A bike ride

The coordinator of our doll club has travelled often over the years to Bali. Because of that, she has become well versed in how to find the best things made by the locals. You can always find factory knock offs of anything, but there’s something so special about getting something that is made by hand.

The thing that we all get silly about at meetings is when she’s been on a trip and comes back with a hand made doll size bicycle to raffle off. That usually causes a rush to the tickets for the draw and makes for a good deposit to the club bank account that night.  Here is a picture of Karen’s doll riding a bike she brought back a while ago. The doll was made for Karen last Christmas in our exchange.

Because I OBVIOUSLY didn’t win one of the two bikes she brought back this last trip, I decided I wouldn’t rest until I could find one myself. While walking around in town recently we looked in the window at Victoria Miniland. Lo and behold, they had these doll size bikes in the window. The store wasn’t open at the time, but I made a note to go back. The opportunity came up and away I went to see what I could find out about these wonderful little bikes. They have these in model form to put together yourself and/or already made up ones. I chose to buy the model because I know I can do this.

This is the pile of goodies in the box and isn’t to daunting.

I stayed with it, and got it together. Unfortunately, I broke a screw on the back brakes, but a little glue and some sneaky little fixing up and I was able to make it come together. The screws mostly will do up tightly but a couple I had to put a drop of glue on just for added measure. Because off my super woman strength breaking that screw, the back brakes don’t actually work now…. Ahem, won’t do that next time.

It comes with a warning from me though. I will not put my doll on it and send her/him off to road test it. I cannot allow whoever ends up with the bike to head out the door, because she/he would likely go careening off a cliff unable to stop because the brakes aren’t working. I’m sure all that would be left at the bottom would be a pile of bike parts and stuffing, so not risking that. My fault, not the kit. I am very happy with this bike, it’s fun and the wheels really do turn. You can push it forward and the pedals will turn making the wheels turn, and it has a little kick stand, so it will also stand up. I think the doll will have to be about 12” or so to fit it.

The kit itself is reasonably priced at approx. $20.00 depending on which model of bike you choose. I didn’t look at the cost of the finished ones, I got to involved with choosing the one I wanted to make but I would guess they are probably at least twice that cost or maybe a little less. This being a ladies bike, I may go back for a mans bike. Even with a few little bits that I had to fix up to make work, I still enjoyed the project. It was fun to do, and something to keep those little grey cells working.

The shop owner gave me a print out of better instructions for putting it together as the ones that come with it, not so good… If you’re interested in making one as well, here is the link to the store to order from. Victoria Miniland. When you get to the page, in the “select category” at the top of the page, click on “other scales” in the drop down box. Enjoy..

Finally! A Cutting Table

I have hesitated posting this because I didn’t want it to appear as though I was saying, oh look at what I got….yay me…… But this is just the one thing I have waited for, for so long. I learned how to sew in high school and ever since those days I have never had a proper surface to work on. In school you always had those great big tables and it was perfect. Not so much once you leave school.

My choices:

I had a cardboard cutting mat, you probably know the type, they are are all marked off like a grid and they fold up when you’re not using them, and a table made of particle board but not the best surface and not a friendly piece of furniture to move around. Over time the cutting mat just simply wore out and the table started to warp.

Then I would use the dining room table, but of course, unless you can get everything cut out at one time, it means not being able to use the table for meals OR taking all your work off and start over later or the next day.

I also did the crawl around on the hands and knees thing, to lay out the fabric and pattern pieces. Ever try that with slippery fabrics like silk or something similar. Not a pleasant experience, so gave up on that, other than quick and easy cutting projects.

The last attempt was a nice thin piece of wood I found that I thought would work on the dining room table, but of course, that didn’t work either because I still have to take everything apart so we can eat at the table….

The end result…finally a beautiful functional, can leave it set up cutting table. When I do take it down, the side folds down on either side and because it’s on casters, it can be pushed up against the wall out of the way. There are 4 drawers on either side. When fully extended, the table is 6 feet long and the width is 40” wide and 19” in depth. What an absolute joy to have.

It’s a custom made table that our local sewing shop has made. Now my workroom makeover is complete and I’m a happy happy sewer. I don’t need anything else, I now feel that I can properly work and have everything at my finger tips.  I’ve already been working on some projects and I now have a renewed interest in sewing that I haven’t had in a very long time…. Here it is…

I haven’t had it fully open yet, but I will once I pull out the slippery fabrics. Then I won’t have them falling off the surface and I will get a proper cut….. 

The surface is melamine, so lovely and smooth…

Lucy

I have a painting group on Yahoo that I’ve had for many years. Over the course of the years we’ve had several exchanges of kinds of things, the last one being this past Christmas.

