks so cute in here romper and lovely sweater, Theresa. I love houndstooth and it goes perfectly with the sweater color.
Linda, you mentioned backgrounds. I love using backgrounds but my dolls are smaller. i only have one 18″ doll and a 19.5″ Gotz Hannah so everyone else is RRFF size or below so the backgrounds work well. I have some amazing backgrounds I got from China that are made for 16″ dolls like Ellowyne. I’m anxious to make some clothes for her to use with the backgrounds but I haven’t sewed in months. Need to get back to that. Also, I didn’t get to comment yesterday so must tell you how much I love your wonderful scenes. Your dolls always look so lovely in their beautiful attire and your table set-ups are amazing. I always enlarge the picture as much as possible and zoom in to see all the wonderful food and drink and table settings.
Wouldn’t mind a few prayers sent our way. We are in a serious battle with our city over how much control they should have over our property. We told them we would be phasing out our mobile home park and replacing it with residential housing. They are now trying to use ordinances, which don’t apply to us since we are grandfathered, and relentless scrutiny and picture taking to justify closing the park. When I pushed enough to get a real answer it was a surprise to me. I was told we told the city we would close the park in 2024 and it’s still there. At this rate (yada, yada). Well part of the reason it’s taking so long to start the houses is because the city slow walked everything to the point that we were wondering if they even cared whether they got twenty new homes to tax. Any way David asked for a meeting and if that does not go well then I will contact the city council and the mayor who were over the moon at the idea of us building the homes as well as being concerned where the tenants of the mobile home park were going to go. I can’t believe they will be okay with an immediate shutdown, especially since it’s purely for aesthetic reasons since the park has been as it is for over 35 years (and in another year or two it will be gone). If we can’t reach a compromise after contacting the city council and mayor (who was a judge) we will be contacting a real estate attorney who deals in things like this. The city thinks it can do anything it wants but shutting down a business without just cause (health and safety) is probably not a good look for them.
I was thinking about Rosemary’s wonderful dream that came true. Maybe mine will too. I keep having this recurring dream where I can walk easily like before. It’s so real. So much of my problem is stress and this nonsense with the city has been going on for almost a year in one way or another and that’s when all this started.
Wow, Barbara, Y’all have a lot to deal with, I hope it works out! I am glad you have found away to talk with your daughter, even it is not the best you would want. I wished for a daughter, but had two boys. They are very loving and caring and do call me often. They live at too large distances to drive. The wives are nice, but not like having daughters. The younger granddaughter does face time me a couple of times a month. The two older ones I don’t hear from.
Thanks, Sissy. I have one daughter and one son and I can tell you that my son is there for me for whatever I need. He’s always been like that. I love my daughter and son equally but their personalities are so different. My daughter is a bit mor selfish so it’s my son who will most likely look out for me in my golden years.
I am oh so sorry about the city’s attitude. Let’s hope that they change their minds. Here, our city would be delighted to have more housing built. Only problem is that it is always monster apartments and not affordable actual homes. I really hope that it works out. Please keep us updated.
Thanks, Joy. I contacted an online attorney for some information. He said we have a good case if the city tries to shut us down. And in one case he thinks our due process rights have been violated. Our city also has added some large apartment complexes but they still want the affordable single homes which ours will be. I will keep everyone in the loop.
Thank you, Barbara! I understand having the smaller dolls really helps with the backgrounds showing up more! The bigger dolls don’t really work that well with them especially when you have three or more in the scene. Our collections are the opposite, I have more 18 inch dolls, and only one Ruby Red doll, plus Betsy and Emmy.
Thank you for your kind words and I’m glad you enjoy my scenes.
I wish you all the best in getting your problems with the city concerning your mobile home park solved to your satisfaction.
Thanks Linda. I hope we can get it resolved within the city and not have to bring in an outside attorney. But we will if we must because the woman in charge of this whole thing is not a good person and is drunk on the power she’s sure she has.
Jeanne the material looks lovely and it really suits Natasha. I love the neckline it fits beautifully. I can’t wait to see it with the skirt.
Rosemary I am so happy for you, I hope you get to talk to your daughter more often. Dreams do come true sometimes.
I used to dream of my ex-husband quite often after we separated (it was a particularly vicious break up). My eldest son’s partner at the time enabled and encouraged the relationship he was having. One night I had a dream that we were all four cleaning a house, really getting into all the corners. It was after that that my healing really began. I never had another dream about him. Dreams can be very revealing.
When I was much younger I had a very close friend who married a US soldier. We used to correspond quite regularly and sometimes I would think ‘I wonder if I will get a letter from Linda today’ (not our Linda of course), and I always did, I seemed to know every time. She came over to visit her family and I realised that what I thought was a close friendship was only on my part and that, to her, I was just someone she knew. We still corresponded for a while but I lost the ‘ability’ to know when I would get a letter and eventually the letters stopped. We did catch up again years later but then she cut me off again.
The last three days have been really cold here. Not much better today but at least it isn’t raining. Tomorrow is supposed to warm up and be into the late 20’sC. According to the weather lady it has been a much cooler than normal summer! Now we just have the winter to look forward to, I really hope it isn’t like yours has been!
Going to do some more sewing on my quilt today. I have attached one border, so only three to go then the second border to do. I haven’t decided yet how big this one will be but it will depend on how much fabric I have left. I have had the fabric a long time so no chance of anymore. I just want a plain border. I’ll send a photo when it is finished.
I had better get on, I slept in again this morning so running late again but at least I don’t have to be anywhere today.
Have a great day
I’m reminded of a dream I had after my mother-in-law passed away. My father-in-law passed the previous year so my mother-in-law went to live with her daughter. She filled my mother-in-law full of lies about me and said I said awful things about my mother-in-law and it made me so sad since I loved my mother-in-law. After she passed I had a dream that she and I were having tea together and having a wonderful time. In the dream my mother-in-law apologized for the hurt she caused me while she was living with her daughter. It was a moment of closure.