Kitch-Inspiration!

Lately I have been trying to take more creative shots of my girls, and some of the 'best' of these have involved our only room setting: The kitchen!

To start, my shot of Cassie the baker. :) I was having a VERY stressful Christmas Eve, and I finally looked at my to do list and said "FORGET IT!" At about eleven pm I started making Cassie's apron and cutting sheet metal to make little cookie sheets. The end product:



Here is a close-up of the little corner of baking supplies that is behind Cassie in the photo:



My Re ment collection has come in handy, but I can see why fellow Blythe fans collect so much of it; I was lacking for things I *know* exist. One good use of my mugs was after a snowy adventure that sort of...evolved. I love when that happens! I took the girls out in the snow to 'play' and take some pics, and when I brought them in they were all wet. I changed all of their outfits and placed them in the kitchen to warm up with some coffee. :)



Last was my little idea of Cassie doing her own '365' with her Lalaloopsy doll. I had always meant to explore Cassie's personality as a photographer, since she came with a camera as part of her stock. This is one of the first times I've actually done that.



These photos made me realize how much I enjoy the well done photos, as opposed to the last minute, "oh shoot, I need something for 365! *Snap*" I am also REALLY looking forward to putting together new rooms for Cassie and her friends. It's funny, I wondered when I started making the kitchen if it would be Cassie's or if they all lived together, or what the 'situation' was. It is most definitely Cassie's and no one else's.

The next room should be the living room with a small laundry room to the right of it. I am looking forward to 'laundry' photos and decorating, as well as having my husband help me make mini IKEA furniture pieces. My dollies wouldn't have anything else, now would they?! :)

Bonding with your Dolls

I know it sounds crazy to anyone who isn't part of Blythe-mania, but it's true. You need to bond with your dolls. I was constantly seeing dolls for sale on the forums with the simple explanation: I couldn't bond with her, so she has to go. I thought to myself, "Why would you buy a doll you didn't like to begin with?!" but that isn't quite what it is.

Even when I took the plunge and ordered Cassie, waiting for her to arrive I thought, "that's just crazy. How exactly do you bond with a plastic toy?"

I, of all people, should know better. Afterall, I find myself overly attached to clocks (there was a small meltdown involved when my mom changed the one that had hung in our kitchen all my life) I have always had my 'favorite' dolls and toys, and of course, my beloved Kiri.

With Cassie I didn't even realize it had happened until the other day. I didn't actively think about bonding with her; I just took her out and about with me so I could take her picture for my flickr groups. If you read this, you know I'm part of the Blythe Challenge, a group that demands you take your dollies public. I also embarked on 365 Days of Blythe, where it is a pic a day for a year with one doll. Since I only had Cassie at that point, she was my natural choice.

When perusing the forums I found a thread about how to bond with a new girl that it just isn't happening with. The suggestions were to take her out, photograph her, customize her, do the 365 challenge, etc. Some people commented that their first doll was effortless.

I thought about that. Cassie is certainly my favorite. I didn't mean for it to be that way...it just is. I naturally grab her to go out with me when I run errands and such.

Hana never goes out, because she is in pieces...but Hana also has her own charms. Due to the custom work that I have put into her, I look at Hana with awe and think how pretty she is and will be. I think I have also bonded with Hana.

Then there is poor Yula. I received her on my birthday; two days before I was induced and had Riley. I was proud of myself for putting in all of her new eye chips, sand matting her, and fighting with her lip painting after I had the baby. Somehow though, the customizing didn't do the trick on her. I sat her on the shelf, the window sill, the dining room table. I changed her outfits and her look, but she didn't seem to have the personality I thought she would.

The other night I ran out to get a pizza. Thinking I would stop at the pet store, I thought about taking Cassie. Remembering my lack of time with Yula, I took her instead. When I got into the car that "Like a G6" song was playing. Not the best of the music world, but fun to rock out to in the car. Before I knew it, Yula was throwing her hair around with me. Pink's new song, "Raise Your Glass" came on next, and the rockout continued.

