Cosplay in Progress: The Eighth Doctor

Yes, I am alive! Since my last post, I ended up finding new homes for two members of Team Modern AG, and used the proceeds to help fund the linchpin piece of my Doctor Who cosplay.

Which means it’s time to introduce you all to someone.

This man? He is My Doctor.

Disney Store's Frozen Dolls: Anna and Elsa

I was in a Disney Store before Christmas, picking up a few present items, when I saw the Frozen display. Spurred on by reviews from fellow bloggers, I picked up the Anna doll. I normally don’t buy movie merchandise before seeing the movie, but the doll was so cute and detailed, with such a lively expression on her face, that I figured she’d be worth it even if I ended up hating the movie. I looked at the Elsa doll, but wasn’t as taken with her design, and the picture on the box made her look smug and smirky. So I left her on the shelf.

Then, of course, I saw Frozen like everyone else in America, and spent the movie thinking “Curses. I bought the wrong doll.” Because yes, Anna was the cute, spunky heroine, but Elsa was the awesome one with a strong character arc and the showstopping ballad and yes, sweet icebending powers. Again, like everyone else in America, I promptly ran back to the Disney Store to pick up the Elsa doll (and let’s be real, just about any other Elsa merch I could find).

And, like everyone else in America, I sat there staring at empty shelves and a bare website. For three months, I stalked the Disney Store website, checking every morning to see if there’d been a restock. Spurred on by Facebook chatter, I doubled my stalking as the DVD/Blu-ray release date drew near, and my patience finally paid off. On the Monday morning before the release date, Disney Store finally restocked their Frozen section, and I was able to get the Elsa doll for my daughter (the pre-Christmas Anna had already found its way to her), and an additional Anna & Elsa for myself.

And a good thing, too, because they were sold back out of nearly everything by Tuesday evening.

(For this review, boxed!Anna and Elsa will be played by my set, and unboxed!Anna and Elsa will be played by my daughter’s set.)

My sisters, in their boxes. I do like how their side-glancing eyes make them look at each other when side by side.

Crafty Crap: Painting Edition

Taking a completely lateral leap, I have been PAINTING!

I had a Girls’ Day Out with some friends in January, and we went to one of those drink-cocktails-and-paint-canvases studios. I was being a bit of a Bad Elitist Hipster about it at first - the entire website looked like it catered to Soccer Yoga Pinterest Minivan Moms, and...well, I have a degree in painting - but I ended up having a lot of fun!

(Okay, I did go a little bit hipster, and brought my own paint. Look, the studio works in acrylics, and acrylic paint is the most evil of all paint media. My jam of choice is water-mixable oils, which get me all the flexibility and blending capabilities of oil, without the need for nasty, dangerous, hard-to-dispose-of solvents and thinners.)

So, this was my result:

Pullip Princesses - Belle

Hmm. My rant of last week seems to have turned off a few folks, and to that I say oh well. I’ve been aware of the ridiculously homogenized standards of beauty in fairy tales from a young age – I remember reading the foreword to The Ordinary Princess and thinking “…wow, she’s RIGHT” – and I mentioned my enthusiastic reception of Belle as a Princess Like Me in that last post.

Of course, as my life has taken me beyond the small, 98% white Indiana town where I grew up, my worldview has expanded to demand not only more princesses who look like me, but also more princesses that look like everyone else. It took me an embarrassingly long time to become aware of the fact that the vast majority of mainstream entertainment (and I’m lumping in toys with entertainment) focuses on a small minority of features, and anything that goes beyond that small minority is prodded off into a corner and labeled “niche” or “special interest.”

This isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy Frozen – I did, and “Let it Go” is the best Disney song in years, and Elsa is another of My Homegirls and she is definitely joining Team Pullip at some point, and I might be considering making her coronation gown for GenCon, despite the nagging feeling that I’ll look awful in a platinum blonde wig – but I know that I was able to enjoy it as much as I did because it’s part of a centuries-old status quo that is designed to appeal to me while excluding others. And I get frustrated and lash out when I see people who seem determined to remain oblivious to that status quo, or determined to preserve it, because it doesn’t have a negative effect on them.

