As March draws to a close, so does the 2014 March Talent Showcase! To round out this year’s lovely entrants is Monika of Orchid’s Designs– who sews, designs and created a fashion sketchbook! Are you as curious as I was? Continue reading!

Hi Monika! What can you tell us about yourself?
My name is Monika Viktoria, designer and seamstress for Orchid’s Designs, specialising in one of a kind Haute Couture for dolls. I have a background in Fine Art and illustration, and work from my home studio in London (though I am originally from Australia.)

I find that everyone discovers Blythe a little different, how did you discover Blythe?
The first dolls I discovered were precious artist-made porcelain BJD. Through Flickr and doll-forums it was inevitable I found out about Blythe, but didn’t get my first till mid-way through last year – Prima Dolly Violet SBL. My good friend Karolin Felix customized her for me, and the obsession with Blythe was truly begun.

What was the first thing you created for your Blythe dolls?
Almost immediately after falling for Blythe I began designing the Dolly Fashion Sketchbook. Frustrated with my designs being scattered throughout different sketchbooks and notepads, I wanted to create a beautiful and useful fashion sketchbook just for Blythe. Each page has a big-eyed cutie template, room to plan custom eye-chips, jot down notes and inspirations, and glue in fabric swatches. Perfect for customizers and seamstresses, the Dolly Fashion Sketchbook is ideal for all fans of Blythe, to plan her next fabulous outfit!

How has your background in Fine Art and Illustration been able to help you with your business? How has it hindered you?
My background as an illustrator helped me when designing The Dolly Fashion Sketchbook, wanting to create a beautiful tool for people less confidant with their drawing skills. The entire book is fully hand-drawn, including the design elements and templates inside. Also, having a romantic painting style of my own applies when customizing my own dolls, they are the three dimensional embodiments of the nymphs and coquettes I have been illustrating for years.

What was the first project that you sewed for Blythe? What did you learn from that experience?
The first Orchid’s Designs creation I sewed for Blythe were a series of vintage-style attic dresses of silk and gossammer organza. I usually make my designs “skin tight” so had to be careful when working out the patterns to fit both the Takara and Pure Neemo bodies.

What would you consider to be your most elaborate outfit for Blythe? How about your most favourite? Or least favourite?
My current favourite design for Blythe is my “Ghost Fairy” dress, inspired by antique elaborate ballerina costumes for theatres – puffs of shredded tulle and lace tatters, delicate beading glimpsing at the neckline and along the hem. Citrine – my first custom Blythe wears an extravagant 6-piece OOAK costume including a brocade corset, lace leotard and fully beaded sequin helmet. At my first Blythe-con in Glasgow, UK, I was awarded first place in costume design for my pink tartan ensemble, a great honour and recognition for me.

How has designing for Blythe changed the way you interact with people in the community?
Blythe has found me many good friends, and allowed me to reach a great audience. I’ve met wonderful and creative people at BlytheCon, on Flickr and Facebook. I really enjoy participating in group challenges, competitions, and doing creative trades with other talented artists, customizers and designers. It would be wonderful to work on a communal project, I have seen some incredible collaborations!!

What can you tell us about what we can expect from you and Orchid’s Designs in the future?
Orchid’s Designs will continue to create exclusive and OOAK haute couture for rare artist BJD. For Blythe we will be offering unique pre-order commission slots for limited edition designs, and beautiful customised Neo and Middie Blythes with a unique and artistic twist, elaborately costumed visions reflecting my paintings. All my future custom Blythe’s will hopefully be unique creatures completely different from other dolls.

What do you find different about sewing for Blythe in comparison to other dolls and body types?
Blythe with her odd proportions demands her own style. My elegant designs for long-limbed BJD do not translate well, she suits cute and quirky styles, and can pull of silly designs that might appear twee on other dolls yet still look endearing on Blythe!

What would you say is the most important tool that you use for your design work?
A good imagination!! I draw many designs and ideas in my Dolly Fashion Sketchbook, filtering it down so that only my favourite ideas make it to realisation. Then I spend a lot of time lovingly creating a precious finished object, making sure everything is one-of-a-kind. My materials are sourced from around the world and carefully selected to ensure the highest quality and individuality.

