Just a quick update...

Hey everyone!  It's Saturday, and my last day off before July 4th, my ALL TIME FAVORITE HOLIDAY!!! Why, you ask?  Well, besides the fact that it's the day America became America, here are my 4 reasons.

1) It's in the Summer, and being a FL girl, I adore summer.  I deal with winter here in PA, but I live for the warm weather months, especially since we got our pool!!

2) It usually involves cookout food! Again, summer girl here!

3)It's not one of the holidays I go broke on buying presents... I have a tendency to go broke for birthdays, other holidays, and of course Christmas.

4) Last, but CERTAINLY not least, as it's my favorite reason: FIREWORKS!!! I am addicted to fireworks displays!!!

Anyways... now that I've bombed the blog with my July 4th obsession.... I'm going to try to get a doll pic of all the gals in their holiday finery, lol.

Hopefully, will do the updating I was hoping to do (with doll outfit review!) in the next post or so.  Until then, hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Random Wednesday thoughts!

Guess what I did Saturday!  I learned to use a table saw, band saw, and am on my way to crafting doll furniture.  A (hopefully plushy) chair and loveseat for my non-existant doll house!  (That, should I find I enjoy this as much as I am now, may be on my building agenda!!)

I had a blast playing with the tools, and while it wasn't easy figuring out measurements... it's going to be exciting to have real furniture.  I dressed Alanna in "lounging clothes" that I didn't mind a bit of sawdust on, and brought her out with me, as TechGuy said I was going to need a doll for measurements.  I had fun posing her, though I didn't dare get her too close to the saws... I suppose I could when they're off.

I'm going to do a review of the adorable outfits I got from Dora on facebook.  I thought they were dresses, and was pleasantly surprised to find shirts and skirts.  Double swaping power!  Post coming next!

Other than that... nothing new right now.  I am a bit addicted to ebay shopping right now, need to break that.  But they have some awesome doll clothes for pretty cheap.  I got a "lot" of clothing that included shorts and Jess's halter top, as well as pjs, which will be perfect for vacation!  2 weeks from now, I will be in the Outer Banks with my guy, his parents' huge RV, and two dolls, exploring the sites and relaxing, which is much needed.  The dolls going with me are going to have a small collection of clothes by the time we go... and my bank account will have a bit of a deficit... especially when we drive back up.  TechGuy has said that we can go to the DC AG store! Yep, I'm going to be a kid in a candy shoppe!

My friend at work, Z, was telling me about the Baltimore Sci Fi Society... and that he just submitted a 4K word story for a contest they had... I am thinking that, while the contest is over,  I may find out more about them, they sounded right up my alley!  It was just Z and I last night, and we both love Sci-Fi and Fantasy stuff, and while he doesn't understand my doll likes, he understands giving them voices and learning to write with each voice.  It's a good exercise.  We talked about Dragon Riders of Pern (I used to participate in an online fan world, about 10-12 years ago), the book we're reading now, Hounded by Kevin Hearne, and the short story Z wrote for the contest.  I really enjoy working with him, we have a lot in common, and he's not afraid to open up and be nerdy with me.  I'm going to be losing him in a few weeks, as he got a new job at a vet as a vet tech... so sad.

I just cleaned up my sewing area in an attempt to find my magic erasers... I tried to paint eyelashes on my Alanna... I don't know that I'm too fond of them.  I want to redo them... but I can't find my erasers.  I think I may try the curled lashes tutorial on AGBAA for her too... maybe I'd like the lashes then.  We'll see.

Jaelin finally got her sister!  Meet Michiko (Mika). I will have her profile up when we get on vacation, and I have some downtime... I think today is my last "day" of downtime between now and the 4th, as every other day is going to be running until the trip.

And last but not least, one of my two green cheek conures, Yvaine, posing Monday night.

There's my random Wednesday post... check back in later on for more updates and my review!  Off to shower and head over to N's house for girls' night, homemade sushi, and her introduction to Pitch Perfect!!

