Do You Read?

As English was my chosen course of study, and I now tutor English myself, reading has always been a big part of my life. Whilst I couldn't be described as someone who 'eats books,' I do enjoy reading as much as time will allow. My reading schedule of late has been, for want of a better word, 'blended.' By this I mean that I have been dipping in and out of classics, modern literature, and study books. A real chamelion you might say (although I'd reluctantly describe myself more as scatty).

One of my students is studying Great Expectations, so I have found myself gasping for breath before dipping back into the dreadedly epic Dickens. And, after finally coming up for air after what I can best describe as an emotionally plummeting dive into his world of loveable (if not occasionally two-dimensional) characters, colourful and imaginative plot (that takes more twists and turns than a trained Dolphin at sea world), it was a far more enjoyable experience than I had anticipated. I can finally talk about Dickens with excitement, and shed the shame I have held as an English student avoiding such a classic. Of course, I strongly recommend that you read this book! I personally became intrigued by Dickens's central character, Pip, and his emotional and revelatory journey of realising his 'Great Expectations,' and then realising that he has lost these in their very pursuit. It is a story of childhood, hope, love, and above all, of loss, against the backdrop of the sinister old-London that Dickens paints with unequalled skill. The well-known abandoned bride, Miss Havisham, whose house has been left to decay around her, is a character from the novel who has inspired many. Her tragic tale of lost love has been explored by Carol Ann Duffy in her poem 'Havisham'



HAVISHAM
MEAN TIME (1998)
 


Beloved sweetheart bastard. Not a day since then
I haven’t wished him dead. Prayed for it
so hard I’ve dark green pebbles for eyes,
ropes on the back of my hands I could strangle with.

Spinster. I stink and remember. Whole days
in bed cawing Nooooo at the wall; the dress
yellowing, trembling if I open the wardrobe;
the slewed mirror, full-length, her, myself, who did this

to me? Puce curses that are sounds not words.
Some nights better, the lost body over me,
my fluent tongue in its mouth in its ear
then down till I suddenly bite awake. Love’s

hate behind a white veil; a red balloon bursting
in my face. Bang. I stabbed at a wedding-cake.
Give me a male corpse for a long slow honeymoon.
Don’t think it’s only the heart that b-b-b-breaks.


Controversial? Yes, of course! But I am always fascinated by others' interpretations of literature.

Next time I must tell you about my more 'modern' reads ;)

Let's Make Every Day a Bow-Tie Event!! ^_^

Bows, Bows, Bows!
Yes, I've become a little obsessed lately...
I wanted the title to say 'Make Every Day a Black-Tie Event,' but since not all of my bow-ties are black, this didn't make as much sense as I would've liked :)
I started sewing bows for my dolls. and I just couldn't resist making them for my other (for humans) Etsy shop. I love making headbands, but the material I get most excited about spending every last penny on is fabric. Bows give me an excise to buy lots of cute and pretty fabrics!!

Here are my latest Bow-Tie Necklaces

1) Leopard Print Bow-Tie

2) Sugar Sweet Floral Bow-Tie

3) Vintage Black and Pink Floral Bow-Tie

4) Classic Black Bow-Tie

They are all £5.99 and available here

I am also offering my lovely blog readers a coupon code to get 10% off: blacktie1

I really hope you like my bow-tie necklaces >_<



My New Girl

And my new girl is.....
A Dal Coral >_<
Did you guess it would be her?

I am really chuffed with her so far. Just look at that gorgeous outfit! I hope I can make one so lovely someday! I am not as disappointed in the Dal body as I expected to be either. It is a bit fragile and flimsy, but her poseability isn't too bad. I do hope to get her onto an Obitsu at some point though!

I'm thinking of calling her Flora or Barbara (shortened to Bunny). What do you think?

Giveaway

Hey Evereyone, it's been a while since I've done a giveaway, and I'd like to do one now to celebrate the arrival of my new doll!!

She will be here sometime next week, but I'd like to run this giveaway until Nov 20th :)

The prize will be your choice of the following:

                                          Daisy Chain Headband:

                               Sugar Sweet Floral Bow Ring (I can also make this as a hairclip if you'd prefer)

Leopard Print Bow Ring (or Hairclip if you'd prefer)

Cute Kitty Button Bow Ring

If you are a dolly lover, you can choose to have the bow made as a hairclip for your doll :)

And now for .... the RULES

Compulsory:

♥ Visit my shop and post your favourite item in the comments box here (please also post your email addy so that I can contact you)

♥ Follow this blog

Additional Entries:

♥ Become my fan on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/BlushingDoveBoutique (1 additional entry)

♥ Visit my other shops and post your favourite item here (1 additonal entry per shop visited)

http://www.amylilley.etsy.com/ (doll clothes)

http://www.teacupteddies.etsy.com/ (teddies)

♥ Add my Etsy shops to your favourites (1 additional entry)

♥ For doll lovers: guess who my new doll is (3 additonal entries and a 50% discount in any of my shops for the person who guesses correctly!)

