Holiday Baking: La Buche de Noel

I wanted to share one of my very favorite holiday recipes. This is the French 'Yule log' cake that I make every year...la buche de noel! I got this recipe when I was in eleventh grade or so, and I have made it just about every year since for my family.

This cake is not for the faint of heart...it is a bit labor intensive. Having a KitchenAid for the past couple years REALLY helped with the 'beat for five minutes' instructions!


La Buche de Noel

Cake Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups cake flour
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup

Filling Ingredients:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

Frosting Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp heavy cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F, Butter or grease a jelly-roll pan. Press an approximately 16x12 inch sheet of waxed paper into the pan with your fingers. Remove the paper, turn it over, and place it back into the pan, pressing it into place, to grease both sides. With scissors, trim off any excess paper. Butter, grease, or line two 2-inch center cups of a muffin tin. Set aside.

To make the cake, in a large bowl, using the electric mixer set on high speed, beat the eggs until thick and lemony, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar and continue to beat on high for 5 minutes. On low speed, beat the water and vanilla. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into the batter, and beat until just combined.

Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons batter into each cupcake cup. Pour the remaining batter into the prepared baking pan. Tilt the pan to evenly spread the batter. Place the baking pan in the oven and bake until the cake springs back when lightly touched and just begins to turn golden (about 10 minutes). Bake the cupcakes until they just begin to turn golden, about 10-12 minutes. Let the cake and cupcakes cool on a wire rack for five minutes.

Lay a clean kitchen towel on a countertop. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the towel. Invert the cake onto the towel and peel off the paper. Beginning at the long side, roll up the cake with the towel. Refrigerate the cake roll for 30 minutes.

To make the filling, in a bowl using the electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the cream until it begins to thicken. Add the vanilla and confectioners’ sugar and continue to beat until firm peaks form and the mixture is spreadable.

To make the frosting, in a large bowl, using the electric mixer set on low speed, beat together the butter, cocoa, and salt until well mixed (about 3 minutes). Drizzle in the cream and vanilla and continue to beat on low speed until blended. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, beating until blended. On medium, beat until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes)

To assemble, remove the cake from the refrigerator and unroll it on a counter. Spread the filling on top within 1 inch of the edges. Beginning at the long side, carefully roll up the cake, removing the towel. Place cake on top of two dollops of frosting to hold to platter. Ice the cake. You can use the cupcakes as branches or bumps on the log. Decorate with chocolate leaves, animals, holly sprigs, etc to give the cake a “woodsy” or “log” look.

Christmas Baking Week: Chocolate Mint Dreams

These are a new cookie for me this year, and one that I have been dying to try. I got my hands on some peppermint extract early on in the baking season, and finally gave them a go.

Chocolate Mint Dreams are a bit labor intensive. You have to first bake, then ice, and then drizzle these bad boys (lazy baker that I am, I haven't drizzled them yet!) In years past I made a smiliar cookie; a Chocolate Mocha Pretzel, which was dipped in chocolate and then drizzled once dry. This is the first Christmas of 'replacing' them with a similar, yet fairly different cookie. I think I like these better!

Chocolate Mint Dreams
¾ cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Icing
2 tablespoons butter; softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon milk
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 to 2 drops green food coloring

Drizzle
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ teaspoon shortening

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar. Beat in chocolate and mint extract. Gradually add flour. Stir in chocolate chips (dough will be soft).

Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto un-greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 6-8minutes or until firm. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine icing ingredients; spread over cooled cookies. Let set. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

Yields 4 ½ dozen.

Christmas Baking Week: Holiday Gumdrop Cookies

These are a first for me, this year. Even though Riley probably couldn't even chew one of these, I felt like it was finally appropriate to make this fun little cookie. Chopping the gumdrops isn't the most fun in the world, but it got done, and the cookies got baked and taste tested.

