A new ensemble

I finished dressing the swap bleuette. I sewed the final snaps last night. She's got a darling pale blue sparkly Christmas dress that has snowflake flocked sheer over blue cotton with some ribbon decorations. Her cape is off-white panne velvet that is trimmed in blue embroidered snow flakes and finished off with a blue tassel hanging from the hood. She can't wait to meet her new Maman.

now, I've got to go get my baking done for tomorrow. Mmmmmm, cheesecake and butter cookies.....MMmmmmmmmmmm

Mom's magical crochet hook

I just love my mother's crocheting. I spent the last week with her after she had her foot surgery and I swear the woman went through crochet withdrawals. She has got to have that hook in her hand at least 12 hours a day or God Help Us All she is not happy. you're probably wondering where I"m going with this.??

I sat down next to her and crocheted a 'pleated' skirt for a new Bleuette manikin that I made while I was at her house. It came out adorable. she wanted to know what I was making next so I showed her an old French LSDS pattern for gaiters. She grabbed the pattern and began translating it and the next thing I knew she had my hook and the baby yarn (that I had 'borrowed' from her stash) and she started to make the gaiters. I ran to the store for her and when I got back, my doll had not only new gaiters, but also a sweater and hat to complete the ensemble! When it comes to crochet, my mom is quite the talent! way to go Mom!!

Countdown time

A site that I just love is having a Christmas Countdown and free printables each day from Dec.1 thru Christmas. Lisa Vollrath is well known for her fabulous art and exteme generosity in sharing stuff to use to make your own art-everything from tutorials to ephemera etc. so anyway, her Christmas Countdown will be starting soon. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

I've been stiffed and it stinks~or~ up on my SOAPBOX

well, it seems that my swap partner for the 'Fall n Leaves' swap has stiffed me. that sure stinks. I've been working with the Swap coordinator and even she's smokin' mad. Seems that this lady signed up to swap with 3 partners and hasn't sent to anyone. We all made sure to get our packages sent to her on time. oh yeah, she's come up with excuses-"dad in hospital, husband in hospital, packages were in daughters car but she didn't send them, now their mysteriously sent but no one received anything, she can receive emails but she can't post", (oh, but how interesting that she can post to the group and join in two other events in the meantime and also she hasn't had a problem replying to the cooordinator) you know, I can sure inderstand that life happens, but geesh, at least have a little common courtesy and send out a short email saying you've had a family emergency and will not be able to participate. you don't even have to say what has happended because that stuff can be real personal, but jeesh, at least that would have been forgivable and you can understand and let her off the hook. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. ok, I'll climb down off my soapbox now....~~~~~~~

A new Bleu

Ooooh, I just love making this little doll. I'm swapping one of my cloth Bleuette with a lovely lady that makes porcelain Bleuettes. I've just finished her doll and now I'm making clothes for her. She wanted red hair and blue eyes. I tried on different wigs but none seemed to look right. then I tried on the curls and voila!! just what she wanted. 'Tres bon Tante' she declared! Je t'aime. well, now I have to see if her new Mamman likes her hair. We may be trying on something else just to see. hmmmmmm.....everyone has different taste.

The construction of this doll is so different. It's learned in Judi Ward's Cloth Bleuette class at Crafty College online. She uses wooden beads and grapes to created the joints. very different but the effect is wonderful. It makes the doll looks so real like the authentic Bleuette. I won't lie and say it's an easy technique. It's not. but it sure is worth all the effort. I guess that's why I have 4 more dolls in stages of construction. If I get too stressed with the part I'm working on, I pick up another doll and work on that one. Time to go make her a new dress......