20 hours left to fund...

There are 20 hours left to fund the Kickstarter project for the St. Louis BJD Convention!

Come on, show your support!

You don't need to attend to contribute, but you can--and if we all contribute just a little... well, it's what makes a convention fantastic!

St Louis Convention doll exclusive BJD - Oh my!

Spark the Wyvern 

The St. Louis Convention BJD exclusive prototype has been posted on the website - and is now available as a preorder as part of their Kickstarter package. Don't miss out on this wonderful, adorable doll.

According to designer Sarah Seiter, "He may be available in a few different resin colors. I am considering blue, pink, and green."

Don't delay, though--you can get lots of goodies through this Kickstarter program, now. It's a great deal, both for you and the convention planners. And it ends soon--August 31, 2012. Only a couple more days!

Photos property of Sarah Seiter.

Wake-Up Goldie

Goldie, a photo by alington on Flickr.

I have an obsession with this sculpt from Peak's Woods. I actually own two of them--which sort of defeats the purpose of BJDs, doesn't it?

I mean, the idea behind BJDs is having a doll you can customize and change--to have your very own unique one-of-a-kind doll. And I own two of the same sculpt! I do have to admit, however, that my two are very different from each other.

This one is a OOAK painted girl by Yve of Freaky Little Things. She has matte lips and a small heart tattoo on her cheek, golden and mauve eye shadow, and she's quite demure looking.

My other girl is Sonja, and she's a limited edition Haute Doll exclusive with a Val Zeitler style face-up.

I love them both!

Kickstarter event update from the Meet Me In St. Louis BJD Convention

Press release from the St Louis BJD Convention:

We're so excited to be hosting the first annual St. Louis BJD Convention on November 17th, 2012! To raise funds for this event, we've launched a Kickstarter here:http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jenrpa/st-louis-bjd-convention

Our convention is centrally located in the Gateway to the West. We have three amazing guests: 

Paulette Goodreau www.americanbjd.com  www.mimtoy.com

Sarah Seiter, known as the Mushroom Peddler http://www.themushroompeddler.com/store/

Alison Rasmussen, well-known to anyone who reads this blog!

We have a whole day of programming planned, plus a dealer's room, contests, workshops, discussion panels, and food. Your registration covers meals including the Awards Banquet with our guests. We are also planning a happy hour event on Friday the 16th at our official hotel, and a meet on Sunday to show off some of the awesome locations in the St. Louis area.

Kickstarter is a pledge drive where you pledge at any level that you choose. Minimum donation pledge is $1 but there are lots of levels and each is associated with a special gift created by our committee for our supporters. Even if you can't come to the convention, you can help support our efforts with your pledge.

If we meet our goal you get the gifts you have chosen, and are charged on September 1st for your pledge. Anyone who pledges to get their preregistration is guaranteed a spot and will be registered regardless. If we do not meet our goal you will receive information on how to arrange your payment. 

We can make this event happen without the Kickstarter, but we wanted to promote through Kickstarter to try to raise additional funds that would otherwise be out-of-pocket for us. We also want to handle all of our pre-registration through the Kickstarter so that we can provide Sarah Seiter with an accurate number of dolls. She needs lead-time to produce the dolls and needs to know how many dolls to order well in advance. Sarah is providing us with a special doll following our "Year of the Dragon" sub-theme!

It's the last minute! Help support the first Midwestern BJD convention in the United States!

Jenny Evans and Tricia Overkamp

Chairman and Assistant Chairman

St. Louis BJD Convention

November 17, 2012

OBC Educational Center

Official hotel: St. Louis Airport Hilton (Shuttle service to the convention will be provided)

www.stlbjdcon.com

Kickstarter (until August 31)

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jenrpa/st-louis-bjd-convention

Wow--the Leeke event wigs are here already!

Peak's Woods Lady Alice in soft mint with braided buns

I asked the wonderful staff at Denver Doll Emporium for Girly styles in "fantasy" colors, and I placed my order on Saturday. The wigs arrived Monday--that is, yesterday--and I'm in southern California.

I really couldn't be more excited. It's a fantastic deal!

Check out the first few shots of my lovely girls' new rainbow looks!

