Martie's in a rubber room.

Well, not exactly--it's the tire display at our Costco.

About as exciting as watching...well, watching tires on a rack, really.

And that has been the problem with my Summer of Martie series. Borrrrring. See, unlike what seems to be most Americans, I bloody hate summer. I don't like the heat, the humidity, the bugs, the straight-on harsh sunshine, and being outdoors in all of the above. This resulted in a lot of indoor pics with very little snap to them.

What I do love is autumn. The weather and temperatures are so much nicer, the sunlight isn't as harsh, the colors are amazing, and I actually occasionally like going outside. Plus, then I can get great shots like this:

Big difference, non? The 61 Days of Martie I did toward the end of 2011 had a lot more going for it than the one I did this summer, which sometimes was a drudgery for me because I just wasn't inspired.

I'm not promising to do any more series, but you'll probably see a lot more, and a lot more interesting, photos here as the weather starts to mellow into seasons I actually enjoy.

New Rapunzel in the house!

Actually, this Rapunzel is from 1997, but as she's never been out of her box, and I just got her a couple of days ago, she counts as new. I got her from eBay this past week, for a great price, because the listing misspelled a keyword and thus no one found her but me. Booyah!

I prefer the AA version of the Rapunzel Barbies, not least because she doesn't have the standard vacuous expression that the white one does. I have two black Rapunzels, the other also a growing hair version of a white Rapunzel as a child doll, and these are the only two black Rapunzels I've ever seen. The Rapunzel story is presented as a German Grimm Brothers fairy tale (although it wasn't actually a fairy tale, it was a version of a story written in Italy in the early 17th century), and thus is of solid European origin. All the same, I want to see some more black, or Asian, or Indian, or Hispanic, or all-of-the-above Rapunzels, too. Get on it, toy makers!

Day 60 of the Summer of Martie--with TULLE!

Impromptu-tu!

The lovely tulle tutus (the one on her head is actually a scrunchy, so it's a hairtutu) are by Alexandra Riley, aka My Kid, who made them as birthday gifts for me, and for Martie. Aren't they gorgeous? Yes. Yes, they are. Tutu pretty.

August is the cruelest month.

This has been a very trying three weeks for me, and I do apologize for the rather boring posts of late. The month of August is my annual nemesis, despite that my birthday occurs on the 19th (yep, yesterday--I'm mumblety-one!). Well, because of it, really, because I often take stock of the past year in the month of my birth, and often as not (because I am human and introspective), it comes up lacking. This month, my husband Kevin spent two weeks in Oregon with his brother, which he needed very much and I heartily supported; all the same, it left me sad and missing him terribly, much more than I'd expected. While he was gone, an old ex-boyfriend and his family had an emergency that I was able to help with, and I was and still am glad to do it; all the same, some older emotions I'd thought were dead and buried resurfaced, making me dub the whole thing The Weirdness.

So now, birthday over, Kevin safely home, The Weirdness becoming normal, and existential fever broken, I'm going to take stock of some of the really good things that have happened since my last birthday. Damned if they don't mostly involve dolls. Imagine that.

Martie

I started posting here about Martie almost as soon as I got her in October 2011, and she very quickly took over. I sometimes can't believe that I haven't had her even a year yet, because she's become so much a part of my everyday and creative life. She goes with me everywhere, routine errands and all, and is no doubt the single most photographed subject in my life, ever. Prior to Martie, I really didn't take all that many photos of anything; Kevin's the family photographer, not me. I didn't think photographically, as I'm a writer and a stitcher, not a camera dog. Martie has changed that, and I've taken well over a thousand pictures of her in the last ten months.  Martie has her own fan base, and sparked the name change of this blog, which started as Threads Behaving Badly and quickly turned into Martie Has To Be In Every Post.

