Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts

Saturday, February 08, 2020

Bookstore Shopping With Mom - What Can be Better Than That


I Just Love To Go Bookstore Shopping!  For me there is nothing more relaxing than going bookstore shopping at my local bookstores.  It was especially enjoyable when I would share this experience with my Mom.  She loved to bookstore shop, too.

Not only was the time spent with my Mom thoroughly enjoyable, but we both loved books. We could spend hours upon hours just walking up and down the aisles looking at the best sellers, the discount books, the magazine section, etc. My mother always went to the "cooking" section first while I always went to the "dolls and crafts" section.

Now I wonder why that is? Couldn't be because I love "dolls and crafts?" Nah!

Why am I telling you this? Because I was fortunate enough while my Mom was still alive  to go bookstore shopping with her many, many times and for that I am so grateful. They were always delightful trips and usually I came home with some new best sellers from some of my favorite "romance" authors.

The last few trips I came home with a few "doll and craft" books to add to my collection.  If you believe I just bought a "few" craft books you don't know me very well.  My Mom used to look at my shopping cart and say, "Really, Linda!" LOL LOL

Over the years, however, I started to get a little disappointed browsing through the local bookstores for "doll and craft" books. You might wonder "why" that would be as I've just told you that I love shopping at my local bookstores.


Well, I've found that in browsing through my local bookstores several years ago that they just didn't seem to be carrying a lot of "doll and craft" books in their stores anymore. As a result I found when I'm looking for "doll and craft" books that I'd much rather shop online. I discovered Amazon a long time ago and found that I loved being able to search and sort for books to my hearts content. I could easily find the categories I wanted, the authors, best sellers, etc.

At Amazon I can browse by category, look at the new releases, scan the future releases, check out the magazines, etc. I don't have to get down on my knees (which at my age is no longer fun) and crane my neck to look for the "doll and craft" books on the bottom shelf. It's so much more enjoyable to sit in my chair and let my fingers do the walking.

I could spend hours and hours doing this as well. However, the one big drawback was that in sitting at my computer browsing through my online bookstore's is that I was missing two of the ingredients that made my local bookstore shopping experience so enjoyable - my Mom and flipping through all the pages of the books. I often thought about buying another computer and another computer set-up so my Mom could sit right next to me.


However, I know what she would have said to that and it would have been a big resounding "ABSOLUTELY NOT!" She'll give me that look that only Mother's can that makes you feel like your 3 years old even though you're a grandmother yourself. Then she'd say," Linda, it's not the same and a little fresh air never hurt anyone. Besides you need the exercise!" And, more importantly, she loved getting out of the house and loved going to the local bookstores to shop. So, we would.

So, we continued to spend some lazy afternoons at the local bookstores. I'd still check out the "dolls and crafts" section first, but I wasn't going to be disappointed anymore because I knew I'd be coming home and letting my fingers do the walking. I like to think my Mom never knew I was doing online book shopping but I'd be foolish to think so.  She always knew.  They always do.  you just can't beat a mother's natural instinct.

I learned to love books not only from my Mom but my Dad and Grandma as well.  They all loved books and instilled a love of books in me.  So, none of them would be surprised that I designed a book related collection of graphics for my "We Love Books" custom products gallery.  Bookstore shopping and custom products displaying a love of books - what could be better than that!







Sunday, February 02, 2020

I've Reviewed Quite A Few Craft Books Over The Years



I'm a "grown-up girl" who has never outgrown her love of dolls and crafting. I just love dolls & crafts and I just love books about dolls & crafts. So, it is only natural that I would love collecting books about dolls and crafts, doll making and craft making, doll histories and craft history, various types of dolls and crafts,  and collecting dolls and crafts.

Years ago I started reviewing some of the doll and craft books I bought while bookstore shopping with my Mom.  They were glorious days back then for my Mom and I and I miss shopping with her.

While I've created and reviewed a tremendous amount of craft kits I did manage to review many doll and craft books.




Shown below are the books I have reviewed so far with a little snippet of my review:

Books Bought & Reviewed By Linda and The Book & Crafts Review Corner


As a very young girl I can remember playing with my very first paper doll - Betsy McCall. I would cut Betsy and her clothes out of the magazine ever so carefully. Of course, being a young girl my first attempts at cutting every so carefully didn't go as smooth as I had planned and my mother or grandmother would try to correct for my errors.......

