All I Want for Christmas...

Fancy custom dolls....no.

Fabulous stock dolls...no.

Designer duds...no.

Furnishings for my rooms...no.

Stock shoes...no. wait. maybe...

So then, wait, what DO I want for Christmas, Blythe-wise?

I want time.

Time to decorate my dollhouse for Christmas.

Time to sew for my girls.

Time to clean up the area around the dollhouse, and not feel crushed every time I look at the chaos.

Time to take photos, and really enjoy my girls.

Time for ALL of my dolls; not just Pocket and not just Blythe.

This year has been so difficult on me, time-wise. I spend so much of my week commuting to and from and working full time, and I haven't really done that in the last five or six years. I realize "everyone" does this, but it has been so miserable for me. I am constantly choosing between cleaning and spending time with my kiddo (who I now see a TON less of :( ) or playing dolls versus sleeping (guess which one always wins).

I hope that 2015 brings some positive changes for our family. We already have one big one coming; my husband got a promotion at work and begins his new position in January. That should give me some freedom to move to a new job that is closer to home and/or less hours OR completely stay at home. Staying home would be ideal if we add to our family this year. <3 p="">
As for my doll family, I will NOT be adding anyone else any time soon (aside from my lalaloopsy mini dolls...I can't say no to them!)   

Happy Holidays!

Noelle No-Show

Do you want a good ol' honest dolly confession? I have been STALKING TARGET intensely since the middle of November. For a doll. I watched all of the summer/Halloween stuff get cleared out, the beginnings of Christmas start to trickle in...I went EVERY DAY for weeks; sometimes to multiple Target locations...

All in hopes of finding Noelle Northpole, the new 2014 Christmas exclusive. I saw her photo pop up on the lala wiki back around early October, and have been so excited for her ever since. 

Not now. Now I am jaded, and sad. It's December 1, and the toy bins at Target are fully stocked, and there is still no sign of Noelle. 

I am starting to wonder if something happened that delayed her production or shipment, but there is no official word. The lalaloopsy facebook page announced her release and hasn't mentioned her since then...one commenter mentioned that they thought her release was canceled...I certainly hope not. It was disappointing last Christmas that they only released two silly red and white Lalaloopsy Ponies, rather than a special new Christmas girl (or boy). 

MGM/Lalaloopsy/Target: I WANT MY TOY. WAH!

Blythe Love Confession

Pocket with a literal white flag of surrender...

These last few months have been really difficult for me. I switched from working part time and being at home with my daughter to working a full time job with an hour commute each way. I had what I thought were just transition pains at the beginning, and now at six months and counting, I have found that I am still not happy.

Most nights I come home, make dinner, struggle to stay awake long enough to put my pre-schooler to bed, and then collapse into bed myself, often around 8:30pm. I used to be up until at least midnight. I used to have a ton of TIME. If I didn't get dolly time during the day, I would get it after bedtime...well, no more. Now I get up at 4:30am and don't get home until 5pm at the earliest. I have a precious three and a half hours until my body gives up and flies the white flag of surrender and we sleep. It doesn't leave a lot of time for dolls and it definitely doesn't leave much energy for creativity. This is not really my preferred life style...


And then I thought, "Oh no. This is how it happens. I stop taking pictures, I stop playing, I stop caring about my dolls...and then I start wondering why I bought them to begin with...and I sell them all off one by one and write something in the sales post like, 'leaving the hobby'" I NEVER want that to be me. I don't honestly think it ever will be...

Don't worry, girls, I couldn't ever part with ANY of you!

I am currently doing my second 365 with Pocket (third overall) and I refuse to quit. I fall behind constantly and there are a lot of nights that I can't even imagine taking a photo at all.

• I fall over three days behind and you can only post three photos per day
• Pocket wears the same outfit and often has the same gaze day after day
• Most photos are in my 'doll room' or if I am feeling really ambitious, another room in the house.

But here's the thing. When I do take a photo it feels good. Even when it is just a close up of Pocket's face. Haha.

When I sit calmly and root through dolly outfits and re-dress the girls, it is really therapeutic. I feel super peaceful, and it seems to re-charge my batteries. I feel as though it centers me.

And sometimes, on special evenings, I have a little burst of creativity and wind up with a really cool photo, like this one of Pocket and Darcy carving pumpkins. :)

Even when I don't take an amazing photo, or any photos, I look at my girls before I collapse into bed, and I am happy. I especially love seeing Pocket and our newest girl, Darcy. I almost can't help hugging them and planting a little kiss on their foreheads whenever I look at them. I love them. They are such happy thoughts that I could never be without them.

Love ❤

Lalaloopsy Mini Collection

Like all of my addictions collections, the Lalaloopsy mini collection started with one. I wanted one to be for Cassie, so that is how i wound up with a Crumbs Sugar Cookie.

