Happy Holidays!

A new family member, non-plastic!

Name forthcoming, and not as grouchy as she looks. A six-month-old kit-cat girl.

Diorama photo practice

In repose
Originally uploaded by Gina2424

I played around with shots using my window seat backdrop, curtain, cushions, lamp and plant, all by Maryann Roy of Welcome Home. Lucite table and topiary by Jenn of Style in Scale, Chair by smidgehouse/smidgegirl. Jason Wu FR "mink" throw as rug, floor and wall box by Adorning Elements from Collector182 from Lafayette, IN on Ebay. Real mink pillow/pom found at the Sideshow gift shop at The American Visionary Museum from old 1960s store stock they were selling. I also got some tiny mink ball earrings that I will use at Blythe pullrings.
Did I say I am IN LOVE with this lamp! Oh, and French guide book by ckworkshop on Etsy.

The girls prepare for winter

Happy Holidays!

Blythe Meet...In My Bedrom

So I hosted our Flickr Group, Dollmarvalous Collectors, for a holiday party Sunday, Dec. 12. While the fireplace was going in the living room, and there was plenty of food in the kitchen, everyone gravitated to the bedroom to see my doll house (Blythe Manor), and pretty soon, the entire party was in the bedroom.

There were 9 adults, two nieces and approximately 65 Blythe dolls. Add a few Wonder Frogs (3), Nikki cats (2), Odecco, Yatsuba, Miu (a Dal), some Dynamite Girls and Fashion Royalty, not to mention my Barbies, and we had more than 80 dolls in the group picture and more than 120 dolls in the room, plus assorted porcelain doll heads and three sock monkeys!

Everyone oohed and ahhhed over each other's Blythes, noting how even the very same doll, such as a Disco Boogie or Factory Girl or even a Kenner or really, all the Blythes, can look so very different! Everyone was dressed in their best, so much so that we had to take written note of the very best places to shop on Ebay and Etsy for Blythe fashions.

A little romantic triangle developed between my Wonder Frog "Frog," and Shelly's pink Blossom and Holly's ever-popular Leonard, the only boy at the party. My niece Abby, 13, attended her first Blythe meet with her Blythe Rosalie, and Maggie's niece Zinnia, who is an old pro at 10, came to yet another meet. Zinnia had awesome knee-high lace up Converse-like tennies on. She also brought her Mini Me American Girl doll.

Our gift exchange was great fun; everyone brought wonderful stuff, and our food spread was fab. I put out meatballs (a new recipe with apple grilling sauce and blueberry jam), cupcakes that Abby and I made, cheese, crackers, pickles, olives, cherry tomatoes and chips and salsa. Many kinds of cookies arrived, and Maggie brought a relish tray and a Panettone fruit bread from IKEA!

A wonderful time was had by all, I'm pretty sure. We wrapped up early as I had to take Abby to the airport so she could zip back to Indiana in the snowstorm. Several of the gals continued the party at Maggie's and had a knitting lesson, and a couple gals went on to a Cookie Exchange. (One reported making 700 cookies the day before!)

I was proud to show off my dollhouse, and after hanging out in the bedroom around it, everyone agreed our next party should be a slumber party! Here's a picture of my Brigette at the party also.

Sweater Dress I crocheted for Molly

Shhhh!
Originally uploaded by Gina2424

What started as a sweater from a vintage Barbie ski sweater pattern turned into a dress, but perhaps still managed to look cute. Or perhaps cute Molly just makes anything look good. I used baby cashmere yarn so at least someone's getting a cashmere sweater for the holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving

Come here often? About once a year.
Originally uploaded by Gina2424

From all of us at Blythe Manor!

Molly poses with mom's sash

Picture 004
Originally uploaded by Gina2424

Mom is a much bigger person. MBP. Molly is a Blythe Scout. Mom was a Girl Scout, and before that a Brownie. There are badges all the way up the back of my sash too. Little wooden scout found on Etsy.

Joey's back! The making of a Frogumentary, and new scenes from Blythe Manor II

All this fun in one day! Of course, it is always fun when Auntie Maggie comes to visit. I wonder if my nieces and nephews say that about me? Auntie Maggie took home poor Joey, who has been traumatized too many times to count, to make her lovely blond Disco Boogie scalp and bob haircut a permanent fixture. Since Joey is a CCE with a funky dome, it was a tricky fit. Much work had already been done on poor Joey by the talented Pheisty also. However, Joey was looking babyish, although cutely impish, in a pink mohair Elfins skinny scalp, and I just feel this bob "fits" her better, even though it doesn't fit any better than the pink scalp did.

Then Aunt Maggie, and her photographer's assistant Holly Woods, as well as her Wonder Frogs, Butter Cup, Francie and Penelope came over to 'play Barbies' and film a little frogumentary called, "The Secret Life of Wonder Frogs."

