tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28608881780827983982024-03-13T09:51:47.244-07:00cure touch!!Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.comBlogger484125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-57550428107904905482024-02-22T06:04:00.000-08:002024-02-22T06:05:51.045-08:00family portrait 2024<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BbyRQLn.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/BbyRQLn.png"/></a></div>
<p>Yooo! Class picture!</p>
<p>I've actually gotten a few requests for an updated family portrait in the last couple of years, but even with five less dolls than I have now, I have been like, "I have no idea how to accomplish such a thing..."</p>
<p>I used to take my dolls out into the backyard and pose them on a bench we had, but we don't have the bench anymore, and ~20 dolls makes a quick hike to the backyard not terribly feasible anyway. It took long enough with seven dolls, and now I have just one shy of twenty. You might not think it's a lot of work to wrangle them, but just moving them across my bedroom to line them up here took sooo long.</p>
<p>(I know that people have far larger Blythe collections and manage to photograph all their dolls at once, but I don't know how these people do it!! Lots of time?)</p>
<p>For this, I turned some plastic storage boxes upside down in order to create a riser, like this is choir class, and draped the boxes in fabric so they wouldn't be too distracting. The dolls aren't in any particular order per se, except that the back row is RBLs, the middle row is FBLs, and the front row is RBLs again. Also, Aury is in front because of course she is!! The newer dolls are in front just by virtue of having been farther away from the desk, and so the last to be placed on it.</p>
<p>There was nothing on god's green earth I could do to keep the dolls' hair from sticking to each other and falling in their faces. I tried to fix Gavin's hair so many times, but it just wouldn't cooperate! So, what you see is what you get, in terms of all that doll hair.</p>
<p>Speaking, you might notice that Drew has her original scalp back on, even though the fading on it is so atrocious.<p>
<p>As a bonus, I have a couple of other group pics to share:</p>
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<p>The redheads! The gingers, really, as Fidelia is certainly a redhead too. I have been seriously wanting a little pic of all my gingers together since I got Citron!</p>
<p>Also:</p>
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<p>The blondes! Are you seeing these ringlets on Holland??</p>
<p>I thought of breaking down the family into groups by hair color and doing a whole series of portraits, but the rubric breaks down by the time it reaches dolls like Gavin and Miette. I didn't want to have a group I was mentally thinking of as "the leftovers." I know they are just inanimate objects and cannot care, but I still would have felt bad! So I stopped here.</p>
Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-80722431837031543122024-02-03T08:00:00.000-08:002024-02-03T08:00:00.155-08:00beret life in miniature<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Rvl20wX.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/Rvl20wX.png" /></a></div>
<p>Ahhh, Junie Moon just dropped <a href="https://shop.juniemoon.jp/en/products/dd-beret-2024?variant=44594361106649">BERETS</a>!</p>
<p>I have been really into berets this winter, and have been joking about living the "beret life." I'm only making any kind of deal about it because I tend to get comments when I wear berets?? I don't know if it's because I can't pull them off or I look too twee or just what, really. I have been spoken to in French! I have been asked about my "raspberry beret." (To be fair, I was wearing one in a color that could be considered berry-ish. Berry-adjacent.) Thus I have wholly embraced BERET LIFE, which includes all the commentary that for some reason comes with it!</p>
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<p>I think people mean well and the berets are, for them, something they feel they can make conversation about. But at the same time, I can't term a lot of what people have said to me as complimentary?? I don't know; they make me feel playful and happy. It's just dopamine dressing, you know?</p>
<p>Anyway: When I saw Junie Moon post about these new items, I was like, "I HAVE TO GET AT LEAST ONE!" To me it's so delightful they'd come out with these great-looking berets right when I'm notably into berets and have been looking on Etsy for Blythe berets and waffling about which to buy.</p>
<p>But Junie Moon posted them on Instagram before actually making them available in the shop, so I had to wait. I slapped Japan onto my world clock and scooped a couple of these the minute they went live! It was noon in Japan but nine o'clock at night for me. (This was nostalgic for me because <a href="https://curetouch.blogspot.com/2015/03/oyasuminasai-poupeegirl.html">I used to do PoupeeGirl</a> on JST.) I actually had a dream the previous night about buying them, so you might say I made my dream come true.</p>
<p>I got the ones pictured at the top of the post, in camel and ivory. I have a camel colored one too, so you just know I'm eager to twin it up!</p>
<p>PS: I'm still in the market for more types of berets for Blythe, like knitted/crocheted ones!</p>
Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-75399298867559650442024-01-22T08:00:00.000-08:002024-01-22T08:00:00.143-08:00strawberry skirt + strawberry pixie hat<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ISjB2uD.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/ISjB2uD.png"/></a></div>
<p>Here's my second attempt at making a gathered skirt! I used this cute strawberry fabric (which happened to match Phoebe Maybe's stock blouse pretty well) and Winny is deigning to model it for me, even though it's not really her strawberry jam.</p>
<p>This time, on a tip given to me by the wonderful <a href="https://www.instagram.com/annearchyart/">Anne</a>, I lightly ironed the gathers and found it a lot easier to deal with them afterwards! I feel like it turned out minorly better than the toadstool skirt. It looks a lot like a skirt a petticoat should go beneath, but I tried that out and don't love the look.</p>
<p>As you know, I've got strawberry appliques hanging around, so I decided to whip up a pixie hat and slap a strawberry on it.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Vh6ORhC.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="604" src="https://i.imgur.com/Vh6ORhC.png"/></a></div>
<p>I usually do pixie hats in single crochet, but I automatically started doing this one in HDC ribbing because I've been doing soooo much HDC ribbing lately -- many of the mitts I've made are ribbed HDC worked in the back loop -- and I kind of like the texture with this gnarled yarn.</p>
<p>Again, this look isn't Winny to a tee, but I think she looks really sweet in it nevertheless. And she was very kind to offer herself as a model.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/fua25Dn.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="485" src="https://i.imgur.com/fua25Dn.png"/></a></div>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-34295803633307825092024-01-19T13:31:00.000-08:002024-01-19T13:31:24.598-08:00small projects: vine charging cable cover<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/zU7OwDo.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/zU7OwDo.png" /></a></div>
<p>First thing's first... Be honest... Am I posting... TOO MUCH? I just feel more in-tune with my hobby self than I have in quite some time and it's making me want to post whenever I make something.</p>
<p>Now! Yesterday I up and decided to do this project: crocheting around a lightning cable to make it look like a vine. I've seen this everywhere for at least a few years, and found many <a href="https://www.etsy.com/search?q=crocheted+vine+charger+cable">really gorgeous flowery examples</a> on Etsy. I made a relatively plain one, as just crocheting the leaves was a new thing for me!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/248tCOI.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/248tCOI.png" /></a></div>
