Getting ready for school...

Today is a really rainy, wet soaked day. I have been working on so many different projects, re-arranging LaBelle's, working on tiling the hot tub, scrapbook accessories for the Poppy dolls..I have severely neglected the doll room. Barbietown's boutique window is vacant so I am thinking of doing a Halloween window in readiness for fall/September & October. Or maybe a Back to School window. 

Two of the shelves in the doll room that were supposed to be the classrooms of the towns school were re-arranged. Before I started, seats were empty, teachers were on summer vacation, and the rooms were full of other props and dolls, piled high- these shelves had become a drop point for things I purchased and didn't know where to store. I worked for a couple of hours on these shelves to straighten and organize. Dolly Daily board is already having a themed photo week of Back to School. 

Here are some photos-

When I looked closer for the small children dolls, I finally found Julien with his mom and dad in McDonald's. I have more clone Kelly and Kelly dolls and these little orange Re-ment desks are fragile, Kelly dolls can sit in them- carefully because they are somewhat fragile. I had been collecting alot of student desks like the front two the two Chelsea dolls are sitting in. I got the small desk with the teacher Barbie and the jointed knee Chelsea as well as the blackboard in the Teacher Barbie I can be box set on sale for $6 at Walmart a few months ago. That same set is back up to $22 now! (shakes head) I like the older teacher barbie sets because of the desks for both the students and the teacher. 

This organizing allows me to make a list of items I need to round out my school diorama needs. I purchased the chalkboard from hobby lobby or Michael's and hung it on the wall with t-pins which works. The high school classroom may also double as a diorama shelf for switching out the classroom props for the one room schoolroom I wanted to do for my Victorian/Little House dolls. I have alot of the props I have scoured ebay for which hasn't been easy. I had purchased the slate/chalkboard a long time ago and wish I had purchased some chalk and another one for the elementary school dolls.

My original intention had been to make a school building with hallway with lockers, two or three classrooms, a cafeteria, as well as a playground. (I have some props for a preschool playground.) I was really inspired by Rieckie's Flicker set with her preschool room and playground, as well as Saucy Suwi's The Building of the Priors a doll room I have linked directly back to the school themed photos on both of these links so you don't have to search. When I first began to get into collecting, these two ladies dioramas were the first that entrhalled me with what you could do in 1:6 scale. As soon as I saw these dioramas I was hooked. 
I hope to have more photos and some progress pretty soon on a small photostory. I left off back in February or March as to Poppy and Ryan - Ryan had just asked Poppy to get married. I still haven't finished that storyline to my satisfaction yet. So hopefully I can get that underway soon.
Enjoy!~Lisa

1:6 scale project- Hot Tub

I have just about finished this unusual project- a hot tub ! Last night I finished the tiling on it though I wasn't feeling that sporty. I had had a problem with my back and was in alot of pain. Sometimes working on dioramas or building props and working quietly helps the muscles relax when they knot up. Feeling better today just a little sore.

I used two sizes of tiles from Home Depot. The grout will come next, I am letting it cure/dry on the glue. But my girls insisted on enjoying it- they are looking forward to the spa dio that is coming. Natalia is wearing repro Malibu barbie's swimsuit and Poppy is wearing a towel garment I sewed up for her quickly.

The little terra cotta pots are from a miniature artist Alex Mechaljohn, who handthrows his pots in miniature. floor is scrapbook paper from Hobby Lobby and plants are from Michael's and the wine bottle and glasses Re-ment. I am really pleased how this project turned out and I'm hoping to do a full spa diorama with sauna, massage table and this jacuzzi...I was really pleased at how well the tiles matched the swimsuit I had on hand from Malibu Barbie. Enjoy!~Lisa

Dolls who Scrapbook....

Today I decided to give into some of my dolls who have been clamoring for some scrapbook accessories. I have not given in until now because I know- I know- they will next be begging for a 1:6 scale scrapbook store, then a fabric center, & well, you know it mushrooms on the prop end. 
I had created several years back around 2004-2005 a scrapbook store roombox in 1:12 scale which I still have. Click HERE  to see Minnie's Lil Scrapbook store. When I created it, I spent quite literally, hours - I estimate anywhere between 200 hours of work went into creating the punches, papers, cork board displays with actual pics, and so on. I made the stickers from scanning a scrapbook catalog into my computer and found since they were the perfect size, I pasted them into word and printed on cardstock.

To do a 1:6 scale scrapbook accessory set, I used Home Depot paint chips from the Martha Stewart line because I liked the colors and they are big enough to get two cardstock pages measuring 2 in x 2 inches each, which is big enough to put a resized picture and other embellishments on in 1:6 scale. Today I just did some stickers and cardstock for the dolls to choose from, I still need to get some pictures for them to create their pages.

I have included a photo here of how I did the cardstock for the dolls- you can easily do this by buying a square 2 x 2 handpunch instead of all the cutting and measuring I did.

If I can find it, I will try and upload the word document with my stickers on it here on the blog, it is on my older computer. The glue, little clips, and file box are all Rement, the little bag next to Poppy's chair is a small Hallmark teacher ornament, but looks like a great scrapbook bag. 

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