Victorian Dolls, Victorian Traditions, The Victorian Era, and Me

Our Victorian Lady Doll Augusta Has A Revised Pattern and E-Pattern

2011-11-13T04:17:00.001-05:00

"Augusta", 13" Doll - Victorian Doll E-Pattern Lady Series - 1850 Ball Gown

Pattern Category - Skill Level - Intermediate

Augusta has been to the ball many, many times and this time she's wearing her favorite red lace ball gown. But, she isn't excited because she's wearing her favorite dress. It's because some of her younger friends Augusta Lilac, Augusta Black, and Augusta Blue are debutantes and attending their 1st debutante ball. They'd been dreaming of this for years and talking about the dress they wanted to wear. So, of course, they all had to have dresses just like Augusta.

Augusta's three younger friends are very much alike in their taste in clothing and usually buy the same clothes - albeit in different colors. All three wanted a beautiful dress with a long train. Well, maybe not so long that they couldn't dance, but long enough. They wanted lace and decorations and floral accents in their hair. And, most of all, they wanted their dresses to be alike, but not so alike that everyone would be able to guess. That was their private secret. But, different enough to reflect their own personalities. Just like Augusta.

"Augusta" is a 13" free-standing Victorian doll who wants to be the belle of the ball. She is wearing an 1850 Ball Gown.

She has very fancy 2-layer lace covered and lace trimmed dress with long puffed, gathered & ruffled coordinated sleeves and a fancy 2-layer lace covered and lace trimmed lined train. A lace covered and lined coordinated shawl is wrapped around her shoulders.

She has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered.

She has a coordinated sash around her waist which is tied in a large bow in the back and floral lace and pearl accents on her chest and sleeves.

Augusta is so proud of her younger friends and thinks they look absolutely stunning in their ball gowns. Not beautiful enough however to be the belle of the ball. That honor belongs to Augusta and no one else.

If you would like to make a "Augusta" Victorian Lady doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

Posted by Linda Walsh Originals- Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!
Linda Walsh Originals Dolls - Handmade Dolls & Crafts for Grown-up Girls!

Our Beautiful Victorian Lady Doll Julia Bridget Has A Revised Pattern and E-Pattern

2011-11-11T04:24:00.000-05:00

"Julia Bridget", 13" Doll - Victorian Doll E-Pattern Lady Series - 1898 Paris Tea Gown

Pattern Category - Skill Level - Intermediate

There is a saying that "blonds have more fun!" Julia Bridget would disagree. You see, she has put that to the test many, many times. And, well, ladies with white hair actually attract the more desirable gentlemen and actually have more fun. Julia Bridget is smart, well-read, well-bred, multi-talented, caring, articulate, and warm-hearted - a very popular lady with a lot of lady friends and gentleman callers.

Julia Bridget is a free-standing doll all ready for afternoon tea with the ladies.

She has a lined full-length double-tiered lace & ribbon trimmed robe with a train and laced & ribbon trimmed & long puffy sleeves. Her robe's lace & ribbon trimmed collar is double-tiered.

Beneath her robe she is wearing a coordinating lace trimmed dress and under that is a lace trimmed slip.

She has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered.

She has a beautiful mass of long, curly white hair which is tied in a ponytail with floral ribbons. She is carrying a bouquet of flowers with streamers and has floral accents in her hair. A floral ribbon serves as a clasp for her robe.

As far as Julia Bridget is concerned some of her blond friends may think they have more fun, but Julia Bridget knows better.

If you would like to make a "Julia Bridget" Victorian Lady doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

Posted by Linda Walsh Originals- Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!
Linda Walsh Originals Dolls - Handmade Dolls & Crafts for Grown-up Girls!

Our Victorian Lady Doll Mattie Has A Revised Pattern and E-Pattern

2011-11-10T05:38:00.001-05:00

"Mattie", 13" Doll - Victorian Doll E-Pattern Lady Series - 1880 Walking Costume

Pattern Category - Skill Level - Intermediate

"Mattie" is a free-standing doll all ready for her afternoon stroll.

Mattie just loves strolling in the park with her friends - especially if it's a bright, sunny and warm Spring day. There's no need for a winter coat, or boots, or gloves, or a long woolen dress. On a bright, sunny Spring day she get to wear her favorite blue and white walking costume - which suits her just fine.

Mattie is wearing a fancy lace trimmed dress with a ribbed, pleated bodice trimmed with gathered ribbon. The sleeves of her walking costume are long, gathered and ruffled. Her walking costume also has a fancy lace trimmed and gathered front and back overskirt.

Underneath her walking costume is a lace trimmed slip and around her shoulders is a lace shawl. Her beautiful long curly blonde hair tied in a ponytail and enhanced with floral accents. Silk floral pieces decorate her waistband and neckline.

She also has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered.

Today just happens to be a bright, sunny, and warm Spring day. And, for that, Mattie is grateful.

If you would like to make a "Mattie" Victorian Lady doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

Posted by Linda Walsh Originals- Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!
Linda Walsh Originals Dolls - Handmade Dolls & Crafts for Grown-up Girls!

Our Victorian Lady Doll Priscilla Has A Revised Pattern and E-Pattern

2011-11-08T04:34:00.001-05:00

"Priscilla", 12" Doll - Victorian Doll E-Pattern Lady Series - 1868 Street Dress

Pattern Category - Skill Level - Beginner

Priscilla is just fascinated with America and the colonies and would love to move there someday. The problem is that no one else in her family wants to do so and she's afraid to go by herself. She's hoping that she'll meet a beau that shares her interests and they can travel to America together.

Priscilla is a free-standing doll who is all ready for her afternoon stroll.

She is wearing a lace trimmed dress that is gathered at the waist. Her matching jacket is fully lined with long lace trimmed and gathered sleeves. Underneath her dress is a lace trimmed slip.

She has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered.

Her long curly blonde hair is covered by her lined prairie bonnet which is tied under her chin and she is carrying a handkerchief in her right hand.

A floral ribbon serves as a clasp for her lined jacket.

Priscilla is carrying a handkerchief just in case she sees a gentleman she thinks she might like. An accidental dropping of her handkerchief causes the gentleman to volunteer to retrieve it for her and, well, the conversation begins from there.....

You never know.

He may want to travel to America and the colonies, too.

If you would like to make a "Priscilla" Victorian Lady doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

Posted by Linda Walsh Originals- Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!
Linda Walsh Originals Dolls - Handmade Dolls & Crafts for Grown-up Girls!

Our Victorian Lady Doll Mary Elizabeth Has A Revised Pattern and E-Pattern

2011-11-06T03:39:00.000-05:00

"Mary Elizabeth", 13" Doll - Victorian Doll E-Pattern Lady Series - 1894 Paris Summer Gown

Pattern Category - Skill Level - Advanced

Mary Elizabeth just loves her twin sisters: Mary Elizabeth Loves Black and Mary Elizabeth Loves White. She doesn't even mind that they idolize her. They always want to wear the same outfit as their big sister does.

However, when it comes to the color of their hair this is where they differ. You see, Mary Elizabeth Loves Black wants her hair color to be black and Mary Elizabeth Loves White wants her hair color to be white. So, instead of dying their natural hair color, which is dirty blonde and the same color as Mary Elizabeth's they decided to buy different color wigs.

"Mary Elizabeth" is a 13" free-standing Victorian doll all ready for her summer friends. She is wearing her favorite 1894 Paris Summer Gown.

