Pa tosses Laura into the air...

I have not done much with the dolls for a couple of days, have been so busy. But this afternoon I did some posing with Pa Ingalls and I'm amazed at how well he can pose and hold a mini american girl doll too! I had read of how Laura wrote that when she was small, Pa would toss her into the air, laughing. Here are a few pics of this , with Ma and Mary looking on...

Enjoy the pics!~Lisa

New family- The Ingalls family!

 

The Ingalls family is almost complete- Pa Ingalls finally arrived. I was really pleased with him. He arrived yesterday, but I had so much to do that I didn't have time for pics until today.

 

Pa Ingalls was won off of Ebay. I finally decided ona 1999 Harley Ken and found this one, with a Rhett Butler doll 'Gentleman' suit on, and couldn't resist. He came like this, but also with the dress shoes, socks and frock coat and white hat that matches this outfit. I decided to leave Pa in it, as this could be his summer Sunday outfit. His fiddle and bow are from the Barbie I can be...fashion pack.

There is a Johnny West buckboard wagon that hopefully will be arriving soon that also has an outfit or two with it. I will be getting more western clothing for Pa soon, but thought you would enjoy the pics. I already have created a Little House on the Prairie cast of Characters album on my Flicker, so be sure to check it out.

Here is Pa playing the fiddle for the family - imagine this is the house in the book from 'On the Banks of Plum Creek'.

 

I only have toddler Grace to create, as well as young Carrie who was small but walking from On the Banks of Plum Creek- she is on the way- Victorian Kelly from Ebay. So more updated pictures later when she arrives!
~Lisa

My Christmas dolls- Mattel Jane & Michael

My Victorian 1:6 scale community is growing! Today was the day I opened my Jane & Michael doll set from the Mary Poppins series, that I found this past Saturday- still in the box! I adore them and wish Mattel made more dolls like this. The detail on their clothing and accessories, especially their shoes, is great. Here are some pics of them together:

 

A quick pic of them on the dining room table. I simply love their outfits! This has decided me to get the Mary Poppins and the Dick Van Dyke doll as well.

My Victorians are growing! Jane and Michael go wonderfully well with the 2nd edition Mrs. Albee I had also found at the flea market booth, as well as my other two Victorian ladies.

 

The little victorian carriage is from my Rosebud doll set I have had since I was a child- I have the crib and high chair somewhere, but cannot remember where they were stored. I still have the two rosebud dolls, so perhaps will put one of them in their infant gown in the carriage. The carriage is not tall enough for Barbie, but looks good.

So this is a short post for today. I would like to do a scene in Barbietown where the ladiees are promenading on the sidewalk in front of the shops and it is made to look like Barbietown 100 years ago...that is another project. Jane and Michael are just a tad taller than mini Mary and Mini Laura, and will work well.

Short post today, but Merry Christmas!

~Lisa

 

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever..Part ll

I finally got around to taking the rest of the pics and managed to finish Darren's costume. However, we are still short another Wise Man- Officer Mike is waiting to be fitted for that costume. But the show must go on! So I will probably end up finishing his costume and packing it away for next year. I have had a very busy last 24-36 hours- Don't ask! but decided the dolls must have their schedules adhered to!lol....So here is Part ll of the Best Christmas Pageant EVER....

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The cast of the Nativity pageant have silently taken their places, and the lights are dimmed. Some of the lambs the shepherds are holding bah complacently (they were bottle fed before the performance) and the donkey brays now and then. Darren as one of the Wise Men, moves forward, kneels and presents one of the gifts to Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus...music begins to play in the background.

Behind Darren, Miss Charlotte's kindgergarden class, adorably dressed like elves, toy soldiers, Christmas trees and gingerbread men, begin to sing Silent Night. Miss Charlotte and Mrs. Greene quietly direct the children in their singing. The Audience is spellbound, sitting in the cold air, and hearing the children's voices raised in song. Soon, they begin to join in the singing as well.

Many people have standing room since all of the seats have been taken, but no one minds, not even the Baroness Von Weiss, who has also come to see the Nativity pageant. All the dolls in Barbietown have come together, to remember the real reason for the season, Christ's birth.

Santa Claus has even stopped off after a full day of collecting donations for the Salvation Army, and stopped by to wait for the pageant to be over so he can let the children tell him on Christmas eve what they want for Christmas. Above is a full shot from the back of the audience to the stage. This makes a wonderful end of Christmas Eve, and a great beginning for the day tomorrow full of food, lots of family time, and opening of the Christmas presents, and going to church.

Meanwhile, back at the Mansion, the Baroness' guests and family are putting last minute touches on the tree in anticipation of the wonderful Christmas supper and party she is having. Agnes's cousin, Lady Agatha directs the men hanging the ornaments at the top and her cousin who is in her santa Christmas pj's hanging the ornaments on the bottom of the tree. Her cute Scottish terrier she brought with her, Angus, wags his tail eagerly for a treat.

