Hi everyone,
Well, I didn’t get as much done today on the Civil War skirt as I was hoping to. I was “unwrapping the caramels today…and that took some time. 9 bags of them and they filled an entire gallon ziplock bag that I barely was able to zip shut. I needed to get that done as the next 2 days have plenty still left for me to do before the hayride.
I wanted to get the caramels out of the way and then I was going to tackle the skirt… BUT… Kristoffer came over and said he had an early Christmas present for me. He gave me his old Samsung Galaxy phone as he had gotten a new one. Don’t think “old” phone as outdated… My phone was a Samsung Galaxy S9 and was almost on its last leg. It was SO slow and was so old it wasn’t updating things that needed to be updated. So, a Samsung S22 Ultra was what he gave me. It’s a little bigger and I still have a lot to learn about it, but I managed to learn a few things. He was here almost 3 hours and that cut into my “sewing” time. I knew how to take pictures, and figured out how to crop them, but now I’m sitting at my computer and didn’t realize he forgot to add my new phone as my default phone so I could import my pictures. I’m going to try my hand at being a little techy and see if I can figure this out.
I wrote the whole blog and decided I’d have to go with Plan B… BUT… just as I was quitting, I looked one more time and my new phone was registering as my default phone… SO I CAN CARRY ON WITH PICTURES!
I did get the skirt “almost” finished and wanted to show you. I think it’s pretty…
The skirt isn’t finished at the back and there is no waistband on it yet, but there will be.
I also “pinned” the buttons and bows differently than I showed you yesterday… Maybe you like this way is better?
Okay, this was going to be my Plan B… I’ll just leave it as I have it.
Marilyn shared something with me and I’ll share it with you…
These are dollmaker Wendy Lawton’s portraits of famous dolls and their girls.
Okay, Marilyn gets the “Saving the Day Award” today for doing just that… Saving the Day!
The pictures of the dolls are wonderful and there are plenty of details to look at! Hope you enjoy them!
Oh, here is one more thing I can add to the post. This was from an email Joy sent me… Remember me talking about a Boston Cream Pie Angel Food Cake I had one time… well, look what Joy found…
I found several recipes that were all the same basically. Although, some used cholate cream sauce in a jar instead of the baking bar. This reminds me of chocolate eclairs.
Joy
She even added the recipe! I want to make this sometime…
1 (4.4-ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups Cool Whip whipped topping – thawed and divided
1 (10-ounce) bakery angel food cake – or homemade angel food cake
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate baking bar – chopped
Instructions:
1. Beat pudding mix and milk in a medium bowl with whisk for 2 minutes. Stir in ½ cup Cool Whip.
2. Slice angel food cake horizontally into three layers. Stack cake layers on a plate, spreading pudding mixture between layers.
3. Microwave chocolate and remaining Cool Whip in a microwaveable bowl on high for 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Spoon over cake.
4. Refrigerate 1 hour.
YUMMY!
See everyone tomorrow…
Blessings, Jeanne
I definitely like the ruffles, and the amber fabric looks very rich. I liked the bows as they were, but they do work well on the sleeves. One of my favorite Lawton dolls is The Merry Widow
https://www.ebay.com/itm/157371134826?_skw=lawton+merry+widow&itmmeta=01K8SWWHECQNRJ84CRVBPWF383&hash=item24a40cf36a:g:OY8AAeSwFWxo5BLW&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1cP7mvsw5pQfCddf8YnbUCtGvR1Y7w5cko%2F%2Bk91jAnsAOQp65Bxi7Lr%2Bp0ikDAt2omOdAwMKVor43L8VZRs%2FKaVzwxrdisxkqFplxPEEm8gX4DTKSHWkbIYjEeFIRk6wEgap3fvM4d6WS30LnbXOtq4TwMOpIDB4OxN4mNkH3T6g2sx%2BtJKx9XtY8eTGpn%2F3cAm7RkqT4agBkbr1t5TsFnVPt9eMej%2FFsDSoCt7OBpPsyXXikf75DY2EDs55RUWZMDDx5bfQqLmFKEHIQOMIKfmAPwRcUW%2F0RuTH5HlV3SlKQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR6qX8rzGZg
If that doesn’t work, go to Ebay and put in “Lawton Merry Widow”. She looks remarkably like the actress who first played the role and comes with 3 outfits if you have $6000 to spare and space for 3 outfits on tailor’s dummies.
That’s a beautiful cake. My mom used to cut delicate cakes with an electric knife. It worked very well.
Marilyn, that doll is amazing! She looks so alive. Thank you for sharing so many things. I will be looking for the dolls today and trying to look at all of the dolls house again. Some of it went black and some just wouldn’t finish the part it was showing. I hope to see it all, and I loved her speaking about it. Wonderful voice.
yes, electric knives are perfect for cake dividing!
Well, good morning, Jeanne and Marilyn!! I too, love the ruffles, and wish the bows were on the bodice like yesterday, but they do look pretty on the sleeves too. Now I think the bodice part looks kind of plain, but you can’t please everyone!
