I was looking back over my blog posts this year and thought I would do a review of the year 2015 like Vanessa did in her blog post 2015 in Review . It gives you a time to reflect on accomplishments, things that need improvement and what you would like to do for the upcoming year.
First, as far as the dolls- I did not have a limit on buying dolls- I buy what I love, the only thing that really limits me is my budget, which is very limited, LOL. I've often told my husband when looking at the extravagant dollies I lust after it is a good thing he is not a millionaire or I would be buying dollies like Demi Moore.
On that note, 2015 was a year of many what I call 'Challenges' . I challenged myself in many areas, my personal life, my doll collecting, diorama building,work, my health and wellness, as well as re-organizing my household to better suit my and my husband's lifestyle.
1- De-clutter. The beginning of the year I donated, sold at yard sales, and took to an auction house a great deal of needless items to make room in our home so we could begin the massive job of getting our home ready for repairs and refurbishing that we have wanted to do. It is still on going, day by day, job that I do. Hopefully I will get a larger doll display room out of this massive project. This is a continuation going into 2016.
2. Dolls. I am more and more getting into the Hot Toys, Star Ace , Dragon, and other action figures and the realistic head sculpts and bodies that are offered out there and plan to explore and enlarge my collection. I am already working on a custom Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory show as I have purchased a head off of Ebay and I did a custom Amy to go with him. My tastes are widening from Fashion dolls into the action figures and the stories that I love to read, such as Harry Potter,Dr.Who and so on. There are several dioramas that I want to expand into for 2016.
3. Dioramas.
One of the 'Challenges' I did for myself was to do builds solely for my own pleasure and the Gothic Mansion and the Gingerbread Candy workshop are two ongoing dioramas that I have been working on in that scope. I never thought I could do something this large. Some pain in my left arm and shoulder has hindered work on that diorama when I had planned to have it finished for Christmas. I just couldn't finish it as my hands were too swollen or useless to cut the foamboard.
This is where my dioramas have gone from 'dioramas' to what I now am beginning to consider miniature set building for stop motion photography and how it is used. The challenge this year of building to the camera really excited me and the Gothic mansion is and was a test of building to the camera angles. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it failed.
4. Health and Wellness
2014 I was really serious about this and I carried it over into 2015 and succeeded in losing a total of 27 pounds so far. I still have a long ways to go to my overall goal I made with my trainer in 2014. When you have weight on you it hinders you greatly and when you start working out, even just walking, which works best for me, you never know how much good it does until you start. It relieves all of the stress, anxiety and helps release the creativity if you're an artist. That is why I love walking outside versus inside a gym, though I do like going to the gym too.
Part of the health and wellness is also- learning to say no. For me, that will be saying no to over-extending myself to charitable organizations, committees, etc. who always need a 'helping hand' and call me. I have decided for the good of myself, it is time to say no to those organizations for a change and devote my time either to the business, or to my own interests, and art. It is hard to devote yourself to focusing on art or anything if you're racing about town to meeting.
Toxic people.
This falls into the health and wellness. You know the types. Moochers, people who argue, cause drama, and the list goes on.
5. Expanding...
I plan for 2016 to expand my horizons to try new things and not to do things so 'traditional' . Try new foods, new ways of doing things, if they are practical, new techniques in art, sculpting, etc. as well as attempting to learning to sew more, possibly even learning to weld, if I can get my husband to teach me. I am also going to look into felting too, as I still have the supplies.
6. Writing...
Here is where I fall short. I would like to start writing more again, especially stories for the dolls and then enacting them, as it would make the set building come to life. Maybe start with short stories , scripts , plays and go from there. I have one that I need to edit but I need to work on the props and scenes. I would eventually love to do a photobook using miniatures, dolls and props.
7. Photography
I am going to research more into stop motion photography and and film making as this subject really fascinates me and how to use dolls in it. I have tried it before but I never have enough time to really do it in depth. I also need to see if I need better equipment, cameras, etc. So that is on my list for 2016 this year too.
