Peacocks and pants...

Well actually peacock pants is a more apt title, but... *shrugs* I took these pictures on Tuesday and had planned to blog about them yesterday, but wouldn't you know the card reader in my laptop decided to go on strike!!!  I couldn't get the pics off my memory card. :-(  I thought I was going to have to buy an external card reader just to be able to get the pictures, but late last night the card reader decided to go ahead and let me have my pictures!  (Although I think I might go ahead and pick up an external reader any ways.  This is the 2nd time this has happened in the last few months.)

I bought this fabric about 2 years ago, when I decided to decorate our living room with a peacock theme.  But I honestly had no CLUE what to make with it.  Thankfully though Lena realized it would be perfect for a pair of lounge pants for her!  And well, I couldn't agree more! Instead of an elastic waistband like I did on the Christmas pair, I added navy blue eyelets and a bright green sparkly drawstring.
While I love the look of the drawstring, there is something to be said about the ease of elastic.  I am thinking I might combine the 2 in the next pair I make.

The weather has started getting colder here in NY, and the trees are all bursting into a riot of glorious colors.  Lena decided it would be nice to enjoy her morning hot chocolate at the window by the back patio.

(That reminds me I SO need to take care of my garden pots and get them ready for Winter...which will be here before we know it!)

I just love this shot of Lena...she just looks so pensive.  I am so glad I finally got a BJD, she just makes me happy every time I see her! (Thanks for the nudge, Ban! ;-) )

Here's Lena hanging out by the patio window, drinking her hot chocolate.

After I took all the pictures above I realized that the sun coming in through the window didn't really showcase the bright colors of her lounge pants, so we moved over to this little corner... MUCH BETTER.

Lena loves her comfy pants and so do I!  (Heck I'd love a pair of these for myself!)

Next on the To Do List...

CHRISTMAS!!!!

Hmm Can you tell that Christmas is a holiday I really enjoy?  Well just in case it wasn't obvious, I LOVE Christmas!  Decorating for the season is one of my favorite things to do, and most years I start decorating the day after Thanksgiving.  I figure this year will be no different.  

What is different though, is that this year I actually seem to be ahead of the game for things to put into my shop for Christmas.  Part of the reason is due to a couple of awesome purchases made a few weekends ago while we (the family) were out yard-saleing.   I found these 3 containers of fabric and craft supplies for a total of just FIFTEEN dollars!!!!

   The 2 bags on the left are packed full of mostly Christmas fabrics!  When the girl selling them asked what I was going to do with them and I said 'make doll clothes', she got a big smile and said that the lady that they originally belonged to also made doll clothes!!!  :-)


The tote to the right is full of all kinds of different fabric, trims, yard, ribbon & notions! 

 I was truly blessed that day! 

 I decided that once I was done with this year's Halloween items I would start with some Christmas Pajama sets.  I found a pattern for a set of menswear style 2 piece pajamas.

 I started with the pants as well, they are the easiest.  Lena here is modelling them for me.  They fit pretty well using the pattern as is, but since it was an Ellowyne Wilde pattern, the waist was pulled pretty snug getting up over Lena's hips. I used elastic at the waist band so they do look good.  I decided to add about a 1/4 inch to the pattern to allow them to slide over the Minifee hips without stressing the fabric. Much better!

This red holly fabric is just one of many pieces, but I think it's the PERFECT scale for dolly PJs!  

Hi it's Lena, modelling is tough work so I headed to the kitchen to grab a snack while Mom grabbed the other parts to the PJs.  There is nothing quite like fresh from the oven chocolate chunk cookies! YUM!

And these PJ pants are SO comfy!  They are nice and roomy too, very easy to move around in.  Hopping up on the counter was a breeze! ;-)

Here is the matching button down top.  (although it's missing it's buttons. LOL)

I want to use either red or green buttons but only had black and white.  So I ordered an assortment of small buttons, but they'll take a while to arrive.  So for the moment I just used a safety pin to keep it closed.