And now, back to dolls. Team Pullip is growing by leaps and bounds! I’m stoked about this addition – she’s one of my favorite Princesses, and her base is one of the prettiest Pullips I’ve seen. So, without further ado, let’s welcome:

Pullip Belle!

100th Post! And a mild divergence back into Monster High.

Hello all, and I hope you have had a good month since I last posted. :) Truth be told, not a lot has been going on, doll- or craft- wise, but things are starting to pick up.

Of course, this just happened to coincide with me getting laid off from my job. Not to worry - I was immediately offered a backup position with one of our affiliates - but this past week has been the most awkward week of my life. I'm training for my new job at the offices of my old job, so while I'm in the same building and around the same people, I'm in a new department, at a new desk, using a new computer, and soon I move to my new building halfway across the city. :(

I have been a Bad Jen and indulging in some retail therapy (so close to Christmas, bad me), so I'm here to talk about my newest doll addition!

Today we stopped by Target, and we wouldn't be us if we didn't take a gander around the toy aisles (have I mentioned how much I love being married to someone who still loves toys too?), and I got a pleasant surprise: the new Monster High line - Frights, Camera, Action! - and in particular, Miss Honey Swamp.

The Saga of Gen Con 2013

IT IS TIME.

Sit yourselves down and grab something to quaff, for the time has come for the Saga of Gen Con 2013.

24 Hours to Go!

The 24-hour countdown has begun. This time tomorrow, I will be en route to GenCon, and my first foray into cosplaying.

Needless to say, I am terrified.

I was hoping to do a dry run of my costumes this past weekend (as I have not worn costumes + wigs + makeup all together at the same time yet, which is not helping my terror), but it was terribly humid and sticky this weekend. In a house without air conditioning, wearing normal clothing in this weather is barely tolerable - forget putting on five pounds of satin, brocade, and velvet, plus wigs, and a layer of theater makeup.

I did manage to get the Pie into her costume early on Sunday morning, when it was still cool out, and took some photos in the backyard.

So, ladies and gents, I give you The Mighty Pieface as Merida.

That's my little nerd progeny. Kindergarten isn't going to know what hit them.

(Back to packing now. HOW do cosplayers travel anywhere, ever? SO MUCH STUFF. I can't imagine doing this with wings and armor and swords and all the other stuff.)

SEE YOU MONDAY!

AG Columbus, Part II

This is the conclusion to my last post, detailing my haul from the new American Girl store at Easton Town Center in Columbus. For my reviews of Julie’s Bunny, the AG Store exclusive jeans, and the Silver Stripe Hoodie, please see my previous post here.

Onwards – to the new releases!

This was the first AG release in a while that had me really intrigued. Most of the time, AG releases a load of new products, and I see one or two things that look kind of neat, but “kind of neat” is the extent of my interest. This time, I had a few “omg I really actually want that” reactions! So, while at Easton, I picked up my two favorite items from the new releases.

This is the new Striped Hoodie Outfit ($30). It’s sold both individually and as part of the $90 Mix and Match combo pack. It contains a grey striped hoodie top, orange skinny pants, grey sneakers, pink hair ties, and a charm.

The hoodie. It’s a lightweight knit with a screenprinted design on front, and Velcro closure in the back.

This piece was the driving force in my decision to purchase this outfit. It was appealing to me personally (I would totally wear a human-sized version of this top), and I knew it fit Robin’s fashion aesthetic to a tee.

Sadly, it has one major flaw – like the Star Hoodie outfit, it’s a pain to get on. I've taken to just avoiding the fight and taking the head off a doll to get a shirt on.

Poor headless doll! - and poor messy, messy Dollcave.

The pants are not jeans, as I had originally thought. They’re more like a chino-style woven fabric, with a Velcro fly and an AG tag on the back waistband.

