Baby Millie Travels in Style

A few weeks back I posted pics of our adorable Melissa and Doug 12" Brianna doll.  She is known to us as Baby Millie and I am bursting with pride to show you her little car seat.  This is just a thrift store find that I brought home and fancied up.
Baby Millie's car seat's humble beginnings:

I cut apart the pieces of her original car seat cover at the seams.  Then I used my embroidery machine to quilt the fabric that I would use to create the new cover.

Then using the contrasting fabric panels I had quilted, I cut out the new pattern pieces for the car seat cover from the old pieces I had cut apart.  I stitched the new seams together and put the cover on.  It was a great fit so I reassembled the seat with all the straps and buckles.  How cute!!

Let me know if you decide to try this on your own fabulous thrift store find.  I'd be glad to help you.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy!

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My Baby's First Doll Baby

My third daughter turned two this month.  She is very interested in playing dollies and is ready to graduate from the average store-type dolly to something nicer.  She is not ready yet for the really nice dolls either, so I have been on a quest to find just the right baby for her.  Part of the reason I am looking is that she wants a baby with hair to brush.  I want to find her a doll with hair that won't get ratty and dry from my toddler's daily use and care.  The other reason is that I want her to have a baby of her own that she can hold while I am caring for her new sister that should be arriving next month.  Here is the solution that we found.  Meet Brianna, now called Baby Millie at our place.

The Melissa and Doug company carries this vanilla-scented, thumb-sucking beauty that is just right for our girl.  Her hair is rooted but full for styling and surprisingly soft.  She gets carried around by her pigtails daily and they have always brushed out nice and smooth for us so far.  It's not too long either.  Her face is of average cuteness but I must say she looks better with her thumb or pacifier in rather than out.  Her clothes are sturdy and wash clean for us.  Her body is soft and sleep-friendly.  If you are in the market for a new baby doll for your little girl who is not quite ready for her first real dolly, then consider Brianna by Melissa and Doug.  At just $15 on Amazon, she is a real bargain.  Here she is after a month at home with us.

Cuddled up with her Mama

Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

My Cuddly Surprise

Hooray, the big day is here!  It's a good thing too because I was about to burst.  Happy Birthday to my second daughter today.  She is still in the midst of playing with baby dolls, not just having dolls as friends, so I am excited to share with you this great find that we have for her.  Remember all that sewing I did last month?  Well it was especially for this tiny, sweet doll.  Meet Madelyn, a My Twinn Cuddly Sister.  Isn't she just adorable in her petite little way?  At just 14" in length we are having a time finding clothes to fit her.  Lucky for my girl her Mama can sew!

What a head of hair she has too!  These braids are long and silky.  Could you imagine a real baby with hair this long? This doll is made with the same high-quality materials that the rest of the My Twinn doll line is.  This includes a premium wig that is soft and full for styling, gorgeous eyes full of sparkle, a full set of premium eyelashes, artist brows and face, and a snuggly-soft bean body that just calls for a little mommy to hold it.  This fabulous eBay find came with 3 pairs of shoes, 3 outfits, and her ribbon hair ties.  My sweet little girl is in love with this Cuddly cutie.

  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Shh! Can You Keep a Secret?

We will be celebrating a special little girl's birthday around here next month.  In preparation for her big day I have been keeping my sewing machine humming as I crank out goodies for her.  I don't want to brag, but isn't this precious?  I found this tiny doll carseat/carrier at a local thrift store and paid almost nothing for it.  Since I know what she is getting for her birthday next month I'm certain this will go along perfectly.  When I brought it home I also realized just how plain it was.  Off to my fabric stash I flew to find the perfect pairings.

Car Seat Lining - I made a paper pattern for the inside lining and marked where the cutouts would need to be for the safety harness.  Then I sewed the two right sides facing, turned it out, used the button-holer for the strap holes, and voila!  Instant liner to keep baby sitting pretty.
Canopy/Cover - this is just a big rectangle.  Again I sewed the two right sides together, turned it out, and top stitched around.  Next I made two tabs from fabric remnants and sewed on ribbons to function as straps that tie.
Diapers - I eyeballed these with a paper towel pattern until I got the size just right.  I then cut the three diapers from craft felt, sewed on some carefully placed hook and  loop tape.  Presto! Chango!
Burp Cloth - Have you seen those contoured burp cloths?  Well me too.  I loved them so much that I bought an in-the-hoop pattern from Digistitches for my embroidery machine so that I can make as many of them as I want and give them away as shower gifts.The stitches are accurate and  clean with no loops or jumps.  Jennilee is one of the better digitizers around and I have enjoyed using several of  her designs.  Stop by her site when you are ready to buy some amazing machine embroidery designs.
Doll Carrier/Sling - another giant rectangle turned out and sewn together to form a big loop.  Gather again at the shoulder with another simple fabric tube.
Covered Wipes Case - this took a little time.  The hot glue gun and plenty of patience is key to success in this project.  I covered a travel-sized soap case with batting and fabric and attached the ribbon trim around the edges.  Felt squares serve as "wipes."  Needless to say, I can't wait to give this away.  Now go play with your dollies!
-Whimsy

Dolly Diaper Bag

I decided to get a head start on my Christmas sewing this year since girlie number four is due in early December.  All the sewing I've done in preparation for our real baby has inspired me to do some sewing for doll babies too.  Just like real mamas, little mamas need a place to put all their baby's stuff.  I found a great tutorial here for a lovely faux quilted diaper bag for little girls.  This tutorial was very clearly written with excellent pictures and detailed instructions.  I hope you'll give it a try when you are in need of somewhere to keep all your doll baby's goodies.