P.S.  This is the newest crochet pattern on the horizon... after my non-doll projects are done and delivered.

Last week... WARNING, scary doll head at bottom of post... sorry

So, I didn't do so well on any updates beyond my doll stuff... which I suppose is what this blog is about too.

I got my MAG #55 in the mail last night!  So excited!  She is exactly what I wanted.  I've decided she is a southern belle, most likely from Georgia, (like Dahlia and Savannah are... hey, I'm from the south, it's to be expected) and she's probably going to turn into my girliest doll, I can see it now.  She reminds me of an old soul misplaced in time.  I can see her being into rich dark reds though too.

Here she is!

 

And then some not so wonderful news... I removed Josefina's eyes and repainted them (which was definitely not easy...). Went to put them back in last night... had a horrific time that ended with my frustrated, with one of the eyes scratched, both eyes sticking, and TechGuy trying to calm down my upset.  Poor guy.

WARNING!  Scary pictures below, I'm SORRY, but I wanted to share why it is that I shouldn't replace eyes.

The eyes I repainted, this is after my 3rd unsuccessful attempt last night.  The head right before I pulled them out to show the color and give up for the night.

But, several of the gals in my favorite FB group encouraged me a LOT last night, when I was really upset, and the one who I bought #61's eyes from, is sending me a "practice" pair, to work with until I understand how to put eyes in.  She says she can do it with arthritis in her hands, so I should be able to.  I need to watch some of the videos and see if I can learn from there.  I have a pair of Grace's eyes that need a head, but I'm chicken right now.  I wish I hadn't messed up the purple eyes, I loved how they came out, and Josefina would have looked wonderful with them. I have been told I can buff out the scratches I created, we will see.  I hope so.

World Doll Day! - Edited

So, BeastsBelle tagged me in a World Doll Day post... and I'm going to do it, since it looks easy and fun! She says the original post is from The Multicrafteral Lab.

Those tagged are to:

1. List 3 favorite dolls from the ones you got last year.
2. List 3 dolls currently on your wishlist.
3. Tag 5 people to do the same thing! (Anyone with a home on the web, not just bloggers, can be tagged!)


1. List 3 favorite dolls from the ones you got last year.

Considering that I just started collecting dolls again this year... I have a few to choose from, I think! It was really hard to actually pick just 3, as I've gotten all of these dolls for some love or another of them!

1) Alanna (Marisol GOTY 2005) - I saw her picture in a pirate outfit on the Beds-n-Blankies website and fell in love!  She was exactly what I wanted, and I loved the Josefina face mold. I searched Ebay for a while until I found her at a decent price.  When I started working on her, I discovered that her wefts were coming undone, which is a defect.  Took her to the AG hospital end of March, didn't get her back til the first week of May... and still think she is one of my prettiest dolls.

My shy girl, Iris, peeking around her older sister Alanna

2) Marie Grace - I have seen her many times in the FB groups, and loved her.  She is simply the sweetest face I have seen, even with my Josefina mold addiction, and her eyes and hair are lovely.  She came home to me in the middle of May.  She doesn't have a name yet (as I never keep the canon names) but she will soon! (sorry she's nekkid... I was snapping off pics quickly yesterday before work!)

3) MAG #55 - I did the post on her last week, my acquisition from the JSD!  She came in last night, and I love her!  The pics don't do her gorgeous eyes justice!  She is absolutely beautiful!

2. List 3 dolls currently on your wishlist.

1) Another Marie Grace - I would love to customize her as Kenzi from Lost Girl, one of my favorite shows ever.  Kenzi has such a unique style.

