Sick Day

I suppose that if one must be home sick in bed, they could do worse than these cozy surroundings, eh? Even better than the cozy bed set up, is the view from the bed:

Yes! Tender Arts Studio is back in business! I bought this great desk at the Salvation Army last weekend. Hauled it home in a rented Home Depot truck all by myself too! I did get help with getting it in the house though- thank you, teenagers! I covered the bulletin board myself too.

I even have a doll to show for my efforts too! This is Meg March. I started her in 2008 and she languished about in her unders for over a year- poor dear! Sunday afternoon I sat at my new work station and finished her. Pure Nirvana!

On Monday, I woke up and felt like a ton of bricks had been dropped off in my head. I came home from work early and I've been in bed ever since. All in all, NOT the worst sick experience I've ever had!

Hugs to all!

Introducing Miss Josephine March

Sorry Jo! She hates to be called Josephine, you know. If you don't know, she is based on the character Jo in Louisa May Alcott's classic, "Little Women". Before reading this book, I had read lots of Nancy Drew and then I read (and loved) The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. "Little Women" was my first BIG book. I read it in the fifth grade and I was as happy as a clam to come home from school, make a peanut butter and butter sandwich with a glass of milk on the side and start reading, reading, reading! I would lay on my side on my blue gingham canopy bed and put the book on the pillow next to me. It was so heavy! When it was time to turn the page, I would roll over and take the book with me and lay it on my other side! I loved this book so much. I think I love it even more now as an adult. I feel like I have related to different aspects of all the sisters at different times in my life.

Anyway, this is my version of Jo. She has just joined Beth in the shop. Who shall I do next? Meg? And leave Amy for last? I think that would be fitting since she is the baby. I am thinking of making Meg in her wedding gown. Wouldn't that be pretty?

Some dollies!

This is Miranda! I listed her on Tuesday and by Wednesday she was sold! Same with Maddie, below. They both went to Connecticut together!

I was at Mimi's blog and she is doing some wonderful OOAK girls, including this little witch. Her dress is made from the sleeve of a cashmere sweater and I just love the look of it! It's very similar to how I made Miranda's blouse and I thought I would explain how I did it. Miranda's blouse is the sleeve of an antique christening gown which came with a Horsman TineyBaby I bought for only $20 at a street fair this summer. The doll and gown were both a mess, but especially the gown- rips, tears, mold-ick! But I couldn't throw it away! I put the doll in a nicer gown that I had and I saved this one even though I never thought I could put it to use.

When I opened up the cupboard looking for fabrics for Miranda, I was trying to find something that was not too stiff and when I reached the whites, this gown was on top. So soft and fine! Then I saw the beautiful hand worked buttonholes and scallops on the the wrists. Wouldn't that be a pretty waistline treatment? So, after some pondering, I cut the sleeve off, cut tiny new sleeves from the neckline of the gown, attached the sleeves to the blouse, and then gathered the new neckline with a running stitch and put it on Miranda. Perfection! The belt is braided embroidery floss. It's so pretty, I wish I could have the blouse in grown up size for myself!

Tender Arts Studio

Dolly Dingle (sold)

Amy (sold)

Oh, Friends! I've been so busy! I had a lovely three day weekend doing what I love- making little pretties! I just listed some new goodies in my shop and when I get home from work I'll be listing more. I was super happy and encouraged last week when a nice lady from Cardiff-by-the-Sea bought Amy and my Scrappy Charm pillow! It just really gave me the boost I needed to get to work on finishing some of my projects and get them listed. I'll also be listing some vintage aprons that are SO cute plus one handmade apron that I was so excited about, but when I finished it, it didn't fit me! Darn those vintage patterns made for those skinny women of yesteryear!

Scrappy Charm Pillow (sold)

My goal now is to complete and list one doll per week. I think it's do-able. That way my shop won't get empty again and there will be plenty of dollies to pick from. I don't know if I have mentioned before that I am available for custom orders too. You can look at my "sold" items at etsy or check out my flickr set to get ideas for a doll you would like to have or give to a little girl.

Rooster Pillow (sold)


One new thing that I have decided to institute is free dolly spa treatments for the dolls I have specified as child friendly. I know that kids can get kind of rough so if I sell a doll that I say is suitable for children, I will fix it up again if it needs it. Hair, especially, seems to "go astray" and I want happy customers with happy children! The only expense to my customers is the cost to mail the doll to me. I will cover the postage back. So many dolls are factory-made and disposable, but I want my dollies to last for a very long time.



Now that I am not hunched over my needle, I am looking forward to visiting all my bloggy friends! Hugs to all!