Petite Blythe Dolls - there are now 14 !

 A little Dolly Story post today ... because this parcel arrived ...

"Eeeps - do be careful up there Bird!"

Julia: "Yep, red hair just like mine - let's get you outta there."

The first out of the big cardboard box was a red-head ... Zucchini Flower, Julia and Petal rushed to meet her.


A few things to note during the de-boxing - 
her feet were tied with ribbon!  so much nicer than wire.








And in the bag with her stand was a Blythe Coin? 

Eventually I figured out that this wasn't a bribe or special prize - but a weight for the stand - this little petite has a rather heavy costume.

Because - she is a squirrel.
Takara released "Squiggly Squirrel" in February 2008 - already 8 years old

I'm calling her  
Cecilia 'Squiggle' Ècureuil

Cecilia because it is the most sibilant name I can think of, Squiggle after the Wendy Boston squirrel I have had since I was a bub and Ècureuil because that is French for squirrel and a word I find completely unpronounceable.




Love Cecilia's dark eyes & red hair and that outfit is hilariously cute - I even love the tail which reminds me of a prickly pear - only non-prickly!

Julia: "Now you are being silly Zucci - Cecilia's tail is not a beard!"

Meanwhile: little Margaret was talking to someone through the plastic window of her packaging ...

"Don't hurt yourself breaking that plastic - we'll get Bird to help you."

"See, Bird is really good at this sort of thing."  

And I'll interrupt the little 'uns here - This doll is a 'Totally Tartan' released by Takara in September 2003, PBL-22, quite an early petite. 
And despite plastic wrapped tight about her arms (it was difficult to remove) the black trim on her dress has stained her shoulders.  These things happen - even when NFRB these dolls can deteriorate - plastic is never completely stable.

 Personally I don't mind, in fact, those stained shoulders helped me find her name ... Fenella MacTavish.  Fenella means 'white shoulders' - and MacTavish because it sounds like swirling tartan & bagpipes with haggis.

Back to the Little 'uns now -

Fenella: "Hello but I'm sorrry you'rre all a blurrr to me - I'm rrreally short sighted ..."

Bird: "Do you need these?"


 Fenella: "Och aye, that's much betterrr."

Bird: "Here, you had best have your handbag too ...   Now, let me introduce you to Margaret and Vivien ... "




And we'll leave the girls to their introductions while I show you some of her stock outfit.  She came with a petticoat, dress, red jacket, handbag and glasses - the boots are painted on.
I love the way the dress is cut-away at the back to reveal the red lace frills of the petticoat - it also has red bead 'buttons' at the back. 

And here is a portrait of little Fenella MacTavish

Meanwhile:  Hilda could hear faint meowing ...

"Bird, Look!  there is another box in here!"

 De-boxing ensued and Wilhelmina was delighted to see a girl with 'fantasy hair' ...

Interrupting again - she is a 'Feline Fancy' another Takara release from 2003 - this time from December.  And these petites are notorious for staining from their black outfit ... again there was a lot of hard-to-remove plastic but there is still staining, mostly on her shoulders and some stripes to her pretty green hair. 
 

 

Again I'm not worried about it - was expecting this staining - and again, it has inspired her name.  

Because she is a tabby cat I'm calling her Tabitha d'Khat.  Khat is the name of the very clever Siamese cat in a favourite childrens' book - 'Midnite' by Randolf Stow.  

 

Although it caused staining I rather like her outfit - the little dress and helmet are black velvet - decorated with silver stars on chains and the dress has petite embroidered across the front - the boots are painted on.  I also really love her pursed up little smile - just like my daughter's when she was very little - I called it her 'triangular smile'. 

Now for some group photos - the 3 new girls:

Tabitha d'Khat, Fenella MacTavish & Cecilia 'Squiggle' Ècureuil

The Red-Heads

Petal d'Fleur (Lily Wild), Zucchini Flower (Muchuahua Zukin), Cecilia 'Squiggle' Ècureuil & Julia (LPS Lemons 'n' Honey)

The Fantasy Hair Girls:

Tabitha was worried: "Is she ill?"
Chloe: "Nah! Viccy is just a baby, she is always needing a nap."
Wil to Viccy: "Would you like a glass of milk?"

They are - Victoria Amelia (Pajama Party keychain version), Tabitha d'Khat, Chloe (Clionetti) and Wilhelmina Blue (a customised 'Spirit & Spice).

Perhaps I have a 'thing' for petites with green eyes & red lippy?

Vivien Lee is a Rosie Red keychain version - so not sleepy eyes and as you can see, her eyelashes are quite different, her lips are also slightly larger, Tabitha's lips are darker and look a bit smaller even than Fenella's ... giving her that 'triangular smile'. 

 And to end this post - a group photo with all 14 of the little 'uns - 12 Takara Petites, 2 LPS and 1 LPS on an Obitsu 11cm body.  I like the number 14 - perhaps this is now my complete collection of petites or perhaps this is just ...

The Class of 2016? 

Parcels - it's all about parcels

Getting a parcel is wonderful fun.  These days I don't get parcels from my grandmother so I find other ways to ensure that nice little boxes with lots of sticky tape all over them, keep arriving on the door-step. 

