Momoko Doll

The West Enders in December: A fond farewell

wendydirks Fashion Doll Collecting ,

Dear Friends and Followers,

No words can describe how much fun this has been. I thank every one of you from the bottom of my heart for following along and your kind and supportive comments.

My lung disease has entered its end stage and I have decided not to renew this blog in January. I know I can always continue with one of the free blogs with advertising but the reality is that I am dying. I am at peace with that, receiving excellent care here at home.

Of course, I can’t leave you without pictures. I haven’t been up to the doll room in some time. My wonderful husband brought down my new portable, foldable roombox from Tiny Frock Shop and my eleven Momoko dolls. They have been trying on ball gowns and party clothes.

I apologise for the font changes. Another reason to leave WordPress. I simply can’t get my oxygen starved brain to navigate it anymore.

Akiko looks stunning in her sparkling pink gown but decides to go to the club on NYE instead of the ball.

Akiko spent so many New Year’s Eves looking after Tommy and Salyndas’ baby that she’s a bit nervous going out. (It’s amazing how babies rarely grow in the Dollyverse.)

The girls do look gorgeous in their gowns but Chiyo doesn’t like this look at all and leaves to put on a flapper girl inspired outfit for the new year instead.

Chiyo as flapper.

Scarlett, late for the group photo, looks ethereal in Chiyo’s gown.

As does Yuki in her gown.

In the end, she also opts for the club with her friends.

Scarlett does too.

Darcie is charming in her gown but…

She feels much more herself with her dress and trademark cowboy boots.

This photo really doesn’t do Momoko justice in this cute little gown.

This outfit from SouoL by LouoS looks even cuter.

Moriko’s red gown seems designed for a different era.

But she’s clearly a very modern young woman!

Mizuki skips the whole ball gown experience and gets ready for the club.

Niko is ready as well.

Himari and Heidi are ready to go but Heidi is only 17 and needs a fake ID to get in. Himari reassures her that Chiyo can make her one quickly and easily. She sends a text and waits.

Chiyo tells Mizuki and Niko that she’ll meet them inside and heads off to help Heidi.

New ID in hand, the girls set off to meet their friends.

With that, I’ll say a fond farewell to you and the West Enders. I hope your holiday season is wonderful. Should you be on Facebook, I have a dolls’ only page called Dr Bonnie Panenka and will keep posting there as long as I am able.https://www.facebook.com/DirksDolls

Just to let you know, something as simple as answering comments and messages can be very arduous these days. So if I don’t write a response, please forgive me.

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The West Enders in May, Part 3: #pynkmondays

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I have an Instagram account that I don’t visit very often. Lately, however, I have been participating in a fun weekly event called #pynkmondays, which is simply sharing photos of dolls with a pink theme. Here’s some pictures I took this week. I didn’t post all of them to Instagram but thought I’d share them here.

Here’s Rosalie whose pink hair makes her a perfect model.

Another pink inspired outfit!
Niko has subtle pink highlights in her hair.
Lela and Ebony epitomise pink from their lipstick to their clothes.
Lela is a Mizi doll.
Ebony has a fashionista head on a Malaville doll’s body.
Cocktails for two.
Cheers!
Happy Monday from the West Enders!

The West Enders in May, Part 2

wendydirks Fashion Doll Collecting , , ,

Dear Followers,

I wanted to let you know that I am home from the hospital and have a new oxygen setup in the doll room so that it is much easier for me to get around. I’m working on getting the dolls up to speed and hope to have a new list of the current West Enders available to help you keep track of the changes and update you on the fate of Bigly and friends. It’s still going slowly, but I do have some photos to share. I’ve moved the students’ common room so it is a bit easier to photograph with the longer daylight this time of year. I’m also getting the dolls ready to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Hanging out in the common room, L to R: Niko, Mimi, Moriko, Takashi, and Tori.

Nine tries out a new tune he’s written.
Standing: Yuki and Ronin. Seated, L to R: Darcie, Mizuki, and Nine.
Nine. Who is he serenading?

