Day 61 of 61 Days of Martie!!

Okay, all set. What was I supposed to say?

 

 

 Just wish everyone a Happy New Year, Martie!

Oh, okay! A Happy New Year to....

 Wait, no, I can see the blanket on the couch and that pile of stuff on the floor. Hang on, I'm going to try it with the flash.

A Happy New---wow, that's bright!

 You're right, that's too harsh. Let me fiddle with this camera. We'll get it right this time! 

Wishing you a Hap...

 Ohhh, now the dog's on the couch! I can't get her to pose, but she'll happily mess up someone else's shot. Let me get her off, I'll be right back, don't move! 

Okay, but be quick, please. These shoes pinch.

Okay, sweetheart, all set up! And.....go!

WISHING EVERYONE HAPPY NEW YEAR AND ALL GOOD THINGS IN 2012!! 

How was that?

That was perfect, Martie. Just perfect.

Let me see. Aw, that's nice. Wait, I can't even see these pinchy shoes! Maaan! Goin' barefoot next time.

Day 60 of 61 Days of Martie

As our dear Matilda from A Girl for All Time has joined our dolly household, Martie has gotten interested in the Tudor period in English history. We've decided to read The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn (by Alison Weir) together. Today Martie wanted to look at the pictures.

What did Anne Boleyn do that was so wrong?

She didn't have a male heir for the King, and he got tired of her. So he accused her of treason, and had her killed instead of getting a divorce again. That's the short version.

WHAT?!? That's ridiculous!

 That's what happened, Martie.

Wow. Life back then was really hard, wasn't it?

 Yes, it sure was.

No wonder she looks so tired.

Edited to add: there is some spirited scholarly debate as to whether the portrait here is actually Anne Boleyn, or is in truth Jane Seymour, or someone else entirely. I'm on the Boleyn side, in part because Jane was younger than Anne and would not likely look as old as the lady in this portrait looks (this is also up for debate; birth records weren't always meticulous and were often nonexistent). The Anne Boleyn Files is a good resource for anything Boleyn.

Day 59 of 61 days of Martie

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Hi, Jack.

 Oh, hello, Martie! How are you? Any plans for this cold evening?

No, no plans, just supper and read for awhile before I turn in. May I ask you something?

 Sure, anything, fire away.

Why do you wear suspenders and a belt?

That's a silly question! To keep my pants up, of course.

Really? Because I hear you like to take your pants off. A lot.

You're not going to dinner with me, are you?

Not a chance, Cap'n Pants.

Note, as I've been asked: Jack is a Tonner Torchwood Captain Jack Harkness, in the likeness of John Barrowman (he wishes), with a superhero body, which fills out his clothes well but isn't very posable. Martie is, of course, a Tonner Disney Princess Rapunzel with blue glass eyes added by the amazing Jim Dandy.

Day 58 of 61 Days of Martie

Yep, another laptop shot! I'm feeling well under the weather, and the weather's not that great to start with, so I wasn't at all adventurous or motivated today, alas. Martie and I used the afternoon to look at pics of 2010's Pittsburgh blizzard. Martie's never seen that much snow, so this winter could be full of photo ops of Martie up to her nose in snowdrifts.

Day 57 of 61 Days of Martie

So, are you just back from Iraq? Or an exchange student from Japan?

He's not very talkative. His beam saber is pretty cool, though. Matches his shoes.

Day 56 of 61 Days of Martie

Enjoying the post-Xmas, pre-New Year lull by lounging about with a good read:

Day 55 of 61 Days of Martie

From Our House to Yours--

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

My daughter (woe_and_isme on #dollchat) would like to share with you her new Christmas dollies, an Ellowyne Wilde Miss Understood, and Tonner's Disney princesses Ariel! 

Hope your holiday was wonderful and full of love and dolls!

Day 54 of 61 Days of Martie

TREE TRIMMING TIME!

Here's the new tree, ready to be lit and decorated.

Hermione is our lighting engineer.

Martie and Zella are impressed with Hermione's wizardry with the lights.

What an adorable angel! We like to work from the top down, mostly because getting the angel on top of a decorated tree is harder to manage without breaking ornaments.

Zella is trying to decide where to put the elf.

Always ready to offer advice!

Putting the small ornaments on the branches.

It's looking so nice. Poor Matilda still doesn't understand the Christmas tree tradition; they had nothing like it in Tudor England.

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve, everyone!

Day 53 of 61 Days of Martie, about 16 hours late.

