Annie Oakleaves

hey followers!

2010-01-27T15:46:00.000-08:00

Ive moved to a new blog
Iam also doing early spring cleaning and adding lots and lots of stuff to my sons ebay account. Its under thievespunk. check it out there are lots of goodies!

We've Moved!

2009-12-10T18:06:00.001-08:00

I think I finally have the website in a good spot and figured out how to do it myself. What a nightmare! I have to say that the last 7 months since I opened the shop I have barely been hanging by the skin of my teeth. I should have kept the website up better and been blogging more but Ive had a really hard time doing it all. I think at this point I have somethings figured out so I dont spread myself too thin and end up getting nothing done like I have been. So please update your links to www.annieoakleaves.com which you will find HERE
Im working on uploading photos tonight and there should be more to look at in the next few days. Oh boy how I have missed you all!

check out the stuff just listed!

2009-11-11T18:06:00.000-08:00

Visit AnnieOakleaves's ArtFire Shop

ornament making at the shop today!

2009-11-11T10:59:00.001-08:00

making ornaments out of some vintage teacups today! Its glue and glitter madness!

This is a true american!

2009-11-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

2009-11-06T16:52:00.000-08:00

Work in progress at the shop tonight. Fake Cupcake ornaments! Yay!

2009-11-04T21:04:00.003-08:00

Visit AnnieOakleaves's ArtFire Shop

2009-11-04T13:41:00.001-08:00

Just set up my phone to Blog maybe i will do it more.here is a picture of ornaments im working on.

patterns!

2009-10-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

Lots of things going on around here,the website disappeared and I had no idea and handed out tons of cards and flyers and then found it wasnt up,spent alot of hours putting it back together,it looked great and I checked before bed....GONE! So hopefully soon that will be done. But for now Paul has the new shop started for me and you can find it here We plan on adding new stuff everyday but for now its embroidery patterns. They are pdfs but I have actual printed patterns,if you are interested in the printed ones just let me know! Ok I need to get off of here and go pick up the kidlet from school. I will come back later with a flyer for where I will be this weekend...Mermaid Mercantile!

an FYI just incase you are ever down

2009-08-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

you should go here
rip glen :(

my theme song for the rest of 09

2009-08-17T16:49:00.000-07:00

if you are feeling old this is perfect!

I feel like all of my posts should start out as sorry!!!

2009-08-17T10:50:00.001-07:00

I think finally Iam to the point that I can catch up. I fell Saturday so Iam using this downtime to catch up and add photos to flickr,here,facebook and myspace.My plan is to list some of the things I have in the shop on the website so all of you who arent close to here can have a chance to purchase some of the amazing things Iam getting in. Iam so thankful to all of the artists who are bringing things to the shop and sending things in. I just love it!! Ilove having my own workspace and sometimes spend 10 hours a day creating away. Its also been a wonderful time for me to get closer with my daughters and Iam very thankful for that.
Here are a few pics,the rest are on flickr! I miss everyone,if you have the chance please come out,its beautiful!

sorry!

2009-06-30T20:45:00.000-07:00

Iam such a bad bad blogger but as you can see in the photo I have a reason!! We are still looking for consigners,i i misss you guys!! (p.s. no internet for me at the shop,i guess we are too nestled in the mountains hopefully that will be fixed soon so i can blog more)

speechless!

2009-05-04T19:56:00.001-07:00

Baby Blanket, originally uploaded by MommaBlogger.

Look what I found in my flickr group. Its amazing to see what people do with my patterns. it makes me want to cry.
you may wonder where I have been.. well my daughter and i are opening up a shop in alpine.....more soon!

Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich from Jimbo's in Grinnel, Iowa.

2009-03-18T21:11:00.001-07:00

Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich from Jimbo's in Grinnel, Iowa., originally uploaded by Tyrgyzistan.

Boy you know you are homesick when pictures of a sandwich taken and eaten by someone you dont even know makes you cry... if anyone knows where to get a pork tenderloin like this around san diego let me know..........or send me one please!

sour cherry

2009-03-13T11:54:00.001-07:00

sour cherry, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

Meet Miss Cherry,she lost her true love to a tragic pie incident....so what do we do now? Do we eat him? Oh but it looks so good......
Sorry this is a crappy photo,I was in a hurry this morning. She still needs some tears and work on her stem and Im trying to think of a good way to make a pie. Hopefully soon she will be done,Paul has another show this weekend and we have been a little busy with that.Otherwise all is well here I have art spouting out of me at least 9 hours a day lately. I cant wait to show it all to you... I have a ton of free patterns I want to get posted,I just need to scan them.... can you say procrastinate??

thought

2009-03-01T10:12:00.001-08:00

I'm so happy!, originally uploaded by noflickr.

I was just mopping my floor thinking how happy Iam and how much I love these days with the girls cleaning and listening to beatles with the house wide open (yay california) I was thinking about what my goal in being a mother has been for the last 20 some years and its this ...your sense of value should come from how you treat people, not what you have or how clean your house is but how you treat every living thing ... I think Ive accomplished that with my children and I hope they pass it on to their children. Iam thankful to my parents and grandparents for giving that to me. :)

Embroidery Patterns

2009-02-26T08:05:00.000-08:00

Hi! Ive been recieving questions about my embroidery patterns. when Pauls show is over I plan on having him put them on my website and you can purchase them that way . If youd like to purchase a pattern before then just email me at annieoakleaves@yahoo.com and let me know which ones you want and I will send you a paypal bill for them. Thank you!!

Doll Swap

2009-02-18T08:57:00.000-08:00

If you are wondering where I have been part of it has been Pauls show (they extended it out another month yay!) and the other part has been my new addiction. Iam telling you the wealth of information has been totally worth the price of admission. Not only that the ladies there are wonderful and so much inspiration abounds! Iam hosting a dollswap for the workshop hopefully we will see you there !

If you are in the area!

2009-01-25T14:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year and a shop update!

2009-01-01T17:15:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! How is your new year so far? Mine has been very busy. I spent the afternoon uploading a whole bunch of stuff to the shop,dolls,printed patterns,paintings ect. Im very excited about it. I dont know if you have seen the new issue of Stuffed or not but it is totally inspiring.
Tomarrow my daughters and I are leaving for a few days to see my mother and my sons.My oldest is flying in from D.C. and we are meeting up at my moms. Iam looking forward to it. Even though Im old now theres a comfort I get at my moms house that makes me feel like a kid again. You know what I mean? I will be back in a few days,if you get a chance check out the shop or flickr to see what I have been up to! xoxo

awww

2008-12-24T11:59:00.001-08:00

teach your children well, originally uploaded by knitalatte11.

