#jly 34

[midsummerdolls]

I set up a corner with a good photo backdrop and felt that everyone deserved new portraits that are fun and visually interesting.

[idledoll]

This is another outfit I've had since childhood, which is probably why the jean jacket is now missing every single button.

[doll-collecting-aerialist]

Just snagged this JLY 34 because I need a project doll!! Kailey is supposed to arrive today or tomorrow as well, but she just needs to be restrung and have a hair day. This 34’s hair is pretty cleanly cut, I think I’m going to turn it into a bob. I have no backstory or name for her, so any ideas are welcome!! Honestly just impulse bought her because I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Someone take my bank account away-

[midsummerdolls]

My JLY34, Lena, has been in my collection for over a decade at this point. Her hair is getting quite frizzy and thinned out, but I’d feel bad replacing her wig- she’s not a very common doll, and I’m not too fond of any of the auburn or brown wigs that exist out there on places like etsy. So for now she exists in my collection as is. Though I’d love to potentially give her a makeover someday!

[idledoll]

I did a bit of restoring on my #34, Renata, this week. I've been wanting to do a boil wash on her since I got her, but a boil wash is a bit beyond my normal capabilities, so I had to wait for a good day (and a cool day, because this summer has been hot as hell).

Her hair was extremely crunchy, dull, and split at the ends, all the usual things that go wrong when doll hair is damaged.

So I did the whole boiling process and then I set the ends of her hair into curlers so that I'd get the nice curling-under action that her hair was originally supposed to have.

I wasn't sure the curlers would work, since I've never tried it before. When I first put them in, I had this sinking feeling they might be too big and the result would look ridiculous, but then the next day--

The curlers came out and the results were exactly what I wanted! Her hair looks so much better. Every time I saw another picture of a 34, I was always jealous of how nice their hair looked -- I don't think I'll have that issue anymore!

[idledoll]

I got this shirt decades ago, when we traveled to New York to see some doctor or other. Once all the tests were done, my parents took me to American Girl Place to make it up to me.

Oddly, even though we went to the one in Chicago much more often, I don't have any Chicago specific merch from that location.

[idledoll]

Meet Renata, the newest member of my doll collection! She's a JLY 34 and I absolutely adore her. She brings the number of modern dolls I have without brown/black hair up to a whopping three (out of fourteen), but she does add yet another brown eyed doll to the collection!

Bonus picture with Marina, since they're both rocking the jumper skirt and boots look at the moment.

[midsummerdolls]

Noc Kupały/Noc Świętojańska

Happy midsummer! I think it would be odd of me not to post something for today! 😉 Here is Lena celebrating Kupala Night, by preparing to set her wreath afloat down the river. Kupala Night is a traditional slavic celebration of the solstice. In west-slavic countries Kupala Night is celebrated on the solstice, while in east-slavic countries, it is celebrated on the 6th-7th of July. I hope you have a blessed midsummer!