I noticed a couple months ago that some of the other participants of Pink Satturday were posting about these cute little dolls.  Imagine my excitement when I found one at the thrift shop for under $5! 

she reminds me of one winter when I was very little and one of the malls had a Santa Shop where the children would go in (without our parents) and pick presents for their family.  The worker elves would wrap everything up so the presents would be a surprise for the parents.  this little doll reminds me of the treasures I saw in that magical shop!

Did anybody else visit a Santa’s Shop similar to the one I visited??

thank you to our wonderful host Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound  for another Pink Saturday!

My computer thinks it’s tired and keeps falling asleep.  I think it should be awake whenever I want to use it!  Therefore, this post is only 11 days late…

I’ve received another birthday tag (hanging) from a friend in the Yahoo dollmakers group.  She also sent me the cute embroidery transfers… so cute!  Thanks Kristine !!!    I love it !

***What I’m Working On***

Due out this month is 3 swaps…

Secret Santa, Enchanted Forest ornament, and a stocking stuffer swap. 

Also, my family (parents, siblings, and families) are having our Christmas celeration the day after Thanksgiving.  The siblings exchange names so we have one family to make presents for each year.  I’m making something great but can’t tell about it yet because my sister-in-law reads my blog (sorry Susie, I want it  to be a surprise!)

I’ll have a few sneak peeks to show later on. 

I loved this swap! 

My swap partner  Connie @ www.creative-bubbles.blogspot.com has become a very fast, very dear friend of mine.  She told me that she loves apples and would love to receive something to put on her table this fall.  she (like me) enjoys Martha Stewart/Pottery Barn inspired decorations. 

I knew instantly that I needed to make Connie a pretty centerpiece for her table.  I bought the flower stem and the apples to make the arrangement.  would you believe the vase is just a teracotta pot that I painted? (the drip pan is turned upside-down and hotglued together before painted) 

I couldn’t resist sending the cute Halloween tag

I also sent a cute book, scrapbook tags, and apple rubbber stamp.

I told Connie that I would love to receive some nature from her part of the country. 

She got this yummy wax melt and metal leaf tea light holders from the Amish!

The adorable acorn held these sweet pinecones and acorns that Connie’s daughters gathered for me. 

Thank you Connie (and littles) for such a fun package!

Thank you dear Lori for hosting this swap!

 

My sweet cousin Becky is having her first baby, a girl.  When my Mom heard that I have  bunch of flannel blankets on clearance, she snatched up this cute lavender blanket and coordinating burp cloths.

  since my Mom was going with the lavender theme I decided to give Becky a lavender heirloom blanket to match.

  Of course I had to wrap the presents in lavender fairy wrapping paper!

Becky loved her lavender gifts and was thrilled to discover it all matched a precious lavender baby dress that her grandma-in-law gave her

check out my SHOP for more fun shower gifts!

what a super fun swap!!  all of us gals that participated were given a witch name  (I’m Saphira Foulweather!)  that way we wouldn’t know who we were sending to or receiving from, until Halloween night.

Here’s all the stuff I sent to Agatha.   She loves orange, witches, bats, pumpkin spice, and candy corn.

I made her a cute towel with a witch on it…

made 24 party picks…

made this pretty Halloween card, and altered the little notebook.

Isn’t this a pretty way to send candy corn?!

 a few extra goodies I sent were:  orange flavored hot chocolate, pumpkin spice candle, orange glow-in-the-dark necklaces, stickers, and 3 fat quarters of fabric in candy corn colors.

Wendy (Agatha) sent me alot of fun things too. 

She made this beautiful doll quilt

some fun ‘goodies’

fun Halloween stickers and streamers for the kids

doggie treats

I thought this was a neat idea… I’m not sure if Wendy stuck this in so I could see what kinds of homes are in her town, or if this was part of the packaging, but I think it was fun to see 

Thank you Wendy!!!

and Thank you Genevieve for hosting this witch fun swap!!!

How would you like to show up to a Halloween party in this gorgeous coach?

Or would you prefer to arrive on a butterfly?

Maybe riding on a horse is more your style?

Maybe you’ll find a handsome young knight to be your escort?

Or maybe you’ll go with your dear frind?

Perhaps your friend is a donkey?

whatever the case, I’m sure that when you arrive you will make a wonderful statement that says… now let the party begin!

thank you to our wonderful host Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound  for another Pink Saturday!

 Do you need a quick and easy idea for a bean bag toss? 

materials:

•  a scrap of white  muslin 4″x12″ for each ghost
• rice
• permanent marker

fold fabric width in half and cut the folded side into a ghost shape.  only cut one edge.   sew around them with a ¼” seam allowance, leaving at least a 1″ opening in the bottom of each ghost.

 Turn the ghost right side out.  fill ½-¾ of the way with rice.  you don’t want them to be too fat! I used a funnel to put the rice in.

 sew the bottom seam with a zig-zag stitch twice to reinforce the seam.  you don’t want any rice to escape!   be careful to keep the rice away from the opening or it will break the needle

 Draw funny faces on the ghosts with permanent marker.

 sit back and enjoy the fun your kids and grandkids have with these cute (and natural) bean bags!

My sister Hanne sent me a couple pictures of what she had in mind for the dress and bonnet.  this shows how I put these ideas on a board above my sewing machine so I can create the closest thing to what my customers (or…  my family) want me to make for them.  I was stressed for time when making this one.  I also was having a gallbladder attack at the same time, otherwise I would’ve been able to get it done before my deadline.

As it turned out, my other sister (Beth) had to embroider the floral designs on the skirt, and sew the buttonholes for me.  I’m so grateful that she was able to finish it up for me!  Even though, it didn’t make me feel any better about not getting it completely done before my family picked the dress up on their way to travel 5 hours to Hanne’s house.

Here’s the hem of the dress.  At least I got the tucks done!

*notice that my beautiful niece is laying on a pink heirloom blanket I made when her sister was a baby!

~Katherine~

Hanne gave me the biggest compliment… she said that the dress is exactly what she was imagining!

I hand smocked and hand embroidered the dress bodice.  The bonnet is hand embroidered, has a self ruffle, and is completely lined.

would you have guessed that I used an Egyption cotton sheet ???

thank you to our wonderful host Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound  for another Pink Saturday!

Each participant in this swap had an assignment of making tags with a certain character from Alice in Wonderland.  A few ladies decided to make two tags.

I chose The Caterpillar

 Arielle Speaks @ Le Vintage

White Rabbit

Becky (Becs) Swartzlander @ Rebecca Rose Designs

Tweedle Dee n’ Tweedle Dum

Alice

 Jennifer Kirby @ The Rusty Tiara

the March Hare

Card Guard

 Michelle Shaefer @ The Studio at Crow Haven Farm

Queen of Hearts

Nancy Stone @ NANCY matters 

Cheshire Cat

 Susie Hibdon @ Vintage Susie and Wings

Dutchess 

 King of Hearts

 Terri Guathier @ Blooming Ideas

White Queen

 Wanda Stirison @ Needlewings- A Frayed of Fibers

Knave of Hearts

 Most of these sweet ladies sent  extras with their tags(s)…

…so I sent them this picture of the Walrus & the Carpenter along with a blank tag so they could make their own tag.

Thank you for Hosting such a  fun tag swap Ariellel!