A Year in Review

It's hard to believe but I've been blogging for a year now, I really enjoy capturing a "worldly journal" in a format that allows friendship, two way communication, and the knowledgeable input from others. All of those possibilities are invaluable when one blogs.

The other side to blogging is the time it takes to do so, I write my posts in the evening and some days....I feel I have nothing....and nothing coming for awhile. Then pow! A whole weeks worth of excitements, projects and subjects will be there, on a good week I can get all the posts done for 7 days straight.

Having said my thoughts about my blogging, let's review the past year.

It's been significant to me in regards to completing a few projects that were tossed around in the "I'll get around to it, someday" file. I've always wanted to do a paper mache doll and a plaster doll, it did one of each, I've always wanted to restore a composition doll, I did that too!

We talked about quilts and I shared my great grandmother's "Mixed wrench" blanket. Skeeter, a loyal commenter, also shared her grandmothers beautiful handiwork in "Cathedral window, the Dresden plate and World without a end" All three, very beautiful examples of lovingly made quilts. I also posted about the quilt projects waiting to be finished, quilts I've started and stopped through the years, 6 to be exact, although I did finish one "crib cuddles" blanket. I have many more to do, including a crocheted pineapple spread almost done anyhow!

Nature provided a plentiful, as always. I showed how easy it is to make pine cone baskets and rain sticks with white paper birch, I also tried something new, a gorgeous sweet gum wreath. Thanks Skeeter!

Not only did it seem to snow every other day this winter but it brought me closer to a workable material...felt. At a few highlights of the 15 felt ornaments I crafted this winter, I thought felt and I had something personal! I've made a molded felt doll before.....but, I digress. Some of these lovely ornaments I designed and some I did not. I also made another six count set with different materials, wood, cloth, felt, natural, metal, and remember the clothespin? I also can not forget the Halloween scarce scenes I sold before they were finished, that was rewarding and satisfying. I finally plunged into Etsy on August 25 and I haven't looked back.

Here, and there, I've had little projects I completed, just because, just because it felt right. I placed Madame's dance flowers in a frame as a lifelong keepsake, we made a beautiful library bookshelf to be proud of....I have new bathroom towels to keep, penny covers....a Shakespeare block went onto Etsy to be sold, and at this time of year....we made a teacher's apple for the outgoing teachers.

Two of the more difficult projects I thought about this past year is, garden markers with copper and the clothscapes with the varying embroidery techniques. The garden markers made it to Etsy and I plan more items with copper. The clothscapes made a 12 part series in postings and was near done until I added more embroidery scenes, I've changed my mind over and over about this project, probably overly, over! Not the case with my current red work project, that quilt is moving right along nicely.

Madame, my partner in crafts, made some projects of her own, all by herself! She quilted a pillow, studied origami, crocheted a hobo bag and taught God's Eyes to her art class! Together we learned what steampunk is.....

Although we can easily review the many crafts, talents and projects of my life, it is difficult to summarize my desire for collecting dolls, I could not go over the many beloved personalities of my own collection, I tried diligently to stick with what I have, a few may of been portrayed from a book but for the most part....it is my collection. 36 doll identities with, what else? 52 Raggedy Ann posts. I made it! Raggedy Ann is a universal loved icon and will continue to be one of my most sought collectibles.

Finally and to close with, it's what we all search the Internet for, FREE! Well, I managed to provide the 'world' with 14 free patterns and or links to freebies. I frequently bookmark many blogs because of the free patterns and I find this a VERY useful tag. The diversity of what we crafter's see, when we see one thing, and other crafter's see another...it amazes me. That is a true and reflective opinion in the offered freebies.

I reiterate the joy I've had in publishing everyday for the past year, I hope for many more to come.

C&G Design