I had wanted to make Isar an Elf warrior outfit for our upcoming trip, but I knew there wouldn't be enough time, so I thought I'd just modify Asa's Topaz Fairy outfit. I made a new upper skirt - exactly the same but without all the fairy talismen dangling off the bottom. Isar has a larger chest than Asa, and there was just too much open bosom, so I made a small tank top, and a necklace to fill the space. When trying on wigs, her normal long wavy hairdo was just too long and bulky. I like Elin's red Roxie wig - it gives her a "perky" look. And with her perky, warrior look, the longest skirt needed hoisting up. I had already shortened it with a tuck, but it needed to be made even shorter. The problem with putting multiple skirts on (as well as tights and pantaloons) means the waistbands have to get progressively bigger so all the waistbands aren't  all fighting for the same spot on the doll's waist, but they fit above and below one another.Since the skirt was a bit long to start with - even for the fairy outfit - and the waistband was not wide enough - it did up with a super-stretched hook and eye - I decided to cut off the old waistband and put on a new wider one. I took out the first tuck, and made a new, much wider, one so the dark brown skirt comes down well above her ankles.

Isar is borrowing Aeran's sword and bag, and now she still needs a bow and a quiver full of arrows. I'm behind where I thought I'd be (like usual) because I hadn't expected to be remaking so many things, plus I spent all afternoon yesterday getting an unexpected root canal. Hopefully that means things should start improving now. Anyway, I bought a new chamois at Canadian Tire for Byuri's new Indian outfit, so I better get started with that today too.

Today I'm busy tying up loose ends and starting work on three costumes at once. I made Isar some tights and pantaloons, and I painted the white edges on her black boots so they wouldn't stand out glaringly under her costume. I made a new upper skirt without all the fairy dangly things, and it's hanging outside in the breeze to dry - beside the longest skirt, which I shortened, and had to wet to reduce the bulk. Now she needs a necklace to fill her wide open bosom.   

Since I had decided on what I wanted to do for the letter "L", I also made some polymer clay lollipops. And of course once those were done, I just had to set up and take the photo - and add it to the Alphabet page. So here it is......

Now I have to put all my "maximalist clutter" back on my "library" shelves, and get back to my sewing. Nami needs black tights and some white pantaloons, and maybe I'll start cutting out the leather for Byuri's Cheyenne outfit. Then I can cut fringe while listening to TV this evening.

Actually "J" is for Junior Jesters, with hats all a Jingle-Jangle, Joining the Jeering 
when one Jouster made ready to Jab his fallen opponent with the Javelin.  

This was a fun photo to compose! The two little jousting figures are from my old art doll collection. The little Elf Knight on his trusty steed was made by Marianne, and Mary made the little Goblin Bomb. I borrowed all the medieval banners from Mary's Barbie castle. I did make one jester hat, but figured the others could pass nicely in their elf costumes.

So now I'm done with all the letters up until we go away, and I have to seriously focus on the three new costumes for the dolls coming along. I'm also continuing with the Tedros outfits, so they can either come along as something to do.

The free patterns with instructions for Tedros' shirt are now up in the Tutorials section.

Took a photo for "H" down at the lake last night and added it to my Iplekids Alphabet album.

Today it's tie up loose ends, and clean up everything, because I'm getting guests this evening and the house is a mess right now with doll stuff everywhere. I want to finish all the eyelets in the Tedros commission sleeves and tunics, and take out the Topaz Fairy outfit to see what needs to be altered and added. Then it's make final decision on clothes that need to be made in the next two weeks.  I'm also aiming to get the Tedros Shirt Tutorial up today as well. 

I reshot the Four Fat Frogs photo for my Iplekids Alphabet, and I'm much happier with this new one. The first photo was just too busy, so last night we picked some wildflowers up in the hydro field so I could try a different version today. It's so much more obvious now what's going on.

I had really wanted to take campfire in the sunset photos this past weekend, and with four evenings overlooking Kilarney Bay, it did seem possible. Problem was, when we arrived, we discovered the camp office had given permission for the people who had occupied the site we had booked months ago, to stay on it an additional night. I wasn't comfortable taking dolls out on the rocks with other people there, so even though we had a gorgeous sunset that first night, that opportunity was lost.

