My Plastic Fantasy

What is this "blogging" you speak of?

2012-02-08T12:57:00.001-08:00

I'm back at Uni for my eighth and final semester after a two week break, and I'm all fluffy clouds, rainbows and productivity! So, let's get this blog caught up on the past 3 months...

I was lucky enough to host the beautiful travelling Blythe Amelia in December, which was a treat! You can see her set whilst she was with me here.

She got the tour of St Andrews, of course, as well as a very quick trip to York, and a few days in Glasgow. So as not to risk any postal-service-related-accidents, she stayed with me over Christmas, too. :)

I don't usually bond with other people's customs... but Amelia was so pretty I surprised myself, and was sad to post her on! (Though she went on to have awesome adventures in Australia with Jenn!)

I had a peaceful Christmas back home with the 'Rents in Newcastle, where we spoiled each other with lovely presents and stuffed ourselves silly. I made my first ever gingerbread men (babies, really, given their size!) and wrestled with my mum's thoroughly DISAGREEABLE oven. The first batch were horribly, horribly burnt (because that godforsaken thing hates me, and ruins everything I bake there) but here are some of the second, successful batch, pre-cooking.

I did a naughty Christmas spend on the Cavey website, and my new Christmas Cavey was my contribution towards the tree decorations! He is my first Bought Seasonal Decoration As An Adult, and that was very exciting. :P He has been safely tucked away until next year, where he is hibernating. This also brings me up to 4 Caveys! Not a large collection by most standards, but give me time! ;)

I meandered back up to St Andrews with Gavin for New Year/Hogmanay where we celebrated with a few friends (but mostly strangers!) which was my first (and last, I expect... *sob*) Hogmanay in St Andrews. It was very sweet, as everyone gathers round the fountain to Auld Lang Syne and hug their way into the new year, which was rather cute. We had wine and food and sparklers! :)

I also made the traditional mosiac summary of my year on Flickr - which I'll post here, though the photo and description are Friends Only on Flickr - let me know if you can't see it and would like to~

As I pretty much conclude in the description, good bloody riddance to 2011. 2012 so far has been not too shabby, and I have high hopes! ♥ I have started a 'slice of life' 365 (366 this year!) which I am really enjoying - you can see them all in my stream, or in the set, here. I, um, won't post all 39 of them here, but I will draw your attention to my new arrival... ;)

Heheh, yes, I cracked and bought myself a Middie Blythe! ♥ It has to be this girl, there's just something about redheads, after all. ;) I named her Linnea, and I like her a lot more than I thought I would. I'm actually pretty impressed with her, to the extent where I am a lot more forgiving of the current Middie price tag - she is lovely quality, and the same amount of detail and care has gone into making her as any Neo. She might have a smaller volume of plastic, but perhaps that's irrelevant.

I also LOVE how they've done the eyemech - rather than a Dal/Pullip/etc. type lever, it's a sort of rolling-dial-thing (think tuning a radio) which is so much sturdier and less obtrusive. Love it! The head-tilt is adorable, and I can't get enough of it.

I've also been on a bit of a Monster High kick (yes, again), so there's plenty MH goodness to be had in my 366 as well. ;) The Create-A-Monster packs have played merry havoc with my bank account...

In personal news, I desperately needed a break and a minor life-plan-rehash, which has ended up with me deciding not to apply for postgrad stuff. So many reasons why - some of them pretty stupid, others not - but I'm pretty sure now it's the right choice, given how much better I'd felt the past few weeks. So, this really is my last few months as a student, and my last few months in St Andrews. Making the most of it with my 366 and just enjoying it while I can. :) The prettiness of St Andrews, that is, not the INCESSANT ASSESSMENT. Although, I should add, I have really awesome lecturers and this will be a relaxed and enjoyable semester, as I already have 75% of my marks and my degree classification is pretty much decided already at this point. :) Which is VERY nice to know!

Anyway, the New, Improved Alice has been very productive since that weight off her chest, so watch this space. ;)

So, I just had a quick peek at how long it's been since I last blogged...

2011-11-20T12:16:00.000-08:00

... but I'm not going to apologise and start making excuses, as I'm pretty sure I've started the last handful of entries like that, and it's probably getting dull!

I will say that life is super stressful right now for poor little me. I mean, in the grand scale of things, it's probably not all that stressful, but I've just got a little brain so don't make fun. It struggles with these things! I'm in the middle of writing my undergrad dissertation, which is honestly overall a cool experience and I feel like a *proper* academic writing my own article under my own steam, but also it's very much like being thrown in the deep end after 3 years of having your hand held and wearing arm-bands. Exciting, though.

I'm also busying trying to get applications together for my postgrad course which is surprisingly stressful. Going through essays I've written to send in as work samples and bellowing NO NO NO THIS WILL NOT DO HOW DID THIS EVER GET AN OK MARK and staring at my personal statement not knowing what to write other than IT SOUNDS REALLY FUN PLEASE CAN I DO IT THANKS. Urgh, it's weirdly difficult! Strangely, because I'm not lying on my personal statement I'm convinced I'm doing it wrong.

Also, I am ferrying myself to and from Glasgow at least once a week, being in St Andrews for my class and then running away to Gavin's house in Glasgow whenever I can. Half my stuff is here, half my stuff is there, and I keep forgetting my crafty projects when I travel or bringing the wrong textbooks and it's just frustrating. Last week, I ran out of room in my bag so left my darling Kenner in Glasgow, only to miss her like CRAZY and I will never, ever do that again ever. I moved all my Monster High ghouls to Glasgow this weekend, which makes me feel extra homely and settled in here, but I'm sure I'll get back to St Andrews and see the empty shelf and want to wail. Oh dear.

Like I said, these are silly problems, but they make me want to mash the keyboard a bit

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Ok, I'm done whinging. :) I will leave you with a photo of my newest Monster High lady, Spectra, and a bit of LIFE ADVICE I have learned the hard way the last month.

MAKE TIME FOR YOUR HOBBIES, because leaving them out because you 'have no time' will not result in you doing more of what you should be doing anyway (trust me) and also, you will not be a happy bunny. Which is no fun!

So, I won't do that again!

alice xox

Up to speed...

2011-10-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

I came home from BlytheconUK all inspired and ready to go, only to be hit full in the face by fourth year saying hello like an overexcited puppy that doesn't quite realise how big they've grown... oof. I'm sure you've all met that puppy. Anyway, my over-elaborated point is, I got home... and did precisely nothing, and just wallowed around in my post-con blues. :( I misss you guyyss! You should all move up to Scotland. It's pretty. Come! :D

Anyways, I forced myself up off my lazy backside and now have about a million ongoing projects. Which is more like it. :)

I recently discovered this beautiful, beautiful blog: Attic24 which totally rekindled my love affair with crocheted blankets, and so I picked up the blanket I started last Easter (which I had thrown aside a while ago in one of my crafty "NOTHING I MAKE LOOKS GOOD" tantrums) which now has a lot more rows and is looking much more loved. :)

Although... before picking up this blanket again, I had already decided after mooning over Lucy's wonderful creations over at Attic24 that I NEEDED a granny square blanket of my own...

So yes, I have two blankets on the go... oops! Well, Winter Is Coming, after all. ;)

I continue to wrestle with this scarf for Gavin which I've been knitting since... um, June? It was completely frogged two weeks ago and so have been started afresh on larger needles, but oh dear me, knitting and I, we are sort of friends but I am SO. SLOW. The yarn is delicious though, Gavin picked it - it's Rowan Drift driftwood, I think. NOM. My knitting is improving, and I hope to have this finished in a few weeks. (It mostly gets neglected in favour of crocheting...)

Do you guys remember Elliot? Probably not, because she is the most neglected Blythe doll ever. So.... time for a make-over! :D I know this is sort of a controversial opinion, but I love the SBL lips, so I think she'll be keeping her lovely RRe lips. Her face won't get a lot of treatment (new eyelashes, lids, blush) - nope, it's her hair that's being drastically changed!

I haven't done a Blythe reroot in a YEAR. I adore rerooting. It's about time! This time, I am using nylon for the first time, in a sexy sexy blue. Mmmmm. Can't wait to start. I have just finished prepping her scalp, sanding the brown paint off and deciding whether or not to paint it blue first. On the one hand, the blue will give me more leeway with bald patches, on the other hand, I don't have any appropriate paint and I'm an impatient type... PATIENCE YOUNG PADAWAN. My impatience will probably win. ;_;

Elliot is not the only one getting new hairs! Behold, my poor little Cakie! I bought this little one nearly 3 years ago, not reaaaally knowing what she was, with intent to reroot. As you can see, she's still bald... but now I know who she is! Apple Dumplin'! She's adorable, and still has a cute little smell to her (I think it's the original?) and needs some love. I'm thinking I'll stay red?

I also started work on a little felt companion, who is very unfinished (and limbless) but will be super cute and have his own little felt wardrobe when I'm finished. ~~I am making my own Jon Snow to cuddle on the long winter nights~~ he is a non-specific felt male who will definitely not get cuddled a lot.

Then there's my dissertation. Which is a terrifying and awesome prospect, and is coming along nicely. I say that now, I'm sure in December I will be screaming and tearing my hair out and buttoning my shirt to my coat and generally going crazy. It is (as you can maybe tell!) on Old English poetry, and in particular, on ladies in Old English poetry. I like Anglo-Saxon ladies, they are awesome. I do not do enough slaying of heathens in my spare time, I really don't.

I am supposed to explain what exactly it is that draws me to Old English poetry in my introduction, which I can answer with gusto if not exactly academic finesse. A lot of OE poetry is basically a predecessor of modern high fantasy (thanks a lot to Tolkien, you legend) and it just speaks to me that 1000+ years ago, my ancestors were reading about swords and dragons, and here I am in 2011, reading about sword and dragons. I have written a long, happy rant about this, which ends with the sentence:

After all, what is Beowulf if not swords and sorcery?

I am not sure that sentence will make it to the final draft. I will run it past my superviser and he will definitely laugh at me.

Anyway, in other fangirl news, you guys THE AVENGERS TRAILER WAS RELEASED WOOWOOWOOOOOO. I mean, not that it was the highlight of my week or anything. And not that I've watched Thor twice this week already and am spewing forth my fangirl lust onto tumblr like there's no tomorrow. Yeah. Nope. http://sciencefictionbaby.tumblr.com/

Just licking Loki, don't mind me.

Um right. I am disappearing now before I embarrass myself further.

Alice xox

Blythecon UK and busy busy busy!

2011-10-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

As promised, I did indeed make a video of BCUK!

I think it pretty much covers everything I have to say about Blythecon! Just a wonderful, wonderful weekend, thank you to everyone, but especially the wonderful Laura Kate! I'm sure I'll have some more photos to show from the actual day at some point, so watch this space. :) The video is a bit dorky (argh my face!) but hopefully the spirit of the day comes across a little bit. :) WARNING: to non-doll people, I expect this will be hideously boring.

The Friday was mostly frantic travelling and then some quality PUB TIME with the doll ladies, and the Saturday was just awesome from start to finish.

