Raffle Prize Spotlight: Art Doll Keepsakes

We are very happy to present Gemini, a beautiful custom Blythe generously created & donated by Art Doll Keepsakes.    Gemini is wearing a green & emerald handmade dress by Cindy Sowers.  Thank you so much Art Doll Keepsakes for creating this amazing Custom Blythe for this years BlytheCon raffle!  "The Dreams that you dare to dream really do come true!"   You can find both artist at the following places:

Art Doll Keepsakes:  www.etsy.com/shop/artdollkeepsakes  &  www.flickr.com/photos/artdollkeepsakes

Cindy Sowers:  www.etsy.com/shop/cindysowers

Raffle Prize Spotlight: Cocomicchi

Cocomicchi has created a fabulous Panda Cocoanimal dress and leotard for this years BlytheCon raffle.  She has also donated two of her greeting cards featuring Cocomicchi photography.  Thank you so much for your wonderful contributions!  You can find Cocomicchi at the following places:  www.cocomicchi.com  &  www.flickr.com/photos/cocomicchi

Vendor Interview, Buttonarcade

 

 

1. Introduce yourself, who are you and where do you live?

My name is Kyle, and I live in sunny Portland, Oregon.

2. What do you make for Blythe?

Silly voices and felt pocket dresses.

3. Where can we find your creations?

My Blythe creations can be found in my Art Fire shop:
http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/Buttonarcade
This is the Button Arcade Fan Club:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/buttonarcade/
And my Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42944111@N00/

4. What are your main influences?

That's such a tough question. I try to find beauty in everything. I might get an idea for a dress off a fashion blog, graffiti, or from the color pallet of my dinner.

5. How did you get started with Blythe dolls?

I first discovered Blythe on eBay in early 2000. I never liked dolls as a child, but as soon as I saw that weirdo, I wanted her in my life. I was planning my move to Portland, however, and paying tens of dollars on a doll with a cracked pelvis (what had she been doing?) seemed irresponsible, so I didn't place any bids.

Shortly after moving to Portland, I found the "This Is Blythe" book by Gina Garan. "IT'S THAT DOLL!" I yelled to my new, now startled and slightly terrified friends. Gina's photos of Blythe were downright magical. They made me not just want a Blythe, they made me want to BE Blythe. It was like Gina was formally introducing us. I bought the book. A friend stole it.

Shortly after my daughter was born in 2003, my little family visited our favorite neighborhood toy shop/art gallery. They had Blythes for sale, and I actually carried a Tea For Two around the store, while violently shaking. My dad had given me $100 for my birthday, but spending $100 on a doll when I had just had a baby seemed irresponsible, so we walked to Powell's and I spent $100 on children's books, instead.

For seven years, Blythe kept popping up in my life. Finally, in 2007, I got my first Blythe, Toast, for Mother's Day.
I really wish I had been irresponsible and started collecting sooner. The early days of Blythe seem like they were wondrous! People had to paint stock eye chips to get custom colors. They were figuring out which clothes/patterns fit Blythe. Sleep eyes? Replacement bodies? So exciting! Those are the lucky ones. Plus, the answer to this question wouldn't be so long and rambling.

6. Do you collect anything else?

Dust.

7. What's one interesting fact we may not know about you?

I was born without a tail.

Raffle Prize Spotlight: Emma Mount

We have three wonderful prizes created by Emma Mount.  Thank you so much Emma for your amazing donations!  Below you can see the lovely Tote Bag, Rosette (Can be a broach or magnet), & Pillow.  You can find Emma Mount's fabulous artwork & creations at the following places:

www.emmamount.etsy.com  or  www.emmamountart.com

Raffle Prize Spotlight: Las lagrimas de Alicia

Next we have an amazing donation entitled "Dorothy's Dream" by Las lagrimas de Alicia (Alice's Tears).  Amy, from Las lagrimas de Alicia says, "Las lagrimas de alicia is a team; my mother and my twin sister.  We participate together in this project and we put our heart and imagination in this."  This dress was inspired by the poppy fields from the Wizard of Oz.  There is also a wonderful poetic story that has been written to go along with the beautiful dress set.  Thank you so much to the team of Las lagrimas de Alicia for your donation!  You can find Las lagrimas de alicia here:

https://www.etsy.com/es/shop/laslagrimasdealicia

 https://www.flickr.com/photos/laslagrimasdealicia/

DOROTHY’S DREAM

(to the little Dorothy who dreams from the bottom of our hearts)

