Kitty Doll Dress Inspiration

We've been updating our online doll gallery all this week, and I've been pouring over the April Cornell online catalog, getting some inspiration for kitty doll dresses.


I can't help but think how I'd love to make clothes like these for a little girl, if I had one. All the details are amazing, pin tucks, lace, embroidery.

Over the years, I've accumulated a lot of things like toy and clothing patterns, and partially done projects of my own, that I've thought about making for my own children, should I have them someday. These make me feel inspired. I've saved a lot of things from my own childhood, not just out of nostalgia, but out of a desire to share them with my own kids. These dresses have that kind of nostalgic feel to them. They remind me of my own childhood for some reason.

There used to be an April Cornell store near here, and I loved to go in and study all the clever combinations of fabrics she has. I'm glad to see her clothing, accessories, and home decor are available online.

I'm going to be experimenting with little girl dresses in miniature for now. Max and I are talking over the details of our collaborating on some jointed cloth-and-clay folk art dolls. It should be fun.

Stitching, dressing, and dancing without pain

Click on this photo and you'll get an idea of just how many stitch functions I tested on my new sewing machine. There are a three different stitch types per row on parts of my sewing sample. I read my manuals a couple of times each before I sewed. The machine beeps when you do something wrong, which helps you learn, like negative reinforcement. I was happy that it only beeped a few times. When I first tried it, it was beeping a lot. That's why I read the manuals more than once! Anyway, it works great. I've calmed way down about using it now.

One of my missions tomorrow is to renew my library card. I'd like to read some novels for a change. For the past two or three (or four) years, it seems, I have been reading text books and manuals almost exclusively. I let my library card lapse because those sorts of books are best when they are most current. Anything that new at the library is always out on loan. I am tired of the hype on TV and the Internet, and fiction is a good distraction. Reading absorbs a lot of thought and anxieties. I almost think avoiding reading novels is good sometimes because I find I have more creative ideas without any additional distractions, but right now, I have so much "mental clutter", that I think I need something just to distract me from my own distractions!

Oh, and I sort of made myself get dressed up when I went out on Friday night. Sort of. I felt like I had forgotten how to dress myself! It was funny, like your first day of high school when you were completely unsure of what went with what. I felt like that. I guess it's just been too long! Later that night, I was watching two ladies in their sixties out on the dance floor, keeping up with all the younger people there, even when the music got more and more modern, and I still had that feeling. There was a time, I know, when I felt more self-assured, when I knew what to wear, and when I'd go dance too, but, lately, I feel like it's my first day of high school. I'm sure it will pass.

Sock Kitty!

I love Sock Kitty! I also miss Sock Kitty because he is a birthday gift for a friend.

Sock Kitty is made from a sock stuffed with Polyfil. His eyes, nose, and hearts are polar fleece, embellished by hand with embroidery floss in a blanket stitch. I used embroidery floss to hand stitch his whiskers and his smile too. His ears are lined with cotton batik fabric.

Sock Kitty is nice and squishy. His paws even have little toes I sewed with upholstery thread.

He is a perpetually happy cat. I am going to have to make him a sibling to keep for myself, a twin perhaps.

In other news, I am tossing around the idea of collaborating with Max on some folk art cat dolls, the dressed and jointed kind with the sculpted faces. I've been spreading myself too thin for a long time, and I think if we put our efforts in the same direction, we both might be more productive. Collectively, we have at least three doll sizes, and some possible variations as to type of critter. We are terribly behind with a backlog of dolls waiting to go on our website right now. So, that is the first thing to resolve.

Over the past year, I spent a lot of time trying to have a separate business from our family business, in large part to accommodate someone else's desire for me to have a separate income, but that has been like trying to spin twice as many plates in the air as I was already spinning. The end result was only that I had to neglect one business to spend time trying to get the other off the ground. All in all, I only got more behind and more scattered, and then we all ended up behind. Now I need to get us all back on track. My desire to please other people gets me in trouble sometimes, and really, as I'm sure we all know...if you need to knock yourself out to please someone else, it never turns out to be worth it. Please yourself, and surround yourself with people who appreciate you for who you are and who want you to be happy.

