dioramas in progress 2

I've not been lazy, it's just too hot to think a lot about new stories and things, so here's another random post about the diorama's progresses.

This is going to be Sebastiano's room, I prepared a daybed and a this strange but useful chair out of cardboard and sponges.

As you can see Pietrina is already enchanted with her boyfriend and they spend a lot of time making music.

Winston believes the guitar case is his bed, he will be disillusioned soon

Odette and Carlo are not too happy with their new neighbors, everybody likes some music now and then, but too much is too much!

Let's take a peek at Margherita's and Ermanno, it looks like they are now on talking terms.

He looks amused and she's now intrigued. One wonders how they had those twins. This is the one misterious mistery around here, and I don't know if I will ever come up with some sort of an explaination!

The twins aren't going along too well, Giacomo is simply bored to tears by Samuele's endless bowling tales!

Let's talk about Costanza's family, a bit of insight about them is needed because (if I'll be able to write down my ideas) they are someway pivotal to many of the diffrent stories that have happened on this blog so far.

Luchino: No Armando, I'm not going to buy you a Ferrari

Costanza as you know is a movie star, she's still active and pretty famous. She married Luchino at the beginning of her career, so he're the explaination for her grown up boys. Of course Tecla hates her as Costanza is not a "has-been".

Luchino is a movie producer and agent, so I expect Tecla to bother him for her "comeback" , Orso Maria to hang around him in order to get his movies produced and Nicola trying to get some of his brainchild books and novels accepted as scripts.

the boys are  going to get a post all on their own.

Last but not least here's the Persian room! just a sneak peek Pietro is enjoing a nargile while I'm sewing him an outfit.

I'm completely revamping the other rooms of this cabinet. Here are the pictures from a distance, you can see that there's going to be more furniture making (and many pieces are on their way from Russia)!

Classic Hollywood: Miss Sadie Thompson

Hollywood really loved W. Somerset Maugham's  short story "Miss Thompson" (later retitled "Rain").
It was famously played by Gloria Swanson in the 1929 silent movie

And by Rita Hayworth in 1953

But my favourite version is the 1932 pre-code talkie, starring Joan Crawford. Comparing Swanson's outfit with Crawford's you can see what the great depression did even to glamorous stars!

It is a "torrid (rainy) melodrama" set in the South Seas. Miss Sadie Thompson is an "easy living girl" who is escaping from San Francisco to Samoa and is forced to stop at Pago Pago with her fellow passengers, among wich is notably a righteous preacher.......interesting developements ensues....
As this movie is in the public domain I won't tell you anything more. I rather post the link where you can enjoy it for yourself: Rain (1932)

I like the movie and I like Crawford style and dress. Costanza agreed to model it, she's such a classy and versatile girl!

                                                   I made the dress, hat and bracelets.

  Earrings are IT  (Hot Property Natalia)

Shoes are by PaulZanby. 

Gloves and purse are Poppy Parker's.

I'm pretty happy with this dress, maybe Costanza shall pop up in some future story dressed as Sadie!

A new girl: Giada

Supposedly she will be the last entry from the older collections, just like for the Agnes sculpt it took me a long time to pick my Eugenia.

Thanks to missJay I finally made my decision. I don't really like velvet eyes but all the rest was so beautiful I felt I could overcome this minor fault.

First thing: her hair!!!! I love redheads,  I started collectint IT dolls because of their beautiful redheads!

After all the eyes are not so annoying and her makeup is really soft, expecially the lips. I really appreciate this because I didn't choose Deconstruction Site Eugenia because I was put off by her lips (really she looks like she has an enflatable dinghy in the middle of her face! I know I didn't have this problem with Caterina - Tatyana, it depends from the overall face sculpt I suppose)

So I have to say that has it usually happened the real doll looked even more beautiful than the pictures of her I saw!
A few words on the outfit: is wonderful, love this shade of green and the model reminds me something from Dior I've seen somewhere.

Also the shoes and jewels are amazing!

From now on she will be called Giada, and yes, shes BEAUTIFUL!!!!

IT Lottery - ITBE Isha

So the lottery time has arrived and I placed my ticket on Isha. I can't hardly resist a redhead and even thought the chances to get one are very slim I post a picture of her.

Those hair are wonderful!

