Day of the Dead

Last year around this time I became fascinated by the Mexican tradition of  Day of the Dead.  It is a celebration and time of prayer for the dearly departed.  On October 31, the souls of children are invited for a visit by creating an altar in their honor, on November first the souls of adults are to come for a visit, and on November second, the families of the dead decorate the resting places of their loved ones.

The loving way in which the dead are celebrated brings comfort to me and it solidifies to me a personal notion.  I always felt that the door between this world and the next is left ajar around this time of year.  I have lost many a loved one from September to December, I believe it's easier to cross at this time.  This is my tribute to those people.

Declan and Erin Visit the graves of their beloved

Of course fashion models can't resist a photo at magic hour.

Reverence

They never truly leave us.

For more than a year I searched high and low to find Calavera and Catrina decorations.  I finally found both from this Etsy Artist.  I love her creations so much.  Look for my review of her here.

Happy Halloween

In honor of the Dead on this Day

I wish you all a prosperous Samhain

-Mark

NOCTURNAL. AUTUMNAL

Happy Late Summer Everyone!

I'm sitting here in the middle of the night posting.  I recently took a temporary assignment at work that has me working from 8:30PM to 5AM, just for three weeks.  On my days off, I'm attempting to stay awake, so I don't have to go through jet lag (shift lag?) every week.  

Here I offer to you Harmon and Mel posing in this little room I made for them.  The pattern walls are prints I bought at IKEA.  The white walls are just stretched canvas that I layered beneath.  When I built the structure, it became clear that this room was to be very clean and modern, and a bit moody.  It kind of gives off that modern vampire vibe... so I went with it.  My better half therealdollnerd, gave me the little organge Oleum cat this past holiday, I love when things come together.  All I needed were a few pumpkins to finish off the Autumnal mood, and the terrible ol' Walmart had just what I needed.  How charmingly coincidental that I'm posting as it closes in on the witching hour.  

Even though it's still summer (technically), I guess my dolls are ready for all the fun Autumn has to offer.  Even though I never am... SUMMER FOREVER PLEASE!

I wanted to dress them to fit the mood, and Mel's dress from Inamorata was perfect, even though I already photographed her in it.  For Harmon, it was a little harder.  He's a bit bigger than Tonner guys, he's more robust around the chest, and his legs are long.  I had to dig a little deeper to find him some kit!  After researching for a bit, I found a spread sheet of BJD measurements.  Lo and behold, Harmon was close enough to Iplehouse's JID body.  It had to be ordered and shipped from Asia.  When the box came, I was so excited, because as any doll enthusiast knows, a box like this could be a big win or big loss.  I won!  

Too Much...

Hi Everyone!  I've really missed posting.  It's not for a lack of inspiration.  Maybe too much.  It was all so easy during my Fashion Royalty era.  That time of life was so much fun.  Integrity would release a batch, I would go cuckoo for one, I'd purchase.  Then I would scour the rest of the collection looking for a companion for the first one.  I'd start with the current batch, then I would scour DOLL PAGES (remember that little piece of heaven).  Looking for just the right friend.  Then I'd purchase that doll, and start creating something special around those two dolls.  It only lasted so long though.  I was running out of room in my little row house.  I wanted to build a FR mansion, but it wasn't logistically feasible.  I had to scrap that idea, and just do temporary room settings.  

After awhile, I started seeing other things in the doll world.  Like Asian Ball Jointed Dolls or ABJD, and 17" resin dolls.  Next thing you know, I have three scales competing for my brain.  I was hogging the shop table with ABJD stuff and DH couldn't do his stuff.  My photo table was housing the resin dolls from last post, and all of my playscales were sadly collecting dust in their bookcases.   It can get overwhelming.  so... Here I am at the tail end of my staycation, with a lot of relaxing done, I've decided to take a picture of something... anything. 

