Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Father Christmas and Eula Mae - A Sawdust Dolly

 Father Christmas is finally finished.
He's just about 18 inches tall, all cloth, stuffed
with wool and hand sewn.  His cloak is wool,
 lined and trimmed with fox fur. 
His staff is made from Missouri walnut and 
decorated with fur and hammered gray bells.
His Nantucket style back pack has
switches for naughty children and
a bottle brush tree.
His pack is filled with lots of toys ready
for delivery.
His 16 inch sledge is hand made from Missouri
cedar, signed and dated by Louis Allen.
Linen robe, leather gloves, braided
 and dyed cotton belt.
 I had so much fun attaching his beard
and hair.  I got a little carried away!
Dolly Parton would be envious!
I had to trim his hair before I could get
his hood over it!!
Embroidered face, Cotswold wool
beard and hair.  I love his rosy cheeks.
His North Pole timepiece and leather
pouch that's filled with stardust.
It actually works.
A pinch of stardust and time stops!
This card is attached to his backpack.
I lined his toy sack too.
 This little bear started out as
a Boyd's Bear, but I gave him
a haircut.
Lots of toys to fill his sack!
A little basket of hand made apples
for good boys and girls!

Father Christmas and his sledge of
toys will be available at Early Work
Mercantile on December 1st. 

A big thank you to Judi Hunziker of
Olde Time Dolls for her helpful tips on
 attaching the wool I used for his hair and beard,
and the use of colored pencils to give him
his rosy cheeks.  You can see her beautiful
dolls and Santa's on her blog.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eula Mae Butternut
Eula Mae is 14 and 1/2 inches tall, all cloth,
hand sewn and stuffed with Missouri cedar
shavings.  Her dress is homespun cotton
with a gauged skirt and one antique blue
china button on the front.
She has simple cotton undergarments.
Three decorative antique china buttons
adorn the back. 
She's a petite dolly, a bit lumpy
and has striped socks.
Mildly aged to show that loved
but cared for look.
 
Eula Mae will also be available at Early
Work Mercantile on the 1st of December.

Be sure to stop by and see all the
December offerings!

Monday, November 19, 2012

Poor Tom Turkey!

"O. JOY! BUCKETS OF JOY!
I GAVE THEM THE SLIP!"
"BOYS, I FEEL I'M GOING
TO A CHANGE OF CLIMATE."
"CRANBERRIES!  ME FOR THE
TALL TIMBERS."
"I WONDER WHY THEY ARE
FEEDING ME SO LATELY."
"I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN
SELF-PROTECTION."
"I WONDER IF THEY ARE
LOOKING AT ME IN
ADMIRATION OR
SYMPATHY."
"I'M GOING TRAVELING"
"SOMETHING TELLS ME
TO BEAT IT."
"I'M THE POPULAR BIRDIE,
 ALL RIGHT! ALL RIGHT!

May your stuffing be tasty. May your turkey plump,
 May your potatoes and gravy. Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious, And your pies take the prize,
 And may your Thanksgiving dinner stay off your thighs!
 ~Unknown Author~


Happy
 Thanksgiving! 


Sunday, November 18, 2012

A Sledge For Father Christmas

Louis Allen the local woodworker and wagon
 maker, has made a sledge for my Father Christmas
from native Missouri cedar.  It has a light satin finish,
 just to bring out the beautiful grain in the wood. 
It's 16 inches long & 6 inches high.  It's ready
  for a sack filled with toys.  Perhaps a touch
of greenery and a bell or two.
His coat is finished.
Lined with a crinkly fabric.
I like the way it turned out.  I love
the soft fur next to the rougher wool.
I have filled his back pack with greenery
and switches.  I replaced the fake fur on the
nutcracker with rabbit fur.  Time for a face,
 beard, his staff and the final touches.   
 


Sunday, November 11, 2012

Veterans Day-Vintage Tuck Postcards

When our perils are past, shall
 our gratitude sleep?
~George Canning~
 

A big thank you
to all our Veterans!

Click below to see the amazing
United States Naval Drill Team.







Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Father Christmas and Dolly In Progress

I am working on a couple of Early
Work Mercantile December offerings.
I wish I could be a more prolific doll maker,
but hand sewing is a slow process, especially
when the weather changes and Arthur
Itis visits me!
I've finished a homespun dress
with antique blue china buttons
and plain cotton undergarments
for this petite prim sawdust dolly. 
 I think she needs a prim little apron
 or tiny waist pocket then she will
be done.

My large workspace has been temporarily
 taken over by a dismantled computer, so I have
 put away the sewing machine (it's rarely
used anyway) and moved to my smaller desk.
 My hubby made a wooden stand for
the stump doll Father Christmas that
seems to be coming along rather slowly!
The body is done, but he still needs a
 face, beard and hair. 
So far, I've sewn a simple linen robe.
The fox trim is pinned in place and
ready to be hand sewn onto his wool
hooded cloak. I've picked a lovely
fabric for the lining.

Dear PETA,
I did not personally go out and murder
 the little fox for his beautiful fur.  Someone
else did that many years ago to make a
fashionable fox collar.  However, I see no
 harm in re-using it to keep Father Christmas
warm during his midnight deliveries. 
 I have toys
 and more toys.
 A little bear.
Bells and baubles.
A leather pouch for stardust.
 A North Pole snowflake timepiece.
That actually works. 
A Nantucket backpack, but I may opt for a wool
sack. The other basket is for oranges
 apples, and switches. Maybe I will have
room for the little tree.  The hubby is making a
 staff from Missouri walnut, I can't wait to see
what he creates.  Perhaps I will make a little dolly!
So much to do and so little time......