Martha Stewart Does It Again

I'm such a sucker for new gadgets.  This one is pricey and you MUST use 50 off coupons to make it more reasonable!  Martha Stewart has come up with a terrific new tool for punching decorative circles or doilies if you wish.  AND you can punch them in sizes from 5.5 inches to 11.5 inches.  Pictured below is the starter kit which comes with the eyelet punch.  The pink and white doilies are from a punch I purchased separately.  It's very easy.  Once you do one, you'll have no trouble with subsequent ones.  At first I thought "oh this is too expensive to be practical" but then I was reading on line and looking at videos of things to do with it.  You can use the circle as a stencil and spritz or paint through it on your scrapbook pages or art journals.  You can make flowers, a Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas trees, angels and many more cute things with this tool.  If you have any questions, please email me.  I suggest you try it.  If you hate it you can always return it.  I was hesitant at first but now I'm a convert!

Miss Tilda x Three!

 Since last weekend I have occupied myself with sewing and dressing these three Tilda dolls.  If you are not familiar with Tilda, she (and all of her friends, accessories and accoutrements) are the brain child of Norwegian designer, Tonne Finnanger.  Her things, including a line of fabric, are sold all over the world and these dolls and other fun characters she has designed are all the rage.  She has many books out and this is the large angel from her book, Tilda's Studio.  Making these dolls is not for the faint of heart but, like me, after you make the first one, it will give you confidence to do your own thing on the subsequent ones you make.  I think the pattern and her directions need "tweaking!!!"

                                                        This doll is very long, about 24 inches from head to toe.  The limbs on the body as well as the head require stuffing finesse.  Her clothes are actually very cleverly designed.  The jacket looks like it would be hard but it actually wasn't.  I don't have the real Tilda hair so I used that curly hair you can find at most craft stores.  On all Tilda dolls, there is kind of a standard hairdo that uses what appears to be a fine nubby yarn.  The lady with the jacket is my Southern Belle.  She is very polite and has fancy trim on her pantalooms.  Her light hair makes her look rather timid and she is properly dressed for afternoon tea with her pearls and jacket.  The purple doll is a bit of a flashy dresser.  Her bodice is a cream on cream print which you probably can't see.  Enlarge the pictures and it's better.  She has a large rhinestone brooch on her chest and matching ribbon on her skirt and around her neck.  One large flower offsets her skirt.  She's sassy don't you think?  The last one is pretty much a basic everyday Tilda.  I made the skirt shorter and her pantaloons have trim with little pink roses on them.  A bow at the back waist is about the only thing I added. 

I'm not exactly thrilled with these pictures but for some reason these little women were hard to photograph or it's just the rather gray day we are having here.  Is spring never coming?????