Imogen's Garden

Peach a summery giveaway

2011-07-26T15:58:00.003-04:00

meet Peach.

i've dreamed her up for forever...but time seems so fleeting these days. Peach has the absolutely most gorgeous hair i've EVER put on a doll...and her dress is being gifted to you by the lovely Olivia from Olivia's Ultimate (because Olivia rocks. she really, really does).

Peach is finally here and ready to claim her new family. if you'd like to make Peach your very own, all you need to do is tell someone about Imogen's Garden. refer them to the Etsy shop, the Facebook page, or here. then, leave a comment ON THE BLOG...right here, you got it...and tell me which of the wonderful people in your life you told about our tiny company. you may tell as many people as you'd like...each person earns an additional entry, but do me a favor and make one comment per person you told. make sense? (sometimes i worry that my speech is not as clear as i'd like).

the winner will be selected by random number generator on Wednesday, August 1o, 2011.

blessings to you...enjoy the rest of your summer!!

Raven, Henny, and Starling

2011-05-13T12:50:00.003-04:00

from left to right with their sweet CoolTricks birds
Raven and Soot
Henny and Penelope
Starling and Clarice

(isn't Toni's sense of humor fantastic?!)

available in the Etsy shop at 12:00p PST

Bird Girls!

2011-05-09T15:02:00.003-04:00

in this crazy circle of online artisans, we often meet people who inspire us like mad...these people create beautiful words, magnificent dresses, cuddly creatures, and all manner of other goodness which speaks to some often untouched part of our insides and instills a sense of fulfillment, a sense of longing, or perhaps, a glimmer of hope.

every once in a while, if you're lucky, you'll find a person who reacts to your art or craft the same way that you react to theirs. if you're truly blessed, you may find that that mutual admiration and inspiration will work beautifully together.

Toni Swedberg is one of my artistic blessings. about a year ago, when my poor little creative spirit was under assault, and my sense of self-belief was at an all time low, Toni contacted me and asked if i might consider doing a collaborative project with her. she even called me an artist which was the highest praise i could hope to receive. it's taken a very, very long time, but *my life is nuts, as you know* we are FINALLY at the hour of our collaborative debut!

with GREATEST pleasure, i introduce to you the Bird Girls (and one Bird Boy), a short line (there are only 10 of these lovlies) of special edition dolls and artistic collaboration between Cool Tricks and Imogen's Garden!!

i selected 10 fabrics and 10 names then sent them to Toni. she made 10 sweet little birds with names to match the girls and sent them back to me. now, i've made (or am making) the Moppets...and i've had such a wonderful time!

this friday at noon (PST), the first 3 bird girls will be flying into the shop: Raven, Henny (that's short for Henrietta), and Starling.

here's Henny...isn't she the cutest??

(more low-down on Toni and her super-nifty Bird Girl giveaway tomorrow!)

hangs head sheepishly

2010-11-19T10:23:00.002-05:00

as you know, my life is crazy. it's good, but slap nuts.

this week alone, we've had 5 squadron events and a school play. i still have several custom dolls in pitiful pieces lying around the studio, and i must confess, my school work is falling behind... but, i know it will all get done. the end is in sight!

we will be moving to Monterey, California, in the early spring, and i anticipate a fresh bout of insanity to begin around here just after the New Year. but i did promise that i would offer custom dolls in January.

here's the deal:
at noon today, i will list 4 custom doll slots in my Etsy shop. 2 Moppet, 2 miniMoppet... i will NOT be able to offer installment plans this time around...i am so very very sorry about this, but i am afraid that my organizational abilities will be maxed out with planning a cross-country move.
early next week, i will send out a custom form via email that will give me your basic preferences for your dolls' skin and eye color as well as a few other details. i will still offer the step-by-step hair and wardrobing that you all know and seem to love.
so...12:00pm EST...look for the listings. these dolls will ship in time for Valentine's Day...but i can't promise exactly when.

also...an embarrassingly long while ago, i introduced you to Elaine of GrannysKnits and promised a giveaway. since i dropped the ball, i am giving you another week to enter. leave a comment on this post or on the original. entries will be numbered by the order in which they were received...the winner will choose the sweater of their choice from my marvelous stash in either a 12" or 16" inch size.

and finally...Elaine is offering to you, dear readers, a 25% discount good on anything in her shop between now and next Friday!! you won't find finer work anywhere...i promise!

blessings on your weeks!
♥anna

Midterm

2010-10-21T08:51:00.002-04:00

i think i may have caught up with my coursework. maybe. here's hoping it holds! this week we were to give a basic summation of what we've learned thus far in the course. we were to look at how our views have changed (or not), and talk about what we plan to do with the information in our ministries. i've still not figured out exactly what my ministry will look like when i finish this journey, but here's my reflection for the week. blessings!

The most radical change in my wee brain is the thought and feeling surrounding the people portrayed in Genesis. As a child, I was taught in Sunday school to revere the “fathers of faith”. They were glossed over versions of themselves, and we only spoke of the good things. They became unreachable in my mind…I am certain my teachers were attempting to instill respect, but instead the shiny, infallible men were so slick and unreachable that they had no real impact on my faith. In college, we covered the entire Old Testament in one semester, so no real attention was focused on individuals. We paid more attention to sweeping themes.

It was not until this course that I really looked at these characters and saw their humanity…warts and all. I tried to imagine these men in the 21^st century. I am certain I would not be able to tolerate Jacob’s tomfoolery for long. Abraham is so thickheaded that at times I want to shake him a little bit. Isaac seems to be such a wallflower. Yet, God called each of them for a purpose. God asked that they be faithful. God gave them the strength and the means to follow God and to do what God asked of them. It did not matter (and does not matter still) that these people are fallible, warty, and rough. God chose them, real people no more equipped or worthy than I am, to bless, to lead, and to receive God’s promise.

The idea of God’s promise and plan has not changed for me, but it has been underscored in a new way. This happened just last week as we read the Joseph narrative. God was at work behind the scenes in the story all along, but it took the humans years to be able to see it. God has a promise and a plan for Israel, for humanity, for creation, and for me. We goof it up plenty, but God uses our mistakes and our evil doing to push us along God’s path and plan. Undoubtedly, it takes longer this way, but God does not revoke our free will. God allows us to be, and God works with what we give God.

The Bible is not just a moral guide full of interesting stories and weird rules. (However, its value as moral code should be neither dismissed nor assumed). The Scripture is vital to our understanding of where we have been and where we are going. The texts help us to understand that we are not the only ones to be called by God for God’s purpose and plan and yet who are so utterly unworthy.

Genesis is a microcosm of the Bible in its entirety. All themes of humanity, Christianity, creation, and life are right here. Even some of the very words Christ uses are found first here. Yet this book has been treated as an afterthought in Christian education for years…something to be dressed up in finger paints and glitter and to be talked about on rainy days. My personal challenge for ministry will be to pull these themes of relationship, off the shelf and into the light in a way that makes the people in Genesis seem real and relevant to God’s people today. No need for such good news of promise, blessing, and relationship to be hidden behind rainbows and elephants.

meet Elaine of GrannysKnits

2010-10-18T22:37:00.005-04:00

i've struggled with writing about Elaine for an embarrassingly long time (this feature should have run in early September). it's a tough one for me not because i have to dig to find something to say, but because i have TOO MUCH to say.

i *met* Elaine about 2 years ago through Team EtsyBABY on Etsy. she seemed like a nice enough lady, and she surely was passionate about her work. so, when my 6th nephew was born, i ordered a sweater for him in black, gray, and gold (only time i'll say *Go, Army!* is for my brother-in-law's children). when it arrived, i was BLOWN AWAY. see, my guilty pleasure is knitting...and Elaine's knitting is the finest i've ever seen. nary a stitch out of tension. all ends invisibly woven in. absolutely incredible. then, i found out, Elaine does all her knitting...wait for it...WITHOUT A PATTERN!! she pulls this stuff out of her head! seriously.

read this interview. then read this article from the Storque (Etsy's blog). then, go to Elaine's shop. purchase warm wooly goodness with abandon. you won't regret it. i promise.

and when you're done with all that...leave a comment on this blog post. i'll use a random number generator to giveaway one of Elaine's superb doll sweaters...i'll show you 2 tomorrow...if you're the luckiest gal/guy on the planet, you can choose which one you'd like.

~When did you begin knitting?

I was six, and bought needles, yarn, and a "Learn How to Knit" book.

~Why did you choose your type of knitting to work with?

until Jordan and my grandson were born, I made a variety of sizes and items.

When I became mom to then 2 year old Jordan, my knitting time was sharply cut!

I started making baby sweaters here and there, and then decided to try to get enough together for a craft show.

That didn't happen, then five years ago I found out my older daughter was pregnant.

OK, GrannysKnits started to take shape.

~Do you have a favorite design of your own creation?
the blankie that I made four years ago, when my grandson was born.....it's his FAVorite!

~Do you also collect dolls?

I have a collection of one; my sweet sassy Willow!

~At what point did you realize your gift was more than a hobby?

Probably in the 80s, I was doing a few craft shows while raising my two girls.

~Describe your workspace.

oh boy, that's funny! ;)

You name it, it's a workspace. I carry knitting in my purse!

~What is your favorite part of the process.

Choosing what I'll make from a particular yarn, and the actual knitting!

~What is your least favorite?

finishing, finishing, finishing!

did I say finishing? ;))

ANYthing that requires me to sew, I'm NOT good at it.

~What inspires you?

yarns~

more often than not, I buy a yarn, and then later decide what to knit from it.

~What is the best time of day for you to create?

morning (as long as I have enough coffee!)

~Tell me about your biggest fan.

at this point, I'd have to say my 4 year old grandson.

He loves the sweaters, and other items I make him, and since he's 3000 miles away,

I love that I'm the person who knits for him.

~What is your strangest request?

I was knitting at a craft show, years ago, and a woman stopped to ask if she could borrow my pattern.

I explained politely that I was using it!

she told me "Well, I'll photocopy it, and mail it back to you in a few days!"

(She was not nice about my turning this request down, either!)

~What is your favorite request?

Any request that Anna makes!

~Which similar artist do you most admire? Why?

Wow, there isn't just one. Anyone from whom I can learn .............

and grow, but not copy.

The late, great Elizabeth Zimmerman is a perfect example.

~What do you know now that you wish you knew when you began? (Or what piece of advice would you give to someone first starting out in your field?)

When I actually decided to try to sell my creations?

I wish that I had the time/ability/brain power to learn the world of cyberspace, and how to take wonderful photos ;)

~Tell me an artist you’d like to have subjected to these questions (someone you’d like to know more about)?

Jackie of Totzhatz

~What is your favorite flower? Why?

LILAC

I love the color, and the fragrance ;)

2010-10-17T14:41:00.002-04:00

you can see how snowed under i've been by the lack of posting here. last week's topic was about Genesis chapter 34. if any of you are just dying to hear what i think on the subject, let me know, otherwise, i'll spare you.

week 6 of coursework, "What is the theological assertion of the Joseph narrative?"
the reading was Genesis 37-50

blessings!

As I read the text for the week, I kept coming back to a quote from John Lennon. “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” I know that Lennon had no real theological implications in mind as he made this statement, but I wonder what he would think if he realized the Biblical value.

