Doll Street Dreamers - What A Fabulous Club!

We've got fabulous news.

Not only have we joined Doll Street Dreamers, which is a fabulous art doll club, but some of our e-patterns are now listed in their The Pattern Shop. Isn't that wonderful news!

You may not know this, but I have been wanting to join Doll Street Dreamers for years now as they are the premier internet doll club.  I have also wanted to take one of their e-classes. I just have never had the time.

Well, last Fall I decided that I should just join and make the time. So, I did.

Well, the last several months have been unbelievably busy and I haven't had the chance to really participate in the club or take a class as of yet. I'm hoping to change that in the very near future. Make that - I'm determined to change that in the very near future.

If you don't know what Doll Street Dreamers is it is an amazing art doll club run by Judi Wellnitz, who is a talented artist and doll maker in her own right. I have been a reader of her Art Dolls A Journey in Fiber blog for over five years now and just love it.

So, what is Doll Street Dreamers all about?

Well, according to their website:

Doll Street has something for everyone!  There is so much going on for today's doll maker - whether you create with cloth, clay, or mixed media.We have classes, swaps, and challenges, but best of all we offer friendship.

Want to learn a new skill or technique?  Pop on over to the Creative College ...See what's on the auction block at Carole's ... Wonder what the Dreamers are up to now? Check out the Post Office ...See the Dreamers' dolls at the Art Gallery ....... there's lots to see and do here on the Street.

I Didn't Realize I'd Created and Reviewed That Many Craft Kits

Boy! Sometimes you really do surprise yourself.

I know that this morning I did and the surprise had nothing to do with dolls.

It actually had to do with the number of craft kits I have put together and reviewed for my "The Book Review Corner" blog.  During the last couple of years I have managed to put together 30 different craft kits.  They may have been cross-stitch or punchneedle or penny rug kits.  I guess whatever was suiting my fancy at the time.

In fact, over on my "The Book Review Corner" blog the number of craft kits reviewed has far exceeded the number of books I've reviewed.  Maybe I should change the name to "The Craft Kits Review Corner!" LOL LOL

Nah....  I like "the Book Review Corner" name just fine.

However, I guess I'd better start reviewing more books.

Now that's a good New Year's resolution for that blog.

Let's see if I can achieve it during 2011.

Cross your fingers.

Gotta Love Cross-Stitch Ornaments

I think if I tell you any more about some of  the cross-stitch kits I made this past year you'll want to strangle me! LOL LOL Well, maybe not strangle me, but say, "Linda, enough is enough." I know that's what my Mother would say. 

But, I just have to tell you about another cross-stitch kit I bought and made this year as it contained 6 adorable Santa and snowmen ornaments.  They're shown in the collage pictures above. 

Aren't they adorable?  I know you'd like to say that they are, but you're afraid if you do then I'll have even more cross-stitch kits to tell you about! LOL LOL  Not to worry.  This time I promise it's the last cross-stitch kit I'm going to tell you about for awhile. 

I had both the kit last Spring and written about all the cross-stitch kits I had purchased in a post on my "The Book Review Corner" blog entitled "Cross-Stitch Kits I Bought This Spring." The Santa and Snowman ornaments kit was one of the few cross-stitch kits I was able to complete this past summer. 

I am going to review this kit on my "The Book Review Corner" blog.  If you'd like to read that post please CLICK HERE.

I know enough is enough. but don't the pictures below just make you smile? 

They certainly make me smile and given the year my family and I have had that is no small feat. 

I hope you all have a happy, "healthy" and peaceful 2011. 

Some Of Our Handmade Cross-Stitch Christmas Gifts This Year

You may have noticed in my last few Linda's Blog posts that I've been on a cross-stitch kick this year.  In fact, I think I've been on it now for close to three years. 

Just recently I finished an enormous Dimensions Gold Collection Victorian cross-stitch kit. 

I have been a fan of the Dimensions cross-stitch for quite some time and have written about them several times on my The Book Review Corner blog before. 

Back in June I had written a "The Book Review Corner" blog post about several cross-stitch kits I had bought and was hoping to finish this year. 

Well, I finished several - two of which were woodland landscape scenes and which are shown in the pictures at the beginning of this post and below: 

They were made based upon the following Dimension Gold Collection cross-stitch kits: 


Dimensions Moonlit Cabin Counted Cross-Stitch Kit

Gold Collection Petite Morning Lake Counted Cross-Stitch Kit

I had bought these two because they were different from all the other cross-stitch kits I had seen. They were woodland and I knew some of my relatives would just love the pictures. 