West Enders Update

wendydirks Fashion Doll Collecting , , , , , , , ,

Dear Friends and Followers,

The West Enders have been very quiet since June, and for this I apologise. I have had an endless series of challenges due to my illness and the various drugs I take – immunosuppressants, anticonvulsants, and many more. My illness, chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a form of pulmonary fibrosis, continues to progress and I realise that I cannot continue to post the West Enders in quite the same way. I no longer have enough energy to put up and take down sets and backgrounds, so I have been working on creating some permanent spaces in which the story can take place. This is an ongoing process. I also decided to downgrade my collection and am giving my granddaughter several boxes of dolls, clothes, furniture and accessories to sell on eBay. Of course, getting rid of dolls doesn’t seem to stop me from buying more! So when the West Enders return, I will post a new page of characters to help you see who is new and who remains. In the meantime, I thought I would update you on some of the West Enders’ activities.

And yes, there will be a final episode to Season Five in which we will find out the fate of Bigly! (Knock on wood – never tempt fate!)

First of all, today is Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, All Saints Day, Samhain, one of the turning points of the year in the Celtic calendar. So how did the West Enders celebrate?

Many familiar characters went out to the annual Halloween Party. Here are Lara and Lottie:

Here are Midge and Rachel – yes, Rachel, who used to be a baby! I have decided to “grow” some of the babies up.

Other children who have “grown up” are Emma’s daughters Lola (now on the right) and Vivianne (now on the left). But in the following image, we can see the former Kalani Holmes is now almost an adult.

Claire and Honey haven’t changed.

There’s a new Dr Bonnie Panenka:

Esmée is going to experience some traumatic changes but for now, she seems happy enough.

A new “teen Ruruko” has joined the West Enders.

Celebrating Día de los Muertos, Frida Dahlo and her nephew join Sindy Petersen.

I’ve been working on new permanent spaces, and Frida will soon have a new dedicated space for her restaurant. In the meantime, Tommy and Salynda have welcomed Salynda’s sister Lucy to their home.

I also created a student common room for the Bernstein College of Music and Art. (That’s a student lounge in American English.)

Some of the students have been checking out the new Italian restaurant.

As you may have noticed, collecting OOAK dolls is one of my passions and I have added some really lovely dolls to the West Enders. First up is the new version of Georgiana Daley, a OOAK from ImDolls on Etsy.

She’s already met another of the new dolls, although he’s not OOAK. I think they make a cute couple, but I’m not sure it’s going to last. He’s called Raheem Rashford, after two of our popular England footballers (soccer players to Americans).

Next is this gorgeous rerooted OOAK Wonder Woman from OneSixthShop on Etsy, now known as Carrie Danes because she reminds me of Claire Danes’ character in “Homeland.”

Blessing Olatunji has a new look, from soniavivajapan on Etsy:

These two young ladies, a new version of Marguerite Charpentier and a new character, Millie Brewer, are from Amelieshappyplace on Etsy.

Another newcomer is this BMR1959 repaint from UzhikiSisters on Etsy.

The doll artist whose work I have collected most is Constantinos Kalaitzis, creator of TheFoxyDolls on Etsy. I had to add this rerooted Barbie Extra doll to my collection:

I also fell in love with this repainted Extra doll from DaydreamArtDolls on Etsy. She’s so cute! Who could resist? Here she is redressed.

I do like the Extra fashions; I bought one of the dolls just for her outfit (she was on sale because her box was damaged). I think her outfit looks fabulous on my OOAK doll from SalemCityDolls on Etsy:

Another new passion of mine is Mizi dolls. I now have four of them, three of them purchased very recently. Here is the stunning Les Mille et une Nuits Mizi doll:

Here she is in “street clothes” with her gorgeous sister from the 2021 Convention collection:

Another fun convention doll, “Spice Girl” Lily, who I have renamed Lela Majak:

There’s more to come – slowly, I realise, but please don’t give up on the West Enders yet! My final photo is the new doll to represent Celeste Santos – so gorgeous in this outfit from elenpriv on Etsy!

