A Garden of Virtues

Bettina loves tea parties and the opera. She has requested a gramophone to help her during her singing practice. 14" porcelain BJD, "Confetti," by Aidamaris Roman for Paradise Galleries.

Johnny has been in my thoughts, in my heart, almost continuously. I feel almost certain that I am going to find a Dollmore Calvin soon that I can afford and that I will have him again. Living without him and Josette in physical form caused me to realize that their presences are independent of a doll's form and that they exist primarily in my mind in a sense that is more powerful than a character from my stories. Suddenly, at random times, I breathe in his sweet essence. Sometimes, when I am driving, his presence seems closer. The above image is taken from my last photo story with him in March 2008. I scarcely had him past that date. I feel comfortable publishing photos of him now, as I do of the old Josette, I because I know he exists no matter what doll, or if any doll, is representing him. It doesn't matter that I don't own the sculpt any longer. I don't feel, as I once did, that I am misleading anyone into believing I have this particular doll, when I write

Photo taken with my Dollheart app. My Serendipity Sharmin got new hands and brown eyes this week.

Thinking about my character, Shirley, today. An American girl with Scots-Irish heritage. She has her own horse. She's sixteen, with long, curling red hair. I have won my Serendipity Sharmin and will pick her up on my birthday. The seller agreed to my picking her up for free rather than paying shipping cost. I will pick her up on my birthday. We will stay in Austin for my birthday. What can be a better birthday than this? I will have lunch in Fairfield with my mom before I go to Austin to pick up my Sharmin.

I have been seeing the name "Ophelia" on gravestones; it seems to have been a popular name in the 1800s, but is less commonly-used now. The name brings my character, and former doll, Ophelia, and this journal to mind. I decided to start writing in this journal again. I have also been thinking of having a doll version of my character Ophelia again. I may get myself another ball-jointed doll for my birthday, but I'm not completely decided on it. This particular doll purchase would make for a really fun birthday for me, because I would be able to pick her up in Austin, which I love traveling to. The doll, a Serendipity Sharmin, has a broken finger, but a new set of ball-jointed doll hands is not really expensive. It's amazing that the cost of the doll is so greatly reduced for that reason. I had created a particular eBay search for this sculpt, because she has been on my wish list for so many years. There are several dolls that I am hoping to find on the secondhand ma

For my second project of the year, I am knitting knees socks for Josette. So far, these are going according to plan.

I have made a New Year's resolution to make one hundred doll items in 2012. My first item is ruffled pyjama bottoms. So far, they don't look quite like I planned, but I'll have to see how they turn out.