Here are my ABJDs.  Magnus and Mimi.  During Christmas I bought a grab bag of MSD stuff from Wickedstichery .  I think grab bags are a great inexpensive way to build a wardrobe and try out a vendor's stuff.  I love the stuff that the owner of Wickedstichery sent for Mimi.  It's not supposed to go together, but in the age of the Hipster , anything apparently goes.  (Full disclosure, I'm firmly in the GEN X age group, so I may and quite possibly have gotten all of this wrong.)  I think she looks really cute with all the mixed patterns.  Magnus is wearing skinny pant shorts from Springfield.  They produce fashions for 18" American Girl type dolls, but sometimes you get lucky!  His hoodie and shoes are from Nine9Style and Tatabjd.  I swear I'm not getting paid by any of these people. I hope you enjoy... -Mark SCD

Ps!  I'd love to know what scales you guys are into and how you manage your hobby :)

Kung Hei Fat Choy

Happy Lunar New Year!  Kung Hei Fat Choy is the way you greet someone on Chinese New Year in Cantonese, Gong Xi Fa Cai in Mandarin.  Yay learning!  I wish all of you prosperity and abundance in the coming year.  It's the year of the monkey!

How auspicious to have a new doll to share with you on this festive day!  It's very appropriate because she did travel from Hong Kong to be with us tonight!  Her face sculpt is distinctively Asian, and as an Aisan-American, I appreciate this nod to my heritage.  I hope you like these photos of her.

 I've never been a collector to have a grail doll in mind.  However, this one comes very close to a grail. I've been a fan of the doll's creator since her blogging days, she started her blog one year before I started this one.  She was a building a Fashion Royalty dollhouse.  She may be part of the reason I thought it was even possible to do such a thing LOL.  When she released her very own fashion doll, I wanted one, but I quickly squashed the thought.  At the time the price was unimaginable and I wasn't working with that scale.  So, I let it go...

 Last Christmas, when I fell hard for another artist's doll, I knew I wanted a partner in crime for him.  (Asher of New England is getting a second wave ready for market right now by the way!)  I immediately thought of Inamorata.  If you look through my blog, you'll find that all of my dolls have a partner in crime!

 Long story even longer... I contacted Emliacouture and now I have Chiharu, that's the name Emliacouture gave her.  I'll call her Melody Chiharu, or just Mel.  Her name can mean "song of a thousand springs."

She is an Inamorata from Emliacouture.  She is wearing an Inamorata fashion called Vertebrata.  Her face sculpt is  Miao, and her body and skin tone are from the first wave of the brand.  They were first released in 2012.  Emliacouture releases a Limited Edition (LE) batch every so often, but one can also purchase an OOAK from her.  When you do so, you get to specify the attributes for the face-up.  It's really a fun experience.  I was lucky enough to get one of her last two Miao in peach skin tone.  Check out the creators photos of this doll here, they put mine to shame, but I try.

That face though...

Every doll person, be you an enthusiast, hobbyist, collector, nerd or geek knows this following story.  You're innocently scanning every doll website you know.  Maybe you're looking for a gift for a fellow doll person, maybe you're looking for 16" fashion doll  scale cowboy boots, or maybe you just need a break from Facebook.  And so it goes... click click click -STOP... you see that face.  It's a perfect storm which may include among other things:  fatigue from seeing the same doll faces all the time, you're starting to cycle down from your last doll obsession and want something knew or for whatever reason, the universe connects you to that doll face.

Timidly you peek at the price, laugh out loud and move on.  Then you catch yourself, searching for the doll over and over on the web, finally bookmarking it so you're just a click away from your new obsession.  

Sooner or later you have a pile of things in the corner of the doll room that you're going to sell, so maybe you can get some coins together to make your purchase.  You probably start mentally spending birthday money you haven't received and mentally giving up Starbucks for a month or two.  You still can't pull the trigger on the purchase.

Finally.  Finally.  Finally, you pull your best doll friend aside and explain what's happening and how serious it's getting.  That person always comes through and confirms your suspicions,  "you need that doll... that doll is worth it... you'd be a fool not to... when are you going to have that opportunity again"  LOL

click click click  It's on your front porch.  This process can last 3 days to 3 years. 

Here's that face I was talking about.

 

Boy, was I right!  When I de-boxed him, it was all I could do to not start making a dollhouse for him!  'cause you know... that's like my thing :)  I'll go slow with the diorama part, for now.  I wanted to start with a simple photo shoot.  I knew that with this particular sculpt he'd have have some awesome angles in different lighting.

Check this out.

