Ok, so I've been delinquent in my doll blog duties. New dress.

The holiday rush is getting me. I do have a few photos I'd like to show. Here's a mesh dress, I've been working on.  It is stretchy with hand beading.  Something a little different. I still need to add the closure to the back..... that's another day. I have more photos to take..... Got to go do that n...

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Here's Agnes in her bargain sweaters!

Thank you to all the "dolly" people that made this possible.  I've never ordered these before, -- I'll Definitely order next year! This was a 3/4 length sleeve one.  Great little sweater.  I also received 2 full length sleeved sweaters.  I'm going to alter those ones (open the seam and add a small button) -- to make it easy to put on Agnes' hands.  If...

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Treasure trove of stuff (arrived today)

I received 2 gowns and 3 sweaters!  Going to try to get photos in the morning.  Gowns are gorgeous.  I think with a minor adjustment, Agnes will be in business! The sweaters are adorable.  I will need to "open" the arms to get them on Agnes, but what a deal they were!!!!  Very nice quali...

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Reaching back, to the Back Burner!

Not literally,  for anyone that has been following for a while, you'll remember, I ambitiously started (probably too many) projects. Here is the "awards" dress that I've worked on in the past.  I tried to make a push to finish this dress (figuring I had to be at least 1/3 of the way there) -- Boy, was I wrong. This thing has been a nightmare ;)  If ever there...

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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Sneak peak.

I've been wanting a Christmas tree (for Agnes).  Something large but in scale.  It is tough to find one with somewhat skinny branches.  Most look like they just took the top off a large tree -- with only 4 or 5 rows of branches. I wanted a 10' tree (equivalent) -- that meant finding a 20" tree with small branches.  I looked high and low.  All the...

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Happy Turkey Day!

Gobble, gobble.  This is the first year my immediate family won't be together for Thanksgiving.  My eldest daughter will be in Massachusetts with relatives there. As always, I'm thankful for many things.  Health and happiness being most important along with my family. I can't believe how quickly the time seems to go. More photos tomorrow. Enjoy your d...

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Got lucky I guess

I was at one of my favorite stores and found a plethora of fabric that was just the right scale and weight!  This never happens to me. So I got to sketching. (I can't sketch to save my life -- trust me -- they are rough).  Just good enough for me to recall what I wanted to make.  I think I came close to sketching out an entire "line".  I think there are...

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So, I did break down and make some more concessions.

Last week after contacting a woman who makes gowns,  I'm encouraged that she thinks her gowns will fit Agnes.  I ordered 2 to see if they "work" -- if so I'm definitely getting her to make more stuff for Agnes.  I know I keep saying it.  I'm no seamstress.  I wish I could sew all those tiny seams -- oh so straight -- but I can't (nor do I have the patience or the persistence to continue until I do)! Like everything in the...

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So, I guess this comes over me in waves!

Having completed the Eyemeric outfit last week, I felt a sense on accomplishment.  Although there were things I would have done differently (there always are!) So, I moved on to a prototype dress.  When I say a prototype.  The actual materials for this dress were 1) difficult to acquire and 2) pretty expensive.  So I decided I would start by making a similar...

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Finally, a new fashion!

Finally.  I have completed the dress I wanted to make for Agnes.  I think I'm rusty.  I was never a seamstress, but this seemed to be harder than I imagined.  The difficult part was.... well there were several things.  (You can read about it, if you care to in the postscript) Here's Agnes in a dress that was based on Eyemeric Francois's dress.  Love...

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My one carriage post (for this week)

The throne has been coming along marvelously.  I'm very happy with the progress.  It actually looks like something.  Here are some steps. I started off with the cup packaging.  I trimmed the sides and the back.  I added the velvet to the corners. Then I fitted the cushion and the inner templates (white pieces) Here's a side view: I upholstered...

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Windy day. Photo fail!

So, I wanted to get some photos of the skirt portion of this dress.  I attempted to get the back, but, this was all I could capture.  Fail!  It was so windy.  The skirt was like a sail :)  It was all I could do.  I held Agnes in one hand and snapped while her skirt blew! I have the corset to work on.... It's going to take another day...

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Previously moth balled project: Designer like dress

I've got three designer dresses that I want to interpret into dresses for Agnes.  Each one is going to take me a Loooooooonnnnnggggg  time.  As I have no pattern (or real sewing skills/experience) -- it's trial and error and learn as you go (which makes it fun and frustrating) all at the same time.   ;) Everyone was out of the house...  I had time...