She has a two-tiered pointed and lined jacket with a 3-tiered collar, long puffed & color coordinated cuffed sleeves, lace and ribbon waistband and silk floral closure. Her fancy lace & floral lined hat with a large ribbon tied in a bow, floral decoration, and feather sits lovingly upon her head. Her beautiful blue laced trimmed dress has a lined train, lace collar, and silk floral decoration. Her thick blonde hair with bangs is fashioned into a bun and she is carrying a lace trimmed parasol.

She also has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered.

When it comes to hair and hair color Mary Elizabeth's sisters think they are experts at matching the right hair color wig to the right complexion. Mary Elizabeth is not so sure. She much prefers her natural blonde hair.

If you would like to make a "Mary Elizabeth" Victorian Lady doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

Posted by Linda Walsh Originals- Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!
Linda Walsh Originals Dolls - Handmade Dolls & Crafts for Grown-up Girls!

Our Victorian Lady LouArlene Has A Revised Doll Pattern and E-Pattern

2011-11-05T05:18:00.000-04:00

"LouArlene", 12" Doll - Victorian Doll E-Pattern Lady Series - 1891 Tea Gown

Pattern Category - Skill Level - Beginner

LouArlene is a free-standing doll all ready for her afternoon stroll and tea with the ladies.

She has been anxiously awaiting her afternoon tea today so she can show of her new hat from Paris, France. It's the latest in Paris fashion and she's been waiting months to show all her friends. It's a perfect compliment to her new tea gown.

She is wearing a fancy gathered ribbon & lace trimmed dress with gathered and two-tiered lace trimmed long sleeves adorned with large gold buttons, and a V-shaped lace bodice on the front of her dress trimmed with gathered ribbon & lace trim. Lace adorns her waistband and accentuates her tiny waist.

She also has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered.

Underneath her tea gown she is wearing a lace trimmed slip and around her shoulders is a fancy lace shawl that belongs to her Mother. Hanging from her neck is a pearl necklace that she borrowed from her Mother, as well.

Her long blonde hair is tied in a bun with a braid framing her face. Sitting atop her beautiful braided head of hair is her new fancy lace & floral trimmed and lined bonnet, with ribbons & bows.

LouArlene knows that her new bonnet is just beautiful and that all her friends will want to order one for themselves. As far as LouArlene is concerned it's okay if all her friends order one for themselves. She will always be the first to have it and wear it.

If you would like to make a "LouArlene" Victorian Lady doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

Posted by Linda Walsh Originals- Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!
Linda Walsh Originals Dolls - Handmade Dolls & Crafts for Grown-up Girls!

Our Victorian Bridal Doll Elsa Has A Revised E-Pattern

2011-11-04T05:10:00.004-04:00

“Elsa”, 14” Doll - Bridal Doll E-Pattern - Victorian Lady Series - 1888 Victorian Bridal Gown

Pattern Category - Skill Level - Advanced

Elsa is a free-standing doll all ready for her wedding day.

It's the first of October so she's hoping that it will be a bright and sunny day as she wants to look her best. She chose October as it shouldn't be rainy, shouldn't be snowy, and shouldn't be hot.

However, she fastened her hair in a bun just in case it were to rain. Her beautiful, thick head of flaming red hair tends to frizz on a rainy day unless it's contained in a bun. So, for her wedding day she's taking no chance. A bun it will be.

She has a long, fancy lace trimmed dress with a flowing train, and eyelet lace covered puffed and lace trimmed long sleeves. Her wedding gown also has an eyelet lace and gathered full length dress front insert with ribbon floral lace trim. Her veil is made of fancy lace and florals. Underneath her gown she is wearing a lace trimmed slip.

She has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered.

Her red hair with bangs is fastened into a bun. Two large floral and lace pieces adorn the top of her veil and bodice of her dress. She is carrying a bouquet of flowers with streamers.

So far there are no signs of rain. Elsa has her fingers crossed. She just wants a beautiful wedding day.

If you would like to make a "Elsa" Victorian Bridal Lady doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

Posted by Linda Walsh Originals- Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!
Linda Walsh Originals Dolls - Handmade Dolls & Crafts for Grown-up Girls!

"The History of Faceless Dolls" Is Now On Squidoo

2011-10-27T04:21:00.000-04:00

Well, I finally had the time to create my first Squidoo lens. I joined back in April of 2007 so I've only been a little delinquent in creating my first lens - ya think!!!!! Four years is not a little delinquent, Linda. It's a lot delinquent.

Well, in my defense, I have been just a little busy during these past four years. So, today I decided to give Squidoo a try. After floundering a little at first I finally got the lay of the land and figured out how the modules for the lens worked. And, I ended up loving it. I may just have to create more lenses.

If you don't know what Squidoo is it's a combination of a social community and publishing community that allows users to create pages (called lenses) for things they are interested in.

According to their FAQ's:

What kinds of lenses can you make?

All kinds. Every kind.

Not sure what you can make a lens about? You could make an About Me lens (well, about you). Or a review lens. Or a lens about your blog, to help point traffic to it. Or a lens about your art. Or your eBay or Etsy or Zazzle or CafePress shop. Or about your hobby. Or your dogs. Or your hometown. Or your favorite books or movies or video games.

For a small business crafter on the web who is trying to draw some attention to their website or blog Squidoo is a great way to do this. Why I waited four years to do so is beyond me.

In any event, I decided I'd create my very first lens based on my "History of Faceless Dolls" Linda's Blog post. It had a LOT of really good information in it that I thought everyone would love to read.

If you'd like to see my first lens "The History of Faceless Dolls" please CLICK HERE.

There's a guestbook at the bottom of the lens so if you decide to visit please leave me a comment. I'd love to know how you liked my first lens.

And, if you really like my lens please give a big "thumbs" up for "liking" it. It's the button in the upper left hand corner of the lens.

Posted by Linda Walsh Originals- "Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - "Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"
Linda Walsh Originals Dolls - "Handmade Dolls & Crafts for Grown-up Girls!"

Wonderful Victorian Handmade Dolls Or E-Patterns To Make For Halloween Decorating!

2011-09-10T05:59:00.003-04:00

I just LOVE decorating for Halloween. There's just something magical to all the witches, ghosts, goblins, Dracula's Frankenstein's, mummies and Jack-O-Lanterns. Wouldn't you agree?

Well, we have great news. We have several Halloween Victorian handmade dolls for sale on our Linda Walsh Originals Handmade Dolls & Crafts website and also have their respective e-patterns for sale on our Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns website. They all would make wonderful decorations for Halloween.

If you're interested in any of our handmade Halloween Victorian dolls just click on MORE in the box below to see some more pictures and for additional information.

	LW170LWOD I Lost My Head! Abraham, The Headless Horseman! “I Lost My Head! Abraham, The Headless Horseman!”, 14” Victorian Horseman Doll - Victorian Holiday Series		More
	LW169LWOD Call Me - Your Count Dracula! “Call Me - Your Count Dracula!”, 13” Victorian Dracula Doll - Victorian Holiday Series		More
	LW168LWOD Ichabod - I'm Not Afraid Of You Crane! “Ichabod - I'm Not Afraid Of You Crane!”, 16” Victorian Gentleman Doll - Victorian Holiday Series		More
	LW167LWOD Lady Amanda, The Mannerly Witch! “Lady Amanda, The Mannerly Witch!”, 14” Victorian Witch Doll - Victorian Holiday Series		More
	LW166LWOD Valerie, The Proper Lady Ghost! “Valerie, The Proper Lady Ghost!”, 13” Victorian Ghost Doll - Victorian Holiday Series		More
	LW165LWOD Be Very Afraid, Dennis! “Be Very Afraid, Dennis!”, 14” Victorian Ghost Doll - Victorian Holiday Series		More

If you prefer to make your own, well we have their e-patterns on our Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns website for you to do so. Just click on MORE below for additional pictures and more information on their e-pattern or click on BUY to buy their e-pattern now.

