Mollie Makes US edition!!!

I was so excited to see this at the Long Thread That I went ahead and ordered it. Right away!

Yee-haw. I sparingly bought the UK version because 1) it was over $$$ and 2) I don't live in the city anymore. When I did get to a Chapters store, there were none left.

So am I excited? Yes. It's cheaper and now it can be delivered to my home. I know I could have gotten the digital version, but I am a paper in hand kinda girl.

Bring on the eye candy.


Mollie Makes

a doll for Ava

A few weeks ago, I got an order to make a doll for a 1 year old.

Luckily, I had just found the extra Waldorf doll body I purchased when I made the doll for Neve. 

What fun. 

I'm always nervous to create a character. I find that mostly, the character defines itself.

The order was for blue eyes and red/orange hair.

I set about for the eyes and some clothes.

 We don't have any fancy yarn shops in town, so I saved up my shopping list for a trip to 

Have a Yarn, Mahone Bay.

What a treat! you should go.

I couldn't find orangey wool, 

so I got this.

I love it!!

 I used the 3 layer technique from here and then added an extra few strands to the top front. 

I purposely chose the orangey tones for the front of the face.

And I changed the eye colour and shape. The other eyes were creeping me out. :}

 Fun FUn FUN

 Here she is in some pjs. I also made another pant suit, but have misplaced the top. 

I mean, really!!!! Where is it? I'm so absent minded. It will show up in the most unusual place, I'm sure, as I've already checked the obvious places. Maybe it's with my wedding rings that I recall taking off in the middle of the night trip to the washroom. I remember putting them in a safe place while going back to the bedroom. Really safe, for sure. 

And the long lost, good sunglasses that I misplaced last fall? FOUND by Rafael. Out by the stick pile. They spent the winter outdoors, under the snow. 

Anyhow, I digress....

 Here she is with the Neve Doll made in 2011. Neve is an 18 inch doll and Ava is a 13 inch doll.

The girls are having a slumber party. 

Hope they go to sleep early and don't make a mess in the bedroom with their popcorn.

Ciao,

Amanda

photography shoot

Neve is a Cloverbud member of the local 4-H club. 4-H is a new thing for us. I like that it is nature based. Up until almost 2 years ago, my children's nature immersion was limited to trips away from the city or the small pockets of nature in our community. There are some delights to be sure, but nothing beats learning about nature by living in it.

This weekend, the Cloverbuds were invited to try photography.

On a sunny, but still windchilled day, she set met her friends 

and set out to shoot some pictures of her mouse friend.

(I could have paid more attention to the focus too.)

It was neat to see her find spots to put him and the different angles she chose.

 I like the mouse in the hole. There was snow in the bottom.

 Some big boulders there.

 the forest floor.

 She had a wonderful time. You could tell she felt freedom and was using her imagination.

I snapped this picture from across the harbour. 

Sometimes, I still can't believe that I actually get to live here.

Last week, we got happy mail from a relative.

That chicken fabric will make a nice tablecloth.

I think the fun paper doll cutout one will be a little dress for a little friend. 

It's been a few years since I've made a wee dress. 

That was the first thing that I returned to sewing with.. a little sundress for Neve.

Oh, so many years ago. 

After a wonderfully, sunny and warm day yesterday ( I worked inside for the most of it),

it is so down heartening to have a miserably rainy day today.

The ducks made a visit on the pond, the squirrel and birds are still eating form the feeder, 

so I'll take their cue and continue on.

I'll be creating a new life in the form of a Waldorf doll face today. And hopefully some clothes.

Have a good one,

Amanda

Here come da bunny...

I finally got this guy put together.

 I love his matching pants and ears. And his watch. He's a busy bunny

Do you remember me lamenting about my sweater hill?

Well, after several attempts that were interrupted by storage bins in the city, not here,

2 weeks of the winter plague and working....

 It's finally clear!!

Whew. I can breathe in here.

Those black bins under the table were the biggest ones I could find. 

I wished they were clear, but they got the job done.

When you live in a small town with nil shopping, 

you take what you can get when you run around in the city.

And the bonus of setting up this table is another work surface. 

My sewing table needs considerable attention that I'm not willing to do today.

Must get some firewood. Can you believe it's snowing here? Wet snow, but snow none the less.

This little guy doesn't seem to mind.

Ciao,

Amanda

Snow Day

Well, the Mother of all storms did come.

We stayed snuggled inside all day. the kids made loom band treasures.. all day. 

They are still making them. 

Around 5 pm, I decided to venture outside to check on the chickens.

Nope, not going out that door!

 The back door was snowed in also. 

Good thing this house has 5 doors!

 Tarps blew off of everything.

This is our driest wood pile. Sorry, WAS our driest woodpile.

 The snow even blew into the shed through the vented eaves on the top.

 This guy ate all the seed from the feeder early in the morning.

Then discovered the feeder on the other side of the house. 

Greedy. Hungry.

 Gusty winds, blowing snow. Drifts just like sand dunes.

This storm was ok here today. We didn't have to go out. 

We had everything we needed. The kids were content.

Good supper in the crock pot and all my laundry was done by 9:30 am.

But tomorrow..

I'm fearing tomorrow will be another snow day to clean up all this mess.

I hope the contented feelings linger.

But if not,

Take that!

Keep warm and dry.

Amanda

Fingerless mittens

Soooooo,

How goes?

I have something exciting to show you, but first, I must mention an occurrence that will be happening tomorrow.

Mother of all Storms!

I've played pioneer woman this afternoon, stapling the plastic tarps on the chicken run, wood piles and getting 3 loads of wood in and outside the door. 

'Cause folks, they say it will be a doozy. 

With a storm surge. With the last storm surge warning, it did indeed flood on Dock Street. 

I'll keep you updated.

Now, onto the thing at hand...

On my hands...

I did a little pattern shopping with

Jan at Fibers and Twigs

 Fingerless mittens... with Thumbs! I've had many requests over the years for fingerless mittens, but I'd not found a pattern I was happy with. Most of them were just a sleeve with an opening in the seam for your thumb to stick out. These... these have actual thumbs! 

 Jan's patterns are very thorough. There are multiple sizes that are printer ready. Her written instructions come with pictures. I was very impressed with them. I ordered 5 different ones!

Wonder what I'll make next?

The ones on the left (size large) are available at the Flying Fox Bake Shop.

 Along with a few pairs of mittens... some lined, some unlined.

I'm going to fill the bathtub and a few other prep things, just in case...

Have a good one,

Amanda

Bunnies in a basket WIP

I spent 2 glorious days in my studio.. playing. Exploring, taking my time. Enjoying the process.

Wanna see what's ready for some hand sewing?

This little one is compliments of Abby at While She Naps, Sophia, the Bunny.

I need to work on the ear positioning. I think it shows more like a yoda or something. 

Ear and eye positioning is very important people!

I used a beaded sack in the bottom as she suggests. It has a nice clunk to it when you put it down, but the stuffing makes it oh so squeezable.

 Next up is Betz White's Cashmere Bunny. I've made this before here with fleece and experimenting with the tail. This soft cashmere version is great. I forgot to show you the ears. It's like the heart. And it will have a little felted wool bead as the tail.

 And lastly, in my bunny making, is this little lad from Abby's book, Stuffed Animals.

I was so excited to finally make him. He's been in my brain for far too long. I love that his ears match his pants. I wonder what kind of face he will have??

 That's what's been in my basket. Hoping to do a little finishing on at least one of them tonight.

Please let the children go to bed in a timely manner before I get too tired! :}

Have a good one

Amanda