Handmade

Front of snow lady

close up of her basket

close up of her wreath and skates

Side view, wanted you to see the hat

Isn't this adorable? This snow lady went to a friend's house last night as a combined birthday and Christmas present. Yeah, I know it was really early, but I wanted her to enjoy it for the entire season.

This doll is handmade by a woman who lives in Eugene, IN. That would be Linda Wilson, the owner of The Gingerbread Shed. I have been a customer of Linda's since 1989, the year my husband and I retired from Crete IL. to Kingman, IN. It is about a 10 mile drive to the west from Kingman to Eugene, and I know none of you have any idea of where I am talking about. Central Indiana, 45 miles north of Terre Haute, almost to the Indiana/Illinois line. But when you live in the country, 10 miles is absolutely nothing. It's "a run", as in "I'm taking a run to the store. Want anything?"

Should you ever find yourself in that part of the country, please try and find The Gingerbread Shed. It is a wonderful place to wander, loaded with all types of primitives, collectibles, linens, garden decorations, you name it. Floor to ceiling, and out the door, weather permitting.

It makes my heart happy to visit The Shed. Peace.
Linda

Mirabelle and her Melon

Good Morning.

This is the latest primitive doll I made. Actually, she was sewn, stuffed, and painted in January. I didn't finish the grunge look and clothes until last week, just before the spring sale. Beginning to suspect ADD in my old age.....

In the first photos, Mirabelle is wearing a dress of cotton fabric, and in the last photo, she has on blue coveralls of cotton. She wears a bell on a rusty wire around her neck, and holds a big slice of watermelon. Her face is needle sculpted, raising the stuffing and muslin with button thread for the eyebrows, nose, and her mouth. This is a process that requires you to swear a lot and run for bandaids. A lot. But I really love the look it gives to a doll's face. So I just grinned at the dogs, and kept on sewing.

Thanks for stopping by.
Linda

I did this! Me!!

On Saturday, December 22nd, I went grocery shopping at Walmart. I know. We should all support small, local markets. There aren't any. Not at this time of year. Anyway, I was at Wally World and decided to buy a sewing machine. I had donated the portable Brother machine I had, that literally fell apart, to Good Will several weeks ago. This time I bought a Singer. Not expensive, trust me.

I came home and pulled out the few patterns I had for primitive crafts. My idea was to make my friend, Cathy, a Christmas present. It is 2pm on the 22nd. Yeah, that's the way I roll sometimes. Let's put the pressure on! I had material, fiber fill, and thread in the house, so I just plain started.

The above is what I accomplished by 3pm on Christmas Eve. There was time out to teach a class, walk the dogs, misc. chores. I think I did pretty good. For someone who has said, repeatedly, that she can't sew, I think I did damn good.

I am now on a roll. I have another doll completed (these did indeed go to Cathy for presents), and a second doll started. I am enjoying these projects. It's taking the edge off the fact that every time you look out the window, more snow is falling.

Another 5 inches last night. Sigh. Stay safe. Do something you love.
Linda

Pine Cones

My little Jake

Yesterday afternoon I had been gone, and I was having mom guilt. You know. The dogs look at you with those pathetic eyes and make you feel like you have been depriving them of all attention. Yeah, that look. So for the second time that day, I put their harnesses on and we went for a walk. This time I took them on a new path system very close to the house, around the new YMCA.

The path wanders around the edge of several acres, close to some older homes with lots of pine trees. I am in Christmas craft mode of late, so I decided I would gather a few pine cones to use in some projects.

I am an idiot.

I just want to clarify that. Never pick up fresh pine cones full of sap. I now have pine tree sap on both dog leashes, the handles of my car, and probably my jacket that I was wearing at the time. The only way I removed this sticky substance from my hands so I could drive us home was with alcohol swabs, which I carry in the console of the car along with band aids because I am constantly getting injured. That is another story. I ended up placing the 3 cones in a clean doggie poop bag provided by the park.

Realizing that I couldn't use the pine cones in their present state on the craft I had in mind, I googled how to dry pine cones. There are 3 methods: line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place the cones in a single layer on said sheet. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and bake the cones for up to 30 minutes, watching constantly for fire and smoke. Really? Constantly? I kind of like my house.

Second method is to soak the pine cones in water with a cup of vinegar added for 30 minutes. This will also debug the cones, leave them dull and smelling like vinegar. Attractive. Third method is to soak them in a 50/50 solution of bleach and water for 8 to 9 hours, then dry them in the sun. This will also debug the cones, bleaching them in the process, and removing the sap. THIS is what I am trying today.

For future dog walks, I need to carry plastic disposable gloves, a grocery sack, doggie poop bags, and my cell phone. Or maybe, just maybe, I should just walk the dogs and not worry about anything else. But I've been itching to take some fall photos, too. The camera is damn heavy.

Thanks for stopping by.
Linda