Thanks for doing this interview with me, Monika! What advice do you have for someone who’s interested in designing for Blythe?
It’s been my pleasure!! My greatest advice would be to always stay original and true to your own personal style – there are so many talented artists involved with Blythe doing their own thing, don’t fall into the trap of wanting to copy their designs, styles or trends. Creating something fresh and new will be far more rewarding than re-creating something by someone else. Also – do it for the love of Blythe!

To learn more about Monika, check out her website, blog, Facebook page, Flickr photostream and Etsy shop.

Five Orchid’s Designs Gift-Packs!

Monika has generous decided to giveaway five gift packages from Orchid’s Designs. Each gift pack will consist of postcards, sample pages from her Dolly Fashion Sketchbook and a knitted scarf, like in the photos above!

The giveaway runs until Saturday April 5th 2014 at 11:59pm Pacific. The draw will be held on Sunday April 6th 2014 and the winners will be announced on BlytheLife.com. Remember to use a valid email address for all comments. If you win, your email will be forwarded to Monika so she can get in contact with you regarding sending you the prize.

Please only use one email address per person, those using multiple email addresses for more entries will be disqualified.

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Who’s next in the March Talent Showcase? How about someone who transforms vintage and modern dolls and gives them a full head of hair? From natural or synthetics, let’s see what Addie of Little Curls Re-root Services creates!

Hi Addie! What can you tell us about you?
I’m 38, married, a medical secretary and “mom” to a Jack Russell terrier and my kitten. My hobbies (other than dolls) include walking, cycling, watching rugby, listening to music, knitting and crochet.

How did you discover Blythe? What dolls are in your family?
I wasn’t a big fan of dolls when I was a young girl, I much preferred teddies and other plush toys (I had over 100!). I had a T-shirt in 2003/2004 that had a big-eyed doll on it but I didn’t know it was a real doll. I rediscovered Blythe in 2011 when they featured on a blog that my husband reads, I really wanted one of those “Christine Ricci looking dolls” but didn’t think I could afford one – imagine my surprise when one arrived on Christmas Day 2011!!

My current family is 21 dolls – three Neo Blythes (two customised), a Kenner (wispy banged brunette), a Blybe/clone, an Icy doll, two Susie Sad Eyes, a Middie Blythe, a Moof, three Liccas, three Dollcena, two custom LPS Blythe, a stock Petite Blythe, a Tangkou and a Remco Heidi doll.

Who was your first rerooting project?
My first rerooting project was a Blybe/clone Frankie who I decided to reroot using knitting wool. It created such a great effect, and I enjoyed the process so much, that the next two Blythes I adopted both arrived bald!!

What made you decide to start rerooting?
I already had an Etsy store, and loved the creative opportunities that Blythe and her dolly cousins offer 🙂

I’d received a lot of positive feedback from people online and at dolly meets about the quality of the reroots I had completed for my dolls (Rose, Casey and Olive) and so I started rerooting Susie Sad Eyes and selling them – this led to setting up my commissions list.

I won’t agree to reroot a new type of doll unless I’ve had a practice go to see what the head is like to work with, how they look rerooted, how much fibre they need etc – this has inevitably led to my dolly collection growing and diversifying (which is fine be me)!!!

What can you share with us about your routine when it comes to a rerooting project?
I work full time so my rerooting is done during evenings and weekends. If I’m working with a few dolls at a time, I like to spend an evening removing all of their hair and cleaning their heads ready to work on.

I use a laptop tray that has a lamp and hollows for my glue, scissors and needles. I work in batches so I will prepare approx 50 plugs at a time, knotting them and gluing the ends, before positioning the plugs in the dolls head, and then making another batch…

I take lots of photos along the way, especially if i am working on a colour blend, to make sure the overall look is right, and when I have finished I condition and style the doll’s hair before taking her final photos.

What kind of doll do you like to reroot the most? Which kind gives you more challenges?
I’ve had most practice of working with Susie Sad Eyes and I particularly enjoy giving Susies a new head of hair because frankly the poor things were given so little to start with!! I find LPS blythes to be particularly challenging as they have such hard heads and their neck hole is so small, I have to use a very thin long needle! The best dolls are those with squishy heads as they are easier on my hands 😉

I know that different fibres have different pros and cons – what has been your most favourite and least favourite types of fibres to work with when rerooting a doll?
I know that different fibres have different pros and cons – what has been your most favourite and least favourite types of fibres to work with when rerooting a doll?

