It's Ours!

I got off work early tonight, due to slowness (the store's slowness, not mine) and Auntie Berman and I went over to see the owner of the House. He is a very nice man named Johnie and he built the house himself many years ago. He built it as a sort of birdhouse (he said once he looked outside and a raccoon was poking its head out the window). It doesn't open but I think we can take the back off to get access. Also, he said the missing dormer is inside the house along with other parts.

I just have to put the picture in again. Soon I'll have dozens of them.

When I first asked him if he would sell it, he said he wasn't sure if he would because he'd had it a long time. Auntie Berman told him how we had both been out of work for a couple of years until recently and they hadn't been able to get me a birthday present and I really liked the house and needed it for my dolls. Johnie said he'd sell it for $30. I looked at Auntie Berman, thinking she would start haggling with him, because she does like to bargain. But we both knew we would never get anything like for that price. Then Johnie said he'd take payments and that cinched the deal. We gave him the $10 we had brought along. He invited us in and we met his roommate as well as his dog Sophi, a white Chihuahua and Auntie Berman said she had a large black dog named Sophie, and we exchanged phone numbers and email addresses, except I seem to have misplaced the paper he gave me. I remember excitedly folding it up and putting it Somewhere. (I found it--I had carefully stuck it in my purse.)

Now we just have to get HLP to go over there and figure out how to take it down.

The Graysons excitedly discuss their new house

We Still Don't Know

Someone neglected his duties and didn't go check on the house, so now I will have to wait until Saturday and go myself.

Dr. Grayson Went House Hunting

A few days ago we were driving through the Other Side of the Park when I saw the Perfect House for the Graysons. It looked like it was perched in the trees.

Today we went back, Dr. Grayson in hand, and I knocked on the door (of the trailer it was next to, not the doll house itself, because it doesn't actually have a door). A small dog barked inside. I turned around and put Dr. Grayson in the doorway to make sure he would fit. It was a perfect fit. I knocked again, and the dog barked again (not incessantly, to give him credit). No answer. I examined the house more closely. It is mounted on a pedestal between two trees. It's full of leaves and, as you can see, is definitely a fixer-upper. I wonder if they used it as a bird house.

It could be a haunted house.

One dormer is missing but it could be Dr. Grayson's laboratory where a little Accident happened. Or maybe I could rebuild it with popsicle sticks. Or foamcore. Or something.

Later this evening Mrs. Smith and Indian Wayne and I walked the dogs over there. Mrs. Smith suggested it and I think she thought Indian Wayne wouldn't want to go, but he did because he really likes her and she doesn't like him. Or so she says. Anyway, we went over and this time a rumpled looking man answered the door. I think I woke him up. I asked if he would consider selling the doll house. He said it wasn't his but he would ask the man it belonged to. I said when should I come back and he said tomorrow evening.

I will be working tomorrow evening but HLP said he would go. I am counting on his great charm to get it for me.

Meanwhile, we have another addition to the family. I found her at work and got her for only 27 cents.

We thought at first she might be a Loving Family doll, but she's not. She has LCB Made in China on the bottom of her shoe and a number on her thigh. So far I haven't found anything like her on the internet. She has movable arms, legs, and waist, and jointed knees. Her hair is molded vinyl on top and then there's a ponytail of "real" hair coming out the back. Her shirt is molded vinyl but the skirt is fabric.

Dr. Grayson introduces himself.

Well, I'll let you know . . .

Grayson Family News

The big news is: Mrs. Grayson had a baby! It was pretty much a surprise to everyone, including Mrs. Grayson.

Beatrice rocks her new baby, who is wrapped in English lace. Ballerina girl has been playing lullabies.

The baby is rather large but we think it's because Dr. Grayson has been Experimenting again. Fortunately he did it after the baby was born.

Dr. Grayson was finally successful in one of his Time Travel Experiments and brought back Tiffany from the future.

Tiffany admires the new baby.

Tiffany is a mini Liv doll (she is Sophie) from McDonald's Happy Meals. We found her at St. Vincent's. She has plastic built-in clothes, a non-removable hat, and glass eyes. The mini Livs were available in July but we rarely eat at McDonald's and so hadn't known about them. Auntie Berman found a lovely flouncy skirt that fit her (it only had to be cut down a little and new velcro added) and I found the long, fur-trimmed vest for her at work.

Tiffany shows off her new clothes.

Tiffany is slightly larger in proportion to the Graysons, but she wanted to live with them instead of at Wayfarers Inn, where she is much smaller and would be thought of as a child.

Tiffany poses with the Graysons.

Meanwhile, I had promised Mrs. Grayson a new dress and she got one. First I tried doing set-in sleeves and that was a dismal failure. So I made her a tunic top with lace (from England!) at the neck and velcro at the sides

and then made a skirt to go over it. Much easier and more practical. I might even be willing to make her more outfits now that I know how to do it.

The Grayson family.

I thought we had a new home for the Graysons when I found this at work.

I couldn't tell what all was in it, but for $5.00 I thought it was worth a try. Alas, the makings of the house itself were gone but there is wooden punch-out furniture and shingles and Auntie Berman thinks we can make a house out of foamcore. I started looking up Greenleaf houses and found one I really want for slightly less than $1,000. Dollhouse

The Graysons do have a slightly larger room than they used to, thanks to Auntie Berman. One of these days they will have their mansion.

