Dolltown June 2017

This little package arrived in the mail. All the way from Australia!

On a favorite Facebook group for Little Darlings and friends, a photo contest was held a while ago. And we won a prize!

Since Faith was our May girl, she got to open it. And it's nice to share such a fun event with a friend.

Chantal was happy to help Faith open the package and read the card.

This straw hat prize comes from Kay Marie Treble. Kay makes these adorable silk-flowered hats, as well as the prettiest smocked dresses.

We don't have a Rosebud Collection dress yet here in Dolltown! But it's on our Wish List! Someday...

But we do have a hat now!

Chantal tells Faith how pretty it looks with her deep blue eyes!

Awww, so sweet!

The girls made it to the Garden Shed...and there was the Eiffel Tower model in its brown box, from Paris.

Faith is holding the tiny Eiffel Tower with the model, that arrived from Fashion Doll Stylist at Christmas.

But just before they arrived, Vikka, who set the scene ready for a model build, found some glitter glue!

And left it for the Little Darlings...

Faith, Jiyoon, and Chantal like the look of that glitter! "Let's take out the Tower pieces!

"Let's put glitter on our coloring!"

Here is Conner in front of the beautiful Sacred Heart Cathedral!

When in Paris...go sightseeing!

April, Fashion Doll Stylist, does this everytime she goes back to her little apartment in Paris. 

Well, she sees the sights as she carries on about her Paris business.

But we all know what it is like when you have a visitor who has never been to your city...

Little Darling dolly, Conner, has certainly never been to Paris before, or much of anywhere else for that matter. From a box of Little Darling doll sculpts, to the Doll Studio for a face up, then back into her own box, and shipped straight to Dolltown...just last year!)

Then, a big move to Detroit City at Christmas, to attend Fashion Doll Stylist's Design School for Girls! What an adventure that has been so far. Conner was helping April design couture for dolls, while we were chopping up cotton socks for Valentines Day wear!

And then, a weeks-long stay in Paris, with forays out into the city. Cathedrals, Doll Museums, parks, and shops...with treasures found, like sparkle runners. 

Sparkle runners? Never say so! Seriously, never say sparkle runners around here! That glitter that just came out to decorate the Eiffel Tower model here in Dolltown is already giving me the shivers....

But let's enjoy a few photos, from Conner and April, on their sightseeing adventures in Paris.

Gather around, girls! And boys!

We are building the Eiffel Tower from April. It's time!

But wait! The girls discovered some glitter tubes, and this little bunch is all for adding glitter to the pretty designs the girls colored back in January...

Chantal is studying the instructions for putting the model together. But Faith and Jiyoon think the glitter should be added first.

I ask the girls if glitter is a good idea. It's messy! But Faith tips the glitter, ready for some gold embellishment.

And glitter supporters, Tink and Xennia, show up with newspapers to put under the project.

Chipping away at my protests...

I took Lula on an outing the other day.

I had to get art supplies, which should have interested her, but Lula was completely distracted by what is coming...

Lula's doppelganger and favorite auntie, Lani, is having a baby...soon!

Lula traveled to Australia with Lani last year, and stayed for months, experiencing adventures in the hot and windy country.

Lula brought back seven New Zealand baby dollies.

And now she is excited that Lani is going to have a baby of her very own. With the bub daddy, of course.

So, when we headed out to look for paint canvases at the Dollarama, Lula took off looking for baby stuff.

How can I tell her it costs more to send a baby toy than to buy it?

High economics for a little girl intent on pleasing a tiny baby!

Notice the Dollorama surround. It's a lot like those hot and windy places Lula experienced on her trip!

We stop for a moment to play, on a red fire hydrant outside the shop. Lula loves red...

We decided! Glitter it is!

The Eiffel Tower will have sparkles....

April and Conner,just fresh back from Paris, helped us by telling us that the real Eiffel Tower sparkles at night! It glitters, twinkles, and shines!

They even sent a photo to prove it!

So, we made the decision to add glitter to our pretty flowers, butterflies, and birds!

The girls were very happy!

Then the weather changed and we had to move inside. We decided to use the schoolroom where there is lots of space for the gluing and building!

So we started. Faith and her friends were so ready to sparkle up...

Our Iplehouse girls love the garden. If they are not at Dolltown Abbey, I look in the roses, or under the honeysuckle bushes.

I took a few photos, taking each girl in turn around the garden-stopping in some favorite places.

Then we met up in the pink roses....

Iplehouse Violet, our Raven, is first, with her long black bob, and purple eyes.

Then it's Cordelia, our Odelle, now with green eyes and a short wavy brown bob.

And last is Tania, our Aira, with her soft blonde do and those blue eyes...

When we collected this fascinating character from eBay, he was described as a 1st Nations Doll. He has a felt cape...and beading, which is similar to our coastal 1st Nations. But he was misnamed I could tell. Felt clothing and decorative beading are found in many cultures!

He was only $10... How could I resist?

And he was talking to me, ("Can I come to Dolltown? I have never been so far north!") which after he arrived, I realized was problematic. Because he has no mouth and he communicates through thoughts.

And that means not all the Dolltowners can hear him. Who knew that could be a thing?

We called him Silent Sam, since he doesn't talk (out loud anyway) and he quickly became a part of our stories. The children like him. He's tall, solid, accepting...which basically means he doesn't get after them when they get up to stuff. But he does let us know if there are safety issues, so we can nip risky adventures in the bud. 

One day I realized I had made a huge mistake and overlooked something important about Sam. There is a baby on his back! What? The eBay description did not say two dolls! But how could I miss that?

Sam let me know he didn't mind it being like a secret. If the children discovered the baby they would just want to hold it, feed it, babysit it, put it in a buggy... And he wanted it just where it was, tucked into a fold of his warm felted cape. 

When I looked carefully I could see the baby (it's very quiet!) has lovely beaded attachments, making it look like a decorative element on Sam's back. Close to unnoticeable. 

Priscilla has just discovered Sam's secret. She's not the first. Each Dolltowner who has noticed the baby on Sam's back has kept the secret. Sort of like how we handle the big Santa Claus secret. You don't know it yet, and when you do you become one of the secret holders.

I wonder if Priscilla will tell!

Eventually, the secret will come out.

But what I haven't figured out, partly because of the way Sam is dressed, but also because I'm not sure how to thought-ask this without being rude. Is our African doll Silent Sam? Or should we be saying Silent Sama, or Samara, or Samantha? Is Sam a mom? Or a dad? 

Perhaps one day we will know that, too. 

For now, a few photos of Priscilla's discovery and her response...

Priscilla has always really liked Sam. She trails around after him, talking to him endlessly.

Sam seems like a good listener because Priscilla doesn't hear his thoughts, only her own. 

They are at the Garden Shed, waiting for the Dolltown babies to arrive for outdoor playtime.

Silent Sam and Priscilla call on Vikka to bring some props for our Dolltown Daycare photo shoot.

We have put Vikka in charge of our props room. She has been on hand consistently every time we have a setting change. She is remarkably strong for such a small doll. And she is a very good at delegating. Anyone nearby...

Priscilla, for instance. Priscilla likes to stand and make comments. About everything. Negative comments usually. But Vikka pays no attention to Priscilla's complaints and criticisms. She just tells her what needs doing and Priscilla finds herself carting baskets, arranging tables...

You'll notice Priscilla follows Vikka when she leaves. I think they are off to create a new setting for an upcoming event...