I ended up giving the Dimensions Moonlit Cabin Counted Cross-Stitch ( shown at the beginning of this post) picture I had finished to my younger brother as a Christmas present his year. You know, the one with the amazing workshop.  Well, he and his wide just loved it and were amazed at the detail within the picture and how it had a three dimensional aspect to it. 

The Gold Collection Petite Morning Lake Counted Cross-Stitch (2nd picture in this post) picture I finished I decided to keep for hubby and I and have it hanging next to our desk in our kitchen. It looks wonderful there and I, too, am amazed at the detail within the picture and it's three dimensional affect every time I look at it. 

I was hoping to finish more of the cross-stitch kits I had bought this Spring but just ran out of time. 

Oh, well! There's always next year! 

In my opinion,  it's never too early to start on Christmas presents. 

In fact, I already have a few gifts in mind! 

Hmm........ Do you think they'll be cross-stitch gifts? 

They'd better be with the number of kits I've bought and haven't completed as of yet. 

My Dimensions Santa & Snowman Cross Stitch Ornaments

I think if I tell you any more about the cross-stitch kits I made this past year you'll want to strangle me! LOL LOL Well, maybe not strangle me, but say, "Linda, enough is enough." I know that's what my Mother would say.

But, I just have to tell you about another cross-stitch kit I bought and made this year as it contained 6 adorable and delightful Santa and snowmen ornaments. They're shown in the collage pictures above.

Aren't they adorable? I know you'd like to say that they are, but you're afraid if you do then I'll have even more cross-stitch kits to tell you about! LOL LOL Not to worry. This time I promise it's the last cross-stitch kit I'm going to tell you about for awhile.

I had bought the kit last Spring and written about all the cross-stitch kits I had purchased in a post on my "The Book Review Corner" blog entitled Cross-Stitch Kits I Bought This Spring." The Santa and Snowman ornaments kit was one of the few cross-stitch kits I was able to complete this past summer.

The Dimensions Santa & Snowman Ornaments Counted X-Stitch Kit included the pattern, embroidery thread, 14 count white Aida, felt, needles, and sequins. The 14 count white Aida fabric was 15" x 10".

The Dimensions Santa & Snowman Ornaments Counted X-Stitch pattern uses full cross-stitch, half cross-stitch, back stitch, and French knots for emphasis. It also uses thread shading and different strands to achieve a subtle effect. The pattern also tells you that you will also need thick craft glue and quilt batting.

While I found the pattern instructions to be easy to follow there are a couple of things I would change. First of all, the thread did not contain a thread sorter. It was all just bundled together in a knot.  You had to separate the strands yourself. So, I opted to take a piece of cardboard and punch a series of 18 holes in it for the 18 different colors of thread. I added the color code to each circle and then tied the respective threads to it.

I would have added the color symbol key to this but, luckily, the pattern came with an 8 page booklet that was separated into two four-page booklets and the symbol key booklet was entirely separate from the charts. As a result I didn't have to add the color symbols to the thread sorter I had made for these purposes as I just kept my symbol key open on my lap top desk. The 6 individual charts were large and symbols used were easy to read.

The pattern calls for you to divide the fabric into 6 equal sections but not to cut the sections out. They want you to find the center of each section and mark that with a piece of thread. Then you attach the 15" x 10" Aida to the embroidery hoop you are going to use and proceed to cross-stitch all 6 of the ornaments. Well, I found this to be cumbersome. I thought it would be a lot easier to just cut the Aida into 6 sections and then use a smaller embroidery hoop. Unfortunately when I did this I found that there wasn't enough fabric to fit into a small embroidery hoop.  As a result I had to add masking tape to some of the edges to stretch the fabric wide enough to fit the small embroidery hoop I was using. A larger piece of fabric would have been nicer.

The pattern called for you to use the red embroidery thread to create a long braid that you would then glue or hand sew along the edges of the ornament.  Instead, I decided to deviate from the kit and give my ornaments a lace edge.  I cut a piece of 1/3" lace trim long enough to fit the circumference of the ornament plus a 2" overlap and then machine stitched the lace edge WSO (wrong side out) to the edge of my cross-stitched Aida with the lace edge facing the center of the cross-stitch picture.  I did this so that when the felt was sewn to the cross-stitched Aida and the ornament was turned RSO (right side out) the lace would be facing in the right direction.