I'll bet that doll collectors who scour flea markets and yard sales for that rare doll find always take something with them. Want to bet? Want to know what that is?

Well, it would be the Blue Book Dolls and Values, 15th Edition book or, now, Jan Foulke's Guide to Dolls: A Definitive Identification & Price Guide book. Why would I bet that they all take their copies whenever they go hunting for dolls? Because if you are a doll collector, especially a collector of rare and vintage dolls, and want to know what a doll is worth you need the "Blue Book"........


I'm sure this won't be a surprise to any of you, but back in 2007 I fell in love with Blythe Dolls.  After all she is an adorable and irresistible doll.  At least she is as far as I'm concerned.......



If you are a reader of my Linda's Blog then you know that I just love dolls and books about dolls, especially cloth dolls.

One of the books that I bought last year was Cloth Dolls: From Ancient to Modern : A Collector's Guide (A Schiffer Book for Collectors). It is a collectors guide of cloth dolls and their values and I was especially interested in it because it contained cloth dolls, which up to this point in time were often overlooked by the doll collecting society as a whole......





When I first saw Creating Handmade Books I immediately thought about books for my grandchildren. After all, I'm a HUGE proponent of reading. If you're familiar with my blogs you know that I always buy books for the grandchildren for Christmas. To me there is nothing better than reading and improving one's mind.......


Creating Romantic Purses: Patterns & Instructions for Unique Handbags was a perfect choice for the 3rd book to be reviewed for books about handbags, purses, and totes as nothing could be more Victorian looking than romantic purses........




I'm just so excited that I could barely get my new "The Book Review Corner" blog finished when I just had to tell you about the most wonderful doll making book that my husband gave me for Christmas.


This is the first book that I will be reviewing for my "Linda's Dolls and Craft Book Review Series" and it is Book#1.......




When I was doing  my research on various doll histories and papier mache dolls in particular I had the opportunity to review a book entitled "Dollmaking With Papier Mache and Paper Clay by Doris Rockwell Gottilly" that I had bought years ago.......



If you are a reader of my Linda's Blog you know that I admire artists who have mastered the art of drawing or painting. I try hard, but do not have a natural talent for it. I wish I did as I'd love to be able to paint faces on some of my dolls and paint beautiful images on some of my wood crafts......



Several years ago I decided to make fabric covered journals for my twin granddaughters. They were in junior high school at the time and I wanted something a little different as one of their presents for Christmas that year. So, I decided to create the journals.......


I'm beginning to think that besides having an obsession with dolls, crafts, genealogy, floral crafts, and books that I have an obsession with "things that are small."


Now you might wonder what I mean by that - well, I mean objects that are "miniature, tiny, and smaller than normal."........



You may recall that I recently reviewed Jan Foulke's 15Th and 16Th edition Blue Book of Dolls & Values in an article on "The Book Review Blog."


Well, I was recently sent Jan Foulke's Guide to Dolls: A Definitive Identification & Price Guide. It's been four years since her last price guide and I have to tell you that this guide is every bit as good if not better.......

Making Vintage Bags: 20 Original Sewing Patterns for Vintage Bags and Purses is a wonderful choice for the 2ND book to be reviewed in my handbags, purses, and totes craft book review......



If you've been following along all these years with my blog posts here and on my various blogs you know that I LOVE crazy quilting and embroidery and admire the artists who create fiber works of art. I can spend hours and hours browsing through the blogs of some of my crazy quilting online friends and salivating at their creations. I just love to look at all the amazing creations and dream of creating some myself.......


I have been eyeing some needle felting and felt craft books for a few months now and have taken a particular interest in the little felt cupcakes that a lot of crafter's have been making as centerpieces for their children's birthday parties......


I was very fortunate to learn how to sew from my mother and my mother's best friend when I was 9 years old. They showed me how to use the sewing machine, explained how to read a pattern, showed me how to cut out the pieces, and explained what the various sewing terms meant, etc. I learned the basics from them - the rest I learned through trial and error. And, I have been sewing now for over 50 years.....




Last time I was out shopping with my Mother at one of our local bookstores one book in particular caught my eye and I just had to buy it. It was called "Origami Flowers: Popular Blossoms and Creative Bouquets."


What drew me to this book was that it involved paper florals. Paper crafts and floral crafts. Not quilling, but still involving shaping paper to form floral bouquets. It couldn't get any better than that as far as I was concerned. Then again, I love everything. So, of course, I showed the book to my Mother. She was intrigued so we started to browse through it.......