Im sure lots of you have seen this but it has to be the cutest thing i have ever seen I cant even take it. She blogged it here
www.resurrectionfern.typepad.com/
Hope everyone is doing fantastic and keeping warm! xoxo

Snowflake

2008-12-19T18:37:00.001-08:00

Snowflake 8 - 100% crop, originally uploaded by kartoffel.

I was searching for snowflakes on flickr and came across this.The world has amazing sites to offer everyone if you stop and pay attention.I've been reminding myself that alot lately. It seems like everyone in my family is going through their own personal trial right now and I feel bad that we cant all be together this year.The one thing I liked about living somewher that had real seasons is that its like with every season you get a fresh start and a new chance at life. I haven quite figured out how to do that here. Well anyway,Isnt this photo great? I love and miss snowflakes. :) Hope you all are well xoxoxo anne

sneak peek

2008-12-16T07:45:00.000-08:00

I cant wait!!

2008-12-13T17:53:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!!!!

2008-12-04T17:56:00.001-08:00

jingly, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

If i havent answered your emails yet I will! Im overwhelmed with all of the wonderful mail. Thank you so much!

One more thing

2008-11-19T13:19:00.001-08:00

tree doll, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

im putting this girl in the shop and she has the option of your own initials carved into and a pair of love birds of your color choice to go with the initials!! Coming soon...big bad wolf in grandmas nightie to go with little red!

just popping in!

2008-11-19T13:17:00.001-08:00

little red, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

to say Hi and let everyone know I added some more to the shop.Thank you to everyone for the fantastic samples Ive been getting and if there is anyone who volunteered that hasnt received anything yet please let me know! toodles!!!!

New patterns :)

2008-11-14T19:15:00.000-08:00

I've listed another pattern set today. The original turned out to be way to large to turn into a reasonable pdf so we broke it down into groups.Im really excited about them. These were stitched by the fabulous Kristi and put together by me.The set includes this eenie,a cute little bird in a dress and my acorn girl. The next set will be puppy,kitty,turtle, and pig. Thank you for all of the love with the Christmas patterns. There has been some wonderful samples made.How is everyone doing? Tonight just the girls and I are home.We planted fall bulbs and are cleaning up some construction mess from the bathrooms(yes that is still going on)I was informed that when I say "we" are cleaning something that means them so I decided to agree and let them have at it. lol someday they will understand how much work management is! It was really hot here today I really didnt think it was going to be hot again. Hopefully the whole weekend will be nice. Ok so Im off to supervise ;)have a great weekend!!!

Phew!

2008-11-12T22:11:00.001-08:00

Wild-Acorns, originally uploaded by Chuck Harkins.

Ok we are getting there! Do you like the new look of the blog? My d.o.h. has spent the last two days working on my website so it made me want to work on the blog a little.Somewhere along the line in uploading this template I lost my links and everything. We have a page of links on the new site so if I had you or you have me on yours let me know so I can add it to the list. You would not believe the fantastic samples I have been getting from my test stitchers.. Great work everyone! and so fast. yay!
Its crazy around the Oakleaves household lately,tonight I got everything out that needs finishing touches before I put them in the shop. I cant wait to show you what Ive been up to lately,you will be so surprised. (at least I hope you will,I cant believe it myself) The new site is HERE there isnt alot there yet but you can check it out!! Night everyone!!!

Stitchers needed!!!

2008-10-27T16:00:00.000-07:00

Hi! If you a regular follower of my stuff you know that I have a regular stitcher named Kristi who does absolutely fabulous work and sends it to me but I kinda put myself in a jam time wise AND need something a little differant.I need some volunteers to do some pattern testing/stitching for me.I will email you a pattern that will be coming up in one of several new sets and all I need in return is a good photo of your work.I have am in need of probably 10 people.Color choices are yours all I ask is that it be on a white or off white background and that it be done by the 25th of November. All you need to do is email me and let me know your interested and let me know if you'd like to do some little pieces or a full page piece. My email is annieoakleaves@yahoo.com
If you know anyone else who maybe interested please pass this on,I have ALOT of new pattern sets that I need to get done alot sooner than I expected (that part is a surprise) Oh and I almost forgot,I maybe using your photo for the cover of the printed patterns so let me know if you are interested in that.

On a lighter note,my youngest daughter asked me an interesting question the other day,she said "mom are we aristocrats or democrats?" I said if those are our options we are aristocrats! lol have a happy day all!

Fall

2008-10-25T16:18:00.001-07:00

pumpkins, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

Fall is my favorite time of year. I really miss all of the color changes and it always seems like with the passing of each new season you get to start off with a clean slate. Now that I live in sunny southern California it's hard for me to get that feeling of renewal and being able to wipe the slate clean.Im thinking maybe every season we should take a drive north to experience it.
Anyway I thought Id leave you with my most favorite cookie recipe ever. Whenever I make them they are gone quickly and we never seem to have enough. I like to put them in the fridge after I make them and then have them with a huge glass of milk. Let me know if you try them!
CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN COOKIES

INGREDIENTS
* 1 cup canned pumpkin
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1 egg
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon milk
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

* add to recipe box Add to Recipe Box
My folders:
* add to shopping list Add to Shopping List
* add a personal note Add a Personal Note

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
2. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.
3. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

yay!

2008-10-24T19:39:00.001-07:00

S5030729, originally uploaded by illusioncrystals.

Theres a new dollmaker I have discovered on etsy. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6354982
Sariah is just killing me with all of the cuteness. Im not gonig to tell you which one is my favorite because I want her to come live with me! If you get a chance stop by her flickr or etsy and say hi. She is new to everything and Iam sur she would appreciate it. xo

flickr

2008-10-17T16:12:00.001-07:00

eenies, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

I feel like Ive been off of flickr for way longer than I have been. I leave and come back and its all new! I guess Iam an old fuddy duddy and hate change because I dont like it and cant figure it out.I plan on spending a good hour trying to catch up on all of my contacts photos!

How I grow a Eenie

2008-10-17T16:09:00.001-07:00

How I grow a Eenie, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

I feel like I've been away from here forever! I thought I would show you what my softies start out like before I come up with the final pattern. I have to tell you that when I finished the first one I was so proud and amazed with myself I couldnt take it. I also couldnt understand why my family wasn't as excited as I was. Now that I look at him I feel quite sad for him as he is the ugly duckling compared to his brothers.Iam having a really good time making these,they whip up really fast. Iam thinking of maybe putting the pattern in the shop.I put lentils in their bottoms to keep them weighted and made backpacks so the could forage for food and wouldnt starve when I forget to feed them. LOL Ok enough rambling.

Can you believe this?

