The Blythe community has gone into a bit of an uproar after Flickr unceremoniously revealed a new layout and style. Many people – including non-Blythe individuals – have been referring to Flickr’s facelift as being similar to Facebook. In addition to the new changes on the web-based website, their mobile app has also been changed.

As a Pro account holder for Flickr, I’m a bit iffy about the changes. As of May 20 2013, there are three different account types being offered by Flickr and here are some of the specifications:

• Free – 1 Tb of space, max. 200mb/photo, 1GB/video, ads
• Ad-Free – $49.99/year – same as above, but without ads
• Doublr – $499.99/year – 2Tb of space, all other features the same as above

But if you had a Pro account? Just a taste of what was available:

• Max. 50mb/photo, 500mb/video
• Unlimited storage
• Ad-free
• $24.95/year

Flickr, so soon after announcing the intention to purchase Tumblr, decided to scrape the previous model (Free and Pro accounts) to go with the new model (Free, Ad-Free and Doublr). I personally think that spending $500/year is steep. I’d rather take the $500 and invest it into something else, if I was that into photography (which, I am not). At $50/year just to take away ads? That’s already double what it used to cost for a Pro account, for one year ($24.95/year). Of course, nothing in life is free. By opening Flickr up to advertisers, the many account holders become the product that’s being sold rather than making revenue off of Pro account holders. Granted, if you think about it, $50 for 365 days of ad-free web-browsing, that ends up being $0.137 per day for ad-free browsing. Doesn’t seem like a lot in the grand scheme of things, does it? But if you want to avoid spending $50 per year, continue reading on!

What if I already have a Pro account?

If your Pro account was extended by the 3 months of ‘gifted’ Pro by Flickr, I found that users have been saying that they do not have the option of renewing their Pro account. Additionally, if you were given the “Gift of Pro” by a friend, you are also unable to renew the Pro account status because you weren’t the one who paid for it. Sneaky little loophole, isn’t it?

If you paid for your Pro account yourself, you have the option of keeping the Pro status and all it’s features (including the ad-free browsing capabilities and the option to renew once your subscription is up). The price is currently staying the same ($24.95/year). My Flickr Pro is set to expire on April 1 2015 – so I don’t know if the price will still be the same then!

For those that would like to switch from Pro to Free status, it would appear that you do have the option of doing so. And if you had paid for the account (rather than being gifted Pro status), people have been reporting that they can get a prorated refund. You have until August 20 2013 to decide if you want to stay with your Pro account or if you wish to make the switch to Free. For those that are worried about ads, there have also been reports that ad blockers (there are many plugins available for many popular browsers) are able to block the ads on accounts on Flickr that are Free.

As for the app…

I can’t give anyone an opinion about the Apple-friendly version of the Flickr app, but I updated my (Android) Flickr app to the new version and it mimics the updated website quite nicely – only I like the layout on the app a lot better than on my computer. I spent some time playing around with the app and I find it easier to navigate and to move from one section to another. I can actually get to my groups on the mobile app now – which is a huge plus. The way the website is designed is more mobile friendly than web browser friendly, but I’m still getting used to both of them. Nobody has mentioned seeing ads on the app yet, so I’m unsure if ads will soon be part of the Flickr apps or not.

Do I stay or do I go?

Some people in the Blythe community have decided to leave Flickr out of anger of the changes. Many people have moved to Ipernity. Another alternative for Flickr is 500px.

I will have a post up about these two alternative photo-sharing websites after I get a chance to explore both options a bit more thoroughly (before the August 20th deadline).

What may be the most important aspect of the Blythe hobby? Actually having a Blythe doll.

I decided to do a little research (also known as searching on eBay for lowest non-inflated pricing). To make it the same across the board, I decided to include prices for brand new, in box dolls. Additionally, I decided not to focus on ADG Blythes. Here are the top 10 Neo/Takara Blythes that I came across at affordable prices. I’ve also included any notes that should be considered prior to buying them.

These prices do not include shipping, they are in $USD, are from BIN (Buy It Now) listings and I am not responsible for any transactions that you decide to take part in.

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1 & 2. Simply Guava ($99) and Simply Mango ($99)
The big thing to watch out for with the Simply Guava and Mango twins is that there are a lot of fakes floating around. Both are RBLs, came with cute Converse shoes that are quite collectible and small dogs (which don’t tend to be that collectible). Overall, Guava and Mango have been at low prices for a while now and the pricing hasn’t changed much since the influx of fake Guavas and Mangos into the market. But if you’re looking for a legitimate SG or SM, it pays to do your research first.

Photo of Tang (Simply Mango) by Johnathon/alain l’étranger.

