Green Faerie Tree

I have never been to Europe. I can’t remember not wanting to go, but, my stock answer always has been ” it just hasn’t happened yet” but I have given much thought to where I would go, and how I would travel about. My dreams range from renting a car and staying in charming Bed and Breakfast’s across Europe, to taking trains and staying wherever it’s the cheapest. My favorite dream is renting a house alongside a body of water and staying for a month or two, being artistic and going for long walks.
I am fortunate enough to be the proud owner of a 1969 Volkswagen bus, and I have had dreams of driving her across the United States, or up into Canada. Once or twice, while planning my Europe trip I thought of driving through a country or two, and this morning in the Los Angeles Times was an article about just that. The title of the article is Camping Across Europe In A Van and I found it to be very entertaining reading.

I just added a second Etsy Store Mini here on my blog sidebar. The first store laudenbacksnaps is for my artwork, and the other store greenfaerietree is for doll related items.
All of my feedback is on laudenbacksnaps because I just opened the greenfaerietree store, and am planning on using it only for selling things

The first doll items I am selling are Lati White and Special White leggings. I am really happy with how they turned out, and hope that people will like them.
I am almost ready to add a very cute skirt for Blythe. I make all of my own patterns, and this skirt I am very proud of. I will be ready to list it by the end of this week.

Lati White wearing the leggings that I made

Lati White Special wearing a pair of my greenfaerietree leggings

The headline of an article in the Los Angeles Times this morning caught my eye. It was “Toyota’s chiefs bow shows regret not guilt” and here is a portion of that article.

“Coming two weeks after his company began recalling cars by the millions, the short, formal dip, head cast down, suggested regret for causing so much trouble for his customers.

But Akio Toyoda, grandson of the founder of the Japanese automaker now battling to save its global image from the stain of safety problems, did not deliver the deeper, longer bow that some expected. Bend too low, hold the pose too long, and Toyoda might have found himself in sticky legal trouble, his ritual of apology construed as a sign that the company accepted its culpability in the mess over all those defects.” From the Los Angeles Times Feb 6 2010


This had me thinking about the etiquette of the bow in Japan. I know that President Obama really muffed it with his bow to the Japanese Emperor back in November of 2009 botched bow


So what is the proper way to bow in different situations? I went to Wikipedia for that answer, and here is what I found.


“Bowing (o)jigi (お辞儀, おじぎ), (o-)rei (お礼), is probably the feature of Japanese etiquette that is best-known outside Japan. Bowing is considered extremely important in Japan, so much so that, although children normally begin learning how to bow from a very young age, companies commonly provide training to their employees in how to execute bows correctly.

Basic bows are performed with the back straight and the hands at the sides (boys and men) or clasped in the lap (girls and women), and with the eyes down. Bows originate at the waist. Generally, the longer and deeper the bow, the stronger the emotion and the respect expressed.

Bows can be generally divided into three main types: informal, formal, and very formal. Informal bows are made at about a fifteen degree angle　or just tilt over one’s head to the front, and more formal bows at about thirty degrees. Very formal bows are deeper.

The etiquette surrounding bowing, including the length and depth of bow, and the appropriate response, is exceedingly complex. For example, if the other person maintains his or her bow for longer than expected (generally about two or three seconds), it is polite to bow again, upon which one may receive another bow in return. This often leads to a long exchange of progressively lighter bows.

Generally speaking, an inferior bows longer, more deeply and more frequently than a superior. A superior addressing an inferior will generally only nod the head slightly, while some superiors may not bow at all and an inferior will bend forward slightly from the waist.

Bows of apology tend to be deeper and last longer than other types of bow. They tend to occur with frequency during the apology, generally at about 45 degrees with the head lowered and lasting for at least the count of three, sometimes longer. The depth, frequency and duration of the bow increases with the sincerity of the apology and the severity of the offence. Occasionally, in the case of apology and begging, people crouch down like Sujud to show one’s absolute submission or extreme regret. This is called Dogeza. Even though Dogeza was previously considered very formal, it is mostly regarded as a contempt for oneself today, so it is not used in an everyday setting. Bows of thanks follow the same pattern. In extreme cases a kneeling bow is performed; this bow is sometimes so deep that the forehead touches the floor. This is called saikeirei (最敬礼), literally “most respectful bow.”

When dealing with non-Japanese people, many Japanese will shake hands. Since many non-Japanese are familiar with the custom of bowing, this often leads to a combined bow and handshake which can be quite complicated to execute. Bows may be combined with handshakes or performed before or after shaking hands. Generally when bowing in close proximity, as necessitated when combining bowing and shaking hands, people turn slightly to one side (usually the left) to avoid bumping heads” Wikipedia Etiquette in Japan.