My least favourite has to be saran – I admire those who work with it and I know you can achieve lovely, in fact stunning, results with it. Its just not for me!

My favourite is mohair – it’s so versatile, it styles well, and holds colour beautifully. It can be washed and conditioned the same as human hair, and its just so tactile! I love the feel of a mohair scalp!!

I have found that the animal it was taken from and the age and length of the fibre will determine the overall curl and feel of the fibre. I source my mohair from a few suppliers that I trust to supply me with premium fibres.

What do you feel is your most important tool for rerooting? What could you not do without?
I actually have very few tools that I need – a darning needle, a set of long narrow doll needles, tweezers, non-toxic fabric glue, and kitchen paper.

What I find is a absolutely vital is something good on the TV – nothing too complicated that I have to concentrate on (and definitely no subtitles) but movie reruns, cookery shows etc are great for keeping me entertained while I work 😀

What has been your most favourite rerooting project to date?
I love working on custom colour blends and my most recent project was just that – I was asked to create a mermaid inspired reroot using jades, turquoises, greens and blues. It was really fun to work on and I know that her new owner was really pleased with the result.

I have a Flickr group so that people can post pictures of their dolls that I have rerooted and its always nice to see how other people style the dolls once they have left my hands…

What can you tell us about some of your future projects and what we can look forward to seeing from you?
As my dolly collection grows and diversifies, so does the range of dolls that I work with… I really love bringing a new lease of life to vintage girls, so as well as rerooting I hope to be able to offer little refresh details such as make up and eyebrow touch-ups, and also little outfits and accessories. As ever I always practice on my own dolls and I have already started on new techniques and patterns…

I will definitely be continuing to work with Susie Sad Eyes, and I have a special witchy Susie planned in the coming months! Just watch this space!

How has selling in the doll community affected how you view it?
I have made so many friends in the past two years, several of whom are down to my work as a rerooter. I’ve found that rather than be competitive or aloof, everyone is friendly and happy to share tips, ideas, make trades, and even swap contacts. I look forward to meeting more people in 2014!

Thanks so much for doing this interview with me, Addie! What kind of advice do you have for a beginner rerooter?
You are so welcome! For any beginners I would say, take your time, choose a doll that you will love and buy the best fibre you can afford (already dyed, combed and banded if you can). Look at as many tutorials you can find and ask lots of questions – that’s how I learnt.

You can find out more about Addie from her Flickr photostream, her Flickr group and over at her Etsy shop.

Rerooting Service Giveaway!

Addie has generously decided to giveaway rerooting service to one lucky reader here at BlytheLife! The rerooting service will be for a small headed doll where the winner provides the doll, fibre and shipping cost. Addie will provide the rerooting service!

The giveaway runs until Saturday March 29th 2014 at 11:59pm Pacific. The draw will be held on Sunday March 30th 2014 and the winner will be announced on BlytheLife.com. Remember to use a valid email address for all comments. If you win, your email will be forwarded to Pamela so she can get in contact with you regarding sending you the prize.

Please only use one email address per person, those using multiple email addresses for more entries will be disqualified.

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It’s another Friday, which means another installment of the March Talent Showcase! It is time for you to meet Leslie, who is the creative woman behind Blythe Happy! So happy to share her and her wonderful embroidered creations with you – what a niche that she entered into in 2013!

Hi Leslie! What can you tell us about yourself?
I am happy to be a stay-at-home wife, mother (although my two kids are in college right now), cat-wrangler (we have four cats who don’t always get along…), crafter, seamstress, blogger, Blythe collector and Etsy shop owner! For the past 15 years we have lived in the touristy town of Williamsburg, Virginia, which I love for it’s small size and proximity to bigger cities.

This is me at Blythe Con 2013 NY with my fave girl Candy. Although the quality of the photo isn’t great, it’s my favorite picture of myself with a doll–you can see how happy Blythe makes me!

How did you discover Blythe? Who is in your dolly family?
I first started seeing Blythe on the craft website Craftster.org in 2012, and I wondered what these dolls were. My curiosity took me to eBay, where I started spending a lot of time scrolling through the Blythe listings. I was especially captivated by Raspberry Sorbet, with her long, swingy hair, and finally I took the plunge and bought her. I hadn’t had a doll since I stopped playing with Barbies at the age of 12, and I had mixed feelings–what will my family and friends think about me playing with dolls??? So I kept my new interest quiet at first, but slowly, as my collection grew and my confidence grew along with it, I became more open about my dolls. Starting my Etsy store this year was the turning point–it made my doll collection more “legitimate”, because I was actually making money on my hobby. Now I have no problem talking about what I do! I’m sure I would not have gotten into this hobby if it wasn’t for all the things I saw people making for their dolls; I love to sew, knit, embroider and do general crafting, and all these skills come together for me in Blythe.