There was one new member that joined early last year and she was in the swap. Unfortunately, the gift she says she sent to Australia has never arrived, and it was mailed the last week of November, here we are the last week of February. Since I have no proof she didn’t send it, and she has no proof she did (she can’t find the paperwork), a make up gift was in order.

I made this for the lady in Oz. This is Lucy. She’s a design by Cyndi Sieving, the original name of the pattern is Well Wishers. I think she’s adorable and quirky. I would keep her if it wasn’t for my friend needing a make up gift…lol

It was a Christmas exchange, so I used Christmas fabric for the body and legs, but I think she would be okay left out all year. The multi coloured ric rac trim is from my favourite eBay seller, Embellish the Thought. Always great trims and will search out things you might be looking for… ;o)

 

Ah Ha!!!

Your weekend humour………click on the picture to get a larger version….

Crystal

I finished Crystal last night. She’s another version of Cindee Moyer’s online class, Raven. She is just one of those dolls that demands to be made in a variety of colours. I’ve done two in black, one red and now white. I have plans for other colours because she just screams to be made again and again. I don’t usually make repeats of patterns, not often, but this is one of those I can’t resist repeating…

I have such a long list of must do’s, but this crosses off another one….

A little more spring

I occasionally do some sewing for a friend of mine. It’s very hard for someone in a wheelchair to find clothes never mind having to go and try things on. Some time ago, I took some of her older pieces home and drafted some patterns from them. They are very simple garments, but it’s what’s comfortable for her to wear.

I got the fabric last year when a shop was closing and thought this was a good time to get some spring sewing done for her. A friend of the shop owner brought in some fabrics that she herself was wanting to sell from her own business, so I got a great deal on everything. I found a fantastic piece for myself that will be ideal for summer and I bought what was left, 7 meters. I better make a few things from that amount… ;o)

For my friend, I made two skirts and two tops. I also had some other fabric that would be good for camisoles or lined it would make a nice little sweater with a hood, something light. It’s a light airy knit fabric so I made an extra little camisole type top that she can wear with a sweater or to bed. Either way, it’s very soft and cuddly, so here’s hoping it works out for her. She’s all set now for when the weather chooses to warm up enough to wear them.

Spring in the making

A couple of years ago, I noticed that the sparrows and other small birds that stay over winter here, were ducking into the birdhouses for shelter from the wind and rain. We used to take the birdhouses down, but when I saw that the little guys were using them even in winter, we started leaving them up. We can clean them at this time of year and put them back up. 

Last fall I asked hubby to make some new ones. The others didn’t get a coat of paint or primer so they didn’t last. Hubby is the first to tell you that he’s not a handy man, but he did a fantastic job of these new houses. He primed them with a really solid primer then painted them with some left over house paint.

There are no perches this time, we finally figured out that the bigger birds will land on those and try to snatch the babies out of their homes when they peek out of the holes. The small birds don’t need a perch, they can cling on easily to the hole of the house to go in and out. Aren’t they sweet…

When I went to pick up the eggs one day from the farm we go to, the ladies there had a basket of these pretty pine cone roses. I asked if I could buy a few and she told me to take the whole basket, just enjoy them. I wanted to use them to trim the birdhouses and I’m pretty sure the birds will be picking at these to get seeds out of them, but in the meantime, they do make the houses look very decorative and inviting, at least I think so… ;o))  I can get more if the birds do pick them apart,  because they do fall from certain trees around here, but for now they are looking great.

I noticed in the last week or so, that the birds are starting to pick up bits of things and carrying them away, so first clue that they are getting ready to build their nests. Time to get the new houses hung up and waiting for tenants to move it. I hope the swallows will come back this year. They had a struggle getting ownership of one of the houses a couple of years ago, the sparrows are pretty aggressive, but here’s hoping they’ll try again.

The houses are hung around the gazebo with care, in hopes that the birdies will soon be living there…  A twist on the Christmas poem, but it works…

Porcelain Dolls

About 25 years ago I took a couple of classes to learn how porcelain dolls were made. This was long before I knew anything about making soft cloth dolls and I never actually made anymore dolls until a few years ago. The lady that taught the classes did them out of her home, she had the whole basement set up for this, had the supplies, kiln, everything. These are the dolls I made.

First up is Elizabeth. She is a full newborn weight and the only porcelain parts are the head and hands. We used molds and had to clean up the surface of bits and pieces, sanding and general cleaning of the heads and hands to make them smooth and ready for painting.

It required going back a few times as the heads and hands had to fired a few times after each session of cleaning and painting. I really enjoyed the process though because it taught me so much.

