blythelife.com
blythelife.com

Reflections on being new to Blythe – Part 2

Written on May 20, 2011 at 12:00 pm by Michelle
Filed under: Musings

It was within a month after buying my first doll that I ordered my second – Love Mission. She was one of those dolls that I adored in photos, loved seeing her both stock and customized (but I did see a lot more photos of her customized than stock). She’s a lovely doll, an EBL (!), affordable, came with two (?!) stock outfits, two pairs of shoes (this was important to me, I don’t know why) and had that very subtle make-up that I thought was really pretty.

Things I did learn after is that: it’s not always a good idea to buy the most affordable Blythe available, but it worked out for me (because I love her).

I spent the entire week that it took for her to ship from Hong Kong to Canada checking the tracking obsessively. I had that tracking code memorized, I could probably recite it in my sleep if I had to. I checked it at least once every hour that I was in front of a computer. Just over and over again. I was annoyed that it stayed at the port for a while (before leaving Hong Kong), I was even more annoyed when she stayed in Canadian Customs for a good long (what I thought was long!) while. And then suddenly the day arrived that she was delivered to my house and I was at work, but my sister signed for her.

Opening the box was a huge treat for me. I discovered very early on that I have a love for unpacking doll boxes and getting to open up all those little plastic packages holding the shoes and clothes and little accessories. And the day that I had unboxed Love Mission, I not only gained another Blythe (who I named Belarus, after the country, before she even arrived) but Sophie (Cappuccino Chat, my 365 girl, my first Blythe) gained a sister.

Let's see...

Things I learned after receiving Love Mission (Belarus!) in the mail was…

  • I can be very obsessive about checking tracking numbers, this process repeated when ordering any other doll.
  • Love Mission’s accessories are super cute and you never know when you need a cop outfit around.
  • EBL’s are fantastic and do have this very unique look that’s only found in them.

Blythe On A Budget: DIY Trimmed Skirt

Written on May 18, 2011 at 12:00 pm by Michelle
Filed under: Article with tags: , , , ,

My wardrobe is the opposite of my dolls’. I have a lot of separates (shirts, pants, skirts, sweaters) while they have a lot more dresses than I will probably ever have (if only for lack of closet space). In my need for more separates to go with the small amounts of tops that I have for my dolls, I decided to sew a simple skirt that is very much modelled after a skirt that I have.

You will need:

  • fabric – 8cm x 23cm
  • trim (optional) – 23cm
  • elastic – 3mm width, 9cm length (I got mine for $1.70 for 3.7m)
  • scissors
  • pins
  • stabilizer
  • safety pin (for threading elastic)
  • thread
  • iron
  • sewing machine

Click to read more of this entry.

Question of the Week: What’s your body type?

Written on May 16, 2011 at 12:00 pm by Michelle
Filed under: Question of the Week

159/365 - This is really awkward

There’s a lot of different choices that we have for our Blythes in terms of body types.

What kind of body do you prefer your Blythe to have? Do you prefer a stock body, Licca, Pure Neemo, Obitsu or maybe something else?

Protecting Yourself Online – Transaction Tips

Written on May 13, 2011 at 12:00 pm by Michelle
Filed under: Article with tags:

It always seems that BDDs (Bad Dolly Deals, for those in the dark) revolve around people who send payments to sellers as gifts on Paypal and then they regret it after and talk about how they knew that they shouldn’t have done it. Yet people still do, and despite the best of intentions of sellers, things can happen and someone ends up with no doll sometimes.

How can you protect yourself in an online transaction (especially when it comes to that expensive NRFB Goldie purchase)? Here’s some tips!

  1. Be truthful in your Paypal transaction – do not pay as a ‘gift’ because it’s not a gift. It’s a payment for goods. You cannot file a claim with Paypal if you state that your payment is a gift.
  2. Talk to the seller, find out what shipping methods the person will be sending your doll by. Will there be insurance? How long will it take? Will there be tracking available? (Keep in mind, some countries have much higher costs for postage than others. Canada Post, for example, is a lot more expensive than the USPS.)
  3. Document, document, document. And save all of your documentation. Even though it’s ‘just the purchase of yet another doll’, it’s still your money and it is still a transaction.
  4. Both parties should be open to communication. Let the buyer know when you’ve sent out the doll (keep your receipts!). Let the seller know when the doll has arrived.
  5. Be truthful on custom forms. Undervaluing an item being sent through the post is fraud (and illegal) and I don’t recommend undervaluing dolls at any point in time (after all, these are $100+ dolls, not a mass-produced paperback book). Make sure that both parties understand what it means if you do undervalue the doll and who’s responsible in the event that the doll is damaged or lost.

Blythe is a fantastic hobby and it’s a great way to meet people online, but it’s definitely not fun when a transaction goes sour due to miscommunication or sending something without tracking. Always talk to the people that you’re doing business with and send those dolls packaged nice and protected!

Smidge House Etsy Shop is Closing

Written on May 11, 2011 at 12:00 pm by Guest Author
Filed under: News with tags: ,

smidge house press release

Hello, Everyone!

Michelle has been kind enough to give me this platform to announce my Blythe related news. So, for those of you who may not have heard, the Smidge House Etsy Shop will be closing it’s doors for good on Friday, May 20, 2011.

It’s been a wonderful adventure, and I have loved designing and creating 1/6 size goodies for people who love them as much as I do! It’s also led me to fall in love with Blythe, and create things with her in mind, which has added so much to the fun! As much as I will miss the shop, and being able to share my work with all of you, it’s time for me to move on. Happily, I will still be working in sixth scale, designing small scale sets for television and film. 🙂

I’d like to thank all of you for the love and support you have shown me and the Smidge House shop for the last year and a half. I’ve met some amazing and talented people, and certainly some lifelong friends. 🙂 I appreciate your kind words, your encouragement, and of course, your business, more than I could ever hope to express! And, of course, I thank you for sharing your love of Blythe, which has drained my bank account, but left me very happy, lol!

If you would like to grab some goodies for your Blythe dolls before I close up shop, please feel free to use the coupon code BLYTHE10 at checkout to receive 10% off all of your purchases.

If you would like to keep up with me during my new adventures, feel free to follow along on the Smidge House blog: http://smidgehouse.blogspot.com. I will continue to update when I have 1/6 related news to share.

Big hugs to you all, and I hope you have enjoyed shopping at Smidge House!

Luv,
Carmen AKA smidge girl
http://smidgehouse.etsy.com

Do you have your own Blythe-related announcement that you’d like to share here on BlytheLife.com? Click here to find out what Community Corner is all about!

« Newer EntriesOlder Entries »
blythelife.com
blythelife.com