He is Kent from Asher of New England.  He is a limited edition of five!  I think Kent has one more brother left ready to ship out, in case you were wondering.  Leigh the creator is super cool, and has a few other doll related businesses.  Check him out here :)

Thanks for looking!

Here's one more shot!  Check the rest out on my FLICKR.

Happy Festivus 2015

SuperCoolDollHouse wishes everyone a Joyful Holiday!  Whatever you celebrate, I hope you are enjoying it, or you have enjoyed it or even that you will enjoy it.  

The resident dollfie's at SCD prefer to celebrate FESTIVUS!  because Festivus is for.... you guessed it, the REST OF US!

Mani and Mimi invited their TRDN cousins over for a party.

As the party gets underway, the usual awkwardness abounds.  No one know what to talk about, at least the pets know how welcome guests.  Seems like a good time for the Airing of the Grievances!

 After awhile, everyone gets warmed up.  It might be time to challenge someone to arm wrestling for the Feats of Strength.  It really is all in good fun though.  The TRDN crew and the SCDs really just want to enjoy each other's company.

Mani get down on the floor with Idris, and asks her what she wants for Christmas

The TRDN family pose for a family pic.

At long last , the party is over and Mimi and Mani get to relax on the couch and watch a movie.

Weird-cember

Ahhhh.... Christmastime!  The crisp cool air, scarves, mittens, big coats and boots.... cue the record scratch.   Nope, nope and nope.  Much like the rest of the US's mid-Atlantic, SuperCoolDollHouse City has been experiencing record braking warm days.  70 degrees in December?  Possibly the same on Christmas day?   What the what??????

Somethin' ain't right is all I have to say.  It's hard getting into the spirit of the holidays when the dogwood trees think it's spring, and are blooming.  This is really happening.  I must say it was nice to put up my Christmas lights in mild temps, but enough already!  I want to feel the frosty grass under my boots, and I want to see my frozen breath hang in the air.  I may even be desperate enough to do a snow dance to the tune of Do You Want To Build A Snowman.  Oh wait, no, no one should ever be THAT desperate.

I guess it's time to lean in and make the magic happen!  That's exactly what sisters Ning and Ding are doing.  They ran into each other at the local IKEA.  Which by the way is running an AMAZING promotion with their soft toys.  For each soft toy you purchase, IKEA will donate one EURO to a charity that helps children!  Check out the details here.

 Here's Coe!  He's picked up some hours at the local IKEA, hanging signs.

 Sisters Ning and Ding bump into each other.  They wore their new Christmas sweaters despite the warm temperatures.

 On purse holding duty are the men in the sisters' lives.

Ty is Ding's eternal on again off again dude.  Lex is Ning's very steady beau.

Lex:  ... so are you guys going to that ugly sweater party too?  Your sweaters are too much... Hahaha.

Ty:  sigh... no... this is just how Ding rolls right now....

Lex:  Sorry man...

 Ding:  Ty and I are on our way to the Children's hospital, we're gonna bring some toys for                their Christmas party!
Ning:  Oh that's great sis, I love how you dressed extra silly for the kids...
Ding:  What do you mean?
Ning:  Oh, huh, what?  I mean, oh sis you look real pretty.

 Ding:  Go get a cart Ty, we're taking all of them.

Ning:  We'll go get one for you, we need a cart too.  I think we'll go with you and bring toys.

... and end scene.  

 Next, I want to spread the word about something very exciting!  I'll do bigger post later concerning this!  But please look now!  CLICK HERE!

and

Ty and Lex started their journey to SCD as Kenner Starting Lineup figures from the 90s, don't they look great with the girls?

-enjoy  SCD

Get Well Soon Dinah and Hooper!

Two years ago, SCD adopted two little super cool dolls from The City of Brotherly Love.  Meet Dinah and Hooper, (wink wink).  They were a prize/gift when SCD won a Halloween contest!

Recently Coe, SCD's 1/6 spokes-doll noticed the babes were a bit quiet, so he went looking around the dollhouse for them.  Lo and behold, they were fast asleep in their new bedroom, trying to get over a bug.

