Paper, paper everywhere!

I've been spending some craft time getting my Christmas tree ready. It all began with those paper "icicles" I did; then I graduated to the Victorian ornaments (paper) and finally did some peppermint sticks (paper again!).....I'm happy with the results.
I achieved the look I was after; Christmas trees and quilts often elude me....I can see in my mind's eye what I want but often the materials are not available.  Paper is cheap so best of all this wasn't costly.  I ended up with 99 icicles, 23 peppermint sticks, 15 Victorian ornaments, a few oddment ornaments we previously had, 12 silver balls and white lights.  One hundred percent fun and 90% free!

These sticks are two inches long and were wrapped around a size 7 knitting needle.

 

Believe it or not, I'd still like to put another 99 icicles on!

The tree took 4 hours to decorate---and it is only 4 ft. high.

 

 

I wanted the icicles to show up----and I often turn the lights off when I am decorating to see what spots look empty.

Baby Doll II by Diana Effner and oddments

This is BabyDoll II by Diana Effner (Expressionsdolls.com)...Tisha Ritter made her.  I knitted her outfit to order. I used size 5 crochet cotton by Bernat with size 0 knitting needles. I don't usually work with such small needles and fibers but am happy with the results.

 

Back view

 

 

 

 

View of her nappy "pins"...

 

More paper beads-----these are keyrings or scissors fobs

 



Oddments and Victorian

Here is my sister, washing the hair of her one-week old in 1977.  My sister is now in her 60s and has strawberry blonde hair, the result of that carrot hair turning gray.  People often ask her what coloring she has as they want to buy it, too.

The baby girl grew to be a blonde toddler but is now more of a light-brunette.  She is a wonderful wife, mom of two elementary age girls, and a seasoned elementary teacher of 15 years.  (By the way, two additional darling and successful children followed.) 

 

This has always been one of my favorite pictures.

 

 

Here is a "goblet tag" made of a paper bead.

I'm still on the bead kick.

 

I used to trim my Christmas tree with a different theme each year (back in the day,

lonnnnnng ago).  Since making all the paper bead icicles, I decided to try my hand at some Victorian ornaments.  Yes, I was going for gawdy.

 

 

First, I took thin wooden rectangles and hearts and drilled 1/8" holes in the top.  Next, I sanded edges of the shapes.
I then took a piece of scrapping paper larger than the shape and used a 1/8" hole-punch to punch a hole where the hanger should go.  I glued the scrapping paper piece onto the wooden shape with Modge Podge.  Time to dry.


 



Next I cut it down to size from the back of the ornament. 

I then added the image (which I'd downloaded from the internet and printed out on white cardstock) by Modge Podging it on top of the scrapping paper.  Time to dry.

 

At this time, on some of them I used Gesso to paint the edges, shabby-chic style....time to dry.

 

 

Next, I used glitter nail polish on the edges or wherever I wanted some "snow" to show up....I never never never use real glitter as I hate it with a passion.  Glitter nail polish doesn't flake off!  So glad we had a ton of colors already. :)

Time to dry.

 

 

Finally, I added embellishments with E-6000 glue.  Time to dry.  (Do you sense a theme here?)

I got carried away a bit with the hangers----I decided to embellish them, too.

I do rather like the look.

 

Once again, paper bead came in handy in the hanger.

 

 

Round paper bead in the hanger.  Tiny, fussy, but satisfying.

 

 

     This ByeLo head was done for me by Tisha Ritter of T&D Designs.  She arrived last week.  You can't see how rich her coloring is. She has deep coloring; looks warm and ruddy, made to order.  I will make her "frog" body, just like the originals were made----and will dress her in period-style knitting.

     I have a wonderful memory of a ByeLo I bought when I was about 12.  My sister took me to an area in Chicago where there were artists and unique stores.  For some reason I keep thinking of Cabrini Green, but my memory could be way off. I do know this would have been in 1969-1972.

     I bought a ByeLo doll (or maybe my sister did?) for about $12. (Not the one above, remember.)  I loved antiques and loved dolls; I knew it was a reproduction doll, but didn't care.  Within a few short years, however, she landed in her REAL home.

   My mom had a dear friend named LaVerne.  LaVerne always enjoyed when I visited.  She and Mike had several of their own children. LaVerne loved it when I made her laugh.  In talking with her one day, I found that she had not had dolls growing up due to finances (Great Depression).

