500th Blog Post Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to our winner, Tara!!!

 

 

 

It's A 5ooth Blog Post Giveaway!

Wow!  I started this blog in March 2008 - almost 5 years and 500 posts later.  A lot sure has changed since that time...

 

I want to celebrate the life God has given me.  I need to thank my husband for loving me no matter what, bringing me an occasional Pepsi to help me "survive" the day, putting up with all my decorating successes and fiascoes, and supporting me in my sweet little etsy business.  I've enjoyed learning and growing as much as my children as we homeschool.  Mostly, I'm thankful for my imperfect but growing relationship with the Lord.  And this is just the tip of the iceburg...

 

And so, I want you to celebrate with me!  I'm working on some (potential) new dolls for my esty shop - all pre-made and ready to ship - and I'm so excited to offer up this sweet first prototype doll to one of my awesome friends.  Maybe it'll be you!!!   

 

This precious doll measures @ 14" tall.  She is made with 100% cotton fabrics and is stuffed with hypoallergenic polyester poly-fil.  Her hair is made with 100% wool felt and she loves hair pretties.  She has embroidered eyes and a touch of blush to sweeten her face.

 

 

Ain't I sweet?!  Want a chance (or 16) to bring me home?!  Take a look below!!!

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Little Dolly Love

I've been taking an extended hiatus from doll making and focusing on the best things in life right now...like family, schooling, and settling more of our house after moving over a year ago.  I have to admit, I am thankful to be taking this break!  Doll making, especially for custom orders, takes a lot of time and energy.  I'm pouring all that doll making energy into projects and such for my family and others!  However, on occasion, depending on the circumstances, I agree to make a few sweet dollies.

 

These pretty girls are headed off to a church auction to help raise funds for a missionary. 

All the girls hanging out for one last time before traveling to their new families...he, he! 

 The one blue-eyed beauty in the bunch...

Sisters headed off to Texas!  Yee-haw!



A replacement dolly headed to Iowa for a dearly loved one lost in Washington, D.C...



Teddy Bear Sleeping Bag

I saw a super cute sleeping bag for lovies on Pinterest (another new addiction! aaahhhhh!) and I just had to make one! You can purchase your own pattern from Flossie Teacakes, too! I'm definitely going to make more and have a dolly slumber party!

I saw this idea (guess where???) to sew lengths of yarn on a piece of fabric...thought it was kinda cool looking. I tried it with thrifted yarn on a scrap piece of muslin and it turned out pretty sweet. It was the perfect size to use on the sleeping bag cover...a small quilt block of sorts.

The rest of the fabrics came from my vintage sheet stash & scraps. The orange double fold binding was thrifted as well and not a little tricky...a LOT tricky...to curve around the rounded corners. Loving those bright, citrus colors! Who wouldn't wanna sleep in this fresh squeezed bedding?!


I tried to sew Sadie's name in the bottom of the sleeping bag...hmm...maybe next time I'd try hand embroidering it.

The finished sleeping bag. I made the daddy bear size (also included in the pattern is the baby bear and mama bear sizes.) Super fun!

Sometimes my mind needs a different creative break! This weekend I'll be focusing on getting more doll orders finished...amazed and up to my eyeballs in orders!

Rainy Day Doll

How did you spend your rainy afternoon? The boys were hunkered down watching Astroboy, Sadie was taking a nap, and I felt aimless. I didn't want to wash the dishes or fold the laundry. I didn't want to sort out more winter clothing. I didn't feel like reading. There were so many things I could have done, but I just wanted to do something FUN! Oh my, does anyone else have these aimless afternoons like me?!

I dug out my collection of vintage hankies because I was thinking about making a pillow cover like I saw here. As I was looking through them, I remembered a sweet doll apron made from a portion of a vintage hankie. Hmmm...maybe I'd try making a new doll to wear the apron.

I've been wanting to alter my one and only doll pattern to try some new things. So that's what I did and here she is...

She kind of reminds me of those wooden spoon dolls...large head, skinny neck...but I think it sort of works! I have to admit though that she was really hard to turn right side out with such a skinny neck. Felt like labor...every little push brought her little head out a teensy bit more. (ha, ha...I always think that when I'm turning dolls...maybe you'd have to see it to understand!)