I received an email a couple of weeks ago from Kim Chatel telling me that she's an author of children's books and that she had a new book called Rainbow Sheep that was released in May. It was a children's story illustrated with needle-felted fiber art and also contained 2 simple felt crafts for kids.......




If you are familiar with me and my Linda Walsh Originals website then you know that I am a cloth doll maker and doll pattern designer. You also know that I love dolls of any kind, shape, or size. It doesn't matter if they are plain, elaborately costumed, ugly (sometimes the uglier the better), made of wood, cloth or clay, or even paper. It doesn't matter if they have faces or are faceless. They can be boys, girls, animals, creatures, ghosts, goblins, witches, angels, etc. It doesn't matter to me. I just love dolls.......




I doubt there is anyone who is involved with primitive or heirloom crafts, makes primitive or heirloom crafts, or loves primitive decor who does not know who Tasha Tudor is. I certainly know who she is and just love all the children's books illustrated by her, and books written about her and her life in New Hampshire and Vermont.


So, I thought I'd tell you about one of the books about her that I just love.......
I'm beginning to think that besides having an obsession with dolls, crafts, genealogy, floral crafts, and books that I have an obsession with "things that are small."

Now you might wonder what I mean by that - well, I mean objects that are "miniature, tiny, and smaller than normal."........



In doing my research on various doll histories I ran across a doll making book entitled "The Complete Photo Guide To Doll Making" by Nancy Hoerner, Barbara Matthiessen, and Rick Petersen. This book contained information on making several of the dolls I was posting about so I thought maybe I should review this as part of my Linda's Review of Doll Making Books series......


I thought that I might start the review of handbag, purse, and totes books with The Decorated Bag: Creating Designer Handbags, Purses, and Totes Using Embellishments.

I have to tell you that what drew me to this book initially was the embellished purse on the front cover and then when I was flipping through the book all the pictorials caught my eye. If there is anything I love in a craft and craft making book it's pictorials. You might find this unusual for a crafter and a reader, but I hate to read the text. I'd much rather look at the pictures and follow them. Now that's not to say I don't read the text. I do if I have to, but I'd rather learn from the pictures. I suspect that I'm not the only one in that regard. I'm sure many, many crafters out there are the same way.......




I'm sure this won't be a surprise to any of you, but back in 2007 I fell in love with Blythe Dolls.  After all she is an adorable and irresistible doll.  At least she is as far as I'm concerned.......


Readers of my "Linda's Blog" know that I just love dolls of all kinds, shapes, and sizes. I also love history, especially if it's doll history.

Many, many years ago I bought a book on doll history (the cover is shown in the first picture above) that was supposed to be the "ultimate" book on dolls and doll history. Well, it definitely lived up to its hype......




Since I just wrote an article about Barbie I thought it might be a good idea to review the latest book that I bought on Barbie. It's entitled "The Complete & Unauthorized Guide to Vintage Barbie Dolls® & Fashions (Schiffer Book for Collectors).".......
I'm beginning to think that besides having an obsession with dolls, crafts, genealogy, floral crafts, and books that I have an obsession with "things that are small."


Now you might wonder what I mean by that - well, I mean objects that are "miniature, tiny, and smaller than normal."........

I'm hoping to get back to reviewing more of the doll and crafts books I've bought over time in the next few months and hope you enjoy reading my reviews.

If you'd like to read more of the books, crafts, and craft kits I've reviewed over the years please visit my "Book and Crafts Review Corner" blog page which is here.

I'm Back to Reading and Book Reviews! Yippee!



Sometimes there just are not enough hours in the day. Never enough time to get everything done. And, not enough time to do everything that you love to do.

For me that's crafting, sewing, doll making, reading, browsing bookstores, blogging, researching my family genealogy, floral design, gardening (if I can avoid poison ivy), shopping for handmade crafts, scanning history books, doing crossword puzzles, working on the computer, and spending time with my family.

There was a time when I would also spend time shopping with my beloved Mother.  We could definitely shop and shop we did.  One of out favorite ways to shop was browsing at local bookstore.  Of course, we always had lunch first and then did the browsing...lol

I don't know about you, but I could spend hours on end just browsing up and down the aisles of any bookstore. Not surprising I love the crafts and history book sections.

