w00t?

So w00t is the official word of the year according to Merriam-Webster. Little late isn't it? I mean, it is kind of lame to still say that. They might as well have added cowabunga. I'm only 40% serious.

Reading Level

I added that little image below my profile that detects the reading level of this blog and was surprised to see that it is at a genius level when I never intended to use elevated language while posting about dolls. But oh well, I can't help it.

I love this video

Poor Dax

Aww, I hated being that age. My best times are just starting, 8-18 was the worst ten years ever.

Neon girl

Neon girl
Originally uploaded by tlvsn

It's cold and rainy, so I'm inside playing with photos.

Unfortunately for me...

I like looking at other people's dolls on flickr. Whenever there are alot of them in a collection there is usually always one doll that is cutest to me for some reason and then I search for more pictures of that particular doll and of course...it just happens to be a Kenner. So if anyone ever thinks that Kenners are overrated they should test themselves like that and they will see those dollies have got the beauty spilling out of them.

DS Games Wishlist

I have a DS, and I love it but I really want some games in English! I wouldn't even care if it was this:
Haha, just kidding, that would suck to open on Christmas morning. Then I would cry as I played it all Christmas Day.

I saw Cooking Mama 2 at the store yesterday but it was almost 50 bucks! I thought the first one was cheap in the U.S. am I wrong? Anyway, it would probably be hard to read for me anyway and blow the game... who am I kidding it would probably still be fun.

I guess I want one of those Brain Age games the most as far as what would be in English that I want to play.

Just thought I'd type this out in case anyone wondered what to get me for Xmas. :D

1st swap

I just joined the Sailor Moon swap on craftster and I thought, oh how cool for my receiver because I can send them stuff from Japan, but then I remembered: oh yeah, I actually have to craft stuff. I'm not worried though, I know I can do it. I love that universe centered around friendship, love, the moon, and beauty. I'm happy that I have a cute and sweet daughter just like Usagi does and a tall pointy-nosed husband like Tuxedo Mask. I think this will be fun.

Note: Animeexpansion.com = hugely entertaining.

looneytunes.com

The old Looney Tunes are public domain now so you can watch them on looneytunes.com. The older I get, the more I like them.

Wackiki Wabbit

That's some good music.

Culture Clash

My crazy Japanese doll loves to drink beans.

Designer Girl Dolls

According to an article on this site: http://www.worldcollectorsnet.com/blythedolls/

When toy manufacturers saw the impact which the Blythe revival was creating, they rushed to translate the big-eyed, large-head syndrome into playdolls. A few years ago, Toy Depot introduced a range of Designer Girl dolls, which had wonderful eye movements similar to Blythe. These dolls came in four different hair colours, cerise, black and purple, but seem to have been totally shunned by Blythe enthusiasts as 'cheap copies'. Copies they may have been, but at £10 for a Blythe look-a-like, they were a good buy, and are certainly one to watch as a future investment. Today these dolls appear on the internet and in charity shops for a few pounds. Designer Girls, unlike Blythe, had eyebrows, and their mouths were thicker and their necks thinner. The plastic was more shiny, too, but, even so, with a bit of customising they could be made into attractive Blythe clones.

I tried searching for one online but I can't find any for sale or pictures. I didn't think I was a crappy google user so if anyone has any info on these I want to see one! I would probably buy one.

Edit: Eww gross I found them under the name "Little Big Eyes" and they are really uncute. I would never buy one!

I love autumn!

Here are some trees from today. I love seeing the leaves change, it is so different than where I am from.

Photo Manipulation

I recently started using this photo manipulation site Picnik. I really recommend it if you don't have Photoshop on your computer. I don't in my case because I have an early Mac mini and it would take up too much space. Anyway, Picnik can edit photos through your Flickr account or where ever else they might be hosted. Here's a simple change I did to a photo from yesterday. So here's a easy site for those looking for something to use.

New camera, Here's a picture

Lina's wearing a new jacket from the Licca World Tour Collection - New York. How stylish!

Winter things

Well, since we kind of had Thanksgiving last weekend it is officially winter in my mind. I thought about the new winter activities of Japan that I will warmly remember for the rest of my life from the comfort of my future home in the southern U.S.