<p>These leaves are not perfect, and I would not recommend the tutorial I used to make them. It didn't have the clearest instructions, so I feel like I ended up not following the directions -- but not on purpose! But crochet is pretty forgiving in that way, so I feel like whatever I did still worked to make leaf shapes. I will say that it was a really fun escalation of stitches to make the curved shape! Going all the way from a slip stitch to a treble and down again!</p>
<p>I also think the leaves would benefit from some blocking, as they are very curly, but I never freaking block crochet. I'll have to think about that.</p>
<p>Another thing to consider: Should I maybe add some flowers to this thing? I don't know how people add flowers to theirs but I'd assume they're crocheted separately and then sewn on... I'd have to find a flower pattern I like to do.</p>
<p>Anyway, this lightning cable was in the process of turning a charming yellow-green, and the plastic casing on the lightning side is cracked. If this was fraying in any way I wouldn't have crocheted around it, but the wire itself is intact.</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-52333096684367734312024-01-16T15:10:00.000-08:002024-01-16T15:41:04.539-08:00Zasha dressup vid!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Ku4KbAt.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/Ku4KbAt.png"/></a></div>
<p>It's been about three years since my last dolly dressup video, but here is one for my girl Zasha! Filmed almost a year to the day after her unboxing video! That feels special to me! :"]</p>
<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ye3PnpFYI_c?si=cvtvB8UlVnxmo_Am" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></center>
<p>I have been really Blythe-y this last twelve months. Perhaps I shall never be as Blythey as I was my first year or two of collecting, when I was utterly swept away in the magic of everything. But in 2023 I did a lot of sewing for my dolls and, of course, expanded my family significantly. So it is about time I did another dressup video.</p>
<p>I intend that every doll I own have a dressup video, whether solo or paired with another doll, so I will eventually be doing videos for Winny, Vesper, Citron, and Miette as well. The caveat there is that I feel each of them have this very particular style, and so I want to try and attain some items that really feel like <i>them</i>. I have already dressed Citron a couple of times in outfits that don't suit her at all, and thus, I am particularly determined to expand my wardrobe with things that will suit her -- and the other New Girls. I still don't have enough stuff for Winny.</p>
<p><b>A couple of blog housekeeping notes:</b></p>
<p>Lately I've been fixing things up around Cure Touch. Most notably, I re-did the entirety of my <a href="http://curetouch.blogspot.com/p/my-blythe-family.html">Blythe Family</a> page. Somehow it got flagged as having inappropriate content. I have zero clue what content was inappropriate?? But I just scrapped the whole thing and rewrote it. Some girls have new pictures and some don't! But they all have little nameplates I wrote out in Paint Tool SAI for them!</p>
<p>I also changed my About Me page very slightly, mostly by changing out old photos. I haven't had pink hair in way too long to keep pink-haired portraits there! I'd like to change it even more sometime, but who knows.</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-68413488680484896832024-01-14T08:00:00.000-08:002024-01-14T08:00:00.149-08:00mushroom skirt!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ACipyG3.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/ACipyG3.png" /></a></div>
<p>I made another skirt! It's this dark green one with a mushroom print. I saw the fabric, which I really love, and thought it'd make a cute circle skirt for Blythes. For this skirt I relied on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdqITrG2ifE">this video tutorial/pattern</a>, rather than just kind of winging it, like I did with <a href="https://curetouch.blogspot.com/2022/04/springy-skirt-on.html">the last skirt I sewed</a>.</p>
<p>This one has a lot of gathering; I've never successfully gathered anything before, and to be honest, I didn't find it very easy to arrange and settle everything how I wanted it. My skirt did not resemble 1:1 the skirt in the video while it was in progress. But the process was an educational experience, haha.</p>
<p>I would very much enjoy attaining more skirts that are about this length, or a little longer. I recently got one of <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/1629613125/neo-blythe-skirt">these</a> from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/CraftyCoraShop">CraftyCoraShop</a> and I really like it; it's long and gives historical dress vibes! (I scooped three more in other colors just now!) Shorter skirts and miniskirts don't always feel right on some of my girls.</p>
<p>I miiigght take another swing at this pattern sometime, with some other fabric?</p>
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<p>Between the hat, the top, and the skirt, I made almost this entire outfit!!! :)</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-53107732399586140412024-01-10T13:28:00.000-08:002024-01-10T13:28:00.139-08:00small projects: french knit bows<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/LxTHiyh.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/LxTHiyh.png" /></a></div>
<p>I have been obsessed with making bows with this french knitter I bought in December. You might be familiar with this little doodad (this whosit, this whatsit). I've also seen them called knitting nancys (nancies?) and tricot knitters. The impression I've gotten is that it's kind of a child's activity?? Which makes sense, since it's a fairly simple activity once all the steps are learned. But you use the pegs on top to knit an icord. It's a super stretchy cord! I believe I have crocheted an icord before, but I hated doing it, so I thought buying one of these little things might help.</p>
<P>I have made so many bows now... more than pictured here!</p>
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<p>I made a modest number of bows to attach to a couple of pairs of mitts I sold at the craft market I did last month, but I only had time to do a few bows. I was slower at the knitting process than I am now. I intend to use the majority of these bows on crocheted items: mitts, and maybe I'll do a scarf dotted in bows! Not sure yet, but it seems delightful. I might make barrettes or something too.</p>
<p>Right now I've been making a couple of bows every night before I retire, as if journaling or darning socks by firelight. It's been quite nice, and I've had to fight off a temptation to start collecting french knitters due to my affection for this one. There are so many shaped like MUSHROOMS, and oh my word, it's hard to resist those especially... I might have bought one already. The literal only thing stopping me from getting more is that I've already scratched and scraped this one so much, by knitting with a tapestry needle. I don't want to buy a bunch of knitters and then not use them, but I don't have the heart to scrape them all up.</p>
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<p>(BTW, I love this blush colored yarn!)</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-51620151888377662682024-01-07T13:27:00.000-08:002024-01-07T13:27:58.215-08:00small projects: crochet strawberries and hearts<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/HpUp7fK.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/HpUp7fK.png" /></a></div>
<p>Still feeling really crochet-y, by some miracle! Been working up some small items, like this strawberry applique (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY4y_iliViE">which I made by following this video</a>). Last year at this time I made <a href="https://curetouch.blogspot.com/2023/01/crochet-strawberry-bags.html">these crochet strawberry bags</a>... been really into the strawberry thing for a while now, I think! I want to turn these into mitts, either by granny square-ifying them or perhaps just having them be appliques.</p>