2008-10-09T20:11:00.001-07:00

Cone_Gnome_06, originally uploaded by goldenrusset.

Too cute huh? I found him on flickr just now. Such inspiration,Ive been working on a gnome all day .hopefully he will be finished tomarrow and I can show you. I dont think he is this cute though!

Wren and friend

2008-10-06T22:48:00.001-07:00

Wren and friend, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

Meet Wren! I have alot of new creations going on but I wanted to show you this one. I love her so much. she is made from a Edith Flack Ackley pattern,modified of course because I cant leave anything alone.She has a felted wool sweater for a sweater and had,a vintage fabric scarf,tibetan lambskin hair and a little vintage mushroom bird on top of her hat.I just love her to death and cant wait to make more.she was totally inspired by Mitty who makes the most beautiful dolls.Sorry I havent been blogging,Ive been really busy getting things ready for the shop and adding them to it.Im finally making a trip to the post office tomarrow,I ment to do it on the 1st and here it is the 7th already.(sorry) How is the weather for everyone? One day its cool here and the next day its really hot. I almost turned on the air today,in October!!! yikes! Ok Im going to go put her in the shop now before I decide I cant part with her! xoxoxoxo

mad for plaid

2008-09-21T04:40:00.001-07:00

mad for plaid, originally uploaded by kunderwood.

Check out the plaid! Go Kristi!

YAY!

2008-09-21T04:39:00.001-07:00

seeking shelter, originally uploaded by kunderwood.

Kristi is my pattern tester and she does amazing work. I probably mentioned that before but now that I have seen them in person I just cant get over it.

Ahhh,the weekend..

2008-09-20T09:03:00.001-07:00

King Bolete, originally uploaded by Batram.

It Saturday AM and lucky me,everyone is still asleep and it looks like the marine layer is really thick this morning so maybe it wont be too hot.I love it when the house is quiet and I can hear the birds.The flock of parrots go over every morning and I always think Im going to get up early and watch them but I never do. This morning I caught them.It seems like the flock is getting bigger. At the start of summer the flew over in groups of 3 or 4 all day. It seems now like they got their act together and made friends and a schedule. I cant wait to see if the same thing happens next summer.
I have alot of plans for the weekend,one of them being to photograph all of the things I have made recently and the other is to write a little something for a certain magazine Im really excited about.My plan is to try to have everything in the shop by the time the magazine comes out,although the idea of listing more than 100 things on etsy in one sitting is daunting. Is it even humanly possible?I may need to enlist the fam in this one.I can just imagine the brain fog I will have after that .
Did anyone else read about Travis Barker this morning. ugh. I read he is in the burn unit. Hopefully everything goes well.
How about you what are you up to this weekend? I really appreciated reading everyones 9-11 stories,it makes you realize what a big world it is.

Wanna hear something stupid?

2008-09-16T14:30:00.001-07:00

Jay McCarroll with Spools, originally uploaded by k-ideas.

I just watched Project Jay for the first time and it left me bawling like a baby.Hearing him talk about passion and sewing 6-7 hours without going to the bathroom of even drinking water reminds me of me.And I thought it was really interesting how he talked about his line and being a sellout and if he wanted to do that or not and if he does does that mean hes not an artist anymore. I think about all this stuff and wonder about self sabotage because I know I do it often and I wonder if by the end of this show he will do that to himself or not.It practically tore me apart seeing him go thru the panic and stress and the last minute torture,thinking he wont get it done, over the Heidi dress only to have her not pick it in the end and I swear my heart broke right along with him.I think doing art of any kind and trying to make it with your art is such a personal hard thing. I sometimes get some guilt and guilt trips over working on my stuff the way I do,I think maybe sometimes people look at me like Iam just playing when I work on my things. I guess its because Iam passionate about it and its all I really want to do or talk about or spend money on.I think some people,maybe not my family but others dont really see any value in it if Im not able to make a fantastic living off of it but Im not really sure if I care if I ever do. I dunno,just a thought.

Feeling the connection

2008-09-12T07:57:00.001-07:00

Feeling the connection, originally uploaded by Lauren Alane.

This photo reminds me of my oldest daughter.So cute! Lauren does an amazing job!

Ruby

2008-09-12T07:46:00.001-07:00

witchy poo, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

This is Ruby, I have a new set coming soon featuring her and her friends.
So how is everyone? It seems like forever since Ive blogged.We caught a bad round of something around here,its kind of like a cold kind of like the flu,I cant decide. August was a big month for me,Ive been meaning to tell you about it but here it is almost halfway thru September and I still havent. Ok so heres a list
1) Two of my children started their first days in college,(yay)
2) We celebrated our 1 year anniversary in California
3)Iam now on my last year of my 30s and had a beautiful sunset dinner at the crab shak on the beach.The whole week was a great birthday actually.
4) I got accepted to something I was really really crossing my fingers on.
5)School started and my youngest daughter is captain of the football team!
6) Its been a year and I finally have a workspace set up in my little corner of the house.
So far September has been interesting,aside from everyone being sick. I accidently caught the pincushion bug and now have right around 100 under my belt (in the shop soon) Scary I know,I was trying to think of a way to use what I have because Iam very limited on space and have enough stuff to fit a large studio.Pincushions have been very satisfying because it doesnt take long and they end up so cute. Ive been making pins for them and adding everything I can find to them. Im trying to put together little sets of things to go with them. Im pretty excited about it,pictures soon. I keep thinking today is the day I will take pictures but then end up making more..I cant even imagine what its going to be like to list all of them on etsy...oh my.
Yesterday was Sept 11th and I woke up to my youngest singing The Star Spangled Banner in her room. It made me weepy thru out the day.When that happened I had just moved to Spokane Washington and was watching Good Morning America with my dad.It was so shocking. What were you doing that day?
xoxoxoxoxo Annie

Reminder to myself that I do live in paradise

2008-08-07T23:49:00.000-07:00

I thought I would show you a little clip of the flock of parrots that go over our house twice a day.For some reason these decided to take a break in our backyard one morning.If you watch closely you can see that I veer off for a minute to catch a hummingbird in the bougainvilla.

oh my garsh.......

2008-08-06T16:36:00.001-07:00

Melting ice-cream... van, originally uploaded by zoom_eric.

Things are moving very slowly the last couple weeks in the acorn house. But especially the last few days. It is sooooo hot. We really need to get an a.c. but I keep thinking "oh hold out it will be over" but it never seems to end.(somethings about trying to keep an old house like an old house should be outlawed) lol Its hot at the beach but at least theres water and a breeze. I need a battery operated sewing machine to take to the beach. Wouldnt that be grand.

