I Wish you

Filled with Sunshine like we've had. Hope its filled with those you Love.

Don't forget to count your Blessings!

Blessins',Lib

I Can Do More Than One Thing.........

Seems the last several post are about making dolls, but LOOK I can do something other than making dolls.Lol

How do you plan your meals? Most days I have my meals planned out,as what I will cook. Days like today , I didn't have a plan. As you know we stay stocked, and with care taking these days DH does alot of our grocery shopping. Yesterday while he was out, he picked up a bagged salad. I like to make my own salad but I am not against a bag salad esp. on a busy day. Sometimes it can be cheaper to buy bagged and add your own veggies. I'm all for doing what works best for you!
Each evening or early mornings I try to ask what they'd like to eat, most of the time I get ,It doesn't matter, or Whatever you want to cook. SO HELPFUL!!!!!! LOL Sometimes I get a straight up answer:o) When I ask last night I got It doesn't matter , and a whats my choice.
I planned today's meal around the bagged salad. I thought of what all I have cooked and in the freezer. Then I opened the fridge and right there in the veggie drawer was 4 zuc. squash I had thought for the past 2 days I'll cook and had forgotten. You know I don't like waste. So I thought That's it I'll make spag. sauce.I'm not a big meat eater, but my Guys are, so I add meat to most recipes. Even if its just enough for them to think their eating meat. I don't care for the taste of it.

Spag. sauce
4 zuc. squash Grated 1 Large onion chopped 1 large bell pepper chopped

1 pint canned stewed toms. (or 1~ 14- 16oz.can) 1 qt. of Spag. sauce (or 1 can)
6 cloves of roasted garlic 1 lb. of ground turkey or gr. beef or leave out all together

Cook turkey and drain. Add squash, onion, peppers and stewed toms. cook until tender ,add spag. sauce.

I use whole wheat spag. cook according to pkg. drain ,plate top with spag. sauce and cheese.

I keep garlic butter (Marg.) in the fridge I raost garlic and stir into butter . I use it for a number of things. My main reason for making it ahead is to make garlic toast , I spread it on bread and top with cheese and toast.

I'm not big on eating out alot, I like to know what goes into our food . If someone likes to eat out fine, another I like what works best for everyone. Most of my meals are frugal meals, but also they have to taste good too as well as look good ,I think we 1st eat with our eyes! I love to cook and enjoying trying new recipes or making my own up as I go .
What are some of your frugal meals? Frugal tips? With the price of gas skyrocketing ,food prices or everything hauled in will go up . Everyone I know is once again tightening their belts, seems life is one big adjustment with this economy.
Hope everyone has a great day!
Blessins',Lib

Doll How To's

I've been ask to show how to make dolls.It takes about 2 1/2 -3 hrs. hrs. from start to finish per doll. I hope this will be helpful ,I have made dolls so long I have no directions to follow. I have been a crafter for yrs. but I can't read directions and follow ,I can look at a pic. and make. So hope my directions will be clear ,if not just send me an email and I'll try again. For the body I use muslin fabric, I tea or cof. dye only because I like the look, you don't have to dye. The doll body is 10 1/2 ins. long ,cut 2 , legs are 10 ins. cut 4 ,arms 6 1/2 ins. cut 4.Machine stitch , and turn to right size, stuff with fiber fill. These doll bodies are thin some calls them penic dolls their so thin.Fill body leaving about 2 ins. at the bottom unstuffed , Fill legs and arms leaving about 2 ins. from the top.I turn legs where feet face each other ,only because I like that look better than feet facing straight out. Machine stitch legs together, insert into body and machine stitch. I use hot glue , I glue tops of arms closed ,I glue arms to doll body.

Once the body is complete and together, I make bloomers,these are made from a curtain sheer, some I use lace, you could use reg. fabric. I dont measure ,I like them big and fuller look, maybe 37ins wide,14ins. long.Machine stitch up sides, find middle machine stitch up between 1/2 and 3/4 way turn fabric ,stitch a tiny way ,turn fabric and machine stitch to bottom, Cut between stitch line to seperate for legs, turn to right side. Put on doll ,I tie off with thread.

One way to make a dress a piece of fabric 37 ins. wide about 14 ins long ,hand gather a hem on top of fabric, pull to gather , glue to neck of doll.Decorate dress( broach) with an ear ring or button.I hot glue it onto dress. It's been about 3 yrs. since I've bought doll hair (I buy at Hobby Lobby) Not sure if they still carry it .I buy alot at one time to keep a good stash on hand .The face is drawn on with a pigment pen I buy those at Micheal's craft store. The last I bought was maybe 3 yrs. ago they were $16 something a pkg. I only use for doll faces. DO NOT GET THE FACE WET!!! IF SO IT WILL RUN and ruin the doll! I use powder blush for cheeks I apply with a qtip .For the hat I used a piece of white felt, I trace a circle from a bowl and cut out, glued to doll, glued a sm. button on. For the purse I use a sm. piece of felt to match the hat,glue sides and across the top , glue to doll arm.top with a sm. button, or sm. ear ring.

This is another type underware, I used felt machine stitch turn, glued to doll. Most dolls I use the top of a crew sock that I have cof or tea dyed, but I was out.