I can't stand on baking and cooking websites when a reviewer says, "This is great, but I added this this this and this and didn't do this that or that." Aka, we made it a totally different recipe. That being said...I omitted walnuts. I don't like nuts in cookies. I also subbed margarine for shortening. Shoot me. ;)

Holiday Gumdrop Cookies
1 ½ cups spice gumdrops
¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
½ cup golden raisins
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, divided
½ cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
¼ cup buttermilk
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Cut gumdrops into small pieces, reserving black ones (if included) Place gumdrops in a bowl. Add walnuts, raisins, and ¼ cup flour; toss to coat. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar. Add egg; beat in buttermilk. Combine baking soda, salt, and remaining flour; stir into creamed mixture. Add gumdrop mixture and mix well. Chill for 1 hour.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto un-greased baking sheets. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack. Yield about 3 dozen.

Christmas Baking Week: Spritz Cookies

Spritz, cookie-gun, plain old butter cookies, whatever you want to call them, they are bite-sized and DELICIOUS. Even a small batch makes a ton of cookies, so they are a great option to throwing in a tin and carting into work. Don't expect to bring any home though!

There are a lot of cookie guns around, and they are nothing revolutionary. Women have been shooting out cookies for decades. The mechanisms have definitely improved over the years, though. I remember my mom refrigerating dough, scraping mishapen cookies off of the pan, and one particular Christmas, practically giving up altogether because the gun was so uncooperative.

I bought my mom and myself a Wilton Cookie Pro II one year. They were on sale at AC Moore, and figured, for fifteen dollars or so, what could I lose? I steeled myself for trashed cookie dough and hours of labor. Instead, my little gun spit out about two dozen perfect cookies and was ready for a reload. I was astounded. I didn't know spritz could be that easy.

I love these cookies for the taste, the versatility, and the number of cookies the recipe produces. You can use a multitude of shapes, including Christmas trees, wreaths, and my family's standby, the five petal cookie. The trees and wreaths can just get dusted in green sugar, while the petal cookies get a sweet little spurt of icing in the middle. Either way, the almond flavoring in this recipe set these cookies apart from so many others.

Spritz Cookies
1 cup butter
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp almond extract
1 egg
2 ¼ cups flour
¼ tsp salt

Beat butter until smooth.

Add sugar.

Add egg and almond extract

Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Add in three portions and mix well.

Pack dough into cookie gun, using a shape of your choice. Bake at 350° 8-10 minutes.

Icing for Spritz
¼ cup butter
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp cream or milk

Combine ingredients and ice cookies.

Christmas Recipe Week: Lemon Ginger Cookies

This week is going to be a baking blitz for me. I have a list of over a dozen types of cookies that need to be made, baked, iced, and shared amongst friends, family, and coworkers. The culmination of this baking week is La Buche de Noel, prepared on Christmas Day (or maybe Christmas Eve this year, as I am off!) I thought that maybe as a much needed reward/break might be sharing a few of my favorite recipes on here, in case anyone wants a new or different take on a recipe to try this holiday season.

To start I'd like to highlight one of my newer recipe finds; lemon ginger cookies. These cookies have a terrific flavor and are not too sweet. They do well served with tea or without, and are REALLY easy to make. I have four baking pans, and since the recipe only makes two dozen, I was already cleaning up while the first sheet was baking (perfect for marathon baking! My next type of cookie was mixed before they were done!)

I will always post a photo or two of the recipe results. I always prefer to see what a cookie or cake looks like before attempting it!


Soft Lemon-Ginger Cookies

½ cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons sour cream
½ teaspoon lemon extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salf

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in the egg, sour cream and extracts. Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, ginger and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto un-greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Immediately remove from pans to wire racks. Yields 2 dozen.

Look for tomorrow's post a bit earlier than this one!

Making Christmas!

The Christmas spirit has been slow to hit the household...including the Blythe household.

Before we put up our tree (which entails moving the table, my prime sewing spot) I decided to give Christmas dresses a go. The fabric was not cooperative, and the end product was pretty hideous. I was determined to come out of this sewing funk with at least one piece of usable something...so I tried whipping up a tree skirt. My first attempt was a go...for size and the finish of it. I was surprised I didn't even miss the underside of the double fold bias tape!

