DAY 171, And 172.

Thursday Day 172

I thought about my business today and how to score a book to read that could assist me in my quest for knowledge in the Non Profit world.  As for purchasing it , I am unable to obtain it thus far.  I feel  like I am still in the collecting stage of the dolls and yet need to get into the delivery stage.  I feel paralyzed though.  So I just keep moving and in the process was able to score a set of doll clothes that helped me dress a Tolly Tot doll or an American girl look  alike.  She looks so cute. See her above in her cheering outfit.  
Wednesday, Day 171.  Babysitting and pizza night so there wasn't a lot of doll stuff going on.  But I did work on a cradle I bought really cheap from an avid doll seller Elaine.  It is a rose pink cradle and full of littlest pet shop stickers.  I want to remove the stickers sand it down and repaint it.  I was able to do that while sitting next to a real doll and singing the one year old a song,
"De Colores".

DAY 169 AND 170

ON Day 169 I started reading a book that I found to be refreshing and lite-hearted.  It was interesting to know that it was about mermaids and it reminded me of the movie "SPLASH" from the 80's. 

Today, DAY 170, I explored the world of dumpster diving at GOODWILL.  There you find things and pay .50 a pound for the loot you find.  Through the frenzy of looking I found a doll I just had to pickup because it reminded me of the book I started yesterday.  Here she is in her crystal blue persuasion. 

DAY 168

Today I was supposed to sell some dolls to a local vendor however the weather was really nasty with the thunder lightning and heavy rain.  I stayed in most of the day and although I did not work on dolls I did relish in the way I am more organized with my home office and spot to be creative.  I have all the doll clothes I own organized in small, medium and large snap totes and it is a great improvement compared to digging through a big box of miscellaneous clothes.  I am excited about the prospect of Tuesday and going to Goodwill to buy things in bulk.  It may mean more clutter at home but I at least want to try it.  That was my day... cleaning, organizing motivating, building and now sleeping.  Thank goodness.

DAY 166

DAY
 166 and 167

THIS IS WHAT THE NEW BUSINESS OWNER TO 

MY MUNECA PROJECT LOOKS LIKE!

FRIDAY JUNE 24th 2011

ON DAY 167 though, the new owner went out and made some connections and self promoted her business and found a really cool doll. An extra little bonus.  Here she is in my new home office built yesterday by/buy me!

Such hard work!

Do you like the shelves?

DAY 165

     Starting a business can be scary, but today and yesterday I attempted to register the ever famous My Muneca Project.  Which is supposed to be written Muñeca.  Unfortunately the problem is that the state can't recognize the "ene" or the n with the squiggly over top of it.  So that was one of three reasons why I was not registered today.  the next reason was a lack of INC behind the name and then of course the articles or incorporation was not correct.  I did not know they didn't want my mission statement.  But,  I submitted it for a third time and we will find out tomorrow what I missed if anything.  I was able to secure an accountant and I am excited to make connections to secure my success. 

DAY 164

Today I didn't have much time hanging out with dolls.  Although I did categorize three of them that I had not yet written in my book.  I like to keep track of the 17" Baby steps I get from the big E and write them in a budgeting journal I bought when I started reading Dave Ramsey and his financial plan.  Although he would not be happy with all the money I am spending on dolls he would be pleased that currently I only owe on my house and Lawyer.  But that would bring us into a whole new story.  Instead of talking about that, let's focus on the journal I keep.  Or perhaps we should call it a ledger, but whatever it is I break it up into the following... Date of Purchase, Doll type(always the same), Price for doll, Price for shipping, Original clothes (yes or no) In tact, Condition,Paid scale ( either $ or $$ or $$$) I currently have two $$$, shh don't tell anyone, Hair color, male or female, Total cost, and Code on the back of their neck.  Currently I have 15, but not all of them have names which means I can resell some.  But that isn't until November.  On the business side of things I did register MY Muñeca Project as a business today.  it should be exciting to see if I did it right. 

DAY 163

     Taking some time to have fun I was able to stop into a local thrift store where I found a pair of shoes that fit my dolls.  Bon Bebe size 2 fits perfectly compared to anything else I tried.  The best part is that I don't have to make them.  No Sew No Fuss.  Look how cute he looks. 

DAY 162

Look who arrived today!  How cute is she?  This makes number 15 in a collection.  I have learned things I with one biological child on earth thought I would never learn.  For instance what do I name the 15th child, do I dress them all the same?  Should I give them all name bracelets so that I can remember who is who?  Where do I put them all and if all the other girls have their confirmation dresses on should I get one for the last three girls that have shown up randomly?  At any rate this girl's face is so cute.  I can't bring myself to sell her. 

