Faerie Rags 'n' friends - Blog

Blossom hats and Petal skirts

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 14:41:15 PDT

I can't believe June is already half over. I've been focused on the creation process and absent from here, unfortunately.

I had planned to switch gears a little, but I realized the traditional flower petal skirt pattern was missing from the market, (someone else had a pattern when I first started creating patterns), and as my name suggests, it was really my duty to create one to replace it.😆 I hope it will be well recieved 😃

If you haven't taken advantage of the search engine to look for patterns specific to your doll, please do! And share any feedback you have on your experience with me. I never know if we've covered the tagging as well as we intend to.

Well, I've got blossom hats to test.

Have a great week!

We Did It!!!!

Sun, 29 May 2022 14:49:49 PDT

The shop is open! I'll continue to add more this week, but all of the patterns that have been available on Etsy are in the shop. We have a discount if you buy 4 or more patterns, which is exciting, IMO because you get to choose which four.

I'm trying to make some headway on those clothes I need, today and tomorrow. And then it's back to work on the mini patterns. Yesterday I digitised some pieces that now need to be tested, so there will be a few more patterns in the shop soon!

Have a great holiday!

Shop opening soon

Fri, 27 May 2022 16:13:44 PDT

It's so close I can taste it.😂 But, we ARE in the home stretch on the shopping cart integration.Boy, was there a lot that needed to be addressed! We need to comb through it one more time, making sure everything is working. Then it will be LIVE!

I've been making more custom dolls, which has been fun! And I hope to get some more doll designs done. I also want to get back on track with the blog. 😏 And I'm doing better about taking a day for my own projects, which is a good thing because I need new clothes. 🤣

The auction to support Ukraine went pretty good. I was able to donate $300. I'd like to do it again, but we're going to need to get our personal income in better shape first.

My Kestner is getting a little more attention and I'm designing her a new body, similar to the previous design, but with paper clay feet and hands. With the biggest change to the body being her hips, knees and elbows. I'll be using cotton fabric instead of leather as well.

Have a great week!

Friday the 13th

Fri, 13 May 2022 16:16:36 PDT

I don't believe in bad luck or the ill luck of the number 13. As a matter of fact, 13 is quite auspicious. But today my bank account was fraudulently used and emptied. Good thing I didn't have a lot of money in there. Etsy interface for uploading digital files and certain pictures, isn't working. So changes I wanted to make, couldn't be made. I guess I'll go sew. Oh, and I spent the morning taking tests for autism. Yeah, I'm on the spectrum, not really surprised. But knowing may change how I approach life, and that could be good. All in all, events that could be interpreted as a series of bad luck, aren't really. If you're looking for bad luck, you'll find it, but the reverse is also true.

Have a good one! Whatever that "one" is...

What's Happening

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 19:43:13 PDT

Well, the world turned upside down and I was in a daze for at least a week, maybe longer. Then I tried to come up with little ways that I could support the people of Ukraine. I purchased digital files in the beginning, but my sales fell off, so my funds were non-existant and I needed to come up with another idea. So my daughter and I began making and embellishing dresses. Then I made a very special Faerie Child.

But before I was able to finish that project and put it up for auction, my husband had to be hosipitalized with a nasty infection. He's still in the hospital and has been since the end of March.

Needless to say, I needed to get my sales back up and wouldn't you know it, another complication. Sellers of Etsy organised a strike Because of the following: TWO years in a row of record profits wasn’t enough for Corporate Etsy – they chose to gouge all of us for a 30% larger cut of every sale we make! And instituted anti-creator policies. So, I’m on strike. Find out why at 👉 etsystrike.org/petition 👈 and please boycott Etsy April 11-18 in solidarity with artisans and vintage sellers!

Having other venues to sell through has become more important, so when Cassie approached me about participating with the PNWBJD Conference, I jumped at the chance. This week, while finishing up the Ukrainian projects, I designed another pattern to be given away in the goodie bags.

I'll also be able to sell it, but I'm waiting to list it until after the con. I'd like to do another pattern as well, but it may not be possible, as I have an order for two outfits to get done this week.

Let's hope for an end to this war and the rebuilding to begin.

Peace!

Dress design and doll collecting

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 15:18:45 PST

Well, the sheath dress is in the free patterns and I've finished up and filed everyone's taxes. I only have one more tiny Tyko pattern to finish. There will be more at a later date, because I just discovered a bjd that will probably be able to wear them, lol.

I had a few new arrivals this month. Two By Charles' Creature Cabinet and a few by Takara Tomy. Still have others in transit. Doll collecting can be manic, lol! Doll designing, only slightly less so. I have dolls I want to create patterns for, just haven't taken the time. But their designs are floating around in my head, lol.

I have a plan for the next free pattern and I've ordered supplies. I'm actually looking forward to that.

Dress design is happening in my head and I think I want to change the RealPuki Mori dress at the same time. I can see now, how to simplify it a little. It would also elliminate some bulk, which it always good.

I should get back to that Tyco pattern.

Have a fantastic week!!

February

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 11:45:57 PST

I'm still struggling to acknowledge that it's February and it will be over all too soon.

Still plugging away on the mini patterns, but I think I want to put together the free sheath dress pattern before any more time passes. We now have a "Free patterns" tab on here, where you'll be able to find them all in one place, and I'd like to have it on there.

Taxes will need to be finished up soon, as I think all the forms arrived this week. Yay

My son put in the time to order me a pair of prescription reading glasses so that I can use his computer without doing stressful stuff to see the screen. My photo editing software isn't working right anymore, so I need to use his until I can upgrade or something. And yes, that's where all the main listing images and pattern pieces are created. It's a huge part of my neccessary business equipment. Speaking of which, it's time to get back to that.

Have a wonderful week!

Imbolc

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 19:12:08 PST

We had a day of cleansing and candle burning. There were some cookies baked and consumed and some alfalfa sprouts made it into the meal. I'd eat them more if I didn't space out on the sprouting. But anyway, it was a good day.

I've managed to get some more patterns published for the extra tiny crowd. I have a few more I want to do before I switch to another size. It's kind of funny how I get really into one size for awhile. My guess is there's a familiarity established with the first pattern and I just want to continue creating there because the hard part is done.😄 Anyway, I have some dresses that will be a little more complicated, that I want to do in several sizes. So, it might turn out to be a series of the same dress in all the sizes. I don't know if I can stay with that long term though, lol. I also have another free tutorial to finish and it involves dresses, as well.

I also want to dedicate more time to my faerie house and iron-on designs. And today, it was suggested that I do a printable record album collection. I really like that idea too. It's time to reassess that scheduling thing😂

Have a great week!

Roller Coaster Ride: Start to a New Year

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 15:24:17 PST

My new year felt like a slug attempting to climb it's way out of a honey pot, not impossible, but certainly slow and difficult. To be fair, the issues began in December with the cold snap,( I just thought I was eating too much sugar and suffering brain fog from that). What I didn't know and have since learned, is that black mold likes to grow in below freezing temperatures. We had a week or so of temps below freezing, unusual for our climate, and I developed more severe breathing problems at that time. I have chronic issues with my sinuses and lungs, but this hit levels where I didn't have enough air to speak properly. I'm not fond of this state of being. So, it got my attention and I started trying to figure out when and where it was worse and vise versa. Cold outdoor air equaled worse, as did my bedroom. Standing or sitting about three feet from the wood stove, but no more than 5 feet away, equaled better. Needless to say, I began sleeping right next to the stove, and well, doing everything else there.

Once my breathing improved significantly, I started to investigate the possible issues, where in I discovered mold on my bedroom window. I keep a close eye on my windows because they've always presented a potential mold area. It's part of living in a moist environ. Anyway, apparently when the temps dropped, the mold took off. Once found, the area was cleaned and we discoveded that the east window was moldy where it couldn't be cleaned and probably had been for even longer, (I always got sick during wind storms). Window replacement proceedure was initiated. This all occured duing the month of January, from the very first of the month.

I have been sleeping by the woodstove all this time, with exception of a few nights where I thought it might be safe to return to my room. It wasn't. Now, what surprises me is that during this month, I think I've been more productive rather than less. And I think that's pretty awesome. Because sleeping on a cot is not all that restful and being awoken with the earliest riser getting ready for work after being kept up by the night owl in the family and needing to maintain a warmer environment by feeding the fire at 3 AM, all add up to much less sleep for little ol' me. I'm really proud of myself for staying on task with my business in spite of the hardships.

I painted around the window today and then moved the bed back. I've been doing the work on finishing the interior of the window, which I had to get creative with as the windows have never been trimmed and the wall board around them needed to be repaired and sealed, (the house was built in the 1970's or '80's I think). I had to leave the room to let each stage cure for hours, so it wouldn't cause me other health issues. This because I tried sleeping in the room right after the window was installed and the following day was the loopiest day ever. Strangely enough, my husband has been in the room this whole time without any evident health issues. All I can do is shrug, he wouldn't have done well camping out, in what is essentially the kitchen, so it's just as well.

I hope to be able to sleep in the room tonight, but if not, tomorrow. Here's hoping for some proper sleep and continued produtivity.

Have a great week!

PS: Also, on a side note, I had to deal with my Facebook account being compromised this month as well. When it rains...

Another free pattern

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 15:01:41 PST

We're half way through January and it's been a roller coaster, but more about that later. I just finished updating one of my first patterns for making 1/12th scale t-shirts. It's a really simple design, great for beginners, and I'm offering it for free here: Simple_T-shirt_1:12th.pdf

Frozen Pipes

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 19:05:18 PST

It seems we need to replace our outdoor water spigot or yard hydrant. One of those free standing spigots that is supposed to be frost free, but the valve has probably been broken for years. Anyway, I'm not fond of loosing my water supply to redneck repairs, so we'll be replacing it. In the mean time, we still don't have water to the house because the hydrant was the first stop on the supply run from the well. (Heavy sigh) I also discovered mold on my bedroom windows, which explains the extra winter wheezing. Needless to say, I haven't gotten much done this week.

In spite of the situation, I'm still working on my Kestner's body. I've gotten about one short seam done each day. LOL The leather I'm using has got to be the most difficult I've ever used for hand stitching. It's just too squishy. If I had the right needles for my treadle machine, it might not have been bad to work with. It needs the seams to be glued in place and then stitched. I didn't leave enough seam allowance for glueing though, because my sewing machine wasn't going to do the job. I really didn't expect hand stitching to be as difficult as it's been, but I've gotten the separate pieces put together, feet, torso, and bottom, and now I'm assembling those to each other. Hopefully, the body will be done before the year ends.

Have a blessed week!

Holidays

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 14:28:02 PST

I hope everyone is enjoying or has had a wonderful holiday season. We're on the 3rd day of Yule and I have to admit we don't do much to mark the passage of time. We had a wonderful feast, a gift exchange and family crafting with story time leading up to Solstice, but nothing much since. I kind of feel like we might have it backwards, or we need to continue the story reading or something. We've all had too much sugar and are ready to leave that behind, though. LOL I am taking a break from Etsy shop stuff for a couple of days, trying to do my own projects, but maybe I should just do nothing. LOL

Whatever it is that you are entering in to the longer, yet colder days with, I hope you are happy and healthy. For those in the southern hemisphere, I may be a little jealous right now,LOL, but I wish you the same.

Musings

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 15:37:15 PST

Before my best friend from childhood died back in 2007, he would ask me when we were going to write that "Great American Novel"? Well, I'm making a start on something I think he'd have liked, don't know how great it will be, either, but the effort is being made. LOL

I'm putting some time in on my personal dollies, my knitting and crochet. It's funny how many different projects can pass through my hands in a day. And I'm still making progress on new iron-on designs and sewing patterns. I made a pattern sale this week to an individual who's sewing skills have really impressed me. I'd love to buy one of her Blythe outfits, but I'm nervous about ruining them removing the potential fragrance that is present way to frequently for me. Needless to say, it gave me a thrill to sell her a couple of patterns. I'm really flattered.😊

Yule is just around the corner and we're as ready as we're ever going to be. I hope everyone is enjoying time spent with family and friends and that you're staying safe as the weather turns wintery.

Blessed Be!

Adding Fox Ears to an 1:8 scale hat

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 13:28:23 PST

Hello! So you want to add some cute fox ears to your little one's hat or Hood. First you'll need a Hat or Hood, you can use my pattern found here: Woodland Hood on Etsy or a hat you already have. Next, you'll need to download the instuctions that include the pattern for the ears. And then gather up your supplies, wool felt, thread, scissors and sewing needle.

Pattern file found here: Fox_Ears.pdf

And you're all set to go!

I didn't show a blanket stitch around the edge of the ears, but you can definitely add one. Happy sewing!!

Changes coming to our digital world

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 17:02:44 PST

Well, I've decided to try and work in more digital product for the store. Spent most of last week creating images to be used as iron-ons for doll clothes. Josephine will be using them on doll clothes some time this week, these will also be available for purchase. And there are a lot of other products that can be created for download. More on that as I make my way through it.

I have a back log of dolls ready to be airbrushed, (Urple is among them and she's going to need a new name). Really shouldn't let them pile up. LOL And I've put the dolls waiting to be dyed aside for now, but almost everyone is prepped, (I have a petite still to do).

Arthur is revamping the website here, most of the changes can't be seen, but a few can. But the most exciting part is that he's developing a web store and building the templates so that he can build websites and stores for others as well. I can't wait to be able to offer more than I currently can on Etsy. Cloud and Josephine will have products as well, that means witchy stuff and pottery. How cool is that?

Have a great week!

