Crafting365: day 30; Multicultural custom Rag Dolls

The first few dolls in Almond and LT1 skin colors
I now have seven different skin tones to make my custom Baby sized rag dolls in. I'm working up a few in each color for MamaMade. A previous customer had asked me about a different skin color for a doll for her friend's baby. I had a few different choices but none of them were quite what she wanted. I went out to town today and picked up a few more to fill in the gaps from light to dark. I think this will really add to the 'make-your-own-custom' quality of these little dolls.

I also got a really great review today on these dolls 'Stands up to the vigor of playing with a 1 year old' YAY! I love to hear the toys I make are loved AND durable. Another customer sent a beautiful picture of her 3 month old baby girl asleep with her hand around her red-haired dolly. I'm smiling from ear to ear :)


Rag doll skintone chart

Crafting365: day 28: Sterling Silver Earrings

I can't wear just any type of metal in my ears. That is the reason I've had my ears pierced at least four times in my life. I wear the wrong metal and then my ears get sore, and I don't wear any earrings for a while. Then they close up. The last time I got my ears pierced was when Esme was two months old. I've been wearing the titanium studs since then but it's time to spice things up.

Sterling silver is the metal (besides these new titanium) that has always been best for my ears. I had a beautiful pair of oblate hoops for years that I wore every day. Then I lost one.. and the cycle described above set in again.

These are some pairs of earrings I beaded with some sterling silver findings last night. We'll have them on sale here later today.


Blue Porcelain


Tiger-Eye


Turquoise (Mark helped bend the tops on these)

Crafting365: day 23; Thinking about printing

Thinking about making some drawings to print up on baby onesies. This isn't the actual drawing I've taken to the printers. Just getting quotes on quantities and sizes etc.. right now to see what the best investment is. On small quantities, even CafePress isn't that bad of a deal. Our local printer can even print up custom fat-quarter cloth yardage. Hmm...


A tiny test image
not the real deal

Crafting365: day 22; On My Desk: Playtime Rabbits

Today is 'On My Desk' Wednesday, sponsored by Kootoyoo.
It is rainy today and dim, so I'm going to cheat and use a picture from a day or so ago -- but these things are still on my desk today.



I'm putting together more of these star shaped Playtime Rabbit baby toys. I made a bear like this for Esme the other day and she threw him around some. I love to see how she handles toys, it gives me great insight as to why some are so popular :)


Custom order for Lewes

At Our House

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Esme ran a bit of a fever last night after her immunizations. We gave her some tylenol and I watched her during the night. She seems much better today and is having a nap with daddy while he reads. I have lots of toys I need to start on, and pairs of pants to finish etc...

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Crafting365: day 20; Turning a receiving blanket into a pair of pants

I did make a pair of pants for Esme out of that honey jar receiving blanket. They are soft and warm! I also had a small piece left over to make a small toy out of. Esme is making some progress trying to crawl as well, although she's quite loud in telling us how difficult it is!

Mark caught these beautiful pictures of Esme and Mouse (the manx calico) on the bed yesterday. Mouse was very gentle.

Crafting365: day 19; Doing things I've been putting off...

Writing letters, sending pictures and a flannel blanket.

I've been putting off sending pictures to family. We were out of colored printer ink for the longest time. However, I had gotten some last week and still hadn't printed any pictures out. I'm also sending out some snail mail, thank yous and birthday stuff... it's amazing how it builds up when you put it off.

My mom also wanted me to send her stuff from the toy shop so she might be able to sell them up North. However, I've got MamaMade coming up and really don't feel there are many toys to spare at the moment. I've printed her out some color flyers with pictures of the custom toys and prices so she can show those off to her friends.

Also, I've got to get over some of the other biases I have. Like this flannel receiving blanket with honey jars on it. For days I've been looking at it saying 'That would make a good pair of baby pants for Esme' but telling myself I can't cut it up because Mom sent it when Esme was born. Well, so what? I want to make it a pair of pants so I'm going to. I have no problem doing that to thrift store clothing so why is it an issue when it's a gift from my mom? This is a little thing, but a good example of such attitudes that lead to lots of other bad habits. These habits often get in the way of actually getting done the things I want to get done.


Esme's 'touch' blanket

Just like Esme's large quilt, I was also putting off the idea I had to make her a 'touch' blanket. That is, something with lots of different textures she can feel with her hands. I made this one last night. It has yellow velvet, turquoise and brown courdorouys, linens and thick textured cottons. The back is a 'fake silk' upholstery fabric with little velvet leaves. I'm not sure how it will survive the washer but if I don't try I'll never know, right?