I'm not entirely happy with the top,  I think it looks a bit too boxy. Everyone that saw it on Facebook said it looked fine!  But I went ahead and trimmed a smidge off the sides of the pattern, so the next set will be a little more form fitting.

I think I need to try and find a pattern for making fuzzy slippers next! ;-)


Lena informed me that these jammies are perfect for curling up with a good book and a mug of hot cocoa in front of the fireplace.  I, of course had to remind her that they don't HAVE a fireplace.... needless to say, it's been strongly suggested that I GET or MAKE them one before the winter sets in! LOL

I originally thought to make the Christmas PJs a 4 piece set: top and bottom, matching ruffled panties and a coordinating solid tank top.

While I think I will still offer a few full sets, I will most likely offer mainly the bottoms and a solid tank top!  Those I can knock out pretty quickly, which will allow me to offer them at a lower price too! 

BUT I must admit I LOVE this look I created for Lena here!  It's cute and sexy all at the same time!  The panties came from an undergarment pattern I bought, that includes a bra too!  I had to alter the panty pattern quite a bit to get a pair with full coverage in the bum area.  The original pattern was nearly a thong!!! o_O  Lena and I both agreed that was a No-Go! 


Well that's about all for tonight.  I've got a few more things to share with y'all tomorrow though! 
Hugs,
Deborah

And another month has just flown by!

Is it just me or is it crazy to think that we are more than half way through October already!!!  I've been so very busy with creating things for my shop as well as working on custom orders that I haven't had much time for anything else. earlier this month Wilde Imagination (the company that makes Ellowyne Wilde and friends) released their upcoming dolls email.  They are putting out another resin Ellowyne next month!  

I LOVE my Abbey... she has a great face, but well compared to how well Lena (My Fairyland BJD) poses, I tend to play with Lena more and Abbey gets left on the shelf. :-( (Much to her annoyance!)  So when I saw that the resin version has her wonderful looks albeit a bit paler, but all of the joints and posing ability of Lena I just knew I had to have her!  So I went nuts getting stuff made and listed in my shop.  The resin version is not cheap (http://www.wildeimagination.com/ellowyne-wilde/shop/weeping-violets-resin ) So I knew it was going to take a lot to get me there.  But I found someone who wanted her outfit only and we were going to split the order.  I was well on my way to having the cost when my husband got a speeding ticket... in a construction zone!  UGH.  I know he didn't do it intentionally, but well it kind of blew my plans.  However, I know that the resin girls often show up on ebay so I'm not going to stress over it.  Thankfully the guy that wanted the dress had also had a change of heart.  So  it all worked out.
But in the meantime I'm still creating lots of goodies for the shop! 

 I started out making Halloween goodies!  I found the perfect sized pails at Michael's in both pumpkins and cauldrons.  Then I created 2 different types of cupcakes. I made a vanilla cupcake in an orange liner frosted with rich chocolate icing and topped with a candy pumpkin!  The 2nd cupcake is an orange cake, in a striped liner with mounds of vanilla buttercream and decorated with a candy corn.
I also made Autumn Apples!  Bright green Granny Smith apples dunked in luscious caramel, and crisp Red Delicious apples coated in a layer of cinnamon candy!

 The Pumpkin pails can be found here, and the Cauldrons here. Both sets include a choice of apple and cupcake as well as 15 pieces of assorted fun sized candies (that I created by scanning REAL candy boxes and wrappers!), an orange lollipop, an orange cream sandwich cookie and a bag each of candy corn and gummi bears!

It's quite a Trick or Treat haul! =D

Here is Lena with some of the treats from the basket.

I enjoy creating thing for Halloween, but am ready to move on to Christmas.  I still have a few ideas for Halloween, but they most likely won't make it to the shop until next year... or in Monster High form.

I have started on my Christmas projects, but will save those to post tomorrow!

Have a great day! :-)