The pattern also called for the felt to be hand sewn to the back of the ornaments. Instead I opted to machine stitch the felt RST (right sides together) to the cross-stitched Aida leaving a 1" opening for turning RSO (right sides out) and then turned my ornament RSO (right sides out).  I then turned the edges of the 1" opening under WST (wrong sides together) and then hand stitched the 1" opening closed.

The pattern said that one of the things that makes their designs unique was the subtle color shading. They achieved this through the use of different stitches and different numbers of strands. By following the key you would get a beautiful design for each ornament. That was definitely true. When finished the ornaments were beautifully shaded and were quite colorful and cheerful.

So, what do you think?

Aren't they colorful and don't they make you smile?

They certainly make me smile and given the year my family and I have had that is no small feat.

I hope you all have a happy, "healthy" and peaceful 2011.

My Dimensions Gold Collection "Morning Lake" and "Moonlit Cabin" Cross-Stitch

You may have noticed in my last few Linda's Blog posts that I've been on a cross-stitch kick this year. In fact, I think I've been on it now for close to three years.

Just recently I finished an enormous Dimensions Gold Collection Victorian cross-stitch kit and wrote about it on a Linda's Blog post entitled "You Spent How Many Hours On That Cross-Stitch?"and wrote about it on a "The Book Review Corner" blog post entitled "Linda's Review of M'Lady's Chateau - Dimensions Gold Collection Cross-Stitch Kit."

I have been a fan of the Dimensions cross-stitch for quite some time and have written about them several times on my The Book Review Corner blog before. There was the Christmas In The Adirondacks Cross-Stitch Kit From Dimensions The Gold Collection review, my Christmas Village Ornaments Cross-Stitch Kit by Dimensions The Gold Collection Kit #8785 review, and my Colorful Rooster Cross-Stitch Kit #7195 From Dimensions review.

Back in June I told you about several cross-stitch kits I had bought and was hoping to finish this year.

Well, I finished several - two of which were woodland landscape scenes and which are shown in the pictures at the beginning of this post and below:

I had bought these two because they were different from all the other cross-stitch kits I had seen. They were woodland and I knew some of my relatives would just love the pictures.

The first was made based upon the following Dimension Gold Collection cross-stitch kit:

Dimensions Needlecrafts Counted Cross Stitch, Moonlit Cabin
I ended up giving the Dimensions Moonlit Cabin Counted Cross-Stitch picture I had finished to my younger brother as a Christmas present his year. You know, the one with the amazing workshop. I had mounted it onto a thin cardboard backed board, matted it, and framed it with a wood grain frame.

Well, he and his wife just loved it and were amazed at the detail within the picture and how it had a three dimensional aspect to it.

The Dimensions Moonlit Cabin Counted Cross-Stitch Kit included the pattern, embroidery thread, and 18 count navy cotton Aida and thread sorter. It called for some of the background tree sections and some of the river sections  to just be the 18 count navy cotton Aida and I left them that way.

The Dimensions Moonlit Cabin Counted Cross-Stitch pattern uses full cross-stitch, half cross-stitch, and outline stitching for emphasis and depth and this detailing really makes the picture stand out. The design of this cross-stitch gives the finished picture a 3 dimensional aspect with the half cross stitch and outlining being used for artistic effect.

While the end results of this design were absolutely stunning I had a couple of issues (good and bad) with the instructions and packaging of the embroidery thread.

The instructions, chart, and symbol key were all contained within a 4-page booklet. The chart, which was on page 3, was great as it was large, fit on one side of the booklet, and the symbols were easy to read. Unfortunately, some of the instructions were printed on the back sides, pages 1 and 4, and some were on the attached left side page 2, so when you wanted to refer to them you had to keep opening the booklet or turning it over. The same was true for the symbol key which was on page 2.

I like to keep the chart in front of me on a lapboard type desk with the instructions and symbol key easily referable on separate pieces of paper. You could photocopy the instructions and symbol list ahead of time but you'd have to do that on a color photocopy machine or you'd lose the colored symbols with a black and white photocopy. I think the instructions, chart, and symbol key should all be on single-sided paper, but that's a pet peeve of mine. It just makes it so much easier for the crafter.

Secondly, the thread sorter was poorly designed. The embroidery threads were glued to a foam backed 6 1/8" by 1 1/8" strip of cardboard that had a picture of the color of the thread and it's number. In order to get to the threads you had to separate the foam back from the cardboard strip. Very quickly the threads separated from their section and then you no longer knew what the thread number was to tie to your symbols & legends.

