Maud Humphrey

Maud Humphrey

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

And MORE Etsy Stuff!

Okay, I promise that this will be the last post about my Etsy listings for a bit...I don't want you to expect that that's all I'm going to blog about!  But I have listed a few more items, and guess what?  I've actually sold four of them now!  I'm so excited.  It's really validating and humbling to think that others are willing to spend their hard-earned money on something I made.  I did a major happy dance when I discovered that I had made my first sale on this little item:
 
A sweet dress for my Wellie Wisher, Emerson.  (I call her Emmy)
 
How cute is this fabric?!?  Vintage puppies frolicking across a pink background--this just makes me all kinds of happy!
 
This dress also came with coordinating pantalettes.
 
This set is still available:
Willa is my model this time.  I called this set "Summer Quackers" because of the adorable duck print.
 
See what I mean?  Cute!  I used a contrast, yellow fabric on the hem band and upper bodice.
 
It also has coordinating pantalettes.
 
This dress reminds me of cotton candy...something about those delicious pinks and blue, I think.  It has a double layer skirt with a pink ruffle underneath for added fullness.  I also made a matching hair clip.
 
The bodice has extra detail with silk ribbon flowers sewn across the pink, contrast band.  This is another dress that has sold!
 
This one is still available and one of my favorites!  Something about a drop-waist dress on a little girl just makes my heart melt.  Funny, when I first started sewing it, I didn't think I was going to like it...I mean, the background is a greyish-black color and the trailing rose bouquets are a little larger scale then I usually like for doll clothes...but once I added the underskirt with the coordinating, pink ruffle and the pink waist band with the ribbon bow--well, I just fell in love!  The colors just pop and the whole look is so sweet.  I honestly won't be sad if it doesn't sell because it looks so great on my Caroline doll.  There is also a matching hair clip.
 
I've also sold this dress for the Disney Animators from my previous post:
 
 
And this one:
 
 
Whew!  I guess it's time to get back to my sewing machine and crank out some more doll clothes!  I recently drafted the cutest pair of "shortalls" for the Disney Animator dolls, along with a knit t-shirt to wear underneath, so I think this will be the next thing I list.  I will also create it in a size to fit the 14" dolls like the Wellie Wishers and Hearts 4 Hearts girls.
 
I currently have four, Bitty Baby size dresses in various stages of completion on my sewing table--I should really finish them first so that I can sell the Bittys on Ebay.  As I look around my sewing/doll room, I realize that there are SO MANY dolls for which I want to create clothing, and so little hours in the day!  Do any of you feel that way, too? 
 
Oh, and I almost forgot, this past weekend I got to attend another doll show, and I came home with some neat treasures, one of which is a doll (well, duh!)  She is the cutest, little, German, celluloid head on a composition body, probably made in the first decade of the 1900's.  She's about the size of a Bleuette.  I will try to show her and my other treasures tomorrow, as it is getting quite late now and I need to head off to bed.  Have a great evening!
 
p.s.  I suppose I should mention again that my seller name on Etsy is DotsydoodleDollies, just in case you want to check it out!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Thursday, August 10, 2017

More Stuff in My Etsy Shop!

I did it!  I added more items to my Etsy shop today.  I'm proud of myself for getting it done so quickly, too, especially since I had other things "come up" today that needed my attention.  First, I sold 22, 18" dolls to the same person on Ebay.  Yes, I said 22.  These were dolls I had picked up at thrift stores here and there and planned on dressing to resell.  Well, I finally came to the realization that I'd rather just sell the clothing, so I put the nude dolls up in lots and sold them that way.  I'm so glad to be clearing out and making room!  But 22 dolls needed a rather large box, and by large, I mean HUGE.  Lucky for me, I remembered that my husband had just bought a new Coleman Cooler, and that box fit the dolls perfectly, with no room to spare.  It took me the better part of an hour to get them all securely wrapped and packed, and print out a shipping label.  After that, I had to start hemming a bridesmaid dress for my daughter who is in a wedding this weekend.  Three layers of chiffon and other synthetic fabric...UGGHHH!  I hate sewing with that stuff!  It gives me nightmares.  Give me cottons and other natural fibers any day.  3 1/2 frustrating hours later,  I finally got it done.  Half my day was now gone, although I did feel accomplished.  Now, I could finally work on listing more Etsy items!
 
