The Pippa Doll

Feb06

Domain Name Scammer BEATEN!

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

I own www.pippadoll.net and pippadoll.co.uk, both domains point to the same place, makes it easier if people mistype the url.

I week or so ago I got an unsolicited email from a company offering to sell me www.pippadoll.com for $997. I obviously laughed a lot but for the sake of vanity did want to buy it. I spoke to my friend who dabbles in domains a bit and took on board his suggestion of making a ridiculously low offer.

I sat on the idea for a while and then I get another email from another company offering me pippadoll.com for $99. It was still more than I could sensibly afford, especially as the $= £ rate is so poor.

I decided to Google the name of the 2nd company to see if they had any Bad Press and I found this Blog Post

Ooh, I wonder if I can buy pippadoll.com from Fasthosts....

Yes I can, and only £9 too! So, it seems that neither of the companies who approached me had actually registered it, they were just trying to get as much cashola as possible for acting as an Agent. The joys of a Google search!

Jan25

Farnborough Convention SHOCKER!

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

The first Pippa convention was at the Village hotel in East Manchester in 2003. Actually it wasn't really supposed to be a convo, originally it was just going to be a gathering at my flat. But soon it became apparent that I wouldn't have enough space and that some people would need somewhere to stay. It was obvious we needed a meeting room and hotel deal.

I pondered upon it for a few days and before I had chance to decide what to do the answer came to me in a vision in a Step class......

Well, it wasn't exactly like that! I was teaching in the leisure club at the Village hotel and 4 new participants arrived telling me they were hotel staff.

I found myself saying to them 'I don't suppose any of you work in C+B*?' one of them answered 'I'm in charge of C+B', 'oh' I said, 'I need to talk to you at the end of the class!'
(*= Conference and Banqueting)

So, we got a GREAT deal at the Village for our first Pippa convention. I love the Village, I teach for them at three of their hotels, the latest being one of their swankey Prem hotel only 3 mins drive from my home. I'd really like to stay in one of the Prem Villages, but it's on my doorstep.

Since then we have used a couple of smaller hotels in Edinburgh and Brighton and bigger chains in Coventry (Hilton) and Liverpool (Thistle).

I personally like it when when we can afford a nice chain, so our booking with the Holiday Inn in Farnborough this year seemed ideal, it's a great rate and very well connected.

HOWEVER, imagine my horror when I strolled into one of my Villages this week to see that their latest swankey hotel is opening in, yes, you've guessed it - FARNBOROUGH!

The leisure manager had to ask me what was wrong when she saw my reaction:
'Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!'

LOL, oh well, I know it will be great at the Holiday Inn, but if only I had know....

Jan17

and the WINNER is...

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

Today several Pippa Pals came to my place to assist in drawing the winning ticket in my Pink Pippa Prize Draw.

I'm really please to have raised £450!

Mandy and Emma checked that all the tickets had been properly printed.

Can you see your name?

to see the winner PRESS PLAY!

Thank you EVERYONE who supported my Pink fund-raising this year!

Jan15

Convo is GO! (and much PINKNESS)

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

After much frustration with hotel communication, today I opened up sign-ups for the Pippa Convention

Within minutes the bookings have come flying in! I'm honestly scared that I will have to tell someone that I love that we are full up.....

I am drawing the winning ticket for my Pink Pippa fund-raiser on Saturday. I have a couple of Pippa Pals coming to witness the ticket drawing, I'm looking forward to seeing them and meeting Emma for the first time. I plan to get my movie camera and record some of the proceedings.

I'm so HAPPY that we have raised over £400, I have had so many wonderful donations, THANK YOU everyone!

Jan14

Pippa Photoshoot

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

I wasn't entirely happy with the logo I made for the Pippa convention. The image of Pippa was taken a long time ago, it was soft, unevenly lit and wouldn't stand enlargement so I decided to re-photograph Pippa today.

I used my photo table and was able to get a good shot that will mean our logo can be used for print items, not just on the web The clean background meant that I was able to make a good selection in Photoshop, selecting is not my strong point.

I didn't add any artificial light other than the 6400k Daylight bulb that is fitted in my lounge, I used the self-timer and my tripod to avoid camera shake.

The photo table is nice but still not the perfect solution in my quest for the ultimate Pippa Studio: the shooting surface is not entirely flat and a more

upright angle with the backdrop would mean that I could prop Pippa up with out using a doll stand.

The new banner is now on the website, I'm much happier with it.

Happy Snapping!

Jan10

Convention Tension

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

Tension is building in anticipation of our 2009 Pippa Convention in Farnborough this spring. People are chomping at the bit, wanting to sign up. I think we will have another Full House, a waiting list and maybe some 'tears before bedtime' from those who don't act promptly to reserve a place.

