How to drop several dress sizes in an hour (staring Savonah)

Hi Everyone,

Today I want to take you through the easy tried and true steps to lose weight safely.

Step 1: This is your preparation stage, I started on this one when I first occurred to the human. When I told her what I wanted to be. If you’re already established this might be trickier, but just get your human and put into their mind what you want to look like. Then comes the waiting. For me it took 5 years, but for you it might be a lot faster, it depends on how quick your Human is.

Eventually a box will arrive and you’ll know it worked.

Step 2: Open the box. For this you’ll need some scissors (the human leant me some nail scissors as they were more my size than her normal ones).

And a lot of force. These boxes can be tough.

Step 3: Once you get the box open you’ll want to toss the invoice, sometimes they can distress the human.

Then get everything out.

Step 4: Carefully unwrap all the bits. Make sure you’ve got everything and sort them so it’ll be easier for you later.

Sometimes they come assembled … you’ll want to skip down to step 7 if that’s the case.

Step 5: With this particular body you’ll need to get the Human to glue some parts. I’d do it myself but I know how that stuff bonds to resin. As it was the human got it all over her fingers, but there was no damage to her blushing or anything so it was ok.

Step 6: Here’s where you can get back involved. The instructions said to use the metal string pull method of putting the body together, but we’ve always used the ribbon method, as we have plenty of ribbon. This body is a little different to our others, so we’re thinking it’s time we invested in a metal pull thingy.

But with the ribbon method you loop the ribbon around the elastic and through the (in this case arm) pieces get a good grip and pull. The human says sometimes feet are useful as you often need more than 2 hands, but I did ok.

We followed a combination of the manufacturers instructions and knowledge from experience to put it together.

Step 7: Ouila a finished body. You have to stop helping now and let the human behead and dress your new bod. But take a moment to admire your handy work first.

And then your done, and can enjoy your new body!

Kisses,

Savonah

Baby’s got blue eyes.

I’m looking at finally getting some eyes for Jordan. All the Campbell’s will have eyes in grey type shades.

But I had these (their actually stock so I probably shouldn’t mess with them), and they match her dress, not that you can see that.

Anyway here she is:

She didn’t want to pose without her best friend Lamby.

wolf

This is what I’m working on this week:

I sat down to draw him this morning. … Given I don’t consider myself an able bodied drawer … well clearly my familiarity with dogs works for me on this one.

The body is little off, because my figure model was rolling in my lap saying ‘love me, love me’. I’ll get the other one to sit for me later. LOL

Sorry about the image, I won’t have the scanner online til after the new computer is set up.

Last Days of Summer

Although we’re well into Autumn here Summer came back for a going away party this week. Rhyannon has been out enjoying the sun.

I snuck out and got a pic or two before she decided to acknowledge me.

She almost seems to be smiling for once.

Rhy: Human, I thought you said I had the morning off?

After some cajoling she conceeded to pose for me, even though I was interupting what had been a pleasent moment.

She even put the cardi on for me, even though it was so warm outside.

But she got bored of me very quickly and went back inside.

(This is the ‘test cardi’ for So’s new outfit, I finished off the top to go with today.)

McClelland Gallery

Yesterday a friend and I wandered down to the McClelland Gallery in Langwarrin to see if it was appropriately doll friendly for a possible meet up. It had been a long time since I was last there, about 15 years I think, and she’d never been before.

We had a wonderful time and took a bunch of pics, but not nearly enough to capture what the place was like.

But lets start at the start.

There were there of these moving sculptures in the park. They were recent additions and don’t appear on the map so I’m not sure if they are permanent instillations or not. This particular one was located near the car park. The top was made up of 3 segments that when in line formed a circle, but as you see from the pics they didn’t do that often, or for long. It also has a joint in the pole near the top so it could turn into the wind better. The mechanism is purely ball bearings and is operated by the wind, their movements were so graceful.

Here are Rhyannon and Fir sitting on a sculpture, if the map is to be believed it’s a statue called Jabaroo, but I think perhaps this is another that wasn’t on the map as I don’t remember reading that on the sign. But maybe

I was particularly excited to meet Fir as she’s the sculpt I’d like to have as Young Rhyannon if I ever get younger selves.

Freya was impressed by the large naked man, Peter Schipperheyn’s Thus Spake (I’ll have another pic of him later). We were concerned at first that his proportions were off. His legs and hips seemed far larger than his torso, but from our vantage point from lunch he looked a lot more normal, so perhaps he’s to be viewed from a distance. (Though Frey seemed keen to get up close.)

Fir sitting on a piece that I think was called Shore Column by Davis Wilson, if it’s not that piece it was another in the series

Several of the pieces at the gallery were designed to be interacted with. This piece was 4 large pieces of wire punched with holes, 2 green, 2 red set out to form 2 circles the green circle inside the red. From the outside they were quite uninteresting…

but once you walked inside the green and red holes formed interesting patterns and distorted the landscape surrounding them.

This piece titled Paesaggio Cariatide (Landscape Caryatide) by Norma Redpath is a large tree like sculpture, small base with an outwards reaching upper section. I didn’t get a pic of the overall structure, but the stairs at one side were perfect for sitting.

