McKenna's new and improved look! *o*

Hello! So around the time that I wrote me last post I had a radical moment and wanted to change up McKenna's hair. I wasn't really liking to photograph her because the ends of her hair were fried and she looked gross I have to say. so I chopped the ends of and gave her a new look! I sewed her a fun top as well :) And after I had put this outfit together I just new I wanted to take pics of her in these cool woods we have a wee drive away from our house :) Finally after like a week I was able to organize getting out their and taking some pics :-*  

(Sorry that these pics look a bit blurry, blogger seems to do that to my pics when i upload them.. Oh well)

Of course I had to bring the family's lamb-dog, Log!

I hope you all have an amazing holidays!! Yesterday was our summer solstice so my family went and walked on the beach until like 9pm!! Oh yeah! I love christmas in New Zealand, it's so relaxed and we just eat as many; boysenberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and cherries as we can!! Merry christmas you lot, ENJOY IT!!! :0

heres whats been happening with me

Hi everyone! I just wanted to catch up with you all and tell ya whats going on for me at the moment :) I haven't posted in a while, well its actually not really a long time only about a month. But for me it feels like an eternity. I've still been here and viewing your posts I just haven't had the energy to comment. That may sound pathetic but I have a wee bit of explaining to do. I tried to say it a few months back HERE but I really want to just let out what I feeling at the moment, not a rant. If it was it would be a boring one >.< But I just want you to know what's going on for me :)

So when my school year started in feb 2015 I went to school excited to see my friends and ready to start my 2nd year of high school :) I think in the USA it would be Sophomore.. Year 10 for me :) But after a few weeks I began to feel really tired like I was recovering from a cold, but I didn't have a cold. After about 2 months of that the headaches started. Right behind my left eye and between my eyes. On top of the tiredness I was becoming a mess! So by June I was admitted into hospital where I had a MRI scan to see if anything was wrong. They found a cyst the size of maybe a golf ball in my temporal lobe. Don't ask me what that means coz I don't really know. The doctors don't think that's what causing the symptoms so I've been trying migraine medication. 

Due to my illness I've had to stop my extra-curricular activities; choir, piano and viola lessons. I've also had to stop going to school. This has been hard for me because all my family and friends are going on with their lives and I'm sitting in my bed too tired to do much and if I do I get wicked headaches. I feel like I'm stuck in a foggy ball and I can't get out. I have constant pressure in my head and then occasional headaches. Luckily the migraine medicine seems to be helping a bit. My friendships have changed, my interests you could say have changed because I haven't been able to pursue them as i had been before. My recent trip to America was annoyingly clouded by headaches and fatigue, having to stay in the car or as soon as we got to people's house's having to sleep. I've felt like I've been stripped of everything, not being able to do much as been terrible.

The reason I'm telling you all this is because at the moment there's the social media trend of people confessing that they weren't showing who they really are on the internet. And I think I've been showing myself of my blog as who I am. But I wasn't really telling you guys how I feeling or only showing my happy side. To me I wasn't anyway. I've also been seeing so many people leave the blogging community and earlier this year I felt like stopping my blog. But then I saw all my dolls lined up smiling at me and I saw all my toys on my shelf and I knew that they have been the one thing that I've been able to get some joy out of. Being able to see all your beautiful photography has just made me really want to put more effort into my photography. Even though I may not be able to put up pictures once a week or even once a month, I want to still take pics of my dolls and collect figures and enjoy them. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that. I've been unhappy with my posts lately because I feel super bad about not putting any content out and so I drag myself out of the house to my messy backyard and take a few photos but I'm so tired that I get about 5 pics done and by the time it comes to posting only 1 or 2 are able to be posted. That's not the joy of toy blogging. It feels like a chore more than an awesome hobby.. and then I get upset because they aren't the quality that I want them to be.

