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1:6 scale doll with articulated eyelids and fully articulated hands

1:6 scale doll with articulated eyelids and fully articulated hands published on No Comments on 1:6 scale doll with articulated eyelids and fully articulated hands

This 29cm figure amazes me. Look at this Youtube review to see what she can do! If got her, I would keep her naked all the time and make her a robot to hang out with my fairies. She’s a lovely mixture of form and function. Did I mention that she has articulated eyelids?

I would love to have her, but, given ~$300.00 to spend on a single doll, I choose instead to get a highly poseable 1:6 scale ball-jointed cat — Muggins. Even though we have a real cat, I apparently need a 1:6 scale one. ^_^

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1591567.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

Lumberjack Fallow, unofficial leader of Toxic Waste

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Lumberjack Fallow is a PWS of indeterminate age who lives in Toxic Waste. Everyone in Burlington knows Lumberjack on account of his notorious behavior. He chases intruders off the premises while brandishing a hatchet, hence the nickname. He panhandles on Church Street with sarcastic cardboard signs like WILL WORK FOR BRAINS. He drags one of his feet behind him when he walks, so he actually really does shamble. He has been arrested at least twice for public drunkenness and yelling at rubbernecking abnormals. When abnormals think of PWS, they usually think of Doctor Z and then of Lumberjack.

Lumberjack doesn’t talk much, so no one knows much about his pre-Toxic Waste life. Occasional references to "the air base" lead people to conclude that he grew up in Plattsburgh, NY. He has been there from the beginning, though, clearing trees, pitching tents, marking off latrine areas and generally keeping a tight ship. Despite a bad smoker’s cough, he still does a lot of physical labor.

Over the years, Lumberjack has become the de facto head of Toxic Waste. All newcomers meet with him soon after arriving. He doesn’t say much, but sizes them up in a few minutes and decides whether they can stay. When conflicts among residents arise, he mediates. Each side presents their story, whereupon he makes a decision. No one dares to contravene him. In conflicts between Toxic Waste and the rest of the city, Lumberjack is liable to show up and advocate for his people.

And then there was that time, early on in Toxic Waste’s history, that some drunk UVM frat boys thought it would be funny to post ZOMBIE CONTAINMENT AREA signs around Toxic Waste. All Toxic Waste residents, asleep at the time, found the signs in the morning and became furious. While they discussed their course of action, Lumberjack silently took the signs into his tent. Several days later, the news came out that the local chapter of the frat was suspended "pending investigation into offensive activities." Unofficial word was that Lumberjack had been waiting in the frat president’s room when he came back from a party, the pile of signs at his feet. All he said was, "I got my eye on you," and then he left. No one in the Greek system ever messed with Toxic Waste again. Also the Toxic Waste denizens started nighttime patrols.

Lumberjack doesn’t get close to anyone. Most people are afraid of him [and his hatchet], even the Brain Trust, to which he shows up regularly. That said, he has a particular affection for Brandeis, though he tends to call her Kendra. They play poker, at which he always wins because he’s not too expressive. He bums cigarettes off her, and Brandeis swears that she has made him smile, although no one really believes this.

He dies at some point in the story, suddenly and unexpectedly, and the entire local PWS community turns up for the funeral. Everyone discovers interesting information about Lumberjack. He was only 42 when he died, which really makes Peter and Isabel stop and think. His given name was Jonathan, and he was born and raised in Plattsburgh, where his father was stationed at the air base. He dropped out of high school and worked for a logging company [hah hah hah!]. He had a daughter, Kendra, with his partner at the time. Then "something happened" [obit is evasive — Isabel surmises that he went to jail], and the details of his life are vague until the 2006 establishment of Toxic Waste. He is predeceased by his father and mother and survived by his younger sister and his daughter, Kendra Benoit, who is in her mid-20s.

Kendra shows up at the funeral and fills in some of the gaps. When she was about 5, Lumberjack was drunk driving and hit a pedestrian, killing him. He went to jail, as Isabel guesses, for vehicular manslaughter, at which point Kendra’s mom broke up with Lumberjack and moved with Kendra to her parents’ house in Ohio. Kendra’s mom married her stepfather when she was 6, and the three of them really loved each other. But still Kendra and Lumberjack corresponded secretly for years. Their letters stopped around 2006 when he established Toxic Waste; Kendra thinks because he was ashamed to be homeless and sick. When she sees that he was part of a community that cared for and respected him, she wishes he had told her because he should have been proud.

