Blog Archive April 2016

Geri's Arial arrived!

This is the face I chose after I discovered the Little Darlings, the lovely doll sculpts by Dianna Effner. Dianna has taught several doll artists to paint these cute faces.

Most of the artists have a waiting list. I got on Geri Uribe's list last January.

Knowing this little dolly was coming, eventually, helped us choose the other dolls we wanted for our stories here.

And the Little Darlings are a hands down favorite of ours. So easy to create characters from these expressive faces.

She's definitely talking to me.... She's very nice.

Welcome girls!

These are my gateway dolls...the Dianna Effner Little Darlings.

All the stories that have taken place here on Hiya Dolly started with these girls. But this particular four didn't actually arrive until this last week. So, we get to know them in 3D! And they are even cuter than their sample photos! Thanks Geri!

These four girls are handpainted by Geri Uribe of The Doll Studio. Geri works closely with Dianna,  and Geri's were the dolls available to order when I was ready.  Sometimes the Little Darling artists get so many orders for these lovely dolls that the only place to get an LD is on the open market...

Dolltown has been fortunate to gather several LD's for our stories. Now, with just one last one to arrive....

What!?

Asa has invited, not only our reporter Miley, but ALL the Dolltown dolls. Does she understand what she is in for?

Actually yes. She worked it out with the Juniors here, and with Lee and business partner, redheaded Arlen. They know the numbers and have worked out a schedule!!

(We do say we have 100 dolls here, although that number fluctuates.)

It will take more than one day, they figure...

Tell me about it. I am the photographer. Phew!

And Miley, who was first, and came the day before the Open House started, wants to meet up with the dollies as they return from Dolltown Abbey to get their stories!

Asa meets a newcomer to Dolltown, Kasma the Clown. We found him recently at the Bailey House, a place that sells things no one else wants. How could anyone not want this adorable guy!

We do!

Kasma is still wearing his hangtag, which is where he gets his name. Apparently the Kasma Collection has been a leading supplier of hand-made collectors dolls for years, and our clown looks like he has been around for years. So we are letting him keep his hangtag on. He's so used to it! 

Kasma is just getting to know the other dollies, so Asa invites him to stay and meet the new Little Darlings, who arrived in Dolltown at the same time, but from a different direction. I think the Little Darlings will be excited!

Dolls love clowns!

This is Asa's Room at Dolltown Abbey, where the Iples live. The Iplehouse BJD's like living on the big estate across the meadow from Dolltown. It gives them both privacy and perspective.

The Juniors are on patrol while Asa hosts her Open House, keeping an eye on the perimeter, making sure Dolltown is safe.

Lee is on hand to take over the Open House for Asa while she rests. In case any dollies show up.

But what WE know is the boys have been held up at the bridge....

Conner is feeling a little shy, meeting Will for the first time...

In a way they already know each other because they have been emailing and texting for months.

They have sent each other photos,  shared their hobbies, and talked about how much they would like to have a pet dog...

But still, they both hope they will like each other in person!

Look at these two!

You'd think their outfits were planned together!

But their wardrobes are both filled with black, white, and bold colors, so it is just a coincidence. They are admiring each other's good taste. Rapport!

And they each have lots of hiking and fishing clothes of course, since they are both outdoorsy!

(Omgosh, that is such wishful thinking on my part...no doll here has "lots" of clothes, and certainly not lots of FISHING clothes! But Conner does have camouflage T's. We are ALL envious!)

Chris is busy today.

The boys are expected soon at Asa's Open House!

But first Chris accompanied Will to the Bridge to meet his online friend Conner, who now resides in Dolltown. 

Now he is keeping his brother Douglas company while Douglas waits for Chantal. Chantal is Douglas's favorite friend in Dolltown (besides his bro, of course).

Douglas wants to show Chantal his new outfit, sent all the way from Pachom in Montreal. He is hoping to persuade Chantal to go to the library with him later, while he researches ships at sea. 

Douglas is a studious boy. He likes nothing more than sinking into a good reference book. Preferably full of numbers. Or historical facts. 

And he knows that Chantal likes to find songbooks and stories of the great musical composers when she goes to the library....

Jester Jim!

A Czech Marionette made entirely of linden wood...

Jester Jim arrived a while ago and has been hanging out with Don Quixote. JJ has advice for all of us passing by their hanging rod. (As a marionette JJ and his companion Don Quixote hang suspended, even when they, ummm, sleep.)

There is no topic that JJ won't expound upon. He has words of wisdom about everything. From his philosophy of life to world politics (that the dolls are watching), from how long bread should rise, to how teeth should be brushed Jester Jim gives his opinions. And each piece of advice is weighted with a lifetime of cynicism. Of course, JJ doesn't see it as cynicism. To him it's just real life. The worst guy will win. Our teeth are going to fall out eventually, no matter how we brush...

(JJ that is not even true! Lots of us DIE without our teeth falling out...wait a minute! How did we get to DYING so quickly?)

Lucky the little dollies are not affected by his grumpy  words of warning. They just laugh when he talks. They think he is SO funny.

For us humans, Jester Jim and his friend Don present a huge challenge. They are very complex marionettes. And we are complete string puppet novices. We feel thankful when we can get them from one side of a room to another without tangling their strings.

And Jester Jim makes it even more challenging by shouting out cautions... "Hold us steady! Don't mess up our strings! Why do we have to move anyway? It's just going to be a disaster! You're doing it all WRONG!"

I can hear the dollies laughing hilariously. They think it is all for their entertainment. Me? My hands are shaking....

Cowed by a puppet a fraction of my size!

And I picked him! Hahahaha Lucky I love him. I love his face and think it is funny that he is dressed so cute!

Hang on. We have him settled. And being in Asa's presence has calmed him...briefly. Oh, there he goes. They are talking about conditions in Dolltown.

I want to hear this!

Asa can hear the boys coming, their squeaky runners and leather boots noisy on the marbled floors. She can hear them tussling and laughing on their way. But when they enter her room a hush falls...

Uley and Bobby enjoyed the visit with Asa.

They had heard she is very tall, and very strong. But they found her to be very warm and kind and invited them to have cookies and tea, which were served in the adjoining room.

So they filled their pockets with cookies to go and guzzled the sweet tea and decided that Asa is the greatest.