A doll playdate...

So yesterday was the dolly playdate of the 'Fun Four' as we call ourselves.....and I have been working on our themed diorama for the last 2 or 3 weeks- which was a nightclub setting. I used Karon's W club red door dio on a smaller table and the nightclub itself, was built on a four foot folding table in my den. Boy did we have fun!
All of us brought dolls. I did a few ingenious things with this diorama- I had not yet purchased the bar from the Fortune toys ebay seller, so instead I got creative with the bar- using two clear plastic napking holders and 1 clear plastic butter dish from the dollar Tree to create the bar. The nightclub tables were 5 1/2 inch high glass votive/tealight holders from the dollar tree, with small mirrors , square adhered on top with liquid nails. I made three of them. The votive holders are in that set of graduated heights and the one I used is the middle one- I took a doll and stood it by her for size comparison.
So here are the photos of our playdate- enjoy!

 

Miniature band instruments arrival...

The band instruments I won in a lot on Ebay arrived yesterday and what a haul! 8 guitars mad eof plastic, two or three had straps, 2 speakers/amps, 1 keyboard, 1 set of drums(drums have a pedal where the symbol thingy goes up and down, but no stool or drumsticks, Buck is sitting in a rement chair) There is a pedal thingy that plugs into one of the speakers, and when the pedal is pushed music plays. One of the pink guitars plugs into it so the doll can look like she is controlling the speakers. Very nice set well made, though I am thinking of making those pink drums silver with either decorative duct tape or paint.
My repainted Fashionista Racquel aka Rosie, looks great on the keyboard as a punk rocker, and Rock Steady looks fab with that red and white electric guitar. So the band set is coming along for the doll meetup with my friends on Saturday. This set/lot cost me only 9.99 plus shipping on Ebay, well worth it.
I have been neglecting getting the finishing touches on the W club nightclub but I think it is ok, I can make some doors from foamcore, I have been a little lazy on this endeavor as I worked on the spooky cemetary setup for Buffy for upcoming Halloween dioramas I want to do and a storyline with Giles. One of my problems with my halloween dolls like Buffy and Giles is there is nowhere to properly showcase their cool props and to do a proper storyline that fits in with the fantasy of Barbietown. This will be in another post when I have more pictures to showcase the structure I am working on. The remaining space in Barbietown will house a structure and cemetary . It was originally supposed to be a mausoleum to house Dracula's crypt, but the crypt is too large and takes up too much space, so the structure will be an old disused Monastary /Abbey library, that is secret, adjoinging the cemetary. Haven't decided whether it will be Giles' secret watcher library, or a scientist thingy , probably both. For those of you who didn't know, I love to watch classic black and white horror flicks with Lon Chaney, Bella Lugosi, Boris Karloff, and the like on Saturday nights on Svengooli which comes on about 9 or 10 pm, lol. I also sometimes watch Twilight Zone, and all the old tv flicks , my husband enjoys it too. Sideshow toys made some wonderful 1:6 figures which I am still trying to collect- one of my favorites is Ardeth Bey, from the movie the Mummy. This diorama set will house all of my Buffy figures, the W  club count dracula and his brides that I have on my 'list' to collect, and so on. I want a sideshow Frankenstein bad, but am now willing to pay over escalated prices- lol....so that is what is to come. Enjoy the band pics! and be sure to check out my flicker albums for the progress on the library and cemetary.
Lisa

The Nightclub & a How-to...

I have been busy lately, but off an on I have been working on a nightclub diorama for a dolly playdate in the future with some friends. We all agreed we wanted a nightclub theme, and I stated since it is held at my house, I would build the set. Easy , right? Nope, just another excuse to shop for more cool props on ebay or make my own!

Here are some photos of the set so far. The nightclub itself sits on a four foot folding table in my den, and is 47 inches wide and 24 inches deep. I have yet to make the doors or the stage for the band. (I have some cool instruments coming I bought in a lot on ebay- they even include drums and amps, and a keyboard plus 7 guitars!) hopefully they will arrive before the playdate. The set is built of foamcore, for the walls and ceiling and builder's foam wrapped in silver wrapping paper for the floor, and tubing wrapped in silver paper for the columns you see.

The chandeliers are Christmas ornaments I picked up. I used the mini dollar tree clamp on lights over the silkstone Betty Draper to show how the lights will sine on the stage. The black and whtie dance floor is a placemat from Pier One. the little gargoyle statues I added for some gothic interest. I need to build the stage, but that will be pretty simple. So far its dimensions I have figured out to be 23 inches wide and 10 inches deep and will go across the end where the silkstone stands.