Crammed Organisms 2008 Book

2008-08-05T19:21:00.001-07:00

Crammed Organisms 2008 Book, originally uploaded by Cranky Yellow.

sneek peek at the Crammed Organism book that Iam in!

C.O. Opening at Cranky Yellow

2008-08-05T19:17:00.001-07:00

C.O. Opening at Cranky Yellow, originally uploaded by Cranky Yellow.

Crammed Organisms Shows

2008-08-05T19:14:00.001-07:00

C.O. Opening at Subterranean Books, originally uploaded by Cranky Yellow.

Cranky yellow put some pictures up from the shows I sent girlies for so I thought I would share.

look what I found on my flickr contacts!

2008-08-01T18:23:00.001-07:00

うにきのこ, originally uploaded by sakura*aya.

Arent they sweet? I just cant take it!

EENIE Circus

2008-07-25T17:11:00.001-07:00

EENIE Circus, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

Going in the shop tonight.Theres siamese twins,a bearded lady,strongman,giant and little person,a clown,ringmaster and snails performing as elephants. Oh and a big top mushroom too!! (and popcorn,peanuts,cotton candy and a corndog) Hopefully the halloweenie eenies will be up tonight too!

New eenie set !

2008-07-23T16:51:00.001-07:00

New eenie set !, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

I finally have one set in the shop! The person I thought was doing my pdfs wasnt able to do it so its taken a little longer than we thought but we are on a roll now. I have 8 more sets that are all ready to be made into pdfs and then they will go in the shop too. The next ones are going to be HALLOWEENIE EENIES,CIRCUS EENIES and then another haloween set that I havent named yet.I figure if I get those up now then there will be time to get some things made for halloween.Ive decided to do what Ive noticed alot of prim doll pattern makers do and let people sell items made with my patterns within reason and a shout out. Im pretty excited.I hope people like them and like them enough to start a flickr group and actually have pictures in it. Thats always my big fear ,starting a flickr group and then having no one want to put pictures in. lol ok Im off to stare at my listing some more and then make supper.!

Sticking my head out of the hole.... :)

2008-07-15T17:38:00.001-07:00

gnomeygirl, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

With all of the family stuff,order stuff,swap stuff and pattern stuff it seems like there maybe a light at the end of the tunnel.I have a huge batch of stuff to send out tomarrow and I sent out a huge batch yesterday.Unfortunately Iam not organized enough to take pictures of the packages before the head to the post office like some people are. Iam always amazed at those pictures.I see lots of things I would like to take pictures of but never feel like I have the time to stop and do it.I think the running theme thru out my blog haas been trying to keep up. I decided that after I get this stuff caught up and the patterns in the shop Iam going to take some time and sew for my house and spend alot of time in front of the fan reading.I have so many embroidery patterns backed up to get ready for the shop that Iam almost afraid to sit down with pencil and paper because they just keep coming. someday i will hope for that to happen but not now. Iam sure the never enough time is common among crafters,bloggers,flickr 'ers but I've realized that I spend alot of time feeling bad for not getting things done and out and I hate that feeling of letting people down. I will be doing something and look up and the post office is closed. holy heck it feels like I just had breakfast.i have decided after this last batch of mushrooms that I absolutely cannot make another one.I have too many new things I want to try.But I do have a pattern that Iam trying to write the instructions for. I have such a hard time with that. I dont read instructions,I eyeball it and then try it on my own.Sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt.So anyhooo I am going back to the hole,too bad its not the rabbit hole! lol

yay Ludmila!!!

2008-06-23T12:51:00.001-07:00

Ficou pronto!, originally uploaded by Ludmila ^-^v.

Look who is holding an eenie!!

Look what Ludmila made!

2008-06-23T12:39:00.001-07:00

Fazia tempo que não bordava...., originally uploaded by Ludmila ^-^v.

Its the first embroidery I've seen out of my patterns,it makes me so excited and anxious to get the patterns all in the shop. I appreciate all of the kind words and blog mentions and favorites Ive been getting on the free patterns(and even an ode to annie oakleaves at meet me at mikes :)yippee!!).Im hoping to put free ones up oftens to go with each set of patterns Im doing.I should be getting the pdfs back anyday now so I can put them in the shop.I will keep you posted! (p.s.everything is shipped if your waiting for queen of slowness here) Have a great day all! xoxo

Thought I'd pop in for a sec..

2008-06-21T07:26:00.000-07:00

We've been back from Vegas for a few days. It was a beautiful wedding and I had a pretty good time hobbling around.I love people watching in Vegas.I think thats the best part.Like this guy,I guess if you are going to repent Vegas would be the perfect place to do it lol

Back at home, its been slow moving,the heat has made impossible to go anywhere or do anything.Yesterday it was 106 and having no a.c. its about all you can do just to move. I spent the afternoon trying to get orders ready to go out,sorry ladies,I didnt get them out yesterday as planned. I wish I had one of these in my yard..

On the bright side my patterns are almost ready to go into the shop. Thank you for all of the embroidery love,it is very appreciated and took me completely by surprise xoxo

yay!!!!

2008-06-08T14:40:00.001-07:00

Annie Oakleaves, originally uploaded by robyn3811.

So this is a photo that Robyn took of one of my mushrooms girls at the crammed show.I cannot tell you how excited Iam.It just blows me away when I see all of the amazing artists in the show and the idea that Im included in that group.My best friend of over 20 years lives in St Louis and I was all excited to think that she would be able to go to that show for me but she is out of town for the entire thing of course. lolJust to let everyone know Im gonig to be out of town for the week,There are wedding bells ringing and I need to be there! xoxo

Its here!

2008-06-05T16:15:00.001-07:00

Gails Wilsons Izannah Walker kit, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

My first Gail Wilson kit came today! Its Izannah Walker!I really do have to tell you how shocked I was.The instructions are a dream. Iam always disapointed with instructions,they are always too vague for me.These instructions are fantastic and I really believe by the time Iam done with this doll I will have learned something valuable.The kit came with way more than I expected. I really dont think the description on Gails website does it justice.I joined the custom kit club and i got to choose which kits I wanted.It just blows my mind I have a year of this to look forward to.I really love reading what Gail has to say and her no nonsense way off saying things.She is definately someone who knows what shes talking about and I admire her greatly.

Yuuummmy!

