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

The Best Christmas pageant EVER..Begins..Part l

 Barbietown's Best Christmas Pageant EVER! has begun. Fortunately for us, Mrs. Greene has kept her sanity in the midst of intense rehearsals. However, like the perfectionist she is, she could not resist adding a few 'touches' here and there to the pageant festivities...so that is why this will be part l of the pageant. Miss Charlotte's kindergarden class is performing in costume and decided to sing 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing'....but first, let's have a look at the crowd who has assembled for the first part of the Pageant.

This is certainly a better crowd than the church expected! Mrs. Greene was thrilled and posed for us with a tired smile on her face while listening to the little angels sing. Even the Baroness was there!

The little ones, all decked out in santa outfits, soldier suits, and dressed as a christmas tree and a gingerbread girl, sang their hearts out in front of the small tree. (you cannot tell but the trees have lights on them, lit.) It was a good thing the audience wanted to hear more, as the cast of the Nativity scene to come was having some mishaps...

 

It appears Baby Steven who is to be the main character, was having a diaper change backstage, and a couple of the Wise Men are caught in traffic...luckily, the kindergarden class is holding the audience's interest for Part l.

 

Some more shots of the audience...Since nothing was left but standing room only, Natalie decided to sit from her car and listen to the music and singing, spell bound.

Let's see what's going on in Barbietown....for those dolls who didn't plan on attending the pageant !

 

It appears some of the ladies have decided to go shopping for their heart's desire at the boutique...Silver & Gold, Silver & Gold...remember that song?

 

 

After a long day at the school working as both principle and librarian, Mr. Giles stops by the bakery for a cup of coffee and a donut. He doesn't notice that the shop keeper at the counter was closing...

 

 

Santa, collecting for the Salvation Army, stops Prince William and congratulates him & his lovely wife, the Duchess, on their good news of the Duchess expecting! (Shhh..Prince William and his wife, Kate have stolen away from the hysteria to be alone in a small vacation spot on the Baroness' estate...)

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And so, that is the end of Part l on the Pageant. The three new kindergardeners are the Christmas Chelseas from Target that I purchased today-- they were $4.74 instead of 4.99, saved a few cents but I really needed them. Also, Barbie Basics items are on sale as well-at $7.84! I felt a little guilty spending this after just spending some more money on Ebay to bring home a doll who will be 'Pa' Ingalls for my LHOTP dioramas as well as an actual Johnny West wagon...I know Ebay loves me!

I plan to --note the word- plan here-- plan to sew the other two Wise Men costumes so the Pageant can be performed, On the target date- Christmas Eve, if at all possible. Around here, Holidays are never set in stone so that may be dooming myself....lol...Remember meeting S.I.S. Darren in our first blog post about the pageant? Well I hope to work on his costume first. This gives me an excellent excuse for de-boxing Johnny Depp out of that pirate outfit and box!

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Oh and Happy Friday! By the way, if any of you believe the world is still supposed to end, and you collect Barbie- or Jason Wu Fashion Royalty, please feel free to deposit your dolls, props, OOAK dolls, Holy Grail dolls, to me for safe keeping....I will have plenty of room to keep them safe..wink...wink..

 

 

~Lisa

 

Was Mini Molly, now Mini Laura Ingalls...

Mini American girl doll Molly arrived, just in time to be customized into Mini Laura Ingalls! I purchased Mini Molly from a great Ebay seller Grandeagleretail  that came with free shipping. At this time I do not think he has any more mini Molly's left- it is an ebay book store. Mini Molly no matter how much I searched, was pretty pricey, more pricey than american girl and amazon. I got her with free shipping from this ebay retailer, and shipping was fast. Here is Mini Molly with her cute sweater and glasses-

 

Here she is as mini Laura Ingalls-

 

 

I have shown here Mini Kirsten- aka Mini Mary Ingalls with her braids let down so they are long. I will find some pink ribbon in my stash and tie on her blue ribbons, since Mary always wore blue, Laura wore pink or red. When I was originally creating Laura's dress, I was going to recreate the new dress Laura gets when Pa comes home, and takes everyone to the store and Mary and Laura get new cloth for new dresses- their Sunday best. I misread the passage describing the dress Laura had as a golden brown flannel...??? and mistakenly when I was doing shopping today, purchased brown fabric. (the fabrics were the quilt block scrap blocks from the craft section at Walmart- the gingham is perfect scale!!! they had several shades of gingham in this scale, red, black, pink, blue- all came home with me and they are tied with a cream ribbon- I was amazed.) The buttons came from a package from walmart, as well but were already in my stash, as was the burgundy red ribbon which matched the brown great.
Laura's apron is from another mini kirsten outfit that was a knockoff from that Hong Kong seller on ebay- I had the mini boots with it as well as the socks, but they are somewhere in my stash of fashion doll clothing. More than likely I will next purchase Mini Addy and turn her into a modern big sister for little Julian (S.I.S. Kid) and steal her outfit for mini Laura.

The sunbonnet was so easy to make! and fun. I will probably make one in pink gingham for mini Mary. I am currently attempting to figure out what scenes to replicate first since I have just these two. After seeing mini Laura in her dress and sunbonnet, it is easy for me to imagine her playing in the creek, letting her sunbonnet slide back off her head, and playing in the creek and walking to school with Mary. One scene in the book 'On the Banks of Plum Creek' I have wanted to recreate in scale is when they are sitting in the church at Christmas and Laura and Mary see a Christmas tree for the first time...it sounds like such a magical time. Part of the fun for me is figuring out what props are needed and if I can make, create, them and so on. I would love to do a one room schoolhouse in this scale! The possibilities!

