AppleTreeHouse

It Will Be EPIC

2012-01-31T13:15:00.000-05:00

It is the end of January and I find myself in a very reflective state of mind. I have had the opportunity to work on some pretty interesting things these past few weeks, and not all of them have been doll related.

I am sure many of you have been following the Cancer Chronicles by Ashley of Li'l Blue Boo. If you haven't, I encourage you to take a moment and click the link to see what it is all about. The Rite of Passage video is a must see, just make sure you have some tissues ready.
http://www.lilblueboo.com/category/cancer-chronicles

One thing very near and dear to my heart is the Team Ashley Choose Joy Auction and Benefit. It will be held February 27th-29th, there will be more details to follow. It has been a tremendous undertaking on the part of all the volunteers involved and oh so incredibly rewarding for us all. Please feel free to grab this button and share it!

There will also be some fun stuff to purchase along the way...

like the $1 Download Thank You Notes from Stephanie Corfee, Artist http://stephaniecorfee.com/downloads/a-special-dollar-download-fill-in-thank-you-cards-for-kids/

The first t-shirt from Team Ashley with artwork by Stephanie can be purchased here:
http://www.teamashley.bigcartel.com

This shirt is an homage to Ashley's never ending love of the Jelly Donut :)

And there is some more fun stuff in the works. Rest assured that all profits from the auction, downloads, and T-shirts that I have shared will go straight to Ashley.

I am also adding a PayPal donate button to the sidebar of my blog if you would like to donate directly to the Hakshaw family.

On the dolly news front, I am working on a bunch of 8 inch Apple Dumpling dolls. There will be curly boucle, Applestocking style, and hopefully a dreddy one (if the yarn cooperates!) in lots of fun shades... think pink, rainbow, purple... you get the idea! I am leaning towards having the upload in a few weeks and having a larger number of dolls available so there will be some to choose from. I am also working on a very special dumpling dolly for the auction, it will be a package with some fun goodies. I will share more about her as we get closer to the date.

Thank you so much as always for your support!

xo Debra

Something New In Store

2012-01-12T20:41:00.001-05:00

Doll Kits...

....and actually, there is a WHOLE NEW STORE! One I have spent the better part of the week setting up. I have gotten thoroughly spoiled by Etsy... it is so easy to set up and load items into your shop. Probably one of the most user friendly I have seen to date. I decided I wanted to do things a little differently for the kits though, so I set up a shop specifically in Hyena Cart for them. Why, you ask? Hyena Cart had a specific feature that I really wanted to take advantage of: the ability to preview a listing. When I finish a doll, 99% of the time I post a preview pic both here and on Facebook so people have a chance to really see it before it goes into the shop. If there is a mad rush to buy, you know what you are rushing for. A mad rush and picking out just what you want for a doll kit did not seem like a good match to me. So, I spent many hours and pulled out lots of hair (computer stuff is so not my thing!) and I finally got it looking the way I wanted with a really nice offering to start the doll kit experience.

Here's the link to the new shop:

http://hyenacart.com/stores/appletreehouse/

You will notice the shop is set up into different sections. You will pretty much need to get one item from each section. Please take a moment to read the listing about how the doll kits work so you will be clear before you buy:

http://hyenacart.com/appletreehouse/mt/4134/4/How-the-doll-making-kit-works-DO-NOT-BUY

For now, I will be offering 2 different colors:

Mocha and Peachy

One of the things that has got me super excited about the kits is the new look of the instructions... my dear friend Stephanie Corfee really took it to the next level. Here is a little peek at what they look like:

I am totally loving the little doodle apples she did along the border... I am seriously contemplating having her do some kind of repeat to make a fabric. How cool would that be?!?

Ok, I am off to finish making heads for these kits... in case you were wondering, they will be available Friday 1/13/12 at 1 pm!

Thanks as always.... Debra

The Scoop

2012-01-09T17:03:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe it... I now have just over 2,000 folks following Apple Tree House on Facebook! It is quite a milestone, one that I am so surprised and humbled to have made. To celebrate reaching this mark, I will be offering a special doll making kit for $1 for sale comment style on my fan page on Wednesday, 1/11 at 1 pm EST (please click on the button in the sidebar and "like" me if you haven't already!). You will have 24 hours to leave a comment, the name will be drawn 1/12 at 1 pm EST.

And for those of you that have been oh so patiently waiting for kits, they are just about ready! I have been photographing yarns and editing pics all day... there are 30 yarns in all, so there will be lots to choose from. Stephanie Corfee, Artist is putting the finishing touches on the kit instructions as I type and there are just a few more things I have to get ready. They will be available for sale in a new shop on Friday... I will announce the time and the shop address on Thursday, so please stay tuned! Here is a yummy yarn pic to whet your appetite a bit for what is to come...

As always, thank you so much for your continued support!

Doll Kits

2012-01-05T17:18:00.001-05:00

The first batch of doll kits are almost ready to be listed in my shop... lots of caps have been made, heads have been rolled, bodies have been cut. I will be offering the kits a little differently this time compared to how they have been offered in the past. There will be several listings to purchase to get the different parts.

Thank you M.H. for the lovely photo... you did a wonderful job with your kit!

There will be a listing for the actual doll making kit which will include the pre-sewn body (2 choices for color), pre-made head, wool stuffing, and the complete instructions. There will be listings for crochet caps for hair, one listing for each color available. There will be listings for each base color of mohair available.

There will be many listings for different art yarns for you to choose from. That is going to take me a little while to get together... I have over 20 yarns I would like to make available to you, so there is lots to photograph. I plan on having weights listed for the yarns as that is usually how I put a doll together. Different thicknesses of yarns will have different weights and yardage.

For the kits, I recommend you get one mohair and at least one art yarn, this will make sense after you get your kit and look over the instructions. You want your yarn total weight to be about 4 or 5 ounces. There will be extra yarns, but it has been my experience that extra yarn is always a good thing. Sometimes it is nice to add a little more over time, and sometimes your little one might give dolly a haircut and you may need to do a bit of repairs.

The kit instructions are getting a bit of an overhaul, CORFEE style! I am super excited about this. I know Stephanie will do a fabulous job and I can't wait to share a peek at the final results with you all. You can see more of Stephanie's artwork at her Etsy shop. She is the one who created my fabulous dolly art that I love so much.

Lastly, I realized this morning I am getting awfully close to 2000 likes on my fan page! If you haven't already liked Apple Tree House on Facebook, please take a moment and do so. When I reach 2000 likes, I will offer a special doll making kit for $1... think rainbows....

That's all for now!

xo Debra

Ssssshhhhh.....

2011-12-26T10:27:00.001-05:00

Ssshhhh.... I have a secret....

I am offering 15% off of Harmony for my blog readers until the end of the year. To redeem this offer, simply go to the Etsy shop and enter the coupon code "Secret"!

I want this special girl to find her forever home :)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/88681700/harmony-12-inch-apple-tree-house-doll

I will have some custom doll listings available in my Bigcartel Shop on Tuesday. Just a few at first, and hopefully more later. I am also working hard gathering materials for the 10 inch doll making kits and hope to have those available after the beginning of the year. More on that later.

Have a wonderful Monday!

xoxo Debra

Big Plans

2011-12-21T12:38:00.001-05:00

It is hard to believe that another year is coming to a close. This is my second winter selling my Waldorf styled and inspired dolls, and boy has time flown by! I just finished up the last 2 custom dolls for the year, both boys:

As I was preparing to send them off, it got me thinking. I had forgotten how much fun custom dolls could be. The end of the year seems to be a great time for reflection :) I think it is high time to start taking some more custom orders. There will be just a few spots at first, but as I get back into the swing of it there will be more. There are currently 2 skin tones I have to chose from (peach and mocha - I have found these 2 colors clean up nicely from the smudges that happen during play) and you will be able to chose 8 or 12 inch.

Harmony, in the shop now http://www.appletreehouse.etsy.com

That also got me thinking about my 10 inch doll making kits. I really miss getting the excited notes and photos of mamas making dolls for their kids. I am going to spend some time the next couple weeks getting supplies together and there will be kits in January in my Bigcartel shop. I will put supplies in listed as "Coming Soon" until I have everything together. This time, kits will be offered a little differently. There will be a listing for a kit with your choice of skin colors (based on what I have on hand). The kit will include the pre-sewn body, head, thread to match, and instructions. Then there will be separate listings for crochet caps and yarns for hair. This will benefit us all... I will have choices available and you will be able to see and plan for yourself without trying to convo back and forth and not really knowing what you will get until it arrives. I am still working out all the kinks, but that is the plan for now.

"My mama made her just for me!"

Finally, I want to make more of my 15 inch baby dolls. I do love this doll so much. She has been wonderful company on my shelf as I set up the new house. This size will eventually be offered as a custom doll option after I get a few more made as ready to go home dolls. And there will be ready to go home dolls, just maybe not quite as many as you have been used to seeing, at least not in the beginning of the year.

So, those are my big plans for 2012... I think I will be very busy :)

I hope wherever you are and whatever you do
That someone special can spend time with you!

xoxo Debra

Upload 12/14/11

2011-12-14T12:35:00.000-05:00

The last shop upload for the year will be today, 12/14/11 at 10 pm EST in my Etsy shop. There is a link on the right side bar.

Here's some pics of the 2 girls I just finished, both wearing their Melamoose Co. outfits.

First up, we have Harmony. She is 12 inches, has mocha skin, grey eyes, and some really amazing hand spun yarn in her hair. It has sparkles and some of the original curly lamb locks in it! It is predominately blue and silver, but there are some purpl-y and darker bits as well. I have been dying to use this yarn for the longest time. When I put the face on this little girl, I knew right away she was the one to have it.

She will be $175 plus shipping.

This is Addie. Addie was named for a very special little girl that believes in doing random acts of kindness. She is also the daughter of the creator of Paint The Moon Photography http://paintthemoon.net/ . I use a lot of Annie's PSE actions to process my photos. I was so moved by her story of Addie trying to give balloons away and though of her while I was making this sweet little gal. Addie has over 500 strands of yarn in her super soft head of hair. Much of it is a hand spun yarn.

She will be $160 plus shipping.

Speaking of shipping, I normally use USPS Priority Mail. This time of year, the timing can be tricky. If you need a guaranteed delivery date, please convo me immediately at the time of purchase and I will send you an invoice for either Fedex or UPS shipping which will be about $35 for shipping within the U.S. For other countries, please contact me before you purchase to make sure it is feasible.

Thanks for all of your support this year, I can't wait to share what I am working on for next year!

xoxo Debra

A December to Remember

2011-12-12T16:52:00.001-05:00

I know, real original. It has been that kind of month! With the move, renovation, homeschool, and day job my life has been hectic to say the least. I am working on a couple more dolls to upload either Wednesday 12/14 or Thursday 12/15 depending on how long it takes me to get them done. I will post more pics here as the girls are completed. One will be peachy and one mocha. One will have pink hair :)

I built that fire myself. No gas starter, the old fashioned way. Living in the woods is agreeing with me lol

Here's something else that has taken a lot of time and patience... my home schooler decided she wanted to try her hand at quilting. The front is done, time for a break before we bind it. It is a great way to teach math and geometry :)

Also, when you get a chance, pop over and see what adventures we are having with Lunette, the travelling Moonchild Doll. She is such a special little thing and I will be sad to see her go, but happy that she is going to another friend for more adventures.

http://travelswithlunette.blogspot.com/2011/12/anna-ruby.html

xoxo Debra

Upload 11/11/11

2011-11-11T12:51:00.001-05:00

I made 2 special little Apple Dumpling dolls this week.... so cute and tiny. The upload will be today, 11/11/11 in my Etsy shop at 4:07 pm EST (sorry for taking the 11 thing so far, but I love the symmetry in the numbers lol) Each doll is $88 US plus shipping and handling. They will probably be the last of this size for the year.

This is Margaret... she has peachy skin and deep blue eyes. I dyed her curly boucle hair myself, with some help and encouragement from a few of my doll making friends. Margaret is a bit shy but she is begging to be picked up and hugged. She is wearing a sweet halter dress and bloomers made especially for her by The Melamoose Co. http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com

This is Harlow Applestocking. My girls decided all dolls with braids are Applestockings :) She is the first Dumpling I have done with almond shaped eyes. Her hair is the softest fuzzy black mohair and will do best if kept in braids or buns. Harlow Applestocking is really good at listening to secrets and she is always ready to keep you company with her sweet little smile. She too is wearing an outfit by The Melamoose Co. https://www.facebook.com/#!/themelamooseco

And here is a nakey pic of both dolls together on my kitchen counter :)

I am toying with the idea of doing just one more upload towards the end of November with more dolls instead of doing a couple with just 2 dolls each. My hope is that this will give folks a chance to select the doll that is right for their family. There will be 12 inch dolls and hopefully some 15 inch babies if I can get the pattern exactly the way I want it. I will post more about this as we get closer to the date, as well as some preview pics along the way.

Hope today is a good one, and thank you for supporting my mama made business :)

xoxo Debra

Lunette

2011-11-10T20:37:00.000-05:00

I am not sure how many of you are following Lunette, the Travelling Moonchild Doll, but her journey has brought her to the Apple Tree House! I just contributed my 1st blog post:

http://travelswithlunette.blogspot.com/2011/11/visit-to-apple-tree-house.html

Please take a moment and read all about this amazing little doll. You will get to know some fabulous doll makers in the process and get a peek at my doll collection :)

xoxo Debra

P.S. Upload tomorrow 11/11/11 at 4:07 pm EST, there will be a new post with preview pics tomorrow a few hours before the upload!

Boo, the Special Auction

2011-11-04T10:21:00.000-04:00

Just a quick reminder that the Boo auction is live and off to a fantastic start... she is up to $200 already! Please spread the word so we can raise some money for the wonderful non-profit childrens hospital, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

In case you missed the earler post, Ashley of Li'l Blue Boo has been dealing with a very aggressive form of cancer. You can read more about her ordeal on her blog http://www.lilblueboo.com I am so happy to say that as of now, it looks like the chemo is working so hopefully Ashley will be on her way to a complete recovery very soon.