I am going to enlist my husband in helping me to learn the different bows because I think that this would be very useful to know while doing my shopping in the Asian stores that I love to go into.

Photographing dolls makes me happy. Many years ago I photographed people professionally and enjoyed that as well, but I must say that the dolls are much more fun.
Do I talk to my dolls while taking their pictures? I sure do, and I thank them when we are finished.

Blythe Outdoors. My Mondie Goudrin Badru wearing her fairy hat

I am going to start with the 365 group on Flickr with Goudrin, and here is one of the first shots for it

I recently sold one of my Blythe dolls, my Asian Butterfly ebl. I wasn’t all that fond of her for some reason, and there was another one that I wanted very much.

Some of the other dolls welcoming the new Blythe

Here is the new bl Mondrian looking a little shocked

The Mondie, Goudrin Badru is looking a bit more relaxed now

Every week I make a bread to have for breakfast, and this week it was orange bread. I love my kitchen and all of my vintage dishes so it’s fun to take a few photos while doing my baking.

Looking in the cupboard for ingredients

Oranges and Walnuts

Putting the bread together

This YouTube video is very cool. I found it on Twitter today, and wanted to make it part of this day.
This is a black and white stop-motion video, and for me it brought to mind the interconnectedness of life, because of how each image seamlessly flows into the next.
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I haven’t been taking many pictures lately. I needed to take a mini break for a few days.
Here are a few samples of the pics I have taken this week.

My Blythe Love Mission that was customized by sylviecoladolls

Pukipuki

The Lati's

I went outdoors today to take some doll photos because the sun was out for the first time in ages, and I happened to take a good look around my house. Weeds and things, and broken tree limbs everywhere! It’s time to start one of my favorite pastimes which is weeding, and once I get started you can hardly stop me. My Mother was that way too, she would go outdoors for a minute, and hours later she would still be out there pulling up weeds.
This year I have a plan, which is that I will just do a little weeding every day. Yes, I say this every year, but this time perhaps it will work

My first weed pulling of the year was from in-between these bricks

I have been thinking lately that it would be good for me to start reading books again. I am realizing that my time spent in front of the computer screen is interesting and entertaining but soulless. I first want to get out my poetry books, and then make friends with all of the other neglected books that are sitting silently on my many bookshelves.
I found this photo today while looking through the blogs that I frequent. Synchronicity is so beautiful. This photograph is from the blog venicedailyphoto.blogspot

cafecannaregio

This room was originally made for Sky Pilot but she would rather wander around the house, so I re-did the room to have an Asian look. I used the Re-Ment “Old Traditional Grandma Set” in the main room, and am researching how all the cooking pieces were used. I love the idea of cooking the meal at the table.
I made the tables for this room and the cushions were made out of a vintage kimono. The rug on the floor was also made from vintage clothing. For the ceiling I cut out various pieces of glass, sanded the edges and attached wire to them for hangers. I am so pleased with how they look, especially at night with the only light coming from the Re-Ment lamp that is in the upstairs bedroom. The ladder is used to get up to this room.

The living area of the Asian Room

The PukiPuki Kiki is waiting for the rice to cook

This should keep the eggs warm

Going upstairs

Up into the bedroom

This video is from the Astronomy Picture of the day Site and is a beautiful image of all that we know of the Universe.
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I recently sold one of my Blythe dolls on Plastic Paradise, which funded my latest doll. I bought another tiny bjd, a Fairyland PukiPuki, and I have to agree with my Flickr contacts that also have Puki’s when they say this is a perfect doll.
I have a page all about The PukiPuki’s if you are looking for more information about them.

PukiPuki Pipi wearing Hollyheart

Since the power was out in my area for a few days, these photos were taken with light from oil lamps.

Blythe doll Bluebell in the dark

Strawberry Shortcakes having a chat in their house

Weather is so interesting! Here in Northern California it has been a relatively dry winter so far, but the past three days have given us enough rain to make up for the slow start. Well almost. My husband and I live on a hilltop, and our house is totally exposed to the elements, so when there is a storm we really feel it!

The storm coming in a few days ago

Coming out of the hillside

Pouring out the drainpipe and onto the roadside

Los Angeles View. From the LA Times Jan 19

along Pacific Coast Highway Jan 19. From the LA Times

Seal Beach Pier. From LA Times January 19