I have a nice variety of Blythes in my collection now, including several of the face molds and lots of different hair colors. My first two girls were brunettes (Petit Dejeuner was #2), but I’ve come to realize that the fantasy hair colors are my favorite. Right after Christmas I lined up all 20 of my Neos and took this picture of them in their bookcase/dollhouse:

What was the first thing that you crafted for Blythe?
The first patterns I found for Blythe were at Puchi Collective, and the first one I made was the Empire Dress. Here is Bonnie–this is both my first dress and my first picture of Blythe! She didn’t even have shoes (she came with boots but they didn’t go with this dress), and I just plunked her down on my front doorstep to take the picture.

Since then I’ve become a lot more creative with both my sewing, crafting and picture-taking; here’s a recent photo. I made the room box on the right, and the winter-themed stand on the left; I also made the yellow table (from perler beads) and the red and white outfit on Heather (my Prima Dolly Violet). Oh–I just added Precocious Candy Mushroom to my collection–this is her first photo!!

Tell us a little bit about Blythe Happy – what made you decide to open up a shop?
As I’ve already mentioned, one of the main reasons Blythe appealed to me was that I could make lots of “stuff” for her. I quickly became involved in swaps on Blythe Kingdom and Plastic Paradise, and I got so much positive feedback from my swap partners about the items I knitted and sewed, that the thought of opening a shop started to form. I resisted it for a while though, because I didn’t want the hassle of running a business–getting a business license, keeping records for taxes, and filing quarterly returns for Virginia sales tax DO NOT appeal to me! Eventually, though, as I sewed cute dresses and knit fun little hats, I really wanted to share them with more people. I decided the hassle would be worth it, so I opened Blythe Happy on Etsy in the summer of 2012.

How has opening a business changed the Blythe world for you?
The biggest change has been all the people I’ve been able to connect with through my shop. Although I am active on the Blythe forums and Flick’r and some Blythe groups on Facebook, I’m not really “chatty”, so it was hard for me to meet people. Now that I have a shop, it’s easy for people to get an idea of who I am by seeing what I make. Many of my customers are also in the on-line groups I belong to, and as a result of their purchases, we’ve connected in the groups. It’s so fun to connect with people!

What is the first thing that you sold through your Etsy shop?
The very first thing that sold was a Happy Cloud Dress, which was purchased by one of my lovely swap partners because it matched a hat I had sent her! See what I mean about connections? Several other former swap partners made purchases from me in the early days of my shop, which really warmed my heart and boosted my confidence–I truly appreciate those first customers, and every single one since then. Here’s a picture of that first dress; I opened Blythe Happy with a dozen dresses I had made as a personal challenge to sew or knit a dress every day for a month.

I soon noticed that a lot of people on Etsy sold outerwear for Blythe, but not many were selling underwear, so I decided to try making some panties. I wanted them to be pretty and practical, so I used white fabric (practical, so there are no worries about staining) and I came up with some simple embroidery designs for the front (pretty, but still practical, because embroidery is flat and won’t cause lumps under clothing like other embellishments–bows, buttons, beads, etc.–would). As soon as I started offering the panties, they sold well, so that’s what I concentrate on now. I try to keep a good variety of designs available all the time, and I’m always coming up with new embroidery patterns to keep the shop fresh. I’ve also started making the panties in Middie size, and they have received a good response from my customers.

Do you end up keeping a lot of what you make, or does most of it end up in the shop?
When it comes to the panties, everything I make is for sale–leaving my own dollies with “seconds”! Only a couple of the girls are actually wearing my panties, and those are the prototypes I made that had imperfections. But I do like to see all my dolls dressed nicely, and I like to see them in items I’ve made myself, so I go out of my way to sew and knit outerwear for them. If a dress doesn’t sell in my shop by the time the listing expires, I keep that for myself. Since I only make items that I love, I am very happy to keep anything that doesn’t sell quickly!

