Dolls without a budget

 While I am cleaning, reorganizing, selling some of my items, getting rid of others, I found my poor old U-noa faceplate. 

I've been wanting this particular one for yeaaaaars but it was so over my budget that I gave up, until I found this one, quite yellowed, with a ugly make-up for peanuts. I got it ! Then I tried to find a body but the price was just silly, and I needed a headback too. Damn it !

I later found (some years ago) a body (no idea what it is, just I got it because I was fed-up and it costed me nothing thanks to a trade). But yet no headback... until I found a cheap compatible one by Amaeta on a forum. It was an artist cast, meaning it was far from perfect, bubbles and such in the resin. But I was really excited... until I got it in my hands to realize it was not going to match the body attatchment. Drats !!!

The whole thing ended in a box, under a pile of other boxes, and I forgot it. While cleaning my stash, I found it back and was still totally upset... until I decided to sell the headback for 12€, it got sold in a couple of hours, and then I was there, with my body, my faceplate, wondering about selling those too... but nah... I WANTED this faceplate, I had most of the supplies.... and no money to find a solution. No money but a useless box of WePam, already half dried... Let's go 

Is it ugly ? Totally. Did I took time to make it look better than this ? Nope. Because it's going to be hidden under a wig. Who cares ? Not me....

And while I was digging in my creative mess, I also found a little plastic body (obitsu 11 style), and a PukiPuki piglet faceplate. I will NEVER afford a Puki Puki body (prices in my country are just ridiculous, and they wonder why people leave the hobby... shhhhh)  - Let's go for the same trick

Not "that" bad

she still need a wig, and I have no money at all for this. I'll probably end pulling hair on a Barbie doll for her...

and I can sell the body parts (ears, feet and hands) that I'm not going to use. Perfect 

I aso found a puki faceplate, but no money for a plastic cheap body (I can't order from aliexpress and such)...never ending story !

at the right, my U-noa faceplate hybrid, she's going to be cute when I can sew some clothes for her, and arrange this too large wig... and re do the make-up. If I ever...

the little doggy at her side is a Hujoo, the last I could buy before they all disappear from the surface of Earth... where are they all gone ?! Did the Cie crashed ? Is it just no more available from the sellers I used to deal with ?? Well....
The little dragon was given to me. I guess it's not a true one, the quality is poor, and the girl messed up with her customization, some parts are totally wobbly/broken, so she just gave me this poor little thing. I'll probably find a way to customize it.... but we can no more find MSC or such sealers, so...will I ever manage it before I die ? Not sure.
Doll hobby is totally down here, prices went too high, people were no more collecting just speculating, some dolls went high because it was "the fashion of the moment" before getting out of value, many real collectors just gave up as they couldn't follow financially
"Elitist hobbies are not for everybody" told me a girl. Yep. Play with your fortunate friends. But then don't complain when nobody is playing with you anymore !

eyes are too small (poor guy sounds gobsmacked) but they were the only ones I had, the trousers is too large & long (Tonner one), and the tee-shirt is totally oversized as well... but that's all I had that could "fit", at least he is no more blind and no more a naturist LOL

I'll upload pictures of my whole collection while I'm making progresses in cleaning my collection/craft room, but I already settled a couple of led strings, battery operated, because the room has no window so I wanted to give a little bit of light, the neon tube on the ceiling is not giving a homey look to my collection.....

Finished bear school house !

 François found for me a set to finish it, at the discount shop. I was still missing a wall, but I made one out of cardboard. I also returned the roof, for the missing part is not showing and ....voilà ! 

2 bedrooms, one will be repainted, 2 bathrooms one used for the laundry set, and then the bathtube is there too, as the original bathroom was crowded. The missing wall is at the top right, but it's not that important, as it's against the shelf side

Now let's see if I can finish or display better well something else
Soon I'll start selling fast food toys and such, I need space, badly

HacoRoom bear house

 When I saw some discounted (much) at Noz, I got a couple, a web friend offered me some, and François the others. I wish I could have gotten a 2nd bedroom and a 2nd roof to finish it better well, but nevermind, it's yet really nice like this !

kits included on the picture : garden, bedroom, kitchen and living room, and 2 bathrooms to have one used as a laundry

