Miss Queensland Begins her Travels

Yesterday, Miss Q left Chu’s house to travel to her first host’s place on the Central Coast, NSW.

Happy Birthday WPWD

It’s our birthday!

Miss Queensland Coming Soon to a Town Near You!

Very very soon, Miss Queensland is going to be ready to begin her travels. In keeping with the BlytheFest theme of ‘Candyland’, she will be thoroughly delicious. Here’s a tiny peek at her new look:

Monster High Bed Playset Reviews

Last November (holy cow, it was that long ago?) I blogged about Mattel’s Monster High line. I’m back with more Monster High info, starting with a review of Draculaura’s and Frankie’s bed playsets

I Win More Prizes!

I swear I’m on a roll at the moment. First I win Miss Sydney, then I win a blog giveaway over at Blythelife.com. Nice.

Are you Ready to Visit Candyland?

The vote is over and the theme has been decided: Blythe Fest is going to Candyland!

Blythe Fest comes to Queensland in 2012!

After the delightful fluffy festival of loveliness that was the NSW meet, we are pleased to announce that the 2012 Australian National Blythe Meet will be held in sunny Queensland!

Miss Sydney Comes Home

You may have been following the adventures of Miss Sydney as she travelled the country, finishing her journey at the NSW National Blythe Meet in March.

Odeco & Nikki in 5th Anniversary Sex-Change Shocker!

Yes, you read that right – Odeco and Nikki have changed sex for their 5th anniversary. This set of dolls are boys.

Year of the (Vinyl) Rabbit!

2010 might have seen the birth of Ixtee’s Pika and Mika (both now sold out *sob*), but 2011 is shaping up to be the Year of the Rabbit in more ways than one.

Lalaloopsy Dolls

Lalaloopsy dolls by MGA Entertainment (makers of Bratz) debuted stateside in 2010. The line was originally called Bitty Buttons. The name changed to Lalaloopsy shortly after its release. Though MGA offered no explanation, collectors have guessed that Bitty Buttons may have already been in use by another company. None of this matters much, but it’s helpful to know, as the dolls continue to be listed under both names on some websites. I personally prefer Lalaloopsy, because it’s fun to say aloud. Lalaloopsy! There. I just said it again.

Dollies and Dollars

I have been on a dolly diet, my friends. In this case, it’s a temporary condition, brought about by saving up for a family vacation this spring. I tell you this to explain the shortage of BJD related blog posts as of late. I’ve been avoiding temptation by steering clear of manufacturer sites and “new release” threads on doll boards. Vacation or not, it’s something that most BJD fanciers have to consider. How do you reconcile this pricey hobby with financial responsibility?

Happy Holidays!

It’s been a big year for WPWD!

Mattel’s Monster High Dolls

Mattel’s new Monster High line is a huge hit stateside, showing up on “hottest holiday toy” lists all over. Here’s a look at the dolls.

Exclusive Jamfancy Raffle

Roll up, roll up!

Giveaway Winner!

And the winner is…..

What Could be Cuter than a Little Fluffy Bunny?

Two fluffy bunnies? Two fluffy bunny suits with Odeco and Nikki inside?

Tamsart Crochet Hat Giveaway!

Tanya of Tamsart is famed the Blythe-world over for her creativity and skill in making doll clothes and accessories. This week we have two of her crochet hats to give away.

Organizing a Doll Meet! Pt.2

In my last post, I wrote about organizing a doll meet-up at a public location. Now let’s talk about hosting a meet-up at your home. There’s less legwork involved and it’s free of charge, but there are some unique challenges to consider before inviting all of your dolly friends.

Featured Dolly Lover – Lisa Peterson (aka: Ragazza/Petite Wanderlings)

Our first WPWD Featured Dolly Lover is Lisa Peterson aka Ragazza (Flickr) and Petite Wanderlings (Etsy).

This truely amazing lady’s talents seem to be endless, from doll customiser, photographer, clothes designer, painter to sculptor and her knowledge is second to none in each of the areas. Lisa’s passion and energy is so infectious that one could spend hours drooling over her flickr photos (I know because I’ve done exactly that… LOL).

