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

Well, OK, maybe she’s not just for me. Maybe she’s a collaboration with these folks. But she’s so perfect for me, it’s like they were reading my thoughts:

Wowzers!

The winner of the Cocoa Jackson sunhat giveaway is:

Congratulations! Your hat will be on its way from Cocoa Jackson’s top secret workshop ASAP. Thanks to everyone who entered.

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.

The closest I’ve come previously is a adult goat mohair weft which looks very much like human hair, but can’t really be styled. The waves are beautiful, but permanent, and a weft offers little in the way of style options without exposing the rows of hair.

Rerooted human hair, on the other hand, should give multiple styling options with regular hair products and heated appliances. I had to have a go. The only thing that has held me back for so long is the cost of good long hair. But then, we found something amazing in our spare room:

A ponytail grown by my husband, cut off, stored away and forgotten. The hair is 12-16 inches long, dark chestnut brown, strong and shiny. Result!

Next thing we needed was a dolly victim. Fortunately my Star Dancer, Michelle, was keen for a new look. I whipped off her scalp and pulled out her hair:

As human hair has a ‘right way’ and a ‘wrong way’ (i.e. it is smooth to the touch in only one direction - from root to tip) I couldn’t use the lock and loop method, at least, not if I wanted it to be smooth and shiny. So the knot method was called for. Bah. This is how it goes:

1. Take a very small section of hair. Knot it close to the end (the ‘root end’):

I found the knots stayed tighter if the sections of the hair were small. The larger the section of hair, the quicker the knot slipped out.

2. Turn your scalp inside-out. Push your crochet hook (I used a 0.75m hook) through the hole you want to fill:

3. Loop the hair around the hook, close to the knot, then use the hook to pull the hair through the hole:

4. You should now have the length of the hair on the outside of the scalp and the knot on the inside:

(Remember in our picture the scalp is turned inside out so we are looking at the outside here.)

5. Repeat until all holes are filled, or as many holes as you want to fill. Stock Blythes have varying hair thicknesses and therefore varying numbers of holes in their scalps. Leave holes out or add extra to get the thickness of hair you want for your reroot. I like to fill the parting holes first, then the field, starting at the crown:

6. After many many many hours you will have this:

A finished reroot! Check how it looks with your chosen Blythe’s head and feel pleased:

Your work is not finished yet though…

7. Next, wash and condition the hair. Dip the hair in the basin of water without submerging the scalp. It’s also a good idea to comb the conditioner through thoroughly - if any plugs of hair are loose it’s better they fall out now than after you’ve reattached the scalp to the doll. If some do fall out, wait until the hair is dry, then replace them (with stronger knots this time!).

8. Now comes thatching. This is always a painstaking and fiddly task. I do it by sweeping all the hair in the parting rows over to one side. Then I use a small crochet hook (0.6mm or 0.75mm) to pull alternate strands over. Ideally, the hair should criss-cross over evenly with a result like a zipper.

9. Once you’re happy with the result, you’ll want to put your doll back together. Trim any excess fluffy hair bits inside the scalp (careful not to cut off any knots). I gave the inside of the scalp a big squirt of strong-hold hairspray before putting it back in the dome. Cramming the flanges back into the gap in the dome sometimes seems about as easy as putting toothpaste back in the tube - you might need to trim the flanges a little bit to get them to fit comfortably. Then, put all the dolly pieces back together.

10. You may find the hair is standing up away from the scalp a little bit in all directions. If so, cut the foot off an old pair of tights (pantyhose, if you’re American) and pull it over your Blythe’s head (making sure her hair is neat underneath it). It should only take a day or two for the hair to learn to sit much more flat to the head. Also, it looks funny:

11. Whip off the tights and admire your handywork. You are finally done. Now you just need to play

Expect to see many more photos featuring many hairdos on this girl!

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

For an opportunity to win a sunhat by Cocoa Jackson, just comment on this blog.

For a second entry to the draw, tweet this:

I’m in the draw for a hand-made Blythe sunhat @weplaywithdolls blog: http://www.weplaywithdolls.net/blogs/

Good luck doll fans! The draw will be on the 22nd of July.

From around the intertubes, WPWD recommends:

Number 1: The official National Blythe Meet 2011 blog.

A site for news concerning the National Blythe Meet 2011. Also the traveling Blythe, Miss Sydney, will be blogging her adventures here.

Number 2: blythelife.com

A fab new blog from a Canadian Blyther. Although it only began this month, it already includes an in-depth designer interview and a giveaway. We all love giveaways!

Number 3: lollitams

Two of my favourite Aussie Blythers have teamed up for blogging fun. The blog has a great look. I can’t wait to see what they come up with.

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?

Well, Marabelle Melody is certainly cute, but the response across the English-speaking Blythe community is very muted indeed.

She just doesn’t seem all that special for an anniversary girl, particularly as a recent release, Ice Rune, has such similar hair and cute little bear ears:

Marabelle Melody’s outfit is quite lovely, mind you. The ears, while similar to IR’s, are adorable and I love a lolita-style ruffly dress. Her casual outfit is spiffy too with very nice new-style boots.

