Hi everyone,
I was going to try again and video myself collecting eggs from the hens today, but no hens were sitting on the eggs, so I’ll have to try again. I didn’t let the hens out of the coop because it was pouring down rain. I guess there wasn’t much else to do but lay eggs, so we got an egg from all 16 hens. A little later the rain slowed down and they were let out to “play in the mud!” Seriously!!
When I came in, I turned my attention to finishing Natasha’s dress! I’ve added FIVE new things to her set!
Number one is a new pink hearts flocked tulle SLIP! I used the same pattern as the circle skirt and it’s almost on the skimpy side, but it has 2 layers and is just enough to hold out the dress nicely.
The second item is the new pink silky rayon SASH. It’s the perfect color pink and really compliments the fabric.
The THIRD new thing I made was a NECKLACE to dress up her whole look. It has 2 charms on the gold chain and closes in back with a magnetic closure.
Number 4: Recently I found a couple sheets of press on EARRINGS at our Goodwill, probably for little girls, but hey, my girls deserve earrings too! They are just stick on and won’t hurt your doll. If the stickiness ever goes away, you can use a tiny dab of Museum Wax, (as Susette always used) or just a tiny little circle cut out of some double stick tape. They are plastic, but very sparkly and look cute on Natasha.
The 5th thing I made for Natasha, was a STRAW HAT! I used a natural color straw so it wasn’t TOO MUCH PINK! But I DID decorate it with lots of pink and white… It’s pretty on her.
I can’t decide if the hat makes her look older or cuter…
…stylish or sophisticated….
All I know is I am finished with this set and will be listing it on Ebay as soon as I can…
Tomorrow, we will be looking at Charlotte’s pictures of EXPO… let’s see what she bought and how she and Tonya looked in their Twinsies outfit…
Then Monday, we’ll see what Rosemary has been up to!
I’ll see you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
OH, wow, this outfit has really come together most beautifully, Jeanne! That slip, although it may seem skimpy to you, is just the right amount to hold her skirt out. The sash is absolutely perfect with the dress, and her jewelry….so lovely!! The stick-on earrings were a great find!! I’m still thinking about the hat. It’s cute, but I’m not 100% on it just yet. Maybe because the straw is a little darker than I like? But the flower trim is wonderful, so all is well.
I’m glad you got my pictures. Will try to remember to check and reply to any comments in a timely manner.
Oh, I did reply to a couple of comments on yesterday’s blog–Linda’s and Joy’s, I think.
Went back to yesterday. 🙂 The way I’ve always made corned beef is in the crockpot. It has never failed to be delicious. And, we did pick up some at Costco yesterday. Since it’s vacuum packed, no problem having it before the date. Then, we’ll need a trip to Trader Joe’s for baby potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. I always put mustard on the top of the meat too. Makes it so tasty. 🙂 Now, I’m hungry and I’ll have to be satisfied with just oatmeal this morning. 🙂
yummy! Joy!
I remember years ago…. oh so many years ago, when my girls were in … Lizzie was in preschool and Christina was in Kindergarten, I used to make dinner at 10am because the afternoons were just to crazy. So, making dinner early is great esp now with a microwave and oven to reheat! I have asked almost EVERYONE (😂😂😂😂😂) in my neighborhood (of a zillion people) and most admit they do not enjoy “cooking” or preparing meals anymore, or at least not every night! So, these stew pots are great to divide up and put in the freezer too! Well, that is my way of making dinner easier.
I love your idea of making dinner early. When my children were growing up and I worked, I didn’t get home until 6 p.m. most days. I used a crockpot a lot but have gotten out of the habit with just David and me. He likes simple fare, thankfully, so has no problem with my not-so-much-into-cooking personality. But I really need to get back into some of the habits for cooking I had when I worked. It would certainly make my day less stressful if I didn’t have to spend the day thinking about dinner or realizing I hadn’t thought of it at all and so never got anything out of the freezer. Thankfully hubby likes grilled cheese and tomato soup.