Of course, I also love browsing over all the books on sale at reduced prices. Sometimes you can find some fabulous books that are a couple of years old. I don't care about how old they are. If it's a fabulous book at a reduced price then I'm thrilled.

Given that I could never visit a bookstore without buying a book I bought many over the years. Of course, when I brought them home hubby would give me one of those "Where are you going to put  all those!" looks when I brought them home. I, of course, would give him a look of "I'll find a place. There's ALWAYS room for books!"

For some reason I was thinking about bookstore shopping and all the craft books I've bought over the years and thinking about how much I love perusing through them and letting you know what I think of them.  So, I decided it was time to get back to book reviews again.   I hope to have a bunch of book reviews for all of you over the next few months.

I'm off to read.  I'm off to review.

I couldn't be happier.

Might just be time to go bookstore shopping again....lol

Thursday, October 06, 2016

Jigsaw Puzzles For Home Decor & How-To



I have been in love with  jigsaw puzzles since I was a small child.  During my childhood years I've solved jigsaw puzzles and then glued them to a piece of cardboard so I could mount them on my bedroom wall for decorations.  Choose a really colorful puzzle and you have a fabulous decoration.

Not only do they make great decorations, but they make fabulous gifts for any occasion as they provide hours of puzzle entertainment fun.

Here's how you would create a jigsaw puzzle picture decoration:

How To Create A Jigsaw Puzzle Wall Decoration


Supplies Needed:

Jigsaw puzzle, 2 large pieces of cardboard for turning the puzzle, 1 piece of cardboard chipboard or 1/8"-1/4" wood for the backing, wood glue, paint, mod podge, brushes, picture hanger.

Instructions:

1)  Measure and cut a piece of cardboard, chipboard, or 1/8"-1/4" wood to be the same size as the puzzle.

2)  If you are using 1/8"-1/4" pine board you would want to paint it a complementary color to match your wall colors.  Let the paint dry thoroughly.

3)  Put the jigsaw puzzle together.

4)  Carefully slide the finished puzzle piece onto a piece of cardboard that is larger than your puzzle.

5)  Cover the front of your puzzle with another piece of cardboard that is larger than your puzzle piece to create a sandwich of cardboard and puzzle pieces with the puzzle piece in between.

6)  Turn your puzzle sandwich upside down and then place it on a table.

7)  Remove the larger piece of cardboard that was covering the back of your puzzle so the jigsaw puzzle is turned over with the back showing.

8)  Add wood glue to the top of the cardboard, chipboard, or 1/8"-1/4" wood piece until it is fully covered.

9)  Turn the cardboard, chipboard, or 1/8"-1/4" wood piece over and glue it to the back of your turned over jigsaw puzzle on the table.

10)  Let the wood glue dry thoroughly.

11)  Apply one to two coats of mod podge to the front and sides of the puzzle to seal the picture.

12)  Add a picture hanger to the back of your puzzle picture and hang it on the wall.

We have a lot of different jigsaw puzzle designs.

© 2007-2023 Copyright Linda Walsh Originals - Written By Linda Walsh.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Meet The Grays


Meet the newest member of the Gray Is Beautiful Society.  Her name is Celia and she loves being a member of the Red Hat Society.

Celia has been a member of The Red Hat Society for a long time and thoroughly enjoys the times they get together. She and the other ladies of the club love dressing up in their purple dresses and red hats, and letting their hair down. Sometimes things get a little wild, but that doesn't deter any of the ladies. They love their lives, they love each other, and best of all they love happy fun - especially when it's the dress-up kind.

If you would like to read the story behind my Celia - Art Doll please CLICK HERE.


Helena is proud of her beautiful grayish white hair. She's a tough old bird and can definitely handle anything that is thrown at her.

The reason for that is that there is nothing in life that Helena hasn't seen or done. Everything she's learned to do she has taught herself.

She's street smart, wise, prudent, loyal, feisty, and delicate, too. After all she is a female. She may be tough but she still likes frilly, feminine things like lace trimmed dresses and lace shawls.

Helena kind of reminds me of the two old biddies from the movie "Gone With The Wind." You might see her walking down the street conversing with everyone and definitely letting them know her opinion on different subjects.

Of course, she's also the one you turn to when you need advice for you can always count on her. If Helena says she'll do something then she will.

“Helena” is a tough old bird and can handle anything that is thrown at her. There is nothing in life she hasn’t seen or done.

