Faerieluna

2012-01-28T14:04:00.003-07:00

My first custom Blythe

It took weeks as I am pretty slow

with the process

but I am happy with the results.

Her hair was changed

all four eye chips where changed

she has sleep eyes

new white eyelashes

and new make up.

She is a dream to photograph

and as I work on my second custom

I can only hope I love her as much

as I do this girl - Snow

2012-01-22T11:35:00.001-07:00

Beautiful Piper

~~Looking for a new home~~

Going to live with Karen and sister Lyra

She is a Hybrid RBL

Casseopia Spice

with Tarts & Tea hair

A stunning girl with light custom

by Kate of Moofala

She has been sand matted

Delicate make up and sealed with MSC

Eyes are gaze corrected, and boggled

she does not have sleep eyes

She photographs beautifully

and would be a wonderful addition

to any dolly family.

I wanted to offer her here first in case

there were any dolly lovers out there

looking for their first Blythe...

or wanting a customized Blythe to add

to a Blythe family.

She will arrive with a little dress, undies, and shoes

from my personal collection....

and a little pet to keep her company

on her new journey.
(not the Maltese pictured, however)

~~195 and 12 shipping in US contact me if outside of US for shipping~~

Thank you Karen for bringing this girl to your family

2012-01-01T19:04:00.002-07:00

~~Lyra - 185.~~

~~LOOKING FOR~~ FOUND A NEW HOME

with Karen.

Sweet girl.

She is a Friendly Freckles, RBL Blythe

I am her second owner.

Lyra & Quinn

Prior coming to me, her first 'Mum'

had her customized by Kate Harden (Moofala)

she has been:

*sand matted and delicate makeup was applied

with finishing coats of MSC

*She has gaze correction

*boggled eyes

*sleep eyes

*sweet new lashes (see below to previous post with eyes closed)

*eye chips changed to lovely Brainworm chips

Her hair is wonderful

as are most Friendly Freckles.

She is really a mint girl

but it's time for her to go to a new home.

I will send her in a Friendly Freckles box

shipped in the Blythe outer box.

Inside the U.S. that would be

about $12 to ship.

She photographs beautifully

and would be a wonderful addition

to any dolly family.

I wanted to offer her here first in case

there were any dolly lovers out there

looking for their first Blythe...

or wanting a customized Blythe to add

to a Blythe family.

She will arrive with a little dress, undies, and shoes

from my personal collection....

and a little pet to keep her company

on her new journey.

~~Would YOU like to give her a new home??~~
I am so happy she has found a wonderful new home

2011-12-31T08:20:00.002-07:00

Lyra & Snow

Goodbye - Hello

Out to the Universe we send a prayer..

that the year 2012 will bring blessings,

health,

love

& joy.

So many struggled through this past year.

Losing their jobs....their homes....

....loved ones.

Our wish to you is that you are able to greet 2012

with open arms

and open hearts.

Happy New Year!!!

2011-12-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

Custom Blythe (Snow) by Rella

MERRY CHRISTMAS

My wish to everyone

May this day be filled with love

2011-11-05T16:08:00.000-07:00

Just popping in to say hello.

I am thinking about my youngest child

who is boarding a ship today

with his love

and in a few days..

will become a married man.

I hope this trip is all they hoped and dreamed of.

Sending love to Joel & Casey

2011-10-16T14:49:00.002-07:00

14' SCULPTED FAERIE

price reduced 10-24

This beautiful faerie, sculpted by Radenforest is up for adoption.

What I love about her faeries is that they can be posed.

The arms and legs

are partially wrapped wire to allow for amazing poses.

Her hair is thick mohair

her wings are mixed media materials also created by Radenforest.

I am always amazed at her perfect ankles and toes

and long, gorgeous fingers.

She is dressed like a woodland fae

with pieces of silk chiffon

and hand dyed silk crepe chiffon

She has brought me incredible joy for a few years

and is as perfect as the day I got her.

It's time for her to fly to another home

~~$175~~

*****NOW ONLY $125

$12.50 to ship with tracking and insurance

I can do PayPal

or you can contact me

to make other arrangements.

my e-mail button can be found

on my profile page

2011-09-25T10:35:00.003-07:00

GOING TO NEW HOME!!!!

SOMETIMES LIFE THROWS

YOU A CURVEBALL

Most everyone has 'been there'

Life as you know it turns on a dime

when this occurs you have a few choices

after the initial shock

You can shake it off,

pull yourself up by your 'bootstraps'

(having been born in Montana, but not raised there, this must

be a phrase embedded through osmosis since I use it all the time)

Or you can allow yourself to remain paralyzed

in fear and negativity.

Usually I stay in the above mentioned state...

for a bit.

Lose sleep, succumb to lurking maladies

A 'quiet freak out' mode, basically.

Then, I stop that nonsense

as it is not terribly helpful

and the old 'bootstraps' are pulled.

I am looking at many things I have acquired

over the past several years.

Most have brought me joy

Some were possibly(??) impulsive.

Regardless of the acquiring

I am taking stock and purging in a way.

This will help me financially,

and should I need to also move to a smaller abode,

it will be far easier to make that move....

......right?

AND, let's throw in that I sometimes

watch the T.V. show

Hoarders

and declare to myself that if I make changes

now

I will not be the next episode to air.

So that brings me to the crux of it all.

I will be offering items for sale

This (blogging) seemed like a good venue,

although I will possibly have

to eventually use Etsy and Ebay

for the larger audience.

~~First up for your consideration is quite precious~~

My Santos Cage Doll

click on any of the photos for a larger view

NOW GOING TO NEW HOME

This stunning cage doll

is a highly collectible reproduction

of the dolls that were used in religious processions...

typically in Spanish or Portuguese communities...

and they would be elaborately dressed

and would wear a crown.

These humble and gentle looking dolls

would occupy a place of prominence

in the home

(of wealthy persons)

or in a chapel.

Modern day collectors

will often display them with precious objects

placed inside the skirt 'cage'

I have placed her on my fireplace mantle

during the holidays

with twinkle lights wrapped in her skirt

and have placed various objects

inside the skirt as well

She now sits in an alcove that I pass many times a day

and her sweet expression tells me:

"It will be o.k."

I would love to keep this object of joy

and encouragement....of course.

But I am a child of a very sensible upbringing

that whispers...

"What good are 'things'

if you need to pay your bills

or put gas in your car, etc.?"

Funny, how that voice sounds like my Dad!!

So I pulled up my boot straps,

and took stock.

And I know that everything I put up for sale

will find a wonderful home.

And bring joy to someone else now.

....and I will be helping to ensure

that the next chapter

of MY life,

will be more secure.

Now the particulars:

From head to the bottom of her skirt

she measures 31"

photo by Rella

Her head measure 8 1/2"

if you are inclined to fit her with a crown.

The rosary beads are not included

in the price

as it is a very special vintage set

hand made in Jersulam

and I am sending them to my Father

who is at this moment in Yale New Haven Hospital

after fracturing his femur yesterday in a fall.

At 79 he simply will not stop

climbing ladders to 'fix'

or clean things.

And shall I just say this is not his first mishap!!!