Oh Barbara, the past 10 years+ hubbs and I on our own… we do not eat out for dinner, mainly because it is just too much food for a meal.
I have a few ideas. I have many bags of frozen vegetables, and empty them into quart zip bags so they are easy to see in the freezer. I take a day to chop up potatoes and carrots and bake them on a big foiled lined, bit of olive oil, cookie sheet. Then I cool them and divide them up in zip bags, easy to sprinkle a few out for a dinner. I made a lot of meatballs, if I open a jar of sauce, I divide the sauce up into little plastic pots and freeze them. Then when frozen, put in a zip bag.
So just make a variety of stuff. try to keep your inventory simple and when you see a good sale, get the goods, cook it up and divide. I have been doing this for so many years. I never worry anymore. So nice. Yes, always time for quick pizza’s of Naan bread (freezes well) just about everything freezes well.
I think the hardest part of all of this habit is to keep track of the older items in the freezer and get those used up in a timely fashion so you never really have old stuff in the fridge. Even mac and cheese freezes okay. I think in the olden days I did not mind cooking, because I had to feed the family, but now I do not enjoy cooking.
My parents lived their last 12 years in a fancy retirement community called Ashby Ponds. It is an “errickson community” VERY expensive, and they have 6 restaurants on the campus. I lived close by. I used to practically “live there” just not sleep there. It is such a great place if you have a huge pile of money.
Lots of great ideas. We cheat on the meatballs. We have a Costco bag of frozen meatballs available at all times in the freezer. In fact, we had meatball sandwiches for lunch today. I use half a jar or spaghetti sauce ( other half goes into the freezer in a ziplock) and throw in just enough meatballs for two sandwiches into the sauce in a pan. Only takes a few minutes to heat up. Then, we use hamburger buns and some sauce, sliced meatballs, and top it with Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of Mozzarella. Quick twenty seconds in the microwave ad cheese is melted nicely. So tasty! 🙂
Oh Jeanne! How perfectly sweet this outfit is on Natasha! Yes, she does look all grown up with her jewelry and hat! I do love her look, but am not a fan of jewelry on little girls that much. But that’s just me, and I know many others do like it. Whoever the lucky person is that wins this can do what they want regarding the jewelry.
At the first picture of the slip, I thought, oh no, too big and full, but after I saw it with the dress, it is just perfect, holding it out, yet still flowy and feminine!
Oh, I just love the hat! It is perfect, and I really love the flowers and bow. I would prefer the hat without the earrings, but the earrings work better, to me, with no hat. I know, strange, but that what I like! I do think the earrings AND hat make her look years older. The hat by itself gives her more the little girl look. I hope I’m not confusing everybody!🙂
Charlotte, that’s funny about your group being insulted about making an apron! I too, was in 4-H, but don’t recall much about sewing. We did sew, but for me, it was all about flowers and gardening.I really enjoyed that part of 4-H.
Jeanne, Natasha does look all grown up for sure! Her hair all up, the earrings, and the hat on an angle makes her very grown up. She looks very pretty but I would also like to see her a little younger as well, just to show her both ways. Maybe her braids showing, the hat back straight and back a little, and no earrings? The dress is so lovely with the slip, bow, and necklace, one your best for sure!
Sorry about the chickens, but at least they stayed dry!! I hope that George is feeling better every day.
Looking forward to seeing more photos tomorrow and Monday.
I will soon be outside with Pablo. He is the one who cut down a lot of trees for us, some were rotten, others getting there. Today he will be just cutting out things that have grown way to large. My regular yard man who has been with me for 2055 years has become too old to do much anymore, he just mows and I can’t do the yard work I used to do.
Y’all have a good day!
Good morning dear ones!
Jeanne, I love this dress on Nathasha, It is very grown up and really pretty.
I love the fabric and the ribbon at the waist! The necklace is so pretty and the earrings too. The hat. I like the color very much, it brings out the color in the dress fabric! The flowers are perfect. Wow, this came together really nicely, I hope it was a smooth process considering the dress fabric was something like doing “micro surgery” with extreme care.