This is how Boo started: Stephanie Corfee http://www.stephaniecorfee.com designed a "Team Ashley" logo at the request of a dear friend so people could show their support for Ashley during this tough time. When I saw the logo, I got an idea. I had some of the art yarn left from the 1st doll I made for Ashley's daughter, Boo http://www.lilblueboo.com/2010/10/lil-sally-doll-dress-pattern-giveaway.html and I thought it would be fun to make a doll similar to that one to wear a shirt with the Team Ashley logo. The Melamoose Co. http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com very generously made the t-shirt and the coolest ruffle pants from some incredible Japanese linen blend fabric. And to top it all off, Boo is wearing a hair clip made by Ashley's sister, Perry. Perry sent me a couple clips a little while back, and this seemed like the perfect doll to wear one. You can find more of her work at http://perfectlyperrywinkle.etsy.com.

As you can see, this doll was a group effort and made with a lot of love. The auction for Boo is up and running now right here:

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/photo.php?fbid=10150913737530243&set=a.339920055242.343456.334216215242&type=1&theater

If you are interested in bringing her home, simply put in a bid before the auction ends at 7 pm EDT 11/4/11. At the end of the auction, I will send a paypal invoice to the winner and send the proceeds to the local non-profit Children's Hospital, http://www.choa.org/Support-Childrens in Ashley's name. If you would like to send a donation to the hospital directly too that would be fantastic :)

Thank you! xoxo Debra

Jewel and Boo

2011-11-02T18:12:00.004-04:00

The 2 dolls I just finished are very near and dear to my heart... I would love to tell you a little bit about them.

First, there is Jewel.

She has the most amazing head of hair. The handspun art yarn came from a very dear friend of mine who is also a doll maker. I have had this yarn in my stash for a bit, I couldn't bear to cut it! But boy am I glad I did.

Jewel is about 12 inches tall and is wearing an outfit that The Melamoose Co. made especially for her after seeing her. She has mocha skin and light blue eyes. There are a lot of creamy colored soft wool yarns mixed in with her special art yarn, and yes, there is some sparkle in her hair. Jewel will be offered for sale comment style on my Facebook Fan page 11/3/11. At about 9 am EDT, I will post a pic of her on the fan page. If you are interested in purchasing her for $175 USD (plus shipping) simply leave your comment under her photo. At 9 pm EDT, I will pull a name out of the hat and message that person who will have 24 hours to purchase her, or there will be another name drawn.

And this is Boo.

Boo was a real labor of love. I am not sure if you are all following Ashley of Li'l Blue Boo's blog http://www.lilblueboo.com , but if you haven't heard Ashley has been dealing with a very aggressive form of cancer. Stephanie Corfee http://www.stephaniecorfee.com designed a "Team Ashley" logo at the request of a dear friend so people could show their support for Ashley during this tough time. When I saw the logo, I got an idea. I had some of the art yarn left from the 1st doll I made for Ashley's daughter, Boo http://www.lilblueboo.com/2010/10/lil-sally-doll-dress-pattern-giveaway.html and I thought it would be fun to make a doll similar to that one to wear a shirt with the Team Ashley logo. The Melamoose Co. http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com very generously made the t-shirt and the coolest ruffle pants from some incredible Japanese linen blend fabric. And to top it all off, Boo is wearing a hair clip made by Ashley's sister, Perry. Perry sent me a couple clips a little while back, and this seemed like the perfect doll to wear one. You can find more of her work at http://perfectlyperrywinkle.etsy.com.

As you can see, this doll was a group effort and made with a lot of love. I wanted to try a something a little different for finding a new home for Boo. I would like to try auctioning her on Facebook. Tomorrow night at 9:30 pm EDT, I will put up her pic and an opening bid. If you are interested in bringing her home, simply put in a bid before the auction ends at 7 pm EDT 11/4/11. At the end of the auction, I will send a paypal invoice to the winner and send the proceeds to the local non-profit Children's Hospital, http://www.choa.org/Support-Childrens in Ashley's name. If you would like to send a donation to the hospital, please click on the link above.

I will update this post with more photos in the morning when I have better light.

Thanks everyone for all of your support!

xoxo Debra

P.S. I read each and every comment and love hearing what everyone has to say, but for some reason Blogger says I am not allowed to comment on my own posts. Go figure.

Time for a $1 Apple Dumpling Doll!

2011-10-28T13:19:00.000-04:00

Time is just flying by... hard to believe we have been in our new house for 2 months already. Renovations are well underway and I hope to have pics of my new kitchen to share soon. Things have been a bit slow on the doll making front as I have been super busy unpacking, fixing, homeschooling my oldest, and my with my job, but I have been trying to make as much time for the dolls as possible as I love it so much! I have a few dolls in various stages of completion, 2 very special ones that are just waiting on some cool duds from the Melamoose.

Now, without further ado, I would like to share Cheri Applestocking! She is quite an adventurous gal, loves climbing in the trees, playing on the rope swing, investigating in the woods...

Cheri Applestocking is an 8 inch Apple Dumpling doll. Her cherry red mohair locks were hand dyed by me and will look best if they stay in braids. She can sit assisted and her arms are just floppy enough for fun play. She is of course wearing The Melamoose Co. halter jumper that was especially designed for her. She will be offered comment style on my Facebook page for $1 (plus shipping and handling). If you are interested in purchasing her, please leave a comment below her photo on my FB page before 9 pm EST on Sunday 10/30. At that time, all the names will go into a hat and one will be chosen to buy her. If you are not on Facebook, please feel free to leave a comment here and I will enter a comment for you on the fan page. To get to the fan page, please click on the link in the sidebar.

I leave you now with a pic of the gorgeous fall color that is starting to pop up in my part of Georgia.

xoxo Debra

I'm Back!!

2011-10-12T16:25:00.000-04:00

The last few months have been oh so very busy... we moved into a real "fixer-upper" (LOTS of fixing needed!!), my youngest started a new school, my oldest is now home schooling. I now have almost all of my yarns and supplies unpacked and put away and was so excited to be able to thread the needles on my machines and get busy....I am so very happy to be back to creating dolls.

Here are the two 12 inch gals I just finished:

They need names and I gotta pick out the perfect outfits for them from my stash of The Melamoose Co. dresses but that will be done soon.

As of right now I am planning on uploading them both to my Etsy shop on Thursday evening about 9:30 pm EST. I will update this post with their final pics and leave a note on Facebook as well as soon as I am all done..

Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo Debra Ѽ

Unpacking

2011-09-07T14:57:00.000-04:00

I know it has been a while since my last blog post and shop update, but I am still here! I am pleased to say that we survived our move. So far, at least... I know everything is here, just have to figure out exactly which box "it" is in. The house sold so fast that I barely had time to pack, let alone organize, and now I have the fun task of locating each item and finding a new place for it. Mr. ATH has assured me that he will hang shelving for me this weekend so I can unpack my beloved fabrics and yarns. Dare I unpack all of this at once?? lol

Moira, my daughter's 12 inch Apple Buddy Doll in the box of yarns... this is "most" of the yarns lol

I am hoping to get back to doll making some time next week and will keep you posted on my progress... meanwhile, here is a peek at what I can see almost daily outside my window:

The kids named the twins Spot and Dot, still working on a name for mama.

Have a wonderful day!! xoxo Debra

Packing Up

2011-08-06T15:36:00.002-04:00

Sorry things have been so very quiet lately... I have been deep in the mire of the business of moving. We are all very excited about the new house, but not so much about the packing and impending move. I have started a bunch of different things but have yet to actually finish anything and am not sure whether I actually will or not before all of my supplies get packed up. One kid goes back to school this week, the other will be homeschooling, and the day job is keeping me busy as well. But fear not... I have many, many ideas swirling around in my head, dolls I want to make, modifications of some of my designs and rest assured that as soon as we get into our new place in a few weeks my supplies will be unpacked and organized and the steady hum of my sewing machine will fill my new sewing area!

I was recently asked to contribute a photo for a super fun project for someone I adore ... I can't say any more about it now but I will let you know when it is all done! Speaking of fun collaborations, The Melamoose Co. has teamed up with Etsy shop Roses and Rhubarbs for some super fun doll outfits. This is sold out, but a little moose told me there is more dolly loveliness.

http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com

http://www.rosesandrhubarbs.etsy.com

Also, I am planning on doing another $1 Apple Dumpling Doll when we reach 2000 fans on Facebook so please tell your friends about Apple Tree House. For those of you who may not know, a $1 Apple Dumpling doll is just that... a doll that is sold for $1 (plus s/h) comment style on my Facebook fan page. It is my way of saying thank you for helping spread the word about my little company. Last time I checked, we are only about 170 away from that benchmark, so hopefully we won't have to wait too long.

Here's a little something fun, we have been singing this at our house to keep the kids from feeling blue about leaving the familiar behind:

http://youtu.be/pOMqqI-kzHY

Upload 7/21/11

2011-07-20T15:33:00.000-04:00

There are three little dolls that are just about ready to find new homes... they are all 8 inch Apple Dumpling Dolls. The upload will be on Etsy http://www.appletreehouse.etsy.com/ Thursday, July 21st at 7:30 pm EDT. All of the dolls are wearing special clothing made just for them by the fabulous Melamoose (love ya Moose!!) http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com/

Here's the preview pics for the next upload!

Each doll will be $88 plus shipping. Please familiarize yourself with the shop policies which are also found here on the blog under "Purchasing Information" at the top of the page.

Thanks!! Debra

Not So Lazy Summer Days

2011-07-18T08:59:00.000-04:00

Is it just me or has this summer just completely flown by? It is so hard to believe that school starts back up in our area in 3 short weeks. We have had days filled with fun and friends and I have managed to squeeze a little sewing in between it all. I have been working on a lot of changes here at the Apple Tree House, and not all of them have been doll related. The biggest change is one that will take up a lot of time over the next couple of months.... no, not a baby (LOL) but a move! We found a wonderful little house with lots of woods around it and a really sunny room for sewing and crafting and will be moving into it in about a month. Everyone here is very excited.

All the activity has kept me from finishing the sweet little dolls that are waiting so patiently on my table. This week, the kids are in an afternoon camp so I will have a chance to start packing and finish the Dumplings. I am aiming for the upload on Thursday the 21st in the evening sometime, I will post the particulars and the pictures when the dolls are complete.

Here's a pic of an interesting apple art we spotted on a recent outing. Can you guess what it is made from??

xoxo Debra

Oh, baby...

2011-07-06T17:32:00.000-04:00

The fan designed $1 Dumpling doll is coming along nicely! It looks like she will have rainbow hair... I am going to go ahead and finish her up tonight, I think this gal needs purple eyes. She will be available comment style tomorrow, July 7th, beginning around Noon EDT and ending at 9 pm EDT. (Usual shipping rates apply).

Meanwhile.... Ѽ Ѽ Ѽ

I have been dreaming of a special doll design for months... a 15 inch baby, one with slightly curved legs that could sit, floppy arms, feet that can wear shoes, and a little belly button and bum. Oh how I wanted to take the time to make this doll, but I never seemed to have enough uninterrupted time to get to the momentous task of designing a new pattern and creating the doll I could see so clearly in my mind's eye. That is until Mr. ATH got sidelined over the weekend with a monster tooth ache (root canal yesterday... boo). The kids were at friends houses, he was on major pain medication, the house was very quiet and I had some unexpected time to do whatever I wanted, so I set to it. This is what I made:

I was so pleasantly surprised at how nicely and quickly she came together. I received some wonderful advice and tips from some of my doll making friends and I will always be grateful for their advice and encouragement to stretch and try something new. There is such joy and freedom when you are able to create something that you desperately want to take form. She was fun from start to finish. I will be making more of these in the weeks to come... some will be weighted, most will have natural hair for now. She will be available as soon as I make her a new dress, she is wearing one of my daughter's special Li'l Blue Boo ( http://www.lilblueboo.com ) dresses for her photo shoot.

The back drop is a gorgeous doll sized quilt made by my dear friend Cathy... she used apple fabrics and free form quilted some apples on to it. I really love it and it will be showing up in a lot of doll pics, at least when I can sneak it away from the kids. You can find Cathy's shop on Etsy http://www.clcknits.etsy.com

Don't forget to check the Fan Page tomorrow if you are interested in the $1 Dumpling! There will also be an upload of 2-3 Apple Dumpling Dolls on Friday if all goes according to plan... the link to the Fan Page is in the sidebar.

Hope you have a wonderful day Ѽ Debra

Dollar Ѽ Dumpling

2011-07-05T19:35:00.001-04:00

Head on over to Facebook to participate in a fun fan designed Apple Dumpling 8 inch doll! This one will be extra special... I spent some time over the weekend tweaking the pattern a bit so the arms are now floppier. This will make the doll easier to dress and undress. I have a light body ready to customize... first, we will pick the hair color, then tomorrow we will pick the eye color, and then, she will be available for sale comment style on my fan page soon after (if you are not on Facebook you can e-mail me and I will add a comment on your behalf) for $1!!! That's right, $1.... not a typo... :) This will be the 1st "$1 Dumpling Doll".... it is my way of saying thank you to all of my wonderful friends, customers, cheerleaders, and supporters.

Come join the fun on the fan page!

xoxo Debra Ѽ

Something fun is coming...

2011-06-30T21:42:00.000-04:00

I just remembered starting a Facebook Fan Designed doll right before I was sick... I have plans for something really fun. Check back on Tuesday, July 5th for more details!

Remember... Individuality is HEALTHY Ѽ

xoxo Debra

Upload 6/28/11

2011-06-25T21:35:00.002-04:00

Due to a schedule issue the upload has been moved! Details below... so sorry for any confusion. xoxo

As promised, here are the preview pics of the next batch of Apple Tree House dolls :) They will all be available Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 8 am EDT.

