A little hike today

Beaver Pond in Upstate NY, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

The beaver used to live about 1/2 mile downstream from us. Last summer, they moved upstream and started to clear out the brush behind our house. They now have a large, shallow open pond and they have built a lodge in it that is about as tall as one story of my house!  The pond attracts a large number of Canada geese, Mallard ducks, Wood ducks and various other wildlife.

 
 I took a closer photo so you could admire their handiwork.  They chewed down this tree and ate the bark.

 
 A closer view of the end of the log.  See how much they chew?



The beaver have been around here for a long time.  This is the decades-old remains of a tree they felled last time they were up at this end of the stream.

When we moved here seven years ago, there were no beaver in the stream at this end at all.  They were all upstream.  They moved down a few years ago and now even closer.  I enjoy having them around, although I must admit it takes some time to get used to hearing the CRASH and SPLASH of trees falling in the night!

Version one of the dress

Emma by Dianna Effner, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

And this was the first version of the dress I was trying to make for Classic Bethany. It fits Emma Effner perfectly but is much too broad for Bethany across the shoulders. It's from a Rosemary Ionker pattern in the book A Closetful of Doll Clothes. Maybe I didn't make it right, but it did not fit my Bethany the way I wanted.

Pretty Doll, Pretty Dress

This is Basic Bethany, by Helen Kish, and I added her to the household a few months ago.  She is a "Classic Kish" meaning that she was made in the pre-Riley days of Helen Kish.  She's all-vinyl and 12 inches tall.  Her dress was a second attempt.  The first attempt was made last week, from patterns specifically made for this doll and it was ill-fitting, in my opinion!  The dress was too broad across the chest area and too loose overall, so I donated it to Emma Effner and tried again with a different pattern.  This attempt came out much better!

Josie's Birthday

Josie's Birthday, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

It was Josie's birthday on April 6th (goat on left) but Anza wore the hat! Josie would not wear the party hat at all, and when I went inside to get the camera some new batteries, I came back out and Josie was galloping around the run with the hat in her mouth, trying to scare Anza with it. Anza wore it for the photos, but only after a generous treat bribe. After the ridiculous hat-wearing session, they were both frisky and head-butted a LOT! It's nice out and they're enjoying the weather today.

Here's a good action shot:

  

And Anza demonstrating that goats like to view their world in different ways (she does that a lot): 

Millie and Little

Millie and Little, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

I found this old photo of Millie and Little Duck when they were small. This was taken three years ago. It has been two years since Millie was killed and I still miss her. I wonder if Little still misses her? I know no other duck has ever replaced her best friend.

Overalls

 

I made the new kid some overalls yesterday and a checkered shirt.

Rosen Lied Sage

 

He arrived last week and I have finally had a moment to photograph him. This outfit came with him. I will be making him some new clothing soon, hopefully. His name is Percival.

Spring has come very early around here this year! The crocuses are up, the trees are budding, my daffodils are opening up and my grass is getting green. Today is was 80 degrees. It's very odd!

One Outfit, Three Dolls

12 inch Bethany by Kish, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

I made this outfit and realized that it can fit on lots of different dolls, from my 12" Bethany to my 10" Rosen Lied Beige! The dress is made of a lightweight cotton print (don't remember where I got it! I've been de-stashing and it was in my peach cubby). The shrug is from 100% wool and is from a Froggy Duds pattern.

On Mandy by Heidi Plusczok:

  

And on April (Beige, Tuesday's Child from Rosen Lied). 

 

In other news, I have bought a Rosen Lied Sage Boy and he's on his way. :)

Pinterest

Well, I've been having a mental wrestling match for a few weeks about Pinterest.  If you read Pinterest's terms of service closely, if you pin something to Pinterest, you are agreeing that  YOU have the copyright on what you're pinning and that you give Pinterest the right to resell the image.  I find this troubling.  I have just checked and a lot of my photos are repinned on Pinterest.  If there was no clause that gave Pinterest the right to sell the images, I would not have a problem with that.  I don't mind that there are people out there who like my photos and want to collect them into a collage.  I do mind that Pinterest, without my permission, now has the right to sell my images to anyone they want to and make profit off that without me ever even knowing my images were submitted to Pinterest.  So, all that being said, I am deleting my pinboards till Pinterest gets this figured out.  Here is a great article on the topic.  Click on the graphic to visit the article.

Update early April:  Pinterest did change their terms to say they are not selling anyone's images.  I still can't get motivated to check with every single person who owns the photos that I want to pin, though, so I probably won't be participating in pinterest any longer.  I took down all my boards.  I don't mind if you all pin my images, though, now that they will not sell them.

Arina

Arina Close up, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

I've been wishing for more Rosen Lied dolls lately, so I decided to photograph Arina. She's a pretty doll and looks nice in the red wig.

Ringo playing

Ringo playing, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

Ringo is such a cute kitty! I made her a new little red dress. I will likely list it on etsy after photographing it on a few other dolls (Ellery Kish, Alice Cherry Blossom).

