We are fortunate enough to live close to Cobblestones, the local settlers museum.  Every Monday night, I pack up my quilting and meet up with friends to sew there.  Occaisionally, as a family, we pack a picnic, take an walk and have an afternoon there.  Then on really special occasions, they have an activities day.

My kids run straight for the hospital.  This time I noticed the Florence Nightingale Pledge.  It's references to professional purity and abstinence from the deleterious had me chuckling.

We always have to check on the very tiny cottage.  Could you imagine 10 kids in a 4 very small bedroom house of about 40 square metres?

I love playing eyespy with industrial details - steering wheel mounted air conditioning, anyone? or going hunting for hand painted signs.

While it is open every day to the public, I look out for the special events, like this Sunday, when entry is free and the printing press is going.

I am loving "We Make Dolls" by Jenny Doh.  Now, I am not one to post review without trying a pattern or two.  As case would have it, two daughters, means two dolls.  There were sketches left lying around the house, with explicit instruction about colours and accessories.

This book profiles 10 ladies who make dolls - be they softies, jointeed bears or needle felting. I liked the way a range of styles were profiled.  I can finally put a name to the designer whose dolls keep catching my eye on pinterest - that would be Mimi Kirchner.  I love her tattooed ladies and woollen dolls.

My kids on the other hand were taken with the designs of Ana Fernandes.  The dolls above were based on her Estefania pattern that can be found in the book.  With a little tweaking, the dolls looked more like the collection of dolls E & H were coveting from the contents page.  My kids were frustrated by the teasers photos of dolls for which there was no pattern .  On the other hand I thought they helped to show the scope of each artists' talent.

The patterns in the book were easy to follow, with full size patterns for tracing at the back.  There is also a how to section at the front of the book that starts you off in the right foot - tools you need, some basic techniques etc. The break down of methods and materials is not as comprehensive as some books I have seen, but I feel it is all you need to start out.  You can move onto other books for more methods as your interests guide you.

All up, I would recommend this book.  It doesn't steal my heart like Hilliary Lang's Wee Wonderfuls.  However, this book is a wide survey of all that is wonderful in the world of making dolls and a really good place to start.