3 & 4. Simply Vanilla ($110) and Simply Chocolate ($120)
Simply Vanilla and Chocolate are the FBL twins. Their stock isn’t typically desirable, but they look gorgeous when customized – which I noticed that quite a few have been customized. That said, SV and SC are both really cute as stock dolls (and not). As far as I know, there are no fakes floating around of SV and SC, but always be vigilant about what you’re buying. When in doubt, always ask someone else that you think might be more familiar about the dolls.

5. Lavender Hug – $120
An adorable FBL with light hair that reminds me a lot of Simply Lilac – but with rounded bangs. She has very adorable boots (that look like Blythe-sized Uggs, if you’re into those) and white fluffy ear warmers. So if you’re looking for a pretty cute doll and stock that’s usable, Lavender Hug fits the bill pretty well. I don’t think I’ve seen very many photos of her on Flickr, but if you’re looking for a doll to customize and get cute stock, LH would work well.

6. Nicky Lad – $130
Nicky Lad comes with cute stock. I see her getting customized quite a bit – but she comes with pink glasses, pink hiking boots, a cute shirt and shorts with a rain poncho. Yes, that’s all fantastic and cute. So cute stock, cute girl (with a set of special chips) – what else do you want in a Blythe?  I think $130 is good value for the quality of stock you end up with, and I don’t believe there were many complaints about NL’s quality – she’s an overall win!

7 & 8. Simply Love Me ($130) and Simply Delight ($130)
The two underrated Simply twins (both of the RBL face mold) – one has Aubrena/Aubrey-coloured hair (Simply Delight), the other has yellow-blonde hair (Simply Love Me). Both dolls come with long-sleeved A-line dresses, along with cute tights and useful boots that can be utilized with other outfits (black from Simply Delight and red from Simply Love Me). These two Simply dolls are another couple of dolls that don’t come up as often as they could. Given that they’re both RBLs, it’s likely that they get used for customizing quite a bit. Overall, I think they’re both pretty cute. Simply Delight is a good alternative if you do not have Adorable Aubrey or any of the Aubrey/Aubrena incarnations.

9. Bohemian Peace – $135
Still quite the looker, Bohemian Peace (RBL) with her long, dark red/auburn locks, she’s an older girl (if 2010 can be considered old), but still very affordable. She has lace tunic top that goes over her dress and the most adorable light blue ukulele. So not only does she come with cute stock, and she has very gorgeous hair, I adore the colour.

Photo of Eudora (Orange and Spice) by Johnathon/alain l’étranger.

10. Orange and Spice – $135
Cheerfully called “Spicy Orange” by a dear Flickr friend, O&S isn’t very popular in the world of Blythe. Yet another RBL, she has a special pair of dark blue chips that go well with the blue eyeshadow that she has. She’s one of the dolls that I’m hoping to get very soon, as I love her in photos (her and Ambrosial, but that doll isn’t on this list).

When I attended my first Blythe meet, I was nervous about the prospect of meeting other people in the Blythe community. Not only would it be my first time meeting the people that I had interacted with online and getting to put usernames to faces, but also getting to see dolls that I could only dream of owning, just getting to see them was a dream. Getting involved in local meets can be difficult if you don’t know if there are people around you. What’s the easiest way of finding those people? The internet.

Finding people who also like Blythe online

Find a Blythe forum – such as Blythe Kingdom, Plastic Paradise or We Play With Dolls. Make an account and you can post on one of those forums asking if people are in your general vicinity. For the sake of personal safety, I would recommend asking first if there are others in your state/province/territory, or the nearest large urban center that is close to where you live. That way, you can find people who are near you, without revealing where you live in terms of a small scope. Always be careful when revealing information about yourself on the internet, as you never know who may be reading it! I was able to get involved with people in my local area by finding local people in Portland. You don’t need to attend BlytheCon to find people in your area though, you can definitely look for people on forums in your area – just stay safe!

How many dolls to bring?

That’s a personal choice. At most, I bring 3 dolls. This is mostly because I need to be able to carry them, and the bags/cases that I use usually only hold 3 comfortably. Some people bring 1 doll only, some bring more than 5. Whatever you feel comfortable with is fine. If you’re worried about being overwhelmed with all the sights to see, or if there won’t be any places for you to put your dolls down, I’d recommend one or two dolls. If there’s nowhere to put the dolls down, you’d need to be holding them – and you only have two hands. Plus you need to hold a camera. There’s a lot of things to consider when thinking of how many dolls to bring. How you’re getting there, how big your bag is, if there will be place for you to put your doll(s) down, if you need to hold a camera (and if you’re going to a meet, the answer is: yes).

Be open talking to people

A large part of the Blythe community is online. How can it not when there are forums and Flickr? One of the greatest parts of the dolly hobby can be the people that you meet and interact with – getting to know those people can go a long way. It’s hard for a lot of people to start talking to people that they don’t know. You don’t have to divulge your deepest secrets, but saying hello and being friendly can go a long way! Especially when it comes to new members of the group.