I can’t help thinking though: shouldn’t we get a bit more from an anniversary doll? Something special? More detailed clothing, a third outfit, a special never-before-seen hair colour, striking make up? Perhaps we’ve been spoilt by anniversary girls such as Princess a la Mode and Art Attack. My expectations are set for truly breathtaking dolls, dolls that I’d sell a kidney to obtain. MM is very sweet, but I wouldn’t sell any organs for her. It’s a strange way to be disappointed, but I am.

The anniversary petite, so essential to defeating (with cuteness) the monsters in Blythe-land, is also very sweet, but not overly exciting.

Her colouring is nice, but muted, and her outfit is adorable, but not terribly special.

The trumpet is a nice touch though, especially once you’ve seen it in action in the animation, calling super-Blythes to action. The packaging for the little one is delightful, featuring cartoon images of the whole anniversary team:

What is new this year is the inclusion of a set of primadollies, three lower-priced releases in very simple outfits. These girls have vivid fantasy hair colours and little ice-skating outfits (skates!). The primas all have the new ‘Fairest’ face mould though, which isn’t nearly as popular (certainly in Australia) as the Radiant mould. This time the FBL girls have make up and are shiny (see Junko Wong’s blog to find out about issues with the previous matte finish FBLs). Only the first girl, Simply Bubble Boom has promo pics out so far:

The international lottery for Simply Bubble Boom starts tomorrow. We haven’t yet seen promo photos for the other two, but they can be seen in the anniversary animation. At first glance, their hair colours look fabulous - rich vivid fantasy shades. More fun than Marabelle Melody perhaps, but without any accessories, I’m not finding these super-exciting either.

Maybe next year…. *sigh*…

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.

I’ve admired Pullips for quite some years now, and I’m not quite sure why I’ve never owned one. I think it might be because their wigs often look a little too ‘wiggy’, that is, they are obviously wigs rather than hair. Rooted hair is so much more realistic-looking and style-able (if that’s a word). I have to admit, wigginess is something Eos suffers from. She has no parting; her hair all falls outwards from the crown, right on the top of her head. It also feels a tad dry and nylon-y. It’s much longer than I had expected from the promo pics, right down to her ankles.

Worryingly, a few pieces came out of the wig when I took her out of the box. Fingers crossed a good combing and maybe a wash will sort it out, otherwise a cut is on the cards. I love the colour - not blonde, but very very white.

I may also have been put off Pullips initially because of the look of her joints, but the latest body (type 4, I believe) has inconspicuous smooth joints, white retaining a great deal of flexibility, much like a Sekiguchi Momoko body. I’m charmed by her delicate little hands and feet too.

Make up wise, she’s absolutely perfect. I love the way her black and white painted lashes reflect the shape of her wings (more on those later) and emphasize her big dark eyes. Her cheeks are softly pink and her lips are a natural pinky-brown with a light gloss. Her eyebrows are also a natural-look mid-brown with a lovely arch, although they are mostly hidden by her fringe. The bronze colour on her eyelids is a nice touch, coordinating with her outfit and accessories.

And what an outfit she has! The Steampunk details are just non-stop - even her suspenders are wire. The hat is fantastic, a patchwork affair in canvas and faux suede with studs, tiny chains and screw-head features. Some people have reported that some of the clothing has had loose studs and fasteners, so I was relieved that the only problem mine has is loose velcro on her headband. It’s not great to have a piece of velcro just drop off, but at least it’s an easy fix. The headband itself is very cool, with a magnifying monocle-type piece that fits over one eye.

The wings are truly fantastic; they appear to have been stolen from some kind of clockwork valkyrie, although they are difficult to keep on her delicate shoulders. She also has a gun and some kind of staff, both bronze-coloured, long black gloves and a pair of armoured knee-pads. Remember when Blythe came with lots of clothing and accessories? It seems like so long ago now….

All in all, Pullip Eos is definitely equipped for survival in a post-apocalyptic world. She reminds me a little of Tank Girl, although that might just be the effect of Suemomo’s fabulous gallery of promo photos for the project. When the zombies take over, I’m sticking with this girl. And the Dal, maybe we’ll bring her along too…

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.

With the fun-loving, imaginative spirit we’ve come to expect from the Ixtee team, they’ve given Mika and Pika an intriguing back story guaranteed to appeal to bunny-loving doll collectors:

In the year of 1968 Easter time, the leading America toy company
called MADDEL Inc. launched a new animal doll series.
It was a revolutionary idea at the time!
Among all these new animal characters, two of them had become the
most - wanted toy in American instantly after they were launched.
They were MIKA (a female rabbit) & PIKA (a male rabbit).
Every children or even toy collector were desperated to get one!

Today, Mika & Pika become an antique toy and are very rare
in the market.
One day, a “Never Remove From Box (NRFB)” Mika
& an “Used” Pika are posted on the most popular online
trading platform, “oDay” ,
they are posted by 2 different sellers.

Coincidentally,
they are bade by a toy collector from Hong Kong on the same day!
What is their destiny?
May the two little old friends meet each other again after a half century of separation?
Are they still the previous Mika & Pika at the time they met each other?
Will they have their dream life ever after?
Mika & Pika story to be continued…..