<p>I also made some more hearts. I still have about half of <a href="https://curetouch.blogspot.com/2015/01/sweet-hearts.html">the ones I made several years ago</a> (almost ten years, in fact). I even reminded myself how to do them via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23EvTAIFM_U">the same video tutorial</a>. And used the same sheet of scrapbook paper for a background!</p>
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<p>As you can imagine, the strawberries and hearts are made quite similarly, but the strawberry has a lot more steps. The heart is incredibly easy to memorize. Do it once and you'll not need the tutorial again! But I can't seem to memorize the strawberry part of the strawberry, haha. The stem and leaves, I don't need the tutorial for, but I keep having to refer back for the actual fruit part! Stitching on the seeds also makes a strawberry take longer than one of these little two-minute hearts.</p>
<p>This is really really pleasing to me right now, filling up a little bag with hearts and berries!</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-66063694640876507042024-01-01T15:27:00.000-08:002024-01-01T16:10:03.540-08:00new year, new girl (jail for One Thousand Years)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/MLaO4Go.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="560" src="https://i.imgur.com/MLaO4Go.png" /></a></div><br />
<p>Happy 2024 and all that, but aaah! The Blythe I bought myself for my Craft Market Success arrived, and she is a BEAUT. She's unique in my collection. A) She's an anniversary doll -- my first! B) She's got translucent skin -- for me, another first! C) She's the first Blythe I've bought that's been produced under the Good Smile Company rather than Takara.</p>
<p>Also, she's so fance~</p>
<p>I of course made an unboxing video, should you like to see!</p>
<p><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/91SjvmysFvc?si=EQ6zbxe_JlllHycu" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></p>
<p>I have named her Miette... after <a href="https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/miette">the cat</a>!</p>
<p>Five Blythes in a single year is a lot, I know... some of the most substantial growth my collection's seen in many years! But this year I've enjoyed Blythe more than I have in the longest time. I always enjoy this hobby in a neutral way, but I did a lot of sewing this year, and therefore bonding with my girls. Besides crochet, which I technically did far more of, I had the most fun with my doll hobby this past year out of all of my many other hobbies.</p>
<p>Right now the dream consists of sewing and crocheting while I hang with the girls (the new girls especially), window shopping for Miette, and working on a dolly dressup video for Zasha.</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-75905866109613236592023-12-23T08:00:00.000-08:002023-12-23T08:00:00.150-08:00a little Christmas card<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/UB4f7OY.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="700" src="https://i.imgur.com/UB4f7OY.png" /></a></div>
<p>While I was editing pics of my styled IKEA bookcase, I took one of the pictures I took and edited it into a little Christmas card. It's cringe but I am cringe, and I am free.</p><p>But seriously, thank you to anyone who reads this blog. I have been enjoying posting here this year and I appreciate your eyeballs passing over my pictures and words and thoughts and feelings. Hope you have a happy holiday season, whatever you celebrate -- or don't celebrate.</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-68286006539203423842023-12-20T13:00:00.000-08:002023-12-21T08:14:18.732-08:00styling the IKEA Huset bookcase three ways<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Uo78ny8.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/Uo78ny8.png" /></a></div>
<p>Okay, so I've been slowly collecting miniatures for years now. A couple of times I've been so lucky as to score furniture from thrift stores or eBay or Etsy, and I have even made some things. But mostly, my miniatures collection comes from the various craft stores that sell that kind of thing. Don't hate -- no ethical consumption under capitalism, et cetera!</p><p>I've been especially wanting to gather enough miniatures to believably fill in my IKEA Huset bookcase! Lately I've been putting stuff in it at random, loosely sticking to themes, and I decided to take pictures of some of my themed setups...</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZQFvbvP.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/ZQFvbvP.png" /></a></div>
<p>First is easiest: a kitchen display!</p>
<p>Jam jars; wooden dishes; pots and pans; ceramic teacups and saucers; a basket with a tiny pear and orange; books, including cookbooks and plant books; I am pretending the damask cube is one of those fabric drawer things. My favorite favorite favorite thing is the little gold scissors!!</p>
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<p>Next idea: Christmas!</p>
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<p>This one's pretty simple! I don't have much in the way of Christmas miniatures, because Christmas tends to be very primary in terms of colors. Red and green, of course, but also blue and yellow. Whereas I lean more pastel toned or earth toned or metallic. But these mini gifts are always everywhere in every miniatures section each year, so I have acquired a couple of packets on deep discount in the last few years. I got the mini bottle brush trees from the Target dollar spot a couple years back, and although they are large in scale for 1:12 or 1:16 scale, I think they still make for a super cute display!</p>
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<p>Also in the shelf: a small scarf I knitted, all rolled up, and some miniature Christmas books. This gold mirror isn't Christmas-y per se, but I still think it works!</p>
<p>Finally: a cottagecore witch shelf!</p>
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<p>I love this one!! I can imagine the owner of the items really clearly. I could have gone 100% witchy -- just spellbooks and spooky stuff -- or 100% cottagecore, with baskets and gardening supplies and herb books. But the rose quartz rabbit figurine, which I've had since childhood, inspired me to mash up the crystal boho white witch aesthetic with cottagecore! Bunnies, knitting, gardening, tiny mushrooms! I crocheted this rainbow rug from the same pattern from which I make rainbow pillows. I imagined it would go well with the yellow gingham sofa cover I have for the Huset sofa. But it looks sweet and soft here by this shelf, in my opinion!</p>
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<p>I need you to know that this box holds a tiny but full deck of tarot cards!!! It's a bit hard to hold, so I put it in the lid of a small paper box I made years ago. I'd like to finagle a basket that's the perfect size for the deck. I'll probably need to get some twine and wrap a box to make a bespoke basket just for them...</p>
<p>Those are the three styles I messed around with today! Other ideas: craft/art room shelf (lots of knitting/yarn, an art set, maybe miniature paintings or drawings); bedroom shelf; shoe/bag collection shelf; an entire shelf of nothing but various mini mushrooms!</p> Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-80522294801298106632023-12-17T16:26:00.000-08:002023-12-17T16:26:49.117-08:00craft market year 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/s2KJh02.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/s2KJh02.png" /></a></div>
<p>As I recently mentioned in a blog post or two, I've been hardcore focused on prepping for a craft fair! It happened this weekend!</p>
<p>This was my second year manning my own table. Which is a big deal for me! As an intensely shy person/introvert, this is a whole freaking undertaking for me in a social battery sense, let alone in the sense that I've been making enough items to even warrant having my own table in the first place. A ton of work! Executing my plans has taken up a lot of time and energy for me in the last couple of months.</p>
<p>I also invested a little chunk of money ($50! Nothing drastic) into my display, since I felt like last year's wasn't the most effective for me. Let me show you what I had going on this year...</p>
