A New Addition

The Christmas gift I gave myself :) Rowena, one of the slim-bodied AG dolls.

Isn't she beautiful?

I absolutely LOVE her hair!!!

I also have this doll outfit up for auction on eBay -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321045501559?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

This auction is over Sunday night, but I'll have another one start Sunday night. Right now, this outfit is going for $5.50 - a great deal for someone! :)

Dolls the silent witness

I found that Dolls are theraputic. I went through a time in my life when I misscarried three babies in a row. It was a time when my family suffered too.  I was not an easy person to live with.  But eventually the Lord did bless us with another girl (we had 3 already).  So in that time of loss I collected dolls and they brought me consolation.  I can still take a baby doll in my arms and cuddle it and feel comforted.  I love babies.. real ones too. I have 8 grandchildren right now and I love everyone of them. I have rocked a sick grandson to sleep, wiped their snotty noses and kissed their boo boos...heaven helpe me if I ever succeed in getting a reborn baby.  Oh me, I would probably go off my nut and just rock it and talk to it like it was real. 

2 new bride dolls live at my house!

Doesn't she just have a 'nother world' look about her?

She holds her head high and outshines every doll on the shelf.

Now, this little bride is very friendly, she opens her arms to you, she's a huggy type of personality.

She also has the longest eyelashes I've ever seen, and is wearing the prettiest earrings!

 

They both arrived in this BEAUTIFUL box! The shipping tape came off easily enough, but these shipping labels did not want to budge, and I'm telling you, I wanted this box!!!

Well, a little Avon Skin So Soft, and the edge of my 6" ruler and about 30 minutes later, I had my beautiful box! Look at that, not a sticky note on it! Isn't it gorgeous? It seemed only fitting that I store beautiful things in it, so I have put my silk fabrics in it,and put it on top of a cabinet, which I'll show you later on my blog

Happiness is a new Home!

  When I successfully redo an old or neglected doll then it finds new home, I am VERY happy. It is the satisfaction of knowing something was not thrown away but repurposed and will soon go to where it can be loved.  When I see a doll thrown away that can be fixed and loved again it really upsets me.  Okay so I am a little looney here.... Aw come on , so I am ALOT looney...lol

Tea Party Dress

I am making progress on the dress. What's really holding me up is the shoes. I ordered them over a week ago and they have still not arrived. I can't show this dress for sale without the shoes. Just can't. So, I thought I'd show you the completed top. I decided to leave the lace as is. In person it's not as dark as it shows on the monitor.

(I'm also organizing my lace, so it made a nice backdrop for her to lay on). This is the top, waiting for the skirt.

I got this really neat elastic with a little attached ruffle, from this Etsy seller and used it for her sleeves! I like the way it turned out. BTW, the Etsy seller had great prices on things, and super fast shipping! I'll be back!

One of THEM days.

I do not love all dolls I run into.  Sometimes I just cannot bond with them.  I guess it was why I was able to get rid of dolls I had in the past. They did not "speak" to me.  Today I finished one for a lady and it was "I have to get this done and out of here " job.  so she is done.  From this

 to this

I like her far more now then when I first saw her, but is not one I would say "gee wish I could keep her"...Now to call her mommy and tell her she is ready to go home.

 

Making a Fancy Dress - for a Tea Party

So, my doll, Riley Madison has been invited to a tea party, by her best friend, Samantha. It is Samanatha's birthday. Here are some pictures of my progress.

The sleeves are very puffy, and have some gathering detail around the arm, which I haven't gotten to yet. The lace on the front, is vintage lace from Paris, given to me by my friend Cynthia. It's a little yellowed with age. I'm wondering if I should take it off...? 

It has a VERY full skirt, and longer than her normal dresses.

Isn't this border lace beautiful?

Close up of the lace. The more I look at it, the more I think I should take it off. What do you think?

East Coast

I wanted to post for Prayers for the families in the path of this terrible storm on the East Coast. Stay safe! xo

I had my first sale!!

It's so exciting - I had my first sale from my Handmade Artists shop! 2 dresses and 2 panties for AG doll. They will be Christmas gifts for the buyers granddaughters, and I'm just tickled pink. Now, I've GOT to make time to make more things for my shop! Where do you go to get more time????

karen

Granny Is HERE!

Hi Folks,
Finally figured out how things work!...yay for me.  Dolls, my love, my therapy in unhappy times.  How did a mother of 4 a granny of 8 start playing with dolls?  Easy, I never quit...but they were the human kind for a number of years. They became my threrapy when I misscarried, when friends died and when my mother died.  Now they fill that void.

Dolls can console you...they do not condemn you. You can stick pins in them when sewing and they will not knock your head off and scream bloody murder. If you take their shoes for another they will not get all huffy and not talk to you again. They do not make messes, they do not get too noisy (remove the batteries if they do), They can be high or low maintenance or they can cost nothing.

Dolls are history as we have them back as far as man recorded what he has done in this world. Dolls are images of ones passed or to honor ones still here.  Dolls can be an alter ego. 

Now to stop boring you with my eloquence.  Just enjoy the little monkeys! Granny says so.

 

New AG outfit for sale

I posted a new outfit for sale in my Handmade Artists shop the other day. I love this outfit -

The sweater I made from a thrift store find. I have a nice box of sweaters for this very purpose, as well as boxes of other clothes, bought just to use them as fabric :) It has a zipper in the back.

I knit the skirt from a light blue wool. The pattern is here - ABC Knitting Patterns

It comes with the white leggings, and I made those from a cotton crew sock, and trimmed them with elastic lace. The only thing she needs is SHOES! or boots, considering this is a winter outfit. :)

And it can be purchased in my Handmade Artists shop for $22.00.

I hope you like it! Riley Madison loves it, and she said, "It is the softest sweater ever - it has angora and lambswool in it - I absolutely love it!" (Direct quote from the wearer) :)

New Dress for Riley Madison

New Dress for my AG doll. Made from cotton knit, leather belt, buckle from Sky Blue Pink. Love that site!

I don't really like the way the top 'pokes' out, I need to think of a solution for that part.

And I desperately need to make her some shoes!!! I have everything I need to make them, and I have been practicing, but I need to knuckle down and make this little girl a decent pair of shoes to wear. It's getting to be winter! :) 

Welcome

to The Dolly Club! We cordially invite you to join us to play dollies. We? Who is we? We are the two Karens! We've been friends for years - met online I don't know how many years ago, and have since visited in person several times, and practically live on the phone with each other on some days. And yes, we are both really named Karen :) We have a lot of mutual interests but one of them has always been dolls.

We live about 3 hours apart from each other in Missouri. We play dollies by making new clothes, mailing to the other Karen who tries them on her doll (it doesn't matter which Karen, they go both ways) and takes pictures to send to Karen. Then she sends them back, sometimes with clothes for Karen to try on her doll and on and on it goes.

If you love dolls and especially if you love sewing clothes for them - as we do - there is always a way to play.

Well, now we're inviting all of you to play with us! We're going to do it online, through pictures and stories. Please join us - you'll be added as an author to this blog, and you're invited to post as often as you wish. Tell us the story of how you got the dolls you have, or a story you've made up about your doll and her/his life. We are an imaginative group!

We can't wait to meet you -

Karen and Karen