Well I just barely made good on that promise, but I did it! They're all finished and listed and ready to find new homes. :)
Guess what I'll be doing this weekend? More of the same! The holiday season has officially begun in my world. Has it hit your world yet?
The poll has convinced me to start offering bendy dolls with faces as well as faceless dolls. I've been crazy busy working on a super giant order but I manage to eek out a few new dolls to add to the shop ( http://www.Dannielle.Etsy.com ), including some cuties with faces. More (both sorts) will be trickling in over the next couple of weeks but the trickle will be slow until I finish this order.
I've been working on my photography a bit too. I've been doing that boring stuff like reading the manual that came with my camera and trying to get a little more creative with my pictures. Photography is not my strong suit and I'm totally willing to admit it. But I also know that shopping online is just not the same as shopping when you get to handle the items. So I'm working on it. Do you notice any difference? Improvement?
Do you make this big of a mess when crafting? I am still dreaming of a crafting studio. I think I've mentioned that we have one in the works for me. It's part of our basement finishing project. Which is the most slowly progressing home improvement project ever! So until the time comes that I have a dedicated space in which to work, I make messes like this. All over the ottoman in the living room.
Hey, see that thread rack with all the little bundles of thread? That is the best idea ever! I don't remember on which brilliant crafter's blog I gleaned that lovely idea, but it's truly inspired!
I almost always stitch with 2 strands of embroidery floss. For the longest time those remaining 4 strands got cast aside until they banded together and formed this massive thread tangle. It was such a mangled mess that it wasn't useable. But it was also such a big ball that it was obviously a huge waste to just toss it in the trash. And then I saw the idea to use a thread rack.
So any leftover threads get quickly wrapped around two fingers and placed on the rack. When I'm stitching I look there first for the color I need. So if you are dealing with a tangled thread ball, I highly reccommend using a thread rack to store leftovers.
I've been working, working, working! And the end result: bendy dolls galore.
I listed them late this morning and already about half have flown the coop. If you'd like to take a peek at what's left, click here. Surprisingly, some of my favorites remain.
Yes, ME! I'm on a roll. Can you believe it?! It's been a long time coming but I'm fully back to crafting! Good thing because it's totally time to begin stocking for the holidays!
I've just added some new bendy dolls to my shop and, chances are, there will be even more trickling in over the next few days!
And, not to be a total downer, but there will be a small price increase on bendy dolls beginning Oct. 1st. I've been making them for oh...seven years now. They've evolved greatly in that time. They were originally very simple. But I get into details. And over seven years they've become MUCH more detailed. Which is fine, I love the details. But they do take much more time to make than they did back in the beginning.
It won't be a huge increase though. They'll definitely be worth it. ;-) But I did want to give fair warning and all.
Me! A little...but some. :-)
Just popping in for a quickie post as I have a list of things I have to get done today and putzing on the computer isn't really on the list. But, it seems, I'm avoiding that bathe the dog thing.
Gotta say though, I'm feeling that crafting urge that comes with fallish weather. I'm starting to get Christmas on the brain. You, too?
More pictures here and here.
Have a great holiday weekend!!
...because I have actually stocked some bendy dolls in my Etsy Shop. I know. It's been a long time coming!
See those BIG bendies? They're a new size...the largest yet. They're 5" tall. The standard size you see there with them are 2.5" tall.
It's Beatrix Potter Day at Collage!
Erin of Eye Candy Designs and I have worked together on this set.
Aren't her paintings marvelous?! I love them!
Be sure to check out the offerings of the other Collage artisans as well. Lots of lovely stuff!
As for what I'm up to right now...bendies, bendies, and more bendies. They should be finished an listed in The Princess Nimble-Thimble Shop in a couple days. Or maybe I'll finish half and get them listed, then finish the other half. Yeah, that sounds more like me.
And, who knows, if I can manage to not be in the kitchen all day maybe I can even get some listed tonight. Hmmmm.... I don't know though. I seem to always be in the kitchen these days. And I need to restart my kombucha brew today as it's on its way to becoming vinegar. I'll do what I can to be speedy in the kitchen though. Maybe I'll skip cleaning up. ;-)
One of these days I'm going to snag a block of time and catch up with all my blogging friends. Bloglines is giving me stress. I have nearly 2000 blog posts to read to catch up. Part of my says "just click *mark as read* and consider yourself caught up!". But then I'm afraid I'll miss something important. Well, I already am missing something important...all my marvelous blogging friends! I will be visiting soon!
We have Valentine's Day on the brain over at Collage. We'd love for you to check out our newest offerings and see if you don't just fall in love! (New items are available for preview until they're released for sale at noon eastern today!)
