Yes, I know…it’s the Landoudou dolls again. But, truly, all I have been doing for the past two days is reading and tweaking Gilly’s face up. On Monday, I hauled out my supplies once more because I decided to even out the blush on her cheeks. Then, I donned my protective gear and took her outside in order to spray another coat of Mr. Super Clear. It’s very toxic, so you have to wear a thing that goes over the head, covers the nose and has filters that keep out the spray and fumes. This charming ensemble also consists of a pair of goggles. The spray sets and protects the face up.

The girls are perched on the packaging for the dolls. I filmed a video yesterday for YouTube and the only way I could secure them while filming was to place them on the round containers.

I have to say that I’m really proud of myself. I dared to try to paint a doll face, something I never thought I’d do. And, though they’re not perfect, they’re pretty darn good. My need for creative expression is satisfied and I save money, in the bargain.

Now that I can no longer work in the gardens, my escape from the daily sh*tshow is working on the dolls, reading, reading, and more reading, and the occasional stab at mowing. Otherwise, I would lose my mind. Fantasy is a lot better than reality and I desperately want my ‘senior’ years to be as peaceful as possible. Sometimes, Don will declare a “no news day,” and I will do my best to not tell him what’s going on. We all do what we can to take care of ourselves.

My book was due yesterday and my guess is that it will end up being 2 or 3 days late. We don’t get fines anymore but I know someone is waiting for the book, just as I was waiting, so I will do my best to finish as soon as possible. And it’s October, which means that Louise Penny’s newest is coming out at the end of the month! A reason to celebrate, and boy, do we need things to celebrate.

We’re rewatching the series Alias. It holds up surprisingly well. The cast is excellent and I’m struck again by what a fine actress Jennifer Garner is. I know and have worked with Victor Garber. In fact, just a few years before he was cast in Alias, I was coaching him in Macbeth. And Ron Rifkin – such a fine actor – is perfectly evil as Sloane.

Okay. Back to my book.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

I mowed a lot on Saturday when I should have been reading this 897 page book which is due tomorrow.

It clearly isn’t going back to the library on time.

But I read a lot yesterday and I read quite a bit this morning before starting this post. I’ll keep plugging away. I did lose a big chunk of time on Sunday afternoon to the awful Mets game, in which they blew their chance for the post season.

Enough said about that.

It’s been quite warm outside; too warm for the scenery around me which is full of leaves floating to the ground, leaves on the ground, and fall colors everywhere. I’d like to be wearing a sweater right now instead of a t-shirt. Ah well, soon enough it will be quite cold.

The play has only one more week before it closes. I swear, runs are getting shorter and shorter, but this particular theater has the shortest runs I’ve ever seen. They had 5 preview performances and a 2 week run. In the ‘old days’ at the Globe, we had a week of previews and a 4 week run. But in the intervening years, regional theaters have decreased rehearsals by about a week and performances as well. It all comes down to money, of course. Part of the challenge, and the fun, of a longer run is finding your rhythm, learning more and more about your character and the cast and the audience as you get a chance to really explore the play. It’s sad that it’s changing. Don and I talk about this frequently. We miss the way it was. Professional theater is very different than it was 20 years ago.

I posted this on IG yesterday and captioned it “Watching the world go by.”

I have no desire to work on this dollhouse, it seems, but it does work well as a backdrop, especially for the smaller girls.

Obviously, more reading on the docket for today!

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Okay. This is what I spent the entire day on yesterday. The face up for my new Landoudou doll – purchased so Ruby can have a sister. The rule here is: if I buy another doll that is not a Blythe, eventually she has to have a sister. See: Wren/Lily and Jessie/Audrey.

And now, Ruby and Gilly.

I worked on this like a madwoman – all day long. I didn’t shower until 4 pm. Don, bless him, was a great source of support. I often stopped to get his opinion. This was HARD. Her face is so tiny compared to the Little Keiko dolls. I felt very clumsy and had to redo the mouth a few times. She’s not perfect, but I’m pleased with the way she turned out.

As is often the case with me, I finish a creation one day and when I look at it first thing the next morning, I don’t like it. Then I drink some coffee and, in this case, redress the doll and take better photos, and I’m happy again.

She is named Gilly for a reason. In one of the gothic mysteries I read as a teen, there was a character named Gillyflower, or Gilly. And she was ethereal and almost otherwordly. I believe she had white blonde hair. I remember her all these years later and her name came immediately to mind. Pronounced (I looked it up) as Jilly. (I know there was a Gilly in Thornyhold, by Mary Stewart, but that isn’t the book I’m thinking of.)

Found it: she is a character in Mistress of Mellyn  by Victoria Holt.

When I ordered the head, I had the option of two wigs. One was much like the one I have for Ruby, so I went with the blonde wig. When I opened the box, the net that had been on it had created a mark/crease in the hair, so I spritzed it with distilled water and let it dry. The I lightly brushed it out. I like the result. I also chose the green/blue eyes, though I do have darker eyes in my stash.

The girls:

I’m very happy with her. It’s a learning process and I doubt I’ll do a whole lot more face ups. You never know. These Landoudou dolls are awfully adorable, and I like the idea of having a group of them. The heads are very inexpensive and the wigs are beautifully made. I just have to supply the body and do the face up.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.