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<p>I blocked out the background a little because I feel like it's hard to see, up against this highly textured 70s brick wall with photos hanging on it. I'm in the same spot as I was last year, so the background's the exact same!</p><p>Some other things are the same, too: some of my offerings, plus my little craft paper bunting! But I feel like the wire shelf added considerable height and the ability to display more, and that was an upgrade. I also bought a bracelet display stand so I could better display the bracelets I've been throwing together since October.</p><p>I didn't take many pictures at all, but I did take a quick video, and I captured some screenshots for it to show you what's on the table...</p>
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<p>I had a lot of crochet on offer: rainbow pillows (also a couple of mini rainbow pillows), fingerless mitts, and earbands. I also had some other wearables: bear-eared barrettes and beaded jewelry. The rings are ones I've been making as a hobby and the bracelets are inspired by Taylor Swift friendship bracelets, but with Christmas lyrics instead of TS lyrics. Actually, I had a whole mess of Swiftie bracelets too.</p><p>All the jewelry was a dollar. I just feel like that's fun and accessible for people who didn't come to the market prepared to spend 15, 20, 30+ dollars on an artisan piece. And for kids/teens, of course. Also, I was just working with plastic and cheap glass beads! Nothing that would encourage me to charge any more than a single dollar!</p><p>I drew all my signage in Procreate on my iPad, printed it, and put them all in secondhand frames. Some of the frames are one I've had for like a decade, and painted. Others were one my mom had on hand.</p><p><i>BTW, yes, the misspelling of "barrettes" drives me nuts, but I had no idea it was even misspelled till way too late!!! "Barettes" looks more correct to me, even if it's not...</i></p><p>Last year I sold far more in the way of beaded rings than anything else. I foolishly expected that again, but this year, it was the reverse! I sold only a few rings and bracelets, but sold 4/5ths of my crochet mitts and earbands -- plus a couple of rainbow pillows.</p>
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<p>Pictured above: the bracelet display, which rotates (!!! my bestie told me it has a nice ASMR sound) and my favorite pair of mitts. I didn't manage to get any better photos of these mitts with the bows on them, but I was thinking of the coquette fashion trend when making them, and they sold really quickly, both to the same gal. I only have this screencap from the quick video I took of my table, so the quality's not good. But I love the bows; I made them with a little french knitter!</p>
<p>I'm genuinely shocked at the way the mitts in particular flew off the shelf. I have been making them quite a lot over the past few weeks. But due to not selling much crochet last year, I expected the same this year. In fact, I said to my sister, "If I just sell one pair of mitts, I'll be happy!" But mitts were my first sale, my last sale, and people bought many more of them than any other item. One woman bought three pairs towards the end of the day. Another woman got on FaceTime with someone (a sister? mother? bestie?) and showed her all of my stuff. I heard the woman on the other end enthuse over the white and pale blue coquette mitts, with the bow. The woman bought the two similar pairs for herself and whoever to whom she was speaking. It was such a fun yet bewildering moment for me.</p><p>I mean, I think the mitts are cute, but I'm me. I have specific taste!</p><p>A fellow vendor at the fair bought a pair of flower-inspired mitts and they looked incredibly cute on her. She wore them the entire afternoon!!</p><p>I also saw a guy who had bought a rainbow pillow last year. He came up to my table, picked out some mitts for his wife, and said, "Last year I bought a rainbow pillow from you, and I love it!!" His enthusiasm struck me as so genuine -- rather than a nicety, know what I mean? -- that it makes me really happy just thinking about this interaction. It was so nice of him to say that!</p><p>Some awkward social moments aside (because, you know, Unfortunately, People) overall the market went super well for me. I didn't sell out of any particular item, but I came startlingly close with the mitts. Since I've been working adamantly on them, this is super rewarding.</p><p>Also, I made enough money outright to buy a Blythe and have some left over. So, fair warning, I absolutely bought a new Blythe!</p></div>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-69677085472256259292023-12-10T13:47:00.000-08:002023-12-10T13:47:22.575-08:00Plummery looking autumnal<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/h9EovDv.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="564" src="https://i.imgur.com/h9EovDv.png" /></a></div>
<p>I thought before it's too close to Christmas time, I'd share these pics of Plummery looking autumnal! Dressed for the chill in the air! Her dress is divine and to die for. Look at that bodice!!! Look at that little orange Peter Pan collar!</p>
<p>Recently a tag was going around on Instagram: "Post your favorite stock Blythe." I'm not sure if I have absolute favorites in terms of Blythes, but I adore Dear Lele Girl and to this day consider myself so lucky to have this little mori girl. She was a grail doll for me and I love her, and so I posted her on my Insta stories for that tag. And I felt motivated to take pictures of her today.</p>
<p>It's hard to see her socks, but they're rust-colored and I sewed 'em! I also made her scarf!</p>
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<p></p><blockquote><b>dress:</b> <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/DressingBlythe">DressingBlythe</a><br />
<b>ear muffs:</b> <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/revedeRui">Reve de Rui</a><br />
<b>boots:</b> <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/hellocoolcat">helloCoolCat</a><br />
<b>scarf:</b> knitted by me!<br />
<b>socks:</b> made by me!</blockquote>
<p>I'm quite simply aching to take a redhead family picture, with Plummery, Winny, and Citron!!! As of yet I've only dressed Citron once, and I'm the most puzzled about her personal style. I gotta figure that out. It's tempting to stick with the Victorian theme?? Adventurous yet vintage? Gibson Girl Archaeologist? Hmmm...</p><p></p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-80326929700306048002023-12-08T13:05:00.000-08:002023-12-08T13:05:57.549-08:00crochet pic dump part two/market prep<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/fUR9MJP.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/fUR9MJP.png" /></a></div>
<p>Haha, well! I have been crocheting so much that I've effed up my left wrist. I've done this before, and sensed in these past couple of weeks it would happen again unless I was careful. I have been trying to be careful... but I was still shocked Pikachu when yesterday my wrist seized up while playing the guitar. Who could have seen this coming??</p>
<p>Waaah. All I want to do is crochet, so. It's a bummer!!</p>
<p>If you read my last post, you might have seen that I learned how to do the tulip stitch. With that knowledge I made the above pictured little cream-colored fingerless mitts, with pale pink tulips and dark green "stems." I love these and have been wearing them everywhere. They already look super beat up because I've been wearing them on an almost daily basis.</p>
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<p>I've been crocheting so much in large part because I'm prepping for a small <a href="http://curetouch.blogspot.com/2022/12/babys-first-craft-fair.html">craft market</a> -- the same one I did last year. It's T-minus one week out! I have until the 15th to finish stuff up.</p>
<p>I honestly do not anticipate a ton of interest in my wares, but did my hyperfocus get activated nevertheless? Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes. I'll have beaded jewelry again, in addition to crochet pillows and these mitts and earbands. No pics of the jewelry just yet, but I did get this wire shelf off Amazon on Black Friday and think it'll make a better display than the one I had last year.</p>
