A Sister Visit...

 

More Thanksgiving Leftovers...

I Was able to snag my Sister for a Quick visit just before Thanksgiving, Dear Readers, which I try to do every time she comes North to see her Grandchildren. They live an hour and a half from my home, so it is doable to go get her, bring her to my house for an overnight and take her back the next day. I never know when she will be coming until the last minute... plans change,  so I jump at the opportunity to spend time with her whenever possible! We did a little shopping on the way to my house, buying gifts for the grandchildren. We wrap them together... it makes it so much more fun! On the following morning we have a little time to play with the dollies.... but not until after breakfast. I indulged in a "Bonne Maman's" Advent Calendar this year... a tiny jar of jelly or jam  for each day....! We opened the first one even though it was early... we had "White Nectarine Linden Flower Jelly" on English muffins for breakfast! Oh my! With tea, of course! And then it was time to bring out the little dolls we had started costuming back in the Spring on her last visit...

Here you can see the one I was working on...

These are some of Sandra Morris' little porcelain dolls. 

She has retired and is no longer making them (*sob*!)

but I still have a few that have not been costumed.

Here they both are...  

We had gotten as far as constructing the jackets

 but not the Sleeves. The dreaded sleeves...

They are tiny and have to be hemmed..... 

stitched and turned inside-out.

And then you have to hope that you can get them on.... 

and that they are the right length!

I am sorry to say I didn't take any pictures of the process.

But... Ta-da! 

Here is my dolly with her sleeves on!

For encouragement and Atmosphere,

 we brought Chere Elise in to play for us while we worked.

She was ever so happy to oblige.

And my sister's sleeves are attached!

 

Then we needed to design the lace collars.... 

we are using whatever materials I have in my stash for this project,

as these little dollies were not kits with all the pieces provided!

It took quite a hunt through all my lace boxes

 to find some that had a small enough, 

delicate enough pattern to be usable.

 

 

We settled on one we could just use the edge of...

 cutting off the upper part of the lace. 

Here is "Aria" with her collar added.

And here she is with her hair too!

I managed to scavenge leftover "curls" from previous doll kits...

 we gave them simple all over curls hairstyles.

 

And here is my sister's with collar and curls.... 

she is named "Savannah".

 

 Here they are together!

Aren't they adorable?

Alas, we had run out of time, Dear Readers,

 so we were unable to complete them this visit.

They will wait in the Dollmaker's Studio

 until such a time as we can make their bonnets.

For you can be sure that Every Victorian doll must have a bonnet! 

There was snow in the forecast so I didn't want to be driving late.... 

And rest assured I made it home again before the snow started.

(We did get several very slushy inches....)

So that was my Sister visit, Dear Readers... 

except for the leftovers....

Unfortunately, it was I who really caught covid.

 Probably the Grandchildren had it but just thought it was a "cold".

They are young and no long do the testing.

And I will recover......