Happy New Year!

Hey everyone!

I've been super busy with family stuff and being hellishly ill the past couple days, but I did want to make a little post for New Years'! I'm super excited about the doll plans I have for this year, and I'll be talking about that as my first post of 2018.

This post is also a small announcement! I'll be doing a 30 for 30 craft challenge in the month of January, which I know is 31 days, but hey, day off? For those of you who haven't heard of 30 for 30 challenges, essentially what that means is that I'll be working on some craft, of some kind, for at least 30 minutes every day for 30 days. I decided to do this in January because, for the first half of the month, I'm on a true break. In the summer, I work-- hard and a lot-- but there's not work here during the winter, so I have plenty of time to devote to crafts. I'll be posting regular updates on that, and I'd love to invite other people to participate as well. If you do, I'd love to see what you create!

See you next year!

~Theo

Happy Holidays!

Hello everyone!

I'm from a Christmas family, so I'm mid-holiday whirlwind! It's been wicked snowy here the last few days, and the roads are basically solid ice right now, so we're in a bit of a lull until the big day! We're supposed to get a foot on Christmas itself, and I know I shouldn't be, but I'm actually looking forward to it. The fact that we're snowed in means I've got some good time to just sit and work on doll projects. I also just got in my secondhand Asleep Eidolon Chocolate-- who I've decided to name Lucy- so I'm thinking of spending some good time with her. Even though she came with a bunch of stuff, including a wig, I'd like to make her a short little wig out of the fiber I bought for Jonah's wig, as well as make some decisions about her eyes. Once I've made a decision, I can order a new pair for her.

I'm also planning some cute Christmas and winter-themed doll photos! I want to do a shoot with Amelia and Bridget in their Christmas best, including, hopefully, one with the same scarf wrapped around both of them. I've also got plans for one with Gretchen and Lucy, as well as a group photo for the end of the year! I've struggled to find a post of the End of the Year BJD tag, so at this point my plan is just to rewatch SightHoundLady's video from last year and write them down? If you have a link to the original tag, though, please feel free to share!

Sorry for the super short post, I wound up going to a holiday party at a friend's despite the roads! Next up is the end of the year tag, and there should be a box opening for Lucy coming down the pike soon!

See you next time!

~Theo

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello!

With Thanksgiving coming up, I figured it'd be a good time to do a "hobby gratitude" kind of post. So, here's five little hobby things I'm thankful for, in no particular order:

1. My local community

Doll table at a recent meet... 💖💖💖

I'm very fortunate to have a local doll community. We meet up once a month, usually on the second Saturday, and it's been awesome getting to know other collectors in person. Not everyone makes it every month, but we have a solid core group of people who geek out over dolls once a month, and it's always wonderful to see everyone again. It's also great for people like me who are newer to the hobby to have a group of more experienced collectors to turn to with my questions, as well as just to get insight on different companies from.

2. Sculptors

This almost feels too obvious, but I'm so thankful for the incredible sculptors this community is full of. I love seeing your WIP photos and getting to know your styles, from well-known folks to people just getting started. I admire the hell out of your skills, and a lot of you bring diverse faces and body types we likely otherwise wouldn't be seeing, and that's awesome.

3. Jewelers

Holy shit, guys. Words can't describe how blown away I am by the incredible jewelers in this hobby. Whether it's necklaces, bracelets, or the astoundingly ornate rings and crowns I've seen some people make, there's just so much absolutely amazing skill poured into each tiny piece. Metal work is probably not a skill I'm likely to ever be able to pick up, for a variety of reasons, and I'm so so thankful for those who have it and are willing to share it with the rest of us.

4. Craft Stores

I hate having to order everything online. I need to look at colors in person, and I like to be able to feel fabrics. One of the things I kind of hate about living in Boston is my lack of access to craft stores, I have a Michael's and a JoAnn's at home, both easily accessible, but not here. Either way, though, I appreciate their existence when I'm home, and it's nice to be able to stock up with a quarter of a yard of flannel rather than three yards, the online minimum for JoAnn's.

5. Doll YouTubers

I really appreciate the fact that so many people with more time, energy, and presentability (and less awkwardness in front of a camera) are willing to make videos about the hobby and their experiences in it. I love hearing everyone's stories, and video tutorials are great. I have plans to try making wigs soon, and I'm definitely only going to be able to potentially pull it off because video tutorials are a thing.

And that's all for today! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!