This ensemble is a winner, Jeanne! Super cute.
Super fun adventures in the chicken house. Do the chickens get all muddy when you let them out? Do you give them a warm bath if they get all dirty?or just brush them off?
I am really excited to see Charlotte’s adventure in photos tomorrow.
I have been eager to see everything about this trip, Charlotte! I wanted to ask a lot of questions, but I will await the photo collection!
I hope all of you are doing well, and feeling good. March is really a silly month with this moody weather. It has not been beastly here, just rainy and now getting soggy.
I started a new quilt making 14 inch blocks, easy assembly. I am sort of “free wheeling” with the colors, so that involves not making any combinations of fabric that look awful 😂😂 It is difficult to describe.
It does not look like the sun is going to come out today.
I wonder if I should go to the old house today and scavenge for some cute story books to put in a bank box for Elizabeth’s kids. She shared all about them on Monday. Remember, I saw then in December for a surprise visit from me, and I kept it very calm, but they were beautiful. This past phone visit, she shared a lot about each one of the 4. I have not had a relationship with them for 4 years!
It is going to be a good day
I hope all of you have sunshine and pleasant tasks.
Jeanne, this ensemble is all set to go. Natasha is a beautiful doll.
I need to do some reading and recall the sizes of these dearies, and their makers, Ruby Red, Little Darlings and … I think the doll I had my eye on, Chloe was Ruby Red, right? Still bummed I missed that one, but that was my fault 🧐
One more cuppa coffee and I better get moving! — Yes! I am going to go to the old house
I saved many of the books from our girls childhood and then as the grands grew into them, I was able to bring a box fairly new books to them to enjoy. They loved to get books. I’m sure that your grands will love them. 🙂
I hope your hubby is recovering nicely, Jeanne.
Whenever you mention the weather in your posts, I always check the weather where my son lives, since he lives in Mokena, which is not too far from you – it was raining there also! I do check it regularly, regardless, and it seems like they/you have had a lot of extreme weather lately.
I love the dress on Natasha, but I agree that the jewelry ages her.
Oh, she really does look grown up with the pretty jewelry!
I love the magnetic clasp on the necklace. As a matter of fact, I have added magnetic clasps to some of my own (not doll’s) necklaces. I have a few dainty gold chains I like to wear, and it was hard to get then fastened as the clasps as so small, and trying to reach behind my neck to fasten… well, it’s just not as easy as it used to be! I saw the little magnetic clasps on Amazon one day, so I bought some, and they work wonderfully! So if you have trouble fastening your jewelry, get some magnetic clasps!
I’m with you Theresa, I have magnetic clasps on my necklaces too.
Well, I was kind of shocked to see Natasha this morning. I do love the pieces, hat, necklace, and earrings, but all together, Nat, looks like she is playing dress up. If she had on some large heels, and was standing in front of a long mirror, she would be adorable. I think the necklace, although cute, is too chunky for her small size. The sash is lovely and the hat so sweet. The stick on earrings, are not my favorite either. Maybe a pic of Natasha, wearing just the dress, sash, and hat would be possible? She does look much older with all of the other additions. I think doing a photo of her with everything on and looking at that mirror you have would make a very sweet photo. It could be titled, “All Dressed Up!”
Do the chickens enjoy playing in the mud? Maybe bugs come up they can grab? Seems like the white chickens I remember from years ago, always had a layer of mud, dirt, or whatever on them. Maybe George has invented a chicken cleaning machine? I know my grandfather had an electric belt thing that he made and used to buff the eggs clean. How do you clean the eggs? Just curious.
We were busy yesterday, but I now have the front piece of that pattern figured out and after I trace it, I can test it to see if it will fit my Meadow twins. But, I still have the back piece to figure out. Sure hope that this idea works. 🙂
Looks like a sunny day today. 🙂
I enjoyed reading your comment, Joy. You made me laugh!!
