100 Featured Etsy Shops!

If you remember back to 2014 I posted a list of New Years Resolutions and one of them was to share 100 Etsy Shops with you for 2015. With Madelon's help we have done just that! To view all 100 Etsy shops that I have shared here on the blog since January 1st please click here.

Etsy is a place where you can purchase handmade items for your dolls and purchase items made by people who love what they do. Mostly it is a hobby for sellers who often use the money they make to help their families, children get tutoring or dance class or to supplement the family income. Etsy is a unique community and one  I am proud to support.

This is a reminder that Mini Me Dolly Diva's is helping our local Autism Charity The Canucks Autism Network with the sale of Karen Mom of Three's Craft Blog Doll Shirts. Only 25 will be made and $2 from each shirt go to help families like mine access community programs for their Autistic children. Click here to learn more. 

As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

2015 New Years Resolutions

Yesterday I held my self accountable for the 14 resolutions I made last year and today I will make the 15 resolutions for 2015, so below are my 15 for 2015!

1) Figure out how to do a very simple Crochet project and some how use it in a doll play craft.
As I did not figure out Crochet again last year it goes back on the list for 2015.

2) Knit a Simple Doll Hat. As I did not do this last year I am going to put it on this years list as well.

3) Sew all 22 projects in the book SEW IN STYLE by Erin Hentzel, that was sent to me to review best part is I am three projects in!

4) Create and Publish an Elf on the Shelf Sewing Pattern and release it for FREE

5) Write More Snail Mail Letters! So if you want some dolly mail this year do send me an email with your snail mail address. I can not promise to write everyone but I will attempt to write as many as you as my budget allows! email karenmowen@gmail.com

6) Write and review 100  Doll Themed Etsy shops.

7) Travel to at least one American Girl Store That I have never been too.

8) Have at least one give away per month on my blog

9) Grow My Facebook Fan page to 1000, it is currently at  619 So join me if you can by clicking here

10)  Get at least 2 people to commit too and follow through on an Advent Swap and a Hanukkah Swap for their dolls.

11) Read at least one American Girl Mystery book

12) Sew a Halloween Costume for one of my dolls

13) Sew a Boy Doll Related outfit

14) Have a new professional photo with the dolls taken

15) Try A Ceramic Project from Ilovetocreate.com My Dream Project would be the Mardi Gras Childs Tea set! photo above!

Well those are my 15 for 2015 check back and see how I did next December!
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

2014 New Years Resolutions Review...Let's See How I did.

Today I thought we should look back at my New Years Resolutions I made this time last year. If you want to read last years post in it's entirety click here.

For those of you keeping track my score for 2013 was 7/13. Which was not bad! On my 2014 list were the following and let's see how I did.

Number 1-One my list for the last two years straight I would like to put it near the top so I remember I really need to figure this out! Crochet more then just chaining on!
I get a fail on this one. I have tried crochet and I really can not get past the chaining on stage. Sorry Guys!

Number 2- Knit a doll hat.  I really am not doing well so far I get a fail on this one too.

Number 3- Learn to make a Quilt, a doll quilt or a pot holder.... Yay! I passed with this tutorial I did for Daydream Doll Boutique

Number 4- Blog Logo! YAY PASS! Thanks Lauren EM!

Number 5- Share more Boy Doll Related Posts! PASS YAY! I wrote about shops making outfits for boy dolls, patterns for boy dolls and the amazing boy dolls being made by The Amazing Donna Moody at My Girl Clothing Co.

Number 6- I would love to travel for work and pleasure this year, I know it is a large wish but I hope to be able to travel and meet other doll lovers!
Not sure if a 10 minute trip counts but I did get to meet Char and one of our blog readers So you will have to decide if that is a pass or fail...maybe I get 1/2 marks?

 Number 7- I would like to get one of these Elf on the Shelf dolls to add to my collection, I think it would be fun! Yay PASS! My wonderful sister Bre-Anne got both for me this year and I even had to repair one (see December 25th post by clicking here.)

Number 8- Inspire others to create their own Advent or Hanukkah doll themed pockets this year and get them to share their photos! This will be a year long project...more in the new year.  PASS from the wonderful emails and comments I got this year on both the Advent and the Hanukkah posts this year I think many more of you will join me in doing these for family and friends next year!

 Number 9- Get some professional photos done to use on my blog and in my work. I think I get half marks for this as I had professional photos done for my tea and mystery work and Halloween but no dolly ones so I will give my self half marks for this one! I did use it here on the blog after all!

Number 10 - Continue to create and patterns and crafts with you here on my blog and in the dolly world. Free Patterns and keeping doll play attainable all for is my goal! PASS click here for my pattern on Doll Diaries

Number 11- Promoting Mini Doll Play, continuing through our Mini Monday posts and fun finds showing the world how much play potential these mini best friend dolls have, with the help of Madelon, my readers and pattern designers to make minis make a difference in the dolly world. I think I get a PASS on this one too! See number 10 and many more of my mini doll work on Doll Diaries and here on my blog, type 6 inch dolls into the search box and you should see all my posts this year.

