Welcome Opree June!

A gorgeous confection recently came to Blythe Manor via California. Opree June is a Friendly Freckles Blythe on a Disney fairy body and was painted by customizer Melly Kay with Valspar Java Brown Satin. That alone cracks me up - I think it is the same paint used on my deck!
But Opree (fka Abrianna) turned out much sweeter than a deck, and her she is with her matching pony in a Squeaky Monkey dress recently acquired from Lovebucket on BK.
Don't know if Opree will make it to Blythecon in Dallas; her hair is a little big for a cowgirl hat. I also have 18 (eep! I just counted. Didn't know that. That's a bit unmanageable for me.) girls and only nine cowgirls outfits with hats and boots. Some anyone with problematic hair will be ruled out asap.
I used to never take my Star Dancer Lilly anywhere, even though she was my first Blythe, because I was so worried about losing her hoop earrings. Finally, I decided I never planned to remove them, so a little Super Glue to the rescue. Lilly's a perfect cowgirl, so she'll definitely make the cut.
Can't wait to photograph Opree June more though; she's a fun one.

Fashion Forward: Blythecon 2011

The girls try on some new things we got second-hand in the Sundries sales on Blythe Kingdom. I must say re-sale for Blythe provides a lot more treasures than the ones I can find in any re-sale shops here. On the other hand, my favorite re-sale shop at home, Boutique Exchange, has tons of goodies and bargains, including a pair of Manolos (formerly mine) on sale now!

At top, Bunny tries to look nautical for the theme of Blythecon 2011, June 20 in Portland, OR., for which I've now registered. I think she might just look patriotic. We'll have to work on our seaside garb. The dress is by Crisapop, and the hat and purse are by TeenyWeeny Designs on Etsy. Bunny is an ADG Roaring Red with a bob wig on. Her face is by Blythe Stole My Heart, a.k.a. Auntie Maggie.

Purple Polly, custom by me, wears a deLupi Bad Bunny outfit, perfect with her crossed-eye chips! I am so proud of Polly. She was A LOT of work, especially for someone who didn't know what she was doing. I started a second custom but never finished. Sold her hair to Piparrot and her body to Phillaine.

Charlotte, my Urban Cowgirl, always looks appropriate. Here she has on a simple brown dress and riding boots. This girl has gorgeous, thick hair.

Lilly tried putting her hair up with chopsticks, which works well with her Asian-inspired outfit by Dolly Molly, always one of our favorite designers. Lilly's hair had been in a ponytail forever, and she informed me she wanted to start looking more glam, like "that Claudette," she said.

Finally, pink mohair Brigette wears a crocheted pocket dress by The Future, which we happened to buy from Brigette's prior mom. That's right, even the dolls come second-hand in the world of Blythe. Daisy wears a crocheted dress and hat by unknown makers.

Another fun fashion day at Blythe Manor. But, we're all wondering, will spring ever come?

These boots, umbrellas and raincoats were not made for walkin'. Just 4 lookin' cute!

Take it from the top, girlz! Polly, Molly, Bunny, Wednesday and Lilly.

And thanks to DollyMommy Sandy for my fab new blog design. (It needed it!) See her ad below right, which will take you to her shop. She also pointed me to Smitten Blog Design for cute little trims, and then I got on a roll looking around and still ended up going back to an old fave, Shabby Blogs. I can't believe how many free blog background sites there are now. No one need have a naked blog.

Molly Brown and Violet Jane are here; Lilly showing off as usual

Jane, my new French Trench, arrived this week, along with Molly Brown, an adorable mohair by DollyMolly and Pheisty. I'm just getting used to her Licca body, having learned how to tighten up the floppy legs, and I've been changing Jane's eyechips, one pair a day, after I learned the hard way about that, too.

Jane is wearing a navy dress set I got on Plastic Paradise along with the sweet red mohair sweater by DollyDressUp on Etsy. I also used a gold 'J' charm from a Juicy Couture perfume bottle for her pull ring. So far I've given her dark brown chips, but I have light brown, olive and red/green combo all coming, all by Cool Cat.

I wish there were more hours in the day; there's so much I want to do. I flew to Indiana this weekend and only packed one girl, trying to be practical. Besides, I also brought my knitting, crocheting, books to review, magazines, blogging, some other projects and some real work. Plus I came here to go to the doctor, dentist, get a hi-lite from Alica, my all-time favorite hair girl for 11 years now, get a nail fill, go tanning, and otherwise get an overhaul. Too bad I can't get liposuction on the weekend also.