Speaking of love, we just celebrated the 7th birthday of my son, Mason, last Thursday. He's such a sweet, little guy! Can you believe that his requested birthday presents were a super soft blanket, a gameboy game, and candy. Those things together are his idea of a good time.
Oh...also! Book love! I have been coveting this book for the longest time. I finally got my hands on it and I adore it! I'm totally jonesin' for some spare time so I can play!!
I also read this book recently and it, too, was wonderful. I just love Louisa May Alcott's stories. I don't know how this one managed to evade me until now!
And another little something I'm completely in love with is the quilt I received in the Four Seasons' Quilt Swap. Look how absolutely at home it looks on my wall! Thank you, so much, Courtney!! (you can click on the picture for a larger version)
I'll try to not be so scare this week! :-)
Whew! That overwhelmed feeling is passing. Things are getting crossed off the list one by one. And I'm feeling much better. :-)
I've been working like a busy bee and it's paying off. Don't you just love the way it feels when you can cross things off the list?
The only thing that would make me happier is if the post office were open today so I could get these guys outta here! 
As you can see, I've been in Bendy-land lately. Lots and lots of bendy dolls. You'd think I'd be sick of them by now, huh? But, while I do appreciate the fact that the next few things on my list are not bendy dolls, I still love them. 
This last order included some bigger bendy dolls. They're all about 4.5" tall. Usually when I make dolls this size they're the adults in bendy families. I had a hard time envisioning them as requested: fairies and princesses and such, similar to the smaller dolls. My mind kept saying, "No! Bigger dolls are moms and dads!". I am so pleased with how they turned out though.
Sorry for the packaging. I had already packaged them before I remembered I hadn't taken a picture yet.
There are a couple bendies that have made their way to the shop. And before long I'll have a new sock dolls to add to stock as well. I've had several requests for more and promised I'd put them on the list. And, well, I am making progress on that list!!! I am so excited by this! I really hate feeling behind. Catching up is a good thing!
Do you ever feel just totally overwhelmed? I do. And I am right now.
We've had a horrible sickness invade our household. A yucky sort of sickness with fevers that make you want to sleep 18 hours a day and chest congestion that leaves you feeling weak due to lack of oxygen and all that effort spent on coughing. It's finally on its way out the door now. But if you've been wondering where I've been, I've been in bed, sleeping and coughing.
During the holiday season I take a break from many of my responsibilities as I just get too busy with business crafting. My husband helps out more around the house and we take a break from homeschooling. This frees up time so I can do crafties as a full time job.
Right now my to do list is long and I'm wishing I could just have two more weeks of full time crafting so I could knock out the list. But school has resumed and my husband has returned the apron and laundry basket to me. Health is returning (yahoo!). And I have managed to cross a few things off the to do list, as evidenced by the pictures in this post. Progress is being made. It really does help to see it in pictures.
We are stocking new items tomorrow at Collage!! Everything will be available for sale at noon (eastern) on New Year's Eve.
I'm not quite finished with my big project so it's not up for preview just yet. But I'll give you a little sneak peek. :-) I just need to stitch the back side of the binding and wash out the markings from quilting. So it'll be up for preview before long.
I've also snuck a few new things into the shop.
I hope you have all had a magical holiday!! I sure did!!
I finished a doll today. Out of all the bazillion doll patterns I've made I didn't have one that was the proper size so I made a new one. I'm *loving* this pattern! The size (11.5" tall) and proportions just look so cute to me. Expect to see more made from this pattern in the future.
I'm *still* sick. Bleck! But I think today was the worst of it. I'm feeling better now than I did this afternoon. I'm giving myself tonight to finish wallowing in it.
Tomorrow I've got some Christmas decorating to do! Time to tranform the living room from a makeshift sewing studio into a Christmas wonderland!
And then, one of these days, I need to do some Christmas shopping! I am SO behind!!
I've been wonderfully busy the past week. I wish I could keep my business going like this all year long!
Pictured is the order I got out today. I started working on it Thursday night. I got sick Friday. I am amazed at how slow-pokey I am when trying to create while sick.
All worked out great in the end though. I finished today (when I said I would ship) and even managed to get the package out to the mailbox before the mail carrier came by. That is *huge*! I saw on the news this morning that today is the busiest shipping day at the post office and the mere thought of having to stand in an insanely long line certainly got my sick self moving!
I've been asked if I'll have more items stocked in time for Christmas. No, I don't think so. I have one more order to complete (not a holiday order though). And then I really need to devote some time to my family's Christmas.
