Happy Thanksgiving from Morristown

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone in Morristown.  We hope you had a safe, healthy, and happy holiday!

Well many of the ladies here were up all night cooking their dinner.  Let's check in on a couple of the families. 

The Taylors had a wonderful dinner with Antoinette's two sisters and Darren (the little brother), China and Taylor, their daughter.

The youngest sister favors Antoinette, but sports a head full of red hair that seems to be from her great, great grandfather.

The oldest sister rearranged her schedule to make sure she could attend.

What is Thanksgiving without a children's table?

Antoinette's menu:  Turkey, collard greens, baked macaroni and cheese, homemade cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, candied yams, dressing and cornbread.

(At the last minute I was finally inspired to make Thanksgiving dinner. The cornbread was already done, and I made the cranberry sauce a week ago.  Everything else I made yesterday and today.  They almost had a vegetarian meal.  The meats were next to the last thing I made. I threw the green vegetables together last.

"Honey we need to say grace before you carve the turkey."

Everyone gathers around the table, holding hands, as Tony blesses the meal.

Meanwhile......a couple doors down, Danielle has just set her table.

 

"Rod, dear, I really think we need to get on with dinner."

Danielle is serving country ham, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, whipped yams, dressing, biscuits, cornbread, and canned cranberry sauce. (You can't have Thanksgiving without canned cranberry sauce showing up somewhere.)  Looks like she forgot to put out the special vegetarian dish she made for Paulette.

I am most proud of my ham.  I made it right after I made the turkey, and I was exhausted by this point. I wasn't going to make the pineapples, but I pushed through.  The collards were my next biggest triumph. I had no idea how I was going to make them.  I took a nap.  Woke up and made it happen.

I nade the cranberry sauce last week, and the biscuits were done a couple weeks ago.  The green beans were the absolute last thing I made right after I made the collard greens.  I was a happy camper.  I felt the same elation when I used to stay up all night and cook for real people.  All the items I made were first time attempts.  There are some things I will do differently next time.  I will make those improvements for the Christmas dinner. LOL.

The guests have been waiting patiently, but Julian is finally getting a little antsy.

Paulette has been keeping Jacob busy.  They have gotten a lot closer since she babysat the other day.

Ian came to dinner solo. 

"Mom, is it time to eat yet?"

"Yes, Julian.  It's time. Can you please help people to their seats?"

So it was a successful Thanksgiving day in Morristown. 

Impromptu Photo Shoot - The Redmonds and The Trotts

I started shooting the new video tonight, but by the time I got everyone dressed and the scenes ready, I was too tired to do the video.  Two of the families, the Redmonds and the Trotts, were dressed and looking nice, so I decided to let then do a photoshoot.

Sylvia and Sophia

This is one of the outfits I got when I bought the $2 dolls at the Doll Show last November. I think it is perfect for Sylvia.

Christopher and Sylvia

I could not get the lighting right, but it was such a sweet picture I had to share it.

China is casually dressed, but still picture perfect.

Darren and China

They all had fun at the photoshoot.  These pictures will be great memories of their time at the beach house.

S.I.S. Darren is married to Harley Davidson Barbie

Aren't they adorable together? The new S.I.S. Janessa doll completes the family. I'm still in the process of solidifying names.  I know the little girl's name is Taylor.  I'm toying with a couple of ideas for the mom.....maybe China, Desiree, or Destiny.

The Denim Loveseat for Barbie and the Throw Pillow Dilemma

Here is the Denim loveseat.  How is it that I have literally hundreds of pieces of materials and  I still didn't have what I wanted for the throw pillows.  I tried about 5 different color schemes and nothing worked quite as well as I would have liked. I decided to just keep it simple and do them in denim.  I also did a set of red paisley pillows, which looks better in person than they do in the picture below. So I posted it on my Etsy site giving the buyer the option of denim or the paisley. Of course, if they make a request of some other color, I will try to accomodate them.

Here is Lisa and the baby. She is showing off a new outfit that I took from a Hobby Lobby mannequin. I have had those mannequins for over 5 yrs and it finally dawned on me that the dolls could probably wear the outfits, with a little sewing alteration, of course.

Here is the loveseat without any throw pillows. There's S.I.S. Darren.

I haven't done much with him yet, but I think he is coming up in a story

fairly soon. I thought about letting him date Danielle, but it doesn't seem

to be a good fit. There wasn't any chemistry when I introduced them.