Just saw a cool 'app' for the computer.  f'or all you interior decorators (or artists) out there. 
Sherwin Williams has a button for finding out what colors are in pictures that match their paint colors.  They also have a contest to win $1000 visa card.
Go here
http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/2012/06/perfect-palette-time-to-redecorate-huge.html
to see the demonstration and get the color chipit button for your toolbar.

Queen for a Day

I attended a workshop taught by Christine Shively recently that was really wonderful.  I had the best host (Rose Gibbons) and the teacher was so enthusiastic and giving.  In the music realm where I teach hammered dulcimer I have had the adjective "effervescent" attached to my name.  Well Christine has that effervescent quality herself and truly seemed to enjoy helping us to "get" each new technique and idea.  Her dolls are fun and creative and very inspiring for me.
I think I was the only one to finish the doll, but I had the opportunity to work even after the workshop was over because I was staying at the workshop house.

The dolls have neat little shoes that we made from paper and wire.  The shoes have heels with long needles inside the heels. There is about 1.5" of the needles exposed that fit into tiny holes in the base.  This allows the doll to stand 'freely'.

I learned a new beading technique that I couldn't quit doing so she has picot beading around her stomacher, sleeves and underskirt.

I also added a lace 'collar' to make her look more like the pictures I had seen.  I think she came out really nice.

                               

Just for the holiday.

Created a new wreath for the Easter holiday.   Made with yellow plastic bags, cut and tied around a wire hanger.

Making Time

It seems that I have been finding time to work on creative endevors. I now have two days of the week free that I did not have before and I have been taking time to work on and finish some projects that have been hanging over my head for years.
I finally finished the pattern for the Lithograph doll and the romper.  I purchased the doll on ebay thinking that i would be able to make a pattern for her and sell the pattern to reimburse the cost of the doll.  But it took me too long to finally offer the pattern and the people who had originally they would purchase the doll have not done so. 
I have the doll pattern now availalbe in four sizes.  The original 24" doll, 18", 12" and 8".
You can see them here
http://www.pollywogglelane.cindyribet.com/

The doll looks like this

This is the prototype doll made from my pattern.  She is wearing the romper that came on the original doll.

All the years of working and drawing and sewing.  I am happy to have finally finished the project and to have it available. I think though I am learning that trying to make money by designing, making and selling dolls or patterns is just not worth it.  From now on I plan to make dolls or patterns because I want to. Then if I happen to make some money from it then that will just be icing on the cake.

I am also working on some Christmas Carolers I started before Christmas in 2010.  I have one finished and will post pictures soon.   I am also enjoying making "Spool Birds".  They are not made from spools, but come from the Spool Sewing website.   I'll post pics of them and the site.

I am having horrible problems at this time working on my posts.  It seems that my browser is no longer supported by Blogger and so parts of Blogger will not work.  Blogger wants me to try another browser, basically- Google Chrome.   A nasty way to make people switch if you ask me.  So I'll be researching the ways to get around this.

Words for December:
                                 Hurrying. Baking. Merry making.
                                 Crafting. Dreaming. Secretly Scheming.
                                Reminiscing. Scurrying. Sometimes Worrying. 
                                Singing. Sharing.  Loving.  Caring. 
                                Christmas

Have a very Merry Christmas!

These are Christmas ornaments I received in an ornament swap.  They came all the way from Australia.  I just love them!

It is December.  I do not post as often as I would like.  I have been having fun at the Christmas Crafting parties that I have here at my house once a week.  And although I've only finished one doll, I've been slowly working on a few. 
My granddaughter's birthday is this week and we had her birthday party at my house today.  I worked for hours on a doll for her that she can dress and style the hair and learn to make clothes for.  I used a Vogue pattern and it was not what i really had in mind.  But the doll is pretty anyway.
First, the pattern called for gathers under the chin.

Here you can see the gathers.  Her face is pretty. I just wish the head pattern had been different.  The body was fatter than I wanted and I decided AFTER I had attached the head to make the body smaller.  I made a dart in the back by stitching it by hand toward the outside.  And then I pushed the dart to the inside and ladder stitched it into the body.  WHEW!   But then I still was not happy so I opened a side seam and pulled out stuffing and took up both side seams by hand.  The fatter body probably would have been fine with the large head.  But that is not what i wanted.

I altered some baby clothes and old doll clothes to make outfits for the doll as well.

I shortened the dress and apron that you see here.  OH.. her hair is made from hair wefts that I got from a beauty supply store.  I sewed them in circles around her head starting from the bottom.  I tried to get them close enough where my granddaughter could style it any way she wanted.  I'll have to buy more and add a couple of rows another day.  the doll has a LOT of hair.

It got me in the mood to do another.  Maybe I'll finish some others first.

Beautiful Fall

I can't believe that it is October already.  The leaves are just starting to turn here.  I can't wait until the colors get vivid and the leaves start to fall.  I have my granddaughters to take outside and play in the crisp air and warm colors.
I finally finished the dolls I had talked about in May.   The sculpted face doll was painted a long time ago but I just recently tweaked it and like it much better.

I think she turned out really cute.  But I am not enamored with her so she is on ebay right now waiting to go to a new home.
I have also started my Christmas Crafting Party Night at my home.  I have a few ladies who come over and we make Christmas Ornaments or small gifts.  Below is a picture of the first kind of ornaments we made.  Little Mittens and Ribbon Candy.  I got both patterns off my newest favorite website....   Better Homes and Gardens.   Did you know that you can find on the website for free the same things that are in the magazine for a price?

We have started some OKRA Santa Clauses and I will post their pictures later.  They take longer as we have to sculpt the paperclay faces.  Some of the ladies did not think they would be able to do the faces but they did a wonderful job.