I was inspired to photograph Cassie as if she were sewing for Christmas, so I dressed her up, grabbed some minis and my light, and created this little set up.


The best part? It fit the tree perfectly, and while I was sewing it, hubby cut down the base of the tree so it can fit in the girls NEW LIVINGROOM! That's right, he finally helped me assemble it the other day. I painted one evening, and now we just need furniture!

Here's hoping that a few more Christmas projects, sewing projects, and dolly projects happen around this season. I would love to bring a few more blog posts to the table as well. Happy holidays!

Kozy Fever

It's happened at long last...

One of the dolls that I first looked at and thought, "Ack, why would anyone pay THAT much for THAT ugly doll???" has me falling hard for her.


I know I just brought my Azzie home, but Kozy fever was brewing before that, and now it is boiling over! I found this perfect little beauty on the bay, and I would loooove to have her for a Christmas present.

I am so stuck on the BLs lately that I can't even consider other molds until I have a Kozy and maybe a Rosie. I know that even though I say that I don't want a Goldie (too showy and definitely too hyped), Hollywood (can't get past her hair. Ick), or a Sunday Best (too much like Mondie but not as cute!) that it's probably just a matter of time. I think the BLs are my favorite mold, even though I love Cassie and the others.

Wonder when my BL family will grow...I hope it's soon! <3

Hana Progress!

I was thinking about my doll collection the other day, after the addition of Autumn, and I realized that I am at seven dolls. The problem is that Cassie, Yula, Lilah, Fawn, and Autumn are all photographed and hang out primarily downstairs. Up in the dollhouse is where Kylee and Hana hang out. Why? Because they aren't my pretty, insta-happy-when-I-see-them-Blythes.

That sounds really mean, because it is. Hana has no hair, and her face up isn't finished. She has little to no wardrobe to speak of either. Kylee just has awful, awful hair. I have debated selling her, but I love her face. As I started thinking about buying her a wig or a scalp, hated the idea and thought, nah, I'll just do a reroot, I remembered that HANA still has an unfinished reroot. I was shocked at how close to done I am when I looked at it (it has been a long time since I last worked on it)

That night hubby was duty manager, so I put on a chick flick and set out to work on Hana's reroot. Here is how close to done I am now: Two rows left to go!!!


I was so excited by this that I combed out the hair a bit, removed my needle and plopped it on Hana's head (much as I have done from the beginning to see progress) What's amazing is, she almost (almost!) looks like I could just stop where I am and she would look perfectly beautiful. That was the part that excited me: She is beautiful. I was so worried that after all my work, the reroot would look wonky, or her faceup would be wrong, or just...something. Instead, I felt like I was in love with her the moment I saw her with her hair. <3


I really want to push myself to finish her by Christmas. It is a realistic goal, and that way she can be part of the girls' Christmas celebration. It's been a year and a few months since I started her reroot, so it will be nice to finally have it finished, and Hana-chan assembled again!

Big & Small

It's baaaaaaaack!

Sorry for the brief hiatus (what a fun word!) with the big and small segment. I...have no real explanation, besides several Sundays slipped by without me even noticing. Oops.


This week's edition is mylar balloons! I bought a bunch of these for my daughter's first birthday, and thought about how cute it was that I have teeny Re-ment star and 'round shaped' mylars! The little blue one says 'Joy' on the reverse. They fit into the little box shown, and came with a birthday cake set.

Let's say I'll see you next Sunday. Maybe there will be a post before then, if I really get my act together this week!

Falling for Autumn

The last post sets up this one...two new dolls in a matter of days. A BK member contacted me, knowing that I was after an Aztec Arrival Inspired BL, and well, after a quick phone call to hubby and a surprise okay, Autumn was paid for and on her way. I was surprised on Sunday to see that her tracking indicated she would be delivered on Monday! Squee!

