Haute Lady on Livejournal

No More Sickness!!!

Thu, 01 May 2008 19:27:49 GMT

I am happy that I am home and feeling a ton better. I got the lovely pleasure of my sinus infection mutating into something wrong which landed me the hospital. I am happy to report that my sickies are gone and I'm read to resume my doll addiction. LOL

I did get some work done on Lia, my girl now has her beautiful Green eyes and freckles to boot but I need to take them off and redo them because I want them to look more natural. I have to get the right sand paper though because I don't want to mess up the face. I also need to get some extender for my paints so I can get the look that I wanting to achieve.

I made her a complete crochet set (cap, top and skirt) but I haven't been able to get pictures taken yet because of being so sick. So I hope to be able to get some done this weekend. Oh yeah, I almost forgot that her scalp arrived too. I am think that I will make her wig because I want to be able to change her hair when the mood strikes me. LOL I mean the scalp is bald already, so it's not like I am taking her hair out. But there is more to the whole fixation with wigs but more on that later. ~_^

Just sharing some thoughts....

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:59:56 GMT

While I was sick in bed, I received some really awesome doll inspiration magazines that I highly recommend to anyone doll collector. Haute Doll Magazine is like eye candy for the doll sweet tooth. It got me to thinking deep within myself about where I want my doll designs to go and all that stuff and I have come to the conclusion that I would really like to create OOAK collector dolls and fashions. I am tailoring the fashion to one type of fashion doll but the complete package (doll, accessories and fashion) to another type of doll. I think it would make my dolls and their fashions even more special with me specializing in two particular dolls. I'm not ready to reveal what type of dolls just yet but I think that it will be worth the wait. Just for the record it will not be a blythe or pullip or even an obitsu. Stay tuned as my mind continues to wander. Does a designer ever take a day off???

My Own Doll Rescue Mission

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:18:17 GMT

After being sick and hospitalized with a severe sinus/ear infection, I was happy to see some good fortune. For the last couple of weeks I have been talking about my dollies that I was wanting to arrive and all that good stuff. I am happy to announce that my PD2A face plates arrived yesterday as well as my eyes. I also received the Pullip Chill body too. So it goes without saying that yesterday was a good mail day. LOL

Now here is why I said that I have my own doll rescue mission. I would like for you to meet my newest little girls in the Dollhouse.

First, my chill body at first didn't have a head BUT now it does. No I still haven't found a Pullip head and even if I did I now can't use this body for that as I have modified it to fit my obitsu 27cm head. Yes you read that correctly. My pullip body is now paired with my 27cm obitsu head. Hey people swap out the pullip body for the obitsu... I just wound up doing the opposite... gotta go against the grain you know. Check her out... I am still deciding on her name tho so she will remain nameless for the moment. LOL *** Please excuse her nudity ***

Next is my frakenblythe Lia. I have already named her even though she isn't quite herself just yet. I have received almost everything to complete her BUT I still need to find her some hair and eyelashes. I should have a scalp on the way relatively soon so she will not be hairless for long. Yes I know she is different because I am using acrylic eyes vs. the traditional eye mechanism. Those darn things are hard to come by and I have been looking diligently for one too. Hopefully one day she will have one but if not, it's alright because she is still a pretty girl.

Lastly, I am currently working on getting a Tyler Wentworth that isn't in that great condition but I'm up to the challenge. ~_^ I can't believe how addicting this is becoming and how quickly it has happened. I was warned by a couple of people when I first made my inquiry a few weeks back and they all said once you start you can't stop. Geesh, they are soo right. LOL

On a up not though, it's kinda of good that my hubby isn't paying too much attention to my new found addiction. He's sort of been preoccupied with his own new found addiction... basketball trading cards!

Meet Miss Nevaeh

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:50:36 GMT

I wanted to share with you all my newest little girl... a pink haired Little Big Eyes doll named Miss Nevaeh. She is my first doll in out 20 years. ^_^ She just wanted to say hello!

Dress made by Le Petit Boutique

Doing Happy Dance!!

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 01:46:20 GMT

My takara blythe body arrived yesterday while I was shopping for my LBE customization stuff which she should be here tomorrow. But that's not why I am doing the happy dance. I am happy to report that my takara blythe body will not be headless for long. I was able to score a RBL Prima Dolly 2 Aubrey (PD2A) head that shipped out to me today. So I am now the proud mama to a PD2A minus the eyes and scalp. Yay!!!

