Sunday morning at Lake Viñuela...

This morning we went for a walk down by Lake Viñuela, the weather was lovely and bright, about 21 degrees centigrade, and I took my Goetz Happy Kid Emily with me because she wanted to show her second new top that I'd embroidered for her.

The top in question is made of black fleece and because I used an American Girl pattern I wasn't happy about the sizing, plus it was a little short in length for her, so I had to add the white fabric as a sort of 'skirt' part......I'm not over keen on the whole thing except for the cats, next time I'd prefer to embroider them onto dark coloured sweatshirt fabric instead, I think they'd look much nicer.  Plus the fleece just attracts every hair, piece of fluff or dust!!!

We took a different route today and I have to say it was SCARY!  The road was very steep and there were no crash barriers, just sheer drops down the side of the road......and a lot of very tight hairpin bends!  Not a route I'd like to drive again in a hurry!

 

The level of the lake is incredibly low at the moment as we've had such a dry year.  I think it's going to take an awful lot of rain to fill it to previous levels......

  

 

Thank you for visiting, I hope you all have a lovely week ahead! 

Liebster Award!

Liebster Award

I was tagged the Liebster Award by Xanadu Dolls (thank you for the tag!)

The rules:
1. Thank the person who presented you the award and link back to their blog.
2. Post the award image on your blog.
3. Answer 11 questions posted by the presenter.
4. Nominate 5-11 blogs with less than 200 followers.
5. Create 11 questions for the nominees to answer.
6. List these rules in your post.

7. Inform the people you chose of their nomination by leaving a comment on their blog and link them your post.

1.What drew you to the hobby?
My husband bought me a lovely dollshouse and I decorated it from scratch and wanted 'people' to live in it.  We started going to miniature fairs and one day I went to a doll fair in Kensington, London.  There I spoke with a guy who was part of a 'meet up' in the lobby of the event and he had a gorgeous Narae by Bimong, that was it, I was smitten!

2. What was your first doll? Why did you choose that one?
My first BJD was a tiny Orient Doll So Ji.  I ordered her because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, without spending too much money.  However, whilst she was on her way from Denver Doll Emporium, I fell hook, line and sinker for a French resin Narsha by Dollmore and impulsively ordered her too.  When I saw her face for the very first time on the Dollmore website, I just fell instantly in love with her and couldn't stop thinking about her!!  As it happens both dolls actually arrived on the very same day!  So Ji stayed for a couple of years but wasn't really for me but 10 years later, Narsha is still here with me.....very yellowed now but loved all the same!

Narsha by Dollmore with custom faceup by Ravendolls

3. What was your 2015 doll regret?
I don't have any big regrets to be honest.  I did adopt some dolls that maybe weren't for me, and they've now moved on to new homes, and there are a couple who I didn't order and maybe regret that a little since hav ing seen owner photos, but I'm fine with that now!  I'm really very happy with my lot!
 
4. Did you sell any dolls in 2015?
Yes, I did sell several dolls in 2015, both BJDs and other dolls too.  There is always another doll waiting in the wings so someone has to go!!

5. Do your doll characters have their own theme song?
No, not at all.  


6. What style best describes your doll collection? (Fantasy, goth, punk etc.)
Oooh I'm not sure there is a name for mine, apart from the fact that I do seem to go for a certain 'style', whether the dolls are BJDs or vinyl.  I tend to be attracted to dolls that are not too happy looking.  Someone once said that my dolls all look miserable, but I tend to think of them as being 'pensive'.  And all of my dolls are 'children', just like 'human children' only not real flesh and blood LOL!  I just don't do 'grown up' dolls at all.

7. What sort of aesthetics do you look for in a doll?
Ooooh difficult.  I guess all I can really say is that they have to tug at my heart strings!

8. Have you built or plan to build any dioramas for your dolls?
I have put together a few dioramas in my time but I struggle with finding the right props locally and don't have the time these days to make them myself, not like back when I was into dollshouses and could often be found making little things from what I found around the house!!  So although some of my girls do have a play room and my tiny Elfdolls do have a 'lounge' neither have many props and things!

9. What is your 2016 doll wish list?
Up until recently I would have said that a tanned Amelia by Linda Macario was number one on my wish list for this year.  However, over the last couple of weeks my interests have changed ever so slightly.....I'll say no more but all will be revealed on my blog very soon, I hope!  

10. Do you have a 'fantasy' wish list? (i.e. dolls that you will never own unless you won lotto etc.)
Well sort of....it's more that there are quite a few dolls that I'd like to actually see in real life and perhaps get to handle them, rather than just purchase them on line and live in hope!  So I suppose you would call this a wish list of sorts!

11. What do you love most about the hobby?
There are several things that I really love....firstly I love the people.  I've met some wonderful people through dolls and made some great long term friends!  Some of these people I've actually got to meet whilst others I doubt I ever will, but enjoy their company all the same.  Secondly I like how creative I can be with dolls.  I never wanted to sew until I got interested in dolls, now I love to sew and customise them as well as photograph them....they really do get my creative juices flowing! 

