Nature Bracelets

I was looking through a friends magazine and came across a fun idea. Nature Bracelets. They are simple and fun and everyone who cares to, can participate.

Materials:
Duct Tape
Anything from nature, preferably from the plant kingdom.

Directions:
Cut the duct tape to the size of the wearers wrist with enough room to overlap a little. Wrap the duct tape around the wrist with the sticky side out. Over lap duct tape on to close up the "bracelet."

Go outside and collect all manner of nature.

Silas is 2.8 years old and he had no trouble figuring out what to do by watching myself and his siblings.

He was creative and found some old poke berries and mushed them onto his bracelet. A very pretty fuchsia color was the result.


Livia was a cautious collector. She looked everything over twice to make sure she wanted it on her bracelet. She went with understated elegance and I think her bracelet suits her.
Jonah tried again and again to catch a cricket to put on his bracelet. He didn't have much luck with the cricket by he did catch some sort of black bug.
Note the black bug there on Jonah's nature bracelet.

I, on the other hand put everything I could find on my bracelet. I thought it would be good to do that to give the children the idea that they could fit a lot on their bracelet and cover all the duct tape.

The was a fun way to spend an hour outside plundering around with the children. They all had a great time and were excited over their cool bracelets. When I first went out, I figured we wouldn't find much because of the early fall season, but when I got to looking there were plenty of pretty little things to pick and use. We just had to be observant and notice the little things.

The Wonderful World of Waldorf Dolls

I love babies. I love little children. Sometimes its easy to forget that they are experiencing everything for the first time with eyes of wonder.

Sometimes if I'm working on a doll wondering if she is going to come out like the idea I had in my head, my daughter, Livia or my little Silas will walk by and with a voice fraught with excitement, will say "Oh mommy, she is so pretty" or "I like your baby, momma" and suddenly it doesn't matter if she comes out like the picture I had in my head.

I made a few dolls for my children and they loved them, bless their hearts. They have played with them and drug them hither, thither and yonder.


My husband is the type of husband that while he encourages me in every way as a mother and home maker he likes for me to have a little bit of industry. For several years I sold tamales on Saturdays at a local farmers market. That was a lot of fun. I met lots of interesting folks and made a some extra money. For different reasons, farmers market became not doable anymore and I was looking for something different to do.

I had been learning to knit and could already sew and somehow or another I got the idea in my head to open an Etsy store to sell dolls and doll clothes. I still remember the feeling of selling my first item....


I sold another doll outfit and was super excited. Then I sold my first doll.


This is Gracie and I've made her two more times....excepting that I find it literally impossible to make an exact replica of a handmade doll. Once she had brown hair and flew with her grandma to Japan to meet a sweet little girl.

Gracie the Brown

And once she was supposed to be a totally different doll with curly hair but on looking through my sold orders on Etsy, the Little Miss decided she wanted a doll like Gracie and I didn't mind because Gracie the First is my most favorite doll ever.

Gracie the Third
I took off most of 2010 off. My husband was gone for a total of 6 months working with the BP Oil Spill way down south in Louisiana. During that time my oldest daughter met a wonderful man and within a 6 month span was courted, fell in love, got engaged and was married in January of 2011. They are now expecting their first baby in February of 2012 and I can hardly wait.

Back in February I was itching to get back into doll making so I started with a new dolly, Missy.
Since starting back to doll making I've sold 13 dolls and many doll outfits. I'm not looking to be a huge business. My dolls are made by me using my hands, sewing machine, crochet hook and knitting needles. I can't mass produce dolls and have no desire too. I enjoy the process of making a doll. If I felt I had to make a bunch or in a manner of speaking "keep up with the Jones" doll making wouldn't be any fun.

There is a verse in the bible that reads: 1 Thessalonians 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands , as we commanded you;

I think of this verse when making dolls and when working around the house. I've often quoted it to my children who, at times have been too chatty or rambunctious during our work times.

I felt a bit melancholy today. When I first started making dolls I had no idea there could be contention, hurt feelings, accusations and in general, plain ill will in the doll community. Actually, I had no idea there was a doll community. I was ignorant and it was bliss. I'd been making dollies, expecting little girls and boys to play with them till they were dirty and worn from lots of love and fun.

I think my fellow doll maker  Little Jenny Wren said it best when she said in this blog post...

...thinking about how very strange this on line world can be
and that it is so much better to live most of your life in the real world and make real things
than live in a virtual world and not make much at all.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today
September 28, 2011

Outside my window...Beautiful September morning. The birds and sings and I can hear the crickets.

I am thinking...of the day ahead.

I am thankful for...the sweet/cute/funny things little children say.

From the learning rooms....Only one child to do book work with today. Most of the boys are working with dad today.

From the kitchen....Need to make yogurt. Chili for supper.

I am excited...about a knitting group I visited last week.

I am wearing...girly camo tiered skirt, pink shirt, socks and sneakers

I am creating...aprons, dolls and doll clothes. 2 new dolls and this next upload will include some 15-16" doll clothes.

I am going...to wash laundry today, knit and work on a pattern for doll clothes.

I am reading...my bible and a knitting book I checked out of the library.

I am hoping...to lose some weight.

I am hearing...the crickets outside. They are loud this morning.

Things I want to accomplish today...school, knitting for a dolly, laundry finished, and hopefully a nap will be tucked in there somewhere.

Around the house...it looks pretty good. It needs a little attention here and those things will get attention.

One of my favorite things...Little girls with long hair.