So, on Monday I anxiously awaited the postman. It was gorgeous weather, so the babies and I were out on the front porch. I saw him coming, and I saw the large, flat rate Priority box poking out of his mail bag. He handed me my envelopes and then said the magic words, "Oh wait, you have a package too." He handed me the box, but then stood there, rooting through the bag. "Oh no," he muttered. "I don't have the sheet for you to sign." His English was actually not that good, and he kept ranting over and over about the pink sheet, and then he said it, "I can't leave it. I must take it until you sign the sheet." I thought I was going to cry right then and there, in front of him and the kids.

He offered to come back tomorrow. I wasn't going to be home. He offered to stop after work, at 5:30. I would be at work then. My husband could sign, he said. Disappointed, I brought the kids inside so as not to watch him walk away with my dollie. I hopped on the forums in hopes of getting in a short rant while the kids played, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Postman found a slip somewhere, thank god, and I got my big, beautiful box, with my big beautiful dollie inside. She was wrapped in tons and tons of tissue paper and rolled in fabric. I must have looked like some sort of sitcom, where I was tearing away layer of layer in anxiety to finally see my Azzie in person.


Her story: She has been owned by three different people, and well loved. Her right shoulder has a slight crack and her body is fairly loose. Her hair must have been washed at some point, because it feels greasy to the touch, like she wasn't rinsed well. I gave her a long rinse to see if it would help. It is better, but needs more.

I really like the nickname, Azzie, but I wasn't sure, so I gave her another A name. I think I will carry on the autumn theme with her the way I have with Fawn. Maybe it can be my "BL" thing. Haha. I need to get her somthing pretty to go on her pull string that is autumn themed, and then some clothes! It's hard to figure out this girl's style. I think it's pretty plain, mostly jeans and Ts kinda girl.



I hope to get back into doing my Big & Small segment and add a new feature. It has been hard to get any photos done as of late.

Dolls, Dolls, and More Dolls

Some people are only happy when it rains...others when they are surrounded by kawaii dollies. Guess which one I am?

As some may know from creeping following my facebook statuses, my mom purchased an Usaggie for me for my birthday. By this, I mean that I trolled the forums, posted a WTB ad and finally had some takers. Days went by, then weeks, and suddenly I started panicking. Maybe the girl didn't send her. Maybe she is lost in the mail. Oh god! It turned out that between a sudden death in the family and TWO different usaggies for sale, she had shipped the one but not the other (MINE).

So today, my little Usaggie arrived.


I was surprised at how small and light she is, especially compared to a Blythe. Also, she is adorable. Name will be forthcoming.

In other news, with a new doll in the door less than 12 hours, there will be another big plastic person coming to join the Blythes...

Happy Halloween!

One day late. Sorry.

Lilah's Day Out

This month has been so very busy for us, that I missed another Big & Small. Oooops! I also missed out on posting about Lilah's day at the Faire, so here goes, better late than never!


Since the bride-to-be requested dolly attendance, I could not say no (and didn't want to anyway!) I thought about bringing Cassie, but she went last year. This year I wanted to bring Yula in pirate garb, but I never had time to make it. I realized that Lilah would look great in Cassie's attire, and is very old-school with her ankle length hair! Not to mention the fact that poor Lilah never goes anywhere!


Lilah admiring Lady Shana's bling bling.

Faire was all done up for Halloween, which was really neat to see. I have never gone this late in the season, so I never realized the cool spooky-factor that they add to all of the shops and settings.


While in the pirate ship I was inspired to take care of the current Blythe Physical Challenge (early!!! For a change...) This one was called, "stuff on my Blythe." Lilah found herself with some creepy skeleton hand on her! Eek!


It's funny how in some settings you can be so unbelievably concious of people and your doll. At Faire, almost no one bothered me or even gawked at me. One little girl looked at me and piped, "I like your doll." There were one or two performers that inquired about her (they were freaked by her eyes when I changed them, of course) I had no qualms carrying Lilah out in the open and taking her photo wherever I pleased. I think that is one of the great benefits of bringing a doll to a place like the Ren Faire.


