New Stockist (and a few finds)

Yesterday I took some dolls in to -

Handmade Highstreet

1/466 Ipswich Road

Annerley, Brisbane

Queensland

They are opening on thursday December 1st.

With lots of handmade goodies just in time for Christmas!

If you're out and about this way,

 there are also some brilliant places nearby to pop into!

There is a retro store (in the same road),

 where I found these 1964 'Springtime' ceramics

made by Hornsea, England.

Also these vintage clip on/screw on earrings,

for the dolls or brooches.

And in a charity shop on the same street, this fabulous top.

 Though I'm thinking I'm more likely to chop it up than wear it.

 Its a bit too hot up here to be wearing polyester!

Not too far away is a place called Reverse Garbage.

They promote environmental sustainability and resource reuse.

So they have all sorts of high quality industrial discards. 

Mainly things like pieces of cardboard, plastics, rubber, foam -

lots of things that artists can reuse and stop them from going

to the landfill. There were some pieces of fabric too - I managed to get

a couple of little bags of wedding dress off cuts, which will come in handy for the dolls at some point! :D

Last minute gifts

There were some last minute gifts needed around here this week.

So some large zipper pouches were the go!

This one is for a school friend of Miss 10 who is moving back to NZ.

(they are very much alike, as they were both born in the UK too!)

This one is for the little ones Prep (kindy) teacher, 

who is retiring at the end of this term

and going to travel around Europe.

And this retro koala was sent with one of the custom order dolls.

Another gift for someone going overseas -

the perfect travel gift I think!x

Two Years Blogging!

vintage sheet cushion cover

I started this blog two years ago today! Its been documenting the 'makes' and how the dolls have evolved. They have changed so much, and still are. The blog has been such a huge part of the creating, it keeps me motivated and helps me move onto other things. Its great to have a record of the custom orders here and look back at them, as well as the challenges and swaps with other bloggers. Making friends through the blogs has been an amazing experience, especially with us moving so much in this last year! 

miss francis

So instead of doing another giveaway - 

there is free shipping on everything in my Etsy store till 

Monday 28th November at 10pm (Qld time).

I can ship direct to - who you want to give to - this christmas!x

ps. just started working on the Blogtoberfest giveaway doll!

My Creative Space - sentimental siblings

1. The redhead eldest - you can't quite see the freckles on her nose!

2. Always a grin and loves purple.

3. Loves pink! 

4. A tomboy, loved her teddy blanket as a baby.

5. Loves his rugby and spiderman!

I couldn't get these dolls out of my head,

and have been working on them constantly for the last week.

I'm nervous about sending them off altogether now -

will be relieved when they get to their home safely!xx

More creative spaces here.

Having a go

I'm having a go at making dolls for 5 siblings this week!

A big box of  baby clothes arrived from New Zealand.

Each child's clothes in seperate bags with a photo and description.

Nerves of steel are needed sometimes, with the cutting up of (especially small) baby clothes! I definately have to be in the right mood to do it. I painted the faces first, on the weekend. Then cut their hair last night. 

Today, I started on their clothes. Its such a challenge sometimes, to get the different elements of the sentimental clothes that I want and piece them together.  As with most things I've been making, there is not much planning going on. Just get in there and have a go. Most of the time things don't turn out how I expect anyway! I'm hoping to get most of these guys done by the end of the week, as they need to be back in New Zealand in time for Christmas!

Do you plan when you create or see how things go along the way?x

Barry

Barry's having a boogie!

Holding Hands

These are the dolls made from a couple of the faces

in My Creative Space the other day.

She wears a crochet choker and indigo eyes. (a new fabric paint)

 He wears a bow tie, made from a very flowery vintage neck tie!

They are the first of some dolls for a new store opening in Brisbane.

My Creative Space

More dolls on the way here...

An order finished for a family to give to their au pair,

who is leaving. Made from some fabulous Moomin fabric!

And I'm going to  send off the free motion sewn doll to Softies For Mirabel. Something a bit different that I don't think I'll be making again. So she's off to get loads of hugs!x

More creative spaces here .

Krafty Kids Wordless Wednesday

more here

These Three

I haven't made a doll for a newborn for ages!!

So it was so nice to be asked to make a mum, dad

 and one for the gorgeous girl too. 

Young babies love looking at faces. 

So she will have a ball with these three,

learning to chat away to her (little) family!x

You gotta try this!

I didn't get the chance to post this during Blogtoberfest!

I've been cooking Nigella's special ham recipe for a few years now.

It is sooo nice - that we don't cook ham any other way now. 

My grandfather used to LOVE this along with homemade potato salad!

It is Nigella Lawson's Ham in Coca Cola.

The original recipe is here, but over time I have kept it a bit more basic...

You need:

 a big mild cure ham

a big bottle of cheap coke

a handful of cloves

some treacle (or some other thick sweet syrup)

brown sugar

*put your ham in a big pot - if it doesn't fit,

 you can chop a corner off so that is does.

*pour over enough coke to cover and boil gently for about an hour

(the coke seems to take away a bit of the saltiness that big hams have 

- making it just right!)

*turn your oven on to 200c and cover a baking pan with lots of tinfoil!

*remove ham from the pot of coke and drain

*place the ham in the covered baking pan

*cut the main bit of fat off the ham, so that there is a fine layer left

*score lines one way then another with a sharp knife to make diamonds

*then push a clove into each diamond

*pour over enough treacle to cover,

 then sprinkle over a generous amount of brown sugar

*place in oven, basting often - till it reaches a nice golden brown

This may look and sound very sickly sweet - but it just gives an intense flavour on the outside of the ham. Cut nice and thin - it is amazing, especially on sandwiches for days afterwards!

(ps. don't forget to remove the cloves before slicing!)xx

My Creative Space

Two old orange tablecloths...

(and thats my new little radio for the sewing room!)

turned into a 'no pattern skirt'!

(or should that be 'make-it-up-as-you-go-along-skirt'

I am really no good with patterns - they scare me).

All she wanted was BIG pockets and a bit of flare!

Yup - there's a bit of flare there,

and I don't think those pockets could get any bigger!x

Check out some cleverer creative spaces over here!

Retro Fair!

Aucklanders - this one is for you!

You know I'd be there if I could -

mark it in your diaries now!xx

Cultiver Indie Arts and Design

(Bow tie repurposed from a 1970's neck tie)

These are some of the new dolls I've been working on for

Cultiver Indie Arts & Design store.

Shop 2/126 Brisbane Street

Ipswich, Queensland

They will be available there later on this week!xx