Happy New Year to all my wonderful friends.

Another year has passed with some good parts and some bad parts.  I think all years are like that.  It would be nice if a year went along and nothing bad happened but that is not life.  There will always be bad parts but there is no need and we should not want to dwell on the bad.  It is best for our health both physically and mentally to think of only the good.

What this year will bring, I don't know but I personally look forward to some great craft shows and one antique show.  Plus I look for more sales both on my website and on eBay.  I know a lot of people don't like eBay but it has been very good to me over the holiday shopping season.  Yes, I am not fond of paying them but then I stop and think.....if I was doing a show, I would have to pack everything, drive to a venue, unpack and sit there and hope people liked what I had and after the show, reverse the process.  Then there is usually hotel fees, food, gas and the show fees.  What is the better deal?  I say, for me anyway, eBay.  I can sit at my computer, upload the info and picture, and then watch as the people bid on it.  So the fees that eBay gets, to me, are justified.  Yes I still like to do a couple of shows a year and these are local shows so I am home every night, because I still like to get the feedback of people.  Plus I love to talk to people about dolls and anything else that happens to come up.

 So this year, if my health holds out, I will do a few shows and keep every thing going on the computer.  The computer keeps me in touch with the world and I learn something new about every day.  I think it keeps me feeling young.  Between FaceBook and several craft forums I am on, I have gained so many wonderful friends.  We may never meet but if we ever did, it would be like meeting an old friend we haven't seen in a while.  I cherish everyone who I have met on the internet.  What would we do without the internet?  LOL

 So here is hoping everyone has a tremendous 2012.  

Merry Christmas from my house to yours!

I wish everyone the Merriest of Christmas.  I hope that everyone enjoy their holiday and has a safe and happy time. 

 My hubby and I will celebrate a quiet day with just the two of us.  All our children live too far away to come to our house and they all will be enjoy time with their children and extended family and friends.  We chose to live in the part of the country that none of the kids liked and so there is never much chance to see them.  They also live from one end of the country to the other so they don't see each other either except for every two or three years.  We were lucky this summer and two of the kids and three of the grandchildren were here in July.  That was a fun week of lots of activities in very hot weather.  Living, as we do, in Arizona, most people can't take the heat we have and are glad they don't live here. 

 There are times when I do miss the snow but........at my age, I sure don't want the cold or the snow and ice to drive in.  We both grew up in northern Illinois and as adults also lived in Michigan and Indiana the first 30+ years of our lives and that was enough, we moved to sunny Arizona.  So because of living here we don't have family close but we will make the most of our Christmas day.  There are 9 casinos just across the Colorado River from us in Laughlin, Nevada so there is always entertainment.  We just might avail ourselves to some on Christmas day.

 I wish to thank everyone who bought bears and dolls from me this past year.  You have all made me very happy with sales higher than I have had in the past few years.

 Merry Christmas
 Bear Hugs and Dolly Kisses
 Eva

Big Sale on my website

I have so many dolls right now that I have marked a lot of them down and I thought maybe some of you would like to see what is still available.  I really need to add more things to the site but that will wait until after Christmas and then I will know what I have left.  I also have two big shows to do the first part of the year.  One antique show in February and a art and craft show to do in March so I need to get busy with sewing on some of the dolls that, at this point are naked.  Poor babies are all in a container and I have just been to busy and then ill for the last couple of months.

 I never get sick but this year has not been good to me.  First a sinus infection in October which in a week turned into a lung infection and took lots of medicine to cure.  Then just as I was feeling better and thought good it is over, I got the flu which completely wiped me out for a week.  Fingers crossed, I am doing okay this week other than the arthritis in the spine and that pain will never go away.

 I hope everyone has their Christmas decorations all up and everyone is excited about the holidays.  We have a quiet time here as none of our family lives close.

 So I hope you will take a look at my website and pick up those last minute gifts.  There is still time to get it in the mail if you do so in the next few days. 
 
 Thank you for taking a peek   http://www.ejcrafts.com

 Bear hugs and Dolly kisses to everyone.
 Eva

Thanksgiving is over and now on to Christmas

Our Thanksgiving was a quiet one with just the two of us and we had a nice rib roast for dinner.  We are not turkey eaters and we do love a nice beef roast.  Of course we are still eating on it. 

 I know I haven't been around in a while and this time I have a good reason.  I was very sick for almost a month.  It started with a head cold and went to the lungs.  Didn't want to go to the doctor but it came down to that when the paramedics had to be called because I couldn't breathe.  Had some very strong antibiotics and steroids for a couple of weeks plus lots of other medicine and I am finally getting over it.

Then with all the weather changes the arthritis also went into high gear and there are days that I can verily get around.  Whoever said that these are the golden ages, should have been shot.  Old age is not for the weak!

 So after saying all that, none of which you wanted to hear, I have not been in the sewing room to work on any new dolls for over a month.  This is bad for me but then I have plenty of dolls so I don't have to worry that I am going to run out of stock.

 I did one show this year in October and it was bad.  It is usually a good money maker and the traffic was not there this year.  Don't really know why.    The economy around here is not good.  I was going to do the swap meet to get rid of some of the cheaper dolls and then I got sick and was unable to do that.

 My next show is an antique show in February and along with the dolls I have picked up some antique furniture this year to add to the mix.  Some is doll furniture, some children's furniture, a old 1924 cabinet and a 1954 sewing machine in a cabinet.  I hope this will bring more people into my booth.  Here is the cabinet that I have.
          