Notes: Going bald. Needs cigarette glued to bottom lip. Wears plaid shirt, jeans, baseball cap.


This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1591342.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

Projects from the raw dolls bin

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Looking at my raw dolls bin, I see several projects that I have yet to get around to:

  • I need to mod the sleeping Doona Ryung faceplate into a face for Isabel that represents her with no makeup and two eyes — that is, for the episodes before she loses her eye. This would also be good for flashbacks.
  • Shopping While Constipated Raquelle just begs for use somewhere in Zombieville, but not sure where. Part of me wants to repaint her, and part of me just loves her as she is. 
  • That male Liv body reminds me that I originally planned to make a FAT DOLL!!!!!! with it + one of my Jazzie heads.
  • Poor Metel. I got her about a year ago and have yet to do anything with her. She needs restringing and wiring at the very least, as well as removal of existing faceup. I really dislike her headsculpt; she has such a glum expression. Maybe I’ll give her body to Gloravnia.
  • The second Aenigma head reminds me that, one of these days, I’d like to try closing the eyes partway so that Ginevra looks dreamier…or more sarcastic.
  • The Sideshow The Dead Punk head [Peter 1.0] demands recycling as a male PWS. Maybe an unofficial leader of Toxic Waste?

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1591091.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

Raw dolls and the graveyard of past projects

Raw dolls and the graveyard of past projects published on No Comments on Raw dolls and the graveyard of past projects

I finally got around to photographing what I have in the drawers labeled "raw dolls." The contents include unused bodies, heads, pieces of past customs and old dolls with sentimental value.

I did not realize that I had quite so much stuff hiding away in there! Sometimes I think that I should reduce my stash, but I just know that, if I get rid of things indiscriminately, I will regret their loss as soon as they leave my possession.
Continue reading Raw dolls and the graveyard of past projects

Dracula’s quest for vengeance

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Dracula, the latest TV series to do something with the premier modern vampire story, has Dracula teaming up with Van Helsing to avenge himself on the Order Dracul, who killed both their families. Fortunately for Dracula, he has a loyal human confederate in Renfield; furthermore, his wife has reincarnated in med student Mina Murray, who is a student of the aforesaid Van Helsing. Jonathan Harker, a journalist, lusts after Mina from afar, and Lucy Westenra, her friend, is apparently [I’m unclear on this point] a secret kicker of vampire ass. Presenting as a U.S. industrialist with promises of cheap geothermal power, Dracula aims to upset the Order Dracul’s oil-based wealth. Plot plot plot.

Like Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Dracula takes some names and elements from a literary classic and then goes off in such a completely different direction that it really shouldn’t have the same name as the original. That being said, I remain curious to see where this will go. Though I originally dismissed it as static costume drama, it does look lively enough to keep my interest for at least a few more eps. At least the acting proves more uniformly talented than that in Wonderland. Plus there is Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who is nice to look at as Dracula, except for the unfortunate pencil mustache.

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1590765.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

“Say hello to my little friend.”

“Say hello to my little friend.” published on No Comments on “Say hello to my little friend.”

Isabel’s glue gun is a ray gun from the Takara Cy Girl Aurora, repainted with green spray paint. I drilled a hole in the back end and inserted a polymer clay glue stick that DLSarmywife on Figurvore made for me. I wrapped a little tin foil around the nozzle for the metal and then added a blob of actual hot glue.
Continue reading “Say hello to my little friend.”

Chittenden County Doll Club, 10/26/2013

Chittenden County Doll Club, 10/26/2013 published on No Comments on Chittenden County Doll Club, 10/26/2013

Six people attended the first CCDC Halloween meetup yesterday: me, Lyrajean, vermont chick, goldi, Megan and a newcomer, purplekiss101. [Megan did not bring any dolls, though.] I brought my graveyard set; purplekiss101 and Megan brought pumpkins; purplekiss101, vermont chick and Lyrajean brought dolls in costume, and Lyrajean brought some doll-scale Halloween treats.