Now for the dolly how-to:

I made the bar & nightclub standing bar tables from items from the local Dollar Tree and used LIquid nails clear to adhere them. (you can probably buy the liquid nails at the dollar tree as well, or walmart)
The bar is made of two napkin holders stacked together, on topof a butter plate and its lid. The butter plate is turned upside down on its lid, and the two napkin holders are place on top of it, and adhered lightly with liquid nails for stability. These items are made of clear plastic and are in the kitchen utility section of the store.
Here is a picture of Rock steady with the bar. He is a little tall, but it will do. I might put a longer table top on it in black foamcore , haven't decided yet.

Now onto the bar nightclub tables. They needed to be tall enough for the dolls to stand at around the dance floor with drinks, and look bored. You remember clubbing, right? You got a table near the dance floor so you could be 'seen'. (lol...been a while since I was single and partied!) The base for the tables is a 4 1/2 inch glass votive tea light holder. These come in three different sizes. I took Frank sinatra barbie with me in my purse to compare height, there is one taller than this and also one smaller than this- that might make a great table. I used a package of small 3 inch square mirrors from Michael's for the tabletops. They cost $1.99 and if you use your coupon this week you can get 50% off . I am thinking of going back and looking for more of these votives, as I have some more mirrors, but don't know how many dolls will be attending the nightclub party. It is just a group of us that love dioramas and putting dolls and props together, we don't care if it's Barbie , Fashion Royalty, vintage, or so one, just all of us love dolls of any size.
Note: I got my liquid nails at the Home Depot, but you can also buy it at walmart. It basically runs about $2-3.99 for the good clear stuff. I probably spent a total of $6-8 for the items to make the bar and tables, altogether, which isn't bad.
The silver wrapping paper that the floor, the columns are wrapped in also came from Michael's and was 3.99, again I used my 50% off coupon (yeah I'm cheap that way, lol) and the first roll was used to wrap the floor, so I had a cool empty tubing to make my column you see in the front of the nightclub, lol...I keep stuff like this in my 'stash' which makes for diorama fun when I build, as the design comes about what I have on hand. I would say my most expensive output for this diorama was the builder's foam from home depot and the foamcore in black!
Enjoy! More photos to come!
~Lisa
 

Teacher's meeting with Mr. Giles....

As my previous posts have said, I have been working on a layout for the new school in Barbietown. Although what I wish to build is more ambitious and bigger than the room I have for it, I decided to compromise and just make up a diorama room that could be changed out for a conference room, class rooms, etc. with accessories and props. Though I like things permanently set up, this will solve alot of the problems. And the Sunnydale high school library I am still figuring out dimensions on which even when I downsize on details, would be huge. For now, we will begin with the main conference room. Mr. Rupert Giles, who has long suspected vampire activity in Barbietown, has decided with the help of his wealthy niece, Baroness Agnes Von Weiss, to contribute funds towards a school, small at first, for the town that is dependant on the Baroness and her friends who vacation and live here. Because of the Baroness and the sensation she draws, boutiques, restuarants, and other small businesses are thriving, and people are moving to the town, so the town needs a school.

Mr. Giles arrives first to the conference room to see that all is in order; the first two new teachers who have been hired for the high school class and the elementary class will arrive soon.

 

Everything seems to be in order, fresh coffee made, and writing tablets , he's a few minutes ahead of schedule.Then the  teachers begin to arrive. Firsttoarrive is Michelle Graham, the  teacher in charge of the High School Students and some of the Middle School Students as well. Her job is a big one.

 

"Hello Mr. Giles, it is wonderful to finally meet you!" says Michelle, warmly shaking his hand.
" Nice to meet you Miss Graham. Glad you could make it, and thank you for taking on this job!" Giles remarks,
" Not at all! Wonderful chance with teaching a wide age group!"
meanwhile, the Elementary school teacher arrives as well.

Mr. Giles greets Charlotte Greaver, a bright young lady who is single and just moved to Barbietown. Giles was glad to find such a fresh young woman to take on the responsibility of organizing the elementary grades.
"Hello Miss Greaver,, we spoke on the phone yesterday. So glad you could make it! I am Rupert Giles, and this is Miss Graham, who will be incharge of the high school students to start with."
"Hello Mr. Giles!What a pleasure to meet you- I am so glad to be here!"
Everyone takes their seats at the conference table.

