stuffing my kids' stockings with prostitute look-a-likes. (hook-a-likes?)

before i knew we were on a limited budget for christmas, i saw this doll in the land of nod catalog:

i was all, that is the cutest thing ever but it is $129.  choke.  who would spend $129 on a doll for their kid?!  (the 90-year-old neighbor asked if it was made out of gold.)  then we decided to make cheapo gifts for the kids this year, and i figured i'd try to finagle it myself.

as you can see, i didn't have any mustard-colored felt for her mouth, so instead of looking 'cute, primitive, and artsy,' my version of the doll looks 'saucy, promiscuous and owing half her earnings to a pimp.'

though i did try to justify giving my two-year-old daughter a 'My Little Ho-bag' doll for christmas so i wouldn't have to redo anything, my common sense and fear of what other people would (rightfully) assume about my mothering have since convinced me to change out her mouth.  i like the color, but the stitching is wonky and i'll have to change it again.  at least her hair doesn't look like a wigger hat anymore.

so, she's still not done, and i'll show you pictures of the finished product someday...maybe...but at least for now she doesn't look like a geisha and she was 100% free, which were the two criteria i was aiming to meet, so i consider this crafting effort owned.