Wren is ready...

Wren is excited that she too will be going on adventures to New Zealand with Henry and Peggy Sue (Post can be seen here.)

She found a 'walking outfit' and tried it on for size.

Wren tries it out and has a 'hike' around the garden,

Yes just perfect for tramping around the New Zealand bush.

A bit of competition going on?

The sun is shining brightly and Wren is outside again

this time wearing another new sweater knitted last night

She likes to walk on the balancing beam.

A little later on in the morning Peggy Sue can be heard chatting to Little Owen

Seems like she is on a mission.

All the while telling Little Owen something...

If SHE can do it SO CAN I!  Peggy Sue tells Little Owen.

Never one to be out done, Peggy Sue shows Little Owen how she too can walk along the balance beam.

Checking on the daffodils.

Wren explores the garden and checks the daffodil growth.

It was a glorious day yesterday - the sun was shining, the sky was blue.

Summer Sun here we come!

So it seems I am a little bit obsessed with Wren at the moment, but can you blame me?  She is great fun to make things for and being that little bit smaller, it is also quicker...oh and that combined with the fact I am actually supposed to be doing more mundane things like a huge clear out, clean and tidy up!  I am the mistress of procrastination!

So here she is in her bikini....I might redo her bikini pants as not completely happy with them yet, but she thinks they are pretty okay!

Using a pattern I have used for Mini American Girls, but lengthening the dress length I made this cute little dress for her.

Oh I 'stole' the flower from Mini Saige's dress...oops!  

This was a new pattern that I got from Polly on Etsy  a great little pattern and fun to make.

Summer wear for Wren?

Wren is hoping to get to spend some time in warmer climes soon...

So some shorts were made...which are a great fit.  

A top was also made, but thinking this needs some modifications done to it before I am completely happy with the pattern.

Of course she also wants a bikini for the beach!

The top has been made.

Now just got to make the bikini bottoms.  

Valentines Day Wishes

Happy Valentines Day wishes from Wren.

She is wearing her new dress teamed with black stretch pants.

Pocket Puzzles

Wren discovered the little pocket puzzles from New Zealand today and was very excited to play with them.

She started with the Kiwi puzzle.  

It was quite simple, but she loved doing it and propped it up to show her handy work.

Isn't that sweet? 

Maudlynne goes Sailing.

At the moment I am undergoing a mass clear out of STUFF - everything and anything!  Mostly not doll related, however, during the course of this I sometimes come across something to do with the dolls and that gives me an opportunity for five minutes 'play'.   Today I found a sailor dress I was given by a friend a year of so ago in the hope it would fit my Agnes Dreary, but it was way too big. Looking at it today I thought it might just well fit Maudlynne... and sure enough it did.  Although it was mighty difficult to get on her as the only opening is the neck!  Now getting it off might be a problem, but I won't worry about that for now.

I think this fits her quite well and as I have a bit of a sailor theme going on with some of my dolls at the moment, as seen below,  it seemed appropriate.

I also had a little 'faff' around of my doll shelf.  Quite a mix!

Meanwhile Wren was also taking a break from helping with the sorting...and is having a cup of tea.

Sonali Arrives.

Chrissy (or Chrissa which is her 'official AG name') is, next to Saige (who is special because my son sent her to me as a surprise birthday present), my favourite American Girl.  I remember when she arrived - she was hand delivered which seemed to make her that much more special.  Plus I really can relate to her story.  Children can be mean and spiteful and it isn't nice to be bullied.  I have also discovered that some don't grow out of being bullies and are the same as adults as well!  I like the way Chrissa overcomes being bullied and friendships are made.   Wish it could be quite so perfect in real life!  But still the message is put across well.  I enjoyed the film too which a lovely friend gave me.  Oh and Chrissa also enjoys crafts and sewing and one day we hope to find her sewing machine!  

Now recently I was offered one of Chrissy's friends that came out at the same time she did.  (She was Girl of the Year 2009)  I was absolutely delighted to be able to have her.  So Sonali has joined our American Girl family.  Sonali doesn't become available very often, and very rarely in the UK, so we grabbed the chance!

She is really beautiful

She is currently in her 'Meet Outfit' but both her and Chrissy have asked for some clothes to be made!  I hope to oblige when I have got the more necessary chores out of the way...

Since being reunited they haven't stopped chatting and are hoping that one day there will be an opportunity to obtain their other friend Gwen to join them.  

Wandering with Wren - 1

Wren went wandering today

to see what she could find, 

a fountain sparkling in the sun

the water reflecting the beautiful blue sky

time to sit and relax

Comparing a Makie with a BJD

A few weeks ago I took some comparison photos of my friend's Makie doll with my Lati doll - showing the different poses they hold and the ease to which they do so.  I only have one BJD doll now, having sold the others due to not really 'bonding' with them and feeling they were wasted with me.  I kept back my little Lati Lami as she is very sweet and I hadn't quite decided whether to part with her or not.  

Obviously they are quite different in size.  Although their joints are of a different type, they are in similar places, i.e. shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees and ankles.

I could have done with a flatter surface but this was the best I had for photographing them against a neutral background.

The girls kindly obliged and showed me some of their 'poses and paces'

Strike a pose!  Just love this pose!

Even on a very smooth surface the Makie doll held her poses well.

Sadly I couldn't say the same about the Lati doll, who in the end gave up and watched....the surface was just too smooth for her.

The Lati has a bit more flexibility than the Makie - I love the way she sits in this pose - a position I still often choose when sitting on the floor!  Poor Makie though just couldn't do that.

She does manage to sit up though and doesn't fall over backwards.

You can see here, the Lati has a more 'natural' type pose, but they can still both kneel okay.

All in all, despite not having quite as much 'flexibility' than the Lati doll, the Makie doll wins hands down for me as when you put her in a pose she keeps it.   This is really important to me as I like to take my dolls out and about and write photo stories, and there is nothing more frustrating that spending too much time trying to get a doll to hold a pose.

Of course not really knowing anything about BJDs in general, I am sure someone more knowledgeable than me would have more success with perhaps playing around with the mechanisms in the Lati doll - I don't think there is anything wrong - she is nicely strung  - it is just that she doesn't suit what I want her to do.  She is a really sweet doll, with a charming face, but doing this comparison really helped me make the decision about whether she was to stay or look for a new home, and now I have my own Makie doll, Wren, the little Lati Lami doll will be up for re-homing where she will be enjoyed more than I am able to.  I much prefer the size of the Makies at 10 inches.  The Lati is just too small.  I think also the fact that the BJDs are so expensive also means I am more wary about taking her out anywhere in case she is damaged, so the poor girl has spent most of her time in her box!

I am very grateful to my friend for leaving her doll with me for a week - she certainly was a great 'enabler'.  

Yet more sewing!

Wren is pleased with her messenger bag that was made today - the pattern was from the Makie Couture blog found here.  Thank you! 

I have been experimenting drafting some of my own patterns for Wren today.

First up is this dress which will be ideal for summer.  Yes she still insists on wearing her boots!

Next up is this flower power jacket - fun!

On the needles is a dress which I hope to finish tonight.

Now of course I shouldn't be sewing I should be tidying and sorting - by yes I am in procrastination mode, which means doing anything BUT what I should be - so of course I am sewing!