Limhwa Mimi in a gorgeous yellow waves - so soft and lovely

Hauntingly beautiful Val Zeitler Peak's Wood Sonja (Wake-Up Goldie) in a pink wig with long curls in the back, short at the top)

Peak's Woods Viyol in a lovely dark violet spiral curled wig

Demure Morimoth (also Peak's Woods) in a super soft light pink and blonde straight wig with bangs

On the left Lady Bee in a slate blue straight wig with bangs and bows,
Mia de Butterfly in her default teal wig by Peak's Woods

Summer surprise wig event from Denver Doll Emporium!

From now through September 13, Denver Doll Emporium is having a really terrific deal on first quality, brand new wigs from LeekeWorld.

• You choose the size: 6/6.5, 7/8, 8/9 or 9/10
• Then you choose the style: Short/Medium (boy/girl, may be all short or have layers with long tails), Long (boy/girl), or Girls only (curly, with boys or braids, only feminine styles)
• Cost: $16 for one wig, or 2 for $30. Each additional wig is just $15.

For details, check out Denver Doll's page here. This is a random wig event--the quality is really nice.

Photo property of Denver Doll Emporium.

Amelia Thimble specials and new items!

There are some very special deals happening at Wilde Imagination right now through August 17 at 9 PM EST only. You can get free continental shipping and special pricing on two items:

Basic Amelia - just $99 (retail $145)
and
Sew Enchanting outfit - just $45 (retail $65)

All other customers, just email your order to customer service (see the instructions here) for a $9.95 credit toward shipping charges.

The doll includes a faceup and basic outfit. The outfit includea dress, wings, shoes, and her own little doll. So cute!

While you're visiting, check out the new additions--such as Hamish and Izzy, two new friends, and On Pins & Needles Amelia. Additionally, several new outfits and accessory sets have been added:

• Rolling Along Tricycle $69
• A Sunny Day Set $65
• Ice Cream Princess set $55 - I might need this just for the sundae
• Sleepy Time Set $45 (OMG - the bunny!)
• Amelia Thimble wig set $65
• Bubbles and Bows set $60
• Pitter Patter Shoes set $25

If you collect any type of small doll--LaTi or Puki--these sets might be perfect for you. Amelia is only 4" (about 10.2 cm) tall, so keep these in mind! This is between Real Puki and Puki Puki, or close to LaTi White size.

Photos property of Wilde Imagination.

Our kitty Chanel

Meet Coco Chanel, a photo by alington on Flickr.

I thought I would post a quick photo of our kitty Chanel today. It's an older photo--one I'm particularly proud of, and a lucky shot. I snapped it when she was just nine months old.

This ocicat loves to talk, play fetch, play with dolls (really--I have to hide anything with feathers behind glass), and eat treats. Specifically, her favorite treats are The Goodlife Recipe catnip flavored cat treats. She will open the kitchen cupboard for these treats, and bring them to me, or set them by her food dish.

Very sweet.

Interestingly, this is my "most popular" photo on Flickr. Isn't that funny?

Why are BJDs so expensive?

Peak's Woods Sky, as imagined by Val Zeitler
A.k.a. the one that got away

When you do a search for BJDs on Google, one of the first questions that comes up in that search is, Why are BJDs so expensive? With this post, I hope to shed some light on this topic.

First, when you say the word expensive, what exactly do you mean? Well, a resin ball-jointed doll can range in price from $75 to over $1000, and even more, depending on edition size, whether it's a basic doll or full-set, and so forth. Primarily, here are some factors of what influences price.

Handmade production
In the BJD world, the production of the ball-jointed doll is an arduous process. The heads and bodies of the dolls are first sculpted by artists, usually in clay, and cast into molds. Each piece of the body must be engineered carefully to include a canal for the elastic, so the doll can stand on its own.

Polyurethane resin is a toxic substance, which is liquid when poured into those molds--each part separately, and by hand--and then left to harden. (Resin bubbles easily, and it takes experts to pour it and mix it perfectly.) After each piece is removed from the mold, and seam lines are scraped, sanded, and often polished. The molds must be cleaned after each use. The dolls are strung by hand.

If there is a face-up, the face is painted and sealed, gloss accents are applied to the eyes and lips. Eyelashes are attached. Eyes are set. Then the heads are attached, and the dolls must be securely packaged for overseas travel.