One can see in this picture how Rhyannon was growing pissy at me for taking her out on a cold day with no shoes and a flyaway wig. (want to see that closer? here ya go:)

She sulked most of the day. LOL – Bad Dolly Mummy

Freya tried to hide from me in this little cave,

but I found her

This piece was called Torus -Hidden and revealed by Adrian Page.
Now I love all art that’s round and shiny, but this had the added fun of sequences of numbers punched into the outside. I felt if one wrote them down and stared at them long enough one could break the code and it would say something.

This piece we were having too much fun playing with to take in the name, it may have been Port by Clive Murray-White. That seems to fit.
Anyway while I was arranging dolls at this end, Mawgy wandered around the back and took these two artistic shots.
Freya from behind.
and the Ever Glowing Fir from behind.
Fir looks almost see through!

This piece might have been Fourth Stairway by Ian McKay, but that doesn’t seem right to me. In any case it reminded us both of a giant Skull. Sadly it ate our dolls:

I’m pretty sure Homespace by Darren Davison was both Mawgy’s and my favourite piece. The outside was a basic silver hut. It looked so utilitarian that at first I wasn’t sire if it was a piece or a shed. But it was too shiny for a shed so we wandered over. I announced I was going inside even before I saw the sign inviting us to enter. The first ‘corridor’ was ok, lit as it was from the outside, but I turned the corner to be confronted with a wall of black. I could sense where the walls were, but I’d be lying if I said I could see them. I hesitated and considered turning back, not knowing how well they maintain their pieces. Could there be cobwebs? Could there be something unpleasant or smelly in there that would be upsetting? But I went on. At the second corner something frightening and wonderful happened. I was walking along looking at my feet watching where I stepped, when suddenly it looked like the floor dropped away. This shocked me a moment and I paused again, then carefully I reached out my foot and put it on the reflective floor.

It was a strange moment, looking down into the abyss of the missing floor, and seeing stars.

For stars there were, everywhere.

In the roof there were all these tiny holes cat, in various sizes and arrangements looking like constellations (yet we couldn’t recognise any). So above us there were stars, and below also.

(yeah I know the floor pic didn’t work well.)
It was magical.
We lingered there a little while.

In the woods by homespace was a do not touch sculpture (Pollinator phenotype by Simeon Nelson) … Freya was very very bad.

But she told me she wasn’t really touching it, merely flying over it.

I didn’t believe her.
I could see why it was do not touch, and we shouldn’t have, a section had been broken off at some stage and the paint had several rubs. Freya didn’t seem to add to the damage …. hopefully

This is taken from the inside of Spillwater (Matthew Cox and Darren Davison). The outside looked like a rainwater tank that had pitched sideways. Inside as a little window with distorted glass that looked out over the pond.
Fir preferred looking in:

see she glows!

These were interesting. The piece isn’t listed on the map so I can’t tell you it’s name. But I’m sure you’ll agree it’s quite morbid yet fascinating.

This piece was quite interesting given the setting. In the middle of the trees was some concrete and asphalt shapes with a signpost (no standing) and this rubbish bin. This piece I remember was titled Urban Real but it isn’t on the map so I cant tell you the artist.

While I was lining up for a second closer pic Frey got sick of waiting so dived head first out of the bin, splat into the dirt, she looked so funny with her legs and arms splayed out.

She was ok.

Just round the corner from There was White Ape by Lisa Roet. Freya decided to say hello even though she was still annoyed at me for not catching her.

This was definitely a fave of mine … it doesn’t seem to ne named on the map either. But ot was 3 poles suspending all these rocks by wires off the ground in a circle.




They reminded Mawgy of planetary rings. They were very cool.

Then there was Tarax Play Sculpture by Peter Corlett. It was a whole lot of white bubbles. Some were open. As you can see the inside was graffitied, I’d almost say that was part of the artist vision.



Fir checking out the handprints.

Inside the bubbled the wind and car noises echoed and reverberated making a sound that reminded Mawgy and I of didgeridoos.

The Micky isn’t on the map so I can’t tell you who it was by, but it’s clearly a political commentary. poor Micky is being tortured on a steel platform that’s wrapped in barbed wire bringing together several pop culture, religious and political icons to form a statement of belief.

As we were leaving the sun broke free of the clouds and the lake was all a sparkle. The camera didn’t quite capture it.

In this pic you see Snuffle by Sebastian De Mauro (the green astroturf pieces) the propeller was another moving piece I don’t have the name of, and Island Sculpture by Inge King on the island, you can’t really see the ones behind but another moving one was back there.

And I got another shot of Thus Spake, the naked guy.

And his friend the his sister Torso Femminile.

She was stunning I was really impressed with her. Only one side of the marble was carved, and yet so beautifully, and in terms of scale, you can just see the sky peeking over the top of the roof at the left. She was a storey tall.

We had a great day and will certainly be going back dragging as many as we can with us

Quoth the Raven – Lenore

So here’s the finished pics of Lenore. I’m not keen on the images myself, but you can see the outfit and get an idea of the lovely that it has in person.

