Sunday, November 20, 2011

Gingerbread!


Buttons.
Ric-rac.

Lollipops and candycanes.

Sweet treats.

But whose hands are holding them?


Gingerbreadmen!

They're missing something, though, don't you think?

Ah.
That's a start.

That, too.

Are you done pulling faces?

Let's go find a hat,

a collar,

a dandy bowtie,

some cuffs,

and a snazzy belt.

We can't decide - button-down shirt..

or suspenders?

Almost done - just two more things:

a heart in the right place

and handfuls of treats.

Wait, mum, does he have to be a boy?

Well, she doesn't -


They can wear whatever they like

and be whomever they want.

That's what dressing-up is all about, isn't it?

I made gingerbread dolls this week. They're so crazy-colorful, because I was thinking of little Jenna, and her love for baking and cupcakes and gingerbread-shaped sugar cookies. She always did love the decorating more than the eating. So I made the girls a gingerbread doll they could decorate and dress up all through the advent season and beyond. I think we might even start a new advent tradition with him - sort of like the Elf on the Shelf, except there's no reporting to Santa or anybody, just a naughty gingerbread boy who jumps off the cookie sheet and runs away and hides, daring people to catch and find him. Or her.

I took all those photos out in the snow yesterday - if you look carefully, you'll see the little white snowflakes (or nanohail) dusting their bodies, like powdered sugar from the sky.

All those colors made this a really fun project to make. Time-consuming, though, especially with all the different spools of colored thread that needed to be swopped on the machine. And you wouldn't believe how tricky it was to get the shape of the gingerbread person right in fabric. It took at least 3 muslins. In case you were going to ask, no, I am not planning to make a pattern for this. I didn't want to slow down to take photos, because I wanted to get it all done in time for advent. The next toy I'm making - hopefully in time for Christmas for the girls, is one I do intend to turn into a pattern, maybe in the first quarter of 2012.


Back to the playset now: there are lots of bits and bobs, so I made drawstring bags to contain them.

And I thought it might be a tad selfish of us to hoard all the fun, so I made a few more sets for the shop. Here's what each set comes with: the bare dolly, one drawstring bag, 8 pieces of ric-rac, one boy's hat, one girl's kerchief, one bow tie, one clay treat (a cupcake or sugar cookie), one felt lolly, one felt candy cane, one red mouth and 9 buttons (2 eyes, 1 heart, 3 rounds and 3 flowers).

That's a total of 24 decorating accessories, so you can use it as an advent calendar, too! The dolls are made with a similar fabric to the Owie Dolls, so the accessories all attach anywhere on the doll's body with velcro. Did you see the bandaids/elastoplasts? We borrowed them from the Owie Dolls for the photoshoot. And I know it's sort of obvious, but I do want to remind you that there are quite a few small items that could potentially be choking hazards, so bear this in mind if you have small kids at home, okay?

All that said, I hope you adopt a dolly! 

I've put five sets in the shop, and that's all I have. I'm not planning to make more this year because I wanted to get them done in time for mailing out for advent. As Mouse says, the best cookie is the one you share with a friend! 

6 comments:

  1. OH.MY.GOODNESS!!! They are so cute and bright and fun!!

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  2. These are just way too adorable LiEr! You're too clever! xx

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  3. Wow I'm going to surprice my girls with one.
    Could you tell me what are the width and height of your gingerbreadmen? xxx

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  4. So clever - your projects always make me smile, bet your girls enjoy these.

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  5. What a clever idea. From the first few photos, I thought you had made a fabric gingerbread house to decorate - I guess I was close! Now it got me to thinking about making a fabric gingerbread house for my kids as I'm not keen on making the real kind as I'm prone to failing to adhere to standard gingerbread architectural practices (i.e., walls falling, roof collapsing). Love the dolls though.

    Lisa

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  6. Lisa, I made a house once using a pattern from a book with the three bears and goldilocks. It was not very difficult, so I could see that as being a great idea! I have recently seen the house on a few blogs changed into a fairy house. Good luck. IMO, this is lots more fun than shopping, deciding what to make!
    L-They are sold already. You are onto something great!

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