Tonner Doll

They guy in the hat playing a pilot (although I think he looks a bit like a Good Humor man here, which makes me happy) is Robert Tonner, holding Martie (on his left) and my friend Sheilah Craft's Cami doll Cythna (on his right). Robert is THE Tonner of Tonner doll. Tonner Doll brought me Martie, and #dollchat--

  and all the great folks who make up Tonner Doll, and all the fans of Tonner Doll, and Tonner Con in May--

Well, I could go on, but I think you get the idea. I'd been a fan of Tonner Dolls and Wilde Imagination before this last year, but I got more involved with other fans with Martie, and am really impressed with how involved the company gets with its collectors. I've never encountered any company this responsive, involved, and personal, and by now Tonner probably owes me buckets of finder's fees and commissions for pushing other folks in their direction.

Elizabeth

She seems like a more recent addition than she actually is for me, as she was on layaway with Iris of Fabric Friends & Dolls for what seemed like forever, which involved a lot of planning ahead for her arrival. Elizabeth is a Dollmore Lusion Daish, who made my heart sing the instant I first saw the company photos, and I sold a LOT of dolls to be able to pay for her. She is very nearly the perfect doll, the one I've wanted but didn't know it since I was old enough to know what a doll is. I'd been pining for this doll for over forty years and didn't know it until I saw her. She's settled my doll-yearning heart quite a bit, and I can't get enough of her.

Dolls Behaving Badly

How very self-referential! This is a photo from the day I changed the title--look at that tiny hit count, some 24,000 hits ago. Wow. Whatever I could possibly say about it is right here, in the blog, and in my eBay store and on the Facebook page. My life is immeasurably richer because of this little blog about some dolls, and I thank every one of YOU for making it so.

Day 59 of the Summer of Martie--with a balloon!

Happy Birthday, Charlie!

Day 58 of the Summer of Martie--with Rapunzels!

Of course, there's always a Rapunzel in the Summer of Martie, because Martie herself is a Rapunzel. Elizabeth loves Martie, and so wanted to be a Rapunzel today that I redressed her, let her hair loose, and got her a little necklace. With her own Rapunzel doll and Martie by her side, she's very happy.

Day 57 of the Summer of Martie--with an article!

Our very own good friend Matilda of A Girl for All Time has a two-page spread in the latest issue of Dolls! I was super-pleased to see this, as the dolls and the company deserve a lot of recognition for having both great dolls and a real vision of what dolls could and should mean to girls everywhere. Check out this issue, and the lovely pics of the next doll, Amelia, a Victorian girl. I can't wait until Amelia is ready to come home and meet Matilda!

Day 56 of the Summer of Martie--with elastic!

What Martie wants, Martie gets, and in the largest possible package.

Day 55 of the Summer of Martie--with a doppelganger!

Wow, when did Disney start making Hobbit Rapunzels?

Our lovely hobbit smaller friend is a 12" Disney Rapunzel, belonging to Elizabeth, who has (mostly) stopped grabbing up Martie and toting her around like a baby doll.



By request, a pic of Elizabeth with her very own Rapunzel dolly :

(Please to forgive the weird lighting!)

Day 54 of the Summer of Martie--with choices!

Martie laments that it is not possible to actually simultaneously read three or four books at the same time, as it is impossible to choose just one. Yes, I know that's redundant, hush up.

Day 53 of the Summer of Martie--with art!

Yes, I know this post is about 14 hours or so late, as it didn't get done yesterday (Sunday). I had a busy day, and at the end of it, I just crashed.

Martie, however, would still like to show you a really cool piece of art done by my daughter, Alexandra, this past Christmas, for her dad, who once expressed a wish to kick the whole world in the butt.

Mind you, said dad is not thousands of miles tall nor a blue monster, but the point is made, I think.

Day 52 of the Summer of Martie--with lunch!

Today we went to lunch with dear friends we don't see often enough. Martie really liked the lamps on the tables.

A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.

One of our party is a highly skilled origamist, and managed to sneak butterflies onto Martie when I wasn't looking. Aren't they pretty?

