Saturday, February 28, 2015

Hazel Erma Jane Butternut

 As I finished up this dolly, I decided to call her Hazel
 after a long time friend of my mother.  This doll
 reminds me of this good-natured, soft spoken lady. 
When I was a young girl Hazel's elderly 
parents were our neighbors.  Her daddy was
 a kind, easy goin' old fella.  He spent lots of time
 puttering around in his shed or working in the
 garden.  He always had a peppermint in his pocket
to pass through the fence.  Hazel is the spittin'
image of her daddy.

 On the other hand, her mother's personality
leaned a little toward the ill-tempered side.  I
recall being on my very best behavior when I
crossed her path.  Even as a child, it was
easy to see Hazel was partial to her daddy.
 I didn't know Hazel's middle name.
It was time for one of our little chats, so I
decided to call and ask.
 
  She could barely contain her giggling as she told me
the story of how she got 2 middle names.  When Hazel
was born, her mother wanted to name her Erma Jane, but
her daddy was dead set on the name Hazel.

 Apparently, this debate over her naming went on
for some time, with neither her mother nor her daddy
willing to budge.  Poor little newborn needed a name
for her birth certificate, so in the end, they agreed to call
her Hazel Erma Jane.

Hazel's parents have both "passed on"
as the old timers say.  When Hazel was going
through some of her daddy's papers she'd found
in their attic, she came upon an old class photo
she'd never seen before.

On the back written in her daddy's hand was this,
 "I am on the fourth row, second from the left,
sitting by my girlfriend, Hazel."
Hazel is a petite 15 1/2 inches tall.
She and her clothing are hand sewn.
Flannel cape, bonnet & vintage maple basket.
I lined the bonnet with sheer cotton.
Her cape is very plain & simple. I
used a black glass button.
This reproduction flannel is the same
front and back.  I just cut out a simple shape.
Basted the edge all the way around.
I used my peel and stick tape as a guide
to make even button hole stitches with  3
strands of embroidery thread.
Button hole loop closure.
Hazel Erma Jane Butternut,
named after her daddy's ole' girlfriend!
 Thank you Hazel for your delightful little story.
Happy Sewing!

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Bonnie Belle Bufkins

I told this little Bufkin bunny she was certainly
a bonnie southern belle, so the name has stuck.

 Bonnie Belle will look lovely walking the
bunny trails in search of the wild carrots &
mushrooms that grow down by the Swan Creek.
No doubt she will certainly be the prettiest belle
 attending the first garden party of spring.
(I'm so ready for spring!)

It was nice to feel cotton in my fingers again.
Bufkin bunnies love big buttons.
(Actually, they are 1/2 in. in size.)
Her sundress is sewn together & is not removable.

 Standing Bonnie Belle is 14 inches tall
to the tip of her ears.  These photos were taken
with her sitting on a small jar, as she cannot
stand alone, unless you balance her
perfectly & hold your tongue just right!
 
 Mrs. Bufkins was made with the same
greenish wool fabric.  Her photo shows
the color of the wool more accurately.
I have added Bonnie Belle to my for sale page.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We've had lots of snow and cold weather
this past week, hope it's warmer in your neck
 of the woods.
HAPPY SEWING!

Friday, February 13, 2015

Happy Valentine's Day 2015-Ava & Emmett

This is the last heart mold I have hanging on
the beams & it's loaded with detail.  The rose is 
definitely the most popular flower for 
Valentine's day.
Brown Bag Rose Heart 1992
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm back from spending time in Kansas 
City, entertaining Miss Ava & helping my niece 
Emily while she settled in with Emmett.
What can I say..........it was such a pleasure.
Ava is a delight & Emmett is adorable.
Emily and Nick are wonderful parents.  They
make me very proud.
 I took Miss Ava the antique bed I recently
finished for "her" babies, but Mom
& Dad couldn't resist a photo op.

How sweet is that?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Hope you have a special Valentine's day!

Sunday, February 8, 2015

An Ozark Hills Bufkins Bunny

I've finished a little green wool (she looks
 gray in the photos) Bufkin bunny.
Seated, she's 11 inches to the tip of her ears.
 She's hand sewn & has glass German eyes.  
Her inner ears and paw pads are a soft greenish
 suede.  Her head, arms & legs are jointed.

She still needs some shading
around her eyes and nose.
Like the bunnies in my yard, she's
all arms and legs.
She does look sweet in her
Southern Belle radish bonnet.

In keeping with the Southern Belle theme,
I've chosen an authentic Civil War reproduction
 called Party of Twelve, for her sundress.  It makes
me think of Twelve Oaks, the beautiful plantation
 owned by the Wilkes family in Gone With The Wind.
I love the deep green & red, with the soft 
blue accents.  These cadmium red 
glass early 1900's buttons will look nice.
My camera isn't picking up the true 
wool color, but it looks more like this 
doctored photo.  She really is a green rabbit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy Sewing!