Continue reading Chittenden County Doll Club, 10/26/2013

Dispatches from the late bandwagon: Once Upon a Time in Wonderland

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The premise of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, ABC’s spinoff of Once Upon a Time, is that the human, non-magical protagonist goes on a quest through a magical land to reunite with her boyfriend, who is being held captive by a power-hungry magician who is in cahoots with the power-hungry queen of the magical land. The protagonist uses skills and knowledge gained during a childhood trip to this magical land; also helping her is a thief who is also the queen’s ex. Distractingly enough, the protagonist is Alice, the boyfriend a genie, the magical land Wonderland, the power-hungry magician Jafar, the power-hungry queen the Red Queen, the thief/queen’s ex the Knave of Hearts. Sprinkle liberally with iconic Lewis Carroll creations; season with threadbare fairy tale tropes, including plenty of sappy bilge about True Love [tm], and serve. Yields at least 15 episodes.

I’ve just watched the first three episodes of the latest Disney concerted marketing effort of various properties TV show, and I remain uncertain. Once I suppress all my objections to the unholy mashup of bastardized Alice + bastardized Aladdin, I find the Heroic Quest motif interesting enough to follow, especially since it features a female protagonist, which Heroic Quests hardly ever do. It’s nothing original, but it’s entertaining and less stodgy than the recent live-action Alice in Wonderland, for which we can also put the blame on Disney.

The show will succeed or fail on the strength of its performances, I think. Sophie Lowe does well as an Alice in her teens who accepts nonsense with the same calm aplomb as she did when a child. In the episodes that I’ve seen so far, she always has her wits about her and always has a plan, usually involving violence and force, rather than cunning. In fact, I kinda wish she’d stop thinking with her weapons, although I do appreciate the portrayal of a young woman as calm, confident and competent. Michael Socha, as the sarcastic, self-interested Knave of Hearts, plays well off Lowe and adds a lot more interest to the proceedings. Alice and the Knave’s relationship is one reason I’m continuing to watch the show.

Naveen Andrews, as Jafar, clearly enjoys himself as he strides and lurks and swirls his cape; at the same time, though, he portrays his character as dry, coldly calculating and truly menacing, having already racked up a score of nonchalant murders. Emma Rigby, as the Red Queen, enjoys her power more ostentatiously and hammily, preferring to get her way through manipulation, rather than indiscriminate slaughter. The uneasy collaboration between the Red Queen and Jafar, who have similar goals, but dislike and distrust each other, I find fascinating and yet another reason to keep watching.

Unfortunately, the relationship most central to the show’s plot — that between Alice and Snore Cyrus the genie — bores me. That’s because, over three episodes in which all major players have developed a bit, Snore still remains a cipher. You’d think that being magically enslaved to a series of fickle whims would do an interesting number on a guy, but Snore doesn’t seem particularly affected. All he does is exist as a prop to Alice: teaching her swordplay when she asks, making her an origami rose because he loves her, telling her not to rescue him because Jafar has threatened to kill Alice to torture Snore, etc. Now this could be an interesting avenue for development if Alice told him that she would prefer that he actually get a life of his own, rather than become a codependent appendage, However, Snore remains a crashingly dull love object/damsel in distress who has yet to say, do or think anything significant. It sure doesn’t help that many of Snore’s scenes occur with him + Jafar, and Andrews camps it up in circles around Peter Gadiot, who plays Snore.

The show could really help the vacuity of Snore — and the character of Jafar too — by giving them some more backstory. We have extensive history on Alice, and we’re learning more about the Knave and the Queen through their past relationship with each other, but our main players of color [don’t think I haven’t noticed the conspicuous absence of speaking roles for people of color, ABC/Disney!!] have little background. Flashbacks tell us that Jafar has been stalking Snore for years, even when they were both back in PseudoArabianNightsLand Agrabah, and we know how Snore got from there to Wonderland, but we don’t know why Jafar is so hung up on this particular genie and also how he got to Wonderland. [Interdimensional flying carpet?] I will gladly stare at Naveen Andrews striding and lurking and calculating and menacing and offhandedly slaughtering for hours because he does so in a talented and sexy manner [despite the unfortunate pencil mustache], but I will not be fully engaged unless we get some history on his character. Until then, I’m going to assume that Jafar pursues Snore because he wants him for his power and his pretty face. :p

P.S. Speaking of tragic facial hair, Snore needs to shave. He looks like a 16-year-old trying really hard to generate a beard.

