Ruby Visits! Classic Midwest

Before Ruby leaves, here are a few more pictures of her visit.

What could be more classic Midwest than a corn field? Ruby had to check it out!

Ruby Visits! Circus Circus

Ruby knows that her new friends, Callie and Penny, really love the circus.

So Anne and I took her to Delavan, Wisconsin, Nineteenth Century Circus Capitol of the World.

Anne has already been there, and there are pictures of that visit here.

Patterns for Kit Kittredge- Great Depression

I love sewing for Kit! There are so many reproduction 1930s fabric out there, and they are all so cute.
The fashions tend to use a minimum of fabric too, which makes them practical to sew!

Ruby Visits!

Here are some more pictures of Ruby's adventures!

 She is trying very hard to impress everyone with all the new places she is seeing!

Ruby Visits! Going to College

Ruby was very excited about touring a local college while she was here.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes, really," she insisted.

Okay then.

 Here is Ruby with the college mascot!

Ruby Visits! Whitewater Effigy Mounds

After seeing the exhibit on Indian mounds at the Hoard Museum, Ruby wanted to see some actual Indian Mounds.

So Kaya and I took her to see the Whitewater Effigy Mounds, where Kaya had already been.

Ruby Visits! Hoard Historical Museum and National Dairy Shrine

Ruby may be from New Orleans, but I think she has ambitions to be a world traveler.

That girl hadn't been in Wisconsin for an hour before she went to visit the Hoard Historical Museum and National Dairy Shrine in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.

The museum is the former home of William Dempster Hoard, the father of Wisconsin Dairy Farming. That's huge!

It has exhibits on lots of topics of local history.

 Here is Ruby with the museum sign!

Madison Children's Museum Benefit 2016

Today I went to the Madison's Children's Museum Benefit in Madison!

Every year, American Girl donates its returned items to the Madison Children's Museum in Madison.
The museum has a big sale of these dolls once a year, in the summer.

It's kind of a big thing that everyone wants to go to, and I was excited to get to go!

Patterns for Melody Ellison

You know I love sewing doll clothes!

So with the new 1960s American Girl doll, Melody Ellison, what can she wear? What patterns are there to sew for her?

I am on it!

Dolly First Aid

What do you do when your photo session goes wrong?

Right after I took this picture, Laura fell in the creek, face forward.

Etsy Purchase Review: LinLovelies

I love sewing doll clothes and quilts for my dolls. However, I have never learned to knit or crochet very well. Add to these facts a reverence for well-made handmade objects, and you find me scouring etsy for knit or crochet items for my dolls.

I didn't want just any knit or crochet items, though. I am picky.
A lot of people knit and crochet dresses for dolls, and I don't like those. I want dolls to have clothes that look like people's clothes. The majority of knit dresses do not achieve this.
Also, I just wanted pieces that would supplement the clothes I sew, not replace them.

I ended up finding the shop LinLovelies.

Removing Toe Nail Polish from Dolls

So the next step that I needed in fixing up my garage sale finds, Kaya and Julie, was removing the nail polish from their toes.

For this, I needed two items: a toothbrush and non-acetone nail polish remover.

It was a simple procedure: I took off their clothes and scrubbed the toes with nail polish remover, using the toothbrush.

Kaya's Beauty Treatment

My Future Custom Kaya's hair was definitely a mess when I got her. It's been cut in the back, just at the nape of the neck, and although you can hardly see it, this gives me the impetuous that I need to re-wig her.

She's the doll on the left, and she needs help.

What I hope to find is an Ivy wig or one that looks like it. This may be hard to find.
The closest  wig that I have found is Monique's China Doll wig, and it needs to be cut shorter.

In the meanwhile, I don't want Kaya sitting around looking like a cast member of Annie.

I also felt that since this wig already has problems, it is perfect for experimentation.

So I boiled her hair.

Heritage Doll Fashions Wrap Top Dress: Part Two

I made another copy of the Heritage Doll Fashions Wrap Top Dress.

You can see the first one I made here.

This dress is a bit more colorful than the first version.

The tops are "wrapped" different ways on purpose. I think it looks equally good in either direction.

I continue to enjoy this pattern!

Patterns for Julie Albright- 1970s

Now that I have Julie Albright, the 1970s American Girl doll, I have to think about what I can sew for her. That means it's time for another loooong list of patterns!
*waves arms like Kermit*

Wait. The Muppet Show ran from 1976-1981. That means I can make Julie a Muppet fan, right?

I don't care if Julie is supposed to be from 1974- MY Julie is  now officially a Muppet fan in 1976.

This is a live blogging doll personality update, people!
(possibly from the planet Koozebane. We can neither confirm nor deny)