So if you have been longing for a Santos Doll

....or did not even know you were

...until this moment

or want to surprise someone at

Christmas.....

I am setting her price at a savings

~~She is yours for $160~~

GOING TO A NEW HOME!!

(Plus priority/insured shipping to your area.)

I can do PayPal

or you can contact me

to make other arrangements.

my e-mail button can be found

on my profile page

update:

It brings me joy to know this sweet

doll is going to a wonderful home.

2011-09-09T12:50:00.001-07:00

photo courtesy of An

THE PASSION FOR BLYTHE

Part nine in my series on the ~~obsession~~ passion

for the big-headed doll known as Blythe.

Interview #9: An of Ohchiwawa from Antwerp, Belgium

****Please remember that these photos belong to An

and may not be used in any way without her permission

photo courtesy of An

R: Thank you so much, An, for agreeing to the interview. I’m very excited to introduce you to my readers, so why don’t you tell us a little about yourself, your family, your pets, your life.

A: Hi, my name is An, I’m 43 and I live in Antwerp, Belgium together with my husband and two daughters of almost 7 and 10.


photo courtesy of An

photo courtesy of An

I have a degree in Marketing and used to work as a forwarder for several international companies. Since the birth of my eldest girl in 2001 I am a stay at home mom. Besides Blythe I love art, history, architecture and interior design. I have tons of interior design magazines and books! Born in October, I am a very typical Libra: harmony and balance are my key words.

photo courtesy of An

R: What is it about Blythe that interested you in collecting them and when did you get your first doll? I always ask how many you currently have as it is a question that comes up a lot!

A: The 2009 summer collection of a Dutch clothing label for girls ‘Mim-Pi’ had some shirts with a very lovely doll on it. I bought a shirt for my girls and we kept wondering who that doll was and my daughter kept begging me to buy her one. After a search on the internet, I was quite shocked to find out how expensive they were and told her to forget about it, which we obviously both couldn’t! We were intrigued by the fact that that big headed doll could change her eyes and by her sweet and cute appearance. After browsing through all these wonderful Flickr streams and forums I decided to buy ‘just one doll’ to ease our mind (lol!), the cheapest one at that time: an ADG Roaring Red.

photo courtesy of An

That was in October 2009, and guess what: by the end of 2009 I already had 4 dolls! Currently I have 9 dolls,

photo courtesy of An

my doll family hasn’t changed that much, I sold 3 dolls and 1 Blythe is currently living with my sister. but I had most of my stock girls customized over the past 2 years. My 2 daughters each have 1 Blythe (Mango &; Guava) and 2 fakies.

photo courtesy of An

R: I think of my dolls as very young, absolutely pre-teen and more like the ages of 6 to 10. Do you also do this or does it depend on the doll?

A: It sure depends on the doll and what she’s wearing. Lewis (my youngest daughter’s mini-me) definitely is the youngest and a real tomboy!

photo courtesy of An

Jackie sure is the most distinguished one

photo courtesy of An

and Billie the most romantic one.

photo courtesy of An

I rather see them in terms of personality and appearance than in age.

R: How and when did you begin creating little fashions for Blythe and how long have you been offering them on Etsy?

A: The first dress I made was made of some awful felt of a Christmas DIY package from my kids, using a pattern from puchicollective which I adjusted. I spent soooo much money on buying clothes for the dolls, I decided to start making them myself to stop these expenses (which I failed, I still buy lots of clothes for them, lol!).

photo courtesy of An

Some people really liked what I was making and even though I felt very unsure about these dresses, the positive comments and requests about making a dress for other people’s dolls were the impulse to start a little shop on etsy in April 2010, without any expectation of actually selling something!

photo courtesy of An

The felt dresses I offered in the beginning were made by me, as well as the knitted hats. My mom joined me in making fabric doll clothes a bit later.


photo courtesy of An

photo courtesy of An

R: I know you collaborate with your Mom and you seem to make a perfect team. Tell us how that all began and about the process between the two of you for the fashions.

A: My mom is very ‘essential’ when it comes to making doll clothes, she’s my extra pair of hands and eyes. She used to be a professional seamstress when she was young and she made tons of clothes and knitted lots of sweaters for her kids (7 in total!).

photo courtesy of An

She’s very creative and learned me how to knit and crochet at the age of 6. At the age of 7 I had a very severe adverse drug reaction called Stevens Johnson Syndrome which left me with life long side effects. Most harm was done to my eyes, I was left blind in one eye and have limited sight in the other too. So you can imagine it takes quite some effort to function in every day life , not to speak about making tiny doll clothes (and taking photographs). Knitting and crocheting is ok, I can almost do that keeping my eyes closed, but sewing is something else!

photo courtesy of An

It really takes too much time and effort from my eyes, and my mom is just so much better at it too!

photo courtesy of An

We really enjoy doing this together: at least once a week we meet and spend some hours knitting and sewing together and discussing what to make next.

photo courtesy of An

She loves my Blythe dolls and enjoys all the photos on Flickr too! I’m so proud of her, being 80 soon and still being so active and creative!

photo courtesy of An

R: Your name 'Ohchiwawa' is quite fun, how did you come up with that unusual name?

A: When my youngest daughter Lise was 5, we made a painting together of her little stuffed Chihuahua.

photo courtesy of An

She used to sing that O Chihuahua song from the movie ‘Beverly Hills Chihuahua’ all the time! That is where the name of my shop comes from, and the doggie in my banner on etsy was based on that painting too.

R: At the moment I have several of your felt coats, a sweater and dress. All of which I love on my girls. I believe I saw your fashions on Flickr first and I wonder what role does Flickr play in directing business to your Etsy shop?

A: Aww I’m so glad you like it all Rella! I think for most etsy sellers and Blythe collectors Flickr is an essential tool.

photo courtesy of An

Flickr is a good place to keep a portfolio. Even though I don’t know anything about photography and being limited by my restricted sight, I like to share my Blythe pics and admire other collectors’ streams.

photo courtesy of An

It’s nice to be part of the worldwide Blythe community. I made some great friends and am very happy to have met some of my dearest ones IRL too!

photo courtesy of An

2011-09-03T07:28:00.211-07:00

photo courtesy of Jess

THE PASSION FOR BLYTHE

Part eight in my series on the ~~obsession~~ passion

for the big-headed doll known as Blythe.

Interview #8: Jess Rollar, Arizona

Known as Milky Robot on Flickr
& her website Milky Robot

photo courtesy of Jess

Please honor the fact that these photos

belong to Jess and may not be used in

any way without her permission

photo courtesy of Jess

Jess, thank you, so much, for agreeing to be part of this series. Why don’t you begin by telling us a little about life, your family, pets, etc.

J: Lets see, I'm 27, married to a photographer and have a sweet 2 year old girl named Zoë.

photo courtesy of Jess

We all own a small townhome in Arizona, which we share we 3 crazy cats, Elvis, Lucy and Cha Cha. My hubby does nature and landscape photography Rollar Productions and has been teaching me in photography as I go, I love it!

photo courtesy of Jess

Other than Blythe, I love knitting, crochet, nature and street art.

photo courtesy of Jess


photo courtesy of Jess

photo courtesy of Jess

Some can't tell that I love color since I'm always in jeans and black tee's, but color screams to me everywhere I go and I love to incorporate it in the things I create.

photo courtesy of Jess

R:. What is it about Blythe that drew you to collecting and what do you love most about this special obsession?