LW170LWOEP I Lost My Head! Abraham, The Headless Horseman! E-Pattern “I Lost My Head! Abraham, The Headless Horseman!”, 14” Victorian Horseman Doll E-Pattern - Victorian Holiday Series	$5.95	Buy More
LW169LWOEP Call Me - Your Count Dracula! E-Pattern “Call Me - Your Count Dracula!”, 13” Victorian Dracula Doll E-Pattern - Victorian Holiday Series	$5.95	Buy More
LW168LWOEP Ichabod - I'm Not Afraid Of You Crane! E-Pattern “Ichabod - I'm Not Afraid Of You Crane!”, 16” Victorian Gentleman Doll E-Pattern - Victorian Holiday Series	$5.95	Buy More
LW167LWOEP Lady Amanda, The Mannerly Witch! E-Pattern “Lady Amanda, The Mannerly Witch!”, 14” Victorian Witch Doll E-Pattern - Victorian Holiday Series	$5.95	Buy More
LW166LWOEP Valerie, The Proper Lady Ghost! E-Pattern “Valerie, The Proper Lady Ghost!”, 13” Victorian Ghost Doll E-Pattern - Victorian Holiday Series	$5.95	Buy More
LW165LWOEP Be Very Afraid, Dennis! E-Pattern “Be Very Afraid, Dennis!”, 14” Victorian Ghost Doll E-Pattern - Victorian Holiday Series	$5.95	Buy More

Happy Halloween decorating!

Posted by Linda Walsh Originals- "Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - "Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"
Linda Walsh Originals Dolls - "Handmade Dolls & Crafts for Grown-up Girls!"

Another Victorian Cross-Stitch Picture And It's Absolutely Wonderful!

2011-06-08T05:06:00.010-04:00

I don't know if you remember or not, but last December I wrote a blog post entitled "You Spent How Many Hours On That Cross-Stitch?" that talked about my spending over 250 hours on a cross-stitch picture. Back then you may have thought that 250 hours is a long time to spend on one project. Well, if I told you that I just spent 315 hours on another cross-stitch picture you might think I really have lost my mind.

I started this cross-stitch picture on December 29, 2010 and finally finished it on May 14, 2011. Hubby painstakingly documented my progress day by day so we'd have a detailed breakdown. I worked on this a few hours every day - every chance I got. I quickly learned that there were a lot of color changes due to all the flowers and, as a result, this was going to take a lot of time. And, for sure, it did.

So, was the 315 hours worth it? Absolutely! I'd do it again as the cross-stitch picture framed (shown in the picture above) is absolutely stunning.

To give you a little background on why I would create yet another massive cross-stitch picture I have to take you back to the rationale for my previous cross-stitch picture. In July, 2010 I wrote a Linda's Blog post about my pressed flower pictures entitled "My Pressed Flower Pictures - Now That's A Great Idea!" In that post I told you about a large pressed flower picture I had made that was hanging in our master bedroom and, sadly, was fading which meant it needed to be replaced.

Well, my husband thought a needlepoint picture like the one I had done in the dining room but much bigger would be nice. I wrote about this needlepoint picture awhile ago in a Linda's Blog post entitled "Needlecraft Picture From A Decade Ago - Or So!"

So, since our house is filled with dolls and pictures of buildings & houses I thought a cross-stitch Victorian scene might be just the thing. So, I set out to find some large cross-stitch kits that would be suitable.

Well, I found several that I liked, but couldn't decide which one would be best suited so, as usual, I bought a couple of kits. I also wrote about this adventure in a The Book Review Corner blog post entitled "Just How Many Cross-Stitch Kits Did You Buy!"

Dimensions Counted Cross Stitch M Lady's Chateau

While I liked all of them I decided to go with the Dimensions Counted Cross Stitch M Lady's Chateau for our bedroom as it was a beautiful Victorian scene and would fit perfectly in our bedroom. My finished and framed picture is shown above.

Well, during that shopping trip I also bought Dimensions Gold Collection In Her Garden Counted Cross-Stitch Kit which is a wonderful picture of a Victorian woman in a garden. It's a 9 1/2" x 13.2" picture so it isn't quite as big as the one I had just finished. The finished cross-stitch is shown below and my finished picture, which I had framed, is shown in the picture at the beginning of this post.

Dimensions Gold Collection In Her Garden Counted Cross-Stitch Kit

My husband and I had been so pleased with the way our Dimensions Counted Cross Stitch M Lady's Chateau picture had turned out that we thought it would be nice to use the Dimensions Gold Collection In Her Garden Counted Cross-Stitch Kitin our dining room.

In our dining room we have a large print picture of a Victorian woman in her garden and thought it would be nice to create a three picture scene of three Victorian woman in their gardens. We decided that the Dimensions Gold Collection In Her Garden Counted Cross-Stitch Kit would look great on the left and that the Dimensions Counted Cross Stitch A Summer Stroll shown below would be a good picture to put on the right hand side. I had written about buying this cross-stitch kit in February in a post on my Book & Crafts Review Corner blog entitled A Cross- Stitch Addiction

Dimensions Counted Cross Stitch A Summer Stroll

Like the picture I just finished it will take me a long time to complete the final picture for our series. However, I don't plan on starting that until next winter. I've just got too many other things that I need to get done and don't have the time to devote to such a lengthy project right now. I will complete my series as I just love to cross-stitch and, once I start a project, I do see it through to its completion.

I was very pleased with the results of my 315 hours of blood, sweat, and tears. The Cross-stitch itself was absolutely gorgeous. So, once again, we decided that it would need a nice mat and frame to really finish the piece. After all the hard labor put into creating the cross-stitch picture we decided it needed to be finished properly.

So, once again, we took it to a little local shop called Art & Frame Emporium. Their website is at http://www.artandframeemporium.com/.

This shop has been in business since 1982 and we have been buying things from them for over 20 years. They may be a little art shop, but it is filled with wonderful art supplies, kits, picture frames, etc. But, best of all, it's the staff there that makes the difference. The owner, Ed Turner, and several of the employees like Jean Pellerin, James McAlice, and Mickie Ayleward are all gifted artists in their own right. Over the years we have found that all of the members of the staff always offer terrific advice or suggestions. That's why we keep going back and why a small shop can remain in business all these years. You get quality products, quality advice, and quality service.

This time we talked to Jean about the framing for our cross-stitch. The large print picture in our dining has an ornate gold frame so we wanted something to compliment it as well as compliment the cross-stitch picture. Jean made excellent suggestions and we decided to use a green velour mat, gold brocade trim framing the cross-stitch to give the picture depth and to draw you in, and a gold ornate frame. We also decided to use museum glass instead of regular glass - which makes an enormous difference in the viewing of the picture.

When Jean called to tell us that our picture was ready she said it was "gorgeous!" and the "guys" thought it was "gorgeous, too!" I could tell that she was very proud of her work and she should be. When we saw it - it was stunning. Just beautiful. I put a lot of labor into my cross-stitch and Jean put a lot of labor into finishing it properly for me.

Both my husband and I were thrilled with the way it turned out and have it hanging in the dinning room as we had planned. It compliments the large print picture in the room and is just breath taking to view. The pictures in this post don't really do it justice.

