Well, I've officially put my first mini collection of doll clothes up for sale! You can see it at the DoA marketplace, here. It is only two day dresses. They've been done and photographed forever, but I've been trying to finish an evening dress to put with the collection. The evening dress, however, I'm not really enjoying making, and definitely don't want to have to make more than one, so I decided to just go with the two day dresses. I really just wanted to release these because I'm so happy with them, and am already starting on my next collection, which I hope to have done maybe by February? We'll see!
Oh, and in case you don't have access to the marketplace, but would like to see, I'll put the pictures here as well. . .
( Behind a cut, as they are quite large. . . )
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*sigh* I am trying to take pictures today of my day looks for my doll line as they're complete with accessories and everything. I styled the wig, set up a nice little scene. . . And of course, my camera is on its last breath. The viewing window thing is not working, so I don't know how my angle and such is until after I've taken the picture. Also, everything is blurry. Even on a tripod, with the still life setting - only like one out of every half dozen pictures is coming out non-blurry. Fail!!! And the worst of it is, I'm not a good photographer to begin with, so I really didn't need this extra challenge of a broken camera to make it even harder. I don't know what I'm going to do. . . I definitely won't be buying a new camera though, I can promise you that, because a big purchase like that just isn't in the budget at the moment. *sigh* And, I still haven't finished look #3, and with how early it gets dark now, this means it's unlikely that I'll get it done today. And, dust is against me. Yes, dust. I have an old home (c. 1920) and it manufactures dust like nobody's business. And not the kind you can just brush off or even swiffer - the kind that is thick and gross and sticks to things. Like doll furniture, for example. You try to dust it off and all you do is push the dust around - it won't come off for love or money! So even if the stupid camera takes a non-blurry picture, what you're going to get is props and furniture clearly coated with dust that just won't come off, which is going to be distracting from the dress that is the whole point of the picture. Some times I just really feel cursed. I think I'm throwing in the towel and going to see if Glenn still wants to go to the fancy cupcake shop today. I feel like a fancy, delicious cupcake could turn the tables on this fail-looking situation! *stomach growls*
I do have this for you though. . .
( Random doll picture. . . )
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Gah! I was hoping for my collection to be done for Saturday, but now I'm not sure. . . But either way, I'll be taking (and probably posting sneak peek) pictures this weekend. The day dresses, after all, are done, and I have a perishable prop I want pictures with. ;)
I got nothing done last night because it was just one of those nights. Basically, my collection is the two day dresses, and the third piece was going to be an embroidered evening gown. Last night, for whatever reason, I decided I shouldn't do the evening dress - it's time consuming, I only have synthetic fabric on hand and am a total fabric snob. . . So I started trying to think up a new third ensemble. Maybe a third day ensemble? But I couldn't find the fabric I wanted. Maybe a cape? But I couldn't decide how to trim it and didn't want to leave it plain. Maybe a spencer? But it just didn't feel right. Nothing felt right, in fact. I sketched, laid trimmings on fabric, and got frustrated. So I tried to switch gears and work on a necklace for the collection. I'm becoming quite good at knotting necklaces so I thought this was a good bet. Only, everything went wrong. I couldn't ever get a needle threaded, my threads were all either too skinny or too thick, my knots wouldn't land in the right place. . . Ugh! So then I put that aside and took apart a straw hat. That was the only satisfying think I did that night!
I always find when these bad sewing days crop up, the best thing to do is just not fight it. However, these days, if I am at home and not sewing, then I am thinking of Halloween too much and becoming depressed. So, after taking apart the straw hat, I put out the light in the sewing room and crawled in to my bed with my DS and played Raving Rabbids for like two hours. That game is so ridiculous and fun that one can hardly help but feel a bit better! I was finally able to do some of the games which involve the microphone, which I can not do on the train/at work, for obvious reasons! ;P
Turns out leaving it alone was the right thing to do, because this morning, I got up and the answer to my issue with my collection was clear: It has to be the evening dress. I think that's why I couldn't get myself to pick a substitute. So, I've an awful lot of embroidery work ahead of me, because in typical Jenni fashion, I could not just pick a simple design! One thing is for sure: Unlike with the day dresses, the evening gowns that will be sold will not be ready to ship before I release my collection! I think those will have to be a "preorder" type of thing. . .