Despite the “skinny” label, they actually fit far better than the store-exclusive jeans. There’s a lot of give in the back.

There are also neat little dart seams at the knees.

The sneakers are pretty ordinary – gray canvas with stretchy pink laces.

I’m normally not enthused about hair accessories with AG outfits, but given how often Robin wears her hair in pigtails, I quickly realized it was a good idea to have a pair of matching bands in her favorite color.

Robin in the full outfit:

Robs quickly set to work enforcing her own style on the outfit (first move: no pants. I don’t understand why it is that my biggest tomboy avoids pants like the plague, but whatevs).

I paired the Striped Hoodie top with the skirt from the Cozy Plaid outfit. This is actually a really cute look.

My girls in their new togs:

I save the best for last – the Science Lab set!

In the box.

The set comes with a lab apron:

Robin is begging me to replace the Innerstar U logo with the logo for Tesladyne Industries.

Microscope:

Safety goggles:

Test tubes and rack:

The “chemicals” in the test tubes are just pieces of translucent plastic.

Microscope slides:

Easily the most disappointing piece – opaque plastic with a printed label. They could have at least made them translucent, or out actual specimen pictures on. I long for more realism!

Science book:

The Pie just thought this was the coolest thing ever. “Ohh, look Mommy, it has pictures of all the ANIMALS!”

Bonus fun fact: One of the NASA consultants on the author page was a teacher at my middle school. Small world!

I dragged Robin’s desk over to set everything up:

Overall: This set is full of the tiny, fun pieces I love in an accessory set. The microscope is a wee bit smaller than scale, but not so much that it bugs me. The safety goggles are a cute touch, and I like the detailing on the test tubes. The science book, like all AG books, is very nice. The slides are iffy at best, but I do understand that a translucent set would be a nightmare of lost pieces. I would have preferred a lab coat over an apron, but I know students generally don’t get to wear the fancy coats. :D

In general, I’m really pleased with my purchases. Yes, I didn't get a doll, but time and budget constraints were too much to justify a doll purchase. (In that way, I’m glad I was a bit rushed – I’m sure, if I’d have had the time to look around, I’d have fallen in love with some doll or another!) There was a bit more than personal preference to my main choices – I really appreciate that AG offered up some non-pastel clothes and some nerdy accessories (a mix-and-match set and science kit? How much time does AG R&D spend on the Playthings forum?), and I wanted to support those offerings with my hard-earned birthday cash.

So, hopefully I will have a more favorable report of AG Columbus in the future, but I’m very happy with my modest haul!

Another Photo Dump

Just a quick update and photo dump this week! I've been busy trying to plan out all the doll and sewing things I need to get done this year, and then plan out how to spread out the supply expenses over several months!

Robin gave me a not-so-subtle reminder that badge registration for GenCon opened last Sunday. The husband and I had a few weeks of woe where we thought Pieface's school schedule would conflict with the con (boy howdy, my child starts kindergarten this year, such things are not allowed), but the calendar worked out. And now we are all stoked - him, me, and Robin.

But I have so much sewing to do before then! I need costumes! Robin needs costumes!



I spent a good amount of time on Thursday doing something I would never have dreamed of five years ago - performing minor nose surgery on a doll. (Okay, I was just sanding down the worst bits of Rapunzel's dented nose, but still.)


Speaking of noses, I also gave Rapunzel her freckles, and darkened her eyebrows just a bit. I cannot wait until her eyechips get here!


I also finished the third part - the silver brocade waistcoat - of Howl's blue-and-silver suit. Can I just take a moment to bask in the squeeful feeling of seeing an outfit I dreamed up almost seven years ago become a physical object? Howl seems pretty chuffed, too.

Now on to his jacket, which will be the crowning glory (if I can make it to match my imagination!).

Hoping that my next update will be some big steps forward!