Like the first cross-stitch picture that I had completed I decided to review the Dimensions Gold Collection In Her Garden Counted Cross-Stitch Kit and will post that review on my Book & Crafts Review Corner blog. I may even post something on the Dimensions Facebook page to let them know what I thought of this particular kit. I did that the last time and got a good response from them and wrote about that in a Book & Crafts Review Corner blog post entitled "My Review of M'Lady's Chateau - Dimensions Gold Collection Cross-Stitch Kit Finally Got A Response

In any event, I'm happy the picture is done and very, very pleased with the results. The pictures in this post really don't do it justice. It is absolutely beautiful.

Posted by Linda Walsh Originals- "Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - "Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"
Linda Walsh Originals Dolls - "Handmade Dolls & Crafts for Grown-up Girls!"

A Day For Lilies

2011-04-24T05:43:00.001-04:00

Easter - the end of the winter and the beginning of spring. What a wonderful time of the year. When I think of Easter I think of Easter outfits, Easter baskets, church services, and Easter lilies.

My favorite, of course, is Victorian Easter dresses. Second to that is the Easter lily. I can remember coming home each Easter from church with an Easter Lily. I loved them then and I love them now. In fact, I have a garden filled with them along with tiger lilies, daffodils, tulips and day lilies.

The reason my garden is filled with them is because each and every Easter for the last 30 years or so my Mother would bring one to me. After the blooms were gone I'd plant it in my garden. That way, every year I got to marvel at the sheer beauty and delicacy of its blooms. They are magnificent.

The lily is a symbol of purity because of its whiteness and very delicate form. It symbolizes innocence. It's called the Easter lily because the flowers bloom in early Spring, around Easter. The white lily, or Bermuda trumpet, was brought to the United States from Bermuda in 1880 by Mrs. Thomas P. Sargent of Philadelphia, Pa. It has become the mainstay of Easter floral arrangements and church decorations.

This will be the second year without an Easter lily from Mom. While we won't have a lily to look at we will have many, many wonderful memories of beautiful Easter Sunday's with Mom. Sitting in our sun-room or outside in the gardens we will always have treasured memories of times filled with love, laughter, and beautiful lilies.

If you have an Easter lily or have been given one make sure that you plant it in your garden. That way you'll see it bloom time and time again. So, each year you can't help but marvel at its magnificence.

We hope everyone has a very Happy Easter.

Posted by Linda Walsh Originals - "Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - "Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"

Graphics - Courtesy of The Graphics Fairy at http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth Just Loves Visiting Her Cousins!

2011-03-28T04:45:00.003-04:00

“Elizabeth” is a 13” Victorian Doll E-Pattern form our Lady Series who is wearing an 1870 Traveling Costume. Her Pattern Category - Skill Level is Beginner and her e-pattern has recently been revised.

Elizabeth just loves visiting her cousins and having afternoon tea. She only gets a chance to do this once a week so she is really looking forward to her visit this afternoon.

Elizabeth comes from a large family and has many, many cousins. They all made a pact several years ago that despite all their busy schedules they would always try to meet at least once a week for tea.

Elizabeth just loves going because she catches up on all the comings and goings of her cousins. Some are more actively involved in the different societal events so they have more to tell. Some are more artistically inclined so she gets to hear about their new creations. And, some love to travel so she gets to hear all about their adventures.

Elizabeth is a 13" free-standing cloth and wood Victorian doll. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered. She also has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. Her lace trimmed slip is gathered at the waist.

She is wearing a coordinated outfit with a two-tiered laced trimmed ruffled dress with ruffled and gathered overlapping front and back over-skirt. Her outfit also has a lined jacket with gathered and puffed sleeves and jacket waistband. A lace & floral trimmed lined hat sits atop her mass of long curly brown hair and she is carrying a matching lace trimmed parasol.

Teas with her cousins are never boring and Elizabeth is looking forward to this afternoon's tea.

If you would like to make an "Elizabeth" Victorian Lady doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

Posted by Linda Walsh Originals- "Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - "Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"
Linda Walsh Originals Dolls - "Handmade Dolls & Crafts for Grown-up Girls!"

Kimberly Is As Proud As She Can Be With A New Outfit and Revised E-Pattern!

2011-03-27T07:48:00.001-04:00

“Kimberly” is a 13” Victorian Doll E-Pattern from our Lady Series and she is wearing an 1876 Promenade Costume. Her Pattern Category - Skill Level is Intermediate and her pattern has been revised.

Kimberly is as proud as she can be today. She's wearing a beautiful new outfit and can hardly wait to stroll down the boulevard and show it off. It's a beautiful day out for a stroll and she knows that she looks stunning in her new outfit. The colors are a wonderful compliment for her and she's sure she'll be catching many gentleman's eyes.

Of course, she's hoping that one special gentleman will be strolling down the boulevard today as well. She's got her fingers crossed.

Kimberly is a 13" free-standing doll cloth and wood doll wearing an 1876 Promenade Costume. She has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. Her lace trimmed slip is gathered at the waist.

She has a fancy multiple lace trimmed and gathered dress with lace trimmed long gathered sleeves. Her dress has a fancy laced trimmed over-skirt in the front and back that is decorated with wired ribbon bows. Silk ribbons adorn both the dress and sleeves.

Her beautiful and full long curly brown hair is tied with ribbons and a floral and lace trimmed lined feathered hat adorns her head. She also has a frilly fringed shawl wrapped around her shoulders and she is holding a fancy multiple lace trimmed and decorated parasol.

Kimberly is really trying to look her best today to catch the eye of a very special gentleman. She's got her fingers crossed and just hopes it doesn't rain.

If you would like to make a "Kimberly" Victorian Lady doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

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A Revised E-Pattern For Roxy Who Is The Best Dancer In The County!

2011-03-22T05:33:00.000-04:00

“Roxy”is a 12” Victorian Doll from our Victorian Faceless Lady Series who is wearing an 1920 Flapper dress. Her Pattern Category - Skill Level is Beginner and her pattern has been revised.

They say that the roaring 20's were a time of zaniness and craziness and "Roxy" was the zaniest and craziest of the flappers. In fact, she was zanier and crazier than her 3 cousins who considered themselves to be amongst the zaniest and craziest.

As cousins go Roxy Ash Blonde, Roxy Black, and Roxy White were very much alike and they all LOVED their older cousin "Roxy." The three were only a year apart in age, but "Roxy" was two years older. And, therefore, cooler and smarter.

All four cousins were raised together. So, whatever "Roxy" liked the three cousins followed suit. They loved to dress like her, have similar hair styles albeit of different colors, and do the same things. But when it came to dancing - well that's where they differed from "Roxy."

"Roxy" was considered the best dancer in the county and there was no one who could dance better. Not even any of her younger cousins. Despite Roxy Ash Blonde best efforts she was never able to master the "Charleston."

However, Roxy Black considered herself a master of the Charleston. She could move with a rhythm all her own and was fascinating to watch. In fact, she considered herself the best dancer of the 3 younger cousins. But, when it came to comparing herself to "Roxy" - well, let's just say there was no comparison. "Roxy Black" may have mastered the Charleston, but, "Roxy" owned it.

Roxy White was also master at the Charleston. She taught herself very quickly and in no time had taught her cousin, Roxy Black, too. She had a certain style and flair to her "Charleston" and was also fascinating to watch. She considered herself the best dancer of the 3 younger cousins. However, she also had to admit that she was no match for her older cousin "Roxy."

