Happy Valentine's Day

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Here is my valentine banner I made with my foster kids out of paper, old lace, and scalloped scizzors.

And a cute handstitched pillow I found on line at nateyprimitivesgift shoppe

Forest Love

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I love the idea of playing in the forest.

And getting creative there.   These from

Making Peg Dolls Book

by Serena Y Lee on October 16, 2013 in Books, Castle in the Air, Crafting, Storytelling 

and making these in the winter time

Photo by Magdalena Berny on Fivehundredpx

Land Art by Richard Shilling

And foraging for food and other treasures

Bear Pattern for Orphans

Here is the pattern I used for the boys.  It can be enlarged to a full 8 1/2" by 11" page.  I used safety eyes that can be purchased on amazon or at Joann's.  I had my helpers embroider an upside-down triangle for a nose  Then tied a bow on the neck. Depending on the ability of your helpers you can put the face in a small embroidery hoop and give them a threaded and knotted needle and let them stitch the nose.  I penciled in the upsidedown triangle nose for them. Children can also stuff the bears pretty well and tie on the bows.  Here are the pictures of the ones we did.  This batch was donated to the philanthropic group Mothers without Borders for third world orphans.  Made for foster kids by foster kids.

Happy Valentines to my Grandchildren

I made these for my babies.  They are too little to know me very well and live in Utah so they all get one of these to be able to recognize my face when they face time with me

I laminated them so that they could be chewed on by teething babies.

I sewed around the edges to make it look special.  I wrote personal messages.

I added tongue depressors with E-6000 so that the babies can wave them around proudly like flags.  All babies love flags.

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I used my new scalloped scissors and I love the look.

Making Dolls for Ugandan Orphans

Giving a shout out to Katie and Alan Sabin for donating a ton of fabric!  Love you guys!!!

Here I am yesterday at San Pasqual Academy where I work with 87  kids growing up in foster care who live on the property.  I mainly do art with them.  I can't show their faces due to privacy laws but I had 12 of them help me sew dolls this weekend.  It was pure delight for me and for them.  I can see the true joy on their faces when they tell me they want one for themselves but first they'll make one for the orphans.  I would like to give a shout out to Terri and Denae Thrasher, Grandpa Leroy, Rosie Burton, Grandma Jean, Julie Fulmis and Grandpa Daryl all the volunteer helpers I had helping me this weekend.  Good work guys!

Here are the tags we tied to the doll's wrist.

I'm making 25 of these dolls with the help of my foster kids.  They feel real joy when doing something for those less fortunate than they.  This is the 12th year I've been making dolls for third-world babies.  When I called the LDS Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City, Utah to confirm that it was true there were children in the world who did not have any toys they confirmed that there are plenty of children in the world who have never even seen a toy!  Oh how naive and sheltered I was!  I couldn't bear the thought that there where little girls in the world without dolls so I set to work making them and have done so ever since, with many people around me who want to help.  I currently work with San Diego's foster kids and they really step up to the plate when they see these photos (See below photos of Ugandan orphans receiving some of my dolls).

This is Ghoreti.  "She looked like we were giving her a diamond."  She named her new doll Celeste after one of the visitors to the orphanage.  These children's parents were killed by genocide.  They were found wandering in the forest scavenging for food.  Thanks to good people with good hearts they now have a facility to live in and nice new dresses made by Alice McGary.

She didn't want her doll to get dirty so she had her childcare worker cover it up with rags and plastic.  Then she asked her to make a wrap for the doll like they do with real babies.

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This is one of the bears we made next.  For the boys.

 Pattern for this doll is directly below.  Use with my permission.  Please do not sell it.

Here is the pattern for these specific dolls.  The pattern is my own creation and can be used with my permission.  Please do not sell it.  The pattern has been evolving for the last nine years and this one is pretty cute.  I use safety eyes that cannot be pulled off.  These can be purchased at Amazon or Joann's.  The braids are made by braiding three strands of standard black yarn that has been cut to 12" lengths.  This length can then be used for two braids by including it in the seam allowance while sewing the head.  I used a smudge of red acrylic craft paint for the cheeks.  Set the eyes on the lower half of the face to get the childlike look.  I stitched the little mouth with some pink embroidery floss.  I used matching skin color acrylic paint for the hands and acrylic paint for the mary jane shoes.  Just paint right on the fabric and let dry.  It turns out nicely.   I used the shorter leg pattern with the dress and the longer leg/ arm (its the same piece) for the other look with the short torso.  This is more like a pants and top look.  Adorn with pockets, lace, trims and etc. 'til your heart is content.