Left: Kenzi (Ksenia Solo), Right: Bo (Anna Silk) and Kenzi

2) MAG #61 - I adore her eye color, and her hair is a gorgeous shade.  I missed out on her during the JSD, as I didn't have the money, and TechGuy didn't tell me he'd give me the money for her until a few minutes before the sale was over, and I missed her.  But I'm watching the links on the boards for her, and I got another doll (#59) to try and sell to have money for her.  She will come home to me at some point. Or I will build her myself... I just bought her eyes last night! So maybe the #59 will sell and I'll have money for the MG I want!

Wish me luck with eye-swaps, I need it, if I'm ever going to create this girl!

3) MAG #62 - I love the Sonali mold!  I am pretty sure, now that I have #40 (though I LOVE 64) that she will have to come home with me too. (She will most likely be getting lavendar or green eyes though... I think she would really pop with those... which I guess means that I may get a bald doll, since you can customize the eye color when you order. I know you can't get a doll with lavendar eyes... but if I ever get good enough at painting them... my first set weren't bad, but I destroyed them last night... more on that later)

Wouldn't she be pretty with either green or lavendar eyes?  I can totally see it!  Okay, maybe blue violet.

(I know there's no room for a number 4, but I'd also like to get some of the Gotz Little Sisters dolls, Katie, Lily, and Tess are so adorable!)


3. Tag 5 people to do the same thing! (Anyone with a home on the web, not just bloggers, can be tagged!)

1) Liz

2) Charlie

3) Jaclyn

4) Karen

5) Rhonda F

No one has to do this... I don't even know how many people follow me at this point, other than BeastsBelle. But if you want to, have fun!

Jill's Steals and Deals.

OMG, I was so bad, lol.  Okay, well... not really Baaaaddd....

They had a JSD today... and I happened to see it when TechGuy left for work... and now I am the proud owner of a #55!  Thanks to BeastsBelle and Jaclyn, I am in love with 55... not that I need another dark haired doll... thinking I may be changing the hair color on the #40 I got on EBay... we'll see.  I just love the dark hair, and this is my first hazel eyed doll! And it was a $173 for $78 before shipping.  Sale runs til tomorrow or they are sold out.  Not much by way of accessories, like I think I saw last time... but that was a good thing for me.

I am sure now that I will not be getting anything else all summer... until I find a killer deal under $50 including shipping... or start sewing and selling doll clothes... but it was worth it!

What did you get today at the JSD, or what did you see that you liked?  The code, should anyone want to go visit themselves, is JUNTODAY

I plan to sell the PJ set, as I am NOT a pink fan, and I may sell the meet outfit. Not sure yet.  Didn't take the pic myself, but here is what they were selling (sorry it's so small)

Okay, definitely need to add blogging to my calendar...

Woooooowww....

It's been about 2-3 weeks since I was on here!  So sorry!  Life got busy!

I have a few crafts/projects I'm working on right now, in between laundry and cleaning today. Saturday is my only day off on the weekend.  I have one day off midweek, but this week it was devoted to catching up on sleep, reading and relaxing some, getting my monthly set of nails done, and doing trivia with a friend at a restaurant/alehouse, as she moves over an hour away at the end of July.

First, I'm trying to repaint eyes for my Josefina (who will inevitably get a new name when I am done...), which is a first, and it's been a learning experience.  I think she is either getting light green or purple eyes... just depends on if I can get all the color out of the old set.  If I can't, they will definitely be green/hazel.  I just felt like she was monochromatic, you know?

BTW, the eyes were fine before I used acetone to remove the color... I just have to repaint the whites.  And this doll's hair was fixed and straightened a week or two ago.... it was a need-to-trim as it was desperately uneven wig...

 And I need to figure out how to fade a spot on a second Elizabeth that I got a bit ago, it's on her chin.  She also may need a new wig, as I think she is going to turn into Linnea's twin.