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<p>I've just been piling stuff up here as I've made it. I'll only figure out how exactly I am going to arrange everything the night before or day of, I believe. But look at these cute blue mitts with the daisies appliqued on! I think they're super cute. I have a coral/gold/brown pair of tulip mitts finished, and a pair with purple tulips in the works currently. (I can only hope I'll finish them in time; it depends on my wrist.)</p>
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<p>I also have some plain mitts with zero froof or frills, but most of the mitts have scalloped trim crocheted on, and some of them have crocheted bows at the wrist!</p>
<p>I feel like my eyes are bigger than my plate, so to speak. If my wrist was in good working condition I would be crocheting some appliques for both the earbands and the mitts, and I'd be making up some more miniature rainbow pillows. And besides that, I meant to make some clay ornaments and never got around to it!</p>
<p>There's always next year, and it's never too early to begin prep. Or so I've learned.</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-55004046452285143112023-11-22T08:37:00.000-08:002023-11-22T08:37:56.080-08:00crochet pic dump<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/HAdkixl.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="563" src="https://i.imgur.com/HAdkixl.png" /></a></div>
<p>Crochet post! Been very hook-y lately, partially because I'm prepping some stuff for a craft fair, and partially because I've been trying to finish WIPs. First, I have lately finished this pastel rainbow ripple I've been making for ~2 years. Half of it is colorful stripes separated by a single white row, and the other half is white stripes separated by a single colored row. I made it with a bunch of leftover yarn from my rainbow pillow madness (<i>still ongoing, but not pictured here</i>).</p>
<p>I'm pretty whatever on it at this point, but I definitely enjoyed making it. I always love to make a ripple.</p>
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<p>I have made a few pairs of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3X70X55kIg">these</a> granny square mitts, and pictured is my fave pair. I don't really make wearables too much! At least, not human-sized wearables. And I'm not sure how I feel about acrylic yarn for these. They're super duper warm but feel bulky. And doing small ribbing can hurt my wrists easily, so I have to take breaks and do no more than about half a mitt a day. But it's always fun to come up with color combinations. I think I'll try another mitt pattern.</p>
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<p>Lots and lots of ear warmers!!! Far more than pictured, in all kinds of colors and yarns. I want to have these on my table at the upcoming craft fair I'm doing.</p>
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<p>Crochet pumpkins. Made these with bulky yarn left over from ear warmers. I think they're super cute. I free-handed the stems with tweedy yarn, so they're each a little different and a little wonky. But, as one of the ladies from my knitting club said, that adds realism. I have no use for these except as random autumnal decor, so I've had to cut myself off from making 45 of them.</p>
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<p>Finally, some panels made with the tulip stitch. I followed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbIEzaELJ4U">this</a> video tutorial for them and made a couple of panels. Not for anything in particular, but just to learn the technique. I might stitch them together into a little pouch or something. These work up ridiculously quickly and I loved the crocheting process, but weaving in the ends (of which there were manyyyy) took a lot of time. Ain't that just the way...</p>
<b>Not pictured:</b> several rainbow bobble pillows, a miniature rainbow rug crocheted for my little dolly dressup sets, a Blythe beanie with a pompom on top!Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-13351967009078425762023-11-03T17:49:00.002-07:002023-12-10T11:55:55.064-08:00a doll clothes haul video<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/MQrLYgJ.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/MQrLYgJ.png" /></a></div>
<p>So relieved I finally had enough energy to make this haul video I've been meaning to make for literally months! Just been saving up so many little purchases for the video...</p>
<p>That's actually a bad habit of mine from my more active video-making days, and one of the many reasons I began to feel that doing semi-regular YouTube videos negatively impacted my doll hobby. I used to buy doll clothes and then save them, hoping to make a haul video, but then I'd just not touch my purchases for months. I felt irresponsible, spending money on doll clothes and then never unwrapping them, never enjoying them, never using them.</p>
<p>But, I really felt like making a haul video. It sounded fun to me, to talk about the clothes and appreciate them. Generally I don't save up purchases like this to share anymore because it so easily leads to me hoarding items instead of enjoying them.</p>
<p>I really enjoyed making this one though. Gingham and lace doilies and purple were the aesthetic staples! Used little sound bits from <i>Animal Crossing</i> games. Sourced so many little extra images to illustrate things I mentioned. Shot so much extra B-roll.</p>
<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L4WYcT8mjVI?si=pZmImXz8I-BaI049" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></center>
<p>In other news, I got some storage boxes for my too-hefty-for-a-person-who-sews-so-little fabric collection. Time to organize!!</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-60533820312293712452023-10-25T08:17:00.001-07:002023-11-02T17:00:43.476-07:00some fall lists<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/I3Ti8C6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/I3Ti8C6.png" /></a></div><p></p><p>Happy October! Which is almost over already. I've kinda missed it.</p><p>As usual when I neglect Cure Touch it's because I'm having A Time. A highlight reel:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>week-long power outage</li><li>dad in the hospital</li><li>sister having a scary medical ordeal</li><li>weird dating/breakup experience</li><li>COVID-19... after three careful years, I finally caught it 😥</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>Big sigh. I know this is just life. But I feel like I've not had much time to recover between each of these things. I felt really tired <i>before </i>catching COVID, so COVID's just exhausted me.</div><div><br /></div><div>Really, it was rough. Not just because it knocked me on my ass, but because my bestie and I came down with it while we were having a much-coveted visit. Being sick as dogs together basically became the bulk of our visit. She stayed for a week and a half, and only two of those days were we functional. COVID hit us both so hard we couldn't stay upright. Even just eating took us both out. We slept a ton. It was really surreal, but also unfortunate and disappointing, since we only get to see each other every few years.</div><div><br /></div><div>(That's my bestie's Daunting Drusilla with Vesper, Citron, Zasha, and Winny!!!! We got in a skosh of dolly time before taking to our beds like Victorian invalids.)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/zrpc3Z9.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/zrpc3Z9.png" /></a></div><br /><div>But, this blog is meant to be more of a place to blog about happy things and accomplishments and fun hyperfixations. I feel like listing some positive stuff too.</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I've made a new friend in the last few months. A rarity for me 🥰</li><li>caught some Pumpkaboos in Pokémon Go (Pumpkaboo being my favorite, and I had only ever caught one before! I loveeee watching her on the AR camera!)</li><li>made beef stew, so incredibly comforting while sickness dragged on</li><li>finished up a big project I've been working on since December</li><li>watched <i>The Cat Returns</i> and really enjoyed it</li><li>went on a little 20-minute walk in the rain yesterday morning, and saw colorful foliage and Halloween decorations all over the neighborhood. The temperature was ideal, refreshing and cool, and the rain was mild. It did me sooo much good after three weeks of feeling dreadful!