Exhausted

I am so tired, I think I must be exhausted. For some reason, August seems to be the month that this family works the hardest! They must realized that the kids will soon be back to school and put everything they've been putting off doing on their "to do" list. This month, I've seen walls washed, floors scrubbed and polished, the refrigerator and freezer cleaned out, curtains washed, and windows tinted with UV film! To top it off, today was spent cleaning out the basement. They aren't done yet, there is more work to do tomorrow. Sigh. I've tried to help by cleaning up my things, but I guess you might have noticed that there are a few things under my bed that still need to be put away. Don't tell Jen, okay? I'll take care of it...tomorrow.

-Samantha

A Companion Doll of Another Kind

This story begins several months ago, in the Spring. When Gail Wilson had a sale earlier this year, I purchased "extra parts" to make 3 Hitty dolls -a second one for me, one for my daughter, and one for my mother (for her birthday). I decided not to keep my daughter in the dark, and actually let her help me make hers and my mother's (the basic painting and some of the sewing). I figured, while we were doing all that painting, I may as well get out another GW kit that I had for the Early American Companion Doll (a picture of Gail's doll is here: http://www.gailwilsondesigns.com/catalog/ea_series.html). It involved similar painting and assembly, so why not? I enjoyed making this doll a lot, in fact, I was a lot less stressed about it than I can be sometimes when I'm making something from a new pattern or kit. I kept putting her aside to move other projects along. I got her pantalettes made, but didn't even finish her chemise because I was trying to get Hitty things made for gifts, and clothes for BJDs who were naked - she "borrowed" a dress that I had made using a Gail Wilson doll pattern for my Raikes Hope doll - the sleeves were long, but my daughter rolled up the cuffs and at least she was "decent." She'd been sitting on the GW EA bed on my dresser, patiently waiting until I could get back to making her chemise and her own dress, slip, pinafore and bonnet. I tried to name her Charlotte, a nice "old fashioned" name, but it didn't work. Last week, I decided to call her Elizabeth, because I had sold a doll named Elizabeth a few months ago, and I always liked that name and wanted to use the name again for a special doll.
Anyway, one night last week, while getting ready for bed, I saw her. She was glowing up at me under the light of an antique (electrified) oil lamp's pink glass shade. I've had that lamp since I was a very little girl, and always loved that rosy glow. She seemed to be saying "HEY! LOOK AT ME! I am a COMPANION doll, after all!" She took my heart and wrapped it around hers at that very moment. She's the one who's been happily riding along in my purse, just for the company. She is sure that someday soon I will get to making her her own dress, and maybe even take a picture of her. She is content to just be "mine." I think it might have something to do with her being something I created, but I've made many dolls. I love my resin and vinyl dolls, but I also love my antique doll, and my Hittys and my old fashioned cloth dolls. I grew up with The Waltons and Little House on the Prairie, and trips to Mount Vernon, Williamsburg, Ft. McHenry and Gettysburg. I think that some dolls are just dolls, some become friends, and some end up being more than that, a true companion. Maybe I have more than one companion doll after all.
Here's Elizabeth, where I "first saw her."


Here is another picture of her in more natural light.


Her head, lower arms and hands, and lower legs and shoes are made of painted paper mache. The rest of her is cloth stuffed with wool. She has a very nice feel in your hands. Her hair is simple - never a hair out of place. I am so glad that Gail Wilson created this kit, she is one of my favorites by Gail.

-Jen

Black Eyed Susans

It has been very, very hot here, and very dry. The grass is mostly tan and brown, except for an occasional green weed. Jen was afraid that she was going to loose her black eyed susans this year, since there have been fewer and fewer over the past few years. They don't look too bad now, do they? These flowers came from plants in Jen's mom's garden - and she got her original plants from her mother's garden. Pretty neat, huh? The black eyed susan is our state flower. I think they are nice and bright and sunny - just like a nice summer day.

-Samantha

A Road Trip for Hannah

Earlier this month, Jen and her family went on a road trip for their family vacation. Hannah, Jen's DIM Sweet Eileen doll, got to go along because she was the only one who wanted to - she knew that once they reached their designation, she'd spend the entire trip in a hotel room. Jen had been working on a dress for her, and promised that she'd try to finish it.

They passed farms.


And drove through mountains.


And over bridges and rivers.


And across very flat farm country.



Hannah spent most of the time in the hotel room, but Jen did finish her new sundress.


On the way home, they saw wind turbines on a mountain. They looked gigantic!


Hannah enjoyed the road trip a lot, but was glad to get back home.

Happy Independence Day

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER

"O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just;
And this be our motto: In God is our trust!
And the star spangled banner in the triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."


I thought singing The Star Spangled Banner would be a great way to start today's post, on the birthday of our country. I am so blessed to consider the United States of America my home. I am proud of my heritage as an American. The Star Spangled Banner was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814, while he was on a British ship in the Baltimore harbor, negotiating the release of a prisoner during the War of 1812. He was glad to see the flag of his country flying over Fort McHenry despite the British attack on the fort. It was declared the national anthem in 1931. We live very close to Baltimore, and I've visited Fort McHenry many times. Did you know that Francis Scott Key also wrote the hymn "Before You, Lord, We Bow"? I didn't know that until this past Sunday when we had a patriotic service at my church.

Today, we restrung our flag pole, replacing the worn out line and a broken flag clip, and raising a brand new embroidered flag. Here's some more flag trivia I found in the leaflet with our new flag:

• A flag expert is a "vexillologist."
• The US Flag, adopted on June 14, 1777, is the fourth oldest national flag in the world. Denmark's flag, adopted in 1219, is the oldest.
• When the flag is worn as a lapel pin, it should be worn on the left lapel - near the heart.

We are spending a quiet day at home. We picked our first tomatoes from our tomato plants to enjoy with our dinner tonight. Samantha is wearing her red, white and denim Friends2BMade outfit to celebrate the 4th. It has a sparkly heart on it - she loves our country, too.

Happy Birthday U.S.A.!!!

-Jen