“…God sent me before you to preserve life. …God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God.” Gen 45:7,8a Joseph’s words to his brothers effectively bridge the story of creation to the Gospel. God has been with us all this time. God called us into being and deemed all of creation “good”. God has used evil to advance God’s plan for creation. God has gifted Israel with life while Joseph’s brothers had planned evil. This story is repeated in the Gospel as the Romans plan evil with the crucifixion of Jesus but God uses this plan to give us life eternal.

This theme of work vs. grace is seen repeatedly. Humans choose hard work to force things to be the way they think they ought to be. We see this theme in the stories of Isaac and Ishmael, Cain and Abel, Adam and Eve, and here at the end of Genesis in the story of Joseph and his brothers. Humans attempt to bend situations so that they make sense to limited minds, but God gifts us with goodness and life in ways we are unable to imagine.

Brueggemann says, “Neither the freedom of the creature nor the gracious sovereignty of God is cancelled. They are not in conflict. Nor are they to be equated. God’s will makes use of all human action but is domesticated or limited by no human choice.” p.347

How marvelous is God that God is able to us our shortcomings, our failures, our sinful natures, and our disbelief to give us life! Surely, we do not deserve such goodness.

This calendar year has been a tremendous struggle for me. The height of the difficulty was revealed this summer on a Tuesday evening as I prepared to lead a small group in Vacation Bible School. I did not even want to be in the building that evening for I was certain I had no joy to share with my small charges. As I passed into the narthex, someone handed me a small plastic coin with the day’s Bible verse printed upon it: “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29 This message, so timely given, has buoyed me through the turbulent times since that sour day and has allowed me to cling to the certitude of my faith.

“Realism taken alone leads to despair, for then we only know about the danger but not about the outcome. Certitude taken alone leads to romanticism, for then we only know the victory but imagine we are immune from the battle.” Bruggemann p.375 Joseph is an admirable role model. He does not expect life to be simple or easy. He is not dragged down to the pits of despair. He knows that God is faithful, and he waits patiently for the outcome while he does what he can to further God’s plan for good within the limits of his situation. Joseph does not struggle with plans and schemes; rather he chooses life through the grace of God.

2010-10-11T22:29:00.002-04:00

Week 4 of coursework. We were to read Genesis 12-26 and to respond to the question "How shall we compare Ishmael and Isaac?"

i am tragically late posting this. look for a new topic tomorrow!

big love,

anna

The most striking statement I read this week came from Brueggemann (p153): “Biblical faith is never cerebral. It is always lived and acted…. Only the children of free gifts and open promises can enter the Kingdom.” This passage is the crux of our faith as known by us Lutherans. We are saved by grace through faith. Our good works have value, but salvation comes only from God.

This is where Ishmael fails (through no fault of his own). Ishmael is conceived through faulty reasoning by Abraham and Sarah. They rationalize (the cerebral thought that brings humans so much grief) that perhaps they are to assist God fulfill God’s promise. Therefore, they concoct a plan to give Abraham and heir through a slave and to “help” God on God’s way. Ishmael is born of worry and mistrust.

Conversely, Isaac is a gift. No work, no worry, no anxiety is needed for him to be called into existence by God. Isaac is blessed and called to bring forth a great nation…to be a blessing to Israel.

This brings to mind the text in Matthew 26 “…indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” This is a repetition of the promise to Abraham, that we will be given more than we can imagine if we have faith.

The blessing of Ishmael is a comfort to me. God does not turn from the outsider. However, God is unwilling to change his original promise because of the work of Abraham. God still provides an heir in the form of Isaac, but the timing is God’s time: thoughtful, planned, and intentional. The blessing of Isaac fulfills God’s promise to Abraham and brings the covenant anew.

Humanity...

2010-09-25T21:23:00.003-04:00

Week 3 of course work. our text is still Genesis 1-11. we were answer: "how does Genesis 1-11 shape your conception of humanity and how does that conception relate to your culture's dominant construal of human nature?"

easy-peasy. HA!

anyway, these are my thoughts for the week.

blessings to you!!

Humanity is the climax of creation. What joy that we should be so desired and cherished! God called us into being. God did not suffer a slip of the hand when the world was new…we are not an “oops!” God made us in God’s image and bestowed the care and keeping of all God has created upon us.

This care and keeping is not permission to plunder the bounty of the world or to use one another for our own purposes. God’s gift is a passing of privilege and responsibility. We are made in the likeness of God, with the same goodness as God, and God sets us free upon creation with a blessing and a charge: we are to care for creation as God does.

The text tells us that God was incredibly intentional about the creation of the world. Gen 1:1-2:3 God took time and considered what was to be. Creation was not a whim; rather, it was a process. God enjoyed what God had made each day and declared it “good”. We are to see the value that God sees and to treat creation as such. We are to use resources wisely to be good stewards. We are to treat each other as God treats us…with care, with compassion, with deep love giving to one another the best gifts we have to offer.

As humans, we are not perfect. God gives clear directions, and we choose to ignore them or to respond to the smallest amount of the directive possible (My 9-yr old is a master of this latter function. I call him my “line-toer”. Humanity is brilliant at this sort of disobedience as well!) God has called us into being and granted us free will. We are given guidance, suggestions, and commandments by God, yet we fail to see or choose to ignore them.

I consider myself immersed in two cultures. One is my “real-life” community, which is comprised of a community church, two elementary schools, family members, long-time friends, and a strike fighter squadron in the Navy. The second is my “on-line” community, which is filled with people daily involved in the handmade craft community either as businesspersons (crafters) or as consumers. It is interesting to me that my real-life community is diligent about the care and keeping of humans. We feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the lonely and imprisoned, and tend the sick. My on-line community is committed to the stewardship of the rest of creation. We sparingly use resources, consider carefully the materials used for our craft, conscientiously research shipping methods to reduce our “carbon-footprints”, and review these policies of other crafters/artisans before we make a purchase. I would rejoice if my two communities could combine our efforts!

God made us in God’s image, but God did not make us God. We are given the choice to follow God’s directions, and often we choose not to. This freedom (and ultimate failure) is also a gift. God loves us no less because we choose not to obey. Our failure gives us the opportunity to experience God’s grace. God’s grace gives us yet another chance at obedience. Another chance gives us the prospect of following God’s will for us and for all of creation, to be a blessing, and to fulfill God’s charge.

Pentateuch

2010-09-19T21:43:00.002-04:00

Pentateuch. sounds like something you might catch from being improperly dressed, no? but actually it is the name for the first five books of the Bible.

i enrolled and began coursework at Luther Seminary. and now, i am knee-deep in the Old Testament. i debated for a bit but ultimately decided that some of you just may want to hear what i have to say on the subject...for all sorts of reasons (you, dear readers, are a varied lot!).

the text for week 2 (this week...the first week was "hello, my name is so-and-so...this is where i live and who i am, etc...but you already know that) is Genesis 1-11. the question for contemplation is "how is the Bible true?". this, my friends, is what i've come up with thus far:

Genesis is a faith confession. As such, it seeks to tell us the way God intends our world to be. God is. God created every thing, and we are the paramount event in all of Creation. God saw what God had made and declared it good. We fall, falter, fail and God recreates. God makes all things new.

The truth in these chapters for me is that God is a giver of blessings and a keeper of promises. “God blessed them…” Gen 1:28. When we miss the mark, when we disappoint God, God picks us up, sets us again on the path, and blesses us so that we may try again. “God blessed Noah…” Gen 9:1. Time after time in the text, humanity shows its frailty. We turn from the instructions we are given. We shame ourselves and seek to hide from God and from one another. We give in to anger. We disclaim responsibility for our actions. Time after time, God redirects our actions, forgives our sins, and blesses us.

This truth is a source of great comfort to me. I know there is nothing that can keep me from God. God has chosen me for good and has saved me from sin. All that God requires of me is faith and trust.

This is not a revelation in my life. I was blessed to be born into a family of faithful, trust-filled people. The “ah-ha!” for me is that each time I revisit God’s promises and blessings, I have a much longer list of sins and shame and things-I-wish-I-had-done-differently, yet each time, the message is the same. “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good…” Gen 1:31. No matter how far I fall from rightness, God still claims me. God still calls me “very good” if I am able to be redirected in faith and to trust in the path God places before me.

Genesis is also a book of beginnings. The world is made. Humanity is born. Faith is created. Sin is forced into being. God begins his covenant(s) with us. It is a launching pad to the relationship that God is continually forming with us from the Beginning to the End. “See, I am making all things new….” Rev 21:5. Thanks be to God.

the super big project

2010-09-05T23:51:00.002-04:00

when anxiety or worry takes over, i find myself drawn to fiber. i like to hold it, squish it, spin it, finish it, knit it, smell it (does that make me weird??)

it is fairly obvious to anyone who knows me well that there are some major things going on in my little world. the mounds of freshly carded fiber (thanks Erin, Ducky, and Mande!) are piling up. the spinning wheel is whirring more often than not. the skeins of gorgeous yarns for doll hair are stacking up in the studio.

several months ago, i spun a yarn that i couldn't part with. something about it made me pause. so, i began knitting. a triangle. then, i found another yarn. and another yarn. and another yarn. and i knit them up, too. into triangles. lots of oddly shaped, variously sized triangles.

a week ago, i finally figured out what to do with them all. i'm going to continue to knit them until some large life things are settled out...and then i'll need a professional finisher. got any suggestions?

all the yarns in this particular project are spun by batts from Erin of WoolyHands on Etsy. (well, except for one...it was spun by Erin...but i need to remember to ask if it was her batt!)

more photos of the Enchanted Cupboard's toys!

2010-08-17T19:42:00.006-04:00

even the packaging is Enchanting..peel back layer after layer of exquisitely crafted toys...
Helen had a field day with these little wooden lovelies.
but don't let the photos fool you...
my boys (8 &9) are just as mesmerized by them,
they just don't want their photos taken!

meet Beccijo of the Enchanted Cupboard

2010-08-09T14:56:00.005-04:00

i'd like to introduce you to one of my daughters' most favorite artists, Beccijo Neff of the Enchanted Cupboard. i recently purchased one of her playsets and several silks and have been trying to pry them out of little hands and off of little heads ever since. poke through the Enchanted Cupboard...there is a dizzying array of choices, but i promise, all are wonderful...oh, and let me tell you about the packaging...simply amazing. Enchanted is a wonderful descriptive for the entire experience with Beccijo, but it is only the beginning! let's also toss in words like *joyful*, *inspiring*, and *captivating*...

Beccijo says:

I am creative, loving and excited about life! I am a woman who has the courage to be HAPPY! I am a very lucky wife and mother who is deeply loved by a great man and wonderful children. I have had the most wonderful experience being married for over 12 years. I, at one time didn't believe in marriage, but I am so glad that I took a chance and listened to my heart! I am the kind of person who gives 100% and that includes to my marriage. My reward has been a wonderful and magical relationship that is fulfilling in every aspect. If granted a wish, I would only ask for more!!

In 2008 I started getting serious about my hobby and started a shop on Etsy.com . I started out making a few wooden fairy dolls and over time have added to the collection. I now have wonderful dolls, playsets, playboxes, and wedding cake toppers. I have been featured all over the web including Nickelodeon's Parents Connect, The Knot.com, and AOL's AisleDash.

