The ^ < v Game! - Part 6

^ Firenze is a trauma surgeon, so he is well paid. Yumiko's a real estate attorney with a reliable job. Kit's a bar tender, so how much she makes varies. Conri works as a waiter part-time, and relies on the others to help support him.

< I've been meaning to go back to working on writing their stories, but I'm super excited about a sewing project for one of them.

V Do any of your dolls' characters have an odd or funny backstory?

 

^ I don't think its so much odd, but every time I've said that Feather owns a mansion she lives in, its surprising!

< Missing my dolls so much, when will i find a home

v have you ever been parted from your dolls for a long time?

 

^ Only on vacations, and even then, I usually take one or two with me. I still manage to find myself missing the ones I didn't bring.

< Getting ready to stalk the mailman today (I have incoming resin!)

v What's your favorite article of clothing for your doll/dolls?

 

^ I once altered a baby-size plaid button-down to fit my SD. It fits his look perfectly, I kind of really love it.

< Aaaaaah I have so much crafting to doooooooo

v What's your favorite eye color for your dolls?

 

^ I love green hazel eyes. Only one of my dolls has them, but that is because I have long since learned while creating characters in other mediums that if I don't pay attention they will all have green, brown, or green-brown eyes.

> Got up super early, still up super late. Thank goodness I have tomorrow to sleep it off.

v What is your favorite hair color for dolls?

 

^ For mine? Whatever I can find by way of Mohair or Suri. Anything from reddish blonde to shades of brown. I wish there were more long natural fibers available where I am, I'm still on the hunt for the perfect colour alpaca fiber for one of my dolls
As for what I like in general, that's hard to say. I've seen some amazing multi-colour wigs. I guess I'm more of a texture freak than partial to a specific colour.

< On the subject of colours, my new doll cabinet still needs some kind of wallpaper ...

v Where do you keep your dolls? Bonus for pics!

 

^ Normally I keep them out in a chair or on a shelf, but right now they're packed away. But here is a pic from where I used to keep them!



< long stressful day but feeling better now, once my phone is fixed...

v do you prefer phone or camera pictures?

 

^ I used to love camera pictures but I've gotten 3 cameras in a row that stopped working properly so I use my phone, then I discovered it has a pro setting that is better than any of those cameras. So I use my phone now.

< cooler nights are a blessing anything under 82F is a miracle this summer.

v Do you use a photo filter/effect and if you do which is your favorite?

 

^ When I take pics with my "real camera" I photoshop the hell out of them - I take everything in RAW so I don't have a choice. I have a few things I do to almost all the photos, mostly gradient maps or other layer filters. When I took photos with my iPhone 6 I filtered everything because the camera was terrible and I figured if it had the filter it looked like I did it on purpose. I used whatever I liked best at the time. My new iPhone has a much better camera so I just edit a little. Because I can't keep my hands out of the edits. It's my job (literally), I must edit everything.

> I finally finished some faceups over the weekend!! Just in time for the first new doll I've ordered all year (that wasn't a part to complete something already started) to arrive! He's cleared customs, so he's close.

V Do you make props for your dolls? If so, what?

 

^Hmm, props? To a degree I do make them, or plan to anyways. I've seriously been procrastinating on it (which is coming from being overworked over the last few semesters at uni), but I've got plans to make some cushions to convert an old wood doll bed into a futon, try my hand at slip covering some wood/wicker benches to make them look more like couches, tweak my diorama spaces to be more refined and polished (my outdoor styled one needs an overhaul)...and the list goes on. So, mainly....props that'll mostly function as furniture?

> Uni has artistically burnt me out, to the point that I get nervous just taking out a pencil to do some sketching. BJD faceups are about the only thing I have the energy to work on, which is good, since I have a few that need some redos...

V Do any of your dolls have a special animal companion? If so, what kind? (and photos?)

 

^ I do! Fluke has a bunny that i got him! It's plush, but he has no photos yet, but they'll be so cute!

< so much dolly inspiration

v where do your dolls stay when you want them out but not in your hands?

 

^ My dolls live on the bookshelf in my room. (It’s only about a foot off the ground and sits on carpet, so I’m not worried about falling!) I love being able to look over and see them all together~

< Eheh, the wonderful feeling when you find exactly what you were looking for secondhand on eBay. (Even if it’s not technically doll related.)

v Do you prefer buying dolls complete or making hybrids, and why?

