Saturday, November 29, 2008

Pink Poodle Skirt

Another Pink Saturday! And so soon! Special thanks to Beverly of How Sweet the Sound for hosting PS every week! She does a wonderful job at maintaining more than 100 participants. If you are a pink worshipper....hop on over to get the list!


I'm electing a picture of Madame's Sock Hop skirt, she has worn it for the past two years. Madame's friend has a birthday the weekend the elementary school, PTO put on a sock hop dance. It is almost tradition she and the party attend, then they sleep over (staying up to all hours).
One of these days, the skirt won't fit! C & G Design.

Friday, November 28, 2008

ENOUGH!?#!

And you have seen some of the unfinished projects that are coming forth from my many boxes of "stuff". Here are the boxes that have only fabric in them, uncut, fresh, beautiful fabric. Let's count them....

One, green and black color....

Two, three, brown and black.....

Four, grey and blue.....

Five, yellow and tan......

Six, another green.....


Seven, red......


Eight, more red and some brown.....


Nine! A tote of wool I purchased from a yard sale......

Ten, a big bag of foam pieces.....Ay,iy,iy....


Enough? Nope, more to come. C&G Design.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Raggedy Ann + Andy Eggheads

I am having fun with all the wooden items I have. I'm brainstorming what exactly I could make out of all of it. I kept thinking EGGHEAD! Here is a cute set.

Ann and Andy, she has a felt bow in her hair and he wears the matching sailor cap.
Raggedy Arthur, he was a definite challenge, and Beloved Belindy, the nursery nanny that arrived in the Raggedy Ann stories much later. I must make her into a doll sometime.

They are headed to Etsy with a offer to gift wrap. C&G Design.


Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Sunbonnet Sue

A nice gift for the girl newborn baby, Sunbonnet Sue crib quilt, she has been designed in quilts since the 1900. Sunbonnets have definite characteristics and folklore, the face is forever hidden and they are always doing something.


Materials: 1/2 yard of white for blocks; small pieces of print and solids for the appliques'; 1/3 yard print for sashing; 3'' x 27'' of print for the corner squares; 1/2 yard print for the borders; 1 yard print or solid for backing; 3/4 yard for the binding; 45'' x 36'' batting. (all fabric is 45'' wide)
Make a applique' template for each numbered part (in first photo), make a template of the full figure also. From white fabric cut four foundation blocks 15'' x 11'', press two guideline creases into each block; 21/2'' from the bottom; 21/2'' from the left edge. Match the guideline crease to the outline of each applique'.


First stitching should be done to the hand, applique' it to the arm, and the band to the bonnet. Note in block A and B the balloons are behind the bonnet so therefore they must be appliqued first before Sue herself. Using the graphics in photo #2 place the pieces in the approximate spots for all four blocks. Applique'.
Crosscut the 3'' x27'' into 9 3'' x 3'' corner squares, cut sashing fabric into 4 3'' x 45'', crosscut these into six 15'' x 11''. Sew 11'' to the corner blocks and the 15'' sashing strips to the blocks. (between blocks) Sew rows together.



From the border fabric, cut two side borders, each 3'' x 35'' and top and bottom borders each 3'' x 31''. Sew side borders to sash. Following the quilt mark, lightly draw lines inside each block. Smooth batting over backing, rt side down, center quilt on top with quilt right side facing up. Quilt the quilting lines. Trim the batting and backing. Cut and piece a double border, 2 1/2'' wide, overlapping corners by 2 1/2'', with appliqued side of quilt, pin the rt side of double border, stitch, miter corners. Turn double border over quilt edge, blind stitch to quilt. Using a permanent pen mark the back of the quilt with your name, saying, birth date of baby and baby's name.
Special thanks to Ms Wolff.
C&G Design



Monday, November 24, 2008

Scrapbooking American Girl Paper Dolls.

Browsing the chaotic shelves of a second hand shop is one of my favorite thing to do, on this day I found these lovely paper dolls. They were stuffed in a flimsy, plastic.....all I can think of is a veggie container.


The cashier took a double take and told me I got a good purchase. I can't really date the set but this advertisement indicates it was issued before Kaya, Kit, Josephina, and now Julie, became part of the historic collection. It also has just the five girls. I took the set home, made a large scrapbook (cover of the book is behind ad) and put my collection in each designated pocket.
Kirsten......

Felicity.....


Samantha.......



Molly....her book is here somewhere.....

And Addy....still has to be finished being cut out.
Madame treasures her big scrapbook and is sooo careful with it. C&G Design.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Piano Lessons

I absolutely adore this needlepoint, I saw it sitting on the floor leaning against the wall and decided with out haste, I needed it. It's beautiful, the picture really doesn't capture the dimension portrayed by using the long and short stitch. The flowers are the satin stitch and the oval, the window panes, the vase, it the outline stitch. Outline is a running stitch with a topical twist from one stitch to another, a quick very defined stitch, used often.