~When did you begin making Wooden Toys?

I've tried my hands at lots of different creative venues but the little wooden dolls and playsets really became a passion for me near the end of 2008.

~Why did you choose your style of toymaking?

I've always loved little tiny things. As a child I always picked the books that had mice that had little homes filled with reused things for their household. My mother instilled a love of fairies in me and I was for ever making little houses in the forest near my childhood home.

~Do you have a favorite toy of your own creation?

The first one I made, Lavender, part of The Fairy Ring series. She is modeled after my own sweet little girl.

~Do you also collect toys?

I have a collection of many items made by the members of the NaturalKids Team. I am collecting Bendy Dolls from Princess Nimble Thimble and Story Book dolls from The Fairies Nest.

bendy doll by PrincessNimbleThimble

Alice by Fairies' Nest

~At what point did you realize your gift was more than a hobby?

First when people started paying for my toys. Then when my own sister paid for one for a birthday present ( I gave her a discount!).

~Describe your workspace.

I completely rearranged my house and took over the largest room once I realized this is going to be a business. I love to have things organized and create systems that let me keep up with my homeschooling of 4 kids while working. My studio is in the center of the house and has made it easy for me to keep track of everything and everyone.

~What is your favorite part of the process.

The part of figuring out how to make what is in my head work in a playset or playbox. The process of putting it all together, painting it up, and then seeing the kids light up with delight!

~What is your least favorite?

Sanding, messy and takes up a lot of time but is a necessary evil!

~What inspires you?

My childhood and things I imagined there, watching my own kids grow and seeing what they play.

~What is the best time of day for you to create?

I love working at night after everyone is a sleep. I am my most productive then.

~Tell me about your biggest fan.

My husband has always been my biggest fan. He loves me with a great love one that is rare and deep. He really pulls me through when I expect too much of myself. All the characteristics that were seen as "my flaws" as a child are thing he loves about me. He keeps my feet on the ground but never kills my creativity. He lets me talk to him for hours at night about my plans and designs and always supports me when I change my mind. He is also the model for my pirate!!!

~What is your strangest request?

I have really had only normal requests but I do get strange key words that people find my shop through from Google.

~What is your favorite request?

It is going to make me cry to tell this story! A mother was being deployed and their poor little girl just got her dad back who was also in the service. I worked with them to design a Playbox that was just like their kitchen with lots of things for them to bake and little wooden dolls that look just like them. Now the little girl could always have them with her. It is things like these and knowing that little kids all over the world are playing with my toys that keep me painting on bad days.

~Which similar artist do you most admire?

I really love the work of http://www.etsy.com/shop/urastarhouse . Her dolls and wooden toys are lovely, sweet, and simple.

~Which classic artist do you most admire?

Hands down it would be Vincent Van Gogh. I love his work and his tragic story makes his work even more endearing. I love his passion for color and how he was compelled to create even when the world was against him. I am a big Dr. Who fan and a recent episode they visited him and in they end got to take him to the future and he got to see his greatness enjoyed by others, I cried like a baby!!!

~What do you know now that you wish you knew when you began? (Or what piece of advice would you give to someone first starting out in your field?)

Staring at the screen does not make orders appear.

Your work as mother, creator, artist is never done...live in the moment don't try to just get done.

Make a plan for success because if you don't you will not be able to keep up when it happens.

~Tell me an artist you’d like to have subjected to these questions?

http://www.etsy.com/shop/urastarhouse, I do the team interviews so I picked someone who I don't get to interview.

~What is your favorite flower?

A Tulip, I love the vast colors they come in there delicate but structured shape.

*a giant "thank you!" to Mrs. Beccijo! all photographs and all interview words in black are owned by Beccijo.

more photos of Olivia's Ultimate dresses!

2010-07-28T12:58:00.011-04:00

we took a vacation recently to our family cottage in Michigan. the time away was amazing...and i never realized before how picturesque a setting the cottage really is.

the girls (and the Moppets) were very patient with me as they modeled all manner of things in all manner of locations. these are my favorite shots of dresses (and Moppet dresses!) by Olivia.

you can learn more about this ultra-fab designer by reading the previous post. (clearly we need to order more of her dresses!)

xoxo ~ anna

breathe in, breathe out...

2010-07-27T19:28:00.003-04:00

today, i could use a little reminder. i thought maybe you could, too.
inhale, exhale...good.

meet Olivia of Olivia's Ultimate and Olivia Hooper Photography

2010-07-26T20:37:00.008-04:00

say "hello" to one of the most incredibly talented artists i have ever had the pleasure to meet: Olivia Hooper.

i met Olivia when she needed a doll model for her clothing line at Olivia'sUltimate on Etsy. little did i know...not only are her doll clothes the cutest, but her children's clothing is amazing! (and all those sweet little characters on the front of her dresses...all drawn by Olivia!) then, she did me the wonderful favor of sending photos of sweet little Ruthie in her clothes, and i discovered this woman is one heck of a photographer, too!!

Olivia is an amazingly patient mother of two, an attentive spouse, an intelligent business person, and a loyal friend. all in all, the total package. i am blessed to call her my friend, and i know you will love knowing more about her...

~When did you begin dressmaking and photography?

Dressmaking: I started making upcycled dresses early this year, and people really encouraged me to sell them because they liked my fabric combinations. Opening my Etsy store was a hard decision because I wasn’t sure if there would even be a demand. I finally decided to try it 3 months ago and was surprised at how fast it took off.

Photography: I picked up my first dSLR when my daughter was about a year old. I had a friend who took fabulous photos of her daughter modeling eBay boutique items and I really wanted to learn to take pictures of my little girl so that I could have tons of them rather than go to Picture People or other mall establishments all the time. Next thing I knew I was buying studio equipment, learning all about portraiture, lighting, etc. and people were calling to ask if I could also do photos of their kids.

~Why did you choose your dressmaking style and your personal take on photography?

Dressmaking: There is no limit to upcycling knits. There are millions of old knits in thrift stores to be found and made into something beautiful and fun to wear. My oldest daughter LOVES dresses but also likes to be comfortable. Upcycled knit dresses just make sense for girls her age. Being part of this upcycling community is great. I have made so many friends and learned how to do so many things.

Photography: I love kids. Being able to capture their innocence on camera is priceless.

~Do you have a favorite photo or a favorite dress that you've made?

I’m attaching my favorite dress and my favorite photo.

~Do you also collect dresses or photographs (or anything else handmade)?

I buy upcycled clothing from other designers including chimi and changa, Lil Blue Boo, Nookie Scooter, Jam Clothing Co, Upcycle me crazy, Soren Lorensen design, and Alli Cat Creations. Everyone has their own twist on upcycling, and it’s all beautiful in their own unique ways. I also love Blu Moon Babies for doll dresses.

I do collect dolls now too because I have been making doll dresses. I have 2 Imogen’s Garden dolls, 1 hippie house, and 1 Lighting Bugz on the way. Call me addicted.

~At what point did you realize your gift was more than a hobby?

Dress Making: When I sold over 50 dresses my first month. Woo hoo!

Photography: When I started getting 10 boxes a week from designers full of clothing for Izzy to model.

~Please tell us about your workspace.

Dress Making: My studio is my husband’s office. Did I kick him out? ;) Well, let’s just say he’s real nice and let me have it. I just redid the studio this weekend in fact. I now have a counter height table where I do all my cutting at. A large shelf behind it to keep bins of knits and knit yardage. I have a rolling rack full of main print/panel t-shirts that are color coded. A small desk to hold my laptop. A longer desk that holds my serger and sewing machine, a large bookshelf of cubby holes to hold other fabrics, boxes of beads, and baskets below for toys and other kid friendly art supplies to keep the kids distracted while I work.

Photography: Any outdoor space is my favorite because I LOVE using natural light. I especially love areas with green grass, trees, and water. Blue skies are a plus!

~What is your favorite part of the process?

Dress making: Thrifting! Going to find the perfect piece to upcycle.

Photography: I love prop shopping but my favorite part is making the families I shoot for really happy.

~What is your least favorite?

Uploading the millions of photos to edit and listing the dresses on Etsy. Can’t computers work faster??

~What inspires you?

My girls and other creative people.

~What is the best time of day for you to create?

I’d say morning, but I’ve been working really late nights in order to actually get things done!

~Tell me about your biggest fan.

My husband. He has liked pretty much every single dress I’ve made and every single photograph I’ve done.

~What is your strangest request?

Dressmaking: To screen print “Juicy” on the skirt back for a 3 year old. That was the little girl’s nickname.

Photography: To take photos of art work to send to a printer in China for a catalog because the communist government would not allow this artist’s pieces to be transported in and then taken away again. He is a “treasured artist” so his pieces must remain in China.

~What is your favorite request?

To make whatever I want and surprise them!

~Which similar artist do you most admire?

Dressmaking: Ashley of Lil Blue Boo. I use her patterns and I admire that she shares so much of her creative knowledge and work flow. She likes helping the stay-at-home mom in building a business for herself.

Photography: There are SO many I would never be able to pick one.

~Which classic artist do you most admire?

I am a huge fan of Picasso. I don’t always love every piece he’s done, but I admire him for experimenting with so many techniques and mediums.

~What do you know now that you wish you knew when you began?

I think I’m so new at this I’m still learning and have so many questions!

~Tell me an artist you’d like to have subjected to these questions?

Sofia of chimi and changa. She is an architect as well as a designer and she makes dolls now too!

~What is your favorite flower?

Roses. The smell is intoxicating!!! I do like peonies too.

*a giant "thank you" to Olivia for sharing with me! all photographs and interview words in black are owned by Olivia.

Frog Prince

2010-07-21T17:38:00.003-04:00

after meeting Emily of Yarn Miracle (see previous post to get to know her better...she rocks!), i promptly fell in love with her *Frog Prince* pattern and HAD TO make one.

lucky me, i had just finished spinning a fantastic green yarn (from a roving by Cloudlover). i had used most of it for doll hair, but i knew the rest was destined to be this little frog guy.

i used to be a rabid knitter...but i have never been one to follow a pattern, so this was a leap of faith for me. plus it calls for tiny needles and all i could find were metal (i have a tremendous loathing for metal knitting needles. yuck.)

this little guy needed to be made, so i took him along on our family vacation. in between berry picking, sailing, and beach lounging, i knit him up...with a smidge of help from my darling mother-in-law (always helps to have a cheerleader when you're trying something new).

the Yarn Miracle pattern is incredibly easy to follow! there was only one time that i said "huh?"...but once i got over myself and trusted that she knew exactly what she was asking me to do...he turned out beautifully.

this could be a fantastic evening project...even less time for someone with experience. for me, it was the perfect end-of-the-day project on vacation. thank you, Emily!!

growing up, i always believed that someday, my prince would come. well, here he is!

dress by Totzhatz

meet Emily of YarnMiracle

2010-07-19T22:51:00.007-04:00

welcome to the 1st Artist-Feature Edition of Imogen's Garden.

my first guest is Emily Ivey of Yarn Miracle. Emily is a wife, mother, gardener, baker, knitter, pattern designer...and an amazingly gifted writer. so much so, that i chose to leave her feature as it is in question and answer form. so much so, that i urge (caution?) you to poke around in her blog. you may find you wish to stay awhile.