 

^ Adhara definitely falls under the playful personality category. In her L5R incarnation, as Bayushi Kaguya, she often teases her partner Ikoma Jinsuke (whose name among my dolls is Guórén) for being so serious and goody-two-shoes. That doesn't mean she won't harness her playfulness-to-the-point-of-pettiness to their benefit though. When a particular enemy targeted her partner for slander, she went rumormongering and pretty much destroyed the reputation of said enemy beyond repair. Sure, enemy minions did want her head afterwards, but who's laughing now?

< Oh man, why can't I juggle drawing digital art and giving my resin children the attention they deserve? There's simply too few hours in a day!

v What was the biggest doll project you've ever undertaken?

 

^ As a complete and utter newbie the biggest thing I've done was just last month. I decided to hand sew a kigurumi for my (very large) HID boy. It only took three whole days, and looks more or less like well fitted pijamas, less baggy. I still love it and think he looks adorable!

< I'll be moving in the near future, kiiiinda worried about transporting my dolls across states!

v What is your favorite doll style/sculpt? What draws you to that particular doll? Bonus for a picture

 

^ my fave sculpt will always be Lishe. I love her in all sizes and I always smile when I see her. She was my first and grail doll. I think it's just her overall smiley face, the shape of her lips, and her happiness I love most.



< Hunting for new dolly clothes has begun!

v what is your dollies characters favourite past time? (Feather likes to read and draw, and Fluke likes to knit and watch movies)

 

^ Emilia likes to listen to music and watch horror movies
< I'm currently looking for a good and safe place to take pictures of her ☆
v Where's your favorite place to take pics of your dolls and the reason for so!

 

^ I really like taking photos out in nature. 90% of my doll pictures are outside, because I love natural lighting. I also don’t have an indoor light setup or a nice camera, so full natural lighting is basically the only way for me to get photos of the quality that I like. (Oh how I would love a camera that isn’t my phone...)

< Put in two job applications today!
ᕙ( * •̀ ᗜ•́ * )ᕗ

v If you could be an expert as one aspect of the hobby (sewing, wig making, prop making, etc.) but had to suck at another, which would you choose for each and why?

 

^ I would love to be an expert at sewing. My faceup and photography skills are alright for now, but I don't think I've finished one outfit. I'd just chose to suck at dioramas. I have SDs. My one tiny will just have to deal.

> Wish I'd known about this little spot of data all along.

v Characterwise, what are your oldest and youngest dolls?

 

^ Let's see, the oldest of my currently shelled OCs is Mundei, who's about 26-27 years old. Youngest...I believe that would be Razetti, who's 17.

>Technically, Kismet, who's my Minifee Mika, is more ageless, being a vampire-like being who's lived centuries because of an experiment gone wrong, but I figured it was better to stick with my more lifespan-aged oldest instead.

V Who of your bjds has the most unique/creative faceup? What inspired it?

 

^ That would be Kise. It wasn't quite what I was going for when I broke out the airbrush but it turned into something beautiful in spite of that. I was going for the half mask but I love the way it turned out. He is a blind fortuneteller, the purple tattoo hides the scaring from his chemical burns. Someone didn't like the future he told when he was too young to know to keep some secrets to himself, because he actually knows your future.

< Why did it go from mid 80s to upper 50s today, teasing me with the prospect of fall when it will be hot again so soon.

v What has inspired you latest doll purchase?

 

^ A doll owned by someone in a bjd discord inspired me to buy a Mirodoll 60cm girl body and do an ftm mod on the chest! Very excited.

> This week my friend who works in the mail room and brings home my packages is out in Tampa, so I'm worried the packages with my new doll might get lost

v do you like fantasy skin tones?

 

^ in theory, very much! But I have no inspiration when I own them

< I remember when I completed a chest mod in one day. My current one has been forgotten in a drawer for MONTHS

v If money and space wasn't an issue, would you still set yourseld a maximum number of dolls you could own at the same time?

 

^ Good question, that ... I think I would. I do have a fair amount of space now, but I still don't want any more full dolls because I don't want to clutter up the place with too much stuff I don't use - and dolls I don't do anything with totally fall into that category. I have too many half-finished doll projects and way too little time to add even more.
Heads that could share bodies would be a different thing, but full dolls? Nope. I still haven't unpacked all of them and I moved in June.

< Achievement unlocked: New level of self-sabotage has been reached! Nice job, self. Nice job.

v Similar question to the last - if you have a limit, how did it come about? If you don't, do you think you'll ever set one?