Meanwhile, I added some more little touches to Blythe Manor II, and here's an update....

Happy Halloween, dear dolly & art friends!

Happy Halloween, dear dolly & art friends!
Originally uploaded by Gina2424

Daisy and her Halloween bear from her "first mama" Rui wish you a Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from all the Blythes at Blythe Manor!

Halloween Skippers- outtake #1
Originally uploaded by Gina2424

Boo! Aren't we so scary in our vintage Skipper outfits? Everyone wanted to be Skipper for Halloween. Imagine that! From left: Brigette, Virginia, Jane, Lilly, Wednesday, Alice, Daisy, Phoebe, Charlotte, Molly (hanging out), Bunny, Buffy, Polly.

Happy Halloween!

Frog has not left the building
Originally uploaded by Gina2424

From me and all my plastic friends here at Blythe-O-Mania Untamed! (Which should now also be called Barbie Mania! And Wonder Frog Mania. And Poppy Parker Mania.....and well, mania)

Charlotte looking pensive; vacation's over

Charlotte looking pensive
Originally uploaded by Gina2424

Charlotte gazes out at the Atlantic Ocean, wondering why vacation has to come to an end. I think she's also mad at me since she didn't get to wear any of the vintage Skipper stuff I dragged along for her. In fact, she only got one outfit change, into this cute Hello Kitty halter dress.
Or, perhaps she's dreading the seven hour drive home that we made on Saturday--which turned into a 10-hour trip, complete with in-car vomiting on the driver. And that's already more than enough said on that subject!
The Blythes, Barbies, Poppy and Wonder Frog are looking forward to getting dressed for Halloween and for hosting a winter gathering of our Dollmarvalous (DE, MD, VA, PA, DC) Collectors group here on Flickr.

Charlotte on Vacation: Progress Report

It's no wonder her red VW was cram-packed. Had to include her vintage bikini, as well as her beach towel, shades, air mattress and flippers, don'tcha know?

Plastic People Need a Vacation, Too

Here are just a few scenes from the vacation of Poppy Parker, Wonder Frog (a.k.a. Frog), Bubblecut, Silkstone and PonyTail Barbie. Besides the usual over-packing of fashions and accessories, this time I even brought along their furniture! And backdrops. And flooring. Wanted to make time for some photoshoots that I'd had no time at home to do.

Charlotte: Off to Myrtle Beach (with me)

Yes. We brought Too. Much. Stuff. Also attending: Frog, Mini Frog, Mini Blythe, Tutti, Kelly, Poppy Parker, Francie, Midge, 2 Silkstones and 3 vintage Barbies. Further acoutrements: one book of 562 pages, 19 magazines weighing approximately 42 pounds (3 copies of Vogue), 2 doll beds, 2 room backdrops, assorted cases and shoe sorters, 1 large shopping bag of Ebay sales to manage, 1 small bag of dolly sewing, mending, ironing and tiny vintage bouquets to re-wire and re-glue; laptop, camera and assorted electronic devices; 1 large first-aid kit and bag of supplies for the inevitable beach mishaps that have befallen me in the past (too numerous to mention here but do note at least 3 E.R. visits in 25 years of semi-annual beach pilgrimages); 1 blanket and pillow from home (adult size), and I even managed to remember to pack my own suitcase and bring a swim suit and towel (2 ea.).

Perhaps I need a class in a) How to Relax, b) How to Take a Vacation and/or c) How Not to be So Anal.

Brigette comes to the Midwest

Brigette
Originally uploaded by Gina2424

Brigette was the lucky (?) Blythe who was selected to fly with me to Indiana for a week for my big 5-0 (ick) birthday with family. She's so adorable; how could I leave her behind? And in her new Skipper Pink Princess dress and coat and vintage shoes, she was ready to travel. My carry-on tote bag contained, besides the usual water and magazine, 1 Blythe, 1 Wonder Frog, 1 Poppy Parker, 1 Silkstone, 1 vintage Stacey and 2 Juicy Couture Barbies. I love to watch the face of the guy running the x-ray machine!
I have had good intentions of many photo shoots this week, some dolly sewing and repairs, reading Freedom (562 pp.), practicing embroidery, updating all my blogs (3), painting and cooking.
So far, I have managed a new haircut, re-connecting with friends on Facebook, flying to Nashville for a day and cooking two fave meals: meatloaf and turkey burgers. No dolly connection with that!

It's a Mod, Mod, Mod world!

I wouldn't have it any other way. Mod. My favorite fashions. My favorite era. My favorite to wear when I can pull it off. And that's just it. I usually can't. So, much more fun to dress the Blythes and Barbies in vintage mod fashions.

