18 posts tagged “customization”

My doll is here, I just have to pick her up from the post office at lunch today! Actually she was here yesterday - and that amazes me.

When I got the email saying she was shipped, the customizer didn't include a time frame. So, I went onto the USPS site and I walked through one of their little forms to find out how long it would take (and cost) to ship her to me. They said that priority mail, fully insured, delivery in two days would cost 2/3 of what I spent on UPS. Its made me reconsider if I want to send my girl up to this woman who is making a custom outfit for me. She's said that it would fit better if she had the doll to fit it to - but that it wasn't required. I'd like this outfit (multiple pieces, and expensive - though worth the work) to fit the best so I'm wondering now.

Anyhow, I'm excited to get her as she's been gone for a little over a month.

The customizer has finished with Byeol and she's speeding her way back to me! Here are some pictures that she sent me (warning: doll nudity). I'll be excited to get her back, with her head permanently attached :) I think then I'll be able to name her as when I say "Byeol" out loud it sounds like... Bile, except a little funny because I do pronounce the 'O'.

Show us your current art or crafting project.

This is my current project - my Tailor Gibson Blythe doll. I'm customizing her - but have undoubtedly failed and botched the whole job. When taking her eye mechanism out, I broke the loop the pushes over the clips on the arc - and had to replace it with a different model's arc. The replacement however, is not working and I fear I've ruined her beyond repair. The real bummer is that I had plans to fashion her after someone special and I'll not be able to do that anymore.

I've gotten a few suggestions so far as fixes go. Someone suggested that I find an SBL to replace the current ADG arc (which replaced the RBL), but I don't have a SBL to spare so I don't think I could try that. Other suggestions included loosening the t-bar, which I'll definitely try. I had one thought, when I was pushing her eye balls back onto the post, I think I might have pushed one too far - the one that actually has the notched ring that the arc interacts with. Perhaps if that is pressed to far in - the arc wont be able to change? I'll try it out.

Show us something you made by hand.

Look at the awesome eye chips that just got delivered! I ordered these awhile back with the intention of taking out Ruth's (STA) dark, dark, dark eye chips and replacing them with Lowri's (HH) and then giving Lowri new chips. However - that's all changed now. I like Lowri's chips and I'm selling Ruth so I have these four sets in limbo right now. I can't give them to Steren as she has her own custom ones, I can't give them to Talullah because she's staying as stock as I can keep her (and she has one set of front-facing custom chips as well), I can't give them to Odessa because she has custom chips, so that only leaves Aislin and my new girl who I've yet named - Tailor Gibson.

I guess I could give them to Tailor Gibson - I'm already planning a major customization on her anyhow - and then keep Tailor's for another girl (as I really do love them)... I really love having Aislin as stock as I can keep her so I don't think I'll be giving them to her (despite her one set of purple front facing chips).

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

All I know is that I'm in love with these chips and I hope to use them soon. If you look closely, you'll notice that they aren't like regular Blythe chips. Instead of straight lines for the spokes that make up the iris - they're actually loops! The colors are also wildly vibrant (pictures don't do them justice, damn the sickening overhead lighting in my office!) and I think they'll really bring out the beauty in any girl :]

With my previous resolve, I'm now thinking of what to do that wont cost money. First thoughts? Customize my Tailor Gibson! I'm so excited now that I've thought of it because it really wont cost me any money at all. She's an RBL so I also will be able to do the customizations without too much worry or work. So my plans are:

Matte finish (haven't decided if I'm going to sand-matte her or use a spray (I'd like to spray to keep her current make-up), but spray is $20+)
Boggled eyes
Painted eye lids
Bangs thickened & lengthened
Hair cut (possibly, depending on hair type...)
New lashes (my first girl with new lashes!)

I've really wanted to try my hand at customizing but I've been to scared because all of the dolls I've gotten have been either A) Expensive B) Wanted them stock or C) SBL and so therefore a bit more difficult and limiting when it comes to customizations without serious effort.

I'm so excited!!!

Blythe customizers who act like they're God. I just hate it. I hate that just because they have beautiful dolls they can act like complete assholes. I was reading this eBay ad where the seller had this list of rules that could have been stated so much better.