There is even a mock-up 1968 Easter ad for Mika & Pika. It makes me grin:

There are some similarities with the retro look of some of Toyfield’s designs. Mika & Pika have the advantage on Kuma and friends though, as the BJD body allows a fantastic range of poses. I’m also a sucker for sparkly acrylic eyes and these little guys have ‘em, together with fabulously expressive little funny faces.

There’s no definite release date yet, and no news on exactly how many will be produced. Rumour has it that there will 200 of each. Personally, I will be haunting Siu Ding’s Flickr stream for news.

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.

First up is ‘Kiss me True’, a doll limited to 4500 who will only be available outside Japan.

I have to admit, I am a little disappointed that the hair colour and eyeshadow are both so similar to Cappuccino Chat, as it’s a combination that I’m not sure really works. Apart from that gripe, however, she’s pretty stunning. I love it when dolls wear fashions that look like real clothes in miniature (that’s probably why I’m so crazy about Momoko right now), and that’s just how Kiss me True’s clothes look. Also, the sunglasses and boots are both new styles - very cool new styles too. There’s something insanely fabulous about over-sized sunnies protecting over-sized eyes on an over-sized head; it’s a look that emphasizes the very essence of the out-of-proportion wonder that is Blythe.

Imagine my disappointment, then, with the generic lacy bride-doll blonde that is Love and More.

I had been hoping that the outfit would be a little more Lolita style, but it really looks just frou-frou in these shots. She is pink and white and cutesy.

There is one thing I like about her though. I love painted eyelids and she has them:

The make up is soft and sweet, but combined with the lacy outfit, the overall effect is saccharine.

Love and More is limited to 4000 dolls. Both dolls have a suggested retail price of 16,590yen and are released in May.

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.

Silkstone Barbies are a different kettle of fish, however. The Silkstone Barbie is so unavailable she’s verging on out-and-out snooty. She’s a grown woman and one who would not suffer fools gladly, I’m sure. In short, she’s a doll I can get on board with, a doll who is perfect to play Mad Men’s Joan Holloway.

Imagine my excitement, then, to see that Mattel have collaborated with the makers of Mad Men to create a Silkstone set: Ken as both Roger Sterling and Don Draper and Barbie as Joan Holloway and Betty Draper. The outfits and accessories are sure to be perfect (although miniature cigarettes and cocktails are definitely not on the agenda). The wait until their release in July is sure to feel long.

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.

The Momoko that Rou Rou collaborated on is definitely one of my favourites, with her light freckles, fresh clean face and dark ponytail:

Rou Rou have twice collaborated with Petworks on Odeco and Nikki, creating very detailed and unusual outfits. Not like ‘doll clothes’, they seem to be real clothes in miniature, and supremely cool ones at that:

I also really love the markings on these Nikkis, and the beautiful golden eyes on the black and white one.

This week Rou Rou announced a third collaboration with Petworks on Odeco and Nikki.

According to a rough Babelfish translation, these outfits are intended to be a fusion of Japanese and European style.

They will be released in Rou Rou stores on the 29th January at 13,800 Yen each. For non-Japanese fans, Yahoo Auctions Japan may be our only purchasing option. While the first Odeco and Nikki Rou Rou set can be hard to find, the second seems more plentiful and quite reasonably priced on YJA. Fingers crossed we can get hold of this set without too much difficulty.

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).

Then we saw the first out-of-box pics. Jeepers. Many of us have become used to trimming uneven fringes, but on a limited edition doll, this kind of crazy wonky cut seems outrageous.

Her make up is nice enough, but as pastel and predictably bland as many of the new releases. And, is it me, or is her outfit as shiny as a supermarket Barbie’s? I guess the shoes are quite nice, but, overall, I find Ribonetta Wish a big disappointment. I suppose I have been saved me from the temptation to pay inflated ebay prices, but it’s always sad to see a disappointing new release Blythe.

I think I’m off to buy a Hello Kitty Barbie.

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.

I absolutely love this hair. I don’t normally like blonde dolls, but this platinum shade is so stunningly Dusty Springfield-esque and the style is perfect. The lip colour is also a shade I wouldn’t normally like, but it’s very 60s combined with that hair. Totally mod.

The really intriguing thing about this one is that her skin is described as “half matted”. The previous FBLs have had totally matte smooth skin. It’ll be very interesting to see what this semi-matte finish is like - maybe it’s the Kenner-esque look we’ve been hoping for.

The official Blythe news page says this one is limited to 15000, but I’m assuming that’s a typo - 1500 seems more likely. It doesn’t say anything about an international lottery. I hope there is one. I’m smitten.

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

I’m not one for the blondes generally, and her make up gives the soft and subtle look that has become pretty standard of late. The hair is a lovely shade though, and the extra-thick fringe is really growing on me.

It’s the outfit that I really love this time though. The little bear details on the boots and scarf are adorable and I love the hat.

She’ll be out in December and she costs 15,540 yen. Hopefully she’ll be a regular release and save us from lottery anxiety.

Hurrah!

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

According to Blythe’s official news page, Ribonetta Wish will not be available outside Japan because of regional licensing agreements. Fans outside Japan will have to compete for her on eBay. I predict a riot!

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?