I don't do symmetry

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 16:37:49 PST

When making doll faces, you're encouraged to aim for perfect symmetry. While that's a nice goal or maybe even an over simplification for teaching purposes, I think it's a little harmful to our psyche. No human being is symmetrical, so why do we expect to create perfectly symetrical faces? It sets us up to berate ourselves because it's near impossible to accomplish and to feel less than, when we see it looking back at us from the mirror. So I will not be attempting perfect symmetry in my dolls. Balanced, appealing, yes! I hope this resonates with you too.

I spent the work day sculpting yesterday. Worked on seven different dolls and at the end of it there was probably one that looked significantly different. :) Some days are like that. A lot of time spent and not a lot to show for it. I was really pleased with how long I actually stayed at it, which isn't easy for me. I have a lot I want to do and a lot of new stuff I want to learn. It's a real challenge to fit everything in and not get bored with something because there's been no progress with it.

I hope to do another pattern this week, hopefully without derailing the sculpting. But whatever happens, I want to enjoy the process!

Have a delightful week!

Sculpting update

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 15:41:58 PDT

Cassie was pleased with the goodies for PNW BJD Expo. It's always reassuring to receive feedback. I actually pulled out the Blythe dolls and got some ready for sculpting. I have a few dolls I want to try and dye and they're ready to go. It has to be done outside, so I'm waiting for the rain to stop😂. And my papier mâché sculpture, formerly Squire Urple, is ready for light sanding and then "paint".

My Kestner had to have her paint redone. It just wasn't right, making it another learning experience. So, I have a white layer done and I'm thinking about trying pastels for color matching.

Squire Urple is pictured below. Have a spectacular week!

Faerie wands et all

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 14:23:01 PDT

I finished uploading the last of the Window decorating pictures today! YAY! Next week I'll continue uploading to the Gallery with Costumes. There are many other catagories that will be added as I proceed. A note on the Window Dressing, that was the most difficult subject to photograph because of the glass, so I apologize for the times when it was blurry. It always had to be photographed after closing up the shop, during the day you couldn't get the camera to focus past the reflections on the glass. 😁

This last weekend I finished up my goodies for the PNW BJD Expo Luncheon and shipped them out on Monday. That was fun! I'll be including similar items in packages when I ship items out, as well. I also recieved my eco-friendly mailing envelopes, no more plastic envelopes for me, unless I'm reusing something I've recieved. The wands I made will also be upgraded with metal spheres instead of plastic stars and silk ribbons instead of polyester when I make my next batch. I was working with what I could get in a short span of time, but I really think the upgrades are more in line with where I want to be as a creator.

Ironically, maybe, I'm hoping to get back on sculpting Blythe dolls in the next month. I know, plastic dolls, sigh. Eventually I'll address that, but not today.

Have a wonderful week!

Am I ready for Halloween?

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 14:46:20 PDT

The new schedule is definitly helping. As you can see, I've been blogging more regularly and it's helped with the sculpting too. I need to leave things to dry frequently and by scheduling sculpting on certain days, it keeps me from forgetting to return to the work, so that it continues to progress. I'm also better about not wandering off when I have a set task.

I haven't been very good about getting very much done for Halloween, but I'm going to let myself be ok with that. We do have Halloween doll costumes in the shop and the patterns are still there and I have a wig I'm trying to finish for myself. Not too bad on the accomplishment meter.

I'm also trying to get some things done for the PNW BJD Expo luncheon goody bags. I'm cutting that too close for comfort, so fingers crossed.

Have a great week!

Pumpkins

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 17:54:39 PDT

In deciding to try and make moulds for creating repeatable paperclay pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns, as I mentioned last week, I've got to learn about mould making. Fortunately, I have a book, LOL! I made a lid and a leaf for the pumpkin container today, as well as getting the jack-o-lantern carved and sanded. So, everything is ready for whatever finish needs to be applied and then moulds poured. I guess I'll be spending some time reading tomorrow.

This time of year has become more difficult for us, as to energy levels available. I assume the tempatures dropping and the use of the wood stove have something to do with it. But whatever the reason, we are all dragging around here. Still moving, but really slow. It makes getting projects completed more challenging, while my brain is in overdrive with ideas for projects that I want to do. LOL Hopefully, I can hang on to the good ideas and go ahead and do them, even if the season has passed. I'm beginning to think that's my best choice for getting things ready for seasonal release dates. So, there will probably be out of season progress shares as a result.

Josephine is taking on the sewing projects for the bjd clothing, which is awesome! If there is something you'd like, let us know. I still make the patterns and do the designs, while she's doing production.

Have a wonderful week!

Tech Troubles and progress report

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 15:57:15 PDT

Social Media took a hit Monday and nothing was working. It seems that some of that tech trouble has leaked into my computer, as everything I've attempted today has gone slowly or not at all.

On a brighter note, my glassine arrived for my little jack-o-lantern and it worked perfectly. So, I need to finish up the two pumpkins that I plan to use for making moulds. I doubt I'll get everything ready for production this season, but it should have all the bugs worked out for next halloween season. I also plan to make a walnut shell the same way, and that has a wider application.

I've also started a catalog of my dolls for my heirs, so that they can make sense out of the chaos that is my collection.

And I've returned to working on the HighRise*. The Blythe floor has lighting and I've begun the additional furniture needed to decorate properly.

My Kestner restoration project is just waiting on my attention, the leather arrived for her body and I've stretched it out.

*The HighRise is a cabinet that I'm outfitting for photographing my doll stories, seen on FaceBook in my albums.

Late September musings

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 13:42:29 PDT

I have started scheduling myself more strigently. I'm hoping the end result will be beneficial to keeping this site more regularly updated. 😄

I've been trying to get back into sculpting. I started with some Blythe dolls and I've repaired a porcelain doll. but I really want to be doing more original work, either in wood or clay or both. A space where I could leave things set up would be awesome, but as that's not likely anytime soon, I'll be scheduling a sculpt day. I currently have a tech day on Tuesdays that has really helped my focus shift, so that I'm not completely ignoring the tech stuff that needs to happen. Eventually I'll have a gallery here of my past work, because I like museums and galleries are personal museums.😄

I also have a personal goal to get at least one book illustrated and published. It has been suggested that I start a YouTube channel where I read stories and then I could use that platform to introduce my own stories for additional exposure. The world of social media is in constant flux. I'm not even sure people read blogs anymore and the current hot ticket is TikTok. I know I'm not the only one finding it all to be a little overwhelming. So, I'll keep plugging along and hopefully the right audience will find me where I'm at, because if I start chasing the latest, it's guaranteed, I'll never get anywhere as everything will be left unfinished.

Have a beautiful day!

May 28, 2021

Fri, 28 May 2021 15:56:25 PDT

I have finally finished updating the business name on all the patterns!! Whoo Hoo!! I'll continue to work on the handwritten patterns, updating them to a neater appearance. But I don't feel it's as imperative. :)

I am looking forward to a new doll making journey and hopefully sharing that here.

Re-branding

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 18:26:30 PDT

I'm working on re-branding my shop with a name change. It means a lot of work with the logo and all. But hopefully I can breeze through the process.😆 Sewing hasn't been going smoothly, so maybe I need the change in focus. Wish me luck

My How Time Flies

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 11:41:19 PDT

I can't believe it's July! Where does the time go? I have been very busy. I'm starting to list physical items for sale in addition to the digital patterns. It's a challenge to figure out where to stash it all safely.😆 This little felt baby, (sewn, not needle felted), is now for sale. It is 1/12th scale, comes with the bottle and flower bassinet for your own little Thumbalina. I'm also working on some mini games for photo props and I'm designing one that can actually be played. I also would like to make mini board books using my stories. And the patterns are still getting attention. Go visit my Etsy shop for what's available now. And... 😃 Have a wonderful day! 😃

Hello Again

Wed, 13 May 2020 18:00:42 PDT

A lot has happened since January. New dolls, new patterns and I'm making headway on updating the old patterns. We've added PukiFee, Luts Delf tiny, Charles Creature Cabinet and our own Faerie Children to our doll collection. There are mori patterns, (dress, boots, sweater and hats) for the little ones and a new PukiPuki outfit as well as finishing the Faerie Child pattern. The quarantine hasn't changed much for us at home. It does affect business, so remember to support small businesses. I'm going to continue plugging away at the re-dos and I want to add some more fairy centric outfits to the pattern collection. Stay safe.

RealPuki Pattern Update

Sat, 18 Jan 2020 15:39:47 PST

I've been working to update my first patterns so that they match the quality and look of later patterns. The first one is almost done, Hubby is working on the actual pattern pieces in photoshop, and I've got the instructions ready to go. I like my new color scheme and I think it will unify my shop. I've also made progress on a new PukiPuki pattern and I should be able to get that put together really soon.

DIY FYI

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 19:23:01 PST

We've been repairing a house that, had certain details been attended to, the repairs would be unnecessary. So, I figured if it helps one person avoid future repair heartache, this post would be worth it.

The first photo illustrates what rodents can do to an area of rot. After pulling off the "siding",(which is actually sheathing), the area exposed in the second photo was insufficient to being able to remove all the rot on the top plate. The third shows a little more of that corner. The mistakes made here at the building stage were, to begin with, not covering the top edge of the foundation with sheathing and siding. Concrete will decay when it's top edges are exposed to the elements. In addition to not being covered, this house had gutters without downspouts resulting in a torential down pour at the corners every time it rained. The surrounding soil does not slope away from the house, either. (but this could be partially a result of the deluge during rain) The earth on the other side of the house actually slopes toward the house, indicating that there wasn't any effort made to landscape properly around the foundation. The house was sheathed but not sided, this is something that is often done to cut costs and it's not a horrible idea, but you are creating a need for higher maintenance in your future. Like: what are you going to do to keep the water/wind from entering those seams and those seams are going to be more susceptable to vermin and rot. Another thing that could have been done on these corners was to install 1x4 trim. It's easier to replace when it starts to rot and it protects the exposed edges of the plywood. The followin pictures show more dramatically what was removed and how much damage was done to the foundation. We will be patching the concrete, but I'm not sure it will hold up as well as the foundation would have, had it been protected.

No matter what corners you cut to make building your home more affordable, remember to keep an eye on the exterior. Watch out for potential wear and rot, poke it with a screwdriver to make sure it's still solid and remember you can install sacraficial trim if you keep an eye on it and replace as necessary.

Personal Health

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 14:03:06 PST

I haven't been working on much of anything, but the house right now. I've started a program that looks really hopeful for reversing EI and MCS. I started out giving it my full attention and then discovered that I was being distracted by "everything" and I needed to refocus if I was going to give this program a proper chance. So, I may need to wait to get those patterns finished. Health first, work second. Oddly enough, that's not an easy lesson for me. I leave you with a UK flashback. Enjoy your day!

Mori Girl Update

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:14:23 PDT

Patterns for the dress, boots and a knitted sweater have all been made available through Etsy as individual patterns. I'm also running a sale, that I will probable keep going in some form or other, providing a discount for multiple pattern purchases.

I have the doll pattern design where I want it, photos need to be taken, and the large brim hat just needs to be written up.

Mori girl

Sun, 25 Aug 2019 19:55:04 PDT

We've been working on a pattern for this Mori outfit and we keep coming up with more items that we want to add. It's beginning to feel like it isn't going to come to an end. :/ But that's ok, really. More is better, right?

I want to get back to the PukiPuki patterns and the doll of the same scale, but I felt my RealPuki customers deserved something new. :)

So, we're off to make and document a few more pieces.

Subject unknown

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 07:28:01 PDT

Found this pic on here, for those who don’t know, my son is my web site creator and host. He just updated the photo editing and left this jewel behind.

Realpuki dress

Wed, 24 Apr 2019 13:26:07 PDT

I was going to do a bit on ice boxes and self-sufficiency but when I lost it the second time, I figured it wasn’t meant to be. 😏
So here’s a sample of the Realpuki dress I’m working on. As you can see in the 2nd pic, it also fits the Lati White nicely.

Electric shed progress

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 07:50:15 PDT

The shed has underlayment, that’s the plywood that will be under the siding. Arthur is itching to get the electrical in and hooked up. I’m looking forward to it too. 😃 The house isn’t wired yet, so I guess I should start on that soon or I won’t have anyway to make use of that power. 😁 well I tried to add photos but we’re not having any luck. 🙁

Tiny trailer

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 09:03:59 PDT

I’m working on this little trailer to use, at least in part, as a photo prop for PukiPuki and friends. But it seems to be taking over the place. I also turned the super hero pjs over to the computer peeps to extract for the next stage, printing and then sewing.

Electric on the Way

Sun, 31 Mar 2019 19:04:18 PDT

We’ve got a decent start on a shed for our electricity. Currently, the generator has to be turned on to get any power for anything. Not really convenient. The shed will house batteries on one end separated from an inverter and everything necessary to charge those batteries. So that we may have lights and a few other conveniences.

Happy Ostara

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 12:04:30 PDT

Well the weather here changed overnight and the toads are singing with the sun shining bright. Temps have been in the 70’s, (that’s Fahrenheit) and the girls have been busy in the garden.
I finished my Invisible Hood from Faerie Knitting just in time not to need it at all😄
Hubby gave me a DNA test kit for Yule and I’ve been laughing at the results ever since. My family is racist, mother and grandfathers, mostly. My mom tries not to be, but ... anyway, it turns out there’s African on her side of the family. And the Native American that her family long claimed, isn’t showing up, in her tests or mine. Someone may have made up a story 😉 l’m glad I find it humorous, I’ve seen too many YouTube vids of people being distraught over their results.

Doll pattern progress

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 19:13:20 PDT

The doll pattern project is coming together. We’ve got the size but there are some details that could stand to be tweaked. I still need to figure out how to insert the pipe cleaners that will be optional. I don’t have seams where they’ll need to go, so that means poking holes in the right places and figuring out at what stage they need to be inserted. I wish I could start photographing the assembly process but it’s too soon and I don’t have the lights for it. I’m just impatient to see this one finished.