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1589145.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

Schlock comes to NBC!

Schlock comes to NBC! published on No Comments on Schlock comes to NBC!

I just learned that both Grimm and Dracula are debuting tonight on NBC. I hope this means that they’ll be available on Hulu shotly after. As I’ve noted before, Dracula looks kinda dopey, but I’m curious to see what it does to the most influential modern vampire story, so I’m in at least for the pilot. As for Grimm, I watch for secondaries Monroe and Rosalie, the Wesen couple who have loads more characterization than the completely flat and empty "hero" Nick and his girlfriend, the equally empty Juliette. Further commentary as events warrant…. 

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1588853.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

Sylvia with finished body mods and basic faceup

Sylvia with finished body mods and basic faceup published on No Comments on Sylvia with finished body mods and basic faceup

I have finally finished body mods and basic faceup on yet another FAT DOLL!!!!!!!!! This is Sylvia Blomqvist, last seen as a Fun-4-All talking Kelly Osbourne head on a customized male action figure body.
Continue reading Sylvia with finished body mods and basic faceup

Short-term doll stuff to do

Short-term doll stuff to do published on No Comments on Short-term doll stuff to do

 In no particular order:

  1. Photo census of all my dolls
  2. Photo inventory of all sets and medium-size things
  3. Photo inventory of raw dolls
  4. Finish Peter’s walker: reinforce where front rails join to sides?; add padding; add bag off the front; add decoration
  5. Smores for Gloravnia [polymer clay]
  6. Creemees for Yamarrah [polymer clay — need icing nozzle of appropriate size]
  7. Yamarrah’s faceup
  8. start M3 epilogue
  9. Pay off Gloravnia
  10. Rehab Delphine: restring, wire, clothes, ear mods, delete old faceup, make new faceup, hair
  11. Weight down gravestones
  12. Finish Sylvia
  13. New wig for Jujube

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1588394.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

Walker frame complete, plus bonus rainbow doughnuts

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Yes! After long last, Peter finally has a functioning walker that actually looks like a walker. This evening I glued the front bars on, hitching up the two side pieces. I then added the tires.

Continue reading Walker frame complete, plus bonus rainbow doughnuts

Genius discovers other libraries in county!

Genius discovers other libraries in county! published on No Comments on Genius discovers other libraries in county!

I have a list on Amazon of Books to Read Eventually, which has been hovering between 50 to 60 books long since its creation last summer. Some books I can find at my most frequented libraries, the Winooski and Fletcher Free [Burlington], while others, I know, I will just have to out and out buy. Sigh.

In a truly stupendous flash of smarts this morning, I realized I could check other libraries in the county for some books on my list. Winooski participates in the Homecard system, where persons with cards at participating libraries can show their cards at other participating libraries and sign out books. [Fletcher Free doesn’t participate because it’s selfish and doesn’t play well with others.] There are three Homecard libraries that I feel comfortable trekking to for books — Brownell [Essex Junction — not really a trek], Essex Free [Essex Center] and Dorothy Alling [Williston]. I found seven of my wish list items at these libraries and one for download at listenupvermont.org!

Maybe one of these days I’ll actually read all the books on my list!

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1587867.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

Southern New England O Scale Train Show, Gardner, MA, 10/05/2013: dealer room and permanent layout

Southern New England O Scale Train Show, Gardner, MA, 10/05/2013: dealer room and permanent layout published on No Comments on Southern New England O Scale Train Show, Gardner, MA, 10/05/2013: dealer room and permanent layout

Finally got around to selecting and post-processing these pictures.

This train show, held in the Gardner United Methodist Church in Gardner, MA, proved much much smaller than expected, even smaller than the Dollars for Scholars one in Winooski. The humungous permanent layout was worth the trek, though!

Continue reading Southern New England O Scale Train Show, Gardner, MA, 10/05/2013: dealer room and permanent layout

Yamarrah updates: eyes, earrings, sweatshirt, spray paint

Yamarrah updates: eyes, earrings, sweatshirt, spray paint published on No Comments on Yamarrah updates: eyes, earrings, sweatshirt, spray paint

Yamarrah moves closer and closer toward completion. She got new and improved eyes recently from Captured in Glass. They are low-dome 14mms with chartreuse irises and pupils the color of oxygenated blood. They go better with her overall concept than did the pink ones. They also photo brilliantly!
Continue reading Yamarrah updates: eyes, earrings, sweatshirt, spray paint

Today’s progress on the walker: painted!