Organizing a Doll Meet! Pt. 1

Doll meet-ups! The doll hobby may be a solitary activity to some, but for others it’s a major social outlet. Getting together with fellow doll enthusiasts can be a great way to meet new people, as well as an opportunity to see a variety of dolls in person. Here, and in my next post, I’ll talk about what it takes to organize a meet-up in your area.

First Middie: Macaron Q-tea Party

The first Middie Blythe has has been announced: Macaron Q-Tea Party.

Middie Confirmed!

The leaked photo seen this week definitely is the new Middie, the new 20cm tall Blythe doll.

Is This Middie?

A phone pic is doing the gossip rounds of Blythe intertubers:

For the Love of Shoes

Shoes! We all love shoes and boots and I know I’m not alone in loving doll footwear too. Trends sweep through the Blythe-player community like wildfire. First there were the Barbie mary janes and Sugarmag Doc Martens, now Takara Converse-style shoes and Licca knee-high boots.

Teasers on the Middie Blythe

The creative folks at CWC are releasing info about the new Middie Blythe, but slowly. The teasers!

Sullen Princess Odeco and Nikki

Petworks announced a new Odeco and Nikki release this weekend. Called Sullen Princess, they are something of a departure from previous releases.

Blythe: The Middie

Yesterday, CWC announced a whole new type of Blythe doll – the Middie.

Revisiting Limiteds: When Limited Dolls…Aren’t.

Back on May 1^st, I made a blog post here about the prevalence of limited editions in BJD releases. At least among my local dolly crowd, we all grouse and groan when a cool new doll comes out with a huge price tag and a short ordering window. Recently, Doll Soom stirred up controversy when they decided to rerelease a popular, previously sold-out limited.

How I Love a Sailor Dress…

And the lovely folks who design Momokos for Sekiguchi have made one just for me!

We Have a Winner!

The winner of the Cocoa Jackson sunhat giveaway is:

Rerooting with Human Hair

While for some human hair on a doll is a fast-track to the uncanny valley, I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of a Blythe with really realistic hair.

Cocoa Jackson Sunhat GIVEAWAY!

Mysterious French seamstress Cocoa Jackson has donated one of her reversible patchwork sunhats for a WPWD giveaway!

My Favourite New Blythe Blogs

From around the intertubes, WPWD recommends:

Blythe 9th Anniversary Dolls

This year’s Blythe anniversary animation is definitely the best animation so far, even featuring everyone’s favourite destroyer of Tokyo, Godzilla. But what of the dolls?

Steampunk Project Pullip

When Groove Inc revealed that they were embarking upon a Steampunk Project, I’m sure I wasn’t the only very excited doll collector. The dolls are being released one at a time, the first being the Pullip Eos. Each release is limited to 2000 dolls and I was lucky enough to get Eos number 682.

Pika & Mika ~ Bunny BJDs

Not content with giving us the most personality-packed little BJD girl there is, Mui-Chan, the folks at Ixtee have created an adorably retro pair of irresistible BJD rabbits, Mika & Pika.

A weekend away…..

A week has past and all seems a distant memory but boy what memories I have……

National Blythe Meet 2010 ~Adelaide!~

My goodness, it’s early.

What time is it?

7?

A.M.?

On a Saturday?

What am i doing awake???

Go back to bed, silly girl!

No, hang on, there’s a reason i set this alarm… it’s the day of the National Blythe Meet, here in little old Adelaide. It’s what a few of us have been working towards for a very long time, and hopefully, something people have been looking forward to. Get out of bed!

From the sublime to the, er, not so much…

Blythe fans have been blessed with two sets of promo pictures for new releases in quick succession. However, while one is an exciting glamorous fashion bunny, the other is so lame, so generic, so 80s Barbie I could cry.