The rest of the doll is stuffed with fill, I think we used plastic pellets, can’t quite remember. I made a whole Christening outfit for her. The rattle in her hand is an antique ( which really needs a good cleaning with silver polish). The dress is made with Swiss Batiste and lace, the underskirt is made with Satin and lace. Her stockings and shoes are purchased and I made her bloomers. We learned how to insert eyes, eyelashes and how to paint the faces and add colour details to the lips etc.

 

I have two more dolls, and both badly need their clothes washed as well as I need to remove their wigs, wash them and braid the hair again. I mention these dolls because we have Colleen Babcock coming to teach in April, and one of the classes is Drafting Doll Clothes.

We are to bring an undressed doll to the class and an idea of what we want to dress them in. Instead of trying to make a doll for that, I am going to bring one of these dolls and learn to make outfits for them. Poor things are so patient waiting for new clothes, but not to much longer. Originally I used patterns to make their clothes, but it will be nice to learn how to design and make custom clothes…

New workspace

My workspace (computer) is finished. My new desk came on Wednesday and now I have everything (paper, files, books, disks etc etc) all in one place.  I took this before everything was set up, but I just had to hook up the computer so I could listen to my online music. The size is deceiving in the picture, the length is about 5 1/2’ long, and just about the same in height. The keyboard is down below now, so no more typing uphill and hurting my wrists and arms reaching up.

I went back to the wireless mouse yesterday to get rid of one more wire hanging down. The rest of the wires are behind the desk, so no more spider web of cables everywhere. There are a few behind the monitor, but I can’t see much of them. Hubby got this for me, but I bought a new chair, foot rest and plastic mat for the floor myself.

This the new foot rest. I can adjust it to angle in a couple of other positions and is very good for shorties like me. 5’4” isn’t always compatible and being left handed doesn’t help either…. I like the raised bumps on the foot rest, it’s like a massage on your feet because they press lightly on the pressure points of your feet.

So this is the old chair. It has some things that aren’t obvious in the picture, but they are:  it’s to wide for me so I was leaning one way or the other which is bad for your back for starters. The seat is too concave and so I had to sit on blankets or towels to fill that space because again it was putting my body in a position where I had to sit forward to type, and again, not a good thing for the back.

Some other points to consider when buying a new chair, the armrests. This old chair had arm rests that are too long which didn’t allow my arms to relax meaning that where the arms ended was right at my wrists causing more stress. The length of the seat itself.

Okay if you have long legs, but if you have short ones like me, the position the seat against the back of your legs can press on nerves restricting the blood flow. Ever felt tingling or numbness in your legs when sitting for a while…that could be why.  The other consideration is the back of the chair. While you can find okay chairs with a short back on them, they aren’t the best choice. There is nothing more comfortable than a chair that goes right up the back and it gives you better support.

This new chair is perfect for me. It’s narrower, has a raised sitting area, the back of the chair has padded areas that fit snuggly into the small of my back, and across the shoulder blades and the seat is the right length so that the back of knees are resting against the chair seat and there is no pressure.

If you’re considering a new chair, don’t rush to buy one. Save up and buy a good one, it’s the best investment you can make if you spend any amount of time at the computer. Don’t be caught up in the hype of saving money on a cheaper chair, don’t let anyone discourage you from buying what you want. This is for your comfort nobody else. Find out if someone in the store is experienced in fitting customers to the chairs. I asked at the store and they have someone who did all the checks for me, she was great. Made sure that it was the right fit for me.

There are lots and lots of chairs out there, but don’t be in a hurry to buy something, make sure it’s the one for you. Save your money instead of buying the first one you see, it’s worth it. Since using this new chair I am so much more comfortable and I don’t get up with aches and pains from moving around and shifting positions in the old one to find a comfortable spot. I hope this is a help to someone and good luck…

Valentine Pin Doll

Our doll club is having a Valentine Pin Doll Swap. I used a pattern by Cyndy Sieving called Spiritual Horizon. I had to redraw the shape a little in order to make in more heart shaped. The bead work is a combination of seed beads, pink quartz hearts, square glass beads, and I took apart a pair of earrings that had little hearts on them and repurposed them for this pin doll. I love taking apart old jewellery, you just never know what the effect will be.

For the earrings, I used these nifty little 7 Gypsies drop spirals that I got from Joggles. I just snipped one in half and it worked perfectly. I went to find a link to them on Joggles, but they don’t seem to be there anymore, but that’s what they’re called. Strangely, it is the same look of earrings that Cyndy used in her pin doll, how often does that happen.

Another project done and on to the next one….