Featured Shop: Anna's Girls

Hola!

Today's Featured Shop is Etsy's Anna's Girls.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/AnnasGirls

This shop does a lot of high-end custom work and reserved items.

She makes a lot of wonderful original designs.

Dresses and outfits are not necessarily OOAK, 

so you might be able to get something that has been previously sold.

Like this Caroline Battle Dress that we custom-ordered from them.

These are the sellers' pics.

If you are the seller and you don't want your pics on here,

let us know and we will remove this post. :-)

Thanks for visiting us today and be sure to check out Anna's Girls!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/AnnasGirls

If you see something you like in their sold items -- 

just message them and ask them if they can make it for you. :-)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/AnnasGirls/sold

It doesn't hurt to ask!

Reminder! Jackie's Heart and Soul Giveaway Ends May 1st!

Reminder about our current giveaway!

Jackie's Heart and Soul sent us a Caroline/Regency-themed dress and pantalettes set to give away to one lucky winner. Woot! Thank you Jackie!!!

Check out Jackie's shop on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/JackiesHeartandSoul

To enter this giveaway, 

enter your full name and email address as a comment below.

Or email us your full name and email address 

to nora.demington@gmail.com.

We are taking entries through the end of April -- 

so last day to enter is April 30th.

One entry per person.

We do allow multiple entries per household.

There are no age restrictions on this giveaway.

But if you are younger than 18, please get your parents'/guardians' permission to enter.

Here are more shots of the set.

DW Top Tip: To see any of these pics larger, just click on it and 

you will be brought to a larger image.

The dress is made from a lovely light blue floral-patterned fabric.

The design is an adaptation of a Thimbles and Acorns pattern.

The pantalettes are a white floral-patterned fabric.

They have an elasticized waist.

Both pieces feature elaborate embroidery detailing.

The bodice is fully lined.

The back of the dress closes with snaps but has accent buttons.

p.s. The tights and shoes are not included in the giveaway.

If you have any questions about the set or the giveaway,

please feel free to ask us!

Featured Shop: Closet 4 Chloe

Hola!

Today's Featured Shop is Closet 4 Chloe on Etsy!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/closet4chloe

She also has a blog: http://www.closet4chloe.com/

We just bought a small herd of items from them!

These are the seller's pictures of the items.

If you are the seller and you don't want your pics here, 

let us know and we will remove the post. :-)

Thanks for visiting us today and be sure to check out Closet 4 Chloe!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/closet4chloe

The Four Finalists of the 2013 GPC!

Hola! 

We finally post the four finalists from 

Round One of the 2013 Grand Photo Contest!

Woot!

This took a lot of deliberation to choose the final four.

There were so many great pictures!

But there can only be 4 competitors in the Final Round.

So here they are. 

We chose one pic from each finalist to represent them in this post.

So if this is your pic -- then we'll be emailing you about the Final Round!

You have one more pic to take!

The four Final Round participants should take a photograph that corresponds to one of the clues/themes that they haven't used yet.

The list is here:

http://thedollwardrobe.blogspot.com/2012/12/2013-grand-photo-contest-curators-game.html

If he/she wants to suggest a different theme for their photograph -- just tell us in the email convo.

If you are a finalist, please email us your photograph for the Final Round at nora.demington@gmail.com.

The four Final Round photographs 

are due May 17th, 2013.

 Just to give y'alls a bit of time.

Featured Shop: The Beach Shack / Lost in a Jungle

So as we posted about on Friday morning we are doing small posts on things we have purchased but have yet to post about. Basically it is a blog version of our "Secret Wardrobe" Pinterest Board, but organized by shop.

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Today's Featured Shop is The Beach Shack/ Lost in a Jungle.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LostinaJungle

This shop specializes in modern OOAK tees, tanks, and tops, but also occasionally 

offers jeans, shorts, etc.

These are all the sellers' pics because we haven't taken shots of the items ourselves yet.

(They are on our incredibly long to-do list.)

If you are the seller and you don't want your pics here, let us know in the comments and we will take the post down. :-)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LostinaJungle

Maple's KPop Sunday: SS501 "Love Like This"

So I'm sure that you have all been sitting around waiting for more KPop videos.
This week we wanted to feature our fav song from the boy group SS501: "Love Like This." The video won the award for "Best Use of a Car as an Expressive Device in a Music Video" in 2009. It was also nominated for the "Best Use of Strobe Lights to Give People Seizures" award.
Okay, not really. Those awards don't exist...
But if my award system did exist, this video would most certainly win "Most Horrible Clothing Worn in a KPop Music Video" for 2009. Though I am sure there are other contenders.
We actually thought that maybe we shouldn't post this vid because the style isn't something that any sane person should wear. But alas, SS501 has Kim Hyun-joong as its leader and he is the reason I breathe, so we are including it in our KPop series.
Kim Hyun-joong is a pop star/actor whom we totes heart. He is even our phone wallpaper:

 So. Adorable.
We first saw him in the KDrama "Playful Kiss" -- then we watched him in the KDrama "Boys Over Flowers" or "Boys Before Flowers" -- whatever you want to call it.

