A Blythe Hodge Podge

I don't like just slapping a bunch of un-related pictures on my blog, so I will pretend these are loosely related under the heading "Blythe," which I guess they are. But, I have been rushing around this weekend, getting ready for vacation in FOUR MORE DAYS! Excited doesn't even come close. I soooo need a vacation. A lot of stress and some health issues this long winter have made me crazy. Some pharmaceutical tinkering by my physician has resulted in either lethargy or insomnia, depending on the day, and long, detailed nightmares nightly (is that redundant?) when I actually can sleep. Enough about that.

So, here is some assorted Blythe eye candy...the ATCs are for an upcoming swap I am coordinating for Arte du Blythe http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Arte_du_Blythe/ in May, along with a fat book, I am also coordinating AND binding-eek!

The room scene is the sitting room off the main bedroom, and the aquarium I just snagged from Barb of ArdentCurse. It was ginormous. So I took the legs off, and then I figured out how to light it from behind. It looks almost as real as my 24-year-old daughter's aquarium in her room-and hers only has one real fish, Pinky. Pinky terrorized two Puffers, and we had to have pet funerals-awful- even at my age! Pinky is neglected, because Adrienne is never around. She is 24.

I was inspired by others to organize my Blythe shoes and photograph them for posterity, or for insurance purposes! I also enjoyed corresponding this weekend with Carmen/Mitsubish1984 in Madrid in my second language/my major about shoes for Licca-bodied Blythe. I might as well mention it here, but Carmen will be Licca Mondie Tuesday's new mom. It was somewhat traumatic, but we just weren't bonding (seriously, and Eddo will kill me if he or Tippi find out). Anyway, I felt so bad, I sent a new dress with Tuesday, and then I rounded up a bunch of shoes for Carmen as well.

Zena wears black mary janes with her Alice in Wonderland dress by Girlish, and I am hoping she will take up cleaning.

Meanwhile, Jolene got outside for a bit of fresh air, but it was cold! We're all sick of winter right now! Maggy was so tired of it that she recreated spring inside, and Larry had to get in the middle of things to check it out.

Finally, here's a picture of the blue bedroom with a second bed added. I am really happy with the pillow shams I made and wrote about for ZNE Dollz http://www.znedolls.com/, a group whose blog I co-edit and whose group I now co-mod. I have since changed the flooring here, added another rug, and have some new "blinds" to work on. Check out my Blythe It Yourself series on ZD for dollhouse decorating ideas, and check out my art blog http://lillysoflondonish.blogspot.com/ of March 30 for decorating on an even smaller scale.

Yay! It's Spring on the Blog

Thanks to Sandy C, Sandbeech, dollymommy, sandy's creations, blog banner queen and what ever else I may have forgotten to call her for my cool new blog banner! You can click on the headline to go to ger banner store, but be sure to check out her blog and her Blythe etsy shop too. She's well-rounded and a good on-line art and Blythe friend. Thanks! Hope everyone likes the look! The girls say they feel refreshed!

Easter at Blythe Manor

No clever egg hunt photos taken here, as the ground was swathed in snow Saturday and some still hung around on Sunday along with chilly temps. So, the girls simply got dressed up. The bedding I completed over the weekend. I love the lace-y pillow shams, and I especially love them since I didn't have to sew to do them. My tutorial can be found on http://www.ZNEDolls.com along with some other sneaky dollhouse tricks. I also added a second bed to the 5th floor while Lilly was out. Shhh! She doesn't know yet, and she'll be throwing a spoiled brat fit soon enough.
Tuesday was also naughty, jumping on the new bed and then hanging from the railings in her new Monkey suit- so appropriate!
Meanwhile, the other girls decided to go all classy. Maggy was thrilled to get to wear the carrot dress and purse from Auntie Angela, an art friend and now Blythe friend (her mention of ADD on her post makes perfect sense to me!). http://geminiangelsart.blogspot.com. Her sewing is as exquisite as all her other art, and she's fun and funny, too!
Lilly put on the school girl dress from Gina Garan's TIB shop along with her Re-ment designer purse. I forget if this is the Marc Jacobs on or the D&G or? Speaking of Gina, THE other Gina: there was much chat about her on 3/17 on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ZNEart. The show is archived and you can listen any time!
Jolene also has a TIB dress from SugarMag and Violet has a swap dress on that matches her eyes.
Some people ask which Blythe is one's mini me. I would have to say Lilly is my wannabe-me and/or is my daughter, Adrienne, while Violet is probably closest to looking like and being me. Tuesday and Zena are the wild children (wild in a good, pre-1960s way), and Jolene and Maggy are just nice girls who popped in with their unique hair and looks.
The girls are being kind of squirrely because they know there's only one dolly carrier bag here from Becca of Sew Pixie http://www.sewpixie.tinfoildreams.com/blog, and they wonder who is going to get in it to go to Myrtle Beach. Haven't decided but did promise that a different girl could go to Art & Soul, Hampton and someone else to the Castle in the Meadow ZNE event in Detroit. Thank goodness film doesn't have to be purchased anymore!!