</li><li>close to finishing a ripple throw</li></ul></div><div>And my visit with my bestie wasn't a complete disaster, despite everything.</div><div><ul><li>As mentioned, she got a Blythe!!! Of her own accord! I can't believe it! We dressed our dolls together and it was so much fun. I also sent bestie home with a care package of socks, tights, and little crop tops I made! I loved doing this!!!</li><li>we attended a concert together and made Swiftian friendship bracelets for it! Successfully traded 'em, even! And the concert was great</li><li>we watched <i>Over the Garden Wall</i> together 🐸 (barely managed it, but we technically did it)</li><li> if I had to be that freaking sick with someone, she'd be my #1 choice. we both felt godawful but true comfort is being able to be in a bad state with someone without it being super awkward or damaging your friendship at all. New friendship level unlocked...?</li></ul></div><div>I'm really behind on everything and that'll just have to be okay for a bit yet.</div><p></p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-62058044298370658492023-07-07T14:24:00.011-07:002023-07-07T14:28:12.191-07:00twin mayors of birthday town<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/mfzIY7p.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/mfzIY7p.jpg" width="800" /></a></div>
<p>Well, this is wild beyond belief for me to be typing. But I was gifted two dream dolls for my birthday: Lady Panacea and Shelley Victorian. My Neo Blythe family has expanded by four dolls this year. It's been a long time since it's seen that kind of growth, and I am in a state of shock, a bit!!</p>
<p>Of course I filmed my unboxing of them both, if you would like to view it.</p>
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P1tEs0YAZzM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
<p>I named these girls Vesper (Lady Panacea) and Citron (Shelley Victorian). Currently they're standing on my desk with Zasha and Winny. The new girl gang!!</p><p>They both break my heart with their beauty.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/R82q86G.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/R82q86G.png" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/U2NO4nr.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/U2NO4nr.png" /></a></div><p>Directly after unboxing these girls, I lost power for a full week. (!!!) There was a huge wind storm and the vast majority of my city was without power for multiple days. It was a miserable week, to say the least.</p><p>As a result of the outage, I kind of lost out on what is ordinarily a super special time for me as a Blythe collector... those first days after I unbox my new girl, wherein I am bonding with the doll via touching, dressing and undressing, combing out and washing their hair, changing them out of their stock for the first time, shopping especially for them, and other general fussing. It's such a fun time for me. Feeling happy and spoiled and thinking about the dolls' name, their style, how they fit in with my Blythe family.</p><p>So that experience was delayed by the power outage. I felt sweaty and grimy and grumpy 24/7 while the power was out, and after the power came back, I was exhausted. I had work to catch up on, Etsy orders to complete and ship. I had to throw out everything in my fridge and get replacement groceries during a time when the store was picked over and swamped (because <i>everybody</i> had to replace their groceries). Et cetera, et cetera!!!</p><p>Finally editing my unboxing video afforded me the belated opportunity to get tactile with my new girls, since I wanted to take pictures of them for the video and for this post. My twins, my special purple-eyed gworlies. That time fussing with them was something I needed, emotionally, after such a rough week. I feel doubly blessed, let me tell you!</p><p>Nearly two weeks after getting power restored, I'm still recovering from the week without it... or so it feels. I want to dolly-sew and crochet and craft and spend even more time with The New Girls so bad!</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-44931063102922215492023-06-06T09:30:00.001-07:002023-06-06T09:30:00.142-07:00adventures in hand-sewing, part 3 - long-sleeved tops<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/EwLWIuL.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="772" src="https://i.imgur.com/EwLWIuL.png" /></a></div>
<p>My hand-sewing ambitions have lead me to making legit <i>shirts</i>! Well -- knit tops! That counts!</p>
<p>I kinda can't believe it?? Like, look at this dark green top. I made this!!! Waaah! It's kind of peasant blouse-inspired, with the lace on the sleeves and the bow at the neck, which is crochet thread. (It was experimental...)</p>
<p>Honestly! I sewed it inside-out on accident. This is the "wrong" side of this knit fabric. It is so hard for me to put things together correctly. But I am sooo stoked on it anyway!</p>
<p>This was my second attempt at this pattern -- <a href="http://www.xoxoblythe.com/blog/patterns/">the boatneck tee from xoxoBlythe.com</a>. My first attempt came together wonderfully. Full of ambition, I sewed some rick-rack onto it, around the bottom hem... and it ceased being stretchy enough to close in the back. So I can't really use it now. Lesson learned, hahah. Or maybe I'll just cut off the bottom and make it into a crop top. And maybe next time I make this pattern I will make it correctly?? Who can say.</p>
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<p>My second (technically third) long-sleeved top is <a href="https://dailydoll.shop/shop/pattern-only-turtleneck-for-blythe-doll-pdf-pattern-blythe-clothes/">this</a> turtleneck (pattern from <a href="https://dailydoll.shop/authors/like-these-dolls/">Like These Dolls</a>). As I have a goodly amount of this ribbed knit fabric on hand, from which I make socks, I made a white ribbed turtleneck.</p>
<p>This pattern has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srK2PUSm7rs">a video tutorial</a>, which was very handy for me, despite it coming together in similar ways to the boatneck tee in the end. Even with the video, I managed to do several things wrong... or wonky, at the least. I sewed the collar on backwards, so the "wrong" side faces out. I hemmed things in the wrong order. I congratulated myself on getting it hemmed in advance. But surprise surprise, order mattered! So the back is not hemmed at all. Hilarious.</p>
<p>Still, I ended up with a perfectly wearable item...</p>
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<p>Look at this! LOOOK AT ITTTT! That's a TURTLENECK if I ever saw one!! HERE IT IS ON LAMB! (And look at this Farrah Fawcett hair on Lamb...)</p>
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<p>Despite all my mistakes (at least four very distinct ones) I am elated! I think when it's actually on a doll, you can't really tell it's riddled with mistakes. Rather than a snap, I sewed a tiny square of velcro onto the neck, and I'm so happy with the way it sits. Even if the wrong side of the fabric is showing.</p>
<p>I don't feel I have become good at sewing. I don't feel confident I can tackle any pattern. I can't. I need really great instructions, or really clear video tutorials. I have bought patterns I don't understand how to make. But I have still gained experience and ambition, which was a goal of mine a year ago. To <a href="http://curetouch.blogspot.com/2022/05/sewing-blythe-socks-part-two.html">quote myself</a>: <i> I've wanted to re-enforce my hand-sewing skills and just practice a lot, with the aim to increase my comfort level with sewing in general.</i> These skills are imperfect but hard-won and I'm very happy I have kept trying new things.</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-36564413068773887142023-06-02T08:00:00.010-07:002023-06-02T08:00:00.139-07:00adventures in hand-sewing, part 2 - crop tops<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/f7IZuWx.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/f7IZuWx.png"/></a></div>
