Cornbread Dressing

Is your Thanksgiving menu all set?  Are you doing the traditional meal, or are you doing something different?  The families here in Morristown are getting all geared up for Thanksgiving.  Tony and Antoinette are expecting a house full of guests.  Even Freeman is expected to show up.  Antoinette, our caterer, got a request for ham and dressing.  You got to see the ham a few days ago.  Well she just finished the stuffing and will be delivering it to her customer just in time for Thanksgiving.  She is cutting it a little close.

The pan of cornbread stuffing on the right is for her customer.  The pan on the left was the start of another pan of stuffing.  She had only put in the cornbread at this point.  She still had to add the celery, onions, and spices.

Not sure what happened here.  Maybe she wanted to show all the little individual pieces of cornbread she meticulously cut.  She has since finished this pan of stuffing.  It will more than likely end up on her table for dinner.  Of course, she said she would be willing to sell if, if there was a request.  

Ham for the Holidays

With Halloween out the way, Thanksgiving is just around the corner.  Have you started planning your meal, yet?  My dolls are already planning their gatherings.  I had a request to make a doll ham, like the one my dolls had last year.  I finally got around to making them yesterday.   I made one for the requestee and one for the Etsy store.  The ham will come loose on a foil wrapped board.  You can remove it and add it to your own platter if you like.  

UPDATE:  The ham that was in the Etsy store sold almost as quickly as I posted it.  I didn't want you guys to think I never posted it.  I may add another one in the next few days.

Chocolate Cake, Anyone?

I know I am supposed to be posting the rest of the Family Fun Day, but this chocolate cake totally distracted me.  Can't you just taste the chocolate from there?  Yes, it's Barbie sized and now available in my Etsy store.

In real life, my hips can't handle this much chocolate icing.  But in dolly world, bring on the chocolate!

I wouldn't give you a partially eaten cake.  You also get the two cut out slices on ceramic plates.

Jacquelyn and Grace were my chocolate cake taste testers.

There is also lemon meringue pie slices in the Etsy store, too.

The taste testers sampled those earlier.  Lucky for them they can't gain any weight!  Oh I wonder what that would be like.

Racquel's Chicken Parmesan Dinner

I finished the chicken parmesan dinner for Racquel's dinner with her mom.  Thanks to all who offered suggestions for sides.  I took the simple route with spaghetti and peas.  Once I redid the spaghetti, I was pleased with the outcome.  These dinners are available in the Etsy store.

Raquel has partially set the table.

Here the family is fully engaged in dinner and conversation.  This story will be posted tomorrow, or at the latest Tuesday.  You will also get to see the progress on the rocking horse for the kids.

Grocery Store Food

I have a grocery store story and a dinner story coming up, so I was inspired to make new food.  I started with a few new items to put in the grocery store

I started with watermelon.  Whole ones and pieces to put in the grocery store.  The really small pieces will be used in dioramas.  All the store pieces have been wrapped in plastic and stocked on the shelves.

Putting in the seeds took a while, but proved to be therapeutic. 

These are gala apples.  How do I know that?  Because that's what was in my refrigerator.  I sculpt from real food as much as possible.  Once I finished with the sculpt, I got to eat the fruit.  I had a banana on the working table too, but I ate it before I had a chance to make any.  Next time.

These are cucumbers.  They look a little beat up.  Just like the ones at my local farmer's market.

Onion is one of the staples of cooking, so the store was in desperate need of some.

Racquel may need to take a trip back to the store before she cooks dinner for her mom.  They were out of onions the day she went shopping.

These are pork loin chops.  They were supposed to be pork chops, but I couldn't get them the way I wanted them.  I haven't eaten pork chops since I was a kid, and pictures weren't helping me.  So I will have to buy and cook some in order to get it right.  There's been a request for pork chops in the Etsy store.  Hang in there CW.  I'm working on it. 

These are shoestring fries.  My favorite.  When there is nothing I want to eat, I got to Kroger, spend $1.28 on a bag of their frozen fries, and I will be good for a few days. 

I made these with an air dry clay.  It was my first time making food with air dry clay.  In the past I've only used it for landscaping purposes. 

A new sofa will be hitting the Etsy store this week.  I guess I will go do my story now.  See you soon.