I'm severely behind on that front. My husband has picked up a lot of my slack around here lately. He's done dishes and laundry. But *holiday merriment* is totally my job and I need to get to it! I haven't bought one present yet. We don't have a Christmas tree yet. And there are a few things I'd like to make for my children.
I do, however, have a plan to make a certain number of bendy dolls every week this year. I should have a grand stockpile by next Christmas. They've always been popular. But this is the first year I really felt like I just wasn't keeping up with the demand. So I am taking steps to be better prepared next year.
Even. More. Bendies. Added. Here.
I know I said I'm feeling twitchy to move beyond bendies. But people keep asking for more. And I can't say no. :-) So it's likely I'll keep making them until people stop buying them or it gets too late to mail them in time for Christmas. Whichever comes first.
I promise to better prepare for next Christmas. Had I known the whole China/recall toy thing was going to happen I would have started preparing Dec. 26th last year. I may just do that this year in preparation for next Christmas.
That is, actually, the plan. Seriously. :-)
Just a quickie post before I hit the hay to say I *just* slipped a few bendy dolls onto the store shelves.
Edited at 6am because, well, that didn't last long. No worries. I'll be making more over the next few days. I probably won't be listing any today though as we're having friends over and I'll likely just be wrapping bodies in any spare time I find today. Watch for them over the weekend though. Or let me know if you'd like anything specific.
I also made up some Winter Holiday Fairy Mail stationery sets. I haven't put together these little sets in a while. I don't know why I've waited so long as they're so unbelievably sweet. (Well, maybe the fact that all those itty-bitty envelopes are a bit tedious to make had something to do with it!)
This is tiny stationery, intended for the correspondence of fairies and dolls. I can't even begin to tell you how fun this can be!
Isabelle's dolls are forever writing letters and sending cards. I've even found several fonts on the computer that will print really teensy so we can print out a lengthy letter and fit it inside a tiny (1" x 1.5") envelope.
Perhaps you know some dolls or fairies in need of some lovely winter holiday stationery?
Well I'm off to bed. Sweet dreams...
It's supposed to snow today. Maybe sleet mixed with now. We're hoping for all snow. I love how bright the light that comes in through the windows is so bright when there's a layer of snow on the ground. We can't count on a good snow every year here in St. Louis. We're often right on that dividing line between snow and rain, which usually results in sleet and ice. And while we do see our share of flurries, it's a big deal if we get enough snow to fully cover the grass. This little snow will almost certainly leave blades of grass still peeking through. But the kids will still have their faces pressed up to the windows, nonetheless.
I had a basket of oranges here that were rejected as snacks due to their sour taste. Hey, they were on sale! I had been planning to slice them and dry them but have taken my time getting around to it. Simmy's productivity has me inspired and I'm happy to say they're in the oven.
I finished this dollhouse family (adults are 4.5", children are 2.5") for an order. And I was going to say that I had just finished listing some bendy dolls in the shop but they've been swooped up as I've been typing this post. I do have a few more to finish up that I'll be listing sometime today so there will be more.
Now that I've slept enough to feel normal again, I'll explain a bit about what the whole Collage thing is all about.
I'll start off by saying I'll still have my etsy shop. The two shops serve different purposes and so I think there's a place for both.
To put it simply, the purpose of my etsy shop is to bring is a little extra to supplement my husband's income. While I enjoy creating things for that shop, I do aim for making things I that I think will sell. There are things I don't make because I fear they'd end up being priced beyond what someone would be willing to pay due to the time it would take to make that item. There are things I don't make because I think they'd only appeal to a select audience. And I don't think I have put the effort into finding that audience.
Collage is an interesting opportunity for me. By joining with other creative souls I'll be increasing the exposure of my offerings greatly. We all plan to offer *special* things at Collage. And I plan to offer things that I might normal not make with the intent to sell.
I'm going to allow myself to get as creative as I want. Oftentimes I hold back on some of the detail I'd like to put into something because I want to keep it's price down. I'm not going to worry about that sort of thing here.
Rather I'm going to create what I feel inspired to create. I'm going to work on things until I feel they're perfectly finished. And I'm going to create them as I see them in my mind's eye, without concern over whether something may seem odd or weird to some. Hopefully I'll find an audience that appreciates my art odd, weird stuff.
This angel, the "Angel of Virtue", is my first offering at Collage. When my husband first saw her he sighed and rolled his eyes a teensy bit. He does not appreciate the aged/stained look. He could not understand why I ruined what could have been a pretty doll with stains. He thinks I am insane to spend hours embroidering her dress only to scorch it in the oven. I know that many reading this are agreeing with him. That's ok.