When Dorothy was walking across the deadly poppy fields, the darkness took her little feet and made her fall.  A blue shadow stained her little child body; first her legs, then her eyes and finally the BLUE SHADOW touched her soul…  Dorothy was sleeping.  The powerful scent of poppies SILENCED her conscience.  Imagination became the QUEEN and started to open her wings and fly into Dorothy’s world!  

“the Grey of her great Kansas prairies is as grey as despair.  Grey is the gaze of Aunt Em and her feelings.  The Tin Woodsman without a heart is grey.  And there is a strange mark on his face.  It was the path of an old tear.”  WHO COULD HAVE FEELINGS?

Golden light; it is the lion’s mane shining.  Beautiful fire Crown around a great head.  Too much fire for such little courage.  WHO COULD BE BRAVE?

And again the GREY, grey Kansas prairies howling and whispering in Dorothy’s ears.

A friendly SCARECROW dances innocently under a petrified sky.  Toto barks, Dorothy tries to shout to the Scarecrow; "a cyclone is coming!"  The sky resounded but the scarecrow hasn’t got a brain.  WHO COULD HAVE WISDOM?

Toto barks louder, and LOUDER.

…the darkness releases Dorothy’s little feet.  And the colors come.  Life is again in Dorothy’s eyes and courage is breathing in her soul.  Dorothy is awake.  The barking of Toto rescues her conscience.  And the LIGHT spreads its wings into Dorothy’s world.

Dorothy recalls her dream:  Who could have feelings?  Who could be brave?  Who could have Wisdom?

Feelings?  and what for?  to LIVE.

Courage? what for? to DARE TO LIVE.

A Brain?  what for? to LEARN TO LIVE.

A voice says to her:  "WELCOME TO KANSAS."  It’s Aunt Em.

Vendor Interview- Photos 4 Sue

 

 

 

1. My name is Susan Tamcsin. I'm the creative director for my husband's beeswax candle company Big Dipper Wax Works. I am a mother of two lovely girls, Hannah 10 yrs and Sally 6 yrs. I live with my family in Normandy Park, just south of Seattle. I'm originally from Milwaukee, WI.

2. I make hand-painted eye chips, dresses, and I customize dolls and make all their accessories.

3. I sell my eye chips and dresses on my Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/photos4sue. I auction my custom Blythe dolls usually on Ebay. To join my newsletter to find out about my shop updates and new customs available click here: http://eepurl.com/iOI0H

I post updates and images of everything I'm doing in Dolly Land here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/photos4sue/

 

 

4. I am inspired by the many amazingly talented artists and customizers in our community. I am also influenced by fabric designs and my love of printmaking. My new dresses will all have hand-printed elements, drawing from my earlier years as a printmaking student in art school and my ever-evolving love for that art.

5. I first found Blythe back in 2008, when a friend of mine had one taken apart on her kitchen counter. I was immediately intrigued. My friend taught me the basics of customizing, I was hooked. I continued experimenting and my love for Blythe has grown and evolved ever since.

6. Before Blythe, I never really collected anything, not even dolls. Since then I have been very slowly collecting dolls of different kinds. Aside from my Blythe collection of about 12 Blythes, I have a few BJD's, some vintage dolls and some hand-crafted dolls. I guess I collect fabric and art supplies too!

7. When my brother died of cancer 3 years ago, I fell out of love with everything. I put my dolls aside for a long while and never thought I'd go back.  Eventually I came around and opened myself back up to them. To this day, as much as I love Blythe and customizing them, I teeter on the edge of getting rid of everything. I wonder if that feeling will ever go away.