J: I’ll admit, at first I didn’t understand the addiction to Blythe. I started out collecting Dal and Pullip dolls, then
caved and got my first girl, a Frosty Frock. I was then addicted! I think my favorite part of the Blythe obsession is the people I meet.

photo courtesy of Jess

Being a customizer, I get to interact with so many wonderful people that truly make this hobby unique and fun.

photo courtesy of Jess

R: Does your husband share your enthusiasm and understand it, especially when you take a doll with you on a trip or just a little outing? Would he help in the
staging of a photograph?

J: Haha! He thinks I’m... special. He loves to see my face light up when I get a new girl or if a girl arrives for customizing. I don’t think he minds to much when I bring a girl with me on a trip, it’s pretty normal to him when I do.

latest WIP -monster girl - photo by Jess

Plus I’m discrete... kinda. It’s rare he will hold one though, I think he’s more afraid I’ll whip out my iPhone and take a picture of him haha!

R: What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you while taking photographs of
your dolls?

J: Hmm, nothing too crazy has happened yet. Other than the
normal Licca bodies bending in half backwards, right after I set up the perfect shot!

photo courtesy of Jess

R: You now do customizations including, reroots, tell us how this came about and where you frightened the very first time you opened the head of a doll?

photo courtesy of Jess

J: I started doing customs on first 2nd Blythe, a CapChat. I really wasn’t afraid at all, it seemed normal to me really.

photo courtesy of Jess

My first time opening up an SBL with the saw scared the crap out of me, but now it’s second nature if I have to saw one open.

photo courtesy of Jess

R: When you first started with Blythes, who or where did you turn to in order to gather as much information as possible?

J: I pretty much learned on my own, I tend to soak things up like a sponge. I would sit on the computer at night and examine pictures and websites. When I started customizing, I never looked at tutorials or anything, just went at it on my own.

photo courtesy of Jess

R: Your crocheting appears to be a real passion as well, not only for the dolls, but creating darling little monsters.

photo courtesy of Jess

When did you first start crocheting and when did you begin making the darling little creatures?

J: I started crocheting in October of 2010, very recent really. I’ve been knitting for around 10 years, as well as spinning yarn.

photo courtesy of Jess

I tried to teach myself to crochet for years but couldn’t grasp it. Then one day, I was bored and just picked it up instantly. I started making my own designs by my 3rd crochet project. I never follow patterns anymore, instead I make them! :)

**You can find Jess' work and original patterns

at her Etsy shop

photo courtesy of Jess

R: Is there any advice you would give someone new to the world of Blythe?

J: Have fun! Enjoy the dolls and get involved with the Blythe community and make new friends! It’s a great hobby and I can’t really see my life without Blythe ever again!

photo courtesy of Jess

R: Is there a favorite Blythe, mold, or even a custom that you hope to have some
day?

J: My favorite Blythe ever is Fancy Pansy and Amaryllis. Love them! I think my favorite mold would have to be either FBL or BL. Something about those chubby cheeks on FBL’s drive me crazy, I love them! I already own a Blythe by my favorite customizer, Erica Fustero.

photo courtesy of Jess

One day I would kill to own a Hola Gominola custom, I want to steal Oreo!

R: What do you think or hope the future holds for you with regard to your love of crochet, Blythes, and everything in between?

J: The future seems very bright with Blythe in it! I can’t seem to quit her and gave in after I took a little break away from her. I truely love Blythe! I don’t own very many
girls but who I do have, I treasure completely.

photo courtesy of Jess

R: And last, but not even close to being the least, how many Blythes do you think have come and gone through your home at this writing? And how many are in
residence right now?

J: Right now I only have the one, Chuck, my Simply Chocolate that was customized by Erica Fustero.

photo courtesy of Jess

I have had SO many come and go, the one I miss the most would have to be my Goldie, Beetlejuice.

photo courtesy of Jess

One day I would love to get another.

Well, I so hope you enjoyed your visit with Jess, Milky Robot. She is such a talented gal and I am betting we will see much more down the road coming from this amazing artisan.
Thank you, Jess, for a really fun interview!

photo courtesy of Jess

Until next time my friends ....

2011-09-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

Hello chickadees!!

Just a little note to let you know I am delayed in

getting the next interview up. We are having a bit of a photo issue that I am trying to resolve as soon

as I can.

I hope to have the interview up tomorrow.

2011-08-26T23:12:00.001-07:00

Photo courtesy of Melissa

THE PASSION FOR BLYTHE

Part five in my series on the ~~obsession~~ passion

for the big-headed doll known as Blythe.

Interview #7: Melissa from Canada
known as Melissa-Best Dressed Doll on Flickr

Please honor the fact that these photos belong to Melissa

and may not be used in any way without permission

photo courtesy of Melissa

R: Thank you, Melissa for agreeing to do this interview. I really appreciate it knowing how busy you are with your young family and your sewing.

Let's begin with a little about you, your life, your family,

pets, and what you do aside from creating beautiful Blythe

clothing...and how would you describe a 'perfect day there

in your little corner of the world.

M: Well, that is a hard question!! I have a few different ideas

of what a perfect day would be. Many of those ideas include shopping. I just love getting into the stores and searching for a deal. I guess my number one perfect day would be to drop off the kids and spend the day with my husband out of town shopping, eating and laughing together.

photo courtesy of Melissa

My family consists of my two beautiful girls, Olivia, and Emma,my husband David, and our two dogs, Coco and Nikita. I could not ask for more.

R: When did you begin to gather Blythes and tell us about your first doll. Do you still have the very first Blythe?

M: I bought my first Blythe in March of 2006. She was a birthday present to myself. A Candy Carnival. I sold her quite quickly, though. I wish I still had her. She is such a bright and cheerful girl.

photo courtesy of Melissa

R: There is always talk amongst Blythe collectors of favorite molds of the doll, do you have a favorite or one that you don't care for as much as the others?

photo courtesy of Melissa

M: I do not really have a favorite. I usually buy RBL girls so I can send them away to have them customized.

photo courtesy of Melissa

I find it's easier to get them apart to do a little bit of the prep work. I made the mistake of buying an ADG once when I was just starting out. I did not like that mold.

photo by Melissa

R: What is it about this doll, Blythe, that you love?

M: I love so many things about this doll. I love that one doll can have so many different looks.

photo courtesy of Melissa

I love how she can almost look like a real little girl in pictures. I think the main reason I love Blythe so much is the connection with all of the other people out there who also share in the love.

photo courtesy of Melissa

I have made so many friends through Blythe. I am thankful for that.

photo courtesy of Melissa

R: Is there any advice you would give to someone who might just be coming into this wonderful world of Blythe? Where did YOU turn to for information?

