Clouds and Sea

This week's Valentine's Day postcards

are dramatically different than the Ribbon and Lace

postcards shared with you last week.

These are much more masculine

with images of sailboats on the sea.

But they are every bit as romantic upon closer inspection.

A closeup of the postcard

with a vertical orientation is shown below.

The cloud formations depict a couple sharing a kiss.

The rippling waves in the foreground

 spell out the word LOVE.

Antique Postcard from my Personal Collection,
Ser. 400, M W Taggart, Copyright 1909

Look closely at the postcard with the horizontal orientation. 

The strong wave crashing against the rock formation

forms the image of a woman

and the rocks show the sturdy face of a man.

The wave is about to embrace the jagged rocks.

Again, the word LOVE is spelled by the calmer waves.

Antique Postcard from my Personal Collection,
Ser. 400, M W Taggart, Copyright 1909

I don't know whether there are additional postcards in this series.  These cards are not commonly seen.

They were purchased at two different postcard shows

and I have never seen the cards

other than when I made these two purchases.

I definitely will be keeping my eyes open for more.  

Until next time, live and love well.

Joining these lovely parties this week:

Bunny Hop at Bunny Jean's Decor and More

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

A Hug and A Kiss

As I started taking out my Valentine's Day decorations, it occurred to me that I had never written a post about my quilting projects.  I've been quilting since 2001 but I still consider myself a beginner.  I have made one large quilt and the rest have been lap size or wall hangings.  There are still so many techniques and patterns I want to attempt to master!

This wall hanging was made in 2010.  It is a two block applique quilt that I named "A Hug and A Kiss".  The  buttonhole stitch around the applique was done by hand.  The quilting on this wall hanging was done by machine.

The top block features a circle surrounded by hearts (the hug).

Crossed bars with a heart at each end (the kiss) are the basis of the bottom block. 

This wall hanging was was inspired by a quilt I admired in the July/August 2006 issue of Fons & Porter Love of Quilting magazine.  The quilt was designed by Mimi Dietrich in a Baltimore Album style.  Since the inspiration quilt was made of four blocks, the original name was "Hugs & Kisses" (plural).

My "A Hug and a Kiss" quilt was a low cost project.  The only newly purchased items for this project were the pink flower shaped buttons used to embellish the blocks. The log cabin blocks used as the background for the applique were left over from another quilt I made in 2006.  The appliqued pink hearts and green leaves were cut from scraps of fabric found in my stash.

My earlier 2006 project was made entirely from log cabin blocks and the layout forms a heart in the center.  Most of the log cabin blocks were made entirely of cream colored fabrics.  Two blocks are entirely made of varied pink fabrics.  Eight blocks were made the traditional way using half light and half dark fabrics.    I originally intended to use some of the half light/half dark blocks to add some pink in the corners.  But when I was working on the block layout, I thought the heart center needed to be the feature of the quilt and the additional color detracted.  That's why I ended up with extra blocks for the wall hanging.

Since the fabric used for the borders and backing featured the word Love in varied fonts, this log cabin Valentine quilt is named "Surrounded by Love".   I like to make my quilt labels using a miniature block that repeats a block from the quilt itself.

"Surrounded by Love" was hand quilted.  The outer cream portions were quilted in a grid pattern.  The pink fabric center is quilted with repeating heart wreaths.  You can see some of the hearts clearly in the darkest fabric.

Until next time, live and love well.

Joining these lovely parties this week:

Bunny Hop at Bunny Jean's Decor and More

Creative Bloggers' Party at Homemaker on a Dime
Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home
Little Quilt Monday at pieceful life
The Valentine's Party at Holiday Haven
Your Cozy Home Party at Cozy Home Scenes

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

Ribbon and Lace

Valentine's Day is just a few weeks away.

To reflect the spirit of this romantic holiday,

I would like to share a series of antique postcards.  

Each of the postcards bears a cherub,

colorful ribbon shaped into a heart that is surrounded by

a frame of cheerful posies and a lacy border.

A rhyme on each card expresses loving sentiments.  

The manufacturer is unknown.

The only marking on the back states

Heart Valentine Series No. 2. 

The cards date to the year 1910.

Until next time, live and love well.

Joining these lovely parties this week:

Bunny Hop at Bunny Jean's Decor and More

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

Snow Crystals

We all have heard that no two snowflakes are alike. But did you ever stop to think about how this discovery was made? I never gave this much thought until a visit to Vermont a few years ago. A tour guide recommended a visit to the snowflake museum. A snowflake museum?! How intriguing!

William A. Bentley (1865-1931) was born in Jericho, Vermont. He dedicated his life to the study of snow, frost and rain.

During his lifetime, he took over 5,000 images of snowflakes. Because of this dedication, William Bentley soon became known as "Snowflake Bentley".

To do his work, a camera was attached to a microscope and the resulting image is called a photomicrograph. Due to the fragile nature of a snowflake, this work was done in an environment that equaled the temperature where the snowflake was recovered.

As a memento of the visit to the museum, I purchased a book that contains almost half of the images captured by Mr. Bentley. You might enjoy viewing a few pages.

Mr. Bentley used the name SNOW CRYSTALS

in his work rather than snowflakes,

thus the name of the book. 

