Sidetracked by a Circus

Although I've still been working on the Tailor's shop in between all our Christmas preparations, I found myself a little stumped (forgive the pun) when it came to the interior walls of the tree, so I had finally reached a standstill. But as luck would have it, I did, after some searching, find just the right lining, but had to place an order and wait for the parcel to arrive after the holidays.

Not being one to simply sit and wait around twiddling my thumbs, thoughts crept into my head . . . one in particular stuck there. At first it was simply an idea, then I found a picture on the internet suitable for me to put the idea into practise. I downloaded it, cut it into three sections using photo editing and printed it out on A4 paper. Using a glue stick, I mounted each sheet on foam board and made matching paper hinges (using photo editing once again) to put it all together.

Of course a Circus isn't complete without a clown or trapeze artist, so I made new costumes for my PukiFees, Tika (tan) and Rin (white), which also created a gender change. 😏 Though I still need to finish Rin's hat and Tika still has his/her wolf fangs, but they are not really out of place in a Circus are they? After all they used to have bearded ladies and others with human oddities.

Speaking of oddities . . . these  body parts arrived yesterday, I intend on painting them and using the tiny mannequin in the Tailor's shop and the larger one in my Fleur and Mason boutique when I finally get round to putting it all together.

Looking at these photos now, I see I probably need new ink for my printer. So what's new about that? I always need something. Well that's about it for today, so once again . . .  HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas

Here's a quick photo of our Christmas tree decorations this year, it's a mixture of cream hand tied bows, flock and ceramic teddy bears, a few tartan drums, vintage decoupage and red balls. I like to have a different look/colour each year, last year we had a burgundy and gold theme.

And look who arrived today, just in time to sit under the tree . . .

. . . my sweet little JUDE! Except he probably won't be called Jude, it's not quite the right name for an elf TAILOR!

Yes, he's going to be quite at home in the Tailor Shop, just you wait and see!

It's becoming even busier here now, so I shan't be around as much as I normally am, not until after the new year.

However, I will attempt to catch up on all your blogs this afternoon.

Have a wonderful time with your respective families, stay safe and try not to eat too much or overdo the alcohol! :)

Last Doll Purchase

I didn't manage to find the red haired Poppy Parker that I was hoping for this year, but I did manage to bag these two . . . an extremely nice compromise I think. However, they won't be arriving until next year.

Item # PP151 Friend or Foe Poppy Parker™ and Ginger Gilroy™ Gift Set

The Poppy Parker™ Collection 2019
W Club Exclusive
Estimated Arrival: End of April 2020
Edition Size: TBA
Head Sculpt: Poppy and Ginger (new character sculpt!)
Body Type: Poppy Parker
Skin Tone: FR White (Poppy) and Cream (Ginger)
Hair Color: Dark Ash Blonde (Poppy) and Titian Red (Ginger)
Foot type: High heeled
Eyelashes: Yes, hand-applied
Quickswitch: No

Hope you are all having a happy dolly week!

A Day at The Tailors

Remember this story ~ Finding Ferny Dale ~ which I posted back in August this year?

I continued writing the story without photos . . . however, as I was writing, I found myself picturing it in my mind. It was this little story which inspired me to make the Tailor Shop diorama which I am still currently working on.

As it is taking me longer than I anticipated and with Christmas looming, I thought rather than make you wait, I would share the story with you today, and hopefully it will tide you over until I complete my little diorama.

-oOo-

When the the tiny travellers arrived at the local tailors shop, they asked Mr.Tailor to make a new suit of clothes for Ferny to wear. Unfortunately he wasn't feeling too well, as he had hurt his back while bending over his cutting table. So rather than take a series of measurements, which was normally the case, Mr. Tailor asked Ferny to try on some prêt-à-porter clothes.

The first set he tried on made him look a little effeminate, what with the funny little skirt around it. The second felt a little too bulky, as if the cloth was more suitable for winter than spring.

Ferny was frustrated by having to continually try things on and take them off again, that he was beginning to wish he hadn't bothered to come to the tailor at all. If he was to have new clothes, he wanted them to fit perfectly and feel comfortable to wear. It was also important to Ferny that his outerwear should all be of the same fabric and in a colour that would blend with his forest surrounds.

It was then he spotted, hanging on a peg at the back of the shop, the most attractive pair of breeches that Ferny had seen all day, and with a matching pixie hat to boot! "That's what I want!" he exclaimed, pointing his finger in the direction of the clothes.

His three little companions and Mr. Tailor turned to look at what Ferny was pointing at. "Oh those old things" Mr. Tailor replied, "I made them long ago when I was only trainee tailor". Ferny didn't care when they were made, these looked perfect as far as he was concerned.

Misty was becoming impatient and said, "If that's what he wants, then let him try them on for size." Mr. Tailor nodded, took them of the hook and handed them to Ferny, who went into the changing room once more. This time he was really happy when he came out, dressed in a smartly striped outfit that fitted like a glove, so extraordinarily happy in fact, he couldn't stop smiling. "It's like these clothes were made for me" he beamed.