M: I would tell them to just ask questions That is what I did.

photo courtesy of Melissa

I started out by joining This Is Blythe forum and then found flickr. One of the first places I visited often was Jamfancy!
I just love to go through and look at all the fine details in each of Christina's posts. Not to mention the beautiful art.

photo courtesy of Melissa

R: Now let's talk about the amazing dresses you make under the 'Best Dressed Doll' label I totally adore your creations and one of my girls, has been wearing the lovely white dress of yours pretty much since it arrived. It is my total favorite.

photo by Rella - model - Lyra

Does this keep you totally busy when you are not tending to 'Mommy things'?

M: It does keep me busy! I think I could be lost without it. I tend to sew once Emma has her daily nap and at night when the kids are asleep.

photo courtesy of Melissa

I have a lot of fun sewing for Blythe. I wish I had more time each day to be creative.

Once my children are in school all day I plan to make Best Dressed Doll a full-time part of my life.

Photo courtesy of Melissa

R: When did you begin offering the dresses for sale on your Etsy shop, and do you even have an idea at this point how many dresses you have created?

M: I opened the Etsy store in July 2007. I actually started out selling larger outfits sets on Ebay in 2006 and quickly had commission requests. Having a shop on Etsy helps me to track what I have made and gives me a better idea of how many items I sew each month.


photo by Melissa

I really have no idea how many pieces I have sold. It would be kind of fun to figure it out, though.

R: How and when did you learn to sew?

M: I first started sewing when I was eighteen. I joined a night class at a local high school and then lessons at a nice lady's house each week. By the end of high school, I had dreams of being a fashion designer. I went to collage for fashion design and worked in the industry for five years. My favorite job was working for Lida Baday, one of Canada's well known fashion designers. It was not a glamorours job but it did teach me a lot about the fashion industry.

photo courtesy of Melissa

R: Your work is impeccable and it's so easy to work with you when there is a little idea floating around the brain. Is most of your work these days customs pieces?

M: I think it is about half and half. I sew something and usually only stock one dress in my shop. It sells and then someone else requests that they would also like the dress...but in a different color.

photo courtesy of Melissa

I like to sew one dress at a time and see the results. I know it is silly to sew this way, but I get so much joy in being able to see a finished product on my girls.

R: I love, love, love the little sash you send with your dresses. Our girls model them so proudly. How did that wonderful idea come to be?

M: Thank you! When I was thinking of a name for my shop, I was picturing an illustration of one of my Blythe girls in a pretty dress, holding flowers and wearing a crown..tears running down her face. They had just won Best Dressed Doll in a beauty contest.

photo courtesy of Melissa

I wish I was an artist. I would love to have that image as my store banner or business card. I thought the sash would be a great start to that idea.

R: Now for one of the favorite questions of the series. How many Blythe girls live there with you?

M: I do not even know! I can go count now.............

......O.K..I have fourteen Neo Blythe girls, two Middle Blythes with one on the way, and two Petite Blythes.

photo courtesy of Melissa

Most of my girls are custom. I have a love of mohair girls. My favorite Blythe would have to be Ophelia.

Photo by Melissa

Thank you so much, Melissa. I've enjoyed getting to know you more and introducing you to my readers. No doubt a few know you all ready, and now, a few more will experience Best Dressed Doll.

photo courtesy of Melissa

So there you have it my friends, another wonderful friend in the world of Blythe. A creator of darling dresses for our girls. I hope you enjoyed this interview and stay tuned...next week I promise yet another peek into the world of artisan #8.

2011-08-26T20:03:00.000-07:00

teaser photo of my next interview

Dear Bloggie Friends,

I am experiencing issues with Blogger tonight and cannot format my newest interview. I am trying relentlessly to get to

the bottom of this and will have the wonderful interview up as soon as possible. I may have to retype the whole thing, which will take me a bit of time, but bear with me.

Thank you for your patience........you will not be disappointed.

xox Rella

2011-08-23T10:06:00.001-07:00

In the evening,
when every
sound
lies sleeping,
when all
the doors
are shut
and the soul
is open...
memories,
like quiet
visitors,
arrive

We miss you every day, Jenny Wren

March 17, 1965 to August 23, 2007

2011-08-19T20:33:00.000-07:00

photo courtesy of Kathi

THE PASSION FOR BLYTHE

Part five in my series on the ~~obsession~~ passion

for the big-headed doll known as Blythe.

Interview # 6, Kathi from Atlanta, Georgia

also known as kathi_minikatie on flickr

photo courtesy of Kathi

Please honor the fact that these photos belong to Kathi

and may not be used in any way without permission

~ ~

R: Thank you, so much, Kathi, for agreeing to do this interview on one of our favorite subjects…Blythe

Tell us a little about yourself, where you live, you family, pets, and hobbies aside from Blythe, etc.

K: I live in metropolitan Atlanta in a suburb NE of the city. My immediate family is just me and my two furkids – Baby, my 18yo cat, and Katie, my 8.75yo miniature Australian Shepherd.

photo courtesy of Kathi

I’m fortunate to have my older brother living within a few miles of me and my younger brother and sister are each within an hour’s drive in different directions.

photo courtesy of Kathi

Right now Blythe is my current hobby and provides all the playtime and escape I need from life’s stresses. Prior to Blythe all my free time was spent scrapbooking with friends. I seem to be a “one major hobby at a time” person though, so I haven’t scrapped much at all since I dove into Blythe in May of 2009.

photo courtesy of Kathi

R: I remember trying so hard to resist jumping into the Blythe ‘pool’ and then something in 2006 hooked me and it’s been a growing love affair ever since.

Tell us about the first doll you fell in love with and when that was. Can you even imagine NOT having a Blythe now?

K: I remember reading my friend Mara’s (*redmara* on Flickr) blog and seeing a post about Blythe and reading about how she wanted one. Not too long afterward, Mara purchased her first Blythe and brought Sam with her to a scrap booking weekend getaway. I spent most of that weekend playing with Sam, crocheted her a hat and a few other items, and was very intrigued.

photo courtesy of Kathi

So intrigued that I ordered my first Blythe, a Rosie Red Encore, shortly thereafter on Memorial Day weekend in 2009 from eBay. When my doll arrived and my sister saw her for the first time, she immediately remembered that I had Blythe dolls in 1972. Frankly, I only vaguely recalled them from 1972 and was amazed that my sister remembered them (which means she played with them after I quit playing with dolls).

photo courtesy of Kathi

That prompted a search of our parents’ estate home and, at this point, we’ve pretty much cleared it out or at least gone through most items, so it doesn’t look like I’ll locate my childhood Kenners, but I’m still hopeful that they may turn up in a box somewhere and won’t give up hope until we’ve cleared the house of all contents.

At this point, I can’t imagine not having a Blythe, but my hobbies tend to have a season in my life and often fade over time. That hasn’t happened with Blythe yet and if/when it does, no doubt I’ll keep one or two of my girls forever as a remembrance.

R: One thing that I so love about your Flickr page is how you have all your girls listed with information about them - when you got them, what mold they are, etc. It actually helped me learn more about the different molds. I thank you for that.

Is it your nature to categorize this way, or is it something you felt was important to do, this Blythe documentation, for yourself or for others?