The New Barbie Dream Townhouse

Mattel’s new version of the 1970s “Magic Sounds Townhouse”, now called “The Barbie Dream Townhouse) is part of their current “Barbie: Now and Then” line of toys. The idea is to recreate classic playsets, with modern face-lifts and new features. (more…)

Miss Sydney – 2011 National NSW Meet

In preparation for the 2011 National Meet, we have begun to organise a travelling Blythe to tour Australia. Her journey will begin soon, and end at the meet itself in NSW, in the middle of 2011. Would you like her to visit you? Here’s the info you need:

DIY Sock dress for blythe!

Hello hello, lovely Blythers!

As a poor student I am all too aware that not everyone has the funds to dress their girls up and down as much as they want to, so I am here to share with you my tutorial for this sweet little sweater dress made from half a sock. That’s right! You can get FOUR dresses from a pair of socks! Keep em’ all, give some away to your friends, you even have my permission to sell them (YOU ARE WELCOME) because socks come in so many awesome patterns which will be all over the place, so we could all find some great ones we haven’t seen before in etsy stores!

Mad Men + Barbie = Ultimate 60s Doll Style

I was never a big Barbie fan before I saw Silkstones. The modern Barbie is just so available, flashing those overtanned legs, sticking out her chest and grinning like a loon.

Shopping Services and Auction Proxies

Japan. The land of the rising sun, and cool dolly stuff galore. BJDs, Licca-chan, Jenny, Pullips… Not to mention a plethora of playsets and meticulously detailed miniatures. What collector hasn’t fantasized about unlimited access to all that great stuff?

Thanks to internet shopping and import stores, getting the goods from Japan is easier today than ever before. Even so, most hobbyists still lust after a bevy of “must-haves” which repeatedly elude capture. What to do? One answer is the use of a shopping service. Read on to learn what this is, and whether using one could fill the holes in your collection.

Third Odeco Nikki/Rou Rou Collaboration

When the folks at Japanese clothing label Rou Rou collaborate on a doll they really create something special – a doll that stands out from her dolly sisters and typifies the Rou Rou style.

Oh! The disappointment! Part 2

On first hearing that there was going to be a Blythe collaboration doll for Hello Kitty’s birthday celebrations, many of us were buzzing with excitement. Then came the news that there was to be no lottery for international collectors – and not even any sales outside Japan. Wailing was heard across Australia (my part of it, at least).

Lady Gaga inspired doll couture

It’s always entertaining when dolly fans pay tribute to their heroes by dressing their dolls in celebrity-inspired outfits.

Mod me up!

The promo photographs have finally been released for the third (and presumably last) in this FBL primadolly series, Paris. There have been rumours for quite some time that her hair would be platinum blonde, and it certainly is.

Ice Rune: Icelandic cutie

The latest Blythe promo pics are of Ice Rune, an Icelandic blonde with white bear-themed winter outfit.

Oh! The disappointment!

It seems that there won’t be an international lottery for Ribonetta Wish, the Hello Kitty collaboration Blythe.

National Blythe Meet, 2010

It’s happening! After this year’s fantastic effort in Melbourne, Blythe is going to celebrate her birthday in style in good ol’ Radelaide. And guess what? You’re all invited!

Will you be Entering the Lottery?

I know not everyone loves the FBL face as much as I do, but London’s hot pink hair has got to be irresistible, surely?

Blythe Stella Savannah Photos

I hate to admit it, but, after loving the initial cartoons, I’m finding this girl a bit bland.

Odeco and Nikki Releases for 2010

It’s good to know that Petworks have already planned how to separate me from my money in 2010. They are going to do it in truly cute-tastic style:

Hello Kitty Blythe: Official pics

I know I’m crazy about most of the new Blythe releases and you’re probably sick of reading gushing blog posts from me, but I can’t help it: I *luv* Ribonetta Wish.

New Blythe RBL excitement

Wowsers! Such a flood of new RBL releases from the busy Blythe folks.

Pom-pom hat Odeco & Nikki

Due out in the middle of November, the latest versions of Odeco and Nikki are soft, sweet and wintery in pastels.

Blythe meets Hello Kitty

In celebration of Hello Kitty’s 35th birthday, this could be the most perfect Blythe doll collaboration ever!