“Helena” is a PROUD member of the “Gray Is Beautiful!” Club.


Magdalene is very much the Drama Queen and is always in need of her smelling salts. She'll faint at the drop of a hat.

Of course, it's all part of her act. She craves attention and wants everyone to constantly attend to her every need. In order to get everyone to pay attention she sighs, huffs, groans, and moans and will even faint for a second or two.

I don't know why but every time I look at her I think of King George. Maybe its her full head of very, very thick white curly hair with a speckle of gray and black intertwined.

Maybe it's because her hair reminds me of the wigs the British barrister's wear in court. Or, maybe, it's her outfit.

Magdalene has a mass of thick, white curly hair on her head with a bow in back. She has a cloth body with an embroidered face and is wearing the latest in fashion - a flounce dress with matching and visible bloomers.

Her dress is so big she requires assistance to get up from her chair. Of course, that doesn't bother Magdalene on bit. Her goal in life is to be waited on at all times."

Make room for "Magdalene - The Drama Queen!" She needs plenty of room and plenty of attention.


Susan is a big, big, big snob. Can't you tell that already?

She wants to be called "Susan Renee" and not just "Susan."

Well, whoop-de-do, I say!"

Susan, Oh, excuse me.... Susan Renee is extremely demanding, articulate, knowledgeable, well-read, wealthy and aggressive. She has a mind for business and knows where every penny of her fortune is.

And, if you want to inherit some of that then you have to earn it. Don't try to contradict her or disagree with her for "Susan Renee" is always right.

She wears her beautiful head of gray hair proudly. She has earned every gray hair on her head and is proud of it.

Susan Renee knows what she wants and, always, gets it. Her goal in life is to sit on the board of the top 5 Fortune 500 companies.


"Sweet Julianna! Sweet Julianna!" There should be a song about "Sweet Julianna."

Sweet Julianna is a sweet and shy young primitive woman. She doesn't want to intrude. She just wants to help where ever she can.

She loves cleaning, gardening, sewing, crafting, decorating and cooking. She's extremely creative and oh so clever.

She was "Martha Stewart" before Martha was.

Sweet Julianna is just the sweetest little thing. You can't help but love her. And, she has a head of the most gorgeous dark gray curly hair that you'd ever want to see. It is so thick that it is the envy of all her graying friends.

Her goal in life is to serve others and do a little crafting."


"Mabel - I Might!" can and "Mabel - I Might!" will. She is strong and she is able and is a PROUD member of the “Gray Is Beautiful!” Club.

"Mabel - I Might" has wild, dark gray hair and always reminds me of "Rosie - The Riveter" from the WWII commercials. You know, the one on all the posters wearing a bandanna and forging steel. There isn’t anything that Mabel can’t do.

Mabel is all ready in her denim overalls for her job at the steel factory. But, she thinks that just because she forges steel doesn't mean she can't wear fancy bloomers.

So what if they show below her overalls? You got a problem with that?

If you do, take my advice, and don't tell Mabel.

Why? Because there isn't anything Mabel can't do once she puts her mind to it.

In fact, she proudly boasts that anything a man can do she can do better. Well, there a few things Mabel might not be able to do because of sheer physical strength limitations but I'm not about to tell her that.

Are you kidding? She can bench press 350 pounds. She might just decide to knock my head off just to prove her point.

That's, okay, Mabel. We believe you.


"Blue Bell Sara" and her sorority sister "Swing Sweetly Annabelle" are two of the newest dolls from my  "The Long Sleek Sitting Doll Series!"

Both are elegantly attired and ready for their afternoon walk.

"Blue Bell Sara" is wearing the finest in Victorian afternoon attire and is an elegant faceless Victorian doll who went prematurely gray. "Swing Sweetly Sara", on the other hand, is wearing her best Colonial attire for an afternoon stroll and has a beautifully embroidered and water colored face as well as a full head of burgundy colored hair.

Both dolls belong to the "Only Elegance Alpha Phi E" sorority as did both their mothers and several of their grandmothers before them. So, they really had no choice in the matter as it was wholly expected of them that they would join.

So, join they did and both are reporting that they are so happy to be part of such a wonderful and elegant sorority. Neither, in accordance with their sorority rules, will tell you what they've been up to though. It's a secret and only discussed amongst sorority members! The only thing they will say is that they have an upcoming event, which everyone will surely enjoy, but which they can't and won't talk about.

