Whoa! I didn't even realize how long it had been since I last posted until I looked at my last post: December 2nd! The last thing I posted was my Christmas list! I was really busy this season. Once again I didn't get a chance to do the Christmas photostories I had planned last year! I didn't even get to post the Christmas pictures I took for a quick 'Happy Holidays' post. What I did do was overhaul a couple of rooms. Took me three days to clean up Fuzzys old room. He left a huge mess behind when he moved out in September. Eventually I want to use that room as my supply room for all the stuff I use to make things. Most people call that a 'craft room' but as my family knows, I balk at calling what I do 'crafting', being a bit big headed about it and preferring to call it 'art'!
I had a wonderful Christmas. All of our kids were here, which is most of what I ask of a holiday. Although Emma just lives down the street, she works so much that we don't get to see her as much as we would like. It was nice to have her here for the day. We haven't seen much of Fuzzy at all since he moved out. He spent most of the day with us, along with his girlfriend Shanna. It was nice to spend a little more time with Shanna and get to know her a little better. I hope she felt like part of the family. Ivy is our last child at home. I don't look forward to the day she moves out too. My favourite part of the day, other than the fact that Fuzz wasn't here, was the 2 or 3 hours the rest of us spent crammed on to the couch, watching Star Wars Revenge of the Sith, just being together.)
I got quite a few things I was wanting for Christmas, but, as Ken said, it was a 'doll-light Christmas'. In other words, it was light on dolls. Ken bought me the Bunny Blanc Ever After High I wanted, and Emma bought me the Irish Madame Alexander Travel Friends doll. (She wasn't on my list, but I did want her.I mentioned that back when I reviewed the India Travel friends Doll.) Ivy also gave me a beautiful miniature china tea set.
As for Star Wars, Ivy and I rewatched all 6 of the earlier movies in preparation for seeing the new one, The Force Awakens. I managed to not hear anything about it before we saw it, the day after Christmas. Although the big reveals weren't that big a surprise this time, (Not like The Empire Strikes Back,when, just days before I was finally going to see it, 3 year old Unsentimental Niece unceremoniously announced "Darth Vader is Luke's dad." "Whaatt?! Nooooooooo!!"), it was nice to at least have the chance to guess first. For the record, I thought The Force Awakens was pretty good,was true to the old characters, and had that wonderful sense of humour the originals had, without giving up the drama. It was nice to see female pilots and generals, and even the female lead character. It was a bit weird to watch this new movie, with the original cast, and think that I went to see the original Star Wars when I was 15! I was younger than Ivy, my youngest child, and here I am at almost 54, watching the latest Star Wars movie, and they still have the same people playing the parts I saw them playing back in 1977! How many movie franchises have had such a long and continuous history, especially with the same cast?! It's even stranger than seeing a new Harry Potter movie in 2039, still cast with Daniel Radcliff,Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and even Robbie Coltrane and Alan Rickman.(It's hard to find a comparison to Anthony Daniels as C3PO and Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca. Maybe if Scabbers the rat and Crookshanks the cat had been played by actors in costume?) The main Harry Potter cast was a lot younger than the Star Wars cast when their movies started.
Anyway, I will be back more often now that the holidays are over. I have some posts already planned.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
My Christmas List for 2015
It's time for my yearly Christmas list. It may seem a little early, but this is for my husband Ken's benefit, (and so, ultimately, mine...), so that he has time to...ponder.
Some of the things on last years list found their way to my house for my birthday, if not for Christmas, so they're not on this year's list. Some of the things were on last year's list. Keep in mind I obviously won't get everything on my list. So what do I want this year?
The Beatles 1 CD/DVD.
Whoo hoo! Lost Beatles videos!Of course some are the same ones that have been floating around in bootleg form for the last umpteen million years, and more recently have been found on Youtube. But even the familiar ones have been remastered and supposedly look so much better now.
Next,the DVD "Monty Python Live (Mostly) One Down Five to Go"...comes in BluRay.
Ken, it can be obtained for 12.22 with free shipping.
The Danny Kaye show has been getting released in dribs and drabs over the last few years. Apparently they're up to a third DVD now. The latest one being...
One of the other two was this one.
I can't find the other one at all unless it was the Christmas one.
One of my all time favourite series is Frasier.
Ken keeps saying I don't need the DVDs because it's on Netflix, but it won't always be there! Besides, it was recently re-released and it's cheaper than ever.
Another DVD I want, and don't judge me, is Hey Arnold! the Complete series.
Yes, I watch kid's shows and I love Hey Arnold. I am Helga. Apparently the complete series on DVD is a Walmart exclusive, so you have to buy it there Ken.