K: Um, that would be yes, yes, yes and yes! I remember when I first started searching Flickr looking at Blythe before I purchased my first doll and there were so many dolls I loved, but if they weren’t tagged or in a set with information about what Blythe they were, etc., I was too new to Blythe to know which doll they were or if they were a custom, then who had done the custom work I loved so much.

photo courtesy of Kathi

I fell in love with Rosie Red because my mom called me Rose Red as a child, but I didn’t even realize there were two versions of this doll, so I ended up with the Encore instead of the Rosie Red BL that I fell in love with in the beginning. And really this is the major reason I suggest newbies to the hobby join Flickr and the forums and research, research, research before diving in head first and buying, buying, buying. Getting to know Blythe and what you love about Blythe can save you dollars in the long run.

photo courtesy of Kathi

And I document my Blythe sets for me since I can’t always remember the details about a specific doll. Once my Blythe family took off and started to grow, I honestly couldn’t recall which mold each girl was, so my Flickr sets are a handy reference and ensure that I don’t forget any girl’s specifics. Although I don’t have an issue remembering or distinguishing face molds now, I’d still forget other details if I didn’t have them listed somewhere.

R: Was there anyone that you turned to in the Blythe world when you first started collecting?

I almost hate to use the word collecting because it seems so impersonal when talking about our ‘girls’, doesn’t it??

K: Of course, my friend Mara started collecting just before me, so it’s been wonderful having a good friend to share this hobby with along the way. And I recall in the beginning I also spent many hours on the Blythe forums J - there’s always someone willing to help on the forums.

photo courtesy of Kathi

R: You have some wonderful shots of a few Dolly Meets, how did these come about and what goes on during a meet like these? Did you have the opportunity to meet doll friends that you only knew online through Flickr?

K: I love Blythe Meets! My very first Blythe meet was the first BlytheCon in Atlanta in October 2009.

photo courtesy of Kathi

It was fantastic to meet so many Blythe collectors that I only knew through online, not to mention a lot of the local Atlanta collectors that I had not met before BlytheCon – a truly awesome experience and I hate I had to miss BlytheCon Portland this year. Anyway, most meets just require one person to start a thread on one of the forums to determine a date and place. I’m pretty much up for a meet any time and look forward to them. During a meet you often get to meet the person behind the dolls that you see on Flickr, you get to see so many great dolls in person, and the chatting with and getting to know other enthusiasts is just the best. Not to mention all the dolly photos that happen at a meet!

Morgan Orton kicked off a thread on Blythe Kingdom to organize a southeast Blythe meet in September and I am so looking forward to it. There really is nothing better than meeting people in your area that share the same interests.

R: Do you have a favorite girl or favorite mold at this point? And is there an elusive doll that is on your wish list.

My favorite girls are those that tug at my heart which is pretty much all of my girls or they wouldn’t be here with me. I truly believe that if they don’t speak to the heart then they are a candidate for a change, either in looks or in scenery (i.e., a new home). I love variety and have limited funds and space, so often one girl needs to travel in order for another to come home.

photo by Kathi

I haven’t rehomed that many girls and those that I have rehomed were due to limited funds (read I blew my budget because I let my heart rule my head and purchased a doll I had no business buying at the time) or I felt I had thoroughly enjoyed the girl while she was with me and I was OK with letting her go so someone else could enjoy her as much as I had.

photo courtesy of Kathi

As far as a favorite face molds go, that is usually secondary to whether the girl speaks to me and tugs at the heart. With that said, I think my Flickr sets tell a different story – EBLs definitely rule in my Blythe family!

photo courtesy of Kathi

I’d also add BL’s to this category even though I currently do not own any BL’s. Running a close second to EBL dominance would have to be custom FBL’s. While I am not fond of the FBL mold in a stock doll, I really love many of the FBL customs I see and can’t wait for my second FBL custom to arrive home.

photo courtesy of Kathi

Honestly though I don’t dislike any mold and have RBL’s and SBL’s living with me now and have owned ADG as well.

Is there an elusive doll on my wish list? Yes, you could say that. It seems I see new customs that I’d love to own or custom girls that I’ve admired and were recently adopted out, and I missed them of course, almost on a daily basis. But really I think my core wish list is pretty much the same as it was in late 2010 when I created my 2011 wish list on Flickr.

R: Now let’s talk about your rerooting of the dolls. First of all, you do an amazing job. Your dolly hairs are just breathtaking. When did you first decide to try your hand at this and how long does it typically take for you to do a complete head? Do you do custom reroots for customers or only for yourself?

K: First, thank you so much for the sweet compliment! When I first started searching Flickr and adding Blythe dolls to my favorites, it became apparent that 1) I love custom Blythes and 2) most of those customs had mohair or alpaca reroots. And 5 of my first 8 Blythes are/were mohair or alpaca reroots.

photo courtesy of Kathi

So, although I’ve never really considered customizing a Blythe, I’ve always entertained the possibility of doing a reroot and finally dove in and completed my first mohair reroot in October 2010. So far I haven’t really tracked the hours involved in a reroot. I do knot method reroots and secure each knot with glue, so that takes a little bit of time.

photo courtesy of Kathi

Based on my reroots to date, most take about a week from start to finish and that’s working on the reroot pretty much full-time during the day with a fair amount of Blythe computer time mixed in.

photo courtesy of Kathi

Now that I have a few reroots under my belt and am confident in my work, I had recently entertained the possibility of accepting reroot commissions. I had even begun to prepare by purchasing some fibers and scalps, but then a full-time work opportunity came along and, well, I have to work to keep a roof over my head. So, while I may not be able to accept a reroot commission, I certainly plan to continue to do reroots and hope to be able to offer completed reroots to others like I’ve done in the past.

R: As if that wasn’t enough, you have amazing skills with dress designing and sewing for your girls. What is your inspiration and do you mainly sew only for your girls?

photo courtesy of Kathi

Thank you again. In the beginning of my Blythe collecting, I resurrected my crochet skills and was enjoying crocheting hats and dresses for my girls. That coupled with the idea I had for a boho style dress prompted me to take my sewing machine out of storage (where it had been for 16 years or so) and open my Etsy shop, Everyday Fabulous by kathiminikatie, for Blythe in the summer of 2009.

photo by Kathi

All of my girls became models for the shop and while they have worn all of my designs, they only got to keep a small handful until just recently when I set out to make each of them a dress from vintage hankies that had belonged to my mom.

photo courtesy of Kathi

I’m still working on completing that project and hope to eventually revisit some of my prior Blythe clothing designs and make a dress/outfit for my girls to keep.

At this time, my Blythe Etsy shop is pretty much dormant since I just went back to work full-time, but I hope to continue to offer new designs and revisit old designs in the future once I develop a routine and find a way to fit my *want to do* in with the *have to do*.

Oh, and my inspiration – mainly styles I remember from the 1960’s and 1970’s when I was a growing up, current styles that would translate well to doll clothing, and my favorite inspiration is looking at vintage sewing patterns – for toddlers, girls and women.

photo courtesy of Kathi

Did your Mom sew for you when you were younger and if so, did she have the biggest influence on your love of sewing now?

