World Party Day

"Let's pretend to have a party! I'll be the birthday girl!"

Three things happened before I thought of making this simple picture:

1. About a month ago, when I was shopping and I saw a lovely framed chalkboard that I didn't need, and for which I don't have any wall space...but I LOVED it. However, since I couldn't think of a good reason to get it, I left the store without it.

2. One day last week, I had the pleasure of watching my daughter create a work of art, on site at the business where it will hang on the wall...the medium was white chalk paint, and the canvas was a chalkboard. It looked like fun. Interestingly, I didn't even think about the pretty framed chalkboard at the time; but the seed was planted when I saw how much a person could do with chalk on a board.

3. A few days ago, when I was scrolling through some doll photos online, one picture really grabbed my attention: someone had drawn a background for their Blythe on a chalkboard, and put her on top to look like she was in the drawing.

--and suddenly I was jumping into my car and heading across town with my fingers crossed, hoping that the chalkboard I had seen last month would still be there. It was!!! Hooray!!! I quickly bought it, and some chalk, and went home to experiment with them. Here's another picture of the chalkboard so you can see the frame. Pretty, right?

This is my first attempt at a chalkboard flat lay photo. I like the simplicity of the background combined with the 3-D doll; it really makes her stand out while also setting the scene. It solves a problem I run into frequently when thinking of a photo of a doll: I know what kind of a background I would like, but I don't have anything like it on hand. With a chalkboard I can draw anything I need. A chalk drawing doesn't take long to do, and it's fun! I have a hundred other ideas now, so there will be many more chalkboard flat lays in my future.

This doll is Snowflake Sonata, wearing a dress from The Windy Hill on Etsy--it was a birthday gift to me from a dear dolly friend. Thanks, Angie!

This photo is for the theme "World Party Day" in the Blythe a Day group on Flickr.

Here's the painting my daughter Jenna did at Grow in Norfolk, Virginia:

...and here is Jenna with her painting: