Long ago, G Street Fabrics was far, far away. Then they opened two stores in Northern Virginia. My house was smack dab in the middle of them. So I could choose which one to go to depending on which direction had less traffic at any given time. Once upon a time, they were the best place to find natural fiber fabrics and threads, books on sewing and crafts, fabulous trims … Continue reading
Today, I am going to share with you updates on several projects and some of my summer adventures with Super Girl. First, I got goodies today. The second kit in my Cabinet of Curiosities course arrived. It had been delayed because of manufacturing and shipping issues, but it’s finally here and I can’t wait to start playing with all the goodies. Along with the other goodies, I got silk gimp … Continue reading
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I have written numerous times about how good it is to whittle down a collection. But, over time, it seems that the numbers have increased again. Best laid plans… My collection isn’t as large as it once was, nor as small as I had planned, but sometimes I just NEED another doll. When I bought my Huret, one of the dolls that I sold to pay for her was a … Continue reading
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Day 2. I’m pooped. I have been out of town with family, so my summer with Super Girl (SG) just started yesterday. She came in ready for limitless fun. Me, not so much. My stitching/woodworking/sewing mojo has been a bit underwhelming lately. I’ve gotten a bit done on several projects, but not as much as I could have. Now it seems I will be spending my creative time on SG … Continue reading
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I live in the Washington, DC area and my doll club meets on the other side of the Potomac River. Last Thursday evening I made a rare journey to my doll club meeting. It only took 1 1/2 hours to get there, during rush hour traffic, around the DC beltway. Coming home, later that evening, took me just under 30 minutes. There have been times I’ve tried to go to a meeting … Continue reading
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The hinges on my doll-sized 17th-century embroidered casket are giving me troubles. I considered using the post title “unhinged”, but that’s too cutesy for what I’ve been experiencing, so I opted for my old stand by, alliteration. I spent all afternoon on Sunday, most of Sunday evening and all afternoon yesterday fussing with the $#*& hinges. And they still aren’t right. If I added all the time I’ve spend figuring … Continue reading
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I have mostly finished decorating the inside of my doll-sized, soon-to-be embroidered, 17th-Century casket. I just need to decorate the insides of the lids. Unfortunately, the outside is still naked. I haven’t installed the hinges yet, but here’s what you see when you remove the top lid and the doors. They are covered with silk tissue taffeta. It was a challenge to work with such thin silk and not have … Continue reading
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I don’t get philosophical about the concept of retail therapy. I just know it works! So, here’s my latest doll fix: Her face is sweet and her blue eyes are captivating. The color on her nose is rubbed off giving her a bit of a pug-nose look. Since I live with the exquisite Lily the pug, I am charmed. I bought her on eBay from a French dealer from whom I have … Continue reading
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I know it’s been a while… I haven’t had a lot of time to do creative stuff lately, and I needed to be quiet for a while. But I did finish my S&H 890’s slip/dress and I have a couple of things to share. First, I promised a trick for finishing the neckline with all it’s tucks. If I turned everything to the inside, it would leave a lot of … Continue reading
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I have a confession. When I first started making reproduction dolls, I did so without ever seeing the antique dolls I was copying. Pictures of the dolls served as the standard to work from. Boy, did I get some surprises when I finally got to see the dolls in person. It is amazing to do research into a subject, like 17th century embroidery, and study volumes of photographs of antique pieces. … Continue reading