"Roxy" is a 12" free-standing cloth and wood Victorian doll. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered. She also has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace.

She is wearing a fancy lace trimmed and ribbed dress with long lace trimmed sleeves and embroidered floral accents. Her dress has a pleated front panel and lace overskirt with a ribbon sash tied in a bow around her hips. She has a lace shawl and boa wrapped around her shoulders and has a long pearl necklace dangling from her neck. Her long curly blonde hair is framed by a headband with 2 feathers. Floral accents adorn the pleated bodice of the dress.

Roxy knows she is the best dancer in the county and just loves to go to the club to show off her moves. Today she is wearing her new flapper dress and has added a few surprise steps to her Charleston. She can hardly wait to see what her 3 younger cousins reactions are.

If you would like to make a "Roxy" Victorian "Lady" doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

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Don't Ask Hilda To Gossip! She's Too Much Of A Lady For That!

2011-03-19T04:06:00.006-04:00

“Hilda” is an 11” Victorian Doll E-Pattern from our Lady Series who is wearing an 1855 Afternoon Dress. Her Pattern Category - Skill Level is Beginner and her pattern has been revised.

Hilda is a very friendly lady and just loves to visit the neighbors, especially those who are new in town. She's a one woman welcoming committee and just loves to tell her neighbors all about her town and all the activities that are going on. It's a small town so Hilda is well informed as to all the activities.

Hilda is an 11" free standing cloth and wood doll. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered. She also has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. Her lace trimmed slip is gathered at the waist.

She has a ruffled at the shoulder dress with long ruffled and gathered sleeves and ruffled bottom. Her shawl is fringed and a silver heart serves as a clasp. She has long black hair wrapped in a braid framing her face, and is carrying a food basket.

Hilda just loves to tell her new neighbors all that's going on. However, don't ask her for any gossip. Hilda is too much of a Victorian lady to engage in gossip.

If you would like to make a "Hilda" Victorian "Lady" doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

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Helen Louise Is Ready For Her Graduation Day!

2011-03-18T04:46:00.003-04:00

“Helen Louise”is a 13” Victorian Lady Doll E-Pattern from our Lady Series and she is wearing an 1893 Commencement Dress. Her Pattern Category - Skill Level is Beginner and her pattern has been revised.

Helen Louise has been anxiously awaiting her college graduation. Much more so than when she graduated from high school.

You see, she is the first person in her family to graduate from college. She worked very hard during her high school years and graduated as valedictorian of her class with a 4.0 GPA. She wanted to get into Harvard , to study law, and become a lawyer. She even had dreams of one day serving on the Supreme Court.

Right now she is just thrilled she is graduating and that her whole family will be at the graduation ceremony, including her grandmother. So, she's wearing an outfit that she knows her grandmother would love.

Helen Louise is a free-standing cloth and wood doll. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered. She also has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. Her slip is lace trimmed and gathered at the waist.

She has a fancy multi-tiered 2 color lace trimmed dress with long lace trimmed and gathered sleeve and a ruffled and laced collar. She has a lace shawl wrapped around her shoulders and a pearl necklace around her neck. Her beautiful brown curly hair is tied in a ponytail at the top of her head with floral accents.

Helen is especially proud that her grandmother will be attending her college graduation. She hopes she will be attending her law school graduation and will be the first person she calls when she passes the bar.

Her grandmother always wanted to attend college, but that was not in the cards for her. However, it was for Helen Louise and her grandmother could not be prouder of her.

If you would like to make a "Helen Louise" Victorian "Lady" doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

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They Don't Get More Elegant Than Joy! And, She Has A Revised E-Pattern

2011-03-16T04:35:00.006-04:00

“Joy” is a 14” Victorian "Lady" Doll e-pattern from our Lady Series who is wearing an1876 Watering Place Toilette. Her Pattern Category - Skill Level is Advanced and her e-pattern has been revised.

My Mother was a beautiful woman inside and out so when I was thinking of a design for a doll named after my mother I wanted to create something beautiful. Something elegant. Something to define the beauty of my Mother. So, "Joy" was born.

Joy is a 14" free-standing doll all dressed up and waiting to impress her friends with the latest in Paris fashion. She's been itching to wear her new outfit for weeks now but was waiting for the weather to get a little warmer for a nice stroll down the avenue. But, mother nature hasn't been cooperating and this wasn't an outfit that could be worn in the snow. So, Joy has been patiently awaiting the arrival of Spring. And, today it finally arrived.

"Joy" is a cloth and wood doll with a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. She has a lace trimmed slip that is gathered at the waist.

She is wearing a very fancy lace trimmed dress with puffed sleeves and both a large & small lace and ruffled trimmed over skirt. Her beautifully coordinated lined jacket with puffed up long sleeves has double tiered lace trim along the front edge and lace & ribbon trim along the bottom edge. Covering her shoulders is a fancy lace trimmed and lined shawl. Her lined jacket and lined shawl are both tied at the front with ribbons.

She has long curly hair which is tied at the nape of her neck. Her bonnet is lined and has fancy lace & floral trim along the cap. She is carrying a fancy lace trimmed parasol.

It's a beautiful day for a stroll along the avenue and Joy is hoping that all her friends will be out so she can impress them with her beautiful new fancy outfit. She's got her fingers crossed. Mother nature better not disappoint her today.

If you would like to make a "Joy" Victorian "Lady" doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

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Dee In Her 1870 Prairie Dress E-Pattern Has Been Revised

2011-03-15T04:27:00.002-04:00

“Dee” is an e-pattern to make a 16” Victorian Doll from our Lady Series and is wearing an 1870 Prairie Dress. Her Pattern Category - Skill Level is Intermediate and her e-pattern has been revised.

When I was designing my Victorian Ladies collection I wanted to make a simple Victorian Lady yet somewhat country doll in nature. Someone who you'd see strolling in a garden or park. Elegant but simple at the same time. With this in mind my "Dee" Victorian Lady doll design was born.

Dee is a free-standing doll all ready for her Sunday picnic. She just loves to stroll amongst the flowers just enjoying the country air. Without a care in the world. Searching out the perfect spot to place her blanket for her country picnic.

Dee is a 16" Old Lady" Victorian, yet country doll. She is a cloth and wood doll with a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. A lace trimmed slip frames her inner body and is gathered around her waist.

She is wearing a 3-tiered gathered lace trimmed dress with lace trimmed long sleeves and has a ribbon tied sash wrapped around her waist. Her shawl is crocheted and wrapped beautifully around her shoulders. Her blonde hair is tied in a bun in the back and her bonnet is decorated with ribbons and silk floral. She is carrying a basket of flowers.

Dee is the third Victorian doll I designed and is named after my Grandmother.

Most of the time Dee she likes to be near the lake. But, today, she prefers a spot next to the flower gardens. It's a lovely day and the flowers are all in full bloom. What could be better than tea and biscuits next to the flower garden on a beautiful day? Just a perfect day for a picnic. Wouldn't you agree?

If you would like to make a "Dee" Victorian Lady doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

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Sometimes You Have A Favorite - Josephine Is One Of Them!

2011-03-14T05:55:00.005-04:00

“Josephine” is a 13” Victorian Lady Doll E-Pattern from our Lady Series and she is wearing a 1896 Paris Spring Toilette. Her Pattern Category - Skill Level is Intermediate and her e-pattern has recently been revised.

Sometimes even designers have to admit they have favorite creations. They don't like to because they like to think that all of their creations are their favorites. It's kind of like mothers who when asked: "Mom, am I your favorite child?" reply with, "I love you all the same."