Strawberry Shortcake Mofro

I loved Strawberry Shortcake dolls when I was a kid, and I still find their little freckled faces adorable now. Sometimes a 25 year old toy can look a little the worse for wear, however, and the hair is often the first to go.

Why I Love Momoko

The first time I saw pictures of a Momoko were in the first Doll Coordinate Recipe pattern book. There is a full page of pictures of Momoko dressing herself – a display of poseability that was quite astounding to a Blythe-only doll collector, as I was then.

Death of a Disco Boogier?

Is it just me, or do iconic deaths happen in threes?

Blythe Anniversary Doll 2009

This year’s anniversary Blythe has been announced to a resounding ‘meh’ from the non-Japanese Blythe community.

Changing eyes for Odeco & Nikki

There isn’t a whole lot you can do to customise Petworks’ Nikki, but changing the colour of her eyes is something the designers have given us the means to do.

Coming Soon: New Dolls from Alchemic Lab

I decided not to do too many posts here about new BJD releases. There are so many dolls and companies that I can’t cover everything fairly. Instead, I’ll post when something particularly noteworthy presents itself. Case in point: the recent announcement of new “chibi” Unoas from Gentaro Araki’s Alchemic Lab.

BJDS: The Love Hate of Limiteds

I talked to a friend at a local BJD meet a few weeks ago. We’d both placed orders with DollSoom for the February limited Monthly Doll, Teenie Gem Glot. In her lap, my friend cradled a Bambicrony blue elf she purchased last year.

BJD Thigh Modifications, Pt. 3 Widening String Slots

For this third post about BJD thigh modifications, I’m going to share a small mod I made to the existing suwarrico joints on my Volks Yo-SD Hinaichigo.

BJD Thigh Modifications, Pt. 2. Adding Suwarrico Cuts

In my last post, I talked about making a simple modification to a doll’s thigh joint, to prevent them from falling backwards when sitting. This time around, it’s a little different. We’re not fixing a problem, but rather adding another level of poseability. The suwarrico, or “cute sit”. Suwarrico joints are included on many dolls these days, but if a member of your resin gang is feeling left out, adding suwarrico is a simple modification. This can be done on any doll, but tends to work a little better on those with a jointed torso. Note that there is doll nudity ahead!

Minor Joint Modifications Pt.1

BJDs are great dolls for those who can’t leave well enough alone. You can change their hair. You can change their eyes. You can wipe face-ups, and redo them, to your heart’s content. Thanks to the forgiving qualities of resin, you can also perform tweaks and fixes to a doll’s poseability. Three of my dolls have had “surgery” on their upper thigh or hip joints. In this post, and the next two, I’ll share these little alterations, in case you’re moved to do the same to one of your crew.

Teaser Photo Released for Soom’s New Monthly Doll

Korean manufacturer DollSoom yet again strikes fear into the wallets of BJD enthusiasts with their newest monthly doll. Only teaser images have been released thus far. Full body photos, along with specs and price, should be along within the week.

Whitening Blythe Eyeballs

There’s nothing like a bright shiny white eyeball. BLs have em:

Adventures in Momoko Customising

I love to have a go at customising (with varied results) so, when I took a liking to Momokos, it was inevitable that one of them would soon be in pieces on my dining room table. When the lovely Jade had a ‘Wake up’ Momoko for sale I spotted my victim:

Blythe release round-up

If the number of new Blythe releases we’ve seen lately is anything to go by, the good people at CWC have been working like navvies to get Blythes on shelves. They’re not short on ideas, either, because it’s quite a bumper crop.

Petworks Odeco & Nikki: New Releases

The Petworks folks have seriously outdone themselves this time, I reckon. Both the limited set and the general release Odeco and Nikkis are adorable.

Rerooting Blythe with Mohair:

No. 1 ~ Choosing your Crochet Hook

So, you’ve prepared your scalp and you’ve chosen your mohair for rerooting. Now you’re going to want to choose the right crochet hook to get the look you want for your finished custom Blythe.