 

^ My limit (which I've set to 25 total) is not only to keep me reigned in without going on an insane collecting spree....it's also because I tend to be very character-centric with my crew, and I only have so many characters I want shell in total. I don't really connect with dolls that are there just based off pure aesthetics (ie.: this looks pretty!), so I have no issue really staying within that limit.

< I learned that I don't connect with purely aesthetic dolls with my first doll collection (Pullip), and my first MSD. I ended up customizing most of my Pullips/etc. from their original look, and gifted that MSD to a family friend.

V Do you tend to collect bjds purely for a certain aesthetic, to shell different characters, or both?

 

^ A bit of both, I’d say! Sometimes I find dolls for characters, and other times I find dolls I like and then make characters for them. They all get characters eventually though, I don’t have any dolls that are just there for aesthetics.

< Fingers crossed that I’ll get this new job! I really wanna start saving money for my new boy~

v Do you prefer company faceups or custom ones? (For extra points, what is your favorite company faceup?)

 

^ I prefer custom faceups! I have a very specific image in mind for my dolls (with a few exceptions, but then I have to "find" their face) and do my best to put it on them. I'm no great artist yet, but my dolls shell characters of mine so having them look like someone else's doll irks me a little.
I like doll leaves deluxe faceups with the extra swirls and designs. They're so pretty!

< Why am I always broke??? I can't figure out where all the money is going...oh yeah. Rent and the electric bill. I live in fear of winter when I'm forced to turn the heater on so the pipes don't freeze!

v Do you have a favorite style of fantasy eye (weird sclera, glitter, crystals, etc.)?

 

^ I like fantasy eyes with the look of no sclera, like just solid red or black or whatever. It's creepy!

< Love Halloween. Too much candy though. I need to stop eating candy.

v Do you dress your dolls up for holidays?

 

^ Sometimes, but then they often stay dressed up for a few months after the holidays because I don't change their outfits all that often. I have one who's already got her Christmas cloak on though.

< I want to nap, but the landlord is using power tools in the apartment above ours. I hope he finishes soon!

v What is your newest doll prop and why did you get it?

 

^ My newest prop is a pink laptop for Feather, even tho she has a silver one, I knew she needed a pink one! Lol

< tea, books and dolls. Nothing better

v what's your favourite type of clothes to dress your dolls in? (Bonus for pics)

 

^ This picture from my newest crew member's unboxing pretty much sums it up. I do dress them up in modern casuals every once in a while, but otherwise it's East Asian fantasy-inspired.


01 - Unboxing Prelude by Yela Gatchalian-David, on Flickr

< Oh boy, I wasn't expecting Kokichi to arrive until November. Talk about an early birthday present!

v Have you ever had to do major changes to your dolls' characters or stories to accommodate a doll that normally wouldn't fit in?

 

^ I did have a big story change and almost all my doll characters had name changes last year. It was a bit to adjust, sometimes I still think of their old names, but the names suit their newer characters so much better.

< lots of writing even though this week has already been rough.

v have you ever had character changes that took time to adjust to?

 

^ Definitely for Yumiko. I had a shy wallflower character in mind for her but when I got her it was clear I had it completely wrong. She's lovely and polite, but has an iron will. And I initially thought Firenze was straight, but he now has a boyfriend.

<Spent lots of time reading about Japanese street fashion the last few days. Hopefully some of that will get added to their wardrobes.

V Do any of your dolls dress Lolita or Mori kei?

 

^ Nope! It's never been my thing.

< I'm picking up my Switch girl today!

v What's the first thing you do when you get a doll?

 

^ Take pictures!! I document each unboxing really thoroughly so that I can remember how happy I was (and now to see how much progress I've made since originally getting it!)

< I want to dye Liam's body today and I can't :-( I don't have all of the supplies I need and I have to go out to dinner with a distant relative...

v do you rotate your cast of dolls often? Like, do you buy dolls and then sell them in a short amount of time? (I've seen a thread somewhere call this being a "revolving door owner")

 

^ I used to. I would sell the ones I was tired of or that were no longer inspiring. I also did a lot of reshelling. I have hit the point now where I don't feel the need to buy more dolls, and I like the ones I have, and (the most important part), I've stopped selling them. I just put the ones that aren't doing it for me away (split apart) and eventually if the need to see what I can make out of all the extra parts comes around, I have them to play with. I recently remade several of my dolls this way, including bringing back the character of my very second doll that I had sold several years ago.

> I want to do some sort of art challenge for November but I can't seem to find one that fits...sigh.

V Are you or have you dressed your dolls for Halloween? Bonus if you have pics.

