Antique Lilac

Winter

9/27/2022

*Today I'm presenting a 'double post', as we are going away on a short trip with no Internet access, and I didn't want to leave everyone hanging for a week waiting for part two.

Playing Cards

Adrian enjoyed a friendly game of poker with some of the other guys from time to time...

Kassia came into the room...

"How's the game going?"

"Not so great for some of us. Your husband is quite the card shark."

"Well, I just came to see if your game was almost over."

"You did say that we could go to see the frozen waterfalls today."

"..and I've been looking forward to it all day."

Frozen Waterfalls

Well, a promise is a promise, so even though he was winning the card game, Adrian folded and got ready to leave with Kassia.

It had been very cold the past month, enough to freeze the entire waterfall, and she really wanted to go and see it....

It was so beautiful with the ice sparkling in the sunshine...

...even surpassing her expectations...

"It's so beautiful....and I'm so glad we came..."

But then the wind picked up...

...and even with the sunshine it became extremely cold...

"It truly is spectacular here.."

"But it's getting way too cold....so we better head for home."

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A Chess Game

9/26/2022

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With the holidays behind them, life settled back into a regular routine, as everyone waited to hear from the Wizard regarding their date with the Fairy Court. Afternoons were often spent playing games by the warmth of the fire....

"Your move, my Lady."

"I'll go make some more tea."

"Checkmate!"

"Some more tea, Miss?"

"More tea for you, Ma'am?"

"Yes, thank you, Lucy."

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Making Music

9/25/2022

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It had been their tradition every year, that after Christmas dinner, everyone would gather far a Christmas music jam session.

Everyone was skilled at one instrument or another, but this year it was a bit more challenging - with paws instead of hands...

Still, they were determined to try...

And try they did....

...and they weren't even half bad.

It was a relief that they hadn't lost their skills....

It did wonders for everyone's morale.

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Christmas Dinner

9/24/2022

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That evening everyone gathered for their traditional Christmas dinner...

Adrian rose to make a toast, "I know no one really feels all that much like celebrating this year, but here's to making the best of it, and hoping that next year everything will be back to normal. Merry Christmas!!"

"Merry Christmas then!! And here's to next year!!"

Even so, their mood wasn't all that joyful...

Christmas just wasn't the same this year...

Everyone just seemed lost in thought..

..and no one had much to say...

"I know what might cheer everyone up! Our traditional after dinner Christmas music jam session!!"

"Yes! That might be fun!!"

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Christmas Morning

9/23/2022

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Christmas Day arrived...

and Adrian was trying his best to carry on like normal...

He had several gifts for Kassia...

"I got you something."

"That's so sweet of you."

"Thank you!"

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December Snow

9/22/2022

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Most days Kassia and Adrian would go out for a ride...

There was just something so peaceful, and magical....

...about the snowy woods....

"I love this time of year."

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A Movie Studio Wedding

9/21/2022

20 Comments

As many of you know, I've been working towards Baron and Naomi's wedding all year. I took all their formal wedding photos, as well as their reception in Miho's garden, earlier this month. But there was still the wedding ceremony itself. I finally photographed their wedding the other day, and was so excited by the results that I just have to share, and give a sneak peak.

Last year I had created a 'hall' of some sort on my dining room table for Lawrence's coronation, but I really wanted something far more grand this time. After our son invited me to bring some of my dolls to his movie studio back in the spring, I got the idea that maybe we could shoot the wedding there. He was game.

I spent much of the summer getting things ready, and then it was time to look for backgrounds. We looked through hundreds of stock photos, but none were quite right. Then Jess, Immersion Room's 3D artist, found this 3D Fantasy Gothic Interior set. It was perfect, so they purchased it.

What exactly is a 3D set, you ask? Well, it's a digital program where one can move around in the 'interior space' just like it was a real place. I suppose it's much like being inside a computer game. All the elements can be changed. The lighting can be changed and there's an entire furniture package, of elements which can be added or removed.

I had practiced setting up the scene on my dining room table...but it is just 44" wide and 6 feet long, and there wasn't room for two double rows of guests.

We went to the movie studio last week to deliver all the furniture and props, and discuss the final details, and we saw the 'set' for the first time. It was spectacular!

We determined that I'd need a 'stage' 5' x 8', and it would need to be moveable so I could rotate it to take photos from all sides without having to move the dolls. So our son prepared the stage at his studio, by screwing sheets of plywood onto one of his 4 x 8' risers supported on two of his moveable panel containers...to create a 5 x 8' stage....

So Monday we packed up all the dolls into the car and headed to the studio.

I decided to do an initial setup with various dolls arriving at the cathedral. It was a challenge reaching in far enough to pose the dolls in the middle...

Then I took some photos to see if I could take the photos hand held in the low light. I could!!

Taking photos in the movie studio was basically shooting forced perspective against a digital background.....

Then it was finally time for the wedding to begin...

We could rotate the stage and the background so I could take photos from the different angles.

I would pose the dolls, we'd light the candles, I'd take photos, then we'd blow out the candles, I'd change the poses, and we'd do it all over again.

Six hours and 150 photos later, and I shot the final scene. It was beyond impressive!

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Decorating the Tree

9/20/2022

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The holiday season was quickly approaching, and they decided to celebrate as they had always done...

"I'm glad that we've decided to just try and celebrate the holidays like normal."

"Me too.....but I'm a little tangled up...."

"Could you help me out?"

"It's so inconvenient being this short. I can barely reach anything."

"That's okay. Just hand the ornaments to me..."

And Adrian went to get some more...

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the Coming of Winter

9/19/2022

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Autumn faded and the first snow arrived....

"I love the first snowfall."

"..then the whole world is transformed into a sparkling wonderland."

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Beauty and the Beast

9/18/2022

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Life settled back into a regular routine....

Kassia spent quiet afternoons reading..

While Lucy took care of the regular household chores....

"What are you reading, my Lady?"

"It's the story of a girl who finds herself in a castle where the Prince has been enchanted into a beast...and everyone else in the palace has been transformed as well..."