Blog Archives

Mr. Ropuha

4/30/2014

Well, I have my toad! Even though I was home and watching for the mail truck yesterday morning, when I went to get the mail, there was a "Sorry, We Missed You" notice. What?!?! I guess that doorbell didn't work, and they never thought to knock. I was so disappointed! The slip said I could pick up my package today in late afternoon. But that was still so far away!!

So after our granddaughter's school concert, we decided to drop in at the Post Office and pretend we didn't read that we had to wait until the next day. And he was there - had just been dropped off. Well, it was too late, and dark, for box-opening photos so I just unpacked him, and let Jan play around with him.

Imagine my surprise this morning, when I found him out in the rain, relaxing in the bird bath.....

Mr. Ropuha is by Russian artist Irry, of Whispering Grass, and second in her series with Manuna Mouse. I can imagine having all kinds of fun with these tiny creatures. Some day I'd like to repaint them in more realistic colours and textures, but for now they are fine the way they are.

I found the miniature wooden lawn chair at Value Village last weekend - actually a bag with five of them - some blue, some yellow - which I plan on repainting then sanding to look worn.

Well, back to the Bo Peep outfits. I'm at the point where everything now has to be sewn by hand. What tedium! What was I thinking making three??

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Watering the Violas

4/29/2014

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It's finally warmed up enough that my violas can stay outside. I bought them three weeks ago on a nice warm weekend, but then the temperatures plummeted with many nights dropping well below freezing. Anyway, it looks like they will finally be safe outside. The girls like to help water them.

We are in for a lot of rain the next few days. Perfect for Mr. Ropuha, the Toad, who should be arriving at any time. Like everything from JPopDolls, he's coming months later than his original estimated arrival date. After tracking showed he'd arrived at Toronto airport early yesterday morning, he's totally disappeared from tracking - "No Results Found". I was hoping to see "Out For Delivery"this morning, so will see when he shows up.

I finished processing all the photos of Asa in the Ruins Garden, and put many of them in an album in Favourite Photos 2014. I think I also need to start an album for 'Iplekids Everyday' for all the miscellaneaous photos of my Iplehouse dolls, that appear here in my Blog.

Today I'm working on the Bo Peep dresses. I need to finish the bodices, then start sewing on the skirts. We'll see how far I get.

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Queen of the Castle

4/27/2014

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We went to the Guild Inn Ruins Garden yesterday afternoon in order to do a photo session of Asa as 'Queen of the Night'. Such an elaborate gown needed just the right place as a setting, and it was the perfect choice. The Ruins Garden is tucked into the woods on a bluff overlooking the lake, and is filled with all kinds of interesting architectural stone 'ruins' salvaged from demolished old buildings. Here are some of my favourite photos of my Queen ......

I think the ruins were the perfect regal setting for my beautiful Queen, so I took a lot of photos. It was nice that there was hardly anyone there, so I didn't feel self-conscious carrying around my Asa and taking photos everywhere. I guess it was still too soon in the season, as this place is often used for events, and wedding photos all summer and autumn. But it's best with no one there, so then I can lay flat on the concrete to take photos like the last one above. Now I will have to make an album with all my favourites.

But first, there's a doll show within driving distance today. The Greater Toronto Doll Show in Oakville. I've never been to it before, but since doll shows are rarer than hen's teeth these days, I'm going to make the effort to go to any within a reasonable driving distance. It's always fun hunting for furniture and props.

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Birthday Puppies

4/26/2014

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It was far too windy for photos yesterday, so I took some today. We did go to Value Village yesterday though, and I found some nice resin puppies. All little kids love pets, and with resin animals, if the girls forget to feed or walk them, I'm not stuck doing it, so I'll get them as many pets as they want.

So Byuri took her new puppies for a walk among the blue flowers in the orchard, where she met Elin who loved the puppies just as much as she did....."They are so cute!"

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Party Time

4/25/2014

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Byuri decided to throw a birthday party in the playroom with Nami and all their little toy friends....

She even baked her favourite lemon pound cake.....

Today it was supposed to be cloudy with showers and I had wanted to check out the scilla orchard and visit the Ruins Gardens for some doll photos before it started to rain. But it's a clear blue sky and definitely not good for doll photos. Hopefully it will cloud over soon. In the meantime I'll go iron all the ruffles for the Bo Peep dresses, so I can start sewing them on.

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Pink and Blue

4/23/2014

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Today I start in earnest on the Bo Peep outfits. I've chosen the fabrics, and selected the laces and trims, but like usual, there's not enough of the right coloured ribbons, which means a trip to Fabricland tonight. I had enough wide ribbons in the right colour for the hats, and I do have just the right colour of 1/4 and 1/8 inch wide ribbons, but there's not nearly enough for three dresses. And I can't start on the first, hoping to find the exact same thing for the other two, because I need them to be all the same. Hopefully Fabricland has some the right colour.

In the meantime, I'll start on the tights and slips, and work out the patterns for the bodice.

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Easter Chicks

4/22/2014

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Bonnie and Erzulie were out hunting for Easter eggs in the garden, which wasn't particularly exciting because the eggs were all laying out in plain view, because there were no plants big enough to hide them. But then they spotted a large group of baby chicks looking for worms among a bit of greenery. Well, there's absolutely nothing little girls love more than baby animals...

Well, that's it for Easter photos for another year. I can't say that I was particularly motivated this year. I just want to get back to sewing and clear out the backlog of commissions. Some people have been patiently waiting for a very, very long time.

So today I'm finishing Bo Peep Hats. My workspace is crowded with supplies. There's the box with all the spools of blue ribbons, two big boxes with tiny flowers, and another with just leaves. I'd already sewn the lace linings into the hats, and sewn the decorative braid around the brims, and today I steamed the hats into shape, then sewed on the ribbons and ties, and am now working on attaching all the flowers. Tomorrow I hope to start cutting the fabric for the dresses, but first I need to choose a model from among my Kaye Wiggs girls.......maybe Layla.

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Victorian Easter Egg Hunt

4/21/2014

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Lonnie and Lisa looked so pretty back in their Victorian outfits, that I thought I just had to let them go Easter Egg Hunting. Lisa especially liked the blue eggs. "Are they robin eggs?"

It's very challenging to take Easter pictures this year. Normally there's some green in the garden, and maybe even some early flowers. But this year, with winter seeming to hang on forever, and even with Easter being so late this year, the garden is still mostly a dead brown, except for a few tulips starting to poke their heads up. And of course, the periwinkle always stays green. So I have to pose the dolls in front of the periwinkle, and with a bit of blur, make it look like the garden is a lot further along than it really is.

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Painting Easter Eggs

4/20/2014

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With everyone gone home, it was finally time to let my girls paint their Easter eggs.
Erzulie and Peach got out the paints and brushes and set to work in the kitchen.
I had bought them some nice wooden eggs to paint...

Bonnie came to join them, bringing along a HUGE wooden egg she wanted to paint....

So they all set happily about painting their eggs....

When Peach and Erzulie were finished their's, they turned to see how Bonnie was doing...

They couldn't believe their eyes!

To see all the photos in the story, just click on the photo above.

Now to clean up, and hand out all the chocolate eggs and bunnies!

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Grandchildren

4/20/2014

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It's been a family weekend, with my daughter and her family coming for Easter and one grandson's birthday party. With everyone all together, we had the opportunity to take a group photo....

from left: Rachel, Austin, Andrew, Brady holding baby brother Elliot, then Teagan, and Natalya

And I had the chance to take some photos of little Elliot, who is now 10 weeks old.

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