Suggest an activity

Meets can involve a lot of things – from sharing stories, having a customizing party, to having a craft activity for everyone. It might be a good idea to suggest an activity as a sort of ice breaker, or to have a mini costume contest to encourage participation of the attendees. It doesn’t need to be fancy, it can be a great motivator for people to talk to each other and to make something cute for their dolls.

Organizing a meet

Sometimes, if nobody else is willing to organize a meet, you need to step up if you want to meet other people. The best way to do this is to pick a weekend date, a public location that is cheap (or free) to go to and some place with free (or cheap) parking. Some suggestions for public locations could include parks or picnic areas – which is especially good if the weather is nice.

In summary?

• Find people in your general online, figure out if they’re interested in meeting up!
• Bring what you can comfortably carry, as there may not be room to put the dolls down.
• Plan an activity – ice breakers, craft projects or costume contests can be a good way to go.
• Organize a meet in a public location, on a weekend, that is easy to get to and has free/cheap parking.

For those unaware, there is a Tumblr blog/site called Blythe Confessions. The site was started after Doll Confessions was taken offline by the owner (due to inappropriate and rude feedback and personal attacks received). Now the person (or people) who run Blythe Confessions are strictly anonymous and they publish submitted posts to the blog. It allows members of the Blythe community to submit posts to the blog and the confessions are put into a queue and published onto the blog.

There’s been some animosity against the blog, and people for the blog, on the forums. A lot of people have found the Tumblr blog to be offensive or that the confessions are not really “confessions” in the spirit that it was meant to be in. The site has become a great way for people to get things off their chest, but it’s also been a way for people to be bitter over the internet. There have been countless confessions about hats and designer items and being upset over customizers and commission lists. But what of the person or people behind the computer who runs the Blythe Confessions website?

I got in contact with the admin(s) of Blythe Confessions and asked them a few questions, here’s what I asked:

How has reading the confessions of Blythe hobbyists changed your views of the people in the community?
It really hasn’t. There are crazy, bitchy, and friendly people in all areas of life so why should the Blythe crowd be any different? I really enjoy reading the funny confessions, they make wading through the nastiness worthwhile.

How much time does it take to maintain Blythe Confessions on weekly basis?
I would say about 4/5 hours.

On average, how many confessions do you get per day or week?
About 150 per week, but not all of those will be published. A lot are repeats or include name calling.

What made you decide to take on the Blythe Confessions site after Doll Confessions shut down due to rude comments?
I was really sad to see the original taken down as I thought it was a great idea. I had the time and a skin thick enough that the hate mail didn’t get to me. The fact that I have remained anonymous has made that much easier.

What has been the worse comment that you’ve gotten regarding the Blythe Confessions site itself, not about the confessions?
I can’t choose; there are too many! It does make me sad when people complain about the negativity of most of the confessions. They can’t seem to grasp that I just post what is submitted. If they want to read positive things on the site then they need submit them!

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I must say, I was surprised at the sheer amount of confessions received! And the amount of work involved – no rest for the wicked it seems! As a blogger myself, I can appreciate the amount of work that goes into putting together a blog and keeping it active. I hope this provides a little insight into the person (or people) behind Blythe Confessions.

Hello, lovelies! It’s time for another installment of your absolutely favouritest column in the world: Love, Sophie! And I’m, of course, your host!

Now that it’s finally spring  (in the Northern Hemisphere), you need to start dressing appropriately to go with the seasons. It’s time to put away those winter coats and big ol’ hats and get something cute on. And I’m all about the cute! So here are my top 5 fashion must-haves – in no particular order – for spring!

#1. Cute skirts. Notice I said skirts – not pants or shorts, but skirts. It’s spring time! You need something you can flounce around properly in.

#2. Cute dresses. See what I wrote above about flouncing? Totally applies here!

#3. Cute shoes. Shoes are fantastic because they can add a pop of colour in your life. See mine? Darling, aren’t they?

#4. Cute sunglasses. Nobody looks cute when they squint! This is a rule. Thou shalt not go out in the sunshine without sunglasses. Plus UVA and UVB protection for your eyes! It’s a win-win!

#5. Cute leggings. Leggings are awesome. But leggings are not pants. Repeat this with me: leggings are not pants. Tights are also not leggings, ergo tights are not pants. Now that we have that sorted out, wear them! With your cute skirts and dresses!

Don’t be like Eden. Put on pants!

Stay fashionable! Until next time…

Sophie is a mostly stock Cappuccino Chat that came to live with me in June 2009. She loves shoes, new clothes, playing with her hair, fashion, magazines full of fluff and shopping. She aspires to be a model and would like to model for some of the ‘great’ dolly fashion houses one day.