At top, my Jane (right) wears her Skipper "Twice as Nice," while Maggie's Ava wears "Twice as Nice" in their more familiar color combo. This is an early 1970s Skipper felt dress and coat set. Next, Brigette looks pouty perfect in Skipper "Quick Change," a mod 1968 outfit that also came with a mini dress, tassel'd knee socks and ankle boots. I am on a quest for the socks. So, here I substituted some slouchy socks and mock Converse high-tops with floral lining.

And lastly, my gorgeous "flip" Francie is wearing her own "Tenterric," a pleated wonder I've had at least three times now: childhood, a Blythe phase a couple years ago, and now. This time I have the purse (not shown here), but need to find the bonnet thingy, stockings and squishy lime bow shoes. This dress, however, is pristine! Here, I have used the lime-y Fashion Avenue accessories pack to add hose (baggy), slingbacks, a chain purse and scarf.

A couple excellent reference sites to vintage fashions can be found here and here.

Another interloper...here to stay!

Besides the vintage Barbies which have been claiming a piece of my free time, a.k.a. "Blythe Time," now we have Ms. Poppy Parker on the scene. I had been coveting her pouty face ever since I saw her announced in Haute Doll magazine last fall.

She is produced by Jason Wu (yes, the same Jason Wu of Michelle Obama's wardrobe) for Integrity Toys. She is 12", fully articulated, and has been released already in a variety of hair styles, colors and outfits. This one above, called "Beatnik Blues," just spoke to me, as did her reasonable price!

Here she is wearing a striped tunic dress from a Taylor Swift doll (sorry, Taylor. I luvs ya anyway), Poppy's own black tights, Francie's fuschia Culotte Wot boots, Barbie's 1960s white canvas Resort Set hat (yes, that hat is almost 50 years old!) and the perfect accessory--a Vera Bradley style handbag made in glorious detail by the ever-so-talented Diana Weiler, one-half of La Boutique.

I think Poppy will be a great model for my vintage mod Barbie and Francie fashions, many of which are being restored or repaired by another talent, Libby Sherman of Pistachio Libby. However, Poppy is going to need a padded bra to pull off some of the Barbie fashions! Calling Jason Wu....

The Mod Squad is Back in Town

Mod Squad
Originally uploaded by Gina2424

Need I say more?

The ultimate in purse pets!

The ultimate in purse pets!
Originally uploaded by Gina2424

Take that, all you pint-size chihuahuas out there. And you, too, Yorkies, even though I wuv you. Make way for the purse pet of the next decade: mini Wonder Frog! No pooper scooper bags required, no crumbly dog biscuits, no expensive grooming (hey, no fur, and you can't paint toenails that don't exist)! Can't find a prince? Just get a frog. Jessica Simpson, we're talking to you. Basic Barbie wears, in addition to her fab frog, a very vintage Barbie Dreamy Blues dress, vintage boots and lesser vintage Fashion Avenue sunglasses, furry coat, and purse. She's all that, and together, they're all that and more.

The Barbie-Blythe overlap finally sucked me in and won't let go!

No, these 10 pictures are not of Blythe (as in Blythe-O-Mania, the title of this blog). They are of Francie, Barbie, Teresa, Casey, a host of "barbies," (small 'S'; different than 'the' Barbie, some of you understand that), a vintage Barbie case cover, and okay, one Blythe (Buffy) in pink with Superstar Barbie.

So what have we here? I guess I have to accept it. It's my newest obsession. Although it looks, feels and smells like my childhood of the 1970s, it's really my second childhood, circa 2010. And it's going well. Lots of fun. No angst about boys, zits or homework. Well, less angst.

It all started simply enough. Blythe bodies are the same as Skipper bodies, and as such can wear the vintage Skipper fashions of the 1960s and 1970s with special aplomb. Call it attitude. Call it whatever you will, but I have been slowly collecting my favorite Skipper fashions, many of which I had once before, for my Blythes to wear.

Then I discovered some of the Francie fashions also fit and looked mod. Francie was perhaps even more of a favorite than 'the' Barbie barbies I had. Francie was fun and mod and hip and had a cool friend Casey, whereas Barbie with a big 'B' was always a little severe looking to me with her arched eyebrows, pursed lips and stilettos. Barbie intimidated me the same way she probably intimidated Midge. And Ken.

Francie was my cool pal when I was about age seven to 10. And now she's my cool pal when I'm about ^%&^%*#@. Oh well, never mind that. Anyway, after accumulating a nice stash of vintage fashions, I realized I could enjoy them more if I could display them on their rightful vintage 'owners.' Suddenly, I had a new old Barbie collection (big and small 'S'). And as fate would have it, they display perfectly on top of my Blythe doll house. So now I can have an ever-changing montage of my first and/or second childhood. Or, as the next-to-last photo demonstrates, I can have a "Who Wore It Best" dress-off, a la Us magazine, any time I want.