blythe love | Kkhymn's Corner

September 12, 2013

Meet Penelope Garcia Blythe

Posted by kkhymn under Blythe Love, Knit and Crochet, Living with Chronic Illness | Tags: blythe love, Knit and Crochet, Living with Chronic Illness |
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Penelope Garcia Blythe

Still dealing with Medicare health coverage, finances and just a screaming body in this heat wave. There has been a lot of sad and crazy dolly drama in the Blythe world too. I have decided to leave most of it behind, and focus on what I love about this hobby – the dolls, knitting, sewing, customizing and photography. All a part of the dolly therapy I need to help me cope with my daily battles of chronic health crap.

I am still customizing dolls. I have even begun customizing dolls for my friends too. My latest custom for my collection is Penelope Garcia Blythe. You know, the cyber computer geek girl extraordinaire from Criminal Minds? I had to add her to my Blythe family after finishing my Abby Sciuto Blythe from NCIS. They are fast becoming BFFs.

The base doll for my Penelope Garcia was a Sunday’s Very Best Blythe. My luck with SBL head opening ran out when I started on Penelope. I managed to do it without killing her or myself, but she definitely reminded me why SBLs can be such a challenge to customize. But I do love her imperfections and all. I gave her hand painted nail polish eyes and she is slowly collecting a wardrobe of colorful eye glasses from Mimiwoo on eBay. Her geek glasses pull charm was a custom order at A Girl and Her Clay Etsy store. And the troll pull charm came from a pair of earrings! And the geeky stickers on her eyelids were vinyl nail stickers from StickItVinyl on Etsy. I was even lucky enough to be gifted some perfectly Penelope dresses from my friend Bonnie Jacobs. Penelope Garcia just came together perfectly in the end.

Bonnie got her very first Blythe recently, and has now joined the dolly addiction. She started sewing and knitting for Blythe dolls in her Etsy store and on Ravelry. She created three wonderful knit patterns – a Blythe shrug, Blythe hoodie and Blythe varsity cardigan. All the patterns are available on Ravelry for download. She also has some wonderfully sewn outfits for sale in her Etsy Store here.

On the few good days I have, Tony has been great enough to take me to some antique stores so I can find more dolly items. So far I have found a miniature spinning wheel, some ceramic cats made in Japan, and a pair of Porcelain Cat dolls. I also managed to get a vintage Susie Sad Eyes doll from eBay. I love her and am on the hunt for a Susie Sad Eyes sister doll. I have even begun collecting a few Monster High dolls. I have sold some of my dolls and given a few away as random acts of kindness (RAKs) too. It just depends on what I need to try and keep up with the bills and manage my hobbies. Plus, I am fighting all the dolly drama out there with some dolly RAKs. In the end, I have decided that I am an “equal opportunity doll lover.” And that nothing will stop me from sharing the dolly or monster love with the world, even when my body is screaming and can’t seem to cooperate.

Life has been so overwhelming for me this year – losing my job, my employee disability benefits, then the healthcare, not to mention a body that is plotting revenge every day for not having my regular medical appointments, treatment and physical therapy. Being chronically ill sucks. being sick is easy – you know you will get better. But being chronic has no end. And when you are financially stressed and have inadequate medical coverage, well …. it is just not easy. You have to find ways to survive and make it every day. For me it is through my creative pursuits – knitting mojo, monsters, photography and dolly therapy. And you have to still find ways to keep giving. A little kindness into the universe goes a long way. Practice a random act of kindness today.

October 4, 2012

Senorita is Here! Senorita is Here!

Posted by kkhymn under Blythe Love, Living with Chronic Illness | Tags: blythe love, day of the dead, Living with Chronic Illness |
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Inside Her Coffin

My Senorita Blythe is here! Carmen Madison has already welcomed her to my Blythe family. They had a nice private chat in the garden today after she arrived. As I get closer to Halloween, I plan on displaying her in her coffin and letting her be the center of attention when the trick or treaters arrive! I am hoping Tony takes me to Olvera Street in Los Angeles this month so I can take some pictures of her celebrating her holiday – the Day of the Dead.

I am planning on giving my Senorita a name soon. She is definitely the best distraction as I wait to hear if I am cleared for the Botox injections for my butt pain.