How lucky SCD bought them a new IKEA bedroom suite to recuperate in!  The new HUSET set from IKEA comes with one bed with linens, one plush dinosaur, one dresser, one rug, one play table and one kid's chair.  The bed is neat in that it starts as a Kelley bed and extends to fit Barbie!  All of the furniture is actually based on real pieces, how cool is that?  

Hooper is a big dinosaur-head and Dinah(saur) just loves color, so after the furniture was placed, it was easy to decorate for them.

Coe was just a little worried, so he called in reinforcements in the form of Doctor Julia!  She went to med school after Corey graduated from High School, and went off to college.

After the good Doctor did her thing, the kids seem to be on the mend and playing just like always :)  I think they have a bit to go so SCD hopes that Dinah and Hooper get well soon!

Liebster Award! Discover More Blogs!

CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP.... That's all the dolls giving applause to... ahem... me... and also to thank Dana of  A Philly Collector of Playscale Dolls and Action Figures! Thank you for the tag, it is greatly appreciated.  It has been YEARS now and you always have a nice a word for me, even though I post sporadically.

...now let's peak in to the awards ceremony.  

Annik just announced the tag, Chip is a most handsome stage guide, and Coe thanks everyone who got us here tonight, his fellow dolls, their deities (Me and the Real Doll Nerd), everyone who has inspired us along the way!  And last but not least Dana.

Now down to business,  11 random facts about me:

1.  My folks immigrated from the Philippines to Baltimore, Maryland in the 50s.

2.  Cooking comes easy to me.
3. I don't know how to NOT worry, lol.
4. I remember things from 30 years ago that still make me cringe.

6. I would trade a jillion perfect fall days for a few hot as hell days by the pool.
5. I can't believe I am old enough to have 30 year old memories ( and then some).
7. Twenty seven was my favorite "single life" age.
8. I'm a nerd about family history.
9. I'm a jack of all trades, master of, maybe one or two.
10. Mr. Roger's Neighborhood was and is my favorite TV show.
11. I wish I liked exercise.

Now the 11 questions Dana my tagger posed to me:

1. How did you become a blogger?  

When I started in the miniature hobby, I didn't know what it was to have a leisure activity.  I made blogging my goal, so I wouldn't be "wasting" time doing nothing.  I've since learned to enjoy miniatures "just because."

2. What was your favorite subject in school and why?

Art, because, even though there were basic guidelines, there was no wrong answer.  I think I gave many wrong answers in other classes.

3. You can be any doll you want, brought to life. Which doll are you and why?

Any doll that got to live in a dollhouse.  Have you ever read Doll's House by Rumer Godden?  I'd like to be Tottie I think.

4. What is the coolest story ever connected to your blog?

Once years ago, my blog was picked up by the website Apartment Therapy, I got like thousands of hits that day.

6. What do you do when you are not blogging?

Working, nesting, watching endless TV, parenting my dogs.

7. What are your Grail dolls/action figures?

There's a book called Midnight in the Dollhouse, I think when I have the room, I would recreate the dollhouse and get all the dolls!

8. What three countries or cities would you like to visit?

Paris, London, Tokyo 

9. Is there a project you dream of accomplishing?

A complete and permanent doll house for  1:6, 1:4 and 1:3 and one inch scale.

10. What are your favorite foods?

Filipino comfort foods:  Sinigang, Appritada, Tinola

11. Any tips you would give future bloggers?

Do as many posts as you can and save them up. Only release them once in awhile.  It's hard keeping up with a blog.  I think people can get to like your way of doing things, and you want to give them more, but life just keeps happening all around you and getting in the way :)

Now I'm supposed to nominate a five fellow bloggers with less than 200 followers.  I love every blog I follow and it's hard to get down to five.  So.... if you would like a tag (nomination) comment below, and I'll be happy to do so!

Samhain

Oh hello there!  It looks like it's time for my seasonal update lol.  Shame on SCD for not posting regularly, but then again, this is what having a hobby is all about :)  

In the last few years the term Samhain has found it's way into my bubble of knowledge.  Without doing the research, I figured it was some sort of pagan term about fall, or such, and I was right!  Despite the look of the word, it is not a harvest devil or anything sinister.  