Fair Swings

Fair Swings, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

Oh, this photo makes me miss the summer. I took this with my cell phone at the New York State Fair last summer. The swings are antique and painted so beautifully. They made such a pretty picture against the sky.

I photographed the Ferris Wheel, too.

Olivia in Pink

Olivia in Pink, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

This little doll is just so cute, I had to make her a new outfit. I embroidered the front to add interest to the dress.

Here's the full view:

Molly Gets Her Own Dress

IMG_3334, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

I finally completed a dress for Molly to keep and wear. I had some trouble with the corners on the front of the skirt, but overall I'm pleased with the outcome. I used an All Time Fashions pattern and they are very well done!  Zoe wants you to see that she is "helping" again in the craft room.  She haired up the ironing board very nicely and she clearly approves of the pink fabric I am using to make a new doll dress with.  She also did not approve of the doll dress sleeve pattern.  She chewed it into two soggy pieces!  The ironing board is one of her favorite spots to sit and she was purring up a storm while I was working.

Anne in her arrival dress

Anne, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

I worked on this for the last day or so. I made Anne a plain underdress and a pinafore for over top. The straw hat was one I already had around here. It required firm pinning to her head! I braided her hair. Here's the full view:

And just for fun, Zoe decided that once I moved the doll it was her photoshoot time, too. She knows that she is pretty.

Cute toys and aids for disabled children

My little nephew has Lowe Syndrome, which causes him to have some physical, visual and other disabilities.  In his quest to find good adaptive products for Noah, my brother Jon has not had good luck.  Being a woodwork (craftiness runs in our genes!), he started to make things for Noah and has decided to offer them to the public through his website and etsy.  There are toys that any kid would love, too.  Look how cute:

 Grasshopper Pull Toy

There are puzzles on Jon's etsy shop and also things like Rocker Boards to help with balance and coordination!

If you know anyone with children with disabilities, please check out Jon's site.  :)

Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

This doll is a Little Darling, by Dianna Effner and is painted by Geri Uribe. The clothing and character creation was by Susan of Little Princess Frocks, one of my favorite sites for dolly stuff! I have been trying not to buy this doll for months, but I finally caved in and bought her. She came with the beautifully done gown, the books and mug, the most wonderful knit slippers (must photograph those!) and an extra pair of high-button boots and black tights. I can't wait to make her a full Green Gables Wardrobe. Anne has always been a character dear to my heart since my friend Mariah loaned me the series in sixth grade. I spent the summer reading the books in a tent in the back yard, hiding from all my younger siblings! I have re-read the series many times and have the complete boxed set. I also have the full boxed set of DVDs. I know Anne is a character dear to the hearts of many people all over the world. One day I will travel to Prince Edward Island and visit that place that so inspired Lucy Maud Mongomery to write all of her lovely novels for young ladies.

January Snow and Goat Girls

Anza climbs and Josie wails, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

I will post a video later--these girls are just too silly! Josie is busy wailing at me in this photograph. See her little open mouth? They want COOKIES!

I just added the video; sorry about the delay!

Dollmore Aga in Yellow

Dollmore Aga in Yellow, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

My mother sent me the yarn for the knitted shrug that is worn here by Dollmore Aga (Mia's Baby Doll). I received the yarn for my birthday last year and my mother hand-dyed it. It knitted up beautifully! The pattern is from Froggy Duds on etsy and was easy to make.

January Snowfall

January 14 snowfall, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

After one of the warmest winters I can ever remember, it suddenly decided to be cold and snow. We live east of the Great Lakes and the arctic air mass over the warm lakes caused a LOT of snow to fall. We got about 12 inches in one day (which is not as much as last year by FAR). It is certainly pretty! The snow started as rain first, then freezing rain, then slush and then regular dry snow. The freezing rain, slush and wet snow froze onto the branches and the whole yard looks like a winter fairyland. This was the view out the kitchen window yesterday morning before work (around 7:30 AM). Today, it's cold (-7 F) and the birds are flocking to the feeders! This next picture is a little blurry. It was still darkish outside and the camera shutter speed was slow.

PJ Kid

PJ Kid, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

I love making jammies for little dolls. They're so easy and so cute! This little set is made from flannel (one of my favorite prints with piggies on it!) and is modeled by Dollmore Aga, who still does not have a name! I'm considering Primrose as her name, but I'm still not sure.

Willa's New Overalls

Willa in heart overalls, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

Willa is wearing some new overalls that we made for Etsy. I'll list them in the next few days. There is a picture of the full outfit on my Flickr account (just click through the photo).

Bethany's New Outfit

Bethany's New Outfit, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

I ordered a pattern from Designs by Jude and made Bethany an outfit. It will be listed on etsy within a week or so.

Narsha in grey

Narsha, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

I had a suspicion that this dress would look nice on Narsha!