Oh sure, I have $6,000 laying around and don’t know what to do with it! A doll like that would not work with my crew! We live on the other side of the tracks, I guess! But wow, what time it must have taken to make all of that!
Yummy cake there, and so pretty! I think eating one slice would be my calorie intake for the day, but it might be worth it!
Wonder what happened to my reply to what I wrote? Anyway, Jeanne, I sent you a message on Facebook, about a dress I saw that is similar to the one you are doing now, but it had smaller black buttons from the neckline to the waist in the front, that might work better than the three larger buttons you have now. Just a suggestion!
Well, both Marilyn and Linda beat me this morning! Probably because I was looking at the Lawton dolls (I have one, bought many years ago, but I can’t recall offhand which one, not the ones shown here, though) and then cruising other places on that museum’s website!!
Congrats on your “new” phone, Jeanne, and I’m glad you were able to use it to share pictures. I like the bows on the sleeves better than where you had them yesterday. Laura and Joy had both suggested some other type of bows, and I was thinking narrow velvet ribbon rather than satin, if you had kept them on the bodice. But the satin ones do work better on the sleeves.
However, the line of buttons seems to list slightly to my right (could be perspective). I’m sure Jeanne will carefully measure and center them when she sews them on, though!
That cake certainly looks rich! However, it looks like it wouldn’t take too long to put together, if you needed an “emergency” dessert!
Rosemary, all your leaves look wonderful. Can’t wait to see the finished project!
Joy, I see you have another dolly caper in the offing–lucky you! Which one this time? I haven’t bought any dollies in a while, but two days ago I did get a large heavy package delivered–my Missouri Star Countdown to Christmas box! I managed to drag it in the front door, and yesterday Daniel brought it upstairs and put it in the spare room. I opened the outer box and made sure all 25 packages were in there, then carefully packed it all up again and won’t look again until Dec. 1st. My girlfriend, Tonya, was so surprised the other day when I called to tell her it had come, but today she forwarded me the email notice she got–hers is on the way now, too! Each day we call each other and open our gifts together. Originally this was a gift from my husband, and I would sit with him and open each day’s gift, so he could see what he bought me. After he died, Tonya volunteered to open gifts with me, and we do that over the phone. She’s in Utah, I’m north of Seattle. She’s the one I do twinsie outfits with for sewing expo.
Marilyn, thanks for the links. The costumes for that new Forsytes drama are fabulous!
Charlotte, you have the most wonderful friends. What a blessing that Tonya was willing to share your Countdown to Christmas experience with you. A great memory from the times you shared that with Ron.
You are right, Barbara–Tonya is a treasure.
The day Ron died, I got the call when I was at church practicing. I got in my car to head to his Adult Family Home, and no sooner got on the freeway than Tonya called! She had gotten my email about his being on hospice and was wondering how things were going. I said, “Oh, Tonya, he’s gone!” and she asked if I needed to hang up or if I wanted her to stay on the phone with me. I said the latter, and she did, all the way, until I pulled into the driveway. We decided recently, when talking about that day, that that was truly God’s timing at work.
She is a treasure.
Well, with Jeanne showing more work on the dress and Marilyn showing us links to see things; we are very spoiled. I am with Linda on the bows and buttons. I liked them the way they were the first time. I hope the buttons I see today will not be off slightly to one side? The ruffles are lovely! How nice to have Krisoffer there with a “new” phone and a nice visit. I wish my sons lived closer. I will be trying that recipe!
Jeanne, the dress looks beautiful. This fabric and the lace is so pretty.
I like the buttons and bows any way you place them. They are sweet.
I also went directly in search of a Boston Cream Cake recipe yesterday.
I like the recipes…. I do not like cool whip – at all. I suppose I would have to make real whipped cream.
Lucky you, Jeanne, a new phone.
I am glad you are figuring it out.
I am my husband’s “tester” and always get the new model of anything electronic. It can be frustrating, mainly because if there is a change I do not have the patience to figure it out. I have an apple watch that has had so many updates it is getting frustrating. …. whateverwhatever….
I am going to have a look at these links now and get pulled into the internet vacuum of things to look at… 🥳
Not a great fan of Cool Whip either. 🙂
Dress first, then the rest. I prefer the bows on the sleeves, if you are using them. However, I think I would like to see narrow black trim of some kind around the waistline. It needs something along that line. Linda’s idea of smaller buttons is good as well. I was thinking little velvet shoe buttons down the front, but any small round domed black button would work, I think. Not sure how many, but definitely more than three. I do love the ruffles. Whatever you do, this is a gorgeous outfit for one of the AG’s. 🙂
Wow, Jeanne, has a new toy. Congrats on the phone. I’m sure she will figure it all out and be sailing with it right away. Also, glad to hear that the carmels are unwrapped and ready to go. Hearing of that candy unwrapping chore reminds me of the carmel apples my mother used to make for Halloween. I don’t remember the unwrapping of the candy, but I’m sure that I must have helped. She also made the neighborhood favorite, candied apples. Oh memories.