"Blue Bell Sara" knows she has some tall shoe's to fill in the "Only Elegance Alpha Phi E" sorority as her mother and some of her grandmother's were past presidents. However, she's not worried. She knows she is up to the task and, if elected president of the sorority, will have no problem fulfilling that role. After all, she is from an elegant line of long, sleek sitting dolls - isn't she?


I love "faceless" dolls as I believe that without their faces the doll's personality can speak for itself. You tend to look at the whole doll for her beauty versus just looking at her face.

There is a quiet beauty to "faceless" dolls and "Rebecca" is one of those quiet beauties. She is new doll from our "faceless" colonial boys & girls series.

She and her two friends, "Ursula At Play" and Ursula's brother, "Zacheus At Play!" are a tight knit group of boys and girls. They are all "faceless" colonial beauties who just love hanging out together. Rebecca is the most dignified of the group and the most studious.

Ursula and Zacheus are much more playful and love to tease each other as only "brothers & sisters" can. They pay attention to their studies, but when their done - well, they just love to play.

Whether it's the gentleness that surrounds her, the colors of her outfit, the way her hair is fashioned, or her intricate beauty Rebeca is a beautiful Colonial doll.

Rebecca's quiet beauty speaks to her quiet nature, gentle disposition, and inner grace. She is a beautiful, graceful, lady like Colonial doll.



"Grandma Aura May - On An Expedition!" is ready to go. She's been ready for over a year and is anxious to get started on her expedition with "Grandpa Lewis - On An Expedition!"

"Grandpa Lewis - On An Expedition!" isn't as anxious to go. He loves to please his wife, but is really more of a homebody and would prefer to stay home working on his coin and stamp collections.

Grandma Aurora May loves a good adventure and loves finding new places and new venues to explore. She'd rather spend all day looking for a great site for a picnic and always looks forward to their annual expedition to the beach.

Her main reason is that she loves to spend time with her grandchildren and loves cooking for them.

It's not that Grandpa Lewis doesn't love his grandchildren - he adores them. It's just he doesn't have a lot of patience for his grand children's boundless energy and "ants in their pants" inability to sit still. After one day at the beach with the grandchildren he's ready to go home.

Grandma Aurora May tells him to lighten up a bit. That's the way children are. Full of energy. Exploring everything. What's wrong with that?

Well, Grandpa Lewis doesn't mind enthusiasm and willingness to learn. He just can't stand little idle hands playing with the cherished coins in his coin collection and touching all the stamps in his stamp collection.

And he can't leave his collections at home while he's on a three month expedition to the beach. He'd go stir crazy without something to keep him occupied all that time.

Grandma Aurora May really does understand her husband and knows that she has to keep him happy or their won't be anymore expeditions to the beach. And, that she wouldn't be happy about.

So, each and every year she tells the grandchildren that Grandpa Lewis's stamp and coin collections are off limits.

Most of the time the grandchildren listen. Sometimes, however, there are those idle hands.......


"Grandma Aura May - On An Expedition!" is ready to go. She's been ready for over a year and is anxious to get started on her expedition with "Grandpa Lewis - On An Expedition!"

"Grandpa Lewis - On An Expedition!" isn't as anxious to go. He loves to please his wife, but is really more of a homebody and would prefer to stay home working on his coin and stamp collections.

Grandma Aurora May loves a good adventure and loves finding new places and new venues to explore. She'd rather spend all day looking for a great site for a picnic and always looks forward to their annual expedition to the beach.

Her main reason is that she loves to spend time with her grandchildren and loves cooking for them.

It's not that Grandpa Lewis doesn't love his grandchildren - he adores them. It's just he doesn't have a lot of patience for his grand children's boundless energy and "ants in their pants" inability to sit still. After one day at the beach with the grandchildren he's ready to go home.

Grandma Aurora May tells him to lighten up a bit. That's the way children are. Full of energy. Exploring everything. What's wrong with that?

Well, Grandpa Lewis doesn't mind enthusiasm and willingness to learn. He just can't stand little idle hands playing with the cherished coins in his coin collection and touching all the stamps in his stamp collection.

And he can't leave his collections at home while he's on a three month expedition to the beach. He'd go stir crazy without something to keep him occupied all that time.

Grandma Aurora May really does understand her husband and knows that she has to keep him happy or their won't be anymore expeditions to the beach. And, that she wouldn't be happy about. So, each and every year she tells the grandchildren that Grandpa Lewis's stamp and coin collections are off limits.