In other news, I'm planning to attend the Boston BJD meet-up this month. They're usually on Sundays, and I have every Sunday free this month! And, I even have commuter rail passes purchased already, because I accidentally bought the wrong ones for getting to work, so these will get me all the way to Boston and back. Serendipity! Let's hope I don't chicken out this time, and that I make it not just in to the building, but all the way in to the doll meet itself this time! ;P
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So, I decided to hold off on releasing my collection. I decided I'd rather take the extra time to really make it perfect, rather than have it only be "okay."
In other news, Charlotte is home!!!!! She's so beautiful, and dressed in some of her new things and chillaxin' beside me as we speak. :)
And, finally. . . I leave you with a special (pre-face-up) pictures of Charlotte, in honor of this holiday. . .
( Don't click if you are creeped out by, erm, less-than-complete dolls, and disturbingness, LOL! )
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I just wanted you all to know that I am going out of my mind waiting to get home today! Charlotte was mailed on Wednesday, so if I was a very lucky girl and the mail was moving fast right now, there is a slight possibility she could have arrived today and be awaiting me, which would be awesome! Also, I am ridiculously excited about finishing my collection. I have to go to a Halloween party tonight and I'd give just about anything to not have to go! I've already been to one party this season, and have a few folks coming over tomorrow, so I'm not lacking in party opportunities, and really, this doll collection thing is so very important to me. Plus, my stomach is feeling a bit "off" right now. Don't worry, it's not swine flu - I don't think I'm getting sick at all (*knocks on wood*), I just think I eat like crap and drink too much soda and so I often have an unsettled stomach - and the broccoli and chesse pizza and Coke I think has done me in today! Anyhow. So I'm hoping at least that Glenn will be willing to make it a short visit tonight at this party, though I know it's not likely since he likes to stay late at these sorts of things. I'm so obsessed with getting this doll collection done that I'd even be willing to take two cars and drive myself around so I could leave early - and anyone who knows me well knows that is shocking indeed! But alas, our Beetle is having some transmission problems seen to at the moment. So. I'll have to just get through it and keep my fingers crossed for a short stay at the party!
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Hooray! Charlotte was shipped yesterday! I seriously can't wait to see her in person, and try out all her new clothes and accessories I've made/purchased while she was away! And, most of all, my fingers are crossed super tight that she will arrive by Saturday, so that I will have a model with a head for my collection! I guess it depends on the shipping method she was sent with, and how fast the mail is moving at the moment. I feel like it's moving pretty fast, since I bought a tiny grommet setter (*cough*hint about my next doll collection*cough*) on eBay the other day and had it in my hands two days later!
The doll line is coming along! Prototype dress #2 turned out fabulous, and except for needing a slight sleeve adjustment, it is done! So now, I'm just concerned with prototype dress #3. This one is the most time/labour-intensive design of the three, and I've been stressing about getting it done in time - especially since I have to spend my sewing time tonight finishing Glenn's costume, and tomorrow we have a Halloween party. But then, it dawned on me that there's no requirement to have everything done by Saturday morning, and so I've decided to give myself all day Saturday, and move my intended "release time" to the evening. Once this idea dawned on me, I realized it's absolutely perfect, and I even know exactly how I'm going to take pictures and such. I am so excited now! In fact, the only things I'm feeling less-than-positive about are the possibility that Charlotte may not arrive in time, and the fact that I don't have a really great wig for her to wear for this era. The one I have is the right style, and a pretty color, but since my doll has such a very large forehead, and the wig is not a very full one, I feel like it looks a little skimpy. But, the focus here is the clothing after all, and not the wig!
Oh, and I'm sort of concerned about setting prices for my work. I did some math where I took the cost of supplies, and the number of hours spent x what I felt was a fair hourly rate for someone who is new to the "doll clothes for sale" scene, and I am concerned that my resulting price is too high. But then I researched prices for other hand-made period clothing, and I felt like I was about right or even a little bit under the average going rate - except that my fabrics/supplies I'm using maybe aren't as pricey (well, for dress #1 and #2 anyhow) - but then, I am doing all of my hemming and finishing by hand, which I'm going to guess most people are not. . . I don't know! I don't want to make my prices so high that people are disgusted and won't be interested, but I also don't want to make them so cheap that I'm not really paying myself for what I feel my time is worth. . . Gah! I don't know what to do! Anyone want to offer an opinion?
