Busy time.....

Good afternoon all.  Bringing you up-to-date on things at The Doll Lady, Inc. and a bit of our personal life......Jerry and I went to Colorado for Christmas and spent our time visiting with Jerry's brother, Don.  Don is a musician and also does a lot of his own writing and arrangements.  We didn't get to see the deer like we did last year.  The weather cooperated on the way out there and on the way back.  The 24th was my Birthday....I remember when I was a lot....and I mean a lot younger, my Dad told me, "You will reach a time in your life, that your Birthday is just another day."  As a child, I couldn't imagine that to be true, but I have to admit, now that I'm one year shy of going on Medicare....he was right.  It was just another day.  Jerry took me out for breakfast and then we took a drive.  When we returned to Norfolk it was time for dinner and we went to Napole's Italian Restaurant.   The animals were very happy to see us when we got home, especially my little Rose.  She is really showing her age more and more, but she still gets around OK, isn't in pain and knows what time dinner is served.  I sure do love that little dog.  I've been working on some new girls...I'll bet that doesn't surprise you.  Also a little guy, named Alex.  He is really cute.  I put a funky wig on him for something different...it seems to suit him.   He's got a great personality too.  Also took some new photos of Brooke....the last set of photos just didn't do her justice.  She's a very cute little girl but it was hard to tell until these latest photos.  Carrie is another little sweetheart as is Aiko and her brother Akio.  Oh and not to forget Miss Bellette, I've always loved this girl.  She is such a beautiful Jumeau mold.  I also finished my 2014 Valentine's Days Premiere.  Who has already found a home.   You may view additional photos on my website:  TheDollLadyinc.com ---link available on my blog.

 Aiko is wearing a red Suzie Wong style dress, she has a beautiful mohair wig and brown eyes.

 Her brother, Akio had on a two-piece gold and black outfit, mohair wig and dark brown eyes.

 Bellette is her lovely self.  Dark green eyes and an auburn human hair wig.

 One Brooke's new photos....

 This is sweet Carrie....blue eyes and a pale blonde mohair wig.

 This is Alex....his sister, Ali is watching him very closely.....

2014 Valentine's Day Premiere was created from the Seeley Premiere mold.

Some of my newer girls wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.                                                                              

 301 Momo style Bleuette.  

Alissa or Ali for short. 

Brooke

Carrie

Little Lou

Isebelle

Want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  The year has gone by so quickly. They seem to do that these days....sign of age I suppose.  All-in-all, it's been a good year.  We added a deck to the back of the house, landscaped the front yard and remodelled the hall bath...I do love my deep tub!  Not sure what, if any, improvements we'll do next year...guess I'll find out.  We've been lucky (so far) when it comes to storms.  The storms seem to go around us, so we haven't gotten much snow......lots of cold weather....but very little snow.  Hubby keeps telling me that January and February are the 'bad' months for weather in Nebraska.  Speaking of Nebraska.....we went to see the movie by the same name the other day.  What a hoot!  It's different....the mood of the movie is a little dark and dreary.  It was filmed in black and white which helps set the tone...but it is funny and we enjoyed it.   I've been busy in the studio this year as well.  I do love my dolls.   After we finished the hall bath, jerry had to repair the ceiling in one of the diplay rooms as we took out the cieling tiles so the electrican could run new wiring.  I spent a couple of days putting it back together.  While doing so, I decided it was time to sell off lots of things.  So in January I'll be having a studio sale and sell off lots of larger and older dolls to make room for new ones.  I've been wanting to do a 14 inch line and a smaller fashion line but have never had theroom to display them....out with the old.....in with the new!

See you all in 2014.....

The Effner's are coming.....

...Well, actually they are here.  Here are three little girls that will melt your heart.  I also have a darling little 301 Bleuette that I finished recently.  All the girls are listed on my website
www.thedollladyinc.com
You will also find them listed on Ebay.  So if you'd like to see additional photos of thee cuties.....click on the link above and enjoy.....

The 301 Bleuette

Isabelle.....love her face!

 Little Lou...I love you too.....

 And who couldn't love Smiling Jenny?

