Story Time — To Be a Princess

Updated 6/13/2023

Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved to wear pretty dresses.  Dresses with lots of ruffles, lace, and pretty ribbons that seemed to float in the breeze.

She liked to spin around while wearing her lovely dresses, and she felt like a graceful swan gliding across the water.  But mostly she felt like a beautiful princess as she twirled about in her dream world. 

One day the little girl was twirling around in her best dress.  It was her favorite one, all white with the loveliest of lace and a tiered ruffled skirt. 

Her head was so full of thoughts and dreams of swans and princesses that she didn’t notice several other little girls had approached her.  They were all wearing “fashion” jeans and t-shirts for the most popular TV shows. 

Most of them started giggling at the little girl in her pretty dress and teased her.  No one dresses like that except babies they thought.  This made the little girl so upset that she felt like crying and running home.

Instead she took a deep breath and held her head high.  Princesses were too dignified to let mean little girls see them cry.  So she gracefully walked on until she was out of sight, then the tears burst out and she ran home.

She got home and hid in her room.  The tears continued until her mother came in and asked what was wrong.  When the little girl had finished telling her story, her mother asked her a strange question.  Will the little girl stop wearing her pretty dresses and dress like those other girls?  This puzzled the girl, why would she want to dress like those mean girls?  She didn’t like jeans and those t-shirts all looked the same, plus she loves her dresses way more.  Why would you wear something you didn’t like?  When the girl told her mother this, her mother smiled. 

The next day, the little girl went out again this time in her second favorite dress.  A pretty sky blue dress with puffy sleeves and a lovely sash. 

Suddenly she notice one of the girls from yesterday coming toward her wearing one of those horribly “trendy” outfits.  She started to get scared that the girl would laugh at her.

But then the girl remembered the talk she had with her mother.  All the girls could laugh as much as they wanted she thought, it won’t stop her from dressing how she wanted. 

But the girl from yesterday didn’t laugh at her, she very quietly said that the dress was pretty and so was the one from yesterday.  This surprised the little girl, she didn’t know what to do. 

For a second, she thought about saying something about how ugly this girl’s jeans were, but then she would be like those mean girls and princesses are better than that.  So using her best princess-like manners, she said the nicest thing she could think of.  Thank you. 

Now there are two little girls who love to wear pretty dresses.  Dresses with lots of ruffles, lace, and pretty ribbons that seemed to float in the breeze.  And the little girl feels more like a princess now than ever before.  A strong, kind and beautiful princess.

Update: After years of pondering and what not, I finally adapted this simple story into a full-fledge book.  It is available here on Amazon as a Kindle ebook.  I am still working on the paperback and hardcover versions. Please check it out.

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Back from the Chaos with Something Pink

I can’t believe how busy this week has been.  Frantically trying to buy/find/return textbooks while still attending classes mostly on time and completing assignments and reading.  Also getting through crowds of people on and off campus and long lines while trying to buy/find/return textbooks and etc.  I kind of felt like a chicken with it’s head cut off.  Anyway, most of that has been settled and I managed to get everything organized enough to not go insane.  I managed to finish the last projects on my list too, sacrificing sleep in the process, but that’s normal.

The first is this skirt.  I guess it’s obvious by now that I like wearing pink.  I have made three different pink dresses, a matching bag, a cute sweater, and various pink hair accessories already.  But I realized I had yet to make a pink skirt.  Now this one is a little fuller this most of the skirts and dresses I made in the past, so making was slighter more challenging due to the extra fabric to deal with.  I tried to keep it simple with a small ruffle and a couple of pin tucks.  I wanted to have three or four pin tucks, but after how long it took to do the first two I decided just two was perfectly fine.  I still think it looks pretty except for one thing.  The fabric is extremely prone to wrinkling, have I mentioned how horrible I am at ironing?  It could be worse though.

