Fashion photo shoot

So... I haven't done one of these in a long while (maybe never on the blog?)... and my background is... my closet door, lol, but I figured I'd try to do a photo shoot for you guys, and model an outfit from TheGlamDoll, a few from of SashaLi, and one from DreamDollDesignz.
Let's get started...

Dahlia, Acacia, and Natalia are our models today.  I will be updating their profiles soon for you, but Acacia is dance instructor who is best friends with fashion major Dahlia. I'm still learning Natalia's story, but she seemed both shy and ready to break out of her shell and model with the ladies.

They decided to try on dresses from SashaLi first.

The tye dye awesomeness that Dahlia is wearing makes to wish I had a dress in that style, looks bother comfortable AND chic... I would have a closet full of them. She's got that surfer girl/flower child vibe going on here, I feel.

Acacia's eye really pop in anything blue or cool tones, I've discovered.  She looks great in just about anything I put on her! I love this mold, and I'm so glad AG came out with it. She has become one of my top 5 dolls.

I have to say, I am not a fan of magenta... but this dress on Natalia made me rethink my color scheme for her.  It's like this dress was made for her... and she's certainly made it her own.  Do you ever do that, come up with certain colors that you think are the doll's colors to wear?

What lovely ladies!  I've bought from SashaLi before, and all of her stuff is very well made.  I love how the outfits feel to me, very flowing, comfortable elegance.  I like her style, the 70s flair, and I'm loving her addition of flower hair clips!  There will be 2 more pieces from her coming up, but I must say, she is a very detailed designer.

Dahlia, being the fashion student, and used to working as a model as well, decided to let her inner tigress out to play last night in this saucy little number.  She would definitely have turned heads if she'd had gone out clubbing after this shoot... and she is taking notes on all the professional seamstress-ing that went into this dress.

After her photos though, she got into helping style Natalia and Acacia, redoing their hair and helping to fix little things here and there.

Acacia modeled a cute outfit from DreamDollDesignz, which struck me as both summery and islands.  She looked adorable with her hair pulled into a bun.  The quality in this outfit as well was on par!

I wanted to show the difference between Natalia without flash (first picture) and with (second picture).  I have a reflector coming in the next week or so, and I have seen how this can make a difference... but I also want to get a good camera so that I can get better pictures (there will be a photo course taken as well once I get it, lol).  I love Natalia's eyes, they always draw me in.  I've never been a brown eyed girl (I am a sucker for blue and green... and yet my man has hazel that typically fall to brown), but hers are so beautiful!  I may have taken more pictures of her than the other two...

I love this look on both of them, they are so summer ready!

Dahlia told Natalia that she had to try the pose D had done earlier... I think Nat is a bit nervous, but she pulled it off! (Pants were from EliteDollWorld, bandeau top was a gift from SashaLi... and I love it!  It will be seeing a lot of play this summer!!)

And then, since there was there was 1 more SashiLi dress... D and A talked Nat into being the last model for it.

I think I cut a tiny bit off the bottom of the short halter dress with chain, but I think she looks sweet in it, and very much not like a child.

Dahlia declared this photo shoot a success... and proceeded to claim the tye-dye dress as hers.

Thank you to the designers who made these outfits, I look up to you, and hope that one day, when I get my craft room put together and start sewing again, that my work looks as good!

My beautiful Zazou dolls!!!

So… it’s Christmas in March! (even though this is April 3rd... I got the dolls, then got too sick and then busy to review them until now)

My Zazou dolls finally arrived, and I’ve had a blast taking pictures and reviewing them.

Before I go into a pic by pic review, I have a few things I need to say:

1) Their wig qualities are amazing! The doll originally named Zoe (now Nevaeh) has Kanani-length hair! It’s silky and gorgeous! I will have to get used to taking care of curly doll hair, but I love it! My fire-haired beauty has this blazing ombre that starts out almost burgundy, then red, then orange, before finishing in a lovely soft yellow. It makes me think she will need a fire based name, though I am not coming up with anything I like... was thinking Nova, but it doesn't fit her. And my sweet girl, who was originally Jovan before she got a different wig… her hair is soft and pretty, with a red tint to it that catches the light and makes it look like auburn highlights. She has become Natalia.

2) Their eyes are beautiful! They have many more colors than American girl, and the light from the camera picks up their colors, really showing how pretty they are.

Okay, so, on to the review and photos!!

I decided to use the lovely Natalia as my comparison doll with Dahlia.

The dolls bodies look the same!  Danielle, the creator, took time to make sure the little details were done, such as french manis and pedis, and I love how well the bodies are sewn.

As you can see, Dahlia and Natalia (dang, they rhyme, and I didn't even think about that, lol) have the same type of bodies. I swapped clothes with them, and they fit the same on both as well. In some of the pics (the dolls are not with me at the moment to retake pics), Natalia looks shorter than Dahlia... and in other pics, she and the other 2 girls appear to be the same height.  I think the photographer (who is by no means even a good amateur one) had some issues, lol.

Their french mani and pedi are adorable!

Here are their original outfits....

And after. As you can see, Dahlia got Nevaeh's outfit, and Natalia got Dahlia's outfit... and everthing fits well!  I think these girls are a perfect addition to my collection, and I cannot wait to customize my little fire-haired beauty with make up and a name! I'm working on slowly crocheting dresses for my girls.... in between crocheting dragons... and cooking for myself and the man in my life... and working, and taking care of my pets... being an adult is work, don't grow up too quickly!

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One of my collection... they fit in perfect!  I feel like Zazou dolls look like teens more then 10 year olds... which I love.  They are gorgeous, and I recommend everyone give these girls a try!  I cannot wait to save up and get another one... so many choices!