Yes, my mom did sew clothing for me when I was young.

photo courtesy of Kathi

I remember a few outfits that she made me that were truly favorites in my wardrobe at the time. Most of her sewing for me was costumes – whether ballet, tap dance, or ice skating. I was involved in many such activities growing up. I really didn’t get interested in sewing and needlework until home ec class in the 8^th grade. Then interest waned again until I picked up cross stitch and embroidery in the early 1980’s. Sewing didn’t appear again until I purchased my first home in the early 1990’s. Shortly thereafter I purchased my first sewing machine to sew drapes and pillow covers for my home and somewhere along the line became interested in heirloom sewing and silk ribbon embroidery and pursued those crafts for a few years.

Last year I ran across my silk ribbon embroidery supplies and have planned a winter outfit for Blythe that incorporates silk ribbon embroidery in the form of penguins dancing under a starry sky on a navy blue corduroy pinafore – think Happy feet! I see it paired with a faux fur bonnet tied under the chin with pom-poms on the end of the ties and a muff (just like I wore in Minnesota winters growing up in the 1960’s) or even with a long striped stocking hat that doubles as a neck scarf. I have the vision and the supplies on hand – we’ll just have to see if I can execute in time for this winter!

R: I keep my girls so very young…they never reach the teen years. What age do you feel your girls are?

K: I honestly feel my girls can be any age depending on how they are styled. Of course, I have some that I tend to dress younger based on their looks and some that look more mature, so I tend to dress them more mature – definitely pre-teens and early teens.

photo courtesy of Kathi

I don’t feel any of my girls are younger than 10 or 11 J. When their look becomes stale or monotonous to me or I’m looking to find the love for a girl again, the first thing I do is search the wardrobe for a different vibe than normal and style the girl accordingly.

R: Now for the question that always tickles me. How many girls are in residence with you at this moment?

K: I currently have a family of 27 Blythes.

photo by Kathi

R: Thank you, again Kathi, for adding to the fun of this series and for all the help you have given me along the way with my relentless questions about the different molds. You were so gracious with all my queries. It's been great fun getting to know you and your girls. And thank you, so very much, for the beautiful photos and painstaking information you put on your Flickr pages that really help the learning process.

Well, my friends, that concludes week #5

I truly hope you are enjoying the series

There is more fun ahead............so until then

2011-08-12T19:19:00.001-07:00

photo courtesy of Gina

THE PASSION FOR BLYTHE

Part five in my series on the ~~obsession~~ passion

for the big-headed doll known as Blythe.

Interview # 5, Gina AKA G-Baby from California

Please honor the fact that these photos belong to Gina

(one from Fanny Zara)

and may not be used in any way without permission

photo graciously given by Fanny Zara

R: Gina, thank you so much for agreeing to be part of my series on the obsession for Blythe.

Let's start by giving us a little look into the life of G-Baby. Your family, pets, pieces of your world and life in the ‘everyday’.

G: Hello everyone! I am really happy to have this opportunity to share a little bit about myself and my hobby with you all. I'm a 27 year old California girl, been living in the San Francisco bay area my whole life. I come from a big and close knit family, so if I'm not at home working on dolls or playing with my two dogs, I'm out spending time with family.

Photo courtesy of Gina

I've been customizing Blythes for 3 years now and for the last 2 years it has been my main source of income so it's not only a hobby for me but it's practically my job, and I love that!

photo courtesy of Gina

R: What would you say it is about Blythe that drew you in to this amazing, almost obsessive love of Blythe?

G: When I first discovered Blythe I immediately fell in love with the extreme custom dolls. I was really intrigued by the fact that these dolls could be customized and made into whatever you wanted, and I would spend hours and hours everyday just looking at pictures of all the different custom Blythes on flickr.

photo courtesy of Gina

I had never seen anything like it in my life, so that was a really interesting and fun time for me when I was just discovering all of that.

R: Your customizations are truly some of the most beautiful I’ve seen. The latest creation, Iris the Fairy Princess is breathtaking!!

photo courtesy of Gina

R: When did you first begin to customize; and at this point, how many dolls would you say you have transformed as I lost count when I visited your Flickr pages?

G: I started customizing with the very first doll that I bought 3 years ago, and from that point on every stock doll that I ever bought has been customized and sent to a new home. So far I've made 61 custom Blythes and one custom Lati!

photo courtesy of Gina

R: Tell us about the customization process. Do clients contact you with a particular idea of what they want their doll to look like or do you take a doll and create what YOU are moved to create and then sell the doll……or both?

photo courtesy of Gina

G: I do both. Usually the way it works with commissions is that my customers will have a general idea of what style they want for their doll whether it be glamorous, goth, dreamy, etc.. and they might also have some favorite colors as well.

photo courtesy of Gina

From there I will take their ideas and just create my interpretation of it. But I also try to have one OOAK custom girl available each month via auction and those dolls are created from top to bottom from my own design.

photo courtesy of Gina

R: At this writing, how many girls live with you?

G: Right now I own 5 vintage kenner Blythes, one Lati Lea custom, and one Reina de Salem custom Blythe that is coming home soon. I do not own any of my own custom Blythes but I would love to if only I could get around to making one for myself someday!

photo courtesy of Gina

R: Do you have a favorite face mold either to collect yourself or to customize?

G: As far as customizing goes, RBL is my absolute favorite mold to work with. It's the most mature looking of them all and for that reason it really suits my signature style which to me is a little glamourous, a little attitude, a little DIVA, and a plump, pouty set of lips. That style is best on the RBL face shape… But having said that, FBL is a very close 2nd. I've been working with FBLs a lot recently and some of them have been my favorite customs I've made…

photo courtesy of Gina

...Collecting is another story though. I have to admit, I am addicted to Kenners and they are my favorite Blythes of all!

R: There seems to be a real drive for some to have a Kenner Blythe, what is it, exactly, about these early Blythes that collectors desire? Are they made differently or is it simply the fact that they are THE first dolls?

G: There are three special qualities about Kenners that are mentioned all the time:

- The Glow: Kenners were made from a different plastic which is a lot creamier and solid, and also has the perfect amount of shine to it which is more of a glow, not like Neo Blythes which are extremely shiny when stock.

photo courtesy of Gina

- The Pip: When you pull the string of a Kenner to change the eyes it makes a cute little 'pip' sound rather than a loud 'CLACK' sound that the Neo Blythes make.

- The Smell: This is something that I love a lot about Kenners.. Some of them have a strong vintage smell even after being washed, and if you sniff the top of their heads you can usually get a whiff of it. I think it smells like old books or library. Call me weird but I love to sniff my Kenners. lol!!

