Frantic Friday!

I lost a piece of fabric. I'm a wee bit frantic. I had a GREAT idea today for a doll and I KNOW I bought this fabric, maybe 2 years ago. Cannot find it, anywhere.

You'd need to see my fabric stash(es) to understand. It's an addiction, I'm quite embarassed...heehee.

I'll spend my day tearing apart shelves, boxes, bins and cupboards until I locate it.

Wish me luck......

A crop of.......pinwheels????

If you are a gardener, you must know the frustrations of the birds. Yanking out anything that might resemble a worm. I'm constantly replanting my garlic, onions, and any other little seedling because the pesky birds pull the small plants out of the soil and nicely lay them next the their hole.
I was in the craft store last weekend and saw a whole display of the sparkliest pinwheels you ever did see in every color! Yup, pinwheels in the craft store. I've noticed of late that the craft stores are carrying more and more junk, toys, and non-crafty type items.

Wellll, before I get off track, back to my pinwheels. I scooped up as many of those pinwheels as my arms could carry and marched off to the register. I mean, what the heck, at .99 cents each I got about a dozen! When we returned home, I "planted" the pinwheels out in my garden in the poor attacked beds. The slightest lil breeze set them all spinning!

Wooohooo, no more birds! And when the sun is out, there's an awful lot of sparkly goodness going on in that garden! Between the noise and the sparkles, nothing is going on in that garden....except maybe the slugs.....EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

A visitor in the country.....

Well, look who's visitin'!
I say visitin' because all my dolls just visit for a bit before they leave for their new homes. Ya best be sayin' "howdy" back at her. Haven't made a black doll in a lonnnnnnng time.
Stay tuned, she's got a friend arrivin' any day now..............................

New doll pattern!

How's this for Mother's Day flowers. Never need watering and they won't wither away!
I'm putting these dollies on ebay tomorrow evening and the pattern will be ready by the weekend. I'm calling them, "Baby Bloomers", they're only about 10" tall!
Included in this pattern are instructions for four coordinating flower pins and a ladybug pin too.

Here's a dolly tip for you!

I actually found this one out, quite by accident. Long lonnng, ago, I was working on a doll. At that time, I was staining my doll parts prior to stuffing. I grew impatient, which is just one of my traits!, and while my doll parts were still damp, I decided I could wait no more. So I began to stuff. What I found was that the stuffing was more even, the seams filled out nicely with no "ripples" or "puckers" and when it all finally dried, the fabric had shrunk, ever so slightly, getting rid of any tiny wrinkles that still existed. I now had a firmly stuffed doll with nice rounded head, hands and feet.
I adapted this to the way I now work, After the doll parts are sewn, prior to turning them right side out, I lightly spritz them with a water spay bottle (Walmart has them cheap for about .99 cents in the section where get all those little travel sized toiletries).
After you turn your parts, spritz again. Stuff the doll right away before it begins to dry.

Oh, one more thing, I ALWAYS wash and dry my muslin prior to cutting and sewing. It removes and kind of "finish" that is on the fabric.
Hope this helps someone!!

Tax Man cometh

And now there's a BIG bite out of my wallet! LOL

Doll tips are coming, got the grandies today!

Dollmaking tips....

I'm going to start posting tips that I've found helpful in my years of dollmaking. Some pics too from time to time. Hopefully the first will be tomorrow as today I'm up to my elbows in paperwork, preparing for my taxes....UGH!

Tonight we'll drop it all in the lap of the accountant! LOL

PATTERN SALE!!!!

It's that time of the year again, pattern sale time! Purchase 2 patterns, get one FREE. Purchase 4 patterns, get 2 FREE, etc. Free pattern will be the pattern of equal or lesser value.
This does NOT include ebay purchases.
Simply choose your patterns and email your selection to me along with your payment preference and I will send an invoice.
You can view my patterns at the link below:

www.picturetrail.com/sweetmeadowsfarm

Pattern sale ends April 17, 2010

Mention my sale on your blog and be entered into a drawing for a 3 free patterns! Just let me know in the comments section that you have mentioned it.

Happy shopping!

He Lives!

I serve a risen Saviour,
He's in the world today;
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy,
I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him
He's always near.

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives
today!
He walks with me and He talks with me
Along life's narrow way.
He lives, He live, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives:
He lives within my heart.

In all the world around me
I see His loving care,
And tho my heart grows weary
I never will despair;
I know that He is leading
Thro' all the stormy blast,
The day of His appearing
Will come at last.

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,
Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs
To Jesus Christ the King!
The hope of all who seek Him,
The help of all who find,
None other is so loving,
So good and kind.