Meet Zena!

This incredible girl arrived recently quite by surprise, or I guess I should say, by design. The sender, a dear, talented, Blythe-loving artist and on-line friend, whom I will get to meet soon, packed her up and sent her 'cross country.
Zena arrived quite politely, with her own bed and some wardrobe selections, including the fabulous vintage Skipper maxi dress she is wearing here.
If you are reading this, you may well be a Blythe lover, or even a Blythe-aholic, so you can imagine the gasping that accompanied the opening of that package. People just DO NOT send free Blythes. People DO NOT send mohair re-rooted customized Blythes for surprise gifts. Nice, big surprises like that just DO NOT happen.
But it did.
The story isn't that long, and it isn't even a "private" kind of thing; I'm just sort of keeping it to myself- not for fear that the giver will reconsider (or come to her senses!), but because it is just so nice and so special that it requires no shouting from the rooftops. I truly was speechless, and once I became (somewhat) convinced the sender was really (quite?) okay with this and actually intended to put her in the box with the bed and clothes and send them to me, I started to relax and rejoice in this new girl that I just really, really LOVE!
The blue hair is just as incredible as it looks, with eyes just as blue (in two shades, plus green and red) and blue eyelashes! Does anyone remember wearing Maybelline blue mascara in the 1970s? I do! Did anyone have this Skipper dress growing up? I did! Did I say I love this doll? I do!
I've thanked the giver a couple times, but how do you properly thank someone for such a surprise gesture? I don't know, but I am thrilled we will get to meet in person this summer! I think I'll take Zena along.

Blythe on the Air 3/17!

I have the privilege of chatting with the Queen of ZNE, Chelise Stroud-Hery, the founder of VariaZioNE on jolly 'ole St. Patrick's Day at 9:30 p.m. EST on Blog Talk Radio. Tune in to hear us discuss all things art and dolls, and our mutual love of Blythe. The air waves may never be the same.

Drama at Blythe Manor

A little drama is to be expected with five girls, but this ridiculous. Lilly has been pouting for days over the Blythe in America Miss Blythe in the Americas beauty pageant. Although she could enter too, Tuesday got busy and started her talent segment with ice skating. Lilly has been moping all winter and wouldn't get dressed, so how was she to do the evening gown or swimsuit portions. Lovely Claudette, Miss California, had already entered as have others, but Lilly kept procrastinating on outfits so there she stills lies-in her bed.

The other girls even brought her presents from all the best shops, but she continued on her Diet Coke and Doritos binge. Meanwhile Violet, Jolene and Tuesday offered tours of Blythe Manor to anyone who would listen. I think everyone's just a little crabby and stir crazy....wishing for a case of spring fever. There hasn't even been a teaser of hope yet in northern Indiana.

We're Feeling Spring-y at Blythe Manor

Just a quicky post to say we love all our new fashions from Louos of Singapore. Louos swears on TIB http://www.thisisblythe.com that he has elves working in sweatshops, but we think it's just HIM and his incredible talent. The girls got "Louos Loves Elephants," a pink hoodie with striped thigh highs, contrast stripe short sleeve T, solid skirt and matching headband as well as an awesome tote. Oh so fun to be a size 00000000.

It's also fun to put and place the various muebles all over the house and to mix and match our vintage Barbie finds, etc. My latest is a Bratz 70's egg chair. It looks quite groovy, baby, but I can't decide if I like it or not. My other find, or maybe I should say "finding," is that if I go to out-of-the-way little discount stores, not Dollar Stores but just weird little mom-n-pop-like variety stores, I can find old Barbie stuff on the shelves that is somehow both cheap and perfect.