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Showing posts with label Doll. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Doll. Show all posts

Thursday, July 9, 2026

Playtime ,Thrifting, Toys, and Doodles- A Christmas Freebie

 Eeeh! I have my crayons out, and I am ready to color! 



Happy Embroidery Thursday, y'all. Welcome! Do come in and join me  as I sit down for a little playtime with my colors and colored pencils. 

But first ! How about a thrift haul?  😀

Over the July 4th weekend , Mr. Pinker and I found ourselves meandering along the aisles of 2 thrift stores looking for junk / treasures. Would you like to see  what jumped into my buggy? Aaw come on and take a gander. 😁😀

You know I cannot resist anything that is red. The big red pot will be perfect for making soups, or perhaps dying fabric. Or who knows-- it may be used for decorating, but for $3.00 I could not leave it behind. By the way, this was the most expensive treasure I bought. So not too bad. 


Two little Fiestaware mugs jumped into my buggy as well. I could not shoo them away since they were red and yellow. Can mugs be cutie patooties? They are to me. ❤💛❤💛

 

To all of those vintage collectors out there. Do you know who made this bowl?  The hand painting reminds me of Blue Ridge Pottery which I collect, but I know it is not that. 

 

Nanny had bowls similar to this . She would serve fresh fried taters in them. Yum Yum! Oh how I miss Nanny's cooking. 

Four little gravevine milkglass cups will be perfect to use anytime of the year. 

Is there more you ask? Well there sure is! 

I found this little mass produced quilted sham for a buck. Of course, this can be used on a pillow, but I will fold it and use it for a shelf or table runner. Cute! Cute! Cute! 

And now to my favorite finds which gave me a nifty thrift high! Vintage games and toys for my toy room. 🤗

There is Cooties and Bridg- It , a fully packed Tool Chest and the little bead counting toy. Swoon. Can you hear my heart go "Thumpity Thump!"  American made and made around the 50's . ❤❤❤❤

And in the Cootie box was a little chalkboard set. A little extra something- something. 

Do you remember these little horns that you could get at the Five and Dime stores decades ago? Or am I showing my age? Hee! Hee! 


"Childhood is the most beautiful of all life's seasons." - Unknown


While we are here, let me show you the little toy quilt  I made years ago. It is  being displayed with my rough and tumble Raggedy Annie and Andy that I bought years ago. They have gone through some rough times before they came to live with me. Well, let me rephrase that- they were well loved as all dolls should be. Right?  Now they live in a retirement home where they are loved but looked at. 😄

Alrighty now! Since we are in the toyroom. Let's get to playing. 


Like I said at the beginning of my post, I have my crayons out, and today I am going to be coloring up some doodles on fabric. 

 My newest set of doodles are called A Very Vintage Christmas. 

 A little doodle just for you. ❤❤❤


            My doodles are hand drawn and are never perfect. 


I think a small Christmas quilt is in order. Don't you?

A plethora of small embroidered Christmas  quilts. 


So let me show you how I am color tinting my doodles on fabric. I am not sure if it is the right way , but it is how I tint mine. 

🧵1. First , I draw the image onto my piece of fabric. Usually , I use a light mechanical pencil. Today I used  a Frixion pen.  NOTE: If you use a Frixion pen before embroidery and you heat set the crayons, the ink will disappear. ( Speaking from experience. 😏😜😀)

🧵2. Next, I use a white crayon and using small circular motions I color the areas I want to tint. 

Color the areas in want to tint with white crayon in small circular motions. This helps the colors to look a little more vibrant and helps in adding depth.- Well at least in my opinion. 

🧵3. Then comes the fun part! Adding the other colors. I layer in colors starting with the light colors using small circular motions. Slowly, I build on those colors with different shades adding depth. 

Ad color a little at a time starting with lights and using darker colors to shade. 

🧵4. I then use my colored pencils to add a little deeper shading. I do not have an affinity for any particular  name brand of pencils. Most of my colored pencils came from the thrift store.

More color is being added and the tinting is getting darker( though it will lighten once pressed) 


🧵5. When it is time to set the color, I place a pressing cloth and paper towel under and over the embroidery piece . This will pick up the "extra" wax and color when pressed and protects your iron. Remember, if you use a Frixion pen to mark your embroidery lines, it will disappear when you press your piece. If that happens just retrace your lines, and then you are ready to embroider. 

Use a pressing cloth  and/ or napkins to protect iron . This also absorbs excess wax as the piece is heat set. The colors will lighten. 

While the grandsons are here today, I will be lounging at the pool working on the embroidery work of this little beauty. 

Sooo... tell me. Have you ever color tinted your embroidery work? And do have any nifty tips and tricks to share? Inquiring minds want to know. Hee! Hee! I am always excited to learn something new . Aren't you? 