Zazou Dolls, Create Your Own AG girl, updates! (Part 1)

Hey guys, long time, no update, I am so sorry!!  Life has been crazy the last few months!

October, I have no excuse for, except that I spent a lot of time crocheting, working and sleeping, as well as trying to keep the dogs entertained.

November saw me visiting Hilton Head with my best friend's family, rushing around like mad for the Thanksgiving rush (since I'm a dog groomer, everyone wants to get their dog looking pretty for any holiday, and obviously Thanksgiving is a big one.)

I may break this down into two posts, since there's a lot to update.

First off, I saw a lot of posts when the American Girl Create Your Own line came out.  I spent the last few days playing with the options (late to the party, sorry), and while I like all the different options they have, I only have one or two dolls that I'd really like, and certainly not for $200. I can't justify that for one doll.  So, while I'd love a dark skinned Jess mold (pic below this paragraph) and perhaps a light skinned Sonali, that will have to wait for a bit.

There has been another brand of dolls to catch my eye this summer.  Zazou dolls is a new company that I believe will take the doll market by storm.  I'm hoping to sit down and do an interview with the line's creator at some point, but I can tell you that the customability and variety of wigs, eye colors, and so forth make me so excited to get my first 3 dolls in soon.  There will be a full post on them, with plenty of pictures.  I am getting a brunette with deep blue eyes and freckles, a darker skinned girl with bangs, and a mythical appearing one with a lovely multi-colored wig and eyes.  They'll be here either before or after the Christmas holiday, so it will be my own gift to myself.

(One of the 3 dolls... isn't she lovely?)

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I did take the time to redress all the dolls for winter, and to pull 3 more or my dolls out of storage. I need to take better pics, but here are the girls for now.

This is Acacia.  She is wearing part of the Enchanted winter outfit (Delia is wearing the rest of it!  Versatility!!)

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And this lovely little Madame Alexander doll has a new lease on life!  I'm thinking of calling her Nyomi Keishi (no last name yet).  She makes me smile every time I look at her, and other than the fact that I am still picking out glue from her wig (I was impatient, and didn't braid her hair first before trying to glue it down, resulting in a huge disaster - ALWAYS make sure the hair is out of the way before applying glue, ALWAYS!), she reminds me of a Japanese Alice in Wonderland.  I'm figuring that this is going to lend itself to her personality.

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I haven't named her yet (also, I think she may need to get sent out for a face up once I actually glue her wig down), but this is my vision of what Maryellen should've looked like. So, she is a bit more mature, and a new name will be decided on. In any case, she's darling.

Dahlia was excited to come out of storage, and of course, the first thing she did was to snatch up the "prettiest holiday dress" she could find.  Mind you, we still have the one she wore last year, but she informed me that she had to try this one on, and that she loves dressing up.  Somehow, I can see her being my elegant model in the future.

Iris is looking relaxed, comfortable, and as such, stylish.  She posed with Dahlia, as well as on her own.

Alanna loves her new hoodie, and I'm pretty sure she will be wearing that most of this winter. Jack decided to join in for the moment as well.  He adores Alanna.

More Pics and updates tomorrow!  Check back then!

4th of July - a bit late!

Hey there!!  Jaelin here, hoping everyone had a great 4th of July!  Here's some pictures that Momma took of most of us (our Josefina girl is still in the doll hospital, along with Vivienne and another girl or two).  Linnea even got into the pics, though she says she would still like Momma to help with her hair like she is doing with Vivienne, and as she did with Savannah.

We'd all like to wish you a happy 4th of July!!

Back row, L to R: Me!, my sister Michiko (Mika), Savannah, Delia June (DJ), and the look-a-like Marie Grace (who still hasn't told Momma her name.)

Front row: Verena (Vera), Linnea, my BFF Dahlia, Kendalyn, and Alanna

We spent most of the day talking, hanging out, and staring out the window, wishing it wasn't raining.  It let up that evening, so TechGuy was able to make burgers for everyone, but since he's working on Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop's RV for the big beach trip, we didn't get to go see fireworks.  I was bummed, but not as much as my sister Mika, who loves fireworks and Independence Day as much as Momma does. (She even wrote a post on that on her own blog!)

From the Fireworks display July 3rd.

So, last minute change of plans (by TechGuy), and the final two who are going on vacation will be Kendalyn and one of her best friends, my big sister!  [TechGuy seems to think that Delia June is too 'country girl' for the beach... and Momma was so happy we could come along that she said okay.] Kendalyn and DJ have gotten closer too, and Kenna promised to get her something nice for a souvenir.

Mika and Kenna in the RV, waiting to start the drive

Momma says she feels awful, but Delia, in her gentle way, just said that the beach wouldn't be a good place for her cowgirl boots, and that she'd like to go with them next time there isn't sand involved. [I just LOVE her southern drawl...]

So, two things are going to happen this week.  First, since Momma will be taking her laptop, I have agreed that Kenna and Mika can have the blog for a up to date accounting of their vacation (they plan to ask Momma to write for them, as her keyboard is a bit big, and neither of them usually write, though Mika is interested. Second... I'm going to conduct interviews with the girls here, though I won't be able to update them until Momma gets home and edits them.  So, there you have it.  And, to end this post, here are some more pics from our photoshoot yesterday (Momma is making this a very photo-heavy post).

Another shot from our group photo.

Close-ups of DJ, look-a-like MGgirl, Kenna, and Alanna

Our Close-ups!  Love this pic of me and my sister, Dahlia and her sister Savannah, and we finally have a pic of Linnea!!  Maybe she'll do some writing while Momma and the girls are away.

Savannah and Dahlia

Kendalyn and her younger sister Verena (Iris' BFF who goes by Vera)

Mika and me... I love this picture!!  So happy to finally have my sister with me!