I had to punch a hole in the thread sorter cardboard strip just below the color of the thread & it's number and then insert the threads through the hole and tie them in a loose knot so my threads, colors, and numbers would stay together. To make things even easier for the crafter to understand the color symbol key should have been shown on the thread sorter strip of cardboard as well.  That way you would only need to use the thread sorter strip of cardboard to follow your chart.

The 2nd was made based upon the following Dimension Gold Collection cross-stitch kit:

Dimensions Gold Collection Petite Morning Lake Counted Cross Stitch Kit: 7x5
The Gold Collection Petite Morning Lake Counted Cross-Stitch picture (shown at the beginning of this post) I finished I decided to keep for hubby. Like the picture I gave to my younger brother, I had mounted it onto a thin cardboard backed board, matted it, and framed it with the same wood grain frame. I have it hanging next to our desk in our kitchen. It looks wonderful there and I, too, am amazed at the detail within the picture and it's three dimensional affect every time I look at it.

The Gold Collection Petite Morning Lake Counted Cross-Stitch kit included the pattern, embroidery thread, and 18 count ivory cotton Aida and thread sorter.

Like the other kit, the Gold Collection Petite Morning Lake Counted Cross-Stitch pattern uses full cross-stitch, half cross-stitch, and outline stitching for emphasis and depth and this detailing really makes the picture stand out. The design of this cross-stitch gives the finished picture a 3 dimensional aspect with the half cross stitch and outlining being used for artistic effect.

As with the other kit, while the end results of this design were absolutely stunning, too, I had a couple of issues (good and bad) with the instructions and packaging of the embroidery thread.

The instructions, chart, and symbol key were all contained within a 4-page booklet. The chart, which spanned page 2 and page 3, was great as it was large and the symbols were easy to read. However, because it spanned two pages it had to be folded to make it easier to refer to the whole chart at once. Plus, the instructions were printed on the back sides, pages 1 and 4, so when you wanted to refer to them you had to keep opening the booklet or turning it over.

The color symbol key was on the remaining part of page 2 that wasn't covered by the chart and, as mentioned above, I like to keep the chart in front of me on a lapboard type desk with the instructions and symbol key easily referable on separate pieces of paper. You could photocopy the instructions and symbol list ahead of time but you'd have to do that on a color photocopy machine or you'd lose the colored symbols with a black and white photocopy. As mentioned above, I think the instructions, chart, and symbol key should all be on single-sided paper, but that's a pet peeve of mine. It just makes it so much easier for the crafter.

Secondly, the embroidery threads were glued to a foam backed 6 1/8" by 1 1/8" strip of cardboard that had a picture of the color of the thread and it's number. In order to get to the threads you had to separate the foam back from the cardboard strip. Very quickly the threads separated from their section and then you no longer knew what the thread number was to tie to your symbols & legends.

I had to punch a hole in the thread sorter cardboard strip just below the color of the thread & it's number and then insert the threads through the hole and tie them in a loose knot so my threads, colors, and numbers would stay together. To make things even easier for the crafter to understand the color symbol key should have been shown on the thread sorter strip of cardboard as well. That way you would only need to use the thread sorter strip of cardboard to follow your chart.

I offer my critique of these two astonishing designs as constructive criticism and a way in which they can be improved upon. My critique does nothing to diminish the end results of these beautiful woodland cross-stitch scenes. They are just stunning when completed.

I was hoping to finish more of the cross-stitch kits I had bought this Spring but just ran out of time.

Oh, well! There's always next year!

In my opinion, it's never too early to start on Christmas presents.

In fact, I already have a few gifts in mind!

Hmm........ Do you think they'll be cross-stitch gifts?

They'd better be with the number of kits I've bought and haven't completed as of yet.

Just One More, Mom! One More!

 

 If you've been following my Linda's Blog for awhile and my The Book Review Corner Blog then you know that among a million other things I LOVE crafting with wool felt and wool felt kits.

In fact, I've written several posts about my wool felt adventures, which are as follows: "I Just Love This "Pumpkin Patch" Penny Rug", "More Handmade Presents for Christmas 2009 - Wool Felt Santa Ornaments", and "More Of My Projects From This Year - My Needle Felting Projects."

Whether it's making wool felt penny rugs, or needle felted penny rug pictures, or ornaments I just LOVE wool felt.