We’ve waited a long time for this one! I hope we don’t have to wait much longer for news of the rumoured platinum-haired Paris….

News at Blythedoll.com.

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

I’m loving the super-straight hair and the perfect fringe, but the colours just aren’t working for me. The cheeks and lips are just too pinky, and the hair is a touch bubblegum in shade, like a lighter version of Dainty Biscuit. It does look a little softer in this pic though, like Katsilk saran in Tickled Pink:

The lighting for the photography is very different for this picture, so I think we’ll have to wait until she’s released to see what shade it really is. I have my fingers crossed for something close strawberry gelati and a long way from Pepto-Bismol.

The outfit is nice in style and very much in keeping with the London-based mystery novel writer description of Stella Savannah. I’m crazy about capes at the moment - on dolls and people - but this looks a little awkward and ill-fitting. Great colour though, and I always love those crazy platform mary janes.

I think I’ll be waiting for the Hello Kitty collaboration doll for my dose of pink overload.

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:

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.

She has HK bows in her eyes:

She has a pink stand and pullring, and I think they might be pinky eyelids too?

She has a bow over one pigtail, just like Hello Kitty’s bow and a new type of shoe. We all love mary janes, right?

She has bright bright orangey red hair like Rouge Noir, my all-time favourite:

She has Hello Kitty accesories. Not the fanciest ones I’ve ever seen, but still:

And finally, Hello Kitty is pictured on the box. Not just any picture of Hello Kitty, but an image of her wearing the same dress as the doll:

I really really hope I win this lottery. I hope the lottery details are announced soon. Fingers crossed kitty fans!

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

I have been a regular visitor to Saki Yamashita’s website for quite some time. Her soft toys, doll clothes and customised dolls have a charming and quite distinctive style. When CWC announced a collaboration with her I was extremely overexcited. The outfit turned out to be a little too pinky for my taste:

but the make up is so Kenner-ish:

It wasn’t until I saw out-of box photos until I realised just how Kenner-ish she is. And I missed out on the lottery. Bah!

Next off the blocks is Beatrice Vest, whose international lottery finished yesterday. I love the promo animation for this girl. Who could resist earmuffs made out of clouds? My favourite thing about this girl though is her super-blushy cheeks. I’m a sucker for a healthy complexion.

Nothing exciting about the eyechips - just the standard colours, but she does have new strappy boots that are pretty cute:

The latest promo photos to be released by CWC are of Urban Cowgirl. She has similar colouring to EBL favourite Tea for Two, but a side-part in that very long brown hair.

Again, she just has the standard eyechips and the regular soft make up. She’s very natural-looking and gently pretty, but no great excitement from me. Very cool hat though!

After Urban Cowgirl, we have Stella Savannah who is proving very popular on the WPWD forum already, even though we’ve only seen a cartoon so far:

She’s a writer of historical mystery novels and loves to go to the library. I was sold on that alone, but it’s a fantastic bonus that she also has pale pink hair and a fantastic outfit. I’m a sucker for hats, for tartan and for capes. She’s a Toys R Us exclusive, so fingers crossed her resale price on eBay isn’t enormous.

Another cartoon has been spotted floating around the internet, although it hasn’t been officially released by CWC yet.

The rumour is that she will be called Ice Rene. I’m not one for the blondes but I’m loving this wintry outfit. It’s about time a Blythe had ugg boots, wouldn’t you say?

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

For the first time, I’m absolutely crazy about Odeco. The colours of her hair, eyes and make up are great together, and great with her blue and lilac outfit. Nikki’s colouring looks a little harsh against the soft fluffy clothing, but I’m willing to bet she’ll be cute with an outfit change. Plus, you’ve got to love a hat with ear holes.

There are also doll show versions out on the 1st November:

The santa colours are classic, but pretty limited. I do like the golden nose on Nikki though - festive!

I have my fingers crossed for a pre-order - w00t!

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

Blythedoll.com calls “Ribonetta Wish” a dream collaboration and I expect many Blythe fans are seconding that - the Blythe-focussed forums certainly seem to be alive with excitement.

Out in time for Xmas, there may well be fighting in the streets over these dolls, limited to 3000. Personally, I’m praying for an international lottery. Fingers and toes crossed. The thought of the prices they’ll be fetching on eBay scares me senseless. >_<

I think one of the sweetest things about this release is that she seems to have been styled after Hello Kitty's present designer, Yuko Yamaguchi:

Yamaguchi has done fantastic work since 1980 keeping Hello Kitty in the coolest, cutest fashions and masterminding her rise to popularity amongst adults. I hope she continues to design for Kitty for many years to come.

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.

Fortunately, 80s Strawberry Shortcake dolls aren’t in short supply, so if you have one with messy hair a new ‘do is a definitely an option.  I found one with a big bald patch on ebay for a few dollars and thought I’d give mohair a go.

The first stage is to remove her head.  This is easy to do: you just take the head in one hand and the body in the other and pull.  Voila!