~When did you begin toy making?

I've always loved making toys. Even before I could knit, I sewed little creatures, made stuff for my doll house, glued and pasted and assembled...you get the idea. I didn't start making toys to sell until two Easters ago when I opened my Etsy shop with three bunnies.

~Why did you choose knitting?

I am of the opinion that if you are going to bother to do something at all, you should bother to do it well. There are many many things that I don't do well, but knitting isn't among them. I've also never gotten bored with it! It's one of those rare activities that can keep my hands occupied while my brain is busy with something else.

~Do you have a favorite critter of your own creation?

One of the very first rabbits will always have my heart. He had such a sweet expression and photographed so beautifully. I'll never duplicate that.

~Do you also collect knit toys?

No, but I hoard patterns like it's a psychosis.

~At what point did you realize your gift was more than a hobby?

One day my cousin said, "You made that? I thought it came from a store!" And I sort of realized that I had evolved from home made to hand made - at least as far as knitting was concerned. When those first few rabbits sold right away (granted, my timing with the rabbits at Easter was completely calculated) I felt tremendously validated as a creator. They like me! They really like me!

~Tell us about your workspace.

Which part? The yarn is stored back in my crafty room, but I do most of my knitting on the couch in the den these days. Active projects are kept on the mantle (picture included), away from cats and Ellie. Ellie wants to keep everything I make. One baby only needs so many hand knit toys - which is part of why I started selling them in the first place.

~What is your favorite part of the process?

The beginning and the end. I love to decide which animal is next and pick the colors - I've got "What Next" lists that are a dozen projects deep! And I love to sit the finished critter up on the mantle where he can grin at me until it's picture time.

~What is your least favorite?

Rabbit tails. Those pompoms make a crazy mess.

~What inspires you?

It's hard to pin down exactly where inspiration lives. Sometimes it starts with a little "I wonder if I..." and then I chase that down a lot of paths before announcing with confidence that I HAVE AN IDEA.

~What is the best time of day for you to create?

I'm my very best in the early morning before anyone else is awake. But I have to say: I have come to think of Ellie's Naptime as a Special Blessing.

~Please,tell us about your biggest fan!

That has to be Great Gran! She's my regular grandmother - it's a longish story about how I messed that up when I was little, so you should just think of the "Great" as a superlative. She taught me to knit (twice in fact) and has taken a personal interest and pride in everything that I've done since. I have to show her everything I finish and give her copies of all the patterns.

~What has been your strangest request?

I haven't really had one. I mean, someone wanted a GIANT bear, and I made him...but it wasn't really "strange."

~What has been your favorite request?

I recently made a Zodiac Family Portrait (tiger, monkey, sheep) in cashmere for a woman who's first baby is due next month. That was probably my favorite project so far - cashmere is just a dream, but it's expensive, so it's not a fiber that I get to work with for my own self.

~Which similar artist do you most admire?

Oh gosh my knitting idols. Barbara Prime of Fuzzy Mitten leaps to mind. Simply put, her patterns are wonderful. She is generous with permission to sell toys made from them. My main Companion line is derived from her originals. I also admire toy maker Julie Williams from Little Cotton Rabbits. Each animal she creates is fresh, full of personality and wearing the cutest outfit ever. Her work never gets stale; she may make a dozen pigs but it never seems repetitive. In addition to all that: her knitting is exquisite. She's also got chickens! I really want chickens. Susan B. Anderson is another pattern writer that amazes me. When I visit her blog, I always want to ask her where she finds the TIME! I've got a dozen sketches for new toys and might manage to publish three more this year - Susan has a pod cast, three books, a family, a blog and still manages to knit for herself.

~Which classic artist do you most admire?

By "classic," I'll assume you mean "doesn't work in a crafty medium" and not "Dutch Master." :D I've got a BFA (ceramics, if you can believe it - actually, hand built pottery and knitting have a lot in common as far as meditative work that builds on itself goes, but that's another essay for another time. Now you see why I employ footnotes on my blog.) so I've had a fair amount of art history (ancient is my hands down favorite) and feel reasonably qualified to answer this question.

I like artists who paint the same subject over and over again. Artists who recognize that when the light or the season or the surroundings change, the subject has changed. The little differences that make something new each day. Frida Kahlo, van Gogh, Monet with all those haystacks. Artists who don't just want to capture the moment, but who want to capture *every* moment.

~What do you know now that you wish you knew when you began?

A better understanding of Etsy tagging system would have been helpful. it was also tough to put a price on my work. On the one hand, each toy should be nine billion dollars and on the other, it's a good idea to stay competitive with the rest of Etsy's plush.

~What piece of advice would you give to someone first starting out in the knit toy community?

Take the time to be unique. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it's very annoying. Even if you are working from someone else's pattern (which I hope you have permission to do), you can still make it yours - through presentation, fiber, colors, attitude, whatever. Figure out how to make your work special and run with it.

~and finally, what is your favorite flower?

Camellias! We live in my great grandparents' home and the yard is packed with them. Gran-dad was a collector. It's like he left me a treat.

*a giant "Thank you!" to Emily for sharing her words and her photographs!

all photos and interview words in black are owned by Emily.

inspiration and awesomeness

2010-07-19T22:04:00.004-04:00

last post i told you i'd be offering links to and admirations of some of my favorite dollmakers. but then, inspiration struck...what if i let them tell you about themselves? ah, yes, my genius is showing!

i've made a list of 16 artists...some who make dolls, some who help me with mine (don't you want to know what makes Olivia of Olivia's Ultimate so incredibly wonderful? how does she do it??), some who are just plain fabulous!

first up will be Emily of YarnMiracle...she's such a good writer, i already know you'll want to tune in. her interview will be up tomorrow!!

and now, for Memory Monday...
this is me and my dear sweet uncle...
and what a Polaroid photo looks like after 30-ish years!

how the Moppets began...

2010-06-09T06:05:00.004-04:00

Marigold

i thought i started making dolls about 2 years ago, until my mom reminded me that i've made them for years...paper dolls, bandana dolls, and a soft sculpture doll or two that i gave to my little cousins when i was in junior high. how do i forget things like that? who knows...but 2 years ago, i started in my business with rag dolls.
it began as an amusement for my daughters, but i quickly realized that they could be a way to *green* up my studio. i could use those pounds and pounds of designer scraps leftover from dresses to make little eco-friendly friends. i but i get bored rather easily, and as much fun as those initial rag dolls were to make, there are only so many different ways you can change them up. and i'm the kind of girl who needs a lot of creative variety.
within a few months, i'd begun to remember those little soft sculpture dolls (the kind that came in a kit...fabric body, vinyl head, polyfil...very 1980's, very NOT eco-friendly), and i began to wonder if i could make something like that that WOULD be good for little ones and good for the earth.
now, i have a degree in theology, but a large portion of my time in college was spent studying elementary and early education. (shake your head a little bit more, Anna, an idea is trying to get through). wasn't there something about that in a lecture or two...right next to Montessori? oh, yes, Waldorf! how could i forget??
so, i ran right out (well...to Etsy) and found myself a copy of this book: Making Dolls by Sunnhild Reinckens. a whole new word opened up for me! this was it!!
now there are a whole, whole lot of talented Waldorf doll makers out there, and i absolutely believe that the world should run like a Waldorf school. but, i am not a Waldorf momma...i've never been able to figure out how to make it work with the life we lead...and that's a little sad to me, but it is what it is.
my kiddos are firmly grounded in "American Girl" dolls and shuttled off to public schools when they are old enough...and i don't think there's a thing in the world wrong with that either!
so, i had this idea to used the methods employed by traditional German dollmakers, but to swanky them up so that my American-consumer children would love them...way way more that their vinyl-made-in-China options.
i searched and re-searched construction methods and found some excellent help on the internet. step-by-step photograph tutorial for head-making by Berrie of Moonchild Studio found here. (i can no longer find the one i initially referenced, but Berrie is an extremely gifted dollmaker, and her tutorial is right on the money.) i tried a couple different methods of hair application, but because i can't count most days and crochet requires counting, i ultimately opted for the sewn on hair...which turned out to be a blessing, too, because, i use such thick yarns so often, a crocheted cap would certainly protest! i used this tutorial over at Crafty Sheep...but added a third layer of hair for volume. i used the instructions from my Making Dolls book to draft a pattern for the sweet little bodies (also good information there on head making...and adding noses).
so, if you are totally in love with the idea of making your own natural, Waldorf-inspired doll, i hope this gets you started. you are always welcome to ask questions...and i'll do my best to answer them, but i'm still learning myself!
next post...links to my favorite doll makers and just what it is about a particular maker's doll that i find so completely appealing. hold on to your seats...there are a bunch of them!

Linnea a thank you giveaway

2010-05-20T09:50:00.005-04:00

this sweet little flower needs a home.

Linnea is made from soft cotton peach knit and is stuffed with sparkling-clean wool...seriously, the cleanest wool i've ever seen. she has sky blue eyes and amazing hair. there are actually 6 types of yarn in there: wool, natural lopi, hand dyed teal 2-ply from local sheep (they're so cute), hand dyed lavender lopi, mohair, and a wonderful yarn handspun from a batt by ArtemisArtemis on Etsy. lucky me...i got to do the hand dying and handspinning!

to make Linnea your own, leave me a message telling me your favorite flower and why you love it (either here or on the Imogen's Garden fanpage on Facebook). mine is a calla lily...they're just so elegant!! but a gardenia is a close second...gotta love that scent!

next Wednesday, May 26, 2010, at noon EDT, i'll use the random number generator to choose Linnea's new home. you can only enter once...your first comment will be the number assigned to you. no restrictions, so come play!

p.s. she'll have shoes...don't fret...i'm just out of shoe elastic this morning. :)

heh...i'm smarter than i thought!