2008-06-03T21:06:00.001-07:00

A neighbor gave us a bag of huge apples from their tree tonight. I dont understand why they have ripe apples and my trees just finished blooming and have teeny apples on them... oh well! heres the recipe Iam using xo
APPLE CARAMEL BARS
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups quick oats
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 egg
- 1 1/4 cups butter - cold
- 1 1/2 cups apple - peeled, chopped
- 3/4 cup caramel topping
Directions

* Preheat oven to 350° F.
* Grease the baking pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
* In large bowl, combine flour, quick oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and egg. Cut in the butter and mix well until ingredients are crumbly.
* Remove 1 1/2 cups of the mixture and set aside. Press the crumb mixture into the baking pan, bake for 15 minutes in the oven.
* While crust is baking, combine caramel topping and 1/4 cup flour in small bowl; mix well.
* Sprinkle the apples over the baked crust. Drizzle the caramel mixture over the top of the apples. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the caramel.
* Place back in the oven for another 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
* Let cool completely before serving; approximately 2 hours.
* Cut into 2" squares and serve.

Hey there

2008-06-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those sweet California days that you cant really beat.Since I cant be on my feet for very long at a time I spent a good part of the day in the back yard watching hummingbirds and drooling over the Cath Kidston catalog and the new Romantic Homes.Its now ice tea weather and I absolutely adore ice tea with milk and sugar in it. Everytime I drink it I cant help but sigh.How about you? How was your day? xo

buzzzzzzz

2008-06-02T17:56:00.001-07:00

I dont have anyone here who is all that interested or excited but I have to tell you what I seen today.I looked out the back door and it looked stormy outside or like there was a high wind and stuff flying thru the air.I got up to look closer and realized it was bugs.So I went outside to look and it was bees! It was so neat,I was standing in a giant cloud of bees and the hummingbirds were just going crazy plucking them out of the sky.I had no idea a hummingbird could eat a bee with that skinny little beak.
But anyway I was standing there and they just went around me and down into the neighbors yards.They were traveling pretty fast,it was over before I could get anyone to look.
Im always happy when I see bees.

updates

2008-05-30T20:57:00.001-07:00

mushy, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

I put a few things in the shop tonight. I still have so much more to go.I need to get the rest of the pyrex out of the garage which may take me awhile in this condition. Iam developing a love hate relationship with the couch. Yesterday I watched Waiting to Exhale ( i love that movie) and embroidered.Im anxious to get my appt with the ortho surg over with.My foot is mostly useless and the longer I stay off of it the more useless it becomes and I dont know if you knew this or not but crutches are not kind to big girls,I keep pinching my fat between the crutch and my underwire! lol The happy note of all this is Iam finally getting together a years worth or embroidery patterns I have made.Iam making samples and having pdfs made.I will be so glad to finally have that done.I will give you a little preview soon. :) xoxo

wip

2008-05-29T07:58:00.001-07:00

wip, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

So what have I been doing? Not finishing this poor girl thats for sure.I went to the DR. for my foot the other day. I have a partially ruptured achilles tendon.Now Iam just waiting for an appt with the ortho surg to see if I need surgery or not.They told me at the very least I need to stay off of it for 4 weeks.arrrggghhh!Im thinking at least that way there probably wont be any more disasters to hit this house (knock on wood) haha. If you know of any good handsewing patterns online please send them my way.I used to think it would be great fun to stay at home on the couch all day and have people wait on me. The fun lasted about an hour. :) Anyway I will let you know when I do a shop update. Sorry Iam so behind. xoxoxo

whoa sweet nellie

2008-05-24T11:01:00.001-07:00

whoa sweet nellie, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

Arent they so very sweet? I wonder how many I need to have before Iam an official Sweet Nellie collector.Im getting so behind on this,I have some fantastic things from Heidi I want to show you too but Im waiting for a certain birthday to be over before I do.
Those of you know how many near disasters I have been thru in the last few months will not be surprised to find out that I fell in a hole a few days ago.I heard something snap 3 times as I was falling.I think it was tendons or ligaments or something (?) Can you believe it? Carol says my house is cursed. lol I think maybe we need to build a rubber room and hide in it so nothing else happens.On the brighter side Iam getting lots of embroidery done :)

quick little thought about how old Iam getting

2008-05-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went to a bridal shower and I had made the bride a cute little red with white polka dot fabric apron.I embroidered Mrs.(her new last name) on the pocket. It was really cute and a big hit.The interesting part about it was when she tied it on she tied it low slung on her hips,like girls wear their pants now days.(which was very cute and funny) I had to show her where it really goes,which was a good 6 inches higher than where she had it tied.It never occured to me that current styles would effect how ones apron would be worn. Just an interesting thing I never thought of and it definately makes me realize my age.

Another reason why Im feeling old is the swiffer. I loved my old swiffer. Having a little bulldog that sheds enough to make another dog daily,I swiffer several times a day.I loved the old swiffer with the retro green color and how well it picked up the hair.Unfortnately one day it just snapped. I went and bought a "new and improved" swiffer.Can I just say it makes me miserable.It has bumps on the bottom so its not getting all the hair. I find myself sweeping with the broom before I swiffer and its still not getting it.so youre wondering what this has to do with me being old? I wrote a letter and complained.I remember my grandma and her poison pen writing the newspaper and everywhere else she could think of when ever she wasnt happy with something. Even the neighbors,or better yet she would even write the newspaper about her neighbors and they would publish it. I dont remember it ever getting her anywhere.
Well it didnt really get me anywhere either. I got a letter back saying thats the way it is and if I sent them my address they would send me some coupons. yay
Ok enough griping. I need to go take pictures of some fabulous things I got in the mail this past week. Its been like Christmas. Oh and guess what,finally,another shop update in the morning. I finally have good pyrex pics. :) toodles

A day late.....

2008-05-16T06:14:00.000-07:00

But better late than never I guess.I just did a shop update,it hasnt even begun to put a dent and what I need to get up there but its a start. today we are donig pictures of pyrex and knick knacks......aahhh pyrex if only you were the right color I would keep you all. :)
I thought i would give you a couple dollmaking links since thats all I think about anymore.Has anyone checked out Claire Pruitts online penny doll making class? I really truly think its worth it.The online support and info is great.i have learned alot more than just making the actually penny doll. Im really excited about it. Iam also expecting a small package from Gail Wilson Gail has this marvelous club where you pick out 12 of her kits and then you get a kit a month for the same reasonable price every month.She has really made me think alot about my supplies and he quality of them. Also Iam thinking it would be much more satisfying to spend alot more time on one quality doll instead of trying to make multitudes of the same thing.
speaking of dolls (haha is there anything else) I finished 1 yesterday and have 3 more almost done. They are totally not like anything Ive done before. Maybe I can get my photographer to take some shots of them too today.We will see,its record heat here once again and with no ac things move sloooow. But no near tragic incidents yesterday or so far today (at 6:30 am) lol thanks for everyones kind words and concerns!

fire and Iam listing vintage items in the morning.

2008-05-14T08:23:00.001-07:00

Don't Try This At Home / Fire Breather Flames / Panther / Dallas, originally uploaded by David Kozlowski.