A Wonderful Present for G.I. Joe/Kyle

My friend from http://smallsewing.blogspot.com/ sent me a wonderful jumper she had made for her Chloe, who refused to wear it, although it's very nice. I gave it to G.I. Joe to start with, and Kyle was very jealous, although he pretended he wasn't. It all started when they were having a picnic.

"A jumper?" sneered Kyle. "A jumper is a girl's dress. You're a sissy la-la." And he shoved Joe in the chest.

I love the term "sissy la-la." I learned it from Mrs. Smith, who often calls my dog Wellington that. (He really isn't. He just doesn't like noises like fireworks and thunder and gunshots. He's very brave when he threatens the Pomeranians on the other side of the fence. Wellie weighs 55 pounds and they are maybe 15 pounds put together.)

Anyway, the boys got into it. I insisted they remove their jumpers/sweaters so nothing got torn.

"I'll show you who's a sissy la-la!" said Joe. "Take that!"

Joe knows a few karate moves and he has the advantage that his arms and wrists bend.

"Bobbie," said Sabra. "Will you pass me another piece of cake?:

But Kyle fought back with all his might.

"Sabra," said Bobbie, "Why are boys so silly?"

After scuffling for half an hour, the guys got it out of their systems.

"Thanks for letting me wear your jumper," said Kyle.

It's unfortunate that I forgot to show Kyle's black eye when they were shaking hands. By the time I'd realized, I had already washed his face.

I would like to thank Auntie Berman for the nice makeup job she did on Kyle.

"Kyle," said Bobbie, "I think your black eye makes you look very manly."

Sweeping Changes

Auntie Berman and I were becoming overwhelmed with all our dollies. We had to make some hard decisions. Fortunately, my bad case of Barbie Fever has abated as I become more and more enchanted with the little dollhouse size dolls.

We began to cull the herd. Of the Barbies, I am only keeping Bobbie and Sabra, and two Kens, Kyle and the G.I. Joe.

"I'm glad all those other girls are gone, Sabra. Now there's more for us."

"We are the two best looking guys, so of course she kept us."

Later I will restore their room (as soon as I find a place to put it) and they will all be happy.

Then we went through our other dolls. The Kim Possibles, the Moxie Girlz, 4-Ever Best Friends, The Liv dolls--we dressed them all and they are going to a small thrift shop that rarely has good toys. I gave my Daisy Kingdom dolls to Mrs. Smith, along with their many outfits. She was delighted. She and Mr. Smith are moving into a new house soon and she will have plenty of room for them.

And now for the Graysons. They have moved into temporary lodgings until they have a real house. Dr. Grayson is a mad scientist and needs room for his experiments.

"It's rather small, darling, but it will have to do for now."

Mrs. Grayson is not happy with her clothes. I've made several attempts at the perfect dress but so far haven't done well. She is wearing the first skirt I made for her and Mr. Philadelphia's shirt (blouse) which is slightly too big for her. I will keep trying. I found some Hitty patterns online and have been modifying them.

"He's gone into a trance!"

Dr. Grayson had started across the room when all of a sudden he fell over on top of the Ouija Board.  Beatrice is used to this so she was not too alarmed and neither is Cedran. The girl on the right is a former ballet dancer (Auntie Berman got her at the Dollar Tree and she lived at Wayfarers Inn for a while). We found boots that fit her so she doesn't have to stand on tiptoe all the time. She is wearing one of Beatrice's failed dresses. I'm not sure yet where she fits into the family.

Dr. Grayson has to conduct his experiments on the roof right now.

"If I only had my laboratory to work in, I could perfect this time machine."

Now I Want a 1:12 Scale Dollhouse!

I decided to just glance at the toys before I clocked in for work and saw two very nice dollhouse sized dolls. I couldn't resist. Here they are, debagged. (They came with several small rabbits and a Minnie Mouse.)

Dr. and Mrs. Grayson

A little googling revealed them to be the Doug and Melissa Dollhouse Family (at least two members of the family--there are also a baby and a little girl available). They don't have jointed arms and legs but are quite bendy. I thought at first Dr. Grayson's clothes were homemade, since one pant leg is shorter than the other, but this is his original outfit. Mrs. Grayson is sold with a skirt and jacket. They are called a Victorian family but their clothing is definitely not Victorian.

Here they are posing in front of a small house that will belong to an Elf Doll.

I had a top that I knew would fit her, although the sleeves were way too long. I made a gathering stitch down each sleeve and shirred them up. Then I made a gathered skirt. We had decided we wanted them to be Steampunk, so I tried to make a corset for her out of a wide wired ribbon. It didn't quite work out as planned, but we liked it. Auntie Berman is going to paint black boots on her.

The strange dial thing on the right is one of Dr. Grayson's inventions and will go in his laboratory.

Behind them is a large picture of a pirate ship. I think Mrs. Grayson's outfit looks kind of piratey. At St. Vincent's, we noticed again a huge sailing ship on top of a display cabinet. It's at least 5 feet long and these dolls would easily fit in it. Fortunately, it is not for sale. It would require a whole room to put it in.

I have decided her name is Beatrice. She is named after Queen Victoria's daughter, not Fergie's. Her hair is a problem. I want to put it up but it's not quite long enough so the ends stick out. A closer examination revealed that her rooted hair only goes around the outside of her scalp. Inside, she's bald. Auntie Berman thinks we can make a wig for her. I think we should add hair to the middle. We will have to experiment.

Now we have to find a house for them.