Joyful in Japan Poppy Parker- 3 day auction

I am parting with my Joyful in Japan Poppy Parker in a 3 day Ebay auction. 

Joyful in Japan Poppy Parker Doll on Ebay

Joyful in Japan is one of the dolls it breaks my heart to part with, but she must go on the auction block to help pay down the medical bills from when I was sick in April, May and June. That is why I have been selling so many of my dolls lately and been such a party pooper on my blog with non-diorama posts about boring things like selling. Though I have made a dent in the expenses and have played catch up, it is only a scratch in the surface. Hopefully there will be more lovely dolls to take her place and she will find a home with someone who loves her as much as I do. 

Lisa 

My take...Sheath Sensation...

I finished a wonderful strapless sheath from the pattern 'Sheath Sensation' by
Marirose Designs . This pattern has a wonderful free photo tutorial HERE I purchased this through her Etsy shop for $8 with an instant download and it is quite easy with her photo tutorial. This artist had a couple of her patterns in the first revitalized Barbie magazine revitalized in 2007 but was discontinued. She does wonderful updated versions of the vintage patterns. 

I left off the straps and pockets on this dress. Mainly I needed to work on bodice assembly and I didn't want anything to distract me while I was learning. I found this adorable daisy fabric at A.C.Moore in the quilt section and some other fabrics as well. So everyone may be getting new strapless sheaths!

Here it is on my Market Day Silkstone, and I found some cute pink sunglasses from Scooby Doo Daphne Barbie to go along with it. I added the pink cumberbun made of chiffon myself to give it pop.

 Her pearls really make it. That pink! I'm in love.
Here it is on my Joyful in Japan Poppy- I may need to take it in a bit for Poppy's bust,

It appears a little loose in the bust. I thought the updo would look wonderful with this gown. I may undress my Cocktail silkstone to wear this for spring. I needed to find some jewelry for her- and she needs a cigarette holder! (Sorry folks, don't care if it's politically incorrect- I grew upin the late 60's and 70's when people smoked and drank cocktails, lol) She looks like she needs to be at a very posh pool party with martinis in hand. 

I am expecting some more patterns to arrive in the mail, so when those projects are in progress will post pics of them. Enjoy!

Little Town on the Prairie...meet Nellie

Many of you know I have been working on period costumes for reproducing scenes from the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I have also been collecting props as well as dolls that showed Mary and Laura, Carrie and Grace in the different stages of the books. So there is a small Laura and a Big Laura (teenager) as well as later, married Laura. 
The scene I have been working on again, off again is from Little Town on the Prairie. Laura is about 15 ? it is unclear sometimes in her books) , and Nellie Olsen, her old nemesis from Walnut Grove & Plum Creek, walks in late to school. She can hardly believe her eyes!

The original picture from Little Town on the Prairie, showing Nellie looking down at Laura  on page 130-131. From the chapter 'Miss Wilder Teaches School'

Below, my interpretation of the scene with dolls in 1:6 scale---

Laura is an old 1995? Dorothy from the wizard of Oz doll that needs a new body. (I am planning on buying an obitsu body that is about 21 or 23 cm high since she was short) The desks were from Ebay, floor is scrapbook paper. Laura's dress is off of Ebay too- I cannot remember but I think it is from their series of dolls in colonial, pilgrim, and pioneer dress. This was pioneer 2 shopkeeper, I think. I have another dress like this without the apron for teenage Mary Ingalls. I made the brown leather books, the one Nellie is holding and the ones on Laura's desk. 
Nellie is Joyful in Japan Poppy Parker from the W club. I knew, I knew as soon as I saw the photos that this was the one doll I HAD to have for my Nellie. The arrogant and lofty side glance, the bun, fit the picture perfectly. Joyful in Japan makes an elegant version of Nellie Olsen and I am pleased with how this preview of the scene is shaping up. 
I just finished her dress this week. I had to redo some Gildebrief patterns to get the jacket just right. I may try again since my version does not have the hanging Boleyn sleeves with the ruffles of organdy like hers and what Laura describes. I took some artistic liberties with her dress. I am thinking the cream skirt does not entirely do this outfit justice so I may see if I have enough fabric to do her skirt with the polonaise like Laura describes to match the jacket. Here are some closeups of Nellie, being extremely ladylike...

I had the fabric for the skirt on hand, but the lovely fabric for her jacket was from Hancock fabrics in one of those quilt squares. I knew when looking at the design of a paisley type it would be somewhat historically accurate to the patterns back then. Nellie's clothes supposedly came out of a church barrel so they were 

nice dresses, and were made from cast off's since her family was now poor and lived on the edges of town.

The tiny lace was in my 'stash' and was perfect to create the ruffles at her neck wrists and throat. 
In a book on Laura's life- and questions she herself answered, Nellie Olsen was a composite of three girls that Laura knew, made into one character, evidently who all had the same unkind qualities. It has always fascinated me what made Laura round it down to one girl, unless it made keeping track of dialogue and the storyline easier. 

I hope you enjoy this re-visiting of Little Town on the Prairie and the Little House series. ~Lisa

Saturday Morning shopping at LaBelle's...