Most of the time the grandchildren listen. Sometimes, however, there are those idle hands.......


"Sweetheart Faith!" is just the sweetest snow-lady you'd ever want to meet. She just loves her life, loves being outside, and especially loves being in the garden.

Even though she's been growing flowers for decades she's still amazed by their beauty. There isn't a flower or plant that she can't identify or any flower or plant that she can't nurse back to health.

She has quite the "green thumb" for a snow-lady and is the envy of all the "ladies" in her Victorian gardening club. If you've got a gardening question - ask "Sweetheart Faith!"

Got a sick plant - give it to "Sweetheart Faith!" Need help designing your Victorian garden - ask "Sweetheart Faith!" Need a floral arrangement for a special occasion - ask "Sweetheart Faith!" to help you. Anything and everything floral - ask "Sweetheart Faith!"


"Petronella, The Birdhouse Lady!" is very concerned about her bird friends and their survival over the long, cold winter months.

In fact she is so concerned she asked her husband, "Doug, The Handy Dandy Gentleman!" to make her several birdhouses that she could put in the yarn to help her feathered friends.

The problem is that Petronella doesn't want just any birdhouses. She wants fancy Victorian birdhouses, with style and class. Lots of details and intricate molding.

Doug, on the other hand, doesn't want to invest so much time in making birdhouses that are just going to be destroyed by Petronella's fine feathered friends. He doesn't want to make them, but he loves to please Petronella.

"Petronella, The Birdhouse Lady!" is a 13" squared bottomed self-standing Victorian snow-lady warm & natural cloth doll. She has an embroidered face with black bead eyes, resin carrot nose, outline embroidered mouth, and blushed cheeks.

She has a full head of curly white mohair hair that is barely controlled under her lace trimmed and gathered bonnet.

She is wearing her favorite felt jacket with top stitching along all the edges, lined and bow decorated front pockets, and lace trimmed front panel edges. Her jacket is secured in the front with four buttons and two large fringed scarves are tied around her neck and then in a knot in the front.

She is also wearing a coordinated two tier lined cape with lined and raised collar.

"Petronella, The Birdhouse Lady!" knows how to take care of her feathered friends. Her problem is that she loves everything and anything Victorian and wants everything Doug makes to be of the finest material and finest workmanship. Even if it's only going to be used for her fine, feathered friends. They deserve quality, too!


"Petronella, The Birdhouse Lady!" is very concerned about her bird friends and their survival over the long, cold winter months.

In fact she is so concerned she asked her husband, "Doug, The Handy Dandy Gentleman!" to make her several birdhouses that she could put in the yarn to help her feathered friends.

The problem is that Petronella doesn't want just any birdhouses. She wants fancy Victorian birdhouses, with style and class. Lots of details and intricate molding.

Doug, on the other hand, doesn't want to invest so much time in making birdhouses that are just going to be destroyed by Petronella's fine feathered friends. He doesn't want to make them, but he loves to please Petronella.


"Laura, The Quintessential Lady Bunny!" was pacing around the house and couldn't wait for her husband, "Devin, A Bunny Gentleman", to get home.

You see, she was quite beside herself. She just couldn't understand what they hadn't received their invitation to join the "Victorian Animals Tea Society" that was started by "Bearly Victorian, Ryan" and his wife, "Bearly Victorian, Deb!" for all their wonderful Victorian animal friends.

After getting rejected for the umpteenth time from the latest Victorian tea society that he had applied to "Barely Victorian, Ryan!" decided that he and his wife should start their own club.

Their club would truly have an open membership and be accepting of all individuals and creatures. None of this "open to all", but really closed to animals rules. So what if Ryan and Deb were bears. They were still Victorian to the core. In fact, their lineage was probably older than some of the snooty Victorians who turned down their membership application.

Laura and Devin were not only "animals, but "old money" animals which meant they were the crème de la crème of the Victorian animal establishment. They were definitely eligible to join the "Victorian Animals Tea Society." So, why hadn't they received an invitation yet?


"Laura, The Quintessential Lady Bunny!" was pacing around the house and couldn't wait for her husband, "Devin, A Bunny Gentleman", to get home. He was working late tonight and wouldn't be home for a few hours. Laura wasn't sure she could wait that long.