The sign-up invites will be going out very soon: the website is 90% finished, Chris has been helping me test it today, I have one little niggle to fix and then check all navigation and then it's done, Hurray! (Clever people might be able to find it and take a peek...)

My only other issue is that the Hotel Contact has stopped answering my emails, today I sent an actual letter, you know the sort with a STAMP on it - how very 20th Century!

I have another Follower! But, I need more, I might run out of steam if I think no one is looking, please click the Following link if you want to see my next post :-)

*BPL!

* = Big Pippa Love

Jan06

Published!

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

Darlings, I'm an Author now!

LOL, here is the little piece I wrote about the Dawn Convention in Atlantic City.

I'm particularly pleased with how my photo of the official doll, Miss America, turned out, and that Doll Reader used it in my piece.

Miss America is largely the work of two great Dawn Customisers ~ Starlight Memories of Dawn and AwsumGa l, I recomend a visit to their webs for some great Dawn and Pippa eye candy.

My copy of Doll Reader came to me via Philadelphia and Surrey, I felt bad when I realised that it had been in Borders bookshop, Stockport, for quite a few weeks!

Along with Doll Reader, my Pippa Pal, Jude, sent me something else, something I am working on right now. I can't say what, its secret, until I send out the next issue of Pippa Post!

After my last class tonight I am meeting up with Sam Photo (at afore mentioned Borders Coffee shop). Sam is a lovely friend, we share interests on many levels. We met due to our common interest in Classic Volkswagens, as soon as I knew Sam was a professional photographer I offered her the role of Official Photographer to Volkswagen Northwest and then we discovered that we both love Pippa! At the Pippa convention in Liverpool Sam and her friend Katherine made a Fab Pippa Pad, check out the little video I made....

Speaking of video, I am making good progress with learning how to convert video from dvd and then edit it. I am itching to buy a video camera, tomorrow might be the day!

Happy Pippa'ing :-)

Jan01

Bipolar?

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

Sometimes I wonder if I might be just a little bit Bipolar. I find myself lurching from a complete 'cant-be-assed-I'm-just-watching-my-life-slip-by' attitude to being totally taken over and obsessed by some 'project' or other.

In the last few days I have:
~ Set up a new Pippa e-Newsletter.
~ Learnt how to make web tutorials using desktop recording software.
~ Discovered how to convert video_ts files into avi's.
~ Worked out to edit, clip and add audio to my Videos.
~ Figure out how to embed a music player into a webpage.
~ Updated a lot of pippadoll.net.
~ Sent out 'begging emails' for my Pink Pippa fund-raising effort.

Some of these things have been on the back burner for over 12 months, but recently I have found a passion for them!

I was particularly pleased to be able to put this video together, I've tried to do this sort of editing before and failed. Feeling rather pleased, but obviously I need a proper video camera now!

Good news arrived today: the date for the 2009 Dawn convention in Denver was announced and whoop, whoop I can be there! I've never been to the Rockies, I'm really excited to be able to add another State to my fridge magnet map of the USA.

Will you follow me? I just added the Following feature (top right) and I need followers to keep me motivated

Happy New Year Pippa Pals!

Dec30

I'm Back!

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

Weh hey, I found my Blog! I got distracted for a while (2 years!), then I couldn't find my Blog, I really thought it had been deleted. However, now I am reunited and hope to post some Pippa Ramblings every now and again.

I've had a nice Christmas but today I was glad to be teaching aquafit and the chance to try and burn off a few calories. I feel like I am wearing most of my Christmas gifts around my middle!

I've had some lovely Pippa gifts. I took part in the annual Pippa Parcels, a gift exchange for members of the Yahoo Pippa Club I got a FAB doll from Peg and a lovely Janet Caudle Gown from Melanie. Take a look and see who got what.

Today I got another Pippa Parcel from Toxicfroggy Jeni. She sent me a wonderful Manga style doll. I'm not allowed to show you the dress, its Top Secret, part of Jeni's next collection.tee hee! However I can show off the socks and shoes - aren't they FAB? Be sure to sign up for 1st-to-know emails from Jeni, her collections always sell out FAST.

I've been tinkering with this page. I actually started doing a makeover on it over 12 months ago, adding 200px logos to represent each of the Pippa websites I link to. For whatever reason I ran out of steam and never uploaded the page. Well, its up now, its not complete, lots of broken bits, but I am determined to finish it off. I welcome your feedback on broken links and suggestions of Pippa (not Dawn, sorry) pages I should add.

With that in mind I am off to fix at least 3 bust links before I get tempted by the idea of Starbucks and the Trafford centre...

Merry Christmas Pippa Pals!

