Doll-worthy Reading

[I apologize for a duplicate post, if you also follow the Fashion Doll Review, but it's really good reading, and I think you should visit this site!]

If you love sewing for your dolls of all sizes (including BJDs!), be sure to check out Lori's blog, Sew Many Doll Clothes. She has great articles and fantastic photos, and her sewing is really cute! 

Her latest post includes photos of Berdine's Creedy new ballet cutie, Pepper-Mint. Pepper-Mint includes a ballerina costume, but Lori actually made her a real tutu with tights. She's just adorable. So go find her post and follow her blog!

Elfdoll Sylf

Elfdoll Sylf, originally uploaded by alington.

The newest Elfdoll fairy, Sylf, made her arrival on Saturday. I found her used on Den of Angels, and she has some really unique (and cool) modifications. Her high heels have been modified to bare feet, and she's wired. Plus, she has this very cool wig. I think she's just adorable.

Like my other Elfdoll fairies, she's 14 cm (5.5") and a resin ball-jointed doll. This is her original outfit. I'll need to take photos in the other ones that were included--they suit her much better, I think!

See the rest of her photo shoot on my Flickr photostream.

Kai in the Rain

Kai in the window, originally uploaded by alington.

I had to make sure to dust the window sill before taking these photos. But I didn't bother cleaning the window. So sorry!

More rainy day photos from usually sunny San Diego:

Kai stands at only about 5.5" (14 cm) tall. She's a resin ball-jointed doll by Elfdoll. No matter what, we just can't keep her happy. She's currently my favorite tiny. I love her grumpy face.

See the rest of her photo shoot on Flickr.

Olivia in the window

Olivia in the window, originally uploaded by alington.

We don't get much rain in San Diego, so I take every chance we get as a photo op. Please forgive the next (probably sickening) photo sessions.

Olivia has been having problems standing up--she's kind of kicky--so I wired her with pipe cleaner, which I threaded through her lower leg and knee joint, then up through her thigh. It's really helped her to stand. In celebration, we took photos today!

Elfdoll Olivia stands only 5.5" (14 cm) tall. She' s a resin ball-jointed doll by Elfdoll.

See the rest of her photoshoot on Flickr.

Cookie with new glass eyes

Cookie with new glass eyes, originally uploaded by alington.

I'm slowly learning how to photograph dolls with glass eyes without making them look creepy. I'm having mixed success. This photo came out all right.

Here is Island Cookie, redressed in Aster by DollHeart, with a DollHeart wig. She's wearing glass eyes in pale violet (which belonged to SoulDoll Amy). When you shoot them straight on, they look just fine, without the creepy other-worldly glow.

You can see the rest of her (somewhat creepy) photoshoot on my Flickr photostream. She sure is a fun little doll!

Olivia, sleeping in my hand

Olivia, originally uploaded by alington.

It's teeny tiny sleeping Olivia. I know, I know. She's not a Barbie. She's a ball-jointed doll, created by Elfdoll. And she's only 5-1/2" (14 cm) tall! But she's so cute I had to share another photo of her.

Olivia is dressed in a one-of-a-kind outfit by Nancie of Nankatts. It's a miniature mod Alice in Wonderland dress, designed for a 5" Goodreau doll, so it's a bit big for her, but it's not too bad cinched up with a ribbon.

You can see more of Olivia on my Flickr photostream.

[Yesterday was my birthday, by the way, and I got a new doll--the Hershey Barbie--as a gift from my sister and her husband. I still need to take photos of her. She's so pretty! I just didn't get to it before the sun set today!]

Two Alices

Goth Alice and Isabella, originally uploaded by alington.

For those of you who don't follow my other blog, the Fashion Doll Review, you may not know I'm obsessed with Alice in Wonderland. So, I'll start posting some Alice-related photos on this blog, too.

These are 12" and about 10.5" resin ball jointed dolls, dressed in Alice costumes. The light blonde on the left is Goth Alice by Goodreau Doll. She was my first BJD, and the one doll who got it all started. She's wearing an outfit by Berdine Creedy called Dressed Up Alice.

The doll on the right is a white skin Isabella by Bobobie. She actually belongs to my daughter Kate, who added the body blushing (check out the shading by her joints and her toes). Her outfit was created for Snappy dolls (by Goodreau), but she can wear fashions for larger (and older) Barbie dolls.

You can see the rest of the photos from this shoot on my Flickr account.