For awhile, I will admit, I sort of forgot about her. She was in a drawer or a box with a bunch of doll clothes and accessories. I can't even remember when or why I bought more of these mini dolls...I know I bought and sold a bunch of them when I had rewards to use at TRU...I know that Marina Anchors was one of the earlier minis to join my herd...but after that, things sort of got out of hand...

If Lalaloopsy collection exceeds triple digits, seek help...

I started buying all of the Lalas that were out in stores. I started getting older ones that I missed. I started buying them as soon as they were released...driving from Target to Target, checking Toys R Us, and even Walmart for the newest minis. 

.

And here I am today. I have almost a hundred of these adorable minis with more on the way. There is an official treehouse and a "Dollar General" house that is being made over into a Lalaloopsy abode. I grapple weekly with the desire for the 'official' house...and I forget to take time to just take photos and enjoy my collection

I have started working on a way to display my mini (read: humongous)  collection. I have seen plenty of little lalas sitting along shelves, in shadow boxes, etc, but none of them really appeal to me. I think what draws me in to the mini Lalaloopsy-dom is their little dangly legs and bobble-y heads. They don't look like little ragdolls when they are sitting...so I created a shelf that allows them to 'stand' or more or less 'hang.' 

It took me awhile to create it the way I wanted it. Each little shelf holds twelve lalaloopsies...which means I need to make about ten more...to contain my growing collection! I will post about it soon!

Blythecon Seattle Recap

If I tried to write a post about Blythecon Seattle it would be really, really long winded. I doubt most people would read it all. Instead, I present, "Blythecon Is"

Blythecon is traveling to new cities. 

Blythecon is beautiful.

Blythecon is Kozy-goodness! (I couldn't resist)

Blythecon is having more dolls in one place at one time than you ever thought possible.

Blythecon is the amazing generosity of this community.

Blythecon is a ton of time, effort, and energy of a great group of people, creating an amazing day for over 300 attendees

Blythecon is Mab and all of the other amazing artists!

Blythecon is meeting people you have always wanted to meet!

Blythecon is catching up with friends you only get to see once a year.

For me, Blythecon is being with my best friend in the whole world. I'm so glad I got to spend my third Blythecon in a row with my bestie! 

Off to Oz

The weeks leading up to Blythecon Seattle have been torturous! I leave for Seattle today, and still have three days until the con itself...

But I am more excited to see my best friend and to sight see and hang out with her! I will take a lot of photos and update the blog at the very least when I return!

365 Days of Blythe: Round 3

Three years ago I was excited but hesitant to start a 365 Days of Blythe flickr challenge. I decided to go for it. The worst that would happen would be suddenly my photos just disappear from the group and likely, no one would notice. So, I went for it, with my only Blythe doll, Cassie, in August of 2010.

The first couple of days were SO easy. I had more photo ideas than days of the week. I was excited everyday to take my photo. Annnnd, then I started to slack. Get busy, forget, think I already did one, fall behind, catch up...BUT, I did it. I completed my challenge (I think with 366 photos because I fell behind and then doubled at some point)

When I finished I didn't really know what to do. I figured I would take a break, but then I felt kind of down...I wasn't taking as many photos or enjoying my dolls as much, so I started another 365 at the beginning of 2013. I had a spunky little bobbed Kozy named Pocket, and I felt like she would be fun to take a photo a day for a year. I started on January 1, which made keeping track of the days a bit easier, but I still had ups and downs and catch-ups all the same.

When THAT 365 finished I wanted to go straight into another. It seemed easier to just keep taking pictures everyday. I couldn't decide on another girl, and I was afraid I would miss having Pocket with me all the time.

I have other girls that I might have considered for 365, but there are some dolls that I just won't take out with me, or take out VERY sparingly so as to protect their faces, etc. Cassie wound up with a scratch in her blush and stained legs and feet. Pocket...I don't even know. Pocket is very rough and tumble. She gets dirty, falls down, explores, and always seems fine.

Considerations for Choosing a 365 Girl

• A Blythe you find interesting or want to know more about her personality...
                                   
• Have or want a larger wardrobe for (taking photos everyday, you will get bored of the same outfits!)
• A girl who can possibly "go out" with you (aka, not your super pricey prized girl that if she gets a smudge you will die. You may get bored taking photos inside but maybe not.)

Things to Remember 

• You will fall behind. Maybe you won't, but more than likely you will. Don't let it discourage you!
• Don't do it for the comments. If I gauged my 365s by the comments I received (or didn't) I would have dropped out long ago. Not everyone has time to upload their own photo, let alone comment on all of the daily photos. Spread as much love as you can, but don't fret if you don't get a million comments back (better to give than receive?)
• 365 can be a great way to make new friends and contacts in Blythe. I made my very first "dolly friend" through my 365 with Cassie, along with a few others. With Pocket I met Care and Ryan and then got to actually meet them in NYC. :)

A photo from my last day at IKEA, after
working there for five years...

