New Artwork for the 1:6 Crowd

Wow, it has been a long time since I've posted. I just haven't had much interest in doll photography lately. I did put a lot of effort into cleaning up and organizing my doll crafting/photography area during August, so I was at least getting things done, although I've missed interacting with you all and getting stuff online.

Last weekend, Mr. BTEG and I went to an outdoor craft fair. One booth had a variety of poured acrylic paintings in various sizes, including tiny ones, just about the right size for Barbie artwork.

Cassie is enjoying a warm drink in the cooler fall weather, next to her lovely new painting. Canvases in this size are super cheap at the craft stores. I have some blank ones that I want to create something on; I just can't decide what would be "just right." Although now that I think about it, maybe a stylized pumpkin for the fall, and a pansy for another; pansies are my favorite flower. There were also mini easels being sold with the little paintings. I did buy one, but it's not the right proportions. I could probably make an easel, or just hang this on the wall. I didn't want to hang it this time, because I'm moving on to another photo shoot or two with this backdrop.

I may have to buy another ring light. I used my large "softbox" light for this shoot, and most of the photos turned out blurry, I think because of lighting issues.  I don't exactly like the composition of this, and some of the edges are blurry, but my goodness, I really wanted to get this shoot done. I also need to do some serious doll sewing. Cassie is wearing the only pair of long pants that I own for the Barbie group. 

Talking of cooler fall weather, as if right on cue, the temperature dropped about 30 degrees Fahrenheit on the first day of fall. Autumn is my favorite season, and it is rather glorious here right now. I hope that you all are doing well!

Dresses for Curvy Barbie

I've been chatting with MC about sewing for dolls over the last month or so. I sewed these two dresses for the Curvy Barbie body shape a very long time ago, but I decided that the dresses needed Velcro instead of snaps, and I kept putting off making that change. I finally forced myself to do it, and it did take me quite awhile to get all six of the snaps, over both dresses, off, but now the dresses can be worn and not stay on my "to-do" pile.

I'm sorry to say that I have forgotten where I bought the hook-and-loop closure that I used to close up the backs of these dresses. It is, however, very nicely suited for dolls. The hooks are not as large and grabby as on other kinds that I've used, and the attaching side is very soft, almost leathery in feel. As for size, the strips above were cut in half from a large roll that I have. This stuff goes through the sewing machine beautifully, and cuts easily.

The bodices of the dresses are fully lined, which I find the easiest way to finish a sleeveless dress, and the pattern was created by myself. Even though we're moving into what will probably be the hottest days of the summer here, I think I should start working on autumn clothes for dolls next. I'm trying out some new patterns, and September will be here soon!

Happy Independence Day

I had this nice backyard picnic diorama set up, and then my ring light didn't work. After only one other use. So these pictures aren't great, but I put so much effort into this, and got help from Mr. BTEG, that I decided to pick the best of the group and put them up anyway.

Along the Shore

This spring, Mr. BTEG and I began to search for beach glass during some of our trips to the lake shore. Some of the pieces of glass are so tiny, that my 12" dolls can have their own collection.

I wanted to have the glass in the sunlight, so that the light made the glass sparkle, but this also made my photo not turn out as well as I would have liked. I guess I'll just keep trying to improve.

Here are some other interesting pieces of glass that Mr. BTEG, the Dancer, and I have picked up.

You can tell the part of the bottle from whence these pieces of glass came.

Some of the pieces of glass still have letters on them. This was probably part of the words "One Quart."

This glass has gotten extremely cloudy with time. I'm thinking the S. was part of U.S. Not sure what the W could be.

I like cloudy pieces of glass as something different from the plain clear pieces.

Not sure what this is, maybe from a Pyrex bowl. I couldn't get a good shot of it, but whatever this was, it was genuine.

There are lots of pieces of pottery or tile that wash up onto shore. There are also lots and lots of shells, although not very many large ones, due to being fresh water.

I have several pieces of very pretty blue glass. The dark blue is one the rarest, if not the rarest color for a beachcomber to find. I find it interesting that there are so many shades of blue.

Do you have any fun plans for the summer with your dolls?

6/26 I'm adding a picture of an ornament that I bought, made from beach glass, driftwood, shells, and I think some pottery.

2022 World Doll Day - In Honor of Dorothy in PA

Technically, yesterday was World Doll Day, but I didn't get a chance to celebrate it until today. World Doll Day was started in 1986 by famous doll artist and collector, Mildred Seeley. It is a day to share the love of doll collecting by giving a doll to "someone special." It is promoted by the United Federation of Doll Clubs, although you do not need to be a member to take part. I especially wanted to give away a doll this year in honor of a blog commenter, that many of you know, Dorothy in PA. Dorothy very kindly spent a lot of time last year getting me signed up as a member of UFDC, as an independent member. This is my way of honoring her time and effort.

