Thursday, July 25, 2013

Two Debuts!

Exciting and fun week in Raleigh's world this week. I have been very busy creating a new room and a new fashion statement!

Being a seamstress, I thought it was only appropriate that Raleigh had a sewing room too. While I was out shopping, I found the perfect start for the room. I bought this package of sewing themed erasers at Michael's.
I knew the size of the sewing machine would work, but the appearance needed some adjustments. I painted it white with LOTS of coats of white latex paint. I wrote the word SINGER with red pencil on white paper and decoupaged it to the machine. I coated the whole thing with clear nail polish. I glued a mini black button on the front and dabbed on some latex paint to cover the holes.




It's a chair!
It's a chair!
Actually, it is a cell phone holder
But it makes a perfect chair for Raleigh and was the perfect addition to the sewing room.

For a desk, I bought a pre-primed wood plaque and some wooden spools and glued the together and painted it black.
I used the spools and some craft sticks to create a shelf, which I also painted black. 
I used a tag die and my Sizzix and cut some corrugated cardboard to create bolts to wrap fabric on for the shelf.



The card of buttons was also made using my Sizzix and some mini buttons.


Excuse the blobs, the glue wasn't dry when I took the picture.

Another project using my Sizzix was the wall shelf. I use the same die that I did for the bolts, except a longer tag and cut some cardboard. The brackets were made with a photo corner die. That die is too thin to cut cardboard, so I cut card stock and glued layers together until I got the desired thickness. I covered the edge with mini ball fringe to cover the cardboard. 




 I repainted the mini dressform eraser to use as a decorating accent in the room. For other decor, I used some decorative buttons. I cut the shanks off and used mounting tape to hang them on the walls. 

I also used a clock face button and glued it to a larger button for a wall clock.
 


The last project using my Sizzix was the dress form in the corner.  I used corrugated cardboard again and glued it to a button. I added gathered tulle and a string of beads. I will probably add some color contrast to it in the future.


The room is a binder, just like the living room diorama. It is scrapbook paper on the upper wall. Since I only had 1 piece of the button papers, I cut it in half and used coordinating card stock for the bottom of the wall. I used ribbon for the border between. The floor is also scrapbook paper, decoupaged to foam core.


I am happy with the  way the project turned out. I am going to keep it on display in my sewing room, whereas the other dioramas I make will be used as needed. I would like to make some more little accessories pieces for the room in the future.




As if this wasn't enough for this week, I have more! A fashion debut as well. Raleigh has wings! I have created wings that can be worn by your doll.
The wings can be pinned on your doll's outfit, so they are very versatile. They are available on my web site in various colors and styles:  Blythe - The Big Eyed Girl. Come check them out and let your Blythe soar!


 


Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Confessions of a Pinterest Addict

Hi, My name is Colleen and I am addicted to Pinterest. Glad to have that off my chest. LOL. As if I didn't have enough things I want to make, I discovered Pinterest and found thousands more. There are ideas for all sorts of crafts, decorating, food travel, etc. You name it, it is on Pinterest.

Of course I was very happy to find lots of beautiful pictures of Blythe dolls, great outfits, customization, accessories and more. Certainly sparked my imagination and gave me great ideas to work with. I will share a few of the projects that I have made from Pinterest inspirations.

Oh, before I forget, I have decided to rename my doll. My friend Sharon, of Little Rose Creations, is in the process of building a Blythe doll, that she is naming Ophelia. I loved the idea of the doll being called something other than Blythe, since there are 1000's of them. After some thought, I decided to name her Raleigh. This is the original Gaelic spelling of my maiden name, Riley. She is an Ashton Drake Pinafore Purple, so she is a natural redhead. I thought a Gaelic name was very appropriate for her. Have you named your doll? Would love to hear what you have called her.

Ok, so now on to the projects. I mentioned before that I wanted some sort of diorama to photograph Raleigh indoors. Pinterest to the rescue! I found an easy, inexpensive idea at: Southern Disposition. And here is mine rendition. Please note the inside of the binder is completely covered in scrapbook paper. The white is glare from the flash.

Look how great Raleigh looks in her new space
Yes, that's a new couch and ottoman that I made. After looking at beautiful Blythe furniture on Pinterest, my paperback book sofa just didn't cut it. The couch is made from Styrofoam, covered in fabric and has clear push pins for feet. Below are pics through the various stages of construction.
If you have any questions about how I made this, drop me a line. 
 
The ottoman was also inspired by Pinterest, but not anything specific. I used an Altoid tin for the base, covered it with alligator textured felt and a satin ribbon and then added pony beads for feet. Here is the completed piece


For the last Pinterest inspired project for this week, I made Raleigh a new suitcase for summer vacation. Here's a link to the inspiration: Life in the Craft Lane and here is Raleigh all set for her trip
If you would like to purchase a suitcase like this, it is available on my web site: Blythe: The Big Eyed Girl.

Here is a link to my boards on Pinterest, Colleen's Pinterest Boards, I hope you find some inspiration there too!

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

SHOES!!!

This week's blog posting will be short and sweet because I have several exciting projects in the works that aren't quite ready to share.

I did find a great way to organize all of Blythe's shoes. Before I show you that, did you know that Blythe can wear a variety of shoes belonging to other dolls? She of course has shoes that are made for her, but she can also wear some Barbie shoes, as well as shoes made for Tiny Betsy McCall.

I am limited in what I can wear for shoes because of several previous surgeries, so to quell my love of shoes, I live vicariously through my dolls and Blythe is no exception. I was tired of rummaging through a box trying to find a matching pair. Blythe needed some sort of shoe organization and I found it in the office supply section of my local Dollar Tree. As you see, it is an ordinary, plastic desk organizer.
I turned this up on its end and it made the perfect place to store ALL of Blythe's footwear.



If you look from the side, you can see she can even fit her figure skates in. You may have noticed the wooden shoes on the top. They are actually souvenirs from Holland that fit Blythe perfectly. The blue wooden shoes with the red and white heart design (second row from the bottom) are souvenirs from Finland which also fit her perfectly. You never know where you are going to find goodies for your Blythe, so keep your eyes open.

Don't foget to visit my web site: Blythe - The Big Eyed Girl