But check out the lace curtains and her zig-zag trim on her dress, it's the back stitch (going in the fabric, coming out a stitch away, going back through the same starting point, coming out a stitch away, move down to the next point). Very tedious but in the right application, it is beautiful.
This needle point is professionaly mounted with the name of the needlepoint inked on the backing, piano lessons. I'm going to leave it like that and hang it next to the piano so Madame can have a continuing reminder to practice.
Think it will work? C & G Design.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Tickled Tea Tipping Pink

Another PINK Saturday has arrived, please click on over to Beverly for more pink ideas, she is our host and includes a list of participants with her post today.
I'm posting my four teacups and matching saucers my grandmother had.

I found a perfect shelf to display all of them. My grandmother packed 4 shoe boxes each full of 4 teacups and saucers for 4 of her granddaughters.
They weren't to be opened until long after she was gone. They had no one names on them. She left them with my mother.

I love my collection and I'm tickled they are finally unpacked.


No tipping here! The shelf has a groove in the wall side of the wood for the saucers to sit in, and you can see the rail guarding the cups. They are hung in my diningroom.

Monetary tipping allowed! Especially for the cook! Just kidding.C&G Design

Friday, November 21, 2008

The Eyes Have It

So many things needed to do so many different crafts, I located my "tackle" box of plushie accesories. I don't really do cats but I have a few eyes in stock. I'm into the black dot that is glue on and leaves the expression to the artist. Do the eyes have it?


Or could that be....only the nose.....nose.
Ha, Ha, I really don't have that much time on my hands! C&G Design.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

When is a Turkey a Turkey?

These are popular right now, wonder why? I think they are a cute tabletop decoration. I'm thinking glittered sweet potatoes, luminous onions, and the reddish cranberries would dress them up a little.



I sold one of the fruity tailed on Etsy, I made these quite some time ago. They are fun to do

Free standing with feathers sprayed or pointed backwards.
So when is a turkey a turkey?

When it's a stuffed turkey! C&G Design.


Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Raggedy Ann Learns a Lesson

One this day the dolls were left to themselves. And when the front gate clicked they knew they were alone.

"Now let's have a good time!" cried the tin soldier. "Let's go in search of something to eat!" "Yes, let's go in search of something to eat!" cried all the other dollies. "You lead the way Raggedy Ann!" said the french dolly.

"Follow me!" she cried as her wobbly legs carried her across the floor at a lively pace. The other dollies followed, racing about the house until they came to the pantry door. But none of the dollies were tall enough to open it and, although they pushed and pulled with all their might, the door remained tightly closed. Finally Raggedy Ann drew away from the others and sat down. When the other dollies discovered Raggedy Ann sitting there they knew she was thinking. "There must be a way to get inside," said Raggedy Ann. "I can't seem to think clearly to-day, it feels as if my head were ripped."

At this the french doll ran to Raggedy Ann and took off her bonnett. "Yes, there is a rip in your head, Raggedy!" she said and pulled a pin from her skirt and pinned up Raggedy's head. "It's not a very neat job, for I got some puckers in it!" she said. "Oh that is ever so much better! Now I can think quite clearly, my thoughts must of leaked out the rip before!" said Raggedy Ann. "Now that I can think clearly I think the door must be locked and to get in we must unlock it."

"That will be easy!" said the dutch doll who says "Mamma" when he is tipped backwards and forward, "For we will have the brave tin soldier shoot the key out of the lock!"

"I can easily do that!" cried the tin soldier, as he rasied his gun.

"Oh , Raggedy Ann!" cried the french dolly. "Please do not let him shoot!"

"NO!" said Raggedy Ann. "We must think of a quieter way!"

Just then Raggedy Ann jumped up and said: "I have it! And she caught up the Jumping Jack and held him up to the door; then Jack slid up his stick and unlocked the door.

They swarmed upon the pantry shelves and in their eagerness spilled a pitcher of cream which ran all over the french doll's dress.

The indian found some cornbread and dipping it in the molasses he sat down for a good feast.

A jar of raspberry was overturned and the dollies ate of this until their faces were all purple.

The tin soldier fell from the shelf three times and bent one of his tin legs, but he scrambled right back up again.

They had eaten their fill when they heard the front gate click. They did not take the time to climb from the shelves, but all rolled and jumped off to the floor and scrambled back to their room as fast as they could run, leaving a trail of breadcrumbs and jam along the way.

Just as their mistress came into the room the dolls dropped in whatever position they happen to be in.

"This is funny!" cried Mistress "I wonder if Fido has been shaking them up!" Then she saw Raggedy Ann's face and picked her up."Why Raggedy Ann I do believe you are sticky! I do believe you are covered with jam!" "Yes! It's JAM! Shame on you, Raggedy Ann. You've been in the pantry and all the others, too!" And with this the doll's mistress dropped Raggedy Ann on the floor and left the room.

When she came back she had on a apron and her sleeves were rolled up. She picked up all the sticky dolls and put them into a basket, she carried them out under the apple tree in the garden.