Let me back up a bit and drop some facts.  Samhain, is correctly pronounced "SOW-en"  or a close version of that.  To you legit Wiccans, please don't bombard me with proper pronunciation, "SOW-en" just connected with me for whatever reason.  In broadstrokes, Samhain is a Gaelic festival, loosely between the autumnal equinox and the vernal solstice, or between the first day of fall and winter.  It takes note of the entrance into the darkest half of the year.  The entrance to the lightest half of year is then denoted by Beltane, right around May Day, or roughly between the first day of spring and summer.

Soooo.... Samhain, falls on November 1.  The day after Halloween.  Which is probably why I like "SOW-en" as I can now relate  "HALLOW-en" with "Sow-en."  The interwebs say and don't say the two are are related, so go a Googlin' if you are curious, but I'm pretty sure you are not :)

I quite like another day to mark the time, it seems as I get older, the days are on fast forward.  I work in retail and in that business one is always planning two seasons ahead, and implementing one season ahead.  It's rare I can enjoy the seasons as they come.

Anyway Mani and Mimi are decked out in their Halloween gear.  Here they are last night, getting ready to go Trick-or-Treating!  Mimi's a punk rock ballerina, and sour face Mani just claims to be "chaperone."  However, he did put some effort into his outfit....

In modern terms, Halloween (and now Samhain) kicks off the holidays for many, so here we go careening into the New Year.  I will do at least one more post this year, and hopefully sneak another one too, in any case, see you on the other side!

PS.  Dana, thank you for tagging me.  I haven't checked in to my blog for a minute and just saw your comment.  I will do my post right now, but I'll save it and post it later.  Just gonna give Samhain some time to breathe :)

Big Beautiful Deena

SuperCoolDollHouse hosted a charity fair last weekend!  Two new arrivals wanted to make sure they made a good impression so they volunteered their time.  They each bought a space at the park for their charity.  These gals started their journey to SCD as Dena(s) from Big Beautiful Doll.  I think they said that even though they checked the box on the immigration form as Latina, they are actually Filipinas.  They go by their nick names Ding and Ning.  

This is Ning, she has a passion for animal rescue.  She heads SCD ARC, SuperCoolDollHouse's Animal Rescue and Care

This is Ding, she has a passion for .... passion.  

Ning:  Sister?  I don't think that is what SCD had in mind for the Charity Fair.

Ding:  We all serve in our own way sister, besides, all the proceeds will go to a great cause.

Ning: ...

Ding:  Don't be like that, trust me when I say, it's for a good cause.

Nin:  ... (and a side eye)

 The two little cuties are new to SCD too!  They arrived on Christmas :)  They are Lotte and Finn.

Finn:  Adopt!  Don't shop!

Lotte:  Only eat meat that isn't cute!

Finn:  Lotte, you suck.

Ding:  Ning you better keep your animals on your side!

Ning:  You better do the same.

.... and everyone laughed.... (I rarely do dialogue, so..... don't judge to harshly)

and

... so no sooner had I thought I was done with my 1/6 cycle, I get sucked right back in.  In the last few months I've been seeing the Big Beautiful Doll dolls enjoy a resurgence.  Blame Vanessa and Ms. Leo lol!  I have always admired them, and thought it would be neat to have all three in my collection.  Alas, even  years ago when I  first noticed them they were already off the market, and finding them on the secondary market was tough. 

One day recently, as I was admiring the BBDs on a few blogs, I came across contact information for the creator!  I emailed her straight away hoping to get the girls.  I was delighted when Georgette, one half of the creative team, emailed me herself. (and she's so nice...)  I was hoping to get all three gals, but woe is me, she only had Deenas left... so I bought two.  When they arrived, they were nude, so like many BBD-philes I dug in the deep recesses of my home to unearth some lovely frocks for the gals.  I wanted to make sure my Denas were kitted out in fashionable, youthful and smokin' attire.  I've seen that BBDs out there are made into best friends, mothers and (yikes!) grammas and I wanted to honor the spirit of these dolls, and keep them young and vibrant.  I think I did pretty well.

also... The Real Doll Nerd did me another solid.  Did you notice Ning and Ding's shoes?  Well TRDN squirrel-ed them away many moons ago.  They are dollar store toys that were knock offs of these.  At the dollar store, they were called Fashion Express.