Aria has Arrived!

On July 23rd I posted this stock photo on flickr and expressed my deep need to find and acquire Boogie Beach Aria. I had no clue how I was going to find her. I looked on some old outdated doll sites that posted her availability, sent a couple of emails that never came back. Finally I just decided to to a regular bay hunt, thinking there had to be a chance she might show up there at some point if anywhere. It wasn't looking very hopeful until about a week ago and then whamo! There she was, nude, beautiful, available but for auction which I won literally in the last few second of a back forth bidding war. I have to say though, I was pretty calm about this one. I set my limit and know just how much I was willing to bid before I quit. I only went a few dollars over that. I'll be honest; it was a very reasonable price. And she is in fabulous condition! I would even say mint! There are no flaws anywhere I can see. She just came nude, so without any of her stock which was totally fine with me.

Aria is a girl unlike any other.  A proud Latina she is one to always experiment with her fashion.  She owns whatever look she chooses to wear.  She’s a favorite stylist of Pop and Rock stars. 

When I first saw her, I have to admit, I actually didn't get her look at all and didn't like her very much, but it was the photos of one of my fave FR collectors on flickr (the handle of my contact escapes me) that turned me right around. She's got a very sexy, sultry Marilyn Monroe vibe about her and her funky blonde afro rocks my world! I believe she was one the first in the original line of Dynamite Girls released by Integrity in 2007.

I really love the original Dynamite Girls line. The Boogie Beach theme is really fun and sexy with a touch of retro which I love. All the characters had these fun colorful illustrations and personality blurbs about each one. Aria is my third Dynamite Girl. Reese was my first and Gavin my second. They are really a special group of ladies to me, full of personality and with a wide range of pose-ability and photographing styles. I adore them.

We Made It!

, a photo by Zanalee on Flickr.

Well Hurricane Irene has come and gone and although we were up in the boonies during a power outtage that lasted from late Firday to Sunday afternoon, we are safe and sound back home in the city where everything is totally normal in my tiny apartment, as normal as can be expected anyway! LOL!!

I know large regions of New York and the East Coast did not fare so well and I hope you guys were not among them and if you were, I hope you will be getting power back soon. Playing with my Blythes did help a bit but generally I was going crazy without internet or a wifi signal. UGH! So pathetic!

But anyway, we're back and I have a new gal joining the family who just arrived this morning. Nope, she's not a Blythe. In fact aside from that I am cutting myself off from buying any more dolls at all for a while (It's gonna be hard) after this one. More on that later.

BE CAREFUL AND KEEP SAFE!

Untitled, a photo by Zanalee on Flickr.

To all my dolly friends: I hope and pray that you are prepared and safe for the storm hitting this weekend. Please do not take the warning lightly. It's better to take it too seriously than not at all. I hope you are in safe shelter, and ideally have someone to hang out with while this blows over.

Stay tuned to the news or radio or internet for updates an above all do not take any unnecessary chances. See you soon!

Blythe is Peace

242, a photo by n-ao@japan on Flickr.

My Fave pic of the day! Look closely!

Frankie Two Times

Untitled, a photo by Zanalee on Flickr.

Umm, yeah I just got "Home Ick" (a play on Home Ec) Frankie Stein last week. I won her on ebay for way cheaper than I thought I would. It was a total fluke. I just went for it. I frikkin adore her. Frankie Stein is my favorite of all the MH girls. It took me a awhile to pick a second one because DOTD (Dawn of The Dance) Frankie, my very first Frankie is super special to me. She's just so vibrant and alive. I didn't want to get another Frankie that wasn't worthy to stand next to her. LOL!

I have not seen another version of Frankie Stein in these other lines that I've like anywhere near as much until this one. I think it's those bangs that finally hooked me!

Introducing Dot Starlight!

Introducing Dot Starlight!, a photo by Zanalee on Flickr.

So I broke down and got a mini Lalaloopsy doll about a week ago. She arrived yesterday and I was so happy to see her. I'm not a fan of the large version of these dolls as they appear to mimic a sort of modern version of a handmade button eyed rag doll but in plastic and this interpretation is bit scary to me in a large version. But these tiny four inch versions have been catching my eye in several flickr streams lately and when I saw they had a little brown girl who was a Stargazer i just had to get her.