For an absolutely fascinating and detailed description on what it takes to make a BJD, check out this interview with artist Kaye Wiggs with BJDmagazine.

Production location
Dolls manufactured in China usually cost a little less than dolls manufactured in Korea or Japan. Labor is generally less expensive. Especially in today's market, you'll be able to find dolls with the same quality as dolls poured in Japan and Korea.

You only need to look at companies like Resin Soul and sister company Bobobie for some examples of quality resin. In my experience, the doll comes to you already sanded, and prices are really good. However, production times can vary widely, so I'd recommend going through a dealer, such as Denver Doll Emporium or Junkyspot for these dolls. Often, dealers stock these inexpensive dolls, which range from $75 to $220.

Edition size
Another item to consider is the edition size of the doll. Are you looking at a basic BJD or a limited edition (either a monthly doll, full-set, doll party exclusive, etc.)? The full-set or limited edition doll will add a significant cost to your doll. Of course, as your doll will be more limited in production, the doll may indeed hold its value. A basic doll is usually more affordable, and you can style your doll the way you like, in a true one-of-a-kind look.

I tend to try to plan ahead as much as possible. If you enjoy collecting from a particular company, you can look at their previous year's releases. Or it's possible to contact them at the beginning of the year and ask about upcoming editions, so you can plan your budget. (They may not give away details, but you might be able to plan ahead.) You can use layaway if needed and budget ahead of time.

Resin color
If you're a fan of tan or colored resin, you may be disappointed. It's usually more difficult to match colored resin than it is to use white or pink skin tones. Some companies charge $10-15 extra for colored resin. Others may charge up to $30 for dark resin.

Face-ups
You can always add the face-up later, rather than purchasing a company face-up. This may save $50-80, depending on the company. I often find that when trying to saving money on a doll, however, I would rather have the company face-up, or even spend extra on an artist face-up, as this tends to really make the doll.

BJDs as works of art
Keeping in mind how much of the doll is handmade, being able to obtain one for just $75 is a pretty sweet bargain, in my opinion. It may be out of your current budget, but we are living in a Buy-It-Now culture. It won't kill you to save up for your dream doll. Trust me, that doll will probably come to your home eventually anyway. Why not save up for a little while, even if it takes more than a year, for the doll of your dreams?

To me, when you can support a smaller company, one-of-a-kind artists who do face-ups or create clothing or outfits, just for you, you're contributing not just to the economy but also to the world of art. It's worth it!

Save the date: Atlanta BJD Convention!

Atlanta Ball Jointed Doll Convention
October 18-20, 2013

Holiday Inn - Atlanta/Perimeter

4386 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

I-285 @ Exit # 30

Atlanta, Georgia 30341

Hotel: 770-457-6363

Fax: 770-458-5282

Click here for the official Facebook page. I'll be one of the guests, and I'm just thrilled to attend.

Admission price is just $35 per person in advance, $45 at the door.

Room rates are only $79 per room, with a maximum of 4 guests per room. You can even reserve your room now, which is fantastic!

So far, Angel of Dream, IMPLdoll, and Resin Soul will all be represented at the convention.

Peak's Woods releases limited edition outfits and wigs for Absolute Beauty dolls

Rose Fantasy outfit

Oh my--I thought I was done shopping for a while, but that is apparently like "being over" Alice!

Peak's Woods has released both new Absolute Beauty outfits as separates, as well as both new wigs:

Rose Fantasy or Black Secret:  includes corset, shorts, stockings, garter belt, bolero, leg warmers, wrap skirt, train, hat gloves, wristlet. (In the photo, Rogita is shown wearing Val Zeitler glitter pumps--so gorgeous!) $189

Outfits are available through August 31 only.

Two new wigs are available: Pink Gray long waves and Blue Gray long waves, $27.

Black Secret outfit

New KiD Line announced by Iplehouse

Joy Special Edition

Iplehouse has introduced a new line to its dolls - KiD - and is offering two new limited edition dolls from August 9 through September 2, Joy and Lonnie. Base price starts at $276, and this includes the assembled 34.5 cm doll, random eyes, manual, box, and certificate.