2010-05-15T11:19:00.004-04:00

so, i confess, i used to read O Magazine with the best of them. the pearls of wisdom i could glean from people like Martha Beck are just indispensable. but, in the last few years, i've had less and less time for reading, so i allowed my subscription to lapse in favor of spending my reading time with novels or storybooks.

one of the best books i've read in years is Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. the power and thrill of starting over (okay, not as drastically as the author did) was invigorating. the idea of tending to all the basic parts of me: body, soul, heart and claiming my life as my own...by owning the real me...was, and still is, intoxicating. Gilbert assured me that i can be who i am and be really, really happy...but i have to know me to accomplish that. (haven't read the book? go get it. get it NOW)

anyway, yesterday i wrote a post about our tendency as women (moms especially) to beat ourselves up over things we can't control and over some insane desire to be someone we aren't. apparently i hit a nerve with you, dear ones. i've had more comments and emails over this post than any other i've ever written.

one of you sent a letter asking if i read last month's issue of O. well, no, i haven't. but i followed the link that was sent to me, and i found an article by my dear Elizabeth Gilbert that addresses the very same issue.

i'm smarter than i thought!

here is a link to her article...it's a variation of yesterday's theme. go read it!!

say it isn't so

2010-05-14T07:41:00.004-04:00

i've had some disturbing conversations with my mom-friends lately. some i've known for forever; some have only recently made their ways into my world; a couple i know only fleetingly...as in scraps of conversation as we wait for our children at Scouts, church, or the bus stop. all of them have gifted me with their honesty, with their openness, with their wit, and all of them suffer from the very same problem...a chronic feeling of being *lesser*, of lacking some elusive magical quality that other women seem to possess...as though being able to do more, know more, be more would make their lives perfect, their children happy, their marriages work.

lemme tell you. it ain't so.

my neighbor is a mother of two ages 5 & 7. she works 40hrs a week at her day job in another town. then she comes home to prepare three different dinners for her family, help with homework, administer baths, read bedtime stories, tuck babes into beds, then she works on her home business until all accounts are settled. by this time, her husband has come home, so she squeaks in a few minutes of catching up with him. after the rushed *quality* time, she passes out in her bed for a couple of hours (assuming no one needs a 3am glass of water), and wakes up to do it all over again.

on weekends, she plans family outings to amusement parks, to the beach, to workshops where her kids can learn skills with hand tools or art supplies. they regularly make it to church. and her children's birthday parties are extravagant...not to mention the holiday parties she throws for nearly EVERY holiday...or the numerous times she's made sure her neighbors have hot meals, carpools, adult conversation, or just the right eyeshadow for a swanky night out.

yesterday, she confessed that one of her children needs some dental work, that surely if she had taken more time to help the child with teethbrushing, prepared different meals, been home more...it wouldn't have happened. mom-guilt.

a mom i met at the bus stop thinks if she had stayed with her emotionally abusive husband, her daughter would still have a dad. as though a whole, stable, loving mother isn't enough.

another woman is feeling profoundly guilty because her children are *speech-delayed*. nevermind that it's because they are raised in a bi-lingual household and if you factor that in, they are WAY ahead of the language curve.

still another friend is beating herself up because her child has inherited a genetic disorder that will prevent him from living a completely independent adult life.

yet another is twisted up because her child has developed severe gastric problems(not me, i swear!). this mom is torturing herself with the idea that if she had: slept more, eaten different things, not eaten that, weighed less, walked more, rested more during pregnancy...maybe this wouldn't be happening.

i have a girlfriend who was in a horrific car accident 3 years ago. as a result, she is wheelchair bound and is in the throws of a marital break-down. she's currently living as a single mother of a (almost) 3 yr old and a (nearly)5 yr old. she's working in the Church ministering to youth, raising her children without raising her hand, remembering birthdays, and doling out love and acceptance to everyone she meets. she's a shining example of the can-do human spirit, but last week, she actually said to me, "gosh, Anna, i don't know how you do it!"

um...hell-o!!

is it just me, or do you see how completely crazy this is?

i can't speak for my parents' generation, but i am surrounded by women who compare themselves to each other and always find themselves lacking.

and it's horrible to watch. and i am just as guilty.

SAY IT ISN'T SO!!

who says we have to do everything, do it perfectly, do it now?

here's the message i want to give you today:
you are good. you are good enough. you are perfect. you are loved.
you, my friends, were created to live this life and live it well...and you are doing it (see? you're still breathing...you're doing it!!)
God did not create us to do it all by ourselves(trust me on this one...God is not sadistic, does not delight in cruelty). we are here together...doing it together. and where my gifts end, yours are just beginning...and vice versa.

here's what i want you to promise me today:
today, just today(baby steps, people), do not compare yourself to anyone else. do not believe that you could have controlled something that you could have no control over, do not think about all the things you should be/could be doing as you read a book to your toddler for the 1000th time or as you drive your teen to the movie theater.
and once you begin to feel empowered just a little and safe in your own skin, share this message with someone else. i know you know someone who should hear it.

now, pardon me, i have to return some eyeshadow to my kick-ass neighbor.

one amazing week

2010-05-05T08:36:00.005-04:00

first, and most importantly, news about Helen:
we visited her gastroenterologist yesterday. he presented his findings as a *good news/bad news* situation...personally, i think it to be a *great news/not-so-good news* situation. the bad news is they still have not found a diagnosis...the great news is all the super-scary, pathological types of things have been ruled out. no cystic fibrosis, no crohn's disease, no celiacs disease, no muscular dystrophy, no rare form of diabetes, nor any of the other half-dozen things that would either end her life by age 20 or cause debilitating pain for the rest of her days. and that my friends is a *Glory-Halleluja!!*
the possibilities we are left with are mostly chronic (meaning she may have to live with them controlled by diet and/or medications for forever) and annoying, but having seen what could be, i am profoundly grateful...and Helen in her too-old-for-her-age wisdom is grateful, too.
we have several tests still on the horizon, but for now we are evaluating a completely dairy-free diet (if any of you have fantastic references or recipes...please share!). and if i come across anything fabulous to eat, i'll be sure to let you know about it.

the second bit of news: last Thursday night, Helen was feeling well enough to roughhouse with her little sister...that was the good news. the less than stellar news is that in the midst of this fun, Clara broke her arm. i probably don't need to express to you just how unimpressed a 3 year old is by an aching arm immobilized in a sling. but Clara's a trooper...she finally realized that the only time her arm hurts is when it's out of the sling, and she's been much better about keeping it in.

we had several adventures over the last week: we went to Colonial Williamsburg, caught the ice cream man, and took several family walks; but most notably, we traveled to Amelia, Virginia, on Saturday to try our hands at mining. we had an amazing time...learned all sorts of things about geology in the area and came home with a 5 gallon bucket of rocks and semi-precious stones to polish and play with.

i'll leave you with some photos of our adventure...may your week be just as amazing (minus all the trips to the doctor!)

angel eyes

2010-04-14T12:48:00.006-04:00

so, on Saturday, i wrote what i believed to be an incredibly whiny post(yes, Aunt Christine and Uncle Tom, i hear you when you say i have to work on my complaining ability, but i'll save that for another day). so many of you have responded...i am blown away. the love and support that has flown to me across the 'net has been almost overwhelming, and i am grateful to you for it. your words have been a blessing to me...and to my little girl who has cherished all the well-wishes and prayers you have offered. thank you!!!

we finally were able to visit her specialist on Monday, which was a bit of a relief, and now i am faxing all manner of paperwork and release forms from here to California and Alabama and back again. this gastroenterologist does not want to repeat tests unnecessarily...and for that, too, i am grateful. i have great expectations of this man. i have made sure he is aware of them. i pray he doesn't disappoint.

a bit vexing is that all the things i'd believed were ruled out as a diagnosis for Helen are back on the table. big, scary things: cystic fibrosis, crohn's disease, celiac disease...those are just the three i remember at this moment. there are other monsters out there, i've just forgotten their names.

Helen ~ 9 months

when Helen was born (a week post-due and terribly traumatically) she was different from my other babies. she was present. older. aware. she had this piercing gaze and fierce determination...working so hard to hold her head up even in our recovery room. her eyes were captivating. you could see her sagacity at 2 days old.

i loved her immediately, with a fierceness that startled me. i knew her...had known her my whole life and felt a piece of me come home the day they released her from my womb.

Helen ~ 5 years

today, Helen is a self-assured, comfortable-in-her-skin 5 year old. she's wise and nonplussed...in a manner that belies her age. she knows exactly who she is (i envy that), and she knows exactly who you are as soon as you meet. when her Goddaddy met her for the first time(she was 4 months old), he insisted on riding next to her carseat so he could lock eyes for the hour and a half drive from the airport. later, he confessed, "i had to. i couldn't look away...i know she sees me when she looks into my eyes. i could feel her see my soul."

this is hard

2010-04-10T21:36:00.000-04:00

i'd like to lodge a formal complaint with the universe. 2010 has been really, really lousy thus far.

honestly, this is the hardest life has ever been for me. there have been scarier times. there have been lonelier times. there have been poorer times. but nothing has been this personally difficult.

a dear friend of mine just said, "With the weight of the world on her shoulders you would never hear a complaint from Anna Montgomery.......
(on the contrary, she would be trying to do something for you or for someone else!)." God bless her, that is very, very true. usually. today, i decided...i want to complain (for once...and very very loudly) THIS SUCKS. A LOT.

i am tired of shouldering it all. i am tired of hearing all the whining around me. i am weary of pleading. i am worn out from the worry. i am sick of taking the higher ground. i am SO over this year. and only 8 months to go.

since January, i have been single-parenting more often than not. i have been bullied professionally (yeah, BULLIED...you know who you are), i have been made to feel unsafe in my home and online, i have been ignored by medical professionals, i have been terrified of losing my daughter to some unnamed disease that is slowly eating her alive, i have been insulted by *customers* who are not-so-subtly doing the bidding of someone else, i have been afraid that i am not strong enough to bear this alone...and i am angry at having to do so.

i am working 20 hour days...and barely putting a dent in all the stuff piled on my *to-do* list. i am exhausted.

and just when i think things are manageable, my cats slaughter 6 baby bunnies in my backyard.

so there you have it. my formal complaint. please, please, please, universe, i need something wonderful right about now.

Nixie an spring-time giveaway

2010-03-30T20:36:00.003-04:00

isn't she precious?

if i had had the time...i think i would have kept her myself. of course, i think this about many of my dolls, so maybe it's best i don't have more time!

Nixie is a mermaid looking for a sweet someone to call her own. she can be yours! all you have to do is become a fan on Facebook . after that, tell me one word to describe the person you would give her to(it can be you!) and then, tell me your relationship to that person.

tomorrow, March 31, around noon-ish, we'll let the random number generator decide where Nixie will go to live happily ever after.

Nixie has tan cotton skin, chocolate brown eyes, and super squishy hair which i handspun from a roving made by WoolyHands on Etsy. she is filled with the cleanest wool stuffing i have ever, ever seen(...seriously! so happy with my new supplier). her mermaid tail is removable and is made from cotton velour...she has underwear on under there, so she can be a *regular gal*, too.

best of luck to you!

♥anna

(sorry this is so slap-dash! we'll do another soon...)

new "hire"

2010-03-11T10:13:00.002-05:00

Imogen's Garden has a new *staff* member. i put her to work this morning.

Promise the mermaid

2010-03-09T15:40:00.004-05:00

just had to show her to you...i finished up a custom doll last night! i had the best time working with this Mama to make just the right doll for her daughter.
this little mermaid's hair is primarily made of handspun (overspun by me to give it a funky twirly look...the roving came from Chimera on Etsy). the rest is deep brown lopi, for depth of color(direct from Iceland!), and pink and purple mohair from a sweet little knit shop right down the street.

flashback

2010-03-01T11:19:00.003-05:00

we've been having a blast lately! into the wee hours of the night, James has been sifting through an embarrassingly large plastic tote of photos. he's scanned dozens and is dutifully attempting to identify and label each one.
last night, he found a bunch of *vintage Anna* photographs. this one is my favorite from that particular batch of photos. i remember posing for this shot! it's the early 1980's (can't you tell?)