What has been your best-selling panties design so far?
The top favorite design is a flower trio (on the Middie panties it’s a single flower) that I do in several different colors. I consider it my “signature” design, because it’s the only one I do completely free-hand (for all the others, I trace the design onto the fabric and embroider over the lines.) The next best-seller is a kitty face; every time I put one in the store it disappears quickly! But all the designs sell well, probably because I am careful to choose themes that are popular in the world of Blythe collectors–anything cute or pretty or kitschy will work–like animal faces, mushroom houses, gnomes, hearts, crowns, unicorns, rainbows–even a cute little T-Rex! But since the surface area for the design is small, the images can’t be too complicated or detailed. I keep a little notebook where I brainstorm ideas for embroidery designs. Later I go back and decide which ones will work, and I refine those sketches into workable drawings.

Generally speaking, my dolls don’t run around with their underpants showing – how does it make you feel when you do get to see your embroidered pants on other people’s dolls?
This question brings up the biggest drawback to making panties–they rarely get to be seen in action!! Recently, however, I sent a pair in a swap package, and my partner posted a cute picture of her doll raising her skirt to show off her panties–that really made my day!

Photo by Heather Roy – used with permission.

I always enjoy the surprise of seeing pretty panties on my dolls when I’m changing their clothes, so for the most part, the panties are a pretty secret to be enjoyed only by the doll owner (and the dolls themselves, of course!)

What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned about business owning and being the owner of an online shop since you’ve started selling things?
You have to advertise! After opening Blythe Happy, I quickly realized that I couldn’t expect customers to find me on their own–as with any business, you have to advertise so people will know you exist. I post links to my shop in the Facebook Blythe groups; and both Blythe Kingdom and Plastic Paradise have sections for shop owners to show what they sell. All of these are fantastic opportunities because they directly target the Blythe community, and they are FREE!! So far I haven’t used the option at Etsy to pay to have my listings at the top of the page when customers do searches, but I am keeping that in mind for the future. Another thing I’m considering is making up something small to be packaged with my business cards to donate to Blythe Con 2014 for the goodie bags. I know that when I got home after Blythe Con this year, I made a point of looking up all the businesses that gave freebies; that would be a great way to put my shop name directly into the hands of Blythe collectors.

You can find out more about Leslie and Blythe Happy on Facebook, her blog and over at her Etsy shop!

Embroidered Panties Giveaway!

Leslie has generously decided to giveaway three pairs of embroidered panties and each panty will have one lucky winner! Winners will get their choice of size (Neo vs. Middie) and design (from Leslie’s existing designs).

The giveaway runs until Saturday March 22nd 2014 at 11:59pm Pacific. The draw will be held on Sunday March 23rd 2014 and the winners will be announced on BlytheLife.com. Remember to use a valid email address for all comments. If you win, your email will be forwarded to Leslie so she can get in contact with you regarding sending you the prize.

Please only use one email address per person, those using multiple email addresses for more entries will be disqualified.

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To kick off the 2014 March Talent Showcase, we’re starting off with an interview with Pauleen of Simply Sweet Creations and Sweet Serendipity!

Hi Pauleen! What can you tell us about yourself?
I am a 26-year-old bohemian living in Mexico City, who has a degree in Computer Science but whose life’s dream is to become a film director and published author. Currently, I’m working as a freelance, self-employed, and self-taught visual artist and crafter. I manage 2 online stores: “Simply Sweet Creations” is where I sell my original artwork, and “Sweet Serendipity” is where I offer I wide array of handmade items and gifts. I consider myself as an obsessive collector, dolls being my most recent passion. I’m also a girl of multiple talents and innumerable interests, an avid traveller, a bit of a technology geek, and a huge, huge fan of Japanese culture.

