You're Not Forgotten

 I know I promised y'all some stories when I shut down the soap opera.  I've been cogitating on a few, mostly doll versions of books I've liked.  One of those books is Amanda/Miranda by Richard Peck.  The problem is that casting requires twin adult actresses and my dolly twins are all the wrong age, the wrong sex, or both.  Another issue is wardrobe - the book is a period piece!  

Also contenders: Roger Zelazny's Damnation Alley - beyond my capabilities.  Postapocalyptic is hard in a one bedroom apartment, even if you ignore the need for three Landmasters.  (picture from the sucky movie) 

Also been playing with an idea I call FRIENDS: The Next Generation.  Honestly, nothing original has come to mind (except my third novel, which isn't conducive to doll play, either)  but I've not forgotten my rabid horde of readers. 

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I have been putting up dioramas for holiday decor.  

The only dolls currently on my wish list are Madame Morrible and the Grumpy Bear Cutie Reveal.  I don't care much for the Wizard of Oz universe, but I like to see older folks represented.  The Cutie Reveals lost me after the first couple waves (Girls dressed as frogs dressed as bears?) but c'mon, it's Grumpy Bear!  

I just can't get excited over the giant-noggin dolls.  Rainbow High and Monster High in particular have some amazing fashions and furniture.  Bratz is back on store shelves and I did pick up an egg chair for my doll house.  Yule Ball Ron Weasley is sitting in it at the moment.  

Also, there's life in the real world.  My health (physical and mental).  Bills and housework.  Bleh.  

Zoe, Chelsea, and Kelly Wardrobe

 WARNING!  NUDE AND CROSSDRESSING PLASTIC CHILDREN AHEAD! 

These are my Kelly/Zoe hybrids.  Wilma, Jenny, Tommy, and Fred.  They are still wearing the Zoe outfit their body donors wore.  (Please see previous blog post for a review of Zoe.)  I finally got around to going through the wardrobe for my brats.

The babies are hoping for hand-me-downs, as their wardrobe is very limited.  (They do get to wear the smaller shirts in the brat wardrobe.)

Mattel outfits.  Made for Chelsea or Kelly.

From various sources, thrift stores and yard sales.

Monster High shirts make dresses for the brats.  Strawberry Shortcake and Lil Bratz are roughly the same size and some clothes can be shared.  I did take in the plunging neckline on one of the dresses.

These were on knock-off princess dolls.  

Some of the clothing in previous pictures will vanish at this point.  Anything in need of serious repair or flat-out hideous.  I didn't even try those on the dolls.

Body mold comparison.  Most of the height difference in in the legs, but there is a bit in the torso.  My Chelsea dolls are awaiting body donors.  My Chelsea dolls have more variety of skin tones and a more natural pose, so I gave the Kelly dolls dibs.

Halloween Costumes!  Fred and Wilma are wearing their original outfits, but he needed britches for modesty.  Wilma looks more like the character she was based on with that shorter skirt.  Jenny's full-length wizard robe now only reaches the knee.  The babies inherit pumpkin, but gingerbread is too big. 

The original group trying on the costumes.  Slight alterations to gingerbread are needed (feet holes). Look for it come Halloween!  Pumpkin can be worn with britches, but loses cuteness, so it goes to the babies, where it is appropriately cute.

As I expected, all the Kelly/Chelsea brand things fit.  Skirts and pants are just shorter.

I only kept three of the princess gowns.  Fred and all the girls had a draft in the back.

You might notice repeat uses of britches.  They were outnumbered by shirts.  Those pink shorts on Jenny might end up in the baby wardrobe - they fit, barely.  Jenny and Fred are wearing open shirts.  The white shirt on Tommy feels sticky/tacky, so it went in the reject pile.  Wilma's holding down the bib on her overall skirt to show the shirt beneath.  Make sure you look at it! Don't make Wilma cry!

Wow, that patchwork dress is short!  Good thing it and Wilma's skirt have a modesty panel! Kept everything here except the white thing on Malachi.  Somebody's drunk grandma made it.

Monster High dresses.

All done modeling and ready to play!  C'mon over!

The Date

 Based on a true story. 

Him: You should have ordered a salad, dear.  You could stand to lose a few pounds.

Her: I had salad for lunch. 

Him: I suggest you color your hair.  Maybe the auburn of the young lady sitting behind you?  It's a vibrant and youthful look.  Between that and the age spots, you look like a grandma.

Her: Well, I do have five grandchildren.  

Him: Don't wear anything low-cut when you aren't with me.  

After, he sees her to the door.

