Quilter's retreat

Work in progress. I will make her a quilt to sprawl out on, on the beach, as soon as she chooses the fabrics for it. And decorate her sewing box.

(The doll is made from the pattern ,The Beach Babe, by Jane Coughlan.)

Time for a cookie break!

Zesty Orange Sugar Cookies.
1 cup margarine, very soft, almost melted
1 cup sugarWhisk together well. Add
Zest of 1 large orange, prepped in blender with ¼ cup sugar
1 egg.
1 teaspoon vanilla. Whisk well. Add
2 2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder.Mix well. Form into one-inch balls. Bake on ungreased sheet at 375* 12-15 minutes.

Tip for zest: Any time you have an orange: Just peel it with a sharp carrot peeler. Put the zest peeling in a food chopper or blender, with ¼ cup sugar, chop to desire bit sizes. It will begin to liquify the sugar. This can be stored in a zip-lock baggie in fridge or freezer for later use. Also works for lemon peel. One large orange or two small ones, makes enough for a batch of citrus-y cookies or pumpkin bread, etc.

Another new member of the quilting club

Ellen is made the same as Evelyn, being sisters, cut out at the same time but of different fabrics. Ellen is made of dollskin. Her hair is alpaca roving.
Here is the text from her tag (She's already gone 'shopping'!):

An avid quilter, Ellen heads off to her quilting club meeting, where she will put the finishing touches to her small quilt. Dressed in stylish skirt and tee shirt, her alpaca hair freshly ‘done’, handmade earrings and bracelet, necklace of threads, custom-made shoes of polymer clay, and secure on her removable stand, Ellen is well equipped, from wrist pin cushion, scissors, rotary cutter, and hoop, to a basket full of fabrics, batting, books, needles, thimble, and more, even her some-times needed ‘reading glasses’!

Ellen, like all the rest of us, is a one-of-a-kind, unique personality.

I finished her!!

 Evelyn, the quilter, is 21 inches tall. She has her basket all packed with fat quarters, batting, and all the accessories she'll need for her afternoon with the quilting club. She needs to put a few finishing touches on her latest small-quilt project. Her hair is wool roving, her dress made from a scarf, and she wears comfy sneakers. (Her ankles are a bit swollen from all those hours she stands at her work table, but ohh, she does enjoy it!)

Time for a snack

Time for a break from Dolls and Patterns. It's your turn to do that. Scroll down, order the pattern, and make a nativity set to decorate your home or someone else's.
Meanwhile, I'm going to bake something. I'll even share the recipe. This is my favorite.... I call it My Yummie Yam Bread. It is equally scrumptious made with sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or pumpkin. And be generous with the orange peel.
1 cup sugar,  1/2 cup oil or melted butter, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoons orange zest, 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes.  Beat well with mixer.
Add: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon soda, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Beat well.
Add 1/2 cup each: nuts and raisins.   Bake in greased pan at 350* about an hour.
Easy way to do the orange peel: Peel a whole large orange with a carrot peeler. Chop the peeling up a little, run it in a food processer, chopper or blender, with 1/4 cup of the sugar, until finely chopped. Works like a charm!.  Enjoy!

Pattern on Etsy

You can now order the nativity set pattern from my new shop on Etsy:
Vada's Doll Patterns
http://www.etsy.com/listing/82852394/nativity-cloth-doll-patterns
The CD is priced at $25.00. Includes all nine figures.

Pattern Finished!

Today I will put the finishing touches on the pattern for the Nativity set (below)!
It will be available on CD. With all nine figures included, it would be a very large packet. By grouping it into several pdf files, the needed parts can be printed accurately. It will included pattern piece for the dolls (four pages of those), and for all the costumes (14 pages of those). Plus another 12 pages of instructions, illustrated with color pictures. 
This pattern is an intermediate level, requires some experience in dollmaking: faces, hair, etc.
Email me to order a copy. Make a set for your mantle! Or a great gift!
vadawesley@hotmail.com  or vada428@windstream.net

Wow, Late July, Already!

I can't believe I have neglected this blog for so long! There are a few newer posts on my other one: www.clothdollsbyvada.com  but, I've been doing very little sewing so far this summer. Other 'fish to fry', and it has been a sizzling summer. Thundershowers last night and this morning, 75* at 7 am.

My current project, among others, is the attempt to create an acceptable pattern for the nativity set I designed and made up last fall for the nativity challenge on Cloth Doll Artistry. Having mentioned that plan, and putting it off this long, I'd better hustle to have it completed by early fall so it can be available in time for everyone to make at least some of the characters by Christmas. There are nine figures: Mary, Joseph, the infant Jesus, an angel, two shepherds (man and boy), and the three wise men.  These are unique, in that they are bottle toppers, or they can sit over a tall candlestick.

I am trying to use the many pictures I took when making the original set, and hopefully I won't have to make up a whole new set at this time, but probably will, in order to better illustrate details of the costumes, etc. I'd like to include all nine figures in one pattern packet, to avoid duplication of the basics. The alternative would be to split it into three groups: holy family, shepherds and angel, and the wisemen. Comments on this would be appreciated. What would be your preference, if you were purchasing this pattern?

Eventually, I will need someone to 'test the pattern' for me. If anyone is interested in doing that, please contact me at  vadawesley@hotmail.com (you get the pattern free).

Meanwhile, I have spent too many hours creating a picture book of my dolls online at Mixbook.com. I like the result, but with nearly 50 pages, hardbound, it is too expensive to buy extra copies and offer them for sale. Anyone can view the whole book online at Little People, Big Personalities . You may order a copy if you wish, soft or hard cover, but just looking is free. ;-)

Enjoy!

Introducing Jeanne

Almost finished with this doll made of recycled items, before finishing her hair, I painted her lips. Then proceeded to touch and smear the paint. I thought of giving her the lipstick and claim that she had done it all by herself!! But then I just painted over the entire face and re-did her features, and gave her a whole new hairstyle. And a handbag.   She is 24 inches tall.

Her dress is a jeans leg, her arms and head cut from a ladies lingeree, her blouse and purse are an old handkerchief. Her skirt is stuffed with plastic grocery bags. Her hair is wool roving. Her name is Jeanne. I think Carole Jeanne would have been good, too. 

Spring Housecleaning

I've been sprucing up the blogs (this one, and Photos) today, giving them fresh templates....new drapery, so-to-speak. Please leave a comment. Do you find them easier to view?  Any comments are always appreciated. To do that, click on the post heading (Spring housecleaning) or the word 'comment'. Write your comment, sign it if you wish, then under 'profile' you can select 'anonymous' if you don't have a 'profile'. 

Spot and Company

Spot now has his very own blog.
http://spotandcompany.blogspot.com/

April in color

Not much doll-making happening this month. Time out for visiting with guests. See another photo on http://photosbyvmw.blogspot.com/ .

One of The joys of Spring!