Preparing your Blythe Scalp for Rerooting

So you’ve removed your Blythe’s scalp and you want to reroot her hair, or sew on weft. You’ll need to prepare the scalp as follows:

Socks officially knocked off

Just when it seems like you’ve been waiting for ever (and there certainly was a fair bit of frustration expressed on Blythe forums), suddenly CWC announce a bucketful of new releases. In order of release date, we have:

Changing your Blythe’s Eye Colours (without Opening her Head)

If you have an ADG, BL, EBL or SBL Blythe (see Alana’s post on facemoulds if you’re not sure which yours is), you may want to change her eye colours without the extra work of taking her head apart. Here’s how it’s done:

DIY Lightbox (image heavy)

Hi everyone,

As some of you may have seen on my flickr stream, I recently made a lightbox for Blythe photography. Many of you expressed interest in them, so I thought I’d give some hints for anyone who is thinking of making one.

Scalping your Blythe doll

If you’re going to reroot your BL, EBL or SBL Blythe doll, swap scalps with another, boggle her eyes or lift her gaze, the first thing you’ll need to do is pull off her scalp.

Dolly Buying in Tough Economic Times

I haven’t blogged in ages (actually I think I’ve only ever blogged once), so pardon my first blog being blatant plagiarism!!

I received a great dolly article recently titled ‘Ten ways to Collect dolls in a Down Economy’:

Dollhouse DIY: Magnetic Playscale Diaorama

Looking for a dollhouse/studio that:

• lets you express your style?
• is great for photography?
• is easy to store?

Attack of the clones

Vintage Barbie clones, despite their undeniable fug, are a nifty alternative to “real” vintage Barbies.

Petite Blythe Eye Swap

1. Choose your hapless victim:

The Blythe Facemould Wars!

Okay, maybe “wars” is over the top. But nothing whips the Blythe community into a frenzy as much as facemould talk.

Dollhouse DIY: dolly cushion tutorial and GIVEAWAY

This week’s Dollhouse DIY follows on from last week’s tutorial on printing your own fabric. This time we’ll be making the fabric into cushions. No dowdy chintz for these dollies!

Lovable Licca

This post is largely due to the fact that I have just bought my very first Licca doll, I have loved them for a while so finally decided to take the plunge…

Latest releases from CWC

This week on Blythedoll.com we finally saw promo pics for Veronica Lace.

Azone Pure Neemo

“Pure neemo”, “Pureneemo” or “Azone 25cm” are made by “Azone International” and are a new type of adorable seamless 25cm jointed dolls, but unlike other 1/6 they are made from a rubbery kind of PVC / plastic. The bodies are not fully jointed but rather semi-kinetic and seamless with really smooth joint connections. They consist of many easily interchangeable parts that you can mix together to achieve the perfect static pose for your dolly…

Dollhouse DIY: Fabric printing tutorial

This week’s Dollhouse DIY is a tutorial on how to print your own fabric using an ink-jet printer. Next week I’ll show you how to sew your fabric into cushions.

National meet update

Planning for next February’s major Blythe meet in Melbourne has been bubbling away behind the scenes since June. Since email deliberations can only achieve so much, today some of the organisers decided to get hands-on and take a look around the venue for inspiration.

Dolly DIY: share the dolly love

If you’re a novice or experienced at sewing, knitting or crochet, and would like to help the children of South Africa, here’s a way to share some dolly love!

Dollhouse DIY: Make Mine Mod

Furnishings for 1:6 (aka “Playscale) dollhouses can be hard to find. You can search online for vintage Barbie and Sindy decor, hunt through frowsy Victoriana, shell out for Rement…what else is there? How about some Mod-inspired DIY!

New Odeco and Nikki – potato girls

There’s a new set of Odeco and Nikki dolls and this time they look like they’ve stepped off the set of Little House on the Prairie. Fortunately, I love that show.

DIY Dollhouse/ Studio Set

Dollies driving you out of house and home? This simple DIY dollhouse is from the March issue of CookieMag.com:

The Divine Ms. P!

Wowsers never seen anything like this, I cant get over how talented tingeisha is. Be sure to check out her other flickr stuff!

Seen On Flickr

Seen on flickr…

Twins ~ Cuter than the sum of their parts?