Today’s progress on the walker: painted! published on No Comments on Today’s progress on the walker: painted!

I primed and spray painted Peter’s walker today. I knew that the dowels would take paint without trouble, but I thought the paint might not attach to the wire hangers. However, the primed hangers took paint fine!

It took all day to prime each side of the frame pieces twice, with drying in between, then the opposite sides, with drying in between. Then I spray painted one coat on each side of the frame pieces, let dry, repeated, spray painted the flip sides, let dry, did touch up, let dry, did more touchup, let dry. Finally I put everything on the enclosed back porch to fully dry out and offgas for a while.

Once the pieces have really dried and offgassed, I can hot glue the frame together. Next steps will be adding wheels [also with hot glue — very easy] and then figuring out where and how to pad the frame.

Continue reading Today’s progress on the walker: painted!

Delphine as she is now

Delphine as she is now published on No Comments on Delphine as she is now

Delphine, Béatrice’s twin sister, arrived today! Here she is [at right] with Béatrice [at left]. Like Béatrice, she came too loosely strung, with elastic of too narrow a gauge. She also has the elastic strung around her headcap hook, which needs to change. Additionally, she has scuzz keeping her eyes in her sockets and a very light default faceup.

Delphine needs all the improvements that her sister required almost a year ago: 1) restringing more tightly with the appropriate gauge of elastic, 2) adjustment so that stringing does not hook into headcap and so that  wrists/ankles have S hooks, 3) removal of eye scuzz, 4) removal of default faceup.

Of course, I’ll also sand down her ears, redo her faceup, replace her eyes, wire her arms, make her a wig and find her some shoes. I didn’t give her one of my existing wigs now because I had a suspicion that whatever wig I plopped on her would inevitably become hers, and I don’t want to fight with her over a wig that I intended for Isabel. :p

Continue reading Delphine as she is now

1:6 scale food I made last night

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Last night I took a class in making polymer clay foods with Melissa Cook, a local miniaturist. I really enjoyed myself as she taught us how to make jack-o-lanterns, apples, bananas and bread. She was teaching in 1:12 scale, but she provided enough clay for me to make fewer items, but larger ones.

Jack-o-lantern: formed, carved and baked around a core of loosely wadded tin foil.

Apples: lime green dusted with bright red pastel.

Bananas: bright yellow flattened to make four "ribs," brushed with lime green along top, bottom and ribs. Top to be colored with black Sharpie. Spots to be added with brown marker.

Bread: very pale tan with most color added via pastels: red, orange, brown, yellow, ochre. Red and dark brown look good for the toasted parts. Ochre gives the cooked parts a nice depth.

Continue reading 1:6 scale food I made last night

Muggins = Bombay

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What I’ve read about Bombay cats is that they are black, very social, intensely loyal to their peoples, attention-loving and interested in cuddling. Muggins is clearly a Bombay! 

EDIT: Bombays have yellow to copper eyes, so green eyes are out for Muggins. Phooey.

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1586013.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

Cool mag: American Miniaturist

Cool mag: American Miniaturist published on No Comments on Cool mag: American Miniaturist

When I was at my class on making polymer clay foods last night [more about which later], the instructor, Melissa Cook, brought in some copies of American Miniaturist magazine. Must subscribe! The tutorials are for 1:12 scale stuff, but can very easily be adapted for 1:6 scale.

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1585715.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

Great addition to Iplehouse’s Addiction line: Victor!!!

Great addition to Iplehouse’s Addiction line: Victor!!! published on No Comments on Great addition to Iplehouse’s Addiction line: Victor!!!

The latest to join the Addiction line of dolls by Iplehouse [whence Yamarrah] is Victor. Like Doria [Yamarrah], he comes with an open-mouthed vampire head revealing teeth and tongue. Victor’s expression looks more like B&G Dolls’ Burrysa snarling [Araminthe] than Doria’s, though.