(A bit on Linnea - she is my mini-me.  I saw her, and had to have her back in March.  She is DEFINITELY not the Elizabeth I grew up with - that one with Felicity had brown hair, at least in all the books.  So, Techguy said it looked like I finally got one who looked like me, and it stuck.  Linnea is my grams' mom's name - long story about why she isn't my great grandma, lol. And I had always thought it might be a neat name if I ever had kids... But now my dolls will just get the names I wanted for them. [I have always considered myself a bit too selfish for kids anyways...] Linnea became little me, and has a lot of my quirks.  I still haven't decided if I like her wig or if she's getting a new one, or she would be up on my doll page.  And I always wished I'd had a twin... so she is getting a twin!)

Second, I am trying to figure out how to sew, lol.  I can do basic hems and such, but I've never successfully made doll clothes sewing.  And I seem to have lost my knack that I had for looking at a picture and crocheting a replica of it for my girls, that I had when I was a teenager.  I have downloaded several PixieFaire patterns... and they always come out too small.  May be that my seams are too wide, or that my dolls are mostly PC, and they may be made for American Girl smaller bodies.  But I am determined to figure it out.

My sewing half of the room.

{From L to R: Linnea in black and red, Vivienne lying down, my two new dolls I will detail next, a wigless Julie, my messed up eye Felicity, and Josefina's headless body.}

Okay, onto my latest (and last for a while) acquisitions: I got a Marie Grace from a woman in one of the AG groups on Facebook for a really decent prince!  She isn't getting customized just yet... because I love her the way she is for now.  She needs to be restrung (her legs more than her arms... but I find that for most of the dolls I get).  But I LOVE her sweet face and her gorgeous eyes!  I can't wait to figure her out and introduce her to everyone!  Also, got a good deal on EBay for a JLY 40! I got a Jess mold!!!!!  (Nope, not excited in the least!)  I've wanted one for a while, as Jaelin was getting lonely being the only part Asian girl. (TechGuy decided she looked Asian, even though she is a JLY 25... she'd had a bit of a haircut before I got her, and he told me she just looked Asian to him.  So if I ever write out her background... or if she ever decides on telling her story... which she probably will at some point, you'll find out!) And now, her "cousin" or "sister" (not sure yet... some kids with different nationality parents don't always look alike, I know) has joined us, once I have restrung her as well.

Marie Grace.  The JLY #40, and Jaelin from an earlier shoot a month ago.

 See,40 and Jaelin do look alike... will have to take pics of them together when I figure out if she's keeping that hair or getting a new color or length wig!

My eventual goal is to have a dollhouse or a set of doll rooms so my dolls don't have to be on a shelf (on my craft table is fine if they are a WIP doll).  Also, at this point, this is the only space I have for them, so I can't get furniture, or anything that doesn't fit there.  Their clothes are in a huge rubbermaid bin that isn't full yet, and I also, in a dream world, want to be able to display my decent sized Stitch collection (from Lilo and Stitch), as I LOVE Stitch!!  I'm hoping to be able to display it on top.  Right now, our room is small, and we have to get our oldest boy into a different bedroom (that is being built) so that we can have his room (bigger than ours) and use the room we are in as a construction room for what will eventually be the Attic Master Suite.  That's where I'd like my dollhouse eventually.  We'll see.

The shelf above my crafting area... poor girls.  Also, I'm horrible about changing their clothes, I don't have many summer outfits...

{L to R: A doll my BFF's mom gave me from her childhood - over 50 years old.  Alanna (Marisol), Iris (Not sure if she's getting a new wig - AG #2, Vera (GOTY Lindsey), Dahlia (Julie), Jaelin (JLY #25), Kendalyn (Rewigged GOTY Grace), Kaya, and Molly.}

Other than that... I don't have anything to review for you, but I will try to take pics of the projects as I go.  We will see if I remember to, as I get a little scatterbrained at times.  Not too long a post today (If I could figure out how to post from my phone, might post a bit more often), but Jaelin is looking over my shoulder, begging to get to post too, as well as telling me that I need to change doll clothes, go try to sew, and take some more pics of her and her friends today!  She is anxiously waiting to find out about her new family member too... so I will leave you to it for now...