On a lighter note, is anyone else already hitting the Halloween candy? I am! Naughty ;)

My new sewing machine is here!

Big goings-on around here...I was so nervous waiting for my new sewing machine. I even got a stomach ache while waiting for the UPS man to bring it to the door! I checked the box over before signing for it. The kitty inspectors checked it out too. Okay so far.

The box had never been opened. Everything was pristine.

It started to attract more kitties...

So, I took it into the kitty-free zone of my workroom. My fleece "Hug Me! Slugs" gathered around, while my sock kitty prepared to lounge. It looks perfect.

I read both manuals before I found the nerve to plug it in and turn it on. So far so good. I tried a few stitches. I took some deep breaths. I felt thoroughly traumatized! My mom assured me that is exactly how she felt when we first got a computer back in December 2004, when neither one of us even knew how to turn one on. She felt the same way with the digital camera. Okay, that means we can learn...More deep breaths.

My little Sarah, my first Viking, is still in use, as you can see. I'll be using her for fleece and fuzzy things, I think. The presser feet are interchangeable for the two machines, and so I will probably invest in some more specialty feet.

I will be going over every stitch function soon, to make sure there are no problems, and to learn my way around. First I have to calm down!

Super Slug is in an Etsy Treasury

My Sandy the Super Slug is featured in this "Gonna be a bright..sunshiny day!" Etsy treasury from Jo Bead. Thanks, Stacy Jo!

I put my new shoes on

I finally replaced my poor broken-in-half shoes. Everyone seemed to be having very good sales this weekend. I picked up some tights too. I was in the store, completely stumped over what color tights to get. I honestly could not remember what colors my "dress-up" clothes were! I realized that I hadn't gotten dressed up for anything in such a long time, that I couldn't even remember what I had in my closet. That's just sad.

So...I got dressed up :) I had to, right? Well, I had to at least look in my closet. I asked my mom to take a few photos of the rare occasion.

I'll have to make sure it isn't quite as rare from now on. I used to get dressed up at least once a week. I'll have to do better. My clothes must miss me!

The funny thing is that I used to make my own clothes, and I had lots and lots of clothes. My dad erected a long closet that took up an entire wall of my old bedroom when I was in high school, and it was there through college. I used to sketch out whole wardrobes. I even had subscriptions to Vogue ,Vogue Pattern Magazine, W, as well as other clothing magazines. That just cracks me up now. What happened?

Ah well, I'll just have to get someone to take me somewhere nice now! ;)

My latest attempt at movie stardom

Here it is...my "Elenora Kitten" video. I think I goofed up the intro about seven times before I got this one. In the first couple of versions I sounded like I was saying, "Thanks for shopping by." How's that for subtle advertising? This version is over on my YouTube channel. I enjoy the dismissive gesture I make after I try to explain what a flat and a round are. That makes me laugh.

Elenora is available in print form in my Etsy shop, and on this Ruffing's site page. So, um, thanks for shopping by ;)

I made a bold move

For me anyway. I've been looking for a new sewing machine since 2004. I couldn't find one that I could afford that had the features and the quality I wanted. I picked out one I thought was just right, and a less expensive runner up, back then, but I couldn't afford them either.

Just recently, while I was getting some fabric, I noticed a half off sale was going on on some of the store's sewing machines. There was my first choice, now discontinued, at half off. I still couldn't afford it! My runner up, or the machine that had replaced it a couple of years ago, was there too, also discontinued. I "test drove" both of them, in case I could figure out a way that I could manage to buy one. (I tried a couple of machines from two other well-respected companies too, just to make sure I didn't like them better.)

My second choice felt more comfortable to me, but once the owner saw I was interested, even though it was also discontinued, she said she could sell it to me well over the half-price mark. In fact, it was more than my first choice's current price, and it was a floor model, while my first choice was new. I later made an offer on it, but she still wanted more than I could afford to pay.

