Winter

"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness."
                          --John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America

                                                       

Gerda Eternity

Gerda Eternity

Gerda Eternity is here! It's so much fun to get to know a new Blythe doll. She was my Christmas gift this year. She is based on the story "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Andersen. 

"She cannot receive any power from me greater than she now has, which consists in her own purity and innocence of heart." (--from The Snow Queen.)

Her box is beautiful, and it continues the snowy theme.

Her stock outfit is lovely: a fleecy white dress embroidered with snowflakes on the front; a voluminous blue tulle underskirt; a pair of silver mesh tights; a gorgeous lacy white hooded cape; a lusterous blue crown with white fur trim; and shimmery white boots. She is every inch a queen! 

Her hair was quite greasy right out of the box, but a wash with Dawn Ultra Platinum took care of most of it...I might wash it again when I feel more motivated! It looks fine for pictures for now.

Crazy for Christmas

I've had so much fun taking Christmas-themed photos this month, and I wanted to end with a bang! This big, crazy Christmas flat lay is brought to you by Precocious Candy's Mushroom and Cinema Princess. Happy Christmas to everyone!

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a peaceful and blessed Christmas.

They are my twin Miss Sally Rice Blythe dolls. I call them Sally and Susie.

Christmas Delivery

It's so much fun to hand-deliver your Christmas gifts! Luckily, all of her friends live nearby. 

This is Beryl, my Enchanted Petal Blythe doll. I recently found this miniature of a Radio Flyer wagon at an antique mall. It is a Christmas ornament that was originally sold in 1991. 

The Perfect Tree

Since they were unable to reach a consensus on the perfect tree, they agreed to disagree. 

I got the idea for this picture from images that are quite common at this time of year, of a tree tied on top of a car...I thought it would be cute to have trees being carried in and on different types of transportation, so these girls brought out their bike, wagon, and sled. 

They are, from left to right: Yellow Marshmallow (middie), Raspberry Sorbet, and Lady Camellia.

Wubba Wednesday

Are you still looking for the perfect gift for that special someone? Maisy would like to suggest a big basket of wubba chikins. They are guaranteed to bring a smile to any face, or your money back.

She is, of course, Spright Beauty.

A Christmas Carol

Their family tradition of reading "A Christmas Carol"  during December is just one of the things that makes the season so special.  

They are Snowflake Sonata and Nellie Nibbles.

The Magic of Christmas

It's not just a toy train; in the light of the Christmas tree, it becomes the magical engine of the Polar Express. 

She is the Middie Blythe doll Lena Elena. 

Reindeer Flight

What started out as a harmless prank turned into an exciting adventure, when she tied her neighbor's pet deer to her wagon and he suddenly took flight!

This is my favorite kind of picture--silly, and not too "slick"--you can see that it is composed of ordinary props, yet the composition almost seems real in a cartoon-ish way. This is a flat lay--it's the only way I could get the reindeer to fly! The doll is Prima Dolly London. 

The Nutcracker Suite

Emiko's favorite music is anything from Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Suite."

I Googled this subject to be sure I had the name of the music exactly right (is it "The Nutcracker Suite," or  "Nutcracker Suite," or "The Nutcracker?") It turns out that the title "The Nutcracker Suite" refers to a set of eight musical numbers from the ballet "The Nutcracker," that were first performed in concert separately from the ballet in 1892. So there you go. Blything is very educational.

The nutcrackers are hollow tins that came with candy inside.

Letters to Santa

It doesn't matter how they express themselves. Santa will understand. 

These dolls are, from left to right: Momiji dolls Kiko and Ken, Sonny Angel reindeer, Petite Blythe Connie Corneille, and Middie Blythe Lena Elena.     

The Perfect Gift

Her sisters love mini golf, so she knows they will love this gift...but how will she ever manage to hide it under the Christmas tree?

She is Can Can Cat

Hot Cocoa

Enjoying a giant mug of hot cocoa is just one of the season's many pleasures.

This is Milky Way Sugar, posing in a great chair I found recently at the local antique mall. It is sturdy and has a lot of detail, and it was only $8!

The 12 Days of Christmas

Promise has been a teacher long enough to know that memorizing "The Twelve Days of Christmas" will be much easier for the children with the help of a visual aid. 

Lil' Heart by Milk

Jolly Old St. Nicholas

Ivy is proud to be known for her extensive collection of St. Nicholas statues and figurines. 

This Blythe is Prima Dolly Amaryllis. The only santa that is of note in this picture is the one in back on the left; he was made by a local artist, Nancy Thomas. She has a cool little store in this area, and sells on a website too. She designed an ornament for the White House Christmas tree in 2007.

Home

Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays...

Deck the Halls

As Bridget hangs the wreath on the front door, the Christmas decorating is DONE! Now it's time for some gingerbread and hot chocolate. 

She is Allegra Champagne. Do you like our new door? It is an incredible prop that my husband got for me for Christmas...yes, he said I could sneak it out of the bag for a picture! It is produced in Colonial Williamsburg, and it is meant to go with a set of dolls that they sell (which I do not like! Like this doll .) It is perfect for Blythe. I will show more of it in the future.

Tis the Season...to Give

It is in giving that we receive.

Precocious Candy's Mushroom

Holiday Viewing

These two can't get enough of "The Little Drummer Boy" at Christmas. What holiday movie is on your "must see" list? 

Petit Dejeuner and Lena Elena.

Wrapped Up

All wrapped up in the fun of the season.

They are Ichigo Heaven, Bow Wow Trad, and Simply Sparkly Spark.

Good King Wenceslas

"'Good King Wenceslas' is a popular Christmas carol that tells a story of a Bohemian king going on a journey and braving harsh winter weather to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen (December 26, the First Day of Christmas)." (--Wikipedia)

This photo is for the theme "Good King Wenceslas" in the Blythe a Day group on Flickr. I wasn't sure how to portray a male character when all my dolls are female, so I just went forward with a female doll (Lady Camellia). I dressed her in the stock robe from Angelica Eve. With the collar turned up, it almost looks like she has a pageboy haircut, and I hope that gives the illusion that this is a king rather than a queen!

Mulled Wine

Much to her relief, Cecilia finally found her mother's recipe for mulled wine, crumpled in the back of the kitchen drawer. It wouldn't be a Christmas party without the mulled wine!

Cecilia is my Cinema Princess Blythe doll.

Jingle Bells

It sounded like a good idea when Bonnie suggested it: "Let's go around the neighborhood and sing 'Jingle Bells' to spread some holiday cheer!" But now, standing in front of the first house, Bonnie and Grace both have a bit of stage fright.

They are Petit Dejeuner and Raspberry Sorbet, the first two Blythes I bought when I got interested in them in 2012. It's been five years, and I have close to 60 dolls now!

Dashing Through the Snow

My daughter and I were happy to discover that one of my Petite Blythe dolls could fit in this antique sleigh-shaped planter she bought this summer. Little Polly takes a ride through the "snow" on our fireplace mantel that's been decorated for Christmas. You can see the whole display in the second picture. 

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas at our house!

O Christmas Tree

Candy takes it upon herself to add a much-needed touch of pink to the Christmas tree. 

She is My Little Candy.