Bunny the pit bull being cute
I need to get the camera out more often when the animals are being cute, too...

btw: Puck is doing so well we have to remind her she can't go off hunting with the others. I walked her this morning and got an almost translatable "Gee Mom, why can't I go play?"

Crafting365: day 18: Getting ready for MamaMade!

We're getting ready for MamaMade!
I've got mousebears needing faces, rabbits needing assembly and lots of other things to do. I made a list of the things I want to take along and printed it out to keep track of what (and how many) is done and what still needs work.

We also went to a library book sale in Paris, TN. I dropped off some of the official Mamamade flyers I printed out at the library. We picked up lots of cute children's books and some for us as well. This 1957 book is about a spacefaring cat who, with his master, goes to Mars. He wears a spacesuit and finds a female cat who comes back to Earth with them. Very silly but a nice little story!


Space Cat meets Mars
How can you not love that title?

The fabric I made some pants for Esme out of yesterday? The bright flowers on brown? There is another print in that same series called 'Esmerelda'! Just like we spell Esmerelda, too ;) It has pretty red zinnias on it (see here). I ordered a yard of it off of Ebay and will be making two sizes for her to grow into :)


Pogo and Mouse fight for Mark's attention curled up reading
Pogo looks betrayed: 'Hey, pet me not her!'

Crafting365; day 17: Baby pants for the shop and Puck's wounds

Mark took Puck to the vet yesterday and he came back with a pretty good prognosis. She has three large holes/bites taken out of her (one shown in the picture). She didn't get any stitches, there wasn't enough skin around any of the wounds for stitching to be good. She did get lots of antibiotics and some wound spray etc... that we have to put on her often. And we have to keep a close eye on her, which is the hardest part since she thinks she feels better already.

Hope this isn't too graphic a picture. The wounds look worse on the other side, not so bad from this angle. I've already told her several times that I missed her when she was gone and that she had better take care of herself.



Crafting365: I've been stacking up baby pants to put in the shop. Esme has some to keep for herself, too :) She loves the bright colors of the fabrics I found at the quilt shop!


Handmade 3-6 months size baby pants at the shop

Crafting365; day 16: Puck is hiding under the trailer!

OK, good news, sort of. This morning Puck showed herself to Mark. She is hiding in the fenced yard, under the trailer, and doesn't want to come out. We're not sure why, and neither of us remember letting her into the yard (which means she went under the fence somewhere?) Mark is going to try to drag her out later today if she doesn't come out on her own. She didn't seem hurt or limping, but scurried back up where he couldn't reach her as soon as he approached. So, good news that she is here - now we just have to find out what's wrong.

THANK YOU to everyone who was hoping and praying for Puck to come home!

UPDATE: Mark got Puck in the house. She IS hurt. She has large bite marks taken out of her hind haunches on both sides and he is taking her to the vet immediately.

Mark's main computer died yesterday morning, as well. He's been scavenging and putting things together like Frankenstein's lab to make another that will do the same tasks.


Another custom dolly order for the toy shop.

Crafting365; day 15 and On My Desk

Mark walked and drove the local roads and didn't see any sign of Puck. I walked out in the forest some with the other dogs and they didn't give me any clues either.

It's also Wednesday, which is 'On My Desk' day. I have a new dreambag weaving, some small beaded bracelets, a pair of pants cut out for Esme that is yet to be sewn and some new fabric from the quilt shop in Paris.


I hadn't been to the quilt shop for years. It has changed ownership, and I went there specifically to get a yard of Amy Butler fabric. There are so many cute baby things made in Amy Butler fabric that I thought I'd try some out.

Puck is three years old, and a ferocious little hunter. She goes down fox dens, we're pretty sure of it -- hope she is okay but seriously, we think that she would be back by now or the other dogs would take us to her if there was any hope.

Crafting365; day 13: Cappuccino anyone? A sewn coffee cup pincushion

I'm sure you've seen those cup of joe coffee cup pincushions and crocheted teacup pincushions out there in blogland. Where are the sewn versions for these? There are versions that use an actual teacup as well. But I implore, where are the plush coffee cups? There are softie versions of lots of other felt food and treats.

I didn't want to knit or crochet and was having a hard time finding a pattern for a sewn coffee cup pincushion. I decided it was up to me to make one.

Here are my first efforts. The handle needs to be up higher and maybe add a rim to the cup on the next one but this one makes me quite happy just the way it is. I think the button really makes it and need to go look for more similar buttons today.

