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You are here: Home / Archives for Blythe dolls

It’s Monday

November 27, 2023 at 9:53 am by Claudia

Before I forget, my Etsy shop is back up and running. I’ve spent the last several days taking photos and writing and posting descriptions of each piece. I think I had 13 or 14 pieces of pottery and I’ve already sold 3. After I finish this post, I’m off to find some boxes for packing. I have boxes, but they’re not the right size for these 3 smaller pieces of pottery. I’ll be adding more items over the next couple of weeks. The problem with Etsy is that they charge fees and that takes a chunk out of any profit. But of course, they’re a business and they have to. The shop, by the way, is ScoutHarper. It’s the same shop that Mere and I used to run together when she was making things and and I was crocheting tons of scarves. My right wrist has never recovered.

Right now, the inventory is mostly McCoy pottery. There’s a piece of Hull there as well.

My Christmas present arrived last Friday and since I have no will power whatsoever, the package was opened immediately. As was Don’s banjo, so we’re even.

Meet Chloe.

She was customized by MissEdith Dolls. Edith lives in Canada – Quebec, I think.

Here’s the back story. I’ve long wanted one of her girls because she’s a very talented artist (she also does portraits) and I love what she does with eyebrows and lips and all the subtle shades in the face up. In the past few months, my friends Susannah and Catherine have adopted MissEdith Dolls, which, let’s face it, made them even more attractive to me because I really got to see them up close. Catherine got hers secondhand, and by that I mean not directly from the customizer but from the owner. I adopt most of my dolls this way because the price is usually less than it was originally. Not all the time, but often. All my Ferro dolls have been adopted by previous owners, for example.

Anyway, I was messaging Catherine (who adopted my doll Mei) recently, and I asked her to keep an eye out for any MissEdith Dolls that might be up for adoption. A week or so later, she wrote me saying that she had just adopted another MissEdith but one of her dream girls had just become available at the same time and now she would have to sell the MissEdith doll. Did I want her? It was a doll that I had been watching for several months and one that I loved. I asked her to give me 5 days to decide. I showed her to Don. Don went a bit gaga for her. Anyway, long story short, we decided she would be my Christmas present and the banjo would be Don’s. Catherine lives in Singapore, by the way, though she’s from Ireland. This doll was picked up at Catherine’s home in Singapore on my birthday. FedEx shipped her on the following day – Wednesday – and she arrived at my house on Friday morning, Pretty darned fast.

Anyway, Catherine has adopted a girl from me and I’ve adopted one from her.

Chloe’s base doll is “Simply Lilac.” As it happens, another of my girls is also Simply Lilac.

And here they are, meeting for the first time. Hi, Olivia and Chloe!

It’s fascinating how different customizers come up with completely different faces from the same base doll.

Both of these girls have chin clefts though Chloe’s is more pronounced.

New girls are now having to perch on the shelf in a sitting position. There’s no available space for standing. I have to brace them from behind with various items; a piece of pottery for Chloe, a candle in a ceramic holder for Pru.

I made a trip to Target yesterday to look for boxes and bubble wrap, etc. I found some neat little Christmas trees and some adorable deer. So now, the girls’ shelves are being decorated for Christmas. I also found some of those sweater ornaments that I used for the girls last Christmas as well as some ornament parkas. I’ll share them with you tomorrow.

Now I have to get off my tush and figure out the box/package situation and get them in the mail.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, china and pottery, etsy, McCoy pottery 16 Comments

A Lovely Day

November 22, 2023 at 7:51 am by Claudia

Yesterday was quiet and lovely – we even got our first snowfall, which was a wet snow that eventually turned to rain. But it was kind of neat to see it falling. It’s all gone today.

Don made a stir-fry for dinner (at my request) and he included steamed carrots and fried potatoes. That little sneak concocted a meal of three of my favorite things to eat. I love his fried potatoes and I love, love, love carrots and these were organic carrots so they were extra delicious. The “cake” was a candle stuck in one of my favorite sugar-free chocolates (chocolate marshmallow.) I got my puzzle, as well as a book light.