PLEASE REMEMBER to include your email address with your entry so that I can contact you if you are the winner. Winner will be selected at RANDOM on Nov 20th

If you want to play 'guess the new doll' to win a 50% discount and 3 additional entries, rules are as follows:

♥ Game closes when I announce my new girl here next week

♥ You may ask questions (which I will answer here) but you are only allowed to guess the doll once. Please ask questions on the 'comments' box of the previous post titled 'New Girl'. It could get mighty crowded here otherwise!!

♥ Additional entries will be awarded once you make your one and only guess (not each time you ask a question)

♥ Prize will be awarded to the first person who guesses: company, doll, and type/ mould

♥ If noone guesses all three correctly, the prize will be awarded to the person who has the closest guess (company and doll at least)

♥ If I've already told you, sorry you can't play :( But good news because this means that I really love you ;)

♥ Don't expect this doll to be in my Flickr faves, that's dirty rotten cheating (yes, you shall be forgiven)

... Let's play! ;)

New Girl

oooh, I've don't it again! I've just bought another doll! I wasn't exactly an impulse buy, I've been watching her on eBay for a while and her price was good compared to other sellers' prices (also the seller was in the UK - take that customs!). Well, her auction was ending last night and I decided to place a bid whilst I was on the train (before it went underground and all hope was lost). I checked my emails when I got home and I'd 'won' her *booohyahh!!* *happy dances*. Of course this 'winning' still meant that I had to pay, so I am now officially skint again. But my doll family is expanding, along with my smile :P Any guesses as to who she is??



Other news :)
I found the cutest fabric ever!! I am usually NOT a huge fan of Disney's Marie, but give her a kawaii twist, lots of pink, and print her on fabric - and I am converted! Throw is a few (kitty shaped!!!!) macaroons to seal the deal and I'm sold!



The fabric came so quickly and I made this dress with it:



I also made this star dress, I think it looks so cute on Celeste ^_^



Both dresses are available in my shop: www.amylilley.etsy.com

And last, but by no means least, I made this critter for the most amazing swap with a very special friend:



I hope you like my recent makes >_<

Thank you for looking xx

Flirty Florals!

I have fallen for florals this Autumn!!
Here are my newest floral dolly-dresses:

Both are available here ^_^


And of course I want to introduce you to my newest girl, who I think is totally adorable! She is a Dollfie Dream, medium bust. I'd wanted one of these cuties since spying one on a fellow Dolly-Forum dweller's avatar. I saw those beautiful anime eyes and had to ask which ball-jointed beauty she was displaying. Of course when I heard that she was a Dollfie Dream I went straight to ebay. My jaw almost dropped to the floor when I saw just how expensive they were - goodbye dreams of owning a DD. No matter how much money I save, I doubt I will ever be able to justify paying 1.000 + GBP!!
As I was browsing Flickr oneday, I saw this beautiful DD head for sale at a very reasonable price. With a LOT of kind help from the seller, I learnt that the expensive DDs I had seen on ebay were priced so highly because they are limited edition dolls. She helped me to locate a body, and all in all my gorgeous girl cost less than my Minifee - not bad considering she is a gorgeous 60cm (when I opened my first BJD - a puki - I swore I would never go bigger than a Minifee *sigh*)

She is still nameless, but I think she will settle for Sayuri. I like a name to mean something, and 'Sayuri' means 'Little Lily' in Japanese. I am 4'11 tall and my last name is 'Lilley', so there is a little significance there >_<

Well, here she is:

Outfit, as ever, by me and available here
Thank you so much for your visit xx

Dolly Fashion

I hope you've all had a good week :)
I am starting my uni course this week (I'm training to be a counsellor), so I'm a bit apprehensive and excited. I've also been reading 'Great Expectation' by Charles Dickens for a student who I tutor. As someone who studied English at university, I am ashamed to say that I am not as familiar with the Classics as I should be, but I have really been enjoying this novel. Dickens has a wonderful way of creating characters and weaving together a story that is at once gripping and engrossing. I highly recommend it :)

On a dolly-note, I have been enjoying Celeste, my new Pullip Clara, and have been making Pullip dresses for my Etsy shop. I hope you like them :)