It’s on it’s way to it’s new home

So details on the outfit:
The dress is taffeta lined in light pink. It’s done in a wrap style and has asymetric ruffles.
The petticoat has the first 3 stanzas painted on it and is high waisted sitting just under the bust.
You’ve seen the bag, painted ravens on the inside and embroidered raven on the front.
And the apron, similar art work to the original outfit, 2 Ravens on a branch, the branch painted and the ravens apliqued and embroidered.

All painted elements were scothguarded after they dried in an effort to help preserve the work.

What I did this week

This week So got a new outfit. And now it occurs to me she got the last new outfit too so the others need to be put first, she’s sneaky with her I’m all sweet you want to give me stuff mojo. She asks all self sacrificing so you end up giving her everything.

Anyway here it is:

The cardi was a T shirt I picked up at the Salvo’s lol $2 … then I went and spent $20 on fabrics and ribbons to go with lol!!

So I made the T into a cardy and used new fabric for The Tshirt and skirt she’s wearing with. I used Ribbon to add a design to the skirt that was the same as the cardy to tie it all together.

Sorry I’ve not been around as much, my computer broke Sunday (not sure I said here or not, if I did please excuse the repitition). She’s gone for good now, but I’m borrowing mum’s lap top for a few weeks until I can get a new computer. So I don’t have access to any info stored on my hard drive at present (but the drive is ok so I’ll get that back in a month when I’ve got the new system) so I can’t access my old emails addresses etc … I CAN get into my email online. So I can be contacted, it’s just more difficult.

repeating

I finished my second bag last week.

I’ve made it to go with an outfit I’m really happy with. I’ve had a few people compliment Quoth the Raven (links 1, 2, 3) one particular person requested I make another outfit on the theme for her. So I’ve been having a go. And I think I’m starting to get back into the swing of things.

Anyway here’s the bag that goes with … I won’t share the rest yet as it really needs to be entirely finished before I can get the proper pics.

You’ve seen the inside of the bag already. It’s made of taffeta, and on the front it’s embroidered with a raven in flight.

When Grandma notices something.

Grandma was looking across at Precious* this morning (an amazment in itself that she was up, and in my loungeroom!) and said: ‘That little doll with the blonde hair and round face, she reminds me of a photo of me as a little girl standing on a chair.’

I knew exactly the one so went to the cupboard and pulled out the photo album (to keep her engaged and thinking more than anything) and sure enough, they do look rather alike.

not exactly, but that fringe and round face … but it was lovely to see her looking at the things around her and thinking things about them. Actually engaging with her surroundings. She seems to take a lot for granted these days.

*see last post

I’ve been taking pics

I’m always promising to take pics of things … and sometimes it takes a little while. A while back I had a request to see my cloth dolls and recently I’ve been asked to show a doll with the new bag.

So out came the camera!

(like it’s ever put away!)

And Savonah:

Painting

I’ve been working on another The Raven inspired outfit. I’ve had a few people asking me to do another since ‘Quoth The Raven’ turned out so well. I’m calling this ensemble Lenore. I’m real pleased with it. Hopefully the finished pics will be shareable soon.

Bag Lady

Last year I wanted to make up a bunch of hand bags to sell and gift, but as it was I only did the one. I think the pics are up here, not sure. I still need one for myself! LOL ah well.

Today I finished up a bag.

Inside theres a pocket to put your wallet in.

And one for scale.

As you can see it’s much bigger than my dog

I’ve been stealling food

And I’m totally not ashamed to admit it.

Often when Gma is out, I open the panty and go through all the items, I gather up a few, take them out and compost them.

Only 10 or so at a time, then I rearrange the shelves like nothing is gone.

Today I even removed a shelf (it was broken anyway) so she wouldn’t notice the reduction.

The food is all out of code, today when I took this out

I thought ‘we have a winner’. 1990, really how much food would be older than that? Ok sure I’ve chucked out a bunch with no date on them assuming they predate the requirement to add dates.

But then a few more along I found this

Yeah that’s prolly as old as I am, expiring the year my little cousin was born. Scary.

Some food you don’t need dates on. You can tell from the packets

The old style packaging.

The rust.

The PRICE!!! 40c? 35c??? They must be old!

And my all time ‘favourite’ from the other week

The half eaten jar of anchovies that expired in 08, shudder, that thing was gross.

Gift Horse

Savonah: Rhy, did you see the cute top I got in the parcel from Linda that came last night?

Rhyannon: It’s lovely, but I bet what I got is cuter.

Rhy: Liiinda!! How could you help her do this to me??

(Me: Mwhahahhahahaaaaaaaaaaa)

The Garage the Grandpa Built

Around 60 years ago my Grandparents built this house.

Grandpa designed the house while he was in a German Prisoner of War camp.

In that design he allowed himself a large garage/workspace. This is where he spent much of his retirement.

It’s seen better days, and although it’s not his anymore. When he died 7 years ago Grandma gave away most of his things.

But still here on the wall is his handwriting.

And that is precious.