I'm A Little Teapot

This is the teapot x-stitch I made for Betty. She collects teapots in every country she visits. Unfortunately, I haven't visited any countries (except Canada) and haven't purchased any teapots.

I saw this chart on a Michael's website and tried my best to download it, but for some reason I couldn't get it. I appealed to the other forum users on Michael's and a lady named Judy downloaded it and mailed it to me!

Too bad there's a flash spot on the glass covering the teapot. The pinks used in the chart are what make this pot so pretty. I also glued some "diamonds" to the fabric to emphasize the centers of some of the designs.

I gave it to her the other afternoon. She called me and asked to take me to a belated birthday lunch. I had it all ready to give to her for Christmas and thought this might be a good time to give it to her. We always try to get together around Christmas, but you never know if the weather will be good, or not. So....

She was thrilled! She told me she has a little white teapot that she takes to her room at night so she can have some hot tea before bed. Now she has a place for the little teapot and also a little plate for cookies!!

The Old Christmas Tree Skirt

I made this dress for Maggie's and Emma's dolls by cutting up the old gold lame Christmas tree skirt and adding an overskirt of gold/brownish netting with a ribbon edging.

I thought the green satiny fabric for the other dress was hard to work with! Well, let me tell you, sewing with gold lame isn't a walk in the park, either! Not only slipping and sliding, it unravels like crazy!

Oh, well.

When I get the sweaters finished, I'll post them here, too. IF I ever get them finished.

The Bride's Maid Dress

This dress has a history. It started out as a bride's maid's dress that Kara was forced to wear. Well, anyway, the dress was hanging in a closet taking up valuable space.

I was looking for fabric to make another Princess dress for the granddaughters when I remembered that we still had it. After cutting it up I promised the girls that I'd get to it soon.

After several years, I'm ready to make it but they are now 6 and 7 and the pattern won't fit them anymore. Yikes! I promised!

Ah ha!! Isn't it amazing how wonderful ideas just come in a flash? I took the cut up pieces and made this dress for one of the American Girl dolls. That slick fabric is a pain to sew! It kept slipping and sliding, but I managed to get it done. I think the lace overskirt looks great!

Maggie and Emma are going to love it!

Seamstress To The Dolls

These are the matching dresses and jackets I just finished making for Maggie's and Emma's American Girl dolls. They don't know about the dolls, yet. Pam is giving them as Christmas gifts.

These are a lot easier to make than Barbie doll dresses! The girls don't play with Barbies much and have never asked me to make clothes although I have crocheted a few things for the dolls.

I'm also making two other dresses and knitting sweaters for the AG dolls that will match the girls' sweaters that I plan on making. I also bought two tiny teddy bears for the dolls and I want to make matching sweaters for the bears.

No Time For A Job

I'm in the process of making the girls' sweaters. Maggie's is Blue Mint and Emma's is Limelight. I didn't choose the colors, they did. The plan is to make Maggie's with a stripe or two of Limelight and Emma's will have a stripe or two of Blue Mint.

They will be getting American Girl dolls for Christmas from their grandmother, Pam. She asked me to make a few dresses for the dolls and gave me a pattern and some Christmas-y fabrics. I thought it would be cute to make matching sweaters for the dolls. A few weeks ago, I saw some little teddy bears at Michael's that were about 3" tall. How cute would that be if I make tiny sweaters for the teddy bears and each doll had one?!?

I have finished the cross-stitch birth announcement for our soon-to-be-born grandbaby. I just have to wait to see who it will be - Alexander or Kaylee. Then I can finish with the baby's birthdate, weight and name. I probably won't get it finished - matting and framing - until some time in January. It will go great with the nursery. Justin has painted a moon, stars and a sun on the walls. This cross-stitch is of a mother sitting on a crescent moon, holding a baby. The verse reads "A mother's arms are made of tenderness, and sweet sleep blesses the child who lies therein." It's a verse by Victor Hugo.

The pink teapot cross-stitch is also finished. I need to sand and paint the tray, get a mat and a piece of glass and put it all together. I think it'll look nice.

I probably won't get back to making the Barbie gown until after Christmas. The scrapbook pages of the two of us are also packed up, waiting for another day. I don't have to make any cards anytime soon, either. I have plenty from the failed attempts to sell them at craft fairs.

The Last Craft Fair, Ever!

I went to the craft fair with lots of cards and boxed card sets. I only sold $62 worth. By the time I subtracted the $15 table fee, I came home with $47.

I will never do this again. It was the most boring day I've had in a long time. The crowds were there, the room was nice, the weather outside was glorious. It should have been a slam dunk. People came over to my table, admired my cards and walked away, saying "Such beautiful cards!" I received lots of compliments but not many sales.

Sitting there from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. was actually painful. My back started hurting so I got up a few times and stood for awhile. My foot started going numb so I sat back down. This was evidently not my cup of tea.

I now have a large box of finished cards for all occasions so I won't have to make any for a long time! I'll start working on the scrapbook pages I have planned. I'll start crocheting on the new doll outfit for next year's fair (it's gonna be beautiful!!). There are a couple of cross-stitch projects to finish. I've got a couple of sweaters to knit for the girls and then there's Justin's baby, due in December. I've got a full plate!!

Craft fairs are not for me.

Crochet Heaven

I ordered the pattern for the new Barbie-doll creation! It's called Plantation Party Frock. I think it is going to be more elaborate than the last one. I can't wait to get started!

Clean Up Or Create?

My craft room is very messy with bits of ribbon, slivers of cardstock and the left overs from punches. I also have to clean up the hundreds of dead ladybugs and flies. Indian summers are always so nice after a cold snap, but I hate the flies, wasps and ladybugs that seek out my windows, especially the south and west ones.

I'm finishing up some last minute cards for the craft fair on Saturday. This new batch has the glittery snowflake ornament tied to it with pretty sheer ribbon. I made this card several years ago as our Christmas card.

I have a few more ideas rattling around in my head...