"Well looks like we have a winner, don't worry Mr. Tailor, it doesn't matter how long they have been made, will pay for them just the same" said Mossy from his chair by the window. So Mossy put his hand deep into his pocket and took out five gold coins which he handed Mr. Tailor. Then the four tiny elves thanked Mr.Tailor and left the store.

As the four walked hand in hand up the cobbled street towards Beechwood Hall, Missy sighed "Well I'm glad that's all over, now we can concentrate on celebrating Hollow's birthday", which was the reason for Ferny's visit in the first place.

-oOo-

Perhaps in the new year, I shall post photos of the final construction stages of the Tailor Shop, as well as some to match this story, which may also include Hallow's birthday bash. :)

Lucy Locket

After spending the last few days with her, and in keeping with the Nursery Rhyme theme I used for my previous three Liz Frost (Wizworx) dolls, Willowmenia has chosen the name Lucy Locket as hers. But of course she couldn't possibly be Lucy Locket without a "pocket" of her own, so I made her one.

Do any of you remember this singing this nursery rhyme when you were a child?

Lucy Locket lost her pocket,

Kitty Fisher found it;

Not a penny was there in it,

Only ribbon round it.

Historically, the term "pocket" referred to a pouch worn around the waist by women in the 17th to 19th centuries in which they would keep their small belongings. Skirts or dresses of the time had a slit at the waistline to allow access to the pocket which hung around the woman's waist by a ribbon. They were a pre-cursor to the 19th century handbag and the pocket that we now find in our skirts and trousers.

Project: The Tailor's Shop (Pt.5)

Never finished it . . . took up too much space and I was depressed!

Part 1   Part 2   Part 3   Part 4

Project: The Tailor's Shop (Pt.4)

Well things haven't progressed very fast since I was distracted with my recent doll arrival. However, I did draft a list of what's needed.

I can tick two items which I purchased from Fairy Meadow Miniatures for the inside of the Tailor's Shop.

The dresser will be used to store bolts of fabric, the little hangers will eventually have clothes made to hang on them, the table will act as a cutting table and when I finally find the right size sewing machine (the one I purchased is a little small) the chair will sit at it. You may also notice the little clipboard on the table, that's for the Tailor to take down his client's details.

I haven't decided what colour to paint the furniture yet, so any suggestions you may have, will be noted and taken into consideration. :) And finally there is the sign to hang outside the shop . . . I thought this one was perfect.

Once I have finished painting these pieces, the fifth stage of my Tailor's Shop project will begin. The next step is very messy and I will need to wear gloves (which I must purchase today). I have this thing about sticky fingers, it's almost a phobia and besides who in their right mind wants to get PVA glue stuck to a very pretty nail job? :)

Well I have a busy weekend ahead of me, so until next time, have a wonderful weekend!

Willowmenia Needs a Name

I took a few photos of Willowmenia today and although she has my full attention at present, she still hasn't revealed her personality. I really don't want to keep the name given to her by Liz (it's a bit of a mouthful), but this darling doll is not opening up to me in any way. How do you find a name for a doll who keeps secrets?

When I have more time, I will have to do something about her eyelashes (at least the ones on her left eye or right when you look at her) as they became detached when I was inserting her very stubborn eyes. I did try putting them back on, but without a great deal of success . . . they are on, but they are not sitting as they should.

I thought yellow would be a complimentary colour for her beautiful chocolate resin and when I found a pair of MimiWoo yellow and white shoes amongst my stash which fitted her to perfection, I assumed I was on the right track.

Her outfit was designed by me, made without a pattern and stitched completely by hand. The eight piece outfit is comprised of a 100% Cotton (quilting weight) dress & matching hair band, Cotton Tana Lawn bloomers and over skirt, Supersoft Cotton Interlock arm and leg warmers.

Willowmenia is wearing an Off Black Monique Gold Geneva wig and has brown glass eyes.

My Garden . . . That Hubby Attends To

Thought I'd lighten the mood and share some photos of my garden. First are the photos I promised Alasse . . . my herb garden.

From the front: Flat Leaf Parsley, Sage, Oregano.

From the Front: Sage, Oregano and Basil.

We have been picking the herbs and using them, but I do wish the Basil would grow a little quicker, it's my favourit herb. I also have a Rosemary bush in my front garden.

Parsley, Cos Lettuce (2 types) and Snow Peas.

Leeks

I don't know why, but the Snow Peas are just not doing very well, neither are my Tom Thumb Tomatoes. In previous years we have had great crops from both of these. I think all the crazy weather is to blame.

We also planted Rocket, but that bolted and just went to seed in a week!

Now to my beautiful roses, these are called Double Delight. They also have the most beautiful fragrance, hence their name . . . they really do delight me in two ways!

As you can see they begin opening as a deep pink and eventually you see their cream centre, every rose is different, it's like they have been hand painted. They have lovely long stems which makes them perfect for cutting. I don't know how many vases I have filled this year, they have been blooming for weeks. As one vase full of roses fades, another set of roses are ready to come inside.