As for tagging anyone else, I will tag:
Dee of The Sasha Village
Jenni of The Bryn Derw Kids
Ginger of Sasha Shangri-La
and Anne of Sasha Comoneo
And my questions will be the same as the ones above that were given to me by Xanadu Dolls.
I know that you don't all have BJDs but you can still join in making it all about your dolls instead! :)  But please don't feel obliged to do it, it's just a bit of fun!

Out and about with the Two Antes....

Today I took the two Antes, Fiona and Marisol, with me when we went out for lunch (my goodness, does it seem like we're always going out for lunch!!!!  It's just that this is when I take the dolls with me for photos! Honest! )

The weather today was really bright and sunny, but it was sooooo windy and the wind was really chilly.  However, it didn't stop us taking a detour up to the top of a cliff to take some photos of the view.  It wasn't till I took the dolls out of the car to photograph them though, that I realised just how windy it was.....poor Fiona nearly lost her wig!!!!  And my camera was jiggling all over the place being tugged by the wind!  (That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!;) )

The water looks really chilly...

 

Not many people on this little beach today! 

Even Fiona looks cold, it's a good job she has on her nice warm hoodie.....

 

 Sheltering from the wind, the perfect spot to catch her breath after the climb...

Where she is joined by Marisol who had opted to stay in the car whilst we went to the top of the cliff, as she'd insisted she'd not be cold without her cardigan! 

Back at sea level again, most small towns have a place where locals can go and collect drinking water from communal taps.  The water points are either natural stone with a trough or highly decorative Andalucian tiles like this one below!  Of course the water that comes from the mains taps in our houses is completely clean and drinkable these days but some people still like to collect their drinking water from a local water point.  Often the water comes from a natural spa so people prefer the taste.

Since she learned this 'sign' Marisol seems to want to do it in every photo I take nowadays ;)

Well we are already almost one full week into the New  Year......and I have already taken two lots of dolly photos in public!!!  Must be a record for me! 

Playing with the embroidery machine....

I have been absolutely itching to have a go at making something dolly related using my new sewing/embroidery  machine and at the weekend sewed a few designs that I've now made into tee shirts.  The first one is a simple design of a camera using just one colour, I chose black thread and sewed it on to grey marl knit fabric.  Initially I wanted to reduce the size of the design but in the end I did it in it's original size and am actually quite pleased with how it came out.....I was concerned it'd be too big for a doll tee shirt but then again, real kids wear big, medium and small designs on their clothes and so dolls needn't be any different!

Here is Emily, my Goetz Happy Kidz, wearing her new tee shirt.  I used an American Girl pattern for the top and think next time I would prefer it to be less 'fitted' as Emily has a bit of a pot belly which is emphasised by this shape!

I made the rest of the outfit previously but Emily thought they worked well with her new  tee shirt.

Here she is posing by the sea which was quite stormy and choppy today, although the storm never did happen!

 

 

Thanks for visiting, have a lovely week everyone!

Looking back....and moving forward!

I'm a little late with my New Year greetings as whilst my mum and brother were over here from the UK I didn't manage to get on-line much, but still wanted to post an 'overview' of last year and wish all my readers a very Happy New Year!

Firstly I would like to thank those people that have commissioned me to either sew for their dolls, or do dolly makeovers for them in the last year.  My list has been (and still is)   incredibly long and sometimes the wait has been as much as 8 months....I hope that people have felt the wait was worth it!  I wish that I could work quicker but sometimes 'real life' just gets in the way.  Some people have said to me that perhaps I should close my commissions list when I reach a certain number of names, or maybe limit the number of outfits that a person can order at any one time, but to be honest, when a person has waited months to reach the top of my list, to then tell them that they can only have 'x' number of items seems a bit mean.  However I am constantly trying to think of ways to shorten the wait time, so maybe in time I will come up with an idea that works better for everyone.  Anyway, thank you so much for your patience and continued interest in my work.

On the dolly front I've had a fair few 'ins and outs' this year!  Several of my dolls moved on to new homes, and I got my BJD numbers right down, however, my interest in BJDs was piqued again with the arrival of Reira by Atelier Momoni, a lovely doll sculpted by the Spanish artist Lola Palacios. 

Although Reira had the cutest face, and her quality was excellent,  her more mature body wasn't for me and a couple of months ago she went to live in France with a new mum.  However, I received my lovely tanned Fairyland Ante in June for my birthday and am very very pleased with her.  She took a while to find a name and a wig that suited her, but now she is just perfect!

 And next came little Valentine, my tanned Secretdoll Person #21.  She came to live her from her previous home in France, and has settled in well.  She's a grumpy little thing but I just love how expressive her face is!

The last edition to my BJD family in 2015 was Bordie, an Iplehouse BID Brody in 'special real skin'...Brodie has proved to be a hit with many people and several people have ordered one like her for themselves!!!  Here is my girl wearing a wig I made for her.

I do have one more BJD on her way to me as I type but I won't give any details of her until she arrives safely and settles in!!

