A Year in Review 2019

Although there has inevitably been some new arrivals this year, most have come from charity shops and been real bargains... and of course I have made a lot of dolls this year, which really helped.  The dolls that didn't come from the CS I bought in January before Percy became ill which were on a long term wish list, and a couple that had been on my wish list for a very long time I bought when the opportunity arrived later on in the year.    I'd like to do even better next year on limiting my spending on dolls and doll items.  I will have to anyway as it seems Percy's treatment will be continuing for most of 2020 as well which has come to a bit of a shock to us as we thought the treatment would just be for a year.  So there will still be more dolls that will have to be sold, as well as the ones I still have for sale.  I AM negotiable on them, so if you are interested please don't hesitate to contact me.

Some highlights of the year are:

Henry getting a new head of hair and of course visiting New Zealand 

Finding Kiwi Sindy in an Op shop in NZ...just at the right time, when I needed a 'pick me up'.  She has become a firm favourite of mine.

My £1 vintage Action Man.

The making of Martha the Elephant (and her two sisters for my Mum and Sister) and doing a 50 plus day project with her.

Making my childhood doll Linda her first new dress ever!

Finding sweet baby Natalie for £1.30 in a Charity Shop.  What a high I got from that.

The making of Howard Bear and enjoying him.  

My Tiny Rag Dolls (minus three that were given as gifts)

A Creative Year

My goal this year was to focus on making as much as possible instead of buying.  Sure some buying has happened, but I think I have sold more than I have bought, and I have definitely made more!  I actually amazed myself at just how much I have made, especially considering my Dad's accident and hence my extended stay in NZ, my subsequent ill health and the months it took for a diagnosis and treatment. It has been a truly creative year.  I haven't added all the items up (specifically the amount of knitting and sewing of clothes) so here is a bit of a summary:

Dolls:

22 Tiny Rag Dolls  (I think this is correct! Of which two were gifted to friends, one was a swap)
1 crochet doll
Almost finished carving a Hitty doll
Made a Penny Wooden Doll
Two Cloth Kit dolls & their dog


Creative Critters:

Geoffrey the Llama
Little Pink Pig
Crochet Bear
Crochet Tiny Bear
Barnaby Bear for hubby
Sally the Arapawa Sheep for my DIL
Martha the Elephant
Mavis Elephant
Maude Elephant
Rabbit
Hilda Lawrence,
Howard Bear Lawrence
Leonard (Gifted to a friend for Christmas)
Three other bears.
Tiny Bear (Gifted to a friend for Christmas)
Horse on wheels
Knitted Kitten
Knitted Chicken


Repairs:

Delphine's hair and a new pair of shoes

Accessories:

Home for Martha,
Pumpkins,
Table,
Bed with sheets, pillows, bedspread, blanket & quilt
Hitty quilts
Chair

Clothing:

Various items of Clothing such as coats, dresses, jumpers, shawls, socks, hats, etc... made for:

Sasha,
Gregor
Baby Sasha
Schoenhut - commissions
Lewis
Peggy Sue
Sindy
Tressy
Nancy
Linda
American Girl Dolls
Hitty dolls
Tiny Rag Doll clothing
Other Misc. Doll Clothing
Clothing for Martha the Elephant
Clothing for Howard Bear and friends.


I've also done some scrapbooking, recording my Tiny Rag Doll creations as well as  Hitty Scrapbook.

Not doll or toy related:

Christmas Centrepiece patchwork for son and daughter in law.

I am sure I have probably missed something, and I had hoped to add photos to this listing...may be I will go back and edit this post at some stage in the next week if I get a chance to add the photos.

Creative Weeks 33 & 34

As most of what I made during week 33 was for Christmas presents, I held off showing them until now.

For an IG friend I made this little bear and patchwork quilt.

I made a coat for Howard Bear - whom incidentally I seem to have forgotten to introduce!

I made Howard at the end of November and finished him on the 1st.  When I put Howard next to 'Lawrence' I realised I had made a grave mistake and Lawrence was actually a 'she' and Lawrence was in fact their surname....and so without further ado, let me introduce Hilda and Howard Lawrence (usually known as Howard Bear).

I made Hilda's skirt and Howard's trousers and jumper.

I knitted Little Gem a Christmas dress.

I made a Christmas dress for Natalie, my new baby.

Plus I knitted her some booties and then a romper suit.

For another friend I made a dress for a teenage type doll such as Sindy etc... a little knitted dress for her Nancy Ann Story book doll and a shawl. (I forgot to take individual photos of them)

I made Kiwi Sindy a Christmas dress with some lovely fabric that was on special in John Lewis before Christmas.  

I also made Gorgeous Sindy a Christmas dress.

Lastly I got this fabulous vintage cloth kit fabric sheet for Christmas from a friend. Don't worry there is a fourth arm pattern, it was just loose and I missed it out of the photo.

 I finished them on Friday.

I thought of a really good name for them both, but then promptly forgot it!  Hopefully it will come to me again as I think it really suited them.

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I will try to sum up my 'Creative 2019' if I can before the New Year!  

Advent 2019 - Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my followers and the lovely people who take the time to leave thoughtful comments.  We hope you have a lovely day.

The little Advent Calendar Scene as promised.  

Advent 2019 - Day 24 - Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve - Yippee!  Henry and Everlee are very excited.

Of course it is only right that Henry gets to open the Calendar today.

Gosh it is a great big door at the bottom, I wonder what can be inside it?

Henry pulls the package out and sits down in order to open it and make it up.  Everelee watches on and Baby Natalie has crawled over to see as well.

A sleigh, what fun!

Henry sticks the stickers on and sets it up with the reindeer.

Natalie is fascinated with it.

Onto the scene it goes... ready for deliveries!

What a fun Advent Calendar this has been.  Check back tomorrow morning to see the scene in all its glory!

Advent 2019 - Day 23

Peggy Sue are excited about opening the second to last window on the Advent Calendar as it means only two more sleeps until Christmas Day!

As nearly all the window are now open it was very easy for Peggy Sue to spot number 23.

She pulls out the package and shows Lewis.

Opens it up and inside is a little Christmas box and star.

A present for Santa to deliver.  

They sit down to play with the workshop for a while as there is lots going on.

Advent 2019 - Day 22

Henry asks the newest member of the family if she would like a turn at opening the Advent Calendar.

Baby Natalie looks up at him and indicates that yes she would.

He helps her find the correct day to open.

He helps her open the door as it is a bit high.

Giving the package to her he watches over as she opens it, helping as required.

Of course like most babies, it is often the packaging that fascinates more!

It seems that there is a little hobby horse, tiny doll and sack.

Baby Natalie is fascinated by the little hobby horse.

The toys are placed in the workshop.

So much to look at!

I think she is going to be sitting there for quite a while!