DAY 158,159,160,and 161

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

DAY 161

It wasn't too long ago I had a feeling someone was behind me.  Of course i was alone but the feeling was that of my day behind my left shoulder and as I was working at my teaching job I felt him say to me how proud he was of what I was doing.  Whether you believe in ghosts or not I have to admit that if he saw me today he would be proud of me.  I am a hard worker and made something of myself despite my meager beginnings and my rough start.  So Happy father's dad to all dad's out there! 

FOR SALE $9.00

 

   

DAY 160 Headed out to Orlando and we need to stop at Kmart there to see If  I can find some more baby steps dolls to finish my collection. I am looking for the Asian and African American doll of this series.   Here is one I found from an awesome lady named Barbara at the flea market.  Barbara is so positive and such a gem.  In fact I sell dolls to her rather cheap so she can sell them at a fraction of the cost but I told you that already.  Anyway this doll had some wacky hair but my son had faith in me and this is the end result.      


DAY 159
 Friday and my son just got picked up by his dad and I have some time to spend with my friend Lee at the doll shop.  There we get some doll therapy and girl time and I am grateful to have a friend.  We sit and talk for two hours about everything and anything and at the end we agree having dolls to dress and fix up is so rewarding because when you take something that looks horrible and can give it a wonderful makeover and bring it back to a state of functionality it seems more rewarding than your stubborn child that is mad about having summer off and homework to do. 

DAY 158 Thursday 



What is a DVP doll and does it really say "Made in Denmark"?  Well I am not sure and I look on the internet and can't seem to find much but I do know this little $5.00 beauty was worth the money because I am hungry for knowledge and having her sitting in front of me has given my doll quest a whole new avenue.  Perhaps if I spoke and read Danish like my great grandfather I would be able to look up more on a Danish web site.  However my bilingual skills stop at Spanish, some Swedish and a little German.  Alas I have to succumb to the English internet highways that so far, have lead me to a dead end.  My Island girl my husband named

Maria

 

DAY 157

Sometimes I wish I had a doll I could carry with me in public so when people did things that displayed a lack of intelligence I could talk to the doll right out loud and then I wouldn't feel so down trodden about the future of society.  Then when someone asked " Honey, are you O.K.?" I can tell them

" SURE, I am just talking to my doll!" And then give them my crazy eyes.  I could bring with me a Blythe doll, one that had Goth fashion sense.  Wouldn't that be fun?  I wonder how long it would take to get a ride in a white van?  Ha ha. You can find more picks at this web site....http://www.flickr.com/groups/blythe_custom/pool/tags/goth/

DAY 156

Today I was reading the book
FROM TANGIER TO TRIPOLI by Frank G. Carpenter.  There Carpenter describes an interesting people know as the Tuaregs.  So naturally I had to see if there was a doll that was assimilated to their culture and all I could find was one on the big E.
http://cgi.ebay.com/8-Water-Carrier-Doll-Morocco-collectible-berber-tuareg-/250476949563?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a5196f03b. Here is the listing and you can see what they say about this doll.  Not one I would want in my collection, but interesting all the same.  Here is the Wikipedia version of the people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuareg_people.

DAY 155

In honor of Phineas and Ferb and the Mary McGuffin doll... I wonder what some people have done to obtain the doll they are looking for.  Check out the episode (see below)and let me know what great lengths have you gone to, to get the one thing you were looking for, whether it is a craved dessert or valuable collectible.  Share with me what shameless thing you have done...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duejj8F5deY

DAY 154

http://makesomething365.blogspot.com/2011/02/365-dolls.html
Above is a reminder of why I am writing this blog.

Kianna, hanginh out with her new loop earrings I made her. 

  And a cool site that has a comparison on the new doll I just bought and a more expensive ball joint doll.  http://www.kimsworldofart.com/dolls/generaldollinformation/dollfiedreamvsteentrends.html.

DAY 153

Today in honor of the glorious day I spent with my boys I am posting doll pics of some boys.   We had so much fun today and they supported me and found their own entertainment in the down times.  They are so awesome and I feel so much love from them.  I love when the three of us do things together and my time is not divided. 