Top Ten Winter Activities for 2007:
10. Accidentally taking a moonlit stroll home with my daughter because I went grocery shopping at 4 pm and forgot that it gets pitch dark really fast
9. Getting a bottle of hot Royal Milk Tea from Lawson and sharing it on the walk home
8. Eating mikan (Japanese tangerines) - it is really unavoidable because they are everywhere, but why would you avoid it?!
7. Wearing socks all the time
6. Taking a nice bath and having the water feel really hot on your cold feet at first
5. Big udon
4. Knitting hats for the family (including dolls)
3. Snuggling up under the big blanket and watching the holiday episodes of The Simpsons
2. Christmas and New Year celebrations
1. VACATION IN KYOTO! *sigh*

Broken and gloomy

I broke the camera yesterday. It wasn't turning on when I slid the lens cover open and showing a turquoise garbage screen so I thought I should take the lens cover off and see if that helped any. Well that turned out to be a mistake. I managed to get the photos off the camera from the day before so that's a blessing.

It would be very hard for me to take a picture today anyway. The sky is so overcast the only thing I feel like doing is sleeping.

Ebay? More like E-bane of my existence

Agh, I hate ebay so much but there are so many things on there I want to buy. The three times I used it I either never got what I ordered or was sent something that was badly damaged and obviously repaired with Sharpie. I just don't trust the site because they don't really do anything to fix the problem. And I thought I could just give the seller a bad rating but then they would go on my profile and call me "a cheap rat bastard" and other such crap so I gave up on ebay and switched to Amazon.
So even though I see Blythes on ebay, I will never buy them there. And that makes me a sad panda. Good thing I can just walk to the Toys R Us - for now.

My 43 things

I really like this site.

Personal Message

Well hello there Jessica, I miss you girl-friend!

To Dye For

Yeah, it's a stupid post title, I know but I can't help it.
Anyway, my hair is naturally brown but I always end up dying it black because I like dark black the best.

I was so stoked when I needed to dye my hair again and I found this FRESH LIGHT brand because of the gorgeous model on the box.

One seam dress for Blythe

I used a pair of leggings that I don't want to ever wear again and spent about ten minutes and it looks good! Now she just needs some sassy boots.

Cool Nerd

I always thought a "cool nerd" was just a geek.

Shanghai Season

We have the same taste in teapots!

Lilies/ Uncute Story

Ugh, for Valentine's day last year my husband got me a bunch of lilies like these:

And they were awesome because they were "STARFIGHTER" lilies. But then after a few days we noticed that they were really stinking up the kitchen and we reluctantly both agreed they smelled "kinda like pee flowers".

Anyway, since yesterday I've been sitting at my desk thinking it smelled like Valentine's Day and I didn't know why. But then I looked in my under the desk trash bin and noticed there were diapers in there. My daughter usually throws her diapers away in the kitchen garbage after we change her but she must have had the idea she could put them there too. I also had some old flowers in the trash from when I was taking doll pictures a few days ago.

What I've learned: lilies go outside, organic material goes in the kitchen trash, throw the diapers away myself.

Blythe dress from baby bloomers

Well, I don't know about you, but I rarely ever use the stupid diaper cover bloomer things that come with most baby dresses. But I have a bunch of them and was keeping them for the fabric. My sewing machine is in my parents' garage right now so I am always trying to think of ways to sew stuff with very little sewing and I created this little number tonight that I plan on making again with other bloomers.

To see how it's done, visit my flicker set @:
http://www.flickr.com/gp/20098288@N07/1Djc5b

I'll post it up on here as soon as I have more time. :)

Lurlina

Ready for bed
Originally uploaded by tlvsn

Here she is, my new girl ready to go to sleep. She wants me to turn the light off already and stop taking pictures.

First Post

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tina, I'm in my early twenties and I live with my husband and daughter in Japan.

Today is the first day I have spent with my new Blythe and I thought, you have something to contribute to all that community - start a blog or something. Well here it is baby. But I am also quite crafty and have other ideas to share so I'll be putting those up to.

So about the girl: I got Enchanted Petal at Toys R Us last night after drooling over her for quite some time. Her name is Lurlina and I hope I will be a good mom to her. I love Blythe's face, at first she seems a little snobby but then you realize quickly that she does want to be friends and is just shy. I also have a petite Shanghai Season named Marie. She's a cutie.