Both series are completely addicting, crack-like substances that include large doses of bad acting, whole episodes of horrible directing, headache-inducing soundtrack choices, and emotional roller coasters that need to include a prescription from a psychiatrist.
We recommend both shows as long as you have a sense of humor and patience. They are kind of like KDrama rites of passage. "Boys Over Flowers" is probably the most-famous KDrama in existence. Even though it is completely spoof-worthy. It also starred Lee Min Ho, in his debut role -- he is now an international celebrity.
And he has awesome hair.

Both of those shots are from "Faith" -- a KDrama that made me want to stab every character repeatedly. "Why are you doing that? How stupid can you be? That makes no sense!" was my constant refrain while trying to watch it. We never could finish it.
But back to the music video. And Kim Hyun-joong. He does not have great hair in this vid. But that's okay, we forgive him.
This is an upbeat, catchy song and the video features the best kick-skipping dancing we have ever seen. Some of their moves do make one LOL.  But that is why we are sharing these things, right?
Brace yourself for  1) Too much eye makeup  2) Really horrible animal print clothing and  3) Epic dance moves.

Featured Shop: Little Noel

Okay, so if you haven't noticed we have been quite MIA.

So in order to be able to post something, anything, we have come up with a new slick system of posting. This will be in place until we have the time to do other things.

p.s. 2013 GPC Round One Winners will be announced very soon.

p.p.s. We are running a dress set giveaway currently from Jackie's Heart and Soul!

http://thedollwardrobe.blogspot.com/2013/04/april-giveaway-jackies-heart-and-soul.html

Runs until the end of April!

________________

So our new system is "Featured Shop."

We post about an item (or several) that we have recently purchased 

but haven't posted about yet.

Because we now never have time to take photos.

Derp.

Anyway, hopefully it will make sense as we go.

Today's featured shop is Etsy's Little Noel.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleNoel

We just bought some awesome jeans from them.

These are the sellers' pics.

We have purchased from this shop before -- a black, yellow and white dress.

And we actually posted about it!

http://thedollwardrobe.blogspot.com/2010/08/karen-goes-outside-little-noel-dress.html

One pic from that post....

Stay tuned for more "Featured Shop" posts mixed in amongst the things we can manage to create for the blog while we are bogged down with all this schoolwork!

Last Day for Voting in 2013 GPC!!!

Today is the last to vote for any pics in the 2013 Grand Photo Contest!

Sorry we have not been posting here lately -- 

too many school projects and too little time.

*weeps*

But be sure to check out our Facebook account.

We have a lot of little posts, updates, and Etsy things up on there.

Reminder:

Today Pippaloo releases new doll food on Etsy. ;-)

_______

General info for GPC voting: 

See the entries here: 

http://dw2013grandphotocontest.blogspot.com/

You can vote on each entry by commenting on that blog post.

Commented votes are not published automatically, 

there is a delay until we can read them and make sure they are not spam.

Or you can email us your votes to nora.demington@gmail.com.

One vote per person per pic.

You can vote for more than one pic.

You can vote for yourself.

Your family members can vote for your pics.

Your friends can vote for your pics.

You can advertise your entries on your blogs, Facebook pages, Youtubes, etc.

________

Next part of the contest: 

The Final Round begins after the winners of the first round are announced.

If you are selected to be in the Final Round you will need to submit a fourth picture -- one taken for a clue you haven't used yet.

We'll pick the four people to participate in the Final Round from a combo of the votes tally and Penny's judgment.

Then those four people will have 2 weeks to submit their fourth pic.

So start thinking about what you would do for a fourth pic.

The fourth pic will determine who wins the doll, and who will get the $35 AG gift cards.

We'll be announcing the Final Round Participants this week.

These will be chosen by a combination of vote tallies and Penny's judging.

__________

Any questions???

Please feel free to ask us in the comment sections below!

2013 GPC Voting Extended For One Mo' Week!

Why extend the voting? 

Because April 6th snuck up on us!

We planned on reminding y'alls that voting was happening last week but we were hit with schoolwork and BAM! It was Saturday! What the???

So now the voting ends for the 2013 Grand Photo Contest entries on April 15th, next Monday.

Same day Pippaloo releases new doll food on Etsy. ;-)

Also 3 entries got lost in the spam folder, so we added those.

Sorry we aren't a well-oiled machine this month!

Lots lots lots happening for school and not enuff time for fun!

_______

General info for voting: 

See the entries here: 

http://dw2013grandphotocontest.blogspot.com/

You can vote on each entry by commenting on that blog post.

Commented votes are not published automatically, 

there is a delay until we can read them and make sure they are not spam.

Or you can email us your votes to nora.demington@gmail.com.

One vote per person per pic.

You can vote for more than one pic.