When we got to the pet store it was closed. Bummer. No fun pictures of Yula with budgie birds or mice. We headed to Papa John's, but the pizza wasn't done (hubby had planned on me shopping the pet store first so he waited to order) I went back to the car to grab Yula so we could wait. I definitely felt her fun and pretty silly mood and personality. Seeing the "Now Baking" sign, I was amused and inspired. Yula got the joke. ;)



I also snapped her picture inside while we were waiting. We attracted some interested glances from customers and employees. When the pizza was finally up, the one guy brought it around the counter to me so he could get a better look at Yula!



When I got out to the car I looked at Yula and said aloud, "If we hear Ke$ha on the way home, it's official." We R Who We R came on as soon as I pulled out of the lot. :) Yula and I are officially the coolest. :)

Ambition Galore

I have so many things I'm doing and want to do and start to do...

...that I never get anything done.

Whether it's that it never gets started or never gets finished...that's how I have always been with my projects.

It of course is harder now with the baby, because I have a limited amount of time per day that I'm not feeding her, changing her, holding her, or just admiring her. ;)

One of my major goals I set when I became a parent was to not become all consumed by my child. I love her, and I want to teach her as much as I can, care for her, and help her to grow and flourish, but I don't want to lose my identity in the process. So, my plan was to continue my hobbies and not put everything I do on the back burner.

I have found myself more committed to my hobbies; in particular sewing and working on my reroot. Before Riley was born I had gotten away from both. I worked on the quilt for Riley with my mom and I really wanted to make more things for my daughter's room. I am currently working on curtains that match the quilt. I also started sewing doll clothing again, and am trying to get my gear together to stock my poor Etsy shop. I plan to offer jeans, long sleeved shirts, pajamas, and headbands. I have to get some more sewing and photos done for this, but I am on my way!

It seems like having Riley hasn't stopped me from doing the things I want to do; the pacing has just changed a little bit. Face it; I couldn't spend an entire day sewing and being really committed and on task, so it isn't so bad to get a little bit of sewing in while Riley sleeps and then waste the rest of that time on the internet (ahem) and pretend that I would have gotten more done, but for the baby. I'm still plugging away at my own pace, and someday, I will have my shop stocked and the house clean. Someday... ;)

Blythe Blog Favorites

One of my favorite things to do is peruse the various craft and Blythe blogs. There are two that are favorites; no matter the subject matter or the post, I enjoy them.

Mademoiselle Blythe (Fanny Zara) posts a variety of interviews. She includes collectors, customizers, restoration experts, etc. Lately she highlighted (no pun intended) Saran (synthetic hair) and her most recent was about Alpaca and Mohair. These are great inspirations to me, because I am working on a saran reroot on Hana, and I have some unwashed mohair ready to go!

Mademoiselle Blythe

My other favorite is Dollybird Blythe. I found her blog through the TIB forum. She posted about "Jaybird Knickers" she had made (for those Blythes that come buck nekkid!) I found her blog from there and I love following it!

Dollybird Blythe

DBB's most recent post is about a great customizer named Melly Kay. Often I don't like the way customizers over-carve lips and go really overboard. If a Blythe doll looks like something that should go on a shelf and never be touched, I am NOT interested! Melly Kay's customs look realistic and warm. They are really pretty works of art, but can still be active members of a doll collection.



I am in love with this red-head! She is so, so pretty!

So, two more links for you all; Melly Kay's Blythe Blog

Melly Kay is giving away one of her beautiful custom dolls. One of the ways to enter is to blog about the contest...so here goes!

Win a Melly Kay Custom! Find the details at http://bit.ly/c7Giog

Light Custom Work

I bought Cassie and received her in May. By July I received Hana (in need of some major love. She had a bad haircut and was gritty all over from being sanded while still assembled, etc) I am still working on Hana's reroot, and I knew that once I had Riley it would be harder to find time to work on my dolls; especially since I was not good about consistantly working on Hana while pregnant. For my birthday, I wanted another doll, and my mom and my husband offered to go in together to get me Yula. I had plans for my next custom, but could not justify having another doll in pieces.



Yula was a good compromise. She has the black hair that I would have rerooted myself on a bait doll, but she wasn't much more than buying a doll in pieces (I checked out many options) So I won Yula on ebay and then purchased new chips, a sanding sponge, (what I thought was...) purple saran, and intended to paint her lips.