I looked on eBay and found a seller, on the opposite side of the country, who was selling both models, both at a price I could manage, and both new in their boxes. I called a second dealer and asked for her advice on the two models. She had my first choice available, used, and recommended that one, saying it had been her most popular machine and said the other was archaic compared to the new models. I agonized all week over what to do, and which machine would be better for me. My first choice had a lot of add-ons that I was afraid would become hard to find, even though it had some features that supposedly made it easier to use. I decided I was experienced enough to deal with doing those tasks manually, in exchange for not having to worry about not being able to get the add-ons for the machine later, at a greater cost.

I emailed the seller on eBay and asked if the warranty would be good, long distance. I might be giving up the first year free labor from the seller, in favor of the convenience of taking it to a local dealer, but with my other Viking, I didn't need that anyway. He sounded like a decent guy and his feedback was very good.

No one seemed to be buying anything all weekend due to all the economic turmoil, and so I had a little time to think it over. I knew I was swimming upstream in the recent financial current, but I decided to remain optimistic. It was also a chance for me to finally be able to upgrade my machine, and expand my capabilities. Over the long term, I think I'll be glad I did. The newer models were all out of my range, and I really wanted to upgrade while the Vikings were still being made in Sweden. They are just switching over to China now, but, from what one dealer explained, they simply could not buy land to expand their factory in Husqvarna, Sweden, which is why they moved a whole faction of their employees over to a new factory in China. She hasn't noticed any difference in the machines, just for the record :)

I asked at least three more people for their opinions, and then Sunday night, after several tries at getting myself to hit that "Buy it now" button, I finally took the plunge. So scary! I am a terribly uncomfortable shopper to begin with, and this was a big purchase for me. I got my new machine at 60% off the original price, and I will be testing every feature to make sure it works, to be sure. I have some projects I have put off finishing for the past few years in case I could get a new machine. So, I'll be fishing those out as well. Right now, I am nervously waiting while my machine is in transit, but I am also getting excited about it (hence the Viking site photos!).

Update and a word of warning: The Husqvarna Viking company will not honor warranties on their machines if they were purchased over the Internet, even if you are able to register your warranty on their web site. So be aware that you will only be able to use the warranty provided by the seller, if you buy your machine online, which means you will have to ship your machine to the seller, if you need repairs covered by his or her personal warranty. Viking claims the company warranties on their machines are null and void, if you purchase one of their machines on the Internet, although there is nothing in my particular written warranty from them about this. I received this information from them in an email, and through another dealer who received it from her regional manager.

"The Owl and the Pussy-Cat" Print Set

"The Owl and the Pussy-Cat" by Edward Lear is one of my favorite childhood poems. I am printing up a copy of it to include with my owl and pussycat print set. I am using our Ruffing's stationery, which is decorated with a beautiful white rose by Abby Laurence. It is on heavy acid-free cardstock, and is suitable for framing.

The print set can be found by scrolling down on either the "Henry the Owl" web page, or the "Elenora" web page of our Ruffing's site. Both are also available in my Etsy shop, either separately, or as a set. The set includes the poem, and is $40 plus shipping. They can also be ordered by emailing me. The frames are not included.

I still have to film an intro for my "Elenora" video and then put it all together. I've been waiting for a time when I look well rested!

"The Owl and the Pussy-Cat" by Edward Lear

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat:
They took some honey, and plenty of money
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
“O lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!”

Pussy said to the Owl, “You elegant fowl,
How charmingly sweet you sing!
Oh! let us be married; too long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?”
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the bong-tree grows;
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood,
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
His nose,

“Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?” Said the Piggy, “I will.”
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.

"Elenora", New Original Watercolor Kitten Painting on Claybord

"Elenora" is all painted and I have a print of her on Ruffing's our website and in my Etsy shop. She is a companion piece to my "Henry the Owl" who is also in the shop and on our website.

Henry and Elenora are also available as a print set, as "The Owl and the Pussycat", a childhood poem that I love. I think I even had a record of that poem being sung or read aloud, when I was little.

I also love the grainy way the paint settled. It formed a beautifully soft and interesting texture on the Claybord I used.