An update on Willowmenia . . . she has arrived and I am sewing her outfit at present, so photos coming soon. :)

Plans Gone Awry

I had been planning to share photos of Willowmenia (my Liz Frost doll) this week, but unfortunately her shipping has been delayed due to the fires throughout the north east coast of Australia. There are fires burning from The Sunshine Coast through to Canberra. You can see the extent of them here.

PHOTO: Brittany Daly

These fires are horrendous and so many people have lost their homes (577 in the last two weeks) and all their belongings. The homes can always be rebuilt and furniture can be replaced. However, you cannot replace photographs or personal items that have special memories attached to them.

Over a million hectares (2.5 million acres) have now been razed across New South Wales since the start of this year's unprecedented bushfire season. People have been killed and there has been so much destruction on the state's mid-north coast and northwest where bushfires ravaged regional towns. The rail between Brisbane and Sydney has been shut down, as the the lines have been warped by the fire.

Liz is right in the thick of this, at present she's okay, but it must be scary to have these fires so close to home. Being right on the coast, I think Liz should remain safe, however, the highway is closed and not knowing which way the fire will head next, my doll will remain with her until Liz knows it's safe to send her.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all those in the fire zone as things have been predicted to worsen. With forecasts of a heatwave later this week and temperatures expected to climb past 40 degrees Celsius in some areas, I am really dreading the outcome.

PHOTO: ABC

Sydney has been covered in smoke haze, South Australia has also had fires with 111 schools closed due to temperatures of 42C. Now fires are out of control in Western Australia.  What makes me really sick to my stomach is that some of these fires have been deliberately lit by teenagers . . . I don't know what goes on in those people's heads.

Meanwhile, the northern part of Victoria faces scorching days as northerly winds will leave temperatures well over 40C both today and tomorrow, which has prompted the CFA to declare a total fire ban for the Mallee region.

Melbourne was expected to heat up today before hitting one of its hottest November days ever, as temperatures are forecast to hit 39C tomorrow, so I'm going to take my doggy for his walk now before it gets too hot and I'll be back in a few days, hopefully with something more positive to talk about.

Project: The Tailor's Shop (Pt.3)

Yesterday, I purchased another couple rolls of alfoil, but only used one, as well as a large of packet of long glue sticks for the glue gun. After adding more alfoil to the sides and some roots at the bottom of the tree, I got stuck into covering the whole thing with masking tape. I used a full 50 meter roll and it took me about three hours to complete . . . this is what it looks like now.

It's almost cave like to look at, but there's still another rather messy stage to complete before I can begin painting.

I added one of these LED lights (above). These are fairly cheap and you can find them in Bunnings and on line. For those in the USA, Home Depot also carry something similar, but it's round. I simply glued it to the ceiling with the hot glue gun, but I did cut a hole so I have access to the battery.

You can see in this photos, just how bright the light is, and there's no wires to worry about. I'll be back when I've completed the next stage.

P.S. 16th Nov. This morning I noticed some of my masking tape had lifted, so I suggest, if you choose to do a similar project, you purchase a good quality masking tape ( Scotch, 3M, Gorilla or Duck) rather than a cheap one like I did from the Reject Shop . . . a lesson learnt today!

Project: The Tailor's Shop (Pt.2)

Last Sunday I had a parcel delivered. The parcel contained my new Parlux hairdryer. Now normally, I would write about or show photos of what was inside, however, that is not what I'm going to share with you today. Instead I'm showing you the box it came in . . .

The box measures 38cm wide x 30.5cm high x 20cm deep (approx. 15x12.5x8 inches), the perfect size for my Tailor's Shop. As you can see above, I have already cut the holes out for the door and window. Don't think for one minute it's going to stay like this though, by the time I'm finished you won't recognise this as ever being a simple cardboard box.

Supplies needed to complete the first stage of the transformation were:
Aluminum foil & lots of it; a hot glue gun with glue sticks; a roll of paper towel; PVA glue
Tools required: Stanley knife or scalpel; scissors; and pegs or something similar

After I marked the position of the doorway and drew around the inner and outer sides, I carefully cut out the entrance, using my Stanley knife. Then did the same with the window.

To make sure I had hade no ragged edges, I used the masking tape to seal them off (as shown above).

Then I used the PVA glue to stick the doorway and the window to the box and held them in place with pegs until it dried.

While it was drying, I began scrunching up my alfoil into strips ready to stick them on the box using my hot glue gun.

The roll of alfoil I purchased was 30 meters (approx. 98.5 feet) long . . .  it took all of it just to cover the front of the box and a little way around the corners.

I wanted the top to extend above the edge of the box, just to ensure any lighting I may add could not be seen.

Then the tree would need a root system of some sort, so I tried to form at least one.

I also wanted some sort of porch cover, so I add a little more alfoil above the door, creating a lip.

As some of you were not sure of the actual size of this door, I asked Mossy (Fairyland Real Puki) and Darjeeling (Fairyland Puki Fee) if they would model for you. :)

Well that's all for today my friends.