Struggling to focus

Sun, 10 Mar 2019 19:46:40 PDT

I don’t know if it’s chemical exposure or something else, but I’ve been all over the place the last two days with a complete lack of focus. Baked some cookies and took a few pics today in spite of it 😏

Stairs

Sat, 09 Mar 2019 12:53:11 PST

We’ve got stairs inside! They’re steep and they definitely need a hand rail, but it’s so nice to be able to run upstairs for things with out going outside and around. Radar was supervising the whole process.

And we put in a small part of the flooring at the base of the stairs.

Reusing yarn

Thu, 07 Mar 2019 12:49:59 PST

I’ve taken apart a sweater vest I was never really happy with and I plan to combine the different yarns to use as a chunky yarn. There’s a pattern in Faerie Knitting for a hood that I may try. 😄

Doll design

Wed, 06 Mar 2019 13:59:52 PST

It’s snowing again and kind of dark in here but...
This designing this is finally flowing. I’ve made two; close but no cigar, but now I’ve got the right measurement for the head and I need to stuff and check the body. I’m not liking the flannel so I will be going back to the felt to double check all the results. I could still end up chucking the whole thing if I’m not happy with how it looks. Fortunately, the first two dolls are perfectly good dolls and I’ll be finishing them up to use in decorating. The rest of the process hasn’t produced anything usable. 😏

Doll Design

Sat, 02 Mar 2019 17:39:22 PST

I’m working on designing a doll that will be able to wear PukiPuki clothes and I may do something similar when my PukiFee and RealFee arrive. I was going to do a RealPuki size, but that’s been put on the back burner. The really cool thing is that these dolls can be anything from humans to animals to fairies and elves. It’s up to you.
Rowan is helping me.

Railing installed

Fri, 01 Mar 2019 17:27:52 PST

Progress on the stairway includes this cool railing. :)

Mirkwood progress

Wed, 27 Feb 2019 17:22:04 PST

The preliminary work is being done, by Arthur and Joey, for the stairs. I had forgotten that it would let more light in downstairs, which is nice.
It’s also my wedding anniversary today and Liam can’t come home until the kids go back to HQ. (that’s the house we need to sell, where the kids are living until we can get some power out here)
So I’m trying to get them to cover the hole and go😃

Fairyland doll comparison

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:29:25 PST

Isn’t it funny how sometimes you get several questions about similar situations. That happened this week. So I wanted to do a new comparison post with all of my Fairyland dolls. Boy, that makes it seem like I have a lot :)
In the photo below from left to right are a RealFee, measuring 7.48” , a PukiPuki measuring 4.4” , an Amelia Thimble measuring 4”,(yes, I know she’s not a Fairyland doll) and a RealPuki measuring 3.82”
Because I offer Amelia Thimble patterns for sale, she was part of the original query. Anyway, I’m hoping this helps when you’re trying to figure out what your precious little ones can wear. And I guess I’ll get to do this again when I’m able to acquire a PukiFee. ;) (They measure 6.1” in case you’re wondering.

The Beat Goes On

Sun, 24 Feb 2019 16:10:59 PST

We’ve been living out at Mirkwood since the middle of December. Just me and Liam,(Radar too). I haven’t had consistent internet access as we don’t have power. We have been snowed in for a week and that motivated having the alignment and tires checked when we made it out. New tires necessary and alignment will be assessed next week. I’ve also had the chance to work on new patterns for the realpuki and contemplate where I want to take that next. The challenging part will be getting the computer part of the patterns done.

My, my, look at the time

Thu, 09 Aug 2018 03:27:13 PDT

It's been quite a while since my last post.
We're still working to make Mirkwood habitable.
I've been unwell for the last week from exposure, the bedroom out there housed smokers, that we can only assume were attempting to keep their habit clear of their children, thus only the bedroom reeks. The heat wave seems to have activated the release of all the nasties in the cigaret smoke. (Ok guys, this shit doesn't go away and you aren't protecting your kids by standing in the doorway) I've been temporarily crippled by it. From one end of my spine to the other there has been a build up fluid causing severe headaches with difficulty in walking and using my hands. ALL of my joints hurt, stabbing pain, not achy pain. The muscles in my legs keep cramping all the way to, and including my feet. So, man-made chemicals suck, smoking sucks and I'd like to move on now!
On a positive note, we may be able to move out there soonish. The plumbing is getting close to being done, and the floor is in and caulked, (like a wooden boat, not like your tub), and we've started patching the walls that don't need to come out. I know where the chimney needs to go, we just need to purchase the supplies and get "the guy" out to install it.
Radar is a cute little rascal and is learning to come when called. Thunder storms are no problem, but smoke from the west coast being on fire causes anxiety as does riding in the car. Weird, right?

Mirkwood

Sat, 19 May 2018 18:36:08 PDT

We’ve made some progress on the floor despite everyone being afraid of heights and we’re almost at the halfway point. Our internet and home phone went down, so we’ve had to change to our off grid network. I’m still knitting, crocheting and working on repair stuff. Some days it seems overwhelming.

Mirkwood

Fri, 04 May 2018 12:57:13 PDT

We have made some progress, but the removal of the floor hasn’t happened as there were more “but first” things to be done.
One of the support beams is in and a wall for the out side access closet. The bathroom is mostly gutted. We’ve had to haul off more garbage because the owner can’t keep up. That really cuts into work progress. A past tenant knocked a hole in the tub and patched it badly. So that will need to be replaced. Can’t say I’m sorry about that, the tub was gross.

Radar

Sun, 22 Apr 2018 12:56:57 PDT

Pet me!

Yes, that’s it

Wait!

Where are you going?

Work,work and more work

Fri, 13 Apr 2018 19:39:23 PDT

The house needs lots of TLC. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
We’ve gotten the moldy wallboard removed and next is taking out the upstairs floor. There is a very pungent presence of rat up there. There were two dump runs today while I plugged up holes to keep the critters out. Can’t have them coming in while we try to repair the place. There are cats and dogs coming in and marking our porta potty, as well. The photos below show the gutting and some of the rotten siding.

Moving

Sun, 01 Apr 2018 18:01:42 PDT

We’ve finally found a rental, (it needs a lot of work), that will help us transition out of here. It has low rent and rent /work exchange!

Radar has adjusted and he’s getting on with everyone reasonably well. Here he is being cute.

Radar

Fri, 02 Feb 2018 17:50:01 PST

The little man has been with us for a mere three days. We had a lot of adjustments to make. Apparently beards were an issue and he’s not the least bit house broken. Today he’s actually playing. Where are the girls now? They’ve been trying to get him to play and all he wanted to do was sleep when they were here.

Still Reeling

Wed, 24 Jan 2018 20:03:46 PST

The mask I wore must not have been sealed, properly. We have a different plan for picking Radar up on Monday.

It seems that everything I order these days has some amount of synthetic fragrance on it. Most of the time, it’s the scent from the person who did the packaging, irritating but fairly easy to deal with. But, with increasing frequency, it seems that the actual product has been washed, spayed or treated to smell in some way, and that is not so easy to deal with. My new towels are on their second wash after having soaked in a milk bath to remove the laundry fragrance that should not have been present. Also, each time I have to check to see if a treatment has been successful, I get re-exposed. Headaches, wheezing and digestive issues ensue.

Well, I’m going to try to convince my body to relax and let the toxic crap flow through, no stopping to irritate.

Death by Fragrance

Fri, 12 Jan 2018 18:50:38 PST

We went to meet a puppy 🐶 yesterday. The mask didn’t protect me from the HUGE amount of fragrance in this place. The woman said she was sensitive to fragrance, well no wonder! There was Fabreeze in the bathroom, strong disenfectant fragrance everywhere and there was fragrance in the laundry.
I have a migraine, the phlegm is pouring down the back of my throat in thick sheets, it’s gross, all of it.
We’ll have to bathe the puppy first thing when we bring him home😡😩 and I get to wear that mask all the way back.

Will anyone ever figure this crap out? Stop using synthetic fragrance!😡🤬😤😭😳🙁

Nail Polish

Thu, 11 Jan 2018 08:36:43 PST

Catherine and I finally got some tinted nail polish put together. My ability to apply it needs some work, but the polish itself is pretty cool. I enjoyed that the only smell was that of rubbing alcohol. I applied 4 coats and used the heater to keep everything warm enough to cure. The hard part is not messing it up over the full cure time, ie while I’m sleeping. So now we need to experiment with buffing and repair coats.🙂 if I had a low impact life, this could be done in the morning and then there would be more hours before sleep damage, so that less would occur. We’ll figure this out, because I love it, it’s probably the way it used to be done, and it has a truly no voc off gassing issue.

Financial issues

Fri, 29 Dec 2017 13:07:41 PST

I wanted to list my crochet and knitting patterns on the LoveCrafting web sites. When I began the process, I discovered it was mandatory to have a PayPal account. This is abhorrent. I'm disgusted to find out that such a dishonest financial institution is my only option. As a result, I will not be listing my patterns with them. when they are able to offer other options, I will reconsider. In the mean time, my crochet patterns continue to be available on Etsy. I will consider Revelry, but I fear they too, use PayPal only.

Yule greetings

Sun, 24 Dec 2017 09:56:08 PST

The truck is running! It still has some work that needs to be done, but seats are in and it runs.
I’m working on patterns again and I’ll be listing all the knit and crochet patterns on Love crochet/knitting at the first of the year.

We had a lovely solstice dinner, gaming and gift exchange and we wish all of you a festive holiday season!

Holiday prep

Sat, 25 Nov 2017 21:11:28 PST

I’m almost finished with my projects! Catherine and I will start the decorating this week. Moths got at my little feather tree, so I need to rebuild it and we can’t seem to find the tree stand for the big tree. This is where having owned a store front comes in handy. We have back up trees 🌲 😃

Slow mo

Wed, 01 Nov 2017 11:36:38 PDT

We’re working at one quarter speed today. Probably have been all week. 😔 Right now I’m sitting here half dressed and trying to figure out what to do next. We got some unexpected trick or treaters last night and their fragrance cloud invaded the living room which sent me scurrying while the kids tried to clear the air. I wasn’t good for much that required thinking after that.

I’ve been contemplating stop motion filming for a while now. Wondering if I can pull it off. It would be great for marketing more patterns. Still just gathering info on it.

3 A.M.

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 03:28:12 PDT

I’m up, yet again, struggling to breathe.

I’m still missing Princess. We had already started looking for a new puppy before she became so ill, but cash is an issue. Even the shelters want $300 for their dogs with issues. And I don’t like the individuals selling on Craig’s list, it’s always suspect and you need to rush to be the first or they’ll be gone.

Yule projects are coming along, and I’m back working on the seats for the truck. The wiring is almost done and then there’s? Mechanical or windows or something.

I’m struggling to keep hope alive over here. I hate knowing that where I live is keeping me really sick but the longer I’m here the harder it is to move out. I’m bad enough now that we can’t put the house on the market because I can’t handle people walking through with their synthetic fragrance. I don’t have enough brain function to make patterns right now, so I can’t increase the likelihood of more cash flow. Really sucks.

Lemons today

Thu, 28 Sep 2017 19:28:32 PDT

I'm not sure how to turn this into lemonade. It's time to put Princess down. I wanted her to die naturally. Not as a result of my decision. But .... needs must.

MIA

Mon, 25 Sep 2017 22:45:30 PDT

I have been avoiding blogging because I don't like converting my photos. 😔
So, a lot has happened since the last entry. Catherine came up with a natural nail polish using shellac, a secretion of the lac bug, and alcohol. Shellac.net has a lot of info on using it in the context of finishing furniture. She added eye shadow from Addictive Cosmetics to tint the polish and, voila, nail polish. Truly nontoxic! If you use foodgrade alcohol it's even better. I've posted photos on instagram, and I'm really happy with the results. I think she may have just reinvented the original shellac for nails.🤗

I've done a lot of crocheting of late, most of it for the dog. Unfortunately, the dog is not doing well. I don't think she's long for this world. ☹️ I'm trying to make peace with that.

I need to get on making those Yule presents 🎁 😊😁🎉☃️🎅

Star Festival and Birthday Bash

Tue, 05 Sep 2017 11:27:36 PDT

I completely forgot to post our rather awesome celebration. We had so much fun!🎉The decorations were great, the games were a kick and the prizes were well received. We filled jars with birdseed and weighed the resulting successes, we played pin the horn on the unicorn, and star toss. Then we feasted and I opened my birthday loot, after which we played Candyland and Unicorn Glitterluck.
The day was warm and my costume changed accordingly.🦄 We also stopped taking photos as the sugar kicked in😋 ---Sinéad

Doggie accessories

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 21:19:21 PDT

I made Princess a dress and flower crown. The flower crown has a crocheted base and then felt flowers are sewn on. There is also a chin strap to keep it in place. I think it turned out quite lovely. 🐶

More party stuff

Sun, 13 Aug 2017 19:44:51 PDT

Our party is this week and I've got the macarons, in three colours, baked as well as the cupcakes. The prizes are ready for the games along with Princess's costume. Everyone seems to be pulling their costumes together. We'll be baking again, tomorrow and Tuesday and we should be in party mode by Wednesday.

My wrist is much better but Princess jumped out of a chair and messed up a toenail. Blood and pain, just yuck! But I think she'll recover fine.

Arthur has been moving the admin. portion of this blog and changing things up a little behind the scenes. I think he's done a fairly good job of making things more user friendly and he's planning everything for future client usability, which is good. So if you need a website, he can probably hook you up. Just email me and I'll pass it on.