Continue reading Great addition to Iplehouse’s Addiction line: Victor!!!

Jareth is flaming.

Jareth is flaming. published on No Comments on Jareth is flaming.

But we knew that already. :p

Behold the glory of tacking with colored thread. Jareth’s wig is made on the same principle as Yamarrah’s: same fur, same stitching up of selected spikes to create an anti-grav look. This time, though, instead of using white thread all the way around, I employed my new colored threads to stitch up red spikes with red thread and orange with orange.

I also eschewed the Mod Podge for this one. Mod Podge helps the colors of Yamarrah’s wig blend, thus looking more like flames, while Jareth’s wig looks fluffier and more fiber-like and hair-like.

Jareth knows he looks hilarious, and he’s down with that. ^_^

Continue reading Jareth is flaming.

I don’t think “bad” is the word you’re looking for.

I don’t think “bad” is the word you’re looking for. published on No Comments on I don’t think “bad” is the word you’re looking for.

 …androgynous dude with black leather, studs, whip and heavy eyeliner, not to mention killer balletic dance moves. Sexy, maybe, but not bad.

P.S. Yes, we all see your crotch. It’s kind of impossible NOT to in those pants.

P.P.S. How did I not see this video of yours until now?

[goes to watch Thriller]

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1584845.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

Notes on Muggins [Isabel’s cat]

Notes on Muggins [Isabel’s cat] published on No Comments on Notes on Muggins [Isabel’s cat]

Isabel has a cat, Muggins, who is a slender, somewhat undersized female cat, all black, with bright green eyes. Isabel rescued her and thinks she’s about four or five years old.

Muggins is a very talkative, sociable, friendly, snuggly, affectionate cat who evinces many traits more often associated with dogs. She is absolutely devoted to Isabel: she sits at the door, meowing, when Isabel comes home, follows Isabel from room to room [including bathroom], sits either next to her, in her lap or on top of her where possible and sleeps either at Moriendi’s feet or on Isabel’s pillow. If Isabel closes a door on her or moves to another room when Muggins is sleeping, Muggins lets out distress calls. Isabel says, "I’m right here!" and then Muggins comes running.

Muggins seems to be pretty smart for a cat. She knows her name and comes when called. She knows the different places from which dry food, catnip, cat treats and yogurt come from, and she will sit by the appropriate place, chirping, depending on what she wants. She knows how to turn on the bathroom faucet for running water. Isabel swears that Muggins also changes the sound on her alarm clock from beeping to radio when she wants Isabel to wake up.

Muggins likes to play with Isabel. Isabel puts her covers over her head, and Muggins pats at her with her paw until Isabel comes out. When Isabel is in the bathroom, sometimes Muggins sits on the sink and turns the faucet on whenever Isabel turns it off. Isabel plays "birdies" with Muggins by fluttering her hands just over Muggins’ head. Muggins grabs Isabel’s hands with her front paws and play bites them. She also plays fetch with her jingle ball and steals the drawstrings from Isabel’s pajama pants and slippers. She also likes to hunt doll wigs, kill them, then hide them and sleep on them. She also likes to sleep in Isabel’s doll sets, much to Isabel’s dismay.

Muggins likes to hunt. Besides the aforementioned doll wigs, she also stalks moths, mosquitoes, spiders and flies. After she catches something and harasses it to death, she regularly presents her trophies to Isabel with much purring and chirping. Muggins leaves her kills on Isabel’s desk or on her pillow, mostly moths, flies and horribly mangled doll wigs. She has also occasionally offered Isabel parts of small unidentifiable furry animals and pieces of toads.

Muggins is bold and unafraid. She bounds up to new people, wagging her tail, sniffing and rubbing all over them, asking for petpets. Even the vacuum doesn’t scare her. In fact, she likes having her loose fur vacuumed off. When Isabel turns on the vacuum, Muggins appears and starts rubbing against the vacuum and purring.

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1584317.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

How could I resist? Answer: I couldn’t.

How could I resist? Answer: I couldn’t. published on No Comments on How could I resist? Answer: I couldn’t.

I just put a down payment on another 1:6 scale BJD, a Sleeping Elf/Tinybear Coco in light tan with faceup, wig, eyes and dress. Here she is as she appears now. Photo by previous owner Luann [Gwydion on DOA].

