Dolls & Booties

Things around here have been busy! My daughter, Tara, is getting ready to move to the dorm in a week and a half. She has been working at Wal-Mart part time and hates to quit her job. She loves making money! Hopefully she can get on at the Wal-Mart close to her college. My daughter, Amber, is still working at Wal-Mart and will begin her college classes in a couple weeks. My son, Keith, has been having football practice everyday and boy has he been tired! I sure felt for him today as it was 94 degrees out while he was at practice.

At work I have been getting the store I work in ready for the accreditation man to come and look at it and OK it. We have to have these accreditation's done once a year since we are a medical equipment dealer. The man came today and I was so happy when he told me my store looked pretty and he could not find anything wrong with it!

In between all this going on with all of us my daughter, Amber, and me have still been crocheting. She found these dolls on flickr that she just loved. They are modeled after the Blythe dolls. When she showed them to me I feel in love with them too. So we decided to make them together. As a mother-daughter project. I have been crocheting for 40 years and so am much faster then Amber. I have finished my doll and made two sets of underclothes for her. I am in the process of making a dress for her. These dolls were designed by Beth over at ByHook,ByHand blog. You can also check out her photos on flickr. She has a free pattern for the dolls, which she calls "Free Spirit Amigurumi Dolls". Beth has a fantastic tutorial for these dolls on her blog and some picture tutorials for them on her flickr. I hope you will all check out her sites!

Here is the doll I made. I had a hard time deciding on her name. I wanted something that sounded like a Southern Belle. I guess this might because Amber and I were watching "Gone With The Wind" while we were working on them one night and that has always been my all time favorite movie! So I finally decided on Annabelle. What do you think?
I made her corset and panties using a pattern provided by Beth, but adding my own twist to it.

This is a close-up of her face and clothes. My face is nowhere as good as Beth's. But then she has made a lot more dolls then me. Her work is fantastic!
Here is another outfit I made for her. Once again I used Beth's pattern and added a couple things of my own.
This is a picture of an old baby doll that I got out of my cedar chest last weekend. She is about 40 years old. I crocheted her the clothes about 35 years ago. They still look pretty good, don't you think?
Here is my old baby and Annabelle. Amber says my old baby needs some new hair! At least I hadn't cut it all off like I did some of my dolls!
These are some new booties I have made. The first pair of Alabama booties I made I did not put the "A" on, but then I got the idea to put it on this pair and I think it really adds something. I am still making booties and bonnets and such to sell and hope you all will check out my ETSY store. Remember I can make any booties in any color you want. I have other styles, too, that I am trying to get made and put in my store. As soon as I am finished with Annabelle's dress I am going to be making lots more booties and bonnets and bibs and such! So stay tuned!