In which Martie greets her new friend.

This is the Jakks Pacific Rapunzel 18" doll, and she's only been here a couple of hours! Her manic expression is because she's very excited. She may need a repaint when she calms down a tad.

In which we have Day 2 of 61 Days of Martie!!

Yes, my work table really is that messy. Did you expect otherwise?

In which we begin 61 Days of Martie.

I made myself a challenge: to post one new picture of Martie each day from now through Dec 31st. Hey, why not?  She's pretty much taken over as it is.

Today Martie is showing you the new blog name, and her new hairstyle, and that she was too lazy to change out of her nightshirt today. I can't fault her. So was I.

In which I change the title.

I changed the name of this blogbeast because the dolls took over. Originally, this was to be a needlework blog, showcasing my embroidery and sewing, but then I started posting about my dolls more and more....

Ladies and gentlemen, this blog is now:
Dolls Behaving Badly!
 
This despite that my dolls are, for the most part, well-behaved. Except Robin, who's a bit of a stinker.

But I didn't not do NOTHING today!!

Yeah, well, she's thinking about something naughty, you can be sure of that. I loves my little troublemaker.

In which Robin goes to Eat-n-Park.

I think she was thirsty...

Robin would like the macaroni and cheese, please, the extra-extra-extra-small portion.

Crayons with the kid's menu are always welcome.

All your crayon are belong to me!

I didn't use the flash because the restaurant was busy, and who needs a bloody flash going off in your eyes when you're trying to have dinner? Robin is a Fairlyland Littlefee Elf Ante in NS. Eat-n-Park is a family restaurant chain based in Pittsburgh, one of a few chains that still have salad bars. Salad! Bar!

In which we compare jammies.

Martie and Nelly compare their Charlie-made pajamas, and Isaac makes a pest of himself.

 

 

 

Martie is, as we all know by now, a Tonner Rapunzel, modded with glass eyes by Jim Ash. Nelly is a Kaye Wiggs bjd (her lower legs are hooves, as she is a mythical faun), and Isaac is my son's Bobobie Bao bjd, who likes to annoy his many sisters. Isaac would also like like me to tell you that he is a kung fu champion. It isn't true, but he'd like me to tell you that all the same.

In which I made some cool in-crowd tshirts!!

Okay, I didn't make them myself, I left that to CafePress, but Check This Out for all my #dollchat friends:

http://www.cafepress.com/dollchat 


I ran the idea past Kevin in the Tonner Social Media department before I did this, honest!

The basic t-shirt looks like this:

You know you want one.

In which I talk about my Abby Normal brain.

I have synesthesia. Many of you know this, many of you don't. Here's a definition, for those who are thinking "Synna What, Now?":

syn·es·the·sia/ˌsinəsˈTHēZHə/

Noun:

The production of a sense impression relating to one sense or part of the body by stimulation of another sense or part of the body.

What this means is that a number of my wires and neurological streams cross, and colors have smells, smells have color, letters and numbers have colors and personalities, I see what less-educated people call auras, etc. I become very easily overloaded in places like malls, Dave & Buster's, music stores (people playing different things, recorded music playing, people talking, videos running). Chuck E Cheese's was a waking nightmare for me when my kids were going to parties there. I get intensely nauseated and disoriented at very bright and flashing lights, and a lot of people talking at a party sounds and actually feels like glass breaking inside my head.

The relevant part of this to this blog, though, is thoughts I've had since watching an episode of "Taboo" in which objectum sexualis was featured, focusing on Erika Eiffel, who's an internationally known American OS who has married the Eiffel Tower and taken its name as her own surname. The best OS page is here: http://www.objectum-sexuality.org/ .  I'm not OS, but I have a real sympathy for people who are.

The most relevant part of the show for me, however, was a psychiatrist commentator, who said that she doesn't think OS is a sexuality issue so much as an extreme form of synesthesia, specifically object-personification synesthesia. My scrambledy-neurons went *ZIP*ZAP* and I suddenly had a major insight to both my own synesthesia and my doll collections.

Everyone personifies objects to some extent, as it's an evolutionary part of our need to make patterns to help us avoid physical or psychological harm. Some synesthetes, however, have a much stronger sense of objects having personalities: 'We report a case study of an individual (TE) for whom inanimate objects, such as letters, numbers, simple shapes, and even furniture, are experienced as having richly detailed personalities....These findings demonstrate that synaesthesia can involve complex personifications for inanimate objects, which can influence the degree of visual attention paid to those objects." (Personifying inanimate objects in Synaesthesia, Carriere, Malcomson, Eller, Kwan, Reynolds, and Smilek, Journal of Vision, June 2007, vol. 9 # 9 article 53).  (side note: I have a MA in sociology, so I do have some credentials to back up my own bs-ing. ;D)

My point--and I do have one!--is that a large number of doll collectors invest their dolls with personalities, stories, and lives, and these can be as rich and detailed as  reality. Some collectors don't, they see their dolls as decorative objects or mannequins, and I get that -- these are the collectors less likely to show up on the "Ain't these Doll People Freaks?" types of docco shows, because the rest of the world kind of "gets it." Those of us who go farther and deeper into the personalities of their dolls may not be able to help it even if we wanted to (I don't want to help it, for the record). The dolls are people, thank you, on a different level from the truly alive beings around us (priorities! Actually alive=more important), but still people. 

