Fast Forward a Year and change...

My last post on here was in February of 2015 and was about lalaloopsy mini dolls. A LOT has happened since then so here is the abbreviated version! (I may go into a few more detailed posts/recaps later)

February

• I hosted a Valentine Blythe meet

April

• I mentioned "adding on to our family" and indeed...we found out we were expecting a baby in November!

May

• I left the job that I hated to be a stay at home mom!

June 

• We went to Erie, Cedar Point, and camped and hiked at Letchworth State Park.
• I surprised my hubby with floor tickets to see Rush's 40th tour!

July

• We found out that baby #2 would be a GIRL!
• I started working temporarily at JoAnn Fabric to help them remodel.

August 

• I got to work a seasonal position with IKEA. All the feels of being back, but not...
• Went to a "We can't go to Vancouver" meet at Maggie's. My best friend was due with her daughter any day, so we decided awhile back that we would not attend.
• Went to the PA Renaissance faire a whole lot :)

September

• Carole hosted her fabulous Wildwood Blythe at the Beach meet and I finally met La Rose and hung out with some awesome local doll peeps.
• Went to see Madonna's Rebel Heart Tour with one of my best friends (and Darcy!)
• Lena, my very first middie arrived. What have I done?! Haha.

October

• Went to Blythecon Chicago EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT. My bestie Jeannette brought her four month old. We are so cool.
• I bought a Melly Kay custom Lydia Green (middie obsession starts NOW)
• Hosted a boss Star Wars party for my daughter who turned FIVE. (how is that possible)
• Made a dia de los muertos custom from a fake doll bestie sent me!
• I bought a Cherish Me Always middie on my birthday. Happy birthday to me. Haha.

November

• Hosted a Day of the Dead meet on the first. I told everyone if I canceled it was because I had the baby. I did not have the baby. Haha.
• November 21 (ahem, looooong overdue, or at least it felt that way!) Emma was born via emergency C-section.



Darcy and Emma (their heads are almost the same size...)

December

• Ruth hosted a really fun Christmas meet. La Rose made little felted hats and we decorated them and there was a white elephant.
• I got a custom Cool Pool Lemonade for Christmas  AND the Sindy Greenhouse!
• Hubby got me a DSLR!

Jan-March

• The dark times. I finished my 365 and stopped taking photos and playing with my girls

April

• Started a second 365 of Darcy. Stella got her groooooove back!
• Went to a Mab Graves show at Arch Enemy Gallery in Philly w/Carole

June

• Hubby gave me a macro lens for our anniversary (!)
• Chuck hosted an amazing Yarnhead themed meet that I am going to post more about for sure :)

So that is my life more or less. Emma is seven months old now and I am full time at home. I am planning on home schooling my older daughter and have already started teaching her to read. Life is crazy wonderful. I hope to update more on here soon!

Thank you, Becca, for reminding me that I had a blog!

Lalaloopsy Update!

The folks at MGM have been busy making lots of new Lalaloopsy minis, and unlike previous sets, I have actually had good luck finding them!

Series 15 with Queenie Red Heart and Candle Slice 'O Cake were released and found almost immediately (my mom got them for me for Christmas) Series 16 was listed on the Lalaloopsy Wiki, but there were no photos; just links to their larger counterparts.

The other day I decided to visit Toys R Us, and was shocked to find a whole batch of new tinies (the ones with hair; more about them later!) new tiny play-sets, and SHOCK! Star Magic Spells and Pearly Seafoam! It wasn't long before I found Goldie Luxe and Furry-Grrs-A-Lot. :)

I was further floored when I went to Target near our main office at lunch. For some reason I wandered to the Valentine's stuff and there, sitting on the shelf was the new Easter exclusive! Her name is Bouncer Fluffy Tail (wow) and there isn't a wiki page for her yet. I was super surprised to see her stocked so soon, but snatched up a couple of them!

The puzzling set for me are the Sugary Sweets girls that are just a mish mash of pieces and recoloring of other girls. I don't usually mind the recolors, but this set...they seem like they were just rushed to make something and get it on the shelves. The minis are a lot of color all at once, and I like their original versions better.

There is a new Sugar Fruit Drops (her hair and shoes are slightly different from the original), Grapevine Stripes (Mint E. Stripes) Blush Pink Pastry (Dollop with two tone hair puffs...and Twist E. Twirls' dress) and Whirly Stretchy Locks, who might be the only original looking one. Her dress isn't one I can place (so it might be new?) and her hair looks like a modification of Sweetie Candy Ribbon's hair (it has more decoration to it) TRU had 20% all Lalaloopsies, so I snatched this set up at $3.99 a piece

As much as I love new mini Lalaloopsy dolls, I hope they take a break for a little while! I can barely keep up with what is out now. I am trying to make shelves to display all of my minis, and at this rate...I will never have enough! :)

The Dawn of a New Era

It's the end of the world as we know it...