Number 12- To create more doll play craft ideas and review items for the bitty babies and twins. I have a new rescue bitty baby to add to the collection of  "working dolls" in my collection. All my dolls are played with and loved and used in my writing. I do believe I get a pass for this one as well. Thanks to the help of Jessica T and so many wonderful Etsy shops for creating wonderful doll play items and finding us related crafts this year!

Number 13- I would really like to get a set of bitty twins. Used, loved or new, boy/girl or two girls....I do not have one or a set and think these would be fun to add to my collection. Pass! Thank you to Ashley and to Cheryl for making my wish and resolution come true! I love my bitty twins! You guys are the best!

Number 14- I would like to expand the doll crafts I do with more tutorials here on my blog and around the dolly world using Rit Dye ( Sunshine Yellow is calling my name!), Sculpey Clay, Felt, Paint, Fabric Phoomph. I think I get a pass on this as well so many wonderful crafts I got to make and share this year and you can find links and photos to them all by clicking here. 

So lets do the math, my score for 2014's resolutions is

11/14 if you count the 2 half marks as one! 

Not bad I think, perhaps my best ones yet. Now it is time for me to go think about my resolutions for 2015!

Thank you to all of you who helped me achieve my  2014 goals!

I hope you enjoyed today's post and I look forward to sharing more with you tomorrow.

As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Dress Me Up Neck Attire A Review Of Doll Tag Clothing's Fantastic Pattern

Part of my New Years Resolution was to sew more and do more posts including my boy dolls. "Ethan" (My Harmony Club Doll) Ruthie (My American Girl Doll) and Oliver (My London Guy Doll, now shipping to North America!) are modeling my finished products from the Dress Me Up Neck Attire Pattern from Doll Tag Clothing.

I have had this pattern for quite sometime and  when I pulled out my Valentine Fabric Scrap fabric I knew I wanted to make the boys some Valentines themed Accessories!

 

These little bows and ties are such fun to make and they are fantastic for using up your stash of fabric scraps.

 This pattern earns the  Karen Mom of Three Stamp Of Approval! You can purchase and print your own Dress Me Up Neck Attire Pattern from Pixiefaire's Website by clicking here.

I can not wait to make more neck ties and bow ties for my boy dolls with all the fabric scraps in my stash. I would love to see your finished ties and bow ties as well so if you have this pattern or purchase it please email me a finished photo of your work!

As with all my posts I would love to hear form you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

My New Years Resolutions fo 2014

image from  http://www.chemhoaqua.net/game/sms-chuc-mung-nam-moi-2014

Well it is that time again and I thought I would share my 2014 New Years Resolutions with you, this year I was able to get 7 of my list of 13  from 2013 complete! So let's start with my 2014 list:

 

Number 1-One my list for the last two years straight I would like to put it near the top so I remember I really need to figure this out! Crochet more then just chaining on! 

 

Number 2- I would like to continue my knitting and figure out how to knit a doll hat.

Number 3- I would really like to learn to quilt, even just a blanket or potholder this year!
Number 4- I really need a logo for my blog...more on that soon.

Number 5- I would really like to share more boy doll related posts! I have some special ideas in my head and hope to make them work this year!

 

Number 6- I would love to travel for work and pleasure this year, I know it is a large wish but I hope to be able to travel and meet other doll lovers!

 

Number 7- I would like to get one of these Elf on the Shelf dolls to add to my collection, I think it would be fun!

 

Number 8- Inspire others to create their own Advent or Hanukkah doll themed pockets this year and get them to share their photos! This will be a year long project...more in the new year.

Number 9- Get some professional photos done to use on my blog and in my work

Number 10 - Continue to create and patterns and crafts with you here on my blog and in the dolly world. Free Patterns and keeping doll play attainable all for is my goal!

Number 11- Promoting Mini Doll Play, continuing through our Mini Monday posts and fun finds showing the world how much play potential these mini best friend dolls have, with the help of Madelon, my readers and pattern designers to make minis make a difference in the dolly world.

Number 12- To create more doll play craft ideas and review items for the bitty babies and twins. I have a new rescue bitty baby to add to the collection of  "working dolls" in my collection. All my dolls are played with and loved and used in my writing.

Number 13- I would really like to get a set of bitty twins. Used, loved or new, boy/girl or two girls....I do not have one or a set and think these would be fun to add to my collection.

Number 14- I would like to expand the doll crafts I do with more tutorials here on my blog and around the dolly world using Rit Dye ( Sunshine Yellow is calling my name!), Sculpey Clay, Felt, Paint, Fabric Phoomph and more so stock up now on craft supplies as we are going to be doing lots of crafts together in 2014!

I hope you enjoyed my list today, I like posting these and revisiting each year to see what I have accomplished and what I need to work on. I would love to hear your thoughts on this post and my resolutions for 2014. 

As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com