I know, I promised no more FR tall bodies, but if I get her she'll be the last one! I don't really care for the dress, but I like her shoes a lot....let's wait a week and we shall see.....

PS. I didn't win her....too bad, but seeing the prices on the secondary market I will not pursue her....

A new girl: Cecilia

I thought a lot about it, finally I made up my mind, I decided to buy two more dolls from 2013 IT Collection: before I wanted to be shure they were the most beautiful around (according to my taste of course).
So here she is, the first one was Nightfall Agnes.
I love the fact that she's a brunette with brown eyes, her colouring and her ponytail. It looks like we're going to have a lot of ponytails from IT in the near future! Anyway, I also loved the fact that she was tanned and came with a simple  makeup, I feel Agnes is often "overtoned".

She's really beautiful and with fuller red lips she doesn't even look so unhappy. Whit her socks on she could hardly wear her shoes, so after a couple of snapshots I took them off.

She felt better, and stood a lot better!

Dolls face sculpts seldom have nice profiles, but this one is an exception, she's stunning!

From now on she will be Cecilia, I haven't redressed her yet. Her minimalist little black dress is simply beautiful!!! But don't worry, she'll have her new wardrobe too!

Edda!!!

I've been patient for almost a month, and finally Hot Property Natalia arrived today!
I had great expectations for this doll, as it took me a long time to choose the Natalia I wanted and then to find her.
The firs impression was great, she's more beautiful in person than  in the pictures I saw, and her clothes and accessories looked perfect

but....how stiff are these clothes? Ok, they have great details, and I loved the stile (in fact I have a similar outfit, so I really liked this fashion) but they are so thick that the doll is nearly unposeable. I tried to take some pictures of her in full regalia but they were a  disappointment.....

But it was too soon to despair, I just picked up Odette's Egypt outfit and redressed her.....and the she is AWESOME!

I should have bought her nude, but the accessoires were worth the extra price -  I sure shall use them, the fashions shall be useful to check my patters for the tall body, furhermore I have to admit that through this experience I took a lot of extra pride in my own fashions!!!!
Ok, I'm not in a modest mood......

So here she is, from now on she'll be called Edda and I already have some projects for her......

Travelling Dolly 3: Odette in Egypt Part One - Oasis and the Black & White Desert

It took me quite a bit  of time to prepare this, but at long last the travelling dolly project is starting in full swing, and as advertised Odette has flown to Egypt. She was really tired of all this winter rain, and off she is in sunny and misterious Egypt!
In the first part of her travel she has chosen to have some adventures, so she is going to discover the haunting beauty of the Western Desert, one of the most beautiful places of the Sahara Desert.
The Western Desert is 262, 000 square miles of dunes, canyons, oases, mountainous plateaus, and valleys that span most of land west of the Nile Valley.

Odette picked a 4x4 vehicle from Marsa Matrouh to the white desert. On route she stopped at two of the most beautiful oasis of the Egyptian desert: Wadi Siwa and Wadi Farafra:

fashion and purse by Billa - shoes by Paul Zangby - all photos by Sasha

Wadi Siwa - hot spring

The White Desert. She will never forget the experience of this spectacular rocks: strange limestone concretions that are shaped like giant mushrooms. Nothing can compare to the beauty of the desert, the empty space gives you a feeling of freedom  and quiet emotion you can seldom experiment anywhere else. And this desert has a magical vibe.

El Qattara Depression

Then Odette headed to the place selected for the camping.
Sure some set backs are to be expected! (please Odette, less luggage next time!!!!)

Bare necessities.....

The drivers managed to fix the car, set the camp and prepared dinner for an overnight stay under the stars.

Yummi?!? Well....edible

"How many stars this Hotel was? Ten thousand billions? Ok, now....where's the toilet?"

On a serious note, the night in the desert camp is amazing, you can see a million of stars, they are so many and so brilliant you feel you can touch them. But it is quite cold!!!

And what about the White Desert at sunrise?

The Black desert. Here the mountains have eroded to coat the desert with a layer of black powder and rocks giving it its name. Towards the end of the Black Desert are black volcanic hills that ages ago erupted a dark volcanic material, which is what the black rocks are made of. This places are a breathtaking experience.

Now Odette is looking forward for her next destination: Giza and the Red Sea!
Part Two: Odette in Egypt pt 2