Now I also wanted to say tonight that I have a BIG SALE going on my website until December 10.  Everything will go back to regular price after that time.  I hope you will all take a look and see if there is something that you would like.  The website is http://www.ejcrafts.com    I would sure appreciate anything that you can do as being sick has kept me from doing the usual craft shows this year and my stock is pretty big.  My husband says he is getting to feel like he lives in a doll house or store and said I can't buy any more dolls until I get rid of some.  Little does he know that if I find something that I want, I am going to buy it.  Tee!  Hee!

Hope your Thanksgiving was great and you didn't over eat too much.  All the cookies, candy and Christmas parties are coming up and we will probably all gain a little over the next four weeks.
 

Procrastination

Yep, that is me.  I should be getting dolls priced and deciding  on a set up for a craft show I have next weekend and here I sit.....playing on the computer. 

I saw this sign this morning and I really think it is me.  "A clean house is a sign of a broken computer".  It really does describe me.  My house needs some cleaning and my sewing room is a mess from working in there and just dropping things anyway after I use them.  I am an organized person and everything has a place but it seems lately that I just don't get done what should be.  Is it age?  I don't know but maybe I can blame it on that.

Now if anyone has some answers for me or maybe you all would like to come and help, I sure would appreciate it.  :)

As for the show next weekend.  It is in the Community Park at Bullhead City, Arizona and if any of you are near the area, please stop by and see all the beautiful stuff that people have made.  October 21 to 23 is the date.  It is just across the Colorado river from Laughlin, Nevada so you can always stay and play at the casinos.  The weather should be great and in the 80's.

Why I love thrift stores

I have been going to thrift stores now for about a year and this is something I didn't think I would ever do as I was a teddy bear maker and they didn't have things in the thrift stores that interested me.  


Boy was I wrong about me and thrift stores.  I probably hit the thrift stores now 2 to 3 times a week.  Of course, part of that is because I no longer do the teddy bears, although I have been having people say that they think I will start doing them again one of these days.  I don't think so because I am having too much fun with the dolls.


Now back to the thrift stores.  I think I have pretty much depleted all the dolls at these stores.  I am not finding them like I use too but then I know there are others out there doing basically like I am doing with the refurbishing the dolls.  Anyway, I started looking for doll furniture mainly for displays for my craft shows but that kind of got out of hand and now I have a ton of doll furniture and some recycled pieces that didn't start out as doll furniture.  I have enough stuff to start a store of my own.  


So I started this blog posting mainly to talk about my newest addition to my doll furniture.  This is a real baby cradle that I found at the thrift store.  It was in with all the other furniture and not where the toys or dolls are at.  I thought it odd that this cradle was with the regular furniture but then it is for a baby.  I have several doll beds to but I really fell in love with this cradle.  It looks old and it looks homemade and it does show wear and use.  Wouldn't it be great if it could tell us where it has been and if it ever was used for a baby.  I made a new cushion for the bottom and a pillow to match in a blue and white cotton and then I had to put one of the dolls in it.  This doll is an interactive doll and does several things but it also plays the song "Lullaby and Good Night".  I think it was made for this cradle.  What do you think?

A funny little story

This is the doll that caused all the problems this morning.  I bought her months ago.  Didn't know who she was and at the time couldn't find her.  I got her without batteries so when I brought her home, I did what I also do with dolls when I bring them in the house.  I cleaned her up and added the batteries.  Nothing happened.  I could see that the arms were suppose to move because of the metal in the arms and the head seemed to want to move but nothing I could do would make her move.  I googled her and I looked at several other places and no doll.  All I knew was the tag that said Mattel 2006.

Well seeing I couldn't make her work and I really didn't know who she was and what she was suppose to do, I put her in the corner of my sewing room and thought someday I will find out who she was.  She sat there for months and.............

Forward to this morning.  I was in the sewing room going to work on a new pattern for a 12 in Alexander "Lissi" doll that I have orders for Christmas outfits.  All of a sudden I heard a noise and wasn't sure what it was and then I heard a giggle.  Now I knew I didn't have any dolls in there that make noises or talked so I just ignored it and then there it was again.  The little noise and a giggle.  This I had to check out!  I walked around and I could hear it again from a pile of doll stuff.  I moved a couple of things and there was this doll with it's arms moving and they went to her eyes and she said peek a boo.  I picked her up and she started talking and moving her arms more and her head moved.  I took her out to where my hubby was sitting and we both sat and listened for about 15 minutes to all the different stuff that she was saying and watching her arms move in different positions.  It was fun and to think I had thrown her in a corner and just forgot her.  Why she started to talk this morning I don't know but I decided I needed to find out who she was.

So I Goggle her and still couldn't find her and so I took the next step.  I have lots of friends on Facebook and I just knew someone there would know because this doll is not that old.  Sure enough within minutes I had my answer.  She is called, Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Doll.  She was made by Mattel but for Fisher Price. I found her on Amazon at a high price and she also was on eBay.  My next step was to get her dressed.  She had the original ribbons in her hair so those I left and she had come in a one piece pink suit but I don't like those outfits so I made her a pink cotton dress and matching bloomers.  A couple of the things she says is "I want my blankie" and "I want my teddy bear".  I had both of these items that I bought at the thrift store so just added those to her.  She also asks for milk and there was a bottle in the original package when the doll was new so I will find a bottle the fits her and add that too.

So even though it isn't Halloween yet and spooky things are not suppose to happen, I consider this my Halloween joke on me for the year.  I still want to know why all of a sudden she decided to work.  Now I have to turn her off or she wants to run all the time.  SPOOKY!!!!!