Wrist Improving

Fri, 04 Aug 2017 21:12:32 PDT

My wrist has dramatically improved and I am now able to keep it wrapped to negate any accidental injury from over extension. To that end I purchased an easier to use cotton wrap in bright yellow. 🌞😃 I have also started a new crochet project. It's low key and will work as a kind of movement therapy. We also had a fun rainbow photo shoot this week, some of which I'm posting on instagram.
Have a lovely weekend! ---Sinéad

Game pieces

Mon, 31 Jul 2017 20:30:39 PDT

When every board game only has 4 pieces and you need five, make a new one.

Party plans and such

Sat, 29 Jul 2017 21:20:43 PDT

We will have enough prizes in spite of my lame wrist/hand. Joey finished putting the flowers on my unicorn horn for my costume and I've asked for Arthur's help to make the pin the horn/tail on the unicorn but I may end up buying that game.
We're making it come together and my wrist is recovering slowly. i wish I could visit the chiropractor to expedite healing.

I'm including a pic of the laundered bun bun here 🐰And one of the fairy prizes as well as my horn.

Bummer

Sun, 23 Jul 2017 18:22:01 PDT

I got overly exposed to some nasty chemicals,(they're all nasty), and my right wrist has swollen up and I can't use that arm. I've been taking aspirin for the swelling and pain, but while results were good at first, not so much now.
Joey got two fairy prizes made and I made it half way through one, yesterday.
The laundry test on the bun bun went well, cotton yarn and kapok make a good team for washability.
Here's hoping I get results with some detoxing and I can have the use of my arm back.

Party Stuff

Thu, 20 Jul 2017 21:48:40 PDT

A package containing paints, bubble guns, little unicorns, and a star punch arrived yesterday. The bubble guns are cool! No batteries needed it's kinetic and it lights up. I've got 3 prizes made and all the stars cut out to make bean bags for the star toss game. I've got to paint a pic of a unicorn for pin the tail/horn and make said tails and horns. I need to make a bunch more prizes and finish my unicorn costume. I'm going to be busy, busy, busy....

Time flies ...

Tue, 18 Jul 2017 13:06:23 PDT

We're busy getting ready for our star festival / unicorn birthday party 🎉 And we've forgotten to post. It's amazing how much you can put into a celebration and still feel like it wasn't quite enough. Anyway, making an effort to make this one full of laughs! Need to get back to it.

The Wig is Done

Mon, 10 Jul 2017 23:48:07 PDT

The wig cap is cotton and the braids are merino and I'm very pleased with how it turned out!

Less Toxic Nail Polish

Mon, 10 Jul 2017 21:27:55 PDT

Catherine and I tried out acrylic craft paint on our nails this last Saturday, our spa day. I had Liquitex gloss sealant, mica dust and some water transfer nail decals, Catherine brought the paint. We did each other's right hand, so my nails on my left hand were finished differently than my right. Catherine applied fewer coats of sealant and didn't use any decals. The paint looked good when finished and if I'd been doing a special occasion/event, it would have lasted 24 hours easy. Catherine commented that it held up as well as the vinyl nail wraps she'd been using. I did the dishes, wearing gloves, Sunday. That destroyed my right nails, but the nails on my left hand did much better. After 3 sinks full of dishes in high heat water, all but my thumb nail with the decal were damaged. By Monday afternoon my thumbnail was starting to peel. I think the decal helped the paint to last. I'm very rough on my hands, so I think the acrylic paint did very well. While the acrylic paint is not entirely safe, it doesn't have all the off gassing of traditional nail polish. Catherine and I didn't have any obvious adverse reactions. I don't think I'll be doing this all the time, but maybe once in a great while.

Internet expansions

Mon, 03 Jul 2017 11:09:20 PDT

I'm on instagram and Pinterest now. I guess we'll need links for that here. Arthur is being kept busy at the cafe, where he works, so it may take some time to implement. In the mean time, I'm Bombazarian on instagram and Sinéad Cannon on Pinterest, you'll need the accent over the "e".
I'm working on my yarn wig, it's exciting!

Wild flower sweets

Sat, 24 Jun 2017 11:22:00 PDT

My back yard was full of catsear or false dandelion flowers, so I decided to make a sweet treat with the flower heads.

Catsear weeds are very similar to dandelions and recipes for one can be used for the other. I began by picking just the flower heads, the sap stains so gloves might be a good idea.

Then I mixed up some brown sugar and water, put it over some heat to make sure the sugar was dissolved and then I placed the flower heads in the cooled sugar water. Keep the flower heads upright and gently submerge them, they'll pop back up with sugar water in their crevices. Leave them to soak, the longer the better. Then place them on a baking sheet, heat your oven to 350 F, and bake for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat on your oven, but leave the flowers in there until they're crispy. Enjoy an almost free snack!

Buntings and dresses

Sun, 18 Jun 2017 12:11:42 PDT

I finished my rainbow crocheted dress and I absolutely love it 😍 I've started my rainbow flags and tassels bunting. I'm trying to document the process so I can create a pattern for it. I used mica to make the tassels sparkle in addition to the seed beads and sequins.

Glasses

Tue, 06 Jun 2017 18:21:36 PDT

Well, I've had a stroke of good luck! I found replacement parts for my glasses from the last time I broke them. I had purchased a second frame to replace a broken earpiece and had put the remainder of the frames in a drawer of my desk. The screws were stripped out so I took all the parts to my local eyecare place and they Frankensteined me a functional pair of glasses.🤓😃
Now that the computer files are available and I can see again, pattern work? Sewing or just finish my awesome rainbow top?

Oops!

Mon, 05 Jun 2017 12:53:10 PDT

I broke my glasses and my back up glasses aren't bifocals.😕 I'm wearing two pairs of glasses to write this. Awkward! I really need some sales to cope with these unexpected expenses.
We had my computer's hard drive rescued!!! The files have been placed on my old laptop, it should continue to function for awhile 🤞
I'm having issues with dolly's wardrobe. If this continues I'll list the little darling for sale In her diaper.

Dolly Diaper

Thu, 01 Jun 2017 18:56:11 PDT

I like the way her diaper turned out, but the clothing isn't going to work. So, I'm crocheting a sweater, booties and blanket set.

I was going to make use of this bad boy, (sewing machine), but it seized up and getting it fixed is just not a priority. But I need more speed in my sewing, so I guess I'll be using the treadle.

Rainbow top

Wed, 31 May 2017 12:33:40 PDT

I started this Top in pink and I thought I could just switch to a champagne white, I had a lot of, to finish it off. But then I saw Amina's, (tassel fairy), pastel rainbow sweater, which sent me off to dig through my stash looking for pastel yarns and I found what I thought would be enough. 😧It isn't, each skein hasn't done as many rows as I'd hoped it would.😔 Well, I'm committed now because I really want the rainbow! I just went shopping for more yarn😁
I'm not sure about the lace pattern in the last pic. I probably won't repeat it as many times as I had originally intended.

Redecorating

Tue, 30 May 2017 18:11:36 PDT

I've decided that I need to brighten up my space more. My living room is overcrowded with a gothic feel. The walls were dark brown and I've already changed that. But the window coverings need to be more cheerful. Maybe some other things should change too. Anyway, the pics are of what the room looks like now and as I make changes, I'll post them.

Embellishing T-shirts

Mon, 29 May 2017 19:16:53 PDT

I spent today crocheting and drawing on my t-shirts. I even added sequins to my unicorn. 🦄
I want to thank Amina, YouTube's TasselFairy, for the inspiration!
This crocheted top will be a pastel rainbow when it's completed.
These were done with Sharpies on my homemade organic cotton t-shirts.

Pig tails

Sat, 27 May 2017 19:54:47 PDT

We got the pig tails on the little dolly today and a dress, panties and a diaper cut out. Most of the day was divided between laundry that I did by hand, and crocheting on a summer top.

Dolly has a face and hair

Fri, 26 May 2017 21:39:31 PDT

I think I'll give her pig tails and then on to the clothes.

Our Little Dolly

Thu, 25 May 2017 15:03:59 PDT

We have all the parts made and soft sculpted. I don't really like working with felt for this pattern. The seams stand out more than I'd like and the sculpting has to compete with them for your eyes' focus.
This pattern introduced me to the paisley shaped ear and I rather like it. I added the sole to the bottom of the foot, a feature I almost always insist on adding. Maybe that's silly, but for most dolls it gives me a sense of grounding them.

Now I need to embroider the face and do the hair.
I have the larger version of the doll cut out in linen. I forgot to mention that the linen didn't work in the small size. It frays too much for such tiny seam allowances, thus the felt. I can't wait for the muslin to get here. Arthur agreed that it's the better fabric for this style of doll.

Vintage Dolly Patterns

Tue, 23 May 2017 19:07:57 PDT

Over the years I've made a lot of stuffed toys. But one of my absolute favourite doll patterns, that I have returned to again and again, is one my mother purchased when I was preschool age. I've modified features of it, but the basic doll has remained the same. Unfortunately, my original pattern is in tatters. I've preserved it's essence through tracings, but in recent years I've felt insecure about it's survival. So, I was thrilled to find a seller on Etsy who was scanning vintage patterns for resale. She did not have the exact pattern I had been using, but it was close enough for my purposes. I also found an adorable button jointed baby doll with a similar style to it. And the best thing about these patterns was that she included scaled down versions with the full size patterns. Perfect! I wouldn't need to scale them down and guess at their finished size. Doll collectors seem to be focusing on cabinet dolls because of storage / display constraints. I figure parents may be doing the same thing to some extent and who doesn't love ❤️ miniature toys. So, we're giving the vintage style doll, done in miniature a try and we'll see how the market responds. And wouldn't you know it, for the first time in many years, I don't have any muslin on hand. Joey and I found some nice soft linen to reuse, (it had already been made into clothing that was ready to retire), and I've got my fingers crossed that it doesn't fray too terribly, so I can get started.
Here's a link to the pattern shop: eVINTAGEpatterns's shop on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/eVINTAGEpatterns http://etsy.me/1eZiOXP

Ballerina

Tue, 16 May 2017 23:06:14 PDT

I just listed a merino felt ballerina yesterday. She's a cutie! And I'm making headway on my troll baby.

New Focus

Mon, 15 May 2017 09:42:43 PDT

Because I've lost access to all of my patterns and part of the process for creating new ones, I'll be focusing on making physical items for my store once again. This is exciting and daunting. I'm not sure how I'll be handling the organization, but I'm sure I'll figure something out, as we've done this all before. I'll be starting by finishing up project dolls that had been set aside for various reasons and working on new original doll clothes for all the dollies. This may turn out to be a very slow process as I intend to embroider more details and make each item as unique and beautiful as I can.😃😍wish me luck!

I also hope to fulfill some wishes you may not have even known you had!🎉

Power Puzzels

Sun, 14 May 2017 23:38:54 PDT

We had a big building moving event here in town where a 4 unit apartment building was moved from Canada 🇨🇦 to just a few blocks away from us, here in Port Townsend. We watched it creep up the street and then turn the corner from our living room window. The power lines had to be lifted to allow the building to pass. It was all quite impressive.

When the power was restored, however, we discovered a surge had damaged my computer and my back up hard drive😢 I'm trying to stay hopeful that I'll be able to retrieve my data at the very least.
We don't have the funds to be able to do anything just yet and we're hoping to get an insurance check, but who knows.

I just finished my little pony Hawaiian shirt.🤡And I crocheted a summer top. For Mother's Day the minions brought me organic makeup. 😍

An Education in Fit

Tue, 02 May 2017 20:28:41 PDT

My second Neo Blythe, (ordered at the same time as the first), finally arrived. She has a Takara body not a Pure Neemo, and that really made a difference in the off gassing. I had a real difficult time dressing the Pure Neemo body because of the splayed hands but the clothes fit well enough once they were on. The Takara body is different and everything fits much looser. Shoes fit on over socks and the high top tennies are ridiculously big, but I guess it can be part of the look. So, I've been making the doll's clothes "fit" and it looks like making them a little big is a more standard approach. It definitely makes them easier to dress and it will make the Amelia dress I've been fighting with, possible. Sometimes we need to change our approach to "fit". I know I've had to for my own clothes, why not for the dollies, too?

On a side note of physical fitness, I was able to hang upside down on the new bars and do 10 "sit-ups" today.

Four Steps Back, One Step Forward

Fri, 21 Apr 2017 13:00:33 PDT

I added some bling to the Fairy Sparkles! Jars' and finally got a favorite.
My Neo Blythe is off gassing so much I'm going to need to sell her. That's a lesson in buying the cheaper version. The hands I had ordered to go with her body don't match.
We went out to Home Depot and bought galvanized pipe to build a pull up bar "plus", (It has three cross bars so I can hang upside down). But the pipes have a highly toxic petroleum based oil coating them and it doesn't come off with soap. Liam is going to wipe it down with acetone. Yuck! It's not going to do me much good if I have to wait for the weather to make them "safe".
My brain is really foggy and I'm struggling to make the patterns without mistakes.
I wanted to buy an old good luck troll but when I ask the sellers who had them about their use of fragrance it became a no go. On the upside, Liam and I have really been enjoying the new Troll movie, more than once, like little kids.
I really like the way this Fairy Sparkles! promo photo turned out.

Caribbean Princess

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 13:04:57 PDT

I finished up the dress for my Caribbean Princess Petite Blythe. It looks really good. I also created a new product for my store: Fairie Sparkles!
I've been moving kind of slow because my lack of walking exercise has caught up with me. The hips slipped and pinched a nerve. Worse than ever before. I guess I'd better walk more or something.

Spring, a full month later this year

Sat, 01 Apr 2017 17:40:24 PDT

The same view as last year's, posted on the 1st and 2nd of March.