I want to say the Sunday was a lovely day too, but, well - and this is going to sound funny - but the weather was FAR too nice! Gav and I had planned to hit a bunch of museums up (including my unsuccessful attempt to admire Beowulf, le sob!) but dragging our sweaty, sticky selves round sweaty, sticky London was too much for us. We are not people who enjoy the heat!

We're not really city people either... The tube caused major stress, the people caused more, and at one point Gavin saw a ray of sunlight which made the air look super dirty, and pointed it out to me and thus set me off on a major freak-out of scrubbing myself raw when I got home. I'm sure London isn't that dirty, I'm just prone to overreacting. ;)

Don't get me wrong though, London is an awesome place full of awesome things (and one day I will return! Beowulf, you cannot elude me forever!) and the weather was gorgeous, and I ought to be more grateful.

But... I really enjoyed coming home and getting tucked up in my thermals and blankets. :)

I'M JUST A STARK OK

AND I MISS THE NORTH WHEN I LEAVE IT

DON'T JUDGE ME

I got a pretty epic haul, the first batch of which is being modelled by Rose!

This is my first Eurotrash helmet, and I don't know why they suddenly called to me, but I *had* to have one. Maybe it was becoming a yarn nerd... but wow, it's beautiful. The prices they go for second hand are INSANE, but I can kind of see why. They are so beautifully made - and this new Kenner of mine is demanding quality items of clothing. ;)

Anyway, I was super inspired by this weekend, so... watch this space. ;) I have six packs of nylon and a pack of saran currently sitting on my desk... I wonder what they could be for? :3

I am also getting into the full swing of the semester, and the future looks very busy!

alice xox

Calling all Blythecon UK 2011 attendees!

2011-09-25T14:23:00.000-07:00

So, I'm just really, really great at spending money.

2011-09-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

Not to boast or anything, but I could probably spend professionally, I'm getting pretty good at it. I'm getting calmer and calmer typing the big ol' numbers in paypal!

So, last time I blogged, I announced my decision to make 2011 the Year of the Kenner. I'm absolutely delighted to report that a month in... and I kinda did it already. :) YAY!

All in all, it was a very quick hunt, but there were a few moment of First World Anguish, which I am very good at. I won't go into it too much, as I don't want to criticise anyone, just trying to give fellow doll crazies an approximation of my doll pain, hahah! Anyway, a blonde beauty popped up and I tried to acquire her only to lose her to someone with a higher offer, which made me sob a little bit, but fair enough. I was then, literally a week later, offered that same doll from the new owner, but for a higher price, and though this doll was CALLING TO ME SO BAD I turned it down as I felt the price was too high for me for this particular doll. Not to criticise the seller as it is ENTIRELY their right to ask for what they think is right, it just wasn't right for me. So yeah, First World Anguish ensued.

AND THEN... a beautiful blondie from the lovely Pooka popped up, and well, she was perfect. :D Not to mention in the UK, which is always a bonus for those of us stuck on this tiny island. I say stuck... I wouldn't want to be stuck anywhere else! It's just a bit of a pain when it comes to acquiring things from elsewhere and customs fees and all that.

But enough of me! LET US SEE THE PRETTY PRETTY KENNER :D

I have decided to rename her Rose. I was so sure she needed a lovely, pretty, Victorian name, and Rose was one of the options. I then started rewatching Eccleston's Dr Who series and the name really won me over.

AHHHH IT WAS SO EXCITING! I have met and held Kenners before, but never really examined one properly. The plastic feels so different, and she does feel old, but weirdly sturdy and just, oh, I don't know. I'm totally nuts for her. :) She's so so so gorgeous.

Her hair is beautiful, with not too much frizz at all (not that I mind the frizz anyway!) and she has original make-up, even a touch of original blush. She has some scalp goop and a body crack (which has been magic'd together by Pooka somehow!) and some little yellow patches, which I thought initially I might look into gently getting rid of, but actually, I'm too attached to them. She has a cute little yellow spot on her forehead which I've started fondly thinking of a sort of beauty spot. They will stay. :)

Although she didn't as such *need* a hairwash, I gave her one, as it's kind of a bonding process for me, and also, I'd messed up her hair in all the excited playing she got when she arrived.

I soaked the ends in Comfort fabric conditioner for 2 and a bit hours, then washed it out and used human conditioner on her to comb her hair out. Actual human hair conditioner does nothing for doll hair, by the way - it's just nice and slippery and I like to use it if there are tangles to gently tease out. You just have to make sure to wash it all out properly.

I was really surprised to feel like I'd definitely made a difference to her already beautiful hair!

Mmmm she's so pretty! :D Her legs and arms don't look that yellowed in person, actually, strange quirk of the photo...

Oh god I sound like a mother don't I, going on about my child...

ANYWAY. Guess what? I FINISHED WORK!

Despite my bitching and whining I have earned a pretty penny this summer, which is lovely, and of course, allowed me to bring Rose home. :) Beth's projection of my future finances is perhaps a bit pessimistic. ;)

Which means... I am leaving Newcastle on Sunday and heading back up to Haggisland! It also means... BLYTHECON IN 3 WEEKS!

I am so excited. I have decided not to buy anything Blythe-related until I get there, and then totally go mad and splash out. :D So, I am planning on spending the next few days packing, and making a start on my fashion competition entry, and making my girls some new clothes...

You won't be hearing from me until I'm back in Haggisland, so see you then! xox

I'M ALIVE!

2011-08-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

I know, don't faint with shock - I'm making a blog entry!

I was honestly going to update these past two days now I'm off work (and so I have time to do things that aren't sleeping or working!) but instead I decided that a road trip to Scotland was in order...

Yes. Jessica and I eloped at Gretna Green. It was a beautiful ceremony, though she seemed a little put out that I took her to Gretna Green "Welcome Break" Service Station rather than an actual church. Still, it had a big photo of a church on the front, so it nearly counted, right?

But in all seriousness, I drove (drove! me!) up to Glasgow to help Gavin move in and home-ify his new flat. (I stopped at Gretna on account of my bladder.) Also, I am living vicariously through him as I am deeply jealous of his new Adult Life as I continue in studenthood for another ten months and got really excited about choosing his duvet covers and bookshelves and all sorts!

It was a successful trip, though some thoughtless tosser (probably the landlord, sheesh) has put down RED CARPET in the flat, which inconsiderately messed up my blue colour scheme for Gav's room, but I managed to recover it. Phew.

On the way back, I decided to drive in actual Gretna and get a few shots this time.

(My love affair with instagram continues! Can't... stop...!)

It was cute! I even saw an actual wedding happening, though not there - up the road at a posh looking hotel. Weddings are one of the only occasions where I've found that being nosy and borderline intrusive is actually kind of ok, so I had a good old look. They'd even got this awesome looking horse and cart (complete with driver with TAILS on his coat!) to ride them off into the distance.

Anyway, what I was going to blog about was the excellence that was two Blythe meets I went to in July! I'd been starved of doll people since last year's Blythecon and it was lovely.

The Leeds Blythe meet had quiet a turnout (20 of us, I think) and there were lots of beauties for me to admire. I was so busy admiring and sniffing (no really, give a Kenner a good whiff) that this is the only photo I really took.

The Glasgow meet was ace - great to finally meet all the Scottish Blythe ladies and admire their customising talent up close.

I really liked how different the vibes were at each meet, if that isn't too weird. Both were lovely and full of lovely people - but very different. Though there were plenty loooovely customs at the Leeds meet I feel there was also a lot of stock and Kenner appreciation, whereas the Glasgow meet was a full-on custom fest. It made me realise how much of a Kenner/stock nut I am turning into. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE customs and really need to do some more customising of my own (it's been too long!) but I am really going crazy-doll-lady for Kenners. I asked the ladies at Glasgow how they felt about Kenners, and they all agreed they were nice and all, but too expensive for them to consider them worth it.

On the one hand, I can totally see (in theory) why you wouldn't want to spend an arm and a leg on a beaten up, dirty, falling to pieces doll with cracks in her butt and hairplugs falling out, and would rather buy a cheaper and much more intact doll who is less "sacred" and you can customise and have fun with. It makes complete sense to sane people.

But I am not sane when it comes to Kenners. I never have been. They were the beautiful faces I first fell in love with and I've been sort of nearly buying one ever since I got into Blythe... that's nearly 4 years of tentative ebay stalking and failed bids. (I'm not sure I'll ever quite get over that one-legged beauty I missed in December 2008.)

So I have decided. 2011 is THE YEAR. This is THE YEAR I will get a Kenner.

Consider me officially on the hunt.

I must be insane.

alice xox

Spooktastic

2011-07-05T03:52:00.001-07:00

As I mentioned in my last entry, the Monster High bug bit me and Frankie joined the family. Somehow, in that mysterious ways dolls have of multiplying (you'd think I was spending furiously or something) I now have five Monster High dollies. Funny how that happens, isn't it?

Anyway, half the appeal of the MH dolls for me is their price. I do love customising but sometimes my nerve and wallet fail me when it comes to customising their more expensive bg-headed cousins... so I started my first MH customisation adventures!

The first hurdle was taking off Lagoona's head. I was expecting this to be a lot more difficult! I warmed her head in a dignified position - upside down in a glass of warm water - before pulling it off without that much force, quite easily.

The neck peg is an awkward shape, and I found it easiest to bend each 'prong' out separately. I did bend one prong a bit out of shape, as you can see, but I might just remove them as I've seen suggested on the internet. :)

The part that drove me ABSOLUTELY INSANE was removing the stock hair. SO. MUCH. GLUE.

The force and effort I had to put in getting all this blimmin glue out pretty much put my hands out of action for a few days. I had a BRUISE on my PALM. Ow ow ow!

After that, because apparently I'm a masochist, I decided to reroot using the locked loop technique. I have done two locked loop reroots before, but on Blythe dolls using a crochet hook. I (sort of unwisely) decided this method would also work Just Fine on other, smaller-headed dolls too.

It sort of does. The MH heads are tough enough to withstand the crochet hook strain (though the internet suggests 1/6 dolls are generally otherwise) and so I'm not ripping the scalp or anything.

... and here's how much I've done so far!

As you can see, somewhere along the line, this method (and the whole hair removal trauma) has damaged her make-up. :( Stupid Alice. Of course, when I first noticed this I had one of those Moments I'm sure all fellow crafters/customisers/etc. have, where EVERYTHING HAD GONE WRONG EVER, EVERYTHING WAS RUINED AND BEYOND SAVING.

After a bit of a tantrum and bribing my little sister to drive me to Asda and panic buying another stock Lagoona, I have managed to calm down a bit and think I will do some repainting and mild customising after I've finished the reroot, and next time, um, just use a reroot tool and glue. It sounds soooo much easier for dolls this size!

The rest of the girls had a spa day yesterday, and I am hoping to be showing off their fabulous stock hair very soon! My second Lagoona's hair was worse than the first, but it's coming along VERY nicely! And more importantly, her make-up is intact. ;)

alice xox

I'm still alive!

