Raggedy Old Annies

Any Instagram users here? I spent some time this afternoon cleaning out my pictures on there and have decided to use it for Raggedy Old Annies........since that is the name I set it up with! Follow me! RaggedyOldAnnies!!!!!

Enjoy!

i'm a stranger......

yes, i feel like a stranger! it's been a bit since i've blogged. I swear it's because of facebook!!!! I took a road trip last week. Christopher was with his dad so I jumped in the big rig with yummy boyfriend.

I logged a few days...starring at this......and the cute driver too.......

 
 
I had the pleasure of being on this curvy road 3 times! It was the 29 going to Clearlake. not fun! especially in a big rig! Pretty though.

and bummer...on the way home I was this close to Missy...going through Sacramento, I know she doesn't live there anymore.....but Dixon isn't that much further! But we couldn't stop!!!! that sucked! But loads had to be delivered.......

 
took the boys to Scandia. They rode the very slow race cars, the bumper boats in which they got soaked because a girl thought Christopher and Matthew were cute so she was AFTER them squirting them continuously and then they played some golf. Then some video games. They had a great time!

 
 
 
 
 alright.....and I finished up some dolls today! it's about time!!!!!

 
 
This one is my favorite!!!!!

 
 
and look at this cute Back to School Annie!!!! To see the rest....hop over to Raggedy Old Annies!!!!!!

off to bed!!!! night night!

bbbrrrr....baby it's cold outside!

yes..I'm freezing! And I hate freezing! Shoot...I'm cold at 80...so this is really hard for me! My house has alot of tile...which makes it colder! I'm ready for warmer weather!!!!!! I'm tired of shivering!

We had snow last week! LOVED it! of course it didn't stick for too long....but it was fun driving around looking at how pretty everything looked! And of course...Christopher making snowballs and throwing them!

 

And.....look at this awesome desk that I found at the thrift store!!! only $45.00!!!!

 
I NEEDED this bad! Since giving up my house in the divorce, that meant losing my sewing room...and that has been really hard for me! I was sewing on this lil tiny desk that was my grandmothers...and it just wasn't working for me! I didn't have a place to cut out dresses, trace dolls...or just plain "spread out and work". And now I do! I already had the white shelf that is sitting on top, I just added legs to it to raise it up a bit. And the baskets I had hanging on a wall in my old sewing room....it was perfect to hang them under the desk. I am trying to keep the top clear of clutter...for more working space! I plan to paint everything to match....maybe this spring..it's just too cold right now! But I'm really happy with it! And I love the room that it gives me! And thankfully the master bedroom in this rental is big enough to allow me to have it in there. And thankfully "yummy boyfriend" doesn't mind!

Thats a big pile of dolls huh? Well some are dressed...and already up for sale over on my Website!

I want to give a BIG HUGE shout out for Julie Miller of Polka Dot Pig Primitives (formally My Raggedy Kids). She has been away for a bit, but she is now back!!!! I am sooo happy to see her back! You can read all about her adventures in the last 4 years over on her website! And she's having a pattern sale....so all you pattern "collectors", be sure to check it out!
  
Off to run some errands now....and then back to make more dresses!

Happy Monday everyone!!!!!

Love...Nicole
  

Shame on Me!

I've been a BAD BAD BLOGGER lately! Shame on me! I'm so sorry! This week has completely flown by! Why...because I've been hecka busy! ALL of my homework was due for my photography class on Tuesday.....and I'm the BIGGEST procrastinator around...so I had alot of catching up to do! Turned it all in and was cleared off with instructor signature that EVERYTHING was turned in on time! YIPPEEE! All I have left is the final on Tuesday which I've already done, we just need to present that and our 30 best pictures in class for "class critique". Not thrilled about that...but whatever....I've done my best! A little bit of me feels like I lost my "touch" having to do the certain lessons....but I'm hoping to get my freedom back now that I don't have to follow guidelines! LOLOL And Sandy....if you're reading this...I still wish you would have taken the class with me!!!!! It would have been fun doing our homeowork together and planning little "field trips" to find creative things to take pictures of (since Hemet is so ugly)!!!!! Here is a picture I submitted in my homework. It's my bratty cat trying to eat the roses my dad sent me for Mother's Day. What a sweet dad!!! Not a sweet cat though!

And then.....after I finished up on my homework...I had to get busy on a bunch of dolls for a friend of mine, Jennifer, who's daughter has a fundraiser going on....Relay for Life.  Please visit that link...and see how Kahlie's been doing!!!! Jennifer had emailed me months ago asking if she could buy my dolls wholesale and sell them retail and all the proceeds would go to the fundraiser. I've been sending her dolls here and there....but their big event is coming up this Saturday...so I hurried and made lots for her! Here are a few pics of some little ones I sent today. And...I used my best friend Missy's "Annie Nay Nay" pattern to make them.

When I emailed Jennifer asking her for the "link" to her daugthers Relay for Life fundraising web page...she asked if I would insert in my blog a little something about me. So here goes...this is from Jennifer Kanell.