<p>Another thing I have been sewing a lot of is these tiny... crop tops? Sports bras? Not sure what to call 'em. But they're awfully cute. This yellow one on Klara, here, was the first one I made and it's a skosh wonky. Almost everything I make is wonky the first time around, because I don't really have a handle on it yet. All the ones I've made since look better!</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/688473741/fun-and-easy-undies-and-top-pattern-for">The pattern</a> is really nice and I highly recommend it, especially because in the scheme of Blythe wardrobe items, this one is super unique, IMHO. I don't have anything like it already! T-shirts, yes. Blouses, yes. Turtlenecks, yes. But crop tops...no! And I could totally see it styled cutely under overalls (in fact, Drew's wearing one under overalls right now!), loose sundresses with thin straps, and vests. I'm just dying at the idea of a little denim vest over one of these!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/VwbGdqT.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/VwbGdqT.png" /></a></div>
<p>I've yet to make the undies, but I do believe I will, since Winny came sans panties! Not that I think dolls need underwear. I would imagine some outfits fit better without that layer at the waist. But since all my other girls have panties, I want Winny to as well, for egalitarian reasons!</p>
<p>You can see a better picture of Winny in this rainbow top <a href="http://curetouch.blogspot.com/2023/02/oops-i.html">here</a>.</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-78651159223164508002023-05-30T19:04:00.004-07:002023-05-30T23:23:57.293-07:00adventures in hand-sewing, part 1 - miniskirts<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hnoevZp.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/hnoevZp.png" /></a></div>
<p>I've got a bit of a backlog of sewing-related posts to share. All I've got are terrible phone pics that I took when I was sending my friends pics in the moment, so like... pardon me! But if I didn't have phone pics I probably wouldn't post about this at all, when I do really want to catalogue it for my own personal satisfaction. I'll take 'em!</p>
<p>As you may know, I've been getting into hand-sewing for Blythe this last year or so. I made a little cosplay for Lamb (it's not 100% finished, even a year after starting); I sewed a <a href="http://curetouch.blogspot.com/2022/04/springy-skirt-on.html">circle skirt</a>; I have made (and sold) innumerable <a href="http://curetouch.blogspot.com/2022/05/sewing-blythe-socks-part-two.html">socks</a>; I conquered <a href="http://curetouch.blogspot.com/2022/06/sewing-blythe-tights.html">tights</a>!</p>
<p>I have been doing my best to gain experience and confidence in something that, for me, easily confuses and overwhelms. My ability to fathom construction remains somewhat low. But my cherished dream, friends, is to be able to make a Blythe dress!</p>
<p><i>I want this so badly my spit tastes like pennies.</i></p>
<p>It would be so, so much fun to make simple little dresses, because I think having a simple dress and accessorizing it is so much fun when dressing Blythes. I am not yet super close to this achievement, but it's what I'm working towards, if slowly.</p>
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<p>In the meantime I have been trying to up my skills with smaller things, such as miniskirts. (The pattern I've been using is <a href="http://hellomoshi.blogspot.com/2011/12/make-moshi-mini-skirt-for-blythe.html">this old one from moshi moshi</a>.)</p>
<p>The ironing board and iron I got for my birthday last year were indispensable in this process! The excitement I felt in pressing down seams! Let me tell you!!! Game-changer. My little ironing board has legs that fold in, so I can store it away easily. But my iron is of standard size, and a little clunkier to store away. But I feel it's been of great help to me!</p>
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<p>Using mostly fabric I've had on hand for years now, after making a lot of <a href="http://curetouch.blogspot.com/2020/11/miniature-suitcases.html">miniature suitcases</a>, I've managed about a dozen skirts. I want to make a bespoke skirt for each Blythe I have, so that's sixteen skirts total. Just four shy!</p>
<p>The blog post on the old moshi moshi blog recommends sturdier fabric for these skirts, like corduroy, and I have to agree. The thinner cottons don't make for a super structured skirt. But also I feel like these could do with some lining? I just don't know how to do such a thing! It's something I need to learn and don't understand at all, despite the many many costube sewing videos I've watched.</p>
<p>I have been making them closable with smol velcro, which is a bit of a pain to hand-sew, even though I got the thinnest sort I could find via Etsy.</p>
<p>I knoooow I need to learn my machine, but honestly on top of being intimidated by it, I could really use one-on-one help from someone who knows what they're doing and can answer questions as I have them, and tell me whether I'm doing things correctly or not. I'm not sure that'll happen anytime soon!</p>
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<p>Here's Zasha looking secretarial in a navy blue skirt, blue <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/PrettyBomb">PrettyBomb</a> blouse, Very Vicky's stock Mary Janes, and glasses from idek!</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-4231879594876956372023-04-30T11:34:00.002-07:002023-04-30T14:03:26.843-07:00queen - bicycle race.mp4<p><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ap3Z177.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="800" height="622" src="https://i.imgur.com/ap3Z177.png" width="800" /></a></p>
<p>I haven't felt much like posting the last couple of months. It's been a busy season of life. My birthday is creeping ever-closer and that always tends to bring on a little depression cloud. But this year happens to be my 40th birthday! And that is just <i>too weird</i>. It doesn't feel accurate. I feel 28, tops. (At the same time I feel like I'm 86.) So I have been dragging around like the Grim Reaper's breathing down my neck.</p>
<p>I decided this year I would like to get a bike for my birthday. I've been feeling like I want to get more vitamin D and be out and about, yet not be around people, so cruising around on a bike has seemed more and more appealing to me. The weather's been incredible; springy and damp and cool. That's made my yen even greater, and I have been scared that by the time my birthday actually rolls around, it will be too warm to want to be outside. So I have jumped the gun and gotten one a week early: this Huffy cruiser with 26" wheels.</p>
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<p>It's a chromey maroon color (Alexa, play "Maroon" by Taylor Swift) and has a low-key bee theme? With hexagons on the seats and cup holder (!). I must acquire a water bottle or something that fits in the cup holder!!</p><p>I've already slammed the seat down to the lowest possible setting and taken it around my neighborhood. It really cruises along on a level street. But the second there's an incline that lasts more than a few seconds, my thighs are like, "Nope."</p><p>(I have not ridden a bike since I was perhaps, at the latest, 12.)</p>
<p>I'm fantasizing about 9 am cruises around my block, before it's blazing hot out, and I'm fantasizing about increasingly my ability to pedal uphill.</p>
<p>Thighs of steel. Heart of a champion.</p><p><b>edit: </b>Have I wiped out on the bike already? Yes, I have lost balance and bashed the heck outta my right knee.</p>