If I can someday find a 2nd bedroom, I would place it over the laundry, and a 2nd roof might be enough to have a "full" roof over the whole house
The unused bathroom items (I used only a part of the 2nd set : walls, ground and the tiny shelf) will go in my Sylvanian house, for which I never managed to get furniture (out of my budget)

Still alive

 

this is gift from François, who will offer me those this summer for my "fête" (we celebrate our "fête" on a special day here, each day of the calendar is dedicated to a Saint, so we are mostly all named after a Saint, and we celebrate this particular day... I mean we used to... sounds like the tradition is getting lost)

Not a lot of additions to my village, I decided at some point that too much items is not that great, I can't focus anymore on what I already have and enjoy it fully. 
I had to sell a bunch of things, but not my Sylvanian yet. If I have to do it, I'll do. 

I don't really like most of the new buildings / accessories, I really prefer the oldies, and now that UK is no more in Europe, shipping cost and custom possible fees convinced me to just stop buying things. After a big moment of hysteria, where everythings costed a fortune on ebay and such, the "fashion" for Sylvanian is slowing down. At some point, I'm pretty sure some items will go back to a normal acceptable price. No way for me to spend a fortune on toys. I spend the few I have on animal and flora protection, it makes more sense to me to save some wildlife than getting a new toys. They must keep on being a leisure, a pleasure, not a competition or obsession. 
I have some things on my wish list, of course, but if I never get them...it's not the end of the world ! I'm pretty happy with what I already have. 

I also work a lot on new things, like scrapbooking, genealogy, and of course keep on working hard to try to repair what I can here. I no more have hot water or heating. Not that important. I also spend a lot of time gardening. 

I suffer a lot from my health troubles, from tumors to Ehlers-Danlos, I'm loosing sight too. I decided to simply stop medication, and I'm doing much better since then. I didn't suffer at all from lockdowns, it didn't change much to my daily life. I just spent more time focusing on important things. That's how I placed back to the right level the collecting. 
Life goes on... as far as possible !

Some news, not very happy ones

I'm really sorry that it took me so long to post something here, but my situation isn't getting any better.

The divorce is going to be a long nightmare, my health is really not helping, I can't have any medical appointment right now as I can't pay a single euro for it. I have no efficient help from the social system, and let's say it flat : everybody is just waiting for me to die.

Beside this, my collection it totally stopped. I don't even feel like any joy is envolved when I look at it, surely because I already know I'll have to sell most of it, and believe me it's awfully painful. I feel below zero, and that's why I stay as far as possible from the forums, boards, and other things, it's a little bit stupid, I know, but I just try to survive...  First I kept looking at new things, but at some point the new design is not my cup of tea, and the older sets are far out from what I could/would spend, even if I had the money for...   Sometimes a set or character was showing up, but as I could not afford it, even at a ridiculously low price, it made me more sad...

I also felt quite disappointed by a girl, to whom I bought and send a bunch of things, but as soon as I became too poor she vanished. I really hoped to find some sylvanian lovers in my country or even better in my area. But no. The only one I found asked me to pleaaaaaaaase help her get something, because it's was for her daughter that was ill and wanted it badly. I helped. And found she put the toys  on a ebay-like website..Another one asked me to help her get some sets, I did. It was supposed to be for her kids for Xmas. She finally told me she didn't get the discount, that I gave her wrong infos, etc... And on Vinted here she was, with those sets to sell. Of course, when I contacted her she blocked me...There are a bunch of new collectors in my country, most are speculators, some just follow a fashion... But I don't find anymore the spirit I loved, I mean those people who really enjoy their toys, create things or stories etc. If you look at the facebook group it's just "I got for 2.000€ of new toys".. then all the others answer "I want them too"... and as soon as they get it "what can I do with it ??"... Huh... if you don't know, why did you ever bought them ? Not to mention those who buy from foreign websites, show the sets pretending it's their brand new favorite...and sell it in few days making a huge benefit. Gosh. I guess I'm too old, or maybe just not in the same mood....