 

^ Yes I dressed up one of my doll for Halloween! Haven't dressed up the other two yet!!!




< For the life of me, I cannot find the Dollhearts winter outfit I purchased + the volks eyes I got which arrived a long time ago... I'm a bit scared I might've accidentally thrown it away....


v What's your favourite wig on your doll? Bonus for pictures

 

^ my favourite is the mohair I have for Feather.
Cutie by Emily, on Flickr

< headache

v do your dolls own lots of shoes?

 

^ Well, now that's a loaded question. I suppose comes down to how you look at it. I have about 35 pairs of shoes for bjd's, and I suppose that would seem like a lot until you consider that I have 42 dolls. Luckily, some of them have fantasy feet or are infants with booties so no one who needs them is without a pair of shoes. A couple of them actually have an extra pair of shoes.

< Missing my cat. I'm going to have my Bubblepet Molly painted like her.

v Do you see some of your dolls only wearing certain colors, or do they have varied wardrobes?

 

^Pretty much everybody has one outfit. If I had fewer dolls, I might dress them up more, but they're all at that perfected stage where their looks are complete and I don't feel like messing with them anymore.

< I did NOT budget well this month. October has too many weeks.

v Do you have any spooky dolls? Ghosts, monsters, etc? Gotta feel that Halloween spirit!

 

^ Oh yes. I have so many the Halloween meet is a pain because I want to bring them all and it would be like, half my dolls. I have a doll who's half painted as a skeleton, one with skull makeup, one who is dead (and on Dollzone's Death body), a handful of vampires, a witch, The Joker, The Joker who had his face cut off and is wearing it like a Halloween mask, Two-Face, Satan, a pumpkin head, two demons and the angel of death. And a werewolf that I call Jim Jim the dog faced boy. There might be more. I could easily be missing one or two. Also I have dolls I think are creepy that aren't overtly in your face creep. Like the bunny heads and John when he's the Hellhound.
EDIT: Ooops three demons, I forgot about Hellboy. He counts.

> I wish I was doing doll stuff this weekend. I mean, doll friends are coming over, but we don't really doll, we're all just friends XD

V What are your favorite type of dolls? (I'm leaving it vague, you may interpret however you want.)

 

^ Ooh, this is so broad, haha! I'm a big fan of SDs, and the favorites in my collection are all girls. I love curvy girl bodies like Switch/Ariadoll and Sadol and slightly more mature, but still stylized faces like Oasisdoll and Migidoll. So cute, fashionable ladies?

< My Switch body is here! It's perfect.

v Passing this question along: What are your favorite type of dolls? (I'm leaving it vague, you may interpret however you want.)

 

^ my favourite type is SD's, but spesifically Delf's. I love them so much, I always looking at the different sculpts and imagining what I'd do with them.

< Stressed out, i have a lot happening this weekend.

v what is your favourite thing about your favourite doll?

 

^ My first doll, Ash is still my favorite, Ringdoll Sol in tan, but he in particular just brings me peace, calms me when I get too agitated or anxious. His twin brother Evz less so, even though they are the same sculpt. I have two more Sol's Jathie and his clown head Nimbus and they also make me feel peaceful but with humor thrown in.

<Jump from summer to winter in a day without fall, what's up with that Texas? I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

v What is your "I want but probably never will get" doll?

 

^ A Mewiefish mini Bactro in blue. Harder to order due to being a one artist company, with an aesthetic that might not work with my gang, and a higher (for me) price.

< Someday my Dollshe will come though... My family doesn't know about him, as the wait time would scare them.

V What's the longest you've waited for a doll?

 

^ Just shy of one year, the AprilStory twins I ordered just before the company went t*ts-up for good. That entire wait was ... a series of unfortunate events.

< Speaking of which, tune it down, Life. Like, srsly.

v So the proverbial sh*t has hit the fan (anything from "empty fridge on movie night" to "zombie apocalypse", depending on your dolls' world). Who takes charge, and what do they do?

 

^ Lemme see, I would honestly think it's Guórén who would take charge of the situation (say, a group of bandits suddenly ambushed them on the road). He's a very tactical person, so he'd be able to keep a level enough head to assess the problem and come up with a corresponding battle plan on the fly. Adhara would be the one on the field carrying out his instructions to the letter, because what she lacks in tactical know-how, she makes up for in charisma and the ability to rally people to do precisely what she wanted. They're that kind of team -- they know and respect each other's abilities.

< Speaking of... ahhhh Guórén, you're starting to look like a glass cannon compared to Adhara. Who is really protecting who, I wonder?

v How long could you go without seeing your dolls before you finally know you miss them?

