Sunday, February 24, 2013

Steampunk, Doll-ing


If I had to guess, I would say 3 out of 5 of my clients has asked me for something steampunk. A couple (a few?) years back I did some hats for dolls that were neo-Victorian or steampunk in styling.



Man-styled tophats, victorian lady hats, that sort of thing. I have always dressed my dolls in corsets, and sort of mid-to-late 1800s inspired styling that I have modernized to suit me.



Recently I have more or less embraced the styling entirely and I am trying to put more things in my shop that reflect that. The past week, I made steampunk goggles. They amuse the heck out of me.



I mean, they are entirely fun. They can be worn a number of ways (straight on the face, up on the hair, over hats). They photograph wonderfully, and they are just a whole lot of fun.



I hope to be putting more goggles in my store over time, and some other things that will go nicely with them. If you haven't checked out my store, please do. There might be something that catches your eye.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Amelia - A Girl and Her Corgi


This is Amelia. She is my 64th custom girl. Spring is bound to come soon, or at least I am hoping. I dressed her in spring green silk as a gesture of good faith :)


I am a big fan of the color green, but I tend to like very specific greens. Pale greens. Acid green is my favorite color. Chartreuse, lime, spring green, love those. If you add a little bit of gold to green, I like it equally as well. With this doll I gave her fairly bright auburn hair to contrast with the green. I think it makes her stand out. Her eyes are various shades of greens and sometimes I mixed in gold.


This doll has a hair color I love matched with an outfit in the color I love. It's a good combination. I have her up on Ebay for another day. If she doesn't sell, I am tempted to keep her myself. I have been keeping some dolls lately. I don't really need another doll, as I have run out of space, but sometimes there is one that I think I might miss. This might be one of them. Hope spring comes soon!

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Lilibeth - A Girl and Her Bunny


I started a series of Blythe girls last week I am calling A Girl and Her Pet. I have been collecting Blythe dolls and Littlest Pet Shop pets for about the same length of time. Since early 2010. I like them both. I think in some ways they go together. Hasbro agrees, as they did the tiny little Blythes with the pets. I like the big girls with the pets, too. Both sets have big eyes. I like that.


My first girl, as was in my last blog post, was called A Girl and Her Chinchilla. Girl number 2 is called A Girl and Her Bunny. She makes me smile. She has a really cool color of mango alpaca hair that I dyed up and rerooted. Her outfit is a pale turquoise blue, which I love. Those 2 colors together, to me, are very vibrant and fun. She, of course, has a Littlest Pet Shop pet. This time a bunny named Barley. I put her up on Ebay yesterday. She will be there through Friday.


Lilibeth has been completely customized by me. She was treated with loving care and careful attention to detail. The base doll is a Takara Blythe RBL Nicky Lad. I rerooted her scalp in a lovely hand-dyed mango suri alpaca. It is done in a layered cut, with the longest length to her finger tips. It is straight and shiny, incredibly soft, with a side part. Gorgeous.


Her face has been sandmatted, nostrils, philtrum and lips carved, and carefully painted with acrylic and chalk pastels, with dramatic painted lower lashes. Her eyelids are a shiny turquoise blue with purple, peach, silver and turquoise sparkly glitter.



She has been given sleep eyes with 2 pullcords (pale blue cotton floss, braided for strength, with 2 charms that are photos of Lilibeth encased in heavy domed glass in round, shiny silver-tone metal frames. She was given new lashes.


Her lips are a peachy pink with a bit of a pouty look. They are glossed. She has dramatic lower black painted lashes. She has 3 sets of handpainted eye chips to match her color scheme (2 different blues, 1 peach) and 1 set of pale blue stock chips. Her face has been carefully sealed with MSC flat UV-cut sealant.


All clothing and accessories for Lilibeth, with the exception of her over-the-knee white stockings and plastic boots, were designed and constructed by me. Fabrics were hand-dyed, cured and laundered for a soft, vintage feel. Her little pet rabbit is a purchased plastic Littlest Pet Shop pale orange rabbit. For her dress I wanted something with a vintage feel, a soft hand, something in pale turquoise blue. Short, short-sleeved hand-dyed silk/rayon crushed velvet wrap dress, in palest turquoise blue.


Crushed velvet bodice, silk crepe silk skirt with habatoi silk underskirt. Ties at front for an open look. Lilibeth can be dancing with the stars in this little dress. Or perhaps just out for a stroll with her little rabbit, Barley, or maybe an afternoon party, or a walk in the park. Fun,flirty, feminine and sexy, comfortable, always versatile. Retro yet modern.


Lacy, flirty, ruffled nylon lace underskirt with an elastic waist, gives the dress a bit of nostalgic flare. White over-the-knee stocking and below knee orange plastic boots, with a turquoise velvet scarf, knotted at ends.


A hand-dyed turquoise silk/rayon velvet shoulder satchel, lined in silk charmeuse, with a flap front and shoulder strap. Has a hand-rolled silk/peach flower at front with pearl bead center. Perfect for carrying her little pet, or just used as a shoulder bag for carrying other things.


Her under things include a white lacy long-line bra top that is see-through with her little dress, and white silk charmeuse bloomers.


A lovely peachy 2-tone wool felt tiny topper with little flower accents and pearl bead centers, made especially for Blythe. Extremely romantic, entirely classic. Fully lined. Designed and constructed by me. Has a hair clip sewn underneath to secure to head. I use traditional millinery techniques.