Reddiker Woodes

Hallmark Ornaments Make Me Happy

365 Project Picture

I'm in the Hallmark Ornament club and have been for jeeze, at least a decade if not longer. At first it started out with just fairies for the Christmas tree, but now since they have upgraded their inventory and imagination, I've been able to get a ton of props for the dollies and this year is no exception.  My main goal for this year was to get the little Chatter Telephone that we all had growing up.  But then found an old TV console with the Twilight Zone music on it, and a little fish tank with kissing fish.  I think the TV will go to Ash's boat house, and the fish tank will go to Constance.  Not sure where the phone is going, but it's cute and the dial ringer works.  I've got several different ornaments that have been used for the dolls in the last few years and they are the perfect size.  The only one I didn't get was the Robbie the Robot and I think he might come in next week.  He'll look good just sitting around, and will be perfect for my 9 character figures.

 

Chatter Telephone

 

Cool console television, and it works with the Twilight Theme song.

Christmas Kissing Fish.

 

All on the Mini Wheat Stage.

Pumpkins in July

With the start of July, I'm doing a ton of wedding stuff.  Getting a lot of stuff printed and made and finalized.  So it's only fitting to have some Halloween goodies around me.  I had an online coupon for one of the dollhouse sites, and wasn't quite sure what I wanted, but I always go and look to see what the Halloween decorations are. Well I found these great little miniature pumpkins that are hand sculptured magic pumpkins by Margene.  Oh I love these and they will make great accessories for various houses for the holiday.

There is Laughing, Mischievous, Grumpy and Surprised.  I should've gotten more, they are so cute.

   

All Grins

For my birthday, FireHoth got my Pipos Baha Cheshire out of ransom and he's just adorable. He'll basically be seen in the Alice Rooms and with the incoming Johnny Depp boy.  But by himself, he's just evil.  Here he is on the new Mini Wheat Stage.  Finally a doll that needs NO CLOTHES.

   

I love his tail, it's even jointed.  What a hoot.

   

   

His fangs just kill me.

   

Mini Wheat Stage

So for the last several weeks I've been racking my brains out trying to do pictures of all of the tinies and things that come in for them, without having to make the trip up to the doll room and leave Little Man to fend for himself for minutes out of the day.  Although, he doesn't even know when I'm gone when I do go upstairs for something, I don't want to leave him alone for long periods of time, just to take pictures.  So what a good mother does, is makes a new stage within eye shot of him. 

I had been looking at room boxes, porches, foam board, and the like, and just didn't see anything that I liked or wanted.  Just when I was about to give up, I remembered that I had bought a diorama type of triptych a couple of years ago and dug it out of retirement.  I thought one, that I had thrown it out, two, thought if I still had it, it would be damaged. Neither was the case. 

This is basically just three binder boards, taped together.  The person that I bought it from, had the main side decorated in an Oriental theme, with windows cut out.  Here Little Wall-E demonstrates the coloring of it.

   

On to the kitchen table, a color theme, a few sheets of scrapbook paper, some double stick tape, and ribbon, and I came up with the best little stage, that's moveable ever.

   

I knew that I needed it to be downstairs so like I said, keep an eye on Little Man, make sure he's not changing the stations on the television, or bringing up the internet on his computer.  I had cleared the top of both of my bookcases off in the library from Christmas, and have never put anything back up, temporarily using them for pictures.  It faces an east window, so by the time I get up, the sun has gone from it, and just natural light pours in.  I still need to move the little shelf behind it and the pictures, but it's pretty much in a place that is high up, not much traffic and stationary.

   

Night shots, with flash, and Pearl trying it out.

    

I don't usually go with such muted, neutral colors, but thought because of either the outfits that will be showcased, or furniture, and even dolls, I didn't want it to take away from what I was actually taking the pictures of.

    

Now with all of the extra dollhouse furniture that's not being used, I can change it out whenever or just use no furniture.  Here are some of one of my birthday presents from FireHoth and Pearl in the daytime.  The red picnic table was suppose to be for Claudia and Bethany, but I like it on the new stage instead. Brings a little color.

    

I had some nifty little wedding enhancer LED lights from Michael's and now I can have instant light on the back of the stage.  I'm so happy with how this turned out and it was so simple.  Now when things come in, I can get pictures right away and have another stage in the house.  the Mini Wheat Stage.