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Characters --

Going through some of my sewing and trim things, I came across a strip of embossed "leather" with fur attached to it.   The memory of that strip came back to me. So, years ago I entered a contest for developing a character for a doll.  I was in New York at the time traveling with my daughter and had access to the Garment district.  My Character was going to...

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An unusual Sunday post -- New dolls on the horizon??

I know for a while now, I've been thinking no more resin dolls.   Then I just saw this doll..... AHhhhhhhh!  I really love her whole look...... Must resist........  Last week I was on a bjd forum and noticed that this doll "does not conform" -- and is therefore banned from the forum.  Yah!  That usually means I'll like the doll.  I think it is very arbitrary what dolls are and are not allowed.  It's their forum...

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Templating

Ok, this is the last carriage post for a while.  I know my blog has O.D.'ed on it this past week.  This was really supposed to be a blog about Agnes' wardrobe -- so I'm not going to drone on about making this. As I've said many times.  This is a long (marathon) project.  I didn't want to rush through it, so I'm taking my time and documenting along the...

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Sitting pretty... or should that be Fitting pretty

So, generally when I think of "fitting"  I think of clothing being fitted.  This time, it's Agnes' fitting for her carriage.  The proverbial question, does it fit? Thankfully, with the extra base that was added, now removed, Agnes appears to fit! With the throne inserted, she seems to fit comfortably. Here's another look: It looks like a go.  Now...

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So, It's throne time!

Time to get this carriage on the road (almost literally). Next step.  Covering the throne. I was looking through Ebay to find some velvet/velveteen.  When I remembered, I have some.  It is blue. A dusty powder blue.  I was thinking gray.  But the blue with either gray or silver accents will work. Here's the "throne" sitting on the material: If...

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WordSmith -- I have never been ;)

I read a ton of blogs, boards, and forums.  I read several that english is not the person's first language and therefore they spell phonetically.  It's fun, almost like a puzzle to figure out what people are trying to say.  I could never blog or comment in another language, I give those people my upmost respect. I try my best when posting to spell correctly, make the best word choice (for me), and attempt not to slaughter the occasional...

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These are so cute!

I was rummaging through some stuff that I own and I came across the cutest thing.  It is a lunchbox with the Beverly Hillbillies on it.  Inside is a thermos that opens.  I showed it to my daughter (she's not easily impressed) -- She teased me "and you found a thermos, and it opens, and it had some soup in it, and it was still good, so you drank it?" -- hysterical...

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Floored! Literally. More Carriage

I think the carriage posts may be getting a little old for some, but I keep thinking:  This has got to end....sometime. As I mentioned in the beginning, I really don't want to rush.  I want to take my time and hopefully do a quality job. So, I figured I'll put in the flooring.  (how hard could that be?) Never a good train of thought for me, as I become frustrated...

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One small step, one giant leap to getting there.

Ok, so it may not be a giant leap, but it's getting there: (in small steps) Here are my curtains.  Stitched from the sheer material.  They will need to be attached to a rod inside the carriage. The throne-like chair is taking longer First, I'm playing with adding height using foam (but now I need to do another "fitting" to make sure Agnes fits in (literally)) Ok,...

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Fun Friday Post

Here's a post of Agnes.  Taken the day after Halloween.  Agnes looking like "the morning after, when there was a night before".  (A quote from a dear friend). Here she is in crooked glasses, with her underskirt from her gown (white tulle tied about her for modesty -- here I'm thankful for the flash bouncing) -- barefoot after her beaded slippers have been...

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Agnes needs her fairy godmother! More Carriage

'Cause I'm getting tired of this project.  ;) I'm on to making the curtains and the seat.  For the curtains, I want white, sheer, billowy. Got it.  I think this fabric will work: I bought a reusable coffee mug for my daughter and just as I was about to throw out the packaging, I thought, hmmm, looks like a throne (that never happens to me -- usually I...

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Royal Pain -- More Coach

Ok.  So now I've decided to add trim to the interior as well as the door and the opening.  Initially, I wanted to use thumb tacks and form a quilted pattern on the walls.  long story short, thumb tacks when being mixed with glue ended up rusting!  Yes, rust.  Nearly ruined the entire interior. I'm over it.  However, added trim proved to be no...

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Coral crown

It has been a thought (perhaps a dream) of mine for some time.  Maybe years now to fabricate a coral crown. I thought a crown and a throne made of coral and perhaps precious metal silver clay (sounds expensive). The good news is I have the coral.  Each trip to the beach includes my collection of coral.  I probably have enough for a throne,  crown (and...

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