So this year has been a big hurdle for me to climb over, and I'm still climbing over it and probably will be next year. But I just want you to know that I still love dolls and this community even with its ups and downs. I will try my level best to post photos whether they be of American Girl dolls or barbies or Zelfs or whatever other toys I have in my room. But most of all I want to be honest with you :) I want to be able to log onto my blog and feel so good about sharing my thoughts and feelings and my average doll photos and know that my friends are listening ;) I know I've never met any of you but you guys are the only people who understand that a new girl of the year is flipping exciting! Or drool over amazing ETSY buys and hunt around for fun little things we can add to our collections:) So I think of you has a friend :)

So to conclude, I haven't been very well this year and since I've had a lot of spare time I've been thinking about this blog and it's future and the future of my doll collecting and photographing. And for now I will put effort into every post, even if that means that I can't post as frequently, I will not just post because I feel like I have to put something up. I also just want you guys to know that If you're feeling pressured about posting on your blog or are unhappy about your pics or posts. Just take a breather, try and figure out what is bothering you and address it. if it's that you're unhappy with the quality of your photos (which was happening to me) Look at other peoples photography and see how they take their pics and try out some of their methods, find your strengths and focus on them! Many people get annoyed at themselves or their posts and don't really know why so they just leave the community. Doll photography is a hobby and hobbies are there to be enjoyed. So enjoy it! Find out what your not enjoying and change it :)
So yesterday I looked my AG dolls and saw they hadn't been changed in about 3 months, so I pulled put my doll clothes box and by hair accessory box and gave each one of my dolls a bit of TCL and then stood them on a stool and had a mini photoshoot. The pics aren't amazing but it's going to take practice to where you wanna get to.

I'm sorry if this post is all other the place, I'm just writing down what comes to my head and lately I've found it harder to put together paragraphs and such :) I love you all and hope that you have a wonderful holidays and if you guys wanna talk just comment down below or email me at: agfernfriends@gmail.com  I'd love to talk to you :-*
-Lydia

What I got from the American Girl Store!

So as you can probably see by the photo I got CAROLINE WHEN I WAS IN AMERICA!!!! Ok so there's a big story behind getting her, i'll explain.

sorry about the lack of pics, I not very well at the moment.

So in like the first week of being in America we visited an AG store, I talked more about it in my last post :) I had planned to get Caroline from a store when I was there. So I was walking around the store and marveling at how beautiful and amazing the displays were. After a while I noticed the lack of Caroline items. So I asked one of the ladies if she was sold here and she said that they Caroline is only sold online. My heart legit broke. So my mum talked to the manager and we explained that we were tourists and then my dad phoned the american girl like online place and after hours of back and forth we managed to order a caroline doll and she was mailed to our hotel in Orlando. I am so blessed to have the amazing customer service and such awesome parents :) We walked into the store at 12pm and left at 3pm :) Yeah my younger siblings were tearing up the place! There were opening boxes and playing with their dolls and the tea sets it was so cute! But that experience and the effort to get Caroline just makes her so the more special, I just love that my parents spent so much effort negotiating and arranging the shipment. I love you guys! i know who probs won't read this post but you know I love you >.< We drove from Washington D.C and by the end of our trip we were in Orlando and she was in my hotel!!! And thats the story ;0 I now have another lovely lady to add to my collection! ^.^ 

Just a quick note :) If you are having doubts about getting her, I would try and get her before she retires. She is so pretty and will probs be quite expensive when she's retired! 

Love ya, Lydia!

I'm back from my trip!! :)

Hey hey hey!!! I'm back from my trip to America!!! Ahh it feels so good to be home :) We landed back in New Zealand a week ago today and man, am I glad to be back! I got a bit homesick while I was away! I missed my friends and my sister and my cozy bed >.< As promised I tried to take pictures but like half of them I can't seem to find.. like anywhere on my computer and sim cards O_o So thats strange.. but you have a few from the first week or two of travel! I made them into a little slideshow so this post wasn't a million miles long! So hope you like the slideshow :-*

usa trip slideshow - Kizoa Online Movie Maker


Now i should probably highlight some of my favorite things from my trip!