Ok, I watch kid's shows, but I also read. Here are some books I want:
The book "Red, A History of the Red Head" by Jacky Colliss Harvey
I read Johannes Cabal Detective by Jonathan L. Howard after finding it at Dollar Tree. It was good: clever and funny. I keep hoping they'll have more of them,because I'm cheap, but so far no good. I'd like to have the other Johannes Cabal books, especially the first one, since I started on number two or three.
Here are the others.
That Charles Dickens biography at Ollies.If you read my vacation post you'll know I love Charles Dickens.
And yeah, ok, I also read kid's books, and I still don't have that last Doll People book:
Say what you want, but I started reading this series of books with Ivy when she was little and we loved them. I want to know what happens.
And now what readers of this blog will be more interested in, my doll choices for the year. They come in two catagories:
First is Possible Doll Wishes.
Recently when we were out for Ivy's birthday celebration we came across a booth in the mall that sold little figures with 3-D printed heads of the customer. The smallish ones were affordable, and I have always wanted dolls of my family since I saw some custom figures on line years ago. With 3-D printing such things are now affordable by puny average people like us. I told the kids I'd love to have had 3-D printed figures of them when they were tiny, to save the moment forever. It's too late for that, but I can hold them as they are now. I'd love one of each kid, plus Ken too. You can't leave anybody out. That wouldn't be the family, and that wouldn't be right. Each one of the kids could get me a figure of themselves, and Ken could get me one of him. Although I know getting Fuzz to do anything is too much to ask, as well as expecting him to spend any money on us. Last year he insisted he wanted to get me a new comforter for the bed. Instead he spent about $1.49 on me. Oh well.
Next is a doll I saw in England but have been having a hard time finding over here. She's Ever After High Bunny Blanc...this one
She's almost the only Ever After High doll based on Alice in Wonderland characters that I really love, which is shame because there are a lot of them, (The whole Way Too Wonderland line.), and I love Alice in Wonderland. For the record, the other one I like, but nowhere near as much as this one, is Lizzie Hearts.
The other Ever After High doll I really love is Duchess Swan...this one
I think she's just about the most beautiful doll the line has ever done. She's an older one, so she won't be easy to find. I've only seen her in a store once probably. That was Meijer, but it was ages ago.
If Ken can't find her, which he can't, I also love this doll:
She's McKeyla a Project MC2 doll. These dolls have lovely faces and beautiful inset eyes. There are two McKeyla dolls in this line. I want this one, because she's articulated.
There are also dolls I like that I'd happily take, like the Tinkerbell friends Rosetta or Zarina,which, Ken, they have at TJ Maxx.
Now for the dolls there is no chance of me getting because they are out-of-the-question-expensive. I call these the Purely Fantasy Wish Dolls:
First of these is Creamsicle Lark by Helen Kish
Of all the Lark doll by Helen Kish, I think she's my favourite.It's hard to say though. I wouldn't turn down My First Heels Lark
or Lark of the High Seas
Lark of the High Seas is more recent than the other two, but that isn't going to make her any cheaper. They also made blonde Larks, but I like the red heads.
Of course, from last year's list there's still Savannah from Maru and Friends dolls.
I think she's my favourite. Actually, I think my real favourite would be if you put Savannah's hair on Jamie...
I'd even take Maru herself if I really had to.
I love them all,but red haired Savannah would be my first choice...I think...
And of course I still want a Hamish doll, friend of Amelia Thimble by Wilde Imagination. But none of these are still sold on the site.
This Hamish was a limited edition of 300, so he's expensive.
Little Gardener Hamish was a limited edition of 125, so you can imagine he's even harder to get.
I wouldn't turn down Hamish as Peter Pan, but I don't like the cupid Hamish or Trick or Treat/dead looking Hamish.
And then there's Garden Patience from Wilde Imagination.
She's not sold any more either.
And as I also said last year,Ashton Drake's Dianna Effner dolls Little Red Riding Hood, or Mary Mary Quite Contrary. (The jointed vinyl ones, not the porcelain ones.)
There's also Ashton Drake's Dianna Effner doll Sunshine and Lollipops.
Since I'll never afford a Dianna Effner Little Darlings doll, even more than I can't afford the similar looking Heartstrings Simply Rusty, I'll take Rusty.(If you've ever read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy that will make more sense to you. "They hung in the air in exactly the same way that bricks don't.")
So that's my list for this year. I'm sure I'll keep thinking of things, but I don't expect to get most of the stuff on the top half of the list, or any on the bottom half. I'm just giving Ken choices.
Some of the things on last years list found their way to my house for my birthday, if not for Christmas, so they're not on this year's list. Some of the things were on last year's list. Keep in mind I obviously won't get everything on my list. So what do I want this year?
