In the mood for nothing

That means relax. There is no consequence in not painting a new doll face. There is no hurry to sew the next dress. There is no obligation to update the social media. There certainly is no need to buy the next doll.

I took my time finding the right gold paint for the gladiator sandal. I wasn't able to find one, actually. And it's okay. I'll just make my own. Every time I get the chance to say, "I'll just make my own," I don't mean disappointment from the unavailability of anything. I mean I can. I mean I have the power. So I mixed my own gold paint. 

And don't get me started on the jumpsuit, because I won't. I have the power, remember? I don't mean the buying power. I mean having no debts to pay with explanations.

It took a while before this set was complete, And now that it's done, it's nothing.

This need to trap the living in the dead.

*The title of this entry is a line from "Nosi Balasi" by Paolo Manalo.

Cape Blazer

This is one of those articles of clothing I want to try my hands on. It's not perfect, but it will do.



I intended this blazer for my Cinderella doll but I haven't done the other pieces to go with it so I just tried it on to a random doll.



I have a feeling that that doll will wear it better than Cinderella.

Apocalypse

If Captain America: Civil War was like a reality TV show wherein you enjoy watching personalities clash, X-Men: Apocalypse is a beauty pageant. Aptly set in the 80's, a time when going big was in fashion, the Bryan Singer film showcased mutant power in full volume.  One will be in awe as each mutant lavishly parades his/her powers.  Mix the power pageantry with the usual story about the triumph of humanity, a.k.a. world peace, as this always work with everybody with a hardened heart, and all you need is the crown.

Sweep the dead bodies under the rug or dump them in the talahiban, the usual dumping place for the bodies of the victims of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines back in the 80's. Moviegoers will still feel good when they walk out the theater. Forget the people who died, forget the dead X-man. We don't respect the dead nor the heroes like we used to do. We will allow a real life dictator to be buried alongside war heroes. The people we root for win, didn't they?  The movie ended with rebuilding, anyways. Like when they build over the dead bodies in the Manila Film Center, remember? Oh wait, we try not to remember those. 

Apocalypse could learn a thing or two from famous dictators. Storm and Magneto wouldn't be turncoats had Apocalypse charmed them with his vision of a new world. Apocalypse lacks the charm of a powerful dictator. Some dictators have long been dead but still have a strong following.  A good dictator knows how to teach his subjects to keep their eyes on the prize. Focus on the good things. Look at the shiny and bright things. 

Magneto

This dress was almost a failure but I didn't want to dispose it because I like the fit. At least, I was able to turn it into something basic.



It wasn't intentional but this reminded me of a comic book character. I didn't watch the movie just to finish this dress. I have a feeling it won't do as well as the other Marvel movie.

Shoulder to shoulder

...but not eye to eye.

Giving

...the hot shoulder.

Taking the weight

...off her shoulder.

Your life is purchased by chance so you can dance.

*The title of this entry is a line from "Song" by Carlomar Arcangel Daoana.

The little redemption it takes.

*The title of this entry is a line from "Allegory of The White Handkerchief" by Allan Justo Pastrana.

Be tender despite everything.

*The title of this entry is a line from "The Half of It" by Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta.

My Goddess

Next to the Lea/Kayla face mold, the Goddess mold is my 2nd favorite. Here are my top 5 dolls from my collection using the Goddess mold. At least, they are the top 5 for now.



The middle and right most heads were shrunken but the middle head shrunk more. Head shrinking is more like cooking than baking. The middle doll's cheeks looks less chubby compared to the plump faces of the rest. I made the eyes of the middle doll smaller, from the previous entry, since she has a slightly smaller face.

Not a St. Patrick's Day Entry

First thing first, we are not celebrating St. Patrick's Day. It just so happens that the skirt I have is green. I have created this skirt last year but I can't seem to find the right girl to wear it. I also don't have a top that can go with the skirt. Luckily, I found a mint green top but it didn't have the same look of the skirt. I decided to undo some stitches to make the top look tattered.

Plus Size Problems Part 2

Dear Niel,

I tried the new dress you have made specially for me and I love it! At first, I thought the huge prints will make me look bigger but then what's the point of denying the fact? It's bold and fun just like me. I like how it shows off my legs. I also like the cool belt! Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.
 

I thought my fashion woes would end with the arrival of the curvy Barbie dolls. I was hoping that I can share clothes with them. When I found out that they can share clothes with dolls having the original body size, I felt something is wrong. I knew that I still have very limited clothing options.