Ok,obviously this is not me or my photo but I thought it is much more pleasant than any photo I could take for this post. Last night while I was listing mushrooms on etsy the gasline broke on our stove (while supper was cooking) and started a fire in our kitchen.we handled it very well but if you have ever seen anyone engulfed in a ball of fire then you know,its scary.We love this house because of all of its original things from the 50s but it really is neverending. Today my beautiful 50s stove is a mess and the knobs melted :( Many of you know its been one thing after another around here and besides all of that we had a pretty serious cooking accident last week AND some lady hit my cart with her truck as I was coming out of the grocery store.she was going very fast for a parking lot and was looking down the rows for a spot. Luckily she heard me screaming and I got out of the way in time. We both ended up crying in the parking lot over that one..lol phew....
but on a lighter note tomarrow morning Iam listing vintage items in the shop. I have quite a few pieces of pyrex,my owl collection,some knick knacks,possiby some fabric. i cant decide if I can really give it up or not. I know i cant cut it! lol
Ok I should go now,everyone BE SAFE!!!! xo

just listed!!

2008-05-13T19:36:00.001-07:00

annie5, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

just a quick note to tell you what Iam doing. I just listed mushrooms on etsy but what I decided to do instead of list them all was to offer a random mushroom at a lesser price and to put in a surprise piece of something vintage to go along with the shroomy girl surprise. I also have prints listed at 50% off. Thank you Heidi for for the nice blog blurb :) :)!!!!!!!!

hello! thought I would stop in before the next storm hits.

2008-04-29T17:12:00.001-07:00

watch out for my attack deer, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

There have been waay too many things going on to talk about too much but I thought I would share some photos with you and talk about dolls instead of my personal drama :0 dont we all have enough of our own?
Iam participating in the Crammed Organism show so I went mushroom crazy. There will be more in the shop and a huge amount of vintage sewing stuff later this week.check it out and reap the benefits of my shopping addiction! lol
Ive been thinking alot lately about my sewing and where I want to go with it and my doll addiction.Recently I discovered prim dolls and thru that the fabulous Gail Wilson.Gail's dolls make me want to learn more about the construction and history of dolls so Ive decided to spend the next year taking classes and trying to absorb as much as I can.Im going to be putting up links and information as I find it if youre interested. Ok I guess I better go I miss you guys!
heres Gail www.gailwilsondesigns.com
check out her tips and stories.Ive learned about more than dolls and sewing from her!

And the winners are......

2008-03-08T16:56:00.000-08:00

I want to apologize to everyone for not doing this yesterday like I had planned. i was so tired when I got home I never even made it past the couch. I was out cold.
Today I had my youngest put the names in a bowl and pick. If this is you please email me at annieoakleaves@yahoo.com with your mailing address, if I dont hear from you I will contact you. I have been having a problem with my email lately and all of my personal emails going into spam.Its driving me crazy!
Ok so here they are!
EVA
DOLLS FOR FRIENDS
SCHMANCY
J.
Please send me your address and if you do make anything with my parts please send pics!!! I will mail these out at the end of the week. Thanks for your interest everyone,I feel relieved they are going somewhere.I cant wait to see who gets what,I already have the boxes sealed. xoxoxoxo

YOURS FOR THE TAKING!!

2008-02-28T09:31:00.000-08:00

Ok save me from myself,its spring cleaning time. I have 4 flat rate boxes of unfinished projects.I thought about doing a ufo swap but then I got to thinking,why do I need more stuff to feel guilty about not finishing?The boxes will include doll parts,softie parts,embroidery,wood pieces,buttons,and fabric. If i have more than 4 people leave me a comment I will just put names in a bowl next Thursday and draw. happy crafting!

Little pink houses for you and me!

2008-02-27T13:09:00.001-08:00

pink house, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

Ive been kind of discouraged lately with all that is going on with our house. We still havent heard if we are going ot have to replace all of the floors in the house yet or not. Im not sure why I was surprised that we have lead and asbestos but I was.Our house basically hasnt been touched since the 50s which is why I love it but it is also why its a big pain in my patoootie.Anyway Ive kind of let it get me down and Ive been a slacker of a swapper and a daughter lately.I apologize.I was outside today and seen the daffodils are in bloom,I have to say the weather here couldnt be anymore perfect and Im terribly lucky on that count.Anyway this photos isnt my house but it is what I keep in my head while Im doing my yard.Only my house is going to be white with pink and aqua trim,next summer is the goal.I plan on doing the picket fence in the next month if the bathroom problems get solved. I really like how there are flowers in front of the fence too.Ive been looking for a nice archway (trellis?) with a gate and still havent found one yet,although I keep seeing them in other peoples yards(the blue house has one!) Dont you just love the pink topiaries?topiarys?lol i dunno but I do love them to death.I was told that they are stepping out of the 50s look and going to more of an english garden look but
I dont reallly care I just know I want them!Everytime I work in my yard which is ALOT lately I think about when my future grandkids come to visit and how great it would be for them to come to a mother goose type cottage.Surely my grandkids will be more into mother goose than Xbox......................LOL Hope everyone is well,that you for all of the nice comments and good thoughts about our bathrooms. xoxo

guest bathroom

2008-02-23T18:46:00.001-08:00

guest bathroom, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

As you probably know,we have had some flooding problems in our house.Our bathroom has been completely gutted and this is the guest bathroom.We also have the floors ripped up in our bedroom and part of the walls.It sucks because that is my sewing area,but it will be nice to have it all fixed and looking good.We spent a week at the hotel which was nice because the rooms were like apartments with kitchens ect. The girls had a great time pretending they had their own place.Today we decided we need a break and went to Coronado (pictures soon) If you are working on your yard (which I have been obsessively since I cant reallly sew) Coronado is a great place for inspiration,so many beautiful homes.I have received some fantastic things in the mail I cant wait to show you.In the next few days I think if its not raining. Night all!!

i'll be back

2008-02-13T16:21:00.000-08:00

The damage from the water is worse than we thought,everything is getting gutted. If i havent mailed it out I will soon and I will be back with a great new creation! miss ya!

It's a BEAUTIFUL day!!!