New dolls to play with

Fri, 31 Mar 2017 16:49:48 PDT

I just received my first Blythe dolls this week. I have 2 Petite and 1 Neo to design clothes and patterns for. I also finished and uploaded to Etsy a RealPuki sweatshirt and jeans pattern. That project took a bit of time. The PukiPuki version was uploaded last week.
I have the Petites, Amelia Thimble, and a RealPuki lined up for size comparison. I can't believe the Petites have the smallest bodies. The Caribbean Jewel on the left has had a makeover started. I can't believe the Takara company thought it was a good idea to just chop her hair off. Without her hat she looks like the victim of a lawnmower accident.I believe the dreads are a vast improvement. I still need to do more with her makeup.
The Neo looks awesome, even if she isn't an official release.
The RealPuki has actual belt loops on those jeans and a real pocket on the front of that sweatshirt.

Puki names

Sun, 26 Mar 2017 10:54:42 PDT

I just realized neither of my PukiPuki's have names. Tragic really. Piccolo and Beag,(Aggie) had names before they arrived. What's her name was named soon after she arrived, even if I can't remember what it is, it was a nice name. Ahh, problem solved for one of them, at least. Rowan is the model for our latest PukiPuki Sewing pattern. --Sinéad

Sewing Books 📚 from Japan

Sat, 25 Mar 2017 10:34:02 PDT

I just received two books 📚 on sewing for your Blythe dolls from Japan. 🇯🇵 They are awesome! If I could read the text it would only get better. The amount of detail contained within the pictorial descriptions is incredible! I have ordered some dolls and I wanted to be inspired to make patterns and actual clothes to sell. I think I picked the right books for that. I'm also working on my Puki patterns, jeans 👖 are the current project.

Spring equinox

Mon, 20 Mar 2017 18:16:51 PDT

I decorated the table for spring. It will be interesting to see how long it stays put.

RealPuki sweatshirt

Sat, 18 Mar 2017 23:12:50 PDT

I've been trying to fine tune my pattern for a PukiPuki and RealPuki sweatshirt with limited success. Today I finished testing the latest incarnation and I'm quite happy with it. My sales have steadily improved and I hope 🤞 the trend will continue. I've finished developing a crochet pattern for a Chibi Bear 🐻 and gotten it listed for sale. I've also done the groundwork for accessories. I hope to get all four new patterns finished in the next week or so.🍭🦄
Happy spring equinox!! 🌸

Canaries and extraneous

Wed, 01 Mar 2017 17:11:48 PST

I've reached a low point with the MCS/Environmental Illness. I shouldn't go out of my house, not even into my backyard, without some kind of mask. The amount of synthetic fragrance present with the mill and the industrial park in the Port, makes the outdoor air always a problem. Masks don't filter out everything, they just cut back on the amount you're taking in. On top of that, the ants have chosen this spring to launch an all out attack from everywhere. There was just one crawling across my monitor, he is dead now. The cedar spray, that we use to keep them at bay, is a little rough on a compromised respiratory system. This canary really needs a break.

Amigurumi Chibi Bear Pattern

Tue, 21 Feb 2017 17:56:13 PST

As an anthropomorphic project, this has been quite fun. Liam has named her Yolandie, and I'm ready to photograph the creative process so that I can publish a pattern.

Leggings still in the works

Sat, 18 Feb 2017 15:52:36 PST

I've finished one leg and come to the conclusion that I don't have the patience for cables right now. So, in order to get these to a wearable state, I'll be changing to a different pattern on the second leg. No more cables for now. I used to really like knitting cables and I still like seeing them, which makes this a little sad. Que sera, sera.
I hope I can get on with getting both planned pairs of leggings done, even though I have to change the pattern some what.
I have finished two doll crochet patterns and my jeep cap pattern is seeing some action.

Radiator busted

Mon, 13 Feb 2017 23:51:19 PST

The car 🚗 broke down just as Arthur was getting a feel for using the clutch. We'll be retrieving it from Honda tomorrow. Let's hope it's warmish because it wil be an awful ride otherwise. ( our other car is a motorcycle)
The set back with the car has Arthur a little more motivated to put time in on getting the truck back together. Maybe we'll have it running again before summer.

World Hijab Day

Wed, 01 Feb 2017 14:50:37 PST

In solidarity with all those who appreciate and respect religious freedom, we wore hijab today. In the hopes that our freedom to embrace the religion of our choosing will inherently breed tolerance for the choices of others. We are not Muslim, but wish to support their right to express themselves, just as we express ourselves. I've included 3 pics of myself: one in niqab, one with glasses and one without.🙂Self expression 😉
Joey and Catherine were color coordinated.🤓

----Sinéad

Knitting leggings

Tue, 31 Jan 2017 18:16:03 PST

I started knitting a pair of leggings in October but I felt crunched for time with the road trip coming up and I set them aside. I've been distracted by Yule crafting and baby crocheting for charity and just about anything that allowed me to procrastinate a little longer. Well, I finally picked the project back up and I discovered that I was frustrated by the need to document where I was in the project. Row counters to the rescue. I didn't want a plastic one so I made a couple of abacus style ones with the beads I had here. I really like how they've freed up my mind. And they look cool, too!

Baby Bonnet Blog

Sun, 29 Jan 2017 16:15:16 PST

I finished up some Easter bonnets for charity and did a lot of research trying to find a geographically closer place to donate them. They'll be going to Iowa where I've found a site that is very organized and specific in their requests. I was going to post pictures but they're too large and l haven't located the tool for changing their size, as yet.

In my ever increasing frustration with being sick and unable to find a place to move, I realized this drive to make things for charity was a way of trying to take control of my life. I will be backing up a bit on that front. Charity is all well and good, but in this situation l believe it simply serves as a distraction and financial drain. I'm also constantly being reminded of the ignorance of my fellow Americans. Fragrance and synthetics are still being used heavily by the average person. Each time we make headway on one front of the education challenge, a new product is introduced to replace the old enemy and the battle must be faught again. As you might expect, I find this depressing. Who wants to be trapped in their home by their neighbors' choices?

I'm trying to maintain a more positive outlook, which is going to require I narrow my exposure to public opinion. So, back to the dollies and their faerie world. We only wear natural fibers here and flowers produce the fragrance in the air! 😊

I had to get a special program on my borrowed iPad to adjust the pics. It seems to have worked.👇

PukiPuki Wings

Fri, 13 Jan 2017 18:51:28 PST

I managed the fairy wings for my pattern and it is now posted in my Etsy store.
I wanted to share my first experiment, I decided against using it but you may find it informative anyway.

I used my first butterfly wing pattern to create mirror image wings that I then added a vein pattern to. I traced this onto tissue paper and used watercolor pencils to add color. After the paint settled a little bit, I added Mod Podge. I added several layers, letting it dry between. In spite of the tissue tearing a little bit with the first layer, it still looked pretty good but it was very fragile. More Mod Podge would have solved that, but with the tears, I though I should begin again with tracing paper.

New patterns!

Fri, 06 Jan 2017 20:56:41 PST

I just listed a new RealPuki Pattern for making Soso's outfit. And I've done the ground work for a PukiPuki Faerie outfit. I need to work out the wings.

New Lights

Sun, 01 Jan 2017 20:24:48 PST

I took my photography lights and attached them to the ceiling. It makes me feel like something is really wrong, looking at the photo of the lights. :) This solved the space issue and chance of knocking them over. And, as you can see, they can be adjusted for different levels of shadow but without being grainy. YEAH!!!

Today, I did the instruction photos for Soso's outfit pattern and they're very clear. Not a bad start to the year! ---Sinéad

I received a Real Fee for Yule!!

Tue, 27 Dec 2016 19:25:58 PST

The kids went in together on my gift this year and bought me a Fairyland RealFee, Haru. She's beautiful and I can't wait to make her some new clothes. I'll be doing patterns, as well, but I really need to get caught up on the patterns I've already created. I'm working on the lighting issue. Our living room just eats light, so I think I'm going to ad some extra lighting to my work area. Hopefully, I can squeeze in enough room to photograph the "how-to" portion of the patterns as I sew. I already have more light over here, but as you can see from the photo, not quite enough because it's too grainy for my purposes.
Haru hasn't got her ears on yet and we're using her sleep face until I can get her awake face sealed.(probably in the spring/summer as it's just too humid here) I tried to glue in the magnets for her ears and such and discovered my super glue was too old. :( Anyway, we'll get new glue and maybe make some horns or antlers for her.
If you have any ideas for types of clothing that you'd like to see on her or the other Pukies, let me know. I'd love to hear from you.
--Sinéad

More experiments with the new pattern

Sat, 24 Dec 2016 15:10:11 PST

I used the previously posted basic pattern to make this chihuahua by adding ears, a snout, and tail. It took two tries to get the ears and snout right. :)

Then I finally made the snowman that I'd been thinking about all season whilst making Yule presents like this vest for Liam.

We do our family gift exchange on Solstice. The kids all received knit or crocheted items from me. :)

Travel pics: The Search for a New Home

Sun, 27 Nov 2016 14:04:53 PST

Apparently the shock I suffered from seeing myself in the mirror caused a severe lapse in blog entries. :)

I've finally edited the pictures I took. There aren't a whole lot and next time I'm going to do this while on the road. We'll start with our first camp site and the only place we set up the tent. It was the first state park we saw as we left Ely, NV. We found pine nuts, which made Liam happy. The sun was setting by the time the tent was up.

I don't want to depend on a tent again. It takes too long to set up and didn't suit our needs.

In Calente, we stopped by the original location for Vasu Video. It's still vacant and the name is still above the door, albeit, peeling.

We stopped in Panaca on Halloween to see the house where Liam spent all of his teen years. It looks like the current inhabitants were ready for the trick or treaters.

We visited Nine mile rock outside of Panaca. You guessed it, it's nine miles out.

Then we traveled on over to Cedar City, UT, our destination.

We did some walking around and Liam did some shopping but there weren't any pictures taken for some reason. I wasn't feeling all that great, so maybe I forgot. :/ Then we went up to Beaver to find a spot to camp in another state park. That's where Alysium and Dragon found a lava rock, climbed on it and then a tree, climbed up it and then a very small flower, they just looked at that.

After driving through Beaver city, and Parowan, we drove over to Beryl and Beryl Junction. No pictures, but I wrote down our impressions of each area to share with the kids. Then we went through Enterprise where we saw our first wild turkeys and stopped at a National forest for the night. Liam was in his natural habitat and was climbing on the rocks, exploring the grove of trees and such. Alysium and Dragon found what looked like a big dragon egg cave, climbed another tree, much smaller this time, found some lichen, I see at least four different colors, and climbed some more rocks.

We headed back to Panaca in the morning, but not before trying to capture all the colors around the stream as we left Enterprise. It doesn't do it justice at all.

Back on BLM land where Liam and his parents used to gather pine nuts, we visited a favorite camping spot for humans from a time before white men crossed this land up to the present. We always seem to leave our trash behind.

Note the larger amount of sunshine.

Our last stop before heading home was somewhere in Idaho at a roadside picnic area where we had dinner and then Liam drove and drove and drove until we were home. We rousted a sleeping Catherine from our bed, sent her home and I was excitedly greeted by the dog for about half an hour or so. Chihuahuas are like that. Then we slept for a very long time.

Mirror Shocks

Tue, 15 Nov 2016 19:28:52 PST

What do you do when you see your father looking back at you from the mirror? Well, I looked in the mirror last week and saw my 78 year old father looking back at me. Creepy, right? Especially since I'm a female and only 50. So, what does one do? Well, I'm changing my make-up routine. We're experimenting with removing the eyebrows and reshaping. Dad has zombie eyes, my mother used to call them bedroom eyes, but they've sagged/sunk further and the eyebrows are wild and have them hemmed in, same here. We're attempting a more arched appearance without going extreme. I can't really do anything about the lack of hair on my head, just keep up the fancy hat /scarf routine. I don't go out much, but it's really not fair to my husband. He married a young looking sexy woman and in less than ten years he's got an old man for a wife. :) Thank you chemical soup world. Especially the fragrance industry.
It would still have been a shock at the age of 78, but more reasonable, I must say.

Video making

Tue, 08 Nov 2016 13:01:18 PST

We got back from our trip and I came down with a stiff neck that had migraine intensity. Probably the result of fragrance exposure again. Anyway, I decided I wanted to participate in the Etsy holiday campaign, but I wasn't personally up to the task. The campaign required I make a short film of my product. I called on the only offspring available before the deadline and Josephine came through for me. Not only did she help make a new hat for the film, she filmed, moved equipment and generally made it happen. The director's cut is on youtube and the less than 5 second version has been submitted to Etsy. I will post trip pics later as I still have not fully recovered my mobility.

Car All Loaded Up

Tue, 25 Oct 2016 19:34:48 PDT

I've put almost everything in the car and tested the loading of the top rack. Liam is concerned that someone will steal our stuff if we leave it on top of the car for a couple of days. He's had quite a few thefts here, but nothing has disappeared since I moved in. I wonder why that is? I have a fairy garden out front and some other things, maybe "they've" noticed I'm home a lot.
Anyway, I really like how my wool pants tuned out, and we're looking forward to exploring Nevada and Utah. I'll take photos and post upon my return. We don't expect to be able to blog on the road this time.
Happy Trails!
--Sinéad

About a Week to Go

Wed, 19 Oct 2016 10:32:30 PDT

Well it's almost time to leave. I finished the duffle bags and a knitted vest this week. My wool pants are progressing nicely. I caught a cold that only slowed me down a little, but really messed up my sleep. I've decided to take both the dragon and Alysium. They look so cute together and she already has her bags packed and ready to go.

