In which I have nothing to say, really....

Have a couple doll pics, then.

In which I realize I've been online a lot.

I seem to be twittering myself stupid this week. Well, not stupid, it's been a lot of fun, actually. The delightful Kevin at @tonnerdoll on Twittler got a few of us raving Tonnerites on a group chat Tuesday night--everyone was welcome, a few of us got it going, and it's been on and off #dollchat since. LOADS of fun, and we have a few experts in various niches of the dolly world. http://tonnerdoll.com/blog/tonner-doll/1st-tonner-twitter-chat-yesterday-dollchat-great-fun?fb_comment_id=fbc_10150305555751476_18699955_10150305617316476#f3e32a97df649ae

I spent Tuesday at Ann's house (gotta start calling it *my* house), making strides to get the doll room (Ann's bedroom, for those who know the house) in some usable shape so I can get the doll clutter out of this house, to get started on getting all the clutter out so we can move. I moved, by my own self, a 5-foot sideboard (oh, look it up), cleared 4 bookcases, and moved those bookcases into the room. Three of those are full of dolls, but I'll be reorganizing those as the rest of the room is set up. I am, as a result, very stiff and sore, and once again reconsidering the evolutionary utility of walking upright, as my back is still in pain.

I hope that made sense, I'm not editing it. ;D

Today, I'm nursing a nasty headache, and finishing up another review for the TonnerDoll blog of the wigged basic American Model, which I adore. I need to get the pics together.  I meant to take pics at the less-messy Ann house, and brought everything I needed with me.....except for the camera. D'oh.

In which Robin and Sophie go to the woods.

Yesterday we went to the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival, saw some cool stuff, bought a knitted snood, and generally had a nice retro time. Kevin took lots of pics of the performers and such, and I just looked for little photo ops for Robin, my Fairly LittleFee Elf Ante, and Sophie, my Tonner/Effanbee Mary Engelbreit, erm, Sophie (what? She was named well the first time). Sophie's a little camera shy, but not Robin--the term "center of attention" was coined for her, I swear. Later I may post some pics of the performers and all, but for now, here are the girls!

A NOTE--I made all of Robin's clothes! She has the dress sense of a 3 year old, but she is, after all, a 3 year old.

On the way, at last, after a slow start. What? It's Saturday, after all.

Yertle's job is to hold down the air bags until we need them. At least, that's what we tell him, as it's important to feel useful.

The girls have their own little pocket seat in the door.

SQUEAL! We're here!

Robin has a dollar and a Tootsie Roll in her bag, so she's ready to go. My talented felt artist daughter, Alexandra Riley, made the strawberry bag. Turns out that elves get free admission! Bonus!

Where shall we go first? To a show, of course!

We're watching that guy blowing fire out of his mouth. I think Sophie's a little scared of him.

I held Robin up so she could see the audience. I think it was more so that the audience could see Robin.

Mama, he really did blow fire outta his mouth! I wanna do that! (My reply: NO!)

The grounds were muddy, so I convinced them to play on the rocks and not in the lovely squishy flower bed.

But the sun came out after all! Robin adopted a monkey, named George (she names everything George). Sophie is holding out for a dragon.

Just a quiet moment. Ain't they cute?

But we're thirsty!

Imma climb this tree!

I finally got Sophie to sit for a picture of just her! Triumph!

It's a snood? Is that another word for bed?

I guess it is a bed, after all.

Whenever Kevin gets around to getting his pics in order, I'll post a couple of the *completely insane* fire-blowing maniac. ;D

In which Robin is very, very ready.

Okay, need to finish this sleeve hem, then I can get that and the skirt, and.....oh, my. Robin, dear, where are you going?

To the Resinants Vestibule.
Renaissance Festival. That's tomorrow, honey. Have you been looking at Fancy Nancy again?
It's just my pretties. 
ALL your pretties, by the look of it. Take it all off and get your jams on, it's past your bedtime.
NoooooOOOOooo! 

Toddler elves are as much work as human ones, I swear......

Robin is a Fairyland LittleFee Elf Ante NS, and is looking forward to dancing in the woods with other elves and fairies tomorrow. More pics afters.

 

NRFB Dolls' Liberation Front!

She's a 1999 Tonner Doll club (defunct) child Jane, and she was tied to her box until about five minutes after she hit my porch today. Look at those eyes!

Drama? Nope, no drama here.

I forgot to mention that the family estate drama that kept me off the blog for the summer has been primarily resolved, HUZZAH!! I am very grateful to (and actually like to BS with) my estate lawyer, even if he is a Republican (he wasn't born that way, it's a lifestyle choice).

In which I celebrate autumn.

I. Love. Fall. Love it! Cooler temps, crazy leaves, nothing's spewing pollen, the sunlight isn't harsh, that lovely warmth when the furnace kicks in, and did I mention cooler temps? 'Cause I love that part. LOVE IT!!

I am a Tonner Blog Author!
http://tonnerdoll.com/blog/feature/charlies-review-qvc-littlemissmatched-uptown-girl
If y'all knew just how much I love Tonner dolls, you'd know how excited I am about this.  I'm very gratified by the "Great photos" in the title that Tonnerdoll wrote -- Kevin (my husband of, what, 22 years now?), bless his semi-professional art and landscape photographer's heart, once told me I'm a not-very-good photographer. *frowny face* To be fair, at the time I was using an old digital camera that we found at a Goodwill for five bucks, and those Chicago work trip photos on that were pretty crappy. However, I have a Canon something-or-other now (why would I know? It's red and it takes nice pics)(edit: it's a Nikon CoolPix S8000), and learning how to actually work the thing has helped. Plus, that doll is just so unbelievably CUTE that I think it would take real effort to get a bad pic of her, and I'm much too lazy to go to that extreme.

Today is writing another Tonner review and getting pics of the doll, sewing, dishes (...always...), and spending so much time goofing off on the intarwebs that none of that gets done. Ta-daaaa!

What cable end goes into what plug,then?

My techo-life in one pic:

PS--Yes, I made her shirt.

I've been rockin' and rollin', too.

I have also been busily making myself into a lapidary hobbyist--ie, I gots me some rock tumblers! I've wanted to tumble rocks since I was a little sprout, and Kevin and Sam got me a vibratory tumbler from Harbor Freight for my birthday last month. I've since also acquired a Lortone 3A roller, and a Thumler UV 3 vibrator. Don't worry if that doesn't make sense, the upshot is--pretty shiny gems and pebbles what were just rough rocks! The first batch isn't totally done yet, as it still needs another polish cycle, but the tumbler really brought out the deep dark purples in some amethysts I got at a gift shop in a theme park. Yes, there will be piccies, because I will be inordinately proud of my newbie efforts, aw yeah.

As I was saying....

I ran off and turned 50 when y'all weren't looking. Howsabout that, eh? I feel like I have a stronger adult authority now--"Don't argue with me, I'm FIFTY, dammit!"

And I did this just recently: http://tonnerdoll.com/blog/feature/charlies-review-qvc-littlemissmatched-uptown-girl

More blogging from now on, because I'm losing track of what I did when, which is rather annoying in my little world. And I'll post pics of my recent Monster High doll obsession. Here's a Multiple Cleo de Nile piccie: