Playing With Dolls.

Punk & I have been playing with dolls today – I got my first ever Blythe yesterday (Isis, look away now) and am officially in dolly love. She’s not even my ‘first choice’ girl – she is STILL on lay-by, but oh my she is lovely, and so much better than my fakie basaak in so many ways… so I gave her (the fakie) to Le Punk, who, in the course of an afternoon, managed to ‘scalp’ her three times, pull of a leg, frizz up her hair & cover in chocolate chip muffin. Quite obviously, she is adored.

As is my girl, just a bit more… sedately.

I have named her ‘Vida’ after the main female character in my favourite Richard Brautigan novel, she is a ‘Milky Way Sugar’ Blythe, which reminded me of another of Richard Brautigan’s novels ‘Watermelon Sugar’, so, I mean, of course I’d name her something from a different book entirely….

Her gorgeous ensemble above was a gift from an old friend, who I am now convinced has some sort of sixth-fashion-sense, because a more perfect dress for Vida I cannot imagine…

…and the ‘phase’ has only gotten stronger. It is actually quite hard to explain… not to anybody else that likes Blythe, they already ‘get it’, but to someone who wonders what the sudden attraction to a somewhat unconventional looking doll (or any doll for that matter) could possibly be for a grown woman… and I’m sure more than one of you reading this is asking yourself that…

…and honestly… I don’t know what to tell you, except that playing with this thing today has been really, really fun…!

Officially entering a new phase…

…or fad. Or obsession. God only knows why I get like this… and I ALWAYS get like this…

I have a new “thing” and this thing is Blythe. My last thing was knitting (yeah… that lasted… glad I didn’t go buying huge hanks of hand spun yarn or anything…), before that I had a brief flirtation with Artist Trading Cards, making hats (pipe dreams of making my fortune via Etsy, if only I hadn’t spent more time designing banners & picking labels than making actual hats…), there was my LUSH obsession some time ago, and I went MAD for perfume oils from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. When I was vegan I was obsessed with new cookbooks & weird things like vegan marshmallows shipped from America… I could go on but I’m sure your head is already spinning..

Point is, it’s happened again.

And as much as I KNOW this is a phase, and that I will be over it sooner rather than later, that hasn’t stopped me from mooning over pretty dolls & wandering about in forums, or… starting to pay off a very special doll that spoke to me. SPOKE TO ME I TELL YOU (She’s none of these though – she’s a surprise…).

What she will be saying in three months when I dust her off & send her to EBay probably won’t be as nice, but I can’t help myself… I just… can’t.

Do you have weird obsessions like me too or am I seriously on my own here…?

I’m not talking about proper hobbies or likes – if you actually collect Blythe & have lots & have done for years then that’s your “thing” & it’s not a phase at all, but if you go “Oh, I’m so going to be a Roller Derby Girl” & kit yourself out in all the bizzo & buy new skates with flames up the sides & wear a shirt that says “Fresh Meat” or something & then get over it after a bit of a scoot around the kitchen because you’ve decided that you’d rather start oil painting… well…

I get you.

(pics)

My Creative Space.....

...is conspiring with other forces around me to get some dolls made. Really it is.

First, I found a fantastic old book at the oppy with many a cutie-pie doll to make, then my Gran gave me TWENTY FIVE doll patterns (...even if they are ye olde folk art type ones...) that someone gave my Uncle & my Uncle gave to her...

And then, just in case I didn't get the hint, I found this purty green wool at Spotlight on a totally unrelated expedition, for a whole three dollars.

So. Doll making it is. The hard part really is choosing which doll to make...! I'm going to make my Softies for Mirabel doll (...and I really better get moving...) and a doll for Le Punk for her birthday.

For more, perhaps, advanced, creative spaces, I think you know where to go - kootoyou of course!

I've been naughty....

...I gave Le Punk one of her birthday presents. For no good reason, her birthday isn't for another 5 months...

Well... there was sort of a good reason.... I wanted to play with it.

A few months ago, we got an adorable little wooden dolls house from Aldi for $25... bargain, no? I thought "I'll just put it away until she's ready for it....".

Or not.

So, I broke it out yesterday (it was calling to me I tell you!) & realised that we didn't have any dolls suitable for dollhouse play! No!!!

While Punky made do with an old Patty O'Green (from rainbow brite) figurine I found, I decided to make her some gnomies.

I am pretty happy with them - I fully intend to make her a couple more, and perhaps one for myself, as I accidentally discovered while making the second that they make quite cute & spiffy pin cushions... ;)

I wonder, would anyone like a little tute on how to make them....? (I've not put a tute together as yet... it will be a learning experience for all...)

Also, when I got home earlier after a brief spot of opshopping, I was thrilled to find my gorgeous skully tote waiting for me!

It is even better than I thought it would be, beautifully made, gorgeous fabric, bonus little bookmarks that you can write in (brilliant idea)... I am in love & it is now my favourite & my best. ;) Thanks again to Tara @ Tarabu!