Baby loves GermanDolls

I think it's safe to say that this adorable little baby boy became fast friends with one of my dolls.

This photo was sent to me on Friday. It is a really wonderful shot. We all know how hard it is to capture the essence of baby cuteness. I think this mama did a great job.

Time is fleeting. Dear Mama, who took this photo: I hope you catch many more of those precious moments with your camera!

Thanks so much for sharing your precious photo with me and allowing me to use it on my blog!

Christmas Elf

And since I was on a roll here I kept going with a Christmas Elf Doll. He looks so cute coming out of the gift bag.

 

Hard to believe that we are less than 3 months away from Christmas. Better start thinking about our Christmasshopping. Seems like every year my family is losing out because I am so busy making toys - playing elf in my workshop. Wish I could come up with a real life elf to help me.

Pumpkin Patch Pals

It's been a while since I made one of these sweet little waldorf style pumpkin dolls.

 Better hurry up! Halloween will be here before you know it.

Check out this lovely pair! One I call Rusty because his body is a rust colored red. He is sporting a lovely brown hat. Not sure about a name for the second little feller. Could be a girl, too, for all I know.

These two little cuties are now available in my Etsyshop!

Any name suggestions? They sure had fun getting in that wagon. If it had not rained (again!) all day yesterday, I would have taken some shots outside. Not that they couldn't take it. They are sturdy little guys.  Mostly it was about me not wanting to get wet...

Thank You!!!

I just wanted to thank all the folks who sent me sweet letters of encouragement over the last few days! It is so wonderful to know that people I have never met, folks who live in faraway places, connect to me and read my ramblings. Sometimes life is so tough and one feels so terribly alone in this world. Especially when you are thousands of miles away from your family and homeland.

I am so surprised when I find letters in my "virtual" mailbox that are filled with loving caring words like a sister or mother would say to you. It makes me want to cry.

New Mini-Me doll...

I am glad to be able to report that my husband is on the mend from his surgery. I want to thank all the doctors and nurses and folks who took care of him. They really did a great job, and I am thankful for their work. I guess I was so too exhausted - physically and emotionally - at the time to give them a proper thanks. But it's really hard when you are in the midst of such a situation...And I should also stop grumbling about the huge bill. I am sure the 20 or so folks who were part of this deserve every penny of it!

Things are looking up. I am so excited about creating and sewing up sweet dolls for the Christmas season. It's my favorite time of year. I have so many ideas in my head. So much fabric to cut into, and so many little dolls to bring to life.

Thanks for being there, dear readers! Thanks for sticking with me - even when I am having a bad day and ravin' mad at the world. You are the BEST!

Dickes Fell

Wenn Du nach Amerika ziehen willst brauchst Du ein dickes Fell, liebes Kind! Man sollte den alten Volksweisen doch mehr glauben schenken...

"Hänschen klein ging allein

in die weite Welt hinein, 

Stock und Hut

steht ihm gut,

ist gar wohl gemut."

Ja, so war das. Ich war das Hänschen und dachte, kein Problem. Ich schaff’ das schon. Aber die letzte Woche hier war einfach nur schrecklich. Jetzt muss ich mir mal Luft machen und zwar auf Deutsch. Und so richtig.

Nein, das kann doch nicht wahr sein, oder wie?

 

Manchmal hasse ich das Leben in diesem Land. Mein Mann brauchte eine Operation letzte Woche. Wir haben ja  Gott-sei-Dank eine Krankenversicherung. So denkt man - es wird schon gehen. Aber da war sie wieder: die eiskalte Dusche - genannt amerikanische Geldgier. Am Morgen vor der Operation klingelte schon das Telefon. Es war das Krankenhaus, Finanzabteilung. “Ja, und können Sie bitte einen Scheck mitbringen. 1,155 Dollar macht das dann bitte – im Voraus!” Klar doch. Wir haben das Geld in Säcken herumliegen.

Ist zwar schon ein Weilchen her, daβ ich in Deutschland gewohnt habe, aber sowas habe ich dort nie erlebt. Erst die Kohle – dann die Behandlung? Also, Hans, bleib in Deutschland!

Und als ob der Stress wegen der Operation nicht genug gewesen wäre, gab es dann noch Probleme mit meinem On-line shop. Ich hätte den Laden vielleicht besser dicht machen sollen. Aber schliesslich  brauchen wir das Geld für die Operation. Wer weiss, was als nächstes kommt.

Prompt kamen zwei schwierige Kunden in den virtuellen Laden.

Kunde Nummer eins: Bestellt zwei Sonderanfertigungen. Ein Püppchen in Rosa bitte und eins in Lila. Natürlich bitte Sonderanfertigung und am besten schon gestern genäht und verschickt. Und ich blöde Kuh hab’ mich so beeilt. Trotz Stress, Operation, und genereller Weltuntergangsstimmung wegen Überschwemmungen in Colorado. Schickte der Dame auch noch ein Bild. Und sie sagt, die Farbe ist aber gar nicht die die ich bestellt hatte. Soll das ein Scherz sein? Sie möchte doch bitte Ihr Geld zurück haben.