Pocket can't believe how much snow we got!

Doing a 365 can be a great way to chronicle your year. Not everything will be a major documentation or earth shatteringly creative photo, but when you look back, it will mean something, or remind you of something you let slip. Then there are the photos that are just funny and you look back and think, "wow, that was awesome." Most of my "that was awesome" shots came from toting Pocket with me to all sorts of outings and events. Most of them she never made it out of her carry bag... but I like to have her with, just in case a fun photo op presents itself...

Been a long time since I rock 'n rolled...

It has been a long time since I've posted anything to this blog. A really, really, reeeeeaaaaaally long time. My last post is from a year and a half ago...oops.

Two of the biggest things to recap would be:

The arrival of a very special girl:

This is Blair, my Parco! I can't even believe that I am lucky enough to own her. When I caught a dangerous case of Parco-Fever, Blair is THE Parco that I wanted. I mean, I even messaged her owner to let her know how much I loved and coveted her.

Then one day, Blair went up for sale and I decided that she would be mine. She was meant to be mine. The thing about Blair that is (not unique, but we'll say unique) is that she was spray matted. I would NEVER have the guts to matte a Parco, so I am really pleased that I was able to get Blair who was already de-shinified!

Blair actually came with her name; I liked it a lot and I wanted to have a girl with a "B" name. Eventually I will also have a Goldie with a "D" name.

The pattern is as follows:
A - Autumn (Aztec)
B - Blair (Parco)
C - Cassie (Cass Spice)
D - TBD
E - Elsa (Rosie Red)
F - Fawn (Mondrian)
G - Gillian (Kozy)
H - Hana (custom ADG)

Then the odd-balls ;)
P - Pocket (Kozy II)
Y - Yula (custom PuPe)

It has been so much fun having Blair. She belonged to Taan, who always dressed her in fabulous bows and MforMonkey...

Which leads into my next highlight: Blythecon NYC!!!

It was so close to me this year; I went to 30th Street Station and took the train. The greatest part was that Nette got on the same train in the DC area and so when I got on the train I got to travel the whole way with her!

We checked into our hotel room and then headed to Central Park for the pre-meet event. It was pretty easy to spot the crowd of Blythe lovers :) I decided to bring four girls to New York and brought all four to the park: Cassie, Pocket, Gillian, and Blair.

It was fun (as always) to walk around and meet new people, see some gorgeous dolls, and socialize. The nice thing this year was that we had both made friends in Dallas that we were able to catch up with in NYC. Nette made some awesome new friends from what is now her area (and where this year's BC will be!)

I was really happy to catch up with the lovely Lauren. Like a lot of people, I love her Kozy, Plum, and was

excited to introduce her to both Gillian and Pocket. Plum was really an inspiration for my Koziness, and Lauren thought it was great that I have two that are so different. The girls looked so good together. I love this photo!

Gillian doesn't know what to think, being surrounded by such girlie girl Kozies. Haha.

After the meet we walked up to some shops and checked out the Nintendo Store, Sanrio, etc. We had a delicious sushi dinner that completed an amazingly perfect day!

The following day, Nette and I got up early. And I mean EARLY.We walked to the venue, since we figured

it wasn't that far, stopping for some coffee and breakfast along the way. We were shocked to find out that we were THE FIRST ONES to arrive! We spent about an hour just geeking out over the fact that we were the first ones there, and then others started to arrive. We wound up helping to assemble the Lucky Blythecon editions, made by the amazing Lexi! It was so much fun to help assemble, and she rewarded our efforts with some mini mags and liberty hats!



Lexi took the funniest pic of all the magazines stuck in my boot (they kept popping open, waiting to be stapled, so that was the easiest way to keep them shut!

When the doors finally opened (and I mean finally...we waiting a loooong time) We got to (of course) be the first ones in, as we were at the head of the line. We basically sprinted to the MforMonkey table and grabbed leiderhosen, eagerly. The mistake that I made? I only had my cards. No cash. In Dallas, I pulled cash and was surprised to find that everyone took cards, so I figured since cash was risky, I would just use my cards. Turns out, overseas vendors and a few others, only were equipped for cash. MforMonkey was of course, one of them. My best friend saved my butt and enabled me to buy my top wishlist item! <3 span="">

 Though I missed her at the pre-meet, I met Care of ObsessivelyStitching and was able to hang out with her and Ryan! I am so happy that Pocket and Ryan finally met! They look so cute together. I got a Star Wars dress from Care, and a LuxieLou Hello Kitty flocker. Those were my major purchases. I actually passed on Eurotrash and FreddyTan, though I LOVE this special apple-bear hat that Nette got for Sammie.

I had such a great time at Blythecon NY. It's comforting to know that Seattle is only two weeks away!