Happy 8th Birthday to My Littlest Boy

2010-02-19T17:16:00.006-05:00

what happened to this?

sweet Jack, maybe it's the quiet way you move through the day or the intelligence that belies your years...or is it the tender heart and thoughtful repose that leads my wistful mommy-heart to believe that you'll be tiny and loving and hand-holding forever?

whatever it is, i am grateful for it. i am grateful for the thousands of ways you show me each day to simultaneously question and embrace this wonderful world and for the unexpected and forceful *i love you*'s that you dole out like penny candy. in so many ways, big and small, you make me proud to be your mother, but you also help me to see the beauty in the world and the good in humanity and to be proud of my place in it.

on this day, especially, the day of your birth, i am so grateful...grateful that 8 years ago, God gave me you.

grama's garden in july

2010-02-18T12:54:00.007-05:00

oh, i am homesick today.

a warm companion

2010-02-17T10:46:00.005-05:00

my girl Helen hasn't been feeling well, and yesterday, after a supreme bout of the mulligrubs, i wanted to make something special for her, but i was stumped.

i tweeted my heart-felt desire, and Gail of Guurrrl Designs had just the right idea. "How about a microwaveable plushie/doll heat pack?" she suggested.

funny how serendipity plays in our lives. a few weeks ago, i bought a wool sweater from the thrift shop and felted it down...it screamed *Helen*, but i had no idea what to do with it. this little project was perfect! someone Helen could talk to, cuddle with, and who would keep her warm and ease her achy belly.

i decided the sleeves of the sweater were a fantastic size for this doll (it's gotta be small to fit in the microwave and to tuck under an arm). then, i searched my cupboard for the perfect size cup to use as a template for the head. serendipity again...Helen's baby cup was just the right size.

i used cotton jersey for the face, wool felt for the hair, and wool felt scraps for the facial features. a red-orange crayon was employed for the rosy cheeks. i sewed it up and stuffed the head and base with pure wool(wool won't heat in the microwave, but it retains heat nicely...i thought i could get more mileage from the rice if it was packed in wool rather than in some other substance), then used my fingers to create a cavern in the wool for rice. i packed more wool on top of the rice, and whipstitched the opening closed. voila...ready for gifting!

we tested it in the microwave...heats up perfectly in 1 minute in our oven.

Helen's not up to modeling for me at the moment, but her green-eyed monster of a little sister is...thank you, Clara, for standing in.

looks like i'll be making at least one more...

and, Gail, this is your brain child...let me know if you need one, too! (and this counts for the 365 Day Creation Challenge, right??)

for the birds...

2010-02-16T20:36:00.006-05:00

someone suggested that you wonderful people may want a glimpse into the ways i grab my inspiration. lemme tell you, it comes from all over the place, but usually, my children have a large part of it. today's example: Billie Bird

when we lived in Alabama, my youngest son Jackson had a major nail-biting problem. nails bitten down to the quick constantly. sometimes, if his little world was rocking, he'd bite them so much that it hurt him to hold a pencil or his fingers would bleed.

Jack had been begging for a new pet for a loooooong time, so i made him a deal: stop biting your nails for 6 weeks (with daily inspections by Mom) and you may choose a new pet...rat, bird, or guinea pig. i thought it would take him some time, but it took exactly 6 weeks. so, i helped him research his options and he chose a parakeet.

we brought home a green parakeet who quickly informed us he (she?) needed a playmate, so we brought home a second bird. Jack and Clara named the little guys, and since we couldn't tell gender without a DNA test(must be true, Jack looked it up), we named them Billie and Sammie...names that would be good(and "so they won't feel weird, Mom")whether they were boys or girls.

these little feathered friends brought so much joy and noise and mischief into our lives, but disaster struck right before Christmas...

Jack had been in a bus accident and developed a migraine that lasted for over 14 hours...i gave him his meds and put him to bed. the next morning, i took the cover off the cage so that the birds could sing Jack awake, and to my horror, i found Sammie lifeless on the floor of the cage. all his (her?) song was gone.

the next morning, Billie suffered the same fate. and Jack was heartbroken.

not too long after our tragedy, the kiddos and i were looking at the basic shape of my *Anya* pattern from the shop and brainstorming the other people and creatures that we could see in it...Billie and Sammie seemed to spring forth! so, i whipped up a few stuffed birds(we think they're parakeets...but really, they could be just about anything) and got the notion that you might like to make your own.

wait 'till you see what Clara saw in *Anya*...(i'm still a little grossed out!!)

odd ramblings and a day-late photo

2010-02-09T12:21:00.003-05:00

this past month has been a whirlwind. i started out the year with loads of resolutions about how i would run my shop, but so far, i've only actually accomplished one of them. my poor Etsy shop is badly neglected while i've been otherwise engaged.

lest you think i've been slacking, i thought i would tell you, i've sent loads of dresses and swingtops to Puerto Rico and hoards of dolls in all shapes, sizes, and kinds to Canada. several hats and dolls have found new homes stateside. currently, i have 4 Moppets in the works as custom orders, and 5 wooden dolly blanks begging to be painted for a sweet girl in California. i have sketched 11 doll patterns...9 of which i look forward to sharing with you. i have actually drafted 4 of those patterns and sent 1 of them to my *editor* for the final proof and copy. i'll be working on the copy for another later this week.

meanwhile, my daughter Helen has informed me that she's just about outgrown all of her dresses, and she needs something new to wear to her Valentine's party on Friday. i've committed to baking cupcakes for 2 classes...and completely forgotten until now, that i have yet to sit with my children and work on teacher gifts for the occasion. not to mention the hubbub surrounding the 100th day of school and the projects that go with that.

phew!

also, my brain has been spinning with the notion of craft vs. production. why do we (as crafters and artisans) do what we do? at what point does the idea of creating something beautiful for someone cross the line into a way to meet the *bottom line*? how much does commerce drive creativity?

looking to the future, i can clearly see that something currently in my life will have to fade away. i cannot maintain two small businesses, provide childcare for my neighbors, and mother my children the way i have been. deployment is looming on the horizon. with that will come larger household responsibilities (okay...make that ALL the household responsibilities) and a larger need to look out for the other women who will be sharing this deployment with me.

so, i'm working out the options in my head. not an easy task! i'm the kind of gal who will contort herself and give away the farm if someone is in need...

i can see that part of the solution will be to draw my personal line closer to the notion of craft...further from production. i imagine i'll be focusing more on making dolls for the sake of making them because i need to...less because i know they'll sell. if that makes sense. you'll probably see fewer dolls for a bit...but they'll be more lovely than ever.

maybe.

the notion that i am establishing myself as a dollmaker is a heady one. a driving one. it is wonderful to see a note in my inbox that someone wants a doll i've made with my own hands of my own design.

see, there is no one else helping me run the little show called Imogen's Garden. it's just me. no staff. no one else to do the post office runs. no one else to send out email blasts on my behalf. and i find this gratifying. i find the honor bestowed upon me with each purchase made in my little shop humbling. and all of it is exhilarating! and exhausting.

so, eventually...i'll find a solution. maybe.

my youngest son reminded me that today is Tuesday...not Monday. so i'm a day late. but i thought you'd enjoy this photo of my monkey girl taken last May in Williamsburg, VA. such a carefree day, and this photo embodies it just about perfectly. i think we need more days like this one...

Memory Monday

2010-01-25T07:54:00.003-05:00

ah, yes...the very first Pinewood Derby!
Carter won *Sportiest Looking* and was so proud

DIY Clip Kit by Daisycreek Designs

2010-01-20T11:12:00.007-05:00

there is a new simple pleasure out there for us DIY-ers. Liz from Daisycreek Designs has come out with an easy, precious clip kit.

everything you need to make a unique hair clip for your wee-one (or yourself...admit it, you like to be cute as much as the next girl) is included in this sweet little package. the only extra supplies you'll need are scissors, a sewing needle, and a glue gun or fabri-tac...you know, the things we moms can't live without! Liz has even pre-cut the embroidery floss...so you don't have to think through the measuring.

this morning, Clara and i sat down together and made one of these clips to match the dress she was wearing. it took us about 10 minutes...would have been even faster without the *help* of a three-year-old!

head on over to visit Liz. she has a wealth of precious things for the girly-girls in your life!

Hats...hats...hats...

2010-01-13T15:28:00.002-05:00

our church is donating hats and mittens to our elementary school. i thought *i can help with that*. now, i have 4 children, so i know that how you look is almost as important as who you are when you're a 5th grader.

i bought these 10 hats...5 navy, 5 black. i plan to swanky 'em up and send them off.

here's the before...

you'll have to be patient to see the *after*.

project total (so far) $10.00

Memory Monday

2010-01-11T11:43:00.003-05:00

going to try something new...let's see how long i can keep up with it! a photo memory from me each Monday morning.

this is a photo from 2 years ago...and Clara's first (and only) snowfall. funny, we saw more snow in Alabama than we've seen in Virginia!

what i'm working on today...

2009-12-12T19:15:00.004-05:00

well, worked on today... she's off to Minnesota!

i had a blast with this doll. i spun the fat slubby yarn and handdyed the mohair. Dad wanted tan skin with brown eyes so *the doll can be whoever my daughter wants her to be*. i LOVE that!! he requested funky hair in his daughter's favorite colors, and we worked together to design a more traditional dress for the doll that celebrated his daughter's love of color while sticking to his more conservative tastes.

i didn't get to name this one...but i hope, hope, hope i get to find out her name once the little girl who loves her decides who she *wants her to be*.

O Christmas Tree

2009-12-08T13:03:00.003-05:00

you've been neglected for too many years. each December we drag you home, prop you up, and allow everyone to inspect your unsightly stand for a month or so. this year, i promise it will be different.

see, i found this wonderful blog entry over at The Paper Pony. step by step instructions for how to make a fancy skirt for you at a fraction of the cost of a store bought one! simple and elegant, too.

tree, we've known each other for many years, and by now you've certainly come to realize i am unable to do anything exactly as suggested. so although the original skirt is beautiful, i have to add to it somehow.

so, i've enlisted the aid of 4 of Santa's elves, and together, we have made a skirt for you that is anything but simple and elegant. but it is terribly, terribly beautiful because we've made it with love for the Season and with love for each other. this year, you may well be the best dressed tree the world has ever seen...

what i'm working on today...

2009-11-27T23:29:00.001-05:00

oooh. customs. and funky ones, too! i ♥ it!!

the one that got away

2009-11-18T14:53:00.007-05:00

i just made a custom doll...in a gianormous hurry for a 3yr old's birthday. let me say, i don't rush things often, especially Moppets, but this case called to my heart.
and then, when she was finished, i so wished i could keep her.
i was in such a hurry to get her to the post office, that i couldn't even get good photos. but what i have, i'll share with you.

see why i wanted to keep her? *sigh*

Ribbon Bookmarks a Simple Tutorial

2009-11-02T10:21:00.011-05:00

my kids and i just celebrate a modified version of "Yes Day". i say modified, because they didn't tell me yesterday what they wanted to do...i just took them to do a whole bunch of things they've been asking to do for quite some time.

one of those things was to make crafts...we got supplies to make several, and i promise to show them all to you along and along.

the first thing i want to show you (all apologies to any of my readers who may also be my kids' teachers) is the book marks we made for teacher Christmas gifts.

yes, i know it's early, but when you have 4 children and each of them has at least 3 teachers, you've gotta get a jump start on things!

here's how to make your very own:

Supplies:
ribbon
book to measure and/or measuring tape
ribbon clamps
jump rings
beads
pendants or charms
tiny needle nosed pliers (either a jeweler's pair or the tiny one available at the hardware store)
scissors
optional: fray check or a lighter (to seal the ends of the ribbon and prevent fraying)

Instructions:
1~measure your book and add 2 inches (we found that 10 to 11 inches is just about right)

2~cut a length of ribbon to those measurements.