8 inch Apple Dumpling, fair skin, $92

8 inch Apple Dumpling Doll, $92

12 inch Doll, suntan skin, $170

12 inch doll, suntan skin, $170

The dolls will be available in the shop Tuesday, June 28th at 8 am EDT.

http://www.appletreehouse.etsy.com

Please take a moment and familiarize yourself with shop policies.

Thank you!! Debra

Upload soon!

2011-06-24T12:49:00.000-04:00

I am almost done with 4 dolls... quite a feat with the summer school's out schedule! I am planning an upload for Monday, June 27th. I will post again this weekend with preview pics. Here is a little hint at what one of the dolls will be wearing...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150633014840372&set=a.10150633013360372.698346.10150098059370372&type=1&theater

It was a good day to dye...

2011-06-16T21:14:00.001-04:00

Boy, was it ever a good day to dye! The intense summer heat in the southeastern USA has kept us inside a lot lately, and we were running out of craft supplies, so I decided to enlist the kids help with dyeing up some yarn for doll hair. We had a blast... There is something so fun about watching the dye take to the yarn, and it is so satisfying to achieve the beautiful colors you have been imagining... You can expect to see these on some upcoming dolls.

Special thanks to Nancy, Jennifer, and Berrie for cheering me on!!

Ѽ Debra

Doll Upload 6/11

2011-06-11T18:44:00.001-04:00

I had a lot of fun working on this batch of dolls... all of them are decked out in their special The Melamoose Co. clothing http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com.

This is Pippi Applestocking... she is 8 inches tall. Pippi Applestocking is a rare gal... she loves a good adventure, a good book, a good cuppa tea. She is just the right size to tuck into a small bag and take on all kinds of outings, and she is wonderful to have a special little cuddle with. Pippi Applestocking's hair(made from a special german wool mohair) will do best if left in her braids or pigtails, but that is just fine by her as she knows it adds to her charm. She will be $95.

This is Petunia, she is also 8 inches tall. She is a very positive gal, loves to sing and paint and pick flowers... just remind her to ask before she gets them from your neighbor's garden! Petunia's hair is a hand-dyed pink wool mohair and can be restyled... it is currently in pigtails secured with pink ribbons with polka dots to coordinate with her adorable halter style romper. Guess what her favorite color is?? She will be $92.

This is Virginia, she is 12 inches tall. Virginia is a soft, elegant girl who loves to listen to music and tell secrets... she is looking for her forever friend. Her hair is a mix of dark brunette wool mohair and a hand spun, hand painted yarn in blues, greens, and browns. Virginia is wearing a very special head clip made by http://www.perfectlyperrywinkle.etsy.com and if you contact Perry, she can set up a custom listing for a matching clip or headband for your daughter! Perry is planning on stocking more small clips in the near future to fit dolls and for folks who like tiny things. Virginia will be $175.

Petunia and Virginia will be available in my Etsy shop at 7:30 pm EDT on Sunday, June 12th.

Due to the overwhelming number of requests, Pippi Applestocking will be available on my Facebook page comment style. If you are interested in purchasing her, please leave ONE comment there under a pic that I will post at 7:30 pm EDT. At 8:30 EDT, the names will go into a hat and one will be drawn to purchase her via a reserved listing on Bigcartel which must be purchased and paid for within the hour. ** If you are not on Facebook, please e-mail me at appletreehouse (at) att (dot) net during that time frame stating you would like your name in the hat and it will be added!!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me! (The link is on the right side bar.)

Please also take a moment to familiarize yourself with my shop policies under the "Purchasing Information" tab at the top of the blog.

Ѽ Debra

Doll Making Kits

2011-05-16T22:06:00.000-04:00

It is time again for more customixed doll making kits! If you are interested in getting a kit, please e-mail me at appletreehouse at att dot net on Tuesday, May 17th between 7 and 8 pm EDT with the following information:

Light, medium, or dark skin
eye color (blue, green, brown)
base hair color (blond, light brown, dark brown, red, etc...)
Fun colors you like for the art yarns AND colors you DO NOT like (most of my art yarns have multiple colors and I will do my best to select something that has none of a color you don't like)

The kits have the materials needed to complete a 10 inch doll... there are a few supplies that you will need to pick up at a local craft shop. More info on what is in a kit here:

http://www.appletreehouse.bigcartel.com/

Here's a pic of a mama-made doll from a custom kit:

At 8 pm EDT, I will start looking through e-mails in no particular order and the first 10 that are requesting yarn colors I have on hand (this makes it quicker for me to customize the kits and gets them to you faster!)will have a reserved listing set up for them on BigCartel which will be available for 24 hours, if it is not purchased by you it will be available to all. I hope everybody has a great evening!

xoxo Debra

Easy Art for Kids and a New Friend

2011-05-11T21:06:00.000-04:00

We take arts and crafts pretty seriously at our house. Countless hours are spent selecting new materials to use and finding things to recycle and re-purpose. My dining room table is rarely used for dining, it is "Craft and Project Central" much to my hubby's dismay. When my friend Stephanie started offering weekly downloads for under $5, I knew we were up for a fun time! Stephanie's signature doodly artwork is fun and detailed, and it appeals to all ages. Here's a link to the download we used:

http://stephaniecorfee.com/2011/04/download-thursday-coloring-square-1/

I printed our download on to everyday printer paper and my daughter went to work. Here's what she did with some typical, everyday art supplies that most families have:

She started coloring in parts with crayon...

Then used some colored pencils...

And what is a craft without paint? We decided to use watercolors so she could add more color without totally covering up the crayon and pencil parts of her art... just make sure you do the watercolors last as the paper can tear if you use crayon or pencil over it.

Almost done... just needs some stickers....

A little black marker, and then we got it laminated at the local office supply store. Next, I helped her cut them out and punch holes in the top. She then proceeded to my extensive yarn stash and made:

Bookmarks! These will make great little end of the year gifts for her best friends at school.

Thank you so much Stephanie for the wonderful downloads... you are a great inspiration, and we had so much fun!

Ѽ Ѽ Ѽ Ѽ Ѽ Ѽ Ѽ Ѽ Ѽ Ѽ Ѽ

And now on to other fun stuff... I made a new friend! My good buddy Melanie of The Melamoose Co. on Etsy introduced me to a lovely lady named Amy, the creative wonder behind Loves Me Not, a fantastic clothing line. You can find it here: http://www.lovesmenotclothing.com/ They had an idea to do a doll based on the latest Loves Me Not collection... Amy would send Mel fabric from the collection to make a special little dress to fit a 12 inch Apple Tree House doll.

Please meet Brianna Ѽ

Brianna is a 12 inch doll with light skin and a super soft, full head of hair made from mohair and 2 wool thick thin art yarns (over 600 strands in all!) applied in the usual fashion so it can be styled many different ways. Her dress is just too cute for words, Melanie outdid herself yet again! I love collaborating with friends and am happy to know Amy... I hope we get to do this again!

If you are interested in purchasing her for $175, there will be a comment style upload on Facebook. It will start tomorrow about 9 am EDT, there are 3 requirements to be eligible: leave a comment under her pic, "LIKE" both The Melamoose Co. and Loves Me Not on Facebook (there will be a hyperlink with my post and there are links on my page now) and either leave a comment on their pages or enter their giveaways. At 9 pm EDT, I will draw a name and if all is in order, a custom listing will be set up on BigCartel that will need to be purchased by 8 am EDT. The giveaways they are offering are pretty incredible... check it out! And as always, thanks for being a friend of Apple Tree House Ѽ

xoxo Debra

Quality and the Scoop

2011-05-10T21:39:00.000-04:00

What is quality?

qual·i·ty (noun) high grade; superiority; excellence

So, if you use only superior materials, you will get a quality item, right? Sadly, this does not seem to be the case anymore, even in the handmade tradition of Waldorf inspired doll making. So what sets Apple Tree House apart from the rest of the pack? With all the dolls available out there, I get asked this question a lot. Since I do not own any Waldorf inspired dolls other than the ones I have made and I have nothing to compare to (just the opinions of my kids), I asked a few well respected, established doll makers for their input. Here is what one of my doll making friends had to say:

"...the skin of course is a factor (if it's really thin chances are...) but in my experience is the assembly of the doll (how well you sew it, both machine and by hand) and in the procedures you use to shape the head and stuff the doll, that's where the secret lies to make a good doll."

So while the materials are important, good materials will not hide substandard craftsmanship. Even the highest quality doll skin will not cover over flaws such as a poorly made head or a very badly stuffed and stitched body. While it is important to use the best materials you have available to you, especially when you are offering dolls for sale to the public, there is nothing wrong with using materials that may be more readily available domestically, especially when you are still learning the craft and it is reflected in your pricing.

So, if you are an aspiring doll maker or a mama who wants to make something special for your little one, do not be scared away from wonderful family owned companies like Weir Dolls and Crafts (I do purchase some of my supplies from them) and the many WAHM Etsy sellers who offer many high quality items for doll making and other handwork crafts.

What can a consumer do to make sure they are receiving a well made item? It is important to be informed, whether you are buying something mass produced at a major retailer or something hand made on Etsy. Buying a few dolls from various doll makers and "inspecting" each and every detail to ascertain "how it is done" is not an acceptable way to learn how to make dolls nor does it make you an expert in how they are created. There is a lot of trial and error involved and learning to make good dolls to be sold, and it takes time, it cannot be rushed, this is not a way to "make a quick buck". So if you see a doll maker (or doll clothing maker) all of a sudden selling off dolls made by other doll makers, it kind of makes you wonder.... I will let you draw your own conclusions.

The very 1st doll I ever made next to a more recent creation ... notice the natural evolution of the pattern and face. I have spent many hours experimenting with every aspect of my doll making and am so pleased with the way things are changing as my skills grow and I learn new techniques.

So much about handmade is subjective to opinions. Some people like longer thinner dolls, some like chubby dolls, some like 15 inch, some like 8 inch. I personally like dolls with a lot of hair. In my house, a doll is not done until my kids say "She has too much hair" and giggle. We are fortunate to have many well-made options available. Please rest assured that I will continue to hone my craft, always use the finest materials available to me, and that each and every doll I create is made with the same amount of love and care I would give to a doll that I was making for one of my beloved children.

Speaking of my kids, I thought they might doll-nap these little 8 inch gals! They will go into my Etsy shop (link on the right) 5/11 about noon.

There is also a special gal that I am working on as part of a collaboration with The Melamoose Co. http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com/ and Loves Me Not http://www.lovesmenotclothing.com/ .
She has been specifically designed around the latest Loves Me Not collection, her adorable dress has been lovingly crafted by Melamoose. She wll be available comment style on my Facebook page on Friday starting at 9 am EDT. There will be more details here and on my fan page on Friday.

And keep an eye open for more news on the Circle of Moms Top 25 Mom Shops... thanks to all of you, Apple Tree House made the cut!

xoxo Debra

May Giveaway!!

2011-05-03T22:57:00.002-04:00

The Giveaway is now closed... thanks to everybody who took the time to vote and enter!!

I am so very pleased to be able to announce that Apple Tree House made it into the Circle of Moms Top 25 Mom Shops! I was a late addition (Ashley of LilBlueBoo had to talk me into entering!!), but thanks to all of you, I made it in 5 short days. I am so deeply moved by the support you have all shown to my little doll shop. To say thanks, I would like to offer an 8 inch custom Apple Dumpling as a giveaway. Here's a pic of http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com/ 's clothing model sitting pretty in my mug (available at http://www.zazzle.com/individuality_is_healthy_mug-168553352008405028 )

There are 3 ways to enter:

Follow the blog and leave a comment on this post
"Like" Apple Tree House on Facebook and leave a comment here: https://www.facebook.com/#!/AppleTreeHouseDolls/posts/200012993370029
Share the news on your personal Facebook profile page with a hyperlink (type@AppleTreeHouse in your post to hyperlink)

The fun starts....NOW!! And it will run thru Monday, May 9th at 9 am EDT. I will announce the winner here at 10 am EDT.

Thanks again for all of your support!!

xoxo Debra

Circle of Moms

2011-04-28T20:36:00.000-04:00

I am so excited! Apple Tree House is on the Circle of Moms search for the top 25 Mom's Shops.

http://www.circleofmoms.com/blogger/apple-tree-house

The list is a real who's who of talented moms, including Ashley of Li'l Blue Boo :)

http://www.circleofmoms.com/blogger/lil-blue-boo

Even though I have only been on there about a day, I have already gathered 50 votes and the last time I checked, that puts me in 39th place (at the time this was written). I would really love to make it into the top 25.... if I do, I will offer a giveaway of a custom 8 inch Apple Dumpling Doll to celebrate! It is the best way I know how to show my deep appreciation for all the friends of Apple Tree House. All blog followers will be eligible to enter the giveaway if I reach my goal of being in the top 25, so please spread the word and vote daily!

The 1st "custom" Apple Dumpling (for my daughter!), getting ready for bed in her Melamoose sleeper

You can vote once a day thru May 2nd, no registration is required, and you can vote for more than one shop if you like! Thanks for all your support....

xoxo Debra

Upload 4/28

2011-04-26T21:12:00.002-04:00

April has been a whirlwind month at the Apple Tree House! Here is the group that will be available on Thursday, April 28th:

Charlie and Lola the twins, 12 inches and wearing The Melamoose Co., $310 for the set

Periwinkle, a meduim tan skin blue eyed fun haired 8 inch Apple Dumpling, $88

Kristin, an 8 inch Apple Dumpling with chestut hair and green eyes wearing The Melamoose Co.'s apple sleeper, $88

Strawberry, a 12 inch blue eyed redhead wearing The Melamoose Co., $165

This will be a dual style upload. Periwinkle, Kristin, and Strawberry will be available on Bigcartel at 7 pm EDT http://www.appletreehouse.bigcartel.com/

The twins, Charlie and Lola will be available as a SET comment style on Facebook. They will be $310 plus shipping. On Thursday, April 28 at 8 pm EDT, I will post a pic of the twins on my Fan Page. Simply leave a comment under their picture if you are interested in purchasing them. I would really love to see them be able to stay together forever, just as a brother and sister should, so if you only want one doll please refrain from commenting under their picture. There will be another blond doll in the next upload for sure, I have over 6 pounds of blond mohair so there will be lots of blond dolls coming up! At 9 pm EDT, I will message the name that is randomly chosen. Please make sure I can message you thru FB or make sure to leave your e-mail in your comment so I can contact you. I will contact the winning name shortly after 9. Payment will need to be made within 1 hour or I will draw another name.

