Good afternoon, dear Internet-Land! For the FIRST time EVER, I actually have my Christmas shopping all done BEFORE December. I’m looking forward to enjoying the month without the stress of, “When am I going to have time to go shopping?” Now I can spend my energies on freebie fun!

My previous post was a fun new Christmas set for the paper doll, El. Just head over to my “Free Stuff” page for lots more paper doll treasures. Today I am featuring a new set of pattern pieces. Phyn & Aero recently released the lovely Annora resin BJD, but she doesn’t have a lot of clothing yet. “As is,” these pieces will produce a very snug body suit. A 1/4 seam allowance has already been added, but there is no overlay on the front or back pieces for snaps/buttons. All the design options are totally up to YOU! This is just a place to start. You get to decide on each pleat, tuck, & ruffle. There are three pages of pieces to make your own version of SPECTACULAR!

Enjoy, and Happy, Happy Christmas!

Just a quick “hello” for you, Internet-Land! Today El is looking forward to Christmas baking, decorating, & SHOPPING! Here are two holiday outfits ready to jump into the festivities!

Good evening, Internet-Land! I hope you are well. Here in the U.S., tomorrow is our Thanksgiving holiday. As I sit here and type, I am pondering about all the different people who may read my blog. Tomorrow, some of you may be looking forward to large family gatherings. Some may have plans with small, intimate groups. Some may be alone. Some will celebrate the day, while to others it’s just another Thursday. Whoever you may be, and however you may be spending the day, know that my thoughts are with you ~ even if it seems in a very small way. I’m thankful you came to my site, and I want you to know that you are valued. I guess tonight I wanted to take a couple minutes and express gratitude for this strange and amazing thing we call technology and the way it allows people to connect. Sometimes the world can seem big and impersonal, but I hope you feel that you can come here for some fun and cheer, knowing that your visit is appreciated.

Here is a bit of news on the dolly scene. As the Christmas season is approaching, I took a stroll down the store ornament aisle this past week. I was tickled to find two cute items to add to my collection of fun accessories. The first is a perfectly dolly sized parasol, and the second was an adorable lamp! Both items are pictured with 16 inch dolls. Just a reminder that you can often find great doll items in non-doll places! Following the photos are some fun freebies, so be sure to read to the end!

And now, to help celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving, I present another outfit set for El. It is designed on 8.x11 inch paper. For any of you who may be here for the first time, the El doll (along with other outfits, other doll sets, sewing patterns, & coloring crafts) can be found by clicking on my “Free Stuff” tab in the top menu bar (depending on your device, you may need to click on a “Menu” button first). If you scroll down to the end of the page, you will find the little Girl Bear Pilgrim set that is companion to my last post. Just right-click on the item of choice and choose “save image as” to download & print. It’s all for your enjoyment. Wishing you a beautiful holiday!

Good evening, Internet-Land! I hope you are having a good November. It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is almost here. I mentioned on my facebook page that I’m “enjoying” some post-surgery issues with my hand, so have not been doing any recreational sewing. I do, however, have a couple items to share today. The first will be my new “birthday gift to me” Annora by Phyn & Aero, along with her finished face-up and hand-painted eyes. I’m not sure if she’ll keep this look, so am waiting to add the final touch of applied eyelashes when I decide. I was so happy to learn her actual size and that I could buy her “blank.”

Secondly, is a tip for holding on wigs. Sometimes I find wigs at shows that are pretty, but may be oddly sized or shaped. I tried the trick of simply putting a white rubber band around the head to add some “grip” for the wig. It works great! I know you can buy silicone head caps, but sometimes the price for one little piece of plastic is way higher than I am willing to pay. I always have a selection of rubber bands, so I just found some small enough to have good stretch, and white ~ so as not to add staining to the head.

I know it’s a few days even before Thanksgiving, but this weekend I worked on getting my Christmas lights up on the outside of the house. It’s silly, but for some reason I just want to prolong the holiday fun this year. Since the daylight gets shorter and shorter, it’s easy to let the literal darkness seep into the spirit. We go to work in the dark and then come home in the dark as well. I decided to start the color of the holidays early, so I can enjoy it even longer than usual. I may keep the lights from November through January or February, just to enjoy the smile they give!

I will also be working on a companion craft to the Pilgrim Bear I previously posted, so be on the look out for that in the next couple days. I hope you have the very best week!

Good morning, dear Internet-Land! Wow. Already in the eleventh month of the year. I hope things are going well for you today. Here, I’m just plodding along, but with a silly skip in my step once in a while. Usually, I pass through November, enjoy Thanksgiving, then begin to think about the whole Christmas event “stuff.” Not THIS year! I have already began my Christmas shopping. I know, right?! So ~ here’s where the silly skip comes into play. With only two exceptions ~ every gift I have purchased for someone else has been accompanied with an identical purchase for MYSELF! Heeheehee!!! I’m going to have a GREAT Christmas! So many years have been spent thinking, “Oh, man, what would so&so like?” Not this year. Nope! This year, I have thought, “Oh! I LIKE that! I think so&so would like it, too.” And so I bought TWO! Yes, I’m a nut, but it’s been soooo much fun. I’m even going to wrap my stuff and put it under the tree. I want to get things out of hiding, but if I don’t wrap my stuff as well, the girls will know what they’re getting.

I know there are some who complain every year about the holiday greed and commercialism, but I must admit ~ I jump in with both feet. For me, it’s all about spreading joy and a thankful spirit. I have been so blessed, so I want to share and enjoy. In that spirit, I offer my first 2017 Thanksgiving freebie. It’s a color & put-together Teddy who is all set for the holiday (3 sheets). Enjoy and have a wonderful week!