Santa

I have been working on this for quite some time....a good 5 months or so.  Santa and friend are a wedding gift for my hubby niece.  IMHP!  Which stands for...I made...he paid.  When Julie and Dwayne got married, they didn't want any gifts...big bummer for me.  After the wedding I decided I didn't like that....I wanted to make them something that they couldn't get anywhere else.  So I got thinking...poo on that, I'm going to ask her what she would like and if she doesn't tell me....I'll make her what I want to.  So the next time we saw Julie I asked her...."What would you like as a wedding gift from Jerry and I?"  She hesitated a little....then I said, "if you don't tell me, then I'll make you want I want to make you."  That did it...."I'd like one of your Santa's....in traditional colors."  So I started in on her Santa the next day and this is the finished product.  After seeing the finished project I decided I needed one for myself....So I guess I'll start another one!  Santa stands 26 inches tall, I used red upholstery fabric for the main portion of his suit, trimmed it in white beaver.  The inset fabric down the sides of the pants, the sleeves of his jacket and above the fur trim on his hat, is a beaded moss green ribbon anchor a wider golden ribbon.  Three large leather buttons down the front of his jacket.  His hair and bread are white mohair.  His bag of toys is a coordinating upholstery fabric.  The tops of his shoes are painted with poinsettias and the bottom of each shoe is painted with a Christmas Tree.  Little Smiling Jenny is wearing a red outfit and matching hat made by SassySusie, she also has on red leather lace-up boots. 

"Laying his finger aside of his nose......"

A story of a dirty girl..............

This little composition baby doll came to me from her original Mama.  A few months ago a lady from Wayne, NE stopped by my studio.  She had a doll trunk with three dolls from the early 30's.  They were all in pretty good condition, especially the baby doll.  We talk about the work they would need.  I mentioned that I was working on a new program on doll restoration.  She left with the dolls and was going to discuss what to do with the dolls with her mother and she would be in touch.  Last week I received a call from her...she wanted to show her mom my studio.  So we set a time and she and mom arrived as planned.  When they walked in, I recognizes the doll truck and thought they had decided to have these dolls fixed up and looking pretty once again.  They had indeed talked things over and what they decided to do was to give me these dolls to me because I would take care of them and could use them when I did my new program.  I feel very honored that her mother would entrust me to care for her three childhood dolls. 

It's been a long time since I worked on a project strictly for my enjoyment and pleasure and when I saw that little baby doll again,  I knew I wanted to bring her back to life right away.  She needed to be re-strung (as you can see by the photos) so that's where I started.  I took her about and got out my doll cleaner and went to town.  I thought I was going to need to repaint her since she was so scratch up, but once I started cleaning her, I realized, those weren't scratches at all.....it was dirt.  This little girl was really dirty.  Once she was cleaned up, I touch up her lips and lightly blushed her cheeks so the two matched.  Then I lightly re-sealed her and put her back together.  I also washed her original dress and did a little mending on it.  She's as cute as can be and will make a wonderful addition to the dolls I'll be sharing in my program.

 Here she is before her cleaning.....

 If you look closely you see the areas on her face I thought were  scratches.

 He body was is really good shape....dirty, but the composition is in great condition.

 Here she is, all clean and looking purdy again....

Frustration and New Girls.

I don't know how many of you are signed up with the Yahoo Groups, but what is going on at the moment is a right pain in the ol' behind!  For those of you who are not on the Yahoo Groups...thank your lucky stars.  Yahoo has decided that the Groups need an update.  You must understand...none of the members of these groups (and there is a lot of them) didn't want things to change, we were all quite happy with the way things were going.  We could chat with other people....post photos, edit photos....delete photos, find files, all that stuff.  It was simply and enjoyable experience.  Now this so-called "New and Improved" version has brought 90% of all that to a halt.  Yahoo hasn't finished loading the changes and not all groups are switched over as yet.....Yahoo has left all the groups in limbo and we have limited abilities at the moment and it's not fun.  The chatter has also dropped because people can't figure out how to even post.  This is total incompetence at it's best.  I keep telling myself....patience...but I have to admit, I'm beginning to run out of it.  Finish the job Yahoo or put the old format back!

Now for some happiness.....I have finished several new dolls lately, many have already been adopted, but I thought I'd show them to you anyway, because it's fun to look at dolls...they make you smile and feel good.....everything has been listed in my online store and many on Ebay.   Unfortunately I can't post any photos to the Yahoo Groups....because...read the first paragraph again.....;-)

 The Long Face Jumeau

 Aiko....She is so cute!

 Bru 13

 Bru Shandele

 Daisyette

 EJ Jumeau

 Rosette

 Rosette

Tete Jumeau