I hear that both Barbie and Tonner Doll are coming out with Tim Burton authorized dolls this year, but I haven't seen any preview photos of these dolls, yet. I'm sure you'll see some of these added to my collection later on.

Wednesday Tea For Me And Thee

Cookie and Olivia, originally uploaded by alington.

Cookie has found something in her tea cup! It's Olivia, taking a little catnap.

Island Cookie is a full-set doll (27 cm or about 10.5 inches), and she's dressed in Aster by DollHeart. Wig and shoes also by DollHeart. Olivia is by Elfdoll, and she's 14 cm (5.5 inches) tall. She's dressed in a gown by Clochette of Pixiedust Designs. The teacup belonged to my grandmother.

This post is the brain child of Wanda Lee of the Silken Purse. You can participate as well, if you post tea-related photos on your blog and leave a comment on her blog. I think it's a fun theme, and great for doll-related photos, too.

New to BJDs?

If you're new to ball-jointed dolls and are interested in them, you might want to check out the first in a series of articles I am writing for Dolls Magazine. It's written for beginning BJD collectors, and it'll be a great starting-off point, if you're interested in learning more about ball-jointed dolls, or if you're looking into buying your first BJD.

Olivia, asleep.

Olivia, originally uploaded by alington.

Before we take down our Christmas tree, I have to get out the camera and snap some more photos of my dolls.

This is Olivia, have a little shut-eye and a moment of Zen, enjoying the quiet after a bustling Christmas season. She's only 14 cm (5.5") tall, and remains one of my favorite BJDs. She's so tiny and cute.

You'd think she wouldn't be very practical, with her permanently closed eyes, but she's surprisingly versatile and very cute. I've actually seen one of these girls with her eyes modified and opened. She was adorable also!

Check out the rest of her set on Flickr.

Brownie Pepe and Kai

Brownie Bebe and Kai, originally uploaded by alington.

Introducing Brownie Pepe (full-set), resin BJD by FelixDoll. She's about 11.5 cm tall (4.5 inches) which makes her shorter than my Elfdoll fairies, Kai and Olivia.

Pepe was actually a gift for my daughter for her ninth birthday. (I bought her used, and she included an extra outfit and several other wigs.) Kate was thrilled to have her very own ball-jointed doll.

Brownies are highly articulated, fun to pose and have some weight to their chubby bodies. They can stand on their own very easily, and their wigs are magnetic, which makes them easy to change and stay on their heads.

As you can see, Kai is less than thrilled with her new buddy. You can see the rest of this photoshoot on Flickr.

Tuesday Tea for Two

Goodreau Tinies as Alice, originally uploaded by alington.

In celebration of the holiday season, I thought I'd try Tuesday Tea for Two, a blogging tea party idea I saw at the Plumed Pen of Wanda Lee.

My two lovelies are both Goodreau resin ball-jointed dolls. Ashlyn is 5" tall, and is dressed in a one-of-a-kind mod Alice outfit created for her by Nancie at Nankatts. Her wig and shoes are by Goodreau. Adeline Joy is dressed in a an outfit for Snappy dolls (also created by Goodreau). Her wig is handmade by Michele Hardy. Tea set is a Rement set. The tray of cookies is from a Tiny Kitty Christmas Hat Box set (Tonner Doll Company).

A Fairy Tiff...

A fairy tiff, originally uploaded by alington.

I have been posting photos of these girls on my other blog, the Fashion Doll Review. But they only measure 14 cm tall (about 5.5"), so from now on, my Elfdoll Tinies will be making their appearances here.

This is Kai, on the left, and Olivia, who apparently are in some stage of disagreement. When I walked in, they had both been trying on some new outfits they had received from the ball-jointed doll convention that was held on Saturday, December 5, here in San Diego. I bought the gowns from Clochette (from Pixiedust Deisgns), who has a wonderful collection of tinies herself. And wow, has my wish list ever multiplied. I hardly know where to start!

At any rate, Kai grabbed both necklaces for herself and got them tangled. Olivia apparently has had enough and said, "Fine! You just keep them!" And she's now on the pout.

So for those of you wondering why you'd need a sleeping face doll, here's an example of what you can  do with one. Olivia is definitely not sleeping here!

These girls are absolutely precious. They have personality bursting from their faces. You can move their arms just a tiny bit, and they seem to change expressions. Such fun!