Sunday, August 12, 2012

Some finishes & some new beginnings . . .

Hello everyone,

How are you all out there???  So sorry I have been missing in action lately.  I just didnt get near the computer while my Mum was staying & then I had to take her home again which is a 4 hour journey so I stayed 2 nights & then drove back again :-)

a clump of daffodils flowering by the pond which I dont even remember planting. . .


I must confess I didn't get anywhere near the amount of crafting done I had hoped while Mum was here but I did have a bit of a "marathon" before she arrived & managed to complete some long-ago-started projects. 

Now for those that know me it is no surprise to learn that one of my absolute all-time favourite things in the whole world is dolls - I loved them as a child & I never outgrew this love,  & now I simply LOVE to make them - I would make dolls every single day if I could :-)


I had long ago made some doiley dolly bodies & decided it was way past time they had some clothes made for them (poor wee things feeling the cold this winter) . . . 

Cutting out down on the floor as usual :-)
 I love to sort through my doiley stash & decide which combinations to put together - sometimes a placemat will appeal or sometimes an old crochet doiley will make a great collar . . . 
I try to use every part of the doiley where possible & like to use the lace edgings on them as part of the clothing . . . 

This dress was once a vintage pillowslip  - isnt it beautiful??
A girl cant go anywhere without her face on . . .
 Have a look & see if you like my combinations . . . 

An old traycloth
A vintage runner
An old pillowslip
A round lace edged doiley
Miss Butterfly up close

Do you have a favourite ? ? ?  They look simply gorgeous dotted amongst vintage china - most at home :-)


My friend Elaine had asked me awhile ago to make her a small sized penny rug to sit on top of an old nail box that she had some vintage tools sitting inside (the box was turned on its side! !) - she wanted something without any detail in the centre as she planned to sit things on the rug & any centre piece would not be seen  . . .


 I didnt have any idea at this point what I was going to do but I found myself randomly tracing out hearts & stars using a country colour pallette . . . 
this is what I came up with - simple but effective colours & design . . . 

And plenty of room in the centre to sit things


 Plus it looked most at home on my old wooden bench table in the lounge - oh & just fits perfectly :-)   (whoops, sorry Elaine)


I had been moving a ragdoll pattern around in my sewing room for several months planning to make some up - she is called "Sunshine" & is a Lil Blokes pattern from Lyn Hyland - I make alot of Lyns gollie patterns & really love her designs.

Yep - back on the floor again . . .

After making up the doll bodies & playing around with fabrics for dresses, I decided the dolls were much too pale . . .  so they got dunked in my teabag/parissian essence mixture (poor wee souls)  . . . 

Headfirst in we go - now hold your breath ! ! !

No dolls were harmed in the making of this blog post ! ! !

Thats better - much darker - we cant have a pale raggedy now can we ??!!  :-) 
I have almost finished my 2 Sunshines (just doing their hair) - & will have pictures of them for you on my next post.


I just had to snap these pics of the cows directly behind my cottage in the early morning light yesterday  . . .   it is calving time again & this lot are waiting to have their babies . . . 

Dont take photos of me - it is NO fun this pregnancy lark ! !
Waiting to give birth & fed up ~! ! !

With all the daffodils flowering & I saw lots of magnolias in bloom down in Taranaki, it looks like we are in for an early spring this year 


I love spring & look forward to it - I think it is probably my most favourite season - full of hope I always think,  after the wintertime :-)

I will be back again real soon friends with some more things I wanted to blog about but before I go I wanted to share with you this delightful picture I took of the window display in a lovely little florist Shop down in Hawera called Wishing Well Flowers - it made me smile & made my heart feel good - hope it does for you too . . . 

Not great pics with the reflection but you get the general idea I hope :-)
 I hope you all have a great weekend - I am off to do more sewing - take care out there folks & happy creating where-ever you are . . . 

Much love,
Julie Xoxo  (gosh I have just noticed how BAD my photography actually is of the shop windows - SO SORRY - quite hard with the relection of vehicles in the background)

4 comments:

  1. Wonderful post Julie,your dolls are gorgeous.You sure made up for lost craft time. The weather has been lousy and you wouldn't have been able to garden either so good warm fuzzy time with dollies and penny rugs(which is really lovely)couldn't think of anything better. Hugs Shirley

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  2. Hi Shirley - thanks for your lovely comment. Yes definately good crafting weather lately ! ! I need to pull my crochet out again & give it some attention. Catch up soon - Luv Julie Xox

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  3. Hello Julie...so nice to "see" you. Aren't the first daffs so wonderful...I have two in my front garden & one has fallen over with all the rain : 0 might just have to pick it. What sweet doily dolls...my fav is definitely little " Miss hearts & roses". So pleased to see the "Wishing Wells" window...such pretty things. I think it's nearly impossible to take good photos of anything through glass but still well good enough to see the display. If you do get around to doing some more crochet try popping in to Attic 24 http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/ as Lucy has posted some really nice little patterns & I have to say that I think that her tutorials are the best I've seen anywhere. Thanks so much for your comments & visiting me last week...so very much appreciated. Love & friendship..Catherine x0x0x0

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    1. Sorry Catherine - meant to get back to you sooner - thanks for the referral about Attic 24 - what an amazing blog!! My crochet has not progressed very far I am sorry to report.
      I am wondering if you are getting all this rain we are having over here & thinking it may prevent you from your gardening jobs?? Do hope you are getting some sunshine over your way - thanks always for stopping by & your encouragement. Love/hugs, Julie :-)

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