Raspberry Ripple

 Latest finish in my quest to make one of these dresses in every colourway that King Cole Splash produce.

The colour is Fireburst, but I think Raspberry Ripple when I see it.

The dress is perfect for both Valentines Day and Christmas!

A new dress & an extra touch.

 I've been trying to do some sewing today...fabric came out, went away and came out again...

Patterns were looked at, sighed over and not a lot was achieved.  In the end I decided to sew a little rose and pearls on the front of the dress I made for Peggy Sue the other day.

I love the way she is standing here, slightly coy and shy.

I think this adds just the right extra touch to the dress.

I did make a dress with a Schoenhut pattern.  But the bodice ended up far too big...I should have guessed really.

Still Peggy Sue doesn't seem to mind and enjoyed modelling in it and dancing around.

A few months ago I had no problem thinking about what to sew, now, the sewing mojo seems to have left me and it was a real struggle.

Reading a story

I just couldn't resist taking a few more photos today.

Peggy Sue thought she would read a story with her new doll she received for being so brave during surgery...

She heard someone call her name and there was Owen sitting on the arm of the chair calling out to her.

He scrabbles down and rushes to her side.

Please read to me as well he asks.

She looks up, Is anyone else coming?

Owen clambers up to her ear and whispers something to her.

Thank you, I love you, he whispers...

Peggy Sue is hopping now!

Peggy Sue saw the little girls standing on one leg and wanted to try as well.

Pretty soon she was gaily hopping around on one leg, having a lovely time.

I've done some more work on her face, but the sun was shining and has caught the left eye a funny way.

I do believe she might be smiling, she certainly looks happy.

More changes...

Okay, so I have been playing around a bit more with her eyes today...getting better?  I think they may be.

Her surprise Hermann Teddy Bear is whispering something in her ear.

Or perhaps he is giving her a kiss?

Can you stand on one leg?

Rosie - Darcy Joann, has informed me that all little girls with red hair like hers are called Rosie.  Apparently she has it on good authority as she has spoken to Rosie over at Hittyville and so her name is Rosie, no other name is suitable.  So who is to argue with a strong minded six year old?

Anyway, Rosie and Amy Lynn are having a little competition.

I can stand on one leg.  Can you do this Rosie?  Amy Lyn asks Rosie.

After several attempts Rosie too has a big smile on her face.

Yes I can!  She exclaims.  Shall we see how long we can stand on one leg for?

and that is how I left them....goodness knows how long they will keep it up for!

Peggy Sue's Surgery - Part Seven - make up & massage!

Looking at Peggy Sue's blank face I wondered what on earth I had taken on...  Me?  Paint a face?  Who was I kidding?  The only faces I had painted were either on paper at school, many hundreds of years ago, or  the two Hitty faces I had recently painted, and lets face it, Hitty Patience does have that startled, caught in the headlights look about her!  The other, only marginally better is the boy of the Hitty family, Miles.  So what was I doing thinking I could paint a face for my lovely Schoenhut Miss Dolly?

Looking at this blank face I wondered if I really would dare to do it.  The hardest part is always making that first step... I painted the inside of her mouth black and then painted the sclera and the teeth white.

Oh no!  What do we have here?  Yikes, I really wondered if I was doing the right thing.

Her iris were the next to be painted...I decided to play safe and stay with a brown colour.

I added the pupils...Yes that 'caught in the headlights' startled look.  Oh dear, I really shouldn't have attempted this!  Still in for a penny in for a pound as the saying goes. (I wonder what that really means?)...

trots off to look it up...

If something is worth doing then it is a case of in for a penny, in for a pound, which means that when gambling or taking a chance, you might as well go the whole way and take all the risks, not just some.

Originally with reference to the fact that if one owed a penny, one might as well owe a pound  as the penalties for non-payment were virtually identical in severity.

Next I painted her eyelids...

and then the corners of her eyes a skin coloured pink.  I also highlighted the iris with a bronze and then painted in her eyebrows, trying to achieve a feathered look.  All this is amazingly far more difficult than it sounds.

Lips I choose to mix white and red together to soften the colour....no, don't like that at all!

Decided to try red for her lips...I think it is better, but not entirely convinced...

Hmmm...best not to look close up I am thinking!

I am wondering what she is thinking. She doesn't look too upset.

Perhaps more resigned...as if to say, oh well if this is the best she can do...

I may well change her face as time goes on and I get more confident, but in the mean time I am going to go with it and see how I feel about it after a few days.

The next step was the waxing and polishing.  It was a bit like giving a massage...something I could have done with!

I am loving the grain and colours that are coming out.

Just a shame she has the scorch marks on her face.  Still I guess it adds to character, and at least she isn't all wrinkly like me!

Not having another wig for her, nor finding one I like yet, I decided to give her wig a wash.  I used a wool wash and then a fabric conditioner, combed it through and then left in for a while.  It was then rinsed and left to dry.

Yes I know your fringe is sticking up...I really am not quite sure what to do with it!

Well as she had been given a full body work over I thought I better make a new dress.

Yes I used the same skirt fabric that I made a dress for Anne-Marie with.

Peggy Sue returns to her bedroom

I'm not sure she has spotted the newcomer yet...

I think she may have now by the startled expression on her face...

to be continued.