day 23....Merry Christmas Laura!

I did this diorama very quickly, as I have been tagged by so many of my friends on Flickr with cute doll Christmas pics. It was one that has been on my list, so I broke down this evening and recreated it with odds and ends. 
The photo is from 'On the Banks of Plum Creek' by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and tells of Laura and her family going to church after Pa comes home from working in the East. And, there, Laura sees a Christmas tree with presents hanging from its branches for the first time! Not only that, but most wonderful of all...there is a small fur cape and muff! Better than that, they are given to Laura off the tree!

Here is the picture below that I attempted to recreate from the book. I admit to taking a bit of license with it, to make the story appear more real with the dolls from the text. 

Replicating this scene was a little special to me, as I could imagine Laura's pure joy at receiving something so wonderful and unexpected that she wanted so much! It is the simple things in life that make us happy...and after so much sorrow and hardship,loss,  the Ingalls ended up having a wonderful, full Christmas that year. I myself feel this year like I know how they felt, just a little bit. 
            I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas time! Merry Christmas!

The Dugout Project progress so far...

As many of you may remember, I started work last month on a large project- replicating the pictures from the Little House books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, starting with On the Banks of Plum Creek. I decided to do the ambitious project of actually building the dugout and staging the dolls believing it would be more realistic, and I was right! Today I had a day uninterrupted (no small feat for me with two businesses, phone ringing  and email that has to be answered.) It was a beautiful day and I made alot of progress!

The exterior of the dugout is done, but not the interior , not yet anyway. I still have to do some more research as Laura was not very specific about how large the dugout was or how much furniture they had, if any. But the exterior is looking very good, if I do say so myself. ENjoy the pics!

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

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