Him:  I've had a wonderful time tonight.  When can we have our second date? 

Her: Thank you for a lovely evening, but I don't think this is going to work.  

Downsizing Gone Wild

 

Downsizing crossed a line at some point and became a total rearrangement of both bedroom and living room.  When I finally got all the major stuff done, the closet area looked like this: 

I decided I don't need a permanent classroom set, given my folding house that was Sunburst and the 70's Dream House.  I also have my table on which I can set up pretty much anything that suits my abilities and inclination.  I did keep the pantry, sans kitchenette.  The giant clear bin full of Barbie clothes is off camera, in front of the closet door.

The dollhouse got torn apart, carried into the living room, and reassembled with some walls reversed.  Reversing the walls was the easiest way to "repaper" the rooms in question.  Everyone can hang out in the house or on the corner shelf.   

Human guests don't have to invade my inner sanctum to play dolls.  Some play items are stored in the bedroom, but can be quickly fetched.  

In the window corner are all the large play items.  And my laundry hamper.

I decided to look for a better kitchen set.  I found this on Amazon.  It's inexpensive and has counters.  Tiny ones, but counters nonetheless.  Fancy Life made most of my school desks, the dining room table, and now the kitchen appliances! (Their dining chairs break easily, though.)

The entire set fits nicely along one wall.  That rounded counter next to the squared one bugs me.  I might slide everything down a bit and then stick the sink where the fridge is, but sideways.

Yes, I know this is a repeated picture.  Hush.  First floor, we have the eat-in kitchen and the living room.  Second floor are the brat rooms, divided by biological sex of said brats.  Attic has become the master bedroom/nursery, with a tiny playroom hidden behind the faux wall.  All bathrooms and stairs are, of course, invisible.

 

An Evening's Work

 Wandering around an antique mall today.  All the Barbie stuff was priced for collectors (out of my range for play use).  Then we found this: 

Yes, I know it's a bad picture.  I took it in the back seat of The Boy's car while pulling off all the frippery glued on by a previous owner.  This is the 1971 Barbie Country Camper.  For 20 dollars.

Here's a better picture, swiped from the Internet.  

The Country Camper is the second best Barbie camper EVER.  Mainly because, unlike today's Barbie campers, it does not unfold into a mansion with a pool.  It's only second best because the Star Traveler exists.

 This is one area where the Star Traveler is beat - can't easily pop apart a Star Traveler.  The chassis and roof are hard plastic.  The walls are vinyl over a core that's either harder vinyl or tin.  It sure ain't cardboard.  

It still had one of the camp stools and a sleeping bag.  That other stuff is the frippery.  The dark fabric was meant to be seat covers and the other served as curtains on the rear window.  The pompoms were either armrests or pillows on the wheel-well benches.

After a good scrub.  Sticker removal means only the stovetop and sink remain of the kitchen, and the bumper lights are gone.  Neither of those things is a priority for me.

Interior walls before cleaning.

Exterior walls before cleaning.

After cleaning.  The license plate was a sticker.  I'll replace that when I do the bumper lights.

Stickers and residue gone from the inside, as well.  That entertainment center is nicer than the one in my real life apartment.

The cab walls, before cleaning.

The cab walls after cleaning.  At least the headlights and dash console weren't stickers!

The pop-out tent was beyond my help, so I trimmed it off and cleaned up the fold-down wall/floor.  Some of the Country Campers had cute floral designs for the tent and sleeping bags.  This tent was bright orange!  (You can see a bit of it on the edge.)

An overhead of the chassis, including a good angle on the kitchen.

Walls in place.  Funny thing is, all these cabinets and wall art are on the inside of the sliding door! I was already giggling at the false windows on the exterior.

The whole side of the van slides back!  (Excuse me, I'm easily amused.)

Given the hippie aesthetic, Albus seems appropriate to serve as my model in comparison photos.  Here we see the entry ramp that used to be a tent floor.  All those cabinets can stay put now. 

Another vintage photo showing a way prettier tent.  Note the matching sleeping bags.

Albus can fold down the rear table and sit on the camp stool. 

He wishes the pretty girl in the vintage photo was cooking for him.

Time to hit the road, we fold up the table.

Cram our driver through the windshield.

The dash lifts easily so we can get him behind the wheel.

Close the ramp.  Hit the road, Jack.  I mean Albus.

Mine was missing a stool, a sleeping bag, and a windshield.  You can see the notches for the windshield hinges, at the top.  I guess that was for ease of cramming the driver in.

Parked behind the Star Traveler.  It's ready to play.  Unless you're worried about those turn signals.