Part of this pondering was sparked by my modded Tonner Rapunzel, Martie, and my very  strong emotional attachment to her. I attach pretty strongly to most of my dolls, but I have bonded hard and fast with Martie, who grabbed my heart and creative imagination the first time I saw her online. I'd been jonesing for a Rapunzel anyway, largely for that HAIR!, but this girl--*BOOMETY*BOOM*BOOM* went my heart, and I even dreamed about her before I bought her. I had a moment of real emotional pain when I though someone else had bought her, so when she was actually, truly MINE and physically in my hands.....I was afraid to open the box! What if she didn't measure up to the pics, price, anticipation....? She sat in that box for  a *week* before I finally worked up the moxie to open it.

You all know how this came out, because I've been posting primarily pics of Martie since I deboxed her, got some clothes on her, and brushed that amaaaaaaazing hair. She's my sewing muse and travel buddy now, and is inspiring me to make better pictures (as pro photographers say--that's my husband's primary avocation). She may be getting a backstory soon, as she isn't the same as the character in "Tangled." She's Martie Riley. She has her own rich life, thanks.

In which Martie gets a doll of her own.

She was so excited, she wanted to share:

 And now to bed, sweet dreams!

 

In which I am just a terrible house keeper.

Oh, now, it's just a *few* dishes.....*sigh*

In which Martie models for you.

Martie will now model for you her lovely and very comfy new autumn kicking-around outfit, made by me, specifically for Martie. No, we are not hiking!, the location is actually where my front yard meets the sidewalk. I *love* the autumn light and colors in this little spot.

Any and all visible cat hairs are the sole responsibility of the cat what shed 'em. I used the lint roller, but anyone with cats knows that there are *always* a few cat hairs in everything.

In which a newcomer is impossibly tiny.

Someone new came to my house today, after waiting for months to meet her:

Sweetie, we want to see your pretty face. Don't be shy.

Yes, I know the flash is bright. We'll get pics in sunlight this weekend. Now uncover the other pretty eye.

Ohmigosh, I've seen moths bigger than you!

Comfy now? You need your rest after that long trip.

This tiny precious thing is a Flora from Dream High Studio, by Danny Harijanto, and is a sold-out pre-ordered edition. She's 7 cm tall, glows in the dark (a blue tint), has a lot of itty-bitty joints, she has two headcaps (one floral, one plain), onyx eyes, and petals for her feet, and orchid magnetic wings, and OHMIGOSH SHE'S SO TINY I CAN'T STAND IT!

There will be more, and much better, photos, when I can figure out how to adjust my camera to take in her tiny glory properly. If I can convince her to wear clothes (unlikely!), I'll probably have to sew them right on her.

In which we take Martie hiking.

The rapids at Ohiopyle PA, just before the falls.

 Let me make this clear: I hate hiking. Hate. It. Kevin and Sam were insistent that I get out of the house, that's where they were headed, and I thought, fine, I'll take Martie along and get some pictures.

Here's a scenic overlook near Ohiopyle.

Same overlook, toward the highway.

Martie got blown out of this tree by a very sudden and strong gust of wind, so I didn't get the shot I wanted. This one, however, seems to sum up her feelings about the incident.

Safely back in the car, away from the blustery bluff, when I notice she sustained a small scratch under her chin, near the flower on her sweater. One of today's projects is to *gently*gently* buff that scratch down.

We went up the Cascades trail. I now officially bloody hate that trail! Uphill going there and coming back! Do Not Like!

However, we found some pretty cool moss-covered boulders.

And ferns.

And some fallen trees and loose branches.

Then we went down to the nice flatter area near the falls...

The rapids were beautiful just as the light was beginning to fade.

Thank goodness there weren't blustery winds down here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the fashion conscious, Marti is wearing the Ellowyne Wilde outfit "It's Only Me," her shoes are the EW "Adrift" shoes (without the interior foam heel wedges), and earlier she's wearing a hat I bought on eBay.

In which the Princess gets a name.

DRUMROLL!!!

Introducing MARTIE!

MARTIE, short for Martha, or Martina, or or Martindale, or whatever occurs to me on any given day. But definitely Martie. Smartie Martie stole my heartie. Okay, that was silly.

In which I show you some art.

I've mentioned before that I'm an embroiderer, and while cleaning Ann's house I've been coming across a lot of my pieces from over the years, and a lot of things I'd forgotten I'd even done -- I ran across some sketches from a design class I took as an undergrad that I had no idea she'd saved.

A few years ago, I made Ann a tote bag to take to scifi conventions to carry the dozens of books she always bought. Here it is, wrinkled from storage:

You may see that it's signed "Daisy"--that's me, too. I have a pseudo that I sometimes use, depending on what I'm doing, and on occasion that's what I sign.