I added four Sasha's to my dolly family this year too.  Well in theory I suppose we could say 5,  but because the No Navel I bought wasn't for me, I traded her and she went to live with Jenni in Wales, whilst Teddy, a Goetz Toddler Erik, came to live here in March.  He is such a cutie and fits right in with the other Sasha kids!

The very same month, having moaned that babies just weren't for me, I took the plunge and bought a Brunette early 70's baby from Ebay.  She is very cute but seriously neglected here, and may be looking for a new home in a few weeks.  It's such a shame because she's really in great condition with matt face and non falling hair, but I will repeat it again, babies just aren't for me!!!!

In April I spotted this lovely 1969 blond Sasha on Shelly's website and fell in love with her beautiful face, so brought her home to live with me.  Her hair was a little bit dry on the ends so I decided to cut it into a long bob, and named her Skye.  Here she is on the beach, she takes after me and is never happier than when she's near the sea!

And finally this year I added a Cora to my Sasha family.  She is lovely but I'm ashamed to say that so far I've hardly done a thing with her since she arrived here in May.  I will try to rectify that this year!  Here she is with Teddy, he absolutely adores her!

I've had several new additions to my Little Darlings family this year .... I started the year with Ellie, my first Little Darling, going back to Dianna Effner to have her eyes repainted....she had a bit of a journey back and finally arrived home again some three and a half months after she left!  It was a stressful and worrying time for me, especially having to deal with Spanish customs who wanted to charge me for importing her back into the country, but I stood my ground and in the end, having held her for some 6 weeks, they finally only charged me the admin fees!  (Funny that because it was me doing all the 'admin' work, but there you go!)  So Ellie got newly painted eyes and it was lovely to have her home again!

Here she is on her 'homecoming day', the other girls threw a party for her!

In April, a long standing dolly friend of mine in the US, contacted me to ask if I were interested in adopting her Little Darling, Zoe, a #2 sculpt, hand painted by Dianna.  I immediately said yes as the price was right and she is a lovely girl.  I named her Gem!

Later on in the year, September to be exact, my order with the LD artist Nelly Valentino, placed on the 4th January, was ready.  The 'twins' as they so became, arrived home.  I hadn't intended to make them twins, in fact I'd actually thought I might sell one of them, but twins they became and I fell in love with them both!!!

Nikola on the left and Antonia on the right:

This brought my Little Darlings numbers up to 6, with one still on order with Lana Dobbs!!  And I only intended having the one!!!

In the meantime I also brought home a sweet little Boneka Tuesday's Child, from a doll shop in France.  Also designed by Dianna Effner, Daniela makes the perfect younger sibling for two of my Little Darlings, Finn and Reece.

Not long before Christmas I was lucky enough to adopt a second Boneka Tuesday's Child from a doll shop in the US.  My dear friend Jan in the US, got her for me and  I will introduce her here on my blog very soon!

I also adopted some vinyl 'play dolls' this year, a couple came from here in Spain, one from the secondhand market in Fuengirola, a soft bodied girl by Zapf Creations, with vinyl limbs who has yet to have anything done to her, not even an outfit!  I don't actually like soft bodied dolls as a rule, but just thought she had a cute face and knees, yes you read that correctly, her knees were so cute as you'll see below!!!

The plaster/band aid, is actually printed on to the vinyl, but looks very realistic!

This next girl came from a local toy shop, she's about 18 inches tall and is made here in Spain by the Antonio Juan company.  I bought her to customise, but she's so nice that I haven't done anything but cut her middle parting into a fringe.

Whilst in England in October, I collected some dolls from my mum's house that I'd bought previously from UK sellers.  The first was a lovely Finouche Alice by Sylvia Natterer, which came from My Doll Best Friend.  I wasn't sure about her at first but when I brought her home and photographed her in natural light, I really saw the loveliness of this doll sculpt:

And from a seller on Ebay UK, an almost new in box Goetz Happy Kidz Emily, who is such a little cutie!  And having recently hot glue sueded her joints, I'm even more happy with her!

 I brought this little Natterer home from Ebay Germany, but she is very very unsteady on her limbs so is currently in pieces waiting for me to restring her.  I just need to get the right elastic and hopefully she'll be all back together again soon!  She is a Goetz Finouche from 1989.

I'm sure I've missed someone but never mind, having counted them all up.....I think this is enough of a revelation as it is!!!!  It's amazing how, when spreading the dolly purchases out over the year, it doesn't seem like hardly any at all, but when you lump them all together in one blog post.....well, it's a bit of an 'OOooops!  How did THAT happen!' sort of moment, isn't it!!!! 

Dolls aside, I'm sure that 2016 will be a great year!  My lovely son Brendan will be marrying his gorgeous Spanish fiance, Virginia, on 3rd September and they'll be having their wedding here in Spain.  Soon I will be starting the search for my outfit!  Wish me luck on that!

On that note I'm going to sign off for  now but want to say thank you once again to everyone who takes the time to stop by and read my blog.  I hope that everyone had a lovely, lovely Christmas and that the New Year will bring you everything you would wish for yourselves, but especially good health and happiness!

Here's to the next dolly year!!!!