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<p>My cat's very scared of the bike so far, so I've made sure to sit still on it so he can know I am in control of it. He's coming around. (Side note that my cat walks right up to cars and tries to get into them.)</p><p>Anyway, y'all, I've been hand-sewing a lot and I want to post about that soon. I've also been window-shopping relentlessly for Winny, who needs more mod/flower power-y clothes than I have in my collection. I do intend to eventually make dressup videos for both Zasha and Winny!</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-26453284586946822372023-02-14T09:29:00.001-08:002023-02-14T09:29:33.869-08:00Oops, I...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Z0nOGbj.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://i.imgur.com/Z0nOGbj.png" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div>Ummm, so... Just a month after welcoming a new girl into the family, I up and adopted another! Meet Winifred aka Winny. She's a Prairie Posie who came to me from Rich, aka <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bonjourblythe/" target="_blank">bonjourblythe on Instagram</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I fell in love with this girl the second I saw her. For one thing, these bangs she's been given are SO GOOD. SO CUTE. For another, Rich's styling is impeccable. Not just for Winny, but for all his dolls. Please do check out his Insta. But for whatever reason, my heart went bang-bang-boom every time he posted a pic of this girl specifically. I'm not even really active on Instagram anymore, but always loved to see her. Check my comments:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vWEP0ps.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="800" height="274" src="https://i.imgur.com/vWEP0ps.png" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div>So when Rich put her up for adoption and I missed that reel by a few hours, I flipped and was like, "PLEASE TELL ME SHE'S STILL AVAILABLE!" I'm so fortunate she was!</div><div><br /></div><div>I haven't really had this experience with falling in love with a very specific Blythe owned by someone else since 2010/2011, <a href="https://curetouch.blogspot.com/2011/01/if-youll-recall-from-my-little-post.html">when I adopted Drew via Flickr</a> after some hardcore stalking and letting her owner know I would love to adopt her if she ever came up for adoption. Typically I go for NRFB girls. I like to have their stock. I like to unbox them myself. I am just more drawn to that option than any other.</div><div><br /></div><div>But as I am so many years deep in the hobby now, I think this is less important to me than it once was. Either that or I just bonded with Winny via Rich's pics because they're soooo good!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/KP5eyJx.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="800" height="544" src="https://i.imgur.com/KP5eyJx.png" width="800" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">( <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChqKwUZpWv6/" target="_blank">pic one</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch4p9UlufiE/" target="_blank">pic two</a> )</span></div><div><br /></div><div>In an interesting fate-y turn, I have Prairie Posie's stock already!! Have had it for years. Just because that pink floral cottagecore aesthetic is very much up my alley. I have always liked Prairie Posie just fine, but never thought of getting her. Dear Lele Girl has long been my redhead of choice. But these bangs add to Prairie Posie's cute factor by about a squillion. Next to DLG, her hair is so rich and auburn-red, and DLG's more penny-red.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think we can all agree that Winny's style is not cottagecore! She looks so great styled vintage (both mod and <i>Brady Bunch</i>-ish 70s, imo) that I will endeavor to keep that style up for her! I have a few sleepforever duds that'll suit her, but I look forward to finding a dress just for her, as per my tradition. I think she needs her own beret, too.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/uCYwGHF.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="524" src="https://i.imgur.com/uCYwGHF.png" /></a></div><br /><div>I haven't gotten two new dolls in such close succession in many years. I'm a little overwhelmed and verklempt at the same time! Now I have sixteen girls, which is wild. It feels like an evolution.</div>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-31982354664801790392023-02-08T18:43:00.003-08:002023-02-08T19:50:25.388-08:00Zasha's coat<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/oz2c6HI.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="504" src="https://i.imgur.com/oz2c6HI.png" /></a></div><p>Been looking forward so much to putting this sweet little coat from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/SamodelkaTeddyArt" target="_blank">SamodelkaTeddyArt</a> on Zasha -- I bought it just for her! Love the dark brown fur collar and the pattern of the fabric, and how it's quilted!</p><p>Here's the picture from SamodelkaTeddyArt's Etsy, which is very cute! The fabric is more beige than it appears in the above pic of Zasha, which is influenced a lot by the green backdrop.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/nq5nWAl.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/nq5nWAl.png" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/pFvYSXH.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="800" height="601" src="https://i.imgur.com/pFvYSXH.png" width="800" /></a></div><p>Oh, happiness. Styling this coat could go any number of ways and it has my imagination alight with different combos to complement the colors of the coat. It's a statement piece for sure, and when it's snapped shut, it doesn't much matter what's on underneath. But here's the fit besides the coat:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>an olive green velvet ear warmer (crocheted by me!)</li><li>Phoebe Maybe's stock blouse (an MVP -- Most Valued Piece -- in my dolly wardrobe)</li><li>a suede skirt with cutouts (by the wonderful <a href="https://www.instagram.com/annearchyart/" target="_blank">Anne</a>)</li><li>dark green ribbed tights (sewed by me!)</li><li>brown boots (from the Takara I Love Shoes white set) </li></ul><p></p><p>Z still badly needs a hair treatment. Those ends are lookin' bushy. I am waiting on something in the mail, and then I'll be having a little spa day for a few girls!</p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860888178082798398.post-7469938439425015012023-01-15T17:39:00.048-08:002023-01-15T17:50:53.006-08:00new girl :)<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rsvGzg6.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" src="https://i.imgur.com/rsvGzg6.png" /></a></div>
<p>So I recently welcomed a new Blythe into my family! I have been wanting another for about a year, but Zyanya Remembers was not the girl I had in the back of my mind! But she caught my attention, and I really liked how she looked out of her stock. (To me, that's more important than stock!)</p>
<p>Welcome, Zasha! This is a very Russian-sounding name for a Mexican girl, but I like it.</p><p>Here's her unboxing video, if you like that kind of thing. I do. I make these for myself, so I can relive these special memories whenever I want to.</p>
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zkjvmeZj0sY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
<p>I've since combed out her hair (I found several knots in it and had to cut them out!) and changed her clothes. Discovered in the process that her arms are very stained.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/R11nLUF.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="533" src="https://i.imgur.com/R11nLUF.png" width="800" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I must admit this is disappointing! I know she has been in a box in black clothing for almost two years. They put this little white bralette/crop top situation on her, I imagine to help protect her from her own dress? But they ought to have wrapped her arms in plastic, in my opinion. I know I've seen girls with wrapped limbs in my day. Vinter Arden came with thin netted tights to put on beneath her navy blue stock tights to help with staining. Some similar netted shirt could have been created for Zyanya.</div>
<p>If I'm honest, while this clearly sucks, I'm also too tired out by... you know, everything that is Real Life... to be heartbroken by this. It's of course very annoying Blythes are so expensive and yet come with knotted hair and stained bodies. (And we'll still buy 'em!) But Zasha's wanted and welcome here, bruised or no. It can be one of her quirks. In time the stains might fade, or they might be a permanent feature.<br /></p><div><p>And to end on a positive note, LOOK AT HER ORANGE EYE in that pic. I love orange chips, and these are arresting on her! Should I change out her pink and blue chips? I think I might...</p></div><p></p>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507801500116190987noreply@blogger.com4