MORE MINIS AND SOME AMAZING DOLLS!

Let's take a break from wedding stuff for this week and enjoy some adorable minis instead! Here are the results of Baby Cat and Jennifer's final (at least for now) miniature trade! 

I adapted my own sweater pattern from one that Jennifer found. The original was cute but difficult to get on and off because it had no buttons or snaps. The new snaps in the back but looks like a pull on sweater from the front, or it can be worn in reverse as a cardigan!

Doesn't this bear look so cute in her little crochet dress? 

Green is adorable too!

The weather wasn't quite warm enough for dresses when we made this trade, so our little model decided to put her sweater back on.

And here's Strawberry shortcake modeling a sweater of her very own!

Another cute sweater and scarf set for Strawberry Shortcake. 

Unfortunately, the lighting isn't as good for photography in my house as it was in the library (where the previous pictures were taken.) I am going to have to figure out a better setup when I take pictures at home.

In other news, and mostly as a result of trading with Jennifer, my dollhouse is coming together bit by bit!

As part of the last trade, I received this comfy sofa and two chairs. The living room is looking cozy!

Also part of the trade was this nice big bed and end table. I love the detail of the turned spindles on the bed, they look just like they would on a full-sized bed! The little table on the end of the bed looks like it would be perfect for storing knicknacks.

And here is a lovely old-fashioned desk in what might soon become the office.

The final addition to Baby Cat's dollhouse (for now)  is this pretty dresser, made complete by these perfect tiny perfume bottles I found in the sale bin at Collage!

I also got this little wine and cheese plate in the sale bin at Collage! The stem of the wine glass was broken but it was nothing a little tacky glue couldn't fix.

Baby Cat also found this amazing art doll magazine at Collage. Isn't this doll beautiful in a sort of morbid way? 

She is designed to decompose and be used as food for the little sprouts growing on her dress. Although it seems sad to see such a work of art decay, it is wonderful that it will return to the earth and create new life, unlike so many things that end up in landfills when their useful life is ended. (Not that I would ever throw this doll away, I would want to keep it!) 

The magazine includes basic instructions for making similar dolls and I am considering trying to make something similar to it on my own if I ever have the time. Until then, check out the original artist at: http://burymebaubles.tumblr.com/ or https://www.etsy.com/shop/burymebaubles. I know I can't get enough of looking at her dolls!

-Baby Cat

NEW TREASURES FROM SAM'S ATTIC!

FRIDAY morning, as I was walking home, I stopped by Sam's Attic, an eclectic thrift store located right on the corner of 17th and Tenino in Sellwood, Portland, Oregon.  

Now, I have found many treasures in there before, but this time I scored BIG-TIME!

First, I found these beautiful teacups, for about $13 each, to add to our collection for Baby Cat's bridal shower. They are in beautiful shape and they are both English bone china. 

View inside the cups

They are both nicely decorated with pretty flowers inside the cups.  Now here's the view from the side. 

Both cups and saucers have nice gold trim all around the edges

These will make a nice addition to our collection, now totaling 24!  Never thought I'd be a teacup collector, but there you are!  After Baby Cat's bridal shower, they will all belong to her.

WHILE  I was looking for the teacups  I found this cute little doll puzzle (you know how I love dolls!), for $2.  So, of course I had to buy it!

 

Madame Alexander Dolls puzzle

You probably already noticed these dolls, although dressed very differently,  all have the same face, so it's not going to be that easy to do.  But, I know we will have many fun hours putting this together.  At least, I hope so!


THE BIGGEST SCORE  though, was this sweet little swivel-rocking chair, at $35!  It's in great shape, and it's only missing one of the arm covers, which I can easily replace with some really cute fabric.

Comfy, cute, and it rocks and swivels!

The best thing is that it fits me so that my feet can sit flat on the floor!  Daddy Cat says it's comfortable for him as well.  The cat even loves it!

Our kitty got a treat from this purchase too.  Lodged in the bottom of one of the legs was a cute little toy mouse in perfect condition!  We pried it out and our little MidnaCat  has been having a wild time with it ever since!  

LAST, but not least, I saw this adorable wooden dollhouse at Sam's Attic.  

 

Wooden Dollhouse

So I texted my friend Jennifer, of Plushpussycat fame, and told her about it.  Last thing I heard, Jennifer had purchased the dollhouse to add to her collection!  It is very cute, with two stories and an attic, unfinished.  I know she'll have a blast fixing it up. 

So all in all, a major score for all concerned!

SAM'S ATTIC is a great place to shop.  All the items are donated, most are in great shape, and it is run entirely by volunteers. The store is only open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, from about 11am-4pm.  But, if you like thrift stores, this one is definitely worth checking out!

-  Momma Cat 

SCORE! AT THE CROSSROADS DOLL & TEDDY BEAR SHOW!

Yesterday morning Jennifer of Plushpussycat, and I (Momma Cat) went to the Crossroads Doll & Teddy Bear Show over at the National Guard Armory.  We got there early, so we had a little easier time looking around before it got crowded.