I had figured out around $75 for a cotton day dress. I actually had figured out a higher number, but felt guilty so dropped it down to $75. (You can see a not-quite-finished one in this past LJ entry). I don't know if you can see it here, but it's a pretty simple dress, without trimmings, but I'm very happy with how the cuffs have little bands at the wrist that snap around so it fits the wrist, and you get a nice shape to the sleeve. The hemming of sleeve ends and bottom edge are "invisible" because I did them by hand, and the neck edge is bound with self-fabric (and also sewn by hand so you can't see). And I lined the bodice, enclosing all raw edges so it's neat inside. And I plan to include a little hand-knotted coral necklace with the ensemble - like the peach coral one in that picture, but only a single strand of beads. I think. Or maybe I should do a double strand? I haven't quite settled on that yet! The double strand is very pretty, but this dress has the slightly higher neckline, so the single strand might look better. Oh, and dress #2 is similar but has a double sleeve effect - a short puffed sleeve, then a band, then an "undersleeve" that goes just beyond the wrist, like dress #1. And the neckline is lower. And I was thinking of including a little chemisette instead of a necklace with that one.
The evening dress, I will not sell for under $125. It may seem high, but I can't bring myself to drop it any further than I already have because I am simply spending too much time embroidering it to stand dropping it any lower! And not using cheap embroidery floss, either. . . In fact, when all is said and done, I might have to increase that price a little bit so I don't feel like I'm allowing myself to be robbed. I don't know - I'll have to see how much longer the dress takes me before I come back to thinking about that!
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*sadness* It's not looking likely that Charlotte is going to be back in time for Halloween. I was really hoping she would be so I could take beautiful pictures that morning for my collection! But, poor Raven is under the weather - and I don't blame her for not wanting to go trudging out to the post office with the sorts of illnesses that are going around right now! I'll be in her shoes in approximately three weeks, according to the pandemic planning committee at Glenn's work. *sigh* At any rate. . . I'm still debuting that collection on that day - I'll just have to get creative with my picture-taking! (Hey, it is Halloween, after all, right? *winks*)
In other news, I spent pretty much my whole day on Sunday sewing doll stuff. So prototype dress #2 is almost done - and I finished up a couple of other things I had going on as well. Tonight I'll start prototype dress #3 of 3, so. . . I'm right on track for finishing on time, if I keep going at the rate I've been going at! And no doubt I will, since I am still suffering from insomnia and so end up sewing until the middle of the night, quite literally! And then over the weekend, I'll turn my sewing room into a total factory, turning out doll dresses based on my prototypes left and right. These should go faster than the prototypes because I've worked out all the kinks in my construction methods, so, that should be good!
And once this collection is done? There will be no rest before starting the next one, because I've got it all planned, sketched, and even sourced fabrics and such for it. And I am so ridiculously excited about this next one, that it's borderline absurd! I'm having so much fun with these doll collections! Wish I could do this full time because I would be the happiest girl in the world!
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Ahhhh!!!!! Charlotte's face-up is done! Raven's post says she hopes to send pictures out today - OMG yay! I can't wait!
And, I finished one more sewing project for her the other day, plus got a pair of shoes in the mail - a pair of shoes that I was sure would not fit my big-footed girl, but to my great surprise, they did!
Also, I'm absolutely going to try making a wig in the near future. I bought a couple of ready-made wig caps a while ago because I knew I was going to give wig-making a shot, but at the time, I was thinking of sewing hair to the wig cap. Now I'm thinking of kicking it up a notch, and actually "ventilating" it. Folks were talking about places to buy doll hair, but I'm thinking, any hair should do, no? And I happen to have a bunch of packages of hair I bought to wear myself, plus I have some costume wigs I could take the hair from, so I'm going to give that a shot. We'll see how it goes!
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I seriously can't stop these doll collection ideas from coming! It's so awesome! In fact, I'm only putting two ensembles in this first collection because first of all, I'm excited to get my little "line" started, and secondly, because I'm beyond excited about my next collection (assuming the first one goes well and people are actually interested in my work) and can't wait to get started on it - especially as it will be supply and labor intensive!
