Naming Dolls: Our Clover Doll Echo

Our newest bjd (Our Clover Doll Echo) has been with us for nearly four months.  My, where has the time gone.

She has since adjusted well to living among us, though something still puzzles me.  She still has yet to say even one word to anyone.  It is quite peculiar to say the least, however it is an almost refreshing change from the constant noise coming from many of the other dolls.

Anyway, since this doll has been with us so long, it is high time that we properly introduce her.  Anna has finally decided on a proper name for her.

So allow me to present…

Misako.

It has such a nice ring to it, but I am certain Anna got it from another anime series or something of that sort.

Yes and no.  I did first hear of this name from a manga series, Kodocha.  The character, Misako Kurata, is an eccentric novelist and mother to the main character.

However, in this case Misako comes from Misako Aoki, a model, President of the Japanese Lolita Association and an official Kawaii Ambassador for Japan.  She also works as a nurse.  That’s right Hikaru, I named our new doll after a real person.

Anyway, according to Wikipedia, the name Misako has several meanings depending on the characters used.  These include “beauty, blossom, child” and “truth, serene, skillful child”.  The fact that we all think this new doll is beautiful is hardly a secret here.  She could easily be a model like her namesake.  It is my hope that with this name, Misako will blossom into a very talented or “skillful” individual.   As soon as we get to know her better.

Well, now at least we know her name, but there is so much about her that is still a mystery.   How will we get to know her if she doesn’t properly speak to us?

“…Um, maybe she is just really shy.  And if we’re nice to her she won’t be so shy anymore...”

You may have a good point Yuna.

Maybe in time she will open up more.  For now let us enjoy a nice cup of tea together.  Tea is wonderful for bonding and harmony.

What is wrong, are you not enjoying your tea?

“…Um, I don’t think she has ever had tea before…”

Well Yuna, there is a first time for everything.  And new experiences will help with her development.  I still wish I knew what Misako was thinking.  Maybe someday.

But for now, be at peace my dear readers.

What Misako is thinking.

(The one with the white hair talks so much.  Why is she so noisy?  Would it be rude to tell her?)

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Of Bjd Hair: Fatiao Doll Shop Wig Review Plus a Wig Try On

As with any fine bjd, one of the things needed for our newest doll (see Bjd Unboxing: Surprise Again, Clover Doll Echo) is hair.

Thankfully, after much searching online, Anna has finally located and purchased an appropriate wig.

To help with her research on hair styles, Anna decided to let the new doll try on almost all the wigs in the house. 

First we tried what I believe to be the finest wig in the house, my own.  It is a msd sized Dollzone wig purchased from Angelesque (see It's Here at Last! Or a Wig Review ).  The unusual white color looks very well with our doll’s complexion and the style suits her. 

Next is Yuki’s hair, a short blond 1/4 sized wig from Alice’s Collections (see Of Bjd Hair: Reviewing Three Wigs?).  The cut and color of this wig are also quite flattering on this doll. (It’s because the Clover Doll Echo is an incredibly versatile sculpt.  Everything looks good on her!)

Here is Usagi’s wig, it is this 7-8 size For My Doll wig in cream pink, purchased from Angelesque (see Of Bjd Hair: Another Wig Review and an Announcement ). 

This one was Anna’s personal favorite for our new doll.  So much so that she would have purchased another one for our new doll.  There was just one problem, it is too large.  This doll has a fairly small head, and sadly For My Doll wigs seem to run a little large in our experience.  Such a pity.

And here is where things get amusing.  This is dear little Sakura’s wig, a long blond wig from Alice’s Collections.  Despite being a wig intended for a 1/6 scale doll instead of 1/4, it fits this doll perfectly thanks to her small sized head.

So with the help of this research, Anna choose a wig from a shop on etsy called Fatiao Doll Shop.  A shop that specializes in doll wigs, shoes and accessories.  This particular shop was unknown to us, but they had excellent reviews so Anna thought it best to chance them. 