Lilah had a great time. I will have to bring her out more often. She is very quiet though, so even though she wants to go, she doesn't make a fuss like the others. I will have to keep that in mind.

Big & Small

This week's big and small is a little late, but at least we made it!

Sunday was spent at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, celebrating the upcoming wedding of my (fraternity) big sister, Shana.

I brought along some Rement wine to pair with the Mount Hope Winery fineries. Hubby and I bought a good selection last time we went to faire, so I only picked up this bottle of the Holiday Wine.



You want the one on the left or the right?

Technical Difficulties...

aka, Life.


Or rather, life in October. I will be back next Sunday (hopefully) as I have a bit too much on my plate right now, between babysitting, baby showers, bachelorette Ren Faire outings, etsy sales, and regular old work.

Please enjoy this (really old) photo of Cassie playing with bubble wrap. Pop pop.

Big & Small

You didn't think I forgot, did you? No faith...none at all! Haha.

It's fall once more, and this week's big and small is all about the Pumpkin Spice Latte! I rediscovered Starbucks (dangerous, I know!) When I ventured in for one.


With a tiny to-go cup like this, the girls can enjoy a 'Starrocks Coffee' right along with me!

Big & Small

Two posts?! One day?! No, I'm not feverish, but thank you for asking after my health...

I have been in a baking mood for weeks now, and the pumpkin muffin batch I made for work just hasn't fixed it. Cookies are definitely in order...

BUT! When baking around the kitchen, it is handy to have a spatula/bowl scraper to get every last bit of delicious batter (and maybe to lick at the end!) So I bring you...big scraper and little scraper! So cute!


The Re-ment scraper is from a smoothie set that I picked up early on in my Re-ment addiction collection.

Only Anarchists are Pretty...

I was finally inspired to do something with Yula's lids and finish her faceup. I also decided to FINALLY get rid of the awful light blue sparkly forward facing chips. The green are next on my list (ran out of spare chips...need more!)


Yula is a World Inferno Friendship Society themed girl. Her lids needed to reflect both her punk attitude and her heritage. I haven't gotten the new album, 'Anarchy and Ecstasy' yet, but I love the cover art. I wasn't sure about recreating it on Yula's lids, but I did a few test runs on paper, and felt pretty confident. Even though Only Anarchists are Pretty isn't on this album (it hails from Red Eyed Soul, my favorite album!) I really wanted that on her other lid. I have mixed feelings about my results, but see for yourself:


In addition to the face-work, I removed the awful blues and replaced them with purple (I know, I know. I now need to pull her side facing purples for something else...it just goes on and on and on...) BUT! I spiffied the forward facing purples with little anarchy signs behind them! I plan to do something similar with whatever other forwards I get for her (the green gots to go!) Options are: A wine glass, the inferno wine glass emblem, the little skull with 'only anarachists are pretty' which, when shrunk, fits eye-chip size PERFECTLY...or whatever.


Last but not least, I finally gave Yula her new Kitty Robot pull. If you remember (or even read my blog) I won two free pulls from a giveaway on Blythelife.com! The pulls are really cool, and I like how well it fits Yula's 'theme.'

Big & Small

I know, I know. It's Tuesday, and I'm just posting this. One, I'm on 'vacation' and two, I STILL have not found my third teeny pair. I suppose two will have to suffice for this week's edition!


The pink set is from the Primary School Stuff sewing kit, and the red clear pair is from my new sewing machine set! Yay!!! The lost pair was a mystery pair anyway...another solid red.

Can you all tell that I'm left handed? (all of the scissors are facing as though I am!) I have to use right handed scissors though...someone kindly bought me a really nice pair of lefty shears, and I can't cut correctly after so many years of using righties.

Lalaloopsy Minis

Three new mini Lalas have joined the troupe.


Ace Fenderbender


Sir Battlescarred


and Lady Stillwaiting

I found them at Toys R Us the other day, along with most (maybe all?) of the new wave releases. I had to have these three, and fought the urge to buy a few others.