I got back to yanking blackberry yesterday. Lucky me. So much more to do out there. But other person started in painting rails again. Yay. It’s going to be much cooler today, so hopefully, we can get lots more done around here.
It looks like my latest boy doll Tyler, has made it out of customs in LA and has been released to the carrier. So, next week for his arrival. And another update, that Tom, is in the loop and has been picked up in HK. So, there will be two boys joining the Ruby Red group here. Fun. 🙂
Love this dress! I like the bows on the sleeves. To me shiny satin bows mirror the black trim with the shiny beads. I’d like to see a fancy black beaded broach with a couple of dangles near the neckline, and a nosegay at her waist. My thoughts on the buttons is that they are not dirty as you said but remnants of a gilding of some sort. Whatever you decide will be perfect. Again I love this pattern, I may try to find it.
That cake sounds and looks delicious, and it also looks great with the dress?
I got my flu shot yesterday and it may be in my head but I feel under the weather today. Does anyone else experience this?
Have a great day all.
Other person and I had both the Covid and Flu shots the same day. Felt a little tired and had a slight headache. Soreness went away very quickly. 🙂
YES! Love!The ruffles are perfect. The bows on the sleeves are great. The amber color is so rich and beautiful. A really gorgeous dress. I agree with joy and Linda on those two points of something at that line on the waist and tiny buttons running from neck to waist. I love this pattern.
Thanks for showing that doll, Charlotte. The outfits would have taken a tremendous amount of work. Thank you for sharing them, Marilyn. The dolls are beautiful! They look so real! Thank you also for the recipe. I enjoy Boston Cream Pie as well, but also count me in the absolutely no Cool Whip group.
I love ruffles and this dress makes wonderful use of them. I’m on the fence about the bows and buttons (or should that be buttons and bows? LOL), meaning I’m okay with them anyway you do them. But I did like the idea of smaller buttons down the front. With moving the bows to the sleeves it does leave the bodice kind of bare.
So glad you have a new phone that works for you – and that you are figuring out how to use it. Wonderful that you and Kristoffer had a nice visit. Andrea and I had to cancel our video chat yesterday. Something came up for her. We’re now trying to reschedule. With the time difference, even her being just an hour ahead, it’s hard to find a time that doesn’t eat into something one or the other of us has. But it’s still easier than when I used to try to connect with my stepdaughter in Portland, Oregon.
I’m really enjoying all the links from Marilyn. I had never heard of Wendy Lawton. Her pictures of dolls and their dolls was so sweet.
And now for the cake. Good job Joy coming up with not only the picture but the recipe too. While I avoid baking like the plague (not enough people here to share it with) I would definitely make the effort to do this one. Thanksgiving is for pies around here so I’ll have to think of another family get together to share it because David and I sure don’t need to eat it by ourselves.
I made a blouse for my mini Bella (Brianna) yesterday. It’s for her school uniform. I will probably make the skirt tomorrow. Today is for music since tonight is Chorale rehearsal and I still have a few places in the music I’m not sure of. Our concert is November 16 and that’s coming up real soon.
As to pies, you can’t beat Costco Pumpkin pie. Such a bargain too. When we shopped there a few days ago, other person arrived with one in the cart. I had one tiny sliver and other person is finishing it off. It freezes well too. I like the Costco one better than those from a fancy bakery. 🙂
I think the dress is coming along nicely, I too think the waist needs something black across it in some fashion. I liked the bows on it before but I also like the bows on the sleeves too- either looks great. The material is so beautiful and I think it’s going to be a very elegant dress with the touches of black trim or bows or buttons or jewelry added.
The Boston cream pie looks really good. We always called it a Boston cream cake because it really was a yellow cake with a vanilla pudding in the center of the two pieces of cake and then chocolate icing was on the top.
Today, I’m going to iron the back side of a table cover for game night tomorrow with some friends. We all love Sequence and couple of other games.
And one of these less busy days, I’ll introduce my new doll and hopefully can send Jeannie a picture of her too.
I’d love to see your new doll. 🙂
I love the skirt, Jeanne. I think the whole outfit is lovely though I would love to see the beaded lace around each ruffle, I’m not really up on the civil war but I know the Victorians loved their embellishments. I also think the jacket would be better with smaller buttons all the way down. However that is just me .
Joy, you said yesterday you would love a jersey for your doll. Which doll is it? I love to knit but don’t have much reason make anything small these days. If you tell me the size of the doll and get Jeanne to send you my email address you can email me and tell me what you want. It gives me something to do when I am watching TV at night (or when I am watching cricket since it is the season now).
Have a great day everyone
I had to laugh. I’ve never seen a cricket game! 🙂 And when Jeanne has time, she can send me your email. I am still looking for a sweater to go with the skirt I made for one of my Ruby Reds. Thanks so much for the offer of which I would be happy to pay you. 🙂