Elegant Blogger Award!

Beastsbelle was kind enough to give me an Elegant Blogger Award. Thank you!

This award originated here. And as a nominee, I have to answer twelve questions.

1.  Why did you start blogging?
I started blogging about dolls because I wanted to start my own conversations. I can't afford a lot of dolls right now, so I'm sharing photos of what I currently own, and giving my own opinions on what I can see of new dolls. I think it also helps if one has her own blog "home," in interacting with other bloggers.

2.  What is your fashion style?
At the moment, pretty boring. If I had the budget, I would be Victorian/Edwardian inspired.

3.  What is something your followers don't know about you?
That I used to homeschool. Mr. BTEG and I ended up not being happy with the parochial school where we had our daughters enrolled, and our local school district was in a state of academic emergency, so homeschooling it was. I think my greatest achievement there was teaching my youngest, the Dancer, to read, because she had made up her mind that she could get through life just fine without ever learning. Last year in eighth grade, she tested above high school level in reading.

4.  What is one of your blogging goals?
To learn to take better pictures of my dolls. Also, to meet more fans some of the older doll lines that I like.
 
5.  Where is your favorite place to shop?
For dolls, online. Mostly eBay since I buy older things.
  
6.  What would your ideal amount of followers be?
I would just like my followers to be people that truly enjoy some of what I post. And that occasionally commented. Commenters can make a blog so much more fun.
    
7.  What are your talents?
Sewing, mainly. I knit, but I'm mostly still satisfied with smaller pieces such as dishcloths. I'm working on a doll size blanket that I would like to finish soon. First I have to find one of the needles that I managed to lose! I would also like to learn more about drawing, and that would include some fashion drawing.   

8.  Are you a leader or a follower?
Definitely a follower. I don't have the physical presence to be noticed, nor do I project myself well in person. However, I will step up if there is no one else to do it. I served as a Girl Scout troop leader for a year so my eldest could stay in Girl Scouts.

9.  What is your favorite quote?
"Good night comb,
good night brush,
good night nobody,
good night mush."
-Good Night Moon   

10.  Do you have a favorite book or book series?
I wanted to live in Narnia when I was in grade school. I read those books over and over again. I still enjoy reading Agatha Christie off and on. Right now I'm interested in history and biographies of some of the people from my favorite time periods, such as Queen Victoria and Tsarina Marie Feodrovona.

11.   Out of all the synonyms for elegant, which would you describe yourself with (smart, dressy, stylish, graceful, or fine)?
I love being dressy when I have the occasion. I wish I could go to an event that required a tiara. :)
 
12.   What is your favorite flower?
I adore the smell of lilacs. Pansies are my favorite to look at.

Now I have to tag twelve people. Oh dear.

Ella Kay at A Tiara a Day
Lots of sparkle!

The co-bloggers of The Fashion Doll Review
Many elegant dolls

Michelle at The Creative Doll
Creates lovely doll fashions

Melissa From My Little Hole in the Wall
Takes vintage doll costume drawings and brings them to life.

And um, yeah. That's gonna be it. Three out of the four I've linked are probably going to think I'm a crazy blog stalker anyway, since I haven't commented there before. But enjoy the ones I *have* linked!

I'm Too Lazy to Own a BJD

Truly, they are beautiful dolls, who pose well for pictures and have a lot of versatility due to their eyes and wigs being changeable. However, I wouldn't really like all the *work* that goes into owning one of these dolls. It needs a faceup, possibly new eyes, possibly a new wig, sueding, maybe restringing. I don't want to learn how to do all of these things! (Although it seems dolls are usually sent out for faceups.) I also don't want to have to do even more maintenance after the resin body yellows. In computer terms, I want my dolls to be "plug and play;" that is, I want to take her out of the box the way that I want her to be. Of course, I don't begrudge anyone the ability to own a BJD, and like I said, I think that they are really beautiful. But every time I think about possibly trying to save up to be one, I'm just not enthused because of all the extra care required.

Return of Sindy

Terri Gold shared the information that Robert Tonner recently mentioned bringing back the Sindy line of dolls. I remember wanting Sindy merchandise when I was young; according to Wikipedia, Sindy debuted in the United States in 1978. I would have been ten. I'm not sure if it was the dolls that appealed to me so much as the fantastic furniture and accessories, although I don't know how much of that was sold here. I vaguely remember a commercial that showed a nightlight, so that probably means Sindy's bedroom set was available here, at least. I'm surprised that I never received any Sindy items as a child, since Sindy was created to be a more wholesome alternative to Barbie, and my mother seemed pretty hesitant about us getting Barbie dolls, if my childhood memories are to be believed. On the other hand, we did have the controversial Growing Up Ginger doll, which could become taller and also grow small breasts. I thought the doll was fun because she could represent two different ages in my doll play. I suppose I must have only been eight or nine, but I think I had already learned from my own observation that older girls, and women, had figures different from my own.

But anyway, Sindy. What would you like to see? Right now it looks like Tonner is only reproducing the doll, but I'd be thrilled if some of the furniture and accessories were reproduced as well. If you have 1/6 scale dolls, this stuff is *great.* What 1/6" scale doll, for example, could not use these lovely dining room pieces? I know my dolls would adore their own horse and buggy!

I also have a fondness for the historically inspired Sindy clothes like these, but I imagine groovier fashions will be more likely to be reproduced. It will be interesting to see what original stuff Tonner comes up with.

Chores

It's too bad dolls can't iron their own clothes.

American Girl doll color guard uniform

It's been crazy around here lately. My oldest daughter, the Musician, had marching band camp all week. My youngest daughter, the Dancer, had a private pointe lesson. The girls were both involved in social events before school starts. I was sick all week, and to top it off, we only have one car in the family, which can make running around an issue. So here is a uniform I made for the friend of the Dancer, for the friend's birthday. Said friend has wanted to join the high school color guard since about sixth grade, so I made this uniform a couple of years ago. This year, friend is finally in high school and color guard! My daughter's AG Girl of Today agreed to model before we wrapped the uniform up.

It was a bit of a challenge making the flag look proportional, but I was happy with it in the end. The Dancer's friend was very happy with it as well.

Franklin Mint's Josephine the Original Gibson Girl, Orient Express Version

Oddly enough, taking the pictures so I could talk about this doll with you really brought out a lot of her flaws, and yet she still remains one of the favorites in my collection. I think it is because she is a doll who represents one of my favorite times in history, at least as far as fashion goes, and I love the Gibson Girl's style and self-assurance. She also took part in physical activities such as bicycling and golfing, so she was not merely an ornament.

1901 Gibson Girls at the beach

One of the best things about this doll right off the bat is her face. She has the classical elegance of the Gibson Girl, and Franklin Mint was able to resist slapping a lot of make-up on her. Frankly, I find this a flaw in too many "historical dolls," and even in movies based on historical events. The brown color used to define her upper lid could almost pass for an actual shadow under her brows. The only stand-out is that lip liner was not in use back then.

Maybe she's born with it