8. Design
I had some fun doing a one of a kind doll, Steampunk Butterfly and want to do more one of kind dolls later on in the year. I have another one on the drawing board, I just need to get the materials together for her and her costume together. I actually have alot of ideas for OOAK dolls to do, but not enough time to them!
So that is a long list, and 2016 is going to be a year of what I refer to as
'Expansion'....expanding my mind, my creativity, my artwork, my diorama techniques, to infinity and beyond! as Buzz Lightyear would say. Spreading my wings artistically without having to do it for a living. Though I miss my King William Miniatures website and Pumpkin Hill Studios eBay store , it was a good thing to close it. Being able to focus on solely creating for the sake of it is invigorating and not a 'time to make the donuts' type of deal which I felt like I had fallen into. Also, learning my husband's commercial boiler industry also is stretching my wings in another mental direction which I actually enjoy on the business aspect as well.
Thank you all for reading the blog and being so interested in the things I do here! I hope to really accomplish alot in the coming year. I hope you have a Happy New Year!~Lisa
First, as far as the dolls- I did not have a limit on buying dolls- I buy what I love, the only thing that really limits me is my budget, which is very limited, LOL. I've often told my husband when looking at the extravagant dollies I lust after it is a good thing he is not a millionaire or I would be buying dollies like Demi Moore.
On that note, 2015 was a year of many what I call 'Challenges' . I challenged myself in many areas, my personal life, my doll collecting, diorama building,work, my health and wellness, as well as re-organizing my household to better suit my and my husband's lifestyle.
1- De-clutter. The beginning of the year I donated, sold at yard sales, and took to an auction house a great deal of needless items to make room in our home so we could begin the massive job of getting our home ready for repairs and refurbishing that we have wanted to do. It is still on going, day by day, job that I do. Hopefully I will get a larger doll display room out of this massive project. This is a continuation going into 2016.
2. Dolls. I am more and more getting into the Hot Toys, Star Ace , Dragon, and other action figures and the realistic head sculpts and bodies that are offered out there and plan to explore and enlarge my collection. I am already working on a custom Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory show as I have purchased a head off of Ebay and I did a custom Amy to go with him. My tastes are widening from Fashion dolls into the action figures and the stories that I love to read, such as Harry Potter,Dr.Who and so on. There are several dioramas that I want to expand into for 2016.
3. Dioramas.
One of the 'Challenges' I did for myself was to do builds solely for my own pleasure and the Gothic Mansion and the Gingerbread Candy workshop are two ongoing dioramas that I have been working on in that scope. I never thought I could do something this large. Some pain in my left arm and shoulder has hindered work on that diorama when I had planned to have it finished for Christmas. I just couldn't finish it as my hands were too swollen or useless to cut the foamboard.
This is where my dioramas have gone from 'dioramas' to what I now am beginning to consider miniature set building for stop motion photography and how it is used. The challenge this year of building to the camera really excited me and the Gothic mansion is and was a test of building to the camera angles. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it failed.
4. Health and Wellness
2014 I was really serious about this and I carried it over into 2015 and succeeded in losing a total of 27 pounds so far. I still have a long ways to go to my overall goal I made with my trainer in 2014. When you have weight on you it hinders you greatly and when you start working out, even just walking, which works best for me, you never know how much good it does until you start. It relieves all of the stress, anxiety and helps release the creativity if you're an artist. That is why I love walking outside versus inside a gym, though I do like going to the gym too.
Part of the health and wellness is also- learning to say no. For me, that will be saying no to over-extending myself to charitable organizations, committees, etc. who always need a 'helping hand' and call me. I have decided for the good of myself, it is time to say no to those organizations for a change and devote my time either to the business, or to my own interests, and art. It is hard to devote yourself to focusing on art or anything if you're racing about town to meeting.
Toxic people.
This falls into the health and wellness. You know the types. Moochers, people who argue, cause drama, and the list goes on.