2011-06-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a while... so here's a super quick update! :) My life got really full all of a sudden! First there were exams, and then I had to pack and move back down to Newcastle, and then I started my summer job, and my internet life has taken a bit of a back seat (booo!) as I adjusted to my new situation. :)

I am living with my dad in his new house (mmmm, brand new carpet smell!) and have started working in a toy shop in the airport. On the one hand, it's ace, a.) to even have a job and b.) to work in a toy shop! :D On the other, airports demand rather unsociable working hours and my sleeping pattern is ALL over the place. Getting up at 3am destroys me, and I'm coping a bit better with being alternately well rested and utterly sleep deprived, but I don't think I'll get used to it as my shifts are so irregular. So, I am keeping busy and earning money, but not finding as much time for my hobbies as I would like! Hopefully I'll get the balance right soon. :)

Here's what I've been up to the past few weeks, inbetween passing out at every opportune moment and selling toys! ;)

I got an iPhone. It is my baby. ♥ I got my feets eaten by hungry fishes!

I discovered that I LOVE lego minifigures. (Another collection is born...)

Gav visited me in Newcastle, and we went to the beach. :)

I got bitten by the Monster High bug...

I acquired the new 3D Ocarina (!!!!) and - le gasp - I started knitting again!

(Don't worry knitters - I went out the next day and bought the right size needles for that yarn and started again, heheh.)

I learned to knit when I was very little and made a few very terrible scarves and never really anything beyond that - with the only thing I made recently being a knitted haggis for Gavin. Me and knitting never really got on, and I have found out why - I was knitting 'English' instead of 'continental'. Oh it is beautiful. I can use my perfected crochet yarn hold (around pinkie and fed over pointer finger) and it is MUCH easier going. I mean, I'm still painfully slow compared to crocheting and my tension is, um, well, very tense, but I hope to improve! :)

Not that crocheting isn't still my favourite, but who can help being drawn to those beautiful little 'v's of stockinette? ♥

Hope to update a little sooner next time! :)

alice xox

Behind the scenes...

2011-05-21T09:49:00.000-07:00

Inspired by this blog post by the excellent Laura Kate, I have decided to do a little 'behind the scenes' post of my own! I was having a browse through Gavin's (my most excellent boy) photo stream and realised that we have quite a few photos I can pair up from our joint photo adventures, and thought it was a fun idea!

All photos click through to their flickr page. :)

First, here's one that pairs up perfectly - a fairly recent photo of Pepper featuring Gavin in the background....

... turns out he was taking a photo of his own!

And if we go back into *the past* (almost two years ago!) to this photo of Russ...

... looks like Gavin has been documenting my dolly photographing exploits longer than I had thought!

Another photo (from about a year ago) of Gavin's lovely doggies...

... which must have been snapped pretty much around the time he took this photo of me! :)

This shot of Jessica (ooohhh her prettiness just blows me away every time!) last January...

... must have been taken shortly after this shot of me looking (oddly!) reflective!

... and shortly before these silly shots! xD

Remember that time my brand new Cath Kidston wellies betrayed me, and I only found out they were leaking as I proudly waded out into a puddle?

Well, this is the exact moment I realised. :P Note: I am trying to look dignified. Felt pretty daft considering there was really no need for me to have waded out into that puddle in the first place!

And this:

... became this! Supermooon!

Finally, some general behind the scenes photos of me with no particular pair. :)

From the new... in which Gavin places thing in my hood without my noticing until they pop up on Flickr! :P

Me, in Edinburgh.

To the old...

... which is still one of my favourite photos of his ever, two years on. :) Though I do very much look a bit of a crazy dollie lady, hugging Russ, it's just also a really lovely photo.

Ok, enough self indulgence for one day! Crafty updates coming next time! :)

alice xox

Crochet Loyalty

2011-05-12T12:20:00.000-07:00

As a newly-converted crochet nut, I have started to notice how neglected crocheting gets sometimes. Knitting is lovely and pretty, but well.. I rather like crochet too! - and I think it deserves a little more attention than it gets. :)

Some of my main yarn-spiration are the lovelylovely Woolly Rockers Blythe sized clothes. I picked up two of these beautiful things at BlytheconUK last year, and they are always being worn by one of my girls.

Having sort-of-almost mastered the crocheted hat, I decided it was time to give other clothes a shot - even those usually firmly in knitting's territory. We take your purl, knitting, and raise you a double crochet!

As I, em, may have mentioned before, I am not big on patterns. I didn't find any Blythe jumper crochet patterns on the internet, but this didn't really daunt me. I examined some of the knitted goods I own by other talented folk to get an idea of the kind of shapes I needed to make, and then just started freeform crocheting. :P Here's the result!

It needs some work, but I'm pleased with it for a first attempt! :) The yarn is some 'for socks' rainbow stuff I picked up ages ago thinking it would look better on small scale than it does, but it was the only kind I had lying around to test out my jumper :)

Take that, knitting! We can make jumpers too! :P

The main problem here is my laziness doing the sleeves. I forgot to angle them, and so they stick straight out at 90 degrees from the body! I aim to fix that with my next attempt! The way they are now make Beth look a bit bulky in a rugby player sort of way!

... think I might be procrastinating a little bit, maybe? :P

alice xox

Creative Challenge Week - er ... erm... is it May already?!

2011-05-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

Woah 2011, slow down! This year is completely running away with me! I can't believe it's May already... At the end of the month, after my exams (eeeerk) I have to pack up all my stuff and move as my lease only runs during semester here, and I still kind of feel like I've only just settled in. I have a job (working in a toy shop, hooray!) over the summer and I'm moving in with my dad for the 4 months. Lots of creative plans for my summer downtime!

So, as you may have noticed, I have no clue whatsoever what week it is, but I can assure you I've been sticking to my challenge and doing a little something creative every week!

This ranges from my usual crocheting to the rather silly -

- making my own fascinator to wear while watching the royal wedding. (Excuse my face.)

For those who don't know this is an (empty!) can of Tennents. (I actually can't stand the stuff. I didn't even drink it, just poured it straight down the sink. Believe me, it's not a waste.) Tennents is cheap Scottish lager that, when I last checked, was £1.50 a pint at the union and so is a popular drink among students at St Andrews. Given the royal alumni, it seemed appropriately classy. ;) Like I said, I'd rather drink from the toilet. But still, that big red T is kind of iconic! I'm sure Kate and Wills would have appreciated it. (Though I'm also quite sure they barely touched the stuff! 'Commoner' my arse.)

Despite being deeply apathetic about the whole royal family thing, we decorated the living room and I watched the whole thing in a pathetic girly fashion! Mmmm, lace! I lost my bet that the Queen's hat would be lilac, and admired some of the festive offerings about town.

I also finally got around to making the crochet hat I've been dreaming of making since I started!

I do sort of hate the vikings on principal (as a Anglo-saxon nerd) but not that much, because they're kind of awesome. I wouldn't want a viking round my house, burning my books and being hooligans, but as an abstract, they sound ace. Sailing round the world, pillaging and toasting Valhalla while drinking mead. I can see why they're doing so well in popular culture, even though I have to put up a token resistance and badmouth them. :P I know this isn't a strictly accurate historical representation of their helmets, either... but shhh! It looks cool. ;)

Really enjoying making hats again (and now I can sit in the garden and crochet, yay weather!) so I've been churning them out and plan a massive etsy shop update, many of which may have horns. ;)

I have also decided it is time to unveil my blanket! I haven't taken a single photo of it since I announced it was happening, way before spring break, and it's time I posted a WIP photo...

Ta da! Hopefully my inclusion of my shoes puts it in some perspective... it's taken soooo much time from my life already! I'm not even finished the first rainbow rotation - but only violet to go now!

I am just simply doing rows of double crochet (US term) using a 4mm hook. 5 rows of white, then 5 rows of colour, with the 2nd and 4th being white... repeat. I couldn't tell you how wide it is in stitches, I just kept going and going and then realised it was actually going to spread across a double bed! Eeek. It's rather bigger than I intended! I can DC like a demon now, though it still tends to take me about half an hour per row, I think. I usually finish one whilst watching a 4o minute episode of DS9!

Mostly using acrylic and acrylic blends as I wanted it to be very washable and expect it to see a lot of wear and tear. :) Had hoped to finish it for the nice weather so I could sit on it outside - need to get a move on!

Righto, think I've rambled on enough for one post. Hope everyone in the UK had a fabulous bank holiday weekend (both of them!) and everyone enjoyed the wedding! :)

alice xox

Adventures with The Past!

2011-04-16T14:32:00.000-07:00

Branched out a bit with my blogging this week and decided to throw in a video! Been wanting to talk about this for a while, and it was the perfect essay procrastination. Two birds, one stone, woo! Not usually a video maker due to being slightly awkward in front of the camera, but hopefully I haven't made too much of a fool of myself... enjoy! :)

I'll be posting some nice, proper photos of the 'artifacts' soon - they're just so OLD and awesome! Watch this space!

alice xox

Alice's Adventures in Anglo-Saxon Land! (photo heavy!)

2011-04-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

WARNING: this blog post will contain lots of photos, and many of them will have dangerously high levels of pretty! Proceed with caution! Due to the rather extreme amount of photos I've made them all small, but you can click though to see them bigger on my Flickr. :)

So, as I mentioned in my last blog, it's my 'spring break' type thing from university and I went to stay at my mum's house in Newcastle to perform various daughterly duties, and was (yay!) joined by Gavin after a few days, and we've been having lots of exciting adventures in the North East! :D

As you may know... I'm a bit of an anglo saxon nerd. I think 'nerd' is probably the best term, as I'm not particularly good at it or extraordinarily knowledgeable or anything like that, just embarrassingly enthusiastic and a bit of a snob. (Probably best just not to mention the 2007 Beowulf film. Sorry Mr Gaiman, but WHAT WAS THAT?!?!?!) The North East is a pretty cool place if you're interested in the Anglo Saxons, but I've never really taken advantage of that... so decided it was finally time. :)

First up was Bede's World, which is a museum in Jarrow (a short and exciting hop on the Metro!) I insisted we sit at the front of the front carriage next to the driver, like a child. :D) which involves a bunch of exhibitions about Bede (who was a local) and a reconstruction (working!) Anglo Saxon farm! Bede is kind of a big deal for mediaevalists (and anglo saxon nerds, as he wrote a whole bunch in the vernacular!) and he very thoughtfully wrote a big ol' history of England which is all kinds of useful. I'm sure wikipedia will do a far better job of explaining it than me. Of course, none of the manuscripts that would have been in Jarrow are still there, because London bloody steals them all, but, urr, not that I'm jealous or anything...

Part of St Paul's priory where he would have spent a lot of time is still standing across the road from the museum, near to the river Don. We picked a lovely day for it and it was really pretty. Jessica got her anglo-saxon on and joined us on our rambles. :) The part of Jarrow this is in is very industrial, if that's the right word, and so it's a lovely little pocket of pretty history, which tickled my pickle. :)

The museum itself was pretty cool, but mostly aimed at kids. There was a school group walking round all dressed as monks, which was pretty surreal! The part that got me all excited was the reconstruction farm, though! :D

They had a bunch of animals, including these funny cow like things with stupid short legs that I laughed at, which ur.... turned out to be oxen. Learn something new every day! (I'd never met oxen before!) I assessed the lambs in terms of how much I wanted to make yarn from their wool, which is a new reaction. Crochet on the brain much?