Continue reading How could I resist? Answer: I couldn’t.

Sea serpent therianthropic BJD!!!

Sea serpent therianthropic BJD!!! published on No Comments on Sea serpent therianthropic BJD!!!

Check out Loongsoul’s Gong Gong! This marvelous dude comes in light grey resin and has a loooooong tail that puts him at 166cm from top of head to tip of tail fin. He also has optional hip fins, sculpted scales and fins on his arms and torso and clawed hands. He has the option of a pointy-eared head without long fangs and one with. He comes with wigs, eyes, faceup [optional], armor, spear and resin stand that looks like a spray of water. He is amazing, and he is also unfortunately a limited edition whose preorder has already closed. Whhhhhhaaaaa!

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1583842.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver: take your huge talking rat and go home.

The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver: take your huge talking rat and go home. published on No Comments on The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver: take your huge talking rat and go home.

Yesterday I picked up Lauren Oliver’s Spindlers from the library. As I could tell from the cover, it involves a brave girl descending into darkness to rescue someone she loves from creepy monsters. I always have loved stories of girls going underground, the modern Urtext of which is that book that people today think is Alice in Wonderland, but is really Alice’s Adventures Underground by Lewis Carroll. [Sidebar: the ancient Urtext is that possibly of Persephone or maybe even Inanna.] Anyway, such a basic story of transformation is very difficult to do justice to, and, unfortunately, The Spindlers fails.

The Spindlers follows protagonist Liza as she goes underground to save her younger brother from arachnid creatures that have stolen his soul to eat. Oliver writes well, even beautifully at times, but she can’t plot, can’t pace and can’t tie anything together. Guided by a large nervous talking rat, Liza trudges from event to event. There’s a market of lost things, a seductive palace dance, a ridiculous kangaroo court, a river of knowledge, a forest of evil trees, a rickety bridge guarded by a keeper who demands a fee, a drugged smorgasbord, a threat of being devoured, a helper who turns traitor, a distraction of monsters by throwing rocks to set them upon one another, a hall of misleading mirrors, an invitation to stay in the dream forever, a traitor turning back into a helper in the nick of time, a showdown in which the ruler falls to pieces along with the castle, blah blah blah. 

I can handle threadbare elements if they’re well executed, but these here ain’t. Modern tales of girls going underground tend to be about the messiness of perspective, the slipperiness of life and the challenge of maintaining one of the few constants — love, affection, loyalty, family, one’s own moral compass  — in such a promising, threatening morass. I, however, have no idea what The Spindlers is about, but it’s not that. Why does Liza have these particular experiences? Instead of being Liza’s own psychological landscape, the underground functions as a vacuous adventure dispenser. There are no unifying concepts or themes, just a serialized circus of oddity without significance. The Spindlers takes a nifty concept and runs it into the ground with triviality.

It’s really a Labyrinth ripoff. It’s like Oliver discarded all the good parts of the movie [the context provided by Sarah’s room’s contents, wonderfully designed puppets, the odd, very British flashes of humor, that dude with the balls] and, for some reason, decided to run with the concept of a whiny kid fighting some royal villain for custody of her little brother. The Spindlers really jumped the shark when Oliver, for no particular reason, gave Liza a penchant for saying, "That’s not fair!" — which is, of course, Sarah’s refrain in Labyrinth. I then became distracted, imagining Liza’s words in young Jennifer Connelly’s petulant whine. Ugh.

This is not a book that pisses me off. This is just a book that disappoints me. Clearly it’s time to cleanse my mind by reading all of Alice’s adventures. 

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1583160.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

1:12 scale [?] marionette shop

1:12 scale [?] marionette shop published on No Comments on 1:12 scale [?] marionette shop

These beautiful photos by Jen Spectacular provide a look outside and into a highly detailed marionette shop that she made. The table with paints, limbs, tools and plans reminds me of my own desk! ^_^ I’ll have to scroll through these at my leisure and maybe get some ideas for Isabel’s mess. 

EDIT: Oh look — she’s into BJDs too…Doll Chateau [makers of Jareth’s body] even!

This entry was originally posted at http://modernwizard.dreamwidth.org/1583023.html. You can comment here, but I’d prefer it if you’d comment on my DW using OpenID.

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