Hi everyone,
In case you just joined my blog, I had a little accident with my neck and head and my readers have been doing a wonderful job filling in for me until I can get back in my sewing chair! I hope you’ll stick around for a little while longer and see what else happens on here! :o)
I received some more pictures from Sylvia and I’m telling you, she has been sewing up a storm. I hope you’ll enjoy these pictures as much as you did her Red White and Blue doll dresses…
(Then tomorrow, we’ll see something really special that has to do with the furniture and novelty pieces of the doll houses from a few decades back! You will enjoy the pictures!) Both Linda’s will be contributing! :o)
Okay, so let’s see what Sylvia has to say about these next dresses she made…
More pictures of my fun dolls! These pictures were from Easter and I had my girls ready for the holiday! I am at 390 outfits! I spend a lot of time in my sewing room. The Baltimore Oriole has been here all spring. I have bought many oranges to keep them coming! Hope your day is better than yesterday and tomorrow will be even better for both you and George!
Best, Sylvia
Now weren’t those darling dresses Sylvia made? 390 of them… we’ll all have to give her a cheer when she gets to 400!!! :o)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Wow, what beautiful dresses, Sylvia! You are making me want to start some new dolly clothes, and I promised myself to get some more of those quilt UFO done first!
Your dresses are all lovely. My favorites are the long green one on the doll on the mantle, and the first lavender one, although I like the second lavender one, too. I’m glad you’re having so much fun sewing doll dresses.
Linda, I think you might be right about my having had a Marx dollhouse, although of course at the time I didn’t pay attention to the brand name. My furniture was a bit smaller in scale than yours, too, I think.
Rosemary, thank you for sharing that link about Pieter Bruegel’s painting. It was most interesting, seeing the details close up, and reading about the various games the children were playing and things they were doing. I remember playing leapfrog when I was a kid, as well as, of course, playing with dolls, digging in the sand (daddy made a sandbox for us, and we dug sand from a sandy hillside near Lake Michigan), and such.
I will try to get some pictures to Jeanne in the next day or two; I have a few from my Glacier Gals lunch, and my snapdragons will soon be blooming again so I will try to get a picture or two there. Also, tomorrow and Friday we are having crafting days at our church, making cards, etc., so I may have something to show there, at the end of it!
Jeanne, I hope things are getting better at your house, or at least calming down! We certainly do miss your usual blog, with you doing the sewing, and seeing wonderful outfits come to life, but I do understand that things get in the way of doing that, so I am more than happy to help out!
Well, Sylvia, your dresses are just beautiful, and if you don’t mind me saying, glimpses of the background of your house are just what I think a house in New Hampshire would look like!
Oh yes, you have everything PRESSED! I cannot get over how some people show their doll dresses and they are a mass of wrinkles! How can they not see that? That last dress on Addy is a real show stopper! And the hats! Did you make those too? What a darling display of your expertise!
A Baltimore Oriole? We don’t seem to have those here in St. Louis, at least I have never seen any, but you can be sure we have lots of Cardinals, and I don’t mean just baseball teams! 😊
Linda, I agree about the wrinkles! Several years ago I purchased a doll dress sized ironing board and iron from Dollspart. It has saved many a dress from a wrinkly mess.
I am sure I had a dollhouse like your in the 50’s. My furniture was similar as well. Those companies were probably in production throughout the mid century. I loved mine. ❤️ Thank you for sharing and Jeanne for sharing the fun photos.
I have a doll dress sized ironing board too and since I sew for so many small dolls it is easy to do tiny sleeves and press the skirts of dresses more easily than using my regular ironing board. I can’t remember where I got mine, but it was the last one available so I was lucky to find it.
I too am surprised at the lack of attention to pressing I see with doll clothes. I once bought a dress from a seller that came so wrinkled I decided to press it right away. Problem was it was not pressed during the sewing process so things weren’t “true”, and it never did press right. I’ve always used my ironing board while sewing no matter what the project is I’m working on.
