Friday, February 28, 2014

It's Carnival Time in Trinidad & Tobago

It's "Fantastic Friday" and the country is buzzing with activities, fetes, traffic and parties. Carnival is on Monday and Tuesday coming (3rd and 4th March 2014), just before Ash Wednesday. 


We used to be able to view carnival bands parading through the streets live on television (when we did not have as many TV stations and you didn't need to buy the 'Rights' to air Carnival live.).  At those times we would have the television on all day and viewing the costumes at the pre-carnival shows and on carnival days, made me feel very creative.

Some time around 1996/1997, I made a doll sized carnival costume  to fit Barbie.  It was my first.  I used felt, beads, feathers, a skewer for the standard, paint, glitter, fasteners (so it was removable) ribbon and jersey material.  I made it to trade with someone for something, but my trading partner was not impressed.  That was the last trade I ever made.  

Please excuse the fuzzy photos.  I had no digital camera at the time and these are scanned photos.

Costume Front

Costume Back with the Standard against the wall.

A few years later, one of my co-workers persuaded me to make two carnival dolls (11 1/2") for a visiting trainer and I made these two (with non-removable costumes):

Later on, I made these two (11 1/2") (with non-removable costumes) for one of my neighbours, who had migrated to Canada:

I would really like to try again sometime, but with larger dolls.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Some Doll Previews from Toy Fair 2014

From Atamaii.tv: 
  Ever After High Dolls Toy Fair Preview
   Cedar Wood looks interesting.

From Inside the Magic:
   The Inner Monster dolls look cool.

From chip chick:

From TTPM, some more Mattel, including the new Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Barbie:
   More Monster High Inner Monster details.


Barbie: "Compared with the new swimsuit chick - who wears it better?"
Candi: "Me."
Barbie: "Steups"

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Wildflower Dolls

In 2010 I fell in love with Andrea Meyer's Wildflower dolls  (her Flickr photostream) and ordered three.   They came nude with a few accessories (earrings, scarves and shopping bags).

I chose Maya (on the left), Jasmine (on the right) and Joy (seated in front).

As soon as I dressed them I knew their story.  They attended university together and went their separate ways after graduation.  They did keep in touch, but hadn't seen each other since.  They were now catching up years later, while enjoying one of their favourite pastimes - eating cake!

Maya is from India (wearing Barbie in India's sari, from the 1990's),  Joy is from England (wearing a too-big dress I made many years ago for Mego Farah Fawcett) and Jasmine is from China (wearing Disney Mulan's cheongsam).

At the Tea Room ...
"Mmmmm!", says Maya.

or the restaurant....
 
... they felt like no time had passed since they last saw each other and couldn't wait to tell their individual stories.

Jasmine runs her family's export business.

Joy writes for a travel magazine.

Maya teaches and has a daughter, Meena.
 Maya suggested that they visit each other's homes over the next few years.  Jasmine and Joy agreed, so they've started making plans.