Mr. Giles nervously clears his throat, and begins. " I wish to thank you ladies for coming to this most important meeting, as we will have alot of work to do in forming the school of the town. As you know when you were hired, you will have a diverse age group to begin with, until more teachers can be hired and the school can be finished- which is currently under construction. We will be the first members of the school's staff."  Everyone claps and smiles all around, as this is special for all of them, to be contributing to the town's school reconstruction.
Giles continues. 'Now then, can each of you tell me how the first week with your students is progressing?  Anything out of the ordinary, any problems with parents or students? Also, I will need a list if you need any supplies for your classrooms.'

Charlotte begins....hesitantly.  " I daresay I could use some alphabet and number banners, so we can have the children see the alphabet and the primary numbers to begin with. ...but I have noticed something that is unusual."
Mr. Giles is apprehensive, but hides his facial features. "Yes? what is it that would be unusual?"

Charlotte continues. 'Well, every morning I get to the school about an hour early, and I am sometimes by myself until Michelle arrives. At first I thought it was a janitor, but then I realized that we do not have the janitor there in the mornings, then I thought it was Michelle arriving, but she comes right after me, since I open a different part of the building."
"What is it?" Giles asks.
Charlotte and Michelle both nod their heads, then agree.'Well, Mr. Giles, we have both heard it, seperately and together. At first Charlotte thought she was hearing things, but then I heard it too. We've heard someone walking thru the halls, slamming doors, lockers banging. When we go out to the room or hall where the noise is, there is no one there. Alot of times we are by ourselves in the early morning before school starts. It's really creepy.'
Mr. Giles nods, knowing what it is, but refraining from answering.

He now knows that the things he had feared about this place are beginning. First unexplained noises, objects moving without logic by themselves, all the tell tale signs he had dreaded and half hoped to hear.
" You can think of no explanation for these strange occurances, Miss Graham & Miss Greaver? Could it have been someone playing a prank?"

"We don't think so Mr. Giles. We wanted to avoid telling you, but you had said there might be vandals and all while the school was being rebuilt, so we thought we should report it to you. We thought maybe it was some kids hiding and playing pranks on us in the morning, and they might have just hid on the premises until we left." Michelle says.
"You were very wise. We have had problems with vandals in the past, and the behavior you have described, banging on lockers, slamming doors, that was one of the ways he upset a former staff member. I will call the police and have them patrol the area at the times you arrive at the school alone when I am not here, and when you leave after school hours." Giles feels he may have put their apprehension to rest for the moment with this plausible excuse.
Charlotte beams,"Thank you Mr. Giles! Is this all for today?"
Mr Giles- 'yes, yes, that is all. Be sure to send me your attendance records at the end of the week, so we can begin to keep accurate records of the students and their attendance, very important, you know,' and with that, the ladies begin to gather up their items to leave.

 

Michelle speaks before leaving."Thank you Mr. Giles, for putting my mind at rest. I thought I was going crazy for a bit- imagining things!'

'no problem at all, my dear. We all have those days. Good-bye and have a safe trip home,' Giles says

Charlotte: 'C'mon Michelle, let's stop by the cafe for a latte this evening!'

Michelle: 'Sounds like a plan! Good bye Mr. Giles!"

 

 

After they leave, Giles sits down and thinks clearly for a moment.

He sits and stares into space.

 

Slowly, he sighs and takes out his cell phone to make a call. Deliberately he dials in the number.
The phone rings, and a young woman answers on the other end.
Giles speaks.....'Buffy? I need you to come soon. Yes, it has started. "
~~~~~TO BE CONTINUED~~~~~~~~

Diorama NOTES:
Diorama was built of three sheets of foamcore, pinned together. Originally this was made to be a permanent roombox, but that has since changed.
Table and chairs- Reading Deluxe won on eBay
Coffee table and office supply table- both are 1996 Barbie teacher classrom items
office supplies- Rement, coffee cups, Rement, purple office chair, Mattel, notepads, party city quarter bin, plant- greenery from Michael's $1 bin and planter is a miniature dollhouse urn.
Door- foamcore covered in wood grained shelf paper; doorknob is a the clear safety end off of a BIC disposable razor, with a tpiin pushed thru the foamcore to hold in place. Floor is marbled shelf paper, silver columns are foamcore wrapped in silver gift wrapping paper, taped in place.

Storyline- I hope you have enjoyed the storyline. I have always wanted to create the library or a reasonable fact similar of Sunnydale high school's library.Hopefully, all the readers of the blog will enjoy my diorama endeavors and the storyline as it comes about...I am preparing for Halloween and Buffy 'patroling' the cemetary will be fun to create!
~~Lisa