Christmas Princess Bride Barbie

I made Christmas Princess Bride Barbie in honour of my friend Judée who has just announced her engagement to Michael.

Once a couple decide to marry, a million questions arise in regards to the actual wedding.

Where?  A tropical island getaway, something quick at City Hall, a short ceremony in your living room, a hotel ballroom, under a tree at a public garden, a cathedral service by candlelight or an Elvis chapel in Vegas?

Who should be on the guest list?  The list can range   from just two witnesses pulled off the street, to only parents and siblings, to anyone who can afford to join you in Paradise, to all your Facebook friends.

What will the bride wear?  A navy blue skirt suit, a Steampunk ensemble in black lace with tall leather boots, a sarong over a white bikini, a soft  silk shift with floating chiffon  panels, or a $10,000 gown covered in crystals and beads with a long train and a veil?

For Barbie, the answer is easy. All of the above.

Hallowe'en Ken

For someone who likes to make costumes, Hallowe'en is a wonderful time.  I once made my small son a devil costume.  I used a pattern from my mother's collection for the red shirt, red pants and an evil black and red cape.  The pattern included a helmet-shaped red hat with stuffed cloth horns. 

Two days before Hallowe'en it was finished and I dressed him in his beautiful costume.  He stared up at me from under his long blond bangs and his big blue eyes were angry.  "You look great," I enthused.  "What a scary devil you are!"

His little brow furrowed.  "Yes, " he said.  "But I'm going to be a dragon."

Ken is going to be a devil.  I couldn't make stuffed cloth horns in his size so I used bamboo barbecue skewers, and coloured them red.  A quick surgical procedure drilled holes into Ken's head allowing for easy insertion.

Ken's pet raven while certainly bird-brained, is now by far, the smarter of the pair but no sacrifice is too much for Hallowe'en.

Barbie's Sari

Our Prime Minister went to India with his wife and children on an official state visit.  They were photographed in glorious Indian clothing.  They had brought lots of Indian clothing with them.  It seemed they had a  new  outfit for every event.

One quote,  "too Indian, even for an Indian" sums up the reaction of many people.  Many said it looked like he was attending a week-long Bollywood wedding.  Some said when he went to a temple he was dressed like a bridegroom.  It was all, I'm afraid, a bit much.

Barbie's sari is a lush purple brocade with a beautiful purple silk blouse.  Her hair is gleaming and sparkly with metallic streaks to echo the blue of her always understated eye shadow.  The gem in her ring is large enough to be seen but not too blatant a display of wealth. 

Barbie is always  appropriately dressed for every occasion and never guilty of cultural appropriation.

Barbie Welcomes Fall

It's here, it is finally here!  No more hot torrid weather, no more nights too hot to sleep, no more biting insects, no more days with excessively high temperatures!  No more checking for snakes in the garden, no more weeding or mowing.  Autumn has arrived.

Of course, this means summer is over but we shall not mourn. Let the leaves change colour and fall.  Let the days grow shorter.  Bring on Thanksgiving and Hallowe'en.  Heck, even November has its moments.

Barbie is dressed for fall in a light blue, unlined coat.  Her hair is loosely covered by a scarf so that her glorious tresses will not be tangled by the blustery winds.  Black wool pants keep her legs just the right temperature and her gold blouse adds a touch of glamour.

Is this not better than the perpetual question of summer?  "In this heat, how little can I wear and still stay within the law?"

Black and White Ball Barbie

It is almost impossible for any ball to rival the splendor of Truman Capote's Black and White ball held at the Plaza Hotel in 1966.  Truman Capote was either celebrating his successful book In Cold Blood or working to further his social ambitions.   He invited many very famous people but then asked them to wear masks to hide their famous faces.  Although supposedly a private party, the guests were met at the entrance by phalanx of reporters armed with flash cameras.

The menu for the midnight meal included such delights as  scrambled eggs, chicken hash (the hotel specialty) and spaghetti and meatballs.

The orchestra played catchy tunes and the dance floor was filled.  One lady's designer dress failed her and shed beads when she danced so she sat out the evening. 

Barbie has celebrity enough to be included on the guest list of the most glittering and exclusive ball and she has a dress all ready in case you want to invite her.  I promise the sequins will stay on the dress and not fall on the floor no matter what the music.

Barbie's Souvenir from China

 China is a wonderful place to visit.  The crowds at the most popular tourist sites defied comprehension.  I don't think there were as many people in the city where I grew up as there was in the line to view Mao's tomb and the Forbidden City.

The Great Wall was a revelation.  There were few people in the section we visited but the views were breathtaking and the climb strenuous. 

The whole country was extraordinary.  The fabulous aquarium in the shopping center, the people meeting friends in parks to dance to the music on the boom box, to sing difficult choral music, to play traditional instruments in small ensembles, the pandas, the efficient and pristine transit systems, the occasionally weird food, the death-defying hot pot, it was all wonderful.

The tourist markets were just what one would expect, full of cheaply made goods in noisy, crowded spaces.  Barbie did barter for and buy this umbrella.  I'm not sure why.  It won't protect her from the sun or the rain but it is pretty.

Barbie's Christmas List

There are many, many necessary tasks to complete before Christmas arrives.   It very helpful to make check lists so that nothing is forgotten.

Grocery lists, housework lists,  Christmas shopping lists, Christmas card lists, menus (a menu is a list) , and most important of all, the wish list.  What do you want for Christmas?

A wish list can be started at any time of the year and is open to constant modification as your whims dictate.  Have no doubt.  This list is for whimsical items only.  It may be that on Christmas morning your gifts include practical necessities like winter boots or bathroom towels.  Your family knows you need those things.  Does your family know you would love a purple scarf with sequins on the hem?  Does your family know you would love a package of sparkly paper, a rainbow stamp pad and a unicorn stamp?

When I was twelve I gave my parents a list of fabrics with yardages.  Two meters of pink velveteen,  1 1/2 meters of blue flannelette,  black corduroy, navy bottom-weight cotton, heavy calico and so on.  My father was skeptical that fabric was a Christmas gift but that's what was in all the gifts I opened that year.  I was so excited and spent the whole school break hunched over the sewing machine.

This year, I asked for fabric again.  Barbie is wearing a new dress made from one piece and behind her are two more examples of my treasure trove.   Don't you love gifts you don't need but really, really want?