Edited to add: The Saga of Marie-Grace has reached it's conclusion. I decided, after a month of keeping her in her box (and, quite frankly, forgetting she existed half the time), to sell her. One of my friends from the AG>18 community expressed an interest, and was quite happy to get her at the sale price. So I passed on a good deal to a friend, cleared up some space in the Dollcave, and started my "AG Place Columbus" fund. :D

This Week's Photo Digest

Howdy, all!

I'm just coming in here to dump some of my favorite photos from this week. For the complete funtimes, do drop by my Doll-A-Day set on Flickr. Doing pretty well with my aim - there are some days I upload multiple  photos!



Robin called shenanigans on the bit where she's stuck with a 1/3-scale coffee cup, so she stole mine.

Pullip Customizing Bonanza!

Okay, I KNOW I said that I was going to slow down on the buying and appreciate my collection.

I KNOW.

But, like I said in the Cecile post, I am easily snared by a good bargain. So when Beastsbelle of the adorable Never Grow Up blog posted a picture of the beautiful Pullip Peter Pan she found – for $40 – at Tuesday Morning, I couldn’t let that pass without at least investigating.

I went to two Tuesday Morning stores in two days (ah, the advantages of living in a metropolitan area), and found not only the Peter Pan Pullip, but the Taeyang Captain Hook! They both came home to join my customization to-do list.

Christmas Catchup!

Aiiieee, why is it so hard to put together a post? Photos to take, then edit, then upload, text to write, HTML to code...Anyway, I'm finally making headway.

Another Christmas has come and gone at Casa Nachos. This was probably the most doll-tastic Christmas I’ve had yet! I had a lot of stuff that I’d bought on sale and stashed away, and then my husband provided a few surprises as well! (I knew he was a keeper!)

New Year, New Doll Project

Hello, and happy New Year!

I hope everyone in blogland has had a good 2013 thus far. I'm just popping in to showcase my new doll project!

2012 was a very nice year, in that I had much more disposable income and could afford more doll stuff, and my collection grew accordingly. Now, though, I'm at a point where I'm sitting back and saying "holy socks, that's a LOT of stuff, am I really appreciating this or am I getting caught up in the Next New Shiny?"

So, in an effort to enjoy my collection and not constantly be chasing the Next New Shiny, I decided to take one photo a day of my doll stuff for all of 2013. One doll, a pair, a group, portraits, slice-of-life shots, whatever.

I'm collecting all the photos as a Flickr set here: Doll-A-Day 2013

Thus far I'm having fun with it, coming up with ideas of what to feature each day. Hopefully this feeling continues!

Behind the jump, a few photos from the set so far...

Meet Marie-Grace!

When Cecile and Marie-Grace went on sale in the Jill's Steals and Deals offer, I knew I wanted Cecile, and Marie-Grace tagged along because I knew I'd kick myself for not snapping her up at that price.

Marie-Grace has stayed in her box, because two dolls at once was a bit too overwhelming, but I did take some snapshots before putting her back into storage.

Meet Cecile - oops, that is, Meet Nadira!

I fully admit, I am probably on Santa’s “naughty” list right now. My chief crime: buying presents for myself in December! Growing up, my family had a rule: once Thanksgiving hit, you were to stop buying stuff for yourself and focus on getting gifts for others. (This worked to not only focus our thoughts on generosity and giving, but also avoided the awkwardness of Little Jenny buying herself the same thing Grandma had already wrapped up.)

But even my parents’ oft-repeated lessons get thrown to the wind in the face of a mighty American Girl flash sale. And what a sale – Cecile and Marie-Grace, plus accessory sets, for $50 each. That’s right, two American Girl dolls, brand-new, with accessories, for less than the price of one.

And now it’s time to confess my lesser crime – the fact that, on the morning of the 5th, I was sitting at my work computer, logged in to AG’s site, with my phone in my hand refreshing Playthings for the code. Online shopping at work, for shame. Long story short, the code worked, I ordered on time, and Cecile and Marie-Grace were on their way. And now I’m going to be like one of those twelve-year-olds on YouTube and chronicle the deboxing, because these are my first brand-spanking-new AG dolls in 19 years, and I’m going to enjoy this. :D

On Monday the 10th, this huge parcel was waiting for me at home:

Costume Time!