Or at least the end of a two year era of 730 photos of Pocket. It's a little crazy to think about it that way! Maybe I should stick to 365 Project x2.

Last year when I 'finished' my 365 with Pocket, I couldn't bear the thought of not taking her photo everyday. It's more than just the photo; it's having her with me all the time, spending time with her even when I am exhausted, and telling her story. I wasn't ready to be done telling her story.

So I did what any crazy Blythe owning girl would do, and started a second 365 back to back with the original. That first photo of super Pocket is one of my favorite pictures of the project. I of course muddled the numbers 33 days in and so I finished late, but still!

This year I decided to embark on a new 365 victim candidate. Darcy, my new All Gold in One is going to do a photo a day for 2015 (and a few days of 2016, as we started late. Haha) So far she is a LOT of fun to capture, and I haven't even been that lax about photographing her!

Darcy is slowly taking on a personality, but I want her to be different than Pocket. Pocket was into BA dresses all the time and cowboy boots, and her lalatroop hat. I will be interested to see what Darcy's preferences are...she seems to be able to wear just about anything!

Right after starting my 365 with Darcy I was motivated to finally make a 365 photo book. I priced one for Cassie a long time ago and it was outrageous. Between the time to upload and organize, the price was really high. I finally was able to upload all of Pocket's photos from her first 365 to Shutterfly, and between a credit and coupon codes and sales, I got what was a basically affordable book! It is one of the 8x8 books and I have to say, I LOVE IT.

I want to start working on Cassie's and eventually Pocket's second 365. I am hesitant about that second year...at least 31 of my photos were about how miserable my job change/job made me feel. Five of those were about how upset I was leaving IKEA...the rest were face down, hiding under blankets, eyes half closed looking "meh" about my new job. I noticed that almost every BA Friday after starting my new job said, "TGIF because this week sucked," or something to that effect. :( I am wondering if it is best not to chronicle that year, but it was a year of my life, be it good or bad.

This year with Darcy is going to be GOOD. I can feel it in my bones, and I am trying very hard to not let job stuff creep into my photos and taint her 365. All good things come to an end, but eventually, the bad things have to end too :) Cheers to a great year!

Fa-la-la-la-la La New Loopsies!

With how long it took to acquire Noelle Northpole, I didn't expect to be seeing any new mini Lalaloopsy dolls any time soon. 

So you can imagine my surprise when I told my mom to look for a few at TRU and she texted me back with their exact names! I was in disbelief. She bought them for me (whoo!) and then withheld them until Christmas (mean) Luckily that was only about a week. I may or may not have contemplated going out to find them myself...(I am a self-admitted addict...)


The new girls are Sweetie Candy Ribbon (top left) Queenie Red Heart (top right) Candle Slice O' Cake (bottom left) and Frost I.C. Cone (bottom right) They are displayed in this photo in four of the twelve squares of the Lalaloopsy Shelving Display that I made.

I was further excited to see a second wave listed as Series 16, and slated for early 2015. They're on the Lalaloopsy website, though the photos take you to their larger counterpart's page/pic, not to a preview of the mini dolls.

• Star Magic Spells
• Furry Grrs-a-Lot
• Goldie Luxe
• Pearly Seafoam

There is also a new Target Exclusive for Valentine's Day, and she is ADORABLE! Her body is a re-dye of Candle Slice O' Cake and her hair/crown are from Queenie! Queenie's hair is one of the cutest new styles I have seen them do, so I am in love with this new girl!!! Her name is Valentina Hugs 'n' Kisses, and I think she awesome! They have already popped up on ebay, which means I will be stalking Target starting TODAY in hopes of finding this little cutie. I picked up a few clearance Noelles the last time I was there, but they didn't have Valentine's décor out yet...

And just to top off my excitement...FINALLY some new sisters!!! I am absolutely crazy of the tiny dolls (the toddler sized dolls) but due to cost and space issues, I only have a handful of them (though my daughter 'owns' quite a few more...ahem.) When they began releasing the mini dolls with little sisters I was in heaven! I have all of them so far. I love their tiny little sisters!

 

Here are the four new girls that are on the Lala Wiki for 2015...can we just say, OMG TINY MIGHT! Dyna and Tiny are my absolute FAVORITE of all time! Sew Excited! Happy 2015!

 

 



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 ❤