Thursday, April 18, 2013

A Little Romance



Lately on Facebook I have been posting my fashion suggestions for the day. Not for me, but for Blythe. This week I have been working up some shabby chic or romantic styled dresses for the girls. This style makes for some really fun photography. Between that and my steampunk garb, there is a lot for the lens to grab hold of.



Most of the things I photograph are available in my store. Some are things I have picked up on ebay over time or have somehow come across over the years. Leather jackets seem to go with everything, as do a good pair of stomping boots. We had 2 decent days of sun, and now the clouds have set in. Despite wishing it was springtime weather, the lighting on a drab day is superb and just about perfect for the look I am after.



Tuesday, April 16, 2013

The Art of Reflection



It's been a week or 2 since I last posted to this blog. I have been really busy. I spend most days customizing dolls and making clothing for them for my etsy store. Sometimes I am working from the time I get up until the time my head hits the pillow it seems like. I love it, but once in awhile it is a good idea to sit back and reflect. I can't believe I am on my 80-something-th Blythe custom doll! Where does the time go?! I raised my prices on etsy for my custom dolls recently, because the time and costs involved just seem overwhelming sometimes. What seems like it should be a decent profit, well, it turns out, ends up more on the loss side than the profit side, if you can believe.



For a long time I was figuring in mostly the costs, though often since I have had things on hand for years, I often would just add those in without charging for them. Charging for my time was a whole other story. That doesn't seem that wise after doing so many of them, as it turns out. Blythe dolls that are stock are creeping up pretty high and just obtaining them to do a custom if so pricey it is crazy. Factor in all the other things involved, eye chips, pull charms, clothing, fabrics and trims, shoes, mohair, paints and sprays, other art supplies, and the time it takes, the years I have spent outside of that just learning to do anything creative at all, and, well, it gets expensive.



These little Blythe dolls have become dolls for queens it seems. I love them. I love making them. I guess I have to charge for my time and talents and for what I spend to make them, and it feels painful sometimes to even speak the prices.



Business-wise, focusing on clothing mainly, is probably a wiser idea. But my personality dictates that I mix it up or I get bored, so I keep making the dolls. Sometimes I spend so much time on the dolls, I have little time for making the clothing. And then there is the time it takes for making photos. What a fun, crazy, time-consuming hobby, passion, whatever it is. If you are a Blythe fan, you know what I am talking about. It has a life of it's own. Mostly it feels like I have to do it. I am driven to create, so I am not complaining. It is the way I do things. I love it. I keep doing it. I can't imagine doing anything else at this moment. Being a better business person may just take a bit of getting used to, as it is not typically my strong point.



Spring is threatening to get here. I know it is. I hope to spend a whole day outside soon. Today, here, it is on the warm side, but quite miserable out with rain and wind. We on the east coast really need a sign that spring is on its lazy way. Hope wherever you are, you are warm and having fun.



Friday, April 5, 2013

An Apple for New York



Blythecon 2013 in NYC is happening in October. For a lot of reasons, I will be there, but really I am just excited to see the many people who love Blythe as much as I do. Jean Yates


and I wanted a super duper donation to give this year that would be a cool gift for someone attending Blythecon this year, but would also be reflective of the things we like to do.



Jean likes to make cool jewelry and give things to people. I like to customize dolls and make outfits for them. While I was on a trip to Syracuse this past week, I was emailing her from my phone while hanging out in the car watching John drive. We decided on Apple, which is a green-haired doll Jean sent to me with a load of jewels fit for a queen.



I did a faceup for her and a couple sets of eyechips (she already had some really pretty ones she arrived with) and gave her a steampunk costume. Jean sent so many things, I wasn't completely sure I could get them all on her and also get them in photos. I think I did pretty well.



There was one really long belt piece that I used as a drop on the little top hat she is wearing. It is like a drapery pull with class. I think it goes with the overall theme and makes her especially ornate. The rest of the stuff includes earrings, a necklace, some wonderful pullcharms.



This girl is not going to leave here wanting, that is for sure. I got a vintage metal toolbox and sprayed it randomly with metallic and green paints, and she will ride in that as her time machine, to New York City.



Jean and I will both be there, along with a motley crew of dolls and people. If you are going, plan to stop by and say "hi".



We will be at a table set out for our For the Love of Blythe project. Hope to see you there.