"I don't end auctions early, DON'T ASK"
"I've seen copies of my work. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR."
"I don't reproduce my work, DON'T ASK."

That's just rude. I don't care how nice the doll is. I don't care that the bid is almost $1000. You can still be nice. Look at Cat. She's the nicest when it comes to her raffles/auctions and her work is just as "nice" (in my opinion better though, because she's not a bitch!) and she has a lot of the same conditions. They act like they're the first ones to ever paint up a Blythe. Please, get a clue. It may be OOAK - but that doesn't mean you haven't taken someone's idea too. I know for a fact that Cat has done a "Queen" theme already...

Tsk, tsk, tsk - some of you customizers have lost your way.

Odessa's customizations are done! I'm going to pay for her and have her sent back to me and I'm so excited! So let's run down the list of customizations that were done...

Eye Shadow
Eye Lid Painting
Eye Boggling
Gaze Correction
Freckles
Painted Lips

Plus, she was sealed with Mr Super Clean matte spray and apparently I chipped her eye hole a bit when I took out her eye chips myself and so she sanded down that for me as well - which ended up giving her this really pretty, soft, almond shape to her eyes. I love it! I'm so happy I went with the customizer I did because she was fantastic! She kept great communication, she was willing to work around both of our schedules and her price was fantastic!

I may have mentioned this already, but I've found a customizer for my MRB named Odessa, and I'm so excited! Even with the additional work I've requested - the price is still great! The downside is that she's on vacation until the 30th of June so I can't send out Odessa until then. I'm really excited to see what she's going to be able to do and I just hope that the new Odessa can find a place in my heart next to my other girls. Here are some pictures of the customizer's work:

I really like these lips, she painted them to show me an example of what she was able to do when it came to "detailed" lips. Now my lips aren't going to look like this - simply because these lips are carved - but I really like the color and the transparency.

Carved, Detail Painted Lips

Here's a good example of her pastel work. I like the soft color blend and the symmetry between the two eyes. She wont be doing this black color on Odessa, but she will be doing color around the entire eye - some reds & peaches.

Custom

4 comments

Oooh! I'm very excited now. I've ordered some Mr. Super Clean for the sealant so I wont have to have the semi- gloss but I will be able to protect the work. I've also ordered her eye chips from Gina and they should be here any day! She's all coming together now and I just can't wait!

ALL IMAGES ARE PROPERTY OF MEGGILU OF FLICKR.

I've found a customizer! I'm so excited I just hope it doesn't fall through. I found her on TiB in the Blythe Mall section and I just hope that she's as good as her thread seems. I've heard of so many botched custom jobs (courtesy of Bad Dolly Deals) that I'm frightened that my expectations wont meet the results and I'll be disappointed. The plus side to all of this is that, as I've posted earlier, I haven't bonded that well with my MRB named Odessa so if she's not done exactly how I would have wanted her done it'll still be an improvement over my inability to bond.

What I've asked for is:
Lips (I provided a picture of the style I like)
Eye Lids & Shadow (two-toned, any suggestions on colors?)
Blush (light, natural)
Freckles (light, natural)
Boggled Eyes (none of my girls have boggled eyes!)
Superior Gaze Correction ('cause she is Superior and her head will all ready be open)

She quoted me an excellent price (1/3 of the price of the other customizer I had asked to do the work - who later said she wasn't making customs anymore) for the first three items that I added on the last three. I haven't heard her new quote I just hope it doesn't skyrocket. She's indicated it would only take about two or three days - though that was before I added on three more requests :) She's also located in NJ so I won't have to send her out of the country which I was also worried about (though NJ is pretty far!)

Does anyone have any suggestions on questions or concerns I should voice? I've already asked about her method for opening her head (as I was concerned about gaps in the reattachment of the scalp) and she's told me she uses the boiling method and wont be detaching the scalp from the dome (which is great because it's not needed!). She also indicated that she'd be using a semi-gloss sealant - but I've asked her for clarification on what type of color mediums shes going to use because I'd prefer if she wasn't sealed. I've never had a doll customized and I've never done this kind of work so I'd appreciate ANY suggestions!