3~using your pliers, clamp the ribbon clamps to the ends of the ribbon.

4~pry open your jump ring and slide on the beads and charms for the top

5~now add the loop attached to the ribbon clamp(which is attached to your ribbon...right?)

6~squeeze your jump ring shut.

7~repeat steps 4-6 for the bottom of the ribbon

8~pop in in your favorite book and admire your handiwork!

we've decided that good books go great with coffee, hot chocolate, or tea, so we will attach these bookmarks to a gift card for our local coffee shop. voila! 12 teacher gifts finished in about an hour...and the hardest part was choosing the charms.

p.s. please excuse the quality of the photographs in this post. my assistant was busy...

Winds of Change: They Are a Blowin'

2009-10-16T07:30:00.002-04:00

last time i checked in(embarrassingly, 6 months ago), i went on and on about how much i love making Waldorf-inspired dolls, and then, i proceeded to only make 3 more for 6 months. yeesh.
my passion for these dolls hasn't waned in the slightest...i've designed dozens on paper, but i haven't quite managed to get any of them birthed into reality. there are myriad reasons for this, not the least of which is the fun and frolic that naturally accompanies summer...
i'd like to announce that major changes are coming to Imogen's Garden. soon and very soon, you will see fewer options in the shop, but i believe you will absolutely love what you do see!!! (so if there is something you love hanging out in there now, you'd better grab it while you can!)
do you remember the doll giveaway i was talking about? well, it's ON, baby! check back over the weekend to see photos of this little beauty and learn how to enter the giveaway...fantastic way to score an early Christmas gift for the little flower in your life. sorry, this giveaway is for US residents only. i hope to be able to include my international friends in the next one.

finally...patterns for Jane/Peter and Anya dolls are up in the shop! get yours and get to crafting your own custom dolls!! go! now!!

big squishy love to you all....♥anna

obsession

2009-04-08T17:30:00.006-04:00

dollmaking.

i thought it was bad when i was making only rag dolls. then i ventured into the wooden ones...love them, too.

but Waldorf-inspired dolls...

wow.

it's all i think about anymore!

it's fun to daydream dresses for my girls and for my shop. i love to hear that a mom is especially happy with a skirt i custom made for her hard-to-fit-daughter...but none of that compares with the deep, obsessive love i have for this doll making.

i have made six 14/15 inch dolls to date and 3 little snuggle dolls (and one wee pocket-sized doll for my daughter who was obsessively jealous of the pocket doll given to me by Ulla of Germandolls. (check out her shop...we do the same things, but so differently...she is really, really gifted...and her dolls are made from a *secret family recipie*!) i refuse to share...i made her a poor replica instead)

right now, i have 5 dolls in the hopper. 2 boys for my 2 boys (but don't tell the big kids on the bus), 2 mermaids, and 1 golden skinned doll who must be River's little sister. i wonder what her name is...

anyway...here are photos of Helen's doll *Rosa*. she's made from wool i sourced locally with the most fabulous hair! i would never have picked it...leave it to Helen to choose something totally unconventional and have it totally rock. the thick slubby stuff is yarn i handspun from a roving by Woolyhands. the rest we chose at the same sheep farm from which Rosa's stuffing came. i made Rosa's dress and bloomers, but her FABULOUS sweater came from Elaine at GrannysKnits with a button for closure by Gina at GinaMStudios. there are more sweaters on the way...assuming i can keep them out of Helen's greedy little mits.

i've been pondering a Waldorf-inspired doll giveaway...what say you all?

New Wooden Friends

2009-03-15T10:18:00.004-04:00

well, lovies...i have been quite negligent in the blog posting department. i assure you, it is not without cause!

Helen and i have been making hoards and swarms of little wooden friends(okay, i've been making them, and Helen's been supervising)...and now you may pick up your favorite in my Etsy shop!

this time i made gnomes, pirates, mermaids, fairies, ballerinas, bathing beauties, and a grandmother with her grandson.

i estimate that it takes about 45 minutes of constant painting to complete each doll. however, each doll requires drying time between multiple coats of paint and many of them have loads of details. to save time and sanity, i try to make several dolls at once. this means that you'll see new dolls less frequently, but when they are ready...loads of them will appear all at once!

here are photos of the dolls in process and of Helen painting a doll house for all of her new wooden friends.

A Joyful Girl

2009-03-12T08:38:00.005-04:00

my girl Clara is a bubble. always cheerful. always loving. generally agreeable. always moving...impossible to get a good photograph.
this week we designed a skirt together, and i asked her to model it for my shop. she agreed, and i was able to snap some wonderful photos of my joyful girl. don't you just want to eat her up?

Isn't She Lovely?

2009-03-01T18:22:00.004-05:00

isn't she wonderful? (thanks, Stevie, i always hear you when i see my girls)

without ANY assistance (or permission-CLARA!), they've gotten all dressed up. and Mommy gets to order new make-up!

Sophie

2009-02-25T16:59:00.005-05:00

so, i've been busily making Waldorf-inspired dolls (and loving every minute of it ~ here's *Fawn* for those of you who have yet to meet her)

my girl Helen (4) is busily designing hers. we've agreed that i'll only make her one EVER, so she needs to think a bit about what she wants her doll to look like (so far, she's firmly decided on peach colored skin and pinky-peach hair, but she's still debating the eye color...lavender at last check, but yesterday it was black...we'll see)

Clara (2) desperately wants one of these lovelies, too. since she's so little, i just cannot imagine giving her a dress-up doll...besides, the doll she wants at 2 is not likely to be the doll she'd design at 4 or 5...and she only gets one EVER. but, we all know i'm a giant sucker for big brown eyes and strawberry-blond ringlets...SO

here's *Sophie* the snuggle doll. she has a super soft cotton velour body, so the clothes don't frustrate my baby, but she still has *big girl* hair...it's just tied up in short little pony tails that are easily repairable if need be. Clara chose the grassy green color of her suit, and i tried to mimic Clara's features for the rest of the doll.

i'm pretty sure *Sophie* is named for the daughter of www.LuLusWoobies.etsy.com i recently painted a custom set of dolls for LuLu's girls, and Clara has been fascinated by the name *Sophie* ever since!

we're pretty excited about these snuggle dolls around here, so Connor and Zoe will be making their debut at Imogen's Garden at Etsy very soon!

Happy Birthday, Jackson!

2009-02-19T07:50:00.002-05:00

i've got 4 kids, but my #2 is the one who shocks me each year. somehow, i can never get a grip on how much he's grown...how much time has passed from one birthday to the next.

today is Jack's 7th birthday (really? seriously? 7?). he's an orange nut, and it is so difficult to find orange things! i looked to Etsy and hit the jackpot...

River is here!

2009-02-18T12:33:00.002-05:00

here she is ladies and gents! this little girl is SO beautiful to me!! i altered the pattern that gave Eva funny arms...and i think i've got it right this time.

River is about 15" tall with golden skin and jet black eyes. her hair is so fun...made of three types of wool for a fun and funky look...her highlights match her dress and bring out the golden tones in her skin.

she's ready for a new home! hop on over to the Garden at Etsy and pick her up!!

Meet "Eva"

2009-02-16T09:27:00.006-05:00

FINALLY she's finished! i had such a marvelous time creating this doll. she was a real challenge, but i think she's totally worth it. since she's been so well received, i've decided to make this type of Waldorf-inspired natural doll for my shop.

this lovely girl is named "Eva". Helen was my brain trust on this one. Eva was my great-grandmother's name, and it is a derivative of "Eve". we thought it most appropriate as she is the first doll of this type and took 7 days to create.

Eva is entirely made by hand of all natural materials. she has cotton skin, cotton thread, and wonderfully soft wool stuffing. her hair is made of three types of wool yarn (i'm fairly certain the shiny stuff isn't *natural*, but the effect is worth it).

Helen says she'll call the doll "Evie" sometimes...as that was the name my great-grandmother most often went by...if you were familiar enough to call her by her first name. Evie Whitten was always just *Mamaw* to me!

"River" is already in progress...i'll be sure to let you know when she's ready to go to her new home!

PLAYTIME!

2009-02-11T12:15:00.003-05:00

in an effort to *take care of myself*, i have abandoned all custom orders for a while. my life had gotten too complicated, and so, nothing was being done well or on time. i found myself frustrated and feeling incompetent.

this new found *freedom* has been so liberating already. i've got tons of projects and ideas that i want to explore, and now i have the time to do them. Helen has already commented that *we don't have to rush today, huh, Mommy?* boy, is that a wake up call...when i found myself rushing their little childhoods and postponing sweet, handmade *just because* gifts for them...

well, it's time. time to step back and care for me...my creative spirit, my health, my children...

but that means PLAYTIME!!

i've learned a few new tricks, and i'm happy to be able to share some of them with you. some of these things will end up in my Etsy or Artfire shops, some will be sent to nieces and nephews, and some will set up residence here with my children...which is why i began this venture in the first place.

Modern Day Partridge Family

2009-02-08T00:36:00.002-05:00

so, James got *Rock Band* for his birthday...

here are my little musicians hard at work.

the scary part is they're good at it. even wee Clara can drum pretty darned well...

and they take it so very seriously.

watch out "American Idol". i've got your next set of contestants right here...

(the sweet little feet in the bottom corner belong to Jack...Helen was *sitting this one out, Mom*)

Last Sneak Peek!

2009-02-07T17:03:00.002-05:00

okay...last time i'm gonna show you before she's done (name suggestions, anyone?)

i *fixed* her eyes, partially stitched down her hair, and attached her upper body to the rest.

next time you see her, she'll be done!! whoo-hoo!!!

the Next Step

2009-02-04T21:43:00.003-05:00

here she is in two pieces (her eyes are still weird).

i think her arms are too long and skinny, but i'm trying to reserve judgement until she's finished and dressed.

Trying Something New (again)

2009-02-04T21:05:00.003-05:00

i get bored easily. my husband says it's because i'm too smart. (he's very sweet)

i am attempting my first Waldorf doll. i hear they are a real challenge to make. i'm so excited, i can hardly stand it.

the head wasn't nearly as difficult as i thought, though the eyes are a little weird. i found a kind soul to help me figure out how to fix them.

but here she is in progress...

Valentine's Day for Helen

2009-01-25T11:36:00.002-05:00

my girl Helen has fallen in love with little wooden dolls. she takes them everywhere, talks to them incessantly, and loves, loves, loves them. recently Clara has also become enraptured by these little beauties. Helen is not so wild about sharing these treasures.

so, as any overly doting mother would do, i headed over to our favorite wooden doll shop on Etsy. imagine my *horror* when i realized the shop is only carrying sewing patterns now!

i've gotten a jump start on Valentines' Day for my little lovies and have begun painting them myself. i was very nervous about it(didn't want *wonky* dolls), but i think these are pretty darned cute!...here's a peek at what my girls will be be getting from me this Valentine's Day...