Yesterday was my 22nd wedding anniversary! That's so long ago that when we met, I couldn't imagine knowing someone for 22 years, let alone be married that long. Now it seems like an eyeblink. We went out to dinner, took care of some Christmas necessities, and by the time we got home, Martie was ready for bed.

Where did you go to eat? Did you like it? Did you have dessert? Was the waiter nice? Next time, I want to go, too!

And now it's Christmas Eve, and the dolls' tree is still not decorated! OH NOES! The older small tree had deteriorated and was falling apart, so we certainly couldn't use that. We got a new one, and some lights, so later today--the tree trimming!

Day 52 of 61 Days of Martie

This TV is eNORmous!

We got a new TV for the new house and decided to upgrade by, oh, 200% or so. Bonus geek points if you know which "Futurama" episode this screen shot is from (HINT: It's a seasonal episode).

Day 51 of 61 Days of Martie

Oh, I love this game! Can I play it on my laptop, pleasepleasepleaseplease?

Day 50 of 61 Days of Martie

Happy Hanukkah!!

Day 49 of 61 Days of Martie

I was upstairs working in the doll room (painting is done! Curtains are hung! Furniture (some of it) moved in! PROGRESS!!), and I came downstairs to find this:

Oh, I finished just in time! Turn the lamp off, please!

Christmas (palm) tree, courtesy of Martie!

Day 48 of 61 Days of Martie.

Robin and I are busy making pajamas for Christmas, for....

Martie, honey, don't tell! It's a secret!

Ohmigosh, I forgot! Well. We're making pajamas. For. Sleeping. Yep.  Sleeping pajamas. And that's all. Hmm hmm hmm jingle bells, jingle bells, la la la la laaaaa....

Day 47 of 61 Days of Martie

Today we went to get art and craft supplies, at Pat Catan's, which has almost everything (no fabric etc but every other artsy-craftsy thing you'd want). Martie was low on all her painting supplies, so she got an early Christmas gift of all she needs.

First thing we found was a jingle-bell scrunchy that will actually fit Martie as a skirt! She'll be jingly all day on the 25th. Better get back to the art section before we get thoroughly distracted with all the sparkly holiday stuff.

These brushes are just the right size.

Of course we need canvases.

Don't forget the easel!

I don't know, this sketch pad might be a bit large for Martie.

This box seems to be just the right size, though, as everything will fit very nicely inside, safe from marauding tabby cats.

Oh, a little sketching set! This seems to be a good size for Martie, with an itty-bitty sketch pad and small thin pencils.

And last, we choose paint. These pans of watercolors seem to be just the thing.

Now we just have to set up her little studio, and my little artist can draw and paint to her heart's content. She can't wait until her drawing table comes from Tonner!

Day 46 of 61 Days of Martie.

WHEEEEEEE!!!

 Martha Ann Riley, you come down from there this instant!

Why is it called a rail if I'm not supposed to ride on it?

Comparisons of Matilda and 2 other vinyl-body dolls.

I was asked to shoot a couple of comparison shots between A Girl for All Time's Matilda, and my Carpatina Kohana. I added my Hearts 4 Hearts Girls Consuelo for additional comparison. Matilda is 16", Kohana is 18", and Consuelo is 14".

Left to right: Abby (My American Girl), Consuelo, Kohana, Matilda. Here they all are clothed, on a NOT-level surface. Matilda insisted we start with her dressed. She's rather modest. My American Girl Abby wandered by, and Consuelo invited her to join them. I assured Abby she didn't have to take any clothes off, as she's not all-vinyl.

Consuelo is not one bit shy. Matilda looks rather traumatized. You can see that Kohana's and Matilda's upper torsos are similar, but Matilda is just a bit smaller. They may be able to share a few items of clothing such as t-shirts. Kohana is a bit chubbier in the belly, and her legs are longer, than Matilda. Consuelo can share some things like loose tops and dresses with an Ellowyne Wilde body, to give you a better idea of her size.

Consuelo and Abby started a conversation about unicorns, elves, and Santa Claus. I'm still not sure what the connection was, but it kept them occupied. The height difference between Kohana and Matilda really shows here. Isn't Matilda's hair lovely?

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Sitting: Consuelo's legs splay, Kohana's not as much, and Matilda sits very, very nicely, and is quite relieved to have her underthings on again.

Matilda and Tonner Galadriel are the same height, but couldn't be more different otherwise.

I hope this helps for those looking for comparisons. I intend to get measurements for Matilda soon, so look for that sometime in the next week.