Trip Planning

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 12:00:38 PDT

It's getting closer to departure time and as the weather gets colder I'm wondering if we're truly prepared. And what do we really expect to accomplish on this outing. We gave up on the truck when we realized there was no way to get everything done and have any money/time to go. I need more time away than we will be able to spend, but a little is better than none. I have the car and tent curtains made, water containers retrieved, toilet checked for leaks, and some warmer clothes made. I still need to make a few more and duffle bags to pack them in, as well.

I want to take along a friend to photograph, but I can't decide on who to take. Maybe I should take the truck's dragon or a Puki. I have Alysium, who is PukiFee size. Maybe I'll take them both.

Changing Seasons

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 11:39:18 PDT

The weather has well and truly changed. Goodbye summer!

Hello Winter!

Bee in Bonnet

Wed, 21 Sep 2016 16:53:01 PDT

Yes, I had one this week. I was reading the posts made by the lovely ladies who make little sweaters and such for premie babies. These ladies and a few gentlemen, (they don't say much), really have their hearts in the right place, but their awareness of their environment, cause and effect, these seem to be lacking. Granted, the corporations have done a lovely job of convincing the consumer that their product is better because it's easy care or whatever. But the information on synthetics/chemicals and it's ill effects on babies and children, (adults too), hasn't made it into the consciousness of the average american. Artificial fragrance use is increasing at an alarming rate and these lovely ladies know that's bad for the premies but they don't realize that acrylic and polyester yarns are harmful. They incorrectly believe that wool is bad, although one woman googled it when her daughter requested she make a baby blanket from a yarn that had a small percentage of wool in it, only to discover that natural fibers are recommended for babies. She will still be using acrylic, she assured the group. Why do we think that acrylic is safe? Because it's not. Anything you've heard about the dangers of plastics and our chemical soup lifestyle, includes acrylic in the bad column. Acrylics and polyesters were banned from our home after the youngest two came along. They made them stink like a locker room or worse in just a few minutes from time of exposure. My daughter blistered when her synthetic lined shoes were on her for less than an hour. She wasn't walking and the blister was on the end of her toe where there wasn't anything to rub against. Once grown she decided to throw caution to the wind and wear those synthetics again, she was covered in a painful hives as a result. Lesson learned that time. This documentary just barely touches on what we've known for years and are just now realizing how much worse the reality has turned out to be. http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-disappearing-male/

So, I understand that these ladies have been sold the idea of soft,(it isn't), easy care and inexpensive. But why not use cotton? It is soft, easy care and inexpensive. Merino wool is also soft and easy care when you realize you don't need to wash it. You can rinse, if necessary, but airing it out is usually sufficient. It's one of the reasons it's so popular elsewhere in the world. Just google wool and you'll get an Australian page on the benefits of wool. Now American hospitals have a difficult time with caring for wool, and I can understand a little, (British hospitals don't have this issue),but anyway. Why not cotton? Cotton saved me and mine from going naked all the time. I like other natural fibers but I always come back to cotton for the basics. Organic cotton is the best! So ladies, why not cotton?

Sept. 22
Acrylic addendum: I was just reminded that this fiber is more flammable than natural fibers. It melts when exposed to heat and releases toxic fumes. WTF ladies! Why aren't you using cotton?

50th Birthday Party and Sewing frenzy

Tue, 06 Sep 2016 10:54:08 PDT

Last night we celebrated my 50th birthday. I had a fruit"cake" and, of course, awesome presents. Liam had given me a Pooh bear themed basket on my actual birthday so last night was just the kids. :) It was a doll tea party and everyone brought out lots of dolls. I thought Catherine's fruit "cake" was a great adaptation to what I can eat and the circus candle holders came in handy.

I've been sewing for our trip and Liam and I now have organic cotton sweatshirts. At one point I was using all of my sewing methods in a confined space. I need to acquire proper needles for the treadle, it was having a difficult time making it through the thick layers. I use standard needles but it needs longer ones and I found out where it makes a difference the hard way. :0) ----Sinéad

Truck update and Etsy news

Sat, 20 Aug 2016 00:06:30 PDT

The dashboard has been removed from the cab and the heater as well. Each item has had fragrance present and easily detectable when separated from the truck and the rest of the items in the cab. I can now detect fragrance on/in the steering wheel. Once we have removed everything that has scent and the cab is free from air freshener, we will begin replacing items. That's where it will get really challenging. The only replacement parts for most of the items in the truck are used. How can we guarantee they are fragrance free before purchase? :/

I have created two new listings on Etsy by combining existing patterns for a bulk discount. I think it's awesome, but maybe that's because I always appreciate a discount on something I wanted to buy anyway. ---Sinéad

Canvas Bill Trial Run

Sat, 13 Aug 2016 11:03:59 PDT

The hat is knit. It took me awhile because I kept getting distracted by baby booties for charity. :0)
The canvas doesn't slide in the way the leather does, so you need to pin it in place and remember to stretch the knit as you go. The results are a nice flexible bill, that still holds it's shape well.

Jeep Cap Canvas Bill

Sun, 07 Aug 2016 12:24:02 PDT

When I created my jeep cap pattern I knew I would be using leather for the bill, but that canvas was an option. I hadn't used the canvas method in a number of years and the particulars were fuzzy. Joey, my daughter, has recently tried it out.

She traced the pattern and cut out three layers to start with,
basted them together
and then ran it through her machine.
It was fairly soft, a good choice for a baby hat or small child. But not what either of us wanted for our hats. So, she hand stitched two more layers in place. This bill is not as stiff as my leather bill, but I think it will work well enough.
I will be putting it to use soon and I will post it here when I've finished. Must get the hat knit first! --Sinéad

Grandma's Hope Chest

Thu, 04 Aug 2016 22:26:11 PDT

I've been making some things for charity over the last few weeks. It started with a call for premie hats from the yarn store where I was shopping. (British, on-line) I thought it sounded like a good idea, a way to use the cool left over yarn I have on hand. After all I use the baby soft merino to knit for myself. Well, American hospitals have some weird prejudices and they can't cope with wool or the charities doing the organizing don't get it. I'm still looking for a group that appreciates wool, but in the mean time, I have emptied the ol' hope chest of it's baby clothes, as I won't be having any grand babies. I'll be sending these along with some cotton items I've made and a few wool ones for the "angels" to be buried in, (these don't have to be aggressively washed), to a wonderful lady who organizes and supplies items to hospitals and such.
Now that's an area of need that I wouldn't have thought of on my own. But it's a very real one and one that is often over looked. Parents who've had their sweet baby arrive early and pass on, aren't prepared with garments of an appropriate size for burial. And they aren't really prepared to cope with burial details of any kind. I'm very happy to help ease their grief by supplying them with something to lay their sweet one to rest in. This may become my preferred charity as the need crosses all classes of people and is often overlooked. --Sinéad

Dodge issues

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 19:31:57 PDT

The truck still has a lingering fragrance and removal of the dashboard is going to be necessary. You can imagine how reticent we are. But if we don't get this beast moving, the yard is going to take over.

PukiPuki wig

Sat, 16 Jul 2016 21:53:48 PDT

I didn't have any luck finding a shorter wig, but discovered that after I altered the Fairyland wig, I really liked it.

I've been knitting for myself and working on patterns for the PukiPuki. I've also been very tired, a lot!

I need to be working on the seats for the truck, but...

Monique Wig sizing

Tue, 05 Jul 2016 13:10:56 PDT

I just received my first PukiPuki this week and after trying on several wigs, including a Fairyland wig, I began searching Monique wigs for something in a more suitable color and style. The size 4 wigs from Monique had both fit, but I wanted something shorter and, if possible, less full. (The Fairyland wig is loose, a common problem.) In the process of wading in to their site, (anyone who has shopped there knows what I mean), I discovered a size RD4. It was listed after the 3 1/4 and before the 4. Did this mean it was somehow between sizes or what? Well, after reading most of what I found on the net concerning size RD4, I discovered no one really knew and that asking Monique was the only course of action. (Sometimes we're a wee bit impatient for answers) It turns out the the RD4 is a deeper wig, kind of like buying a size 5 and taking it in to fit a size 4. Good to know, but not what I needed. I'll be doing more searching, but in the mean time here he is with a black grass skirt and flower lei. I really like my Luau set and my new camera!

Cherries, knitting & the truck

Thu, 30 Jun 2016 18:40:52 PDT

The cherry tree in front of the girls ADU has beautiful translucent cherries that are so ripe they're starting to fall off the tree. And the cherry tree in our back yard has almost fully ripe cherries. It's a little early, isn't it?
It's had to know for sure, because we don't journal that sort of thing.

I've written a knitting pattern for a Jeep cap, (Radar hat) and I should be able to publish it fairly soon. I've ordered a new camera and we're hoping it clears up some of our issues. Lighting will always be a challenge in this house, though.

My new PukiPuki is supposed to arrive on Saturday. This will allow me to expand the size of patterns I have available. The Amelia Thimble ones haven't been as popular as I expected. Maybe it's the type of clothing I've offered. I worked out a princess dress, the fit was spot on but it frays badly and the seams pop. There isn't enough room for more seam allowance and I don't like using fray check, but it may be the only solution. Anyway, that style may be what the consumer wants.

I spent some time working on the Dodge, apparently there is Bondo on the floorboard, roughly finished and covered in the rubber coating that has bonded with the fragrance. I used a grinder with a 60 grit flap wheel on it and was able to take most of the rubber stuff off, smoothing the Bondo to boot. Then I neutralized some rust with Ospho. It causes any paint it touches to bubble off, as well. :/ Good thing I planned to paint most of the truck. Nothing fancy, just quirky. I hope to be able to get some cool dragons and fairies painted on there. It will drive the collectors nuts, as in mostly furious. My truck, my paint.

---Sinéad

Our Truck

Fri, 24 Jun 2016 12:41:57 PDT

We're still trying to remove the fragrance from the tree air freshener. But the good news is, it's improving. I still can't get in there, though. Here's a brochure from '69.

I ordered side mirrors and some conventional foam to get started on some of the work that needs to be done. We had to remove all of the foam from the seats, (full of fragrance) and we'll replace the upholstery with pieced leather. I'm grateful for the free scraps acquired from Joey's employment. They'll be making this refit possible. The foam is going to really set us back, all on it's own. Another project made possible by the hoarding tendencies of the clan.

I miss working on my patterns for my shop, but I've been set back by photography issues again. I have several that just need photos for the instructions. According to the clan, photos make the instructions clearer than the drawings were. So, here we are.

--Sinéad

It's a SALE!!!

Sat, 18 Jun 2016 10:01:21 PDT

We're having a storewide sale in our Etsy shop!

Come by and help us celebrate!!!

Catherine's Surgery and sleep depravation

Tue, 14 Jun 2016 21:59:09 PDT

Catherine finally got the tubal ligation she's wanted for years. It's ridiculous that they place so many roadblocks in the way. We don't have real freedom, it's an illusion.

We finally acquired a truck! It's a 1969 Dodge. I'd like to strangle the fragrance people. We can't get the air freshener smell out of it. The truck cab is almost gutted and the stench remains. It is strongest where the air freshener was hanging. We're going to give alcohol a try, which means wiping everything down again. If that doesn't work, maybe acetone? We can't use anything that doesn't evaporate completely and so far non toxic cleaning methods haven't worked.

Wish us luck.
--Sinéad

Rock a hula Luau!

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 17:49:47 PDT

It's the time of year for Luau parties! I've made grass skirts and leis for the RealPukis and Ms. Thimble and I hope to get the pattern ready soon.

Aggi found Liam's little fire engine and had to take it for a spin. I tried to capture the lights flashing, but I didn't have any luck. So, you'll just have to imagine a siren and lights. It was cool!

Patterns and More Patterns

Fri, 27 May 2016 22:34:34 PDT

I'm still plugging away at the pattern production process. I may need a break soon. :) Ms. Thimble has a few more patterns listed now and at least one more ready to be assembled. I just realized one of the patterns I listed today would fit the RealPukies. I'll have to add that tomorrow. It's time to unwind a little, I think.
--Sinead

"Ms. Thimble, are you making dresses for everyone?"

Amelia Thimble joins the Pukies

Tue, 24 May 2016 14:24:45 PDT

It's the dance of joy for the making of new dresses and patterns!!

The latest is for Amelia Thimble

The RealPuki pajama pattern is the most popular. I'm still working on the Super Hero kit and many other patterns. I haven't forgotten the Bolaidh Bláth, that project is just on hold for the time being.

We've zeroed in on an area in Utah to explore for the purpose of relocating. That means another road trip. We're looking for a truck and we'll be traveling a little different this time. Our Nevada trip in the CRV was a little cramped and without bathroom facilities, I got really sick from the fragrance in the public restrooms. Here's hoping for success!
--Sinéad

Feathered nest

Fri, 20 May 2016 12:47:12 PDT

It is indeed, feathered and sparkled. There's a diary key and rose quartz stones too.

They're wearing the latest pajama pattern, up cycled from my kids baby clothes.
I'm going to need to upgrade the pattern I've listed to include the hoody options.
I made the realization that part of the reason I went through so many incarnations in creating the pajama pattern was because the slightest difference in the weight of the fabric caused the fit to change. I should make a note of that in the upgrade.

The patterns are selling. Still not at a rate that will keep me fed or anything, but it's a start.

The dog is much improved. She's off the pain meds and showing no signs of discomfort. In truth, I think they were making her itch. Still have a week to go on the antibiotics. She doesn't care for them, but what dog would?

--Sinéad

Beag has a new friend

Fri, 13 May 2016 21:04:06 PDT

Aggi, aka Beag, has a new friend, Piccolo. They look like quite the conspirators in their little nest. Maybe they're making plans for feathering said nest? Sparkles would be nice.

I've been busy with the dog this week. She developed pyometra and had to be spayed at the ripe age of 14. She is home and groggy.