The West Enders Sneak Preview: A new pizzeria opens in the village

wendydirks Fashion Doll Collecting, Photo story , , ,

I haven’t posted any episodes recently but I have been working behind the scenes to create new dioramas for the village, make final decisions on the characters, and try to make my doll room a bit more user friendly. Many of you probably aren’t aware that I have a rare lung disease called chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis. It is progressive and incurable. I use oxygen when I’m up and active and over the last year, it’s become clear that putting up and taking down dioramas is just too much for me so I’ve been trying to create some permanent fixtures for the West Enders and plan future stories around them. Next month I hope to post a wrap up of events after the arrest of Bigly. In the meantime, here’s a sneak preview of one of the new permanent fixtures, a pizzeria, opened by Lexi Lombardi!

As you can see, some of the secondary school students have gathered to celebrate Ginny’s birthday with her. Teddy has quit his job at the café and is the new cook/chef at the pizzeria. Trichelle is working as a waitress. There are a few more things coming to add some finishing touches, but I’m pleased with the result so far. Next up, a grocery store!

The West Enders: Interlude

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The West Enders are undergoing a reshuffle. Some of the characters have left and others have joined. I am hoping for a real blog post soon – the fate of Bigly and his minions! While I am working on that, I thought I would post a few photos from behind the scenes of the village.

First, let’s meet some of the new characters!

Albus Brewer is the father of the Brewer brothers.

Annie Daley is the youngest of the Daley sisters.

Azumi Ito is a model; sister of the Japanese spy, Asuka Ito, who we met in Season Three. Asuka has since returned to Japan.

Dalpinder Chowdhury is sure to set the ladies’ hearts beating.

David Benvenuto is a rehomed doll from Shereese Nicole on Facebook, aka J, the owner of Etsy shop, Deztination J:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DeztinationJ

Daya Darwish is a fabulous OOAK doll from Madame Bu’s shop on Etsy:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MadamBuShop

Ingrid Dahlberg is a Swedish film star joining our acting troupe. She’s a OOAK doll from Salem City Dolls:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SalemCityDolls?ref=ss_profile

Mairi MacDonald and Eddie Oldhead are two OOAK dolls from The Foxy Dolls on Etsy:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheFoxyDolls?ref=ss_profile

Mairi is the mother of sisters Merida and Luna MacDonald. Merida is played by a new OOAK doll, also from Salem City Dolls.

Raheem Majak is ready for school.

Mizuki Yamaguchi is a new Momoko doll, “Moonless Night.” I photographed her in black and white before unwrapping her from the cling film that encase new Momoko dolls to prevent clothing stains. Unwrapping was, as usual, a nightmare. She’s quite an edgy girl here, but I’ve dressed her for autumn and meeting her new friends.

Mizuki and Chiyo meet in the café.

Momoko, Yuki, and Scarlett in the queue.

Himari and Akiko in the queue.

Then I started thinking about boyfriends for the lasses. Himari, Momoko, and Scarlett have boyfriends, but poor Yuki has been very unlucky in love, Akiko never goes out, and Chiyo was being chatted up by Momoko’s brother Takashi at the music festival last time we saw her.

Yuki and Dae-jung? He’s a OOAK V doll from Studio Tate on Etsy:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/StudioTate

Is his twin brother Jaehyung a good match for Mizuki?

He’s a OOAK V repaint from Pink Doll Art on Etsy:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PinkDollArt

And finally, what about poor Akiko, always at Salynda’s beck and call? Is Jimin the lad for her?

Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think of these possible matches! Nothing is set in stone at the moment. And do stay tuned to learn the fate of Bigly, Rosa, Alexa, and Melanie… November 3rd is approaching!

Finally, I want to say a huge thank you to Lauralyn Williams of Nandi’s Daughters dolls, who gifted me this gorgeous girl. She won’t join the West Enders as she’s a display doll but she’s enjoying life with the dolls in my bedroom.

https://www.globuya.com/US/Boston/115611199809787/Nandi%27s-Daughter-Dolls