~ We went to Disney World Florida and it was so cool! My favorite was probably Animal Kingdom because there was less people and it was really inspiring to see all the different presentations about animals! Seeing as I'm thinking of a career with animals >.<

~ 'The Festival of the lion king' musical in Animal Kingdom! Oh the costumes were so incredible and  the dancing was spectacular. They did this aerial dance to 'can you feel the love tonight' there was legit tears in my eyes.

~ My first ever visit to an American Girl Store!!! Oh my gosh so in i think Washington D.C or in a city just outside we went to a mall and there was a American Girl Store in it!! Standing in the entrance I actually had so many feelings and emotions well up inside of me. I was in an American Girl Store!! I sadly didn't take any pictures inside because we thought we'd get told off but I spent about 3 hours inside it just walking and walking and walking around the amazing displays!

~ I went on my first every horse trail ride in Maryland. It was so cool! My horse was called Taco lol.

~ My discovered love for Oreos.. I'm not even kidding I could live on Oreos and Reeses buttercups!!!

~ Going to a Target was so so so great! I just stood in the toys aisle with my mouth hanging open. I need to show you guys what I got sometime >,<

~ Chick-fil-A!! My family ate at this restaurant many times... And consumed many Oreo milkshakes.

~ Toys-R-Us was just as I imagined it to be! A whole like warehouse dedicated to TOYS!! My heaven :)

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my trip overseas. Going to America was my dream and it was fulfilled! It was everything I had thought it would be, the houses were so cool and the way the neighborhoods were layed out made me so happy! I'm weird I know :) Thank you to all of you who recommended places for us to visit, we went to as many as we could and they were fabulous :-*

-Lydia

Tomorrow's the day :D

Hello! I've packed my suitcase all ready for our trip! We are leaving tomorrow! It's insane! I'm taking my camera but I'm not sure if I gonna be able to post on my blog. We have EXTREMELY  limited suitcase room so I'm going to try bring my laptop but I'll have to see :) If I can't then I'll just bombard you all with posts when i get back ^.^ Due to the suitcase room I'm sadly not going to take any dolls over with me because I'm planning on purchasing some over there :) 

I hope you all have a fabulous rest of your day and I hope to update you guys when I can :) Sorry that it's such a quick post :-*

-lydia

I'M COMING TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!

GUYS I'M COMING TO AMERICA!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh I'm am actually so excited I might pee my pants.. Ok thats weird but you lot have no idea how pumped I am for this trip! I should probably start from the beginning so you all can understand what on earth is going on :) 

If you hadn't noticed, I don't live in the USA. I live in a small country in the corner of the world called New Zealand. 

Ever since I discovered American Girl dolls I have loved the US. Everything from being so patriotic to listening to people with really weird accents. No offence! You should hear a kiwi's accent..Ew. so anyway! Over the years this passion for the states has grown into an obsession! I have so so so so wanted to go!! Just thinking about going brings tears to my eyes, that just explains how weird I am 

>.< Well, earlier this year my parents sprung it on me that in October we would, as a family go over to the USA FOR A HOLIDAY! I literally burst out crying, my dad has video proof. So we are coming over to celebrate my parents like something wedding anniversary and to visit their friends from childhood! (Something along those lines, i'm not totally sure but you get the gist!) 

Now here is where I need your guys help! If you live in the US along the east coast cos that's where we are going. What are some fun things/ cool touristy things that we should do? I am so excited to visit a Toys R Us and a target. You have no idea how big my shopping list is. I'm also so excited to visit my first American Girl Place! I may even be bringing a special someone home... I'm not gonna tell you guys, it's gonna be a SURPRISE!! Mwa ha ha ha I'm so evil :) 

I've been wanted to share this with you awesome people for so long but i decided to wait until closer to the time. And it's actually made the wait more exciting! So I'll fill you lot in on more details nearer to our leaving date! But for now, I'M COMING TO AMERICA!!!!! AHHHH I might cry again.. Oh no.

talk soon lovelies :-*

Lydia 

Gingerbread :)

Excuse her off centred necklace thingy >.< 

I love Gingerbread! She's such a pretty doll :0 Mmm thinking about gingerbread makes me hungry...I'm gonna go eat something now! 