Yesterday got away from me and it wasn’t until evening that I realized I didn’t follow up with how much I enjoyed seeing your dollhouse and all the goodies you have placed inside. Such neat pieces!
I have always loved doll houses and had one when I was a child. It was metal ( I guess that’s what it was made of?)
It was a tri-level. I’m sure it was give away at some point, However, Shop in Sandusky, Ohio I found the exact one that I had including the furniture. I couldn’t pass it up however I had no room in my doll room so it’s sitting in storage. Now that I’ve divided my doll room up I probably have room to take it out Of storage and enjoy once again. Thank you and Jeanne for sharing your fabulous pictures.
Oh, I hope that you can get the dollhouse out of storage and display it. They are so fun to see and bring great memories. 🙂
It is nice to have time this morning to join in. Yesterday was very tiring, so I sat and enjoyed Y’all’s photos and all when we got home. I love the doll house, LInda, and would have been ecstatic with a doll house like that! They didn’t have them when I was that age, mine was a wooden one with just a few bits of pieces for the dolls to use. It did have a stair case up to the bed room. The dolls were hand made by some ladies in NC. They were made with cloth and wire. I did love it and played with it for several years. When I outgrew it my mom gave it to a church rally. I am excited to see more about the pieces Y’all have with yours.
Well, I am floored by Laura today. I see that I was 3 years old when her mom was born and that Laura was born one year before my older son! Maybe I should have a rocking chair instead of the sofa to sit with y’all, LOL!! I will be 87 on July 16th!!
Charlotte and Joy, I am still praying for the losses in your families. Also, the young people who were willing to forgive the young man who caused the crash that killed their mom. It will change his life forever as well as theirs. So sad all around.
Sylvia, Your dolls are so lucky to have such an active mother!! They are so lovely in all the dresses you make. Learning about how your husband has to get you from sewing at night reminds me of when I was sewing for Helen Kish. She would send me one outfit, the pattern, and the fabric. I would sew and sew on them. Sometimes I would get paid, but a lot of times I just got dolls from her instead. I am still trying to sell them now that I am at the age to be downsizing. It is time for others to enjoy them.
Rosemary, I remember learning about Pieter Bruggel when I was in collage. It was fun to see your photos, I really enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing that.
Jeanne, I am still sending love and prayers to you and George as always. My neck is a bit better every day and I am hoping yours is as well.
We will be leaving again today to join with my high school class for lunch, a monthly get together. I am going now to make some peach jam to put in the freezer. Y’all have a great day!!
Sissy, you do keep busy!
Happy early Birthday greetings for July 16th!
I am happy that you enjoyed the story about Bruegel’s painting. His work and later the painting works of his sons were always very interesting to me.
Happy early Birthday, Sissy. Well, I know I’m not the baby on the sofa. Karen in KY is quite a bit younger than I am.
Happy Birthday Sissy! You are an example for all of us. I am sure your Kish costumes were stunning. It is so hard to let go.
That is very cool, to get a doll in payment for an outfit!
I am a July baby too, I am the old one on here I will be 91 on the 24th! I have been around the moon many times!
Well, I hope that if I make it to your age, that I can see enough to still sew. You are doing great! 🙂
Jeanne, thanks for putting Sylvia’s collection up today for all of us to view.
I hope you and George are feeling good, I hope you are sleeping better and both of you are shuffling around easily. Prayers continue!
Sylvia, your dresses. They are stunning and beautiful. I am sure all of you are feeling like you need to get back to the machine and whip out a few dresses, but we are well aware there is a lot of careful attention made here. These dresses are incredibly pretty. I can’t not really pick a favorite but if forced… I would pick Addy’s last red dress. It is a beauty and she looks beautiful in it! I love the black hat, I love the style with the gathered bodice…. and RED. My favorite color. I know the lavender one is the same. This is a nice pattern!