From all the residents of Barbietown, and myself, have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!         ~~Lisa

Christmas is almost here...

Just like the title says, Christmas is almost here!--and almost gone! Today was Sunday, and I spent most of last night cleaning china, polishing the silver, and doing the last minute preparations for the family dinner today. With all of the work schedules that are so hectic, when the holidays fall on weekdays it doesn't necessarily mean we get the day off- Chris and my dad sometimes have emergency calls (when people lose heat) so work comes first. Luckily we have had no calls so far, and had a nice quiet day, with lots of good food, and then opening of presents.

Still haven't had time to post the pics of the rest of the Christmas pageant part ll. But hopefully, I will have some of it up tomorrow or on Christmas day.

Here are some past photos that I am posting here, just in case you missed them.

These are some earlier photos I took when getting the trees ready in the dollhouse for Christmas. It is hard for me to believe, since time has flew, that Christmas will be here in two short days. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

I would like to thank all of the followers of the blog and the building progress of the dollhouse, I love checking the posts and the comments and seeing how everyone enjoys the blog and the dolls.

Sincerely, Lisa

Merry Christmas to me...

Today was an unusual day...simply because it is Saturday, and Christmas this year is on a Tuesday or weekday. Today my husband Chris wanted to do something 'different' and he suggested we go to the local indoor flea market. It seemed like a great idea, instead of sitting about the house, so off we went!
The flea market is in Ladysmith, Va and is called the Va. Bazaar. It has people outside and also regular vendors inside who sell food, antiques, sports items, clothing, you name it. There is a lady who has been there for years and I can find all of the hard to find Barbies at her booth. Today I found the 2nd edition of Mrs. Albee Avon Barbie out of the box. She was only $15, and very lovely.

The only thing that upset me later when I looked at her closely was one of her shoes is missing. I do not know if it fell off when the lady put her in the bag, or it was never on her. I did not know her stand didn't come with her until I got her home and saw she was not on the stand and also missing a shoe. I love the facial expression on her though, so it may be possible to find a shoe replacement. I am as you can tell, collecting the Victorian styled/era Barbies I can find, as I would like to do a scene with a ladies' social for the Little House on the Prairie books scenes- such as the dime social that Laura goes to in Little Town on the Prairie later...But all in all, I am ok with the doll. Her dress is very lovely and this just might be my grown up Laura later on if I decide to put the head on another body.
But the REAL find from this ladys booth was the Jane & Michael set from the Mary Poppins series that was in 2008-2009??? I missed out on this and the Mary Poppins and the Dick Van Dyke doll. (Still kicking myself, by the way...lol) She had them for $29 in their box!

Hubby had not yet shopped for a gift that he knew I wanted- it is next to impossible for him to keep up with dolly want list!! lol...so he said go ahead and get it, that will be from me. Right now they are under the tree and haven't been wrapped. These two will be wonderful with Mini Laura and Mini Mary. Did I say I also wanted to do a one room schoolhouse as well??lol....they are adorable dolls.
So after going to the Va. Bazaar, we drove back and decided to make a short cut at the old antique store we both like, Squash-A-Penny. It is in the middle of old downtown Doswell, right next to the train tracks. The store is situated in what used to probably be the old general store near the old hotel, as well as the old brick bank (now an antique store as well.) Very historic.
Here is hubby Chris walking in.

You cannot see it, but to the left of the picture is the railroad tracks. This was either the general store or part of the depot where you waited for the train. To the right of the picture is a huge old house that was originally the hotel.

 

 

The 'Shadow' knows- that's me taking a picture of this sign...at least they are honest- no bathroom or privy around here or around back! Just more antiques! This place has every type of hard to find vintage antique store fixture, you name it, yard art, and more. And their prices are reasonable I was hoping to find some props for the dolls, but nope nothing that would work for Barbietown. However, I made out like a bandit at the Va. Bazaar, so I'm not complaining..
Afterwards, on the way back- Squash a Penny is just a few miles off the road in front of Kings Dominion, so we were on our way back to Ashland and stopped for lunch at our favorite Mexican restuarant, El Azteca. Then onto home to do cleanup for entertaining the family tomorrow, and to start the polishing of the silver, washing some of the crystal and china, setting the table, etc. I love planning the holiday menu and this one is and fun to cook for. We had stopped by the Russel Stover candy outlet near the Va. Bazaar and picked up saltwater taffy and alot of chocolates for everyone...the factory has a small outlet store and you can get the chocolates cheaper buying directly from them.
So hoping everyone has a Merry Christmas, and Part ll of the Christmas pageant should be appearing either tomorrow or Christmas eve.
~Lisa