Secondly, you’ll need to cut her hair really short, like this:

Once the hair is short, you’ll be able to pull it out very easily with tweezers, leaving your little Shortcake with a funny bald pear-shaped head:

I then took some leftover mohair from a Blythe reroot (thanks Jade!) and used one of Rachael’s reroot tools to push little chucks of mohair into each of the holes in Shortcake’s little head. I won’t repeat Rachael’s tutorial as it needs no further explanation. I’ll just show you the results:

A crazy soft pastel afro! And with a hat, it’s very cute:

I love it, and it’s really quite quick and easy to do. Hurrah!

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.

Still, I hadn’t seen one of them in real life, so I remained intrigued from a distance for a year or two before getting really sucked in to the marvelous world of Momoko. It was the ‘Wake up’ Momoko range that did it - a small range of dolls in basic outfits with minimal make up. I had been reluctant to pay 12,000 yen for a type of doll I wasn’t sure I’d like, but 6,000 I was ready to risk!

And so arrived Betty:

I was smitten right away. That profile! The almost-realistic proportions!  I also love that she can tilt her head and stand up on her own. She’s cute and versatile, and as the Momoko official website tells us, Momoko clothing really is true to life. Each clothing item is a real item in miniature, even the super-fine knits and the little fasteners. I particularly love the Momoko Dr Marten boots which have moulded laces tied around the ankle and the distinctive sole pattern on the underside.

Of course, these kinds of details mean that Momoko clothes can be fairly expensive, especially the Petworks-produced Close Clipped Sheep items. The latest collections, Puppy Garden, are a tear-inducing 39,000 yen, but coordinate to create a complete wardrobe with several pairs of shoes. Totally tempting, particularly as they come with an exclusive Petworks doll. I love the crimpy-haired girl this time.

Production of Momoko is split between Sekiguchi and Petworks, the Petworks girls being more exclusive and expensive. They are very similar dolls, although I have to admit to only having seen one Petworks Momoko in real life. The only difference I could identify
with a quick look was that the joints seemed a little sturdier on the Petworks version. I expect there are many other differences a more knowledgeable and experienced collector could show me.

This season Sekiguchi have a line up of new releases that I just love:

(both photos are stock pictures taken from www.momokodoll.com)

Here they are on display at Pretty Power Osaka:

(http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/pretty_power_osaka/49432813.html)

I have a definite favourite in Sparkling 80s, with her dark hair and eyes, but I absolutely must have the outfit from Milk Tea Party too. The high-heeled mary janes are a new mould and very cute. Let’s hope they’re not as delicate as the last new shoe - a high-heeled T-bar shoe that is apparently very easily broken.

These dolls are due to be on sale Autumn/Winter 2009 at 13,400 yen, with pre-orders already being offered in some stores for Outdoor Boyish. I will be alerting Santa.

Hurrah!

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

There’s no denying that she’s pretty, and that I could swear that bag she’s carrying is a little Hermes Birkin, but the general mood seems to be that of quiet disappointment. She just doesn’t seem special enough and, with a new face mould having just been released, I don’t think I’m the only person who was surprised to see that the anniversary has a ‘radience’ face. I’m a big fan of the RBL, but don’t we already have three RBL blondes?

Her background story seems kind of dull too. Last year we had a beautiful fairy story unravel over the months before Christina and Eleanor were released. This year’s tale is more than a tad prosaic in comparison. She’s a girl who works at a fashion magazine. *stifles yawn* Perhaps the problem is simply that, while this girl is pretty, fashionable and could have been styled by Rachel Zoe, Blythe fans are more likely to admire quirkier retro looks? That might explain why so many more of us are excited about a certain new prima:

That’s a look I can get on board with

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.

As ever, the first step is to choose your victim. This was an easy one for me this time as my gorgeous black Nikki, Rocky, had stock eyes that I thought were much too dark for her:

I’d also bought a ‘Monster’ Odeco because I loved her pink hair and bone-white skin, but was a bit spooked by her pinky eyes.  Here’s her stock picture from Petworks:

The first step was to whip off Odeco’s wig.  Easy done!

The next step is to gently squeeze and twist the ‘hatch’ on the back of the head to remove it:

Odeco’s ‘hatch’ is much bigger than Nikki’s:

You’ll now be able to see the sleep-eye capsules resting in their little plastic sockets inside the head:

Use your finger to push the eye capsule from the front into the head.  You’ll need to push firmly:

Each eye capsule is an eye, sleep-eye mechanism and set of lashes all in one (Odeco on the right, Nikki on the left):

Repeat with the other eye and you should end up with a very spooky-looking eyeless dolly:

Now you’ll need to put in some new eyes.  You can either put in eyes you’ve swapped from another Odeco or Nikki, or use acrylic eyes.  Nikki takes 22-24mm eyes and Odeco takes 20-22mm.

I chose blue for Odeco and yellow for my Nikki:

It’s always weird to get boxes of eyeballs in the post.

The next bit is the tricky bit.  You will need to try to hold open the plastic eye socket flaps as well as you can with one hand whilst slipping the new eye in with the other.  It’s pretty awkward, but perseverance pays off:

Put band-aids on your bleeding cuticles (you might not need this step of the process, but I did) and repeat with the second eye.

You may also want to give your dolly some new eyelashes.  I gave Odeco very light lashes (cut down from human lashes bought at the pharmacy) after her eyes were in.  I simply used a pin to push the pre-glued lash band just slightly between the eye and socket above her eyes.  Pop her wig back on, and she’s as good as new:

I think Odeco’s little-girl face is suited to light lashes, but you can choose any thickness or colour you can find.