Sadly, there aren't any little girls in my immediate circle anymore. So I gave a doll to the daughter of someone I am friendly with, who works at a restaurant that Mr. BTEG and I like to eat at. I've met the girl a couple of times; she is a little cutie and will be turning three next month.

The Girlfriends line is sold at Meijer, if you wanted to know. Thank you to Dorothy in PA for being a great doll friend!

Cleveland Asian Festival 2022

This past weekend was the annual Asian Festival, that was held in the part of Cleveland known as Asian Town. Mr. BTEG, the Dancer and I all visited it on Sunday. Mr. BTEG has been to Asian Town often before, as he used to go lunch there with some of his co-workers of Asian descent. The Dancer and I had never been before.

Of course, I always look for doll things. I was afraid that I wouldn't see anything this time, until we checked out the stores in the small Asian mall, that also had the restaurant where we ate lunch.

There was a store that carried Chinese style dresses for American Girl and Wellie Wishers dolls. They also had a variety of little porcelain Chinese style tea sets. I didn't buy anything, but of course, the shop will be there while the Festival booths won't.

I did buy a pair of Hello Kitty earrings.

There were some performances from local organizations. We only managed to catch several acts from Hawaiian dancers

and some dancers from a school that teaches "Bollywood style."

I'm glad that I caught the girl dressed in Chinese style clothes in the picture. I saw her around the festival all day. Very few other people were dressed in traditional Asian styles, but I did see one woman wearing tabi (Japanese split-toe socks) with geta (wooden shoes with two wooden supports underneath.) I had to wonder how uncomfortable she was, because it had poured rain the night before, and had rained a little that morning, so there were puddles, and also some muddy spots. Sure, the geta kept her feet off the ground, but I don't know if the tabi got wet.

There was an enormous outdoor food court set up for the festival, but the lines for food stretched all the way down the food court, so we went into the mall to have lunch in the permanent restaurant there. We had to wait for a table there, but it was probably actually less time than the food court, with the advantage of sitting down! Mr. BTEG has eaten there before, although he prefers a little hole-in-the-wall dim sum restaurant in the area, but that was too far for tired people to walk.

Unlike a lot of American restaurants that have coffee carafes and coffee cups on the table, this restaurant of course had a tea pot full of hot tea, and traditional tea cups. Mr. BTEG and the Dancer drank some.

I had sweet and sour chicken, which I was just able to pick up using chopsticks. Meanwhile, the Dancer easily ate rice with her chopsticks. I was jealous, but she's been to Chinese restaurants a lot more often than I have. (Admission: I don't like Asian food. I like sweet and sour chicken without the sweet and sour sauce, though; it's just chicken fried in tempura batter.)

Spring ushers in a long season of fairs and festivals here, which doesn't end until after Halloween. Maybe we'll get out to more this year, now that they're back. And of course, I'll always be on the hunt for doll things! Do you like to go to festivals like these?

My Collection Part Nineteen: Madame Alexander Travel Friends

There aren't going to be any new pictures of these dolls. I bought them back in 2015, so even if you saw the posts when I reviewed the dolls, you've probably forgotten about them, and what they looked like. I reviewed them in great detail; unfortunately, there were a lot of flaws in the dolls, clothes, and box art. If you're interested, check out Germany and Ireland here, and Italy, Kenya and Russia here.

Here are the five dolls together.

Top from left to right: Italy, Russia, Kenya

Bottom from left to right: Germany, Ireland

The Germany doll, who I named Gretel, is wearing mini AG Felicity's dress, because her own outfit is just horrible. The shirt was too short, and the lederhosen were too baggy, and the straps were too tight when I tried to sit Gretel down. Plus her shoes were huge on her, as opposed to the other dolls. I guess that's because she came wearing stockings, which none of the other dolls did.

So ein Pech

The girls' clothes also had huge tags in them, that could stick out from the outfit.

 

When I re-read my reviews, I didn't remember how much I had really savaged some of the aspects of these dolls. However, I only paid $10 or so for each doll, and overall they *are* cute. They kind of remind of dolls like the Kruselings, only about 2" or 5cm shorter. I think I like my dolls' overall look better, actually. It's just too bad that Madame Alexander, a doll manufacturer name associated with quality, produced dolls with so many issues. This type of doll, which they also tried to use for a princess line, and a NASCAR line (so odd!) didn't sell very well, and few doll styles made it to stores.

Total dolls: 82