{Hidden In My Heart Dolls} Thinkin' On Selling Again.

I really enjoy making dolls.  Like really, really. 

 

I don't like stress and pressure.  Like really, really don't.

 

Especially when it comes to something that is supposed to be fun and a creative outlet for me like doll making.

 



So, I've been thinkin' on how I can make and sell dolls and keep the pressure off. 

I think the solution is to limit my number of custom orders.  Really, really limit.

 

Pulling together parts and pieces when making a doll is easy and fun {but still time consuming} when I don't have the pressure of making it perfect according to a customer's specifications.  And some customers are very specific.  Like really, really specific.  Even down to the color of thread used to sew the hem of the doll's dress. 

And I don't have time for that kind of pressure and stress.  That's no fun.

 

And doll making should be fun.  Because it's sewing and sewing is my stress reliever. 

 

See how the two can't work well together?!

 



And so, I'm putting together some sweet dolls similar to this one to sell at whatever pace my busy life allows.  No agenda.  No selling goal.  No pressure.  Ready to ship.  What you see is what you get kind of selling.

 



 

I think this will be fun.  Like really, really.

{Hidden In My Heart Dolls} Pinky Pie

Hello, I'm Pinky Pie!

 

Pinky Pie went home today to a sweet girl becoming the big sister to twin sisters!

 





I was calling her "Cutie Pie" but it suddenly struck me that "Pinky Pie" suits her much better!

 

I've been working on getting a bunch of doll pieces cut out and ready to sew whenever I get a chance...those rare moments when the most important parts of my life are well taken care of.  You know, things like my five little lovies, homeschool, meals, laundry, and other general household stuff.

 

I can't devote a lot of time to doll making right now, but even these snippets of time are so refreshing to me!  I love doll making!!!  I love creating!!!  I am holding out hope for lots of summer sewing once our school year is finished.

 

 



 

And this is our dining room table...  He, he!

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

{Project 365} Day 13: The Makings of a Doll

 

{Project365}: capturing this life - one photo (or so) every day for one year

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...



Messy, Messy Me

Without going into all the messy details about feeling like I've reached a "crisis point" in my life, let's leave it to say that I've really been examining parts of my life - what I do well and what needs improvement on a daily basis. At the risk of sounding extreme, I feel that one of the only things I'm really doing well is schooling with the kids. Life was thrown into upheaval last summer with our move and I haven't established good habits in our new house - chore schedule, menu planning, and let's not even talk about rooms and boxes that are still boxed up and packed.

Overwhelmed, much? Yeah...like everyday recently.

And the guilt...I'll take a serving every hour, thank you very much!

Yesterday, I came so close to blogging all my failures...a list I wrote out while waiting for the boys during their piano lessons - everything from the stuff above to relationship issues especially related to my immediate family. But, I also spent a lot of time crying and talking to the Lord. I had no direction in Scripture though I kept opening my Bible to find something to speak to me.

Kinda came up empty.

Except that after blubbering and soul searching all morning and early afternoon, I just decided that enough was enough and I needed to do something. So, like any amazing person who realizes they have been extremely lazy (my core issue, I believe...), I decided not to do a single thing on my to do list.

Instead I went to my sewing room. Oh, that place overwhelms me, too...knowing all the projects that I want to make but don't really have the time to make just yet. Or maybe ever while I still have small children.

I started a new sewing project. I know, how irrational is that, right?! I've got piles of laundry - a lot washed but not put away with even more unwashed, no dinner plans, kids who need to do some school work and get ready for karate, three toilets that need some serious attention, and dust bunnies hopping all over the place. And I'm sewing...

But you see, the thing was, Mike had asked me to make these dolls for two little girls who live in the inner city at a home where he is volunteering manual labor this week along with many youth from all over Rochester.

Honestly, I was a little annoyed that he asked me on Tuesday evening. Doesn't he see the mess that we call our home? Doesn't he see the mess that is me? That life isn't getting done well. That I'm tired and even more so as we anticipate the arrival of our fifth little one.

But he had asked me to do it. And he doesn't ask much of me. In fact, I think most days go by and he doesn't see the messes and the chaos that I see. He sees happy children who are learning and growing everyday, fairly decent meals except on cereal night, and a wife that appears to be trying her best.