It's Party Time!

I shot the reception video this morning.  Hope to have it up by tomorrow.  In the meantime, enjoy a few of the pictures.

The decorating team did a nice job.  The balloons are made from Easter eggs and I glued straws to the base after painting them black.  I then added a pink ribbon.

The appetizer table is on the left and the main course table is on the right.

There is a small makeshift bar with wine, champagne, and beer.

The kids will drink punch from the fountain.  I made this using some old instructions I had on file.  To make your own, here is a link to the instructions.  http://www.dolldivas.net/Dioramas/2007%20Dioramas/DD-diorama-WaterFountain.html

A closer look at the appetizers

A closer look at the main dishes.  Not too much is new here except the shrimp.  The turkey is resting on a bed of rice.

Meet Gene and Toni Burrough.  They do not live in Morristown.  I met Toni in 2006.  She was visiting a porcelain doll exhibit I had up at a local facility.  She explained that she was telling her life story using fashion dolls.  I went to see her dolls and the rest is history.  She and I are now best of friends.  She is the reason I started making doll furniture.  She was my only client to start, then I branched out to Ebay.   She is also my inspiration for telling my doll stories.  She has not done much with her dolls in the past 3 years, but you can see her old stories at www.mydollsstory.com.  All of the stories on her site are true.  This doll looks just like her, and the male doll resembles her husband.  She is wearing a Robert Best outfit, called Midnight Mischief. (Thanks for the info, Matty). 

I love the brooch.  Sorry for the blurry picture.  For all of you looking for high class fashions, Jason Wu doll clothes are top of the line.  Dressmaker Details is another maker of fine clothes.  That link is just to one dealer.  There are other dealers and of course you can find them on Ebay.  A third choice would be Randall Craig RTW fashions.  There are many other options out there for high fashion clothes.  Don't feel limited by the kid fashions that Mattel has chosen to produce.

Toni would want me to show the shoes.

Toni and Gene will return to their own home after the video.  In the video she plays the role of Tina's (my psychiatrist) older sister. 

Pizza, Pizza

I just added four pizzas to my Etsy store.  Two sausage and pepperoni and two supremes, with pepperoni, olives, and green peppers.  Sorry for all the pictures.  I took a few shots from each pizza photoshoot.  I put some of the new techniques I learned a couple nights ago into action, and I am pretty happy with the results. In case you are wondering, I read a book called Digital Imaging Printing, and picked up some great tips.  I found the book at our local Garden Ridge store, marked down to 50 cents!

Pizza #1

Pizza #2

Each pizza comes with 8 individual slices that were detailed for more realism.

Pizza #3

I love this shot! That is my real kitchen in the background.  Doesn't the pizza look like it's regular size? 

Another shot where it looks like the pizza is sitting on my real kitchen island.  I wish!  I am starving right about now.

I wonder if Lauren knows the crew has stopped for a pizza break.  Doesn't look like they've made much progress on the ballroom.

Here is a shot of the pizza on the doll island, that is sitting on my kitchen island.

The Shrimp is Ready

Turns out Paul did have a plan to make sure the additional guests were fed.  He hired me!  So I popped over to Hotel Monaco yesterday and started preparing some dishes.  Paul is showing the shrimp display I completed.  I got a few more dishes started, but Paul provided me with a whole list that he wants me to work on.

I decided to put it in a clam shaped bowl I made form a soap mold.

There is a little bit of ice beneath the shrimp.  We will add more on top to keep the nice and fresh.

Well, I got to go.  I hear Adele calling me.  She needs some help making sure everyone is ready for the big production.  Have a wonderful Sunday!

Chocolate Cookies. Need I Say More

I made these on Saturday.  Along with some other treats.  They are currently available in my Etsy Shop.  They come four to a plate and they are loose for ultimate play.  They can be glued down upon request.

Each cookie is hand sculpted.  

The back is nicely finished.

This is Shannon, one of Nikaya's friends.

They are just back from basketball practice. They are hanging out at Shannon's house, where her mom made homemade cookies. Shannon has the best Stacy body.  Her ankles bend and everything.

I would love to show you her mom, but if you read my earlier post today, you know that she is still in the Big Lots store.  She looks like the perfect little girl for Barbie Basics #1