All snowflakes are six-sided hexagons.
We don't typically see smooth hexagons

and think of snowflakes

but these are common snow crystal shapes.

Images on these pages almost look like triangles.

 But closer inspection shows

the corners are flat rather than pointed

so these meet the six-sided requirement of a hexagon.  

With six rounded petals,

these images could be called ice flowers!

The final photo shows the variations

of the pointed-star shape

traditionally associated with the image of a snowflake.

Snowflakes by Linda A. Copp

Snowflakes spill from heaven's hand

Lovely and chaste like smooth white sand.

A veil of wonder laced in light 

Falling Gently on a winters night. 

Graceful beauty raining down

Giving magic to the lifeless ground.

Each snowflake like a falling star

Smiling beauty that's spun afar. 

Till earth is dressed in a robe of white

Unspoken poem the hush of night.

Joining these lovely parties this week:

Bunny Hop at Bunny Jean's Decor and More

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Until next time, live and love well.

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

Toddlers Who Will Capture Your Heart

Do you have a friend or family member who is a doll collector?  Maybe YOU!?

Is there a special child in your life who would cherish a pretty doll?

Plan now for your upcoming gifting needs.

Valentine's Day, Easter, and Birthdays are perfect occasions for gifting a doll.  

New inventory has been added to the Doll in the Looking Glass web site.

Lots of adorable expressions have been added to our Dress-Up Toddlers category.

Here is a preview of our newest expressions.

Visit the Dress-Up Toddlers page at Doll in the Looking Glass for more details.

You may be wondering why these dolls are called Dress-Up Toddlers.

Purchasing one of our Dress-Up Toddlers is a two step process:

• First, select the facial expression that captures your heart.   We have a variety of eye colors, hair styles and hair colors in stock.  All of these dolls are photographed in a simple t-shirt so the doll's face and hair can be the initial focus.  Once you have found the baby or toddler expression that calls to you, you can move to the next step.

• Second, (this is the Dress-Up part of the name) check our closet of clothing and choose an outfit that will accent your doll's unique personality.  You may want your doll dressed for a very special occasion and you will find clothing adorned with ruffles and lace.  Or, you may prefer every-day cute clothing styles with a contemporary flair.  You decide!   Your doll will be lovingly dressed and delivered to you.

Until next time -- live and love well,

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass. Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works. The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

Midland's Snowy Blanket

No snow for Christmas...

No snow the entire month of December...

But, last night the snow finally arrived in Midland,
in Michigan, and in many other states.

Not the destructive volumes of snow that buried cities in Alaska.

Not enough snow to close local schools.

But enough to cover the brown winter landscape.

Just a pretty, fluffy white blanket of snow.

Winter wonderland view outside my bedroom window. 

Pine tree tip bends from the weight of the snow.

A better view of the yard from another second story window.  

The bird feeder looks so tiny next to the mature trees.

I'll get my coat and head outside so I can get some close-up shots.

The snowmen placed on the decorative fence in December

 finally look at home.

Rhododendrons are buried from the snowfall.

Snow-covered branches of Japanese maple

frame the front entryway.

A picture perfect evergreen!

And the snowman puffs his rosy cheeks

and smiles at the beauty that surrounds him.

Until next time -- live and love well,

                                      Debra

Joining these lovely parties this week:

Bunny Hop at Bunny Jean's Decor and More

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

New Year Blessings

Sending you an overabundance of good wishes for the New Year

as depicted in this postcard artwork.

Antique Postcard from my Personal Collection
Made in Germany, Postally Unused

The prominent symbol on this postcard is the guardian angel

to protect and guard you.

The angel is lifting a horseshoe, which is a symbol of good luck.

There are varied viewpoints on which way the opening should be pointed.

Some believe that the shoe must point up or the luck will run out.

Others insist it must point down so the luck can pour onto you.

Next you may notice the four-leaf clover plant on the right.

                                                                  One leaf is for Faith
                                                                  The second for Hope
                                                                  The third for Love
                                                                  And the fourth for Luck

The left side of the card includes bags of gold coins,

a wish for prosperity.

The red-berried holly branch has been regarded as symbolic

of strength, protection, good will and everlasting life. 

I enjoyed sharing this vintage postcard with you.  Please visit again soon,

Debra

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

A New Image for the New Year

A natural tendency at the beginning of a New Year is to make a fresh start to our activities and routines.  

For me, it was time to "redecorate" this blog page that is now six months old.

My former banner was fairly simple.

Some of the goals for the redesign:

• Enhance with more color
• Showcase some favorite dolls
• Exhibit whimsy or playfulness

The process started with the addition of some photographs of favorite dolls.   I tried different arrangements for these photos but the banner still looked a bit reserved and needed more pop.

On-line digital scrapbook sites provided inspiration.  The blue dot background and scrapbook embellishments helped achieve the desired look for the page.   Thanks to Marie Stones at freedigitalscrapbooking.com for the materials available for free download via her site.  

Each of you have shared so much knowledge in your posts and by example on your pages.  Thanks for guiding this newbie and offering your tips. 


Do you like the new look?

Visit again soon,

Debra

Doing the Bunny Hop at Bunny Jean's

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.