Gleich darauf kam Kunde Nummer zwei durch die virtuelle Ladentür. “Könnte ich bitte die Puppe, die ich for 2 Monaten gekauft habe, austauschen gegen eine andere im Laden? Diese andere is so viel schöner und meine Traumpuppe, echt!” Da fiel mir nix mehr eine. Fazit: musste meinen Laden für 3 Tage schliessen und erst mal tief durchatmen. Vergiss die Knete und die Krankenhausrechnung…

Wo gibt’s denn so was? Bin ich Walmart?

Nur in Amerika!
 

Also lieber Hans, ich gebe Dir einen Rat: Halte Dich an den zweiten Vers der alten Volksweise!

Aber Mutter weinet sehr,

Hat ja nun kein Hänschen mehr.

Da besinnt sich das Kind

Kehrt nach Haus geschwind.

Oder leg' Dir ein superdickes Fell zu. Du wirst es brauchen!

From Drought to Deluge...

I thought I'd never sing this little song: Rain Rain, go away! Come back another day!

I love rain. I was hoping and praying for some rain during the sweltering heat, just a little over a week ago, when temperatures reached the 100s in Colorado. Now we are drowning. Literally. Will this rain ever stop?

It feels unreal to know that there is destruction all around me. I hear about it on the radio. Constant interruptions of programming by this shrill beeping. Yet another flash flood warning. I see pictures in the Denver Post, on TV, and the Internet. How come the paper and mail are still delivered smoothly every day? I have not seen any of the destruction with my own eyes. They tell us not to leave the house or go driving about. Don't be in the way and become part of the problem!

The only moments when I know this is real is when I see all the folks huddled downtown at the local recreation center. My daughter goes to dance class there. Now the little dancers share the front entrance with all the people who are registering with the Red Cross to have shelter for the night. Who knows when they will be able to go back to their homes? And what will they find once they get back? It is so so sad.
Then there was a weird moment at the grocery store when people were fighting over bottled water as rumors about safety of our drinking water spread...

Whole neighborhoods submerged in water. Communities surrounding us cut off. Roadways and bridges just gone...Lots of people missing. Please, pray for their safe return home to their loved ones!

And with every drip drip drip I know we still have not reached the end of this mess yet. Please, rain go away already!

I will be a good girl and stay put for now. But when it's all over I hope I can help people pick up the pieces of their lives.

Panda Girl

I finally finished the doll who get's to wear this very special Panda-outfit I created a couple of weeks ago. The clothes were hanging in my studio waiting for that special someone to wear them. I think the waldorf baby girl I created it is a great match.

She has mocha colored skin. Her eyes are almond shaped and darkbrown. She has long soft hair made of mohair yarn. I twisted it into two buns. They almost look like panda ears, don't you think?

I even crocheted a pair of little boots for her. I am not quite sure how I accomplished that task. I am not really good at crocheting or knitting as a matter of fact. Can't pick up a lost stitch to safe my life.

                     I still have not picked out a name for this little girl. Any suggestions?
                                 For now I shall just call her Pandagirl.

New GermanDolls Label

I just received a shipment of my new GermanDolls Label. I am very pleased with them.
I had been printing my own for a number of years. I had fun doing so. But the new labels are better by a mile. Since they are stitched on fabric they stand out better and should make it through many washes too.



Lions & Giraffes GermanDoll pocket dress

I am proud to present this label front & center on the pockets of my trademark pocket dresses. Hope you like them, too.

 

Fan Mail

I got the cutest photo via Etsy conversations yesterday. Nothing makes the dollmaker happier than seeing their dolls in action! Actually, in this photo there is not that much action going on. Looks like the two littles went on some pretty good adventure together and are resting...

Two Sleepy girls...

          Keep those wonderful fanphotos coming! They make me oh so happy.

                                                     They are the best part of my job!

Where is my baby?

                                            Our baby boy is turning 15 today.

Time flies when you are having fun...

As Cute as a Bug!

Inspired by a custom request I came up with this new design for my waldorf style Leafbuddy dolls.

My little babies in a leaf bed have been popular with folks for a number of years.

I added some wings and tiny antennae to my little leafbuddy friend.

My kids loved ladybugs when they were little. We have books about them in English and German. Did you know the German word for ladybug is Marienkaefer?

One winter my son decided he needed to rescue them by building them a house in the basement. He brought in large quantities of leaves for them to sleep under and stay warm. Needless to say, they didn't make it in our house. Best to leave nature outside and do it's thing...

Or just put one of my little Leafbuddies on your Waldorf Nature Table. I promise they will make it unharmed through a number of seasons...