Fully lined and "sew" sturdy!

Here is how ours turned out along with a few shots of what I'll be placing inside for a special little girl's Christmas gift.






Don't wait until it's too late this year.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Contents: A rolled-up changing pad, a contoured burp cloth, a dolly-sized diaper.  It's hard to see the diaper as it is the same fabric as the diaper bag's flap.  The royal blue straps you see are the two front Velcro closures on the diaper.
 

A Busy New Site for Doll Goods

I wanted to write a quick post to let you know about a new site for doll enthusiasts.  Where can you find a last-minute swimsuit for your dolls trip to the beach next week?  Where can you find a deal on a mint condition, very hard to find, now retired Felicity?  Well, Dollabee, of course!  Cinnamon from Liberty Jane has created a new site for all things doll.  Dollabee is now up and running and is intended to function"like Craigslist, but for dolls."  I am eager to spread the word in hopes of seeing more and more of you posting and purchasing dolls and doll goodies you find on Dollabee.  I hope to see you there soon!
-Whimsy

Dolly Diy: Farmhouse Bed

Do you have a crafty brother or a handy daddy around your house?  If not there is no need to worry.  Thanks to the lovely ladies at Ana White you can build anything you need to outfit your home.  This includes fashioning furniture for your dolls as well.  This post will feature her lovely Farmhouse Bed project.

 I will have to say that our doll bed was not completed by me alone.  This was a well-written starter project for my Scout to help out with.  The instructions are clear and require only a basic understanding of tools and woodworking.  This really doesn't require any special carpentry skill.  This bed was completed in two full afternoons working after lunch until 5:30 each time.  We sanded and stained ours rather than giving it a coat of paint.  We put the finish on the following morning.  We had most of the scrap wood here in the garage and had to purchase only a few pieces for this gorgeous bed from the local home big box store.  All in all, we spent closer to 10 hours on this in stead of the 6 hours the project estimate suggests.  Ours was made and given as a gift.  It was much-loved and shown off by its recipient.  Since we have multiple dollies here, we will be attempting a bunk or trundle bed to keep next time.  With so many dolls around here, we should stay busy for quite some time.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Dolly Travels

Once you have a few friends in your collection you will want to bring them along with you when you go places.  Proper dolly care does not allow for dolls placed on the floorboard of your car or strewn about carelessly.  Here I have sewn a Dolly Take Along Tote using McCall's Pattern M5019.  This pattern was easily cut out and constructed fairly quickly.  The pattern markings and terms were clear.  I would rate this an intermediate project since you are working with interfacing and turning requires proper strap and lining placement.  A girl could sew this with much assistance.

 Here I've taken my embroidery machine and embellished the pocket with a wand applique, some ribbon, and her name.  As you can see, once constructed the tote is huge!  Both Samantha and Fancy Nancy are standing up inside with plenty of room to spare.  My model girly is 7 and the tote is about as big as it could possibly be for her to carry around.  This would be great for a slumber party or a play date with friends.  Let me know if you try this pattern and need any help along the way.  I'd love to help.

Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Getting Fancy with Nancy

Ask almost any 5-7 year old girl what "bonjour" means and thanks to "Fancy Nancy" she'll be able to tell you.  Nancy is the loveable, round bellied doll that the younger set adores.  With her books and outlandish fashions how could any little girl resist her charm?  You can find Fancy Nancy and her wares adorning the toy aisles at your local T@rget.  Wait for her to go on sale or pick one up secondhand on eBay.  She will be a hit when you introduce her to her new dolly friends. 
For some reason, this doll manufacturer thought Nancy needed purple hair highlights.  My 6 year old thinks they are "yuck," but thankfully has not yet tried to cut them out!  Nancy's hair is of some concern for another reason too.  Her wig is curly.  As cute and lively as it makes for a children's storybook character, it is never as carefree in real life.  Curly doll wigs are difficult for young dolly lovers to care for as it is hard for them to resist brushing it.  Soon the pincurls and ringlets are all askew and frazzled.  If you decide to bring Nancy home to your little gal, consider yourself warned.  Take some time to visit my Dolly Hair page and pick up all the tools and tips you'll need to make life with a curly-haired doll a success.
Also note that Nancy's hair is rooted, not a wig and her body is all-vinyl.  Many girls prefer a soft-bodied doll for cuddling but Nancy is so loveable your dolly lover may not be able to resist offering her a squeeze anyway!  Her eyes are a vibrant green and are full of twinkle and charm.  At bedtime Nancy will need a sleep mask since she does not come with sleep eyes.  You will be able to trade clothes with some other 18" dolls just be careful as Nancy's hard plastic tummy is a bit round.  Shoe fit will be hit or miss as well.  All in all, the Fancy Nancy doll is a great find for the fanciful little girl in your life.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy