A set of drawers

Anne-Marie & Peggy Sue were lucky enough to get a 'new' set of drawers which I discovered in a charity shop in good condition.  The perfect size for them.  Flora is also admiring it beside Peggy Sue.

Looks like those cheeky monkeys are up to mischief as well!

Blue Cardigan finished.

I realised while I was knitting this cardigan the other evening that I had used this pattern before.  Anyway, it was all pretty much plain sailing and using the quarter size smaller needles made it the right size to fit Peggy Sue. 

I finished it last night while watching a DVD and sewed the buttons on this morning and she couldn't wait to try it on.

The cardigan looks nice on her and is a good fit.  The stripes are even, I think it must either be an illusion from the photo, or I sewed the buttons on uneven...must check!  

I'm so upset by her face though :-(  

Now must get cracking and get ready to go to Quilting Group.

Christmas Dress

I cut out several Christmas dresses today and some Christmas trousers, ready to take to Quilting group tomorrow to sew.  I should of course be finishing my quilts, but they are on hold until I can afford some backing fabric.  

I was delighted to discover that the Christmas dresses that I made last year for some of my Sasha girls fit Peggy Sue perfectly.  I do like to be able to use clothes for multiple dolls, it does make things a lot easier sometimes.

Here she is waving to Rosey and Sally, having heard all about them from Anne-Marie.  

Don't forget to say hello to Mabel as well, calls Anne-Marie.  I don't think she has a blog.

She looks very sweet in her dress.  

Unfortunately I knocked the paint bubbles on her face the other day and the paint has flaked off - it wasn't a particularly good face repaint, although I do like her eyes.

Of course what to do now with the 'scars' is the question.  Do I strip her face completely and start again, or try to patch it up?  Not that this will be done before Christmas - not a chance!

To Make Lists...

Figured out what was wrong and sorted it.  Using the Catalogue Card Generator I made some lists.

So here are my two lists, no deadline, just things I want to make for my Schoenhut girls in between my Sasha Sweater Winter Project and other things I have to do.

I have already made Anne-Marie quite a few things, so thought I ought to focus on some things she really needs.  I really wasn't happy with the Blue Velvet Winter coat I made her, so I am going to either take it apart and re-sew it, or make another, hopefully one which will fit and hang better this time.

I seem to be favouring the name Peggy Sue at the moment for the new girl, whether it will stay or not I am not sure, but thought I would use that as her name in the mean time on her card..  

Her list of course is much longer as I haven't made anything for her yet. I realise looking at these two lists that I haven't included pillows and pillow cases for the bedding, so mustn't forget those!

These lists may get revamped as I think about things, but give me some guidance as to what to focus on for a change.  

Sasha & Schoenhut Comparison and some more knitting

Lucy says hello to the new girl, they are very similar in height.

We are still working on her name!

I had lots of plans today, but none came to fruition...just not feeling quite right yet.

I started a new cardigan last night, a pattern I haven't tried before.

I'm using wool I already have.  

I have been working on some lists of things I want to make to try and focus rather just make a whole lot of outfits, without any thought to whether they match or anything which I am inclined to do otherwise.  My list is complete, I am just working on a way to display it...computer is not doing as it is told!

A new cardigan and a comparison photo

This morning I finished the cardigan I have been making for Anne-Marie.  I used a chunky wool and instead of the hood, I knitted a collar.

I thought she needed a cardigan that would go with all sorts of colours.

I wasn't really sure how the collar would work out as only have the pattern for the hood, but was quite pleased with my attempt at improvisation!

As promised yesterday I have taken a comparison photo of Anne-Marie and the new little girl standing together.  I must also take one of her with Sasha.

As you can see quite a difference indeed!

I adjusted the shadows and highlights in this photo.

So it is Friday

Once I have finished working on my Sasha Secret Santa Swap gifts, which will hopefully be this weekend, I am hoping to work on some outfits for Anne-Marie.  First I need to work out what she has so far and what she needs, as my dressmaking for her has been random at best with no planning or much thought at all!  I am currently working on a list and hope to refine it.  

I sold one of my lovely Gotz dolls the other day, she has gone to live in Scotland.  I am hoping to advertise some more dolls and other things this weekend to make the most of Evilbay's free listing weekend.  I prefer to sell privately from my blog to avoid the fees, plus it means I can sell them at a slightly lower price, but of course don't get the same coverage as I would on Evilbay.  Still I am making progress slowly, although have to confess to slipping up the other day...oops!  Today Anne-Marie welcomed home a younger sister.  Now I had no intention of getting another Schoenhut as Anne-Marie really is rather special, however due to her larger size of 21 inches, she will not be so easy to travel with, and I do like to be able to take a doll places with me and whilst Henry usually fulfils that role, sometimes I would like to have a little girl doll with me, so I am hoping this new girl, might be the one.  Time will tell.  Certainly the price was good, and better still no custom charges! She is much smaller than Anne-Maire - I will have to do a comparison photograph tomorrow, and is also much lighter.  She fits the larger size Sasha dresses I have so was able to wear this dress that I made some time ago. Of course she will also need warmer clothes for winter.

Her arms are a little loose at the shoulders, I am not sure if this can be remedied or not, but otherwise all her joints work well.  She looks like she has been repainted at some stage and I may well strip her back to wood, I am not sure on this yet as I need to get to know her first.

I don't think her eyes have been repainted though.

I finished another cardigan/jacket the other night which was going to be part of a swap gift, but I realised half way through that I'd done the button holes on the wrong side, so would have to keep it and make another.  Fortunately it fits this little girl, so she has something to keep her warm.

Oh dear, a most unflattering photo, looks like she has a double chin!

Now to think of a name for her.

Bed and Boots

Last week I found what I thought would be a suitable bed for Anne-Marie.  It needs a good tidy up.  The bed turned out to be too short for her.  However, Anne-Marie had other ideas and demonstrated how she could fit into it until we managed to find a bigger one.

She covered herself with some makeshift blankets and a pillow she found.

And snuggled up with Florence her little pink rabbit.

I had to laugh as when I took the covers away to see how she had curled up, she still had all her clothes on including her shoes!

We did have a giggle.  

Anyway I will make her up some sheets and a blanket and plan a patchwork quilt cover to make.

Today an unexpected extra package of shoes arrived in the post which fit Anne-Marie perfectly.

I do think she is rather pleased with these fur lined boots as she danced and jigged away for me.

She really is good fun to have around.

A Letter to Sally

Dear Sally,

I am so glad the dress that my Mum has made fits you well, you do look so pretty in it.  I have worked out that you are my cousin for sure, it has to be true as I so want a lovely little sweet cousin like you so we can keep in touch with each other.  

A while ago I wrote to Rosey who I am sure must be another cousin of mine and told her all about where I came from, although I have very few memories, and how I came to live in England.  I have been promising to write about where I live now for ages.

My home is a bungalow, a single storey house and it is detached which means it isn't attached to another house.  Lots of places over here are attached to at least one other house and are called semi-detached, or if to lots of house, a terrace.  We are lucky as we have a big front and back garden with lots of trees planted which means there are lots of birds around which is nice as unfortunately we are also quite close to the big motorway called the M25, which roars away in distance.  My Mum tries to pretend it is the sea roaring sometimes, but I'm not convinced.

We live in the county of Hertfordshire which has a fascinating history and I still have much to learn.  So far I have learnt that it was an area originally assigned to a fortress in Hertford in 913 and was under the rule of Edward the Elder.  Isn't that amazing?  The name Hertfordshire first appeared in 1011 in the Anglo-Sazon Chronicle.  I just can't imagine anything that old.  When you drive into Hertfordshire you see signs with the emblem of a deer on it.

Apparently they have found evidence of humans in Hertfordshire from even earlier than that, since the Middle Stone Age.  Goodness, it almost makes me feel giddy thinking about that. My Mum has told me that the Romans also settled here and that one day she will take me to see the Roman ruins in St Albans which used to be called Verulamium.  St Albans takes its name from St Alban, the first British martyr who was an Anglo Roman soldier who took the place of a Christian priest and was then beheaded.  I don't like to think about that sort of thing and don't want to scare you so won't say any more about that, except to say it was a very very long time ago around 293.

On to nicer things...we live close to London and can catch a train there, although I haven't been on a train yet.  Mum has said she will take me up there one day when her shoulder is feeling better as I am quite a heavy girl.  (giggle)

It gets dark here really early now.  It didn't when I first arrived but they change the clocks.  Not really sure why they do that, but they do, either forwards an hour or backwards an hour in summer and winter.  So that means now it is dark at a bout 4.30pm which is horrible and soon it will be darker even earlier!  It has actually been quite dark here all day, which is why there aren't any photos today and I decided to write my letter instead.  It has been wet and miserable and feels very damp outside.  I have kept busy reading my books.

Well it is going to be dinner time soon and as Mum has been helping me with some of the bigger words in this letter I have to go now so she can cook our dinner.  I might see if I can help her, although I thinks she wants to make me an apron first.

Love to you Sally,

Anne-Marie

PS I hope you read this as well Rosey.

It fits Anne-Marie

Going through my American Girl dolls and their clothing today I pulled out this dress that I made for Samantha earlier in the year.  I thought it may well fit Anne-Marie and be appropriate for her era.

It is actually quite a nice fit, although perhaps looks a bit like a school uniform?  I think it makes her look older as well.

Dolls for Sale

Still trying to reduce my debt - getting much closer now, although I hate having to decide who is staying and who is to go.  Please email me if you are interested, or leave a comment on my blog with a contact email address (I don't have to publish your comment if you don't want me to) and I will get back to you.  Postage costs need to be added on depending on where you live.

In unplayed with condition, only a few months old £65.00 SOLD

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Gotz 305 My Little Sister/Precious Day 18 inch soft body doll £55.00 SOLD

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Gotz My Little Sister Sold

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Gorgeous American Girl Doll Samantha £80.00 - with drawn from sale

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Tressy's Hair Salon & Model -Sold

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Mission 2000 Action Man Never Removed from box, watch needs new battery - £30.00 SOLD

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30th Anniversary, Collectors Edition Action Man, Never removed from box £50.00

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Sindy horse in excellent condition, think I also have the jodphurs, boots and top.  Sold.

Heidi Ott: Faithful Friends 

Sold