The next project, is these bags.  I finally got the hang of my Knifty Knitter, at least using it as a long loom.  The instructions said it could be used as a round loom too, so I thought I would try that.  That I only I could think of to make that way was these simple little bags.  I didn’t even need instructions for them, and for a beginner knitter that’s easy.  The straps and button loops are crocheted, and I though about adding a fabric lining but decided against it.  These bags are only about 5-6 inches longish and I thought a lining would bulk them out too much.  I had intended to put them both in my shoppe, but I’m thinking of keeping one for myself.  They are cute and they’re the perfect size to toss in keys and such to head to the grocery store or the post office or something simple like that.  Tempting.

Here’s the updated list:

• Business cards
• Lip balm holders
• Pins
• Potholders
• More doll clothes
• Hook reuse
• Pink skirt
• Tote bag
• Skirt
• Bags

Ten down and out.  Finished on time too surprisingly.  Now I have get back to studying or whatever.

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Where Are My Priorities?

Sorry I sort of disappeared this weekend.  At least here I did, I wasn’t completely scarce on twitter and the Zibbet community.  Basically I got carried away with crafting and preparing for today.  Today is the first day of the Fall semester.  Now along with the usual stuff I do (crafts, blog, the shop, sleep?), I have to try to find time for classes and studying.  No worries, I will still manage to post regularly.  At least as regularly as I unusually do.  Would love to post more frequently, but that’s probably not going to happen knowing me.

Anyways, I finished two more projects this weekend including this skirt.  I used the same fabric I used for the skirt from my sewing class since I had plenty leftover (See It's So Huge).  Yes I know it doesn’t look like a skirt.  That’s the brilliant thing about it, the bib and straps are removable.   Two looks in one.  With the bib, it kind of reminds me of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, only not blue.  I guess that’s why I like wearing it so much. 

Next, the shopping bag.  I got this old promotional tote bag from my sewing class.  Another item no one wanted.  It is of course useful and all, but not too pleasant to look at.  A simple touch is all it needed.

Looks better now.  I cut off a couple inches from the top because I thought the bag was wide enough but definitely too tall for me.  I removed the straps before cutting since they were already the perfect length.  I then pinned on the ruffle and stitched in place.  The ruffle was one I had on a dress I made.  I thought it weighed down the dress too much, not a problem on this bag.  Anyway, the ruffle covered the logo on the bag perfectly while giving it an unique touch.  All I needed to do then was reattach the straps and re-hem the top of the bag.  Now I have a frilly bag that is perfect for shopping and running errands.  Yay!

Here’s the updated list:

• Business cards
• Lip balm holders
• Pins
• Potholders
• More doll clothes
• Hook reuse
• Pink skirt
• Tote bag
• Skirt
• Bags

Eight down, just two more to go.  Should have them done by the end of this week.

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Wired

Thinking of Christmas?

Heck no, too early for me.  But I am thinking of the supplies.  I have a ton of these wire ornament hooks from last year that I’ve been trying to use up.  I’ve made ornaments with them, doll clothes hangers, etc.  I wanted to make something a little more interesting.

Wire jewelry.  Now I have very little experience making wire jewelry as can be seen in the faux pearl and wire bracelet at the top.  That was made basically by twisting the hooks with pliers until they stayed put.  The faux pearl rings on the left came out a little better.  They slide on easily and almost adjust themselves to fit, almost.  The large ring below them was another bit of fiddling until everything stayed in place.  And at the bottom is the coiled wire bracelet.  That one I am especially proud of, it almost looks like I knew what I was doing with it.  Except for maybe the clasp, wondering if I should replace it with a store-bought clasp.  Something to consider in future jewelry projects.

Here’s the updated list:

• Business cards
• Lip balm holders
• Pins
• Potholders
• More doll clothes
• Hook reuse
• Pink skirt
• Tote bag
• Skirt
• Bags

Six down, four to go.  The next one should be up this weekend.