You can vote for yourself.

Your family members can vote for your pics.

Your friends can vote for your pics.

You can advertise your entries on your blogs, Facebook pages, Youtubes, etc.

________

Next part of the contest: 

The Final Round begins after the winners of the first round are announced.

If you are selected to be in the Final Round you will need to submit a fourth picture -- one taken for a clue you haven't used yet.

We'll pick the four people to participate in the Final Round from a combo of the votes tally and Penny's judgment.

Then those four people will have 2 weeks to submit their fourth pic.

So start thinking about what you would do for a fourth pic.

The fourth pic will determine who wins the doll, and who will get the $35 AG gift cards.

__________

Any questions???

Please feel free to ask us in the comment sections below!

Maple's Thoughts on the Sweet Spring Dress from AG, with a Side of Trends to Sew

First of all, have you seen our new giveaway? 

We have a dress and pantalettes set from Jackie's Heart and Soul to give away!

We are taking entries through April 30th.

Go here to check out the giveaway:

http://thedollwardrobe.blogspot.com/2013/04/april-giveaway-jackies-heart-and-soul.html

Check out Jackie's shop on Etsy: 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/JackiesHeartandSoul

_________________

Second of all, we have been asked to give our opinions of AG's latest products.

(Which were released like 2 months ago, but we have been 'occupado.')

Maple loves giving her brash opinions, so she will be doing this for us....

Maple here -- Whassup Stitches!?!

We purchased Molly's PJs and Caroline's Cow, so you can figure out we like those things. ;-)

We'll be doing actual reviews of those things after we take da pics.

Today we start with my thoughts on what seems to be the most popular item of the release:

The Sweet Spring Dress. $30.

It is a sparkle knit, cream-colored mess.

What? You lurve it?

Oh, my bad.

It is still a mess....

Hey, y'alls wanted opinions right? :-P

Honestly, it looks better laid out flat than on the doll.

My main beef with the crochet dress is that it looks way too young.

For little girls. 

Little, little girls.

Which, to Moms, all girls are little.

But in my world, this is not something my tween self would wear to emit a hip and cool aura.

I'd rather be shot.

Next beef is the sparkle knit.

Why AG?

I am guessing this is like a left-over batch of yarn from the Soft-As-Snow sweater.

A crocheted dress is pretty fancy enough as is.

You don't need to add sparkle.

Unless you are Liberace.

Don't know who Liberace is? 

Ask someone older than 20, maybe even older than 30.

And I feel like the dress color is that dingy white that you get when you accidentally wash your whites with something dark colored. It never really looks white again.

I think the sparkle knit has something to do with this.

Gives it a grey-ish tint.

Should have just done cream yarn.

And of course, my third beef is the pink.

Giant pink flower accent at the neckline.

Pink ribbon detailing at waistline.

And pink shoes.

Now I readily admit the design of the shoes is really awesome.

But they are pink.

And we can't say we have a lot of clothing that they'd go with...

And they add in a single pink hair clip that looks just like Rebecca's brown one.

Which broke apart the instant we took it out of Rebecca's hair...

So Overall Thoughts...

The dress has a lot of potential to be awesome, but I think it missed the target.

Now for what it is -- a youthful, fancy party dress -- yeah, it is cute.

But when we look around at our collection, it just doesn't fit in.

So, we'll pass.

We'd want something just a bit more sophisticated.

Compare this...

to that....

And hopefully you can see what we mean.

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In order to satisfy our curiosity, we investigated crochet, crochet-accented, and lace dresses over at our go-to website, YesStyle.

WARNING: Lots o' pics.

Here is what we found, perhaps useful items for people designing doll clothing.

Love this double-layer sheath with bit of flare at the hips.

Would make it longer.

But overall we heart this.

Some of these are girly, youthful designs -- but to us, they have a bit more of a spark to them (without the use of sparkle knit).

Also, we included some pink ones, for the pink fans. :-P

Mixing crochet and lace pieces with chiffon and knit fabrics is pretty common and can help your design have more structure and pizazz.

Also, the drop-waist of the Sweet Spring dress is fine, but it makes the dress look more youthful.

Try other types of waistlines, such as empire, or even just a sheath or A-line style.

Currently, the skater dress style is in.

So that would feature a natural waistline, one right at your belly button, 

sitting above the hips.

Other design options to ponder.

Not to suggest you make a wee mini dress that barely covers your butt ... but we like the accents on the sleeves -- which could be added to any top or long-sleeve dress. :-)

So there ya go.

A lot of trendy options that say 'girly' but not 'toddler.' ;-)

Thanks for visiting us today!

________________

Again...

We have a dress and pantalettes set from Jackie's Heart and Soul to give away!

We are taking entries through April 30th.

Go here to check out the giveaway:

http://thedollwardrobe.blogspot.com/2013/04/april-giveaway-jackies-heart-and-soul.html

Check out Jackie's shop on Etsy: 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/JackiesHeartandSoul