 

^ Two weeks. I have gone longer while they were in the same house, but outside my place, with no access to them, Two weeks.

< Obsessing about making boots for my Doll Chateau. Who'd thought?

V Have you found a way to make a room for your BJD without him/her taking over your room?

 

^No, I haven't, they have taken over completely. This is only one corner of my room, they also have another corner, not as organized.
Nightlight by SteamWitch, on Flickr

< When it's too hot I don't want to go out and when it's too cold I don't want to go out. I give up.

v How do you keep the clothing for dolls setup in tubs, shoeboxes, their own closet?

 

^ Mostly in plastic bins - about shoebox size. I have eight of them in use and another 6 that I don't use... yet. But I have plans to make a bunch of small coathangers this winter to use the closet in my office/craft room to hang some of their clothes. I've already made a couple of prototypes. Since it's a real closet, the hook still needs to be large enough to go on the bar, even if the hanger itself is smaller.

< Waiting for FFXIV to finish updating.

v Do you have floating heads, and if so, how do you store them?

 

^ I I have a couple of floating heads. One's in a razor-stand box with a piece of cotton, and the other's in a box with extra doll pieces.

< Both heads are an odd color - Soom "Coffee black" (actually grape juice) and Dollzone's old yellow skin. If I get either a body, I'll have to dye it and/or the head.

V Have you ever dyed a doll?

 

^ Yep, my current avatar, my DHS Aldou dyed green.

> Ugh, and I thought I was supposed to feel better. Now it's causing something else to stress me out.

v Any new releases you're excited about?

 

^I like the new Ringdoll teaser of Virgo but chances are I won't get him. I thought I'd be tempted by Soom's new Dia release, but I am satisfied with my current secondhand Dia that I already own.

< Excited for my toy Kiritos to arrive, then I'll have 6 of them to grace my shelves. (Don't be stressed @iamkathybrown, I'm sending hugs)

v Same question - Any new releases you're excited about?

 

^ I'm really thinking about biting the bullet and getting Dearmine's rerelease of Koon..

< My new big boy is supposed to be here Monday! Now I've gotta do some clothes shopping for him...

v What is your least favorite size of doll and why?

 

^ pukifee size. I have difficulties sewing for such a small size, and it gets to me. My boys and girls are there to help me upcycling/recycling clothes etc. , Something that my pukifee cannot do.

< Looking at my feeple65 next to me: yep, definitively comfort item.

V which one of your dolls do you grab to help you unwind?

 

^ Currently, that would be Arancon. He's an IOS Jade on a Resinsoul Yi body. I sit him in my lap to work on ventilating his wig which is currently held on his head by a few threads that go under his chin and ears. I find it relaxing to work on it while watching youtube or Netflix so he gets to sit with me a lot.

< The kitchen in the apartment we rent is being renovated, starting today. I'm actually not that happy about it.

v Do you have any spooky dolls or do you dress them up for the Halloween?

 

^ I have Tenshi, who very much likes being spooky! He’s a Pipos Cheshire, so he’s got the jack-o-lantern grin goin’ on. I actually have the materials to make him a Halloween costume too, but I’ve never actually gotten to it.

< Several more job applications sent in... Fingers crossed, ug.

v In the spirit of Halloween, if you were going to have a doll of any traditional Halloween monster (vampire, werewolf, mummy, witch, etc. etc.), which would you choose and why?

 

^ Right now I'd say werewolf, because I was at a friend's b-day party earlier and at some point we started howling at the moon. In mid-day. She's in her 50s. We're so grown up. Anyway. Werewolf because they're awesome, plus I could claim it's Lupin, so doubly awesome.

< Happy Samhain!

v Would your dolls' characters celebrate any holidays? (And do you dress / pose them a certain way to show it, or is it just something in their character background story stuff?)

 

^ huh, my F65 is wearing shorts and t-shirt to celebrate the coming of Spring at the moment - okay, I am cheating here, I was just feeling under the weather and her trousers and pullover were in need of a wash (dust gets everywhere) - so I went for bright pink shorts and a brightly coloured t-shirt. It cheered me up.

< Bar one, everyone in this crew is in need of a face up.

V it is grey, it is damp, it is miserable, what does your doll(s) do to cheer themselves up?

 

^ Feather would put on a cozy sweater, curl up with hot cocoa and watch harry potter! Fluke would be very similar but he would prefer tea and a romcom!

< post halloween headache

v whats your doll(s) favourite movie?