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Just Sunny

Here’s Jenny again, now with a brand spanking new dress.  I went through some large scraps I had and grabbed two pieces at random and thought they would be perfect as a sundress.  I was actually surprised I still had some of the blue fabric with sunflowers.  Anyway, I used a pattern that was dumped on me for the bodice and kind of improvised on the skirt.  So simple a child could do it, actually thinking of teaching my niece how to make one.  She is just about old enough to sew, so why not?

Here’s the updated list:

• Business cards
• Lip balm holders
• Pins
• Potholders
• More doll clothes
• Hook reuse
• Pink skirt
• Tote bag
• Skirt
• Bags

Five down, five to go.  The next one should be up by Wednesday.

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Pants to Potholders?

Remember that sewing class I took?  One of the projects required for all students was to make a pair of pajama pants.  They didn’t have to be good, they just had to be completed.  Well, a pair of the not-so-good ones was left behind by a previous student.  These ones were so badly done that I felt it would be too cruel to take a picture of them.  I took them home with me, no one else wanted them and I felt bad for them.  Plus the fabric used was super pretty.  But what to do with them?

I made potholders with the pants.  Why potholders I have no idea, especially since I have never made them before this.  If you look carefully you can see some imperfections. (Hint: the bow on the heart shaped one isn’t just for show.)  For a first try they came out fairly well, and it’s fitting that they were recycled from another person’s first try. 

Here’s the updated list:

• Business cards
• Lip balm holders
• Pins
• Potholders
• More doll clothes
• Hook reuse
• Pink skirt
• Tote bag
• Skirt
• Bags

Four down, six to go.  The next project should be done by Monday.

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Toting Lip Balm and Pins Galore

Awhile ago I was at a 99 cents Only Store browsing their selection of lip balm.  There was this one that came with a elastic holder to clip the tube to your keychain or whatever.  I though that it was a good idea but the holder was flimsy and hideous looking, I could so make them better.

And I did.  Using some of my favorite fabric scraps, some elastic binding, and split key rings I whipped up these lovely lip balm holders.  Simple and effective, they securely hold my lip balm without being a major eyesore.  That’s one more project checked off.

 

I also made these pins.  In the past I have made pins out of felt and loved them, but I never got around to making any more until now.  Quite a variety, there’s black cats, stars, hearts, ladybugs, and strawberries of course.  I do like strawberries although one of them looks more like a turnip to me or maybe an oddly colored acorn.  Maybe I should make acorns next.  Hmmm.

Here’s the updated list:

• Business cards
• Lip balm holders
• Pins
• Potholders
• More doll clothes
• Hook reuse
• Pink skirt
• Tote bag
• Skirt
• Bags

Three down, seven to go.  The next one should be done by Saturday.

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Taking Care of Business

These are my old business cards, from way back when I was still selling on etsy, or trying to anyway.  They aren’t exactly the cutest you’ve ever seen, plus since they have my old, old etsy url instead of my zibbet one they are useless like this.  I didn’t want to just toss them.  Good cardstock is a sad thing to waste.  So I reused them.

With some tweaking, they became useful again.  I cut off the ends of the old cards leaving me with blank squares of cardstock.  I used my favorite strawberry stamp on all of them and wrote all my information on them with fine tip markers.  Finished up with decorative scissors, and I now have of set of handmade one-of-a-kind mini-business cards.  Of course I also have writer’s cramp too, the hazards of the personal touch.

Here’s the updated list:

• Business cards
• Lip balm holders
• Pins
• Potholders
• More doll clothes
• Hook reuse
• Pink skirt
• Tote bag
• Skirt
• Bags

One down, nine to go.  The next couple should be done by Wednesday.

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Up to Twenty

I can’t believe I am up to the twentieth project list.  Seems like yesterday that I started on the first.  Anyway, this one is a moderate length but with a shorter due date.  I figured since I finished that last one about two weeks early I should be able to handle this one at a quicker pace.

