I frequently get emails asking for tips about what to ask sellers before committing to buy a doll (this would be for dolls that aren’t still in the box), and I tend to give the same advice, some of these questions really only apply to customized dolls (and also, older dolls). One of the dolls that I bought used, Kindred (Velvet Minuet, pictured above), was from a seller who was very good about disclosing any flaws. But this was very early on in my doll-buying adventure, and I didn’t know what kinds of questions to ask so I was very lucky in that regard! Here are some suggested questions to ask sellers:

• Has the doll ever been opened? If yes, are there any gaps around the scalp?
• What eyechip changes have been made?
• Are the eyelashes original?
• Are there any stains on the body?
• If there are charms on the pullstrings – how will the doll be wrapped? (The charms should be secured – rattling charms can scratch the face.)
• What has the doll been sealed with? (Has the doll’s face-up been sealed?)
• If it’s the original body – are there still red/pink nail polish on the tips of the fingers? (Some stock dolls, e.g. Punkaholic People, have painted nails.)
• Has the hair ever been cut?
• Can close-up photos of the face-up be provided?

What are some things that you think about before a new dolly purchase?

Despite Middies and Petites being on the scene, and them still being in production by Takara, it seems that the full-sized Blythe (real or fake) is always the star when it comes to the world of Blythe. My first doll in this venture of Blythe was a Neo Blythe (Sophie, my Cappuccino Chat). Petites didn’t even register on my radar until I saw one in person and saw how cute they could be! But somehow I couldn’t justify it to myself to buy a $15 toy locally (yet I can for something 10x that price online, sight unseen?). And while I adore Middies in photos, I find more people have Blythes over Middies.

Is there a wane in love for these smaller sisters? Or is it because Blythe, in general, offers more functionality as doll? After all, Blythe has the changing eyes, knees that can bend and, overall, a much larger wardrobe and shopping capability online. Middie lacks the ability to share most clothes with Blythe, and definitely does not have four sets of eyes. And don’t get me started on the Petites – those shoes are impossibly small! I don’t even photograph them as much as I could (or as much as I should), but that stands for the Kenners and Neos as well. I have them, but really, they just stay where they are because I don’t have the wardrobe for them. I really should create more for my Middie (and the two Petites) so they do have a larger wardrobe. It’s the least that I could do, seeing as how none of them have had a wardrobe change in a very, very long time.

Any love for Middies and Petites?

I am personally a little guilty of this. I typically do not leave feedback unless prompted to do so. This is one of the reasons why eBay and Etsy are some of the few places that I will leave feedback. I get prompted to, there’s emails to remind me about leaving feedback. Heck, even Amazon will send me follow-up emails to ask me what I thought about that book that I bought (and since the book is likely a textbook, no I did not enjoy it). And when I started in the Blythe hobby, what feels like many moons ago, there were few places to leave feedback. Forums weren’t feedback friendly, there were no Facebook Blythe groups, and the economy that is the dolly marketplace was (and still is) relatively self-regulated.

Is this a good thing? Sure, there’s no Big Brother forcing you to toe the line and listings can be fairly individualized. But it was (and still is) occasionally a bad thing because there is no formal feedback system that allows you to see who did or did not renege on a deal somewhere. I sometimes forget that not everyone knows where to go to give feedback, especially those who many be new to the world of Blythe. Feedback, good or bad, should be left because it highlights the good and bad of each transaction.

• Good Dolly Deal
• Failed Dolly Deals
• Bad Dolly Deals
• Feedback Section (on Blythe Kingdom)

If you know of any great feedback places for dolls/Blythes/sundries sales, let me know!

Do you leave feedback?

Part of my mission to do a closet clean out actually includes going through the shoe closet to figure out what shoes aren’t used, what shoes won’t be missed and what shoes I pretty much refuse to part with. It’s hard though. The shoes don’t take up that much space, and having a huge variety is such a great thing to have, especially when I’ve go so many dolls and so many feet to put shoes on! But, at the end of the day, I am trying to simplify – even if just a little. For me, I find it irresistible to pass up a good shoe lot on eBay or to part with the vintage squishy boots that we all know and love when it comes to Blythe. And yet, I still find myself yearning for a more concise shoe collection, or perhaps even to part with the doubles that I have when it comes to the vintage knee-high boots that are adorable on pretty much everyone. I may not have the courage (yet) to part with shoes, but hopefully soon – if only to regain some cash flow to buy some more tiny doll shoes.

Do you have the courage to part with doll shoes?

There are moments in my life when I spend more time with my textbooks and notes than with my dolls. Unfortunately, such is the life of a full-time student. And there comes time when I can’t spend as much time crafting and creating for the Blythes as I would like, because I’m too busy or preoccupied with reading about how to do a packed dressing change or about how some drugs work. Nursing school trump doll time. And as midterms approach, nursing school definitely trumps doll time.

Have you had moments of no dolly time?