Please, no "angeling" (enlisting help to purchase) for any of the dolls. If you are not available at upload time, please rest assured that there will be more dolls available at another time. Please also make sure you understand my policies ( http://apple-tree-house.blogspot.com/p/where-to-buy.html ) ahead of time to avoid any confusion. If you have a question, please ask!

Also, I am now on the Circle of Moms! Please click on the badge in the top right corner or on the link http://www.circleofmoms.com/blogger/apple-tree-house to vote for me and your other favorite mom owned shops.... no registration required! Thank you :)

Contest Winners!!

2011-04-01T20:30:00.000-04:00

Thank you so much to everybody who took the time to enter the contest! I loved seeing pics of the dolls and kids, and the notes were just heart warming. There were so many wonderful entries for the contest that it made it very difficult to choose a couple of winners, so we chose a bunch! These 5 were loved by the whole group of judges, and here they are in no particular order:

Kim R.

Hallie G.

Cassie A.

Kelly B.

Julie L.

Please e-mail or FB message me your addresses and I will get your surprises mailed out to you asap.

If the photo winners were tough to pick, the "dibs" prize was impossible to pick. I am so touched that there are so many families that would love to have an AppleTreeHouse doll join them. I put all the names in my favorite hat and picked out just one for now (but I will have to do this again!!) The "dibs" prize goes to Deborah B.! Here's what she wrote:

**"I absolutely LOVE your dolls! They are so funky and colourful, not like any other dolls Ive seen before. I first came across them when I stumbled upon the Lil Blue Boo blog. You did such an amazing job replicating the likeness of Sienna, I knew I just had to try to get one or my almost 3 year old daughter. Unfortunately, living in Australia makes tyring to get one very difficult, as they are usually listed in the very early hours of the morning with the time difference. I know my daughter Zali (great name for a new ATH doll I think!) would love a ATH doll, she likes to look with me through your photos on facebook at all the wonderful work you have done, she says there pretty. She loves dolls already, and often takes one out to the shops or visiting Meema and Peepa. I just know a ATH doll would become her favourite thing very quickly. Also, today she fell over and got a BIG black eye at childcare, dont you think a gorgeous new doll would make everything all better? LOL
Keep up the fantastic work! One day one of your fantastic dolls will be mine (well, ours tee hee!)
D Br and Z"***

And yes Deborah, I think a gorgeous new doll can make a lot of things better!

Thanks again for making this so much fun! I have spent a lot of time working on a little something new that I hope to be able to show you in a week or so... My kids are on spring break until the 10th, so I probably won't be online too much but I will be sewing as much as I can!

xoxo Debra

Rainbows!

2011-03-24T20:29:00.002-04:00

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky

Are also on the faces of people passing by

I see friends shaking hands

Saying, "How do you do?"

They're really saying, I...I love you

I hear babies cry and I watch them grow,

They'll learn much more

Than we'll know

And I think to myself

What a wonderful world.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I

The next upload will be rainbow themed on Tuesday, March 29 at 8 pm EST!

xo Debra

P.S. Don't forget to enter the contest! http://apple-tree-house.blogspot.com/2011/03/time-for-contest.html

P.P.S. Thinking of creating a set of boy/girl twins... should they be sold as a set? Please weigh in!

BooFeeMooTree Upload

2011-03-19T14:17:00.000-04:00

This is Stephanie, the latest BooFeeMooTree collaboration doll. What is a BooFeeMooTree? There is a little Li'l Blue Boo mixed with some Stephanie Corfee, Artist and a whole lot of The Melamoose Co. on an Apple Tree House doll. These dolls are so much fun to make! This one is obviously named after Stephanie Corfee, Artist, and she is as sweet and special as the person who inspired her. She is wearing an incredible OOAK outfit from Melamoose that has one of my favorite prints from Stephanie called Baby Bubbles, available in her Etsy shop here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/64877963/bubbly-babies-print-14x11?ga_search_query=baby%2Bbubbles&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5551444 The outfit and her adorable painter's palette were designed and crafted by The Melamoose Co. http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com/ and she is wearing a special pair of OOAK undies with the signatre Li'l Blue Boo print http://www.lilblueboo.com/.

If you are interested in purchasing Stephanie for $170 (plus shipping and handling), please leave a comment on this blog post with your name and contact info before 2 pm EST 3/20. At that point, I will randomly choose a name and that person will then have 24 hours to purchase her. If that person cannot be reached or declines, I will choose another name and we will start over :)

Thanks!! xoxo Debra

Time for a contest...EXTENDED!

2011-03-15T21:30:00.003-04:00

I think it is high time for a contest... I have some great goodies to give away! This one will have several categories, so anybody can enter. You need to be either a blog follower or like me on Facebook to enter, both if you want to really make my day :)

There will be three options for entering:

1) e-mail a photo of your doll with or without your child (it is up to you!),
2) send me a lovely story about how your doll is getting along in her (or his) new home, and finally
3) if you don't yet have an Apple Tree House doll, you can write me a note why you need to get one.

There is nothing I love better than a great pic of a doll in their new home or a special note telling how a doll is being loved or how much you would love to have a doll for your little one. It really makes my heart swell, and this will be a great way for me to get more pics and notes :) One entry per family please! The contest will begin on March 16th and has been extended thru March 30th. Please e-mail submissions to appletreehouse (at) att (dot) net. Photos will be posted on my Fan Page in a special album, and photos will also be posted here along with the tlove notes and testimonials on a special blog page for all to enjoy. All names attached to the submissions will remain anonymous, but please make sure you leave your preferred contact information in your e-mail so I can notify you if you win something! There will be no voting, all winners will be chosen by a panel of my nearest and dearest crafty friends and the winning submissions will be notified by e-mail on or before April 1st.

There will be multiple prizes... I will announce them after I have collected some more, and yes, they will all have an apple theme (in case you were wondering lol). There will only be one prize for the 3rd category... those who still need a doll... DIBS! This means you can have an Apple Tree House doll reserved for your purchase, you will just need to contact me before the doll is listed for sale in the shop.

I will leave you with a pic of Tatiana on her 1st plane trip with her best gal Katy... thanks Kris for the great photo...

Photo courtesy of Imagine That Photography

xoxo Debra

Upload 3/14/11 at 6pm EST NEW PICS

2011-03-13T19:08:00.002-04:00

Remember the all pink upload I promised? They are almost all done! The last 2 just need their hair finished. This is one soft and sweet group, and I hope I was able to capture the "pinkness" well in the pics. The upload will be at 6 pm EST at http://www.appletreehouse.bigcartel.com/

Here are they are!

This is Peony

I really adore the pink boucle yarn in her hair. My friend MamaJude uses natural plant dyes on all of her yarns and they are a real treat! Peony is wearing a special dress from The Melamoose Co. http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com/ with bunnies on the bodice and the skirt is the softest cream cable knit. She is also wearing a pair of pink and white polka dot pantalettes with a vintage lace trim.

This is Taffy

What else could I name a doll with colors like this in her hair? And yes, it is as soft as it looks. Taffy is wearing an absolutely adorable dress (also from Melamoose!) with umbrellas and kids all ready for those spring rain showers that bring those May flowers. She is also wearing some apple printed undies.

Meet Azalea

This gal has a super special head of hair... there is a LOT of handspun azalea pink yarn in it. This pic does her no justice! She too is dressed in a special Melamoose dress in colors that match her eyes and hair as well as some apple undies.

And finally, Petal

Petal has an incredible full head of hair with 2 artyarns in it... one was handpainted by a local artisan named Maya from http://www.springtreeroad.etsy.com/ and I mixed it in with some more hand painted blossom pink to up that rosy factor. Petal is wearing a dress that perfectly matches her hair and a pair of ruffle trimmed leggings from Melamoose.

And special thanks to Melamoose for sending such beautiful clothes for the dolls to wear this week...

xoxo Debra

Think....PINK!

2011-03-02T16:14:00.000-05:00

I have been busy with my day job this last week (taxes and such!), but not too busy to be dreaming of the dolls I want to make next.... I just finished the dolls my girls have been begging for:

Moira and Ruthie

And they inspired me for the themes for the next 2 uploads... the upcoming upload (date and time TBA) will be PINK! Here are some of the yarns I plan on using:

I will be taking naming suggestions for the dolls here and on the Facebook fan page... For each yarn, name the color pink it makes you think of. This is going to be fun!

xoxo Debra

Upload UPDATE

2011-02-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

Here's my group of new dolls ready for new homes! The three pictured will go up in my Big Cartel shop at 2pm EST on Tuesday, 2/22/11. Please welcome:

Kennedy (dressed in The Melamoose Co. http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com/ )

Violet

and a special Apple Fairy! She is wearing a special OOAK outfit from REFRESH ( http://www.aliciaverdier.etsy.com/ )

These 1st 3 dolls will be available 2/22 at 2pm EST http://www.appletreehouse.bigcartel.com/

Wait.... there is one more! Li'l Ashley is the 2nd doll in the BooFeeMooTree collaboration series... that means 4 people played a part in her creation! Ashley of Li'l Blue BOO provided the fabric and styling for the dress which MelaMOOse crafted. Li'l Ashley is wearing some very special underpants made from a fabric with Stephanie CorFEE's baby bubbles print (available on Spoonflower.com), and the doll is by me (hence, the TREE....my kids actually picked out all the yarns and her eye and lip color... nice job, huh?!?)

This doll is very near and dear to my heart, so she will be offered comment style on Facebook starting at 8pm EST on 2/20/11 and ending at 8pm EST on 2/21/11. If you are interested in having the chance to have her reserved for you, simply leave a comment below the special post / pic on Facebook within this time frame. At 8 pm EST on the 21st, I will randomly select a name out of a hat and contact that person who will then have 24 hours to purchase her. If I don't hear back in the allotted time frame, we start over, or I give in to my kids and just keep her!!

Upload 2/22

2011-02-17T18:15:00.000-05:00

The next upload will be on Tuesday, February 22nd at 2 pm EST... that will be 2/22 at 2! There will be 4 dolls... here is a pic at another special gal that needs a name. If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment below. I will post more pics of her and the other gals very soon.

xo Debra

OUT OF ORDER!!

2011-02-15T20:31:00.000-05:00

Things have gotten a bit out of order on Facebook lately... the new page layout for businesses are now being arranged by what Facebook deems to be the most popular posts. Not to crazy 'bout that... I love being able to look at pics and reply to your posts there, so please don't think you are being ignored if you don't get a response, I may just not be able to find you!

With all the chaos, I have still managed to finish a couple of dolls. Here's a pic of one gal, she is wearing a fantastic outfit by REFRESH, especially made just for her! The details on this OOAK outfit are amazing... Alicia of REFRESH is thinking of a name for her and she will be available soon....

xoxo Debra

Doll Making Kits & Cool Art

2011-02-10T21:58:00.000-05:00

I love yarn. I mean, I really love yarn. Especially expensive art yarns. I have lots of yarn. There is yarn pretty much everywhere I turn. It is so wonderful to be surrounded by and get to use such fantastic materials in my craft.

All of this yarn has got me thinking it is almost time to offer doll making kits again. The first batch will be offered to the mamas who were interested last time and will be slightly different in that the floss / threads and premade heads will no longer be included in the kit. This will lower the price a bit and afford several opportunities to the home crafter. I love going to the craft store (or even Wal Mart) to buy the embroidery floss used for the eyes and lips. There are so many beautiful colors to choose from, and you can even work at matching a beloved child's eye color or a detail in a special fabric. By selecting your own skin tone threads you will have the ability to use as much or as little as you like, and you will also have extra on hand in case a little first aid is required. Making heads does take some patience, but it gives such wonderful insight into how the wool "works"... by taking the time and effort to make your own head, you will inevitably have a nicer result stuffing the doll. I will be updating the instructions to include directions on how to make the heads. I will be e-mailing the mamas from the last go around by the end of the month and then offering kits on my BigCartel site soon after.

On another note... I asked Stephanie Corfee http://www.stephaniecorfee.com/ to play around a bit with the Individuality Is Healthy art she created for me last year. This is what she did:

Isn't it fun? I am going to order a couple of these and they will be prizes in upcoming giveaways. I have a couple different fun things in mind... stay tuned!

xoxo Debra

Upload 2/10

2011-02-09T16:57:00.000-05:00

I have gotten so many incredible new art yarns lately.... so many, in fact, that I couldn't decide what to use for the next doll! It seemed like a Facebook Fan Designed doll was in order... I started with a medium tan body, and this is what I wound up making:

Her name is Maya and she is wearing a beautiful dress from The Melamoose Co. http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com/ . I will put her pic on my Fan Page at about 9 am EST Thursday 2/10/11. If you are interested in having a chance to have her reserved for purchase, simply "LIKE" the fan page and leave a comment under that pic before 2 pm EST on the 10th. At 2 om EST, I will randomly choose a name from the comments (with extra entries to all who helped pick out all of her particulars) and contact that person, who will then have until 9pm EST to respond and purchase her. ♥

This was loads of fun for me and I will definitely do one again soon!

xoxo Debra

Random Stuff

2011-02-06T16:25:00.000-05:00

This is Molly.... I will be putting her in either BigCartel http://www.appletreehouse.bigcartel.com/ or Etsy http://www.appletreehouse.etsy.com/ within the next 24 hours... I am hoping she will be a wonderful surprise find for someone!

I am planning on doing more varied style uploads as the spring progresses. That means there will be some on Etsy, some in BigCartel, some comment style on Facebook, some random, maybe even a comment style one here! I hope by mixing it up that it will give as fair as possible a chance to as many mamas as possible.

