Collector's United Doll Show 11/05/11

I'm only working part time right now so a doll show could be a really detrimental to my budget, but I had earned enough money from a copy editing gig to have a good time.  By shopping the bargain bins for articulated bodies, I was able to leave with twenty-one new (to me) dolls and still make rent!

Seeing doll friends is as big a thrill as finding doll treasures.  I bought this silver sprite from Mattie Eley, one of the artists I profiled after the Atlanta Doll Collector's show back in May. 

Although these charming dolls are designed to hang on your Christmas tree, Miss Mattie was wearing one of these creations on her lapel.  At $5 a piece even I could afford to patronize the arts.  If you fancy one of Mattie's People, visit Miss Mattie's Etsy store or check out her website for a full gallery of her work.

I saw several Atlanta Doll Collector's members when I walked in.  A little while later I met up with Vanessa of Van's Doll Treasures.  She gave me three clones including this early Janay.

 

After a doll show my house reeks of pinesol because I soak everybody in a disinfecting bath first thing.  Then comes the hair pulling.   All the fake, hair weave-looking tresses have to go.  I had to cut off half of this lady's hair before I could scalp her because her locks were so tangled but she cleaned up very nicely.

I passed on the Flavas when they were originally in the stores.  I thought Mattel must be in league with the manufacturers of colored contact lenses since so many of their dolls of color sported blue, green or gray eyes.  Don't they know the majority of the world's population has brown eyes?  I colored Kiyoni's eyes brown and also darkened her lipstick. 

 

Being somewhat vertically challenged myself, I like having doll characters who are not fashion model height so I will keep my eyes out for more Flavas in the future.

I got Kiyoni and nine other dolls for fifty cents each.  Then I splurged on this Just Girlz Asian princess:

Bruce Lee and Mr. Sulu (played by George Takei) are about to come to blows over her

but I think she has her eye on Toshiro who serves as the fit model in the following shoe tutorial:

Hasbro's movable fighting men may be a little short, but those big feet might be an indicator of sizeable endowments in other areas :-).

À Bientôt

What Goes up Must Come Down

Splasing in the waves and building sand castles was fun, but what Courtney really wanted to do at the beach was ride the ferris wheel.

 

"I bet you can see all the way to the other side of the ocean from the top of the big wheel," she thought.

The line took forever. 

But finally Grace stepped up to the ticket booth and paid for their tickets.  

Once all the riders were safely strapped in their seats, the big wheel started to turn. 

“Whee!” said Shani. 

“Whee!” said Asha throwing her arms in the air. 

But Nichelle just smiled sweetly. 

When they got to the top of the wheel, Courtney looked out over the water and felt butterflies in her tummy but Grace wasn’t afraid.  “What goes up must come down,” she said.

The sisters threw their arms in the air and whooped as the wheel started its descent. 

“Let’s do it again!” said Courtney

***

Here is a tutorial on making Courtney’s natural texture wig:

À Bientôt

I'm Your Woman

“Ay mamacita!” Alejandro exclaimed when Alyssa emerged from the adjoining bath in a new, lace teddy. 

“Le gustas? -- you like?” she said with a sultry smile.

“Muchisimo!” Alejandro murmured as he brushed a trail of kisses along his wife’s arm. 

Then he spun her around and caught her in an ardent embrace.

Whenever they stayed at her parents’ house they had to spoon in the narrow single bed in Alyssa’s old room.  It was cozy, but Alejandro always ended up feeling frustrated because Alyssa always panicked just when things were getting interesting, saying “What if Papi and Mami hear us?”

“Are you trying to torture me?” said Alejandro, fondling his wife’s fundillo. 

Then he spun her around again and laid her gently on the bed. 

“Le pido, mi amor – I’m begging you,” he said, leaning in for another kiss.

“Eres mi vida, mi alma, mi corazón– you are my life, my soul, my heart,” he continued, sliding into the bed next to her and enfolding her in his arms. 

Alyssa tried to feign indifference,

but Alejandro kept whispering endearments and praises while his fingers gently played under the plunging V at the back of her teddy.  