Everyone finds Blythe a little differently. How did you discover Blythe?
It all began back in 2009. I wanted to enter a contest organised by a local radio station and in order to do so, you had to open an account in their site. Once I did, another member’s profile picture caught my attention. It was of a very pretty doll. So, I checked that member’s information and lucky me, I found she was part of a group that liked “Blythe dolls”. That was all the information I required to start my search on Google and boy did I love what I found. First, I visited the official site and went through all the info there and the pics and the more I read, the more I fell in love with Blythe and my desire of owning one increased by the minute. Then, the obvious next step was to purchase one, but for some reason, in those days the JunieMoon online shop didn’t ship to Mexico. I felt a bit disappointed. Time passed, but the wish of having a Blythe doll never vanished. Finally, the opportunity presented itself in a very, very, very wonderful yet unusual way: in September 2010, I won a trip to Japan and the first thing that came to my mind was: “I’m getting my Blythe!!!”. And the rest is history, well not quite. Once in Tokyo, I went looking for the JunieMoon store in Daikanyama but nobody could tell me how to get there. I also knew the dolls could also be found at the Kiddyland chain of toy stores, but the one I found was closed because they were moving. Yet I was not ready to give up, I wasn’t going back home empty-handed and so, after getting lost in city and with the assistance of my Japanese speaking sister, we arrived at JunieMoon and OMG, that store is a dream! And yes, now the rest is history.

When did your shop open and what made you decide to start selling things to the doll community?
I opened my “Sweet Serendipity” shop at Storenvy in 2012, but the doll clothes and accessories line wasn’t included ’til mid 2013. I decided to add that particular category for 3 main reasons: a) During the 2013 March Talent Showcase I was the lucky winner of the most beautiful turquoise dress by BlytheStar and was pretty much inspired Lyndell’s work, so I felt it it was time for me to give something back to the community. b) I’m a fairly new crocheter and I learned how to crochet by making amigurumi. Then my knowledge of the craft came to a point where I was confident enough to move on to clothes where an exact gauge is needed, otherwise the garment won’t fit. c) Finally because no matter how many fashion designs I’ve got in my mind, I don’t have the patience to make them for humans, so dolls were the way to go.

What is the first item that you created with the intention to sell, rather than to keep for yourself?
A lot of thinking and preparation goes into determining what kind of products I’m going to offer next in my store and the blue dress with the matching short sleeve cardigan that my Blythe is wearing in one of the pictures was my very first sellable doll item. But it wasn’t always like that. A couple of months before I decided to sell doll clothes, I had crocheted the cardigan just to test out the pattern. Then that piece went into my PHD box (“Projects-Half-Done”) because even though the pattern turned out to be OK, at the time I didn’t know what else to do with it. After getting my BlytheStar’s prize in the mail, I finally had the epiphany of how I could complete the outfit. When I finished the dress and “asked” my Blythe to kindly model it for me, the whole ensemble made sense and that’s when I knew I was ready to offer it online.

Where do you find inspiration for your crocheted designs?
Inspiration comes from everyday life and I always have to make sure to be prepared with pen and paper whenever an idea hits me. Yet for crochet, especially doll clothes, inspiration comes mostly from myself and from my own particular sense of style. You see, I’m an extremely girly girl, I only wear dresses and skirts. So in terms of fashion, I always design outfits that fit my taste and that in a way, remind me of the beautiful garments I used to wear as a little kid. Also, I have this habit of buying craft materials and yarn without a project in mind, because when it comes to creating something from scratch, I like a challenge and what better way to put my imagination to work, than with a table full of ordinary items waiting to be turned into extraordinary masterpieces.

How has your involvement in the doll community changed following selling doll clothes?
It has changed in oh so many ways. For starters, when I first entered the doll world, I was a mere collector sharing pics of my dolls. Now, as a newly seller of doll fashions, it makes me happy to offer something more tangible that will be much more appreciated and perhaps more useful than a single image of my whimsical collection. Furthermore, whenever someone asks about my dolls’ outfits, it feels nice to say: “Yes, I made it myself” or if in a doll-related forum or site I come across the post from someone looking for clothes for Blythe or any other doll, I can gladly reply: “Here’s a sample of my work, hope you find something you like”. In addition, I recently began receiving tutorial requests for a couple of doll accessories I had made just as an experiment . Finally, I myself have introduced a couple of girls into the doll world after quite almost literally mesmerizing them with my very own and ever-growing doll collection.

Tell us a little bit about your first sale: what you sold and how you felt about it.
My first doll-related sale was crazy and it didn’t even take place at my online store. Here’s how the story went: I had this Facebook contact, it was precisely one of those girls I mentioned before, the ones I introduced to the doll collecting hobby. Well, this particular girl had just bought her first doll and she was eager to expand her outfit choices, so she wrote to me. She would begin with a dress, but not one from my catalog, she wanted a custom order, a piece that was one-of-a-kind and that would suit her doll’s personality. I presented her with a couple of options I had at the moment, but she was indecisive. Next thing I know, she makes a deposit into my bank account and later tells me: “Forget about the dress, what I really want right now is a plush toy to keep my doll company. So, with the money I paid you, what amigurumi can you make, shipping included”? I was in awe. In the end, I sent her a tiny cupcake amigurumi and from the reaction I got, I can say she was thrilled and I was very flattered. This girl was so excited when she got the package, that she made and shared a video of all the unwrapping process, bragged about her new acquisition, and encouraged people to buy from my store.