Some of the reconstruction buildings were ace! This is a grubenhaus, complete with investigative Gavin!

It was so incredibly windy that day we went, but I was suitably impressed at how much of the weather they kept out. Pffft who needs central heating?

I also experienced proper wattle-and-daub for the first time! My only, er, previous experience was a history assignment I was given when I was about 11. We were to bring in our own home-made wattle-and-daub sample. Everyone produced a plastic bag full of mud and twigs. It is SO much harder than it sounds! :P I think that piece of homework was not terribly appreciated by all the parents, hahah!

Jessica was my little anglo saxon companion. :) She could be Scandinavian, don't you think?

Another building I decided was the mead hall, as it had a place for a fire and a whole bunch of benches, but mostly just because I wanted to say I had been in a mead hall. :D We all got a shot of ourselves in there. ;)

Gavin -

- and me -

- and Jessica! :P

The second installment of our Anglo-Saxon adventures was a trip to Lindisfarne. :) This involved me driving 60 miles up the A1 (I know, a terrifying thought :P) and then driving across the sea. :D It was AWESOME. I felt like Moses. Only without the terror of pursuit. Lindisfarne is linked to the mainland by a causeway which is blocked off by the sea when the tide is in, so we crossed over before high tide and stayed until it sank again. :)

First, we visited Lindisfarne priory ruins, which were so pretty! This being where the Lindisfarne Gospels were created - but of course, they're in London. Rawr.

Here is Gavin underneath the 'rainbow arch' which is still intact. :) This is just after he gave me a physics lesson in how arches work heheh!

The Brewhouse - an essential part of any monastery. :P My little lalaloopsy agrees! (I am definitely a fan of pocket dollies! They're so handy and cute. Even if a rude woman laughed at me for playing with them, pffft, ignorance D:)

I really wished I could have found a St Cuthbert's bead while I was there, but no such luck! Me and Gavin did however, rediscover the art of skimming stones. ;)

We also walked out to Lindisfarne castle, which is of a more modern time, but still really pretty and interesting! It's a bit of a hodge-podge of a castle, as some guy in the 1900s decided to build a whole bunch of extra stuff onto it, so it's a weird mixture of an actual military castle... and a rich holiday home.

Gavin keeping watch from the castle walls. ;P

The weather was so so so gorgeous, we had expected it to rain, but take that met office! :D We even caught the sun a little bit. Everything was just beautiful ♥

I swear I have never taken scenery photos anywhere near as stunning as these, and I refuse to take any credit whatsoever for what a beautiful place it is - I don't think I could have taken a bad photo!

We needed change for the car park, so I had to pick something to buy... and well, really, what more excuse did I need than that to buy myself a finger puppet viking? :D Here he is, raiding Lindisfarne castle, just like the old days. :P

As an anglo-saxon nerd, I'm supposed to hate the Vikings. Grrr burning all the books! *shakes fist* But... could you resist that little cutie? :3

And to think the weather forecast had predicted rain.... :D

As an anglo saxon nerd, it is my duty to like mead. Imagine how disappointed I was when I tried my first mead and hated it! :( DON'T WORRY! The story doesn't end there. :P I had made the stupid (student) mistake of buying bad mead from my local supermarket, and it is deeply deeply gross and inferior. The aftertaste was just OH GOD so bad. I eventually tried some good mead and YAY it is soooo yummmy! ♥ My favourite mead so far is definitely Lindisfarne mead, so it was exciting to see where the MAGIC HAPPENS! :D

Beth is a fan of these developments. :P I should add that the mead tasting was not actually open when the tide was high, so we missed out... but I was driving anyway, so it's probably a good thing! Besides, I have a whole bottle at home waiting to be drank. ;) Still, it provided a good photo op for my own cheeky little Goldie. :)

Eeeee exciting times! :)

I also had a little non-Anglo Saxon adventure where I got to meet up with the loooovely Christin and talk dollie! :) It was lovely to meet her (and her dolls!) properly! :)

Here are our little ones! Meeting a littlefee was a very dangerous decision... heheh. :D

We also discovered an anime store in Newcastle I had NOO idea existed, and I was able to contribute to my growing toy loot situation... bearing in mind I had already swiped a couple of lalaloopsies from Tesco last week...

Ooops! :D And watch this space for better photos. ;) I am actually a little bit in love with my LPS petite Blythe, she's really really cute! Never had a petite before. :) (FYI - found them in both Fenwick and John Lewis! Also spotted one in Travelling Man, so get shopping. :P) I restricted myself to just one but could easily have bought two once I saw them in the plastic, hehehe.

Anyway, sorry for the massive entry! Hope everyone else had a lovely week :)

alice xox

ps. been keeping up my blanket! Perhaps some photos soon! Also, I am not talking about how much yarn I bought.... it's shameful!

Weeks #11 and #12 catch-up!

2011-03-28T11:45:00.002-07:00

Eeeeeps! I have fallen behind on my blog somewhat! I had essays due in, and then I was distracted by WoW, and crochet, and then my 3DS... Still done a satisfactory amount of crafting these past two weeks, though, I think! :) First up, a pattern I found off Ravelry for an adorable donut pincushion:

I love it! :D I also made some fingerless gloves on request for Gavin's mum (in Burnley colours - three guesses where she's from, heheh!) and a few more dollie hats, but no pictures as they're very similar to some I've already posted on here. :)

I also - gasp - ventured away from my comfort zone of crochet-hookery, and branched out into the scary world of sewing! :o This is a Mother's Day project (which is next Sunday in the UK) so I don't know how well it'll go down - hopefully she'll like it! If so, I will be very pleased to have created something both aesthetically pleasing AND financially pleasing to me, heheh. Handmade gifts ftw!

I used a Provencal fabric I bought there a couple of years ago (from Bedoin market, if you know the area :D) with the intention of making little dollie dresses, which, I ur, never got round to. Mother requested a kindle cover, and though she requested a crocheted one, I thought fabric would work better - I could line it with fur! :) We used to always go to Provence for summer holidays when I was little and she really likes the fabric, so hopefully the change in medium will go down well even if it's not what she expected? We'll see!

It was also hard to miss the supermoon last week!

Here's my contribution to the excellent photos going round (though mine is less excellent!) and a photo Gavin took of me photographing it! :D It didn't actually look that big to me... but hey! It felt like a good chance to try out my tripod technique (ie. realise how little I know about long exposure photography!) and I never mind an excuse to watch the stars. :)

BECAUSE I AM AN ELF. :D

I also acquired some goodies this week...

I've been dying for some lalaloopsy pretties for agggges but they haven't been stocked in any of the "big" (ie. not so big) supermarkets in St Andrews so I did a jump for joy in Tesco today and promptly bought two. (Bonus: they were on offer!) Would have bought more but the mothership disapproved. :P

I also acquired my 3DS! :) I spontaneously turned into a different person at the check out and bought Nintendogs. Don't massively fancy any of the launch games (holding out for some of the ace summer releases) but kind of wanted something to play besides AR... and apparently bought a game I have previously held forth about how much I hate.

Actually kind of enjoying it. It's so stupid but the doggies are so cute and in 3D and licking your face and awwww <3

Will tide me over until Mario/Kid Icarus/Zelda. :D

Anyway, I'm currently on my spring break and at my mum's, with my spring break project being crocheting a blanket. Had not really realised that crocheting a blanket would, well, involve CROCHETING A BLANKET. It's an epic project - for me! I usually work so small. It's going pretty good but nothing worth taking a photo of yet, so watch this space! :) It's about double bed width and currently approaching 30cm tall. Long way to go!

alice xox

Creative Challenge Week #10, Etsy, Cakes and Pancake Day!

2011-03-14T14:18:00.001-07:00

I don't think my creative endeavours have been very interesting this week... I did open an Etsy shop though, which I suppose is a bit exciting, and I have made a grand total of one sale, wooo! :P Please do have a look! http://www.etsy.com/shop/nuwandalice

My aim really isn't to sell lots as I've said before, just to have some kind of turnover so I can keep crocheting. :)

I've been feeling a tad uninspired and unmotivated - that's what impending essay deadlines do to me. Here are the hats just to prove I did make something!

I did not get the usual weekend visit from or to Gavin this weekend due to snow, so I mooned around all weekend being very unproductive and feeling lonely. I did, however, make some cake friends to keep me company! :P

Callie celebrated Pancake Day with enthusiasm, if lacking in skill...

... and now I'm in for a nervy week of essay writing! :S

See you on the other side! xD

alice

xox

ps. Pre-ordered a 3DS. Whoops.

Creative Challenge Week #9, Pokemon and books!

2011-03-07T14:57:00.000-08:00

I won't lie - the most exciting part of last week was the new Pokemon release. :3 I've been playing Pokemon since I was embarrassingly young, and little Alice from the 90s would have been delighted to see me still playing! As you can see, I was still getting silly and excited before release day and crocheted Beth a little pikachu hat.

Anyway, there's a reason that's the last photo I've uploaded to Flickr. :P I really really like it! I did a really excellent girlfriend thing and bought Gav a second hand DS last week so he could buy black and we could play through together. He's pretty much completed it, erk! I have created a monster. I am a slow Pokemon player, I like to think I am savouring it. :) So far, I have a very soft spot for my adorable little Munna (sorry Victini!) and I squealed like a crazy lady when I saw Castelia! I have dreamed so long of a 3D pokemon game (for handheld) and it's just so very nearly there... eeeeek! :)

I did also have quite a productive crochet week. My escape to Edinburgh last weekend has provided me with lots of yummy yarn, including some super chunky stuff, which I had not worked with before:

I have produced more hats than just that but I'm saving them for a potential etsy store! ;)

I also made this crochet bag as commissioned by my mum. :)

In dollie news, I am downsizing slightly as I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed. I have already moved on one girl - my Pullip Mir. She was much loved but I just didn't have time for her and she'd barely been out, and is off for a new life in Spain! (Lucky thing.) Meanwhile, I got a long-awaited tinybear order! First up is Annie, who is looking super fantastic in the wig I originally bought for Callie. Bad Annie. :P

Woah, can you believe it's March already? :\ Two whole months of 2011, eeeek! Something I've been doing for fun is keeping a running total of books I've read in 2011, and though I've slowed a bit recently as I started about 3672846784 books at the same time and continue reading them all without finishing any, I'm feeling kind of proud of it, so thought I'd share.

Keeping Faith, Jodi Picoult

Bloodchild, Octavia Butler

Bicentennial Man, Isaac Asimov

Across the Nightingale Floor, Lian Hearn

Grass for his Pillow, Lian Hearn

Brilliance of the Moon, Lian Hearn

The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien

The Fellowship of the Ring, JRR Tolkien

The Two Towers, JRR Tolkien

The Return of the King, JRR Tolkien

The Silmarillion, JRR Tolkien

Italics mean it was a short story, underlining means it was a re-read. :D (I am not counting academic articles or the list would be a mile long!) I decided after long deliberation not to underline the Silmarillion. I know I think I read it a while ago, but I remembered so little after Ainulindale I thought it hardly counted. So far it's looking pretty fantasy heavy! I would recommend them all rather enthusiastically, with the exception of the first. I enjoyed it more or less, but it felt a bit preachy, and I resent being preached at. I think it's supposed to be open ended with the religious aspects, but eehhhh, didn't feel like that to me.