I knew that it was important to him because he saw these little girls who don't have all the opportunities our children have, whose families don't have the resources to maintain their houses or learn karate or go on beach vacations or maybe even have a stable home environment.

It was important to him and that made it important to me. My priority suddenly was to please my husband.

As I began looking through my doll making supplies, I realized that almost every piece I needed was cut and ready to assemble even down to the sweet dresses. I've never sewn two dolls this quickly before. I'm praying that the little girls who receive them will be blessed with this small gift. I plan to deliver them with our kids later today...

So, what's the point? Well, I think, for once, I got it right. I didn't waste hours in my day puttering around, on the computer, or being lazy. I spent my time hoping to bless other people especially my husband by doing this one small thing that he requested.

I didn't sort that box of papers and writing utensils and I didn't get those wine glasses in the cabinet, but maybe I can do that today...

Gorgeous Dolly

I'm delivering this dolly to a friend who will send it on to her granddaughter for Valentine's Day. I love this doll! She's gorgeous!

I'm taking a bit of a break from doll making right now, but getting this doll ready to go reminded me how much I enjoy making them. I'm know I'm not done forever making dolls, but not sure when I'll get back into it...

Know what else I love? My ability to take really great photos of my work by choosing my own settings in manual. My photography class is officially over (boo!), but I'm excited to keep improving my skills! I love this picture...I might print it and hang it in my sewing room!!!

Scrappy Wonky Vintage Sheet Pillow and the Sewing Saga

I keep promising myself that I won't start any more sewing projects until after we move but I can't seem to bring myself to actually pack up my sewing machine and notions. In all fairness to my children, my "toys" should be packed just as most of theirs are...maybe after this weekend, I'll pack it all up.

But it'll make me cry.

Seriously.

Since last October, I've worked on sewing projects about four days a week...and I love every minute of it! And, the dolls...so stinkin' cute and I still love making them...

It kind of feels like once my machine is packed, it'll be forever before I can justify any type of sewing...priorities, right?! Sorting, packing, and moving from our old home, unpacking and settling into a new home, packing and food shopping for vacation, going on a week long vacation six days after we move, unpacking from vacation, still unpacking in our new home, somehow establishing a homeschool routine in a new house that is still not unpacked...phew...when will I ever sew again?! Doesn't that seem like forever to you, too?!

Ah, well...I will make it. I will survive. I will sew again!!! And while I'm waiting, I'll gaze at my new pillow. Ain't she perty?! She is not being packed unless you count riding along in my van on moving day with my sewing machine and my body pillow (can't kick the pregnancy habit...it's only been two years...ahem...she's so soft and cuddly and props my legs in the most comfortable way). Yes, these items will be lovingly seat belted into the front seat. My machine has already called "shotgun!"

I made this pillow from vintage bed sheet scraps. I had some scraps of my own but I also purchased a scrap pack from this lovely gal. I saw the idea for this quilt block here...

I used a fat quarter I had received in a swap a few months back for the backing. And since I didn't have a pillow form and couldn't stand not posting this any longer, I folded up a sheet to fill the pillow for now!

Certainly a bright spot of color in all the chaos to come...

It's Giveaway Day

It's GIVEAWAY DAY over at my doll blog. Hop on over and leave a comment for your chance to win a custom, personalized doll and ruffle dress with bloomers!!! The giveaway runs from today until Wednesday, May 25th!

Hidden In My Heart Dolls Blog

I've been working on setting up a blog for my little doll making business. Well, I actually created it back in October 2010 when my little business began, but with the help of facebook and etsy, I didn't really need to pursue it. But now...drum roll, please... Hidden In My Heart Dolls blog is live!!! I'm still selling dolls and accessories through my etsy shop. I'll still keep my facebook business page. So go "like" all those things!!!

My goal for the blog is to:

(1) Post lots of pictures from custom orders going out to thank you pictures from customers - there is MUCH sweetness to be shared!

(2) Make it easier for customers to find all the info and doll options/choices they need for their custom doll order in one place.

(3) Share ideas for new items or give sneak peaks of items going into my shop.

(4) Host or participate in giveaways (like the one starting on Monday, May 23rd).