XOXO Debra

Dynamic Duo!

2011-02-03T17:17:00.000-05:00

Introducing....The Apple Tree House Super Heroes....

Alicia the Atomic Apple

Able to look fabulous at whatever she does

& Kung Fuji Kevin

Able to chop enough apples for cobbler in one swipe!

I am planning to put them into the Etsy shop Friday at 9 am EST, if anything changes, I will put it here as a new post and on my Facebook page. Please make sure you are familiar with all shop policies before buying! Also, please do not click blindly or get a doll because you fear you won't be able to get one later... there will be more dolls soon (and I am on the hunt for help with some of the behind-the-scenes part of the business to free me up), so there is bound to be one that is just perfect for you. I have many, many more dolls I want to make...if you could only see my yarn stash... :o)

Special thanks to http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com/ for supplying such fabulous apple core-ture for the dolls to wear this week! I am looking forward to many more collaborations with Mel. I hope to have some Lil Blue Boo for this new size doll soon.... they are super busy getting their spring line together as well as preparing for Trunk Shows. If you haven't pre-ordered yet, please stop by and check out what is new. at http://www.lilblueboo.bigcartel.com/.

Yarn

2011-01-27T21:30:00.000-05:00

This past week has flown by... the doll kits are almost assembled and ready to be shipped, a couple of custom Li'l Lovey dolls are complete, a present for a dear friend (pics later!) and there are several dolls waiting for faces and hair. Notice I said dolls.... not gals. :)

I went a little crazy yarn shopping on Etsy this week, and my spoils are starting to arrive. Here is one of them, it is an alpaca blended with mohair, in the natural colors of the lovely creatures that provided the fibers that went into this yarn. Thanks to Diana at http://www.frolicnfibers.etsy.com/

This yarn is as soft as it looks, and I cannot wait to use it so it will be on one of the upcoming dolls. I am still planning on a fantasy themed doll upload... there will be 2 superheroes and I am thinking the 3rd will be a mermaid. I opened it up to the Facebook fans the other night to see what kinds of apple superheroes they could think of. There were so many great suggestions. A couple stood out from the pack....One of the superheroes will be named "Kung Fuji"! That name was just too funny to not be used. I will post preview pics as soon as they are done, and set the upload as soon as I receive some of the clothing from The Melamoose Co. Yep, you read that right... The Melamoose Co. is helping dress 2 of the dolls this week, and I can't wait to show you what she has created! But since I don't have the clothes, you will have to check back for a peek later on..... http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com/ to see some of the wonderful clothes.

Have a great Friday!

XOXO Debra

Custom Doll Kit WAITLIST

2011-01-19T14:01:00.000-05:00

What a morning! I am completely overwhelmed and appreciative by the number of mamas that are interested in a Custom Doll Kit. To show my appreciation, I will keep a copy of the e-mails that I received in the allotted time frame and offer kits as I am able to gather supplies. There is no obligation, just my way of saying "Thanks".

XOXO Debra

Sophie, a mama made doll :)

LIMITED -- Doll Making Kits

2011-01-17T10:41:00.000-05:00

Doll making kits are back! Last time I offered them I asked for e-mails to be sent during a specified time period and that seemed to go very smoothly for everybody so we will do it that way again. If you are interested in getting a custom kit to make a 10 inch doll, please send me an e-mail at appletreehouse@att.net on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 between 6 am EST and 1 pm EST. I will randomly select some e-mails and start notifying the mamas that afternoon and post a reserved listing on BigCartel that will need to be purchased and paid for within 24 hours, or I will have to offer the kit to someone else to keep things fair. E-mails will not be accepted before or after this time frame. In order to expedite this whole process and get the kits out as soon as possible, please include the following info in your e-mail:

* light, medium, or dark skin

* eye color

* blond, light brown, dark brown, black, or red hair

* any favorite colors for fun yarns for the hair, as well as any colors you don't like (many of the art yarns are multi colored)

As a reminder, customized 10 inch doll kits are $78 come with the following supplies: ♥ a pre-made head with a cute little nose, ♥ a pre-sewn body in your choice of light, medium, or dark tan, ♥ eco-wool for stuffing, ♥ a crochet cap to get your doll wig started and yarn for hair in your choice of color, ♥ some art yarns in colors you love to make her hair fun, ♥ high quality threads for assembling the doll, ♥ embroidery threads in your choice of colors for eyes and lips, ♥ easy to follow instructions, ♥ a simple doll tunic and underpants pattern . I send ample amount of yarns and wool stuffing so you have the choice to use as much (or as little) as you would like to truly customize your doll. You will need some sewing needles and a few other basic items easily obtained at most craft style stores.

Here's an example of a mama made doll from one of the kits last year... her name is Eloise, she lives in Australia... isn't she adorable?!?

After the listing is paid for, I will start putting kits together and sending them out, usually within 10 business days. If you have any questions, please e-mail me or leave a post on the Facebook page and I will answer you as soon as possible.

Have a wonderful Monday! xoxo Debra

Wednesday, January 12, 2011 UPLOAD

2011-01-12T14:41:00.001-05:00

Here's a group shot of the girls for this week taken in the igloo that the kids built in the backyard....

Fancy Nancy, Juliette, and Melanie. And yes, I said igloo. We had a tremendous snow and ice storm in the metro Atlanta area this week and we have had so much fun!

Fancy Nancy is 12 inches, has light skin, soft sage green eyes, and a super fun head of hair: carrot wools in 2 textures and a plant dyed rainbow boucle from http://www.mamajudes.etsy.com/. She is wearing a skirt and t-shirt made from new and upcycled knits, many of them are from my favorite upcycler http://www.lilblueboo.com/ . She will be $150 plus shipping.

Juliette is 12 inches, has light skin, soft periwinkle blue eyes, and a very soft, dreamy head of hair: blond mohair, blond wool, and an incredible hand spun and dyed yarn from http://www.northyorkshireyarns.etsy.com/. She is wearing a cotton top with a li'l red apple applique and a denim skirt. Juliette will be $150 plus shipping.

Melanie is 12 inches, has light skin, chocolate brown eyes, and her hair is made from brown wools and a super squishy stripey pink wool art yarn. She is the first doll that gets to wear a very special dress collaborating efforts from The Melamoose Co. http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com/ , Li'l Blue Boo http://www.lilblueboo.bigcartel.com/ , and Stephanie Corfee, Artist http://www.stephaniecorfee.etsy.com/
This special collaboration has been dubbed "BooFeeMooTree" and I look forward to many more!
Melanie was named for the creator of The Melamoose Co. and will be $160 plus shipping.

At 5pm EST I will put an individual pic of each doll up on my Facebook page. If you are interested in purchasing a doll, please leave a comment under the pic of the doll. At 10 am EST Thursday, January 13, 2011 I will randomly choose one of the comments for each doll and set up a reserved listing to purchase that doll on BigCartel. The winning name will then have 24 hours to purchase the doll or another name will be drawn. If you have any questions, please e-mail me or leave a comment on the fan page and I will get back to you ASAP!

XOXO Debra

Something kinda new...

2011-01-06T13:19:00.001-05:00

Here we are, almost a whole week into the new year, and I have been up to something!

Everything I make has to pass a stringent "Research, Development, & Quality Control" Department, a/k/a my kids. They have been after me for a while to make a doll that can sit. One with cute, shaped feet. Maybe a little bit bigger and more substantial than the 10 inch dolls I am so fond of making. I had some ideas, but didn't have time to really work on them and bring them to fruition. Then the flu hit. Put on the brakes! I was cooped up for a while and stuck on the couch, which for me was incredibly difficult as I have a hard time being still. It did give me an opportunity to get my kids requests down on paper, then on fabric. Finally, yesterday, "Melanie" came into existence. Here she is next to my daughter's 10 inch doll, Sugar, to give you an idea of size.

Melanie is a 12 inch doll who sits nicely and has cute feet as ordered by my li'l apples. Perfect for a tea party, playing school, reading to. I am so happy with the way she came out! She is a really great size. Not too big (or heavy) for the littlest girls, not too small (or lightweight), she is something that will not be outgrown. She was named after the wonderful mama behind The Melamoose Co. and is wearing an original "BooMooFee" outfit with components by some of my favorite people...
"When I Grow Up" Artwork by http://www.stephaniecorfee.etsy.com/
Screen Printing by http://www.lilblueboo.com/ (also the official clothier of ATH!)
Dress by http://www.themelamooseco.etsy.com/
I am going to make a couple more dolls this size and I will have a comment style upload on Facebook, possibly on January 13th, stay tuned for more details.

I have gotten lots of requests for Custom Doll Making Kits, and I will be offering them Wednesday, January 19th. I will be doing it e-mail style... you send me an e-mail with the requested info during the specified time period, and I will randomly choose some e-mails and set up a listing for you on BigCartel. To keep it all fair, e-mails will not be accepted before or after the specified time, which I will announce when we get closer to the date. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at appletreehouse@att.net or post on the Facebook page (link is on the right) and I will get back to you.

It's almost Friday.... hang in there!

XOXO Debra

2010... Where did it go?

2010-12-22T17:22:00.002-05:00

Is it just me or has this year completely flown by? I have experienced so many milestones, both personal and professional. I have made so many dolls, and so many more friends! I have been able to be part of some wonderful collaborations and have some more fun stuff in the works... here's a little hint at one of them:

As you are giving your children their dolls or watching your kids play with their dolls, please take pictures! There is no way to measure the joy it brings to me when I get to share a special moment by way of a snapshot. You can post pics directly to the Facebook Fan Page, or you can e-mail them to me at appletreehouse@att.net and I will be glad to post them for you, or I can just keep it to myself if you prefer. There will be a fabulous and fun photo contest in January, I am just working out all of the details now and I will announce it at the beginning of the year. There will be several categories and more than one prize :)

I have started a "Reviews" tab on the Fan Page for all of the Facebook mamas... when you get a second, please leave one so others will know how you feel about AppleTreeHouse, no matter how you came to acquire her/him. When I get 50 reviews, I will randomly select one to get a special little present for their AppleTreeHouse doll.

Also, regarding rehomes, if you should happen to be the recipient of one, please let me know! I will update the Club Members Album pic with the new location and I will also be happy to send you a new, personalized care card.

I would also just like to take a second and thank all the friends, fans, and customers of AppleTreeHouse. I am so very grateful for each and every one of you. Being able to create dolls and have them find special people to live with (be it from a direct purchase, a gift, an "angel", a rehome) is so very rewarding for me.

I hope everyone is able to enjoy special times with loved ones....

XOXO Debra

Last Upload of 2010

2010-12-06T09:01:00.000-05:00

It is hard to believe that we are almost one week into the last month of the year... it has been a busy, fun time around here! Pink Sparkle, our first Apple themed doll, got made and is on her way home to live in Nebraska with a very special little girl who is new to the Waldorf Doll world. I am so excited by the way she turned out.

This week will be the last doll upload for the year. I am aiming for Thursday, 12/9 at 8pm EST... this is not set in stone yet, if if looks like I can finish an extra doll I might delay it until Friday. I have 3 dolls waiting for faces and hair, as well as a couple of Mooshy Babies started. I am planning on reserving one of the dolls for newbie mamas for the 1st 30 minutes, then she will be fair game for all. Please check the Facebook Fan Page (click the image on the right side bar) for the latest upload updates.

I would also like to take a moment to thank all of the friends and families that have become such a vital force behind AppleTreeHouse. Without your support, I doubt my little doll making company would be where it is today, thriving and growing. I am truly overwhelmed and humbled by your response to my little dolls. Thank you for making what I do even more fun!

xoxo Debra

Apple Themes, Doll Kits,& Other Stuff

2010-11-16T14:10:00.002-05:00

Apples...love them apples! "K" came up with a great, fun idea to have everybody name their favorite apple, then design a special doll inspired by that apple and have her come with some cool extras. I knew there were a lot of varieties of apples, but I was surprised at the diversity of those mentioned! The top three favorite apples were: Gala, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious. I wasn't too sure about naming a doll Granny Smith, so I made an "executive decision" to substitute Pink Sparkle... the overwhelming top choice became Pink Sparkle...you can never go wrong with something that is pink and sparkles! I am working on making her this week. I also got some interesting suggestions from all the ladies who love their Granny Smith. I love the idea of making an "Anny Smith" so she will make an appearance sometime soon as well :)

I recently finished a special doll for Ashley of Li'l Blue Boo http://www.lilblueboo.com/ that she decided to name "Laurina" after a little Hatian girl that they are fostering thru Three Angels Children's Relief
http://www.facebook.com/thegreengoat#!/pages/Three-Angels-Childrens-Relief/149620460766
I can't wait to see pics of her modeling with Li'l Sally and can't help but wonder if Ashley will be creating a dress to name after her....

I have had many, many requests for more customized doll making kits, and I finally have enough materials in stock (and on the way) to accommodate a few more. If you are interested in getting a kit, please send me an e-mail at appletreehouse@att.net on Thursday, November 18, 2010 between 10-11 am EST if you are in the US or Canada and 10-11 pm EST if you are an International Customer. I will randomly select some the morning of Friday, November 18 and post a reserved listing on BigCartel that will need to be purchased and paid for within 24 hours, or I will have to offer the kit to someone else to keep things fair. In order to expedite this whole process and get the kits out as soon as possible, please include the following info in your e-mail:

* light, medium, or dark skin
* eye color
* blond, light brown, dark brown, black, or red hair
* any favorite colors for fun yarns for the hair, as well as any colors you don't like (a lot of my art yarns are
multi colored)

As a reminder, customized doll kits are $78 come with the following supplies: ♥ a pre-made head with a cute little nose, ♥ a pre-sewn body in your choice of light, medium, or dark tan, ♥ eco-wool for stuffing, ♥ a crochet cap to get your doll wig started and yarn for hair in your choice of color, ♥ some art yarns in colors you love to make her hair fun, ♥ high quality threads for assembling the doll, ♥ embroidery threads in your choice of colors for eyes and lips, ♥ easy to follow instructions, ♥ a simple doll tunic and underpants pattern . I send am ample amount of yarns and wool stuffing so you have the choice to use as much (or as little) as you would like to truly customize your doll. You will need some sewing needles and a few other basic items easily obtained at most craft style stores.