Her name is Dot Starlight and she comes with a telescope, a space rocket, a birdie (not shown in my pic) and what appears to be a planet on a spinning globe. I really adore her. I think she's super cute and clearly she will have no shortage of playmates of all sizes at my place.
: )

Dolly Mail!

I've been an admirer of "Sleepforever" dresses for a while. Their long bell sleeves and high necked lace collars evoke such old century romance. So I got one a few days ago on sale and it arrived today! EEE!
It was a bit of a struggle getting the sleeves on although I have to say that by the time I had tried it on Whitney, Angora and Hamsa, it slipped right on Hendrix and I think it suits her the best. I adore it on her! I may need another one. I think I like the idea of Hamsa having a wardrobe that includes things with a lot of sleeves. It really fits her Bohemian flair to a tee.

Sew What?

Sew What?, a photo by Zanalee on Flickr.

This weekend, I hemmed a dress I bought on the street last week for ten bucks about a week ago. This may not seem a big deal to those of you who know how to sew in circles but for me it's kinda huge. Ever since I was a girl, raised in house with a huge iron Singer machine, piles of fabric, thread needles and notions that belonged to my momI have been intimidated by the intricacies of pattern sewing.

My mom who graduated from the Paris School of Fashion when she was in her twenties sewed dresses and little outfits for me from when I was a baby to a young girl.
I designed my own prom dress for my High School Prom which she sewed as well. I found the fabric, a green velvet in the garment district and it was at that time raciest thing she had ever let me wear in public, that she knew of anyway. LOL! I designed it to have a long slit, backlessness and heartshaped cleavage going on but it was tasteful.

I never wanted to sew myself though. Just the thought of guiding fabric through that loud rough looking metal foot and keeping it straight until the thread ripped or some bobbin malfunction occurred just stressed me out. The few times my mom tried to show me how to put my foot down gently on the peddle I was just too freaked out. I think it's also the same thing that makes me nervous about driving. I feel like the motor is going to get away from me and drive off with me in it, that I will lose control. When that sewing machine started up, I just got tense. It seemed too big for me.

But being so engrossed in the Blythe world and having always loved fashion and DIY the way I do, I constantly run up against this wall. Can I learn to sew? I bought this sweet little yellow hand sewing machine from Urban Outfittters so many months ago and all it's done is sit under my living room table until recently when I hemmed this dress. And It wasn't the straightest most even job but it worked! It was easy and smooth going and I achieved the perfect length that I was going for after pinning and adjusting, laying it flat and trying it on a few times. So now I have that sewing bug again.

The mystery of sewing to me seems very similar to what knitting was like before I learned. It's a mystery I like to probe occasionally but I always hit a wall and stop again. I know the levels of complication vary depending on what patterns you're using but even the simple patterns tend to escape my understanding and ultimately frustrate me.

I think if I could grasp one simple basic pattern it might throw open a door to other more complicated stuff. Why do i feel like doll dress making is even harder than people's clothes?

Anyway, I just know the leftovers of this gorgeous fabric would look fabulous on Hendrix and she has, perhaps foolishly commissioned a dress from me so I'm going to have to hit Pucci Collective again this week and see what I can find! Wish me luck!
: )

THANKS YOU GUYS!!

For whatever reasons, I've noticed that my "Little Brown Blythe" blurb book has been getting several comments lately in my blurb account. I've been making blurb books for a few years now and have never received (nor expected) one comment until now! There are only a few but I am so honored even for those! One of the people, a young woman, named Christina, left a comment and also plugged my book in her pininterst board! Thank you so much Christina! I'm so glad you liked it! I hope you make your way to this blog and stay in contact!

 It means a lot to me that people have found some inspiration from a book I created specifically to spot light my experience making AA or Black Blythe dolls. I have not actually made one in some time. The last as some of you know was Castaneda who is actually a hybrid, made from a Blybe (Blythe Doll Clone) head and a pure neemo body. She has been put on hold due to eye mech issues. In general, customizing Blythe dolls is not a cheap or easy endeavor, which is why the sale of any custom doll is very pricey. But I do hope to make one some day that I feel is worthy enough to put on the market. Until then I really appreciate the good words and encouragement from you all, blurb contacts and blog followers alike. You inspire me!