    I gave her my ByeLo, knowing that the pleasure I would derive out of "making good" on something wonderful she'd missed as a child far outweighed my loss of the doll.  Needless to say, she was speechless.  Both LaVerne and Mike have been gone for almost 20 years now.

    I have carried that idea on and have had countless opportunities in my life to be as blessed as I felt when I gave her the doll.  Several years ago her son Mike moved my parents to Florida (Mike owns a few moving companies) and told me, the morning my parents were moving, "My Mom thought you were the coolest kid she'd ever known."

LaVerne, the feeling was mutual.

   

paper bead ornaments

Here are the paper beads as ornaments.  From top to bottom they are approx. 4"  Cutting/bending the wire is the least fun part.

I hope to put 100 on my 3' tree this year. 

 

I made this "rack" out of plastic canvas------storing would be a nightmare if I hadn't come up with a solution.  The tangled mess they create if thrown into a bunch makes yarn tangles seem easy. Shudder.

Paper, anyone?

These are paper beads that I've been making the last 24 hrs.

They are 2 inches long and I plan to use them for a holiday project.

 

I used an LLBean catalog and a few KnitPicks catalogs.  The beads make up nicely if they are made of shiny paper.

 

They are finished with a glaze (nail polish topcoat) then get a layer of glitter nail polish.  How convenient that we had these!

 

I roll them over size 1 knitting needles.  I must say they are quite relaxing to make and very addicting; but you already guessed that, didn't you?

Making a Point

     I just sent an email to someone from one of my doll groups who sent me a little something in the mail.  I vaguely remembered that I was going to get it; frankly, I'd forgotten about it.  It was a delightful surprise.
     My enthusiasm was over the top.  (Well, I was just a happy kid, what can I say?)  After my name at the end of my email, I wrote "who usually tries to be disciplined with exclamation points." Let me explain.
     I subbed a few years ago for a man who taught fourth grade.  His lesson plans were nicely detailed....except for one annoying habit.  After each subject detail, he put an exclamation point.  I didn't particularly notice this until the second time I subbed for him (tho even then I remembered it happened the first time).  I laughed it off.
    After many months I subbed for him again.  Yup, there were those annoying exclamation points.  I realized that I felt rather as though I was being yelled at.  Even writing this now makes me crack up.  So I started "watching" how people write. 
     An overuse of E.P.s generally makes me feel that the writer is 1) very passionate, 2) lazy in their writing skills, or 3) the great mystery?  That sounds harsh; it is more accurate to say that is what I've decided about my OWN writing.
    If you go back to previous posts here you will say, "Me thinks thou doth protest too much" as I tend to still use that old bat and ball at the end of too many sentences.  I do find, however, that I feel I am taken more seriously when the bat/ball are missing.
Just sayin'.
   

Chicken Chooks

I am in a yahoo-doll-group challenge, which involves being sent a piece of fabric.  I am to make something of the fabric and post pics.
My niece has returned to the classroom after a two-year hiatus; she is a seasoned vet (how can I be THIS OLD??) and loves the stuff I send her for her classroom. I plan to make a set of three to her.  She'll use them as manipulatives for educational games.  She loves how goofy my ideas are!!
Here is the first one completed:

Here is the link that gives instructions on how to make them.  I added the feet as an afterthought.  I also didn't use felt as felt isn't very durable for second-graders!

http://www.redtedart.com/2012/02/10/pyramid-juggling-bag-chickens/

One of my Faves

Here is the doll that has haunted me since finding brierrose.com dolls on the internet.
She is a French Fashion doll (I think about 11-13"?) and has such an arresting face.  Thank you, Elaine, for sending me the picture of her!  The doll is a "Stobe."

Elaine does marvelous work on dolls and did my Seaside love (pics posted Feb. 22, 2014).



Over the Top

Okay, so here is the start of my Knitted Garden. I ordered a book by Jan Messent with the same title but it hasn't arrived yet.  I hope to write down the pattern for each crop/piece of land I make. I am incorporating crochet with this as it lends itself so brilliantly to the gardens.
BTW, I am terrible at the real thing-----tend to kill every plant entrusted to me.
So imagine how fulfilling it is to  make a perfect head of lettuce with a bit of embroidery floss?
I hope to make my Gardens the size of a small baby quilt. DD and I have made small dolls for years that will fit so nicely on this knitted "play mat."
I blame all of this on Tree, a doll-group friend---her knitted garden fits a king bed and her imagination knows no bounds! :)

This is about 6" wide.  The "soil" is knitted with size 7 needles and worsted wt.