So she made the purchase, and less than a week later, our packaged arrived!  Such speedy service.

The wig arrived packed in a nice box and carefully wrapped in bubble wrap.

The well designed box is a welcome change from the usual plastic bag that most bjd wigs arrive in, it adds a pleasant touch.

And the business card is adorable, Anna thought so as well.

It doubles as a thank you card, a truly delightful touch.

Out of the box, the wig is neatly wrapped in netting and we can see the beautiful and familiar coloring.

As you can see, Anna tracked down a wig in almost the same shade as Usagi’s fine wig.  It is one of their fine Msd sized wigs (currently our of stock).

The difference is that this wig fits our new doll well.  Anna insisted on finding a wig with bangs because she loved the way they look on her.

I personally adore the look of the curls, and the fibers on this wig are wonderfully soft.

Here is the wig in different lighting and after a trim.  After properly fitting our doll with a wig cap, Anna thought the bangs were too long.

We are all quite pleased with this new wig.  The color and quality are wonderful and the service was superb.  I will encourage Anna to continue doing business with Fatiao, perhaps maybe she could find something for me there, my birthday is coming soon.

Anyway, more about the wig. As you can see, it is noticeably lighter in color compared to Usagi’s wig.  However, both colors are beautiful. 

And now there are three ball jointed dolls with pink hair.  We simply cannot forget about Yuna (see Doll Love Unboxing Part 2: Reviewing a Wig and Eyes).

This brings up the question, how many more pink wigs will Anna acquire?

Only time will tell my dear readers.

For now, be at peace.

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Doll Owner’s Corner: When Dolls Take Over Part 2

Beginning of the month, time for another Doll Owner’s Corner.  When I, the doll owner, talk about anything I want.

This month’s topic:

When Dolls Take Over Your Life

Continuing on from this post with more fun.

You know the dolls have taken over when:

• You realize it takes you more time to dress your doll than to dress yourself, but hey, it’s way more fun anyway.
• You plan trips to thrift shops, antique stores, flea markets, yard sales, etc. solely to look for furniture and props for your dolls.
• You regularly receive small items as gifts from friends and family members because they thought you could use them for your dolls.
• Most of the YouTube Channels you subscribe to are about dolls…
• …And so are several of the blogs you follow.
• Your dolls have more toys than your kids do…
• …And they have more clothes than you do.
• You frequently talk to your dolls, and catch your family doing the same.
• Just when you decide you have enough dolls already and it’s no more dolls for you, holiday sales hit.
• You spam your friends on social media with almost non-stop photos of your dolls, and dolls on you wish list, and doll tutorials, etc.
• You’re talking to someone about your new ball jointed doll and tell them it was “only $200”, and then you wonder why they seem so shocked.
• You find yourself learning more about holidays and customs of other countries because doll companies located in those countries have corresponding sales and events.  Happy Spring Festival.

And there will be more of these in the future as my dolls slowly infiltrate every part of my life, whether I like it or not.

Look forward to it.

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Of Bjd Fashion: New Coats for Winter with Patterns

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

Anna has finally, finally, kept her promise to me last spring.

She made me a new coat!!

It is made with a creamy beige colored felt and trimmed with pearl buttons (they’re faux pearl beads!).  It is quite similar to the lovely felt coats she made previously, but with some improvements.

Such as the adorable lace trimmed collar with matching pockets, and she used my favorite lace as well.

I just adore my new felt coat, and Anna made is just for me.

….Hikaru….sigh.

Oh, yes.  She also made a few more coats for the other dolls, like Momoko here.

Her coat is made in the same creamy beige colored felt as mine.  There are tiny bows on the pockets, just like a the coat made for Sakura last year.

There is a strap on the back, just like mine, that cinches in the waist.

Anna made a simple black felt coat for Yuki as well, too simple I must say.  No trims or buttons, but at least there are pockets.  What’s the point of a coat without decoration?