I'll be working on this pattern for the shop after I make a few :)

Crafting365; day 12: Some sewing patterns have sane sizing

Some sewing patterns have sane sizing
say that ten times fast... ;)


These fit!
Even though she is only four months old, most of the 'store-bought' clothes Esme now wears are 6 months size. I've made three pairs of baby pants, 12 mo, 6 mo and 3 month sizes. The 3 month size fits her. Apparently there are still 'sanely-sized' clothing patterns in the world. I also saved each of the other sizes on newspaper as I cut down the pattern to 'small' - so no worrying about when she outgrows this size :)


A custom dolly order for the shop
for a special little girl on her way to America.

Crafting365; day 11: Snowbunnies and sweet faces

For Phyllistene:
Squeaker is getting big!


We had snow here last night!
It was enough for me to make a snowbunny ;)
That counts as my Crafting365 entry today.

And Esme is getting so strong!
Here she is being cute for me.

I made baby pants last night. However, I made the wrong size (eep). I made the medium which ends up being 12 month size. They're put away for later and I am now making a six-months size pair. Pants are not difficult. The hardest part was getting the idea that when the pattern says to put one leg right-side-out inside the other (inside-out) - it is to sew the 'front-to-back' seam.' I stared at that picture on the pattern HARD and finally the idea crystallized 'OH - DUH...' and I was making pants. ;)

Crafting365; day ten: Revisiting Dream bags or I play with string again

Green dream bag

This is a little narrower than MY dream bag I finished earlier last year. This one is for the shop. I really enjoy the process of my dream bag. I hope to share that process with others who would be open to the idea of trying to use their dreams as a tool to better self-awareness. Many cultures believe in the power of dreams. It was one of the things I was fascinated by in my anthropology courses (I was an Anth minor ).

The process of dreaming:

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Dreams are often not just nonsense. Some of the symbols that appear, especially recurring ones, are there for a reason. They just need to be understood and then used to translate what the rest of the dream is saying. Once we understand what a dream is saying it can be directed and used as a reflecting tool for our waking lives.

Often a nagging problem can be solved in dreams because our dream self is not restricted by physics and time - we can go anywhere, do almost anything, if only we become aware we are dreaming. This is called 'lucid dreaming.' Realizing you are aware and able to direct things in a dream is an awesome feeling, even though it is often short-lived and the inexperienced dreamer can easliy wake themselves up as soon as they realize things 'aren't real.'

So, what are dream bags?

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Dream bags are put under your pillow, or on your bedside table. The bag itself is slightly symbolic in colors and materials, but is mostly about durability and being a pretty object :)

What is inside a dream bag is the most important part of the process. A favorite piece of jewelry (perhaps from a loved one?), a special token or totem symbol, gemstones or semi-precious stones symbolizing the things you wish to dream about and other objects that have special meaning to you. These items are placed in the bag in a hope to direct your subconscious thoughts into dreaming about the ideas they represent. A dream bag is very personal, and the contents will be different for every person.

It is good to often take everything out of your dream bag, sort through it, remind yourself of why it is in there and put back only the things that still have meaning and purpose. This is a good time to redirect what you hope to dream for and put in new objects as well as take out old.

Crafting365; day eight: On my Desk and Dachshunds

Back to your normal toy blog.. at least for a little bit :)

On My Desk
This is what is 'On My Desk' today, the Wednesday meme sponsored by Kootoyoo. Today there is a dog toy, drawings, pattern pieces, miscellaneous tools, yarn, threads, scraps and some rabbit and alien friends waiting to be finished in a box by the wall. There are also the heads of five small rag dolls that are still awaiting the rest of their bodies cut out... poor things.



Let the Dog In!
At the Shop
The dog toy is a first attempt towards Carrie K's pit bull toy. It's not a pit bull. More like a fat squat dachshund, and houndstooth at that. But it is a nice pattern and I'll be making more of them :) Back to the 'drawing' board...

Jhoanna posted a link to Crammed Organisms, a plush show that has a deadline of March 29th. Their theme is 'Fairytale, Folk and Fable' .. and I'm drawing a BLANK! Besides the dragon, everything I have is not exactly fairy tale... and everything else I can think up is boring. I want to find something I can get excited about making but for some reason I just keep coming up with nothing but air... *sigh*

Notes: Esme was four months old yesterday. I had a postpartum diabetes test last week and it came out normal.

Crafting365: day seven: Two little dresses, for now and later

Thanks for all your encouragement on the bonnet!
As I said yesterday, I've been inspired to try a few little dresses for Esme. I've been sewing for years, but clothing always has seemed very difficult (especially the finishing) and I rarely attempt it. However, I was encouraged by a lady at the fabric counter, a couple of bloggers and some wonderful finished projects of others... so I bought an 'easy' pattern. I bought a one-year size, which will give me some time to get it right before Esme grows into them ;) Even though the pattern was 'Easy', it had several things in it that I had never done before. I learned how to gather here and how to apply single fold bias tape here.


