A TOTALLY GROOVY BIRTHDAY

With a little help from my daughter's dolls,
all my gifts were on display at my mother's.
Yep, lousy photo.  Took it with my phone
under bad lighting.

Okay, yes, I know I use that word way too much, but there are times when there is no word I can substitute for groovy.  There's a nuance that isn't there if I say "fun" or "cool" or "awesome."

I wrote after Christmas about how I received this groovy cool American Girl knock-off doll and had big plans for decorating her room (actually the top of a mission style cabinet) in true 70s fashion.  I did the doll bed in January.  After months of anticipation, my 8th 44th birthday finally arrived and with it the most groovy awesome gifts ever!  Some were asked for, some were surprises.  All were GROOVY!

I apologize now for the photos.  I'd like to blame it on my camera, but it's probably just my general incompetence.  Don't hold it against the girls...

In case you're wondering about the Double Mint twins on the left, my mom and sister had to purchase another knock-off doll to act as a mannequin for fittings.  The second from left is Echo.  Foghorn's Kit and Kainani dolls are on the right and were quickly stripped of their clothing after this photo shoot and given back to their owner.

Denim skirt by my mother.
Crocheted hat and sweater by my sister.

An American Girl promotion item from Wrigley
Field and ordered from eBay.  Of course she needed
a Cubs jersey.  Shorts by my mother.

Granny square poncho by my sister.
Jeans by my mother.

Funky fur hat, vest, and purse, as well
as crocheted purple pants by my sister.
Shirt and socks by my mother.

Echo in her new romper and bandana
showing off her green shag foot rug.

Remember those?!?  Echo's tape recorder and record
player.  My record player had Kaptain Kool and the Kongs
on it.

My sister did the tie-dyed shirt and leather
vest.  She wanted to give it Roger Daltrey
fringe but couldn't make it work.
The colors in the shirt remind me of the one
Joe Cocker wore at Woodstock.

Every girl needs a terrarium...and framed David Cassidy album cover.

My sister made the doll jewelry box, as well as the bling inside.

My sister crocheted the ultimate accessories - shag pillow
and rug.  And a chair in my hideously beautiful 70s colors!

Seat lifts for storage!  Perfect place for her to stash her
16 Magazines.

Crocheted doll dress by my sister.

Hooded cape sewn by my mother. 

Crocheted jacket, hat, and purse by my sister.

Socks by my mother.
Duct tape shoes by my sister.

I swear my sister had a shirt just like this
in 1972.  Dress by my mother.  Leather
bracelet (with name etched) from my sister.

Could it get groovier?  My sister crafted an owl necklace
for me and a matching one for my doll.  Oh, my!

Okay, these shoes just came from eBay, but I had a pair just
like them in the first grade!  I can still see myself in my plaid
uniform, flowered shoes, and Scooby Doo lunch box.

Yep, sometimes it pays to have crafty relatives.  You couldn't purchase groovy stuff like this at any price.

And for folks who are interested in whipping up some accessories for their own  daughters' dolls, here are some helpful links:

1)  Instructions for making the socks can be found at Karen Mom of Three's Craft blog here.

2)  Instructions for duct tape shoes can be found at Sew Adollable here and here.

3)  Instructions for the barrel chair can be found at Cobbler's Cabin here.

4)  Instructions for the t-shirt can be found at Second Chance Studio here.

5)  Many of the crocheted clothing items came from Crochet for Dolls:  25 Fun, Fabulous Outfits for 18-Inch Dolls by Nicky Epstein.

YARN ALONG

Wednesdays over at the Small Things blog is Yarn Along day, where knitters and crocheters share what bit of needle goodness they're working on and what they're reading. Time for this week's installment.

I needed a smallish rug for under my family room window and decided on my version of the Big Stitch Knit Rug from Purl Bee.  Since this rug's location is frequented by muddy-footed dogs and chipmunk-watching cats, I went with an economical, easy care yarn -- Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in Wheat and Glacier.  I'll soon be changing from my total Brady Bunch decor to something more springy and summery, so the rug colors aren't going to clash with my current avocado, tangerine, and marigold hues.  I'm using much smaller needles than called for, size 13, and am making it in stripes of varying widths, mostly to combat my own boredom.  It's an extremely easy pattern and free over at the Purl Bee here.


One of my birthday gifts from my mother was Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Around, which I just finished and thoroughly enjoyed.  That might sound weird for a knitting book, but about half the pages are taken up with her "digressions" and by the end of the book she's given a history of herself that is witty, concise, and wonderful (much like her patterns).  Whether I ever make anything from the book or not I'm so glad I have it.  It's particularly interesting to read about her German-born husband's escape from his homeland in 1937 when he was overheard making a snotty remark about Hitler and was trying to get out of Dodge before the Gestapo caught up with him. 

At bedtime last night I started the novel The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie (best known for his title role in House, M.D., although to me he will always be my beloved Bertie Wooster).  It's hard to get a feel for the book after only reading three pages (I was very tired last night), but as I expected it's quirky and funny and offbeat, a little like a combination of Rowan Atkinson and Douglas Adams.


Are you reading anything good this week? 


YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:


*  Fear Not the Fair Isle


*  American Girl Knitting