The Beatles 1 CD/DVD.
Whoo hoo! Lost Beatles videos!Of course some are the same ones that have been floating around in bootleg form for the last umpteen million years, and more recently have been found on Youtube. But even the familiar ones have been remastered and supposedly look so much better now.
 |
| This one is the special edition version, which has TWICE the number of videos! This one has TWO discs of 27 videos each, including a bunch a rare stuff, and also comes with a big book. I want this version... |
 |
| ...instead of this version. |
 | ||
| A film of the live shows that I did NOT get to go see last year. You know, shortly before the Kate Bush concerts I ALSO did not get to see... |
 |
| Danny Kaye Legends |
One of my all time favourite series is Frasier.
Another DVD I want, and don't judge me, is Hey Arnold! the Complete series.
Ok, I watch kid's shows, but I also read. Here are some books I want:
The book "Red, A History of the Red Head" by Jacky Colliss Harvey
 |
| My people. |
I read Johannes Cabal Detective by Jonathan L. Howard after finding it at Dollar Tree. It was good: clever and funny. I keep hoping they'll have more of them,because I'm cheap, but so far no good. I'd like to have the other Johannes Cabal books, especially the first one, since I started on number two or three.
Here are the others.
 |
| I think this one is a short story. |
 |
| I don't know if it's this one, but it's big and blue. |
 |
| "The Doll People Set Sail" by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin. |
And now what readers of this blog will be more interested in, my doll choices for the year. They come in two catagories:
First is Possible Doll Wishes.
Recently when we were out for Ivy's birthday celebration we came across a booth in the mall that sold little figures with 3-D printed heads of the customer. The smallish ones were affordable, and I have always wanted dolls of my family since I saw some custom figures on line years ago. With 3-D printing such things are now affordable by puny average people like us. I told the kids I'd love to have had 3-D printed figures of them when they were tiny, to save the moment forever. It's too late for that, but I can hold them as they are now. I'd love one of each kid, plus Ken too. You can't leave anybody out. That wouldn't be the family, and that wouldn't be right. Each one of the kids could get me a figure of themselves, and Ken could get me one of him. Although I know getting Fuzz to do anything is too much to ask, as well as expecting him to spend any money on us. Last year he insisted he wanted to get me a new comforter for the bed. Instead he spent about $1.49 on me. Oh well.
Next is a doll I saw in England but have been having a hard time finding over here. She's Ever After High Bunny Blanc...this one
The other Ever After High doll I really love is Duchess Swan...this one
If Ken can't find her, which he can't, I also love this doll:
There are also dolls I like that I'd happily take, like the Tinkerbell friends Rosetta or Zarina,which, Ken, they have at TJ Maxx.
Now for the dolls there is no chance of me getting because they are out-of-the-question-expensive. I call these the Purely Fantasy Wish Dolls:
First of these is Creamsicle Lark by Helen Kish
 |
| I think she's the only side glancing one. |
Of course, from last year's list there's still Savannah from Maru and Friends dolls.
I think she's my favourite. Actually, I think my real favourite would be if you put Savannah's hair on Jamie...
 |
| This is Jamie. They have pretty much the same face, but Jamie has green eyes, instead of blue. |
I'd even take Maru herself if I really had to.
I love them all,but red haired Savannah would be my first choice...I think...
And of course I still want a Hamish doll, friend of Amelia Thimble by Wilde Imagination. But none of these are still sold on the site.
This Hamish was a limited edition of 300, so he's expensive.
 |
| Cute little freckles and...teeth! |
And then there's Garden Patience from Wilde Imagination.
And as I also said last year,Ashton Drake's Dianna Effner dolls Little Red Riding Hood, or Mary Mary Quite Contrary. (The jointed vinyl ones, not the porcelain ones.)
 |
| Here's Mary. |
 | ||
| And here's Red. |
 |
| This vinyl one, and not the porcelain one wearing a flowered dress. |
Since I'll never afford a Dianna Effner Little Darlings doll, even more than I can't afford the similar looking Heartstrings Simply Rusty, I'll take Rusty.(If you've ever read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy that will make more sense to you. "They hung in the air in exactly the same way that bricks don't.")
 | ||
| Here's Simply Rusty.The 'Simply' dolls are undressed, in only their little undies. I want the Simply Rusty because he's cheaper that way. I hear he can wear some Bratz Boyz shirts, which I have. As for pants, that will take some searching.As far as I know Heartstrings dolls are available exclusively from Jo's Doll Shoppe, from which I borrowed this picture. |
So that's my list for this year. I'm sure I'll keep thinking of things, but I don't expect to get most of the stuff on the top half of the list, or any on the bottom half. I'm just giving Ken choices.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)