The lettuce/or cabbages are done with DMC floss and size B crochet hook.

I know the carrots don't grow that way; I have laid them out as though they had just been picked as bunches and are still laying on the soil.

 

The tails of each are used to sew on to the soil; double-knotted shoelace bows are on the back, in case someone would want to rearrange the crop. (Yes, over the top!)

 

Here is how the carrots are done, along with the carrot "tops."

I hope to add patterns as I go, so you can make them if you want!

 

 

Edited Sept. 12, 2015:

Oooops------seems I can kill even yarn-fiber veggies-----I did the piece above and then realized I am a bit too Type A personality to make any sort of blanket or mat that has different size rectangles in it.  I can DO it, that isn't the problem----but it causes me to hyperventilate (figurativel) and life is too short for that, eh?

 

So now I am hanging up my knitted garden tools and am going back to dressing dolls....which is what I've always done best. :)

New

Here is Dianna Effner's "Bebe", a delightful 5" jointed doll sporting her new dress and

snood.  Her hair is very full which is a distraction to me when I am knitting for a doll.

I think she is quite lovely.  Ooops----these pics downloaded out of order. Meh.

 

 

 

Bebe showing off the back of her snood. Her dress closes with one pearl bead.

 

Pensive little face

Lovely paint job by T&D Porcelain

 

 

A Wee Bit

 

These white figurines are "Snow Babies" which have been a popular collector's item for decades. These are reproductions.  They were in NRFB (never removed from box) mint condition...I paid $4 for ALL of them. The penguins came as a set of six. WHAT a garage sale find, a few weeks back with Dear Daughter!

I need to find the photo of one of the Snow Babies I made in a porcelain class back in the late 80s....I made over 100 of them and sold then in sets of 4 for $20.....always the entrepreneur, but seldom wise enough to save a set for myself!! :(

To be fair, I never thought I would have a child to pass things on to....life is full of lovely surprises! 

 

 

This little gal is the last of Sherry's babies-----she looks pensive but was happy to finally get dressed.

 

 

Sherry's second batch----ready to go home, except for J.M. on the left---this IS her new home!

 

 

 

This is a sweater I made from a pattern I wrote after studying an antique doll sacque set. (See previous posts)

I took this picture because the darker blue one underneath is the SAME pattern as the one on top-----same stitches, same needles-----same "weight of yarn."

NOT all sock weight yarns are equal....nor other weights, for that matter.

The top yarn is merino.  I had to make the top sweater to make sure I wasn't losing my touch or my mind. :)

Torquoise sweater and beret fit Bleuette and are available. Contact me at myheadsundercover@yahoo.com

 

 

Here is a Hitty lace apron pattern being modeled by Hitty Constance.

I did this pattern 5-8 yrs. ago and have just recently been reminded of it.

Pattern available. Contact me at myheadsundercover@yahoo.com

Uh oh.....

Oh dear I might be in trouble.  Ever see a tutorial on Kumihimo?
Thought not.
Very mesmerizing----like weaving, like knitting, like a gazillion other things I do....do they have a name for this? Uh----don't answer. I'm sure my friends and family can come up with a name!
Check this tutorial out and see if it doesn't fit in with my fascination for allll things rhythmic...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDk8-KCTGjU

Bleuette cape and beret

Here is my Bleuette modeling a set for a friend.  The lacey cape set is out of KnitPicks Bare Merino Sock wool.....lovely, "bare" (no color) super-soft wool.....washable, no less.....this is a "church" set.....she's stylin'!

 

Mine!

What a great surprise to discover last night that this little lady gets to live here as MINE!

Sherry surprised me with her.  I've named the doll Jennifer, after my great-great-grandmother Jennifer McClintock, from Ireland.

The red hair says it all.  I do like this doll, she has charmed her way into my heart as only a dozen or two have in my life.  She will abide in the old bookcase with a few of my other keepsakes.  Jennifer and I thank you, Sherry!!!

Baby 3, second round