Thursday, March 30

Nevertheless, she persisted

You may now officially call me an Old Battle Axe. 
A battle-axe is a derogatory term for an aggressive and domineering woman.

Perhaps the best example was Carrie Nation, who wielded a hatchet and made it her symbol. Not only was she a militant temperance activist, but she also became involved in the suffragette campaign for votes for women which cemented the stereotype.

So Momma and I were delighted when watching Doctor Who, and the Twelfth Doctor challenged a Viking to an axe battle. (Yes, yes, I know. We're a year behind.)

I knew I had to have one for myself! It took awhile, but then we spotted this beauty that sounded exactly like Peter Capaldi's description of the Twelfth Doctor's guitar: 

"We ended up with a guitar that looked like a Fender Stratocaster that had been described to someone who had never seen one."

Oh, yeah. I be jammin'. 

Anyone want to duel?



Wednesday, March 22

And the winner is...

... Nonna of Mommy's Doll Club!

Nonna is the lucky winner of the meal from Winter at Faux Real Foods:



•A ham sandwich 
•Potato chips
•Eggnog
•A mummy pumpkin tart
•And a boxed lemon pie - complete with tiny bite marks

Thanks Winter!!! It has been an honor and a privilege to host this giveaway!

Nonna, please email your mailing address to me at steampunkaddie (at) gmail dot com

BTW, Mommy's Doll Club is another excellent blog to check out at: http://mommysdollclub.com


Tuesday, March 21

Dreamy Great and Grand Luncheon

Whee! I finally got a story!

Tea Time with Melody Q is one of my very favorite blogs since it combines two of my favorite things: tea and dolls. 

Melody Q's mom Xyra has been very kind to us over the years, and even more so since The Fire. 

However, I changed the rules, so anyone who comments is entered to win, but I had to share this funny story. (I have an excellent consolation prize for Xyra, Kirsten, and Melody if they don't win!)

Winner to be announced tomorrow!

###

"Hey, Mel! I have to tell you about this dream I had!" Kirsten said, laughing. 

"I hope it wasn't a nightmare, Kirsten."

"No, no, but you'll get a kick out of it because Gramma Enne AND Great Aunt Lanie were involved."

"Really? Spill!" said Melody. 

"Okay, so I was in the kitchen making my favorite sandwich for school..."

"Ham and cheese, right?" Melody giggles. 

Kirsten giggles. "Yes, but don't interrupt. The dream is fading."

"Okay."

"So I'm making my ham and Swiss sandwich. It's perfect little bit of ham, cheese, lettuce, maybe some tomato, a dab of mustard."

"Oooo, did you paint on the mustard like the guy on Sesame Street who painted the number on the bread in ketchup?"

"Seriously? You have to let me finish...but yes, I painted on the mustard." Kirsten giggles. "Anyway, I had it ready on my plate when the doorbell rings and who's there but Great Aunt Lanie. She sees the sandwich and says, 'I'm just in time! You have to have some chips with your sandwich!'

"We sit down at a lovely little square table with a navy blue tablecloth and I give her half of the sandwich and she pours chips on both our plates. While we're eating the door opens and in pops Gramma Enne. We all hug and go back to eating; a third half-sandwich appears on a plate, the table is now round with three chairs, and the tablecloth is lavender...."

"House elves..." whispers Melody. 

Kirsten's jaw drops and she stares at Melody. 

"Sorry! Continue, please."

"We finish up our lunch and Enne says, 'What shall we have for dessert?' Lanie adds, 'Yes, we must have dessert, but not chocolate; it's after 2 p.m.'"

Melody giggles. 

"I go to the kitchen. 'Well, we have this lemon pie we can share.' I open the box and jump, 'There's a bite out of it!'"

"'Oh, no!' they say."

"Lanie pipes up, 'Oh, I forgot. I pulled this little mummy danish out of the freezer. I had saved it for you.'"

"I say, 'Oh, that's sweet. Looks tasty too. Shall we split it?'"

"'Yes, there is enough for three.' Enne says, 'You know what would be perfect with that?'"

"Lanie and I turn to her with questioning eyes...  'Egg nog!'"

"Egg nog?"

"Sure, the last egg nog of the season."

"'Well, okay.' We split the pie in three and the egg nog too...and that's when I woke up."

Melody laughs. "Well, if you're going to lunch with anyone in a dream those two are the ones to do it with; you won't go away from the table hungry."

"But I woke up hungry and wanting a mummy danish! Where am I to find that in March?!" complains Kirsten. 

"I'd be more worried if you wanted the egg nog!"

The two girls head off to the kitchen laughing.

###


Make sure you check out Tea Time with Melody Q at  https://teatimewithmelodyq.blogspot.com



Monday, March 20

Dr. Frankendolly, I presume

I am pleased to report that Lea 1.3 is Finally Here - safe and sound. 

Momma had to call American Girl last week when Lea 1.3 hadn't arrived yet. Apparently she hadn't even left yet!

Sigh. 

Lea 1.3 was sent out immediately and she arrived today. Thankfully her head now matches her body. No more farmer's tan!

Lea 1.2 will begin her sad journey back to Wisconsin tomorrow. 