I can't explain why she needs to be this way, but to me this is how she had to be. To me, she is perfect this way. I see personality is her that would not be there had she been all bright and pristine. The stains give her a sense of wisdom and a gentleness that would not be there otherwise.
I know this doesn't make sense to a lot of people. The upside is that I'm ok with knowing there's a chance that she may never sell. She's perfectly welcome to live here forever because I love her. To me, she's perfect.
And I'll pretend it doesn't bother me in the least if everyone doesn't see what I see. In truth, I do feel a little vunerable about this. But I know that it's my own insecurity showing and I'm trying hard to not let it factor in.
On another note, I've completely recovered from my night of no sleep and my house has recovered from my crazy weekend of crafting. So now I'm back to it. I am working on bendy dolls at the moment. Some for an order, some for the shop. So look for them soon, probably tomorrow.
And then I'm actually thinking of making some needlebooks to sell. I've been planning to create a tutorial but I've been asked about them so much lately that I think I may just make a few to sell as well. My arm has been sufficiently twisted. :-)
Well, here's the big announcement. See that blue banner over to the left? Tomorrow at noon the new wahm-congo, Collage, kicks off. And I'm a part of it! I'm so excited to work as part of a group!!
This time of year gets crazy hectic for me so I haven't been able to do all that I would have liked for the launch, but I will have one special doll I've been working on. Here's a sneak peek. I've still got a bit of work to do on her before I can get her listed (though she has progressed quite a bit since I snapped that picture) so it's likely to be a late, late night around here.
(pssst...she's an angel and there's redwork involved....shhhh!)
This was the state of my kitchen table over the past few days. My much anticipated bead order finally arrived and I got busy making earrings galore! My shop is now *fully* stocked with earrings. Seventy pairs to be exact.
I don't think I intended to make that many when I started but I tend to get lost in a pile of sparkly beads. Especially the Swarovski crystals. I could just twirl those fancy beads in front of a lamp and watch rainbows shoot out of them all day.
I was also on a bit of a roll with bendy dolls. I had an emergency order for twenty that had to get on their way to their destination as soon as possible. I had seven ready to go. And the other thirteen I made in one huge marathon session. Phew! I was so happy to get that box in the mail the next day. I didn't know I had it in me (though I hoped I did!).
And now, with that box on its way and my kitchen table (almost!) clear once again, I've got one last project to work on before a little break. Do you remember when I said I had a business announcement to make soon? I'll be back tonight with that announcement and a little sneak peek.
(It's definitely worth the effort to click that picture and make it bigger. The sparkle shows up much better)
The Annie twins now have finished Christmas outfits. Well, all except my Annie needs her wings still. I ran out of pre-stained fabric.
And speaking of pre-stained fabric...
I was asked for a tutorial on how I stain fabric for that "prim" (aka primitive, but cuter) look. Ask and you shall receive!
Another question I was recently asked (but I couldn't reply via email so everyone gets the answer) was if I am taking orders for next Christmas.
And then I realized I wasn't very clear when I posted this.
Because, really, I'm pretty caught up right now. Unbelievable, but true. I'm busy for the next 5-7 days. But then I'm done. At the end of my list.
Now if I were to begin something big, like a nativity set, it would be 10-ish days before I finished. And then by the time it got to wherever it was going, it would almost be Christmas.
So it seems sort of late to me for something like that. Because I know *I* would want something like that by the day after Thanksgiving at the latest. Maybe I'm a spaz about stuff like that though. I'm willing to admit. A little.
Bottom line is that I am still accepting orders. Most orders I can guarantee in time for Christmas. And if I were at the point where I had reached my limit, I'd say. But we're not there yet.
However, something big, like a complete nativity set, I'm not sure I can have finished in time for Christmas. I'd try (hard!). But I can't promise. But if that's ok, I'd happily accept your order.
Click to download my Doll/Animal price list (opens in Adobe Acrobat). (There is no charge for baby Jesus with a nativity set).
Oh, I was also asked about a back view of this quilt. You know I love those backs! But I didn't take a picture of this one because I used a small floral print with a green backround. And I can't get my camera to show the stitching. If you really want to see you'll just have to come by for a peek (and tea and snackies, of course!).
And did you see who left a comment on that quilt's post? The lady who designed the fabric! ACK! Do you think she noticed how badly I messed up the layout of those squares? I managed a couple big mistakes in laying out 16 whole squares. Yes, I did.
I was in such a hurry to get to the quilting that I did a very poor job laying them out. I assumed no one would look that closely. I could be wrong though. I'm so embarrassed!