Meanwhile, Lilly, my Star Dancer, wanted to show off her lovely purple set from Megipupu that looks great with the crocheted skirt we got on PP and her Marc Jacobs-like designer bag. She's such a fashion plate! Drives the other girls crazy. Stayed tuned for new pictures of Jane and Molly and the crew when I get back; Libby of Pistachio Libby on Etsy has been making us a fantastic wardrobe with some fabrics I picked.

Hats Off for Friday Fashion Finds

I finally crocheted a bunch of hats for Blythe to put in my Etsy shop, something I've been planning to do for ages. But every time I'd make a couple, I'd either want to keep them or give them away.

It was also way past time to photograph Charlotte, the newest addition, an Urban Cowgirl with slight changes. She has one new set of eye chips (eggplant) and has been slightly sanded. Her hair is gorgeous, a brunette version of Star Dancer, nice and silky.

And we're way behind in trying on goodies that we've acquired from sundries sales on Plastic Paradise and other similar spots. Plus, we've got to gear up for a mini-Blythe meet Sunday (photos to come) by making some treats and dressing everyone just so. Stay tuned!

Thursday's Child

Daisy (red hair) is pretty stinkin' cute, but Lilly (blond, above) will always be my fave. I first stumbled on to Blythe about two and a half years ago when I discovered a lot of my art friends had Blythe dolls. I saw them in their photostreams on Flickr, in their artwork, as muses and inspiration, and although I didn't really remember Blythe from the early 70s, I was very intrigued.

I did weeks of studying on Flickr and ebay. I didn't really know what I was doing when I ordered Lilly, a new Star Dancer from Tokyo. I didn't know the difference between "neo" and "petite" Blythes, so I'm lucky I ended up with a full-size one. And I certainly didn't have any idea what RBL or EBL or SBL meant, and I'm not sure I do now!

But, I picked Lilly because of her hair. It reminded me of my daughter's hair, and maybe even my own back in the 70s. And better still, Star Dancer came with not one but two outfits, always a plus, since I didn't know then about the plethora of Blythe clothes available from around the world. And she came with earrings, which few do, so I was smitten.

It took two weeks for her to arrive, and I still remember the excitement of seeing my very first Blythe in person. I know a little bit more now, and I've gotten hooked on customized Blythes, like Daisy, Alice, Bunny, Virginia and Pookie. But Lilly will always be number one.

On the road again...

I merely mentioned to the Blythes that one of them might get to go to Indiana with me for the holidays, and there was a flurry of activity in the wardrobe box. All four of them were changing clothes so fast their heads were spinning. Lilly, a Star Dancer, (top and bottom), a girl after my own heart, changed clothes at least three times, from vintage Skipper Town Togs to a Chanel T by rlkataja on Etsy, with Barbie denim skirt and knee-high go-go boots and a white down ski jacket with fur-trimmed collar from the TIB shop.

Maggy, ADG Princess Parfait, chose green cords with fur-trimmed bell bottoms and borrowed Lilly's stock poncho and hat along with a Coach purse. Bunny Velvet (ADG Roaring Red) went for comfort in a TIB shop A-line corduroy dress and a Twinklies Hello Kitty helmet to keep her unruly hair in check. Where are those wigs I ordered?

Zena, my bue mohair custom, was looking demure in the other part of the Twinkies Hello Kitty set with the HK dress, and a red blouse of unknown origin- off the rack, I guess. Not sure who's going. There's only one Sew Pixie carrier to go around, and Lilly always packs too much and loses her earrings. Why did I even mention it? *sigh*

And we're back: Slumber parties and high fashion with Vintage Barbie

Like a cuddly lemon--if lemons were cuddly--Miss Bunny Velvet models the vintage Twist and Turn Barbie outfit we snagged from Ebay after careful scrutiny. We were outbid by three cents with three seconds to go on one set and would have paid $30.03. Instead, we tried again with Ebay-like fortitude and found another one for $19.95. Perfect! Love the red and yellow. Pretty sure I had this outfit for my Barbie as a child. I was heavily into Barbie (and Skipper, Ken, Midge, Stacey, PJ, Francie, Casey, etc., etc.,) so it's hard to remember all the outfits. I had cases and cases of them and houses and....then I did it all over again with my daughter about 20 years ago.

