Toddler Fashion Friday - Emma

Last week's toddler graduation paper doll was so much fun, I made a companion paper doll! Here's Emma with a graduation cap & gown and school theme patterned wardrobe.

Download Toddler Fashion Friday - Emma pdf here

For an extended, 3 page version of this paper doll, visit my *new* Etsy shop!

There's some news I need to share! First, the good news: I re-opened my Etsy shop.  There's a mini shop in the sidebar of this blog if you'd like to take a look at it.  I'm focusing on instant downloads.  Right now, I'm creating extended sets of previous dolls, but I plan on making some Etsy-only sets as well as maybe revisiting the Jane doll templates.  I may also have the occasional one-off paper doll.

Secondly, I've had a death in the family.  My grandfather lived a long, happy life and although he'll be missed, he had a hereditary & crippling condition and is at peace now.  As we as a family move forward, I'm going to need some time to deal with his passing and the changes associated with it.  I'm going to try to continue blogging without any gaps but that just might not happen.

I hope everyone has a happy start to their summer/graduation season! We're so proud of our kindergarten student!

Toddler Fashion Friday - Noah

I have entered into a phase that I've heard of, but never experienced before: end of school year chaos.  My oldest is finishing up kindergarten next week and somehow I have no time any more.  It'll be nice to have him home all summer.  I've missed having him home -- even though he LOVES school!   I just need to get myself a little better organized so that I can 1) entertain two active boys 2) work on first grade and preschool schools with those boys and 3) find time for my own stuff.

There might be a few missed weeks here & there, but I swear I'm not abandoning this blog!

To celebrate my son's kindergarten graduation, I made a paper doll!

Download Toddler Fashion Friday - Noah pdf here

I went with a blue graduation gown because his school colors are blue & white.  His school mascot is a tiger, so that's where the orange comes from. And I wanted a school themed pattern, so I whipped up the image on the t-shirt & turned it into a pattern.  The cap & gown will fit any of the toddler paper dolls so feel free to use it for any & all of them! 

Toddler Fashion Friday - Virginia

Today ushers in the unofficial start to summer here in the US.  It's Memorial Day, so it's a long weekend.  And it's hot.  Well, here in New England it's hot.

And I hate hot.  SO much! But everyone else is pretty happy about it so I'll manage I suppose....!

I wanted to create a red, white, and blue themed paper doll without it being stars or something vaguely patriotic like that.  I live in the heart of colonial Massachusetts and holidays like Memorial Day are a big deal. (I actually went and photographed a colonial cemetery last weekend as part of my on-going family history project.  There were flags on the veteran graves in this 300+ year old place.  I'm not an overly patriotic person, but I felt it that day....) So I started tinkering with Illustrator and came up with an adorable flower, which I turned into a pattern.

Download Toddler Fashion Friday - Virginia pdf here

This is such a cute & summery set! I'm glad I went with red, white, and blue.  It just feels like summer!  The flower sort of accidentally happened.  I was tinkering with a circle and the Effects menu.  And then I took that circle and moved it around, layered it, and then used the Patherfinder menu to create separate lines.  Really came out great!

If you're looking for more dolls to get you through this weekend, I have an Independence Day paper doll from 2012 and an Independence Day family set from 2015.

Toddler Fashion Friday - Maybelle

It was my birthday this week.  I'm an adult (well, marginally....I mean I still play with dolls!!) so the day was rather uneventful. My sister took me out for coffee & my family took me out for dinner.  Rather a nice way to spend a day, honestly.

I try to make a birthday edition paper doll.  Last year, I featured a commission. In 2014, I created a Deanna Troi paper doll and in 2013, I made a series of Star Trek uniform paper dolls.  And in 2012...well, I started this blog in June of that year so no birthday doll then.  Despite all of these projects, I've never actually made a birthday themed paper doll!

Download Toddler Fashion Friday - Maybelle pdf here

I've been creating patterns in Illustrator like crazy lately. (You can see an overview of one way that I make patterns here.) So for this doll, I created a balloon pattern.  I was a bit stumped about colors until I searched ColourLovers.  This palette popped up & it's amazing!!  I named her Maybelle because I wanted to incorporate the word May but not just call her May.  It seemed like a cute little name, so I went with it.

When I get a minute, I might make a boy birthday doll.  I've been loving the toddler dolls lately and that'll probably continue for a while...

Toddler Fashion Friday - Daniel

Last week was awful in New England.  It was rainy or grey for DAYS! I lost track and had a serious case of the blahs.  So I forgot to post.  And honestly, I'd rather skip a post than put one up that's less than awesome.

This week, however, is awesome.

Download Toddler Paper Doll pdf -- Daniel here

With the break in the weather this week, I was inspired to create a toddler boy with a nautical theme.  I think it's partly the guilt of not working on my nautical children paper doll set, too.  I just haven't been feeling it on that project & I'm hoping that'll turn around.

Lately, I've had lots of stuff going on.  Aside from taking care of the kids (in no particular order), I have been: attending genealogy lectures and working on my family history book, creating digital scrapbooks of my kiddos, starting my first new oil painting in 7 years, and developing a summer curriculum for my soon-to-be first grader and my 4 year old.  It's been busy and fun and I'm kinda loving it.  There are still more things I want to add to the list.  I need to do more than create paper dolls & the additional projects are helping me stay motivated.

One of the things I'm puttering with is pattern making and I just love the sailboat/anchor pattern on this set.  Because I did this in Illustrator, I had the flexibility to grab the anchor & sailboat from the nautical Santa set and repurpose them here.

Anyway, I hope you're all as excited about this new set as I am.  Let me know if you are :)

Toddler Fashion Friday - Mona

Today, we're going on an adventure! I have a membership to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and today I'm taking my nieces.  My boys LOVE the museum! Since my nieces are on school vacation this week, I thought it would be a fun thing to do with them.  So my younger son & I are going with my sister and the girls.

To celebrate their first trip to an art museum, I made this little paper doll set.

Download Toddler Fashion Friday - Mona pdf here

If you're looking to expand your mix & match options, Amy's wardrobe would work well.  Most of the colors are the same. 

Enjoy your Friday! I know we will :)

Making of Mondays: Round 3 Beach Paper Dolls

It's easy to look at these sets and think they aren't very beach-y.  And that's somewhat true.  I have this grand vision consisting of a limited palette, nautical motifs, and beach backgrounds.  Once it comes together, I think it'll be more obvious.

Right-click to save & print

Part of the reason these sets don't look all that nautical is because they are missing color and pattern. I find that it's become so much more efficient to create patterns separately and add them in later, even when I work with traditional media.

I'll be fleshing out this set and coloring it in the next few weeks.  Let me know what you think of these preview black & white sets!