Have a great week! xoxox Debra

Time for a Giveaway!

2010-11-02T11:13:00.001-04:00

It's time for the Giveaway! I wanted to do something special to commemorate some milestones... 1,000 + fans on Facebook, 1 year on Etsy, 100 dolls made.... it's unbelievable that all three milestones happened within weeks of each other. It seemed like a special doll was in order:

Here's Autumn...the fan designed, named, and dressed doll :)

Autumn has very long, soft Apple Tree House style red hair with 4 different types of yarn, ivy green eyes, and is wearing an original Li'l Blue Boo dress (don't forget, you can order custom dresses at http://www.lilblueboo.bigcartel.com/ and I think there is an option for a matching doll dress) and of course her little apple undies. Autumn will come with a super cool African Bead bracelet, and she will also have some more goodies... I will update the pic when they arrive. Like all Apple Tree House dolls, she is OOAK, an individual, not to be repeated.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment here below her picture telling me how you found Apple Tree House: a friend, Facebook, Etsy Search, etc... For an extra entry, refer a friend to "like" Apple Tree House on Facebook, then comment here who you have referred, and have them leave your name in their comment as well. The giveaway starts now, and will run thru November 10, 2010 at 7pm EST. Don't forget to leave me contact info in case you win!

Thank you to all of the friends and fans of Apple Tree House... it has been a pleasure creating dolls this last year. I look forward to the dolls that are still waiting to be made :)

xoxo Debra

Giveaway Doll

2010-10-29T16:46:00.000-04:00

The Giveaway Doll is done! Stop by the Facebook Fan Page (click on the icon on the right) and help choose her name. After she is named, it will be time to pick out her original Li'l Blue Boo Dress http://www.lilblueboo.com/ . Here is a couple of pics of the Giveaway Doll...

I left her super soft Apple Tree House style hair very long!

All Facebook Fans and Blog Followers will be eligible to enter to win her... more details on that later.

Have a safe weekend.... xoxo Debra

Doll Upload 10/27 on BIGCARTEL

2010-10-26T17:44:00.000-04:00

I will be uploading 3 dolls on Wednesday, October 27th at 6pm EST to my new BigCartel shop!
http://www.appletreehouse.bigcartel.com/

There will be 3 dolls:

Sunny

Natalie

Spike

All 3 dolls were assembled by my friend Susan! I am so grateful to have had her help this last week. The first 2 she assembled, Sunny and Spike, are not quite perfect (NQP) so they will be offered at a reduced rate. They are still very sturdy and made from all the same wonderful natural materials, they are just a bit uneven in spots. Please be aware of this before you decide to purchase them!

I am sure you have also noticed Natalie's super stylish upcycled Lil Blue Boo dress... the sleeves are a cherry print and the top of the dress has an original LBB screen print. Please check out Ashley's shop on Bigcartel as well: http://www.lilblueboo.bigcartel.com/

For those of you who may be wondering, "Why Bigcartel?" the answer is quite simple... I wanted to try something new :) You don't have to have an account to buy, and I love the ability to preview what is coming up for sale. This will greatly help those of you who are not on Facebook. I would also like a separate place to offer doll making kits. My Etsy shop will remain open, and the extra clothing and accessories will remain there. I will be sure to post here and on Facebook when things come available, and there will always be a link. I apologize if there is any confusion!

XOXO Debra

News from the Tree House...

2010-10-21T11:52:00.000-04:00

This week has been busy as normal... but not my usual busy. My dear friend Susan has been spending some time in my studio, learning how to stuff and assemble dolls! This will help get more dolls made and in to new homes. I am thinking of offering the first couple of dolls that Susan has done at a reduced price. They were made with all of the same high quality materials, and I am still doing majority of the doll crafting, they are just stuffed and sewn a bit differently as Susan is still working on duplicating all of my methods. I think soon even I will have a tough time telling the difference between the ones she has done and my own!

I am also working on finalizing all of the details for the Vashti auction on Ebay. My dear customer and new friend Jenn in Australia is working on helping me get the auction listing together. The auction will include the doll, an original signed and dated "The Dot" book by Peter H. Reynolds, an original signed piece of artwork by the author, and an original Lil Blue Boo dress so she will have an extra outfit! This auction will be a once in a lifetime opportunity... I will never create another doll quite like this, and she will be tough to part with, but I am so excited at the opportunity to be able to raise money for the school library. I will post here and on Facebook when the auction is live.

Back to the sewing machine..... XOXO Debra

Doll Upload 10/14

2010-10-13T19:53:00.001-04:00

OK, it's that time again! The next doll upload will be Thursday, 10/14/2010 at 9pm EST. There will be 2 dolls in the shop, (the one on the left and the one on the right), and the third (the gal in the middle) will go "Facebook Style"... I will post a pic of her on Facebook tomorrow 10/14 at noon EST and you will have until Friday, 10/15 noon EST to leave a comment under that picture to have a chance to have her reserved in your name for purchase on Etsy.

Here is the bushel of Apples for this week....

(Left to Right) Sloane, Serena, and Sadie

The girls are all 10 inches and have soft, full heads of Apple Tree House hair. Sloane and Sadie will be $99 each, and Serena, who is styling in her Li'l Blue Boo Original Sally Style Dress will be $115. Ashley is also working on some Sleeping Beauty inspired doll dresses, please see her Facebook page for more info. Here is a link to the blue princess dress available now: http://www.lilblueboo.bigcartel.com/product/doll-by-lil-blue-boo-princess-silk-screened-tiered-knit-dress-10-and-15-sizes

Have a great evening!

XOXO Debra

Dolls, Dolls, Dolls!

2010-10-09T16:47:00.001-04:00

This week has been a fun one... I made my first dark skinned boy doll, Aidan. I have not seen one quite like him yet! He was so fun to make and so hard to part with, but he now lives in Canada.

I am also so happy to announce that Li'l Blue Boo will be dressing some of the Ready 2 Go Home (R2GH) dolls! You can see more of Ashley's creations at http://www.lilblueboo.com/ . Her model, Li'l Sally is a real crowd favorite. I was able to get some more of the specialty yarns that we all loved in Sally's hair, so there will be a few more with this amazing style.... although there will only be one Li'l Sally :)

The Giveaway Doll is in the works... she will have light tan skin, green eyes, and fun & funky red hair. I will post a pic when she is done and announce how the Giveaway will work. The Giveaway will be conducted here on the blog as Facebook has some rules and regulations as far as Giveaways go.

This coming week, there will be 3 dolls... Serena, a medium tan skinned doll with black hair with turquoise hi-lites and eyes to match; Sloane, a light tan skinned doll with the most amazing hair in browns and blues and eyes to match the blue, and Sadie, a fun loving blond... I will post a sneak peek soon!

Thanks again.... XOXO Debra

Individuality is Healthy!

2010-10-04T22:30:00.000-04:00

A lot of you have been asking about t-shirts with my slogan and the original artwork by Stephanie Corfee. I have done a lot of research, and decided to offer them to you directly on Zazzle!

http://www.zazzle.com/appletreehouse

There are tots, kids, and ladies sizes available... to make your t-shirt a really cool one of a kind piece, stop by Dharma Trading and search for "fabric markers"...

http://www.dharmatrading.com/

There are quite a few neat products that you can color the shirt with for a truly unique piece of clothing!

Please send pics of your li'l one (or yourself!) wearing your t-shirt and Iwill share them on the blog :)

XOXO Debra

Doll Giveaway!

2010-10-01T12:06:00.001-04:00

As many of you are aware, Apple Tree House reached a big milestone this week... 1000 Facebook Fans! I am always humbled by the number of people who love dolls the way I do. As a thank you, I have decided to do a really special Giveaway... Facebook Fans can help design the doll and then enter here for a chance to win her. I can't take credit for this fabulous idea, I have had several suggest it to me and have been waiting for the perfect reason to do it.

So far, she has light tan skin and red hair, green eyes, and fun hair! You can see her pic here:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/photo.php?fbid=10150308003780243&set=a.339920055242.343456.334216215242

Thanks again to all the friends of Apple Tree House! XOXO Debra

1000 Fans!

2010-09-29T18:05:00.004-04:00

Wow! I am just completely blown away by all the support... Apple Tree House has surpassed the 1,000 Facebook Fans milestone... I am amazed how the word has spread about my little dolls. To thank everyone for their support, I would like to do a Giveaway here on the blog, as Facebook has some pretty strict rules (and I do not want to get the Fan page shut down!). I have had inquiries about a Fan Designed Doll Giveaway, and this seems like the perfect time to do one! The prize package will include:

Fan Designed Doll -- On Facebook, I will post an option (the first one will be skin tone, then other options will be hair color, eye color, etc). You will have time to cast your vote, until it is time so select the next option. Then when I am done with the doll, you will have the option to comment on the blog to enter to win her.
An African Bead doll bracelet
Some other surprises!

And a few more surprises along the way! I will start the voting on the skin color tomorrow on the Facebook Fan Page (link on the right). I am so excited, this is going to be so much fun!! Thanks again to all the friends of Apple Tree House for all of their support and encouragement along the way. XOXO Debra

Moving on...

2010-09-26T21:43:00.000-04:00

This will be the last time I talk about this subject… too much time and energy has been devoted to this matter already, but I would like to put it to rest peacefully.

I knew when I decided to offer the doll making kits it was a possibility that someone might dissect the materials in an effort to gain insight into how I do it. Written disclaimers, licensing agreements, non-compete agreements and copyrights on artistic creations are tricky things, as is intellectual property. I have said in the past that the basic patterns for Waldorf dolls can be easily obtained in books and on the internet. There will be many more doll makers in the future who will also use the same basic patterns and concepts. The originality in Waldorf dolls lies in how the concepts are put together. I make no specific claim to any of the basic concepts or patterns, just my brand and what it has come to be known for.

I have been contacted by the other doll maker and she has stated that the pattern is her own; she said she has been making dolls for years. I believe in taking people at their word, even when appearances may indicate otherwise. I believe that she honestly did not realize that it might look bad on her part and give the wrong idea to buy a kit then decide to make very similar dolls to sell.

I had received many, many emails about the other dolls before I wrote my original post and was hoping to avoid any controversy, which is why I will not name the other company. I bear no ill-will; I can only hope that all other doll makers continue to come up with their own looks and concepts that they can be proud of. There is plenty of room for all individuals :) XOXO Debra

Copies

2010-09-24T14:57:00.000-04:00

This post is very hard for me to write. I have received a lot of e-mails from friends of Apple Tree House asking about another doll maker...wanting to know if I had hired someone to help me, had I seen the dolls that seemed to look a lot like Apple Tree House dolls. Honestly, I didn't think too much of it at first, Waldorf dolls are all mostly made from the same, simple pattern. Then I saw a picture. Something didn't sit quite right with me. I saw the shop name and something was familiar, but still a bit different. I didn't think about it again until I got some more e-mails, then I decided to dig a bit. I am very sad to say that this doll maker bought one of my doll making kits in August, and in September started selling her own 10-11 inch Waldorf dolls. The doll making kits were always intended for one special purpose: to give a mama a chance to make a special doll for her little one using the same high quality supplies that I do, using some of my secrets to make it easier for her, so she would enjoy the process and love the results and be able to bring joy. Seeing this happen, after all of the time and work and effort I put in to putting together the "perfect" kit, completely breaks my heart. Theft of intellectual property is a big deal. If you have recently purchased a kit, please remember that this kit is for personal use only. Please also remember that all Apple Tree House Dolls will have an apple birthmark, that is how I sign them so you know it is real.

There are a lot of other lovely doll makers out there, I would never want to discourage anyone from buying any particular brand of doll. I love seeing what each doll maker brings to the table. Please support the true artists that have taken the time to develop their own patterns, looks, and methods, use the highest quality materials and craftsmanship, and have the highest ethical standards.

Individuality is Healthy.

XOXO Debra

50th Blog Post

2010-09-20T21:05:00.000-04:00

I can't believe that I have had 50 posts on the blog already! Who ever knew I had so much to say? (WINK!)

Last week was something else... my 100th sale, more kits, more custom slots. I also had a super experience getting to "know" one of my all time favorite children's book authors, Peter H. Reynolds. I had decided a while back that I wanted to make a doll based on our family favorite book, "The Dot". I thought it would be fun to make that doll to coincide with International Dot Day on September 15th. I made my mark, and here is where it took me:

I am so happy with the way Vashti turned out! Believe it or not, this is the first doll I have ever done with bangs. She is so very sweet... she has watercolor rainbow yarn in her hair. I had an idea to auction Vashti to benefit a new Elementary School in my town and I wanted to sweeten the deal a bit, so I contacted Peter's company to see if he would be willing to sign a book to include in the auction package. Many of my fans were kind enough to make a plea on his Facebook page in my behalf. Much to my surprise, Peter contacted me HIMSELF and has agreed to send a book! I am so very excited to be able to do this for the new school. I will be hopefully getting the auction up and running on Ebay in the next week or so, please check back here and on the Fan page for updates. If you have never read the book, I highly recommend it for kids of all ages, the message is universal and really transcends all ages.

I have been also winding up the September customs... there is just one left to go out. I will be gathering supplies for all of the kits and hope to have them out in about a week's time, then I will be putting more Ready To Go Home (R2GH) dolls in the shop as I work my way through the new batch of customs. I am also looking into several options for producing t-shirts with the Apple Tree House slogan and original artwork by Stephanie Corfee and hope to be able to share that soon as well!

Thanks again for all of your support XOXO Debra

What happened to the first half of September?

