"Duh" Moments

You ever been looking on Etsy, and happened to think of something you wanted and in the next second, have a giant “duh, I'm a moron” moment? I had one tonight.
Among other things, I have a Blythe. Actually, she's a Basaak, which is the fake version of Blythe but having handled both, they're pretty darn close to equal. My doll, Æris, is really my filthy alter ego. But, never mind that. Point is, I love my little trampy doll, and I've made a few clothes for her, and she's got some fancy toys, including a fancy kotatsu from Rement. Everyone who knows me, knows Maude and Æris and give them their due as the household deities. These days, Maude is mostly retired. I've decided that while I adore the Obitsu bodies,  there's just something endearing about that giant head and great big googly eyes.  You can see Maude and Æris along with my mini Blythes, Michiru (Pet Shop) and Bia (Takara) on their own Facebook page along with seeing them here at Scale Adventures.
So, what is this about Etsy? Well, most know I sell on Etsy, as “Dirty Girl Designs”. Believe it or not, I don't do much doll stuff. I have little desire to do it like this, mostly because sewing clothes is a pain in the ass (even I mostly buy the clothes for my dolls) and I cast in resin and metal and shrink plastic so what possible skill could I use that for?
Duh. Pulls. See, Blythe have these little rings on them, they connect to a string that when you pull it, changes the eye color on the doll. I can not only make them out of resin, (which, there are actually several Etsy sellers who do this already) and I can make them from resin, and I can even cast them from metal if I'm feeling real ambitious. So keep watching, I'll soon be making and selling custom Blythe pulls!

Bia Arrived!

In Which We Learn Michiru Has A Sister

Nothing much in the dollhouse world. Little projects here and there and that's about it. Oh, wait. I do have a new girl coming for the house. Unlike Michi this is a "real" Blythe. As in, she can be customized unlike Michi. Not that I will, it's more likely I'll just make sure she and Michi have some nice new clothes. She's got no name yet. We'll see when she gets here. She's a Petite Blythe Totally Tartan and no, I didn't pay even close to that for her.

In other Blythe news, I have a head coming. It's a Basaak head and I'm so OK with that I'm reverse snobbery about it. Much as I'd love a "real" Blythe again at some point, they are investment dolls.  I have to get this new head a body, I'm thinking another body like Maude's would be great and is my goal. I also have two extra heads coming for Obitsus. One is the 60cm but it and a 27cm head were only $7 so I grabbed them.

So this winter will hopefully mean some dolls and more on the crafting front. I'm thinking of making a bunch of glitter houses for swaps and extra gifts. I have to gather up my cardboard soon I suppose.

And yes, Tarquin (aka Pookie) is currently in boot camp for the US NAVY. Anyone who wants his address to send him mail, I'm sure he'd be very pleased. Just ask and I'll send it to you.

Meet Michiru

Well, meet Michiru! She's been on the phone since she got here. Probably calling family in China to tell them to come visit!

Her boots come off, her dress comes off. The gloves and tights do not. And her bangs are annoying me right now. New clothes I'm hoping soon along with a solution for those damn bangs.

Apartments

One thing I really enjoy and is a rare item in the world of dollhouses is the dollhouse apartment. Even as a kid with my Barbie dolls, the dream house had it's three sections strictly divided so that all the residents could decorate their own way. I never cared for Victorian monstrosities (I'd had so much exposure to Victorian furniture and culture that I developed a well educated loathing of it.) and while I love modern dollhouses, it's always been the dream to have an apartment.

Oh, nothing elaborate, maybe 5 or 6 units maybe 20. Simple. And discovering the Toadstool Studios pattern (yet never finding it) I've made it my mission to find out about apartment dollhouses as much and as many as I can.

I'm currently waiting on a book written sometime in the 80's the promises a "skyscraper" plan but until I have it in my hands, you'll have to be happy with that I have.

The concept of an apartment dollhouse is hardly new. But they are so rare, I've only seen a few. The Henry Ford Museum has one, a duplex that is really charming. Dark green on one building, and tan on the other, it is probably a labor of love to a little girl who lived in the exact type of house the dollhouse is. Perhaps her cousins lived next door and this was a way to replicate her world. I hope she appreciated it, and didn't long for a Victorian mansion.