Day 51 of the Summer of Martie--with so much hair!

Lizzie, I can't braid this if you keep wiggling!

Your Daily Elizabeth for 8/9

 Elizabeth's stand arrived from Froggy Duds, so she can stand up tall to say hello now, and show you her (alas, wrinkled) Rapunzel dress.

Day 50 of the Summer of Martie--with splits!

Martie has been inspired by the Olympic gymnasts to contort herself in an athletic manner.

Imagine what she could do if she had bendable ankles!

Day 49 of the Summer of Martie--with a rerun.

I have not one good idea for a photo today, and so I went through the archives and found a photo that might help some of us think cooler thoughts for a little while.

You're welcome.

Your Daily Elizabeth for 8/7.

Today we have green eyes, and a new dress. I didn't do the smocking, I must confess; I bought some of the little girls' fabric with a pre-smocked top and stitched up the dress with one straight seam and some ribbon ties. The fabric is, of course, Rapunzel-themed.

Day 48 of the Summer of Martie--with a brush-out!

We don't get to see Martie's hair down very often, largely because all that lovely blonde stuff turns into a snarling matty twisted mess before long. She's a bit overdue for a styling, though, and I thought I'd do that today. Her hair looks so nice loose!

And as always the stray hair I can't see until the flash goes off....

How should I do up Martie's hair today? Any suggestions?

Day 47 of the Summer of Martie--with hint-dropping.

Gee, I'm getting kind of hungry.

I wonder what's for dinner?

I sure could go for something to eat right about now.

 

*sigh* Hey, Martie, are you ready for dinner? How about Chinese?

Oh! My goodness, I didn't realize it's so close to suppertime! Why, what a lovely surprise! I guess I could eat a little bit, if you're having some anyway.

Day 46 of the Summer of Martie--with a Southern exposure.

Oh, my, Aunt Pittypat! I do believe I have the vapors from the heat!

 Martie, I'm not Aunt Pittypat, and you're in an air conditioned house.

 Oh. I guess you won't believe we escaped the Yankees in a rickety cart back to Tara, then, either.

Nope. Sorry.

You're no fun.

Your Daily Elizabeth.

Yes, I know, this hasn't exactly been daily as promised in the title. But I like the title, and you're stuck with it, so there you go.

I can't get a good shot of the pants I finally successfully made (they fit perfectly, and I'm inordinately pleased with myself!) until Lizzie's doll stand arrives from Froggy Duds, so meanwhile here's the top I made to go with said pants. I'm really pleased with my topstitching, hand sewn as per usual.

I went to two thrift stores yesterday, and found some great stuff to fit her, so that will be showing up here before long.

Day 45 of the Summer of Martie--with a side of fries!

Would you like one?

Day 44 of the Summer of Martie--with boredom

I'm bored. The internet is boring. Outside is boring and it's too hot. I'm BORED!

Okay, fine, I'll take some pictures, then, if you insist. But they'll be boring.

 Oops, sorry about that flash, Charlie. Stop frowning!

 Oh, look, a bad disaster movie on the SyFy Channel. Imagine that.

 Even when she's sitting, she's so much bigger than me!

The current mess on the worktable. Whose hair is that?

Wow, that flash really is too bright.

Okay, I'm done. I'm still bored. Anyone want to suggest something for me to do?

The sale gets BETTER!

My July end-of-month sale went over so well that I'm not only extending it, I'm sweetening it to 12% off! Limited time, don't hesitate--you won't find these dolls at a lower price anywhere. Click here!

Day 43 of the Summer of Martie--with bare feet!

Yep. Barefoot. Martie has more shoes than the rest of my dolls do (possibly combined, it's a LOT of shoes), yet she's been barefoot most of the summer. Y'know what? So have I!

PS--Ha! I just realized that Blanket Rapunzel seems to be looking up Martie's skirt. *facepalm*