Be Still

 

Be Still

The stillness of the snow at night;

The stillness of the gentle rain.

The stillness of the owl in flight;

The stillness of a silent pain.

The stillness of the leaves that glide;

The stillness of the twilight moon.

The stillness of the tears that slide;

The stillness of the graveyard’s gloom.

The stillness of the morning glow;

The stillness of the path beyond.

The stillness of:  be still and know

That I am God.

Earth Teach Me

 

Earth teach me Faith

As the sun also rises.

Earth teach me Hope

To meet a new tomorrow.

Earth teach me Love

As you’ve cradled us from birth to death.

Earth teach me Humility

In the face of all eternity.

In solitary silence, the weary world awaits

 

Holiday blessings to you and all you love.  May joy and beauty grace the new year.

No Wobbly Heads!

 

This beautiful doll is from the patterns of Huonghkvn2005, available on Etsy.  This doll was made from her Sleeping Rosie pattern.  

Instead of using wire to stabilize her head, I wanted her to be more child friendly, so the head is stabilized using a modified neck stub, then crocheting the head around the stub.  It is similar to a technique I've used in the past to make a move-able head, but this is simpler and sturdierl

This technique will work for any doll that is worked continuously from the feet to the head.  When you get to the final round at the neck, continue working in a decreasing cone, with the first round of this cone worked in the back loops, leaving front loops free to work the first round of the head.  I decreased this cone over five rounds.  Finish off.

Attach the yarn to the first unworked stitch at the neck, working the first round of the head as written, into the free loops left at the end of the neck row.

Continue to work the head as written.  You will now have a very stable neck and can stuff the doll head very firmly.  Even a head full of heavy hair will not be a problem.

Head stuffed firmly, and no wobbles!

And a beautiful head of hair.

Enjoy the crochet!

Mini Farm for Mini Kingdom

 I love tiny dolls, and I love cardboard, and I love what you can make for tiny dolls with cardboard!

These dolls are from the patterns Sunny Farm and Mini Kingdom by Olka Novytska.    I wanted them to have a barn, and eventually Sunnie will have a tiny home.  As a footnote, when my Grandfather bought his farm in 1938, he didn't care what shape the house was in...just how well built was the barn!

All you need to make this tiny barn is a small box, an empty cerial box, and a piece of sturdy cardboard for the roof and the back of the barn.  Tacky glue, a ruler, and a craft knife.  I painted my barn first with Gesso, which is a medium that strengthens the cardboard and also provides a nice surface for paint.  Red paint for the barn, brown for the barn flooor, and brown and green for the entry to the barn.  I used a craft knife to cut the cardboard.  Be careful  you don't slice off your finger!

With one of the flap sides of the box, turn up one end to form the roofline of the barn, and slice the side flaps in two to make Dutch doors.  The remaining flap is the barn entry.  Lay the front of the barn on the sturdy cardboard and trace around the side and roof (you want the door flaps closed when you do this).  Cut this piece out with craft knife and glue this piece to the back of the box (see the middle picture at the top). 

Cut out two supports from the cerial box to glue between the front and back of the barn roof.  This will not only stabilize the barn, but you will glue the roof to these supports.  You can see this in the middle and right side pictures at the top.  Let all of this dry.

Cut the roof from sturdy cardboard.  I was fortunate enough to have a piece of sturdy white cardboard to use for the roof.  Measure the total length and width you will need and cut a square, then find the midpoint and measure for the flat portion of the roof.  Score these lines with your craft knife to give you the Mansard roof look that this barn has.  If you have a front overhang of the roof, cut it back at an angle so your top Dutch door with swing freeely.

Paint the entire barn with Gesso and let it dry, then paint the barn whatever colors you like.  After all the paint was dry, I decorated the sides with buttons.

What took the longest was waiting for glue and paint to dry between  steps!

Light of Moon and Sunset

 At the end of the street, along the railroad track.  The Moon and Venus dance in the sunset.

The colors of Fall paint the sky

And a beauty beyond our reach high above.

