What does every doll need? Some kind of purse to hold all her hard-earned money, and credit cards, of course! And with a project so easy, your Blythes will easily have a whole rainbow of clutches, one for every colour outfit imaginable.

You will need:

• Felt – any colour
• Needle and sewing thread – I used white to better show my stitches in this tutorial
• Scissors and craft knife (if you have one) – if using a craft knife, use a cutting board!
• A bead – I would recommend a contrasting colour to your felt

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Depending on how you count your days, there are currently 26 more days to go until BlytheCon Seattle (August 2nd, 2014 – for those curious). BlytheCon, to me, will always be a special event. I missed out on going to Dallas in 2012 and New York City in 2013, but Seattle is so close that I just can’t say no to going! It also helps that so many local dolly friends will be attending as well (and some will even be vending!).

BlytheCon 2011, which took place in Portland, Oregon, will always hold a near and dear place in my heart because it was the first time I ever met other people who collected Blythes. It was the first time I was able to truly put usernames (and real names!) to faces. It was also the first time that I met people who live near me that have Blythes. And that, kids, is how I met other local dolly enthusiasts! The Portland BlytheCon is still the only BlytheCon that I have attended, so far. Going to Seattle will mean two things for me: 1) seeing friends that I was able to see face-to-face in Portland again, and b) making new friends! I’ll be there, with some not-yet-decided dolls in tow… But more on that later!

There are many other Blythe events that happen worldwide too! What with Blythe Fest, BlytheCon UK, BlytheCon EU, and so many more. I’d love to attend others as well! But it is currently not financially feasible, but one day? Perhaps I shall be there.

Have you ever been to a BlytheCon?

Once upon a time, when I began this blog, I only took photos of my dolls and for the blog with my camera. True, it was a point-and-shoot type of camera, but it was a standalone camera. Which also meant that I had to go and pull out a cable, or some kind of adapter, when I wanted to get photos from the memory card, to the computer, to the internet. That’s a lot of steps, and may be the reason why I rarely use my camera anymore.

Not bad for a smartphone that’s two generations old, eh?

Then comes in… my smart phone. It has a camera! In fact, it has two cameras! I can upload to Flickr or Dropbox just by tapping the screen a few times and then presto, it’s on my computer or up for the world to see. It’s a lot more convenient for me that way – less cables, less adapters, more instant photography upload. Sure, the camera on my phone could be a lot better, but given that I’m not trying to have my pictures printed as poster sized they’re not bad.

I know newer cameras out there have more features, with WiFi accessibility, and use of memory cards that could be inserted into my computer’s card reader without me having to hunt down an adapter – Sony, I’m glaring at you and your past need to have proprietary memory cards! One of these days, when I get a new camera that plays nicer with my computer, I’ll probably go back to using a standalone camera, rather than a cellphone camera. But until that happens… More instant gratification! Especially when it comes to doll photos!

Do you use a camera or a camera phone for your Blythe photography needs?

Considering there have been four years worth of posts, I thought it’d be fun to take a look at what gets visits all the time!

Photo by Katie of 2:22am

Most Visited Interviews? My interviews with…

• With Katie of 2:22am!
• With Made by Pablita!
• With Melly Kay!
• With GBaby!
• With Rob & Sioux!

Most Visited Posts!

• Review: HUSET by IKEA
• What’s so special about Kenners?
• Quality Control and Blythe
• Blythe On A Budget: Organization and Storage Tips
• Pros and Cons to NRFB and Used Blythes

Most Visited DIYs!

• Sock-Sweater Dress
• Knitted Legwarmers
• Shoe Display
• Knit Empire Dress
• Crochet Petite Toque and Scarf

What has been your favourite BlytheLife post, to date?

I occasionally take for granted the fact that not everyone who reads BlytheLife is a seasoned dolly enthusiast, but no longer! For those new to Blythe, this is for you – as well as future “Beginner’s Guide” posts.