I never really understood why people had twins in their doll collections. I mean, with so many different and delightful dolls in the world, why have two the same?

More leaked Byul Photos

Another set of pictures of Byul, Jun Planning’s upcoming new doll type, have been leaked. It’s unclear as to whether these are further prototypes, or previews of actual releases.

Shoe Pics Collated

Thanks to all those who submitted.

November Pullip releases

Jun Planning have announced the release of Rococo-themed Pullips in November – the Pullip herself reminiscent of Marie Antoinette. The outfits and hairstyles are pretty detailed and the dolls are looking to be rather expensive.

Jamfancy Bunny Pattern

To create a little bunny friend for your doll, you will need:

* Felt
* Sewing thread
* A pair of small scissors
* A stuffing tool – I use a small paint brush with the bristle cut off
* Pins
* A small sewing needle
* A bag of craft stuffing
* Test piece of felt for trying out chalk pastels
* Little brushes for chalk pastels
* Chalk pastels

PD – Amaryllis

Well well there was alot of fuss when this girly showed up on evilbay, now we know who she is, what will her price end up being after the ebay Amaryllis sold for something like 500 USD? I know I want one hehehe will definitely be keeping my eyes peeled and saving my pennies.

Update BWT

So I LOVE LOVE LOVE her, but will she be available from the CWC online shop? I am a little confused myself. Is she the next NF? Well perhaps – regardless, she has certainly won a place in my heart.

Update for MSR

After much anticipation in the blythe community it is great to finally see her promo photos. I think she will be much loved especially for her vintage skin tone and her outfit is absolutely amazingly retro cool. Will her fringe be manageable or unruly? We have yet to see…

Bow Wow Trad wearing “Fall Whisper” outfit

Outfit due for release on the 22nd August.

Catwalk Kitties

I finally tracked down a couple of Catwalk Kitties, the presumably unsuccessful cat-model doll release from Lanard.

Send me your Shoe Pictures

Hi there I am back again!

Came across this on Flickr

Wow what a collection. It has inspired me to take some snaps (will have them up by end of the week). Please submit yours to me and I will make a big post of all out shoe collections.

Dal Lipoca – October 08

“I’m practicing so hard, but no one seems to be surprised. Why? Why? I missed again ! But I’ll surprise Tezca someday”

Dal and her new best friend, Byul

So far there have been eighteen Dals released by Jun Planning, with four more to come that have been announced. A lot of Blythe fans seem to fall easily for Dal, which is interesting considering that many Pullip lovers appeared slow to warm up to the newer doll.

Enhancing a Dark Picture in Photoshop

Hi there,

This is my first post here, hopefully it is easy enough to understand.

Have a great day all.

What is it about Wanda?

She’s got to be the most popular frog since Kermit, but what is it that makes Studio-Uoo’s Wonderfrog so popular? Hhmmm…

Odeco-chan & Nikki in Girls’ Band + Keyrings

I keep thinking that next time, next time, I’ll give the new Nikki a miss. It isn’t going to happen today though. When it come to Odeco, I can take her or leave her – I think it’s the wig, I don’t like wigged dolls so much – but Nikki I find irresistible!

Those darned Mary Janes

Right, so I haven’t slept much over the past few days and decided it would be a GREAT idea to go on an internet quest for the coveted Mary Jane shoes after seeing the below page which was extremely informative:

http://uk.geocities.com/magicknightrhiannon/mary-janes.html

Thanks Rhiannon!

Bow Wow Trad

Let us introduce our new Blythe doll “Bow Wow Trad” who has beautiful, long black hair.

Miss Sally Rice

“Miss Sally Rice” is a friend of “Mrs. Retro Mama,” who was popular for her retro-themed style and vintage-like skin tone.

Milky Way Sugar

Neo Blythe “Milky Way Sugar” has long, dark-brown hair for a sophisticated look.

WePlayWithDolls.net/blogs is go!

We’re a diverse bunch, we doll people. We collectors of Asian and retro dolls, in particular: Blythe, Pullip, Dal, Asian ball-jointed dolls, Peteena, Wonder Frog … the list is goes on.