You mean besides keeping someone warm?  Anyway, Yuki wanted it that way, and I think it looks great on him.

I suppose you are right, but I still believe it needs a little something.

“Here Yuki, I asked Anna to make a scarf for you. Do you like it? :)”

“…um, yes Usagi…”

Good thinking Usagi, a scarf is just the thing we needed.  It will add some necessary color.

And now this wintery ensemble is complete.  Doesn’t Yuki look dashing.

It seems Anna didn’t stop at just one scarf.  Two tiny red plaid scarves for Shiro and our cat friend.

Anyway, we simply can not forget our new doll.  She received a coat made from a beautiful shade of blue felt.  It is simply trimmed with a tiny blue flower by the collar.

Because there may be other ball jointed dolls out there in need of winter clothing.  Anna has provided the patterns used to make these coats as well as some details about their construction.  I will let her explain.

Felt Coats for MSD and Yosd Ball Jointed Dolls

Materials needed:

• Basic sewing supplies
• Felt, about 2 sheets of craft felt will do.
• Matching thread
• Snaps or Velcro
• Trims of your choice, these faux pearls are great for buttons.
• Sweater tutorial, see below.

Here’s the MSD sized pattern, it was based on Usagi’s measurements which are listed on the doll profile page along with all the other doll’s measurements.

Here is the MSD sized boy coat pattern.  It is based on Yuki’s measurements.

And here is the Yosd sized coat pattern, based on Sakura’s measurements.

These coats were actually made almost the exact same way as this tutorial I found for SD sized doll sweaters (I made some patterns here for Msd and Yosd sweaters too.).  There are just a few things different, I mean besides using felt instead of socks.

For the sleeves, I folded the hem the other way to create a fun cuff look.  This is totally optional, but it looks so cute and it actually makes it a little easier to slide a doll hand through.  Strange, but true.

It might be a little tricky to attach the sleeves to the coat (at step 3) since the felt is a bit thick.  After sewing, be sure clip it and trim off the excess fabric to reduce bulk.  Sometimes I’m lazy about doing that, but definitely not for this project.

At step 7 on the sweater tutorial, it says to hem the bottom and the top (or neckline), but for these coats you first need to pin and sew on the collar along the top edge.

Then you can fold down the edge and pin just like you would have done before to “hem the neckline”.  This will make the collar stick up, you just need to fold it down like normal when the doll wears it.

And after step 9, you can add the back strap if you want.  You first pin it on the coat while your doll is wearing it. 

Pin it so it pulls the sides of the coat together to make it a little more fitted, then sew in place and add beads for “buttons”. 

Again this is optional, I didn’t bother with it for Yuki’s coat, but it looks nice on the girls’ coats.

With different trims and colors, plus your own imagination, you can create a cute coat for everyone in your doll family.

That’s exactly right, now everyone here is prepared for the winter.

Although, I can’t help but wonder how much better my new coat would be with a matching new hat.  Now there is something for Anna to ponder for the future.

Yet for now, I am at peace.

Give it a try:

• 9" x 12" Basic Felt by Creatology
• 4mm Round Pearl Beads, White, 240pcs.
• 4mm Round Pearl Beads, Cream Colored, 240pcs.

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Doll Owner’s Corner: Buying Doll Props

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

First of the month and the year (wow time flies!), time for another Doll Owner’s Corner.  When I, the doll owner, talk about what ever I want.

This month’s topic:

Doll Props

…Or where to buy them.  Doll props are those cute little items you buy or make for your dolls.  Little things that make “playtime” fun and make your doll photos come alive.

These include:

• Food, and tons of it
• Dishes (like Hikaru’s tea set)
• Doll sized furniture
• Toys and plushies :)
• Tools and fantasy weapons

And many other fun things.

The tricky part about them is finding them.  Not everything is easy to make (especially for the non-crafty) and when buying it can be difficult to find what you want in the right scale. 

Not to mention the cost.  Many of the stores that sell ball jointed dolls do carry super cute props for them at not so cute prices.