Front Face Plate Back Face Plate

My takara blythe body
Dress made by Le Petit Boutique

I'm happy because it's coming to me already sand matted which I won't lie I was afraid to do and that's why I wanted to d it on my LBE first. LOL I already told you... $10 mess up is easier to swallow than a $100 mess up!!!

Next on my list of stuff to get her is an eye mechanism and scalp. I'm really don't care if the scalp is bald/ hairless because I want to create my own wigs for her anyways. I am thinking about getting a scalp from Cool Cat but I have heard that they don't fit well. Since this is my personal doll not for sale, I'm going to make it work out. LOL

LBE Customization Shopping List

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:05:24 GMT

So later on today I am going shopping for some stuff to customize my LBE. I didn't know how lacking I was in "regular" craft supplies. LOL I mean anything that has to do with fashion design and sewing up the clothing, I can roll with the best of them. I have fabrics ranging from organic/sustainable fibers (hemp, bamboo, organic cotton) to designer cottons (amy butler, robert kaufman, etc.) but normal things like acrylic paint, paint brushes and that sort of stuff. I just don't have. LOL So here is my list of stuff that I am going to be picking up on my trip to the craft store.

1/2 to 1 yd of buckram ... to make my own wig caps for my doll
acrylic paints ... black, white, red
acrylic paint extender
chalk pastels set
sandpaper

Can you believe that Jo-Anns sells all these things? I'm going to be using my 40% coupon on the most expensive item... the chalk pastels. I have never ventured into the other part of the store that didn't pertain to sewing or crocheting. LOL

New Doll Arriving Soon!!

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 05:31:00 GMT

Yes, I have my first doll coming. Temptation got the best of me and I lost all of my self-discipline!! LOL Yesterday I was browsing around the various boards to see what I could see and I came across a Little Big Eyes (LBE) doll for $10 shipped! If you were to look on eBay right now they are going for no less than $19.00 NOT including shipping. So I knew that I got a GREAT deal! While most people look at this doll as being a Blythe "rip-off", I'm looking at it as an opportunity to have a go at customizing a doll that have the color changing eyes features as the Blythe. Not that I have money to throw away but I won't feel bad if I mess up a $10 doll vs a $100 doll! I have heard bad things about their bodies being a piece of junk BUT what do I already have on hand here??? Yep, you guessed it... not only do I have a 23cm obitsu body that I can swap it out for but a Blythe body too. LOL I will most likely put it on the obitsu body because of the whole articulation thing but I will see what it will look like on the Blythe body too.

I can't wait for my new doll to arrive because I already have an image in mind of how I want her to look and all the customizations that I want to do to her. For starters, I already know that I am either going to sand or spray matte her face because it's way too shiny for my liking... well that is how it appears in the photos anyway. Then I am deciding other whether I am going to re-root her head with mohair or saran. I am thinking that I may just make her a couple of wigs so I don't have to worry about re-rooting if I decide that I want to change her image. She will also be receiving a tatt like her mommy... just not my exact tatt but she will be getting one. She may also get a couple of piercings too. Her makeup will DEFINITELY get changed because the stock colors ARE NOT pretty AT ALL!! I am also thinking about changing her eye chips too. So those are a couple of customizations that I plan to do.

I did want to say that I know my willpower really sucked but I'm happy with myself because remember that buyers remorse I talked about earlier? Well I wound up having buyers remorse after I bought the Dollfie Plus and wound up getting a refund for that doll which I entail turned around and bought the LBE doll instead. So when you look at the big picture, I really did save money all around. LOL I guess it was really meant for me to get the LBE and not the Dollfie Plus because I am totally content with this purchase while I wasn't when I had purchased the Dollfie Plus. I do still need to get a body for the 27cm obitsu head that I got. LOL But I will worry about that another day. :o)

Why Is SAVING Money So Hard??

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:12:10 GMT

Okay besides taking care of your household by paying bills, putting food in the house and gas in the car... it seems like there is a new doll that peeks your interest when you are saving up for another doll. I speak the TRUTH!!! Here I am saving up for the Essential Redhead Ellowyne and I come across a nude Pullip that I can purchase RIGHT NOW! LOL I can see how people get into trouble with these darn dolls. It's like a real addiction, I look over the various boards to see what is newly up for sale like I have the money hoping to come across a really good deal that I can't pass up and I have come across a couple that I have debated contacting the poster BUT I will have to say that I am learning a lesson in self-discipline. I think my doll ADD is attributed to how our world IS so instant gratification for almost EVERYTHING! How about buyers remorse. Anyone else suffer from buyers remorse? I know I have in the past and I know with this new addiction that I will suffer from it again!

