Many moons ago, when I was a new Blythe owner, I was a bit confused by how Blythe had an amazingly massive head in person when it didn’t seem that big in photographs. The sound of the eye mechanism was also a lot louder than I expected (the soft Kenner ‘pip’ is a lot closer to what I thought Neo Blythes would sound like), and the downcast eyes in dolls that didn’t have a gaze lift reminded me of the beginning of a surly teenager about to roll their eyes.

Sophie: The Early Years

Sophie was my first Blythe and she was also the first Blythe doll that I ever held in my hands, and I really just did not know what I was doing. I mean, she had a giant head, make a loud noise whenever I changed her eyes, and her stock wasn’t exciting to me. I had a lot of expectations wrapped up one little doll because of the many dollars I had spent on her. I’d loved seeing photos of Blythe online for years and then I finally had her and her head was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. But then I looked at her, really looked at her, and realized that she just really needed a different outfit. All the photos that I loved of Blythe was always the photos from owners where they had their dolls in non-stock outfits. That isn’t to say that I don’t love stock clothing, because I do, but sometimes stock clothing from some dolls look better on other dolls. Sophie is probably very glad that she no longer has to wear a beige dress or a giraffe print coat, because neither did very much for her colouring. That’s the great thing about Blythe, the smallest thing can make the greatest change. Now I find as much joy in Blythe herself as I do her amazing wardrobe and shoe closet (and we all know how I love the little shoes).

With my newest addition, Lydia Melbourne (Yellow Marshmallow, the Middie), I’m super pleased that she’s joined my family after getting the chance to see one in person earlier in 2014. The two-toned hair is amazing, and she’s got pretty decent bangs – which is always a plus with stock dolls. I don’t have very many Middies (I have two: Jackie Ramone and Yellow Marshmallow), which means that I also have very limited outfit choices for them, which is a shame because they are very cute. I find that I enjoy Middies quite a bit because of the adorable head tilt that they have the ability to do.

There’s just something about the Blythe (and Middie) that really hits me in the feels when it comes to having a bad day and keeping a pick-me-up, or to just have something happy to think about. And having a doll or two (or five!) around really puts a smile on my face whenever I see them. It’s like they radiate joy and it’s infectious.

What about Blythe makes you happy?

One of the things that I quite like about the beginning of new years is the fact that people are very optimistic. As a person who generally tries to be optimistic about the world and the people in it, seeing people make happy goals and wishes for the new year in terms of life style changes, or activities to better themselves, it’s a happy time in the year.

As January begins, the number of days left in my winter holiday is woefully short. I start back in a new term just next week. Not only is it a new term, it is also my last term (short of disaster occurring, of course). I’m really looking forward to it because it means that it is the beginning of the end, and it’ll soon be what I will cheerfully refer to as the Rest of My Life (a.k.a. Life After Graduation). The world of post-secondary education is one that I am very familiar with since it’s where I’ve spent the last 7.5 years of my life (has it really been that long?). Student life appeals to me because I love learning, but it also appeals to me because I don’t have that many responsibilities. That clearly went out the door once I decided to start a nursing program (hello responsibilities!). The new term, also my last term, will likely also be my busiest. I have 600 clinical hours to complete, papers to write, and the NCLEX to study for.

In the mean time, I completely intend to write posts for BlytheLife, keep up with the going ons of the doll community, and conduct interviews. I may have odd sleeping hours, but luckily I can schedule posts ahead of time, and write in my free time (free time? what’s that?). It may take me a little bit longer to reply to emails, but that usually happens during the term anyways, but I will still be replying to emails and working away on BlytheCon Vancouver preparations, and just being amazingly busy.

Hello, 2015. I’ve been looking forward to you.

I love a lot of things about the winter season. Snow (even if we don’t get a lot in this part of Canada – shocker, I know), hot chocolate with marshmallows, warm coats, tea, baking, cookies, and more! Winter is definitely one of my favourite seasons for so many reasons. I watch movies, cuddle up under warm blankets, listen to (and sing along) to carols, and get to pull out all the holiday mugs.