I've debated recreating this house a few times. It's a very simple house and a roof garden or what have you would look great. Wonderful as the Ford duplex is, it's rather simplistic for my taste but then, it's over 80 years old and they just didn't have the wonderful stuff for dollhouses that they do.

The other day however, I discovered this one.

I II

I had mentioned how I had seen a plan for a stacking dollhouse but couldn't recall where. This is not it, but this is along the same lines as the one I had seen on Facebook, Elizabeth has recently purchased a stacking, 1970's era handmade house. This picture shows three sections, stacked to complete an apartment in the finest of Edwardian styles (I'm a lot more patient with Edwardian, after all, they gave us Art Nouveau and Art Deco)

The layout is simple yet elegant. All the rooms a dollhouse should have, in a way that allows for multiple dwellers in the micro world. The dining and master bedroom have wonderful bow windows. A kitchen AND a pantry! A pantry! Something neglected in this day and age in all homes. Even though we spend billions on storage solutions! The reception hall is also a nice Edwardian addition. Ladies would meet here and have informal meetings, guests would be received here. This is the height of elegance, much like the elegant Dakota which was one of the first in elegant apartment living when apartments were thought cheap nasty places for tenement dwellers. This dollhouse was the height of fashion for some little girl who saw the Dakota being built and probably heard her father harumph about the way the world was going to hell. I think this building is newer than the Dakota, but I'm still researching the book. (update! This is the book, Home-Made Toys for Boys and Girls take that eBay)

This shows how the units are placed, and how they would stack. I need to get a hold of this plan and really go over it. This might be just the elegant apartment solution I've been searching for.

Giving Bieber a Bong Hit

I want to make something clear before I share this next picture. I do not "hate" Justin Bieber. What I "hate" is the rabidness of the fans. I probably would have felt the same over screaming Beatles fans, or Elvis fans. You fans scare me. So this is a mockery of the fandom, not Bieber hatred.

First, I bought my "magazine" at June's Miniatures Mart. Yes I can make my own mags, and yes, I know how, but no printer ink means no mags or other printies. (don't forget you can donate to me at paypal to help offset the costs of some of these things like ink and stuff) The bong is also from June's. I dipped the bong into some pretty foul dead and rotten soda and then stuck it to the magazine. Pretty simple. Now when the bong is lifted, a brown disgusting stain spreads across the magazine. Let's face it, we've all set something wet on magazines.

The last is a freebie picture. The (clean) magazine is sitting on the bed. And can you tell my dolls are a family of readers or what?

In other news, I am still waiting on my new resident. Not sure when she'll be landing in the US just yet, and I'm hoping she enjoys the new room box. But she has a resident visa and subsidized housing waiting for her and her orange locks when she gets here!!

Haven't named her yet either. And no Maude, we are not calling her "midget bitch! This jealousy over the furnishings has to stop!

Room Box Started!

So today I bit the bullet and put together the room box. I'd been avoiding doing this because I really wanted my tape wire first, but the place I plan buying it from is on vacation and my patience wore out.

First thing was, careful wallpaper trimming. I've made the mistake before of cutting first then gluing. No more. First, I glue it down, get the bubbles out, let it sit, then I trim.

Getting ahead, this is the window area to the room box. By the way, this is scrap-booking paper and not dollhouse paper.

The window'ed wall with it's paper.

I still intend on wiring. I've been told that TW is pretty sheer and I could go over the paper and no one would say anything, but I simply left about an inch unglued on each wall.

I accidently glued some down. But no big. The walls were then glued on,, and the "ceiling" when I wire that, I'll cover it with some white paper to look like a painted ceiling should. The floor was not glued because I didn't have anything to cover it with yet. I'm torn between some sage green carpet and some red. I also have some dentil molding to add that I need to paint. I'm seriously leaning towards the red carpet and red trim.

And, there you go. This will become the "living room" box. Most of what you see in here will be staying in here. I do have to get some wall art and mirrors in, and I'm working on getting a couch. The fireplace already has it's new flickering logs and as soon as the wiring goes in, it'll be crackling away. This room has an overall "red green" thing going on. Which is great for the green marble pieces. The barrel chairs also work great in here along with the gold. I'm very unsure about the blue. I'm not into those being in here and they'll be going into another room.

And, as you see, I have not stuck to the "Petite Princess" only rule. There are several items here that have no PP connection at all. Magazines and bong and lighter are courtesy of June's Miniatures.