2010-09-13T10:09:00.000-04:00

How did this happen? We are almost 1/2 way thru the month, and I haven't posted even once?!?!
I guess I must have been busy.... :o)

Here's a pic of the last batch of girls....

Lucy is going to live in NY with Lea and Daisy

Mary Ellen is going to live in MI with Melissa and Astrid

Susanna ( I can't announce where she is going to live yet!)

For this week, the first things I will be finishing up are Vira's custom (an adorable brown eyed girl) and the Vashti doll inspired by the character in one of my favorite kids books, The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds in celebration of International Dot Day. If you haven't ever read this book, I highly recommend it, the message is so powerful and good for people of all ages! The custom dolls for Mary and Amy are also nearing completion... it would be so hard to part with these cuties if i wasn't sure that they will be oh so loved in their new homes. I will post pics as the dolls are done.

In honor of International Dot Day (see the Facebook page for more details) and the spirit of creating something, I will make 3 more 10 inch doll making kits available on Wednesday, September 15th at 10 pm EST. Kits require some sewing expertise and even more patience. Please have an idea of what you want for skin, hair, and eye colors so I can get the kit together and shipped ASAP... I will send you a convo shortly after purchase to discuss details. I will be placing my last yarn orders this week!

Now, on to a subject lots of you have been asking about... customs! I will reopen a few more slots for 10-11 inch custom dolls on Thursday, September 16th. Since the last upload went so nicely, I think I will try something a little different for custom doll slots this time... e-mail me at appletreehouse@att.net

between 4pm and 8 pm EST with the following info:

Your Name
Your Etsy Name
The skin tone you would like (light, medium, or dark)
The base hair color (blonde, light brown, dark brown, red, black)
All curly, no curly, or curly bits (Apple Tree house Style)
Eye Color
Favorite Colors so I know what colored bits to put in the hair and what to look at for clothing
If there is anything you absolutely MUST HAVE or DO NOT LIKE

I will not be able to make any changes, changes take a lot more time than you would think and take me away from doll making, so think it over before you send your e-mail!

At 8pm EST on Thursday, I will print out all the e-mails then randomly choose some to make. Reserved Custom Listings will be set up in the shop that evening with a $40 deposit (the balance will be due on completion, custom dolls will be $115-$135) The dolls will be completed by November 15th.

You will have 24 hours to pay for your Reserved Custom listing...if it goes over 24 hours, your spot will be offered to someone else.

I would also like to say Welcome and give a very special Thank You to Kristina...

She is the new page moderator on my Facebook page! Many of you have greatly enjoyed the pics and fun things that Kristina has posted about Tatiana, now everyone can enjoy her adventures.

Tatiana loves sparkly things...

Have a great day! XOXO Debra

Upload 8/27

2010-08-26T14:05:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the last minute notice....but I am planning an upload for
Friday, August 27th at 8 p.m. EST. There will be 5 Mooshy Babies and hopefully a little brown eyed red head.

Also, don't forget to enter the giveaway! You can enter one time each day...click on the bag pic on the right to be taken to the right spot to enter.

Thanks for stopping by! XOXO Debra

Giveaway!

2010-08-19T22:16:00.000-04:00

It is time for a giveaway! Since we just started back at school here last week, school bags have been a big topic here. So, here is the prize:

It is a super special one of a kind hand knit bag from Tia at http://www.bittybags.etsy.com/

It was made as a full size bag for the 10-11 inch dolls, but will work well as a smaller bag for bigger dolls as well. I just love the apple she put on it :o)

To enter the giveaway, simply be a Fan on Facebook, follow the blog, & leave a comment here...each person can enter one time per day. The winner will be drawn randomly on September 1st at 2 p.m. EST.

Also, thanks for an amazing upload on Wednesday...all three dolls (shown below) sold in under 30 seconds. As a doll maker, it is truly overwhelming to see my dolls so loved by so many people. If you missed out, please do not despair...I am always working on another batch, and the uploads are announced here first.

FYI...there will be a couple more doll kits available Tuesday, August 24th at 8 p.m. EST.

XOXO Debra

Upload Wednesday, August 18th

2010-08-14T17:36:00.000-04:00

Ok, you heard it here first! The next upload will be Wednesday, August 18th at 10 a.m. EST...I know that is a little earlier than most uploads, but I am hoping the west coast mamas will get a chance before their day gets too crazy. Here is a peek at a dark skinned beauty that I just finished....

There will also be a light tan skinned doll with blue eyes and rainbow hair and a medium tan skinned doll with black, purple and pink hair....

XOXO Debra

Next Upload

2010-08-12T17:29:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note...there will be an upload next week, either Wednesday or Thursday depending on when I finish this batch. There will be a dark skinned gal with natural colored hair, an asian beauty with pink and purple dreds, and a rainbow haired lovely that I am having a hard time parting with! I will announce the exact date and time this weekend.

I am also planning another giveaway! It is a Bitty Bag in honor of school starting here. Tia of Bitty Bags made the most beautiful little sack with an Apple on it...I will announce the details in the next post.

XOXO Debra

Zoe

2010-08-11T11:25:00.000-04:00

Here is the doll I am entering into the Li'l Blue Boo / Dharma Trading Ugly Upcycle Challenge!

http://lilblueboo.blogspot.com/2010/05/lil-blue-boo-dharma-trading-ugly-knit.html

You might remember her a little differently from an earlier post...she had lighter eyes and lips and was called Hope. Well, not too long after that post, another doll maker decided to name a dark skinned doll she made Hope. I was not 100% satisfied with her face, so I decided to re-do it and give her a new name to go with her new expression, and hopefully some good new energy. I am thrilled with the way she turned out! My family thinks she looks like a dark version of Li'l Sally, which really made me chuckle as I spent a lot of time looking at Li'l Blue Boo's photos when I was piecing the dress. I am also sure you have all noticed the dress, and yes, that is my special doll portrait from Stephanie Corfee http://www.stephaniecorfee.etsy.com/ printed on the front of it! I am not licensed to sell Li'l Blue boo doll dresses so you will be seeing this design show up on doll t-shirts at first, and maybe some kid sized stuff too, along with my slogan "individuality is healthy" :) More details soon! Please take a second and stop by the Facebook Fan Page and vote on your favorite picture of Zoe...the winning pic will be submitted to the challenge.

Thanks! XOXO Debra

Summer is over here...almost!

2010-08-10T09:18:00.000-04:00

It is so very, very hot here, but summer must be almost over. School started here yesterday...can you believe it? I have mixed feelings about this. It is nice to have time to sew (and take care of my other "real" job) without interruptions, but I have to admit that I miss my girls! I am so very proud of them, they are growing up so very fast and are such nice young ladies, so kind and confident. Now I am tearing up again!

The last few weeks have been full of neat things. I have to say that my favorite was a collaboration with Stephanie Corfee. I heard about Stephanie first on Li'l Blue Boo's fan page. I loved the whole idea of Stephanie's "When I Grow Up" print, the idea that kids can be encouraged to imagine. I contacted Stephanie and asked her about a custom print. I wanted a picture of a doll with my new trademark "Individuality is Healthy". Stephanie looked thru my album at pics of the dolls I have made and this is what she came up with:

Stephanie did such a fantastic job! It came out better than I could have imagined. I was very surprised when Stephanie asked about a doll for herself...she wanted one that evoked her personality without being a total lookalike. We decided to use her fabulous "Baby Bohemia" print as the inspiration for her doll's hair. I contacted Syrendell on Etsy about having a custom yarn done in the correct colors, and this is what happened:

Don't you just love her outfit? Li'l Blue Boo was so very kind to send a super special OOAK dress with Stephanie's artwork on it for the doll to wear. We thought it would be nice for Stephanie to have something as she doesn't have a little girl to dress (yet!). When you get a second, stop by Stephanie's Etsy shop

http://www.stephaniecorfee.Etsy.com

and look at her wonderful artwork...I have several things hanging around my house now :)

I have gotten a lot of enquiries about custom doll orders lately...I am still working on the last batch, so as soon as I have an idea of when they will be finishing up I will re-open custom orders for fall. I am thinking of opening a bigger number and promising delivery by the end of November, but it will all depend on my sewing help and the loads these mamas are able to handle.

Also, there will be a giveaway soon! I am hammering out the final details....

XOXO Debra

Doll Making Kits

2010-07-23T09:28:00.000-04:00

Life has been very busy lately...summer vacation is starting to wind down and the kids will be back in school in a few weeks. I will miss having them around, but I am looking forward to getting back into full swing making dolls!

After a lot of deliberation, I have decided to offer a doll making kit. There will only be a couple at first, and they will be available at a lower price point until all of the kinks are worked out. I am hoping to get feedback from the first few to make the kit better for the rest of mamas that want to make a special doll for their kids. The kit will include a pre-made head with nose, a pre-sewn body in your choice of color, lots of yummy wool for stuffing, a crochet cap in a color of your choice with matching yarn for hair, and plenty of fun yarn to make your doll unique. I am working on finishing up the written instructions today, the listing will go active in the shop Saturday, July 24 at about noon EST. The kits will be shipped out within about 10 business days.

Have a great Friday! XOXO Debra

2010-07-08T15:09:00.000-04:00

Sorry I have been a bit quiet lately...I have been elbow deep in LilBlueBoo's Ugly Knits Design Challenge!
http://lilblueboo.blogspot.com/2010/05/lil-blue-boo-dharma-trading-ugly-knit.html

I found an ugly, old, slightly stained white t-shirt and some ugly wool stuffing, dyed the shirt with coffee and henna and some other stuff to make it dark so the ugly wool wouldn't show,

and turned it into this:

My girls have named her Hope...they Hope she wins the challenge LOL

I didn't dye all of the fabric dark though...the rest we tie dyed and will turn into a dress for her.

Don't forget to check out LilBlueBoo's blog and try the challenge :o)

New Batch

2010-06-25T21:55:00.000-04:00

Here's the latest trio that will be going in the shop sometime on Monday...I will announce the exact time as soon as I finish their clothing.

(L to R) Ivy, Blessing, and Candy

They are a little under dressed at the moment, but the studio is warm so they will be OK ;)

It has been kind of slow going around here with the kids out of school. I am planning on uploading dolls through the summer, but I am also planning on doing a lot of "experiments" with the patterns and hair styles. If I am happy with the way the "experiment" turns out, you will see the doll in the shop. I am also planning on gearing up for more custom order slots so as many mamas can get their dream dolls as possible. If you have a dolly emergency and need something special ASAP, please let me know and if there is any way for me to accommodate your request, I will!

Also, Judith from http://www.taffertydesigns.etsy.com is scaling down her snUGG booties pattern so I will have some smaller boots to show you soon....they will be available to order as soon as I can verify to Judith that they fit properly. I do not currently own any Waldorf Dolls from any of the other talented doll makers, but I am fairly confident that they will fit them as well.

I hope y'all have a great weekend!

What makes a doll a Waldorf?

2010-06-17T20:41:00.000-04:00

With all of the new doll makers popping up, that is a question I am asked a lot lately. To fully understand what a Waldorf Doll is, it helps to understand what the Waldorf Method is.

Simply put, anything Waldorf is derived from the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, a German-Austrian educator that lived in the latter half of the 1800's. Steiner firmly believed in the specific, developmental stages of the child, and that subjects such as arithmetic and reading should be introduced to the child in a living way that speaks to the child's developmental stage. Each thing is presented through direct experience and is usually augmented with art, poetry, music, drama and movement. The teacher’s aim is to draw out the children’s inner capacities and abilities by creating an atmosphere in the classroom that fills the children with interest, wonder and enthusiasm. A Waldorf-methods school will typically include handwork classes, wood working and other “practical arts”, music classes, two foreign languages and eurythmy (movement) classes.

(We did not have access to a Waldorf School when my kids were young, however we were blessed to find Montessori education which has a very similar philosophy. I was fortuate to be able to complete a work shop for Assisting in the Montessori classroom and had the opportunity to help in the classroom and with the children on many occations.)

A Waldorf Doll is a doll that would be used to enhance early Waldorf Education. It is designed to capture the child's attention. It will always be made from materials that are found in nature: Cotton for skin, wool for stuffing and hair. A Waldorf Doll's facial expression is always simple, this allows the child's imagination and creativity to flourish. The child can look at the doll and the doll immediately assumes the emotion that the child needs for a fulfilling experience. Yes, a doll can do all that!

Anyone with a lot of patience can make a Waldorf doll that their child will love. I have always said there is nothing like a mama made doll. Selling dolls is another thing entirely. There is not a lot of profit in quality doll making... I put 16-20 hours into each and every doll I make. I use only organic cotton for their skin. I put only the finest wool into my dolls, wool that comes from family farms where the sheep are not only treated humanely, but really cared for like pets. They are allowed to graze naturally. My dolls smell good, fresh and clean. Wool is naturally antimicrobial so the doll won't go "stale". It absorbs the smells of home so a child can carry that safe feeling with them. The dolls are stuffed carefully and firmly (this took A LOT if practice!!) to avoid the lumpy look that can develop as the wool compresses. The hair is something that is really special to me. I have a passion for beautiful yarns. They must be natural, and they must be soft. There are faster, easier, cheaper ways to do hair, but that won't do for me. I make each doll as if it was going to be for my child, so it has to be special. Each doll has between 600-1500 strands of individually applied hair. I do the hair in a way that it can be "repaired" if a doll gets a little too much rough love. Using these methods assures me that I am making dolls I can be proud of. I have been creating dolls for about 7 months now and have loved every doll that I have made. It is truly a labor of love.

Thank you for choosing Apple Tree House Dolls for your family!

P.S. Please do not copy or reproduce any part of this blog without written permission!

Read more about me at http://stliving.com/?p=284

Tie Dye Anyone?