Sylvia, you put a lot of careful work in every dress. I love the fabrics you chose. Baltimore Orioles are such cool birds. Our house is a new build, but we have woods right behind us. This morning I looked out the front window and saw two robins hopping down the middle of the street haha I was glad to see that.
Have a fun day everyone!
I have a short list of goals today
Sylvia, I love your fabric combinations and the historical accuracy of the doll’s dresses. I must be very rewarding to turn out your creations at your sewing machine. Do you have the dressmaker’s elves helping while you sleep? 🥰. Your Oriole is beautiful. We have a similar bird but call it a Towhee.
Sitting in my car at the laundromat while the quilts and blankets wash. Approaching 90 with a tropical depression on the way. Am I the only person that won’t use my home washer for these heavy items?
Jeanne and George, please get well. 🙏🙏🙏
Debbie, we used to have Towhees! I had forgotten about them and glad to hear they are still around where you are. They are such pretty birds, I miss them, but we do have our Painted Buntings every summer. The males are many colors of red, blue, yellow and green. The moms and babies are green. They are very small birds and such fun to watch, especially with the colors of the male.
I have a huge washer and I always wash mine at home. This is a fine idea to wash them at the laundromat!
The only thing I have that I don’t feel comfortable putting in my washer (which is large) is the comforter from my bed. Even though I now have a queen size bed I kept my king size bedding because it matches my wall decor. It is pretty bulky and we have a great laundromat (washeteria here in Texas) so I take it there and use the large washing machines. But I don’t have to do it often, thankfully.
So refreshing this morning to see the lovely AG dollware by Sylvia. Lovely dresses in styles that I love, along with the perfect backgrounds. Great photography too.
Back to the dollhouses from yesterday, I had a Marx with the rec room with a breezeway between. It had the garage as well. I have very fond memories of it. I fortunately, pulled out a few pieces of furniture/dolls and have always had them displayed in my old library cabinet. The rest of the furniture went to cousins and the house disappeared too. But, I do have a couple of others around here. Not neatly displayed like Linda’s though. I also had a wooden dollhouse made of western red cedar and made in the Seattle area. That one was for my Ginny dolls. Now, I wish that I still had that one. I had lots of furniture for my Ginny dolls that is still here. Doll houses were so much fun.
Yesterday, was tree removal day at the other house. We were early, but one truck was there already. The others were there shortly after. It was an all day job for five guys. We had a cooler with beverages and ice ready for them which they enjoyed throughout the day. Fortunately, it was foggy and cooler unlike the 101 from last week so the work began. Because of lack of access, they could only use the lift in a small area for the largest tree, so that meant that the climber was very active. Some workers on the roof too. Those below were actually running carrying loads of branches to the front chipper area. The actually trunk was massive and so many of the huge branches rotten and dangerous since silver maples rot from the inside. I took a lot of pics that I haven’t even had time to check out myself. It was a monster silver maple in the back and a large pin oak in front. They ended up finishing a little early so after they cut a couple of branches the neighbor had complained about on one of the liquid amber trees aka gumball, the climber and crew chief decided to do the others across the front and cleaned them up for us as well. A free comp.
Anyway, there is another point to the story. Remember all of the falls, twisted necks, etc. that are being experienced to many on the blog? Well, now we have another one to add. We had gone home for a quick lunch and when we returned, the crew was out in front working on the pin oak. We have a low rail fence across the front, so we were cutting across the yard as they were working by the walk. Other person was in front of me and the next thing I saw was him heading down toward the rock lined berm with his head. It looked like he had done a belly flop into the pool, but there was no pool. Shocked, as I was right behind him, he quickly got up and was covered with wood chips but said, “I’m alright,” to the crew standing nearby with eyes wide. When we were on the porch and I was unlocking the door, other person said that he had dislocated his finger, but popped it back into place. What? Once inside, we surveyed the damage. A skinned shin where he had hit the rail, dislocated finger, and a very sore wrist that he said was not broken fortunately. I brushed him off and he refused ice for his hand/wrist. But then, he felt for his reading glasses in his pocket and they were missing. Oh great. This often happens, but where was he last? Of course, on the ground by the railed fence in front. I quickly returned to the scene of the accident and there were workers now also dragging huge branches over the little fence right at the location. For whatever reason, trying to spot exactly where we had been, as the worker went by loaded with branches, I spotted the glasses still folded, in the dirt. I have no idea how I could have even see them as they are silver and hard to spot, but there they were, just a step away from the big boots of the workers. I thought the worst, but I guess since they were folded, they had escaped damage. It was a lucky day for them. I can’ tell you how many times I have had to go out and find those glasses. It’s almost a ritual. Anyway, other person is functioning this morning, but slowly and the old diseased trees are gone now at the other house. We’re ready for another project soon, I think.