What would you say is the most valuable tool that you use for your crafting?
My imagination and my hands, no doubt about it. Without them I wouldn’t be able to do anything. I see my imagination as this computer continually generating new ideas and my hands as the 3D printer bringing those ideas to life. Any other utensil or instrument, like crochet hooks, needles, scissors, looms,… are just helpers in the whole creative process.

What would you say has been the hardest lesson you’ve learned so far with being crafter who sells things?
Don’t bite off more than you can chew. When I started with the whole “selling-my-work-thing”, I resorted to the Internet to sell and promote my creations. Nonetheless, as useful as the Internet may be, it is also a risky business and it can take you off the track in an instant. At the beginning, I was listing my handmade items in multiple online stores and had opened accounts in all major social networks. Soon, I was so busy in keeping all this sites functional and updated, that my crafting time was severely affected. The result: no new products to offer and absolutely no increase in sales. The moral of the story: it’s okay to use the Internet for marketing purposes, just don’t exaggerate.

Can you give us some ideas of what’s in store for you and your Blythe endeavors in the future?
Expect to see more crocheted outfits as well as a wider array of accessories such as jewellery, bags, and hairbands. Also, one of my New Year’s resolutions was to learn new crafting skills, so there may be some mixed-media creations down the road. Then, in a far more distant future, I’m planning a line of doll furniture and perhaps wigs, if all goes well. In addition, I intend to include fashions for Middies and Petites. Finally, I’ve got some nice treats in store not for Blythe dolls, but for Blythe owners and it goes as follows: If you want to showcase your love for Blythe, or you need little trinkets to give out as free gifts on orders placed by your customers, or if you just want to advertise your brand in conventions and meetings, then I’m offering a special service of designing/manufacturing some really unique products to fulfill those needs. This service is already available and I’ve tested it on myself. I never miss an opportunity to wear my brand t-shirts when going out to crowded places.

Thank you so much for participating in the March Talent Showcase this year, Pauleen! What kind of advice would you give someone who’s new to running an online business?
Well, thank you very much to you Michelle for having me, it’s been a great honour. Now, on to the advise. I have three basic rules when it comes to running an online business. First and foremost, your store policies and product descriptions should be clear, detailed, and truthful because should anything go wrong with a sale, you have written evidence to back you up and protect you as a seller. Second, if you offer custom orders, remember that you are not a mind reader, so I recommend creating a guideline or a template for the information you require your customer to provide so that you’re able to translate their wishes into the product of their desire. And third, yes there are mean people out there who seem to have nothing better to do than to leave rude comments on your site. I say: remove that rubbish and be prepared to stand up for your work. A lot of effort goes into handmade and in being your own boss, and no one has the right to minimise or disapprove that.

You can find out more about Pauleen from her blog, on Facebook and at her shop!

Crocheted Beret Giveaway!

Pauleen has generously decided to giveaway one crocheted beret to one lucky reader here on BlytheLife! What a darling little pom pom on top!

The giveaway runs until Saturday March 15th 2014 at 11:59pm Pacific. The draw will be held on Sunday March 16th 2014 and the winner will be announced on BlytheLife.com. Remember to use a valid email address for all comments. If you win, your email will be forwarded to Pauleen so she can get in contact with you regarding sending you the prize.

Please only use one email address per person, those using multiple email addresses for more entries will be disqualified.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Welcome to the fifth and last installment of this year’s March Talent Showcase! Last, but certainly not least, I introduce you all to Eve! She knits delightful little sweaters in all sorts of fun colours and designs! As a knitter myself, I always appreciate the work that goes into tiny knits and other fiber-related crafts!

Hi Eve! What can you tell us about yourself?
I live in the city of Vancouver with 2 sneaky rabbits. I love all sorts of crafting and cute things. My main hobby is knitting which eventually lead me to knitting for my dolls.

