A Valentine craft on a rainy day!

I see many neat ideas online.

Online is my playground and has been for some time! 

It's amazing what creative minds some people have.

This idea was on American Girl Ideas, (by Rudy) either on her website or on her YouTube channel. Rudy used a round shape for her rug, but I wanted a heart shape for Valentine's Day. I used nearly 3 small packages of pompoms. 

It was a lot of fun to glue this together! I did the outline first, after cutting out a heart shape from 2 layers of card-stock, and gluing them together. I used white craft glue.

It was pouring rain that day, and I find that after the 5th wettest January on record, I'm getting cabin fever!

There's nothing like crafting to lift your spirits.

By Loretta Houben

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year 2018!

As you know, Sears is nearly gone here in Canada.

A few weeks ago, I found a few Newberry dolls on sale at Sears in Metrotown, with some props. If I owned a warehouse and knew I could re-sell the dolls I would have bought quite a few, but I controlled myself and I purchased this adorable gingerbread set.

It's very cute and I'd never seen it anywhere else.

It's sturdy and has a removable sign, and 4 little drinks, and cute gingerbread cookies in a covered container.

Kit is entranced! 

I set it up on my kitchen hutch. It matches my other gingerbread ornaments.

By Loretta Houben

Kit's new dress!

I'm so excited to show off Kit's new dress!

It's a 1930's pattern design from Farmcookies on Etsy, by Kathy. She had kindly sent me a free pattern last year, after I announced on my FB page that I just couldn't seem to get back to sewing for dolls.

Wasn't that sweet of her? I cut the pattern out right away, but lost my nerve.

This was due to the fact I had recently purchased a new Pfaff machine, and I was rather scared of using it. That's quite silly as I've sewn since 1972.

But there you have it.

I bought the fabric at Walmart, and I used vintage buttons, all different, from my mother-in-law's stash.

I think she would be pleased.

I used new trim from Dollarama, purchased for this dress. I think it turned out adorable!

What do you think?

The pattern was easy to sew. I began sewing on Monday, July 17 when I had a sewing bee here with my sister Leona. I finished it on Thursday, July 20.

By Loretta Houben