Look carefully; the moon is tangled in the branches of the trees.

By Moonlight and Starlight, may you walk in peace.

Extraordinary Doll Designers

 

World of Dolls Pattern Bundle D by OchePots on Etsy

I hope noboday faints when they see this post abouts dolls!  With Christmas on our doorstep, I want to share with you several dollmakers and their patterns.  All are made with simple stitches...the details make the difference.  And all the dolls could be Art Dolls, or your child's favorite Holiday gift.

Let's start with the dollmaker that I am currently in love with:  OchePots on Etsy  Her dolls, like the World of Dolls above, are unique in construction with very little sewing.  The above peg dolls are free standing!

The doll below,  Amity, is dressable and you can purchase an extensive wardrobe for her:

Amity, another delightful doll pattern by OchePots on Etsy

If you like mini, then Olka Novytska of Aradiyatoys, is a great choice.  Her patterns are available on both her Etsy shop, Aradiyatoys and on Ravelry.  Below are a couple of her designs I've complete:

Shepardess and her sheep, from the book Mini Kingdom, by Olka Novytska

Nativity set one, by Olka Novytska.  Available on Ravelry

Sandy Nordwall Eggers' patterns are the ones I have made the most dolls from.  Her patterns are available on Ravelry, are very well written, and are a great value.  Making her dolls helped to keep me sane during the worst part of the pandemic.  This is just a sample of all the dolls made from her patterns:

The many, many faces of Sandy Nordwall Eggers' doll designs.

Cute and quick dolls can be found with the designer of Sleepy Sheep Patterns, available on Etsy.  If you want a slender doll that isn't wired, these patterns are for you:

Dolls made and adapted from Harmony the Elf, by SleepySheepPatterns.

For the more fantasy minded,  Fantasy Sprites on both Etsy and Ravelry has some of the most amazing creations.  These dolls are for the most part wired, but it was the easiest wire armature I've ever done.  They are worked in cotton; I used size three Curio from KnitPicks:

Fantasy Sprites, by Lianne Peterson on Etsy.

Two more designers of beautiful dolls are Carla Vigliucci on Ravelry, and Lulu Compotine, on Etsy.

Carla Vigliucci's dolls all come with such sweet wardrobes.

And so do Lulu Compotine's!

The last designer I will mention is Jessica Doerring, of Neogurumi on Ravelry.  Her patterns were some of the first that I made that were crocheted all as one piece, with the arms crocheted into the body.  I hate sewing pieces together!  So, it was love at first site with her Eva doll.  Many of Jessica's patterns are free, and the others are all a great value.  Another pattern that I have made many dolls from:

Many Eva's!

So now is the time to grab your hook, some yarn (wool, cotton, acylic...they all work for dolls), and make something special. 

Enjoy the crochet!

 

Faith can take you unaware

As you stare into the darkness

Of despair within your heart.

Faith can take you unaware.

And Hope, her child, follows close

To heal the broken and the lost

Upon the shores of life and death.

What is the cost of Hope?

Love is the cost of Faith and Hope;

The beacon that chases away the dark;

The sinews that bind the broken heart;

The foundation stone of Faith and Hope.

When We Die

My sister and brother and I have been clearing out our Father's home, since he can no longer safely live there alone.  Dismanteling a lifetime of love, laughter, tears, and grief.  Our Mother died seven years ago, and our Father is dying by degrees, losing his memory, and having his liberty robbed from him by dementia, and those who love him.

These thoughts have been swirling around in my head and finally came together as this:

Lately I've given Death a lot of thought:

What comes before, what awaits after.

Are we consigned to a pit of fire and flame

Or absolute oblivion?

Or to wander, silent and unseen?

There was a Man, years ago, who knew

To where we go.

The Kingdom of God is within, he said,

There is no kingdom of the dead.

When my Mother died, she did not depart

To some far country, but remains in my heart.

When I die I will go to that place

Where what was done poorly, is forgiven;

What was done well, will be celebrated;

And I will dwell within this Kingdom forever.