The next evening when we returned to camp, the other people were still on our campsite. So, to the office to see what was going on, and the staff said the other people were supposed to have moved, so the staff came and un-pegged the tent to make room for us. Well, it was looking to be another glorious sunset, but I was anticipating major issues when the people returned to find their tent moved and us occupying the site, so wasn't going to set up my dolls for any photos. As expected, the people were not pleased, but the office insisted they had to move, so right after they left with another load of camping gear, I managed to shoot a few quick photos of Byuri on the rocks with another beautiful sunset over the bay.

Now it's just two weeks until we are supposed to take our three-week fall trip. I have to see how things go, or we may end up postponing a week - or canceling altogether. I really do want to go. So just in case things improve and we can leave when scheduled, my current Tedros commissions have been put on hold, so I can take care of the pre-trip preparations - I'll get back to them at the end of October. In the meantime, I've finished the two shirts, and discovered there was a problem with the pattern being too wide in the main body, so had to sew tucks into the shirts, and re-draw the patterns. Hopefully today I'll be able to take some photos and make the shirt tutorial. 

Then I have to address three more alphabet photos - "G", "H" and "J".  Plus I'd like to try reshoot "F" so the photo is not quite so busy and the frogs are easier to see. I'd also like to make a page with all the kite photos from .  Then there's one costume to alter for the trip, and two to make from scratch, and Tedros stuff to prep to take along. Two weeks will fly by, so I better get going.

Even though the Iplekids Alphabet project is far from done, I've decided to open the page to the public so they can see what's there so far. I'm working systematically from the beginning of the alphabet at the rate of two letters per week, but if I get an idea for a letter further on I'll shoot it as well. So, right now I'm up to "F", with a few occasional latter letters.

Projects like this make me wish I had a huge assortment of different clothes for my little girls, but I don't - they each have just three outfits - a sun-dress, a fancier dress, and an elf outfit.

....of mostly non-traditional, non-native things that start with "P" - like a peacock, penguin, porcupine, pumpkin and peace pipe - on pink granite.   (All pictographs are drawn on 
with environmentally-friendly charcoal from a campfire, so will wash off in the rain)

I know  I'm nowhere near "P" yet, but I shoot these things when I get an inspired idea, and I'm not good at keeping things a secret for that many weeks.  I'm actually supposed to be at "F", and although I've considered using a very nice "fairy in the flowers" photo from my archives, I think I need to come up with something more creative featuring the tiny girls. I do have ideas for "F", "G", "H" and "J", and I already have "I" and "K" done.

Just got back from spending five days up north in beautiful Kilarney, Jan's favourite kayaking destination. I had a bad tooth and ear ache the whole time, so it wasn't the best weekend ever for me, but I did get most of the doll photos taken that I had wanted. Like a campfire at sunset shot for "the Quest", where Kyle, Aeran and Maya are resting one evening near the beginning of their adventure.  Actually it was sunrise, but whose going to know? Everyone now, I guess.

I had brought some handwork along to do while Jan went on his kayak outings, but I didn't get that far. When I started a fresh new skein of black embroidery thread, it struck me as odd that I had two pieces in my hand, when I knew I had just cut one. Then when I tried to even the ends of the three plies to thread them through the needle, they kept breaking off! What was going on? I gave a gentle tug on the thread and it just broke. I tried again and it broke again. I tried a whole clump and it broke too. I still had a short piece of black thread from the first skein and pulled on it, but it wouldn't break. The new skein was obviously bad thread. So I threw it in the garbage and just sat and looked at the scenery.

I also took a few more "Alphabet" photos - I hope no one minds that I show them out of sequence, but I was just too happy with them to keep them secret for weeks and weeks....

"K" is for little kids flying kites in Kilarney...

Tomorrow another. Soon I'll have to open the Favourite Photos page for my Iplekids Alphabet, so you can see where I'm up to, with all the photos together in one place.