kingdom of Cerise

 Lately, I discovered the amazing -and vast- world of collectors' Barbies. Yup, I know, how could I not know about them? Where had I been all this time? I'm guessing, knee-deep in diapers and such, but now that I got to see the amazing dolls that Mattel has produced throughout  the years, I can't wait to make some mine and photograph them! Dolls with big, balloon-style dresses, blond hair and blue eyes were never my style. I like the ones that stand out, because they are edgy, unusual or just different.  And after that intro, I'd like to introduce you to the amazing barbie dolls of the MUSEUM COLLECTION, which are inspired by the artworks of great artists. These were released in 2011 so they are not new, by any means, but new to me, as I didn't know of their existence till recently... And I thought maybe they are new to some of you too, because it seems not many people know about them. They are PINK LABEL, but have become quite rare in today's second hand market...

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” Charles Dickens I've always had a soft spot for spring. Something about the flowers blooming, the crispness in the air, the warm sun rays brushing against flushed cheeks... Something about the in-between stage, when it's not winter anymore, but it's not hot either... So when March came, naturally I felt I had to commemorate it with a mini photo-shoot. My model was once again Cerise Hood, daughter of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, from the Ever After High franchise. The result, however, surprised me. I was going for soft, romantic, spring-like, but as it often happens, my thoughts and general sentiment of the past few days made their way into some of my photos. The world of dolls is enchanting because it isn't real. It's escapism and I love it for that, but not even a magical world can be looked upon entir...

Cerise Hood has an incredibly photogenic face, don't you think?

Giving dolls a makeover, even if it's something as small as making their hair more manageable and nicer looking, feels almost like art restoration... And there's something very relaxing and therapeutic in fixing old dolls, giving them new life so to speak. Who would have thought that it would turn out to be fun! After I rinsed off the dolls' hair, I realised Cerise's and Briar's were still a tad sticky, so I brushed it with some cornstarch again. Here is Cerise's hair before & after the initial cornstarch and tea tree oil treatment: It's not easy to tell from the photos, as her hair was still a bit damp in the right pic, but it felt ten times softer than at the beginning, and much easier to comb. Still a bit sticky though. Here is a "before & after", following the addition of more cornstarch in the end: I love how fluffy it got, with more oomph and volume! The stickiness on the scalp isn't gone, but the lengths l...

I never thought of myself as a doll collector, although I loved dolls as a little girl and they still fascinated me as a mom. But, you know, for most people dolls are thought of as kids' toys, so till I met the Ever After High beauties, I was only buying dolls for my daughter. The excitement of a cute new one was shared by as both, though! What wasn't shared was my little amazon's love for messing up doll faces with markers, painting hair, chopping off the lot and so forth. Don't get me wrong, I get it. I understand what drives little girls to screw up beautiful brand new dolls. I used to do it too when I was a child  after all... it's all part of the exploration process of playing, experimenting and trying out things. But now, it just feels like such a waste of money, and such a shame to destroy quality dolls. When I came across the EAH dolls - it was a chance acquaintance, but a very happy at that- I immediately loved everything about them: the faces, the shee...