2008-02-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

This past weekend went rather fast for me but I think it went well and I accomplished alot.Yesterday we planted some bulbs and herb seeds and transplanted some things.There was a small tree growing up against the garage so we decided to try to move it and see if it would make it.so after much debate we found the perfect spot for the tree and begun to dig.Not 6 inches under the ground I hit pipe,At first I thought it was a root and tired to pull it up.It did not give,thank goodness!So then we found a less than perfect spot for the tree and begun to dig again,ok 6 " and no pipes we're doing good,it has a big root ball so we need to dig a deep hole,ok just about one inch deeper....guess what? pipe! We did get the tree planted but I would have preferred the original spot. Lol Im so glad I didnt bust the pipe.Last week our bathroom flooded and now we need to replace that whole bedroom floor and possibly out into the hall and the next bedroom.Just a month before our guest bathroom flooded and we had to rip walls out for that.Ah old houses,you gotta love them. Ive been told this house is a money pit but I think it hasnt quite hit money pit status yet (fingers crossed)(or no wait knock on wood) (wait dont knock on wood with our luck it would knock a wall down)
So Ive been tagged by the extremely talented Jillian I need to post 5 random things about myself.. hmm here we go... :)
1.)Iam an obsessive sewer (sewer?) Ok how about I sew obsessively.:) If I start something I have a hard time going back to finish it because I have so many ideas going around in my head so alot of times once I start something I wont stop until its done EXCEPT to feed my family and things I need to do but if Im by myself I wont even stop to eat or anything else really.
2.)I have only lived here for less than a year and I still havent made any friends and its starting to worry me!I realize I need to leave the house more to make friends but Im too busy sewing!Its a vicious cycle! lol I love the friends Ive made online and hopefully we will meet in person someday!
3.)I have 2 adult children and 2 still at home :)
4.)I was raised around my grandparents farm and love to get my hands and feet in the dirt. now that Im in the city I really appreciate the way I was raised and the kind of person it made me.
5.)I have lived in 7 differant states in the last 7 years and California is my final stop!
Ok that was harder than I thought,Im kind of boring! I tag Lori Ari and Elizabeth
YOU'RE IT!

Which comes first?

2008-02-08T12:48:00.001-08:00

mother acorn gives birth to a mighty oak, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

Finally done!Theres been much debate around here as to whether or not the acorn came before the oak and who should give birth to who(much like the chicken and the egg)This has been my obsession all week.I've been really inspired lately to try new things and have received good advice from two people I really admire,Tricia and Elizabeth.I had intended on using paper clay but that isnt going quite well for me :) so I took my first shot at needle sculpting and painting fabric. I like her alot. I wonder about the crease in her neck though. Theres no way that its going to give because I have it wired but I would have been much happier if her neck had been smooth.Her acorn cap is made from a lambs wool sweater,dress is vintage fabric and if you look closely at her she has little strands of roots hanging on her legs and arms. The baby is made from wool felt with button eyes.I thought about sculpting and painting him also but decided to go with felt in the end. I have a mushroom girl similar to this sketched out,this time Im going to use some paperclay somewhere even if I have to hold in on there the entire time! lol thank you T and E! You will never know how much you have changed the way I look at things!

I've been tagged!

2008-02-04T07:09:00.000-08:00

Ive been tagged by Ari.
I still havent been able to do the first tag because I still dont have my computer but this one I can do.
1. What was your first swap?
It was a blog exchange swap.I will admit it,I was trying to score points so I could do other swaps. :)

2. What has been your favourite swap so far and why?
Hmm I havent been in many swaps yet.I really loved the christmas card swap,it was great having tons of christmas cards to put up and the handmade ones were fantastic.I also liked the button fairys..oo I dont know I guess they are all my favorites. Ive been doing alot of really fantastic one on one swaps that I could go on about forever too.

3. What has been your least favourite and why?
The crazy embroidery block swap because I sent it out and it came back and it stresses me because Im late.

4. What have you tried for the first time as part of a swap?.
doll quilts

5. What would be your fantasy swap?
Ive been thinknig about a unfinished project swap because I think it would be fantastic to see all of my unfinished dolls finished in a way I hadnt thought of.

Thank you for tagging me Ari!Since I dont know many people on swapbot yet Im tagging everyone!

No more sitting like a lump on a blog!

2008-01-30T17:02:00.000-08:00

Things are looking a little less snottier and sore throatier around here. :)
there hasnt been alot going on but I did manage to take a few photos and get things ready to go to the post office tomarrow.Finally,phew!
First off here is a little cutie I finished for Belinda awhile ago but havent been able to get even a decent picture of...

Secondly,my yard!!Things are going crazy back there since all of this rain has been happening.I really need to get out there before it becomes an even bigger jungle.

And lastly this plate,I was getting ready to wash it and realized I should ask blog and flickrland if anyone has seen any like it.My grandma had this set and I ate off of it pretty much my entire life until she passed away.I would be willing to pay for a set or trade anything in my store. Id even be happy with one more plate.All I have now is the one and I almost eat every meal off of it! lol
Keep your eyes out please! hope everyone is well. :) xo

Rain Rain

2008-01-24T11:13:00.000-08:00

It's raining here today off and on.Its really neat because one second its sunny and with a blink of the eye its dark.The kids are home sick and are sleeping soundly all snuggled up in their beds. Its just the dog and I sitting here listening to the rain and the birds outside.I love opening the door and smelling the wet pavement and seeing everything thats popping up and blooming and getting fruit on it.I had been thinking if the kids werent home it would be a good day to go the beach but the more I look around the more I realize why would I want to leave......Yup I think its going to be a great year..

Im still alive,just in bed!

2008-01-22T13:58:00.001-08:00

Everything is on slow time. If I havent mailed it out yet I will. Im dying to sew,so many crazy GREAT ideas go thru my head while Im sick. :)

oatmeal cookies,buttons,and why I got in trouble at the post office

2008-01-15T11:08:00.000-08:00

I used to keep all of my buttons seperated by color and then one day I decided ah who needs all of these jars and poured all of my nice beautiful SEPERATED buttons into one big gallon jar...
Well not real a good idea because everytime I was looking for something I would have to pour them out into a cake pan to find what I was looking for so today I decided to seperate them all once again....4 hours later Iam almost done!
I dont know if anyone else does this but when I get a package in the mail I save the envelope box or whatever it is.Yesterday I took some things to the post office that I had wrapped with a cut up priority envelope that I had recieved in the mail.I used it for 4 differant packages so I was really pleased with my recycling.Well I waited in line all happy and smiling and when I get to the counter she says "mam,are these priority mailers turned inside out?" keep in mind these packages are about 4 inches square
I say "yes I took one that I had recieved and cut it up to mail these"
"mam do you realize that you are stealing from the United States Post Office?"
ok so now Im embarassed and everyone is whispering.
She proceeds to explain to me how Iam stealing and I decide to just pay priority mail even though its one envelope cut up into 4.It ends up being almost $5.00 more a package to mail them because I used that envelope ...lesson DONT RECYCLE! just kidding but if you do this be careful!
Im trying to stay away from the sewing machine today so in between buttons Im making oatmeal cookies,they are lowfat and I thought Id share the recipe,they arent too sweet and I think if my kids were still little I would make them all the time with carob chips instead of choc chips.