A new-to-me Middie showed up under my tree, a Yellow Marshmallow. My first Middie (Jackie Ramone) is named Kitty Brighton – Kitty for the Bennet sister in Pride and Prejudice and Brighton for the town in UK (that I’ve never been to). I decided to name my Yellow Marshmallow after another Bennet sister and after another city.

This is Lydia Melbourne, and she is pleased to meet you.

Did you receive a new doll for the holidays? Who did you get? (I’m nosy!)

It’s the time of year when I start thinking about family togetherness, copious amounts of baking, cheerful carols, and blatant commercialism. Even those in Canada aren’t immune to the allure that is Black Friday or Cyber Monday – even with an October Thanksgiving, we still have Black Friday sales (this is primarily to compete with the US Black Friday sales to keep money north of the border). But, I digress. Because commercialism is also something that exists in the world of Blythe (and yes, I realize how obvious this is after part 2 of the Holiday Shopping Guide…).

In a doll-eat-doll world, a lot of people do get sucked up in the cycle of buying new things all the time. A new doll, new clothes, new shoes, another new doll, selling that doll to afford another one. The cycle just keeps on going until you finally get yourself off the carousel. I tend to buy in spurts because I tend to have moments where I want to Buy All The Things! and then I wait and get so many packages in the mail, only to feel slightly guilty about the spending, I stop buying for a while, and then I repeat the process again. It’s very cyclical for me, and I know that I’m currently in my “lull” stage. This is because I spent some money on myself for my birthday, and now it’s time for thinking about giving rather than receiving. The holiday season always does this to me. Even with the many, many, many inserts in the newspapers about who’s have ‘door busters sales’ on this and ‘lowest prices of the season’ on that, I find it very hard to step away from it because it’s all just in my face all the time.

And while I would love to welcome a new doll into the family (and let’s face it, when wouldn’t I love to welcome a new doll into the family?), that is not in the cards for me right now unless I end up receiving one as a gift (and if my family is reading right now: hint hint?) or if I go for a less expensive doll (e.g. My Little Pony, Monster High). More readily available dolls are always an option, so I really should have said that I’d love to welcome a new Blythe into the family, and would love to receive one as a gift. Because the truth is, I would.

Over the next however many days until Christmas, I’ll be busy with studying (for finals), baking, and crafting (for all those Christmas gifts!) and rumour has it that the first snow of the season in my local area is predicted for this weekend! That is always fun, and I’m looking forward to cozy days indoors with some knitting and a doll by my side. Mostly because when I have downtime from school, that’s when I have the time for dolls. I might even make a few things for Kitty Brighton this holiday season!

What are your plans for the holiday season?

As the temperatures drop and there is a distinct chill in the air that makes me think that it’s going to snow soon (temperatures below 0°C always have been bundled in knits), it also puts me into the mood for the upcoming holidays. The holidays are the best because of all the togetherness, the decorated trees, the hot chocolate (!), and so much more. It’s also the time of the year that I start to really consider who’s on my nice list and what kind of presents I want to wrap up for people. Which, of course, leads to me thinking about what I want for the holidays. I spent quite a bit of time thinking about what people want – but what about me?! (The me-me-me attitude is leftover from my birthday, it’s mostly gone now!)

“Even stock, there is still only one of me. Any twin would be inferior!” – Bennett (MML)

Someone to pay off my student loans. Maybe a car (that has a good gas mileage). New winter boots! Chocolate – a lot of chocolate. And then it comes to the dolls. Well, Santa, I would love a new doll – it is no secret that I love Kenners, and I wouldn’t mind another Margaret Meets Ladybug (who remains, to this day, my absolute favourite stock doll). And some more doll shoes (and boots!), and perhaps a new camera – all for the better photography of dolls, of course. And maybe a few new carrier bags. Gosh, that seems like a lot, doesn’t it?