Peanut, Annie and their Wise Old Tree

Had a severe case of cabin fever the other day.

 So I bundled up the munchkins, packed some food

 in a basket and we drove to our favorite park way out in the woods. 

After everyone ran around crazy for awhile,

we all settled onto a picnic table and opened some

new packs of colorful clay I had saved for such an occasion.

 

It was suggested by my youngest that we should make fairytale mushrooms!

 

Here are two of them...

what better detail to add to a wise old tree

where childhood dreams take flight...and made by a child no less

 

 

Mushrooms were made by my children.
Woody Woodpecker lunchbox, thermos, baloney sandwich and apple made by thecornershack.
 God made the rock and moss.
 I made the tree. 

 

With all the twists, turns and surprises in the road,

 it seems as if we have been traveling together forever 

But now that Peanut and I are nearing our

destination...the time has been too short...

 

Below, Peanut is preparing herself for hair styling and school clothes.

 Wish I looked this good in the morning before dressing and hair combing lol.

Baby Raggedy Annie looking for a hug! 

Another reason why I love red hair on little girls.

 

Even though this Old Tree had a loooong way to go yet,

 I wanted to get a good picture of his adoring face!

 Alas, that expression was not for me, but rather

it is meant for a little girl named Peanut

 who climbs up into his branches

every day after school. 

 

 

While working on a Wise Old tree Person

who will happen to have a little Peanut sitting up in his branches,

my little 'Jemima' is helping me put on the first layer of paint!

See that flat grey rock way down there to the bottom right?

Right over there next to the edge of Mill Creek ...

the one that seems to not quite fit in with the rest

of the lovely but ordinary river rocks?

 

 Well, THAT'S the rock which now holds steady Friend Tree

 and has become part of a very grand art project!

Wire roots will be wrapped then sculpted

  around this very handsome river rock.

The Speaking of Doll Language

Doll making has opened up the world to our home.

Just look what the postman brought to our door from Finland!
 A pretty parcel neatly wrapped in vintage newspaper.

THIS was inside!

A colorful stack of mysterious packages from Far Far Away...

 

A greeting from...Guess Who...?

 

First, we opened a very sweet letter from our friend Sari.
And everyone was supposed to wait until it was read aloud...
 

(Please take note of the faces in the background for further explanation below)

Sari had sent an amazing and wondrous greeting
 from  Pippi, Annika, and Mr. Nilsson to assure us 
 that Tommie was now officially part of their family.

Have you ever seen anything so inviting to a doll maker?!
A treasure tin covered and full of inspirational sewing notions.
Look closely at the collage on the outside.
Each time I open it, I am still discovering new details
while appreciating the many ways they are interlaced into a clever design.
 

 

Tommie must have overheard my complaint of always running out of LARGE buttons.

How is it they always seem to disappear right before they are desperately needed

 to hold together a multi-piece flower or decorate a plain mason jar...

LOOK Sari...we used some of the very buttons you sent this weekend.
They cheerfully added some whimsy to bunches of  wildflower bouquets gathered
  for Grandma Alvie's 80th birthday celebration!



 

They were so pretty dotting the tables. 

 Now we will snip them off after the flowers fade, and re-store to the tin for future whimsical duties. 
 

 



Can't you just see these trimming a dolls' tiny dress...or maybe a child's apron?
They were ever so carefully wrapped around a vintage spool and perfect little cutout cards.
Needles included too...
So Love the Details !

 

Now, getting back to the picture #4 above...
THIS tin suddenly became the most coveted piece my children pulled from the wrap.
It even distracted them from the marshmallows.

Because inside was a softie Doll
 with a dress pattern and all the fixings for a sewing a Red Felt Dress!

 My son thought he should be the one to sew it.
In the picture he was in the process of arguing his case with my daughter.
Boys can be tailors too. 
Well, of course they can.
My sons pop off thousands of buttons and shred holes in the knees of all their trousers....
Subsequently, all the boys in this family can knit, sew patches and buttons and follow a pattern.

However, this time my daughters out-argued their brother.  

 

(I claimed the polka dot fabric and discreetly tucked it
 inside my wooden Pippi box in the Doll Room.

Between you and me, there is enough to share for several doll dresses,

 but I'm hiding it for now until after the dust settles.)

 



Heavenly polka dots.  Oh how I love polka dots!

Even before the rest of the package was unwrapped,
the dress instructions were opened
 and the sewing began.

Sew Sweet!!!

After the Red Felt Dress was accomplished,
my daughters used the pattern the very next day to make a second dress
for another fortunate dolly.
 

Now just take a look at these artisan rainbow marshmallows. 

 We knew immediately where Sari found these beauties...

Pippi's favorite Confectionery of course!

 

This is the last sight I saw at the end of an exciting day.
 Dolly in the Red Felt Dress sleeping soundly in the arms of Manny Mouse's Boy...
Who ended up getting to sew the white trim on the Red Felt Dress.
:)

It seems our doll making adventure has come to an end, Sari.
Your Pippi family is now complete...
 But our friendship made during our time together will last forever.
  You brought Pippi, Annika, Nilsson and Tommie to life in the eyes of my children
and in the heart of their artist.

God Bless You for that!
 

 

I wanted to share this Thank You not only with our dear Sari,
but also with all of you doll makers and doll lovers too!

 Because in the end, I'm sure you realize,
it really is all about the human connections we are making through our dollmaking.
 Our dolls gently help us speak the same language of love
 so we can communicate and understand one another better.



until we talk again...love, Rose