I made a simple pattern that I'll be adding as an extra with the t-shirt patterns I have on Etsy. Here's Picco modeling nothing but. --Sinéad

Patterns launched

Sat, 07 May 2016 11:18:52 PDT

We got the patterns finished and listed on Etsy. And we have already sold two sets!!
I'm working on superhero pj's and perfection of the basic pj pattern. It's cute every time but not quite right. I think the kids are tired of looking at the different prototypes and being ask, "what do you think?"I finally have two dresses that I'm pleased with, so I'll be doing something with that soon. There's the hat pattern, as well. I have at least 6 designs for that.

The wigs I should be making aren't happening, probably because it involves a sewing machine. I need to get out my serger for some projects, too. :/
I wish the machines were more easily accessed. I can always find more handwork to do. I even contemplated cutting out more clothes for myself and just sewing them up by hand. The machine may be faster per project, but if it takes two months to get round to setting up, which was really faster?
--Sinéad

My little lady

Fri, 29 Apr 2016 20:39:28 PDT

She's almost finished. I have to curl the hair for her wig and attach it to the bald cap she's wearing. I bought a PukiFee pattern for her pj's and the fit is great. She still needs a name.

I'm removing the rest of the paint from my RealPuki, Aggi. Once the flaking started there wasn't really any choice. I wish I had known he needed to be sealed. He'll need to do his pattern modeling sans face paint until I can acquire proper supplies for a repaint. :(

--Sinéad

Miniature flower arranging

Wed, 27 Apr 2016 13:15:24 PDT

A close up of some very real and very tiny flowers.

The girls loved the flowers I picked from the yard today.

The doll I've been working on has some skin and the arms are attached. We're taking advantage of the magnets to get the hands to stay where they are. It's all in fun.
I like the way the face is looking and our proportions in comparison to the Pukifee are staying close. I tried glueing the skin to the face but had to abandon it when the glue seeped through. Some of the glue remained on and around the nose which made stitching the skin down challenging. Now we need legs, eyes and ears. Oh, and a bit of coloring. A name would be nice too.
--Sinéad

Soft sculpture with felting

Tue, 26 Apr 2016 00:15:29 PDT

These are the parts I've been felting using a traditional Waldorf style body beneath the face and body and a drawing of the original concept for proportions on the left. I went ahead and assembled the parts to see how they worked together. They will need to be disconnected for skin application and then reassembled.

I've put magnets in the head, back and hands so that I can add removable wings or horns and hold a variety of other objects as well as holding Aggi's hand. Standing alone won't be possible but there are a lot of other posing possibilities. I still haven't decided how I want to attach the skin, but a decision will need to be made soon.

Below are a few more RealPuki outfits.
--Sinéad

not feeling grand

Mon, 25 Apr 2016 10:55:02 PDT

Aggi's paint has peeled off his little lips slowing up the modeling portion of the pattern making. I also had to replace my pens and not just any old stinky pen will do.

I repainted Aggi's lips and when I went to seal it, the sealant took the paint off. UGH!!! The sealant also gave me a migraine. Double UGH!!!

But, I have gotten more patterns past the trial space, such as this hat.

I set Aggi's world of patterns aside and started a new doll. I haven't taken any pics but will soon. It's soft sculpture and I'm doing some needle felting of the features and I'm not sure how I'm going to apply the skin, yet. I have several ideas but I'm not sure which I want to use.

Time for errands.
Sinéad

Still plugging away at the patterns

Mon, 18 Apr 2016 17:52:46 PDT

I've finished one set and it's ready for publication, but I wanted to publish all three at once. I realized I needed more versions of the clothes for pattern pics and I'm trying to channel the inspiration for more designs without becoming unfocused from the current goal. Aggi (Beag) likes all of his clothes.

Pattern work

Fri, 15 Apr 2016 19:05:25 PDT

Pattern creation is a lot more work than I remembered. Or maybe it's the whole digital thing that's frying my brain. I have a fencing jacket I created years ago where I spent hours drawing the pieces to get them free from ink blobs and mistakes, then I took them to a print shop where I had them scanned. Nothing went wrong when they were printed out. And I created an instruction document that I was told was very thorough.

The RealPuki patterns are feeling like more work than that was. I'm doing three sets and I have the instruction illustrations done, the pattern pieces drawn and tested several times. The written instructions for one set is done. I need to do the other two and a photo shoot for the sets to sell them. It's the frustration of getting my drawings onto the computer that's doing me in. I hope it turns out that they're really popular and they sell like the proverbial hotcakes!

RealPuki helps out

Sun, 10 Apr 2016 12:20:55 PDT

I've gotten another dragon made for the Etsy store and I've plans for the next two.
The RealPuki has been a lot of fun to pose with my miniature products. Here are a few of those pics.
-Sinéad

Realpuki

Wed, 06 Apr 2016 17:37:52 PDT

I received my first Realpuki by Fairyland Dolls out of Korea, today.
(Yes, this doll is plastic and not something I should own, but now I do.)
Before the doll arrived, I purchased a knitting pattern so that the little one would have some clothes to put on once it arrived. I made sure that I was knitting to gauge, but the pattern didn't seem right according to the measurements I had gotten from the site where I purchased the doll. I had drawn up a "model" based on those measurements, and as you can see, I was fairly accurate.
I had also made up some patterns to sew based on the dimensions of the knitting patterns. I should have used my drawing exclusively, but I wasn't sure it was right and the purchased pattern was supposed to be.You can see it wasn't, way too big in the waist. The pants I sewed were too big, as well. At least the hat fit. And the flower I picked on the way back from the mailbox was a hit.
I started by making the waist on the pattern smaller, I double turned it, which actually made it a little thick, in my opinion, and now they were the length of capris. Back at the drafting board I changed the length of the waist for a single fold finish and lengthened the legs. They're still a little large in the waist,(probably the absence of the second fold emphasized this). I reduced the waist, yet again, and victory! I think we have a winner. Now for a top. I took the jacket I had cut out and decided to make it a shirt instead. The jersey is awesome for a doll this size and it really reminds me of my childhood. I "cut my teeth" on miniature sewing. I still love it, but I do miss having better eyesight. :)

This doll has the most amazing joints I have ever seen! I had hoped to be able to learn enough from it's construction to replicate it in clay. I think I will need to simplify the concept a whole lot. This doll can be posed in so many different natural looking ways. It's going to be a blast setting up scenes with it and my other dolls.
May blossoms abound!
Sinéad

Another Dragon

Tue, 05 Apr 2016 11:54:22 PDT

I started my week out by starting and completing this pocket dragon.
I continued on by also getting him listed for sale on Etsy, yesterday.
I have some ideas for another pocket dragon that I hope to breeze through before the end of the week.
TTFN -Sinéad

History transcription

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 19:17:05 PDT

I'm a little tired at present and would dearly love a candy bar. Oh well.

I've been copying my old blog as per my eldest's advise, to bring it here in the form of a history. It will be written in chronological order from oldest to newest, unlike the original blog. I feel that helps when reading a history. I'm not getting a lot of traffic here, as yet, but I hope that will change. I'm also working on a Bolaidh Bláth story and I think Vaset, the dragon, and Yelrish, the clank, will be part of it. We're struggling with pdf pattern creation. Joey and Arthur are trying to help. It's just new territory for us all. I keep thinking I should just trace and scan, but it's not very professional looking.

My ducklings aren't getting any action. Easter was a little late to post them for sale. I'm trying to drum up traffic, but it's a lot of work.

The sun was out today and so was I, the dog liked that. I made Liam a pocket dragon and the pocket bunny I made him for Easter was a big hit at the store. He received quite a few compliments. I wonder if the dragon will be as popular?

Liam just arrived home and he brought me a candy bar! Oh joy!!
Sinéad

Happy Easter!

Sun, 27 Mar 2016 10:15:14 PDT

I've finished my duckling pattern. Now the hard part, putting it in a format that I can sell. I've listed two of the successful creations and I'll need to make more to get the photography for the instructions completed. But, I'm a lot further along on this than I am on my little Bolaidh Bláth. Last night I refined the bill design and the new ducks will be a little different. It's really cool how a small change in the shape of an edge can change an overall impression.

Dyeing

Wed, 23 Mar 2016 12:13:45 PDT

I spent a good portion of yesterday dyeing flannel with dandelions. It made a nice pale yellow, perfect for the ducklings I'm designing.

It's spring and as I pulled out our decorations, I was disappointed by the large number of store bought animals I've been using. Well, that had to change. Joey made two new sheep and I've made a piglet as well as working on ducklings. I knit a mallard, bunny and I purchased a pattern for a very small felt duckling. The felt duckling is cute, but not what I was really looking for and neither was the knit duckling, for that matter.

I find it is harder for me to do the necessary design work these days. I think it is because my brain feels sluggish a lot of the time and it's relaxing to just follow someone else's instructions. Sadly, I can be quite good at design and it could prove to be a money maker, but it's going to be an uphill battle right now.

Wishing you a Bountiful Spring!
Sinéad

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 18:08:07 PDT

Our leprechaun, Rory, is in fine spirits and enjoying his pipe with his pint o' Guinness. Liam will be substituting Scotch whiskey this year for his tradition of an Irish whiskey toast. It's what was in the cupboard. Don't tell Rory.
My yule hat is coming along. Joey purchased bells but they don't really ring, so I'll be wanting different ones.
Arthur cut me a six inch section of dowel to use as a rolling pin and I love it. It's maple with a camellia oil finish. We're using that oil for everything from tool care to moisturizing and cooking. It's great!

We're there

Wed, 16 Mar 2016 21:01:03 PDT

I've uploaded "Silly Poems" which contains the poem "Just One More Time".
I finally photocopied the original illustration and then inked the parts I wanted to keep. That made it easier to extract from the busyness that was on the page. We were really short on paper at that time, until a friend brought us a bunch of fliers to reuse the backs of. It's hard to believe how different it is now.

The waistband changes I made on my work pants have worked out fine. And one of the Bleuette dresses is finished and looking good. (I decided to make two different ones from my old pants) I'll upload pics when the second is done.

My head is very cold without a hat and very itchy with one. :/ Back to the hijab. Speaking of which, my daughter took the plaid my son wore with his kilt for first communion, (he was small) and wore as a hijab. She even used one of my celtic pins to secure it.

Sinéad

Goodbye hair, once again

Sun, 13 Mar 2016 13:59:00 PDT

I had to cut my hair all off again. I don't like doing it, but I like hurting less. I'm just glad there's an action I can take to relieve the irritation and headaches.
I've been working on remaking a couple of the pairs of pants I'd already finished, the sweats and the twill work pants. Elastic waist bands have been my go to for finishing the waists of my pants because my stomach is too sensitive to pressure for a regular waist band. But, here's the problem, the heavier pants don't fit right or stay up with elastic. Back to the drawing board, as it were. The work pants have had their elastic removed and I'm putting in straps and buckles for adjustment. These will ride below my belly like an over weight old man's pants. So far, I don't have that large of a belly and I can't tuck my shirts in any more, making the look of the waist less important to me. It's all about function and comfort. We'll see if that solution works once they're done. I took a different approach with my sweats and cut them down so that they fit more like yoga pants. The waist band still isn't quite right, but I can wear them. I'm waiting for it to warm up a little bit more so I can wear them without "long johns" to decide how much I want the waist band changed.

As a treat for myself, I pulled out the Bleuette patterns to make a dress from my favorite striped pants. The seat of my ten year old pants had disintegrated but the legs were still salvageable. And what better way to keep around a favorite fabric than on your doll. I'm hoping the fabric translates well, as it would have been too stiff for this when it was new. I have my fingers crossed.

Sinéad

Lace

Thu, 10 Mar 2016 20:56:44 PST

I've been working on a lace shall pattern from Haapsalu today. It's fairly easy but that doesn't mean I've had an easy time with it. :/

I'm also working on cream puffs. I have the icing and the custard made but had to turn the kitchen over to Liam so he could make dinner. That was a few hours ago. I should be able to get back to it soon.
See, I did!

Sinéad

Arthur's Birthday

Wed, 09 Mar 2016 14:41:52 PST

I just realized I had forgotten to post this earlier.
He made his own cake and "frosted" it with jam, then he placed the circus with the candles on top and he couldn't wait to light them. He enjoyed his gifts, two new scarf sarongs with a lapel pin, a batman compendium, a Wonder Woman figurine and we watched Star Wars, Return of the Jedi. Oh, and Liam made pizza with Arthur's assistance. Not a bad 23rd birthday, he even received a metal model tie fighter to assemble.

