Dolls Around The House

Good Morning Everyone!! The house is very quiet and I am sipping on green tea. I drink it for health reasons otherwise it wouldn't be my first choice. ";

I thought I would show you a few of my new dolls today. I collect vintage linens and fabric and whatnots. I have promised myself I have to use up most of my 'stash' before I go out and buy, cajole, trade, or steal any more. With the kids living with us, i have had to 'cramp up' a bit for storage.

This first one is an angel that I made out of John's great auntie Cleo's tablecloth. It was smoke damaged in the house fire but i kept it for sentimental reasons. I dressed her in a vintage pillowcase---also Auntie Cleo's. I attached wings and a halo made from vintage christmas beads strung on wire. They were already broken on their string. I picked up the entire bag at the thrift store for $.99!

I found some velvet ribbon on one side and gold paper on the other. It was in a bag and had been cut into strips and rolled up. I undid as many as I needed for her hair. Her face is just
micron ink pens.

I attached the doll to a small vintage rose trellis that originally was dark green. I spray painted it black. Her Hearts are made out of felt and cross stitched. The verse says "Rejoice in the Lord Always." She is about 3 ft high and hangs on the wall in our dining room.



She is also embellished with an embroidered linen doily and a cross I was given on my first medical trip to Guatemala in 1985.

I used large black vintage buttons at her shoulders. I also added vintage lace to her sleeves.

This Raggedy Annie was made from an old cutter quilt. I used lace doilies for her underskirt as well as her collar. She sits in the kitchen with the red and white enamel ware. The girls love to drag her around.

This last one I call Sprout. She hangs in the front entranceway. I love the sunflower fabric.

I used solid green cotton for her arms and legs and then did a light acrylic green wash over her face until I liked the look. After she dried I used micron pens for her features.

I embellished her with a lace doilie underskirt as well as a linen doilie collar. I had a crocheted vintage doilie with flowers and leaves so cut those up to embellish around her face and on one foot. I thought it made her look more like a garden sprite.

Right now I have three different doll bodies sewn and stuffed, tea stained or partially painted and that is my goal for the next few days....to finish those. I will post the results!!!!!!

keep smiling

catie

MORE SWAP GOODNESS!!!!!

I had to leave earlier so i couldn't post my next swap project. OKay Natasha if you don't want to see it then DON'T PEEK!!!!! hA! That seems like 'here is a piece of candy but just look---no touching!!!'

This swap is from Jenny'sBITS AND PIECES SWAP Check these out at: http://journals.aol.com/jennyeveryday/everyday-is-a-holiday/

I have been doing some collage work lately and I just fell into this project with such happiness!!! Natasha from http://natashaburns.blogspot.com/ has a very pink girly personality and makes the prettiest things. She mentioned she liked pinks and green and I just so happened to be spray painting my white wicker furniture pinks and apple green................so i took my canvas and painted apple green, then after it dried, sprayed on patches of sweet pea pink!!!

I loved the affect. I had vintage pink and gold rick rack that i outlined the squares with. I had every intention of staying 'between the lines' but got carried away. When I came up for air, had spilled over every line. But I wouldn't want it any other way.
So here it is Natasha-----it will be coming to you soon!!!! Hope you like it!!!





catie

SWAP MADNESS!!!!!!!

I have been so busy with my Swap projects. It has been so fun and has certainly inspired my creativity. I could do this every week!!

I am not sure how to put the buttons for the swaps on my blog...........can anyone help me? PLease? Thank you.

The first swap is the tiara swap sponsored by the very talented Holly at http://hollydoodledesigns.com/WordPress/ check these out!

My partner was the delightful creator of Garboodles, Micah at Garboodles Soup
http://garboodles.typepad.com/

Micah I do hope you like your tiara!! I wanted it to be about you----I walked into a thrift store the day after I read all about micah. I found three little doll heads/half bodies for $.99! She collects antique dolls and loves victorian stuff.

I was inspired to take them home and dress them in victorian clothing.



Grand daughter Nakiah posed for this shot!





I hope you find this to your liking!!!!!

this is our 2 yr old grand daughter Tovi joi.

catie ann

we have sunnnnnn!!!

After two weeks of nothing but cloudy, gray wet, cold weather, the sun appeared this morning along with a blue cloudless sky!!!!

My mood is much lighter. I have been pretty busy the last two weeks with supporting John's recovery from his knee surgery and all our girls were home once again this past weerkend for three days.

We got to spend a lot of time with the big girls and my little ones---four of the five grand daughters were here. We missed you Naia!!! We told our son we wanted him to express mail her so she could join her cousins.!!

Of course all that rain has really brought out the weeds and the flower beds are in dire need of being cleaned out once again. BUt the beautiful flowers are worth it.

Here are a few of our blooming roses; A few are so heavy they are leaning waaaay over on their stems.

My New Garden Path

The weather has been nicer for more days in a row than this spring and I love being outdoors trying to accomplish some of the goals I have had for the last few years!

I love having Brianna and Jason here this summer to help out. I have always waned a nice path from the front yard to the back through the side where I have a cottage garden area.

I have been collecting dinner plates here and there. A few weeks ago when Megan was here to help, her and I laid the paper/black plastic and these pavers to form a path.

Then we found colored river rock in bags at Home Depot and Jason helped spread them through the pavers.

Ryan and Sarah arrived for the week end and helped so much. Brianna and I placed plates half way down into the dirt so they stand along side the pavers and rock.
I found some scottish moss and Brianna planted those for me as well.

I love the final result. I have seen something like this in my mind's eye for a long time now. I want to make a shorter one in the front by the front entrance soon.

NEW DECK TABLE............woohoo

Two years ago we took down part of our old wood fence that separated the front yard from the back.

John wanted to junk them and I begged him not to. They have been neatly stacked in one area of the yard waiting for me to do something with them.

A few weeks ago I got energetic and had Brianna drag one section into the back yard for me. She even sanded down some of the roughtest parts of the planks.

I then nailed the section of fence to an old bench of John's auntie's with large fence nails and voila----I had myself a coffee table height table for the deck.

I then took some green print and pink print papers and tore them randomly and glues them down on the table willy nilly. Originally I had planned on decoupaging the entire table top but we all decided we liked some of the wood showing through.

I love it. I have added four coats of varathane and want to add as many more. The table is a perfect height. I have wicker chairs and a settee that fit around it nicely so it can be used as a 'deck coffee' table or for a meal.