Speaking of Barbie, the pajamas on Lilly, Maggy and Zena above are from a Barbie fashions multi-pack at Wal-Mart. Love the colors and the cute owl designs. There were enough pieces and some faux plastic Uggs (Maggy has on the 'real' Uggs from Gina Garan's This is Blythe shop).

The girls decided to have a slumber party because they don't think they are going to Blythecon, where they were going to have a slumber party with their IRL friends, Lindsay and Claudette and Angela and Annie and Arturo and Maggie and Rupa and their girls. Bummercon.

Blythe Bliss magazine re-launches!

The girls were excited to get the newest issue of Blythe Bliss magazine hot of the press from Punxsatwawney, PA. Lilly tried to coax Mr Dog or Mr. Monkey into reading it with her, but neither of them wanted to come inside. Mr. Monkey was hanging upside down in the pineapple tree.

Meanwhile, Zena was channeling her inner Janis or Joss and fantasizing about being the next cover model.

Blythe Bliss publisher Amanda Hill explains that she is re-launching the magazine and hence has started with this being volume 1. The issues will feature more full-page color photos and less text. This issue is cram-packed with hot Blythe models. Ms. Hill must be one of the youngest magazine publishers under the world, cranking out her tiny issues at a tender age under 21.

Click the Blythe Bliss link above to check it out and get your issue.

Lilly, Zena and Maggy are excited for their new sister, Roaring Red, to come home from Aunt Maggie's in Baltimore. None of us know what to expect, so we've just been calling her RR or Little Miss No Name for now. We have to see her personality before we can come up with a name that fits.

A New Arrival To Shake Things Up

This lovely brunette arrived Saturday, and I actually left her to sit for a day until I could figure out something to do with her. I think that must be some kind of rare malady: The Blythe Blahs. When I got my first, a Takara Star Dancer from Tokyo (Lilly), I must have tracked her every day for a week via UPS and I am certain I ripped open the box within second. In fact, I remember being frustrated because it took so long to get her unhooked from the security ties inside the box.

But now, ho hum. So why even buy another, you ask? The lame reason would be that ADG Blythes are so cheap via Collectibles Today from Illinois, the authorized Ashton Drake seller ($30 x 3), versus the more expensive Takaras. The other answer would be that either this one or my other ADG, Maggy, are going to take a little trip to Baltimore to Aunt Maggie (momoko_girl1 on Flickr) for a little renovation. I just love what Maggie has done with her Georgia Peach, and I love her other pictures on Flickr, so I asked her if she would play around with one of mine. I told her all I want are some freckles and boggled, new eye chips and anything else she wants to do is fine with me and will be a surprise!

So, I've got to decide who goes and who stays. I was going to keep this Roaring Red until I made the mistake of taking her up-do down. What a mess! She needs hair help for sure. But my Maggy with the custom bob still seems like the logical choice. Besides, RR doesn't have a name yet, and she can't possibly fly USPS without a proper name. What do you think?

A Breath of Spring on a Wintry Day

Zena, Maggy and Lilly couldn't stand it one more minute. They insisted upon putting on spring clothes, even if there was snow and sleet outside here in Indiana and temperature below 32F. They've apparently had it with winter, and so have I! While there may only be three weeks left until spring, it hardly seems near. There have been no premature robin sightings or peeking of crocuses from the ground. No buds spotted on trees. No young men's fancies turning to love. But definitely a bad case of spring fever. Definitely!

Finally! We Had Time to Change!

In an effort to convince me who should go to Art & Soul next week, all the girls decided to change clothes. The fashion fur was flying, and there were a few fashion crises along the way, but finally everything fell into place.

Since Lilly and Maggy went back to their rocker chick roots, I decided to leave them home because they would be noisy. Violet has to stay home because she got to go to Myrtle Beach. She's having tea here with Gwynyth, who is too new to go anywhere.

Olivia Elaia Rose is too shy to go anywhere yet, and Jolene's got too much hair to travel well.

So Zena did a good job, in Olivia's dress, of convincing me she should go. She has artsy-fartsy hair for one thing. For another, she gathered up her painter's palette, water bin, brushes, acrylics, colored pencils, charcoal pencils, and paper-crafting stuff, so I think she may be into this.

Fear not, my non-Blythe friends, I won't be the only weirdo with the Blythe. Ms. Joyce http://www.joycevance.typepad.com/ is an instructor, and she is taking a Blythe. We're going to do a little swap thingy.

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.