Some New Year Musings...

Well, I was having trouble gathering the energy the other day to reflect on the past year and think about the new one but I'm feeling much better now!  I am going to take this time to think about all those things in my life that I am extremely fortunate to have.  I'm really a very lucky person to have the life I have and it helps to reflect on that once in a while.

I'm so happy that I added those two little mischievous goats to my life!  I was thinking for a few weeks that I might be entirely crazy to get more pets, but they are so much fun and have such unique little personalities!  They really brighten my day!

I'm also glad that every one of my original 11 chickens is still with me and happy and healthy.  They are so funny and friendly and cheery and there is nothing more comical than watching a big, fat hen with a floofy bottom run across the yard to see me when I get home from work.  A running chicken is just a naturally amusing sight and one that I recommend for anyone who needs a good laugh!  The ducks, as much work as they are, are so cute and so funny, too.  Little Duck's children, who are still here, keep her company and keep her warm at night, so even though the boys are sort of pushy and demanding, I think Little likes them and since she is the whole reason I have ducks, I'm glad that she's happy!  The cats and dog are well, too, and happy and healthy, even though Toby is now 12, Zoe is 12, and Onyx is 11.  The Brother is still only 6, just a baby.   Here is Onyx, helping me put up the Christmas decorations!

I'm also quite grateful that the veterinary clinic is doing well enough in this economy.  I hope our clients continue to think we do a good job and keep bringing their little family members to us.  I am honored by the trust that they place in us and I'm so happy to help pets on a daily basis.  One of my resolutions from last year involved making sure that I practice according to my philosophy and I have definitely seen improvements in this respect and expect it to get better in the new year as we add a new doctor and a new technician.

I am happy to say that I did pretty well with most of last year's resolutions, with the exception of finishing April Cottage!  I'm still stalled on the living room, although it is more complete than before!  The next step is to get the ceiling paper and lights in the living room and finish trimming the room.  I want the finished result but don't much enjoy getting there!

So for this next year, what do I want to accomplish and work on?  Mostly, I think I need to concentrate on making sure that I reduce my personal stress level and this is 100% tied up with one of last year's resolutions to communicate what I need and want more fully to everyone.  I still need to work on this, although it's improving!  I also need to make sure I make time for myself and my own projects and learn how to say NO when necessary.  I can't help anyone by being over-committed and never having any free time for myself.  My crafting goals include making more outfits for the dolls I have and continuing to keep my etsy shop stocked with a variety of things.  I enjoy making doll clothes and it's a big stress reliever for me!  Mostly, in this New Year, I want to appreciate what I have in life, simplify, slow down and really enjoy my days.

New Wallet

Simple Wallet, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

I am probably the only person in the world that likes it when something wears out, because then I have an opportunity to make a new one! My old wallet has a hole, so I used a tutorial from Lola Nova to make a new one.

Here's the link to the tutorial, and thanks to the author:http://lolanovablog.blogspot.com/2009/07/summer-wallet-tutorial.html

Here's my color selection for the inside:

Oh, The Cute!

Gnome Dress, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

Happy New Year!  I do not have the energy this year to make a Resolutions post...perhaps I will do it in a few days.

This little doll was my present to myself for Christmas. This is a Dollmore Aga (Mia's Babydoll). She's about the same size as my Rosen Lied girls but appears much younger. She can share clothing with them, which is nice. Her face is painted by Dollmore and I'm happy with their work.  I was a little anxious to see how they did on it because I could not find any photos of this doll with the factory paint. She's so cute!  I'm looking forward to making more clothing for her. This dress is from basic patterns in Storybook Clothes for Dolls (10 inch size). The hat pattern I made up myself and the vest is also from the same book. The little bunny is from a pattern from Little Dear. Closer view of her face:



More photos are on Flickr.

Christmas Dress for Jenna's Doll

Christmas Dress, in color, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

I sewed this dress for my niece's American Girl Felicity. I used a pattern I purchased on ebay from All Time Fashions. The pattern was easy to use and came out well. I have a bit of trouble photographing these dolls--they're too big for my light box!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and holiday season with your families. We had a very relaxing weekend and it was quite nice to see my younger brother for the weekend, as well!

Norah in kid heaven

Norah in kid heaven, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

Norah (Heidi Plusczok's Candy 2007) is in kid heaven after receiving these fantastic gifts in a swap on the Plusczok Doll Yahoo Group! She also received two little gingerbread ornaments that are so cute! She loves everything! The sweater's color looks marvelous with her hair and happens to be one of my favorite colors!

Goat Girls at Christmas

Girls in outfits, a photo by elizabeth's*whimsies on Flickr.

These girls are as silly as ever. I plied them with goat treats and photographed them in their outfits. I did make a few videos, too, but will have to upload them later because they take forever to upload. It's been COLD here today; a high of 27 degrees Fahrenheit! I had to finally dump out the ducks' pool. No more swimming till spring for them!