Sweet little Mulan, a Disney Animator doll, modeling a dress I designed myself.  I just love the big pockets at the side panels of the skirt.   The purple fabric has darling, lavender bunnies hopping across it.  So cute.
 
Rapunzel looking demure in a sweet sundress with a scalloped hem band.  Another design of my own.
 
Jasmine looking dainty in blue and white.
 
Belle modeling a dress made from fabric that's been in my stash for years--it's a 1930's print depicting "Little Boy Blue".
 
And I didn't forget the 18" crowd:
 
I think I might have shared this sweet Gotz doll before...I actually had her for sale on Ebay, but she never sold.  After sitting in my sewing room for a while, I've grown to really like her, so I think I'll let her stick around for awhile!  She's wearing a dress made with Simplicity 8314.  Of course, I tweaked it a bit (left it sleeveless, added rick rack to the hem, and lined the entire dress instead of using neck and armhole facings), and it's become one of my favorite patterns.  It goes together quickly and easily.
 
 
 
All of the A-line dresses come with matching, reversible, knotted headbands.
 
So, in case you're keeping track, that now makes NINE items for sale in my Etsy account!  I hope to add a little more every week so I can build up a good inventory.  I have more things I want to sew for the Wellie Wishers, but I also want to try my hand at sewing for the 13" dolls, like Dianna Effner's Little Darling dolls.  No, I do not have one of these dolls...yet!  They are so beautiful and on my wish list.  But they aren't cheap, and it takes up to 3 years of being on a waiting list after you've placed your order before receiving one! (They are hand-painted by skilled artists)  I do, however, have a 13" Faith & Friends doll which has almost the exact same measurements as a Little Darling, so I think I can use her as a model.  We'll see.  I don't know if I've ever showed her to you before, so maybe that'll be my next blog post.
 
I'd also like to create outfits for the 18-19" slim bodied Gotz dolls, as well as Sasha, and maybe some vintage outfits for antique dolls.  So many possibilities.  I do know I won't run out of fabric any time soon!
 
Here's a link to my Etsy page, just in case you want to visit:
 
 
Have a great evening!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Wednesday, August 9, 2017

DotsydoodleDollies Is Now on ETSY!

I did it!  Finally.  At the urging of friends and complete strangers, I've finally opened an ETSY account.  Now, before you get too excited, there's only ONE item listed so far.  Yeah, I know, pretty lame.  But after spending the morning taking a kid to the dentist and squeezing in some quick grocery shopping, I thought I'd just open up an Etsy store "real quick".  HA!  It took me the better part of the  afternoon to figure everything out, my computer wouldn't load my pictures, and then we lost internet service while I was adding important information on my account which caused me to have to start ALL OVER.  I almost quit.  Oh, and I did I mention that we are in the middle of a heat wave and our house only stays cool downstairs (my work area is upstairs), so add sweating to my frustration and I was not a happy camper.  But you'll be happy to know that I persevered!  My shop, DotsydoodleDollies is now open for business.  With one item.  But hey, it's a start!
 
Here is my American Girl Wellie Wisher "Willa", modeling the item of discussion.
 
 
I created this pattern on my own.  Aren't those pockets just the sweetest?
 
I had been hoarding the lace trim in my stash for a long time.  It's 100% cotton and two-tone.  So pretty.
 
When my 8 year old saw this dress, she said that she wanted me to make her one just like it, only in HER size.  I think that's a compliment.
 
Hearts 4 Hearts dolls can wear it, too.  This is Shola.  She is made to represent a little girl from Afghanistan.  Hearts 4 Hearts dolls were just recently introduced again after being off the market for awhile.  I'm glad.  They're really such pretty dolls, and their price point of around $40 makes them more affordable than the Wellie Wishers (which cost $60)
 
So there you go.  I'm kind of proud of that one item.  But rest assured that I will be listing more.  I've got some darling outfits for the Disney Animator Toddler dolls, as well as for the American Girls.  I have plans to have clothing available for many different dolls, so check out my shop if you're interested.  Meanwhile, it would sure be nice if nobody needed me to cook, or do laundry, or clean the house (and let's not even talk about how I've had sick kids for the past couple of days so I've played nursemaid as well, cleaning vomit bowls and administering cool washcloths to fevered foreheads)...just think how much sewing and listing I could get done!