I really like Jewels' bubblebath (not pictured) because the set is different from the other Jewels releases. The Marina's Beach Day outfit looks to similar to her regular one. They just released Pepper Pots and Pans, and now the 'remake' includes a different outfit, and a green soup in a red pot instead of an orange pot. I certainly don't need two of those! I do like the newest release outfit better than the first...so maybe I will pick that one up someday. Mittens is also very similar to her first release, but Peanut at least has some new accessories. Crumbs Tea Time doesn't make sense to me after the release of her Tea Party set...

Today's mission (amongst many others) is to find a little dollhouse I used to have for my Baby Buddies, and turn it into a Lala house. ;)

One of these things...

Is not like the other!

I think I have a pink problem after all...and it's manifesting itself in the form of my mini Lalas! Every single girl is pink except Marina!

Guess I should fix that by getting some blondes, purples, and orange haired cuties, huh? Hehe.

Big & Small

Better late than never...yada yada.

I was soooo excited to find this set on the bay a few weeks ago. I recently got the garden hose I had been after, and now the sewing set! This set e-tails for a RIDICULOUS amount because it is so cute and sought after. When I found it for a low price, I snapped it up for my collection! Here is my new Re-ment sewing machine with the master Husqvarna that has served me so well.

Lalas are Taking Over...

And then there were two.


I'm pretty sure that's how the Blythe thing started...and now there are six. I wonder how many Lalas are going to join the doll shelf until I stop? The minis have already multiplied to four and growing...

Hubby, baby and I went to Toys R Us and picked up a 'Silly Hair' Jewels Sparkle.


I'm still not exactly sure if I like her... The Lalas have really heavy heads to begin with, and Jewels' is just unruly. I love her outfit and her shoes. My reasons for wanting the hair version and not the regular version were that I didn't like the crown affixed to Jewels' head...but maybe it would be preferable?


Fawn certainly doesn't know what to make of these new, even-bigger-headed-entities.

I like the big Lalas, but I fear I don't have room for too many more. I would like to get Sir Battlescarred and Lady Stillwaiting and then maybe call it quits.


Aren't they cute?? I am super excited about the new wave of minis that includes these two and Ace Fenderbender. I like the little boys, but I like Battlescarred the best out of them. I plan to get my little Patch Treasurechest with the Lala Treehouse. If I can dig out a dollhouse I used to use for Baby Buddies, I plan to turn it into a colorful mini-lala house.

I enjoy making clothing for the big Lalas, and I think I should continue my efforts. I have a ton of fabric, and some time here and there to sew. Who knows? Maybe I'll even make some cash money to buy more dolls!

Big & Small

First, I'm sorry that this post was late. I was too busy sewing for my new Lala and forgot about it.

Second, y'all had to see this one coming...my mini Marina is one of my favorites, and naturally now that I have the full-size version...


Huzzah! Big and small. :)

Love them!

Wanting Someone P!nk!

Lately I have been loving the pink haired beauties that I see on flickr and elsewhere.

Today alone Mab Graves posted this gorgeous shot of her pink haired girls:



I love her artwork and intend to get a piece fairly soon...Have to find the right one! If you haven't checked her out on etsy or fb, you should.

Next, I discovered a new blog. I think I may have seen bits and bobs of it before...but I was totally enthralled with the kawaii and of course, the pink.


Her doll Pinkachu is toooooo cute!

The last NIB Blythe that I wanted was Prima Dolly London. All of my girls are natural hair colors (black, brown, red, honey, blonde) but for some reason I fell for London's bright pink. I love the way she looks in photos. I'm wondering if passing on her for another brown haired girl was a mistake...



Anyways, I happened to find HappilyCandid due to searching Lalaloopsy stuff...and I absolutely love her custom lala, Pocky. Check out her Kawaii Blog.

The reason, by the way, that I was looking for Lalaloopsy info was not to oggle them as usual, but because (drum roll....) I bought a big Marina Anchors today! She is too cute, and I love that she is practically Riley-proof.