Oh, and I've decided to release my first doll collection on 10/31 - in loving memory of my faithful friend who kept me company in my sewing room through every single historic and doll project I've made over the past 13 years - Halloween. Since I can't make her birthday cupcakes (complete with candles - yes, I'm one of "those" people, LOL!) and give her a present like I usually do, I thought this would be a good way to mark her birthday with something special! :)
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The colorwork is finished! The colorwork is finished! *runs around in crazy circles, waving arms wildly!* This means she just has to add gloss and eyelashes, and then I get pictures! Yay!!!!!
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Okay, it's been a month since I mailed Charlotte's head. Raven estimates 1-2 months turnaround time, so this should be just about the halfway point!
Running tally of things that will be new to Charlotte when she gets home. . .
Complete/In Hand:
4 underpinning items
1 jewelry item
1 non-wearable accessory
Almost Done/On The Way:
1 dress
3 underpinning items
4 pairs of shoes
1 pair of tights
2 pairs of eyes
1 non-wearable accessory
And in regards to those three in progress underpinning items. . . OMG, I am so happy with how my latest projects are turning out! I've been seriously laughing out loud with glee as I work on them! I can't wait to show them to you, but they aren't ready yet, and, assuming the fabric for my husband's Halloween costume arrives today (as it should), I will need to take a break from the doll sewing to work on that. But if all goes well, the Halloween costume will go together like a dream, and be ready in plenty of time for Saturday's party, and then on Sunday? It's back to the doll sewing!
The other day, I was thinking about this house I lived in for a short time as a young teenager. We were in between houses, so my parents rented a house for the summer. The upstairs of the house was really quite small, and pretty much was just one bedroom, which had sloped ceilings on either side, but sloping more on one side than the other - as though someone had built an inner wall further in to the room on one side - and indeed they had, and there was a small door in that wall. It was like something out of Alice In Wonderland - I had to crouch down and crawl or waddle through it. And you know what was on the other side of the door? A tiny room! I think someone must have built this to be a doll room for some very lucky little girl, because I can't imagine what else it could have been. It was just the right size for a little girl to be able to sit quite comfortably in and have room to play with her dolls. One wall of the room had many small drawers built in to it - the absolute perfect setting to be a doll's shop, or wardrobe. And at the far wall opposite the door was even a small window. From outside the house, it looked like the small windows you see in an attic. And, the walls inside were yellow - and my memory tells me they were actually striped yellow and white but the memory is foggy so I'm not sure if I might be blending it with something else. . . At any rate. . . Isn't that magical? Some little girl must have been very lucky indeed!
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Ugh, I can't stand it when DoA is sluggish/goes down! It just kills me! What am I supposed to do on my afternoon break if I can't surf DoA?!?!? Well I'll tell you what: I end up shopping instead of just looking at pictures! Bad Jenni!
I think I'm secretly feeling some shopper's remorse for my recent doll purchases, because last night I dreamed that all my doll stuff came on one day, and every item had been shipped in its own box, and through some mistake, I had received more stuff than I ordered, and yet, not everything I ordered was there either. There were like thirty-something boxes - just, stuff everywhere! I was so embarassed to have so many boxes arive!
And yet, it doesn't stop me from shopping because I bought another pair of shoes today, LOL! And even worse, I'm looking at dolls. That said, I am hard at work on my line of doll clothes that will fund a second doll, so I feel like it's reasonable to be shopping now. However, I am having a bit of an issue is that, as much as I want a gentleman for Charlotte, I'm sort of in love with an MSD the moment. Which is odd because I didn't think I wanted an MSD at all! Maybe my doll line will be such a smashing success that I'll make enough money to buy both! Ha! A girl can dream, can't she? ;)
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I have, for your amusement, pictures of the sorts of things that are going on in my sewing room in preparation for Charlotte's return home. . .
( Pictures behind the cut. . . )
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Here's a question for you. . . Wigs made of "heat resisting fibers" - does this mean I can use things like a curling iron on them? That would make sense to me, but I wanted to make sure before I invest in such a wig. . . Not that I'm buying one right now (since I already have a couple of orders I'm still waiting on for Charlotte!) but I was scouting out my next wig purchases for future reference, and was curious. . .