Luckily, if you look hard enough, and think outside of the box, you can find fun doll props in some pretty interesting places and with great prices. 

Here are a few of my favorites.

Thrift Stores

If the thrift shop posts haven’t already clued you in, thrift shops (like Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.) are a good place to start looking for cheap doll props. 

Check out the toys for small useable items and maybe actual doll stuff, but don’t forget the household items too. 

You can find small dishes and knickknacks, tiny picture frames, jewelry boxes that look like small trunks and doll sized furniture, chairs (meant for teddy bears), even tiny picture frames.

Dollar or Discount Stores

Be it Dollar Tree, Family Dollar or (if you’re lucky to live near one) Daiso, you can find some pretty useful cheap stuff for dolls. 

Browse the toys for small items like figurines, tiny dishes, mini-puzzles and such. 

Also check out the stationary for cute food erasers, hair accessories for tiny clips and such, the party supplies for small items and the rest of the store for small novelties.  I’ve seen reading lights in electronics that look like table and desk lamps.

Oriental Trading Company

Oriental Trading Company is an online store known for selling bulk items for use for parties, classrooms and large families. 

You can find fun novelty key chains shaped like all kinds of useful things, small toys and books, and even holiday items.  I saw small Halloween pumpkin buckets intended for party favors that would be perfect for small dolls.

Party City

Party City and other party supply stores can be a brilliant source for doll sized goodies (see Finding Doll Props: At the Party Store?). 

They sell all kinds of party favors that are the perfect size for dolls, similar to some of the stuff at Oriental Trading Company. 

But unlike Oriental Trading Company, you can buy most of them in smaller amounts, even only one or two pieces for as little as 25 or 50 cents each.

Craft Stores

Joann, Michael’s, Hobby Lobby and the like can have great stuff for dolls. 

Look for doll house miniatures, “doll making” supplies, small wooden drawers and chairs, fun shaped charms and such in with jewelry supplies, small toys (obviously), and even seasonal items. 

And near the checkout at Joann and Michael’s you will find their cheap novelty area that sometimes holds doll sized treasures.

Target

I regularly browse around Target for doll sized props.  It’s my go to place for buying blind bags (see Finding Doll Props: Surprising Blind Bags) and other small toys found in the toy aisle as well as with the trading cards near the checkout. 

I also stop by their “dollar section” by the door.  You can frequently find cute items that would work for dolls like fun shaped erasers and lips glosses, small seasonal novelties, etc. 

But I still mainly check out the toy section for one specific reason…

18 Inch Doll Lines

Yep, I mean those 18 inch tall play dolls, the most well known one is American Girl with their $120 price tag, but others include Target’s own Our Generation dolls, Springfield Collection (available at Michaels and Joann), My Life As..(from Walmart), Journey Girls (from Toys R Us) and many others. 

Many items made for these dolls are the perfect or near perfect size for many ball jointed dolls.  Look out for furniture sets, food sets, instruments (seriously), storage and carrying cases, accessories, sometime even clothes depending on the piece.

Grocery Stores

Technically, most of the stuff you would find at a grocery store you can already find at any other store (like toys, tiny hair accessories, etc.).  This is part of that whole constantly looking out for doll props habit that many ball jointed doll collectors develop.

However, there is one thing that you normally only find at grocery stores.  Tiny toy and candy machines. 

You know, those little machines by the door that you put quarters in to buy little toys and gumballs.  Many of those itty bitty 25 and 50 cent toys are perfect for my dolls.  Which is why I’ve been saving quarters like mad lately.

And if you’re lucky enough to live near an Asian grocery store, see if they have any gachapon machines. 

These are like the Japanese version of the toy machines, only they are much nicer (check out this video about them).  The toys are better quality and super cool.

That’s it for the moment, I hope this has given you a few good resources for finding fun things for your dolls.  Feel free to share your own favorite sources for doll props.

And stay tuned for more fun with the dolls.

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Merry Christmas 2017

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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