2018 Doll Year in Review

    Here we are at the end of 2018. I am still bad at blogging. I think this is only the 4th post of the year, the last was in July. I could say my New Year's resolution is to update the blog more often but I would like to be realistic. Anyway, it's now time for the doll year in review. With some other stuff thrown in because why not.

The first doll of 2019 was this conquistador. He was an interesting challenge and was also the reason I learned how to make doll armor! So now I can make pretty much any type of doll. Some just take a bit more thinking about.

In total I have made just over 1200 dolls (1203 all together I believe.) I didn't know I was getting that close to a milestone so #1200 is a judge doll. The last doll of 2018 was this rainbow design western pleasure doll. She was stuck in my head and had to come out. I am happy that she came out almost just how I pictured her.

 

 In February I participated in NaMoPaiMo for the first time. I am not really a painter so I did not have high hopes for the outcome of my model.

 Still, my spotty mule is not bad. He is not great, but he is not bad. I am planning on entering NaMoPaiMo again this year. If nothing else it's a lot of fun painting "with" so many people!

 I even painted my hair in February. I have missed the pink. Also, looking at myself now, and how far the pink has grown out, reminds me how fast my hair grows.

This was the year Travis proved he can make absolutely anything look good. Even the little roll-up sunglasses they give you at the eye doctor. Elecktra and I actually had the appointment but Travis wanted the sunglasses too.

 Travis also did great things with the Unified Track Team. (game face)

and was definitely part of the team.

 In total I made just 20 Western Pleasure dolls. There were times when I felt like all I made was Western pleasure dolls. I guess I imagined that.

I did some chaps and chinks with stamped yokes. I did work the end of last year on learning how to tool, but I am not great at it in people-scale. Doll scale remains something that is beyond me. Maybe I can find time to do more practice.

I made 22 "other" dolls (they don't fit in my typical categories)

Pokemon themed jumper

Portuguese Rider

Era side saddle rider from Poldark

Bride

Marie Antoinette (with removable head)

 I only made 5 cowboys, some of them were bendy

I made 31 English dolls of different varieties. 9 casual English dolls

11 hunt seat dolls

 6 dressage dolls

and also 5 youth hunt seat dolls. 

 

 I also made 5 western youth dolls, 9 casual western rider dolls, and just one showmanship doll. In all I made 93 dolls in 2018. Not bad for a year when a lot was going on.

I sculpted these hugging bunnies for a good friend of mine. They were based on a cartoon another friend of ours posted on Facebook. I think they are cute.

 

 My husband started a T-shirt and sticker business. I got some fun stuff from him and tried to help with promotions.

 

 I got to hang out with Morgen again at TRXC. I am sure I have some "better" pics of us but this one amuses me.

 

Morgen was judging performance and while she liked my vaulting set-up, which was also new for this year, she did recommend a tweak which I am happy to say looks great!

  

The neatened up pad makes the entire entry look more polished. This also proves that often, if the judge gives you advice, following it can pay off!

 

 Later in October Travis and I went to the Best Buddies dance. He is such an awesome pirate!

 I went to some horse shows

 Did fairly well showing between 1-3 horses at each for a super low-stress experience.

 In the end I have also managed to lose 37 pounds this year. Hoping to lose a bit more next year. I am actually very happy with how 2018 turned out. I had some really fun times with shows, the track team, random silliness and good friends. We had 6 full weekend tag sales to downsize after the purging of the house we did in July. We still have some more stuff to get rid of and will likely find more as time goes on. Maybe Spring will bring some more tag sales. Who knows. Not all of this year was perfect, no year is, but it was pretty great. Next year is bringing some big milestones. I'm turning 40 in March. Ethan and I will have been together 20 years in April. Elecktra turns 21 in May. Travis will graduate high school in June. In September Ethan and I will also have been married for 10 years. Hopefully I can get lots of dolls made and some new projects I have in the works will turn out well. Here's to hoping for an awesome 2019!

Breyerfest Weekend (not much about Breyerfest)

I haven't posted since February. I have partially the same excuse as last time, I am bad at keeping up with the blog. I also have some other excuses. Besides regular school stuff I am also a paraprofessional for the Unified Track Team. Specifically for Travis. It's awesome getting to work with him and this season was excellent! He qualified for the division sectionals AND the state finals! The season starts at the end of March and goes through June. So very busy all day and all afternoon and sometimes into the evening.  That doesn't leave much time for dolls or the blog. But this kid is awesome and worth it! 

 Not only was there a track season but the end of the school year is crazy. I have no idea why other than maybe everyone is tired and ready for a break. But the end of the year is sheer madness. Still, I did work on dolls before school and during my free period. I got a decent amount done that way. 

Once Summer break started I think I was nearly comatose for a couple of days and then I had a burst of energy. Crazy energy. I got SO much done! I was doing huge cleaning and organizing projects in my house, I got TONS of dolls done. I am starting to slack every several days or so now, but I still seem to have an amazing amount of energy for getting things done. I am in an all out house purge and it's wonderful! Everyone should go through everything they own once in awhile. You'd be amazed at what you are holding onto. 

So with all these dolls I have been making what have I done with them? I have been listing them on MH$P in batches! I have gotten some really fun fabrics from a recent miniatures fair that has made it's way into many new dolls. I got a bunch of miniature feathers that inspired me to make a fabulous hat! Seriously, I make driving dolls so I can make cool hats. So I have been busy but it's good busy. Elecktra turned 20 in May and Travis turned 18 in June. I don't know how those babies turned into grown people, but it happened. 

Currently I am working on a handful of doll orders and then I will get back to making random dolls. I will likely list some of them for sale now and some of them will get put away until TRXC in October. I do like to have a variety of things for sale then. Breyerfest is going on right now and I am excited that a friend picked up a couple of models I wanted for me. One of these years I will go to Breyerfest. For now though I will go and jump into another sorting project and then get back to doll making. I'll leave with some pics of the dolls I have made since May. Enjoy and happy showing!