So, as long as right now I don't even have enough to eat and pay my bills, I don't know if I'll be able to keep the house, I even start to believe that I'll have so sell a large part of my precious sysys... I just don't feel like looking at them anymore. Maybe if I pay less attention to them it will be less hard to sell some... I'm not sure, but...what can I do ?

Please, don't be upset if I don't enter a single trade, or if I don't update this blog anymore. I don't know if I'll ever be able to publish the things I wanted to publish (last DIY about the beach huts, the tikki bar, etc), it's quite heartbreaking, too much for I can just look at the pictures...
I tell it flat : I don't even have the money for a stamp, so...don't count me in for any trade. Sorry....

I'll see how things are evoluting, for now I keep the blog up, but maybe I'll simply close it someday. I just don't know....
I know it's not a very "happy" post, but that all I can do for now....
Hugs

New family.... maybe families ! (Sylvanian)

You maybe guessed it, I got one of the families I really like... 

the alpacas !
I'm just a little bit sad they no more offer 2 kids families, and if they wanted to enclose a baby, they could have offer a standing one (I'm really not fond of crawling or sitting babies)

They are SO cute !

They could have give them a more "south american" look, maybe someday -if I understand how to do it- I'll knit or sew them a peruvian bonnet :-)

Then I found this cuttie on ebay, I'm not totally sure I'll get it, the seller sounds a little bit...mmm... weird... but let's give it a try !

and finally you know there are a couple of families I wanted to get but gave up because the price is just silly. I don't mind if a character is not perfect, if it's missing clothes, etc.

That's how I found this set of frogs. Well... maybe a little bit over the price I wanted to put (the frogs price is more than reasonable, the shipping is making it the double, argghhhhhhhh), maybe they are not in a very good shape (pictures are not very good), but.... I offered 3£ under the "buy it now price" and the seller accepted my offer. Well... let's wait and see ! What I like the most is that there are 2 kids, and 4 adults, this way I can make "fake" grand parents :-)

I wonder if they produced baby frogs ?

*happy dancing*

What I've been up to

Hello :-) 

Maybe you wondered where the big me have disappear. Well, nowhere at all, I've been ill, much, and I've put all my efforts into finishing (almost) the lower balcony. 

Here is a quick overview of what has been done

at the very beginning, when I discovered my ex piled-up here a bunch of my memories/things, mostly destroyed by the rain and such... A lot of things, and trash too...

I had to clear all the rubbles, what wasn't easy, the recycling center is 5km from home only, but without a car.... ouch

when it was empty, I discovered the walls were falling apart, and were made of whatever they had avalaible like concrete, rocks, wood, bricks, etc

this wall has no window, but is made of 2 weak walls with a space between...and the ouside one was not even finished. The roughcast (??) was falling into pieces

metal here and there, holes, big enough for I loose a arm inside...

I started thinking that all I can do is "blocking" the troubles

François helped me placing big heavy rocks there, rocks that I found on my yard. It's all I could use, no money to get something else

It was better but...I finally repaired all the walls, coated them with a heavy roughcast (concrete type), and painted it

I planned to stop there, because I was exausted, but as I had leftover tiles from the other balcony (my ex always said there was more than enough for the 2), I decided to settle them, because they were taking a lot of space inside. That's how I discovered there was not enough of those. I can't buy new ones, I can't buy some of the same kind (no more produced)... I first thought about creating a motive in the middle, with something else, or buy a smaller one to make a kind of frame all around. But nothing was in my budget (I don't know for other countries, but here everything is expensive, and if you don't live near one of the 10 biggest towns, you find absolutely nothing when you need it). I decided to put all the tiles in the middle, letting a large space all around. That's how I discovered the tiles are not all the exact same size, some are distort, etc. Nothing could stop me. I did it.

see the huge gap on the sides !

Then I filled all the spaces with sealing, making a lage one all around.

I didn't care anymore, I was too tired and ill to fight with my obsession to do things well

Weights here and there, and that's it !

almost finished, only the door and window to repair

I finished at night, but I'm so happy it's done. It's been my project for this year, I now try to work on the other balcony. I was supposed to find a solution for the shutters falling apart, for the stairway outside and inside, repair the plumbing and power troubles... but I have no leftover energy or money.

Let's say it's just one thing almost done, but it's yet ONE from the huge list done !