2010-06-14T18:16:00.000-04:00

I have never tie dyed anything in my life. This summer, that will change! I have always loved the fun way the colors mix, and I think it will be a really fun project to do with my kids this summer. Ashley of LBB fame introduced me to a company called Dharma Trading Co. that sells complete kits, as well as quality items of clothing to dye. Thru Dharma Trading Co.'s facebook page, I heard about a wonderful blog
http://thefabulouslifeofchantele.blogspot.com/2010/06/dharma-trading-company-teeny-tiny-tie.html
that is doing a giveaway for a free tie dye kit. What a great way to start! Check out Chantele's blog for more info on how to enter.

I wonder if I could tie dye a doll? Hmmmmm......

Monday, June 14th

2010-06-14T09:45:00.000-04:00

These first few weeks of summer vacation have sure been crazy! From graduation parties, to a last minute move of the family reunion to my house, to a sprained ankle (the one attached to my sewing foot, no less). I am hoping that things start to settle in to a routine here this week.

I have two friends, Diana and Aubrey, who have joined my "sweat shop" as DH calls it. I supplied them with patterns and a big box of fabric I received from Treasure Bay Fabrics... a.k.a http://www.flamecranium.etsy.com They have a background in custom apparel and will be making some adorable little clothes.

I am finishing up a special custom that will be named Ocean...I am also finishing up 2 custom dolls, a brother and sister duo for Stephanie. I will try to get a couple of gals done for the shop by the end of the week as well. Next week I will be finishing up an adorable little carrot topped boy for Tiffany's nephew in CA.

Now for an exciting sneak peek...I have a friend named Judith in England who is working on something extra special.....That's all I am going to say about it for now!!

Tuesday, June 1st

2010-06-01T18:14:00.000-04:00

It has been a crazy busy couple of weeks here...friends in town, end of school parties, graduation parties, kids out of school. I managed to finish another redhead (with rainbow!!) for the shop, and the ginger curly girl is ready to find a new home :o) I will put them in the shop on Thursday about noon EST.

I also finished work on a custom blond for Amiee....

I hope everyone is having a great week!

Monday, May 24th

2010-05-24T16:54:00.000-04:00

There is oh so much going on at my house this week...I am going to try to squeeze some doll making in to keep my sanity! The last day of school is this week, there is school parties, field day, a graduation party for a dear friend's lovely daughter. I got 2 special packages in the mail today...one from MamaJudes with some gorgeous plant dyed boucles, and one from NorthYorkshireYarns with some beautiful thick-thin texture yarn in bright, happy colors. Blondes, redheads, fairies, oh my!

I finally finished the small 10 inch dolls for my girls...they have waited so patiently. The dark blond with lilac purple is Cricket, the light blond with pink is Sugar. I put the dolls on the girls' beds while they slept, it was the first thing they saw this morning when they woke up. There is nothing like giggles and smiles first thing in the morning :o) The good news is my youngest is ready for me to share the copper curly girl with all of you, I will post her later in the week with another sweetie...I am thinking another Butterfly Fairy Princess with one of the yarns in the picture above. I will update this post and let you know on Facebook when the upload will occur.

***Don't forget, the Giveaway ends Wednesday, May 26th. Please click on the link to enter if you haven't already. Thanks for stopping by!

Monday, May 17th

2010-05-17T18:33:00.000-04:00

This week is going to be crazy...I have company coming in, end of the school year activities, husband's business is crazy busy (more book keeping for me), 2 dolls to finish for my kids (end of the school year presents!), customs to start on, and I want to get a doll done for the shop. There will be another doll in the shop towards the end of the week, probably a curly redhead. I will post a preview pic if there is time.

Congrats to Cassie on adding Annabelle to her family...she joins Maisy. Also, LilBlueBoo got her doll in the mail today, I am sure there will be loads of pics and an incredible wardrobe!

The blog is now at 112 followers and growing...thanks to all for helping spread the word about AppleTreeHouse! Please remember to enter the giveaway if you haven't already, the link is near the top of the sidebar on the right.

Thanks everybody!

***UPDATE***

I am sold out at the moment...I will work really hard to get some more gals done ASAP!
Thank you XOXO Debra

Next Upload

2010-05-14T09:43:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note...the next doll upload will be Saturday, May 15th about 1 pm EST. The pink curls and blue eyed brunette will be in the shop, as well as a surprise doll and a few dresses. The ginger curly girl will go into the shop soon, my youngest started to cry because she thought it was for her :o) I am going to make her a doll this upcoming week with the pink hair, then I think she won't mind if the ginger doll comes off the shelf to go to a new home. There is a link in the upper right sidebar to enter the blog giveaway...please tell your friends. Have a great weekend!

Time for a Giveaway!

2010-05-11T16:18:00.000-04:00

****UPDATE****
The giveaway ended 5/26, Congratulations JennJK!

I have reached 100 follwers on my blog, and as promised, it is time for the Mooshy Baby Giveaway!

To enter the Mooshy Baby Giveaway,you must follow the blog. Please post a comment here, don't forget to make sure I have a way to contact you, and please let me know how you found AppleTreeHouse.

One entry per follower please.

The contest starts today, Tuesday May 11, 2010 and will go through Wednesday, May 26, 2010.

The winner will be picked randomly and notified by e-mail on Thursday, May 27.

The doll in the picture is an example.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support!

Sneak Peek 5/10

2010-05-10T15:28:00.000-04:00

Here's a peek at 3 of the 4 that I will list in the shop sometime this week...I am still trying to decide on the hair for the last little lady. The girl on the left has hair from MamaJudes on Etsy, and the pink curls on the right came from her as well. The sweetie in the middle has a really special handspun hair from FrolicNfibers on Etsy. The yarn is undyed and the chocolate and cream colors come from the alpacas and llamas Diana cares for on her farm. I will edit this post when I have the date and time for the upload. Thanks as always!

Crazy Week

2010-05-07T09:02:00.000-04:00

Things have been more than a little crazy around here...sewing machine jammed up twice, monster wasp terrorizing my studio, no school due to teacher conferences. My personal favorite moment that put me behind on my work this week actually happened yesterday: the boys at the corner of the street were setting off FIREWORKS IN THEIR GARAGE while their parents were not at home!! The only reason I was able to see this was I took my ironing board and fabric onto my front porch to cut out a bunch of tiny little dresses...quite a visual, I know :o) I kept hearing a funny noise, then I saw what looked like a dust cloud...then it happened again, and again. My neighbor, a 5th grade teacher was just getting home and started yelling. The boys knew they were busted, they didn't even try to lie about what they were doing. The interesting goings on in suburbia!

Back to business....I am putting faces and hair on 3 10 inch cuties. They will all have light skin. One will have a mix of warm and sandy brown curly hair, one will have sandy brown and rosy pink curly hair, and one will have darker brown hair, not sure about the hilites yet, if there is something you would like to see let me know! I will probably wait to put them online until they are all completed, that way people will be able to choose which doll is right for them.

Also, I am inching closer to the mark...100 followers on the blog and I will give away a baby doll...see the Mooshy Baby post for more info. http://apple-tree-house.blogspot.com/2010/04/snuggle-doll-giveaway.html
Thanks for sticking with me!

Sunday, May 2

2010-05-02T09:55:00.000-04:00

This week, I will be finishing up 2 customs....one last big girl for Sabrina and Lil Sally for Ashley...both of these girls are going to have amazing hair! I am also trying to get 3 little girls ready for the shop. Here is a peek at one of them....I am going to call her Jody (a variation on the name Judy) to thank the wonderful lady who dyed this absolutely gorgeous yarn for her hair. Judy is on Etsy http://www.mamajudes.etsy.com/ and makes the most beautiful naturally dyed yarns and other items. She actually uses plants to acheive these perfect colors. I highly recommend her work, and you will be seeing a lot more of her yarns on my dolls.

Sneak Peek -- Camille

2010-04-27T16:19:00.000-04:00

Here is a peek at the Butterfly Fairy Princess Camille (as she is called at our house)...

Oh, and don't forget to tell your friends about the blog...there will be a giveaway when I reach 100 followers :o)

Monday, 4/27

2010-04-26T16:01:00.000-04:00

This is going to be a busy week!

I finished Tiffany's custom, Gigi :o)

I love the coloring on this sweet girl...I have some of the yarn left so I will definitely be making a small doll.

I will be finishing Celine's custom...she will be going to live in Malaysia.

I have also started on the Butterfly Princess... she will be a beauty! Look for her on Thursday.

Don't forget, tell your doll loving friends to follow the blog, when I reach 100 followers,

I will be giving away a doll.

"Mooshy Baby" Doll Giveaway

2010-04-21T16:18:00.000-04:00

I have not been great about promoting the blog, so to fix that, I would like to do a Giveaway!

When the Blog reaches 100 followers, I will do a giveaway for a brand new pattern...the "Mooshy Baby"!
My kids picked out the name for this one :o) It is about 10 inches high, and is lightly stuffed and suitable for all ages of children. My 10 year old wants one to snuggle with, so I know it is a winner!

When we get to 100 followers, I will announce the Official Start of the Giveaway. Please tell all of your doll loving friends about AppleTreeHouse Dolls!

Great Giveaway from LilBlueBoo!

2010-04-20T18:14:00.000-04:00

Here's a link to a really fantastic giveaway by LilBlueBoo...

http://lilblueboo.blogspot.com/2010/04/win-custom-lil-blue-boo-dress.html

She makes the coolest up-cycled tshirt dresses you have ever seen. I had the opportunity to do a dress for one of my dolls for a customer of mine with some leftover fabric so the doll would have a matching dress...remember Lily?

The "Perfect" Doll

2010-04-16T09:43:00.000-04:00

This is Maisy...she is a 10 inch Waldorf Doll. I had so much fun making her, and I think it shows in her sweet expression and amazingly soft hair. I am going to take a break from the bigger dolls for a bit (I will still take custom orders for this size) and focus on this 10 inch size. It is the perfect size for a small child to have as a special companion that they can tote around, and as a bonus it will easily fit in mom's purse if they need both hands free! I also think the 10 inch size is great for the bigger kids as it is closer to Barbie / action doll size without having to deal with the horribly unrealistic proportions...it will let your kid be a kid and not worry about body image.

This smaller size doll is going on lots of adventures at my house!

There will be a lot more clothing styles, and soon matching kid and doll clothes...my dear friend Cynthia is gathering fabrics and working on patterns as I type.

It's a BOY!!

2010-04-15T16:39:00.000-04:00

My oldest picked out the name "Mikey" for him :o) He will go in the shop as soon as his shirt is done!

He got his professional haircut courtesy of Chelsea...I named an early doll after her... Thanks Chels!

Can you keep a secret???

2010-04-13T16:35:00.000-04:00

I have been working on 2 new things these past couple of weeks....

One of them is a 10 inch doll! I am definitely going to be doing many more of these, it is such a sweet size for little ones and great for all kids when you are on the go. I'll call this size the "Apple Dumpling Gang" :o)

The second secret is of the 15 inch variety...I think I will keep this secret for a little longer. Here's a hint: there have been a lot of requests for this "type" of doll. Feel free to post your guesses, I'll let you know when someone gets it right!

Hayley & Michelle

2010-04-09T13:47:00.000-04:00

Hayley and Michelle are the new dolls I made for my darling daughters....they had a pretty fun time picking out what they wanted! My youngest wanted her doll to have "too much hair". :0)

I will eventually make a twin of each for the shop...I have a lot of ideas for the dolls I want to make, just need to find the time to get them all done!

Lily and the Special Dress

2010-04-01T20:34:00.000-04:00

This is Lily...she is a custom 12 inch doll that I did for Judy's darling daughter in NY. Judy sent me fabric remnants from a favorite LilBlueBoo dress. Lily also has special hair, the yarn came from Syrendell on Etsy. She was so much fun to make!

Becca

2010-03-24T17:25:00.000-04:00

This is Becca, she is a 12 inch custom for a little girl named Maddie in MT. I mixed lots of reds and a rainbow hued yarn for her hair....it is so soft!

I am also working on Judy's 12 inch custom doll who is going to have a "LilBlueBoo" inspired dress just like her new mommy.

There will be a new doll for the shop this week, either Thursday or Friday at the latest...she will be something special, and I am working on a boy for (hopefully) next week!

Lola & Corrinne

2010-03-17T17:35:00.000-04:00

Lola...I am totally in love with the way her hair came out! I got the yarn from an Etsy seller called Excavaions. There is so much texture and color...my kids gasped when they saw her. Lola is about 14 inches, has medium tan skin and icy blue eyes that really pop.

Corrinne is done and in the shop...her hair is soft and squishy! I used all boucle yarns so the texture is consistent. She has hilites in robin's egg blue, wild violet, rose, copper, and silvery lilac.

I am doing more embellishments on the clothing, my kids like it and hopefully yours will too!

Sneak Peek - Corrinne

2010-03-16T17:45:00.000-04:00

Here is the little redhead I've been working on...she needs her clothes and hair cut, then she will go in the shop Wednesday 3/17 sometime around 4 p.m. EST.

Sneak Peek -- Jasmyn

2010-03-10T15:20:00.000-05:00

Spoiler alert...

Here is a sneak peek at Jasmyn...she is 15 inches, has medium tan skin, hair that is shades of purple, violet, mauve, light cocoa and sandy brown. Her eyes are a dusky violet. . Leave a comment, let me know you were here!

Check out this new Etsy Shop!

2010-03-08T13:53:00.000-05:00

When you get a minute, check out this new Etsy Shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/mygahscloset

She makes hand knit sweaters that fit 14-16 inch Waldorf Dolls. They are too sweet!
Tell her I sent you.... :o)

Here's what I am working on this week:

Mona's custom
Judy's custom
Shelly's custom
and someone new for the shop!

Don't forget to stop by Facebook and leave a comment under my Discussions Tab on the topic
"Dream Dolls"...tell me what you want to see!

UPDATE!! Sneak Peek at Gabby

2010-03-04T18:29:00.000-05:00

Gabby is all done! She is about 15 inches tall, has sun kissed tan skin, blue green eyes, and candy pink lips. She is wearing a soft yellow fun dotted dress and dark blue jeans. Her hair is incredibly full and soft to touch!

She will be listed in my shop at about 4 p.m. EST today.