But those are just some minor qualities… Kenner desire is an interesting thing. People either love them or don't really care for them much. I am one of those people who is madly in love with them and the whole idea of them. There is just something about an old used doll that is very special, mysterious, and real. To me, Kenners are all one of a kind dolls. Even though they were mass produced as being the same, they each have had a different journey for the past 39 years which makes them what they are when you eventually find them. All five of my Kenners have some kind of flaw. GiGi, my newest addition was found in the worst condition. She was a crusty little bodiless Kenner head that I have been told was possibly used to make a mold out of. Because of that, she had lots of crud and residue all over her face and makeup, so I have already begun to work on her transformation and I'm really excited to see what she will become.

photo courtesy of Gina

R: You also make custom eye chips that are stunning, and they fly out of your Etsy shop……..when did you begin making these and did you decide to make them so that your own customs would have original eye chips?

G: I started making the hand painted eye chips shortly after I began offering commissions about 2 years ago. I just wanted to be able to customize every aspect of the doll beyond a plain colored eye chip so I thought I'd give it a shot.

photo courtesy of Gina

Now all my custom dolls have them. I really love choosing the perfect color combination and paint style for each pair of chips that a doll will get. The right choice of eyes will bring so much more life and harmony to the look of the doll so it's really important to me.

photo courtesy of Gina

R: Some of the custom dolls you have completed have amazing outfits, do you make them yourself?

photo courtesy of Gina

G: I always make the outfits for my OOAK auctioned girls, but other than that I do not really sew.

In fact it brings me a lot of stress to make those OOAK outfits because I am not a proper seamstress, and most of the time I am not sewing things in the correct way. I just try to figure it out and hope for the best!

R: Gina, your photographs are quite lovely and I wonder if you feel your photography has become a larger part of your life since entering the world of Blythe?

G: Yes definitely. Photography is such a significant part of this hobby so my camera is never too far away. I have always been into photography even before Blythe, but now it's really become an important part of what I do because my photos are all that some people see of me and my dolls so I need to make sure that I do a good job :)

R: What advice would you give to those that are new to the world of Blythe as far as where to buy the dolls and what sites to perhaps visit to gather as much information as possible?

G: The forums provide so much info on everything Blythe related and are a great place for beginners to start. these are the two main Blythe forums:

Blythe Kingdom and This Is Blythe

R: What types of customizations you offer?

G: I offer complete customization including all facial carving, new makeup, custom eyes, mohair reroots and hair dye, hair cuts, and even piercings.

photo courtesy of Gina

I am now experimenting with Kenner restoration and hair care.

R: Do you enlist the help of strangers when you are out and about? What is the reaction of strangers to your photo shoots? Do you always have a doll with you 'just in case'?

G: A. Honestly, I'm just a little shy when it comes to taking pics in public. I might whip a doll out for a few shots if there arent many people around, but I just wouldn't take them out if it's very crowded. A few years ago I was on Waikiki beach in Hawaii, very crowded place.. and I was lying in the sand taking pics of my doll with all kinds of people walking past me and some lady says.. "Aww look at that little girl right there taking pics of her Barbie".... I had to have a good laugh, since at the time I was 25 years old and I never knew that Barbies had such huge heads! lol.

photo courtesy of Gina

So after that I just got a little shy with the public photo shoots.

photo courtesy of Gina

I'm sure people are not thinking negatively of me when they see me out with a doll, I just don't like the staring eyes! However, if I know that I am going somewhere that's very picturesque I will always take a doll no matter what and I will force myself to take pics of her. Lola my redhead Kenner has

been to the most public places with me.

She's walked on the Golden Gate bridge, been to Italy, Napa Valley wine country recently and lots other places.

photo courtesy of Gina

R: Gina, tell us a little about Blythecon Portland 2011 and your participation. Who created this even and what was your experience with it. It was announced that 2012 will be in Texas for 2012, will you be attending?

G: Blythecon this year was organized by three ladies in the Blythe community in Portland, Julie (House of Pinku), Maggie (Parasol Doll), and Kyle (Buttonarcade). Those ladies did a really amazing job planning out the event and I think it was a huge success. It was only the 2nd annual event that we have had in the US, and it was my first time attending so it was a really amazing experience for me. I got a chance to meet a lot of people who I have been talking to online for so long which was awesome. I was also a vendor and sold a bunch of my things including dolls, eye chips, and other accessories.

Gina and Gina's Mom at Blythcon 2011

I do plan on being at Blythecon Dallas 2012 as a vendor again, and I'm planning on being at every Blythecon in the future as well :)

R. Your customs are just magical and highly sought after. How does one go about adopting one of your special girls?

G. Thank you so much Rella! I try to have one OOAK custom available each month and those special dolls are sold via ebay auction.


Recent OOAK - Iris - won on Ebay Photo courtesy of Gina

Other than that, I have my commissions list which is closed right now, and I don't really sell my dolls anywhere else but now and then you might be able to find one of my dolls pop up on the secondary market in the Blythe forums marketplace :)

Thank YOU Rella for doing this interview with me! I really enjoyed it!

R: Thank you, again, Gina for sharing your work with us. I wish you continued success with your custom work and I will be cheering you on from the sideline…and who knows, maybe someday a G-Baby doll will come live at Faerieluna!!

Well, dear friends, my wish is that you are enjoying this series and, at the very least, getting to know some new artisans and collectors. The world of Blythe is multi-faceted to say the least. And even if you have never been a fan of the big headed dolls, you must certainly agree that you have been introduced to some magnificent talent and delicious 'eye candy'

There are several more interviews on the back burner and I am pretty excited about the continued series.

.........until then, sweet dolly dreams.

photo courtesy of Gina

2011-08-11T14:21:00.001-07:00

The calendar on my bulletin board at work

A little thought inserted before the next interview is posted tomorrow evening.

An interlude I suppose.

A breath to refresh.

2011-08-05T13:11:00.151-07:00


Photo by Sherri

THE PASSION FOR BLYTHE

Part four in my series on the ~~obsession~~ passion

for the big-headed doll known as Blythe.

Interview # 4, Sherri from 'small town' Indiana.

Please honor the fact that these photos belong to Sherri

and may not be used in any way without her permission

Sherri and Guthrie - photo courtesy of Maggie Goss.

R: Sherri, thank you, so much, for agreeing to be part of this series. Why don't you begin by telling

us a little about yourself, you family, pets, etc.

S: Hello!! I live quite a boring life in a small town in Indiana, not much around other than bars, churches and cornfields. I am lucky to be sharing my life with a great guy who has ridden out the highs and lows of this crazy life with me for the past 18 years. I'm mom to many, including my five children two pugs, Bella and Sophia; and Butters, the cockatiel.

photo courtesy of Sherri

Sophia(age 3)- photo courtesy of Sherri

A lot of people know me as Shershe, my online username. My Mother died in a car accident when I was 7 months old and my Grandmother raised me. My Grandmother is the reason I've always had a love for dolls, and Shershe is what she called me when I was a little girl. I still remember our weekly garage sale runs, searching for dolls. She told me the story of when she was a little girl, how she and her sisters had one doll they had to share. She said now that she was able, she was just making up for her childhood, by surrounding herself with dolls. Needless to say, she made sure I had many, many dolls as a child! And when I look at the dolls I have now, I think of her my Grandmother, my Mom...I called her Mom.

photo courtesy of Sherri

I think about ALL that this love of dolls she instilled in me has brought me and I realize that she gave me an amazing gift!

R: What is it about Blythe that drew you to collecting, and what do you love most about this special obsession?