Wow, Joy, another fall in the group. So sorry for Other one, glad you found the glasses and hope he will feel better soon, and will rest.
Joy, I hope your other person is recovering nicely today.
I am glad you got the tree job done. Wow what an ordeal too.
So glad you found those glasses, your eyes are still sharp enough!
Here, the weather guy on the radio said today was going to be “soupy” that is a new one, but it is pretty humid out right now and the kitty Princess is in her hammock on the screened porch. She watched from her protected perch as a skink lizard guy zipped around the brick and siding on the back of the house.
Sorry to hear about the fall but glad it was not too serious. But at least he didn’t run over his glasses with a bulldozer as my hubby has – more than once. He would set them on the track and then forget about them and get back to work on the dozer. Since he did not wear them all the time while he was working because of perspiring so much, he wouldn’t miss them for a while. Obviously when he found them a replacement pair was needed.
So sorry to hear about other person’s fall. I’m glad he wasn’t seriously injured and his glasses weren’t broken.
So sorry to hear Other fell. Hope he’s recovered. Glad you found his glasses.
I’m sure it’s interesting seeing the tree removed. One big project over with.
I prescribe body bubble wrap for everyone over 65. Thankfully your other half is ok and the glasses were recovered. Oh, and dead trees gone!
Oh Joy, not another person’s fall! Michael fell several weeks ago and is now doing much better, but that sure took a lot of time to get back to normal, and that was without breaking or tearing anything. Let’s hope no more falls for anybody!!
Thanks everyone for the kind comments. Very glad that we don’t have a bulldozer around here for other person to play with. He would love one and a riding mower as well. And the bubble body wrap sounds like a great idea! I think I need to tie other persons glasses with a bright red ribbon so I can find them more easily next time. 🙂 Other person is doing well today. We’re on our way to the other house now to check out how it looks.
Wow Sylvia! You have been busy. Such beautiful fashions you have created. It is hard to pick a favorite, but I believe I would love to have the pretty outfit in the third picture down as my very own. I love that style.
Well, I finally actually have a diagnosis for my mobility problem. But don’t ask me what it is because I can’t remember the official title. Basically my one hip is lower than the other which is affecting certain muscles. We started therapy yesterday targeting my actual problem so I’m feeling better about getting back to normal at some point. But it has left me very sore today. I also had to get a knee pillow because I am a side sleeper and that was contributing to making the problem worse. My physical therapist said that he wanted to see my pain and discomfort up near my hips and not down my leg and then he would know we were getting somewhere. I’ve had some of that today so even what little we had time for yesterday seems to have had an effect. One of the things I had to do was stand with my hands on the parallel bars using my left leg and lift my right foot off the floor. Ouch! That really hurt. But it is something I can do at home. Since I don’t have the same therapist every time the one I had yesterday was inputting all this into the computer so when I get someone else they will know to continue. Mostly they were just working on stretching and strengthening but none of that is going to work until this other is fixed. One of the reasons I have not been sewing much is that I haven’t been able to stand at the ironing board and cutting things out hasn’t been easy either. I feel I’m seeing a light at the end of the tunnel now but have no clue how soon I’ll reach the end of that tunnel. But I only have two Chorale rehearsals left and then the concert and I can stop fretting about my on-stage ability for a while. Hopefully by next fall I will be able to function normally.