You see, she was quite beside herself. She just couldn't understand what they hadn't received their invitation to join the "Victorian Animals Tea Society" that was started by "Bearly Victorian, Ryan" and his wife, "Bearly Victorian, Deb!" for all their wonderful Victorian animal friends.

After getting rejected for the umpteenth time from the latest Victorian tea society that he had applied to "Barely Victorian, Ryan!" decided that he and his wife should start their own club.

Their club would truly have an open membership and be accepting of all individuals and creatures. None of this "open to all", but really closed to animals rules. So what if Ryan and Deb were bears. They were still Victorian to the core. In fact, their lineage was probably older than some of the snooty Victorians who turned down their membership application.

Laura and Devin were not only "animals, but "old money" animals which meant they were the crème de la crème of the Victorian animal establishment. They were definitely eligible to join the "Victorian Animals Tea Society." So, why hadn't they received an invitation yet?

Copyright © 2004 - 2023 - All Rights Reserved - Designed and Written By Linda Walsh

Saturday, November 24, 2012

An Unbelievable Fabric Store

Jane and Allan Kirby, Proprietors

When I was visiting my sister last week one of her friends suggested we go shopping at a fabric store she had shopped at years before and had loved. Given the suggestion was for shopping for fabric my sister and I, of course, readily agreed. And, that was our mistake.

You see, her friend was suggesting that we go to The Fieldstone House in upstate New York. Well, The Fieldstone House is not like any other fabric store I've ever been in. In fact, I don't think I've ever been to a fabric store like it before - EVER! Not even the old fabric mills I visited years before could compete with this.

When you drive up the driveway and park it just looks like an old house. However, the outside looks are very deceiving as this is no ordinary house.

My sister and I had barely gotten inside when we both said, "Oh, my god!" The first room was literally filled floor to ceiling with rows and rows of cotton fabric. And, I do mean FLOOR to CEILING.

As we walked from the 1st room to the 2nd, to the back and around the corner to yet another room tucked away all we could say was, "Oh, My God!" Then the proprietor told us there was another floor full of fabric upstairs. "Oh, My God!"

I literally couldn't believe how much fabric there was. Shelves and shelves and shelves and shelves of fabric. Fabric on the tops of the shelves, leaning against the shelves, tucked in here, tucked in there. There was so much fabric I did not know where to look first. The fabric and all the colors were intoxicating. I decided I must be in fabric heaven.

Of course, all the while my sister and I were going crazy my sister's friend was smiling. It was as she had remembered and she was pleased that we were delighted.  Delighted was an understatement.  We were like little kids in a candy store.

Since I love holiday fabrics I decided to start upstairs.  I picked bolt after bolt after bolt trying to coordinate all my colors.  Just when I thought I had the perfect combination of red, green, white, and gold I'd find another bolt that was every bit as complimentary to the bolts I'd already chosen.

I decided I had to stop and move along to the winter fabrics. Truth be told, the blue and white colors of the winter cotton fabrics had been calling me since I went upstairs. I couldn't resist them any longer.

My sister, of course, still hadn't made it out of the Batiks section. I should have known.  She just LOVES batiks for all her Inspired Creations by D fabric or wall art quilts. I began to wonder how we were ever going to get her out of the store.

I asked the proprietor if it was okay to lay my bolts down near the register and she said, "Of, course. Start a pile." So, I laid my holiday bolts down next to an enormous pile of Batiks - which, of course, turned out to be my sister's pile.

After quite some time of searching through the fabric I decided I had enough and went to check out. Of course, I had to wait a long time before it was time for my fabric to be cut as my sister and her enormous pile of Batiks was still being cut.

Standing next to my sister was her friend. I asked her where her pile was and she just held up a small bag filled with a tiny amount of fabric. I couldn't believe it. She had bought only what she needed for a project she was working on. No more no less. Such self control and restraint. I had to admire that. Compared to my sister and I she was a fabric shopping saint.

Of course, as we were standing at the register getting our fabrics cut she was subtly suggesting bolts that would look wonderful with our color selections. I tried to resist buying more - I just couldn't. I decided she wasn't a fabric saint - she was the fabric devil. Of course, I couldn't resist her suggestions - they were perfect for the fabric I had bought.

We walked out of the fabric store laughing and carrying our fabric treasures. We were off to have lunch and reflect on our amazing fabric adventure. It was a wonderful and delightful fabric shopping experience and I have to thank my sister's friend and The Fieldstone House for that.