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It's official: I hate Mattel. I just got an email that they are now retiring Kirsten. You know what I think's happening here? They're going to retire all the old dolls, and leave nothing but the modern dolls, plus Julie (also a modern doll, in my opinion, unless I am considered "historic!"), Rebecca, and all the plastic trash they're manufacturing for them now. Pleasant Rowland had a vision, to make a line of dolls that were heirloom quality and that would be loved for generations. Mattel doesn't give a crap, and just wants to sell large quantities of ridiculously over-priced plastic. Oh, and outfits that don't even fit the dolls - let's not forget that. *sadness*
I think this is officially the end of my collecting American Girl stuff. I'll keep the collection that I have, but I just can't afford to keep up with the retirings - which are totally being done to make money - nor can I come close to affording things on the second-hand market - and I don't feel good about dumping more money into this company who so clearly doesn't have a love of dolls, but rather, a love of nothing but money.
Thank heavens for ball-jointed dolls, people! I have no problem paying good money for BJD items because so far, everything I've received has been amazing quality and worth every penny. My money is going in to the pockets of doll artisans - not a bunch of corporate jerks - and so I feel much better about my doll-spending! And, I don't feel a need to "complete my collection," because there is no single "collection" - the collection is whatever I make it! So much less stressful that way.
Good riddance, Mattel.
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Ahh! So painful, this waiting-for-the-face-up thing! I can't believe it's only been a week. It feels like a month, at least! I wish I could at least see pictures of the progress throughout, but I must be patient and wait until she is almost done. Meanwhile, Charlotte's body sits in a chair in the doll area, and looks disturbing. Glenn referred to it the other day as "the headless horseman," which cracked me up! I got creeped out seeing her sitting their nude, so I have at least wrapped her in a doll afghan for the time being! I can't wait to rejoin her head to her body, LOL!
Meanwhile, I really am acquiring a bunch of random stuff for Charlotte's return! The Dollmore GO I'm in has had the order placed so now I'm just waiting for shipping, and the Angell-Studio GO closes tomorrow. I've picked up a few random hats and props from Michael's and AC Moore that I think will be great with a little work. And, I've got quite the little stack of unfinished sewing projects going! And even a non-sewing doll project, which I'll talk about more when I am ready to really get down to business on it (maybe in the next few weeks). . .
And, I picked my next doll! Shall I tell you who, or have it be a surprise? Hmm. . . Decisions, decisions! ;P I plan to earn 100% of the funds for him with my sewing. At $372 including shipping, I think that's really possible! And, that I might not be waiting all the way until June to order him as originally planned, since I already have a start on patterning, and have purchased and pre-washed fabrics for my first "collection." However, he arrives without a face-up, and I want to have his face-up done by Raven as well, so between saving up for him, ordering and waiting for the arrival, then getting on Raven's list, then mailing him off and then waiting for the face-up. . . I may not be that far off my June estimation after all, so it will work out perfectly! And meanwhile, I have time to find things like shoes and wigs. Don't need to look for eyes because I already have one potential pair for him, and have ordered another! And between his arrival and his face-up getting done, I can work on sewing his first outfits. So much fun having things like this to plan and look forward to! I've loving that about this BJD thing: That you don't just see something in a catalog, order it complete, and that's it - instead, I get to come up with my own concept and slowly collect everything in pieces and get excited about all kinds of good mail days and watch it come together - so much fun! :)
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And so now I'm participating in another DoA GO. And so Charlotte has another pair of shoes and eyes on the way. I have no will-power! None whatsoever! Lucky for Charlotte! ;)
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Observe the new name! I was once "agmadness" but am now ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) dollmadness. It was just driving me nuts that my blog is mostly BJD-related now, but has an AG-specific name. Now, it can encompass both types of dolls - plus any other doll-related madness I may get myself into in the future! ;)
In other news, I'm participating in my first group order at DoA. So exciting! I've picked out some shoes and accessories for Charlotte. She's seriously going to be so spoiled when she gets home!
Also, speaking of Charlotte. . . I looked at Raven's face-up "workbench" and Charlotte is already in progress! Exciting! :)
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Just a note: I think my LJ name for this blog is going to slightly change in the next couple of days. I am just bored with my "agmadness" name, and have been wanting to change it for some time. . . Thought I'd give you advance notice. . .
In other news, I ventured in to my sewing room last night and started work on something for Charlotte. Yet another new thing, to add to my unfinished projects. And, yet another new era! Mwah-ah-ah!!! Who knew Charlotte was going to be such a time-travelling fanatic! So much for her being dressed mostly in 18c, LOL! ;P
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