Hopefully soon, Pa Ingalls will soon be on his way home, I have found the doll that will play him as well. Enjoy the pictures!~Lisa

Mini Kirsten has arrived!

Yesterday Mini Kirsten has arrived, and she is just adorable. I am still waiting on Mini Molly's arrival, but in the meantime, 'Ma' Ingalls set Kirsten (who will also be known as Mary Ingalls) to work on cranking her turn at the cream seperator. Ma is rushing about getting ready to go to town, and there is just a little more of this chore to be done before they go to town.

The scenes are beginning to pull together really well. Kirsten is so adorable I haven't had the heart to take her braids down so they lay straight. The characters of Little House are really starting to pull together, I am really pleased with it. I am still trying to get Pa Ingalls home too, so when Mini Molly gets here it will really begin to pull together.
Enjoy!

Sunbonnets, aprons, & Barbie Body Swapping...

.....is an odd title for a blog post, but not if you are doll collector who hates non articulated barbie dolls.
I had some odd pieces of time yesterday and this evening, so I completed an apron and a matching sunbonnet for Caroline Ingalls.
Caroline started life as Mrs. Albee Avon Barbie I won on Ebay- I blogged about her a few weeks ago, her outfit was simply incredible, she was in her box. But she had the perfect face sculpt for what Ithought Caroline Ingalls- Laura Ingalls' mother, should look like. When I got around to it I body swapped her for Frank Sinatra Barbie's pivatol body.

 

Here they are swapped on their respective bodies. I took the outfit I had made Fashion Royalty Vanessa and was pleased it fit the pivatol body better, much better! Yeah, me- as I was kind of dreading trying to figure out another outfit to make for Caroline, and this looked subdued or prairie enough yet still in the style of the 1870's as a simple farmwife might have worn it, without the ruffles, bows, and lace, work clothing if you will. Frank Sinatra barbie is on the right, with the Mrs. Albee gown on. I am thinking she might make a good Mrs. Olsen- yes I will be doing the Olsen family as well for the Victorian dioramas. What can I say, my Barbie world may be encompassing Scarlett, Rhett, and Bonnie Butler as well- after the war...lol...I love the Barbies Mattel did for the gowns of Scarlett O'Hara, and I have all four of them. I think they were referred to as Timeless Treasures, not sure, but the workmanship on them was quite good.

But now for the pics of Caroline's work apron and sunbonnet.

 

 

Caroline's sunbonnet is stiffened in front with a thing piece of cardstock/board that I cut from the top of the box the tea bags come from, and then sewed inside. Sunbonnets are pretty easy to make, use your doll's head as a pattern, then gather. I used thin silk ribbon to make the ties on her bonnet. I thought this outfit came out rather nice, before I start on her shawl, which I am looking for some cloth that would be warm, as I would like to replicate the Ingalls family going to church on Christmas in On the Banks of Plum Creek as well as going to school, church, etc. The descriptions of the new dresses Mary and Laura are quite specific, down to the little furs Laura received. I have shown Caroline her holding Baby Carrie, (baby sweets from teh Sunshine family- this doll stands in as so many infants!) but I will need a small Kelly doll with braids for Carrie for by this time she was walking toddler.

American Girl Mini Dolls Kirsten and mini Molly are on their way, so the last ones to get are Pa Ingalls- who is going to be expensive as the type of doll I want/need has to be specific. I already have his famous 'fiddle'- the violin & bow from the Barbie 'I can be dress pack. I figured while I wait for the mini dolls to arrive to decide what clothes I would like to replicate and practice, such as creating sunbonnets, etc. Kirsten's dress will be ok for Mary, I would like to make Laura a nice dress but am undecided on what material to use. So right now, am concentrating on Caroline's wardrobe, as the two girls will need more outfits.

I am enjoying replicating this , one of my favorite childhood authors, and her family from the Little House books...I still read them today- and have read them more closely on the descriptions of the clothing and descriptions of the town and the homes, as I want to replicate it as closely as possible, but will of course, be taking liberties for my own storyline in the decor of the house and school.

More later- Lisa

 

Walmart.com online sale on Mini American girl dolls!

I don't often post on sales or deals I find, but I had to on this one. For a long time, I have wanted to buy at least three mini American Girl dolls- mini Molly, mini Kirsten and mini Nellie. However, prices at the Amerian Girl site were $24 + 4.95 shipping! That comes out to about almost $30 for one 6 inch doll! As I am basically thrifty and purchased some of these dolls on ebay, I searched there but the prices are just a few dollars lower. However, I found a great sale at Walmart online!

Here is the link to the mini dolls- click HERE  to go directly to the mini dolls available on walmart.com

They currently have mini Marie Grace, Mini Cecile, Mini Ivy, Mini Julie, and mini Caroline as well as Mini Emily. I purchased Kirsten from here but do not see her now. They start at $14.00!!!! I ended up paying 1.97 shipping plus tax which brought the total to $16.67 which is a much better deal than anything I have found. (Just to be fair, Amazon.com has deals on these dolls as well, however, the ones I wanted were not at the deal price- but with Amazon they run 16.31 and if you order $25 or more you get free shipping. So I would have eventually ordered from there, but they did not have the dolls I needed. )

I decided to write this post when I saw Vanessa's post on her American Girl store visit on her Blog and thought this would be pertinent as they are dolls, and there are deals on them. We all love dolls and sales and deals, right? lol.

Below is the doll I purchased- Mini Kirsten. All of the mini dolls come with a little book, telling their story.

Here is the Mini dolls  link on the AmericanGirl.com website if you would like to look at the characters offered.

Mini Kirsten is on her way, and I will take pictures when she arrives. I am waiting to get a little ahead before I order mini Molly, as she seems to be a little pricey right now.
Enjoy!~Lisa