One way is to participate in (or organise) swaps of Blythe Doll goodies - which I do through Ravelry.   Violetta got to open the latest parcel ...  




 And she called Bird and Julia over because ...

Another one of US !!!

De-boxing a LPS Blythe can be arduous ...  there are lots of knots and things

Here are last - little Heidi the Hiker.  Julia likes her pantaloons and Bird approves of her ponytails. 

 Heidi offered everyone a 'lick' of her lollypop and then she showed off her
"'tremely cool sunglasses"   but Bird got the giggles ...

Those sunnies are really quite funny

 Meanwhile - Violetta had found more things in the parcel - all in pretty pink paper ...







 








"Well - this certainly IS a lovely dress and beautifully made but somehow I think it is more Audrey's style ... "

and here is Audrey wearing the completely wonderful Audrey Hepburn outfit ... dress, gloves, pearls and tiara!   thank you "Squishy10"   from Ravelry for a great swap outfit. 

I must show you the outfits I made for this swap - in a future post.

The other way to make sure you get parcels is to buy things on the www.  When people discuss the decline of "bricks & mortar" shops & shopping this factor is never mentioned - but surely one of the best parts of on-line shopping is the arrival of the parcel - and by the time it arrives you've almost forgotten what you bought and you get that wonderful 'parcel opening' thrill ...

One of the doll's house / miniatures companies had a special on some kits that you have to put-together yourself ... I couldn't resist getting some natty little tables - very useful bits of furniture for problem corners.

Not sure when I'll get the time to put the kits together ...
Of course I'd bought some other things too ... a jardinière on a pedestal (I'll plant a fake aspidistra in it) a very nice ham with garnish and 3 little mice.   


All very Beatrix Potter's "Two Bad Mice"   (only there are 3!) 
Now to get the "two red lobsters ... a fish, a pudding, and some pears and oranges." 

Tom Thumb doesn't even need to carve this ham - it is already sliced

And the LPS Blythes had a very nice dinner to welcome Heidi ...

More Happy Yellow Fluffyness

LPS Blythes  :  As promised - some photos of Violetta in her costume for the Easter Show.

 Julia :  Dear Violetta works very hard - practicing her dance steps and routines until they are quite perfect.
















Bird :  She helps us with our routines too ...

we like working with Violetta, we work hard but it is fun too.  

Julia :  Yes, Violetta looks after her Chickadees.

Yellow, Fluffy & they go Cheep Cheep

The little LPS Blythes have been very busy rehearsing and practicing, going to costume fittings and dance classes ... all because they are going to part of a big Stage Show with some Easter time numbers.

Julia and Bird are going to be 'Chickadees'  ...  fluffy yellow baby chickens and here are some sneak preview photos from a dress rehearsal.






Bird : We have one song, it is a little bit silly because we have to sing a lullaby to lots of eggs!

Julia :  Well, it is the stage my dear - lots of things are a little bit silly on the stage.  I like to think that it is all rather cute.

Bird :  Oh, I think we do Cute quite well darling. 

 

 Julia : Yes sweetie I quite agree.  Well the Lullaby to the Eggs number ends and we go straight into a big dance number with lots of High Kicking - it is quite spectacular.

Bird : And exhausting sweetie - quite exhausting!  

 Julia : Our friend Violetta is in the show too and she has lots of dance routines - I'm rather glad we only have the one!

Bird : Quite so darling.  We join Violetta (in another post we'll show you some photos of her in costume)  for one of her big numbers and we have to ride about & pose on this big Chicken sitting in a Basket prop as it gets wheeled about the stage.

Julia : Yes sweetie, and it is quite difficult to hold on to the big chicken but we must keep smiling ... no matter what!

Bird : Well my dearest, that's show-business.  Smile even though there are feathers up your nose, Smile even though you are sliding off a big chicken ... just keep smiling and everyone will think you are very cute.

Julia : Oh I do hope so - because really it is all quite a lot of fun being a 'Chickadee' on the Stage.

It's Yellow, it's Soft & it's Fluffy ...

 

Bird :  She said she was going to make us outfits with this yellow stuff - but what is it all about?
Julia :  I'm not sure but I think it has something to do with Easter.
Bird :  Hmmm, I like the colour and it is soft but it kinda' gets up your nose!
Julia :  Ah-chooooo !
Bird :  Bless you my little chickadee.  


To Be Continued ...

Petite Blythe moves in

Seems like the Blythe Dolls are taking over my life!  Certainly the newest (and littlest) Blythe has taken over the Dolls' House.  Bird is a LPS Blythe - she likes Ladybirds and joined the other dollies some months ago.

When I showed Bird the dolls house it seemed that all the furniture was just the right size ... not to big, not to small but just right.  I think Bird has moved in....

Making Biscuits in the kitchen

Replying to her fan mail in the Drawing Room

Playing Bach Toccatas in the Parlour

And making friends with the Cornish Rex Cat

At the dressing table

Running a nice hot bath

Bed-time - tucked up in the Nursery