So it is Saturday...or what is left of it! I had taken some photos yesterday, of my Lottery W Club Buenos Aires Victoire Roux, and she's gorgeous. Posted them...and then I redressed the doll I won in July from the W Club contest on the W Club forum- Aerodynamic Vanessa. She's truly goth - dark eye makeup, long red hair in a severe ponytail, and those black lips. I normally hate gothic makeup/looks...(forgive me it comes from having a teenage daughter who did not/or would not- understand you mustn't scare people when going out to dinner...)lol... but that is the great thing about fashion dolls. What looks bizarre in public, on the runway or in the mainstream does not on a doll or miniature mannequin! So I can live vicariously on a fashion style I normally would say- yuck to, lol.

I also redressed Joyful in Japan and did some photos of her beside Victoire and she is very similar- it looks like a mother daughter type of thing going on. I just need to take some photos of the two of them with Walking Suit Silkstone. Today we had a severe thunderstorm watch so when I took photos I opened the door to let some light in and used the flash on some of these, which sharpened the picture up a bit. I need to get a tripod but right now this works. I did alot of redressing for me- the dress that Joyful in Japan (she will be known as Antoinette from now on) is by a lady who used to make these doll dresses in our club, I loved the color on this one. To the Fair Poppy is getting her hair gel washed out and I am picking out an outfit for her..

I am severely hurting today because of the sale at Barbie Collector and I am waiting on funds to come in- I very much want Roman Holiday- she will get a new body when she gets here when I get to order her. I also want the club doll, plus want want want the barbie basics look dollls. I am going to pay for my Young Sophisticate Poppy first before giving in to the Mattel hysteria sale.
So here are some photos of LaBelle's and the dolls are shopping on Saturday morning.

Aeroydynamic Vanessa is fast becoming a favorite doll, just like my Agnes in Concerto M, shown here wearing a sheath made by the same lady who made the one Joyful in Japan poppy is wearing. Maybe they are my favorites because I won the dolls on the W club in their contests on the forum. I never expect to win, and it feels so good to win an unexpected surprise, which for me doesn't happen very often. She is wearing her black tank top, High Tide Vanessa's shoes and a skirt I made from a cotton fabric, and Out Sass' Vanessa's hat, with a fashionista purse. I look at her and everytime I see her I want to dress her as the Red  Queen from Alice in Wonderland with a big black bow around the ponytail and an unusual looking crown. 

I have not sewed anymore sweater socks, have been working on a block quilt for the dolls and it is coming along ok. Need to sew some more rows of blocks and I then would need to add some border and back material to it too. It has been so long since I quilted as a child at my great grandmother's knee, I am slowly remembering how she did her daisy stitches and cut the remnants for her quilts. If you learn young, it never leaves you. She used to make her patterns out of cardboard or cereal boxes, anything she had at hand that could stand up to constant use. 

Enjoy the photos and have a great weekend!~Lisa

Spicey In Spain & Joyful in Japan Poppy Parker

My International Fair Poppies arrived on Thursday....and now it's Sunday, so I have just had a few days to release them from their boxes and take photos....like Rebecca of Inside the Fashion Doll Studio says of taking her fabulous photos of her dolls- '..in the window!' so Joyful in Japan and Spicey in Spain had their photo shoot on my one of kind prototype Bespaq curio- in the window! I never knew until now how natural light can affect a picture of a doll so much! Thank you Rebecca!!

I missed out on Switzerland and the India Poppy, I wanted wanted wanted all four...what amazes me is people are now selling them!!?? Of all Integrity's dolls, I don't think I could part with Poppies ever again!! These dolls are just adorable, but I have to admit, Joyful in Japan is who I fell for first from the promo pics at the unveiling event. Now for the pics!

The clothing on these dolls is so detailed..and their expressions are so lovely. There is a thread on the W Club board about what it is about Poppy that appeals to us collectors, and I  have to say 1- the dolls are heartbreakingly lovely 2- they are deficient in what I call the regular 'bitch-y' (please excuse my description here, I do not mean to offend) quality some of the W Club dolls have in their face sculpts. Though I like some of the dolls to have that quality or expression- not all the time!! lol...Poppy is innocent looking and reminds me of a time from the 60's as well as the late 50's when the pouty look was in vogue. (I was born in 1965, so the fashions of Poppy are very nostalgic for me as a collector as I remember how my mother and grandmothers dressed back then. ) Poppy for me, reminds me of a time when ladies wore hats, gloves, matching hose and heels and evening wear was worn during the evening, not at the office during the day. Call me old fashioned, nothing very fashionable about stilettoes with a dress far too short worn at the office, or flip flops with a formal. Fashion now seems to be missing that 'special' quality. 

But enough of my fashion faux pas rants- these dolls are so very awesome! I am so in love with Joyful in Japan and I want to create an 1800's ensemble for her with that wondrous updo. First I will have to take some photos of her in the japanese tea ceremony, as well as with my Hinamatsuri Re-ment set, those photos need to be updated.

Spicey in Spain- her gown is so gorgeous! I can hardly believe the details on the purse as well as her hat- but the dress is amazing - the lace is even in scale!

I am still attempting to get my funds together for my W Club upgrade dolls- 'Love the One Kyori' and To the Fair Poppy - the W Club has robbed my wallet with dolls and preorders!! And I just finished placing my deposit for the W club Broadway Magic Jem! (I could not resist that stage!) 

Enjoy the photos- and expect to see more of Joyful in Japan!

~Lisa