I know it's not that impressive, but I feel like I'm keeping on top of all my hobbies and making time for each of them. :)

Hope you all have an EXCELLENT Shrove Tuesday tomorrow!

alice xox

Creative Challenge Week #8 (and Alice makes her grandmother proud)

2011-02-27T07:36:00.000-08:00

As you probably know if you're reading this, I go to St Andrews university. It's very nice and I like it lots, though it can feel like far too small a place to be stuck in for 4 years! Since I've started working here over the summer as well, I really never get away from the place and forget how lovely it is and pine for shops and people who aren't students. It's a strange place, both of the fun, quirky kind, and also the Just Plain Odd kind. I haven't studied here while Prince William did, so I don't really know what it was like, but it sounds like he led a pretty normal student life (well, not the kind I live, but the kind all the posh kids live) and I think this is one of the only towns you could really get away with that in!

Anyway, as you may have seen on the TellyBox, Mr Future King and his Lady Friend came to visit!

I've sort of met royal people twice before. I'm not... big on the whole royal family thing (though my grandma thinks I'm unpatriotic and rubbish for my non-brown nosing ways) but you know, it's still kind of exciting. When I was 12-ish my school's wind band was supposed to play for the Queen for her olden jubilee thing, when she officially opened the Gateshead Millenium Bridge ... but she arrived late and we had already played. D: (We weren't particularly impressive, but we were quite fun and organised for a state school wind band - Mr S made us play all sorts of tunes I never realised were quite as hilarious until I think back on it. Also, you always need children when the royalty visit, add some cuteness. It's the rules.) Prince Phillip did chat with us for a bit though, and was very nice and jolly!

The next time definitely counts as a proper meeting. It was my school's (different one!) tercentenary and my friends and I had helped create a school board game as a celebration type thing. It was completely ridiculous. We filled it with inside jokes and it was probably completely incomprehensible to everyone else. Still, we sold enough to cover the costs of printing the board and cards etc.! My first (and last...) successful business venture! Anyway, somehow, my tiny school managed to bag the Queen on her general North-Easterly visit to open the new Sixth Form Centre, god knows how. They were massively chuffed about this and made this whole sort of walk-through tour through the building for her, and we were allowed (ORDERED, actually, I didn't want to do it) to get a table to ourselves and our board game.

The Queen got walked past all the other stuff (which was way less embarrassing) and then we had to stand there in front of the monarch and explain we'd, ur, made a board game. She looked a bit confused, and asked a question. These being the only three words the Queen has ever said to me: "Is it playable?" Bit disappointing.

1.) Two of those words are only two letters long.

2.) I'm not sure the third is a word.

3.) She at least briefly entertained the notion that we had either a.) designed a game that was intentionally purely decorative or b.) failed to design a working game.

I feel slighted.

So the only word I have ever said to the Queen is "yes." I think I should've stuck a "ma'am" on the end there, but I forgot. Oops.

Someone else in my group had a moment of complete idiocy and decided to offer her a copy and we all groaned and whinged at him afterwards because god it was cringey. She didn't look especially enthusiastic, got to admit. Don't know if that ever happened. I doubt it!

So I didn't have very high expectations for the royal visit to St Andrews. By which I mean I wasn't going to go, hahaha. I had class in the morning, so was going to come home and eat cake and maybe watch the highlights on tv and make disgruntled noises. It's INCONVENIENT. We'd had loads of places fenced off for ages and classes cancelled and rearranged and everything. I tried to go to class that morning, but forgot photo ID (which, yanno, isn't something I have EVER NEEDED BEFORE to go to my seminar) and was sent home by the security men who were quite rude, and told me off for having not "known better" on a "day like this." Walked home, but it takes me 20 minutes to get home (and no taxis because ALL the sodding roads were blocked off) so I would have caught the last ten minutes. So I missed my tutorial on The Silmarillion and was very grumpy. :(

But for some reason, I ended up back in town with my camera and Beth, and it was quite a fun atmosphere and I had fun. So sue me. There were snipers on the roof and a fly-by and everything! We hung around for ages and it was cold but sunny but I took a photo in Kate Middleton's face! :)

My grandma would be proud! :3

I also escaped the confines of St Andrews yesterday and ran away to Edinburgh, which was an excellent change and I bought LOADS of yarn.

Have lots of plans for the yarn, watch this space! ^_-

All I have to show for my creative endeavours this week is this:

They are now in the possession of my housemate!

I also made my first amigurumi, but I forgot to take a photo. He's a little ghostie ♥

Sorry for the huge rambling entry!

alice xox

Creative Challenge Week #7

2011-02-21T12:42:00.000-08:00

This week I branched out into human sized clothes, le gasp! :O

I decided to have a stab at some fingerless gloves. I get really cold hands, but love having my fingers free, and wanted a pair that didn't get in the way of my crocheting so I could do it in the cold. :P

(Please excuse the photos - I used photo booth as I only realised after Gavin left that taking photos of your own hands no-handed is actually quite difficult lol. Also, I took these super quick this morning after I got out the shower before class so my hair is all wet, ignore it! :P Oh, and my scraggy nails. Well-groomed fail. ;___;)

My first attempt!

I kept these for myself. :D The next pair I was a bit more ambitious with, but have sent them on to my sister to spread the crochet love~

I even did little flowers on them and everything! Now started worked on a stripy pair which will probably go to my fellow cold-handed housemate if they turn out ok! :)

I am churning out doll hats at a rate of knots...

I am absolutely knackered so I hope you will excuse this day late post and my complete lack of anything interesting to say! I shall leave with this this cute photo of Beth, and the hope I will see many of you there next October! ^___~

alice

xox

Creative Challenge Week #6

2011-02-13T08:26:00.000-08:00

First of all - if you've noticed you suddenly have a new follower, it's me! I have moved this blog from my old blogger account to my new gmail account - and so am blogging from a different account and had to add you guys all back so I have lots of pretty things on my feed! :)

The reason for the new gmail is actually because my hotmail (and battlenet) got hacked this week... no damage was done, but it panicked me because I'm incredibly stupid and use the same password for nearly everything. I know I know, I'm a complete idiot. I've changed that now, and you'll be pleased to know my WoW account had no serious damage. :P I was apparently spammy and inappropriate on chat and that's it. (Another member of my guild was hacked this week as well, but they weren't so lucky. Emptied our entire guild bank. Eeek!)

I have learned my lesson about bad internet hygiene! :$

Anyway, craftiness! My love affair with crochet continues! :P I have borrowed (perhaps unwisely) a massive boxset of House from my housemate (one of those programmes I neglected to watch and now am kicking myself) and so have found the perfect multitasking combo: House and crochet. :P I don't really watch episodic TV - by which I mean, most of my programmes have way more of sense of continuity from episode to episode, and I get super hooked and binge for hours because I need to see each plot arc through. House does have that, but the episodes are way more self contained and that's quite a novelty. I finish one and can then stop, and do something else. It's less dangerous to my work! :P

Anyway, I crocheted a woolly kindle cover as my beloved kindle didn't have a home (and was getting jealous of Gavin's fancy official Amazon cover) -pretty straightforward pattern I came up with myself, could probably do better next time with regards to the colour swapping and shape. :)

At least my kindle is cosy now!

I am also halfway through a pair of rainbow handwarmers, but I'm not sure about them yet and they might be for the unravelling, so no photos. :)

I think making Blythe hats is my new favourite thing ever. The scale is definitely a big part of the appeal - my yarn goes further and they're so quick compared to human sized things!

I learned how to crochet flowers last night and it was very exciting. :D I was thinking about setting up an Etsy shop to sell them - not because I want to make profit, or because I think they're particularly excellent, just because I enjoy making them and there has to be some sort of turnover - my girls only have so many heads... :P

I'd love to know your opinions on this! I have no idea how I'd price them, if they'd even sell, etc... I'd just love to keep on making cute little hats and playing with yarn! Please do let me know your thoughts~

alice xox

Creative Challenge Week #5

2011-02-07T12:45:00.000-08:00

Alas, my last week of vacation. :( Finished yesterday (when I should have done my blog update, but I was distracted by WoW and forgot, oops) and I was back to class today. Despite the compulsory "booo less free time" kind of reaction, I'm actually excited to be back and be doing work! My modules are fun and I prefer having some kind of structure. :) Even though classes don't really provide me with a whole bunch of structure, as an arts student! I have two classes a week... but I have work to be doing, and so a reason to get up early and be productive. :D

It's been poop weather here, tonnes of rain and really windy, so I haven't really braved it, for food or photos. xD

I have been quite productive on the crochet front, though! :) I am getting better at making properly fitted Blythe hats, and even gave one some little embellishments, as modelled by Beth! :)

I also completed a human sized item, a crocheted bag! ^_^

The pattern is Fashion First Aid by Sarah Davis, which is in the Stich N Bitch crochet book. I altered it slightly to make the strap longer (200 rather than 140 stitches) and was a bit sloppy in counting my rows, so the back is longer than the first. Lazy mistake! >__< Still, weee, a crochet bag! I feel all proud of myself whenever I wear it! :3

Anyway, hoping for better weather next week and lots of exciting lectures :D I have my first Tolkien class tomorrow, weeeeee~

alice oxo

Creative Challenge Week #4

2011-01-30T10:53:00.000-08:00

Last week you saw my cheerful looking first ever crochet swatch but this week I have moved onto making actual things! :D I did produce quite a few more swatches learning the different kinds of stitches and messing on with changing colours and stuff, but behold! - some doll sized fruits of my labour!

On the left, modelled by Jessica, you can see my first attempt, which is a bit... saggy. On the right, modelled by Beth, is my second attempt, which fits much better! It was then promptly stolen from her by Jessica (uh oh, I sense many such fights between these two :P) and here she is in all her glory~

Ahhh what a pretty girl ♥

I'm pretty pleased with my crocheting progress (we are definitely bffs) and going to make lots more pretty hats in the future, yay! I have been working on something *big* and *human sized* this weekend, though it's not quite finished yet, which I am excited about and can hopefully unveil next Sunday. I have discovered the most EXCELLENT crafty shop in St Andrews as well, which I can't actually believe I missed before! It has a fairly limited selection by most standards, but this is a tiny town and it's pretty extensive considering. Will definitely be back to snag some more wool and beads!

I also had TWO photos in Explore on Flickr this week, le gasp! I don't really know whether to be proud of that or not (for Explore is a strange and most peculiar thing) but here they are, nonetheless! :)

Have a few more photos from my week, including a yummy ice cream, my kidrobot treedweller I snagged in Glasgow last weekend, Jessica's lovely eyechip and Gavin being observed curiously. ;)

Gavin visited this weekend and we went on a photo jaunt as he has a new camera! He took a shot of me and Jessica which is quite sweet and I have pinched it from him, as I have barely any photos of me and my girls!

OH GOD NOT MY FACE
but there we are, in the midst of a Scottish winter looking chilly ♥

I have another week off still, which is glorious and excellent :D I am now off to eat chips and cake and crochet. Yay! ♥

alice xox

Creative Challenge Week #3

2011-01-24T04:18:00.000-08:00

I might be a day late posting this, but for good reason...

