Everyone Needs Playtime

In our hectic, modern lives, many of us focus so heavily on work and family commitments that we never seem to have time for pure fun. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we stopped playing.

When we carve out some leisure time, we’re more likely to zone out in front of the TV or computer than engage in fun, rejuvenating play like we did as children. But play is not just essential for kids; it can be an important source of relaxation and stimulation for adults as well.

There doesn’t need to be any point to the activity beyond having fun and enjoying yourself. By giving yourself permission to play with the joyful abandon of childhood, you can reap oodles of health benefits throughout life.

Featured post

Challenge Meme

Seven years ago I issued a challenge to celebrate 20 years of the modern BJD, that I had also done three years previously. As things have be...

Sunday

Project: Pippi Longstocking 3

This is the second time I have attempted this post! The first time I accidently zapped the whole darn thing after I had uploaded photos and typed a good four paragraphs . . . was NOT HAPPY JAN!
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I began my post with an excerpt from Chapter One (Pippi Moves into Via Villekulla) in my Pippi Longstocking book by Astrid Lindgren.

"Her hair was the colour of a carrot and it was plaited in two tight plaits that stuck straight out, Her nose was the shape of a very small potato, and it was completely covered with freckles. Under her nose was an exceptionally wide mouth with nice white teeth.

Her dress was quite odd. Pippi had made it herself. It was supposed to have been blue, but there hadn't been enough blue material, so Pippi had decided to sew on little red patches here and there. On her long thin legs she wore long stockings, one of them brown and the other black. And she wore black shoes that were exactly twice the length of her feet."

As you are already aware, my Pippi has carrot red hair. I have since combed out the curls, plaited and wired them. Freckles are now scattered over her nose and she already had a wide smile that showed off her tiny white teeth, so that needed nothing.

I've begun from the bottom up, although I have selected the fabrics for her dress too, but more on that later.


 I didn't have any brown socks, so I tea dyed a white pair of baby socks and the black doll stockings I found in my stash were far too long, so I cut the top off one, made a hem at the top and threaded elastic through to hold it up.


The extremely large shoes Pippi wears in the story, were hard to come by. I had lots of large shoes, but not black, though I did find a pair of long boots that were large, but not quite twice as long as my Pippi's feet. They are, however, certainly much bigger that her feet (probably half the length again). I thought they would be okay if I cut the height of them down to a size that looked reasonably like shoes.

So that's what I have achieved so far, pictures of the dress will follow later.
Big hugs,
X

Tuesday

Feeling Blue . . . So Add a Little Darjeeling

This morning after breakfast, I wandered into my doll room and found Lady Grey in a very low mood so I asked her what was wrong . . .


It wasn't too long until Darjeeling arrived, she was most concerned . . . it wasn't like Lady Grey to be so down in the mouth, she's usually quite the life of the party.


So it was up to Darjeeling to make her feel better.


That had made Lady Grey feel so much better . . . that was until she felt a drip on her head, then a drop run down her face. She held out her hand.




But you already know, that when there is rain mixed in with a little Darjeeling sunshine, there are rainbows. And of course at the end of every Darjeeling rainbow there are . . . NO! Not pots of gold, nor are there leprechauns . . . but there are fairies . . . lots of very pretty fairies!

And so . . . as the story goes . . . all is well that ends well.

Hope you are all having a happy week!
Hugs,
X

Thursday

Project: Pippi Longstocking 2

For my Pippi, I purchased an Australian Girl (Matilda) doll. I had seen a few of these dolls online, but never actually seen one "in the flesh" before and I was very pleased with her when she arrived.


Her vinyl is smooth and an attractive colour. I've never been keen on fabric stuffed bodies, however, her firmly stuffed fabric torso only extends from just under the bustline to her crotch. Her limbs have an acceptable degree of movement and her head can be rotated in several directions which is critical when photographing a doll. 


She has a very pleasant face with a lovely smile. Her shoulder length hair is curly and reasonably soft to touch. I like her big green eyes and those little teeth are perfect . . . not too large or intrusive.


Lashes are a soft, but I would like them better if they were more shapely. She can sleep on her back and she has body blushing in the right places.


She has a little gap in her toes, so she can wear thongs (flip flops) on her feet. 


The fingers on her hands are quite nice, not too pudgy with beautifully shaped fingernails.They are partially curved, so she can hold things, like a ball or perhaps a teddy bear.

Overall, I think she was the right choice for my Pippi. What do you think?