You’ll also now be able to adjust your doll’s gaze and expression:

Now go customise your dolls and send me pictures!

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

And they look great!

EBLs have white eyeballs too, but for some reason when the SBL was introduced, so were slightly yellow-ish eyeballs.  The answer?  Spraypaint.

Once you’ve opened your doll’s head (Puchicollective tutes are the best to find out how) and removed her eyechips, you can spray her eyes with white paint.

First, you’ll need to find a way to hold the eyeballs steady for painting.  I’ve used a bamboo skewer and held the eyeballs steady on them with Blu Tack.

Take them outdoors or to a well-ventilated area for painting.  I’ve used Montana Gold spraypaint in white.

Remember to spray lightly - a couple of light coats will give a smoother result than one heavy coat.  Once the paint is dry, you can replace the eyechips and put your doll’s head back together.  The result should be bright and white; see Vera on the right in this photo:

Some BL-style goodness for every Blythe 

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:

I didn’t really have a clue as to how customising was done with a regular small-headed doll, so I was straight off to my fave Momoko Flickr group to ask for advice. The lovely ladies there pointed me at the odd tutorial. It turns out that there are loads of tutes about rerooting Barbies and Momoko’s head is constructed the same way (but prettier, obviously). So the usual method goes like this:

1. Remove your doll’s head. This is surprisingly easy for someone who’s used to Blythe dolls; you hold the head in one hand, body in the other and pull.

2. Cut the hair very short with scissors. Then use tweezers inserted in through the neck to remove the remaining fluffy hair bits.

3. Now to put the new hair in. Take 5 or 6 strands of your new saran or nylon hair and fold it in half. Thread the loop created at the fold point through a sewing needle. Pull the hair a couple of inches through the eye of the needle.

4. Push the needle through one of the holes in your doll’s head and pull it out of her neck. Depending on the size of your needle, you may need to use a small pair of pliers inserted into the neck hole to pull it through.

5. Remove the needle from the doll hair. You should now have a loop of hair sticking out of your doll’s neck. Tie a knot near the end of the loop. Use a small pair of scissors to trim off any excess. From the top of the doll’s head, pull the length of the hair back through the hole, so that the knot is against the inside of the scalp.

6. Repeat.

I followed this method across the top of my doll’s head, but found it was getting trickier to get the needle out of the neck as I got closer to the side of the head. Clearly, it was time to get some more advice. I asked Rachael who’s got lots of experience in rerooting small-headed dolls and - woo! - she has an online tutorial. She’s going to give me one of her fabbo rerooting tools to have a go with. I’ll report back when I’ve had a go…

Anyone else done any Momoko customising? Give me a shout if you have any tips

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

Firstly, there’s the limited edition set:

I absolutely love this Nikki!  I’ve been hoping for a Nikki with pale eyes and these ones are sparkly and green and delightful.  Also, her colouring is beautiful and I just love her blushy pink cheeks.  I find Odeco a little dull though and that wig is really very wiggy.  It doesn’t look very styleable at all.  The outfits are very detailed and sweet though and the packaging is just beautiful.

At 30,000 yen and a limited release I think this one might be soaring in price on the secondary market.  It might be worth scouring Yahoo Japan Auctions though…
More pictures on the lovely lholy-chan’s flickr photostream.

Secondly, there is the regular release set Obake no Odeco and Nikki (ghosts):

This is the first time I’ve been excited about an Odeco. I really love this one - the pink hair, the make up, the super-pale skin tone. Her eyes might be a little too spooky, but they are the exact colour I’ve been looking for as a swap for my black Nikki, so we could see some eye-switching fun at my house soon!  The hot pink Nikki reminds me of Strawberry Shortcake’s cat Custard.  Clearly, I must have one.  The jumpers are Halloween-only attire, but the black and silver boots are fantastic and very versatile.

These two are 8,900 Yen each and are out sometime on February.  The blue and black wigs are 2,400 Yen each and out in March.

Again, lholy-chan’s flickr photostream has more pictures.

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.

Basically, the bigger your crochet hook, the chunkier mohair curls your finished doll with have.  I tend to go for small hooks to get skinny separated curls.  The following image shows a scalp being rerooted with a 0.6mm hook:

This scalp is being rerooted with a 0.75mm hook:

The final look on the doll (in terms of curl-chunkiness) should be something like this:

Many customisers go for a chunkier look than this, using a 1mm or larger crochet hook.  The effect is something like the hair of this gorgeous girl of Erika’s who was rerooted by Sherri of Gggroovydolls.

Of course, their are many other factors that affect the final look of your doll’s mohair reroot.  Stay tuned for the next tutorial to find out more!

*Thanks to Erika for the use of her photograph

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:

1. Take a pair of scissors and cut the hair short, preferably half a centimetre or less.

2. Turn the scalp inside out.

3. Use tweezers to pull the loops of hair out of the scalp.  If you take breaks during the process, turn the scalp right-side-out between hair-pulling sessions.  Leaving it inside out for long periods might stretch the rubber and leave the scalp misshapen.