I think I need HELP!!!

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 06:10:38 GMT

Move over Blythe and Pullip there is a new 16" girl stealing my heart and her name is Ellowyne Wilde by Robert Tonner.

Essential Ellowyne – Redhead
Photo taken by Wild Imagination

Isn't she pretty?? I was looking on eBay the other day for some eyes for my obitsu and I don't know how I came across this beautiful doll but I did. I came across a repaint of this doll and she was GORGEOUS!!!! I can honestly say that I want one of these dolls more than I want a Pullip or Blythe!! The one that I really want is the Redhead, so I am going to save my money for this doll!!!!

On the hunt!!!

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:41:50 GMT

I am on the hunt for a Pullip head to make my own custom doll. I know this is like one of the hardest things to come across but I want to find me one. I know some may think that Pullips aren't that expensive but in my house most of our money goes to paying for our car note, insurance and gas for our Dodge Durango plus the basics... rent, utility and cell bills. Not to forget food. LOL Did I forget to mention that I also am the mother of 4 little people (7, 4, 2 and 13 mos). So let's just say that the money that I am wanting to spend on a doll is actually be spent on the living dolls in my house. LOL

So what I am doing to try to raise funds for this new addiction? Well I am selling of stuff that I am no longer using to help me get started. I am even going to dust off my sewing machines and crochet hooks to make some stuff to help generate the needed funds to purchase some dolls. I mean I have over 15 years experience in the sewing department and 8 in the crochet department. So I can say that I know what I am doing here. LOL I have decided to use my etsy shop, Zen Luxe Design Co., where I am selling graphic design stuff on to sell my sewn/crocheted designs.

Renewing My Youth

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:05:31 GMT

It's really weird how with my searching for the perfect doll has also brought me to a place where I am rediscovering myself. In high school I was such a Sanrio freak. I mean whenever I would get a little bit of money saved up I would be up at the Sanrio purchasing Badtz Maru and Pochacco stuff. After so many years of being out of the loop, I was surprised to see all the new (to me) characters. I can say that I am going to retire Badtz Maru and Pochacco and start anew. So who are my newest favorites...

Aren't they so kawaii!

Feedback

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 05:50:22 GMT

Please leave me some feedback if we've done business together. It'd be appreciated!

Positive: 2
Neutral: 0
Negative: 0

Please note that at this time, I'm a new seller/trader on livejournal but I have feedback on etsy.

Doll Home Decor Line!!

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 05:20:47 GMT

Okay I have always wanted my own fashion line... actually I have designed clothing for little girls for the last 6 years but I am ready for a change. Not to mention that I am inspired because I am currently redecorating my WHOLE house. LOL At first I was thinking about doing only a clothing line for my sweet Cayenne and her friends BUT now I will also add a home decor line. While all girls love to dress chic they love to be able to live in the lap of luxury . LOL So my sweet Cayenne will not only have a couture to knock your socks but her home will be the best decorated. LOL

Just had to get my ideas down in writing so I can't go back. LOL

My Pullips Wishlist

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:14:47 GMT

While I think Blythe dolls are beautiful and hope to get a few. I will have to say that my favorite JP dolls are Pullips. I would love to design for them. I take that back, I am going to design for them once my Chill body arrives. Here are the Pullips currently on my wishlist. ;o)

Little Red Riding Hood

Nomado

Cornice

Stica

Souseiseki

Rida

Afternoon

Withered

Theres is one more doll that I would love to welcome into my home EXCEPT she’s unattainable right now. I will get her in the future. Without further ado, meet Miss Prunella.

Prunella

All photos are taken from Pullip Style Online Shop

I have arrived!!

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:13:34 GMT

Actually I already have another livejournal for Ana Aya & Co. my pure loose mineral cosmetics line but I needed a journal for posts that I don't feel that should go on my business blog. So I've started this blog for just that... actually this blog is more for my newest obsession... dolls! Yes dolls. LOL My current obsessions are with Blythes and Pullips but I think I am more partial to the pullips as they seem more chic to me. :o)

Thanks to a pattern drafting class that I took awhile back, I started looking at various fashion dolls to test design ideas on but it was pushed to the back of mind until recently when I was browsing around flickr. I came across some really awesome outfits. It got my wheels turning and my mind going a little more on my own designs. What a great way to test out my designs and expand my knowledge? Best of all, I get to play with dolls again!