We both have such different interests, we kind of split up for a while and went exploring on our own.  When I found something wonderful I would ask her opinion, and vice-versa.  Also, we each kept an eye out for treasures that the other one mind be interested in.  It worked out great! We each found several things we liked, and we didn't spend a lot of money!  

Let me just say that I don't ever have any trouble finding things I like or want to have at the doll show.  It's quite the opposite!  My trouble is finding things that are within my budget, and sticking to a budget!

Anyway, the first thing I found that I purchased was this cute little baby doll.

Cute little baby doll with original clothing (Irwin Baby?)

She's made of hard plastic and has her original clothes.  Her arms and legs move, but her head doesn't.  Her tag said she was an Irwin Baby.  I haven't done any research yet, so I don't know what era she's from or anything.  I just know that she's cute, and she only cost me $4.95!  I think she's adorable.  She's also tiny, so I won't have any trouble finding a place for her.  

My next find was this adorable jointed doll.  

J doll, she has joints everywhere and is infinitely poseable! She just needs some duds!

She's a J doll.  Again, I haven't researched her.  But she's  a sweet looking doll and I really like her potential.  She has joints everywhere, so she be posed any way I want.

She came with  a bag of clothing, which I don't particularly like, but I can create new clothing for her and dress her any way I want, so that's a good thing.  She doesn't have any shoes either, but since I only paid $10. for her, I think I got a great bargain.  

I can't wait to dress her!

Last but not least, this adorable Tiny Betsy McCall doll, made by the Robert Tonner doll company.

Robert Tonner Tiny Betsy McCall Doll with handmade clothing. So cute!

Betsy McCall dolls have always been a favorite of mine.  But they haven't been made since the 1960's.  My childhood dolls were given away a long time ago, probably after I stopped playing with them.  I remember having a blond doll (which was probably originally my sister's), and a brunette doll, and a little round pink hatbox shaped trunk with a ton of clothing!  

Anyway, I always look for them at the doll shows, but the old ones are too expensive for my pocketbook.  So yesterday I saw this little cutie standing all by herself and she's wearing a Halloween outfit, which I thought was so sweet (Baby Cat will covet this one!).  It turns out that the owner's friend made the clothes for this doll.  So, I added this little darling the my collection, and I only paid $15. for her!  

I also bought an amazing birthday present for my Big Sister Cat there. No, it's not a doll! But, I can't talk about it or show you any photo's until after I've sent it to her.  But keep tuned in and you'll see it in a later post!

So that's my story of the doll show!  Jennifer also had a lot of luck yesterday.  But you'll have to look at Plushpussycat blog in order to find out what she got at the doll show.  

The next Crossroads Doll & Teddy Bear Show & Sale will be on August 30, 2014.  It's at the National Guard Armory, 10000 NE 33rd Dr., in Portland, Oregon.  If you're interested, just visit their website for more information.  

-  Momma Cat 

Happy New Year! Check out these cute miniature houses!

Happy New Year! Here is my Christmas project, finally completed. I got the pattern for this crochet gingerbread house a couple of years ago from my grandma. I did all of the crocheting a long time ago but didn't completely finish putting it together. This year, I decided to finally finish it and turn it into a cute centerpiece instead of a bunch of little crocheted pieces taking up space in Momma Cat's house.

Front View

The crocheted walls and roof of the house have a backing of plastic canvas to stiffen them. Even so, the house was pretty wobbly once I sewed it all together. I consulted my favorite engineer, who suggested making a structural frame out of wire hangers to strengthen the walls against wobbling. I bent a few wire hangers and sewed them along the edges and corners of the inside of the house, and it worked very well!

Side View

The base is a foam disk that I crocheted around with white sparkly yarn. Then I sewed the house and all of the little candy decorations to the base. The little peppermints are my favorite, but the gumdrops, lollipops, and gingerbread men were all fun too!

Back View

The smoke billowing from the chimney is just some polyester stuffing I arranged to give it  a cozy feel, along with the warm glow from the yellow crocheted windows.

Side View

And now, for my next house project...

I bought this beautiful dollhouse kit from my friend Jennifer of plushpussycat.com. If you haven't seen Jennifer's blog she makes amazing dollhouses, miniatures, and adorable needle-felted animals! She even gave me a bag full of wonderful miniature treasures to put in my house when it is done. 

I have heard that when making a dollhouse it is best to do the painting and wallpaper before you put the house together. For me, the wall finishes are among the hardest decisions to make because they have such a huge impact on the overall look of the house, even after the rest of the design work is done. For this reason I might have to do a lot of thinking and looking at different color combinations before this house will be finished. Right now, I am thinking of trying to make the exterior look like stone. I am going to research this and see if it looks like something I can do. 

I can't wait to see what my finished house will look like and who will live in it. I guess I better get to work!

-Baby Cat