First Snow for 2018

This is the first time we had snow before thanksgiving here in the  Ozarks.

Very cold and rain made snow. We got about .5 inches where the rest of the area got up to 3-6 with ice. 

We fixed our wood stove ourselves and the cats love it. Our boots and gloves stay dry and our cats stay warm.

The barn cat and the dog want in as well. It  did get below 17 degrees so we let them all in for the frigid evenings. My dogs have thick winter coats and they pant all night near the wood stove. So we do not let them in until the fire goes out. Our oldest shepherd was shivering and got to spend more time inside. But our dogs are working dogs and they smell. So we keep their inside time to a minimum. And they have a hug straw bale filled kennel and heated dog bed outside as well.

Restoring Ann

                    
This is the doll as I received it from the client. She washed it before giving it to me. Washed in a normal cycle then thrown into the dryer. It was pretty much a ruined mess when I got it.

The new eyes in place.

The yarn hair needed to wait until the last part of the restoration. This knotted yarn mess was a challenge.

Re-stuffing the body. Lots and lots of stuffing.

 New eyes in place.

How I got the original doll from the client.

The newly de-tangled yarn hair. It took 3 hours to get this hair put back and sewn into place. Impossible to find the exact match of yarn, so I used what was left on her head.

They still have the vintage sewing pattern for these larger Ann dolls. I used McCalls #4268 from the 1970's for this 36 inch Raggedy Ann. After restoration I was able to sew up a new set of clothes for this doll. With proper care and staying out of the washing machine it will last a very long time.