hand dipped candles cinnamon ornaments

We have had a fun week.Yesterday we finished up the hand dipped candles and the cinnamon ornaments.Miss Sydney did a very great job on both.We had 3 beautiful days. Nice breeze and low heat and humidity.The screen porch was perfect to do the candles. We did a bit of research on bees and found the bees wax is from glandular secretions from the bee . Sydney came in to tell me the hot water pot was heating up the "bee sweat". What a kidder she is. Here is the site for bee info. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/beeswax-uses.html

She goes home today.
It has been a really good visit and I will miss her.

The coming week will be another busy one getting ready for a vacation. The Dakotas and the Clay county fair. It will be the first real trip in our new to us Rv.

Summer is going fast and there is much to do. Have a great weekend j

Tomatoes

There is nothing that smells as good as tomatoes, cooking. Makes me think fall.
And chilli soup!!!!!
40 tomatoes gave me 5 quarts of juice.

Well there is maybe one or two other thing that smells really good baking.Peach pie.
I was just Susie homemaker.

j

School Days

I just had to share.I received this picture this morning.First day of 3rd grade for our Cameron.

Do you remember how the mimeographed paper smelled? Yes I was a paper sniffer. Kids miss out now they have copy machines that do not give the paper a good smell.
And the paper paste. How we got to fill our paste jar from the big container provided at the school.

How about getting new no.2 pencils,new crayons and lined paper
( big chief tablets )
Going to a new room with a new teacher. Eating sack lunch of PB and J. and an apple.

One of my favorite things to do was penmanship with the 3 line paper. Do they have penmanship anymore?

Remember the Dick and Jane books in first grade and for me Lois Lenski in the 3rd grade. I found her on the web.
http://www.mlb.ilstu.edu/ressubj/speccol/lenski/Welcome.html


I loved her books. Judy's Journey. Lippincott, 1947.(I still own this book)
Ten-year-old Judy longs for a permanent home as her family goes from sharecropping in Alabama to Florida, where they become migrant workers. The family follows the crops north up the coast to New Jersey. The hardships of the lives of migrant workers and their children are realistically portrayed.

Good memories.j

Flowers that move

Gladiolas from my garden.
When I was in the flower business I knew that cut tulips grew after they were put in arrangements.I did not know that gladiolas could rearrange them selves.
As you can see in the first picture,taken yesterday, I had the glads all upright in the vase.When I came down this morning they had spread out.I'm sure it was the flower faeries doing their job. ;>)
Have a good weekend.j

Tea time

Another wonderful day. Weather is finally lower humidity and heat. At least for a few days.Good weather for the corn crops.
Also good weather to clean the screen porch. This space is where I have my hoosier cupboard and a really great old table. Lots of wicker baskets and picnic baskets. A comfy old chair that is in need of a new cover on the cushions. It is where I store my big basket of seeds,vases, and food dehydrator. Do you all have a space for odd stuff? Things,that have no space, seem to land on this porch. Where else do you put cushions for the patio furniture?

A few days ago friend called and wanted to bring a couple of her friends to see my dolls and ask questions about making clothes,bonnets and capes.
I decided to make tea for the 4 of us. What a nice visit.
Here they are---- Pat liked the challenge doll with the inset eyes.







Last weekend our Sydney came to visit. The plan was a week visit but she was not feeling well,woke up in the night with a temp and head ache, so was only here 2 days.

You can see how hazy the air was in this picture.Hard to breath the humidity was so high.
We got a couple of pillows made before she went home that was the planned project. Making memories.
She may come to stay next week.

The week is half over already. Time is speeding by.
Soon there will be many complaints because of the cold weather.Not from me.
Heat and humidity are worse for me. I can put on layers to keep warm but can only take off so much before it scares the neighbors.
Stay cool.j

The Bonnet

A picture of a bonnet,made of silk in the 1860's was posted on one of the yahoo lists I belong to.I decided to reproduce it as best I could from the picture.Here is the picture of the bonnet.



I'm not sure the bonnet I made is anything like the original but
I am satisfied with how it turned out. It is a red patterned velvet with a lining of patterned osunberg. It was very hard to get a good picture of the true color. Of course a couple of the girls had to try it on.
I wrote up a description for how I made the bonnet for a yahoo group I belong to.This is what I wrote.


I made it to fit my bigger dolls, 24". Not sure how it would do on a small doll.

I measured the dolls head over the top and added a couple inches to each
side.Using paper towels I cut the brim/top.Then cut the fabric.

I hemmed the top front, folding it 1/4 in. under then a 2" fold.The lining was
set back from the front edge.I folded the lining 1/4 " ,pressed it then pinned
it to the top.Stitched the channels for the cording and the stuffing.Then hand
stitched the lining to the top piece.
.
It was not hard to do the channels just don't know how to put it into words.I
just measured about 1 inch for stuffing channel, then 1/2 inch for cording.
The tubing and cording was the easy part.Done on the machine.Stuffed with
fiberfill and pulled the cording thru.I did 4 of each.That is what fit my dolls
head.

Stitched up one side of the bonnet brim, then pulled the cording to get the
poof.Hand gathered the back into a circle pulled gathers and stitched 2 separate
circles to fill in the back.One velvet, one lining fabric.

Cut the neck cover to fit with 2 darts in the back.,machine stitched neck cover,
velvet to velvet, Added elastic to the back under the circles on the velvet then
hand stitched the lining to hide the elastic and seams.

That is the basics if you have specific questions e-mail me.I could
scan in the pattern pieces if any one wants them.

Have a good weekend.j

Alden Tea Party ---What fun

Today 3 little girls and their Grandma Marilyn came to tea.
We had little sandwiches with the crusts cut off, gold fish crackers, seasoned oyster crackers,cookies,candy,kool aid and French vanilla tea.
The tablecloth was yellow The place mats were dark blue. White/blue dishes and some blue willow cups and saucers. The flowers were fresh cut from the garden. Zinnias are my favorite summer flower.

I used to give parties like this when I had my shop. It was fun then and was fun again today.

Usually I have name tags made and we have dress up hats but this was a short notice. They came to see my doll room.They each picked a doll from the doll room to sit with them for tea. Heidi Ott dolls and American girl dolls were a hit.
The old fashioned marble game is always a hit with any kid. They played with it the longest.

After the tea they made cinnamon ornaments.Wouldn't you know I forgot to take pictures of them with messy hands.
I have been working on a bonnet will share in the next post.
j

How to get more traffic to your blog?

I have decided to sell through my blog and am wondering how to get more traffic.
I will be selling my folk art style oil painted cloth dolls and dolls I have made in the past.
To start I want to sell a of pumpkin head doll.

She is over 24 inches tall.Straw and fabric stuffed hat.Wool yarn,red and black hair,stitched on fabric nose,Dress made of quilters cotton star and paisley pattern. Bloomers of stripe quilters cotton.
$45 plus shipping.
Doll only.
Only accepting money orders to start.
thanks j




PS.Any helpful suggestions will be appreciated.
E-bay is not something I want to do again.