The one-year dress

It could be better finished, that is for sure - but not bad at all. It looks like the drawing on the package. It'll be a while before Esme grows enough that I can see how it fits ;)

That being the case, I took the experiment a little further. Having seen how the other dress went together gave me more hope that I might be able to make something Esme can wear NOW. I took out my measuring tape and measured her.

Measurements taken (important):
1.) Diagonally from one shoulder to the opposite hip.
2.) Around the tummy at her thickest part
3.) Across from shoulder to shoulder
4.) Around the neck (loosely)
5.) Around the arm at the armpit (armholes, loosely)
6.)& 7.) Length from shoulder to hip and also hip to ankle

Using those measurements and the basic idea of the yoke from the other dress I drew a new pattern and ended up with this.


She really likes it, she started to squeal-whistle about it :)

Instead of a zipper there is a tab in the center back with a snap on it and a button and loop at the back neckline. The next one needs a much longer and wider skirt, and I really need to learn better finishing techniques. That might just take lots of practice. Overall I think this is a very good skill to learn and one I had been putting off for far too long :)

Crafting365: day six Esme wears a funny bonnet

Esme: "Mom, I look silly!"
She was such a good sport about it though ;)
Not every sewing project hits the target ;) I think subonnets are cute and practical. Am I old-fashioned? Maybe I am, a little. I saw GrandmasGirl's shop at Etsy where she was selling prairie sunbonnets for baby to play outside in.

Then I remembered I had most of an old pattern for one from the flea market. How hard could it be to make? Well, a little harder than I thought, especially with *most* of the pattern. I was missing the bottom piece and had to make it up. I'll try again and do things differently! In the meanwhile, I'll use this one when Esme and I go out for walks in the sunshine ;)

Yes Rhelynn, you CAN sew a baby dress...
The bonnet was a good warm-up towards making a dress for Esme. I'd been thinking of one ever since I saw little dresses with ruffled sleeves at My Poppet shop blog. Also LittleGirlPearl's Flickr pictures impressed me further. I thought that at least with baby patterns you only waste one yard of fabric instead of four ;) So, I talked myself into it and bought an 'easy' dress pattern in size 1 yr. It's waiting to be finished right now...

Reminder: Ultimate Blog Party (for women bloggers only) at 5 minutes for Mom is March 7-14. I found out about it at WonderMommy.

Crafting365: day five Felt Mushrooms to keep Slugs happy

Available at the shop

Orange psychadelic slug and felt mushroom :) Mark said it needed to have a few bites taken out of it already. I have posted a tutorial picture over at Flickr on how to make the mushroom!

Note: Esme can now turn all the way from her back to her tummy on purpose, and has been doing it often the past few days. Before that, she would once in a while surprise herself by rarely doing it on accident. She's trying to crawl on her tummy but hasn't quite got the forward motion yet!

Crafting 365: day four and Homefront

Homefront
Esme loves to play with Daddy while he reads.


A big smile for Daddy

Crafting365: day four. I picked up a coloring book yesterday for ideas. After we had looked through it, Mark drew me a small slug picture and asked how that would be made into a toy. An hour later we had the beginning of an invasion of giant felt slugs ;)


At the Shop
Cute Giant Slugs!
We'll try to keep them well-fed on felt leaves so they don't
go after the poor bunnies anymore.

Crafting365, day 3: Horse gets a Rider and neat things on Flickr

Ride 'em!
I was watching Time Bandits the other night when I made the first red cloth horse. I had accidently cut out two horse bodies going in the same direction... which wouldn't work, so I ended up cutting out two horses the same pattern. When I was sewing the second one yesterday I couldn't get out of my mind the horse and rider that come through the kid's bedroom. So, a quick sketch and some scissor snippings later, this horse got a bowlegged rider. He isn't quite a cowboy, but they are definitely fast pals already.

Today I am making up lots more baby rag dolls. One needs to be a redhead. My niece Elizabeth is growing in lots of RED hair, surprising to everyone in the family ;) as the hair she was born with was brownish.

Neat things I saw today on Flickr:

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Woolly_Fabulous' felt fish brooch
Shebrews seems to have quite an infestation of sock dogs.
LittleGirlPearl shows off beautiful dresses she has made for her daughter. I hope one day to be able to make just a simple sundress for Esme :) But I am always so picky about the details when it comes to clothing, which is why I usually never finish anything even for myself. But then.. I was told the other day that it doesn't matter as much on kid's clothes because they're always in motion and no one ever sees the tiny mistakes as long as they hold together!