Daisy’s Diner

Sisters Jenny and Carole were left a legacy by their grandma Daisy, who passed away peacefully two years ago.  They have been talking about investing their money, along with their mother, into a business for quite some time but didn’t know what type of business.

They eventually agreed upon a place to eat, as their grandma had been a fabulous cook and had left lots of recipes that could be followed.  She had met her husband (their grandfather) in a diner so they had decided to use that as a theme, and ‘Daisy’s Diner’ was born.  Their mother, Donna, would do the catering and Carole & Jenny would share the running of the diner.

They had found a suitable location, had it fitted out and were ready to go!

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Donna had had a busy time with food preparation, but her daughters had helped out where they could.  She loved her mother (Daisy’s) cakes and took special pride in making those.  Besides ‘real’ and ‘healthy’ food, Donna had to provide fast food in line with the diner theme.

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The girls carried food and drinks through to the diner and it started to feel very real.  This was their  business and it had to succeed for the memory of their grandma.

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This was it – time to open up.

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Their very first customer was Erynne who was very pleased with the welcome she received.  She had  time to spare before her job interview and was pleased that this new ‘eatery’ had opened up.  She ordered coffee and found a place to read her magazine hoping it would calm her nerves.

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Next to arrive was Miss Choi (Hyejin to her friends) and Jenny couldn’t believe:

1. how tall she was
2. they had a famous actress as a customer

Trying to be professional, Jenny led Hyejin to a table and quietly asked her to sign her autograph on the back of a menu [Carole doesn’t know about that].

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Immediately after Miss Choi’s arrival, Ling Lan arrived.  Ling Lan was an artist and her work had just recently been shown in a popular magazine.  Jenny led the way to where Miss Choi was seated bursting with excitement.  Two famous people. Wow.

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Jenny & Carole positioned themselves by the door and window to see who else might arrive.  Jenny had heard Ling Lan ask Miss Choi if ‘the others’ were coming.

Jenny and Carole

They didn’t have long to wait when not one, but two, famous models arrived.  Ginny & Grace were two of the hottest models right now.  You couldn’t open a magazine without one of them being featured in it.

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The ladies chatted for a while over their lunch, then Jenny asked if they would mind if she took a couple of photo’s.   Of course, the ladies didn’t mind at all, though Carole wasn’t too happy about it.

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Meanwhile, Carole and Jenny had been getting to know Erynne a little better, and it transpired that she was a fashion designer, and the interview that she was going for would be a step up in the world of fashion.  Erynne was super impressed that famous people had been in the diner and shared with Carole & Jenny that there was a very famous agency just minutes away from the diner.  Its location was super secret because they didn’t want people turning up hoping for fame. So, it seems the diner is in a very exclusive area and might be frequented by other famous faces!

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Miss Choi stayed behind for a little while after her friends had left; she was fascinated by the juke box.

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LOTS more photographs at: FLCKR

Anais’ new apartment

Anais moved into her new brighter, lighter, trendier apartment, and one of the first things on her ‘to do’ list was to invite her friends around.

The ladies loved it and were encouraging Anais to have a housewarming party, but Anais isn’t too sure about having lots of people in her new shiny home.

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In case you are wondering why the ladies always seem to be similarly dressed, it is because they plan ahead!  seriously 😀

A final look:

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Anais’ lunch date

Anais is leaving her small apartment and has invited friends across for lunch one last time.  She prepares everything and still has lots of time to spare, so takes Duke for a walk on the common.

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Once back home she gets her breath back and does a last minute tidy and check of the apartment, before getting changed.

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She doesn’t have long to wait before the ladies arrive:

Anais

Miss Choi

Grace

Ginny

After lunch they decide to leave their ‘mark’ on Anais’ wall…

Then while sitting around to chat, they take snapshots of each other 🙂

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‘Tonner Ladies’ Michelle & Noreen

These Antoinette ladies are named after two ladies from Tonner Doll.

Firstly Noreen, named after Dr Noreen, who very kindly gave them a new lease of life by providing them with bodies.

Noreen

Second is Michelle, named after the lady who deals with online international transactions.

Michelle

The Gold Room

Following on from the introduction of some ladies in The White Room, the following ladies are being introduced in The Gold Room (tongue in cheek).

The long awaited ‘Transient Wraith’ Antoinette, known as Lilianna, has finally joined her fellow dolls.  Also Jenny and Winema, both repaints by “Beverly of Enchanted” have arrived.

The Gold Room

Lilianna

Lilianna

Jenny

Jenny

Winema

Winema

Jenny, Lizzie, Winema and Lilianna

More photographs at:  FLCKR

 

The Office

Back Story

John Bates had built up a lucrative business over the years. He had seen a gap in the market when he was just 19 years old and thanks to a bank manager that had the fortitude to back him he had been able to set up.