DAY 152 FRIDAY

I just finished my last day of school and pick up two new homies to celebrate.  The guy i picked up is celebrating with us incognito and therefor can have his real identity shared.  He said something about a top secret mission or something.  But he looks a little like this guy, except with black hair and black eyebrows.  He talks a lot about dropping and giving 40 but he obviously does know me very well because I do not exercise.  He thinks he's coy but I read hiss dog tag and I so GI JOE something on it.  I have been waiting a long time to hang with him I hope hubby isn't jealous.  My other friend I picked up to help celebrate is a Mattel version of a Ball Joint Doll.  Now keep in mind I have yet to see a Tonner doll or Japanese BJD in real life.  I can only imagine this is what they kind of look like.  Her name is Kianna and hails from the Teen Trends line,2004.  She is very cute and fun to dress.  I think I want to make her a pair of earrings. 

DAY 150 Wednesday and DAY 151 Thursday

DAY 151
      Today I had an early morning CPR training and when I walked in the room I was immediately met with a smiling face from Bobby Keen.  He had dolls on every table and because I was so excited I could hardly approach him fast enough.  But after a quick chat he agreed that he would donate all his dolls to http://mymunecaproject.webs.com/ once he replaced them with correct American Red Cross dolls.  Anyway he was a great teacher.  If you haven't taken CPR you should. You never know when you will need it. 

Day 150
      I sent back the box of Build-A Bear clothes that were useless to me and while in the area took advantage of a few spare minutes I had to stop in and see my friend that owns the doll shop.  There is never enough time in the day to talk "girl talk" and dolls and then go about all the responsibilities we are held to by our life choices.  While I was there we discussed the up coming doll show and the negative things women may say to you while you are there.  But on the lighter side of things I did received a $25.00 gift card to Target so instead of spending it on something rational I bought a doll named Jackson, (like my son). 
And I bought Jackson a toy as well we were both happy. 

DAY 148 Monday and DAY 149 Tuesday

DAY 149
Determined to stock pile my clothing line for my November doll show, I took advantage of the cleaning lady who let the dogs out at noon and ventured on to some thrift shops where I was certain I had seen some stuffed animals with clothes on.  Remember I had just discovered a new way to score doll clothes and that was by undressing every stuffed bear I found.  Lucky for me my trusty son, always looking for a deal ,pointed out that stuffed animals just happen to be 1/2 off.  Yeah, see I can move forward positively and I am sure now the Universe is listening.  So I bought a few outfits for $7.00 and I was relieved to see that I was going to recover from my last E purchase and still be able to find the clothes I need.   On our way home we dropped off some Christmas donations to our local thrift store and while heading into the bathroom what did I see but a Build -A-Bear in a pink Ballerina dress complete with pink heart choker and ruffled panties for .25 cents.  (No Kidding)! Next on to the back of the store where the toys are.   Because we have to check...and there are two girls playing back there and one asks me "can I help you"?  The teacher in me forever present, begins to show her what I am looking for and after she searches and finds three or more things and I gently decline I reach way in the back and locate and Elephant with Build -A-Bear pants on.  As I check the price and get very excited I then show the girl why this is something I want to buy.  Talking to Betty at the cash register I explain that I just need the clothes and ask who are those two girls back there? She explains they are sisters and the granddaughters of the volunteer currently waiting on another customer and I say I would like to donate the two now naked stuffed animals to the girls and wondered if that would be alright as I hand Betty my card for My Muñeca Project. By now the Grandmother is listening to Betty as she explains everything I had just said.  The grandmother agreed and was eager to let the girls decide which one got the elephant or the bear.  Then the Grandmother says her name is J---, but I can't remember what that is(because I am too elated that I got rid of two stuffed animals) and know I need to remember names better.  She talked to me about calling me and getting me involved in some virtual school she has and connections in Rwanda.  And that did it folks I hear Africa and I am off in dreamland watching myself packing up dolls and seeing the African people open a big box of these dolls and I am not hearing anything else that is going on after that, not the rest of her story or my son asking for a Fanta soda.  I am dreaming about the day when John Bul and I can stand together and shake hands. 
DAY 148 Anxiously arriving a large Build -A-Bear lot of clothing I was met at the door with the familiar white flat rate box of $10.50.  How exciting it was to steel some uninterrupted moments to look at the loot when to my surprise the items I found were not described accurately and as I looked and looked for some goodness and some way to rationalize keeping the shipment, I was realistic and true when I said "I must send it all back "as there was nothing I could use.  "I'm so bummed" my son would say and this time I would be.  This would be the first time I struggled with this major disappointment from the big E.  Luckily though I had other things to keep me going like Graduation night and off I went to watch my babies grow up.