Nov12

Pippas and Porsches

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

This weekend should have had a little bit of Pippa and my Porsche 914 in it but in the end Pippa lost out to me being a complete wreck... I had originally planned to drive south to Tracy F's place so that we could spend Saturday evening 'Playing Pippa' (and I wanted her help with Pinking Up Britt) and then do a Porsche 914 meeting on the way back on Sunday. But two teaching chums took ill this week and I ended up teaching a lot of extra classes. Friday was a big slog and then I still had to cover classes Saturday morning. Well, I have to confess that by this time I was a 'broken woman' and had to ring up Tracy to postpone as there was no way I could hack the drive.

I did manage to make the Porsche meeting today, check out the pic of me and FAB1 at the Heritage Motor Museum. It was nice to see my Porsche pals and to take my 914 for a end of season spin but I did miss the Pippa'ing!

I have made some minor tweaks to Jude's and Jeni's websites, so far neither of them seems to have noticed, tee hee. I am going to be making a website for another Pippa pal, more soon!

It's 10p listing day tomorrow on eBay, I really SHOULD try to list some of my spares, I have a Film Star Pippa who needs a good home....

I'm excited because I have a new custom Pippa on order! I asked a talented Pippa customiser if she would make her for me using a TLC doll that I have. She said YES, hurrah! She will be my Christmas present to myself. I'm not going to say any more about her, watch this space!

I've had even more promises and donations to my Pink Auction, Lesley F sent me a beautiful Pink lingerie set and now I think I have enough for TWO charity auctions. Thanx to all who are helping me make this happen.

If all goes to plan I should make it to Tracy's place next Saturday, cant wait!

Big Pippa Love!
J.x

PS still not reorganised my display case, sigh...

Nov04

Webs and Parcels

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

I spent a little time today working on some web projects. I updated Chris Ralph's Pippa Creations website. She has made her own version of the Monte Carlo cape set (left), how clever! I so wish I was handy with a needle. I very much regret letting Tracey Roebuck do my sewing homework when we were at school...

I made a donation page with Justgiving in preparation for the Pink Pippa charity auction that I am planing to run.

I am still concerned about taking a needle to Andi's beautiful Princess Britt (I plan to add some pink highlights). Today I wondered if I should really get in my car and drive the 340 miles round trip to Tracy's house so that she can supervise me doing it! I know I could easily post Britt to her, but it's important to me that I do it myself, for some daft reason!

I also made a web page for our annual Christmas Pippa Parcels gift exchange. I've changed things a little this year, made the guidelines a bit more rigid in the hope that it will make it easier for people to know what to put in their parcel.

I have finished sending out all my Thank You's for the gifts I received at the Dawn convention, there were sooooo many wonderful things donated.

I still have 'stuff' hanging around, I will try hard tomorrow to get it sorted out so that I can redo my Pippa display case.

Nov03

Getting a little bit PINK!

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

I received my first Pink Pippa donation from Janet in Hull, a beautiful handknitted set. Here's a little preview shot along with Britt who will also be included in the auction.

Britt has already been rerooted to Princess length some time ago by Andi, I hope he will forgive my attempts to 'Pink her up'! I plan to add some pink highlights using the hair I was given at the Dawn doll convention. I am little anxious about making a good job of this, I shall be speaking to the queen of all reroots, Tracy Farrant, for technical support end encouragement.

Wish me luck everyone!

Nov01

Spooktacular!

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

I posted up my Halloween webpage a little bit of pip fun!

I think I like Elaine's Haunted Tree the best, she made it herself from coathangers, I am very envious of it!

There has been some upset in the Pippa Club, revolving around sellers on eBay. I broke my own rule about not commenting on such things and feelings have been hurt. I feel bad...

I am trying to do some Good! I am going to run a Pink Pippa auction in aid of Breast Cancer Care. I have promises of donations from several Pippa Club members and I am planning to dig out some nice pink things of my own. I am inspired by Heather who did some wonderful Pink Pippa auctions last year one of which I was lucky enough to win.

I seem to have a big pile of 'stuff' to get through at the moment but if I can manage it I want to redo my Pippa Display case this weekend, its something of a shambles at the moment :-(

Until later...

Oct30

Thank you's and photos

Categories // The Pippa Doll, Syndicated Blogs, Dolls

I spent some time this weekend sending out thank you messages for all the wonderful gifts I received and the Dawn Doll Convention in Philadelphia. You can see my Philly photos here .

I'm not done yet, there were a LOT of wonderful things! Here is the PT Glori that I won from the prize table, she was made and donated by the very talented Jamie. She is wearing an Angel outfit also made by Jamie. Carla gave me the Angel outfit in the costume exchange having had Jamie create it for her.

Despite having a lot of cover work to do this weekend I managed to fit in a small photo session, photographing many of the gifts I received and making some Halloween pictures for the web page I am making for release on All Hallows Eve.

Here is my Little Witch, Gail, wearing an outfit made by Lisa Milward. The cauldron was in my Philly Goodie Bag. I'll post a link to the Halloween pix on Tuesday.

That's all for now, happy Pippa-ing!