There she had placed her little tub and wringer and she took the dolls one at a time, and scrubbed them with a scrubbing brush and soused them up and down and this way and that in the soap suds until they were clean.

Then she hung them all out on the clothes-line in the sunshine to dry.



There the dolls hung all day, swinging and twisting about as the breeze swayed the clothes-line.

"I do believe she scrubbed my face so hard she wore off my smile!" said Raggedy Ann after an hour of silence.

"No, it's still there!" said the tin soldier, as the wind twisted him around so he could see Raggedy Ann. "But I do believe my arms will never work without squeaking, they feel so rusted," he added.
Just then the wind twisted the little Dutch doll and loosened his clothes-pin, so he fell to the grass below with a sawdusty bump and as he rolled over he said, "Mamma!" in a squeaky voice.
Late in the afternoon the back door opened and little mistress came out with a table and chairs. After setting the table she took all the dolls from the line and placed them about the table.
They had lemonade with grape jelly in it, which made a beautiful lavender color, and little"Baby-tenny-weeny-cookies" with powered sugar on them.
After this lovely dinner, the dollies were taken to the house, where they had their hair brushed and nice clean nighties put on.
Then they were placed in their beds and Mistress kissed each one good night and tiptoed from the room.
All the dolls layed still as a mouse for a few minutes, then Raggedy Ann raised up on her cotton stuffed elbows and said: "I have been thinking!"
"Sh!" said all the other dollies, "Raggedy has been thinking!"
"Yes!" said Raggedy Ann, "I have been thinking; our mistress gave us a nice dinner out under the tree to teach us a lesson. She wished us to know that we could have all the goodies we wished, whatever we wished, if we have behaved ourselves. And our lesson was that we must never take without asking what we could always have for the asking! So let us all remember and try never again to do anythig which may cause those who love us any unhappiness!"
"Let us remember!" chimed all the dollies.
And Raggedy Ann, with a merry twinkle in her shoe button eyes, lay back in her little bed, her cotton head filled with thoughts of love and happiness.

Special thanks to the Project Gutenburg. C&G Design.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Getting Close!

I got to see the dress rehearsal on this day, yeh, yeh! The big day is drawing near and everyone is a hub-bub of season spirit.
The rumor is....it will be broad casted on our PBS station. Madame getting fitted in her pants.....
And her jacket. BTW out of 24 soldiers Madame came in at the smallest, she wasn't exactly excited about it but it made it easy to fit her! That's why she is at the wall....end of the height line!

The next two pictures are of the dress rehearsal, they are cropped due to other people's children, and they are lightened. Madame got a chance to see Clara, the star of Nutcracker, do her thing.


While she paid attention to her part! Switching her gun back and forth!

Getting close! Jitters are yet to come! C&G Design.




Monday, November 17, 2008

Plassie by Ideal

I must admit, my favorite "large" doll company is Ideal. Mattel, Madame Alexander, American Character is all very nice, very collectible. I have a natural attraction to Ideal. Go figure.


I just picked up this baby at a second hand store for $4.99. The store had porcelain dolls for $20.00 to $25.00. They had this darling soooo cheap....the head alone is worth that much.

This is Plassie, I think....the only true way to tell is to look at the patent number on the crier. My crier works, so I'm not going to take it apart! #2252077. Plassie was 18 to 24''. Mine is 21''. She had a crier.....arms are full, legs are "swing" version with the thigh being half cloth, half other material. She was issued in composition then hard plastic, she eventually was issued with a HP head and magic skin such as mine.

Her eyelashes are full and the eye color is glorious! Her face is a bit dirty but every hair, every detail is excellent. She wore a nice jumper with a bonnet that could be considered period but for the fact it had Velcro attachments. Plassie dated to the 50's, she really should be in a snap enclosure outfit. I was immediately attracted to her thinking....this is a Ideal doll....sure enough, it indicates that on the back base of her head.


The catch.....magic skin. It was a flexible vinyl that felt like the softness of real skin. It also deteriorated with time, first browning, then cracking, crumbling and falling apart. Mine is in browned. No cracking, crumbling and no falling apart, in fact pretty good considering it has defined toes and finger.



The cashier was astonished my baby doll looked so different, she felt the head didn't have the right body. I showed her the unexposed areas that were preserved flesh tones in the neutral tan, my baby doll has a perfect, lovely shade of brown.




The next two pictures are from a doll reference site that describes Plassie, she is shown all in the hard plastic because the site indicated the magic skin is, "to deteriorated to show". I'm going to look for a plastic-cote paint in flesh tone....suppose there is such a thing? Until then my baby doll will have socks, shoes and a covered cuff sleeved sweater, mainly to keep the parts unexposed. Perhaps I will come across a set of HP arms and legs.



Visit Doll Reference for a wealth of information that also includes pictures. This is a 21'' Plassie.



I'm satisfied with my purchase although I didn't know the crier worked until I was checking out. My poor dog thinks it's a squeak toy for him. Note to self...keep doll on high shelf.


Magic skin....another toy of the future, so soft it is....C&G Design.