How did you discover Blythe? Who’s in your doll family?
I discovered Blythe only a few years back when I was into Lolita fashion and notice a few of the girls collected Blythe dolls. Girls who want to look like dolls must have pretty dolls too. So it was then that I got exposed to it which sparked my interest then eventually ventured into getting one myself. I only have 2 dolls in my family, Very Vicky & Kiss Me True. I decided that I was only going to have 2 dolls because it would be difficult to divide my attention if I had too many. Haha I hope I can keep it that way.

Tell us about where the name Quenne came from.
The name Quenne is actually just an online alias that I have been using for a a few years and I even have a domain name of the same too for daily things. I wanted something simple and easy enough to use for my doll shop, QuenneDoll. The dolls are my models and shopgirls, they run the show. 🙂 I am just the worker who makes their clothes to wear.

What made you decide to start knitting for Blythe?
I knew I wanted to make cloths for my Blythes from the start. I started out sewing a little, but I didn’t have the patience or talent for it. I am always knitting anyways and decided why not give knitting for the dolls try. Knitting is relaxing for me and I enjoy small quick projects.

How did you feel when you made your very first sale? And when you got to see your work on someone else’s doll?
I was happy that someone wanted an item that I had made. If made me feel more encouraged to make more and be able to share it with others.

What is your favourite part about running your own business?
I can just do what I want and change things up when I feel the need. There is no rules to follow except the ones I decide.

How has running a business changed the way you view the hobby of Blythe?
It has not change the way I view Blythe as a hobby at all, because I considering my knitting for Blythe as an extension of the hobby too.

If you had to give someone a quick blurb about what makes your work great and why they should buy from you, what would you say to them?
I hand make all my items with love and attention and make sure they are up to my own standards. I feel it’s good enough for my own dolls, only then is it good enough to share with someone else’s lovely doll. I try to make my items simple, cute and fun with lots of colors and I am always thinking up and trying new styles and ideas.

What’s a tool that you use that’s indispensable when it comes to your work? (Besides knitting needles!)
I would say my knitting note book, because I write down all my patterns, ideas and details in there.

What has been a challenge for you so far with running your own Etsy shop?
The only challenge has actually been getting the shop running and keep going with it.

How has Blythe changed your life for the better?
Being able to see so many people with wonderful looking dolls and their beautiful creations. It has encourage me to be more creative and craft more then ever.

Thank you so much for doing this interview with me, Eve! What kind of advice would you give to someone who’s new to the doll hobby?
Thank you for having me.  I think as with any hobby, take your time browse around, learn about it before jumping too quickly into it. So many cute dolls and goodies out there. And of course, just enjoy it.

You can find more about Eve on Flickr and her Etsy shop, QuenneDoll!

Custom Sweater Giveaway!

Eve has generously decided to giveaway a custom sweater from her wide range of designs! You can choose between short or long sleeves, collars, kangaroo pocket, etc.! The winner should have a lot of fun choosing their final design!

You can get up to ten (10) entries for this giveaway draw and you can enter until Saturday April 6th 2013 at 11:59pm Pacific. The draw will be held on Sunday April 7th 2013 and the winner will be announced on BlytheLife.com. Remember to use a valid email address for all comments. If you win, your email will be forwarded to Eve so she can get in contact with you regarding sending you the prize.

Please only use one email address per person, those using multiple email addresses for more entries will be disqualified.

Mandatory Entry: Comment below about the interview with Eve of QuenneDoll! This is worth 1 entry into the giveaway.

Bonus Entry #1: Tweet about the contest! Please retweet the following once per day from your public Twitter account! (If you look below, there is a box for you to include your Twitter username, if you do, I can easily verify your bonus entry!) Each tweet is 1 entry into the giveaway for a maximum of 2 entries into the giveaway. Please comment below to tell me that you’ve been tweeting (1 comment per tweet!)

Check out the @blythelifecom interview with Eve of QuenneDoll! #giveaway http://bit.ly/ZsDiws

Bonus Entry #2: Blog about the giveaway! Be sure to include some details about the contest and include links to BlytheLife.com, this interview/giveaway page and QuenneDoll Etsy shop! For 1 blog entry, this is worth 5 entries into the giveaway! You must comment below with the URL to your blog post.

Bonus Entry #3: Share this giveaway on Facebook! Include a link back to this interview page! For 1 Facebook share, this is worth 2 entries into the giveaway! You must comment below with the URL to your shared link.