Addy and Kirsten go to Cowboy Camp

So, if you didn't already know this, I'm a big history nerd.  So when a friend asked me to go with her to an event at our local museum called the Lamplight Tour as a part of a cowboy camp this past Saturday, I got pretty excited.  Well, this is my second time doing this and I decided to bring my Addy and Kirsten.  The reenactors we went with do a chuck wagon like out on the old west, circa the 1870s or 1880s.  Since that was so adjacent to their time (and since I've wanted to take them out to the museum which is affectionately known as Pioneer Village for ages) I decided I had to bring the girls.

Before I go any further, I'll tell you a bit more about the event.  And by "I'll tell you" I mean I'll copy and paste  from the Kern County Museum website.


"During Clock Tower Holidays, the historic homes are beautifully decorated in seasonal splendor. On the special night of Holiday Lamplight Tours, visitors take a ride on a horse-drawn wagon and see the soft glow of lanterns throughout the village. Costumed villagers welcome visitors to the homes and business, and take visitors back to a simpler era when family and friends gathered together to celebrate this special time of year. In the Bandstand Green, local entertainers provide a magnificent array of holiday music for your enjoyment. There will also be organ music in St. John's Episcopal Mission, a hand-bell choir at the Woody General Store, and piano music in the Howell House."


Addy and Kirsten were big hits.  When we arrived and before the event really kicked off, we went around and looked at some of the houses.  Addy and Kirsten got their picture taken in front of the Barnes house, an awesome log cabin and the first house in Pioneer Village.  I also took a few pics of them hanging out back at camp, as well as some pics of the camp that I can't resist posting.

So Addy and Kirsten got lots of compliments and lots of people talked to me about them.  It was really fun... they got christened celebridolls before the evening was out.  =)

One little boy in particular became quite enamored with the dolls.  He loved them, their clothes, their shoes, their hair.  I let him play with them both -- he rocked them, sang to them, told them stories, and pretended he was Santa and asked them what they wanted for Christmas.  He was pretty much the cutest and sweetest little boys ever!  He eventually climbed in my lap with the dolls where he sat comfortably until his parents practically had to drag him home.  It was a really great experience.

And for my last parting picture, I'll show you me and Kirsten, both in gingham bonnets.  I rented the bonnet from a costume place on the day of, so I didn't know I'd be getting a matchy-matchy one.

And in case you happen to be reading this blog on a regular basis and are wondering what happened to that post about my Christmas doll, I haven't forgotten!  Very soon... I promise!

Addy's New Suit

So, we're totally aware that my Addy is the most spoiled doll I have.  Well, some time back, I decided that I really, really wanted my Addy to have a deep chocolatey brown outfit.  I was really spurred on by Kindred Thread's Chartres Street outfit in their French Quarter release last month.  (I actually tried to buy it but the stars didn't line up as such.)

So I decided to contact Terrie from All Dolled Up, and asked her if she could make a version of Addy's school suit in a chocolatey brown floral.  I knew right away that I wanted gold ribbon trim.  She sent me a picture of several different fabric choices soon, and she and I both liked this one best.  When the outfit arrived, I was amazed.  I'm used to her top notch work, but the combination of the world's most gorgeous fabric, gold braid, her beautiful and detailed craftsmanship, and great packaging was almost too much... I nearly cried!  

Doesn't Addy look happy?

So as I'm laying this out to take this picture, I'm in a complete state of dollgasm.  I've never had an outfit that looked so... exactly how I saw it in my mind.  It was like my mental image came to life in 1:3 scale.

Addy modelling her new ensemble with her birthday blouse.  The cream color of the blouse perfectly compliments the brown and gold of the suit.

I think the colors look amazing on her.  You would think the chocolatey brown would wash her out, but no.

And we even have a lovely gold hair ribbon.  Perfect touch.  (Fun fact: It's the same ribbon that Terrie used on Felicity's Town Fair dress and mob cap.  When I commissioned that dress from her, she said she was planning on adding that to her site anyways.  This further proves that I have a creative seamstress style mind.  It's just my hands that haven't heard the news. =P)

I love this fabric.  Paisley floral is so beautiful, and it just looks Victorian.  Pretty perfect.

