Playing With Dolls

Today being Saturday, I have had to time to play in my sewing room. I have been working on another king size quilt top and have another border to go, but just not quite decided on what I want to do yet.

I did embroider these dolls during my week of overnight shifts at the youth home. I actually got called in last night because the weekend person was sick giving me more hours to stitch. (Don't worry -- I do my job of bed checks every 30 minutes, house laundry, mopping floors, keeping the refrigerators clean, baking cookies/breads, cleaning out the ovens, emptying the dishwasher, records keeping, and cooking breakfast for the residents.)



These little doll characters are simply cute and I could see some little girls playing with them, putting them in their purse, or as part of gift baskets. They are headed on their way to my shoppe on Etsy.com.



Think I am in a mindset to start some crafty Christmas ornaments. The holidays will be here before we all know it!

Vintage Book Illustrations

I have been working on listing some old vintage reading books on Etsy the past couple of days and have determined that I simply love the illustrations in them.


In the newer books you just don't see these types of illustrations anymore. As a matter of fact, you almost see more photographs than drawings or colored pictures.



I don't know about you, but I think it a fun thing to walk down memory lane with books from our past. Also, to read them to our children and grandchildren when we get a chance. I just finished reading The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary to my youngest, Avery Z. He loved it. The book I read was printed in 1965 (actually before I was even born.) I can remember my school teacher reading it aloud to my class when I was in elementary school. Now days in checking the local library, you can not find a current printing of this book.



My son also loved the fact that his dad was in the room typing on the computer while I was reading. Avery noticed his dad laughed some at what I was reading. This is a sweet memory, cultivating imagination, and helping with communication skills -- as we talk about what we like and what we understood in reading.



I visited the library today and picked up two more chapter books. These are more on Avery's level and we will begin them tomorrow. The illustrations are not as wonderful as the vintage books or as many, but hopefully the author will be vivid in his words and the pictures will form in our heads.



Hope you like these illustrations from my vintage books!

It Is A Beautiful Day

Yesterday I woke up and a feeling of "calm happiness" was covering me. My world has been so shaken with a tremendous loss recently and then other battles have ensued almost immediately thereafter.

I wrote friends asking for prayers to help me in this time. It is something I can hardly remember ever doing, but I would highly recommend.

We don't know what tomorrow will bring, but having support and love from friends and family helps make the road brighter.

My battles are not won right now, but feeling refreshed and uplifted is helping me trudge on with a kick in my step.

Thank you one and all!

Also, a bit of surprise for me -- I sold another quilt on Etsy last night. This one has my favorite colors in it. This quilt pictured is the one sold. It was conjured up from scraps of one I am keeping for myself.