Friends in the meadow....

Sarah's friend Saphira arrived. 

"Yes. I've been watching all morning."

A few photos of Sarah in the new red gown....

The next afternoon Saphira brought all her kids to Lily's garden, where she had been waiting for them...

She invited them all to help themselves to tea and cakes...

The children had been excited to meet her. She was one of their mother's oldest friends.

"Well, aren't you all the sweetest, well behaved little dragons!"

"Now there was a little trouble maker!"

And from that moment they loved her, and were on their best behaviour....

..and they sat enthralled, listening to Lily...

...as she related stories about their mom.

"Oh yes, she was one naughty little dragon."

"Not at all like the four of you."

Saphira rolled her eyes, as she suddenly realized that her four mischievous little dragons were no different than she herself had been.

My sister and I have been very busy the last while putting together the next book in the Special Days series.  This one features all the Special Days in June, July and August.  Gathering all the photos taken over the twelve years since the project began was a huge challenge. But then I still needed to shoot a cover, and all the monthly header pages.

I made lists of all the props that were used in the photos each month, and gathered them on three big separate trays.  But the book cover was extra challenging because it needed props and dolls from all three months.

After choosing which props to use, and changing any dolls that needed different outfits, I set about putting a scene together. We had chosen pinks and purples to be the Summer colour scheme, so I started by ironing some light purple fabric, and pinning it in place.  Everything needed to be arranged around a blank spiral-bound 'calendar' page which would have the title added in post production later. Things could overlap onto the calendar, but they had to be solid objects, and nothing fuzzy - like hair or fur. And it needed to be roughly the proper proportions. It took me almost five hours of choosing, arranging, and moving stuff around in order to get something I was finally happy with.

And of course not everything I'd put aside ended up in the scene....

The final set up. Note the clown off to the right. I had dressed two dolls as clowns, not knowing which one would end up in the photo. I chose the taller one to fill the space between the flags and the pirate, but her hat with the red yarn wig blended into the Canada flags right behind her, so I switched the two clown hats. Just one of the dozens of things that had needed attention...

One of the final photos...

Then they went to my sister for post production, and she turned one of them into the book cover...

One down, and three more monthly title pages to shoot....

Lily was out for a walk enjoying the lovely spring day...

When who should she meet but her good friend Saphira.

They were both admiring all the flowers.

when Lily had an idea...

"It's such a beautiful day, what if you and children come for tea later?"

Matias knew Agnes had gone out for a morning ride in the meadow....

...and went out to meet her...

"How was your ride?"

"It was wonderful."

"I love this time of year."

"And how was your horse?"

"She's been doing very well."

"I think we are really getting used to each other."

 "I'm so happy that you got her for me."

"She's perfect."

It was a beautiful, warm spring morning, and Agnes went out for a ride..

She loved this time of year...

...when the meadow turned blue with the first flowers of spring.

Recently I've rediscovered my love of doll costuming. It's what got me into BJDs in the first place, and it's been taking a back seat for years as photography and doll stories took front stage and completely took over. But I was tired, and needed new inspiration.  Or, old inspiration. Turning 70 reminded me that I still had so many things that I had wanted to do, and time was seriously running out.  There were so many other historical periods I've always dreamt of making doll costumes for.  Then SartoriaJ introduced their Versailles series, reminding me that it had always been one of my favourite periods, and I had always wanted to make some Rococo style doll costumes. I even have lots of fabrics in my stash purchased specifically for Rococo style gowns.

I knew I'd come to a turning point when my newest doll, Sarah, hadn't even joined any of my doll families yet, and I'd been using her as a costume model ever since she arrived. In fact I'm currently working on another new design. It was like going back to the good old days when the only reason for buying a new doll was because I wanted her as a costume model. I used to love making doll costumes but the doll stories had been taking up almost all my time, and it's impossible to do everything.  Then with all the endless political stress going on, I'd been finding it much more relaxing going back to my sewing.

I decided I'd love to make special costumes from other periods, but as single stand alone pieces, or for couples. Who cares if the models were not a real couple in my existing Medieval Fantasy stories. I'd just choose whomever looked the part. And I'd even consider getting a new doll or two to become my costume models.

Then last week Thursday I was very tired and bored, and was scrolling through the DOA Marketplace, and what should catch my eye but a lovely SartoriaJ Serena. She had been reduced to a ridiculous low price, and better yet, the seller lived just two hours away from me right here in Canada. So I contacted them, paid for her on Thursday, she was mailed on Friday, and she arrived this past Monday.  After just four days with no Customs taxes or fees! She'd have arrived even sooner if it hadn't been for the weekend. Now, that's the way to buy a doll!! 

​Introducing Serena...

She's currently wearing the standard pink sari gown all my new ladies start out wearing...

I had been a little concerned at first because she has the larger Bell bust, and all my other SartoriaJ ladies have the smaller Dew bust. But when I checked the measurements, it turned out that an SJ Bell bust is the same size as a Slim Iplehouse FID with medium bust (same as three of my Iplehouse ladies) so she'd be able to wear all my existing Fashion sized costumes just fine.

I had considered making her a wig, but have decided to wait until I know what period she will be modelling for. I'd love to see her as Marie Antoinette.

But first I have to finish the two Medieval fantasy gowns I'm currently working on.

I started gathering the fabrics for two more gowns using my new pattern. I've wanted to make something out of the patterned, multi-colour, sheer, cut velour fabric ever since I found it atValue Village. I figured green and purple would be the perfect compliments....