Waiting for Mary, day 2

Well no magazine today, sigh.  But I did keep busy nonetheless.  I got a couple cuties shipped out that I want to share.

I made this cute little bloomer/skirt combo for a very nice customer who bought a dress made from this fabric for her oldest daughter last year and has since had another little girl.  She wanted some matching bloomers and I was tickled to oblige.  I took a simple little bloomer pattern and added a skirt.  I only had a tiny amount of the pink fabric left so I made these little birdies across the rump and aren't they cute?  The fabric is kind of crinkly (or "shabby", ahem) because it's from Rachel Ashwell's sheets.  I love the little stick legs, I hope she does too.

I also shipped these beauties to the winner of my drawing.  This was really fun to make and I'm happy with the way it turned out.  Fresh fresh baby!

In the spirit of Mary-ness I want to share something fun I used to do with my girls.  10 years ago they were all little and they were so excited to discover that each MEHC magazine comes with a beautiful paper doll and it didn't take them long to help themselves to the first one.  I was so mortified that they had taken it (I mean what would little girls want with a cute little paper doll anyway??) and realized I had to come up with a solution if I was going to keep my collection intact. Here's Ann Estelle from the April/May 1997 issue.  Isn't she cute?  And those clothes!

I started tracing the dolls and clothes onto vellum and then I would copy the dolls onto paper stock.  I colored them in so they looked almost as good as the originals (using Mary's pen and colored pencil method that I read about in one of her books).  Then I let the girls copy the dresses, pets, and accessories using whatever colors and designs they wanted.  I don't have the paper dolls I made anymore but I managed to hold onto the pictures I traced. 

Here are a couple that the girls colored.

Oh the possibilities!

We shared hours of fun with these and I got to keep my collection.  Maybe when I have grandchildren I'll be a little more willing to part with them.  But I doubt it.

Comments

[pam]

Sweet idea with the paper dolls!

[mystele]

an absolutely delightful post...

[Carolyn]

Love the paperdolls......this is not an original idea, but I don't remember where I saw it. Scan the drawings into your computer and print onto fabric, then back with heavy interfacing, the dolls will last forever.....well maybe not forever but for a long time. Just a thought from a future grammy!
Love your blog.....it's so inspirational....thanks for taking the time to share your creativity with the world!

[jenn]

I love paper dolls. one of my favorite parts of mary e. magazine is finding out what the paper doll is!

[Marie]

Okay,so now I really want an ME magazine...love the outfits. You really give it extra touches that make it unique.

P.S. I thought it would be fun to hear your 7 things, so I tagged you on my blog!
Hope you don't mind!

[Yvonne]

I remember having paper dolls too and having so much fun dressing them up.

I wish I knew where to find them nowadays.

[Nanette]

Very cute things. I love the paper dolls. Your choice of fabrics is always so great and the little bloomers with the skirt is to die for.

[Angel Eagen]

I think I love Mary just about as much as you do. LOL I have saved every paperdoll from every one of her magazines. I even have duplicates of them. I always envisioned my duaghters someday playing with them, even thought it was hard to resit doing it myself with every new issue. I have twin girls now and am even more excited about it. I love your idea of tracing them. Thanks so much for the tip! Congrats on being in MEHC, what an honor!!!

~Angel
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