And then we watched Barbie! I didn’t know what to expect but I really liked it. I’d like to watch it again today just to make sure I caught every reference. It’s visually stunning and the message is a powerful one. Greta Gerwig had a vision for this film and boy, did she achieve it! It’s simply amazing.

Today, it’s still a bit wet outside and rather dreary.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

Question: Will your Thanksgiving weekend be full? Should I not post on Friday? I’m thinking that might be a good idea and then, of course, I would post on Saturday. Let me know.

After being shoeless for two weeks, Pru couldn’t quite believe these boots were hers. You can see the doubt written all over her face. Eventually, she put them on and is enjoying being well shod.

Have to do a bit of grocery shopping this morning. Thanksgiving means it’s time to make Grandma’s biscuits. I can taste them already!

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Filed Under: birthday, Blythe dolls 28 Comments

Passing Things On

November 18, 2023 at 9:05 am by Claudia

Well, Don ran into a problem with the banjo. It works just fine but – being a spontaneous guy – he didn’t think to check for a musty/moldy smell, and it has a very, very strong smell. He tried all the remedies but they take time and working on it was unpleasant. Then he started worrying about me because I’m allergic to molds and mildew. I knew he was cleaning it up, but I had no idea that there was a strong smell until he told me about it. The case, the banjo itself, the interior of the banjo – terrible.

He’s rather heartbroken. It didn’t cost much so it’s not a big loss of money. It’s just hard seeing him so disappointed. He really likes playing the banjo and he’s good at it!

So. Let’s hope I get another residual and I can put it toward a new banjo for Christmas. Cause that boy needs a banjo and I want to see him playing one. It’s been a tough 4 or 5 years for him. No work, no income from work. Music keeps him sane.

I can’t think this was very comfortable for Monty, but he’s a patient soul. This is the dress I won as a door prize at Wonderland of Play. Isn’t it lovely?

And this is the outfit I purchased at WOP – from Woolly Rockers, one of my favorite Blythe clothing designers. She’s from England.

1972 being the year Blythe was first introduced.

I had an early birthday video message from Z this morning. He’s going to be staying with his dad for a week, so he won’t be around on my birthday. You would not believe how grown up he is! Deep voice, charming, on the cusp of his teens. Best present ever.

It’s a wee bit rainy this morning and we’ve decided to lay low today. No running errands, no work outside, just a (hopefully) mellow day here at the cottage.

Regarding yesterday’s post about selling the dollhouse: remember that it has been documented in two magazines, I have hundreds and hundreds of pictures of the interior and exterior, and I no longer feel much connection to it. Maybe it can bring joy to someone else. And if someone wanted the furniture, we would negotiate that price. I am finally reaching the point that many of you have already reached – wanting to deal with excess stuff. I don’t have kids so there’s really no one I can count on to manage my things once I’m gone. If I should move on before Don, what is he going to do with all this stuff? Better me, who knows what things are worth and how they should be priced. Don wouldn’t have the first idea of the costs involved, nor would I foist on him the chore of researching everything online. That isn’t very kind.

I have found myself feeling a bit more detached about things lately. That’s a message, it seems to me. Not of any impending doom but rather, an appropriate response regarding my age and my energy. It’s time to deal with some of this. I already donate my puzzles to a charity. I donate books to the library. I’m not ready to get rid of Dove Cottage because, frankly, it’s my favorite. The antique/vintage houses are not going anywhere. But I do have lots of pottery/china – so much so that I can’t find room for it all. The Roseville is staying. My great-grandmother’s china will go to my sister. The prices and important information concerning the Blythes has been carefully documented so Don could easily sell them online. I’ll do the same with the Gene Marshall dolls, though they’re very modestly priced.

Friends, I have so much STUFF here, much of it treasured. But I don’t treasure everything at this point, so those are the things I will most likely try to sell. I do treasure my Roseville Pottery and a lot of my McCoy, my egg cup collection, my putz sheep, and my Blythes – they will stay because they still bring me joy.

Just as we had to dump things from the shed, I also have to ‘shed’ some things. It’s time. And, frankly, a little extra money wouldn’t hurt, but that’s not why I’m doing it.

Selling the dollhouse for what I think it’s worth may be fruitless. I have no idea. So it may be moot. We’ll see…

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, Don 42 Comments

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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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