The scillas are in bloom along the townline, and that means picture time!!
So yesterday we took Rex and Bianca, and their horse...
So yesterday we took Rex and Bianca, and their horse...
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Sharing some of my favourite Easter photos from the archives.....  Some Easters we actually had flowers....  Painting eggs....   Lots of chicks....    Victorian Easter...  And from the one year when they had to hunt for Easter eggs in the snow....  Happy Easter!!  I spent the last two days recovering from a root canal, and working on some things for upcoming stories. I never did make the corset to go under Christine's dressing gown back in January, and since Isis will need to borrow it soon, I figured I'd take the time to finally make it. I used the bodice pattern for Miho's green FID gown, and thought it turned out very well.  Then I had to figure out what a Victorian gentleman would wear when he was doing some interior redecorating. I know that some of our most famous artists from the beginning of the 1900's wore a three-piece suit and tie even while painting in their studio. So they clearly wouldn't have dressed down too much. I figured, remove his overcoat and fancy tie, roll up his sleeves, and give him a work apron, and Steve would be good to go....  Now I just need to make Isis a new wig. I have the wig cap made, and all the strips of mohair sewn, and combed. I 'just' have to glue them all on, and style it, which is my least favourite part....  Anyways, I'm really happy with the new corset and petticoat.....  Now I just have to try them on Bianca.....
Spring marches on, but it rains most days, so there's not much chance to take photos outside. I did manage a couple earlier in the week when we had one dry day.... Willie in the crocuses....  There were two small clumps of them out front...  And Phairby, in those same crocuses....   I find it very challenging to take photos in spring. I love all the new flowers, but with all the rain, there's so little chance to actually take photos. And with the warmer temperatures, the plants grow so fast, that there's just a very tiny window when the flowers are the right height. The crocuses in these photos were taken just two days ago, and now they are completely hidden by all the other plants shooting up around them.
We went to check out the fields of scillas today, and they have started to bloom, but with all the rain, there's no opportunity to go take photos. So I'll see what happens this year. Just got back home after another root canal. Hopefully this is the end of the dental misery....  I temporarily have a huge collection of 'Littlest Pet Shop' critters at my house, so of course I had to take advantage and take some photos....  The girls were allowed to choose just one each....but which one???  Erzulie couldn't decide....  There were so MANY to choose from.....  There were shelves, and shelves full of them.....  Each one cuter than the next....  Effie couldn't decide either. She liked the little giraffe....  Then she noticed the ones over on a side table....  "That one is so cute!!"  'Well, you better make up your mind!"  "I think I like the giraffe best!"   Okay, now Erzulie just needs to decide between the two birds.....  *Note; all the Little Pet Shop characters belonged to Natalya. But her family is moving out west soon, and they are getting rid of stuff they no longer want. So she offered her collection to Emily, but their car was too packed full to take them along home with them, so they are temporarily at my house, until next time we go visit, and bring them.
So, being the sentimental 'materialistic' type, it just seemed so sad to me, so I took photos. Wondering why I've been 'missing in action' lately? Well, April is birthday month in our Family, and we had our big annual combined celebration this past weekend. Our granddaughters come over every Saturday morning, and for the past few weeks have been helping make fondant decorations for the two birthday cakes that were planned. Friday Jan picked them all up after school so they could help decorate the cakes.... 
 The two smaller cakes are gluten-free for family members that are gluten intolerant....
  And of course, some pretty pictures of the cakes before they headed off to the party..   I redressed Phairby last night. Her Fairy godmother outfit is a lot harder to get on, as the sleeves are rather tight. I had considered taking off her hands, but her arms are strung extremely tight, and the hooks holding her hands are super tiny, so gave up with that idea. But I got it on.  It was very cold, with ice pellets coming down outside, but I ventured out anyways for a couple of photos of her in her Swan 'ride'. It's actually a sleigh, but maybe it can be a magic sleigh that flies, or maybe even a boat....  It's funny how an outfit can totally change a doll's look. In this costume, I think she looks like a 'goofy' Fairy Godmother, whereas she looks so much more elegant in the black Monarch costume.  I can see all kinds of adventures involving a sweet Fairy Godmother, or a wise old Butterfly Fairy. Whatever the story calls for....
Took a photo of the dolls standing in my work space today. Rex is redressed after having a tiny white spot removed from his nose. David with his new wig, waiting for studio photos, and Ringo standing there because I was borrowing his wig. Paige's outfit needs studio photos, as does Phairby, so I can change her into her Fairy Godmother outfit.  But today I'm tackling Procrastination Project #2, another wooden train set for my grandson, for his upcoming birthday. (Procrastination Project #1 was David's wig. Number 3 is a new wig for Isis)  The problem is I can't see very well, and have shaky hands, so doing all those tiny details stresses me out. So I figured out another way. I photographed the sides of the wooden train cars and printed them out as big as possible on a sheet of paper. Then I cut them out, traced them onto bristolboard, and underpainted them in the blue and gray. Then I cut all the details out of coloured paper and cardstock, and glued them on. I can still cut and paste, especially in this bigger size, and I can use a ruler to make straight lines....  Next step was to photograph all the 'train sides', add any text, and shrink them down to the right size to fit the little wooden cars, and make a pdf to print out....then cut and glue them on, and finally a couple of coats of varnish, and they are done!!  ..And he gets another custom train set...
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AuthorMartha Boers is an award-winning Canadian doll maker and costumer specializing in fantasy and historical-style costumes. Archives
May 2025
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