He had married his childhood sweetheart and after ten years he had agreed to start a family, and a baby girl, Jonnie, joined them.  As much as John loved his daughter he really wanted a son to carry on the business but it seemed that they weren’t going to be blessed with another baby.

Jonnie idolized her father and sometimes her mother would take her into her fathers workplace just to placate her.  He would show her off to his employees before rushing them back out again because he was so busy.  He seemed to spend longer & longer at work the more the business grew and soon he was barely around for Jonnie, not even at her bedtime.

Jonnie excelled at school and it was her dream to take over the family business when her father eventually retired, then when she was fifteen her mother had told her she was pregnant.  It was a bolt out of the blue for Jonnie who was both excited and apprehensive because of her mothers age.

Well, it transpired that the baby was a boy and he was the apple of his fathers eye.  Jonnie saw how much involvement her father had with the baby who soon grew into a toddler, and her father would take him everywhere he went. Jonnie wasn’t resentful, she loved her baby brother, but she wished that her father could have shown her the same amount of love.

Jonnie attended college after leaving school and did a business course still aiming to take over the reins from her father when he retired, so it was a bombshell when he announced one day after dinner that he would be staying in his post until John Junior stepped into the role.  Her father didn’t see the look of utter dismay on Jonnie’s face, but her mother did, and she leaned across the table to squeeze her hands and give a faint smile.

Jonnie made her own way in the world then; she mixed with different people, she drank and she partied hard.  She had lost her way in life.  Then, when John Junior was nine he was involved in a tragic accident and suffered brain damage after a fall from scaffolding.  He lasted barely six months before his life support was turned off and the Bates’ family went to pieces.  Her father stopped going to work and the business took a swift downward turn.  It had taken years to build up but at this rate would be folded in months.  Jonnie’s mother spoke to her and begged her to step in to save the business but Jonnie refused.  She had a job, yes it was a dead end job that she hated but her father had shown her how little she was worth.

Six months later her father suffered a massive heart attack and died.  She was bereft; why had she let the rift between them grow so much and why hadn’t she been more understanding?  After the funeral she told her mother that she would try to save the company to keep her fathers name alive & current.  Her mother took solace in this because she had always believed in Jonnie and that she should have been her fathers right hand person.

Present Day

Jonnie had to let most of the staff go to remain solvent, but gradually the business is growing.  She has two girls working in the office with her and between them they look after all of the other employees. Lauryn helps with the wages and accounts, while Erin is secretary without whom Jonnie would be lost.  The girls have been allowed a certain amount of flexibility but while Jonnie was at a business meeting recently a colleague suggested that the clothes they wear hardly make for a professional look.

The very next day Jonnie sourced more conservative clothing for them, in effect a uniform, without discussing it with them first.  To cut a very long story short the girls in the office went from being happy, carefree and loyal to discussing tendering their resignation and moving on to another workplace.  Sometimes the adage “if it isn’t broke don’t fix it” is so true.

More photos at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tonner_etc/

The White Room

To introduce two new ladies they were photographed in ‘the white room’…  🙂

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Lizzie & Farrah

More photographs at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tonner_etc/

Best Foot Forward (Unit No 9)

Svetlana has opened her unit and it is already a huge hit (and my favourite too).  She is selling shoes, shoes, shoes!

Her first customers were:  Melissa, Cecilly, Sienna and Soraya and there were more potential customers waiting to come in, but the units aren’t very big so she had to restrict the number coming in .

See what you think 🙂

More photographs at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tonner_etc/

Finishing Touch (Unit No 8)

Cristiane was persuaded by her parents to lease one of the units.  She hadn’t really wanted to because she hadn’t decided yet what course her life & career were meant to take.  As it happened she was glad that she did take a unit because the other girls were great fun.

Her mother had decided that she should sell hats, scarves, gloves & belts (as she decided most things in Cristianes life) because the theme tied in to what the other units were selling. Cristiane thought it was a lame idea but when her mother insisted on paying all of the upfront costs, she had gone along with it.

She didn’t try very hard to sell anything; if people looked and decided they liked what she had, fine, and if not, that was fine too.

Here we see her friends Iris and Blake messing around in general, but when a friend of Cristianes mother turns up to buy something it gives Cristiane the push that she needs. Iris and Blake each make a purchase too so Cristiane hopes it will keep her mother off her back for a few days.

More photos at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tonner_etc/

 

 

Up Ahead (Unit No 7)

Lyra & Eliette have formed a partnership to rent this unit that will focus on ladies wigs and glasses.  They have both completed hair & beauty training courses and are eager to get started.

They are fitting the wigs where requested, and offer a ‘wash & swap’ service whereby the wigs can be returned, to swap for another one or simply to wash & style for the customer.

On their first day of opening they had four customers: Kym (rents another unit), Ragna, Honey and Diana and each left with a brand new look.

More photographs at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tonner_etc/