I love Marina, but my next big Lala will definitely be a pink haired girl. I can't decide between Crumbs Sugar Cookie, Tippy (whose pink is almost red) and Jewels Sparkles. I love the 'crazy hair' versions of crumbs and jewels. It will probably be one of them for my birthday...

Big & Small

Warning: This post is actually on time!


This week's Big & Small is one of the first ideas that inspired this segment. When I received my European Grandmother's Kitchen series, I noticed immediately that the little cheese grater was a perfect replica of our IKEA Idealisk grater! I wanted to take a picture in the store with my tiny one...so today I did!

I couldn't even help it. After I snapped the big and small shot, I wanted a picture with an army of Idealisk graters...so I did that too. Find the bitty one!



See you next week...or maybe even mid-week if I'm on my game this week.

Reflections on 365 Days of Cassie Part 2

I had to break this into two posts, because I wanted to write a lot, and also show a lot of my 365 photos. I'm very proud of many of the pictures that I took of Cassie. I feel that for as many as were last minute, and not at all creative, so many others were well done and creative. To pick up where I left off, it was just after Christmas...


My best friend Jeannette got a Blythe doll for Christmas! She named her Simply Mango, Melinda. I was so happy that one of my 'real life' friends had the Blythe bug too!


The creativity that sometimes flows through me inspired this photo; Cassie's own dollie-photo adventure. I feel like Cassie probably wouldn't play with dolls! Haha.


365 certainly makes you want to continually have new things. Photographing your doll in the same clothes and with the same props gets pretty boring, pretty fast. I was happy to finally pick up some Lucky Blythe mags from ConfettiLexi. I felt like about this point Cassie came into her own 'style' as well.


Meet Oceanna! The second 'real life' friend to get a Blythe doll...Kristi! I was really surprised that she wanted a doll at all, and more so when she decided she had to have a blue-haired Can Can Cat! It has been really fun sharing my doll hobby with friends that I thought would only admire from afar!


One thing I finally did was to make Cassie an IKEA uniform out of one of my old shirts. I did this for a Physical Challenge, and I had a ton of fun using this shirt as a prop for other photos:



I got more and more into Re-ment and collecting it, using it for props (like the iron above!) I also participated in several personal swaps and the Blythe Swap group on BK. These awesome hairbows are from DollyBird.


Some of my photos got very boring. Others took a lot of time and a lot of shots to capture.



This one for "May the fourth be with you" Haha.


I actually spent a lot of time creating things to 'celebrate' Cassie's birthday, which is May 15.



In June we organized and went to our first Blythe Meet!!! It was at Longwood Gardens and several girls (flesh and Blythe) came out! It was so exciting to meet a Kenner. I of course couldn't decide between my girls and just brought them all! By this point there were six!

As I neared the end of my time with 365, I tried to take Cassie out more and do more exciting photos of her. I took her to work with me for the early morning kitchen planning session one weekend:


Cass had a spa day:


And finally, it was down to our last photo. I poised Cassie, my 365 Queen, with her celebratory spirits, a crown of congratulations, and her camera 'hung up' for the year (NOT!)



The 365 challenge was difficult. There were days where I had a great photo op, days where the LAST thing I wanted to do was take a pic, weeks where I fell behind, weeks where I had too many photos to choose from, and times when I was flat out disappointed with how my photos looked (snapped in haste in the crappy dining room light...ugh) I think that for the good photos that came of this project, it was worth it. I like that I can say, I made it, difficult or no, for 365 days of photo taking. I didn't think that I would (make it). I'm a little sad that it is over, and while I contemplated doing a new 365 set, I don't know if it will be the same. Cassie is especially special because she is my first girl, and the one who came everywhere with me. It's weird to look at the girls and actually choose one to accompany me, because now it doesn't *have* to be Cassie. I think she is a bit sad too, to see it go. Maybe she and I will do another photo project sometime. For now, I am trying to balance the love between my six girls, and figure out if my little family could stand an addition or two ;)

If you get the chance, try out the 365 challenge on flickr. It is a worthwhile project.