Life is full of surprises. I have been in such a dark placce recently, and I really did not know how I was going to find my way out of it. Somehow, my Blythes have helped me find my knitting mojo and cope through the sadness, pain and grieving that my body does every day. As I celebrate Day of the Dead with my Senorita, I will continue to live one day, one stitch at a time. Learning to grieve my past, what my body no longer can do, and still celebrate the present life that I am living. A life with Tony, my kitties, and the support of my friends and family. Even as we grieve the deaths in our lives, we are reminded to live and breathe again.

You can see more pictures of Senorita’s arrival in my Flickr set here. AniO’s items can be found on Facebook and on Etsy. Her Facebook page is here, and her Etsy store is here. I am so grateful to her for this labour of love and dedication. Senorita has a very special place in my heart and my Blythe doll collection!

Welcome Senorita

Senorita Blythe

October 1, 2012

Knit or Die …. I Found My Knitting Mojo!

Posted by kkhymn under Blythe Love, Living with Chronic Illness | Tags: blythe love, Living with Chronic Illness |
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Knitted Sweater for My Blythe

Ok. So last week I hit nearly rock bottom. I really had to find the light again in this dark tunnel, to save my sanity and my life. I had to find my way back to my stitches and knit. Tony took me to Michael’s last weekend, and I picked up a few items for Halloween. But then I saw some pretty sock yarn that was superwash, self-striping, and a mix of cashmere and wool. I had to buy a skein or two.

“Why am I buying yarn when I haven’t knit in forever?,” I thought to myself. I brought the yarn home, and actually had to search through my closet for my knitting needles. Yes, it had been that long!

I decided to knit something for my Blythe girls – a sweater, or maybe a hat? It would not take much yarn or time to complete, giving me the reward of finishing something on my needles fairly quickly. I decided on a long sleeve sweater. I had to frog the pattern a few times before realzing there was an error in the instructions with the stitch counts. But, once my head figured that out, my hands cooperated enough to find my knitting mojo again.

And thus, my Blythe has their first fall sweater! Woo Hoo! I realize even more how it important knitting is in my life. It was either knit or die this time around. Really. I chose to knit, and not die. I need the yarn therapy. It really is more than a want or desire to craft. Knitting is life saving therapy. It really does help me cope with monsters and overcome the pain, fatigue and chronic crap. It teaches me to focus on one stitch at a time, and not all the other stuff around me.

You can see my notes on the sweater I finished on my Ravelry project page here. Now I have to get to another sweater for my other girls … or maybe a hat! I will survive. Living one stitch at a time.

September 12, 2012

An Apple a Day – My Red Delicious Blythe!

Posted by kkhymn under Blythe Love, Random Acts | Tags: blythe love |
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Red Delicious Blythe

OMG! Tony won the lotto! Ok. Not the kind where you win millions of dollars. It is the Blythe Lotto for the chance to purchase the latest anniversary Blythe doll called Red Delicious. I entered the lotto via the Junie Moon web site, and did not get any notifications of winning. I had told Tony about it too, and he entered as well. He said, “This is no lotto. You don’t win anything but a chance to purchase a doll.”

Three hundred “winners” were chosen and given the opportunity to purchase this beautiful doll – she is a cross between Snow White and Red Riding Hood – and aptly called Red Delicious. She has sleepy eyes, amazing eyelashes, beautiful eyechips, and the most gorgeous, think reddish-brown hair.

I was so sad not to win the doll, as I love fairy tales and Snow White and Red Riding Hood are among my favorites. Then on Monday, I came home from my doctor’s appointment to find a postal slip saying they had a package for Tony from Junie Moon! I called Tony at work to ask him if he had won the doll, which he did not confirm or deny. At least not until we got the box home the next day. It was true! Tony had won the Blythe lotto! I could not believe it. It was almost as if the universe had sent me a random act of Blythe love. And, of course, Tony gets the ultimate man of the year award. He didn’t even make me wait until my birthday or Christmas to open the box!

Her name is now Carmen Madison Blythe. She has already met Coraline, Ichigo and Emma and they have spent the morning enjoying the garden. Carmen even found a mushroom! I don’t plan on customizing this sweet girl at all, at least for a long while. She is just too perfect to change in any way.

Here are some photos of Carmen and the girls …

August 23, 2012

Lola Blythe Goes Home ….

Posted by kkhymn under Blythe Love, Living with Chronic Illness, Random Acts | Tags: blythe love, random acts |
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So today, Lola’s hand-painted eye chips came in the mail. I was able to put them in and get her packaged for travel to her new mum! I loved working on her, and I know she will be spoiled rotten with lots of handmade clothes in her new home. Just wanted to share a few final photos of this first Random Act of Blythe ….