Archive | Softies RSS feed for this section

Christmas 2019

30 Dec
img_6296

Zeke and Skeeter as Rudolf. Skeeter says he is happy because his antlers are green.

This year I scaled back our Christmas activities and celebrations, because I was sewing a wedding dress for my niece, and because my husband begged me not to torture him by lots of dragging him places every night for “big productions.”

Despite the great reduction of my grand plans, I still:

Helped two friends with packing or cleaning their houses because they were moving.

Spent at least 48 hours working on the wedding dress. I drafted the bodice and sleeves myself because my niece wanted sleeves (good for her) and a sweetheart neckline–neither of which were available in the bridal store or in the big 4 patterns available at Jo-Ann’s. I’ve finished the bodice now, and it fits her perfectly. I’m so happy about it. Just 2 layers of organza left to sew up for the skirt, which already has 2 layers of satin and lining.

f0a3962c-97da-4a40-a9a5-f939ac213460

Skeeter helps mommy draft a body block

Kept homeschool going …kind of…math and history were not shirked.

Participated in our annual “Light the World” Christmas concert which required many many hours of practicing the organ and some hours practicing singing.

Recognized St. Nicolas Day and St. Lucia Day and Las Posadas with special food and treats.

Held a piano recital for my 25 students.

(They were fantastic. The biggest thing that went wrong is I was 5 minutes late and had to set up all the keyboards while the families of the students –who were all early– waited on me. Some of the parents jumped up and helped me, and we were ready to go in record time. I swallowed my embarrassment over being late and began. The recital was under 45 minutes, despite the number of students, and they all performed gracefully and well. After it was all over, my shame over being late began to well up again, but I told myself there was nothing I could do to change it, and refused to think on it any longer. I really have the best group of students and families ever.)

Attended my good and talented friend’s Family Christmas Concert.

Attended Peach Pie’s violin recital, and accompanied her solo.  Dream come true.

Hosted my family for a Christmas party after Banana Cream Pie’s baptism. (And didn’t get a single picture)

Managed to have Christmas presents for all the children and the resident Captain despite this being such a small budget year, AND got all the presents wrapped before Christmas Eve so that we didn’t have to stay up until 2 am wrapping on Christmas Eve.

Made this felt nativity for my mom.

I drew up the pattern 11 years ago, and have intended every year since to make it for my mom. I can’t believe it’s really been that long. Last year I finally bought a new package of felt, so this year, I could make it! I altered the pattern some, including adding an angel, and I need to update it for my Etsy shop now.

I watched over half a season of Project Runway and a 4 hour movie while I worked on these cuties.

Puzzled on Christmas Eve with the girls, who love to put together puzzles while waiting for Santa just like their mother and mother’s mother before them. That Map of the World had 1500 pieces NOT fully interlocking. It was a beast.

 

Extra Christmas bonuses:

2 of the 3 cars we own broke down in December, but we were able to get them fixed (one new alternator, one new gizmo thingy) and get everyone to work, college classes, and music lessons without serious difficulty.

My dad came over and helped the resident Captain put a door on the Girls’ bedroom. I’m so glad they have a door!

img_6356

My awesome sister, Mary, is going to make bookshelves to go in the hallway next to this door for me for Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Shelves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A craft stash is for

5 Oct

When you decide at noon that the girls coming to your 10-year-old’s birthday party at 4pm that day need a party favor to take home.

Then you get out the piece of blue fleece left over from making a pillow for cousin Emily last year,

the ribbon from a box of lace that a sweet granny at church gave you when she decided to reduce her stash,

the fiber fill stuffing your friend gave you when it was left over from reupholstering a chair,

googley-eyes left over from a preschool project,

And E6000 glue because glue.

Enlist the help of your minions, and less than 2 hours later, you have blue cuteness.

Just enough time to clean-up the house…or catch a nap before eight 10-year-olds descend upon you en masse.

Tags:

Baby Talk and Dollies

17 Jan

IMG_5643Baby Dumpling is saying lots of cute things right now.

When she sees someone else eating something she wants, she reaches for it, saying, “num num num num.”

When she’s happy, she toddles all around the house saying, “gabby gabba gabby dagabbada.”

She loves to rock baby dolls.

It is always fun for me to see how each of my children are different and like different things.  That old nature versus nurture debate always interested me.  I definitely think that some things you are born with. Only 2 of my 5 daughters really like playing with baby dolls.  Another prefers puzzles, another is always creating elaborate games and props to go with them, and the other girl is always talking (loudly) about what would you think of this or that?

IMG_5648

The dolly that Baby Dumpling is holding is one I made 2 years ago.  We had a big blizzard that trapped us in our house for a week, but we still had electricity.  An unsual occurrence here in southwest Missouri where a big storm is often more ice than snow.

