Cyber Monday Madness

I am feeling well and truly festive!! So I decided to offer a further 10% OFF on top of FREE shipping in my ickle Etsy Shop :) So if you have ever wanted one my my little girls now is the time to get your hands on one !!

So to get your 10% off, all you need to do is use the code CYBER10 (you don't need a code for free shipping, its already done for you!)

Hurry though the offer is only valid until Midnight on Cyber Monday, 26th November 2012

My Etsy Shop;
http://www.etsy.com/shop/loulovesthis?ref=si_shop

Hazel, Frankie & Georgia and FREE SHIPPING!!

Hi all... I hope everyone is well and that all my friends from across the pond had a very lovely Thanksgiving! I am so excited to show you my new girls.... allow me to introduce, Hazel, Frankie and Georgia!

I have just listed them in my Etsy Shop and guess what?? I am offering FREE SHIPPING for Black Friday/ Cyber Monday weekend :) YAY!! We don't have Black Friday or Cyber Monday over here, I guess our equivalent would be the day after Boxing Day, that's a huge shopping event... where all the after Christmas sales start... anyways, I digress....

I am absolutely IN LOVE with these little ladies! It took me a lot longer than usual to make them, I am at war with insomnia at the mo and it made me loose my sewing mojo, for a bit,  regardless I really did savour making these dollies.

 

Frankie was the initial concept, she had been rattling around in my head for a while and I knew I HAD to make a mustard yellow coat, and a russet scarf, I could see it clearly. She was the one that I had a definite look and character for, it often happens that way for me, an idea pops up and I keep returning to it until I just have to make it.

 

 

If you are a maker, how do you come up with your ideas? I'd love to know :)

 

 

 

Every bit of these dolls is hand stitched and hand knit, Frankie is wearing a shift dress made from 'liberty' fabric, her scarf is knit with a moss stitch in pure wool and I love her coat, the mustard felt is 'Old Gold' from Gertie & Mabel ! Gorgeous quality, I have only been buying small amounts of it to see what it was like, it is perfect to work with.

 

 

 

I'm not sure why I decided to work on all three ladies at the same time, I really think it was the mustard coat lol.... I started to see it in different colours, Georgia and Hazel came about because of that, I made the doll to match the coat! Not my usual way of working...

 

If you wanna find out about each girls character, check their Etsy listings, Frankie, Georgia, Hazel

 

 

 

So how is everyone with their Christmas shopping? My lovely cousin Emma booked us a little mini break in Belfast to go shopping! Is that not the loveliest thing to do for someone? I was over the moon!! I have been diligently saving and making lists in preparation lol.. CANNOT.WAIT! Emms assures me that the Christmas Market will be in full swing... I will have mulled wine for the first time... yeah, I know, I have never had it!! Anyways...thank you Emma, you're a wee dote ;)

 

I hope everyone has a successful Black Friday and remember FREE SHIPPING in my shop for this weekend only! I'm off now to try to get some sleep.... it is 3.44am and I am wide awake... insomnia bites! lol

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baby Beluga Custom Doll

So a little while back I received my first custom order! Excited!! The customer in question was an old friend of mine, Trish, that I haven't seen in years... That made the whole thing extra special :)

I first met Trish at school.. Primary 5, I believe, which made us about 9 years old.... Trish had a Teddy Ruxpin, lol everyone was fascinated with it, I mean... it was a teddy bear and it TALKED! Anyways I ain't seen her in a loooong time, but she is having her first baby and it's a wee girl!

Trish, and Daddy to be, Michael, explained that baby seems to like it when they played this song so, Baby Beluga became her nickname!  Isn't that so sweet? I was given an ocean themed design brief and I got to stitchin'....

I LOVED every second of making this doll, I am really sentimental, and I just thought it was so lovely to be privy to Baby Beluga's story, she hasn't been born yet, but it is so obvious that her parents already love her so much! The doll came to me almost instantly... often, the things I make form very clearly in my head.... the challenge then is to make it look like I imagined.

Here's my initial sketch with a very un-stuffed Baby Beluga doll !

 

Again, she is completely hand stitched, and this time around I done a few things a little differently, I added extra stuffing, which gave her a much better feel and weight, I added some of my new 'Lou Loves This..' printed labels to the back (which of course I have no pic of lol), but I also added a little belly button and I think it's so cute!

 

 

She got a cute felt shell hair accessory, matching shell adorned shoes and a string of pearls (which are removable for when baby will be playing with her).

 

 

 

 

Her dress is lined with the softest polka dot tulle and has her name emblazoned on the back!

 

 

She comes complete with her own pet Beluga and Starfish...

 

 

 

And now for the part of this post that I am most excited about..... Here is the little lady herself.....

 

 

 

Ohhh... look at her! She's even waving at us :)

 

Thanks again Trish and Michael, for the task of making Baby Beluga's namesake... it was an honour! I hope you love her as much as I did making her and even more, I hope your beautiful baby girl loves her too :)

 

 

And remember you can check out my Etsy store and get in touch of you have an idea for your own custom 'Lou Loves This...' doll... it does take around two weeks for design and completion so get your orders in early for Crimbo!

