Tissue Paper Hat

Who'd have thunkit? Ordinary tissue paper can be cut, scrunched, braided and then turned into a lovely hat? The instructions were for a hat for Bleuette and the ladies in a group I belong to were discussing the hows of it. A couple of them gave some great, helpful tips and I added those notes to the instructions. I had just recently made a new spring dress for both of my dolls and decided that a hat would be a lovely touch for a "Springtime in Paris" type of outfit. I grabbed my tissue paper and pulled out the black, white and hot pink and got to work cutting strips and braiding.

I think the most trouble I had was figuring out what to use as a 'hat form'. I sat and twirled around in my chair looking at all the odds and ends in my sewing room (and boy, I've got some odds and a few ends-LOL). I finally spied a paperclay covered styrofoam egg (it was going to be a doll body-don't ask.....)anyway, I held it up next to her head and it looked like it was about the correct size so I covered it in a plastic bag secured with a rubberband. I carefully started glueing the braid to itself. I only put glue along the edge and worked just a small bit at a time to minimize glue slop. I used the quick drying "3 in 1" clear glue. it worked fabulous. I just need to decorate it. the flower is just placed there for the picture. Doesn't it go really good with the darling dress? oh, and here's a picture of her big sister's dress too. Now I"ve got to make her a hat. I guess I better go find a bigger styrofoam egg!

Paczki, ahhh, I love good food.

I've always wanted to try making home-made Paczki. My grandmother was Polish and that was where I learned to love these delicious, delectable, oh so yummy pieces of delight. Paczki (pronounced Poonch-key) are basically little jelly doughnuts. Traditionally they were made on 'Fat Tuesday' to use up the lard and sugar in the house before Lent began. The dough is a heavier, sweet yeast dough that is deep fried and then filled with the jelly/jam of your preference. I made blueberry, raspberry, apricot and pineapple. I sure do love to cook and bake, besides my sewing, cooking is my other passion. There's nothing I'm afraid to try making at least once. That tells me if it's a keeper or forget it cause even the dog won't eat it. LOL. not that I have a dog any more, but you get the idea. If the dear hubby gives it a funny look I know it's bad because he's not a picky man. This Paczki recipe made 48! Holey crap that's alot of jelly doughnuts to eat. I gave a whole lot away!! hahahahahahaha. They did get good reviews so I'll be making them again next year.

Tonight I bought a fresh coconut. I have a killer recipe (it was my great grandmother's) for Fresh Coconut Cake. I'm making that tomorrow. One for our house and one for my brother. Oh dear god I'll never be skinny...........

Freebies. I love 'em!

Wow, I've been a bit negiligent around here lately. I really need to keep up with this better. anyway, a very talented artist is hosting a great Valentine's freebie-wonderful ephemera to use in your creative ventures. Lisa Vollrath is so extremely talented and generous. She's giving away one a day Feb. 1 thru Feb. 14 at her site. Just click here: Valentine's Freebie.

My new bebe

This is my new Bleuette Francoise. Isn't she beautiful? I am so in love with her green eyes and striking red hair. This was the doll that I traded for-Thank you Pat!!!!! I just got her last weekend and we've been getting to know each other this week. I just finished the lovely knitted snow suit that she is modeling. Its called 'Esquimau'. I purchased the pattern from Inma, who makes the most fabulous knitted items/patterns for Bleuette and Rosette. It was rather easy to knit and I used yarn and trim that I had in my stash. Since I'm not very proficient in knitting I had to look up how to do one thing on the internet. Honestly, isn't the internet fabulous? I was stuck on one stitch and was able to find a fantastic clear, concise video to watch and follow along with. How cool is that??!! And VOILA! I did it!

FQ challenge

I love a challenge. We have a challenge going on in one of the Bleu groups that I belong to. Anyone that was interested could sign up and they would have an FQ (Fat Quarter) sent to them. We all got the same fabric only in either a light blue or a dark blue. The challenge was to make an outfit for our Bleue from the FQ. This is my entry. Well, my first entry. I've got so much left that I'm going to make a second outfit. The little snowflakes are just the right size for this small doll.

Love Knots

One of my loves besides sewing is crochet. Again, my grandmother taught me when I was very small. I crocheted many, many doilies, edgings on hankies and of course, doll clothes, even small dolls and toys. Lots of crochet. A very generous lady shared her patterns with me for a darling doll nightgown made of Love Knots. This was through my bleuette online group that I belong too. I made it from a scrumtuous peach thread and embroidered the bodice. I then made a matching peach slip from some leftover silk and crocheted some bloomers and a nightcap from another pattern that was donated. Another lady in our group made the outfit also. absolutely beautiful!! She decided to give hers away in a drawing for the ladies in our group who didn't crochet so I decided that two would be even more fun. The nighty was mailed out today and I'm sure that the woman who won mine will love it. Isn't this just darling? so lacey and pretty. Love knots are a bit tricky but as soon as you figure it out, it's quite a fast stitch.

Sing with me now....I'm back in the Saddle again......

I know you all know that old song....that's how I feel lately. I've been way too busy for wayyyyyyy too long. What an incredible end to 2007! Whew. My brother and his new wife had their baby on November 30th. A boy. He's a little darling and I'm going to be his Nanny starting the end of this month. That will be loads of fun.

Our daughter and her husband had their first child exactly 7 days later. A little girl. She's the one that's wrapped to look like a little glow worm. She loves to be swaddled. I went to stay with them 4 days before she had the baby. She wanted me to coach her through labor/delivery and then the new parents wanted me to stay and help them settle in to being new parents for the first week. I ended up out of town for almost 2 weeks. It was great fun and the baby is a little doll!

I came home just in time for Christmas. Nothing done-no baking, shopping, wrapping-nothing done...eeeeks..... Whew! Insert Christmas here.....and then.......

The following weekend I drove with my sister-in-law and new baby to New Jersey for my other brother's wedding. It was quite the lovely affair. Did I mention that I got lost in New Jersey. Took a wrong exit (thank you Rand MacNally maps for being really wrong in the worst,worst,worst neighborhood to be wrong in) I had to drive about 15 blocks to find help to get back on the highway. That was maddening. We could see the highway right next to us but couldn't find an entrance to get back on! There was no place that looked safe enough to stop and ask for directions. Even the library had 12 foot cyclone fencing around it!! We finally found a construction crew working on a house and pulled over to ask them for help. Thank the Lord for a really nice construction foreman in New Jersey! So....we made it to the wedding, had a good time and made it home safely.

The hubby and I had a really nice peaceful evening at home for New Years Eve. I've had some time to really rest up and get my dolly mojo back....sing with me.....I'm back in the saddle again...lalalalalala.........