Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Cafe Latte by AM

The end results of AM's coffee dye hard work are stunning!




Wednesday, March 21, 2012

What WAS in that cauldron?

Never sure what to call "IT."

IT being the styling of contemporary dolls and their fashions to look vintage with a bit of grunge similar to the look of a Charles Dickens' character: the orphan or the street urchin.

In the previous post AM was attempting a coffee dye to several of her doll's fashions.

Several prims live in Drearydom with skins and surfaces that have undergong this "treatment."






From Old World Primitives on Etsy - a short introduction:

"Primitive folk art dolls get their aged, antiqued look by tea staining or coffee dying the fabric they are made with. I prefer to work with undyed muslin fabric when making primitive dolls because it already has a bit of a primitive texture and color to it, and it absorbs the tea or coffee nicely. The muslin can either be dyed before or after you start making the doll. I find that doing my dying after the doll has already been constructed is easier, so that is the method I am doing to describe."



The following link gives a recipe for the procedure:

. . . and Cauldron Bubble

"What's for dinner? " asked the dolls as the scents of vanilla and cinnamon wafted from the kitchem of AM.





(How do you prefer your doll clothes - boiled or baked?}

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Goodnight Moon - Goodnight Drearys

Time to put the Drearys away for the spring/summer seasons - hidden from sunshine. When fall arrives and  tapping is heard from inside the boxes, Agnes et al will return to Drearydom and resume top position on the shelves.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

AM in the AM

In the doll collecting world AM is my top resource person. If I'm looking for a particular doll on the seconday market, need an honest opinion on a new doll line, or simply have a question concerning best face-ups or locating a bargain accessory for a display, she's the person to contact!


Plus - she has such genuine concern about all doll person needs (can't imagine how many vinyls she's sent overseas to people looking for a HTF item).


Let me share some examples through pictures. (Click on pics to enlarge)


Needed some basic, back-to-school, unadorned fashions for the newest students in Grimm's Kinder Academy - twin sisters Kendall and Kiley Kish and AM suggested these Boneka styles:





We don't always see eye-to-eye. AM was perplexed by my sudden interest in Critters (yet did an ace job of body blushing, piercing, and re-naming the Goodreau elf creature Honeysuckle.)


Did I mention that Elfdoll Hana Devil lives in Drearydom bc of AM who found a seller on a bjd board for me. I panic on DoA and ZoZ bc I lack terminology savvy and direction w/ the mighty bjds!




While Amelia will never establish residence in RI, she still enjoys trinkets AM finds at sales of all kinds - holiday clearances to weekly yard sales.



"Amelia! Lisbet! I don't care what the product label says or that you're yelling - 'BUT it's from AM' - we are NOT celebrating Halloween in March!"

To my fabulous friend AM - I lift my glass of Coca Cola in tribute! (Dang - if I could only find my way to RI for Monday tacos.)

Monday, March 12, 2012

(Spring Swap 2012) - the TREASURES

Can you stand more Swap Baby news bc this is the BEST part!

JC somehow knew about Amelia's connection to Agnes and Drearydom Larks, that I had a rough time combing Amelia's hair, that my Amelia's favorite colors are blue and white plus she adores tiny toys and that I love chocolate!

Amelia is wearing JC's fashion blue/white among the linens and other trinkets in House of Blue.
(click on pictures to enlarge)




For those rather Dreary times Amelia wears goth - Agnes Dreary style - visiting the neighbors.








A look at all the goodies! Thank you Swap Mama JC!


(Spring Swap 2012) - The Gift and the Irony

My secret Swap Baby on weloveameliathimble listed "jeweltones" as her favorite color choices for fashions for Amelia. Ruby? Emerald? Gold? Moonstone? Off to Etsy I went to find some fashion sparkle for the ultra tiny Amelia.

JCsTinyTreasures offered the most adorable fashions. 


Click for link to JC's Tiny Treasures Etsy Shop


You can't appreciate the smallness of Amelia until you hold her and dress her in the appropriate even smaller fashions. JC's selections were incredible. A mix of tiny  patterned material with a crocheted top to many of them.

My Amelia Boo already owned two: a black and pink checkered mix (bc she lives in Drearydom and is a neighbor and distant relative of Agnes)

(click on pictures to enlarge - from JC Treasures Etsy site)


and ladybug dress/hat (Boo's favorite bug!)


For my Swap Baby I chose a turquoise dress with matching hat accented with pink jeweled flowers as part of her gift. *Note that JC also has sizes for PukiPuki.


The irony - the final day for mailing swap gifts is March 28th - but many members had packages ready and swaps had been mailed/received and recorded in the groups photo albums. Swap Mamas hold a secret identity so I had no idea who mine was and was waiting in anticipiation.

When a package arrived from JC Treasures I was perplexed. Checked my Etsy account before opening bc I couldn't remember ordering a fashion. Turns out JC was my SWAP MAMA!  How lucky can a Swap Baby get?

Wait until I post what creations were sent my way! Incredible!!!!

PS Here is the latest fashion I purchased from JC -

(to be continured)

BAD so wonderfully BAD

BAD = Bunny Appreciation Day

(click on pictures to enlarge)


Aunt Penne, who fashioned the first black and pink uniforms for the students at Grimm's Fabled Academy for Girls, frequently spoils the dolls (and their owner) with surprise packages for all sorts of interesting events such as BAD, Sometimes a package appears for no reason whatsoever!

Thank you so very much, dear friend, XOXOXO'






Goodreau's Innuenndo is seen wearing this lovely spring ensemble! So beautiful.

Our Little Darlings - Amber by Geri Uribe

A 13 inch vinyl doll with a sweet child's expression and life-like eyes. The sculpts are from Dianna Effner and Amber's face-up is done by Geri Uribe. Not a resin or bjd, but the beauty of this doll surpasses the need for either.

(Click on pictures to enlarge)




 Amber is the eighth doll on the link below.

 





(Spring Swap 2012) - Searching for Amelia Thimble

(Here is Part 1 of Amelia Boo and the Swap Baby Adventure - a friendly but fractured photostory told in "maybe it does and maybe it doesn't rhyme" prose. Errors will be plentiful!)

Amelia? Amelia Boo where are you?
(click on photos to enlarge)

 Momoko mother walked throughout Drearydom searching for the little lass. Amelia had visited  PrIm MoUse but the reading chair was now empty with Amelia's shoes left behind.

Amelia's dog Stone played with PrIm KiTtY but mother cat meowed no clues to where Amelia might be.

The pet mice offered no advice.

Sister Lisbet and brother Adam so new were the one's to offer the most helpful clue.

She had gone to visit AlMiRA PrIm to settle in her huge apron pocket for an afternoon nap.





Momoko Mother whispered in Amelia's ear that a wonderful surprise was near.

(to be continued)