S: I was introduced to Blythe when my Grandmother was moving to an apartment and needed to downsize her collection. She brought some boxes of dolls to me and asked if I would help her sell them on ebay. One of those dolls was a vintage Kenner Blythe. I was immediately attracted to her uniqueness, with the big head, big eyes that changed colors and I remember how much I really wanted to keep her. But, after researching and discovering that, at the time, they were selling for $400-$500, I knew my Grandmother needed that money for her move. so she had to be sold.

Some time later, in 2004, I discovered that Blythe had been reproduced and I knew I needed to have one. I found the This Is Blythe forum, joined in all of the discussions, looked at all of the amazing photos of the dolls and bought my first Blythe, a Pow Wow Poncho.

Before Blythe, I had other dolls, including Nancy Ann Storybook, vintage Ginny, hard plastics from the 50s, and Liddle Kiddles. But, none of them held my interest like Blythe. I believe the reason for this is that I truly was not meant to be a collector. There is just so much more to Blythe than merely collection. I can never become bored with her. Blythe has opened my world up to photography, customizing, sewing, knitting, and more.

photo courtesy of Sherri

R: Your custom hair rerooting for Blythes is so amazing and beautiful! Did you learn yourself through trial and error; and about how long does this seemingly arduous process generally take?

S: It was in the late 2001 that I did my first saran reroot, a Blythe I still have today, name Leeloo.

photo courtesy of Sherri

I learned about rerooting Blythe from Melissa of Puchicollective. It was her tutorials that made me want to give it a try.

Other than the fact that I found it easier to use a needle rather than a crochet hook, I followed her lock look method and my love for rerooting took off from there.

photo courtesy of Sherri

Many people who want me to reroot their Blythe tell me they just could never do it themselves because it takes so much time. It IS tedious and takes me from 16-18 hours to reroot a Blythe scalp. However, for me, the tedious nature of rerooting is relaxing. I love working and playing with the saran and getting to use so many fun colors, especially the thermal saran that changes color depending on the temperature.


photo courtesy of Sherri

photo courtesy of Sherri

I like to always keep my customers updated, and I found that the best was to do that was to use photos. So, taking photos of my reroots in progress has also become a fun challenge...trying to come up with new ways to display the scalps and hair. Not every progress photo I take can be exciting. Sometimes life is too hectic, or no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to squeeze one ounce of imagination or creativity out of myself. But sometimes I come up with an idea and capture a picture that makes me smile.

photo courtesy of Sherri

I put together a tutorial to help people who want to reroot their Blythe, HERE. I really encourage people to try it. They may be surprised to find that they enjoy it as much as I do.

R: Your knitting is also quite amazing. The dresses with little pom poms are just adorable. (note to self: must dress at least one girl in a Pom Pom Dress) has this been a lifelong hobby, or did you begin knitting just for Blythe?

photo courtesy of Sherri

S: One of my best friends, who I met through Blythe, Rebecca (glamourfae), taught me how to knit in 2009. I knit some things for my Blythes and other smaller dolls, but didn't really get into knitting regularly until earlier this year when Kathie (kathiep) was so very generous and shared a babydoll top pattern with me.

photo courtesy of Sherri

I remember knitting a bunch of them and thinking they looked so plain and I wanted to add some type of embellishment. I have a love of pompoms, so Tada!..I stuck a pompom on a dress, thinking nobody other than me would like such a silly thing. To my surprise, lots of people loved the idea, so I've continued to make them whenever I have time. I've also developed some of my own knit patterns for Blythe, including two that I offer for free, a Poofy Panty Onesie and a Plain Onesie.

photo courtesy of Sherri

You can find those patterns on www.ravelry.com. (You can join for free)

R: It is quite obvious photography is also a passion of yours with the fabulous sets you have on your flickr page. Do you remember when that began and has the love affair with Blythe enhanced the fun with photo opportunities?

S: I have to credit Blythe for my passion for taking photos. If it weren't for learning how to photograph my Blythe dolls, I don't believe I would have ever began taking photos of the other things I enjoy, such as insects, animals, food, etc.

photo courtesy of Sherri

photo by Sherri

I now rarely ever leave home without a camera or a doll of some kind.

R: I know you attended Blythcon in Portland recently. What can you tell our readers about this event and what were some of the highlights for you? Do you plan on attending Blythcon 2012 in Texas?

Blythecon is a convention for people who love Blythe. There have been Blythecon events held all over the world. They are planned and hosted by different groups of people, so they all vary as to specifics.


photo courtesy of Sherri

From what I've experienced, based on the two that I have attended in the US, there are vendors selling Blythe clothing, accessories and dolls; a raffle for prize giveaways; and, of course, lots of people just hanging out, getting to know each other and playing with dolls.

photo courtesy of Sherri

Here is the website for the Blythecon that is being held in Dallas, Texas next year ~
This brings me to what I consider to be the best thing about Blythe. through my love of Blythe, Ive gotten to know so many amazing, generous, creative people whose friendships I treasure. Attending Blythecon in Portland was a dream come true because I got to meet so many of these friends from across the country, even from around the world. This is what made Blythecon truly special....the people.

Yes, I am planning on attending Blythecon 2012 in Dallas, and I hope to be able to make it to all of the future US Blythecon events! Maybe I will even be able to make it to an international Blythecon some day.

R: And last, but not even close to being the least, how many Blythes are in residence at this writing and do you have a favorite doll or mold?

S: I have 15 Blythes. I thought long and hard and I could not pick a favorite doll. It's impossible. I can say that I feel the most attached to my Kenners and to Nina, my Poupee Mecanique mohair girl.

None of my Kenners are what you would call 'minty' girls. In fact, they were all tlc girls and that is exactly why I love them so. I love their history, their quirks, their flaws...it makes them special. There is a story behind each of them and I like to think about how they came to be in the condition they were found. There's Binne, my 'oldest' Kenner, with her lash-less eyes, broken eye mechanism and a scalp that doesn't want to stay on.

photo courtesy of Sherri

Mary Ester, well, she's in a wheelchair, has one droopy eye, and no lashes on the other.

photo courtesy of Sherri

Sally is just a broken head..ha!

photo courtesy of Sherri

Bougie had yellow eyes, chips that needed put back in, pale coloring, really minor flaws, but she was bought from a friend which makes her very special.

As far as a favorite mold, although the majority of my Blythes are EBL mold, I also really love the RBL girls. I would love to keep my Blythe family at 15, but if a special Kenner caught my eye or an amazing new RBL release, I don't know if I would be able to resist.

Thank you for wanting to get to know me and learn about my love for Blythe!

photo courtesy of Sherri

A final note:

So, there you have it, my friends. Another aspect of this wonderful obsession we know as Blythe. I am having so much fun with these interviews. Getting to know these wonderful artisans and collectors is a total blast and I feel like my circle of friends just gets bigger and bigger. I hope you visit each of these gals and say hello....and maybe even tell them you read about them here on Faerieluna.

I can promise there are more to come. My goal is to have a new one up late Friday night......until the series ends....and we have more converts...

................."muwahahaha"