Something New...............Preview Zinnia

Zinnia

~~~

We're doll crazy right now.

We've been dying to make this doll since way back when we made Peony #1.

Peony #1

~~~

Yes, here she is, Peony #1, our very first little cutsie!  I love her sooo much!  I love her blue fabric head.  (You can read All About Peony by clicking here.)  She's always had bangs, but no hair- until I made her the perfect hairdo...

~~

We've now made a new doll, fashioned after Peony #1, and we're calling her "Zinnia".  She's named after these beautiful, wildly colored flowers.  She's "pure whimsy- and a Bohemian free spirit!"

~~~

We're not giving all the details on her yet-- but soon!

Never Forget You

In our own Little Way,

we will never forget you:

the victims of 9-11 attacks,

and their surviving family members.

We say a prayer today,

for ALL of you,

 for our country,

and for our world.

We pray for comfort and peace to fill your hearts.

Amen.

May the Lord Bless You and Keep You Today and Always.

XXOO,  BB



She's Here! Peony #13, May Flowers and Baskets

Enjoy!

Peony, soft cloth doll

Removable clothing- A-Line dress with silk ribbon trim and flanges; Pantaloons.

Wide brimmed hat with flowers- a first for Peony Street!  Totally handmade.

Miniature quilt:  Baskets, hand appliqued and quilted.

Hatbox, totally handmade - custom made to store Hat, and a cloth bag.

Going with the Flow-- About Lydia

Have you ever started off with an idea, and it ended up somewhere else?

That's what happened with Lydia....

Here's the story:

~

Since I began making Peony, I've wanted to make a little witch doll.  I loved the book called

Little Witch  by Anna Bennett, which I read over and over in grade school.  The story is about Minix, who is a little girl, and a witch, who doesn't like her mother much- who is not really a kind witch at all.  Minix wants to be a kind witch.  At the time, I really wanted to believe in magic and wanted to fly.  I imagined flying over all the fields and houses on my way home from school, which seemd to take forever on the bus, our's being the third to last stop.  So I have an affinity for Minix and her ability to fly.

~

I began designing my "little witch" doll with a definite result in mind, and most of the time, this doesn't work out.  When it comes to new designs, sometimes you just have to GO WITH THE FLOW.

~

I tried to tease my little witch out, trial and error and experimentation and poking and prodding and redesigning and finally just gave up and said:

"I've got to let this one breathe life into it's own, whatever it wants to become."

~

In the process, two little sisters were "born", which aren't very pretty, aren't exactly like I wanted them to be, but here they are, and I will not destroy them.  That would be like having an abortion, and that, I cannot do.  Their little lights will shine on my shelf and remind me that sometimes, I am not in charge of creation, even the creation of my own little witch doll.

~

So in comes Lydia.  I only named her yesterday.  It means "noble one", and has a greek and germanic origin.  So what does the name Lydia have to do with a Mexican holiday?  I'm not sure, but the holiday is about honoring the dead in your family, and that is what I want to do. 

~

I am honoring my ancestors, whose graves I cannot visit, but I know where they are.  I also feel their presence in my "playroom", whenever I am creating something new.

~

So, thank you for Lydia. 

And thank you for her sisters.

~

Amen.

Peony for Playtime

"Bee Happy"

Peony For Playtime is here!  

Lill Annie #2

Lill Annie is here

Latest Work: "Biscuit As Alice"

Biscuit #3 As Alice
~~~
This is my latest work.  It is the first of a Limited Edition of 3.
It is Biscuit as Alice with
her Cider Cat.
~~~
She is being given to
a "girl" who is
about
70 years "young",
whom
requested
an
Alice.
~~~
XXOO
BB

What In The WORLD Have I Been Up To Lately???

Crossed Flowers Block- Jan Patek

Moda- Basket Bounty

Basket Bounty Month 1

,

"Lill Annie"

Sometimes I feel like the rat on the wheel, just spinning round and round in circles, never getting enough creative stuff done to satisfy my soul. There's things been happening- like sickness and just busy stuff-- and OH BOY-- there was a major Computer Disaster.
Despite all that, I steal away to the Playroom whenever I can and have  been able to accomplish SOME things (as seen above).  
1.  Finished another of the Jan Patek Mystery Quilt Blocks from 2010- the Miami Valley Album Quilt.
2.  Moda's Basket Bounty- and it's using Jan Patek's Lilac Hill fabric and Moda's Dragonfly fabric.
3.  And now- my new little addition--
I'm calling her Lill Annie, after my much beloved Grandmother-- Granny Lill.  Granny Lill was the one who made me my first handmade Ann and Andy dolls which I love so much.  I still have them to this day.  Well, Granny Lill made a LOT of Raggedy Ann's in her day-- of all sizes.  
So this one is dedicated to her! 
~
It's been dog-gone HOT already here this summer--
Hope it's Cool where You are!
XXXOOO
BB

Sweet Dreams!

Introducing Peony#11

"Sweet Dreams"

Mattress Tag

Confectionary-like Bag Label

Silk Rosette Closure on Crepe Robe
Silk Tie inside Robe
Peony #11 Set

Peony #11's Bed, showing mattress

From Playroom Banter

Slats underneath Bed

Miniature Bunny's Tail

From Playroom Banter

~

About Peony #11

"Sweet Dreams"

~

In Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness

~

11" Peony, Soft Cloth Doll

Completely Removeable Clothing: One-Piece Undergarment, Upscarf, and Crepe Robe with Silk Ribbon Rosette Closure;

Miniature Bunny;

Whitewashed Bed with Bedding:

Bedskirt, Mattress and cover, Pillow and Pillowcase and

Silk Rosette Quilt;

Flannel bag.

~

"All right, Mr. De Mille, I'm ready for my closeup."

Peony #10 "Winter Fun"

BISCUIT!

Biscuit's Here!

She's the same size as the Peony dolls, so they can wear the same clothes.

She's got freckles in her sunny cheeks.

She's ready to play in her denim overalls.

She comes with a quilt and a pet dog - Miss Cheevis (Chi-Chi for short),

and has a bag designed and made just for her- the "Biscuit Bag"!

New Chairs

New Chairs

from  "West End Fur. Co. 1892"

This stands for West End Furniture Company, that was established in 1892.

These doll chairs are 8" high, 3" wide, and 2" deep (front to back).

They were made to sit the Peony Dolls, but many other things

can sit on them too!

OR

You may just want to display

the chair on it's own on your shelf -

it is quite quaint all by itself!