How can a curvy girl share clothes with one who is not? What kind of delusion is that? Dolls of different body types sharing the same size of clothes trivializes the fashion problems of plus size people. How can other people understand the frustration and the difficulty of someone bigger trying to find the right size of clothes? Mattel decided to just sweep our frustrations under the rug by adjusting the curvy body so it won't be too big, so it will still fit the clothes meant for the original body size. It's like the fashion industry telling fat people to be slimmer so they can fit in the clothes the fashion industry makes.

These curvy dolls could have communicated this fashion frustration to kids and collectors had the dolls been curvier. Mattel could have addressed the issue with the fashion industry's lack of attention to the plus size figure by making a separate set of clothes made specially for the curvy dolls. Mattel could have done so much with the new body but they took the easy way and designed the curvy body to make the fashion problems seem almost non-existent. It just shows that Mattel is part of what's wrong in the fashion industry and at the same time denying something is wrong.

Different bodies being able to wear the same size of clothes isn't a celebration of diversity. It's forcing people to fit in one size.

But you get it. You get me, Niel. You understand that I can show off my style even if my body is bigger, even if I don't have a pronounced waist. You understand that I can have this body and still be beautiful. I'm so lucky.

Feeling loved,

Vernie

Take the picture

If there was something I was looking forward to last weekend, it was making this dress inspired by the red Dior dress worn by Jennifer Lawrence in this year's Golden Globes. I made the cutouts larger to make it more visible on a small doll's body. I like the dress for its simplicity. The cutouts reminded me of the 60's but it looks very fashion forward. This dress is timeless. It's a must have for every dolly wardrobe.

source: redhotsunglasses

Plus Size Problems

Dear Niel,

I'm happy you didn't make a sock dress for me. You took time to create a pattern just for me. I feel special knowing that unlike others, the patterns cannot be shared by a number of dolls. It's especially made for me.

I know my love for fashion doesn't show because I don't aspire to be anorexic like some fashion models but I do appreciate beautiful clothes and styling. Not a lot of fashion designers would want to dress me. Manufacturers would rather not risk spending extra capital on to solve plus size problems in fashion.

They stereotyped us as people who doesn't care about the way we look just because of our size. They think we can settle with dated and shapeless clothes that lacks character. I even heard someone say that I can just borrow Ken's pants. The nerve!

My love affair with fashion is unrequited but you loved me back.

I'm glad you didn't style me like Melissa McCarthy, fully covered. I like showing my arms even if they're big. I'm also happy that you didn't make me wear dyke fashion like Rosie O'Donnell even if we have the same body and we're both lesbians.

I really appreciate what you have done for me. Please don't take it the wrong way if I expected more. Let's be honest. The clothes the you've made me are pretty basic. I know I need to build my basic wardrobe, too, but I'm looking forward to you making something that shows my character. You know how I am. I'm far from basic.

Feeling Loved,

Vernie

Go Make Your Own Happiness

I have always felt alienated from the privileged collectors from the West. Whenever they post something that is not available locally I am overcome with this sense of materialistic envy. I'm not saying that others should stop flaunting their toy hauls. I have no right to say that. Plus, placing the responsibility of my happiness on others is just so wrong. I just want to name what I'm feeling: alienation and envy. I'm just owning it. Like I've said before, I can handle some negativity. 

They say that the first step in transforming anything is owning it. One cannot change what one has no control over. One way of taking control is owning it. I have made use of other's toy photos to make myself a petite doll. I can do the same to make an overweight doll.  The envy can be transformed into creativity. The alienation is what offers this different perspective and flavor to my blog. I haven't read a doll blog like mine. So there.

The stiff Barbie Fashionista with the new body types are not yet available locally. I like the concept but not the lack of articulation. Lammily isn't available locally at a reasonable price. There is a someone selling a Rosie O'Donnell doll since last year but I have been putting off buying it.  The seller then offered it at a lower price so that sealed the deal. I'm not a Rosie fan and I have a spare Raquelle head. I'm glad that I don't have to shrink another huge head. After a wardrobe change, I was inspired to make this video:

Dressing her up is more challenging than dressing the new curvy Barbie.  The curvy Barbie can share a lot of the original Barbie's clothes. My overweight doll can't but she is inspiring enough to make me sew more clothes for her. 

Just another goddess

I made this gown a couple of years ago. I don't remember posting it here so here it is.

Because I cannot make the glitter to sparkle in a photo

Sorry

She is not nominated for the best dressed award.