4. When all the hair is removed, turn the scalp right-side-out.  If the scalp is painted a colour that doesn’t match the hair you are rerooting or wefting with, you’ll want to remove that paint.  Use a sanding sponge or very light-grain sand paper and gently sand off the paint.

Now you’re ready for new hair!  Stay tuned for rerooting tutorials coming soon

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:

• The latest batch of prima dollies



They’re a bit of a mixed bag, these ones.  Ashlet has never been a favourite with me (ADG-alike lippie - bleurgh!), but the new centre-parted hair with a fringe on Ashletina looks very cute.

Aubrey, on the other hand, has always been a favourite with me.  I have referred to her as the perfect doll, and I stand by that; her skin tone, make up and hair are all beautiful.  But for her boring stock eyechips, she’d be right up there with PAM for me.  This version, Aubrena, is just the same, but with longer hair.  As the only RBL amongst them, I predict she’ll be the first to sell out.

The new Violet, Violetina, appears to be identical to the last one.  *stifles yawn*

All three have just become available at the Junie Moon online store at 8,400 yen.

• Limited prima ~ Marigold

  



Marigold is the latest limited prima, following the neon-bright Peony and Amaryllis. I don’t usually like yellow-haired dolls, but this one might just be orangey enough to tempt me, particularly as the colour is nicely complimented by peachy blush.

Her retail price is 7,875 yen, but as she is limited to 1000, expect her price on the secondary market to skyrocket.

• Matryoshka Maiden



With fair skin and blonde wavy hair, she does bear a resemblance to Angelica Eve.  Matryoshka Maiden has blushier cheeks and a stronger lip colour than AE though, who can look a bit washed out.  Her outfit, “the quintessential babushka, apron and dress with vivid patterns” is fantastic and I must have it, preferably the very second she’s released on boxing day.  She is priced at 13,440 yen.

• Princess Milk BisQuit de Q-pot



Those sneaky folks at CWC have been driving Blythe and Q-pot fans crazy of late with little hints of the loveliness to be unleashed on the world. Then, suddenly, an animation appeared that knocked socks off! This girl is deliciously milk chocolate themed from her eyelids to her shoes. I especially love her sheeny lip colour on that small pouty lip-shape. We can only hope that the slightly coarse dry look to her hair is just an unfortunate promo-photo-thing. Fingers crossed!

She is released in January at a price of 16,590 yen. She’s limited to 3000 and details on how to be in the running to purchase her are yet to be announced.

• Cappuccino Chat



Last, but most excitingly, a cartoon picture was released this morning of another RBL release.  This one is also due for release in January and she has long silver hair. *faints*  I think she might be my fave.  I’m already thinking of a name for mine….

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:

1. Go buy some glue sticks (the kind used in glue guns), a lighter and some craft glue. I’m using Mod Podge, but any craft glue that dries clear, such as gem glue, will do the job. Don’t be tempted to use super glue - I tried it despite warnings and my beautiful sparkly eyechips went milky and patchy the next day when it was too late to change my mind!

2. Choose your new eyechips. My favourites are Brainworm chips, but CoolCat and Ixtee are developing new patterns and effects, including enlarged pupils, that are definitely worth a look. Remember to check our links page for online stores.

3. If you want to keep your doll’s original eyelashes, you’ll need to keep them out of the way while you change her eyechips. Sticky tape can be used to stick them back above the eye so they that don’t get gluey.

4. Melt the end of a glue stick. This can be done with a lighter. However, you may burn your fingers like that (I always do when I try it), so I’d recommend lighting a candle and melting the glue with the candle flame. Working out the right level of meltiness is a bit of a trial-and-error affair, though I can tell you that it should be melty, but not drippy, if that makes sense. You want it to stick to the eyechip you’re trying to remove, but not spread glue all over the eyeball, faceplate, your hands, etc.

5. Press the melted end of the glue stick onto the eyechip that you want to remove. Press it as firmly as you can, then leave the glue to cool and set:

6. Pull on the gluestick. You may have to pull hard - don’t be scared! Hopefully the result will be this:

If not, try again. You might want to try leaving the glue to harden a little longer on the next attempt.

7. Your doll should now be giving you this kind of look:

Try not to be freaked out by the empty eyeball or the grumpy look she’s giving you. She’ll forgive you when she has fabulous new eyes. Repeat with the other eye.

8. Now comes the fun bit.

From these blank eyeballs you can create your new look for your Blythe. Try different kinds of foil or coloured paper behind the new eyechips to see the different effects you can achieve. I’m loving Brainworm foils at the moment, but any kind of thin paper could work. (I should also add that the black rings on the eyeballs in this picture are characteristic of BL and EBL eyeballs, SBL and ADG ones are all white.)

9. Put in the new chips. You’ll need to add a bit of your craft glue around the post of the chip. Don’t add too much, or it’ll squish out around the edges of the chip:

Press the new chips in firmly.

10. Admire your doll’s new eyes. Accept praise.

Remember to be careful when removing the sticky tape you’ve used to protect her eyelashes. You don’t want to scratch her eye shadow with your fingernails.