In which I show you some dolls.

As some of you know, at the moment I have two houses: the one I live in with my husband Kevin and son Sam, and the house left to me by Ann, my mother, who died in January. We're in the long, slow process of moving from this house (smallish, will sell it) to Ann's house (much much bigger). Once we're moved, my dolls will have their own room!, and I'll have a smaller room as a workspace. I've been working on fixing up the dollroom first, as my dolls are....well, they're taking over here, and The Boys are feeling a tad crowded. If I get the dolls and accompanying *stuff* to the other house, space clears up here and we can get to the business of clearing and moving.

So I spent the day yesterday at what we're still calling Ann's house, moving, clearing, rearranging, etc. I come into the doll room (Ann's bedroom) to see this:

Kanani! Ann Estelle! Whatever has happened?

 I look up to see their shelfmate, A Tonner Katie Toddler, like this:

She looks both guilty and unrepentant, and admitted nothing. Toddlers. *shakes head*

Toward the end of the day, I decided to take a few pics of the girls currently on the shelves. These dolls are NOT artfully arranged!, too many of them have messy hair, many need doll stands and their shoes, a couple of them are in need of clothes, and as I get the rest of the dolls in, there will be more shelving, more dolls, and more pics.

I got these girls back on the shelf peacefully. I hope. Tonner Katie Toddler and 18'' Ann Estelle, Candy Anderson Daisy repro, American Girl Kanani. Sitting: a Madelyn Baughman Daisy, rewigged, wearing a chemise and overdress that I made just for her.

A cloth doll I haven't finished, Gregg Ortiz's Once Upon a Princess (of course she took the chair...), Ruby Red Galleria Charmette, Madelyn Baughmann Daisyette, Ruby Red Bleuette, Kaye Wiggs Koneko and Cinnamon, and a Charlie Riley wooden jointed doll, also with Charlie Riley jammies. PJs will be a recurring theme, in case you haven't noticed this yet.

Kidz-n-Catz Tinka, Carpatina Kohanna, and two Best Friends Ink dolls.

Madame Alexander Heiress Elegance Cissette (who will be unboxed), and the ever-fabulous Tonner Miss Piggy, looking as though she's just coming in from a hog-wild party.

Charisma Candy Fashion, a Cissy whose box name I don't know (hiding behind Candy!), the ONLY flat-footed MA Cissy model, Karito Kids Piper, Gotz Sissell Kille ballerina, and a Tonner Fashion Designer play doll. Sitting: a Hasbro Lorifina.

Evangeline Ghastly Visiting Frogmore, Everlasting Evangeline, Jonquil basic brunette, Paulette Goodreau Elise, Ennui, Tea, and Me Amber Stanhope, Prudence Moody wigged Out, Too. Sitting: resin Evangeline Ghastly A Cautionary Tale (faceup modified by me), and an Antoinette Mannequin Cameo.

Hearts to Hearts dolls Lilian and Dell, Michael Walsh Sharmistha bjd with Charlie Riley faceup (crummy pose for her, I apologize), and two MA dolls rescued and redressed by Eva Summers.

I told you my collection was eclectic, and I haven't even gotten to the teeny-tinies and BJDs and Ellowynes and Tylers and Kimberly Lashers and more Paulette Goodreaus and Berdine Creedys and....yeah, I've got a lot of work to do, still!

In which we go to lunch.

This is my Tonner Rapunzel, modded by Jim Ash to add inset blue glass eyes to replace the painted green eyes, which were lovely in their own right, but I do love inset eyes. Yesterday, we decided we had to get out of the house on such a pretty day, and so treated ourselves to lunch at Boston Market. The lady is wearing a jumpsuit I made (completely handstitched, including the topstitching), and moccasins that are a tad too big, alas (shoes for this doll=problematic, as she's got a flat-footed Ellowyne body). The poor dear doesn't have a name of her own, aside from the box name, so I've been calling her Princess. I'm taking suggestions!

Safety first! 

These folks are nice, they bring the food out to your table. Very civilized.

I highly recommend the loaded mashed potatoes.

 After that, we went to Staples to get a shredder, but that was so boring we didn't pull out the camera at all.

Later, at bedtime:

New jammies! Also made my me. 'Cause I'm a doll jammies junky.

http://tonnerdoll.com/blog/customer-reviews/american-model-wigged-basic-collector-review-charlie-riley

In which I confess....

....that I'm seriously hooked on Monster High dolls. Big shock, eh? I'm not exactly a completist, and there are some I like more than others, but I realized last night with my purchase of Dead Tired Frankie Stein at a Toys'R'Us that I have the entire Dead Tired line, dolls, beds, and all. Plus, for the poor darlings who don't have "official" beds, I bought a sleepover set and chaise lounge set from useyourmagic on eBay (http://www.ebay.com/sch/useyourmagic/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686 ).

Plus, I've been writing down what I have of each current doll so I can avoid duplicates in fits of enthusiasm, which occur frequently. And I have the wallet and a couple keychains and the umbrella and....

Yes, eventually there will be pics of all this noise. Keep yer hair on.