Park Benches

I took advantage of the 40% off sale that Michael's is having on the Ashland Garden Collection.  I do, of course, have foliage from Dollar Tree but the Ashland stuff is a denser, higher quality and so much of it lends to 1/6 scale.  I'm trying to make a nice little park or commons area for my new exterior housing project and I need some benches.  I have the one [wooden bench] I made but wanted to try crafting some with cardboard since it would be quicker.

I took the top off a banker's box and cut two 5½ inch strips off it.  Then I marked down 2¼ inches five times and folded three of the sections.  I could have left it alone, but I had to get all fancy and cut an opening out of the lower panel.  This then required two side panels to keep the legs stationary.  I totally created more work for myself than necessary but I do prefer the design I achieved.

I always intended to add the embellishments and use them to secure the benches, but in the end I felt they were too big for such a small bench.  I also thought I could get away with not covering them with anything since the top of the box was white.  However, it just looked like a folded cardboard box so I decided to cover them with tape and not put on any embellishments.

Spacious for one

Comfy for two

Eh, they are okay.  Better than no benches, lol.  They are fairly sturdy and if I poke the side panels out I can store them flat and flat storage is always a goal for me.  They really could stand some glamming up or maybe an advertisement on them. We'll see.

Bratz Boutique Angel Cloe & Co

I was on my way to Panda Express to get some Kung Pao when my spidey sense went off that I needed to go to Toys R Us ASAP.  I always listen to that tingle and I'm rarely disappointed.  Today was no exception.

Bratz Boutique, Catz and True Hope lines were all on clearance for $9.98!  While that's a good deal on dolls that used to be $19.99 (Catz) and $14.99 (Hope), it's an EXCELLENT deal on a set that used to be $26.99.  That's 63% off!  *dances*  Although they had the Yasmin and Sasha versions, I only got Cloe.

Front of box

Back of box

Removed from exterior box and side panels extended

Insert removed from backdrop box

A Barbie can fit inside the backdrop.  However, once she has shoes on she'll be too snug to walk under the sign.  I was away from home when I took these photos.  It's not weird that I carry a nekkid doll in my bag so I can test the scale of things no matter where I am, is it? Nah, of course it's not weird! *cough cough*

Anyway back to the Boutique:

Extra fashion and mannequin

Boots and a shoe box.

Close up of register and scanner

Salesperson and display unit

For the new price I say this is well worth the money.  I love the backdrop and wish all sets came this way.  Mattel produces some really nice backgrounds that I collect but they always have the slits and slices in them.  What a wonderful idea it would be to have a clean background with every doll and set.

These are the other versions available:

MGA Image

Sasha Boo.  I didn't care for the clothes or backdrop in this one and I prefer the more traditional display unit opposed to this round holed one.

MGA Image

Yasmin Chic. I wasn't feeling this one either. I don't mind the hippie dippie fashions, but maybe I do, because I didn't purchase it.

MGA Images

L.O.V.E Jade.  TRU did not have the Jade Boutique so this weekend I'll go to another store to see if they have her.  Because I found two versions online I'm curious to see which one is in stock.  Even with the round hole display I like both of the versions.  They have an Asian Gothic flavor that appeals to me.

The Boutique display items seem well made (not the jewelry, that's just crap) and I even like the little register and scanner sounds.  I'm going to recommend any of these versions - assuming you get them for $9.98!

From Good Boy to Bad Boy

I said I would improve my inking efforts by completing at least one face every weekend during the month of February because a month is about as long as my attention span is.  I met that goal and even though I'll start working on other things, I'm going to keep at this inking stuff because I'm really enjoying it!  Yes, I'm still very shaky but that's a physical issue I cant control or get around.  It's frustrating, but I need to accept that my attempts are never going to be as neat and precise as factory paint.  However, I wish they were and my stubbornness against being defeated is probably another thing keeping me interested.

The last reink of February, Justin got his face wiped again and redone. I much prefer this new look.  His ink before was too wholesome and now he has more of a manga appeal.  He's been given visible eyebrows, darker hair and pierced ears!  Those SIS earrings are too big but they'll keep his new ear holes open until I find or make something smaller.

Check out that swagger.  He looks like he's up to no good.  Keep an eye on your daughters, people - and maybe your sons too for all I know.

I tried to reshape his jaw with shadowing so he was more sculpted looking than the original mold and less baby faced. Eh, it turned out okay.

On an unrelated note, I'm loving the brick scrapbook paper that I got from Joann's!  It works well as a wall or as cobblestone.  I'm using it to create another exterior house for photo backdrops and so far so good!  If you can find it on sale like I did, I definitely recommend getting a bunch of it.  I bought some of the "grass" scrapbook paper too, but it's not working out so well. Meh.