You're looking at my first ever crochet adventure! :D Actually, um, that's a small lie. My very first crochet adventure is a very sorry looking triangle because I kept dropping stitches but I am choosing to ignore it for it shames me. Pretty sure I had my very first official stitch and bitch session last night with my housemate! How exciting. ;)

I am using this book to learn and it has been excellent so far, as I have pretty much no idea at all what I'm doing and it is really clear and super helpful :) Also, it's a bit silly. I do like the stitch 'n bitch books, they're fun!

I think crochet and me have a very happy future ahead of us. ;) Knitting and I have never quite hit it off, and even though I hope we do one day, me and crochet are quite happy for the time being. As you can see, I have only really produced... a fairly useless rectangle, but I hope to have something *actual* to show for it next week! :D

I finished my exams on Thursday (yay!) so immediately ran away to Glasgow to be slovenly with Gavin and watch the entire Lord of the Rings extended edition films. I am doing a Tolkien module next semester and thought that before starting my epic Tolkien re-reading spree - what better way to warm up than watching ~~pretty men with long hair on horses~~ Jackson's epic feat in film-making? :3 (Favourite thing about the extended editions? Extra Boromir/Faramir brotherly manlove scenes, and extra Eowyn/Faramir scene. YES YES AND MORE YES.)

So, not a massively productive week on the photography front, due to exams, ice cream, films and dull weather, but I did manage to get one decent-ish shot of my newly deboxed Doronjo, Jessica!

Isn't she THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING? Her hair is the most gorgeous colour. I think I have found my kryptonite - natural hair colours that have a hint of fantasy about them. ♥

Hope the next week brings lot of lovely weather so I can enjoy my time off!

alice xox

Creative Challenge Week #2

2011-01-16T08:41:00.000-08:00

Firstly, something VERY EXCITING happened on Wednesday...

Hullo thar bb! ♥ My Doronjo arrived safe and sound (and on time!) with no customs charges or mishaps along the way. Which... is more than I can say for my recent experiences with the post. Ick.

Though... this excitement is rather curtailed by the fact I am in the middle of exams. Proud to say I have been successful in not opening her! I have a WILL OF STEEL. My first exam is tomorrow (cue quiet sobbing of desperation) and my last on Thursday, so not too long now. She's such a stunner, I can't wait to release her properly, especially her gorgeous hair ♥ I'm thinking at the moment that her name might be Jessica - I was flicking through books on my desk and picked up Dune - thought it suited her! :) The name Jessica, to me, seems to have the ability to be both very sweet and also kind of kick ass, which is Doronjo all over. On the one hand she is just beautiful and adorable (that hair!) and on the other, well, I mean. Look at her. Her box almost has a kind of dominatrix feel to it, heheh.

Back to them pesky exams... they have sucked up all my time and energy and I have had little to no craftiness this week, I am sorry to report. :( I sewed half a dress but haven't had the energy to finish it. I did, however, manage to take some photos I rather like, including a very nice one of Pepper, which I had hoped to do!

Her wonderful goggles are from JemgirlCreations on Etsy. I looove them!

This little guy also got some quick camera time. I bought him in the summer, he's just a cheap bath toy from the supermarket but I thought he was super adorable, and couldn't resist him. He also squeaks, which will never cease to be an exciting toy feature, no matter how old I get. :P

By this time next week, I will have finished my exams, and hopefully will have lots of pretty photos of Jessica to prove it. :) I won't set any ambitious targets for next Sunday, as most of the week will be lost to work and then recovering, but hopefully I will have a chance to do a little sewing. :) After that, though, I have 3 weeks or so off until next semester and I will get my craftin' on! :D

Crossing my fingers for nice exam questions!

alice xox

Creative Challenge Week #1

2011-01-09T08:05:00.000-08:00

Time for my first crafty evaluation! I moved back to my current 'home' (as a student who moves around a lot, home is just what I call wherever my dolls are!) and so am once more surrounded by my plastic lovelies! The downside is I'm in a poor student house again and it is cold. :( Also, we have a little bit of a damp problem (either that or I'm just remarkably humid) and so have spent the past few days discovering mould and getting rid of it. Ick ick ick. Sadly, Gavin left yesterday so have had to deal with subsequent mould myself. I prefer the delicate standing-in-the-background-pulling-faces approach. ;)

Anyway! I took two photos I'm really pleased with this week! Feels like a good start to 2011, as I was so displeased with a lot of my photos in the latter half of 2010 ♥

My pukifee ante, Willow, in her adorable new clothes, wishing for better weather. (You can see the amount of condensation that is normal for my window here! Like I said, I must be very humid and moist. O_o Must be all that breathing I'm doing. Honestly, what am I like.)

Chaotic cooking with domo-kun! I really like this photo, I just splurged on a bunch of re-ment and would like to include them more in my photos. :D

Next week I want to get a nice photo of Pepper and possibly some more re-ment scenes!

I also managed to do a little crafty sewing, yay! Here it is, modelled by Beth:

I also made the matching bracelets this week! :) It's not perfect but it's cute and my girls will definitely wear it. :) I can't take any credit for the pretty hem at the bottom though - that was already part of the material I used. M&S sell a bunch of cute ladies knickers with little patterns on and I bought some a while back for making dollie dresses from - obviously unused! (As well as some for me, heheh, who doesn't need pants with ice lollies on? :D) It's really soft, lovely material! This top was also made from M&S knickers. :)

Feel as if I should mention my successful baking this week. I successfully baked the best consistency flapjack I have yet produced, a yummy cake from salvaged ingredients at the back of Gav's parents' cupboards, a delicious batch of raspberry and white chocolate muffins (though I wouldn't use frozen raspberries again, they defrosted quite soggy-ish and came apart a lot in the mix...) and some chocolate cupcakes. This is quite prolific for me! And a little bit creative... right? Or just greedy? :3

I also did a bit of cheeky spending on the internet...

Um, oops. :D She has totally stolen my heart. Never though I'd say this but I actually hope she arrives later rather than sooner. I can't open her until after my exams (and this time, I have to stick to that rule!) and I fear for my resolve if she arrives much before they finish. Eeeeep so excited!

Well, I'm off. I've got lots of frantic and fruitless refreshing of EMS to be getting on with. ;)

alice xox

Hello, 2011!

2011-01-03T13:15:00.000-08:00

Well, this is embarrassing. It's been nine whole months (nine!) since I lasted blogged. What's happened since then? Urr, quite a bit! Perhaps one of the best bits of how much of my wish list in my last entry I seem to have ticked off. I'm now a proud owner of not only a lovely Eos, a beautiful Gyro (wonderful 21st birthday present from The Boy) but also my very own Goldie! I didn't see that one coming. She's a beauty though, and I love her to bits. She's never leaving! ♥

(Also, the Eng Lit module that I mentioned last time that was cancelled was actually continued! It's been brilliant fun.)

This little mosaic I made makes a pretty neat summary of my year (it's available as Friends Only on Flickr - give me a shout if you are on Flickr and can't see it!)

1. January (in which Emily arrives!)
2. February (in which my lovely custom Tango is finally finished!)
3. March (in which I take my personal favourite photo to date!)
4. April (in which I play with shadows)
5. May (in which the much loved Beth joins my family ♥)
6. June (in which I eat quite possibly the most beautifully presented cupcake in the world)
7. July (in which I clean toilets during the Open and Pip plays golf)
8. August (in which the beautiful Annie flies home!)
9. September (in which I take a family photo)
10. October (in which BLYTHECON happens!)
11. November (in which I turn 21, get a surprise paycheque and treat myself to a pukifee!)
12. December (in which the UK fails at dealing with snow and I get pretty photos!)

Despite the excellence of the new arrivals, Blythecon (which was just awesome), and turning (supposedly) the best age of my life among other things I don't think I'll remember 2010 particularly fondly. Nothing terrible happened, it just felt a little bit like a string of things going slightly wrong. Very frustrating! 2011 isn't an exciting year either, it's very much an in-between year for me. I won't graduate and start moving on with my life (which I am feeling quite ready to do right now!) until 2012, so I'm going to try and make 2011 count in other ways. My new years resolutions are not set in stone, with my overall aim being to be more creative and crafty and set time aside every week to play with dollies, photos and various bits and pieces. :) I'm quite a manic/anxious person and definitely need some downtime to stop me going nuts. I also thrive on lists. ;)

I have decided Sunday will be my Evaluation Day, in which I evaluate the craftiness/creativity of the week and set new targets for the following week! I aim to produce one creative thing (at least!) per week, photos not included. I hope to also take at least one good photo per week. My 365 failed last year, though after a fairly reasonable effort, and I was so disappointed in myself (maybe somewhat irrationally!) that I have set a looser target. Due to various factors, I just don't think I could manage one, but hope to be in a position to try in 2012. I think the revival of this blog for Evaluation Days will be a good way to record the productivity of my year! :)

I expect much of my creative efforts will focus on dollies, because I love them so. Hoping to improve my sewing in particular!

I'm not counting yesterday, Sunday 2nd January, because it was only a few days and I was ~~lazy~~ busy - but shall be starting next Sunday! :D The first few weeks are likely to be sparse as I have exams coming up and so have a quota of blind panic and desperation I must fulfil each day as well. Eeeep. I hate exams. :(

I spent Christmas in Newcastle with my family and went up to Aberdeenshire to spend New Year with The Boy and family, but travelling back to St Andrews tomorrow - which is what feels like my proper home, and so 2011 feels like it is properly starting for me tomorrow. :) I can get cracking with my revision (sob!) and be reunited with my paints, materials, perfectly plump pillows and (most importantly) all my plastic babies. ♥

Wishing you all the very best for 2011 - make it count. :)

alice xox

My last photo of 2010 - my Pukifee Willow enters the new year in style. ;)

Wishful thinking...

2010-03-15T15:47:00.000-07:00

1. Blythe Official Photographer Gina Garan's Choice...Photo Contest 2009, 2. Blythe - Kenner - Laura #21, 3. Jessica For me, 4. Wide eyed Harriet, 5. Byul steam punk, 6. Steampunk Pullip Eos, 7. jun planning, 8. San Diego Comic-Con, 9. Cuuuute Puki Pong!, 10. who's the fairest of them all?, 11. June release: Byul Paulia, 12. Untitled, 13. Juliette's new scalp, 14. From Naomi, with love ..., 15. Happy Birthday Thai!!! ♥, 16. California Girl

Time for some wishlist escapism! Not sure many of these need explaining..., numbers 1, 4 & 16 represent my completely repressed love for BLs, especially Goldie. She was one of the first Blythes I ever saw, and this coupled with the fact she is the quirkiest little thing ever... I just require her. I don't know if I'll ever have the guts to buy a BL. At least not until I'm done with university and in some kind of employment. I just... if I have the funds ever, I just don't think I could do it! Spend that much on a relatively new doll? With a Kenner (no. 2) I think I could, because she's old and amazing and started the whole delicious Blythe fandom! BLs do have a special something, but I don't know if I could do it! Even though I am floored every time with horrendous HORRENDOUS jealousy everytime someone brings one home. (My potential Goldie even has a name! xD) It is a bit obscene how much I want her, though. Maybe, one day. It's a matter of courage, believe it or not! I'm making half-formed plans for the ownage of a Goldie... but they are half-formed. I just can't spend that much on one single thing, and not feel guilty!