I am proud to say that with my daughter only about a week old, I swapped out Yula's chips. Granted, this was a much easier feat on an RBL (Hana is still waiting to have the rest of hers DRILLED out) While Yula was open and I was waiting for her chips to soak, I decided to sand matte her. I figured I could keep her lips and do those at a later date...only, I hit them with the sanding sponge >_< D'oh! So onto lip painting we went! I had to paint and repaint and sand and wipe and there was much frustration. Finally I got them looking decent enough, so I hit them with a gloss the next day and they will stay! Yula also has sleep eyes -_- zzz

Next up is to finish Hana's reroot and eyes, invest in a good sealer for Hana and Yula, and maybe tweak Cassie's eye colors. :)

Babies are NOT Dolls, and Dolls are not Babies.

This tends to get confusing, since many people say, "Oh, that baby is a little doll!" and the prevalence of "Doll babies" only adds to the confusion.

Why do I bring this up? Well, it's odd enough when you delve into a doll hobby at almost 25 years of age. I suppose it is worse when you are just into your second trimester with your first child when your doll hobby begins.

Is it nesting taking some strange, twisted course? Is it because you thought it was a boy and had to do something intensely girlie? Is it because you are grasping at your childhood as pregnancy is both the epitome of adulthood (I can MAKE children!) and winds up regressing you into childhood as you play with and interact with your children.

Either way, I freaking like dolls. Always have.

So for the duration of the pregnancy I grinned and took it when concerned friends/casual passers-by made comments about how I had better get over the doll thing and on with parenting. People who at least meant better would say things like "well, enjoy it now, because your priorities will change."

I had Riley on the 25th of October. In that time I had multiple people (people who are close to me even) make really asinine comments. The best is "Well you don't need Cassie to dress up anymore. You have a baby now." Other comments were similar...

For the most part, people assume that the Blythe hobby is to either take the place of or prepare me for the baby, and won't be necessary anymore. It's fine (but stupid) to assume that Riley can replace Cassie. It's worse that people insinute that Cassie was or could be a substitute for Riley.

Allow me to reiterate: Babies are not dolls...dolls are not babies.

My Blythe hobby is just that; a hobby. Cassie can be put on a shelf, left in a bag, wear the same outfit for the rest of her life, etc. She doesn't need anything. She is a doll. NOT A BABY. I get enjoyment from her. I try to remember (half the time forget) to photograph Cassie everyday for 365 Days of Blythe challenge and other flickr groups, and make her clothing, meet new people (yay TIB and Flickr!) design and create her doll house, etc. Blythe = Hobby and creative outlet and joy.

My daughter is a living, breathing, baby. She is the beautiful blending of me and the love of my life, my husband Glenn. She will grow and change and always keep me guessing. I change her when she spits up and/or pees on herself. I get to make her things and watch the world through her eyes as she learns and does new things. I photograph her everyday without even thinking about it. Riley = Life and Love at it's very, VERY best.

That is all.

Dolly Fashions

I have a new dolly sewing love!

After my success with the Simplicity pattern, I pulled out my Dolly Dolly Coordinate Recipe Book and whipped up a new pair of jeans for Cassie. It only took four previously failed attempts (one that was the completely wrong size, if you recall) to get it right!

I also used the t-shirt/long sleeved pattern that was in the book and some rib knits to make Cass some adorable tops. It has gotten so chilly out that I can't have the poor thing in sun dresses!



Here is the turquoise shirt...annnnd, some new headbands! I followed the tutorial that was on the TIB forum and they came out pretty well for my first batch! Four headbands for a dollar :)



Next up, I want to make either a jacket or a hoodie from the Dolly Dolly patterns. I am also attempting to organize all my teensy patterns so that they don't get lost/I don't have them floating around in my fabric box.

Since we are on the topic of fashions, I will end with this awesome ensemble I bought from Jokunda on Etsy. I had been eyeing them for sometime and finally caved over a month ago to get this for Cassie. The top is crocheted and the jumper is felted knit. I absolutely love this outfit!