So, while I do love all my creations I do have to admit that some more than others just appeal to me. Just don't tell the "dollies" I said that. There will be sibling rivalry like unbelievable in our house if they find out.

In any event, Josephine is one such creation. I don't know whether it's her red hair or her green outfit with all the filly lace or both. There's just something beautifully appealing about her.

Josephine is a free-standing Victorian lady doll who can hardly wait for spring to show off her new toilette. When she saw it in the Godey Fashion Magazine she knew she had to have it. It was in her favorite color, after all. And, not too many outfits that season were in green. But, she knew that it would look wonderful on her and really highlight her beautiful red hair. So she ordered it and asked that it be sent as soon as possible.

Josephine is a 13" Victorian wood and cloth doll. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered. She also has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace which is also covered by a gathered and lace trimmed slip.

Josephine is wearing a coordinated green outfit which consists of a lined jacket with large puffy sleeves, lined & fitted vest, large lace trimmed ruffled blouse with bow, and a multi-tiered lace trimmed and gathered skirt with floral decorations. Her beautiful red hair is fastened in a bun and is highlighted by a ribbon & floral trimmed lined hat with a large bow on the back. She is carrying a multi-tiered lace trimmed parasol.

Josephine thinks she looks quite fetching in her beautiful green outfit and hopes you agree. She doesn't mind being one of Linda's favorites. Just don't tell the other "dollies."

If you would like to make a "Josephine" Victorian Lady doll of your own please CLICK HERE or on any of the pictures above for her revised instant download e-pattern.

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Brides Do Not Get Any More Beautiful Than Flora Ellen

2011-02-21T09:57:00.002-05:00

“Flora Ellen”, 14” Doll - Bridal Doll E-Pattern - Victorian Lady Series - 1896 Victorian Bridal Gown

The first e-pattern that we revised was LW002 Flora Ellen which is an e-pattern for a 14” Doll - Bridal Doll E-Pattern from our Victorian Lady Series - 1896 Victorian Bridal Gown. Her e-pattern is 16 pages and the Pattern Category Skill Level is Advanced.

Her description and story are as follows:

Flora Ellen has been waiting for her wedding day all her life. She has been groomed to be the epitome of exquisite and refined beauty. All in an effort to attract just the right Victorian gentleman. After all her family is one of a line of Dukes and Duchesses and she is expected to marry someone of her families standing.

So, she has been groomed and prepped for just the right dress, just the right style, just the right manner. Her wedding day is not just about her, but also about her family and she aims to make them all proud of her.

Flora Ellen is a free-standing doll who is wearing an 1896 Victorian bridal gown.

She has a long, fancy double-tiered lace and ruffled trim satin dress with a flowing train and long double-tiered laced and gathered sleeves. Her bodice is a double criss-crossed lace overlay. Her long curly blonde hair is tied on one side with floral accents and looks beautiful underneath her very fancy lace & floral trimmed lace veil which is also decorated with floral ribbons and lace pearl streamers.

Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace and she is wearing a lace trimmed slip. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered. She also has a painted wood head and covered round wood base.

Around her neck she has a long pearl necklace and she is carrying a bouquet of flowers with lace pearl and ribbon streamers. A large floral accent piece adorns the left side of her waistband.

Flora Ellen has not doubt that her wedding day will be perfect. Perfect for her and perfect for her family who worked so hard for this moment.

If you would like to buy Flora Ellen's e-pattern please CLICK HERE.

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What A Beautiful Victorian Lady - Flossie

2011-02-20T04:56:00.000-05:00

“Flossie”, 16” Doll - Victorian Doll E-Pattern Lady Series - 1892 Traveling Costume

One of my favorite Victorians dolls is Flossie. So, I was especially happy to revise her e-pattern. There's just something about this Victorian design and outfit that really appeals to me. It might be her refined and elegant appearance that draws me in, but I like to think it's her quiet intelligence. She is named after my Great, Great Aunt Flossie who was an extremely independent and intelligent woman.

Her e-pattern is 12 pages and her Pattern Category - Skill Level is Intermediate.

If there ever was a truly elegant and refined lady it would have to be Flossie. With her beautiful red hair, beautifully sewn outfits and ladylike manners you can't help but feel regal when you are with her. Despite her rich appearance she does everything she can to make her guests feel like they are the most important person in her life and in her house. As a result, she puts everyone completely at ease and loves it when her guests relax and enjoy themselves.

Flossie just loves to entertain, but she also loves being outside on a beautiful, sunny day. So, today she has decided to take a leisurely afternoon stroll in her 1892 Traveling Costume.

Flossie is a free-standing doll who wearing an 1892 Traveling Costume.

She is wearing a beautifully coordinated outfit that has a lace trimmed dress and has a full-length lace and ribbon trimmed lined jacket with lace, ribbon trimmed and puffed up long sleeves. A decorated ribbon bow serves as a clasp for her lined jacket. Her coordinated lace & floral decorated hat is lined and elegantly frames her beautiful red hair that is tied in a puff bun.

She has a painted wood head and a covered wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered and she is carrying a bouquet of flowers with streamers.

Flossie may be the epitome of a refined and elegant lady, but she is also very intelligent and knows just the right thing to say, the right thing to do, and the right atmosphere to put her friends and guests at ease.

She is a refined and elegant lady to the core.

If you would like to buy Flossie's revised e-pattern please CLICK HERE.

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Our Adorable Little Guy - Elmer - Gets A Revised E-Pattern

2011-02-13T09:59:00.003-05:00

One of our most popular e-patterns continues to be "Elmer's Little Boy." It's not difficult to see why that is. He's just so cute you just want to squeeze him. As a result, he gets squeezed a lot.

"Elmer's Little Boy"e-pattern has been revised and is an e-pattern to make a 10” Victorian Boy Doll from our Victorian Series. His Pattern Category - Skill Level is Beginner.

Here's his story:

Elmer's Little Boy" is so cute you just want to squeeze him. With a big pot belly and big ears he has loads of charm. Worse - he knows it and uses it to his every advantage. He can charm them young, he can charm them old, male or female. It doesn't matter. They all succumb to his charm and that impish gleam in his eyes.

"Elmer's Little Boy" has a cloth head and body. His face is embroidered and he has a mass of freckles along his cheeks and his nose. Elmer has a lined double breasted vest decorated with a double row of buttons, bow tie, rolled cuff shirt, velour pantaloons, black & white shoes, lined cap and uncontrollable wild brown hair.

If you'd like to know the story behind his creation please read the story below:

Here's the story behind "Elmer's Little Boy"..... My sister-in-laws parents who are in their 80's recently had a yard sale because they were moving into a much smaller house. Elmer (my sister-in-laws father) had an old plastic kewpie doll that had previously belonged to his deceased sister that he had kept I think in his toolbox (I might have that wrong).

In any event, he had held on to this doll for over many, many years. The only problem with the doll was that it had no clothes. He was going to throw it away but decided instead to give it to me. I was touched as I got the sense that this doll had a lot of sentimental value for him.

In any event, I decided to take it home and design some clothes for it. I wanted an early american little boy look so I decided on pantaloons, a vest, shirt, and scully cap. Since I had already designed the clothes for his kewpie I decided to design a cloth doll as well.

A little while later I took the plastic kewpie doll (with his new clothes) back to Elmer. Elmer was thrilled. It touched my heart to see how happy he was with my gift. Elmer's kewpie doll now sits proudly on the top of his bureau (I think).