5. Expanding...
I plan for 2016 to expand my horizons to try new things and not to do things so 'traditional' . Try new foods, new ways of doing things, if they are practical, new techniques in art, sculpting, etc. as well as attempting to learning to sew more, possibly even learning to weld, if I can get my husband to teach me. I am also going to look into felting too, as I still have the supplies.
6. Writing...
Here is where I fall short. I would like to start writing more again, especially stories for the dolls and then enacting them, as it would make the set building come to life. Maybe start with short stories , scripts , plays and go from there. I have one that I need to edit but I need to work on the props and scenes. I would eventually love to do a photobook using miniatures, dolls and props.
7. Photography
I am going to research more into stop motion photography and and film making as this subject really fascinates me and how to use dolls in it. I have tried it before but I never have enough time to really do it in depth. I also need to see if I need better equipment, cameras, etc. So that is on my list for 2016 this year too.
8. Design
I had some fun doing a one of a kind doll, Steampunk Butterfly and want to do more one of kind dolls later on in the year. I have another one on the drawing board, I just need to get the materials together for her and her costume together. I actually have alot of ideas for OOAK dolls to do, but not enough time to them!
So that is a long list, and 2016 is going to be a year of what I refer to as
'Expansion'....expanding my mind, my creativity, my artwork, my diorama techniques, to infinity and beyond! as Buzz Lightyear would say. Spreading my wings artistically without having to do it for a living. Though I miss my King William Miniatures website and Pumpkin Hill Studios eBay store , it was a good thing to close it. Being able to focus on solely creating for the sake of it is invigorating and not a 'time to make the donuts' type of deal which I felt like I had fallen into. Also, learning my husband's commercial boiler industry also is stretching my wings in another mental direction which I actually enjoy on the business aspect as well.
Thank you all for reading the blog and being so interested in the things I do here! I hope to really accomplish alot in the coming year. I hope you have a Happy New Year!~Lisa
5 comments:
What wonderful goals you have made for the new year. It's also so nice to take a look back and see all the wonderful things we have accomplished (as I try to only focus on the positives!) That is wonderful about your 27lb weight loss. An amazing acomplishment. :) I've enjoyed discovering your blog this year and look forward to the new year as well!
"Expansion" is a great theme! Your miniature sets are always so impressive.
I guess it's time to think about 2016 goals, though mine will be nowhere near as ambitious as yours.
Well Farrah, the weight loss is not as remarkable, (actually remarkable for me, that is) when it is about maybe a 1 1/2 loss per month at the estimate I calculate with setbacks over a 18 or 20 month period. That is a rough estimate, maybe 2 lbs a month. At one point in the summer I was up to walking 2-3 miles every other day, then some days I didn't. Sometimes circumstances interfered totally with my exercise regime. And I didn't eat correctly. So part of my goals this year is to try to get the distractions out of the way so I can get back to focusing on my exercise as first things first. Like you, I try to focus on thepositives- for instance, I tried to start running, but it was extremely hard for me with my weight,even with the app on my phone I used- the C25K app helps you to gradually do it. It was helpful but I enjoyed the walking much much more.
Smaller places, thank you.
As for my goals, they are ambitious, and I'm hoping to make them 'Expansive' to stretch my wings so to speak. Try new things, new techniques with the hobby. After all, this is for my enjoyment and my own creative outlet. And I enjoy the challenge, when I do not have a challenge in my hobbies I get bored. The wonderful thing with 1:6 scale is it is never boring as an art form.
A great post! You put so much effort in your dioramas and crafts and I for one appreciate your 2015 efforts and look forward to what you'll be up to in 2016.
I hear you about the weight loss. I've been trying since 2012 to lose weight and it's just up and down, up and down. If only I could resist potato chips and popcorn or at least stick to a reasonable portion size.
OH tell me about it. Potato chips and DIP are my biggest weakness Muff! and popcorn. and spinach dip, lol. Spinach dip is easier to resist than onion dip, lol. It is an uphill battle walking as much as I want to as well. But I hear you. I love walking outside, taking a little bag with me and my camera, and a doll so I can take pics as a reward when I walk. Then I feel like I'm getting something for all that exercise! lol.
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