What's Blooming...

BJD

Littlefee "Flora" http://featherfall.ca http://dollfairyland.com

Well, like I needed a new hobby in my life...but I seem to have found one.

Dolls, surprisingly, haven't really been an interest of mine even though I'm a miniaturist. Mainly I specialize in furniture and accessories as houses in general are a real passion of mine. I took a few miniature doll classes but never really got that doll bug.

Then this past February, my wonderful friend Kim was downsizing her Blythe collection and was extremely (extremely) kind in sending two my way (thanks Kim!), a Pow Wow Poncho and an I Love You It's True. So I have been having much fun ever since customizing their faces and outfitting them from Etsy and eBay. My husband then bought me a lilac-haired Prima Dolly Violetina in March that I had been drooling over, that one was customised by Tam at http://dollymolly.etsy.com


Soooooo, last Saturday I took these three Blythe girls of mine and went to a doll meetup in Madison, Wisconsin that was a semi-Blythe/BJD group called Dairyland BJD. Members from IL & WI get together a few times during the year and this was the summer meetup. It was potluck so everyone brought a dish to share. The dolls were set up at various tables and there were also sale tables where you could buy or trade doll items. My favorite were the three panel discussions: How to Restring a Doll, History of Dolls, and Making Doll Clothing. They were mostly Dollfie; Super Dollfie (SD) and Miniature Super Dollfie (MSD) and various other smaller types.


Ball Jointed Dolls (BJD) have moveable neck, elbow, wrist, waist, knee, and foot joints and are interesting because they can hold poses and artists are making them quite realistic. Inside their bodies are elastic bands and some can even stand on one foot. Great for photographs. I won't post individual dolls from the show as the owners might take copyright issue, but there are some pictures above from various BJD supply websites. You could also search BJD, SD, or Dollfie on Flickr.

Soul Doll SD "Gisele" http://denverdoll.com

They were amazing at the show, they measure from 70 cm (2.5') down to 17 cm (8.5") and included individual faceups, clothing, tattoos, wigs, custom eyes, etc. The sky is the limit. One of the members also made a likeness of Johnny Depp and another is working on a Cate Blanchett doll. There was an exact replica in style and costume of Mary Tudor and Ann Boleyn. People are really so talented.

S&G SD Elf "Afta" http://denverdoll.com

So I'll be mulling this one over and looking around at bodies, heads, and various body parts and don't be surprised if a BJD pops up on the sidebar under those three super cute Blythe girls. Fair warning :O)

Any other BJD fans out there in blogland?

New Flower Jugs 1/12 & 1/24

Just added to the
shop

Skull Domes, Floo Powder, & Witchy Tags

1/12 Miniature aged plastic skull domes for your Harry Potter or Halloween setting. Just two of these made and each are slightly different. Just added to the shop



1/12 scale miniature 1/2" wide pot of Floo Powder for your fireplace "Diagonally!"



Witchy Hat Tags

Professor Filius Flitwick, Charms Teacher at Hogwarts

A few years back I attempted a handmade 1/12 doll and chose Filius Flitwick, Harry Potter's Charms teacher..."wingardium leviosa" and the feather lesson from the first film. I had the pleasure of taking a Rik Pierce class called Tanglewood and thought Professor Flitwick's classroom would be an interesting scene to build. His classroom is still in the works but he's all ready to report for lessons this Autumn when term starts.

We're all excited here about Half Blood Prince being released this week so in honor of the new film I'm posting little Professor Flitwick.

Miss Sally World, an incredibly talented UK artist, made the head and hands from the still movie pictures and I made the body and dressed him. He's got small clay shoes and a fancy vest with tiny golden bead buttons. His wand is a regular old toothpick, shaped and painted, and Sally kindly molded his hand just so he could hold it.

Have a magical week :O)

Edit: This is the Tanglewood room box


and the interior is on my webshots (can't seem to copy it over full size)

Halloweeny Treats

Spooky Trick or Treat Tags




Witchy Broom Hilda Tags

Recently added to the Etsy shop!

What's Blooming

Paris Etsy Treasury

Haven't made an Etsy Treasury in a little while, and it took me most of yesterday just to snag a spot! It's called
quiet paris afternoon and I couldn't help sneaking in a pretty Blythe doll.


How exciting, it made the Front Page of Etsy about 5:00 a.m. EST on July 4th

Thanks Etsy and congratulations to all of the artists!

Mini Tips

Simple, but ingenius. This is a little tip shared by Ladybug Sue Thwaite. I was privileged to take her Baby House class when we were living in England. She was over there for Miniatura . The class was 1/90th and involved lots of tiny tinies that had to be glued, painted, and otherwise manipulated so she provided us with sticks and blue tack. Very useful, and you can just rework the sticky tack when it gets too messy or painted. Just flip it over and re-use. Sue has a million great ideas.

Another tip for getting around little edges and corners is to use small emery boards. Even better when you cut the boards in half or thirds to get right in there. These were on display near the checkout of our old "chemist" and it occured to me, while waiting for a prescription, that these would be a little bit better than using just a folded piece of sandpaper. Somewhat easier on the hands if you've got a lot of work area, because the card backing provides structure.