I do love the jewelry, I had not thought about it making Natasha look “older”
It is a nice addition to the ensemble and I think many collectors would love some “Jeanne Jewelry”
A chicken cleaning machine, do chickens like showers or baths? or would it be like washing my silly kitty- howls and claws!
Joy, eggs have a protective layer on the shell that preserves them. If you wash them too vigorously it washes off the protection. Our commercial eggs (the ones we buy from the store) are only lightly rinsed which is why they do not need to be kept in a fridge.
This is something I did not know!!!
Wow! thank you Anne
I did know about the protective coating on eggs, and I presume that is why my grandfather used the buffer very lightly to clean them up. At least that is what I think, as he died in 1958. I’ll have to ask my neighbor how she cleans her chicks eggs. Interesting, and thanks for the info. 🙂
I love Natasha’s whole ensemble. Her slip is perfect and I love the natural straw of the hat and all the pretty pink and white flowers. The necklace does seem a bit heavy to me but I love the idea of the earrings. Must check into that. The sash and bow in the back are so sweet. All-in-all I think you have a winner here.
As for bathing chickens, Sean used to raise chickens and I don’t remember him ever giving them a bath. They tend to groom themselves if you can call it that. But I guess I never thought much about it before.
Gloomy here but I don’t think we’ll see rain today. But we might see some before the weekend is out. Sure could use it. With all the wind lately everything, including our cars, is covered in dust.
I absolutely love Natasha’s outfit. I think the dress is just beautiful. I love the Little Darlings and if I had enough money I would buy one. The earrings I can take or leave but the dress and slip is gorgeous.
I hope George is doing well he will be glad to feed the hens himself again.
I am looking forward to seeing your twinsie outfits Charlotte. And seeing what you have planned for next year.
I am on to the final border on the quilt for my brother. One side is quilted and ready to attach and the second side is ready to pin and quilt, however the top and bottom I am not sure of, I have run out of the backing material and the backing is all black and white or white on black. I do have some material that is cotton and would work with the rest but it is quite a fine cotton so I am wondering if I could put iron-on interfacing on it. It is our Guild meeting tomorrow so I will ask there. It is a very big quilt I am not sure whether I will be able to afford to post it. I sent one to Australia a few years ago and it cost about $160 NZ so this might be more than double that. Maybe Darren has a business trip coming up. I will have to ask him lol
After cold, sweater weather the last few days we are back to summer for the weekend. It is hard to know what to wear at the moment.
Have a lovely day everyone
Agree, these dolls are little gems.
I can’t afford one either. Chloe for $99 slipped right by me two weeks ago.
I am glad you have a quilting group to consult with.
I have some quilt top finishing decisions to make for several quilt tops. Backing fabric is always a question,.
Sometimes I have a large chunk of fabric, really nice fabric but completely not the right color for the back of the quilt.
It is a struggle I am familiar with! Good luck. I hope your brother can come and get the quilt! He is due for a visit, right?
Oh, I hope that you figure out a way to get the quilt to the UK. It is so nice of you to make it for your brother. Maybe someone in your area is making a trip and would take a package in their luggage for a small rental fee. You know, rent a section of a suitcase?? Just kidding, but really, there may be someone willing to take it if Darren can’t. Those rates are crazy.
The slip, sash, and dress — and shoes — are perfect. I don’t think the outfit needs anything more, but the extra pieces will give the buyer more options, and dolls with different hair styles will prefer different accessories and will have choices, thanks to you.. I think you have created another winner.
We were promised a real snowstorm, but it looks now like it will be maybe 4″, 11 in the mountains. Everyone is worried about summer water. I’m so glad I have a sprinkler system — it can be set to whatever is allowed.
My grandmother used to raise chickens for the market, and wring their necks. She was about 4’10”, so it looked like a fair fight, according to my dad. I’m glad to have missed it.
I too, am glad that I missed the wringing of the chicken’s necks. I know it would have freaked me out so I am happy that they didn’t let me in the pumphouse where this occurred, way back then. 🙂 My grandmother’s chicken Sunday dinners were good though.