I named my cloth pattern Elmer's Little Boy after Elmer's plastic kewpie doll. Elmers Original Kewpie is shown above and my Elmers Little Boy cloth version is shown below. The clothes for both dolls were made from some of Elmer's old clothes that I had gotten from his yard sale. I hope you like both dolls.

My Version of "Elmer's Little Boy" is shown in the pictures above and to the right. If you want to purchase his e-pattern please CLICK HERE.

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A Revised E-Pattern For Nellie - Our Victorian Snow-lady

2011-02-13T09:57:00.002-05:00

When we decided to revise our "Nellie" e-pattern we knew we were in for a challenge. You see, she is quite intricately designed. As a result, there are quite a few diagrams to revise and quite a few pattern pieces to revise. However, she is stunning and revising her e-pattern was well worth the effort.

“Nellie” is a 23” Snowlady Doll from our Victorian Series who is wearing a 1893 Ladies Street Costume. She is one of my more advanced patterns and requires a more experienced sewer. It's not that she is "difficult" herself (she told me to tell you that) it's just that her clothing is intricately designed. Her lined coat is adorned with lace both inside and out. As a result her Pattern Category - Skill Level is Advanced.

"Nellie Snow Lady" is a 23" free-standing Victorian snow-lady doll and such a beautiful snow lady dressed in her best 1893 ladies street costume.

She has a fancy double-tiered double lace trimmed dress with a full length double-tiered double laced trimmed (inside and out) lined jacket with long puffed sleeves. Her beautiful white hair that is fastened with a bun and has with wispy bangs is beautifully contained underneath her fancy lace and floral decorated lined hat. Her fancy hat is tied with a lace ribbon into a bow on the side of her head. She is also wearing a lace trimmed and gathered slip and lace trimmed and gathered bloomers.

Her face is partly embroidered and she has a covered Styrofoam head and cloth body supported by a wood dowel and covered wood base. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered and she is holding a lace trimmed matching parasol in her hands that are covered by lace gloves.

"Nellie Snow Lady" is the epitome of elegance in snow gals. She just loves her Victorian outfit and blue colors. It is a good compliment to her "snow" complexion. "Nellie Snow Lady" prides herself on her composure, her style, and her demeanor. She is everything you could want in a Victorian Snow Lady.

Here's a Linda's Blog post about "Nellie:"

Two things today got me to thinking about "Nellie" my Victorian snowlady doll pattern. The first is that it is once again snowing outside. This is the fourth time this week. I'm beginning to think that Mother Nature is out to get us or, at the very least, inundate us with snow.

The second is a comment from my husband. When the Christmas decorations are put away the Winter decorations, also known as snowpeople, make their appearance. In the front foyer of our house I have a seasonal display. Right now there is a large floral basket with all the winter blue colors and three of my snowpeople dolls there. The focal point of the winter display is my "Nellie" Victorian snowlady doll.

"Nellie" was named after my husband's Grand Aunt who was born in May of 1889, definitely during the Victorian Era. Or, at the very least, towards the end of the Victorian Era. All I could think of while I was designing her was that "Nellie" had to have been a bit on the shy, defined, and eloquent side. So, my "Nellie" had to be also.

Yah, so? Linda, will you please get to the second reason!!! Okay, okay. You know how I love to get off track. In any event, my husband told me yesterday that he thinks that my "Nellie" Victorian snowlady doll is the best doll I've ever made. Well, I couldn't agree with him more. She really is quite stunning. I have to keep that to myself though as "Nellie" is quite full of herself as are most of the dolls I've made. She just loves to be on display and begged me to show you the new pictures that I've just taken of her so you could judge for yourselves.

If you'd like to make a "Nellie" for your own house please CLICK HERE for her e-pattern. If you do decide to make her have fun doing so. She is just delightful even though she is quite conceited.

So, what do you think? Is she stunning? If you think so, please don't tell her. Make sure you send me a confidential e-mail. "Nellie" is quite the snoop and if she found out there would be no living with her then. She'd want to be on display year round. And then I'd have "Dollie WWIII" going on in my house. Please, please if you think she's gorgeous let ME know. Just don't tell"Nellie."

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A Revised E-Pattern For Our Victorian "Linda"

2011-02-13T06:39:00.004-05:00

The very first Victorian doll that I designed is getting a make over. Our LW010 "Linda" pattern and e-pattern has been revised and she couldn't be happier. Plus, she has finally been given a story. She, of course, is tickled pink that her namesake "Linda" did this for her.

Linda is an e-pattern for a 16" Doll from our Victorian Doll E-Pattern Lady Series who is wearing an 1850 Street Costume. Her print pattern and e-pattern is 12 pages and the Pattern Category - Skill Level is Intermediate.

“Linda", 16" Doll - Victorian Doll E-Pattern Lady Series - 1850 Street Costume

Linda has been a lover of beautiful Victorian outfits for quite some time and just loves coordinated street outfits. She loves to take a fanciful stroll in the park each and every afternoon and loves wearing the latest in French attire. She also happens to have a weakness for anything blue. It just compliments her blonde hair like no other color can.

So, today she has on her latest blue coordinated French outfit. She is a free-standing doll wearing an 1850 street costume.

She has a lined 2-tier gathered jacket with a 3-tiered lined shawl. Her beautiful long curly blonde hair is framed by her lined bonnet. She is wearing a beautiful blue lace trimmed dress with long lace trimmed and gathered sleeves.

Her arms are wire-shaped and covered. and she also has a painted wood head and covered round wood base. Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace. A lace trimmed slip is underneath her beautiful blue coordinated dress.

Her bonnet and shawl are tied around her neck and she is wearing lace gloves and is carrying a lace trimmed parasol. A floral ribbon serves as a clasp for her lined jacket.

Linda is so proud to be the first Victorian doll designed by Linda Walsh and proudly carries her name.

She is a stunningly beautiful Victorian doll - coordinated blue outfit and all.

If you would like to buy our Linda e-pattern please CLICK HERE.

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I Just Love My Victorian Cross-Stitch Picture

2011-01-01T04:49:00.004-05:00

If I told you that I had spent over 250 hours on a cross-stitch picture you'd probably think I was nuts. Well, I did and I'd do it again as the cross-stitch picture framed (shown in the picture above) is absolutely stunning. If you click on both images above you can view an enlarged version of the picture.

To give you a little background on why I would do this, back in July I wrote a Linda's Blog post about my pressed flower pictures entitled "My Pressed Flower Pictures - Now That's A Great Idea!" In that post I told you about a large pressed flower picture I had made that was hanging in our master bedroom and, sadly, was fading which meant it needed to be replaced.

Well, my husband thought a needlepoint picture like the one I had done in the dining room but much bigger would be nice. I wrote about this needlepoint picture awhile ago in a Linda's Blog post entitled "Needlecraft Picture From A Decade Ago - Or So!"

So, since our house is filled with dolls and pictures of buildings & houses I thought a cross-stitch Victorian scene might be just the thing. So, I set out to find some large cross-stitch kits that would be suitable.

Well, I found several that I liked, but couldn't decide which one would be best suited so, as usual, I bought a couple of kits. I also wrote about this adventure in a The Book Review Corner blog post entitled "Just How Many Cross-Stitch Kits Did You Buy!"

While I liked all of them I decided to go with the Dimensions Counted Cross Stitch M Lady's Chateau which was a Dimensions Gold Collection cross-stitch kit. I wrote about this in a Linda's Blog post entitled "You Spent How Many Hours On That Cross-Stitch?"