Come on over to Hidden In My Heart Dolls, check it out, become a follower, and spread the word!!!

And don't forget to enter my giveaway starting Monday, May 23rd...you could win one custom doll and ruffle dress with bloomers!!!

New "Vintage" Friends

My memory is foggy on how I stumbled across the vintage sheet world, but a few months back, I found Katie Jean and began following her blog. During the month of March, The Vintage Sheet Blog was hosting giveaways (from other vintage sheet lovin' gals) every day to celebrate their one year blog-aversary. It was during that time that my love for vintage sheets began to grow. I've found and follow many new "favorite" blogs. Anyhow, Katie Jean was a giveaway host one day and I won her giveaway!!! Squeal!!! It has been fun "meeting" new crafting friends and Katie Jean seems like a super, sweet one!!!

Miss Clementine is layin' out catching some rays on her sweet flowery doll quilt! Well, not really, but I couldn't resist mentioning the fact that we actually have SUNSHINE and WARMTH today...finally feels like the first day of spring!!! The tree's leaves are opening before my eyes! I'm betting that Katie Jean packed a buncha California sun in her package just for me!!!

This is the best picture I could get of Sadie Katie...not very cooperative today, but who can blame her?! She was having so much fun covering up "Tine" for night-night.

We have to work on those mothering and smothering skills...he, he!

Miss Lola and Miss Clementine tucked in for nap time with Sadie...night-night girlies!

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!

Dollie's Baptism Dress

I told my husband that if I died today, I'd die a happy woman. Why? I made the sweetest dress ever...well, that I've ever made. Ha, ha!

I've only been sewing doll clothing since this past fall - some of it by using patterns, some of it by just creating and playing around. I can't explain how satisfied I was with this end result after using a combination of patterns and my imagination. I couldn't stop looking at it! Isn't it amazing how God created us?! See the creativity all around you! And God instilled that creativity within us!!! I have a feeling I'm just scratching the surface of the creativity God has placed in me. WOW! I have such a strong desire to keep discovering. It is SO fulfilling!

I joked with the customer who requested this baptism dress that I might pretend she'd never placed an order for her doll just so I could keep the dress for myself...er...Sadie. Isn't she gorgeous?!

I am SO excited to sew lots of things like this for Sadie as she gets older. Just think of all the dress-up dollie fun we'll have!!!

Visit my facebook page or Hidden In My Heart Dolls on etsy to see what else I've been working on!

Thrifty Treasures

I feel like I hit the jackpot today at the thrift store! Do I say that every time I post about my thrifty findings?!

This tablecloth is in MINT condition ($1.99). I almost died when I saw it...died of happiness, that is! The tray is not vintage but it is a wonderful shabby chic floral perfect for Sadie ($0.69). Bananagrams...WHAT???!!! Someone got RID of Bananagrams!!! We LOVE this game ($o.99)! No joke!!! It retails for $14.99. Who cares that we already own it...now we own two! It might work out really well though because Sadie and Isaac like to "make words" and sing ABC's while we're playing. Now they have their own set.

A sweet white dish for soap, my earrings, Sadie's hair pretties, Bananagram tiles, etc. ($0.49). The vintage tablecloth underneath is 60" round with a fabulous mustard colored lacy edging ($1.99). Might cut it up for a vintage sheet quilt I'm hoping to make using fabrics I find. I've got a good little collection already!

I also found several brightly colored Hawaiian shirts to make a beach/picnic blanket quilt for this summer...or maybe it'll end up on one of the boy's beds. A wool sweater to be felted for coffee cozies or rice bag cover. A bursting-full bag of marbles for the boys ($0.99) with three shooters! And a few pillowcases...one particularly sweet pale yellow one with embroidered flowers and a soft, cotton lace edging ($0.69).

I have had a love of vintage items for some time now...especially floral hankies...but recently have been inspired by reading amazing blogs about all sorts of reclaimed items. Especially sheets and wool sweaters...oh, the projects I have stored up in my brain. Now, to find the time to complete them all!!! HA!

Seriously considering taking a doll making hiatus for late spring and summer to focus on MY projects. It gives me shivers just thinking about it...summer break and lazy days to create!!!