Lost at Sea

Ok, I officially have no idea what I am doing!

Scallops Anyone?

Back,

and front,

and back, 

and front again.

Smooth Sailing

Applique work is proving quite pleasant.

It seemed barely a blink of an eye before I was done with my first piece and working 

to remove the basting stitches.

Piece #2 I decided to try out with a slight contrast.

A bit of fussy cutting within the vertical  band....

...did just the trick!

Uncharted Waters

The best thing so far about this new sewing adventure I'm on is that it gave me the perfect excuse to finally treat myself to some of these needles. They come highly recommended but honestly I think it was the cute little box that so attracted me to them.

And look what I found inside...an even cuter little storage tube.

Putting them to use for the first time was pure bliss!

I do believe with their assistance, applique work and I will become very good friends!

This, That, and the Other

This...,,

that...

and the other!

Ready, Set, Go!

The very first stitches....

First Things First

Back to the drawing board for a little planning!

Clearing the Deck

 Orders and prep work for September's doll show have pretty much
filled the summer agenda so far.

Most of it the same old same old, not that that's a bad thing.

I actually thrive on doing the same thing many times over. It's both relaxing and comforting. 

And, believe it or not, it's when most of my new ideas come to be.

Case in point....

I received an order for some of my little wooden houses.

Not quite the "same old" however as this batch was getting a gabled addition.

Along with a coat of green paint.

Yep, a Green Gables edition!

A handful of doll pincushions were also in production.

They worked up fairly quickly but gave enough quiet thinking time for my brain 

to wander back through my love of Lucy Maud Montgomery, Prince Edward Island, 

and finally the romance of coastal living.

By the time theses little goodies were ready to pack up 

and ship out on adventures of their own...

...I had assembled my summer reading collection, the contents of which I might add share not only a common coastal theme but each and every one has been previously read. 

I told you I enjoy repetition!

And all the while through I had been floating these bits and pieces on the back burner.

Stitch by stitch they came together into a scaled up version of Lily Red's cozy quilt.

It might have been ninety degrees out but I was determined 

to complete the bedding ensemble

with a soft wool blanket.

A little crochet edging extended my quiet time even more, 

until eventually....

...I had one, two the same!

But I had something else as well.

An idea had taken root.

At first I thought it would peter out, nothing more than a passing whim.

Yet over time the technical details began to fall in place.

The fabrics I fantisized about magically crossed my path.

And the perfect occasion for its creation arose.

Will it work?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

I'll never know if I don't try though.

Let's see what happens...

The Spark of Inspiration - Item # 4

I love everything about this book.

The story is delightful.

The illustrations are peaceful.

And it's messages....

the joy found in crafting, 

the importance of friendship, 

and the power of a smile....

the messages are magnificent!

It continually amazes me that a book so small in size can be so big in inspiration.

  

I first wrote about M. B. Goffstein's  Goldie the Dollmaker several years ago 

when I hosted it as book of the month for January. Of all the books I featured that year

this one definitely sparks the most joy for me when I hold it in my hands.

Goldie herself has become a friend of sorts.

I think about her when I craft my own little dolls.

During the construction,

the painting,

and especially when I gather a batch of completed lovies 

 together on the worktable.

I remember her with each Pick-a-Lily I make up...

...and with every petite Pinelope.

She even lent me a helping hand in my most recent project.

It's auction time at the preschool again and I wanted to donate something 

that had as much love put into it as I receive when I walk 

through those doors every day.

Another dear friend 

(from real life, not the pages of a book mind you)

clued me in on a delightful Moda panel by Stacy Iest Hsu.

It featured Little Red Riding Hood, an admiring wolf, and the sweetest 

color combinations you could ever hope to work with.

The makings for a mini quilt and pillow were also included 

to which I added a few extras of my own.

I made a few adaptations,

bestowed a few embellishments,

and in general mixed things up a bit.

  

Dressing Lil' Red was the most fun of all!

Two shiny buttons and a pom pom collar,

a cozy wood walking cape, 

and a tiny pair of red mary janes of which I myself am most envious.

Her quilt was reassembled as was....

a companion comforter for Mr. Wolf.

All could have been said and done except for the fact that I had some leftover 

scraps and a snippet of an idea I wanted to try out.

What if I made a teeny tiny Lil' Red?

She could have a flouncy skirt...

....and a pincushion of her very own.

Of course a cape would be required,

as would some bitty blossoms that Lil' Red could pick for grandma.

I'm pretty sure Goldie would approve...mostly because I had so much fun in the process!

The love of and attention to each action...

be it a cut of wood, a paint stroke, or a tiny stitch...

always brings peace of mind.

Sharing creations with others however...

that is pure joy!