She's wearing little pink shoes just like Sadie's little pink crocs! As soon as Sadie saw the doll, she smiled and said, "Pink shoes!"

Teensy heart lips, wool felt for her hair...I LOVE the stitching to make "strands." Can you see the flower I stitched into her hair?! Just like Sadie's favorite hair pretties!!!

Can you see the flower better here?

She's so cute! I still have to find another white button and sew all three on her shirt.

I think I'll try my new pattern again with a few slight changes...what do you think?! She might make a great addition to my etsy shop!

Working On

My sewing table this week...finished up all customer orders (and favors for friends) and am taking a month long vacation from sewing projects for other people to work on my own projects...and breathe a little, too!

I love the bright colors at my eye level when I'm sewing. I sit the spools I'm currently using on the window sill in front of me.

I made four more Owl Rice Bags for a friend...not for sale, mind you, even though she is covering the costs of supplies. Super cuddly and warm!

Necessary supplies while sewing...

Brown-eyed and blue-eyed beauties are headed off to Florida

Little Miss Orange Hair and Miss Blondie are headed off to New Mexico...these colored eyes are SO fabulous!!! What a sweet, little change they make to the doll's faces! And I just LOVE that orange haired doll...curly piggies and all!

Violet the Kitty Cat

I came across this wonderfully sweet company Bit of Whimsy Dolls that sells pre-made dolls and patterns. I fell in love at first sight. Last night, I spent some time making my first dolls using the Violet pattern. Aren't they CUTE?!

These dollies are headed off to a very excited couple expecting their first children - long-awaited, long-desired twin baby girls - due for delivery this Thursday!!! Oh, I hope those baby girls snuggle the dolls as much as my Sadie has snuggled them this morning!!!

*A few might end up for sale in my etsy shop from time to time as well!*

Christmas Sewing - Hidden In My Heart Dolls

With the great success of my new doll business, it only made sense to make a few dolls to give away to my nieces this Christmas. The first one here though is my sweet Sadie Kathryn's doll...finished in the late afternoon today after a frantic scramble to locate any extra stuffing stashed in the house!

ain't she cute - just like my Sadie Katie?!

I'm really enjoying making "professional" dresses...they are so cute!!! My mother-in-law passed a stack of doll clothing patterns my way and they have been so invaluable!!!

reversible cloth diaper - fleece and cotton - soon available for purchase along with dolls!

precious dress...LOVE that fabric!!!

Sadie Kathryn's Scripture tag - each doll I make comes with a personalized tag with a Scripture or blessing dictated by the gift giver.

hair pretties - soon available for purchase along with your doll!

My niece Allison's Scripture tag - she's bundle of 6 month old cuteness!!!

Allison's doll

Interested in more information about Hidden In My Heart Dolls? See my etsy shop or my facebook business page...

Hidden In My Heart Dolls

Hidden In My Heart Dolls is now open for business though I am still setting up shop! With the support and encouragement of my husband and a few close friends, I am now selling dolls. I never would have imagined myself in this place two years ago. I must give credit to my daughter, Sadie, for stirring this creative ambition in me. After years of doing as much "boy" sewing as I could think of...which wasn't much...I finally feel the freedom to explore sewing in a much bigger way. I am excited for the day when I can share my love of creative arts with Sadie. Creating with my hands fills me in an inexplicable way. I am thankful to the Lord for the talents he's given me and that I truly feel his blessing on this adventure.

Would you believe that just from word of mouth, I've sold ten dolls already?! In just over a week! Three are finished and delivered, five will be finished and shipped tomorrow, and two more are in the queue. I have received tons of compliments and encouragement and for that I am so thankful!

Check out all the doll pictures and options on facebook. If you are interested in a doll, contact me through my etsy shop or email me at hiddeninmyheartdolls@gmail.com.

Miss Clementine Tweaked and Tweaked Again

Tweak # 3...She's practically perfect...perfect enough to give away to a sweet couple expecting their first baby, a daughter.

Ain't she sweet???


Tweak # 2...She looks like a washed out albino but that's what scraps are for!!! Her hair is super soft and cuddly though!