The girlie pies and I made 3 dolls using the Prairie Flowers Doll Pattern & Tutorial from By Hook or by Hand.  It’s a very thorough tutorial with lots of pictures.

IMG_3366

We used freezer paper to trace the pattern and ironed it right onto an old sheet to make the doll’s bodies (We were snowed in, I had to use fabric available!)

The sheet turned out to be a mistake in the long run because the fabric has torn across the doll’s arms and legs and at the necks.  What do you all use when you make dolls?  Perhaps the sheet would have been okay had it not already been so old?IMG_5652

I crocheted little caps for the dolls which we tied fringe all the way around to make their hair. I sewed the wigs to the doll’s heads with invisible thread.

IMG_3362

Two of the girls chose for me to embroider their doll’s faces and one chose to color the face.   IMG_3356

It was fun to let each girl choose the fabric scraps for her doll’s shoes.  Peach Pie’s doll is the one with the belly button.  Pumpkin Pie is the one who chose to draw her own face, different from the pattern.  IMG_5686

IMG_5683

We used an old American Girl Doll pattern reduced to 70% for the dresses and they look so pretty! (Specifically it is Josephine’s brown dress but with short sleeves.)  They each chose the fabric for their doll’s dress as well, and here is where I had to bite my tongue.  I wanted the switch 2 of the dresses to match the shoes, but the girls didn’t take the shoe color into consideration at all.  I told myself, it’s their doll, let them choose.  But it was hard.IMG_5684

I never mind snow days when we still have electricity to run the internets and the sewing machine!

Serendipity

13 Apr

Sometimes If I just click on tabs on the side of blogs, I end up somewhere cool.

This lady did a blog last year-12 crafts til Christmas and shared what she did.

and she made a PDF file of how to make a Pillow Buddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love her forever.

and my children will love her forever once I’ve purchased fabric and created these for all of them.

They’ll love me forever also.

Now, do I make them for Easter, Birthdays or Christmas??? (listed in order of nearness in time. Probably Christmas is the only realistic choice–but not the fun choice.)

Finished project!

27 Jul

I forgot to post Mama Bird and her chicky! I actually finished her near Easter. (I won’t lie and say before Easter, though that was the goal.)

You can find a tutorial from Molly Chicken here.


Her arms are too short to do everything.

I know how she feels.

Grandma & Grandpa Dolls

14 Jan

I made these for my parents as a gag gift for Christmas. I got the idea from Angry Chicken.

1. I used the inkjet iron transfer paper, and printed my parents’ faces.
2. Then I drew a gingerbread man type doll body on white muslin. I made the head almost exactly the same size and the pictures I printed. In retrospect, I should have made the head 1/4-1/2 inch bigger than the picture. Then the faces wouldn’t have been so distorted by the stuffing. I DID NOT CUT OUT THE DOLLS YET
3. I colored the clothes directly on the muslin with crayons. Then Put the muslin between paper towels and ironed it to melt the wax out. As you can see, the color stayed. It is easier to color the dolls if you have a page of fine sand paper under the fabric to sort of hold it in place as you color.
4. Repeat step three to get bold colors.
5. I ironed the faces onto the dolls, following the directions for the transfer paper.
6. I layered a plain piece of muslin over the doll drawings, right sides together and sewed all around on the line I had drawn, leaving 1 1/2″ open on one side for turning & stuffing.
7. THen I cut out the dolls, leaving a 1/4 seam allowance all around.
8. I turned the dolls right side out and stuffed them tightly. As you can see from the lumpy dolls, I do not know the finer rules of stuffing. **note to self: Research finer rules of stuffing on one of those fabulous softie making websites I have bookmarked.
9. I whipstitched the opening shut.

Judging by Diva#3’s reaction to the dolls, I need to make her a set so she can play with Grandma every day. She picked up the dolls and laughed with glee and pressed them to her, shouting, “They’re hugging me, they’re hugging me.”

P.S. Grandma and Grandpa got a good laugh Christmas morning, and Grandma says she can use it for a voodoo doll when Grandpa is in the dog house.

Why I make stuff

11 Jan

I have been a little paranoid about posting pix of my kids online. But I have noticed that no one else seems to be worried. And I have to share this darling thing.

I Finished the Piggy!!

14 Oct

I bought the pattern for this cutie from Ana Paula
She has some free patterns too, and they are all marvelous. The most marvelous part is that they are easy. I am not exactly great at crochet. The last pattern I tried was supposed to be doll booties, but they turned out to be flat oval coasters. So, if I can do it, you can do it.

My new idea for Christmas is that I am going to make up a bunch of homemade toys and then let my kids “shop” for each other. In a couple of years, the kids might be able to make nice things for each other. At this point, the best they could do is string necklaces for each other. (which we might just do…what a great idea…)