Hope things are getting better day by day for both George and Jeanne. And it would be a good thing if my Sofa Sisters and their family members would stay on their feet so I can stop fretting about them. I’d say stay cool, but it seems there is nowhere in the country right now where that will happen unless we stay inside in the A/C. Our heat index here today is expected to be 117. We usually say we have air we can wear but with the heat and humidity both so high if feels suffocating.
Another round of gorgeous dresses, Sylvia. I love the first one on Cecile and the last one on Addy especially. The shirred bodice is so pretty.
Your Baltimore Oriole is beautiful. We used to have them where we lived when I was a teen, but haven’t had them here.
I’m curious about that letter and number disk in the window.
It is very old, it is brass and belonged to my grandfather, it would be used to make signs. I have had it hanging in the window for a long time. The hay is 3 feet high out back, L am waiting patiently for my hay man to come. Fred and I hayed for 42 years. I am glad that part of my life is behind me.
Thank you, Sylvia. So it’s a type of stencil. That makes perfect sense now.
I hope the haying goes well. My dad’s farmer is haying the meadow also. My dad was a periodontist, but owns a farm. I love the smell of the mown hay.
My good friend and her husband are in the thick of haying season as well.
Sylvia, more beautiful dresses !!! I like each one and am drooling over them !
( drooling over them here in my house) ha ha. I’m amazed at the clothing people make who can sew. I have no talent there. Anyway, I love how you have designed each outfit. They are very special. What a treat you shared with us.
Hope you are feeling better Jeanne!
I tried to write yesterday but for some reason the computer was really not playing. I would write a sentence and when I tried to write the next one I found it in between the words on the first one. (I’m not very good at explaining so hope you understand what I mean. I think it might have fixed it if I had closed the computer and started again but I didn’t have time for that as it was guild morning and we leave at 9am. I was so annoyed by the computer that I went out after guild and bought a new one Sam will set up what she can so I can use it (I hope later today) but won’t try to take everything off this one I’ll wait till Darren gets back. I plan to get a new printer as well and will give them both to my friend. She doesn’t need lots of memory and she doesn’t really need Windows 11. The printer is an Epson 2810 so the ink lasts forever, if I fill up the cartridges they will probably last as long as she does but it will save her going to the library and paying for printing.
Sylvia, your dolls outfits are wonderful I really enjoyed looking at them. Your last sentence about the Baltimore oriole made no sense to me, even when the photo of the bird came up I still didn’t connect it with what you said until Linda made it clear it was a bird and the photo was of the Baltimore Oriole, now the sentence made sense. Am I dumb or what, duh!
Yesterday I was trying to tell you about the wonderful dolls house my brother-in-law made for his mother. I will ask and see if they have a photo. If I have one it was on a camera and not sure if I can find the hard copy now. It was 4 stories I think with electric lighting. He made it from a book of dolls houses and I was sure he gave me the book but I haven’t been able to find it in years.
I really hope everyone stays safe from now on. Enough falls and head banging! I am glad everyone is recovering, Joy, I hope Other Person doesn’t have any long term effects from his fall and I am glad you found his glasses safely. After the 2011 earthquake we had to move out of our house and rent a place for 6 months while waiting for the insurance company and the Government to make a decision on our pay out. Dad (who was 93 and nearly blind) went out for a walk up to the Bowling Club. He walked across the carpark heading to the iron fence railings but thought the white line was just a marking on the tarmac but it was a concrete barrier about 3 inches high! He tripped over it and hit the side of his forehead on the railings. When he came home I asked him if he had a nice walk, he said yes but sort of held his head funny. When he turned I saw he had a huge lump as big as a large egg on his forehead! I made him go to the doctor, he didn’t want to of course but amazingly he had no ill effects from it except a black ‘eye’ that covered both eyes and half his face. It turned black then yellow and lasted for about two weeks.
