Frann And Patti Doll Go To The Mall... Weeks Ago...

Doll Friends,

Have you ever had a period of your life where you feel like you are barely treading water on the 'have-to's' (you know, like eating & sleeping and other 'basics')... Much less getting anything 'extra' (blogging, texting friends, dusting...) done. Well, that's been me since the day I took these photos on October 10th, er, well, actually a couple of days before that...

I rely very heavily on my consistent schedule and it had already changed, or disappeared and been replaced with a different (albeit better and friendlier although much looser) one in mid summer...  So I was still adjusting to that when a out of town family member (whom we hadn't really seen much for over a decade because reasons) decided to invite themselves into our lives for a period of three weeks. What?!?! I don't know about you but having family 'in town' is exhausting... You're always 'on' and can never really relax. Luckily, for me, it doesn't happen very often (ok, barely ever) and certainly not for three strait weeks. I was game to try though for sake of my sweet husband because he wanted to get along better with said family member. (It's a long long story that is kind of irrelvant with regards to details, we all have 'those people' in our lives don't we?) 

So... Given all those variables, despite my best efforts to the contrary, I sort of just quit doing much 'doll stuff' for three whole weeks. I'll be honest, I was in a rather bad slump of depression. I was trying to put on a good face and make peace with this person but... Well, there was a lot to unpack with that and stuff I'd avoided for, well, ten years. Blah. Well, one of the first things to go when you trip and fall into depression? The stuff you love... I just started seeing my dolls through this person's eyes, "silly and pointless and a waste of money and time." (Don't you love how such people never say such things to your face but instead to other people so you get the joy of hearing it second hand... Fun times.) 

Finally... The person left. They live fourteen hours from here and over some mountains and I started breathing better when they were about eight hours into their trip away from here. Is that terrible to say? Doll's are so much easier to deal with than real people, eh? My mind is slowly thawing out and so is my heart and mind... I literally feel like they've been in a deep freeze or something. 

So, just trying to explain to you, dear reader, why I've been so sporadic and MIA for the better part of a month. I haven't even touched my Halloween stuff despite being really excited about it this year because I got quite a few great new costumes... So that might just not happen and I'll have to keep them for next year. Who knows, maybe I'll do a mini-Halloween photo shoot but it likely won't be nearly as much detail as the last couple of years have been. 

*sigh*

I better run! Thanks for being a Doll Friend! Ya'll are some of my very favorite people! 

Till next time!
XXOO
Heather

Charlsea's Farm Stand Photo's And YouTube Video!

Hi Doll Friends!!

I took these photo's of Charlsea's Farm Stand weeks ago... I made a YouTube video with them and apparently totally forgot to even mention them or post them here on the Blog at all. I tell you, having so many 'venue options' on the internet that it becomes more and more easy to get a post up on one and totally forget to post on the others. Blogger, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook & Google+ are 'all' I try and I know there are even more than that... And as I was listing them all out there, I realize I probably haven't posted anything to Pinterest in months...

*sigh*

 I know... First world problems. Eh? 

Then these last week and a half or so we have had family in town... I am exhausted and feel like I've been running just to try and keep up with everything and I am still dropping balls all over the place. So, here is me apologizing for being a bit less consistent of late... Trust me, no one in the world is ready for me to get back to my regular pace and schedule than I am. I mean, it's nice to see people from out of town but in modern day life, nothing else slows down at all so it's just 'one more thing' to add to your life. Did I mention I am exhausted? So... If you're the praying sort I'd love it if you could lift me up some prayers that I'll keep a correct perspective for the rest of the week and just roll with whatever comes? That would be wonderful.

So, here are the photos I took of Charlsea's Farm Stand. I used a lot of components from when I got several My Life As Doll sets on clearance. I had a lot of fun putting it all together and the YouTube video is probably one of my favorite ones yet. 

I have to run...! Where does the time go? 

Off to herd the cats! (get the teenagers out the door to school)

XXOO
Heather

JoJo Siwa Outfit Set By My Life As Doll!

Greetings and Salutations Doll Friends!!

First off, I am sorry I've been less consistent with my posts the last few weeks... I've had family visiting town and been doing an in depth Bible study and both have cut into my 'blogging time'. Another week of people in town though and life should get back to 'normal'. Well, you know, other than us then being into the full blown Holidays-till-the-end-of-year rush. We will cross that bridge when we get there, eh? Don't get me wrong, I love the holidays, there are just a lot of i's to dot and t's to cross during that time of year. Who am I kidding, I guess there always is. Good gravy, way to ramble on about the existential crisis of modern man there, eh? 

So recently I've told you about the 2018 My Life As Doll clothing sets... Surprising even myself, I haven't really been way too tempted to buy them this year. They are all really cute but really, at $20/set, it makes each outfit about $7/each with tax and... Well... Regular price for My Life As Doll outfits are $9.99 and they've really improved them over the last couple of years, often having an accessory or two included. So, the outfit sets are perfect for gift giving parents or grandparents because it's a huge box for under the tree for 'impact' value. For an adult collector several years into collecting? Kind of a 'more of the same' and 'not even that much cheaper' kind of thing. If that makes sense. However... There was one of the sets out this year I did want.

Me and half of the rest of America apparently because it took me a while and quite a few Walmarts before I happened to find it again once I decided for sure I wanted a set... Which set? The JoJo Siwa set of outfits. Ironically enough, I looked up the JoJo Siwa set I got in 2017 and laughed to see that I posted about that set almost exactly a year ago today, only two days off. How funny. 

One of the main reasons I wanted the set was the adorable unicorn top that comes with it. Obviously I'll probably always have a bit of a nostalgia factor, unlike many who are familiar with JoJo, because I knew her the year before she went on the dance mom's (name of show?) show and became famous. It still blows my mind just how many 'things' have her on them. Good for her! I love that she's stayed wholesome and sweet just like she was when she became famous. She, despite having become an teenager, allows herself to be a girl and I think that's great. There is plenty of time to be a grown up! Why rush it? Right?

So I had Frann and Layla model a couple of the outfits for you. I used the PJ's top to create a 'daytime' outfit with the little skirt. I thought the skirt was a bit too short to wear alone and so added the butterfly leggings. 

I took them out to one of my favorite parks on a beautiful day last week.

I think Frann looks totally adorable in her outfit! I love the pants... Totally groovy!

I also brought along a couple of other dolls to photograph... Here is City Pal Maya with Frann and Layla. I thought her outfit looked like it was made to go with their outfits. Do you agree? It's the outfit that came on Anne/Eline from the Glitter Girls. 

I also brought along one of my beautiful Paola Reina Dolls I've gotten as a gift from my lovely sister friend Frann. She's wearing a Glitter Girls outfit and I think she looks adorable! I only got two photos of her before half of Nebraska's photographers showed up at my favorite park with families for photos... I decided to leave the venue to them... I am not one for crowds especially with a lot of kids who want to come play with the dolls when they see them. And I don't like to share. Hahahaha. KIDDING. But it's best I don't be there to distract them from their family photos. The Mom's might hate me. Teehee.

Better run or I'll be late to church!

Have a great Sunday!
XXOO
Heather