The boys have decided they probably have made enough money now, so they've decided to celebrate by splurging on a box of fancy donuts..... Efreet helps himself to his favourite donut, while Ringo counts the money.... Many people thought the boys were charging way too little, so gave them very generous tips, and now Ringo needs to make sure they all get an equal amount. There's well over $400 "Wow, we are rich!" I wonder what they are going to do with it?
It's been so cold lately, that every time the boys go out shovelling, I make sure there's some hot chocolate and cookies or muffins waiting for them. The second they come in the door, they pull off their mitts and warm their hands on the steaming mugs..... Poor Ringo is exhausted, and he could use a comb to tame his unruly 'hat hair',
but first something to eat and to warm him up.... A few weeks ago a snow shovelling service seemed like a great idea - there wasn't so much snow back then - but it keeps on snowing and it's been getting deeper and deeper, and that means way more work.... "Is it ever going to stop snowing?" While the boys continue to shovel snow, I'm working on creating and updating photo albums. The 'Valentine's Chocolates' is finished. 'Erzulie's Birthday' should be done soon. The 'Snow Removal Service' story is up to date, I've started a 'JIDs Everyday' for miscellaneous photos of my JIDs, and then there's the 'Iplekids Everyday' to update.
Then there's all the costume Gallery pages to make or update...... First she stole his shirt, and then she stole his heart......Leona and Owen are a couple, but right now they are each in different times. Love separated by almost four centuries..... Either that, or she's travelled back in time. But probably more likely, he's just a modern actor getting ready for his next big scene, and she's wishing him a good day at work today....
That's the great thing about dolls - they can be whatever you want them to be... I've finished Owen's Musketeer costume. It's not like one of the 'official uniforms', but more along the lines of what D'Artagnan would have worn when he first joined the Three Musketeers. This outfit has been over a year in the making. This is how Owen looked a year ago..... Since then, I've given his shirt away to Leona, and the hat and sash became part of a 'Pirate' Hallowe'en costume for one of my little boys. That pretty much left him with his pants, boots, and leather doublet. So after a week of reimagining his costume, this is what he looks like now... I'm not a stickler for 'historical accuracy', so take away the hat and give him a different sword, and he can also pass as a fantasy adventure hero. Anyway, since I consider Owen and Leona a 'couple', she's going to need something appropriate to go with him. Right now she's the only JID I have dressed in something contemporary. But first I need to make a couple of Renaissance gowns for the larger dolls.
With this endless frigid February, some of the girls were in need of a 'pick-me-up', so Lonnie and Peach thought it might be nice to go to the hairdresser and change their hairstyles. I agreed, just so long as they didn't have anything crazy or irreversible done. So they went..... Well, neither had anything extreme done; Peach just had her hair cut into a short bob, and Lisa asked for a perm. At home they kept checking out their hew hairstyles in the mirror.... I don't think Lonnie is too sure she likes her new perm. Well, it's another one of those 'catch up, finish off, so I can start something new' weeks. Owen's outfit is coming along nicely. I still need to make him a belt for his rapier, and then he's done. I also have mountains of photo work to catch up on. I've taken so many photos the past three months but haven't put hardly any of my doll's new outfits into the Galleries. There's also several story albums needing to be put together.
My next costuming project will be something different. I'm going back to my 'roots', to my very first doll - my Ryung - whose not been out of the cupboard in years (yes, I do have other dolls besides Iplehouse) I'm going to be making her a series of Renaissance gowns. I've chosen a beautiful wine red brocade velour for an Italian Renaissance gown, and I think I'll also make her something similar to my Carina - something out of the magenta embossed velour. I might have enough fabric for two of each, but I know there's not enough of the fabric I used for Carina's underskirt left, so I'm going to have to chose something different. Anyway, back to Owen and his last belt..... Well, my three little guys are still enthusiastic about their snow-shovelling services.... They have been posting signs everywhere.... ..and with all the snow we've been getting lately, they've been very busy....
After eating some cake, it was time to open the presents... They all gathered round.... What could be in all those beautifully wrapped boxes? "A pony!! I LOVE ponies!! Thank you so much!!" "Wow, another pony!" "Open mine next...." "It's another pony!! Thank you so much!!" Seems everyone knew how much Erzulie loved ponies, so they all chipped in and they went to Target for the Clearance sale, and bought as many different ponies as they could afford....
After everyone arrived at Erzulie's party I took a group photo..... Then it was time to cut the cake. "Chocolate or vanilla?" Coco can't decide. Maybe he needs a slice of each? Nami likes the vanilla.... Holly and Ringo wait patiently for their turn... Which tastes better - the chocolate or the vanilla?
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AuthorMartha Boers is an award-winning Canadian doll maker and costumer specializing in fantasy and historical-style costumes. Archives
October 2024
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