And, it doesn't have to be limited to penny rugs  or ornaments. Over the years I have made hundreds of cloth dolls using wool felt, brushed felt, shaggy felt, etc. I have found that it is especially useful for making animals, but the uses are practically limitless.

I was introduced to penny rugs during a shopping trip with my Mom to Sturbridge many, many years ago. There were several wonderful primitives shops out there that we liked to visit that carried primitive doll kits, wool felt kits, punchneedle kits, and penny rug kits.

One store in particular specialized in wool fabric. And, boy, did they have wool fabric. Some of the most beautiful wool fabric you'd ever want to see. And, boy, was it EXPENSIVE.

This store, in particular, would put together wool fabric bundles, maybe 10-15 wool pieces per bundle. I just loved looking at the color combination's and would imagine what I could make out of them. Then, my Mother would snap me back to reality by turning the price tag over. YIKES! Beautiful wool is expensive. Alas, all I could do was dream and save my pennies.

During the last couple of years there was a store out there that we liked to visit that put together penny rug kits. It, too, is no longer there. However, during our last visit I bought several penny rug wool kits and have been trying to find the time to make them during the last few years.

As usual I had many, many kits that I wanted to buy.  So many, in fact, I asked my Mother if she would carry a few to the counter.  Well, when she saw how many I had she said, "LINDA, one or two would do!  Look at how many you have!" I, of course, just laughed at the numbers I was carrying and decided to put a few (just a few) back.

That year I had decided that I wanted to try needle felting and wool felting as it seemed like everyone was having so much fun with it this year. I don't mean wet needle felting where you are actually creating a needle felted object from the wet felt. I'm just not that adventuresome!

I started with three wool felt kits where one was a penny rug type decoration that needed to have some sheep and tree decorations needle felted. The other two kits were more like wool felt embroidery kits to create primitive wool decorations which could be hung on a wall or placed on a table top.

Well, last Spring I finally had an opportunity and a small window of time that I could use to create some more of the penny rug kits I had bought. I had already created 3 of the kits back in 2009 and had posted about them in a Linda's Blog post entitled "More Of My Projects From This Year - My Needle Felting Projects." During this window of opportunity I was able to finish two more of the penny rug kits I had bought.  One of those was a pumpkin patch penny rug picture that I wrote about in a Linda's Blog post entitled "I Just Love This "Pumpkin Patch" Penny Rug."

The other was a penny rug kit to create a holiday candle penny rug. The kit was put together based upon a Lakeview Primitives "Holiday Light" pattern #423. The finished size of the penny rug was 16 1/2" x 13 1/2".

The pattern was very easy to follow and I had no problems with it. It contained the pattern pieces, supplies list, and directions for creating the Holiday Candle penny rug decoration. As penny rug decorations are usually put together using a blanket stitch the pattern also included an illustration for how you stitch a blanket stitch. The pattern also calls for pre-felted wool - which, in my case, was already provided in the kit. However, if you don't have a kit and buy wool the pattern contains directions for felting your wool. And, it also contains instructions for creating French knots which were used in the pattern.

Like all the other wool kits it was nicely put together by the store and contained plenty of the wool and DMC floss needed for the pattern. In fact, once again, there was plenty of wool scraps and DMC floss left over that I could and would utilize for another design if I wanted to.

With all the other penny rug wool kits I created I had placed a piece of cardboard in between the front and back sections of the penny rug to give them some rigidity and stability.  However, the "Holiday Light" pattern had three layers of wool felt and, as a result, I didn't need to add cardboard to the middle to give it some stability.  It seemed to be rigid enough as it was.  I had decided to hang this off a hook so I created a small hanger on the back of the "Holiday Light" out of DMC embroidery floss that I could use to hang it.

The result is shown in the picture at the beginning of this post.

I still have a couple of penny rug wool kits left from that shopping trip with my Mother.  Maybe in 2011 I'll have another small window of opportunity that I can use to finish the rest of the kits.

And, if I do that, well - I'll just have to go on another shopping trip.  However, as the shop is no longer in Sturbridge this time I'll let my fingers do the walking all over my keyboard and all over the internet. You never know what I'll find but, I'm sure I'll find something I like.

And, I'm sure if I go overboard in the amount I'm buying a little bird will be whispering in my ear, "LINDA, don't you think you have enough of those!"

And, I'll answer, "Just one more Mom. One more!"