Fave pic of the day

Aja spits a ryhme..., a photo by BarbieGurl4eVa on Flickr.

Spoken Word night always gets a thumbs up from me.
: D

The Two Darlas

The Two Darlas, a photo by Zanalee on Flickr.

I'm not sure which I want more. "Twist N Shout" (on the right) looks so mean and stand offish but kind of cute and I love her outfit. "Hit Single" I love but do I really love her enough? And don't even get me started with her stereo-typified "Hit SIngle" identity. I just can't. I mean great, she's singer, but can we please get a wider range of roles for Poppy's "friend" to fill?

What are other people thinking? Which one is your fave?

LIVE WORK CREATE

Live, Work, Create, a photo by Zanalee on Flickr.

And LOVE.
^__^

2940 (for zenzile)

2940 (for zenzile), a photo by valentine westphal on Flickr.

It's been a while since I won a House of Pinku original. Well it feels like winning even if it's not an auction on ebay! You're on flickr after midnight on a Friday (which are Julie's peak hours) and you're doing something completely unrelated like playing "It Girl" on Facebook or watching old episodes of "True Blood" on when you just happen to click back on to your flickr page and see that your contacts updates include new dresses by Valentin (Julie) Westphal in those amazing carnival/vintage postage fabrics you missed out on initially weeks ago.

You don't miss a beat. Click profile, click Artfire link, see dress is still available and get in your cart. it's your cart, but you know that means nothing. You've had H.O.P in cart before and had it snatched out right from under you. Only when you get to paypal do you finally feel secure. Aaaahhhh...

And that's what winning an H.O.P. dress is like. Can I afford it? Why ask such silly questions? LOL!!!

Ghoulia Triptych

I had a little light tent shoot with Ghoulia yesterday evening. It was fabulous. I love her outfit so much I may not take it off for a while but I'm not the collectors item kind of lady who will put her away in a box to preserve her re-sale value. As you know, I like to play. I will definitely be keeping her outfit and stock pieces in tact though as those will definitely come in handy if I want to resell them later. I'm long overdue for a clothing clean-out sale. I need the money but I'm just so lazy. I will let you know when I do.

Fave Blythe Video of the day: Hotel bed

Hotel bed a video by sozzielou on Flickr.

And that is the cutest thing I've seen all day!
: D

My Monster High Limit

Untitled, a photo by Zanalee on Flickr.

So here's the deal. I don't care how many more amazing lines Monster High comes out with or how many more amazing photos of them are taken by my fave MH flickr photographers! I can only allow myself to get two more! "School's Out Clawdeen" and "Dawn of the Dance Lagoona Blue." "Schools Out Clawdeen" would make my third Clawdeen and DOTD Lagoona would be my first Lagoona.

Yesterday my first Ghoulia Yelps, the SDCC (San Francisco Comic Con) Collectors item version came in at work. I've never been crazy about Ghoulia Yelps. My take on her is that she's supposed to be the nerdy odd one. She's not really cutesy and girly like the other characters and I guess that was kinda hard for me to get used to at first. Also the fact but they always give her these big pink or red lips in previous lines totally turned me off. That may work for Frankie, Cleo, Lagoona and Clawdeen but for me that color just looked kind of mocking on Ghoulia.

I happened upon this SDCC version of her one day a few weeks ago while trolling on ebay and I just thought that this coloring was so smart (pun intended) for her. Silver lips, glittery silver eye shadow and amazing blue and silver hair. She is dressed as her favorite fictional Comic Book hero, Deadfast. LOL!!

The rest of her stock is just amazing and I finally have a pair of her wonderful nerdy glasses which I have wanted forever! They really do transform her face which looks completely different without them. I love love love glasses! Doll glasses! Glasses for myself. I love them!

This Ghoulia also comes with an extra pair of superhero shades that are just too effing cool. More pics later. But to conclude, I have only two more MH gals that I have to have and that's it! This has to stop!