Blythe dolls come in various sizes, and also from various manufacturers. The three official manufacturers of Blythe include: Kenner (1972), Ashton-Drake Galleries (2005-2008), Hasbro (2010-Present) and Takara (2001-Present). The only companies still making Blythe dolls are Hasbro and Takara, but if you are shopping online, you can find the dolls produced by other companies. Hasbro and Takara also make drastically different types of Blythe dolls.

Full-Sized: KBs, ADGs and Neo’s

Full-sized Blythes have been produced by Kenner, Ashton-Drake Galleries and Takara.

Blythes produced by Kenner are often referred to as “Kenner” or “Kenner Blythe” – they are the original Blythe doll, otherwise known as ‘vintage Blythe’, and can be difficult to find in mint condition. The prices can vary quite a bit depending on the condition of the doll, if anything is missing (e.g. a limb, hair, clothes), and what damage has been done to the doll. Even partially limbless with missing hair, Kenner Blythe still goes for a few hundred dollars in online auctions. Mint-condition, or even Kenners never removed from the box, can pop up online at times, but the prices may be set at unattainable prices.

From upper left, clockwise, Primrose (Kenner), Eden Mouse (Punkaholic People, RBL),
Emmalynn (Kenner), and Sophie (Cappuccino Chat, RBL).

Ashton-Drake Galleries’ Blythes were produced to be reproductions of the original 1972 Kenner Blythes, down to the style of the box, hair, and clothing. Ashton-Drake Galleries Blythes (or ADG, as they are referred to by hobbyists) were often overlooked by collectors due to the ‘greenish’ tinge that the plastic had in earlier productions. The later produced dolls by ADG lost this tinge, but they never gained much popularity with collectors. There are some people who do collect the ADG Blythe fashions though, as they are very close reproductions of the vintage clothing (which typically costs a lot more).

Takara is often considered the reason why the new wave of Blythe took off. Partnered with Cross-World Connections, the Blythes that they produce are often seen being referred to as Neo Blythe, as they are the ‘new Blythe’ around. They are very reminiscent of the vintage dolls that came before them. Since 2001, there have been a number of mold changes, and the dolls are often sold and listed with a reference to the type of mold that they are from. These molds are: BL, EBL, SBL, RBL, FBL, and RBL+. As BL is often seen as referring to ‘Blythe’, the E, S, R, and F refer to: Excellence, Superior, Radiance, and Fairest. Currently, the only mold-types still being produced are RBL, FBL, and RBL+ (called Radiance +).

Middies

Kitty Brighton, a Jackie Ramone Middie.

Middie-sized Blythes have only been produced by Takara. Like Skipper was to Barbie, Middie is the ‘middle’ sister (hence her very creative name!). In existence since 2010, Middie has only one set of eyes that only moves side-to-side. Luckily for her, she has a head that also moves around to create adorable and cute looks. Sized considerably different from her older sister counterpart, Middie often doesn’t share many clothing or shoes with her big sister. Notably, some boots will fit both Middie and Neo, and some Neo-sized tops work as tunics or dresses for Middie.

Petites

Shrimp, an LPS Petite.

Petite-sized Blythes have been produced by Hasbro and Takara. Takara has been making Petites since 2002. The Takara-made Petites have ‘sleep eyes’ in the traditional sense that dolls have sleep eyes (lay the doll down, eyes close; sit/stand the doll up, eyes open). Hasbro has made a facsimile of the Takara Petite since 2010, with eyes that remain static, but recently changed the look of their Petite to better match the appearance of Blythe Baxter, the human character from the television show, Littlest Pet Shop. Hasbro-made Petites are often referred to as LPS Petites (LPS for Littlest Pet Shop).

A Beginner’s Guide is a feature on BlytheLife.com that is all about going back to the basics of collecting Blythe, and being a reference tool for new and experienced collectors alike. If you have any suggestions for what you would like to see in A Beginner’s Guide, send me your suggestions!