I have been a fan of the Dimensions cross-stitch and punch-needle kits for quite some time and have written about them several times on my The Book Review Corner blog before. For the cross-stitch there was the Christmas In The Adirondacks Cross-Stitch Kit From Dimensions The Gold Collection review, my Christmas Village Ornaments Cross-Stitch Kit by Dimensions The Gold Collection Kit #8785 review, and my Colorful Rooster Cross-Stitch Kit #7195 From Dimensions review. For the punch-needle there was my Bird In Birch Trees Punchneedle Kit #73433 From Dimensions review, my Holiday Friends Ornaments Punchneedle Kit #73244 by Dimensions review, my Live, Laugh, Love Punchneedle Kit #73224 by Dimensions review, my Santa's Presents Punchneedle Kit #73410 by Dimensions review, my There's No Place Like Home Punchneedle Kit #73401 by Dimensions review, and my Vase Of Flowers Punchneedle Kit #73400 by Dimensions review.

The Dimensions Counted Cross Stitch M Lady's Chateau kit included the pattern, embroidery thread, and 14 count ivory cotton Aida and thread sorter. It also called for all the white sky sections to just be the 14 count ivory cotton Aida but I opted to use white DMC floss and half cross-stitch these areas as well.

The Dimensions Counted Cross Stitch M Lady's Chateau pattern uses full cross-stitch, half cross-stitch, and outline stitching for emphasis and depth and this detailing really makes the picture stand out. The design of this cross-stitch gives the finished picture a 3 dimensional aspect with the half cross stitch and outlining being used for artistic effect.

While the end results of this design were absolutely stunning the instructions could certainly be improved upon and I'd like to offer the following constructive criticism:

First of all the the chart was so big that it actually fit on four pages which meant that you had to tape one section to the other to get the full chart picture. This would have been okay had the chart sheets been printed one-sided. Unfortunately, the instructions and English symbol list was printed on the back sides so when you taped the chart together you lost some of the information. You could photocopy the instructions and symbol list ahead of time but you'd have to do that on a color photocopy machine or you'd lose the colored symbols with a black and white photocopy.

Secondly, the colors of the symbols and their placement could have been better thought out. Several of the colors and symbols ( like the blue heart and green heart, or blue "e" and green "e") used in the chart were too close in color and when they were placed next to each other in the chart you could not distinguish one from the other - even with a magnifying glass.

Third, the English symbol list and French symbol list were different. Both the English and French symbol list & legend should have contained the embroidery thread color numbers so you could easily align the thread sorter with the symbols & legends. I had to write the embroidery thread color number on the French version and use that as a guide as the English symbols & legend were on the backside of the chart that I had taped together. I would have been constantly flipping the chart to follow the symbols & legends, which would have been very time consuming. Plus, I couldn't read several of the colored symbols now as they were underneath the tape of the chart I had to tape together.

Plus, the French list contained the symbols and colors for the outlining while the English version contained text instructions as to what should be placed where. The stitching order or outlining instructions was very confusing. The chart had 3 thin red lines, 3 thick red lines, 3 thick blue lines, 2 thin blue lines, and 2 thick green lines - each with different instructions. Separate symbols and colors should have been used on the chart and legend to make the outlining less time consuming and easier to understand.

Fourth, the thread sorter was poorly designed. This was a large cross-stitch kit which meant it contained a lot of threads. The embroidery threads were glued to a foam backed 11 3/4" by 1 1/4" strip of cardboard that had a picture of the color of the thread and it's number. In order to get to the threads you had to separate the foam back from the cardboard strip. Very quickly the threads separated from their section and then you no longer knew what the thread number was to tie to your symbols & legends. I had to punch a hole in the thread sorter cardboard strip just below the color of the thread & it's number and then insert the threads through the hole and tie them in a loose knot so my threads, colors, and numbers would stay together. To make things even easier to understand the color symbol should have been shown on the thread sorter strip of cardboard as well. That way you would only need to use the thread sorter strip of cardboard to follow your taped together chart.

As mentioned, it took me over 250 hours to create this stunning design. I started this in the beginning of August 2010 and finished it in the end of November of 2010. My husband was keeping track of the hours and I clocked approximately 253 hours on this. Every afternoon I would spend a few hours working on it.

When it was finished it was stunning all by itself and we decided that it would need a nice mat and frame to really finish the piece. After all the hard labor put into creating the cross-stitch picture we decided it needed to be finished properly.

So, we took it to a little local shop called Art & Frame Emporium. Their website is at http://www.artandframeemporium.com/ and their blog is at http://artandframeemporium.wordpress.com/.

This shop has been in business since 1982 and we have been buying things from them for over 20 years. They may be a little art shop, but it is filled with wonderful art supplies, kits, picture frames, etc. But, best of all, it's the staff there that makes the difference. The owner, Ed Turner, and several of the employees like Jean Pellerin, James McAlice, and Mickie Ayleward are all gifted artists in their own right. Over the years we have found that all of the members of the staff always offer terrific advice or suggestions. That's why we keep going back and why a small shop can remain in business all these years. You get quality products, quality advice, and quality service.

When I needed quality frames I went there. When my husband needed advice on what kind of brushes to buy for me he went there. When I wanted craft kits for my granddaughters, or advice on what to buy for my grandson who wanted to learn how to draw manga I went there and talked to Ed. When I wanted to buy acrylic pencils for drawing the faces of some of my dolls I went there.

So, when it came to deciding where to have my cross-stitch framed we went there and talked to James. He's a framing designer and he gave us terrific advice and suggestions for the triple mats and a frame that we could use. We decided to use a black mat, gold mat, and cream triple mat combination. The black mat was much deeper than the rest and created the illusion of drawing you into the picture. The cross-stitch itself creates a 3 dimensional effect of drawing you into the picture and the deep black mat just added to that affect. He also suggested that we use museum glass instead of regular glass - which makes an enormous difference in the viewing of the picture. He was right on everything he suggested.

When they called to tell us that our picture was ready they said it was "gorgeous!" My husband could tell that they were really proud of their work - and they should be. When we saw it - it was stunning. Just beautiful. I put a lot of labor into my cross-stitch and they all put a lot of labor into finishing it properly for me.

Both my husband and I were thrilled with the way it turned out and have it hanging in our master bedroom as we had planned. It compliments the furniture in the room and is just breath taking to view. The pictures in this post don't really do it justice.

Despite the problems I encountered after all is said and done the design of Dimensions Counted Cross Stitch M Lady's Chateau is absolutely breath taking. Would I invest 250+ hours again to get this type of result? Absolutely.

However, as mentioned, the instructions, chart, symbols, and thread sorter could all be improved upon. My comments are meant to be constructive to enable future purchasers to benefit from my experience and to enhance their ability to create an astonishing piece of work from an incredible design.

If you'd like to purchase the Dimensions Counted Cross Stitch M Lady's Chateau cross-stitch and try it for yourself just click the link below.

Dimensions Counted Cross Stitch M Lady's Chateau

I haven't quite decided which cross-stitch picture I'll start next. It may just be "Dimensions Gold Collection In Her Garden Counted Cross-Stitch Kit" as it is a wonderful picture of a Victorian woman in a garden. It's a 9 1/2" x 13.2" picture so it isn't quite as big as the one I just finished.

Like the picture I just finished it will take me a long time to complete. You may be saying "you spent how many hours on that cross-stitch" once again. For sure, when it comes time to finish it properly I know just where I'll be going. When you want quality - go to the best and Art Emporium is the best!

I just love my Victorian cross-stitch picture and hope you enjoyed seeing it as well.

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