I still have to film a short intro for a video to put at the beginning of my time-lapse photos of me painting Elenora. You may notice in the video, once it is completed, that the color of the original painting is slightly different than the color in my print. I wanted her to go well with Henry, and so the print (shown in this post) is more to gold and purple, while the painting is more champagne and blue. Both were very pleasing to my eye. (Update: the video is now here.)

I'm a little behind putting things in my Etsy shop, etc. Our computer has been attacked by viruses four times in the past two weeks or so. Thanks to my 'putor tutor/source-of-all-IT-support, I think we're all cleaned up now. Incidentally, he said he's had a rash of repair jobs recently, and recommended using Avast! Home Edition with 14 month registration. It's free, it runs a boot scan, and it is the only one he's found that is catching the current really bad viruses, other than Norton, which many have recommended. I was using Windows Live OneCare, and obviously it wasn't catching them. It's also a good idea to back up all your files externally, have copies of your programs on discs with their key numbers, and make sure your security system is up to date. It's not the most fun you can have, certainly, but I'm so glad it all turned out okay.

(Update: we still had virus problems later and got our computer cleaned up by Norton. Malawarebytes Anti-malware also helped a lot.)

I got myself painting

And it wasn't easy. This is my pussycat from way back when, finally in progress. She is a companion for my owl.

I have been putting off painting for some time now. This morning, I made myself do it. Although it is probably hard to imagine, I really do have times when I sit down to paint and I think that I have no idea what to do. By that I mean that I think I have no idea how to paint, even though I should know by now. I sat there feeling like I was just pushing paint around, while my camera flash went off every thirty seconds so I could record a time-lapse version of my self-predicted complete lack of progress. I'm not sure the added pressure of filming myself was helpful or not. It did make me stay there.

Painting, like sewing, allows you to have enough mental space left over to, potentially, dwell on each insecurity you have and its corresponding source, whatever negative experience spawned it in the first place. For me, lately, that is usually some jerk thing somebody said. But the camera kept flashing and I kept painting. Thankfully, it finally looked like a kitten! Whew. Part of me said, "I knew I could do it!" and another part said, "Wow. It's magic!" Either way, I'm just glad it looks like a kitten.

Hopefully, I will complete my kitten without any problems, and then I can put together a video. I sure would like to dwell on happy thoughts next time I paint too. How did Bob Ross do it? I guess everyone has, or has had, their off days. I still think the very best thing to do, when faced with a mental/creative block, is to go ahead, and paint anyway. I think it is important to give yourself a head start by being well rested, well fed, and calmed down first too...anything to help yourself stay focused. Then take a few deep breaths, and do your best.

Lucy has a new friend

It's a big day for Lovely Lucy. She has a new little girlfriend to share her secrets with.

Meet Linda. Linda is very much like Lucy, only she is her own person, um, doll. She has quilted golden ponytails, and a candy-stripe dress of red and pink and green.

He stockings are deep red with white polka dots. Her bottom is weighted with Poly-Pellets so she can sit nicely. She is stuffed with poly-fil.

Linda's outfit is decorated with ribbon trims, Rick Rack, and machine appliquéd fabric. I re-embroidered her trims by hand with embroidery floss. So, she is extra special.

Her gold boots are topped with striped ribbon and machine appliquéd fabric buttons. She has no loose or removable parts. Linda is meant to be displayed as art and she is also meant to be loved. I wanted her to be able to withstand some play, and so she is made of 100% cotton quilting fabrics and some rayon that I fused to an additional layer of cotton sheeting for durability. I prewashed her fabrics so they wouldn't shrink later if she needs to be gently spot cleaned and set flat to air dry.

She is signed and dated below her hairline on the back of her neck.

Linda and Lucy are approximately 10 1/4 inches tall when seated, and approximately 18 1/2 inches long when lying down.

Many hours and a lot of work went into making Linda. She is meant to be of heirloom quality, and to be saved and cherished by a new friend, whether adult or child. She is a wonderful listener and she is very good at keeping secrets. She is also very patient and kind.

Linda will be visiting my other dolls and toys over on Etsy to see what they are up to soon.