11. Leave your doll for 24 hours to give the glue time to set. Resist the urge to pull that string! If you turn the eyes before the glue has set the chips may come loose and drop into the doll’s head. (Another lesson I learned the hard way.) After 24 hours, you can start the process again on the next set of chips. Have fun!

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.

1.  Choose your hapless victim.  I’ve chosen an SBL Blythe, a Feel the Sky, for her extra-pale complexion:

2.  Give her hair a good tug all around the hairline to see if there are any areas where the scalp can be persuaded to come away from the head:

3.  I found a slight gap on the side of her head.  Don’t be afraid to pull hard - you won’t break anything:

4.  If you’ve found a gap, insert your craft knife into it and begin to slice across.  Remember you’re trying to separate the scalp from the hard plastic head-piece, rather than cutting into it.  Also, be careful not to slip with the knife and scrape the head - or yourself!

5.  If you didn’t find a gap to insert the knife, simply find a likely spot on the back of your doll’s head and begin to cut.  Again, remember that you are trying to slide your knife between the scalp and head-piece as far as you can:

6.  Make a small cut, then try pulling the hair again, close the the hairline.  Blythes have differing amounts of glue holding their heads together, so some will require more strength than others.  If the scalp isn’t pulling away, cut a little further and try again:

7.  Keep pulling until the whole scalp lifts off the top of the head.  (This is an SBL head - EBL and BLs look a different):

8.  Be amused by your doll’s shiny boiled-egg head:

1. Choose your hapless victim:

2. Remove the screw from the back of her head:

3. Use a sharp knife to separate the scalp from the back of the head:

4. You should now be able to pull the back of the head off:

5. The eye mechanism is just lightly sitting in the front face plate. Lift or tip it out:

6. Do the same to another petite Blythe and swap them over.

7. Reassemble dolls.

8. Admire your handiwork. Here’s mine:

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

The dress seems a little bulky from these pics. I was expecting something a little more flapper-esque, but this makes her look a bit chunky - quite a feat on that skinny little body. I’m a big fan of the little squishy mary janes though, and that tea set is very cute.



The really interesting thing about this release is the hair colour. The mixture of pinky-lilac and brown is intriguing, and while it seems kind of wishy-washy in these pics, I’m going to be looking out for further pictures with great interest - I wasn’t impressed with Heart of Montmartre’s hair until I saw her in real life, and now she’s top of my wishlist.

There is one thing I really don’t like about this one. The purple lipstick reminds me of ADG lips. Nah. Seriously.

CWC also released cartoon pictures of their next release today. With only 88 days to go until Xmas, I’m relieved to say that they have plans to make us all a bit jollier this year with a Blythe in Santa gear.



Out in November, this blushy little blonde could be Santa’s favourite helper. I know I have to get my hands on that outfit!

Other news from CWC is that voting is open for this year’s photo contest. Don’t forget to have your say on which picture makes ‘Miss Popularity’!

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.

I find this outfit absolutely adorable - especially the little lace-up boots. I’m also pleased that this time Nikki has the pale greeny-yellow eyes I’ve been hoping for. I’m not too sure about her markings though. While the white around her nose and mouth is super-cute, the stripes are a bit square - much like the grey ‘Vacation’ Nikki.

I just wonder why Odeco looks so worried - perhaps it’s the Depression-era outfit. She may be worrying about where her next potato is coming from…..

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?

But then Flickr’s ‘rockymountainroz’ began taking fabulous pictures of her goldie twins, and I started to be won over. I found myself bidding on eBay on a white Nikki doll, just like my own Mustard, with thoughts of dressing them identically. I was outbid, unfortunately, so I never got to discover whether their identical looks would correspond with similar personalities.

I am lucky enough to have twins visiting at the moment.  They are Blythe Fruit Punch girls waiting for a major makeover in the salon. They are truly adorable and I’ve always had a soft spot for FPs. I’m trying not to get to know them too well though, or I won’t want to let them go home when they’re done. So far, I can tell you that they don’t seem to fond of each other, or of hanging around waiting.

Of course, for some people, two little girls dressed identically will always be scary. Always.

For more twin pictures and talk visit this thread on the forum.

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

Well, her designer, Kenzo, is a fan, and an imaginative customiser, of Blythe dolls and that’s always a sign of a person with excellent taste in toys. But that doesn’t explain the explosion of interest over the past year (her birthday was on the 20th June) that has led to Ms. W. Frog being almost constantly being sold out.

I was taken with her as soon as I saw her in some photostream or other on Flickr. She was on some adventure or other, as she apparently often is - she has starred in an ‘Edge of the World’ storybook which makes me want to learn Japanese right now. I’m not sure I can put my finger on exactly her appeal though. I think it’s something to do with those funny little skinny limbs and her somewhat enigmatic smile.

Whatever it is, Wanda, we love you.

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!

And who could resist the little halter top and knee socks?  It doesn’t look much like a band uniform to me, but it does look adorable.

I am a bit disappointed that every Nikki seems to have come with blue eyes since series 4 (the calico cat) though.  I’m already looking for just the right acrylic eyes to customise this one.

Petworks are also releasing Odeco & Nikki keyrings.  I think they’ll be a cute toy for my Nikkis (my many, many Nikkis).