The Saint Regis Lace teddy had been one of the spiciest presents from her bridal shower nearly a year ago.  Alyssa didn’t know what had possessed her to wear it for the first time now with Papi and Mami just across the hall, but before she knew it, she had rolled over on top and was kissing her husband as passionately as he was kissing her. 

“Ay papi!”  she cried.  (This might translate as "Aw, get it daddy!")

“Y los padres? – what about the ‘rents?” Alejandro grinned.

 

 

“Pues, soy tu mujer – well, I’m your woman,” she replied. 

***
In case your dolls are feeling as womanish as Alyssa, here's a tutorial on making the Bareback Teddy.

À Bientôt

The Sneak Preview

Video production is very time consuming so in August when I decided to produce tutorial videos for this blog, I planned to complete 12 tutorials before September 1st and then start publishing one each week.  Since hard drives can crash, I thought the best strategy would be to upload the finished videos to You Tube but mark them “private” until the day I was ready to publish them.  This “Beaded Sandals” video took a long time to upload, however, and while I was waiting, I decided to make a quick trip to the restroom.  When I came back to the computer, the video had finished processing and it had already received a viewing.  “How can that be?”  I wondered.  Then I noticed that there was also a comment.  I clicked on the link and found encouraging words from my doll mentor, Vanessa of Van’s Doll Treasures.  I subscribe to her You Tube channel so I won’t miss any of her excellent doll dramas.  I guess she happened to be on-line in You Tube and could see that I had uploaded a new video in the short interval before I could mark it private.  What a coincidence! 

Two months later here is the official premiere of “Beaded Sandals:”

After watching the “Action Figure Sandals” tutorial, Hippolyta on Figurvore made 20 pairs!  If you make any of these “Beaded Sandals,” I would love to see the pictures.

À Bientôt

A Day at the Fair

A traveling fair set up on the outskirts of town over the long weekend so Baba and Mama decided to take the kids.  

There was so much to do and see that they hardly knew where to start.  After much discussion, they bought tickets and rode the swings first because they were closest to the entrance.  

Junebug rode with Baba

and Sissy rode with Mama.  Meanwhile Pepe and Eloisa waited to buy their tickets.  Pepe’s bunkmates at Firehouse #5 had teased that Eloisa wasn’t tall enough to ride the swings by herself, but Pepe didn’t care.  He was happy to have a day off to spend with his lady.

Finally the swings stopped, the Knapps got off, and Pepe and Eloisa had their turn.

“Fun, Baba!” said Sissy.  “Again please?”  

 So they rode the swings again and then went off to explore the rest of the fair.


Here is a tutorial on making a child’s Afro wig like Junebug’s:

À Bientôt

Criss Cross Camisole

Kira Kim models Saint Regis Lace

When we last saw Kira, she was standing in line at the Community Credit Union, waiting to retrieve a piece of heirloom jewelry from her safe deposit box.  Kira has the classic Barbie figure, but as you can see, the hip hugger briefs that Nakoma Tarbell modeled in the first lingerie tutorial can easily be adapted to fit classic Barbie and other body types.  Here Kira pairs deep purple briefs with her lavender Criss Cross Camisole.  My girlfriends wish Saint Regis Lace designs came in 1:1 sizes!  This tutorial won't help you make these sweet, lacey nothings for yourself but your dolls will thank you effusively.

À Bientôt

"Mandals:" Action Figure Sandals 1

Ken’s has been Barbie’s faithful consort for fifty years, but action figures often make better romantic leads in our doll stories.  They have a wider variety of face molds, their bodies are buff and more pose- able than most Kens, and they exude an aura of risk and adventure that can be hard for a girl to resist.  Unfortunately getting them out of their fatigues and into togs that are suitable for taking a lady out can be a challenge.  Their shoulders are often too broad to fit into Ken’s Italian cut dinner jackets and even when they can borrow civilian shirts and pants, their feet are too big to squeeze into Ken’s shoes.  My ladies got tired of their dates tromping on their toes in combat boots whenever they went out dancing so here is the first in a series of tutorials on making action figure sandals.  This is a more casual style but very easy to make.  Your action figures and their “dogs” will thank you.

À Bientôt