Low-Fat Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips (or Raisins)

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
1/4 c plain apple sauce
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add cinnamon if using raisins, instead of chocolate chips.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugars. Beat in the egg, followed by the applesauce and the vanilla extract. Working by hand, stir in the flour mixture and the oats until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Add chocolate chips or raisins just before the batter comes together.
Drop tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 9-12 min at 375F. Cookies will be light brown at the edges, but will not get as dark and golden as regular cookies.
Let cool on sheet for 3 or 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.
Makes 2 dozen cookies.
Anyway,whatever you are up to today have a good one!

my new roomie!

2008-01-10T19:46:00.001-08:00

orland the watching owl mini, originally uploaded by little black forest.

Well actually not mine he belongs to my daughter,but I made her promise I could keep him in the living room until she graduates. Which is 2 years from now! He was made by Belinda at LITTLE BLACK FOREST she does such lovely work. You can tell how well made her things are by looking at the pictures but when you see it in person...her stitches just blow me away..and make me try harder. I just finished up what Im sending to her tonight...pictures tomarrow if its not raining.:)

Audrey

2008-01-09T09:34:00.001-08:00

thoughtful, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

She is finally done and going into the shop today! I have had her on my mind for a long time and was waiting for the perfect vintage fabric for her dress,which I found on etsy.She has vintage jewelry in her hair,on her shoes,clutch,and dress. She even has vintage eyelashes.Originally I wasnt planning on making her a stole but her head was so heavy from the jewelry I needed to something.I have another one started in pink for valentines day but first Im going to finish a very special gnome girl and a very special mushroom. :)

Look who is coming to my house!!!!

2008-01-08T07:23:00.001-08:00

Owl for Annie, originally uploaded by Old School Acres.

Im doing a trade with Laurie at Old School Acres,I cant help but feel like Iam the luckier one on the trade.I will post photos of mine when she is done. :)

Bee happy!

2008-01-07T11:54:00.001-08:00

bee, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

Ive been making an attempt at polymer clay and painting lately.Painting terrifies me,it pretty much always has but living with the fantastic painter that I live with it kind of puts things in perspective for me as to just how mediocre my skills are. Im going to keep plugging away at it though,maybe this time next year I will have something fabulous painted..... or a closet full of unfinished objects! Things have really been going fast since Christmas,I will say that Christmas totally whipped my butt this year.I took on way more than I could handle and stay sane with.Why do we do that?Alot of times no one really notices so why not sit back and relax....I Do Not know.
I have some great things Im really excited about going on around my sewing machine.Cant wait to show you....... :)

Lolly Lolly

2008-01-03T19:13:00.001-08:00

Lolly Lolly, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

This is a mushroom i finished last night.I have several more that just need faces,which would probably only take me a half hour but i cant bring myself to do it yet. lol Id like to try some differant expressions and things like,ah well,tomarrow maybe. tomarrow for sure I will be listing alot of fabric and vintage things. Its a new year, out with the old in with the new. How is your new year so far?

little gnomey girl

2007-12-18T15:34:00.001-08:00

little gnomey girl, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

I dont think that female gnomes get enough credit so I decided to try to make some.now that she is done though she seems to be bugging me for a Mr. So I guess I will get on that.Maybe after Christmas though,I seem to just be barely keeping up with everything I wanted to do. Isnt it that way for everyone every year? I bet Martha had her shopping done in June. :P

unnamed girl

2007-12-17T12:41:00.001-08:00

nest, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

She had dozens of names while I was working on her. Now I cant think of anything.Any suggestions?

Martha Stewart er I mean Martha Mushroom

2007-12-12T21:38:00.001-08:00

Martha Stewart er I mean Martha Mushroom, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

I don't have alot of time tonight but I wanted to show you what I finished today.This is my Martha Stewart tribute mushroom! she actually started out as Frannies Mr. (sorry Frannie) but she was just screaming out to me that she longed to be Martha Stewart.(probably due to the fact that I tape every Martha show and watched them while sewing) She has a wooden spoon(always use a wooden spoon) a rubber spatula and a nice "faux" jadite bowl. She even has a nice faux bois dress that I know Martha would love to go with her large faux bois collection.Ok so maybe Im a little stalkerish but I swear I dont have pictures of Martha cut out and taped all over my walls! Anyway I have pictures of Martha doing interesting things in my flickr.. and you can have her for your very own if you go to my etsy :)

Franni's Silly New Hedgehog Friend

2007-12-11T12:00:00.001-08:00

Franni's Silly New Hedgehog Friend, originally uploaded by ggmossgirl.

It's always hard for me to send my dolls away .By the time they are done I have created an entire world and life for them in my mind.There have been a couple occasions where I have had to borrow them back for photos and I was quite shocked at the condition they were in.lol But it looks like Gretchen is giving Frannie a good home and lots of company!
I spend alot of time haunting Gretchens shop,flickr and blog lately. You should check her out too!

HERE

my first button fairy

2007-12-05T09:32:00.001-08:00

my first button fairy, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

I joined swap-bot recently and Im really enjoying the people Iam meeting and getting things ready for the swaps.Hopefully as I go along these button fairies will get easier and look better. lol

Meet Franni Fungi

2007-11-28T13:34:00.001-08:00

frannie fungi, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

I just finished her today while sitting in front of the space heater with my feet getting warm under the dog.There IS a Mr. but at this time he is headless and not too happy about it.I can hear him calling to me from the living room.(without a mouth even!) but alas the dirty dishes are calling me even more loudly. blah ;P

Long Legged Lucy

2007-11-26T14:39:00.000-08:00

When my oldest daughter was little she always seemed to attract butterflies.One day one landed on her head and I was lucky enough to have the camera.Unfortunately years later when our house flooded it was lost.I decided to make this doll and photograph it to replace the photo I lost.I know it kind of seems silly to keep the photo and get rid of the doll but by the time Im done replacing all of the photos everyone in my family will have a house full of dolls.:) Oh,Im listing mushrooms wednesday!

ok I did it!

2007-11-21T11:58:00.001-08:00

She is very very sweet., originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

I couldnt take it I listed prints in the shop. the softies will have to wait until after thanksgiving. I keep going and looking at the shop. It feels great just to have put them there.YAY!

ahhh love and then there's the holidays...

2007-11-20T22:40:00.001-08:00

ahhh love, originally uploaded by annieoakleaves.

Im getting closer to having everything ready to go in the shop but these darn holidays slow me down ;) I have this vision of putting quite a few of several differant things in all at once.It's hard because I want to share them now,I need 6 more hands!