Numbers 5-8 are the upcoming steampunk set. I know that the whole world is going to want them and their stock, and they're going to be so spammed across the Flickrverse I shall, by rights, be sick of them... but I don't think so. :P I am sort of certain I might have to obtain the Byul, and I am sickened by how much I want the others! Or at least their stock. Even just stock, I'd imagine, would be quite a tidy sum. Eeeep!

No. 3 is in much the same boat as the BLs, but she's too gorgeous for me to resist wistfully staring at the Iplehouse site every once in a while...

I am ill (again?!?!) and Elliot is warding away my germy tissues. :P

I have finally, finally decided my degree, and it's English Literature. I know I've made the right choice this time, because I look at the module choices and academically pee myself. (That, um, might not be the most flattering metaphor, but it's pretty accurate!) My favourite module was dropped, but there is a new one being introduced this year on Tolkien. OH YEAH. It actually more than makes up for the dropping of the sci-fi module (even though it did have Neuromancer.) I genuinely, genuinely believe I will enjoy my modules consistently next year! My housemate begs to differ, but I just say he doesn't like his subject as much as me. :3

As for the wishlist, are any of them possibilities? Well, within a week or two I should know if I've got the summer job I wanted! If so... well... I can maybe wrangle some. ;)

The first enslaught of this semester's essays are nearly over, and when they are, I'm hoping to make a start on the lengthy process of opening Lychee's head!

Ahh, essay-induced illness. I am not cut out for this student lifestyle. xD

xxx

I'm really not used to getting up early...

2010-03-01T14:40:00.001-08:00

I only got up at 7:45am (which really, isn't anything particularly impressive) and I am quite up for passing out enthusiastically as soon as possible. Pathetic.

Just a few items of news to share! 1.) I completed a second month of my 365 and am at photo no. 60! 2.) there's a new plastic arrival! 3.) spring is officially here! and 4.) my hair is of medium grease-osity!

I think perhaps I should explain the last one a little! :P I'm trying to improve the overall health of my hair & how happy I am with it, and the first stage involves getting out of washing my hair every day, because it can't be good for it, and I'm, urr, over-producing (like I wouldn't have thought possible) natural oils to make up for it. So, here is the week's progress!

Sunday: I wash my hair at around lunchtime, hair is very presentable all day.
Monday: I wake up and my hair is so repulsive and lank I can't bear the thought of going to class like this. I dry shampoo it a little. It is presentable. I go to class. By the end of the day it's looking a bit greasy, but mostly held off by dry shampoo. I decide I can deal with this every other day.
Tuesday: My hair in the morning is gross and smells of greasy coconut. I wash. I have lovely clean hair all day. I am told that dry shampoo is cheating and I must stop using it. I am horrified.
Wednesday: My hair is disgusting. I have no class so only have to leave the house to pick up tea from the supermarket. I wear a hat. I nearly cave in and wash it at least 20 times. I pin it back and apologise to my housemates everytime I pass them for how repulsive I look.
Thursday: I shower and feel clean and delightful all day.
Friday: My hair is repulsive again. I refuse to leave the house. My friend coaxes me to make use of my Friday night, and I give in to a shower, and feel delightfully clean.
Saturday: I don't shower. I use the tiniest of tiny bits of dry shampoo and my hair feels rather nice all day!
Sunday: I delay showering until 4pm - my hair is actually nearly presentable all day! I shower, and for the first time, don't blow dry.
Monday: I don't shower, my hair is pretty much presentable all day - by 6/7pm my side fringe bits are a bit greasy, so I have to tuck them behind my ears, but otherwise, attended all my classes and wasn't embarrassed to be seen in public. Hooray!

So, apart from learning that I am WAY more vain than I thought (I just don't want people to think I'm dirty! xD) - it's totally working! I reckon another week and I'll have completely cracked the showering every other day thing. I might try going for 3 days then, maybe! Not sure how much my hair needs washing - it's quite fine, and the internet tells me fine hair needs washing more. Every other day is fine though, I'd be very happy with that. (I've also accumulated at least an extra 4 hours sleep without those morning showers ^_~)

I don't know if I'll ever go totally No Poo (vinegar doesn't sound any better for your hair than shampoo!) but I try to use "good" shampoos, and I'm going to try what my friend suggested and try to wean myself off using so much, and see how that goes. I'm going to stop using conditioner as of tomorrow (my next hair wash!) as I've had a few reports which suggest I am a.) making my hair greasier and b.) wasting my money. (EDIT: having done a thorough google, I've been informed that using conditioner only on the ends of hair shouldn't make it more greasy. I am totally guilty of just slapping it everywhere. Will change my conditioning habits!)

When I'm satisfied with the way my hair care is going, I'm going to dye it as a reward! ;) Which does kind of contradict the whole "having healthier hair" thing, but... I just really want red hair again. ;)

As for the new arrival...

She's a CC (SBL) that I adopted from PP! Isn't she cute? ^___^ She's still awaiting an official naming, but it's looking like Ariel at the moment! Needs some hair love but otherwise, she's adorable! Can't wait to give her some love and attention. Her Flickr set!

The sun came out today for the first in ages, and it really felt like spring has finally arrived!

Gavin in the sun.

The first snowdrops!

St Salvator's clock tower, on the way to morning lectures in the beautiful sun!

Just before my lecture, inside the quad.

St Andrews is so pretty in the sun! :)

xxx

My adventures with saran and amusing mental images.

2010-02-22T08:13:00.000-08:00

Well, the thermal saran custom girl is nearly done! She has a little bit of a scalp gap (it's not terrible but it bugs me) so this, coupled with my total adoration for Blythe fringes (that's bangs to you US folk! :P) I just decided to cut them in. :D

As you can see, thermal saran hair is very fun to iron. ;) In the 6th photo you can see the problem I've been having - the bangs flipping out. Saran seems quite stubborn to iron into place, I am still somewhat wrestling with it, and poor Tango (new name!) is being kept with a sock on her head whenever she's not being ironed or cooed at. She is dignity itself.

I think I might cut it a little shorter so you can see her lovely green eyeshadow... just waiting for it to lie a little flatter! Is saran always this unruly? I must've spent the best part of the past few days training her hair! xD

I'm fighting (and I mean fighting) the urge to boggle her. I really want her lovely green eyelids on show but OH HOW I WANT TO BOGGLE HER. Might go for a slight boggle and gaze correction and see if that pleases me, and then, she will be officially COMPLETELY finished!

As for the name Tango, it is awesome on many levels.

1.) The obvious - she's been tango-ed! :3 Colour appropriate!
( My personal favourites: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je_UC_3hwXU&feature=PlayList&... and www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNc8qfq6BIk&feature=PlayList&... )

2.) Tango the type of dance - which of course means she needs to own all sorts of nifty Blythe-sized Tango-appropriate dresses! :D Similar to this!

c.) Tango is a letter in the NATO alphabet, which is cool in and of itself.

d.) Being named after a letter of the NATO alphabet, Tango would fit right in with all the the other dolls in the LA Dollhouse (also named after the NATO alphabet.) I thought this was cool seeing as how I've been semi-consumed with Dollhouse the past two weeks, but also, I guess she is a doll, in a different sense. :3 This amuses me!

Looks like she is here to stay, because she's flippin' beautiful and I love her! :D

Here's to hoping Mango's "neon orange hair like a mango" isn't too similar, or I'll have to cry. T_T I'm really excited about the arrival of these twins! They already have name possibilities in the works (as does the new CC girl arriving!) I am pretty much salivating for real photos, HURRY UP TAKARA. I am eating a disproportionate amount of mangos and guavas to the amount of fruit I normally consume, which I feel is clearly caused by manga and guava doll deprivation. I say a disproportionate amount - I mean, I've eaten one of each in the past week or so. I haven't eaten any other real fruit, hence the disproportion! Oh dear. I need to rectify that. (I do eat vegetables! Lots of vegetables!)

In non-doll news, the same philosophy lecturer has sent me away from today's lecture with another amusing image. He was discussing logic & metaphysics, and then said that this is Kant's fort. I don't know if he meant forte (which I say "fort-ay") or fort, but I took it literally as the latter and spent a good part of the lecturer imagining Kant childishly constructing a fort of pillows around his sofa with a piece of paper saying "Logic" stuck on the front, Kant peeping out suspiciously, shaking his fist at the very idea of the ontological argument. The nerve of it!

This is doubly funny as he seems such a stern fellow.

I think all my entires should have a healthy mixture of philosophy & dolls, it's quite possibly the best combination ever. :D

xxx

Unintentional innuendos are the best kind of humour.

2010-02-18T04:08:00.000-08:00

My lecturer for political philosophy beamed round at the class yesterday mid-Hobbes, and asked:

"So, how many of you are teabaggers, then? Come on, put your hands up!"

Now, I'm aware there were a few IR students from the US there who probably knew exactly what he was referring to, but really, asking a question like that to a class predominantly full of young British adults, more than familiar with humour sexual slang, he may as well have asked:

"So, how many of you on a regular basis dangle your testicles into people's mouths?"

He was very perplexed when the class quietly sniggered for a few minutes.

Just so this isn't all silliness, I would like to announce the imminent arrival of a new Blythe girl! She should arrive something this coming week! :) I adopted her on PP - she called to me and I could no longer resist! xD Actually, I really shouldn't have bought her, as I'm now nearly all out of dollie funds, but there was just something that forced my hand! I couldn't decide whether to buy her or not, and then all that night I dreamed someone else has bought her and woke up in a panic. xD The fact that I'm a crazy dollie lady aside, it was clearly meant to be!

She is a stock Candy Carnival! I have always admired CC's beautiful blue hair and I am too excited about her arriving! I don't plan to keep her face stock, though, although she will be staying as she is for a little while. After meeting Hevs' Candy Carnival at a summer Blythe meet in Manchester -

[photo by me: link]

- I think she'd look rather excellent with dark lips! I don't think I'll go for the block paint look this time, I'd really like to try "chapstick" lips (which is what lots of people seem to refer to them as) - ie. a softer look with pastels, watercolour pencils and gloss.

Stupidly excited for her arriving!

xxx

Resisting temptation is hard.

2010-02-09T10:06:00.000-08:00

Second day of the semester! Bleeeh. I have a rubbish timetable, with lots of one hour gaps inbetween lectures, which just isn't quite enough to do anything productive. I did get to take Elliot out at lunch, though! I don't have enough full length shots of her, I am in love with neemo knees. ♥ Still, it's nice to have a routine back. Being hectic makes me achieve more! Especially now I'm doing the 365, I have to make time around lunchtime for some camera time, which is lovely and relaxing. :)

Had a very strange ebay transaction. I bid on a fakie Blythe (basaak thingy) as the price was pretty low but was outbid, kind of to my relief. Then, the top bidder was pulled out, and apparently I HAD to pay for it. I messaged the seller in confusion (it wasn't like a second chance offer or anything) and they said they had cancelled the first bidder because of "untrust" and insisted I had to go through with the transaction, so I did, and I paid. I got two more messages asking me to pay, which I replied to politely explaining I had, and then ANOTHER one, and they didn't seem to know how to work paypal, so I talked them through how to accept the money (as they just hadn't accepted it!) and they messaged back saying their paypal was broken and they'd have to cancel the sale. Sigh. So I agreed, and then I got an official ebay cancelling notice requesting that I agree, and their reason THIS time was that they didn't have the item in stock. BLAH.