THis dress is a homespun Kitchen towel I made . I fold it in 1/2 top to bottom ,then fold from side to side and measure 1/2 way in cut sm. hole insert head, gather towel or fabric across top half of the body, tie off at waist line. The hat is a yo-yo glued on. Button for broach. I glued a fabric heart between her hands, instead of a purse.

The sky is the limit as to what type fabric etc. to use. Sheets, lace curtains a good way to get lots of yardage , old buttons, etc. etc.

You can use new fabric.

Hope I explained o.k. Happy Sewing ! If you made one I'd Love for you to share a photo.

Have aGreat day!
Blessins',Lib

All Dressed up and no where to go.....

It is cold out, its winter and Jan. so going to stay in by the fire and craft the day away.

Hope you have a great day! Stay warm ,count your Blessings, and fill you day with the ones you Love!

Blessins',Lib

I am Ready ...........

For the snow to melt and the leaves to come out and wrap us in Green Privacy !

Want be long now:o)

Hope ya'll have a great day!

Blessins',Lib

Mission Accomplished Plus One

Are you tired of seeing dolls? lol I had a dead line to meet 5 dolls for Feb. 24th. As you know I am NOT a last min. person!

This doll on the left has a maroon hat doesn't show up well.

These 2 dresses are made from dish cloths. Now that my mission has been accomplished ,I can make more for my gift closet ,and to store for craft shows. Keeping busy ,I haven't been effected with cabin fever. In between playing in fabric I do chores, Caretake DH Mom who's with us 5 days per week, cook .I'm Blessed Dh is great to help with chores. :o)

Hope you have a great day! Stay warm , keep busy ,Hands to work,Hearts to God!

Blessins',Lib

Snowed In

We're still snowed in . It is Beautiful around with snow. I am not a winter person, but trying to be content .DH keeps the animals fed and the birds.I keep the people fed. lol

We are well stocked from summer's harvest, and things we stock up on, we have warm heat .

All our needs are met, doesn't get any better than that!

Still making dolls and crafting to keep busy. We're Homebodies so no cabin fever has set in yet.

For now we will be happy snowed in and take each day just as God gives them to us.

Have a great day! Blessins',Lib

Go Green Crafting Reduce,Reuse,Recycle

As long as I can remember I have made some sort of crafts. I was recycling long before it became popular.I know its too early for some to think about ,I have started on next Christmas and birthday gifts. I do alot of crafting in the winter while its not such a busy season, Spring ,Summer and fall is filled with canning,freezing, drying food and outdoor work.The hearts are Ornies could be used for gift toppers, bowl fillers, etc..The gold, green,red,silver is made from pipe cleaners from the Dollar tree. Some of the fabric is scrap fabric. I cut hearts out hand stitch ,could be sown on the machine. I use fishing line for hanging the ornies.

I look for supplies at yard sales and Junk(thrift) stores.This doll dress is made from a shower curtain ,the lace was already on it. Before giving something to a Thrift store my Family and Friends offers for me to look through it first. My sister gave me this shower curtain. Curtains and sheets are a Great way to get lots of fabric .I always check the junk stores for both. I buy fabric for the doll body, and felt for hats and purse , everything else is pretty much recycled.

I shop antique shops for Custom jewerly and table scarfs etc.

Take a look around and see what you can recycle into somthing else . And help save Mama Earth!

More snow headed our way, a big one ,with snow there's no getting out of here, so I will craft the days away and fill my gift closet.:o)

Hope you have a Great Day!

Blessins',Lib

It's snowing

We're having more snow ,this pic. was made when it started. More snow to come . Yesterday I cleaned, did laundry etc. to free up the wk.end for play time. lol
Little Shadow is snowed in here .So what do we do when its too cold to go outdoors?

We make dolls. Since Little Shadow is my "STAR Friend" she picked out this blue fabric with tiny stars all over it. Her MeMe is redoing her room , she painted it, and buying a new bed etc., her theme is Tea Party and Dolls.

Hope everyone has a Wonderful Day filled with the ones you Love.

Blessins',Lib

From One Generation To Another

Little Shadow and I have been busy. I'm teaching her to make dolls. I do the sewing, she helps stuff the bodies, and do the thing her age level can do. The 1st doll we made for her Grammie. She picked out all the supplies a kitchen towel for the dress.She wanted the pearl heart instead of a purse.

The second she wanted for her Mumsy(Great Grandmother)
She chose a lace table scarf for the dress .We use junk jewelry for pins , put on hats,and purses.

She made this for a Special friend who has been so Kind to her this past year. Now to get it wrapped and to the P.O. and mailed. She picked a Vintage table scarf for the dress.A Vintage dollie for the hat.

This one is an extra one, I cof. dyed a Vintage table scarf for the dress. We have lots of supplies to make many more, however we had to stop , she had to go home and DH Brother will be here tomorrow to visit their Mom .In a few days I'll get back to playing in Fabric. :o)

Hope everyone has a Great week.

Blessins',Lib

Hope You Are Having............

A Beautiful day! Our day is filled with sunshine!:o) No forcast for rain or snow!
Blessins',Lib