CPSIA Celebrity Basket Trio

2009-01-17T13:36:00.002-05:00

yesterday i was given the opportunity to submit items to be reviewed for inclusion into celebrity gift baskets. exciting! these baskets will be filled with handmade items from tiny businesses like mine. each basket will include a letter explaining that the items inside will no longer be available once the CPSIA takes effect on February 10, 2009. it is hoped that the women gifted will take up the cause and speak on behalf of small businesses!

i spent the day yesterday (and most of the night!) drafting a new pattern specifically for this event. "Nat" had been rolling around in my brain for quite sometime, and this prompted me to get him/her done!!

these are the dolls i submitted for review. i'll show you pictures of "original Nat" soon...my light failed (danged winter light!), and i had to photograph these first. poor Nat got left in the dark...literally!

tell me what you think!!

her own sense of style

2008-11-25T10:23:00.001-05:00

my girl Helen...she knows what she likes!
(note the blue jeans peeking out)

Dresses for Ms. Monkey

2008-11-16T01:39:00.002-05:00

there is a delightful woman whom i have known for what seems like forever. she's the kind of woman who won't ask much, but for whom you'd do absolutely anything...and without words, it's unspoken that this road of friendship freely travels both ways.

she's also the kind of woman who happily traded her given name for the moniker "Monkey". well, Monkey and i have a mutual friend who's stunningly beautiful children are in desperate need of dresses as Christmas gifts (from Monkey, of course).

when Monkey asked, i happily obliged. these babies are headed to Australia!

i wonder if koalas and monkeys get along......

2008-10-31T22:56:00.001-04:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
love, Mario, Luigi, and the fairies

Christmas Clothes for Big Sister/Little Brother

2008-10-31T16:15:00.003-04:00

a family friend asked me to make a matching set of Christmas clothes for his 5 year old "girly" niece and his 2 year old nephew. it was a fun project for me...and i think i may have found the fabric for my girls' Christmas dresses, too!

the dress is a classic a-line trimmed in wine piping with fantastic buttons that appear to change color in the light. the spray of roses on a deep green background is perfect for Christmas Eve, but it's not so overtly holiday that a girly-girl wouldn't wear it again. the dress is reversible and features a mod floral print on the other side. of course, the piping shows from either direction, and i used the same cool buttons on the inside. the dress is designed so that she can wear it for a LONG time. it will be a dress for a year or more, and then...voila! a tunic top for at least the next two years. i LOVE this design!

for the nephew, i chose to make a super-comfy pair of pants in a coordinating-with-sister green print. the cuffs are the best part, i think. they sing in a wine stripe that is reminisent of a candy cane...or maybe a barber pole...either way it's classic, not cliche. to top off his little number, i made a tie from the same fabric as the pant cuffs.

oh! i hope they send photos of the kiddos in their outfits! i imagine them to be just precious!!

Pastor Deb's Stole

2008-10-30T17:02:00.002-04:00

i'm not sure i'm happy with this...but then, i rarely am. i plan to send it to her with a note that offers more thread work or bead work. since the very first stole i made was such a knockout...all the rest pale in comparison.

i'm trying to be kind to myself...it is a lovely stole, and it's exactly what Pastor Deb and i discussed...so, i should be thrilled, right?

Helen's "new Do"

2008-09-15T11:41:00.002-04:00

i was never one of those children who cut their own hair...i was always too afraid to do it! so, when my oldest daughter was mesmerized by the sound new Hello Kitty scissors slicing away at her locks, i just had no idea what to say...and it took a week to know what to do!
i was concerned that if i said to much, she'd believe that i placed high value on her appearance or that i didn't care for her creativity. i was also concerned that she would be embarrassed...she did look a bit funny. She won stares from strangers and looks of worry from her Sunday School teachers (one of whom asked if she was recovering from a medical procedure).

so an entire week after the fact, i rounded up little Helen and dragged her to the salon. she was really not impressed. she likes her hair long and was frustrated by the very word "haircut". i had a hard time explaining to her that she really needed one...see above paragraph for my neuroses... the woman who cut Helen's hair is a kind soul. exactly what we needed. Helen complained that she wanted princess hair...like Rapunzel. word spread around the salon like wild fire. dozens of women passed by our station one at a time to tell Helen she looked just like Rapunzel...after the haircut to keep the evil witch away. several more told her she looked just like a pixie with her new do. Helen wasn't too keen on that...until the hairdresser explained that Tinkerbell is a pixie...

well, now my girl has a new outlook. she's really happy being "Tinkerbell's sister". she still wants long hair, but she's much happier with herself. and that's a great thing.

now, our challenge is keeping it "cute" as Helen likes to say. she's always been the girl to have huge bows and sparkles in her hair. the more closely it matches the outfit of the day, the better. well, there will be no ponytails for a while!

we trekked to the craft store today and found felt balls...with glittery beads already attached! we immediately (read, poor dogs still needed to be let out of their kennels) sewed the balls to some fancy, glittery bobby pins (thanks, Daddy!). Tinkerbell's sister is pleased...and so is her mommy.

Changes in the Air

2008-05-28T08:34:00.000-04:00

today i was accepted into the Distributed Learning Masters of Divinity Program at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. wow. still a heavy concept to ingest.

such a blessing and an honor...but still so strange to me.

if life is crazy now, how will i juggle yet another ball?

i trust deeply the call of God. so, i suppose, that trust is what makes me put one foot in front of the other to keep going.

still, hard to imagine how this will ultimately impact our lives. what will we have to sacrifice? what will we have to "put on the back burner"? what will we gain? can i simultaneously live the life of the "called" and be an wife to a naval officer?

what to do now, except sew another garment and pray for guidance!

Slow and Steady

2008-05-14T01:20:00.005-04:00

"Learn something new every day." "Inch by inch, everything's a cinch." Those are two of the wise sayings my Grandmother Lois had for me. She was full of them, and as I've gotten older, I've discovered most often, she was right.

This week, I've been trying to learn a new sewing trick each day (in addition to the "facts" my boys bring home from school). Today, I give you "Mr. Turtle", the terrycloth applique that glows in the dark.

Carter needed a costume for a book report at school. He was supposed to be one of the characters from the great Judy Blume's Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Since Carter is an elementary aged school boy like the main character Peter, we were having a tough time figuring out how to dress him up. Then Carter remembered "Dribble", Peter's pet turtle who meets an untimely end.

So was born this tshirt.

Today, turtles. Tomorrow...the hare?

Butterflies and Inspiration

2008-05-12T09:33:00.007-04:00

Yesterday, Mother's Day, my sweet husband took over all KP and most kid duties so that I could get some sewing done. I managed to finish a new Ballgown for my littlest one, and she adores it.

The fabric is a collage of brilliant butterfly wings...a print from the Hoffman Challenge in 2004. I had purchased the fabric to make a lap quilt for myself, but I couldn't escape the thought that these butterflies were destined for something more spectacular. So, the fabric sat on my shelf for the last four years (yikes!) waiting for a stroke of inspiration.

It came in the form of my youngest daughter. She has always been drawn to bright, cheerful colors (unlike my oldest daughter who much prefers pinks). When Clara saw the butterflies, she grabbed them and took off. Once I wrestled them from her, I just knew that she needed a Ballgown with the happiest accents I could find.

What could be happier than yellow? Maybe yellow and orange stripes! So a moment of toddler greed brought my cherished fabric off it's shelf. It was given new life as the happiest dress yet.

It also renewed my joy and motivation for this craft. Hooray for Clara! Hooray for Butterflies!!

Slow Going

2008-05-10T17:09:00.000-04:00

Feels like I'm slogging through quicksand lately. I'm crazily busy, but I never manage to get anything done!

I have piles of fabric and three new patterns calling my name...

I did finish a new Butterfly Ballgown. Unfortunately, I ran out of elastic to finish the pants. My dear friend Jennifer from Poppygogs, a fabulous local embroidery studio (www.Poppygogs.com), is running her own brand of crazy errands and has offered to grab some for me. Hopefully, I'll finish those up tonight and can offer them for grabs tomorrow.

My goal is to get at least two more dresses...and something in addition to Ballgowns...up before we have to leave this wonderful place called Prattville.

Fabric shopping - not for the faint of heart

2008-04-16T20:44:00.000-04:00

i took my four darling children with me to the fabric store this morning. imagine two lovely, proper southern women and one non-showered, under-caffinated me attempting to have a lucid, productive conversation with three whirling dirvishes (ages 7, 3, and 1) and one pouter(age6).

honestly, i am amazed that the building is still standing...even more amazed that we made it out of there without breaking anything...

i had visions of being able to actually talk through trends and colors and weights of fabric that could possibly go into fall...HA!

i did walk out of there with loads of new stuff. several butterflies and some sweet cherries (thank you to Helen who stopped spinning long enough to find that one)...look for new dresses and shorts for girls coming soon

Something a little new

2008-04-16T00:43:00.000-04:00

well, i certainly never expected to be a blogger. but here i am. i just opened a store at http://www.imogensgarden.etsy.com/ it's going well, and i love it! my darling friend jennifer suggested that i may need a blog...so here we are.

this outfit the "Juicy Jungle Ballgown" is my most popular and is one of my favorites!

check out the shop. i'm sure you'll have some wonderful things to say!

Imogen's Garden

Peach a summery giveaway

Raven, Henny, and Starling

Bird Girls!

*hangs head sheepishly*

Midterm

meet Elaine of GrannysKnits

Humanity...

Pentateuch

the super big project

more photos of the Enchanted Cupboard's toys!

meet Beccijo of the Enchanted Cupboard

more photos of Olivia's Ultimate dresses!

breathe in, breathe out...

meet Olivia of Olivia's Ultimate and Olivia Hooper Photography

Frog Prince

meet Emily of YarnMiracle

inspiration and awesomeness

how the Moppets began...

Linnea a thank you giveaway

heh...i'm smarter than i thought!

say it isn't so

one amazing week

angel eyes

this is hard

Nixie an spring-time giveaway

new "hire"

Promise the mermaid

flashback

Happy 8th Birthday to My Littlest Boy

grama's garden in july

a warm companion

for the birds...

odd ramblings and a day-late photo

Memory Monday

DIY Clip Kit by Daisycreek Designs

Hats...hats...hats...

Memory Monday

what i'm working on today...

O Christmas Tree

what i'm working on today...

the one that got away

Ribbon Bookmarks a Simple Tutorial

Winds of Change: They Are a Blowin'

obsession

New Wooden Friends

A Joyful Girl

Isn't She Lovely?

*Sophie*

Happy Birthday, Jackson!

River is here!

Meet "Eva"

PLAYTIME!

Modern Day Partridge Family

Last Sneak Peek!

the Next Step

Trying Something New (again)

Valentine's Day for Helen

CPSIA Celebrity Basket Trio

her own sense of style

Dresses for Ms. Monkey

Christmas Clothes for Big Sister/Little Brother

Pastor Deb's Stole

Helen's "new Do"

Changes in the Air

Slow and Steady

Butterflies and Inspiration

Slow Going

Fabric shopping - not for the faint of heart

Something a little new

hangs head sheepishly

Sophie