-Lydia 

When I try and edit photos.. O_o

Hello my lovelies! No I haven't died, I just haven't been able to post as often :) I have moved bedrooms. I used to be on the top floor of my house but I swapped with my sister so I could have more space and a wall that I can use for indoor photography! *confetti* I'm so pumped! I also am trying out different editing apps to edit my pictures and make them look lovely :) So as the title of this post hints, I did my first attempt of editing some pics i took in my new room ^.^ There's only 2 but it's better than nothing right?! I don't actually know how to use the editing software (it's called lightroom) so I was just mucking around with scroll bars =) 

Do you guys like Casaleah's dress? I made it from an old dress I bought from a thrift store. I LOVE the pattern, feels very SPRING! Perfect for this time of year, well for me anyway :P 

I hope you all have a fabulous rest of your day!

-Lydia 

A Porcelain Adventure (Part 2)

Hi guys! So if you read my last Porcelain Adventure you will know that I purchased 2 dolls, here is the second one :) I've lost the 'before' pictures but I basically did the same thing that I did with Genevieve. I just re-curled her hair :) Her she is! I think her name is gonna be Sammy :)

She still has a few fly aways but it's definitely much better than she was before O_o 

Isn't her dress just darling?!

Have a great rest of your day :-*

Lydia 

Casaleah~ A photoshoot

Hello lovelies! Ok I'll keep it short. Here are some pictures of Cas in the t-shirt I made her that i talked about in my last post :) Hope you like :P

Ok so I'm having the wonky eye problem with Casaleah as well! Arghhh!! I find it happens with my blue eyed dolls :( It's not super noticeable but sometimes in certain pictures it really stands out and takes away the effect from the picture.  Well I had my whinge and I hope you all have a lovely rest pf your day =) Also YAY MARYELLEN IS FINALLY HERE! I love her collection so much and hope to get some of her outfits, and maybe even her.... 

-Lydia 

My attempts at sewing =)

Hi guys! Ok so this past week I have been attempting to sew doll clothes!! What?!?! I know, I've had a bit of spare time on my hands and I really wanted to jazz up my dolls wardrobe because outfits from  AG are cool but you can tell they are from the store/online. And in some ways they are geared towards the younger audience. Not saying that I don't like their outfits, I love them! But I wanted something a bit different. So I went online and downloaded the trendy t-shirt pattern from Liberty Jane. And here are the 3 results that I got :)

Trying to get multiple dolls looking at the camera is a mission. Lol I didn't quite succeed >.<

 First up! I just want to say thank you to the awesome Maddie from DollsOnMyMind for the tutorial on how to make a skater dress! I've been wanting some for my dolls ever since I saw Maddie's dolls in them! Thanks so much Maddie =)

I made this from a top I bought from a thrift store :) It's not perfect but I'm defiantly gonna make more of these and perfect them! Ah I love this dress so much O_o

Next is this crop top. This was what happened when I totally failed at my first attempt of a skater dress. But I managed to salvage the top half and turn it into a crop top :-) I love the groovy flower pattern.

And finally this is what the actual trendy t-shirt is meant to look like :) I really like it. People think that AG dolls don't have a figure as such but I think this top really accents the slight curve in their waist :) Also does anyone remember when the camouflage pattern was in trend? When I was 7 I had these pink camouflage pants and this marble patter on Casaleah's top reminds me of it ;-) I laugh every time I see it.

So that was also another attempt of indoor photography. I'm trying to get better at it but I think I prefer outdoor photography with my dolls. It's more easier to get fun pics :) Oh well practice makes perfect! Have a good one =)

-Lydia

Which was your favourite?