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.

How to Have a Happy Holiday

Citrine's advice to everyone as the holidays approach: make a list! You will be more organized and less stressed as you decorate, shop, and entertain.

This is Ice Rune wearing Cadence Majorette's stock dress.

Hat Check

Before heading out the door, Vera always checks to be sure the angle of her beret is "just right."

This is Vera Florentine, wearing a hat I just knitted with her in mind, since I've decided that she always needs to wear a hat. She looks good in any strong color, not just orange or yellow.

 I found this mirror recently at Barnes and Noble; it is one of a series of decor items based on the movie "Kiki's Delivery Service." The cat, mug, and flower jar are all glued in place...unfortunately! I was hoping I could move them around and use them individually in different photos.

Happy Thanksgiving

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was 'Thank You,' that would suffice."  
                                                                       --Meister Eckhart

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the US. Whether or not you are celebrating this holiday, we wish you a happy day! Bonnie (Raspberry Sorbet) is wearing the stock coat and hat from Mod Molly, and I skirt I made for her. I don't remember where the boots came from!

Let's All Read a Book

Someday, Jill hopes to have a big house with an actual library. Until then, the books are in scattered piles and on random shelves. 

Home Sweet Home

Gorgeous Zelda

If you could have only one Blythe doll, which one would it be?

For me, the answer is Blythe Adores Anna Sui. I'm surprised that I didn't choose a pink haired girl! But Anna's deep purple hair satisfies my need for a fantasy color, without being an obviously unnatural color.  Depending on the light, her hair can look brown, black, or purple. She has strong makeup, which gives her face more depth than some of my other girls, and the contrast between her dark hair and light skin is perfect for photographs. She looks good in a lot of different colors, too, so she is a very versatile model. Isn't she gorgeous?

My girl is named Zelda. Today she's wearing a dress we just got by Endangered Sissy on Etsy (the dress is actually second-hand; I found it in a group on Facebook). Even though I can sew clothes for my dolls, I like to collect garments from other people who sew for Blythe. I love the colors of the vintage fabrics in this dress! It's perfect for her. Her purse is a Hallmark Barbie ornament from 2004.

Fall Feeling

We're embracing the feeling of fall, briefly, before going crazy with the Christmas decorations! Happy fall to all from Vera Florentine. 

In case you are wondering...Vera is wearing a hat with a pumpkin and fall flowers on it, and standing in front of a vase with an arrangement of fall leaves, berries and squash. So no, that's not one big hat on her head!

Dolly Collector

Collect what you love. 

Prima Dolly Peony with the miniature Mab Graves print "The Dolly Collector," which we bought at BlytheCon Brooklyn.

Dolly Time

So many dollies, so little time!

This Blythe Middie doll is Melomelomew.

That's Entertainment

Who needs TV when there's a new jigsaw puzzle to put together?

These Blythe dolls are Cousin Olivia (left) and Playful Raindrops (right). Their hair color is exactly the same, but their skin tones are quite different. When I saw this Japanese puzzle with such tiny pieces at the local Barnes and Noble bookstore, I had to buy it for them--they've made good progress on it already!

Be Kind

This is another picture of Vera Florentine...looking good in another hat, which I knitted several years ago using the Ecoliere Beret pattern by Maggie Baird on Ravelry. The pattern is free, so give it a try if you are looking to knit a cute hat! This red hat came out a bit bigger than those in the pictures with the pattern; I assume it is because I used thicker yarn than she did. I like how slouchy it is, and it's nice to know that you can vary the look by using different types of yarn. 

Vera Needs...Something

I've been thinking about my Vera Florentine Blythe doll, and wondering why I don't love her as much now as when I first saw her. Her makeup is very strong--orange cheeks, peach lips, yellow eyelids--and her stock outfit (orange hat and blouse with blue overalls) really goes well with her makeup. But when I took off her orange hat, she seemed rather drab. I just realized that is because her hair color is too plain, and without her hat SHE looks too plain! In addition, her short hairstyle with the very short bangs, curly ends, and flat top, is desperately in need of SOMETHING...

So the solution is that Vera must always wear a hat! (Or possibly a huge bow or big, colorful hairband.) I'm so glad I realized this, because now I can love her again. Here she is in two different outfits with hats. So cute!

It's Called Love

This is Prima Dolly Peony, again, still wearing her prize sweater and enjoying the bike raffle prize from BlytheCon Brooklyn. This picture is for the theme "Dogs" in the Blythe a Day group on Flickr.

Coming across this quote brings back happy memories for me...from a very early age, my son adored Winnie the Pooh. We had a large collection of Pooh cartoon VCR tapes that he watched frequently, and as a result, I, and his little sister watched them too. They were full of sweet sentiments like this.

Thank You!

I made this picture to say thank you to Suzanne Kamal on Facebook, who knitted this cute hooded sweater and donated it to BlytheCon Brooklyn. It was the prize I won with the scratch-off card in my goody bag. 

Prima Dolly Peony

Happy Halloween

...from all the ghouls

Witchy

Are you ready?

Prima Dolly Amaryllis

Haunted

One need not be a chamber to be haunted;

One need not be a house;

The brain has corridors surpassing

Material place.

                  --Emily Dickinson

This is Lady Camellia

Friendly Monsters

It's the perfect time of year for Yellow Marshmallow (the Middie) and Mandy Cotton Candy (the Neo) to break out their monster-themed stock outfits. 

Mandy's cute monster purse was the prize in a recent giveaway in a Facebook group--I was the winner! (The maker, Sarah Hearn, sells them in her Etsy shop, ErikosEmporium.) It's been a great week for winning, between this prize and the great things I won at BlytheCon Brooklyn. My luck is so good right now, maybe I should buy a lottery ticket!