Well Sweeties, I am off to play. I wish you the most delightful day. And remember - Stay young at heart! 

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"What one loves in childhood stays in the heart forever.  "- Mary Jo Putney

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy who remained a kid a heart even into adulthood. She was always up for an adventure and never let grass grew under her feet. 
 I love and miss you so much.. Love you , Amo. 

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄


 Other Posts That Might Strike Your Fancy!

🌞Parade of Homes 2026- Early 2026 parade of home freebies.

🌞2026 Love Parade- A Parade of Previous Valentine Freebies- Valentine themed stitches up to Feb. 4, 2026.  
🌞 Root A Toot Toot Patriotic Parade Early 2024 patriotic freebies. 
🌞A Buzzy Bee Parade An early 2025 bee freebie parade.
🌞A Sunny Sunflower Parade for 2025 A parade of sunflower freebies up to July 24, 2025
🌞Pumpkin, Leaves and Autumn Please- A Fall Parade 2025 A parade of Fall themed stitches and doodles up to September 8, 2025.
🌞 A Stomping Stamp Parade 2026  A parade of stamp cross stitch design freebies up to June 2, 2026

🌞Time to Dye-  2024 post on how I tea/ Coffee Dye my fabric. 
🌞Pin Pillow Tutorial - 2023 post on how I finish my pin pillows with chenille trim. 
🌞A Spooky Parade - Halloween freebies up to October  4, 2025. More Halloween pieces followed this date.
🌞Turkey Struttin' Thanksgiving Parade 2025- Thanksgiving freebies up to the date of November 3, 2025. More Thanksgiving freebies followed  this date. 
🌞A Christmas in July Parade of Past Freebies- 2026 A Parade of Christmas Freebies up to the date of July 6, 2026. More Christmas Freebies followed this date. 
🌞A Chilly Parade of Winter Stitches 2025- A parade of Winter themed freebies up to the date of Dec. 21, 2025
🌞Let's Dye Some Fabric- A tutorial on my process of dyeing Aida



























 














Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Time to Dye


The big red pot is out! 

Welcome,  y'all. The supplies are gathered, and I am ready to dye some fabric.  How about you? 

Grab an apron and let's get to work. 

A pretty vintage apron waiting to be used. 

My Recipe: 

Dark coffee

Tea bags

Vanilla extract 

Ground cinnamon

Water

All of the ingredients are gathered for tea dyeing. 

Several things are going to be dyed in big red pot including white 14 count aida, white 100% cotton fabric and lookie there a sweet doll named Hester Sue . 

Aida, cotton fabric and a doll will by coffee/ tea dyed. 

I bought Hester Sue the other day at the Goodwill for $.99. She is as cute as a button , but I do believe she needs a more prim look. 

But 1st off the aida- 

I added my ingredients to the big red pot. I do not have any set measurements. I just eyeball what I want to put in there. 

Add the coffee grounds, cinnamon, vanilla and tea bags. 

Water was added and then the white aida which I had dampened. I bring it to a boil and then turn it down on low. 

Add water and dampened aida to the pot and bring to a boil . 

This is a messy process. But that is half the fun for me! Hee! Hee! I am just like a kid- always messin and gommin'.  😁😀

I check the fabric ever so often . I usually let mine stew for several hours and then cut off the heat and let it sit overnight. 

Lower heat and let fabric stew in pot . 

The next morning , I check my fabric. If it is not dark enough, I add more coffee and heat it up again. If I am satisfied, I usually take the fabric outside and drape it over the firepit to dry. Sometimes I bake it in the oven at 180-200 degrees for 20 minutes keeping a close eye on it.  Once the fabric is dry, I give it a good shake to remove as much loose coffee grounds as possible. The fabric smells heavenly. 

My aida is drying on the fire pit outside . It will dry quickly on a hot summer day. 

Once the aida was removed from the big red pot, I dyed the 100 % cotton.  
Now let me show you the end results. 

First the aida.  Quite a difference. Don't ya ' think? If you get the coffee/ tea dyed fabric wet, it will run and may affect the colors of your floss so be careful. 

The 100% cotton quilting fabric turned out nicely too. 

Now let's see Hester Sue. She just took a quick dip into the pot only staying for  a few seconds. Aaah she turned out very prim. I like her. 

Hester Sue after taking a dip in the coffee/tea mixture. 

Since the fabrics are dyed, I guess I better get to work stitching on something . Thank you so much for dropping by and helping me in the kitchen. 
Now tell me do you dye your own fabric? How do you do it? I am always interested in learning new techniques and tips. 
Have a beautiful day and don't forget  to mess and gomm yourself! Hee! Hee! 

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, ya'll

Melisa 

"A creative mess is better than tidy idleness."

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy. I love and miss you so much.. Love you , Amo. 














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