October = Halloween, and Halloween = COSTUMES!

 Look, I'm 30, or as close to as makes no difference. The only times I can wear pretty froofy costumes are a) at a convention (see previous entry) and b) Halloween, so I live it up with I get the chance.

 But before I had fun, there were others who needed costumes!

August: Adventures at GenCon

This August, I accompanied my husband to GenCon, a gaming convention in Indianapolis. Let me get this out front right now: my husband and I are both huge, unapologetic NERDS. I collect dolls, he collects LEGO, I sew costumes, he plays Dungeons & Dragons, we both love Star Wars and Doctor Who and Harry Potter and you get the point.

 This wasn't my first convention - I went to Prophecy, a Harry Potter-specific con in Toronto back in 2007 - but a tiny, fandom-specific con is far different from an established genre con that attracts 40,000+ people. This was an ADVENTURE.

 And, like on any adventure, Robin insisted on coming.

 

Catch-up: My AG Cribs

Have I really not posted anything since JULY?!? I have such a huge backlog, it's not even funny.
So I'm going to cheat a little bit, and repost something I did elsewhere. The AG>18 group had a "Cribs Week", where members showed off their doll spaces, so I gave a "tour" of the Dollcave.

This will also help me organize my list of things that need their own proper entries...

Tour: The New Dollcave!

Behold, the new Dollcave!

Well, Hobbycave, really, as I share the room with the computer and other stuff. But one big ol' corner is all mine!



The New Dollcave in all its glory. Yes, the walls are orange.

The AG Section: Team Modern:



I ended up packing away the IKEA bed I got last Christmas. It's cute, but so huge - with it gone, I could open up the wardrobe and keep Robin's desk in the Team Modern section.

Lucy's desk:





The goldfish from Saturday Crafternoon Adventures did not survive the moving process (his gel water de-gelled in the June heat), and he has been replaced by Mr. Nibbles, Lucy's pet mouse.

Mr Nibbles is a Safari Ltd Good Luck Minis white mouse (follow that link for a place where you can see the whole line and purchase). He was 50 cents at the Good Zoo gift shop at Oglebay Resort, WV.

His cage is a 99-cent plastic container from Michael's. His water bottle is one of these glass dollhouse jars from Hobby Lobby. His cedar chips are shavings from my pencil sharpener!



The bookcase between the desks, complete with toys, books, and Lucy's art stuff.



Robin's desk, complete with Terry Pratchett book, Dalek poster, and homemade, out-of-scale iPhone.

Team Historical:



Team Historical sits atop an old bookcase full of art/craft supplies.



Felicity, looking lovely in her summer gown, with her Windsor chair and accessories.



I finally found a suitable jacquard ribbon to serve as her sash, thanks to trimgoddess on Etsy.



The Walker sisters, Addy and Addy, enjoy pie on their brand-spanking-new table and chair set from The Queen's Treasures.

I bought this set from their Factory Seconds selection (just look under "Going, Going, Gone"). If it hadn't had FACTORY SECOND slathered all over the web page, I'd have never known - the nicks and imperfections are minimal. Best part? $29.99 instead of $69.99, and free shipping to boot!

Moving up in the world, the Small Doll Section:



The best thing about home ownership is having my very own, non-coin-operated laundry machines. The second-best is being able to put up shelves without risking your deposit.



Left side: Russian nesting dolls from a friend, Colette, Penny, and the Lagoona twins.



Right side - Penny and the Lagoona twins are joined by Pullip Rapunzel and my Treasured Childhood Ariel.

So, that's the new Dollcave! It's already been de-organized by a new sewing project - hopefully I'll check back in soon with a summer dress for The Addys!