Chimney Fire

Wed, 09 Mar 2016 13:58:22 PST

Monday we had a chimney fire and for the first time in my life, I just wanted to stand there and let someone else take charge and deal with it. I've never made a choice to deal with such things, I just do when they happen. This was our third fire where the fire department was called and we extinguished it with a hose before they got there. The first two were on neighboring properties and the owners weren't home in both cases. The second fire involved "breaking in" to the owners home because we had neither a phone nor a hose and would you believe he was upset with us? He was drunk, which is why his trash pile fire had spread to the grass and was heading our way, while he was wandering around the neighborhood. Anyway, I digress, Monday's fire was in the horizontal run of our chimney. We had not used the wood stove very much this season and I had cleaned that portion of chimney before burning season and the entire chimney every season prior to that that I've lived here. Ironically, my husband had never swept the chimney in his 15 or so years before me, in this house, he used a chemical sweep stick that has a poor reputation. Well, I had a little fit of I don't want to deal and then pulled myself together, assessed the situation and assigned tasks. My youngest daughter got on the phone and tried to dial 911. It's amazing how many wrong combinations a dyslexic can come up with, but she finally got it right. Then she didn't know any cell numbers or the address. It's a good thing the operator has a way of knowing. With the assistance of his older sister, my son, who is afraid of heights in a somewhat severe sense, climbed right up on the roof with the hose. I remained inside pushing the fire that was in the pipe into the chimney to be extinguished. After the fire was out and the fire dept. had arrived (in record time), my son who was still on the roof, shirtless, was requesting a rope so that he could lower himself down the now wet slope that had him terrified of sliding off. The fire dept., all eight of them, were, rightly so, more concerned with checking for heat with their new gadgets, than assisting my son down. They were very thorough in their investigation, up in the attic, down in the crawl space, all sides of the chimney. They did a great job. Meanwhile, I got into the garage, retrieved a rope and climbed up on the roof to assist my son in getting down. A fireman showed up to hold the ladder, which actually made me more uncomfortable. I didn't want to accidentally kick him in the face because he insisted on holding the ladder so that I had to climb down through his embrace. My daughters might have enjoyed that, but I didn't. With the fire out and the the fire dept. dispatched to fight burning fires elsewhere and the assurance that there was nothing hot and smoldery where we couldn't see it, ( I must say, that is a very reassuring feature of those gadgets), we stood in our smokey living room and proceeded to remove the wood stove and declare that there would be no more fires in this house until some one could replace the leaky stove and line the chimney.( It's an old cinder block chimney and the application of cold water may have cracked it.) And it wasn't going to be one of us, as we don't have the resources to do that and move. And moving is of top priority. Also, Monday was my youngest daughter's birthday and the dinner she was preparing was only delayed by 20 minutes. She was so proud. And at the youthful age of 22, she also enjoyed watching the firemen. ;)
We don't count our many kitchen fires as real fires because you don't need the fire dept. for back up. You just put it out, even if it's your sleeve that's on fire, right Catherine.

We have enjoyed two of the birthdays of our birthday season and on April 1st the season will conclude.

Just Duckie

Mon, 07 Mar 2016 16:11:22 PST

I made Duckie in the late 1990's. She's soft sculpture and has all her parts. She was listed on Etsy today. It's strange, I've had her for sale before, but she's been around long enough that I almost don't want her to sell. Which is silly, I can't keep everything I make forever. She's resting in a real duck egg with a jointed mini bear and she has a diaper she can wear. There's an egg stand and everything stores nicely in a velvet storage box.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/271330528/duckie-a-hand-stitched-soft-sculpture?ref=shop_home_active_1

Disturbing

Fri, 04 Mar 2016 16:51:54 PST

We went out for a walk yesterday in the hopes of finding rental listings on the local bulletin boards. The weather was nice and there were too many people out and about wearing fragrance. Needless to say, I didn't fare well and wished fervently I hadn't gone out.

That evening before the worst of the headache hit, I was searching for food storage containers on-line and found a documentary on the disappearing male

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-disappearing-male/

Very informative and completely disturbing. I knew about some of the issues but not the extent to which it has become a problem. When will we make it stop. Greed keeps companies from making the necessary changes and the most common excuse is a lame one: it would put us out of business to stop using these products. I call BULLSHIT! During both world wars factories completely changed what it was they were producing overnight. The extinction of humanity and many animal species apparently has no motivation to it. GREED for today, fuck tomorrow. That's just sick.

Found photos

Wed, 02 Mar 2016 18:24:14 PST

I thought I had lost the photos of the wedding couple I made a few years ago, but yesterday I found them and here they are: Candice and David

I keep thinking I haven't made much in the past few years, but in truth, my projects have been for others and I sometimes forget to document that. So, I've been posting my work for others as well as things that are for sale on my Deviant Art page. These guys will go on there soon.
I was enjoying the fruit blossoms today. There were quite a few trees with varying shades of pink out there. This one is in my yard.

May Blossoms Abound!
Sinéad

Spring is in the air

Tue, 01 Mar 2016 18:41:11 PST

I finished this scarf last night. I call it my Mary Poppins scarf. It's crocheted with the Solomon's knot using cotton/hemp yarn.

The bulbs are up and getting ready and the hydrangea has new leaves.

There are even some tulip blooms well begun.

I've been out of it for awhile due to health issues. The dog's talon wound is completely healed, YEAH! I have loads of ideas, but no energy to see them through. :( Here's hoping we find a rental in Chimacum soon.

May Blossoms Abound!
Sinéad

Bathing the dog

Tue, 23 Feb 2016 00:00:13 PST

I was finally brave enough to bathe the dog. Her eagle talon wound seems to be healing remarkably well, but the shedding is intense. It is that time of year, but when she was younger she didn't shed at all. It wasn't until she passed the ten year mark that shedding became an issue. Now it seems that I'm finding her hair everywhere. I'm not, actually. I've had hairy "real" dogs in my home and she's nothing like that. It's just an "in comparison" kind of thing. Anyway, she's cleaner and for the most part, hasn't any lasting trauma from the eagle encounter.

I may end up traumatized by this tax season, however. I'm trying to figure out exactly what I'm supposed to do with this health care issue. And I'm discovering that the ludicrous scenario of in order to fill out A, you must first fill out B, and in order to fill out B you must do worksheet C, and in order to fill out worksheet C, you must do worksheet D. And it doesn't stop there. If you had insurance for all 12 months of 2015, you're golden. but if your application got misplaced or simply didn't go through and you thought it had, (we have both of those cases to deal with), you weren't covered. Through no fault of your own, this is a case of an overburdened state health care system and you have no proof of your attempts to apply in January. Now you have to figure out what to write on line 11 and it's not EZ or straightforward.

I finished my organic french terry cotton pants this evening. Those should be cozier than the thin cotton pants I've been wearing. Both pairs of satin pj's have bit the dust. Fortunately, I was able to salvage the flannel lining on both for simple flannel pants, (read: long johns ). I'll miss the satin. We'll be flannel graphing from here on out.

I found a picture from Halloween 1989 of me and the kids. Most people we met that night didn't realize I was in costume, but Batman and Robin were a hit.

Yule hat

Sat, 20 Feb 2016 12:50:20 PST

It seems a little strange to be working on this now, but it's a nice evening project. I plan on blanket stitching the Da Vinci design and then repeating it on the other side. I will be placing small brass bells on this side with a tassel and/or bell at the point. I think it will be a very festive hat.

I'm also working on a birthday present that can't be discussed here until after birthday season. Yes, we have a birthday season. Three in a row. It's almost a Yule repeat but low key. That's not Loki, or maybe it is sometimes, mischief and all.

I tried taking some photos yesterday and discovered my "good" camera is not working right. It is about eight years old and may just need to be replaced. Something I really didn't wish to contemplate.

One of those birthday babies wishes me to duct tape their head now. Such odd requests from my offspring.

May blossoms abound!
Sinéad

Dolls and Valentines

Sat, 13 Feb 2016 09:53:10 PST

The girls are getting ready for Valentine's Day!
I must confess that I'm not ready.
Over the past week I've been watching Shirley Temple movies. I would love to make the costumes Shirley wore for my Shirley. As you may already know, I've made replicas of the doll's clothes that Ideal produced for the dolls, but I'd rather put in the details of the actual costumes. For obvious reasons, Ideal simplified or completely altered the costumes for the dolls, as in the Blue Bird dress pictured here. It would be fun to research and design the slightly more complex dresses in this small scale. One of many projects that will need to wait for another time.
Toni, one of my Bleuette sized dolls, is dressed in a western ensemble inspired by our Nevada trip with Clarice, (another Bleuette sized doll of mine). When we were in Nevada we acquired cowboy hats for ourselves and I looked for a miniature one for Clarice to no avail. When we returned home, I had to figure out how to make one. The western shirt soon followed. We have a little six shooter but I haven't fashioned a belt for the holster. Shirley will want it for her Texas outfit and in truth, that was why it was acquired, but I guess she'll need to share.

The dog seems to be doing well after her eagle encounter.

May blossoms abound,
Sinéad

Eagles and small dogs

Thu, 11 Feb 2016 17:52:12 PST

My chihuahua had a very traumatic afternoon. At about 2:30 my son let her outside and a few minutes later there was a bald eagle diving after her. The eagle managed to pick her up, but then dropped her on the deck from only two to three feet in the air. My son had rushed out the door when he saw the eagle's intent and that might have contributed to the dog being dropped. She was howling and didn't stop until I'd been holding her for a few minutes. When she had calmed down enough for us to be able to inspect her for injuries, we initially found nothing. She is mostly blind and partially deaf and we figured she didn't really know that she was almost dinner. She was moving fine and acting normal but about an hour after the incident my son picked her up and discovered a puncture wound on her back. She's bandaged and we haven't found any other injuries. We're hoping for the best.

Here's a photo of her from her youth when she often served as G.I. Joe's horse.

And one from last year. Her appearance hasn't changed much in her 14 years, just cloudy eyes and no more teeth.

I guess she'll have an escort from here on out. One close call with a violent death is enough for any chihuahua.

Sinéad

Dragon Hat

Wed, 10 Feb 2016 12:29:59 PST

I just finished up this hat last night and Liam is already threatening to abscond with it. As you can see, I haven't worked out a viable photography solution as yet. I tried taking photos after dark and the hat glared, you couldn't see any details. In the daylight we have sun glare. And for those who are saying just move away from the window, there's no place to go or it's too dark.
That's why there's a problem taking photos for my pattern instructions.:)
I have a new apron awaiting the finishing of seams, but I seem to be distracted by an unfinished Bleuette dress. I started it in October, but set it aside for Yule creations/gifts and it's been waiting patiently for me to pick it back up. Maybe I should.

Blessings of blossoms to you!
Sinéad

Persistant cold

Thu, 04 Feb 2016 16:08:26 PST

Well, this cold thing is insisting on persisting.
I've managed to get some sewing done in spite of this, however. A year or so ago I went back to using my treadle sewing machine. I had a Phaff and a Brother, both good machines, but they weren't the work horse I needed and all the fancy stuff turned out to be a sorry substitute for the real thing. Modern machines are quite wasteful and very finicky. Now, my treadle is just great. I had neglected to oil it and it just kept going, (a little loud, though). I finally got around to applying some oil to all the moving bits, including the treadle, and it is not only more quiet but it just glides. I have to be more diligent about stop assist, not something that was necessary before, but worth the smoother running. I don't want you thinking that neglect was the reason my modern machines were finicky. I had service agreements on them so that I could take them in every couple of months, which turned out to be necessary, not preventative. My eldest daughter and youngest son are using them now, they don't have as many problems with them as I have had. I have a history of electro-magnetic issues and one result has been the disturbing of normal computer function. Yes, I've killed a few. Ask me about the time on the motorcycle, that was creepy. Anyway, I'm also employing old fashion decorative methods to my clothes and old fashioned flat felled seams as well as french seams. I'm happier with the results. Embroidery, couching, fabric combinations, they're all great ways to spice up a piece of clothing.
So, I'm loving the treadle again! And I have quite a beautiful machine.
May blossoms abound in your world!
Sinéad

Achy Breaky

Wed, 27 Jan 2016 00:08:17 PST

Well, I seem to have caught a cold or the flu. Sinuses are angry and back is aching. That will slow one down. I haven't been able to get much done on the next poem/story I was to upload. It was originally written on a piece of paper that had many other things written on it previously. I even illustrated it and that's the problem. I can't seem to replicate the original. It was perfect, except for the fact that it has other bits of drawing showing through it and notes invading the edges. I will give it another go.

I received my first issue of "Doll News" this week. A very splendid publication for lovers of all types of dolls. The feature for this issue is the replication of the jointed body for the Huret doll of the mid 1800's with an article on an original and all of it's accoutrements, as well. It's exciting for me to see what has been done and what is being done in the world of dolls. I haven't been able to finish reading a single article, as yet. Here's hoping I have more luck with that over the next few days.

May beauty surround you!
Sinéad

Minor stumbling blocks

Fri, 22 Jan 2016 16:28:50 PST

We ran into a slight glitch, yesterday, when we realized the corrected page of the story I was attempting to add wouldn't submit. Arthur quickly found and corrected the problem, something to do with a misplaced comma. Coding and programming are overwhelming to me. Thank the gods that Arthur is fascinated by the whole world of interactions between CSS, HTML and PHP, and a number of other coding languages that are beyond me.

On another note, I am finding that my clothes are wearing out faster than I can get new ones made. I had planned to dedicate January to filling in some of those deficiencies. So far I have a new pair of wool pants that are pleasing to look at, but require I wear a cotton pair under them. So I made a cotton pair. I was hoping to wear them on their own this summer, but they're really lightweight. Not all muslins are equal. In retrospect, I should have started with the french terry sweats. Hopefully I can get those cut out tomorrow.

On a happy note, I found my physical file of stories. Some of it was written on grocery bags. :) Whatever was handy! I have my work cut out for me to turn it into digital files.

Blossoms for you!
Sinéad

Well begun is half done

Wed, 20 Jan 2016 14:55:47 PST

Well, I'm excited! The new web site is finally ready for use. It's been a very long wait. We had planned to create an on-line store but the shopping cart liability for running your own or the cost of using a reliable and secure third party shopping cart was cost prohibitive for us. So we're selling on Etsy. There's a link to the store and we're posting stories we've written on here. I hope to get several up in the next week with and without illustrations. I have the hardest time setting up and getting illustrations done.
Another exciting event for me this week was new full spectrum lighting in my work areas. It's nice to be able to see what you're doing. Really!

I'm also working on patterns and instructions for toys I've created like Bill and Lilly Peking, pictured here with Ducky. They'll be available through Etsy. It may take some time as I will need to photograph the steps of making each one and I haven't worked out the logistics of having the camera and lighting set up while also having access to the sewing machine. I usually do those activities to the exclusion of the other, space being limited.
It's time to clean the kitchen so I can get some sewing done.
May blossoms abound!
Sinéad