Project List #20

• Business cards
• Lip balm holders
• Pins
• Potholders
• More doll clothes
• Hook reuse
• Pink skirt
• Tote bag
• Skirt
• Bags

I plan on having it all finished before the end of this month.  Ten items in about three weeks?  It will be a cinch.

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The Others

Awhile ago I made my nephew the cutest doll which he totally loves (see Dolls for Dudes).  He even named it after himself.  Some people might think it’s strange for a little boy to love dolls.  Why?  I’d rather he play with dolls than toy guns, at least the dolls will teach him stuff he can use, like social skills.  Anyway, I thought I’d show off his other “friends”.

These are his other dolls.  The large Cabbage Patch Kid doll is one I gave him.  I got it at Goodwill for 99 cents.  Not bad right?  He of course loved it when he saw it. Her name is Bella, I think it’s a reference to an episode of the Magic School Bus.  Oh, and yes it does have clothes.  No, he does not know where they are.  He has this odd habit of removing clothes from dolls and losing them.  I’ve made several items for his other doll for just this reason.

Moving on, the doll on the left was an old doll his Aamu gave him.  She got it with a bunch of items on eBay.  We think it might be an old Beauty and the Beast doll.  He is wearing a hand-me-down firefighter uniform so my nephew named him Billy Blazes like the character from Rescue Heroes, one of his favorite shows.  He also has the habit of naming things after shows, not to mention people he knows.  He has plush chicks that he named after his sister and mom.  So cute. 

The doll on the right he just got from his big sister.  It was one of those cheap dolls from Dollar Tree, somebody gave her a bunch of them for Christmas and she sort of got tired of them.  Mainly because she ran out of room for her dolls.  My nephew’s love for dolls comes mainly out of his big sister’s love for them.  It’s the same for a lot of his toys.  She also gave him the shoes and vest the doll is wearing.  The tube dress was made from a sock by his Aamu.  It’s cute and he can easily pull it on and off, perfect for a small child.  He hasn’t decided on a name for it yet.  If he doesn’t name it after a family member, odds are it will be after either a Disney princess or Rescue Heroes character.  He is open to suggestions on that too.  Any ideas for name for this doll?

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Meet Jenny

Finished the last project on the list.  First, some introductions are needed.

This is Jenny.  She is an Our Generation doll I got at Target for about $20.  A little pricey considering I rarely pay more than $2 for dolls if even that much.  But as far as 18 inch dolls go, she’s a bargain.  I mean have you seen how much American Girl dolls go for, I’ve see used ones go for 3 times as much as Jenny. 

What I like about her is her eyes.  Most commercial dolls with blonde hair have blue eyes, but hers are green.  Most people wouldn’t even notice or would think “so what?”, but I think it’s a big deal.  Dolls need to be individuals, even mass produced ones.  Now back to topic, Jenny needed some more clothes.  What’s the point of having a doll like this if you can’t dress her.  And frankly, although the outfit she came with is pretty, the quality of the sewing leaves much to be desired.  Typical of mass produced commercial doll clothing.

With the help of some commercial patterns that were given to me, I whipped up this simple shirt and pair of shorts.  It was a McCall’s pattern and let’s just say that there is a reason for my preference to Simplicity over McCall’s.  But I think it still came out okay.  I love the neck on the top.  I can’t explain the exact appeal of it, I just think it looks really nice and neat despite how plain it is.  Maybe because it is doll-size, everything looks cuter when it is this small.  The shorts should look familiar, I used the same fabric that I used for my shorts before (see Super Five).  Now we match, except Jenny looks better in hers.  Especially with those tights, I think they are so cute with the shorts.  Can’t wait to make more clothes for her, just not too many matching outfits, that would get too weird even for me.

Here’s the updated list:

• hair combs
• napkins
• headbands
• wrist band
• short sleeve blouse
• doll clothes
• skirt
• shorts
• scarf
• more broaches
• dress

Eleven down and out.  And finished almost 2 weeks sooner than scheduled too.  I’m good.

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