I had better go now, I really want to finish my quilt today or tomorrow but my friend rang and wants me to fix a swimsuit for her, I’m not even sure I can, I am not really a seamstress but she is coming around this afternoon. She is struggling to find a new swimsuit, it is winter after all. There is a shop in town that only sells swimsuits so I told her to go there but she still wants me to try to fix it. I think she is going to Vietnam (I think that is what she said) and it is pretty hot there.
Have a good day everyone, please stay safe
Your dad sounds a lot like mine. Must be those English ancestors. 🙂 Mine took a tumble into a prickly berry bush and cut the side of his eye. He was in his 90’s and also couldn’t see much. By the time I got him into the doctor’s office later that day, it was not even needing a stitch. Go figure. But, he did have enough vision left to still see leaves and managed to rake them all. His yard always looked lovely. Sorry that your dad had such a shiner.
Those are wonderful dresses. Practice does make perfect, and the people at your local fabric store must love you.
Sylvia…thank you for sharing the photos of your doll creations! Those dresses with coordinating bonnets and some with purses are just beautiful to look at! So inspiring too! I can hardly wait to start sewing again for my Ruby Red dolls!
And ironing as your go with sewing projects, was mentioned by some. I so agree, and I always iron during assembly…especially if it is for the 12 or 14.5 in. dolls. I want to look into the Dollspart iron and pressing surface…I use my regular, but small, iron and had ordered a tiny ironing board from Walmart just for ironing doll outfits as I sew. The little 10 inch ironing board doesn’t eat up all of my table work area, whereas the regular table top board did.
Debbie….I had to laugh at the images my mind conjured up when I read your idea of bubble wrap for everyone over 65! Some of those sewing shows have a challenge outfit to be constructed out of unusual items or materials….and I could see a line of clothing “items” coming down a runway , all done with bubble wrap…maybe with a fabric underlay so they wouldn’t be see-thru! Might require some “vents” somewhere so they didn’t become “weight-loss” sweat items! Couldn’t y’all just picture it!
I would so like to be wearing some bubble wrap capris and a tunic style top to go pull the weeds from our tiny pea-graveled back yard today! Just in case: “Fall Wear!” The sun is not shining today here and I thought to give weeding a try, however it has turned dark and overcast and I believe rain is expected today. (The weeds would pull out easier if wet down, though!)
I was up until midnight last night….did manage to finish the small acrylic painting for my Great Granddaughters Birthday, and I am ready to start the next two paintings for family Birthdays. Must start those two baby quilts yet too….plus I have mending to do on two clothing pieces for my daughter, and two pairs of new slacks for myself that have needed to be shortened for a while now. One pair I found on a clearance rack at Kohl’s so they weren’t available in a petite length…but the price was right!
Yesterday, I finally tried using the small, new Bissell spot steam cleaner my daughter had ordered a few months ago for us to use on furniture or carpet areas. Managed to clean the off-white sofa and loveseat and my firm upholstered chair in the living room. The sofa and loveseat are fairly new and the chair is 4 years old, but what a difference the Bissell cleaner made on the fabric! You don’t realize it until you notice the water/soap mixture that is suctioned into the dirty water tank. I certainly got my exercise yesterday and limbered up some muscles! And afterwards, 1/2 Tylenol and an icey chill pack against my lower spine took care of any discomfort in an hour!! So sitting still and painting artwork was a plus later on. I’m not on a weight-loss drug but need to keep moving when I have the energy to stay limber and burn a few calories. Been thinking of trying that chair-yoga I see advertised….if any falling occurs, it would just be from sitting at chair height!
My oldest daughter who lives in Indiana is coming down to Texas to visit us in a few weeks….she used to live in Georgia and she is looking forward to hot, Texas sunny days! She’ll stay with my youngest daughter and her hubby since they have a large home and a pool and we’ll make plans to gad about and see interesting places nearby. Her visit is my motivation to get busy and tidy up the house and yard…sort of the spring cleaning that didn’t get done back in spring of this year!