• Both dolls are available as boys or girls, with a general body or mobility body (which adds $10). 
• Skin colors available: white skin, normal skin, peach gold (add $15) and special real (add $30).
• There are three face-ups available, which add an additional $50.
• There are two baroque outfits available - boy ($121) and girl ($157). Shoes are an additional $29 per pair.
• There are also two punk outfits available - boy ($135) and girl ($143). Shoes are are an additional $41 per pair.
• Six wig styles are available, five are $24, and one is $21.

Additionally, you will receive a free set of underwear when you order more than one KiD doll. Oh, they are so sweet.

Lonnie Special Edition

Photos are property of Iplehouse.

New Steampunk outfits from DollHeart

Journey - SD13 Girl - $109.90 - includes top, coat, hat, neck accessory, socks, knee skirt, petticoat and bloomers.

Candice - SD10 girl - $109.90 - includes coat, hat, dress, petticoat, gloves, underwear, garterbelt with sock

Zavier - $149.90 - SD17 boy - includes coat, hat, vest, neck accessory, scarf, pants and top

Unique - MSD - $94.90 - includes hat, coat, neck accessory, vest, knee skirt, socks and petticoat

Raymundo - YoSD - $84.90 - includes hat, top, neck accessory, socks, bloomer, vest and goggles.

Samara - YoSD - $84.90 - includes hat, coat, neck accessory, vest, knee skirt, socks and petticoat.

Outfits are available to preorder from your favorite dealer, and are scheduled to ship in October.

Photos are property of Dollheart.

My Style series by DollHeart

Akira

The My Style series by DollHeart is another new collection recently released and available for preorder. There are three new outfits:

Akira is sized for SD10/13 girls, and include a cape, one-piece dress, long skirt, neck and hair accessories, and it's all in white. $100

Mitchell is sized for 70cm boys, and is a formal suit with top hat, vest, neck accessory and belt. $150

Vernon is sized for Lati Yellow, and included a hat, coat, top, pants and neck accessory. $70

These outfits are scheduled with an October delivery date.

Mitchell

Vernon

Photos property of Dollheart.

New Cristy Stone Project through DollHeart

Edge of Extreme Version I

Limited edition of 40, there are six different versions of Murray available. Each doll is available as a full set for $, with face-up and the outfit only, or face-up and or just the shoes and or wigs. The outfits are also available separately--with shoes and wigs.

Outfits with shoes and wigs - $198.70
Murray with outfit - $754.90
Murray with outfit and shoes - $797.80
Murray with outfit and wig - $779.80
Full set - $822.70

The dolls and outfits can be ordered now, and have an October delivery date.

Edge of Extreme Version 2

Edge of Extreme Version 3

Edge of Extreme Version 4

Edge of Extreme Version 5

Edge of Extreme Version 6

Photos property of DollHeart.

The Everlasting Stars DollHeart project

The Everlasting Stars is a new project offered by DollHeart. If you're a little star struck, you're going to love this new series!

The Marilyn doll includes a full set Murray (by Jollyplus) with a limited edition face-up, a random pair of eyes, wig, shoes, and dress. Retail $698

Also in this series: Marilyn limited ensemble, sized for SD13 girl which includes the wig, short blonde wig, and shoes - retail $150

Moonwalker limited ensemble: includes the Michael Jackson inspired outfit (hat, top, coat, socks, tie, salopette, wig and shoes), sized for a for a 70cm boy - retail $150

The doll and outfits can be ordered now, with an estimated delivery date in October.

Images are property of Dollheart.

Meet Me In St. Louis - really!

The Kickstarter project is now live for the Meet Me in St. Lousi BJD Convention in November. Even if you can't attend in person, you can contribute (and be rewarded) for your generous support!

To find out all the details, you can visit the Kickstarter project page and also visit the St. Louis BJD Con website.

Kaye Wiggs Tobi available for preorder

Sunkissed Elf Tobi

From now through September 1, you can preorder your very own Tobi by Kaye Wiggs from Jpop Dolls. These dolls stand 54 cm tall, and you can choose between fair skin for $680, and sunkissed skin/Elf for $705.00 versions. They include a random color of glass eyes.

It looks like these girls have a new slim body with double joints--very sweet. They can kneel and touch their faces.

Dolls are limited to one per person, and will go into production after September 1.

Fair Skin Tobi

Photos are property of Kaze Kidz.