Blythecon UK 2013

What a fabulous time my sister and I had at Blythecon in Glasgow this weekend just past!  From the time my plane touched down to the time we arrived home - it was fun, fun, fun.

My husband and I used to live in Glasgow, and our eldest son was born there, so I spent a very pleasant Friday afternoon and evening mostly laughing and eating and drinking with my old neighbour and her lovely family, next to my old house!   We drove into City Centre the next day, where we met my sister at our hotel.

We dressed the girls up in the hotel, wrapped them and carefully put them into our handbags, and set off for the Lighthouse , just around the corner.  What a great venue.  Blythecon UK 2013 was on the fifth floor, in a big, airy, bright room filled with dolly heaven...

 ....a little bit of which I brought home with me!


It was SO good to be amongst fellow enthusiasts.  We spent ages going around the gorgeous stalls.  So many talented, creative people.  We attended both workshops.  The first was an amazing custom nose and lip carve by Fifilatrixabel.  Fiona's a really good lecturer and it was so interesting to see everything I've been poring over on-line. I found it really interesting seeing the differences in the scalps.  We lunched at the cafe - and then attended another workshop in the afternoon, hosted by Laura Kate, making little wrap skirts.  It was a lovely, chatty workshop.  One of the things I loved about quilting when I went to classes was being part of a group of people really enjoying what they are doing - and that is what I loved about this workshop - and about Blythecon. 

Above, Apricot is modelling a Kai dress, Alexa is modelling the little skirt my sister made (and gave to me), and Fawn is modelling a new Piparrot dress.  (I love that colour on Apricot!).

All the girls! (Mostly).

Iolanthe dressed for the after-party in a new dress by Violine.

Iolanthe chatting to Leo's girls (the shoes, the jacket, and oh, the sporran) on the adorable little banquette made by Leo.

In our lovely goody bags, there were little Scottie dog buttons - and the challenge is to use them!  Well, this afternoon, in spite of housework, homework demands, dinner to be cooked, work to be done (you know how it goes...) I sat down and made this....

A little felt skirt.  I know it looks easy (it is) and looks as if it took no time at all (it should have done) BUT....initially I elected to use snaps as fastenings, so I sewed them on.  I discovered one was the wrong way round to so I re-sewed it....only to discover the other one was the wrong way round....(I don't know if it was the guilt of all the not-so-fun things needing doing that was informing my hands) but I defiantly continued prolonging the fun of Blythecon and on I went, using velcro this time.  Voila!  

As a side-note my husband had informed me when he'd fetched from the airport last night that there had been an alarming influx of boxes whilst I'd been gone.... so I assured him that a resettlement of the girls was on the cards - which I truly planned.  Only, inspired by all the gorgeous dolls I'd seen at Blythecon (and got to hold :) - even a KENNER!!!!  I decided to cut Paige's hair.  She was very keen.  She was on the "girls for adoption list" - but now I LOVE her hair, and together we're choosing eyechips.   (I'm kicking myself for not taking advantage of Laura's Blythecon offer).  Having said that, I did have a budget - and I did stick to it - hence not buying more than one set of eyechips, and now I have no budget until I put some girls up for adoption.  Just not Paige!!! (Please don't ask who....).

Here's my lovely Solange in the middle wearing the wrap skirt I made in the workshop.

And that's it!  A whole year till the next Blythecon!  Thank heavens for Flickr and Facebook and Plastic Paradise and new friends made.  Thank you everyone, it's been fun :)

(PS:  No, it didn't quite survive the journey home and yes, I did eat it, and it was delicious!)