A few plans for the rest of the week...knitting, dolls, school, and cleaning my sewing area!

A picture thought I am sharing...Silas, my youngest child. He is such a little man.
My daughter, Autumn took the picture.

Life in General

Its been a good week for me. Busy, full and fun. School has went well, I lived through the first few driving lessons with my 16 year old, and solved a couple of problems I've been challenged with lately. My daughter in law spent the day with us yesterday so we had fun visiting with her and Patrick. Although I think some of my children held him more than I did. :)

I was thinking yesterday of the seasons of motherhood.
Back when I was a "young mom" my days consisted largely of nursing a baby, changing diapers, reading to young children, watching the television and keeping everyone fed, bathed and the laundry kept up. We didn't go much. We stayed at home mostly. There were times I felt it was get out and go somewhere or go crazy. We were doing good to get to church on time. Good times but sort of lonely times too.

Back when I was a "middle mom" my life was consisting largely of the same things except we added real school (home education style) and the television became a thing of the past. We added home school group to our activities and went on field trips, art classes, gym class and roller skating. We got out way more and met more people outside of our church group. I made more of an effort to sew and improve my skills. I was still always nursing a baby and changing diapers but it was a little easier because my once little children were now children who could bathe themselves and get dressed on their own. They could also wash breakfast dishes!

One day during this time, I laid the littles down for a nap and I, myself laid on the couch to catch a doze. I was pregnant and tired. Some where through the fog my oldest son asked me if he could have a snack and I agreed, telling him there were some crackers in the cupboard and that he could look for something to go on them. I dozed off again. I woke a little while later to him eating crackers at the table with mustard, pickle relish and mushrooms on them while his younger sister and brother watched in awe. Good times. (we never ate crackers with mustard, pickle relish and mushrooms before and never have since either)

Now days as an "older mom", there is no nursing baby although Silas was loathe to give it up and would probably still give it a go if would let him and there are no diapers to change. We still home school. We go a lot more! Now, I long to stay at home more. My teens are energetic, active and have a variety of interests...some to my dismay...like the dirt bikes my husband and boys have recently been working on and riding around. I only have one child...ONE CHILD that needs help getting dressed. I have married children. I have grand babies. Still good times.

One day (Lord willing) I will be an "old mom" and all the children will be grown and leading their own lives. I hope that my life will be filled with adult children, lots of grand children and more time to spend holding my husband's hand.

Autumn Dresses

This little dolly has been fun to make.

She started in my yarn pile. Stranger things have happened. We had company for supper a week ago. My friend Angie, looking into my yarn stash picked up the yarn for Autumn's hair and commented that she thought it would make pretty hair with all the highlights in it. I had bought the yarn to make some bib overalls for a boy doll but the more I looked at it, the more I thought that it would be pretty used as doll hair.
The yarn is Madeline Tosh Vintage. Gorgeous stuff and currently my favorite yarn to knit up. The little cardigan is also Madeline Tosh (aka Madtosh). Soft to knit with and the colorways are beautiful.
I'm fairly pleased with her clothing. I made the pattern for her overalls. I'm not much of a wiz at pattern drafting but I've made enough simple doll dresses and pants that I can draw those without much fiddling. I'd been wanting a overall pattern but hadn't seen one that I could use so I came up with this one.
Miss Autumn is a bit of a tomboy. Her momma endevours to girly her up a bit with a pink cardigan and sturdy Mary Janes. Her hair is a wild mass of curls that are hard to tame. Autumn prefers the "shake and go" method of doing her hair. :)

I've sewn tons of doll clothes lately.


Dresses and pinafores by the bunches.





Sleeveless dresses.



Shirts and pants.


I have a big upload scheduled for my shop today. All my new items will be in my shop at 6pm.

Cinnamon Sugar

My oldest daughter was the cutest, little, freckled girl with hair that curled when it was short or she was hot.

Her daddy, because of her freckles, affectionately dubbed her "Cinnamon Sugar."

I miss that little girl.

I named this doll "Autumn" after my daughter and gave her a sprinkling of "Cinnamon Sugar."

Simple Womans Daybook

For Today
September 14, 2011

Outside my window...Not real sunny. Overcast and sort of gray.

I am thinking...of my married children.

I am thankful for...grace, mercy and the promises of God.

From the learning rooms....Learning some new math concepts today.

From the kitchen....Yogurt is in the warmer. Supper is half made. Thinking its time to make lunch for a pack of hungry children.

I am excited...my daughter is having an ultrasound soon and we are hoping to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl.

I am wearing...khaki skirt and black tee shirt and sneakers.

I am creating...aprons, dolls and doll clothes.

I am going...to get milk today. We buy from a family who milks a cow or two. Love that good raw milk!

I am reading...Wives and Daughters by Elisabeth Gaskill.

I am hoping...to lose some weight.

I am hearing...Stephen hum. Jonah talking about his poison ivy. Silas playing with the doll house.

Things I want to accomplish today...school, knitting for a dolly, laundry finished, and try try try to remember to take the yogurt out of the warmer at the right time.

Around the house...making a detailed list for Saturday morning house cleaning. Several windows need cleaned and the wall going down the stairs is DIRTY.

One of my favorite things...getting along with my husband. It is a very nice thing to be so close that most of the time I don't have to explain and neither does he.

A few plans for the rest of the week...school, laundry, feeding the children. Having company over on Saturday evening. And I'm hoping beyond hope to have 3 dolls ready for my shop upload next Wednesday.

A picture thought I am sharing... From one of my favorite artists Mary Engelbreit.