I didn't really want the clone, to be honest, it's just frustrating. Having been put into a position where I had to buy it when I didn't really want to, I'd managed to make myself excited about being able to customise it enthusiastically (and without the huge price tag!) and I'm all sad now. :(

I know I have Mango & Guava arriving in April, but would it be so bad to bring another one home in February/March? ^__^;; I am having the Blythe itch so badly! I want my Pullip/Blythe ratio back to what it was! ^_~

BAD ALICE.

To be honest, it all hinges on how many of my textbooks for this semster I can get away with not buying! Seriously, one of my philosophy modules the two books together are £60! I'm going to just get them out the library to read the articles when I need them, I do not have £60 spare lying around that I can just spend on books I'll read once in my entire life. It's not like we're buying decent philosophy texts we'll use again and again, they're half-arsed, dumbed down compilations of edits of famous articles. Grrr, I refuse!

I can think of sooooo many better things to spend £60 on. :3 xxx

Dalicious!

2010-02-07T13:39:00.000-08:00

The first challenge of Dalicious! The theme was "personality", which I really struggled with as... I don't really "know" my Dal, Callie. She's very pretty and posable and cute, but we've not really... bonded, I suppose. Anyway, I'm super pleased with how my entry came out! Callie's my little mechanic (Callandra Tyrol, anyone? :D) so it's only natural she wants to see how things work...

... by taking them apart. ;) My favourite thing about this photo is that if you were told it was based around the theme of "personality", your first thought would probably be that she was quite cruel, rather than just mechanically minded. Poor Callie! :P

I was so amused by this scenario I went right ahead and had some fun with a silly, short photo story! (of sorts.)

Callie: I've been unable to locate the brain thus far, but I will of course be conducting further experiments.

Mimi: ... *squeak*!

Mimi: HELP! DD: Attack her! ATTACK HER!

Mimi's body: RAWRRRR KILL!

Callie: I can take you! You don't have a brain! SHOW ME YOUR WORST!
*fistycuffs ensue*

Callie: Arrrghh!

Mimi's body: *slap slap slap*

Callie: She hurt me!

How would you like it if she removed your head?

Callie: That's beside the point. She didn't have a brain. I was fixing her!

You can't just take people apart, you know.

Callie: Why not? You do it all the time.

Uhh, yes, but I've got experience, and the correct tools and -

Callie: No you haven't. You broke Clara. She told me. Her eyes don't change anymore.

Well, that was nearly two years ago-

Callie: AND you left Arien lying around in bits for ages and ages, and you didn't even put any clothes on her, so I saw her NAKED.

Urrr this isn't strictly relevant-

Callie: AND you pulled Naomi's eyes out, AND-

YES WELL THAT'S ENOUGH. Why don't you put Mimi back together and make friends again?

Callie: FINE. *sulk* But she doesn't have a brain.

Well, neither do - actually... nevermind. Just get her back together.

Callie: Tyrant.

Yes, well. If the shoe fits...

Friends again! :D Just to show that my plastic kids are all one big, loving family! :D

Mimi: Monster!

Callie: Zombie.

Oooh, I had too much fun with this! I've not recieved a terribly positive response on Flickr, but it is an odd place... some of my dullest photos seem to get views galore, but a series like this that I actually rather like, get none! I don't mind, I'm happy with it, and that's the main thing. :) I also feel like I know Callie a little better, which is excellent! Much more of Dalicious to come.

I also reorganised my room yesterday and the dollies have been allocated a new shelf!

This also serves as a new family photo! Marla isn't here, she's in pieces again, but almost complete! Just need to expand the Blythe section a little more, I feel... ;)

I have the dolly itch. Eeeep! xxx

The New Face of No-Name!

2010-02-05T14:32:00.000-08:00

Woo, my first *real* post on here since the revamp! Awesome. Now, erm, for some actual content, and maybe even some readers! xD

Thought I'd start with the new face of No-Name (formerly Adeline, but I think she needs a new name after her customisation) who was finished after, literally, months of being in pieces, two days ago!

(Any name suggestions welcomed!)

So, here she is!

She was originally an Angelica Eve (so is lovely and pale) and has:

New lips in acrylic paint
New pastel (green) eyeshadow and (pink) blush
New (green) acrylic painted eyelids
Reroot on her Takara scalp in thermal orange saran
Sealed with Testors Dullcote

I kept all her lovely chippies because AE has a rather nice set, and she's currently still with her Takara lashes, though perhaps not for long...

I'm really, really pleased with her. She's definitely my most successful custom work thus far, and it's always encouraging to feel yourself improving! She was my first ever girl, and so I knew I just couldn't sell her when I just wasn't bonding with her when she was a more or less stock AE. (It was that horrid, matted hair!) I'm definitely much more pleased with her now than I was, but more as an accomplishment rather than a plastic kid, if that makes sense! I think I really need to get out into some actual daylight (if the sun ever comes out again.) and take some photos which really show off her make-up, as I'm really taken with it in the "flesh" (plastic?) but can't seem to photograph it well, grrr!

Just a quick photo of her face before I sealed it to give a better idea:

Things I Have Learned:

Applying the blush and eyeshadow with q-tips rather than cotton buds works really well and is more precise.
Spray-matting is a completely different kettle of fish to sand-matting, and SUCH a gorgeous finish, I am a convert!
Takara scalps are illogical and a complete nightmare when you want to proceed about things in as methodical a way as I do (coolcat scalp & my own holes next time!)
Rerooting is SLOW. And I mean, SLOW. I also can't reccommend Robin's tutorials enough: www.mylittlecustoms.com which is also where I bought my saran! Super useful for those of us in Europe, especially!
It probably is worth painting the scalp, even with light colours.
I would start with the part, and then spiral out from the top next time.
Finished reroots before thatching look APPALLING, but I should not give up!
Thatching is a hideous business. I had to have extensive help off Gavin to get anywhere. (He held the thatched sides down before I ironed them so I didn't lose the thatch as I went along!)
Thermal saran = hours of boundless fun.

Just check out how much fun we had with hot and cold taps.

Eeeee, I can't wait to get her in the sun! :P

The timeline of my rerooting progress:

The initial steps in which I was flawlessly neat and psyched already for the completion...

The scary realisation that I had only done one row... and how much more there was to do!

Then I started to work my way up to the middle... (still keeping relatively neat!)

I fill in some of the rows I optimistically skipped... (it's getting messier!)

... and finally, I manage a decent thatch on my second attempt!

It took me about 3 whole months to complete it fully. I was NOT rerooting every day, and I went weeks at a time without having a chance to pick it up, so it's really difficult estimating how long it actually took. Although, I know I did the majority of it a.) rewatching the entire Season 4 of BSG with Gavin before Christmas and b.) during revision time, listening to Philosophy podcasts. I was pretty slow, as I'd wet each hair plug before I used it (refused to lick it, it just seemed too gross!) but I was getting much faster towards the end.

It has driven me stark raving mad, which is exactly why I'm ordering some nylon and a coolcat scalp in the next few days, once I decide on another colour.

Apparently, I'm a complete masochist.

xxx

The Plastic Kids

2010-02-04T16:03:00.001-08:00

The family, September 2010

Last updated: 16:09:11, links to Flickr sets added!

BLYTHES

Rose (Blonde Kenner)
Tango (custom AE)
Beth (Goldie)
Jessica (Doronjo)
Pepper (custom Mango)
Clara (custom PDV1)
Elliot (custom RRe)

PETITE BLYTHES

Grace Halfpenny (Cutest Cubs LPS)

Anise Merryweather (Fashion Cats LPS)

PULLIPS
Russ (Asuka)
Arien (Suigintou)
Emily (Kirsch)
Annie (Eos)

TAEYANGS
Corey (Hash)
Pip (Timulus)
Silas (Gyro)

DALS
Callie (Lizbel)

BJDS
Willow (Pukifee Ante)

MOVED ON...
Kaede (Latidoll Blue Cara), Lily (Latidoll Yellow Byurl SP), Lychee (custom CC), Elise (PD Paris), Marla (custom Cornice), Naomi (Mir), Pom (Guava), Ness (NP)

OTHER DOLLS

Monster High: Lagoona Blue, Lagoona Blue (reroot WIP), Lagoona Blue Mad Science, Ghoulia Yelps, Frankie Gloom Beach, Draculaura

The Plastic Fantasy

2010-02-04T15:48:00.000-08:00

I started this blog mainly to record my plastic adventures in writing. :) I do use flickr as a sort of photo blog (and I have no intention of stopping this! A photo is worth a thousand words and all that.) but I'd quite like somewhere more word oriented! I'm quite a wordy person.

It's not all about the plastic, though, I'd like to record my other adventures (if I ever have any!)

My plastic fantasy began in 2006, when I stumbled across one of Gina Garan's books in an art gallery shop. This is how I met Blythe. She was the cutest thing I'd ever seen! One of my friends was kind enough to later buy me this book for my birthday for my 17th birthday, and I did a lot of squeeing over it but never thought I'd actually own one.

Around rolled my 18th birthday, and moneys galore! The 'rents were keen for me to buy something timeless and expensive like a watch, or something equally traditional, but no, I wanted a doll. They eventually gave in with that sigh of resignation they now know only too well ("Not ANOTHER one, Alice!") and I bought a Neo Blythe. Much more timeless, in my opinion. ;)

It all went downhill (uphill?) from there, and I also added some other big headed beauties to my collection - Pullips, Taeyangs & Dals. They all live together in plastic harmony. :D To see the current roster, see "The Plastic Kids."

Somewhere along the line, these plastic babies took over my life.

I wish I was joking. :P

The Plastic Girl

2010-02-04T15:14:00.000-08:00

(I'm on the right!)

Hello! My name is Alice, and I am Chief Medical Officer of the USS Plasticus (my duties involve medical aesthetic improvements to the big-headed crew), but you'll find me on the internet pretty much everywhere by the name Nuwandalice. I'm currently in my 20s and disproportionately pleased to be able to finally say that! The charming male you see in the photo is my partner in crime and rather excellent boy. He assists me in my surgical efforts with his manly strength and dexterity. ;)

I'm a student. I find the best definition of 'student' is that I need to feel guilty every time I spend money. Not that I let it stop me, of course.

I like to spend my spare time exercising my imaginative & creative muscles. Mostly through my plastic kids, who are really special to me. More on that under "The Plastic Fantasy."

My dream tea party involves Anne McCaffrey, Ursula Le Guin and Margaret Atwood. In Anglo-Saxon. On a spaceship.

I'm super friendly, honest! :D Feel free to drop me a line, anytime. xox