I'm not going to be tacky and tell you how much I paid for this, but I will say that it cost less than the crinoline Addy's been hinting around about.  (Wow, bad grammar... but you know what I mean. =P)

But imagine how lovely that skirt is going to look poofed out with a crinoline underneath.  Soon, my dear... soon.

New goodies for Addy and Felicity

Several days ago, the mail truck brought happiness to my house.  I used some cat sitting and late birthday money to buy goodies for historical girls.

Mail call...

 Addy received her embroidery hoop and apron!  I bought these from someone on AGPT for $7.  (I hope it's not gauche to quote a figure...)  There's a small stain on the apron, but I may be able to get it out.  For $7, I'll certainly try!

Addy immediately clamped the hoop down and wanted to try her hand at embroidery, but I asked her to smile for a picture first.  (And for anyone who wonders, I got Addy's snood in a set of four from ebay seller drommer0 last year.  I've read that snoods are actually anachronistic for her period... she'd have worn a hairnet in a color to match her hair.  But I can overlook that info... I love snoods!! I have one myself.)

Addy had to try on her apron despite the fact that it obviously doesn't fit  over her school suit.

Happy Felicity received her fashion doll and invitation.  I got this set from another seller on AGPT for $19.  The doll is sort of TLC because she was bitten by a cat in her previous life.  The damage isn't bad and may be fixable... it looks more or less like chipped paint.

Sorry this pic came out so blurry... I meant it to show how okay the dolly looks, but that didn't work out so well.  You'll have to take my word for it. ;)

And as a bonus shot, I'm happy that all my historicals and my two historical best friends now have dolls.  I'm sure you'll recognize them all but Ivy's (bottom right).  I got her doll at a local antique store.  

I like all my dolls to have dolls.  Plus I hate it when all my historicals but one or two have a specific type of item.  When I got Josefina's Indigo Skirt and Camisa for my birthday, I felt this real push  to get Lissie's Laced Jacket and Petticoat.  My mom surprised me with it not long after that.

  

In which the collector laments new release day

Hello all! Welcome to my first Broke Doll Lover post! In case you didn't notice my mini bio over there -->, I'm Bre, aka Buckingham Alice. As I mention in my ego stroking about me above, I'm a life long doll fan who just so happens to be broke. I plan to use this blog to write about how I manage to build my doll collection and, more often than not, how I look longingly at items I don't buy. =P

The theme of this post is the bittersweetness that is new release day in the American Girl world. By now you'll have all seen the new goodies... I know I have. Most everything looks wonderful. Cécile is absolutely lovely and I love all of her and Marie-Grace's clothes. And the parlour desk is beyond beautiful. But most importantly the hoop! The blasted hoop. My Addy is dying for it. I didn't actively collect as a little girl, so I missed out on Addy's undies... now I finally have my chance to give Addy a crinoline without selling a kidney on the black market. Many of the MyAG pieces are wonderful as well... I mean that piano looks like something out of a dream. And the new bed and bedding would be just perfect for my Lucy.

So what's bittersweet, you ask? Well, as the title of the blog suggests, I'm broke! I mean, my birthday just passed so I'm not even interested in a new doll yet, but gosh... I would love and adore it if I could get that hoop for Addy. This is just part of the larger problem... my wishlist is growing and growing. I still need all of Addy's available furniture (plus her ridiculously expensive retired washstand), her newest outfit, shoes and socks, and derby hat and mittens... if Addy retires this year, there's no way I'll be able to get everything she needs. All the new releases with their pretty shinies make me happy, of course, but they also remind me of how far I still have to go in completing my collection.

I want Kanani's chair for Lucy's bedroom... I know that will only be here for a limited time, but I don't want it more than Addy's furniture. I also need a couple more outfits for Molly... if she retires this year, I really don't want to miss out on her Miss Victory costume or polkadot outfit. I have to sort my priorities... but it isn't easy. What I really want is for it to like rain money. That might help me with a lot of my problems... not all of which are doll related!

Well, with any luck a wealthy count will propose to me soon.