The Kids' Christmas Handmades (and bring on your doll making questions)

My daughter and I would like to know:

1. How did you get started?
2. What tools and supplies are needed?
3. What books and websites do you use?

Thanks!

All of these gifts are so thoughtful and beautifully made! I love how your kids bless each other in this way. Truly, treasures. I am about to embark on my first doll (just purchased the book Wee Wonderfuls after drooling over it a few too many times from the library) as my daughter, who will turn 4 in February, has requested a mermaid doll. Any tips (or step by step pictures!) about doing doll-hair would be appreciated. Also, it looks like Celine's dolls have drawn-on faces, are these with fabric markers, or are they embroidered and so tiny I can't tell?! Wonderful gifts, well done Tougas family! Sarah M

We'd also be interested in the specifics...pattern sources, sites for purchasing the body fabric, hair, etc. Favourite books or online resources that got Celine started would be great.

And to Laurent...your necklaces are truly lovely. They make me think of blue skies, shining seas, and gorgeous sunshiney days. What special gifts.

And Brienne...the fact that we didn't get to see your chocolates is testament to how wonderful they must have been.

Kudos to you all!

Everything is so beautiful!! Such thoughtful gifts.

This is awesome. I love to see what crafty kids come up with. I particularly love the weasel!!

A big part of Christmas for our kids is making gifts for each other and for us as well. It's so sweet to see them do that for each other, and even sweeter to see the reactions when they open the gifts.
The gifts your kids made are amazing! They have developed their skills beautifully.

I'm curious too about "How it all began" and what basics would be needed in a sewing kit--not only for doll making, but any sewing projects (even quilting). Let's say I have personal difficulty with most crafts (okay, I don't like them very much) and when it comes to sewing I'm semi-clueless. I feel like my fingers are 3 in. wider when I try to sew and I only know how to mend a button. However, my oldest daughter was inspired by a cousin over the holidays to sew projects by hand (since we don't have a machine). I don't want her (or my other two kids) to loose interest just because I'm afraid to try. Thanks for collecting our questions and taking the time to answer them!

I've only attempted doll making a few times, because I find attaching the limbs to be very frustrating. They never feel sturdy enough for actual play. Any tips on that, and hair would be greatly appreciated. I have to say that I am so impressed! Very nice work, kids!

Your family is so talented:) I love to DIY but there is doing it, and there is doing it with artistry. Obviously, yours is the latter. Thank you for sharing:)

I am also interested in how Celine designs the faces - for the inexperienced there seem to be millimetres between lovely facial expression like the ones on Celine's dolls and scary facial expressions.

(I am sure that it is only a matter of time before I buy Celine's doll making book...)

(Also, on a side note, really interested to know how you combine allowing your children 'down time' on the computer and creating an environment where they clearly also spend a large amount of creative time away from the screen/or even focused creative time with the screen. I am struggling with this at the moment...).

As the purchaser of the soon to be posted about chess set, let me say, this one of a kind is something our whole family is proud to show off!!! It means so much to us to have a Celine original... my only doll making question is, would Celine like another commission? Addie's birthday is in July!!!! love to you all!