I just wanted to let all you (what do you call your viewers??) out there know what a special person Nicole Ellison is and her efforts in the fight against cancer!!!  I met Nicole at a craft show over 6 years ago and instantly fell in love with her Raggedy Ann dolls.  Over the years, I was fortunate enough to have our business relationship grow into a friendship.  Every year, my friends and family support the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life.  This is their signature fundraising event.  This event helps us remember those we have lost to cancer and those who are bravely battling this horrible disease.  This year, my 11 year old daughter, chose to lead her own team of softball friends.  I wanted to make this year BIG and special.  This is where Nicole rised to the occasion and has spent many late, late nights making us Relay Raggedy Dolls so that we could use them as a fundraiser for my daughters team.  I have been told by many fellow relay supporters how much these dolls mean to them and how they touch individuals in different ways as they are to remember or support a loved one.  Nicole has made pink breast cancer Raggedies and purple Relay for Life Raggedies.  All of which have been a huge success and mentioned in the Orange County Register as well as local papers!!!! Although I'm sure this project was tiresome and time consuming you NEVER heard Nicole complain.  Thanks to her contribution, our team of 9 girls and a few adults, we have raised $12,705 in the past three months!!!!  My daughter, Kahlie and I, want everyone to know how big of a heart that Nicole has and to thank her for all her support and generosity.

Jennifer & Kahlie Kanell

Storm Against Cancer

aaahhhh....that was sooooo sweet of her! She herself is a very generous gal!!!! I met her years and years ago when I used to do a craft show in Costa Mesa! A couple years ago at an Angels Baseball game....her family knew that we were going to be there..so they came looking for us...to give us one of their "give-aways" which was the back to school binder because I was so excited that my "crush" Jeff Davannon was on the cover! How sweet is that! See...only the kiddos recieved the freebies....and my son wasn't giving his up.

Okay....I will close with this FUNNY picture...and the only part of me that you'll see in it is my FOOT because I'm just toooo embarrased to show you the one before it! We went swimming over at a friends house...and they had this pool toy called a "water trotter" and it's like a teeter totter...well Christopher was on one side....and I pushed him out away from the side and pounced on the other side...and well I totally LAUNCHED him across the pool! LOLOL That was the first time! We tried to re-create it with camera snapping...but of course we couldn't get it to do the same....but still funny!

Tomorrows Friday (already)....so Happy Weekend Everyone!!!!

You are all so kind!!!!

THANK YOU ALL for all your sweet emails and comments!!! Tomorrow is a new day....however...today was a pretty good one! I worked!!! That's a lot for me lately!I know that I just updated Raggedy Old Annies last night...but I finished up a few more....and they turned out soooo cute that I just couldn't wait to put them on! You'll have to see for yourself by hopping right on over to the DOLLS section on my site!

Okay....totally off subject here...but guess what??? The "Bachelor" starts April 2nd!!!!! I can't wait!!! I love that show! Perfect timing too because The Real Housewives of the OC just ended! Christopher and I watched "Are you smarter than a 5th grader" tonight...and well he's in 4th grade..so he thought it would be funny...and wow...do I ever feel stupid!!!! So NO! I am NOT smarter than a 5th grader!

Time for night night! I hope you will keep checking back...I have a "contest" running through my mind right now! Trying to think what would be the "perfect prize". I think I will post about it tomorrow!

This hurts!

I'm feeling very sad....and very hurt. For years, I have been designing and selling patterns and have enjoyed it VERY much! I love to see gals making my dolls. But...yes..here's the big "but". It hurts when you see websites popping up that totally emulate mine. I'm not talking similiar...I'm talking every doll for sale on that website is made from my pattern line. And then comes the selling of hair and stuffing tools and fabric too.Then there pops up the pattern line..that has alot of similarities to it. I have decided to take a break from my pattern line, because of this. That didn't stop this one gal....she's pretty good at emulating the same doll without even a pattern to it.

 

Mine (on the left)  was made in January....her's(on the right) in February as stated on her blog that was brought to my attention today. And it's even for a magazine ad. Not to mention all the other dolls on her site and blog are from my patterns...even the ones she had in her graphics. I have repeatedly asked this gal to NOT use dolls made from my designs in her logos/graphics which is not allowed according to the usage which is clearly stated in each pattern.  She continues to do that and even worse.... she took the free pattern I offered here on my blog and offered it for sale...which again... is against the usage!!

I don't mean to complain... but seriously!  First the website, the graphics, the misuse and abuse, now she's even blogging... just like me.... I'm just done with it.  You don't get to burn me and not get outed on my blog... LOL!  Okay I feel better now.. thanks for letting me vent!

DO NOT go to JoAnns!

because if you do, then you'll end up buying more fabric and if you have a stash of fabric like I do, you DO NOT need anymore! I was good today.....didn't spend too much...but Missy...phew! She's supposed to be posting her pic too! Here's what I bought.

I'm making clothes for some naked dolls that I have finished up. I'm using one of the fabrics that I just bought...which one do you think it is???? I think it's an easy guess. So be sure to check my website.....mabye this weekend...but I am sure I will post again.