Totality's Best Seat - April 8th, 2024

That was an advertising phrase that was used around here, as a way to promote this area as a good place to observe the latest solar eclipse. Here in the Cleveland, Ohio area, we did indeed get a 100 percent totality view of the eclipse, and there were people from various other states who converged here in Cleveland. Mr. BTEG got the best shots of the eclipse. I did get a few shots of the area around us, taken with my phone camera (but not looking directly at the sun.) :)

The pictures make it look hazy and cloudy, but it was really a beautifully clear day. It was quite an unusual day for NE Ohio in April, which was appreciated all the more because of the eclipse viewing. Full totality started at 3:15 PM EST, and lasted for three minutes.

As it got progressively darker, the street lights and lights on people's garages started to come on. We also heard bird song. I've read that elsewhere people heard crickets, but it is too cold for crickets here right now. As totality occurred, we could hear a chorus of "ohs" from around the neighborhood, along with applause and some fireworks.

My husband got these fantastic shots of the actual eclipse by using the lens of one of our eclipse glasses in front of his camera lens. This is what we saw when we looked directly at the eclipse using our glasses. The first one is when the moon had started to move into position in front of the sun. The second one is full totality. It got so cold during totality, too! One minute, I was comfortable in short sleeves, five minutes later, I was shivering in a hoodie with the hood pulled up.

I did not make eclipse glasses for any of my dolls, or even take any of my dolls out for the view, like Raging Moon did. We did meet up later with Mr. BTEG's sister, her husband, and their daughter, who drove out from about an hour and a half away, and spent a few days here in a hotel. They watched the eclipse from the Great Lakes Science Center in downtown Cleveland. We then spent most of the next day together shopping, and Mr. BTEG and I were both completely worn out yesterday, thus the lateness of this post.

Raging Moon will probably also get a kick out of the fact that people were jokingly attributing the beautiful weather to the spirit of Dick Goddard, longtime Cleveland, Ohio weatherman. Not only did he create and host the very popular Woollybear Festival, he was also a strong advocate for animal protection, and holds the Guinness World Record for longest career as a weather forecaster.

Hoping to bring more doll content soon!

Rainbow High Color & Create Fair Skin

This Color & Create doll was one of the ones that I received for Christmas. The idea behind this wave was that the doll owner can customize the outfit and hair with the included washable markers, wash the color out, and make a new design. In practice, I've heard that the marker doesn't complete wash out of the hair. There were three dolls in this wave, with three different skin tones and eye colors.

In keeping with the plain white of their attire and hair, the dolls don't have any makeup on. A lot of people liked this aesthetic. I do as well. Her hands are also plain, with no long nails or nail polish. You'll see the difference between this, and some of the other dolls, in upcoming reviews.

Here's how she looked in the box. The section where her hair is flattened out to show a rainbow design (plastic over the hair) is gelled stiff, so she definitely needs a hair wash. I decided to photograph her as she came, though.

Her jeans have real front pockets, and Rainbow High on one leg, in white. I wasn't planning on dying any of the clothes that she came with, but I may dye the jeans. The white pants are a little too see-through to me.

This is her second top, and the second pair of shoes. The white heels are pretty bland. The tennis shoes have detail on the front and back. I like her white scrunchie. I wish I had more of those.

In my opinion, she's a very pretty doll. She's a fun contrast from other Rainbow High dolls, and basic clothes are always useful if you're going for modern styles. A lot of collectors are having fun dying this wave of dolls' hair and clothes, although collectors having been changing hair colors with their other dolls who came with a hair color, and dying clothes too. I've been hesitant to dye anything on my dolls before because I've never dyed anything at all, so I don't have any experience. I'm afraid I would mess something up. Still, as I said, I think I will dye her jeans.

By the way, her name is now Cecilia. 

Total dolls: 87

Happy New Year

I admit that I was very blessed this year. In addition to other things, I got six Rainbow High dolls for Christmas. Goodness knows between them and the dolls I received all the way back in July, I should have plenty of material for blogging, so that's a goal for the new year. My photography table is in its final place, even if everything else isn't, yet. I really want to re-join the doll world!

 I pray that 2024 is a better year for everyone in the doll blogging community who struggled in 2023.