Creating a 'Look'

I have been dying to create a series of cute tops and dresses a la The Future or Button Arcade. The trick to any good line is that they are recognizable, cute, and simple enough to make (you can't spend 15 hours sewing and sell something for 15.00...and no one is going to spend 60.00 on a doll dress unless you're Eurotrash or someone uber famous within Dolly-land)

So, I dragged my feet and hemmed and hawed. I though, "I can make pants! Yeah! Pants." Well, pants are hard. I hate sewing pants. I don't want to sew pants. You put a pair of jeans on a girl, even well made jeans with working, cute lil pockets, and they are still just what she is wearing with her cute top. The focus is on the shirts.

I decided to try and sew once Elsa arrived. I have been racking up dolly bills, and let's face it; headbands don't earn me enough fast enough. My plan is to expand into sewing, offer some 'complete outfit sets' and also some painted eye chips. I need to raise and save (therein lies the trick!) some money for Blythe con. Yes, I can swing GOING to Blythe con...but I want to be able to SHOP at Blythe con!


So Elsa's dress at the top is the first of my efforts. I based it on this cute little baby top/dress I found online. It has an empire waist and a square neck. I rather like it on Elsa. I swear that girl looks good in everything (I said the same about Fawn. BL girls are so happenin') The first thing I made was a shirt, where nothing lined up properly, and then today I was more careful. Tomorrow I will try to nail down the patterns and 'refine' my efforts.

Elsa is Here!

I'm feeling a sense of completion in my little Blythe family. I know I say this after every new addition, but I really feel this is it. With the addition of a Kozy, of course. I am thinking about moving one or two girls on, and welcoming my final two BLs.

The first of those two to move in arrived today while I was at work...my beautiful Elsa made it from South Korea in record time (thank you, EMS). Since the tracking info fooled me into thinking that delivery today was impossible, I was even MORE pleasantly surprised to find Elsa waiting for me at the of a really long 'red day' at work.

I took a few rushed photos tonight, caught up on webby stuff, and I am still hoping to sew...so I hope this post and un-inspired photo are enough for now!

How NOT to save for a Kozy

Step 1: Spend all of your etsy earnings on Button Arcade dresses.
Step 2: Decide that you really can't sell any of your dolls, as you are quite attached to your current family.
Step 3: Don't bother sewing for your etsy shop or creating anything new to draw attention or generate more sales.
Step 4: Buy a Rosie Red instead.

Photo belongs to pink-fairy, not me!

I am beyond excited for this little beauty to arrive next week (this week?! Haha) I have decided to name her Elsa, and I will post more about her shortly, after I can take some of my own photos!

Punk Rock Girl

I know that I have been spreading myself too thin with Blythe projects (and other projects). Embarking on making Yula into the doll that I purchased her to be was definitely part of that over tasking. I was already in the middle of customizing Hana, working on the dollhouse, sewing, and my 365, amongst other things.

After Riley was born I painted Yulas lips and colored her lids. I changed her chips. I ordered hair for her highlights and it was the wrong color. I never finished fixing her chips; never gave her lashes. If you remember my last post about Yula, I painted her lids and totalled her lashes sealing them. I still didn't do her highlights.

Well, I finally got some purple hair. To be safe, I ordered TWO different purples. I'm glad I did, because the one worked really well. I put in her highlights, gave her purple and black lashes, and bought her some clothing just for her.

I couldn't be happier.

Claribari Headbands on Etsy

With the burst of energy I seem to have received when the date changed from 12/31/2011 to 1/1/2012, I have poured a lot of energy into my etsy shop. Initially I tried to sell headbands, some dresses, and even patterns. I have a hard time getting started sewing, so I decided to focus on headbands first.


In the past two weeks I have updated the shop with several sets of headbands, many of which are completely NEW! I have also created some ribbon wrapped headbands as well as this fabulous Valentine's antennae headband! Doesn't Cassie look happy?

The other day I had my fiftieth sale on etsy! I never thought I'd have that many, but now I am excited for more! To celebrate I am offering a coupon code for 15% off of your order. The coupon code to enter at checkout is: FABFIFTY

As some of you know, all of the profits from my etsy sales are being saved toward my Kozy Kape!

So...

(MorgantOrton's Photo!)

...I suck at saving.

Saving for a Dream Dollie

Oh sure, I've read and seen it a million places. "Selling sundries to fund my dream girl." "Adopting out a few dollies to raise some funds for my Grail Girl." Etc. I have even read articles about actually setting aside separate savings for dolls and doll-related stuff. Anyone who knows me, knows that saving just isn't my style (even though it should be!)

But at least I can finally say that I'm one of those people! I was pretty fortunate with dolls so far. I used a birthday and a Christmas to fund two girls, sewing money for another, etc. I have never had to actually save for a doll...but then again, no doll in my collection costs quite as much as a Kozy.

I posted awhile back about how Kozy fever hit. Shortly after a BK member posted a Kozy on the forums and I just about died. I wanted this particular Kozy SO badly, but there was no way I could raise the funds that quickly. Forget "selling this or that" I don't have anything to part with that would even come close. I decided after she sold that I would work on my etsy shop.


I posted several new sets of headbands and a ribbon wrapped one. I am happy to report that all of those, as well as some I posted the night after, have already sold! I am keeping the money from the etsy sales in my Paypal account and saving (gasp!) the balance for my Kozy! I am already 1/14 of the way there (which sounds better to me than it does to you, I'm sure) There will be another shop update tonight, and so far, all of the 'plastic' headband sets that I sell are being restocked immediately.

If you have purchased or plan to, THANK YOU!!! for helping me fund my Kozy!