Now, a quick observation on the AG Hospital and its recent quality control. 

Lea 1.2 arrived with the right head with pierced ears, but wrong body and limbs. She arrived with the standard hospital gown, socks, certificate, and doll-sized Get Well Card. Lea 1.2 also arrived with a tiny little hospital wristband. 

Lea 1.3 arrived with the correct head with pierced ears, body and limbs - phew! She also arrived with the standard hospital gown, socks, certificate, and doll-sized Get Well Card.

However, Lea 1.3 did NOT have the tiny little hospital wristband, but she did arrive with Lea's earring set which Lea 1.2 did not! 

Now, Momma and Lea 1.3 both prefer the earring set to the plastic hospital wristband, but come on AG. Little girls are counting in you to return their Vinyl American friends home safe and sound.

Please take a minute to double check before sending dolls such as Lea home. 


Saturday, March 18

Bye bye Johnnie

Howling, bye, bye, bye, bye
Bye, bye, bye, bye
Bye bye Johnny
Good bye Johnny B. Goode

RIP Chuck Berry
1926-2017

Written by Chuck Berry • Copyright © BMG Rights Management


Friday, March 17

Second chance

Apparently, I asked too much of you, My Gentle Reader. 

I did not receive One. Single. Story. describing the Pictured Meal by Faux Real Foods. 

Sigh

So I need to change the rules.

Comment below or on my Facebook page.
The contest deadline is Midnight on March 21, 2017. The winner wins the pictured meal!

•A ham sandwich 
•Potato chips
•Eggnog
•A mummy pumpkin tart
•And a boxed lemon pie - complete with tiny bite marks


The lucky winner will be announced Here (and on Facebook) on Wednesday, March 22, 2017. 

Good luck!



Wednesday, March 8

Frankendolly

I honestly don't know what to do. 

Should I laugh or cry?

Poor Momma sent her Lea into the American Girl Doll Hospital for total replacement. (Clementine and I were the only dolls to survive The Fire - all the others were either melted or unsalvageable.) 

Lea was the only doll Momma found that was recognizable. She decided to replace only Lea due to the happy memories of attending Lea's Jan. 1, 2016 release at the AG Scottsdale store with my Big Sister and I. 

So off Lea went last month after Momma got her Income Tax refund. 

Lea returned home today.

Snigger.

Someone at the Doll Hospital put Leah's lovely medium skin-toned head on a light skin-toned body. Poor Leah looks like she has a farmer's tan!

Momma called the Doll Hospital and Leah 1.3 is on her way.

I don't know who I feel sorrier for: Lea or Momma. 



Thursday, March 2

Hubba boba!

One of the things I love about Winter is her generosity in sharing craft tutorials. Not only does she make the best dolly drinks I've found, but she shares how on her blog! 


Apparently her secret is two-step epoxy - not the acrylic water used by so many. 

We have some of Faux Real Foods milk, eggnog (complete with nutmug!), and boba tea and they are all beautiful, tasty ... and sturdy. 

Boba, or bubble tea, is a Taiwanese tea-based drink invented in Taichung in the 1980s. Most bubble tea recipes contain tea mixed with fruit, milk, tapioca balls, and/or fruit jelly.

Now, Momma and I both love tea, and Momma adores tapioca - but tapioca in tea?! No, thank you!

That said, Winter's boba tea is about the prettiest (and tastiest) we've ever seen. 

Don't forget, you can win a Faux Real Food meal - complete with eggnog! Read my post for more details: https://steampunkaddie.blogspot.com/2017/02/tell-me-story.html?m=1

Check out Winter's website at www.fauxrealfood.com. View tutorials, reviews, and sign up for the newsletter to receive special offers. Free shipping until March 15 with orders over $15. Use code FEBFREE17 at checkout.


Wednesday, March 1

Faux food, real quality

Momma and I love chatting online with Winter, owner of Faux Real Food. She's smart, funny, and compassionate - and LOVES custom requests.

Knowing this, we had to ask her some questions. 

Steampunk Addie: What is your favorite doll food to make? 

Faux Real Food: My favorite doll food to make is anything I haven't made before. I love my customers, they consistently request unique and fascinating menu items and accessories. I feel very fortunate to be able to do interesting work.

SA: What was your favorite (or most memorable) custom request?

FRF: My favorite custom request? This is a tough question, there are so many I've enjoyed. These leap immediately to mind; I had a great time making a complete menu for a Mexican food cart, very detailed and time consuming but so cool when finished. Corned beef and cabbage dinner was a terrific challenge, Caroline's fish and Lima bean dinners turned out very well. I did a series of giant cake cookies with different themes for each month, those made me hungry! There are so many others. 

My most memorable requests so far have been a squid shaped tumor in a tiny glass jar filled with moonshine, an everlasting gobstopper based on the early 1970s movie and an old-fashioned slop bucket. Some dolls have more interesting homes than I do! 


Ooh, Momma just told me she asked Winter to make my birthday cake! Whee! April 9th can't get here fast enough!!


Check out Winter's website at www.fauxrealfood.com. View tutorials, reviews, and sign up for the newsletter to receive special offers. Free shipping until March 15 with orders over $15. Use code FEBFREE17 at checkout.