 

On another note.... my knitting bug has bitten again, I always considered myself a knitter first and foremost, but I ain't really knitted much this year, but now that the weather has turned I find myself yearning to curl up with my fave movie and some needles and yarn... I am working on 4 dolls simultaneously at the mo, but at night I am pulling out an afghan blanket that I have had on the needles for over 3 years... yes, 3 years... I kid you not! lol

 

What are you all working on/watching? I am loving the 2nd season of Once Upon a Time!!!

 

P.S Click on the pics to see them bigger

 

See y'all soon :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drew & Maude

 

 

 Allow me to introduce my latest dolls... my two 'Little Spooks', Drew and Maude

 

 

Halloween is their favourite time of year! As you can see they are already all dressed up and ready for trick or treatin'!!

 

 

 

 

 

Miss Drew has a little vamp costume, complete with tiny fangs, I love her top hat, adorned with a maribou feather and a cameo button (much much thanks to a certain miss Emily from the 'Saturday Stitches Club', Drew's hat wouldn't have been the same without it!)

 

 

 

 

 

She wears fishnets and be-ribboned shoes, and  a lace fingerless glove, she even has some black lacey undies on!! Her adorable dress is lined with the most georgeous, soft,  polka dot tulle that you can get here from nuvonova

 

Miss Maude, on the other hand, is decked out in a cutesy wee witch costume!

 

 

Witches' hat, stripey stockings, a-line shift dress with peter-pan collar, buttons and pockets, tiny mary-janes with gold buckles...

 

 

 

...but my favourite part of Maude's costume is her Broomstick, hand sculpted and painted by yours truly... I am so pleased with it!!

 

 

 

The girls are now available in my Etsy Shop... to celebrate I am offering FREE SHIPPING for a very limited time only!!! Also if you would like have BOTH ladies come and live at yours, you can use the following code for a 10% (the code can only be used if purchasing BOTH dolls!)

 

DREWMAUDE10

 

All my dolls are completely handstitched!

 

 

Shared at the Momnivore's Dilemma Halloween Linky Party!!

 



Bea, a Little Deer...

 

 

This is Bea.... she has just gently reminded me that she hasn't had a blog post of her own.... Sorry Bea, I completely forgot!

 

 

Bea, is such a little darling, she is softly spoken, sometimes timid and often giddy, a great listener, she's always there to lend an ear to a needy friend... That's why everyone loves her so!

 

She sports a hand-stitched patchwork skirt, (made from 'Fig Tree & Co' fabric- yum!), with a hand- embroidered trim, all her accents are in geranium, a lovely coral/red colour! Made from quality wool mix felt and cotton, she is available in my Etsy Shop if you'd like to take her home!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Bea, has a few tiny little buttons and some wire in her cute antlers, so she would not be suitable for babies or very young children, she would however be perfect for display and/or the grown up doll lover ;)

 

 

So, there you go little Bea.... your very own blog post ;) 

  

Sweet little Adelyn...

Pull up a pew, get comfy... I wanna tell you a story...

 

Adelyn with her package. What's inside?

 

So, one night, a short while back I was at my desk, busy sewing away, watching 'Columbo'.... my tea supply had run out so I popped to the kitchen for a refill, upon my return I check my mail and BAM! There it was..... confirmation of my first ETSY sale!!

I'm not really sure what I did for the first few seconds.... I'm sure I made some audible sound, maybe did a little dance, maybe both.... but I know I got real excited.... I hurried to find out who bought what and from where....

That's how I met Avril and her sweet-pea of a daughter Adelyn... only virtually met them of course, they live in Saskatoon in Canada!

Avril left me the loveliest note explaining that she fell in love with Daisy and that this little kitty was intended for her young daughter, but she would be on display until Adelyn was a bit older... so we messaged back and forth for a while whilst I worried endlessly about Daisy's journey via the postal system and her safe arrival at her new home.

I needn't have worried.... Daisy arrived with Addie safe and sound, and her Mum sent me these photos of her opening the package.... Have you ever seen anything so sweet?? Lemmie tell you, I was overjoyed to see this! As a maker of softies and dolls there is nothing more affirming or encouraging than seeing this gorgeous little girl with something I made! Check out her wee hands and look of determination, trying to open the package..... I love it!!

 

I LOVE these two photos of her..... look at that happy baby! (also, would you look at the outfit?.... I have a new doll percolating in my head with a cable knit cardi, ballet pumps, a bit of denim, flowers in her hair.. I may even call her Adelyn or Addie!!)

So  got to know a little more about my new little buddy... she has 3 older brothers, yup 3 big bros.. and by all accounts they are crazy about their new little sister...  I reckon that Garrison (10), Brandston (7) and Hayden (5) will be the best big brothers and have her spoiled rotten :)



The Boys!

 

And here is the lovely family all together...

 

So many thanks Avril and Garrett and your lovely kids.... I started with my first Etsy doll sale and ended up with a few new friends from Canada!!!

I must dash off now... there is two little Halloween dolls that are requiring some finishing touches and they're getting quite grouchy about it!

(PS..... all the images were used with Avril's strictest permission)