Plannings and Research and Shopping, OHMAIH!~

So, yesterday, before bed, I made myself a chart. On this chart, it lists my dolls and the dolls on my Wish Lyst', their informations, and names to be. I also listed them in order of importance. >w< (Sound familiar BJDs for Beginners readers?)

'Click' to read.

So far, I am doing rather well according to BJD owners who have been at this hobby longer than I... I only bought two dolls this year... Most of them bought two in the first week! >w< Lol. And then went on to buy six more within a year of those two! >w< It's crazy!! I can understand a lot of the elder BJD owners being able to afford them all, but the younger ones? How do they manage? Do they receive them as gifts or what? Because there are a few girls a little older than I with 8-12 dolls already... And they've only been at this hobby for 4 years... I've been at it for 8... Kind of... Lol. Only a few months if you want to count actually owning a doll. >w< But 8 years with being infatuated with the wonders that are ABJDs.

FINALLY~ got that pajama set done... I need to alter my pants pattern. :\ They're a little too tight, in fleece at least. Maybe stretchy fabric would work, but definitely not fleece. >w< Even though they look absolutely AWFUL, I'll post my picture so you can all laugh with me. Lol.

C.C. modelling the PJs. Excuse the baldness.

So yeah, a LITTLE tight, but at least I know I can fix it. :) Got some stockings done today too, black ones. Pain in the butt to sew with not enough light, but still lovely nonetheless. Going to finish the white ones and move onto T-Shirts and bottoms (pants/skirts... Idk which) tomorrow. I really DO think I can get all these done and photographed by May 1st. It might be a challenge with Mister I Only Nap For 10 Minutes Once a Day Now, but I still think I will be able to do it, especially if I sew after he goes to bed for the night. I can't sleep as it is, why not make something of that time? Lol. (Normally I'm too tired, and really, I am, but I need to kick my butt in gear.)

Shopping again today. -.- I'm so TIRED of shopping. Lol. I get too fidgety with Kole at restaurants and such... I enjoy a normal routine... However, it's for my sister's prom and she needed my opinion... Plus Mima wanted to get me things for my birthday next week... >.> So I got a hat, a headband with a bow, and a new pair of Victorian looking boot-shoes. Lol. High-heels... not something usually worn by myself... But I liked them too much to pass them up, AND they were on sale! >w< Lol. Who passes up a sale on shoes they absolutely love? Lol. (Normally, ME...)

Spring Semester is ending soon and I'm already nervous for the start of Fall... I think it begins on August 27th... But still... I'm afraid of failing math... Or worse... Chinese!!! O.O I keep looking for reference things on Chinese/Mandarin, but I can't find anything that DOESN'T resemble my text book. -.- There's one book I DID find, but only in Japanese, Spanish, Ingles, Arabic, German, and French... Chinese was sold out... -.- My luck, huh? It's alright though, I'll check again next time... Like I always do... (I don't get to the bookstore much and Chinese is popular right now...) I just hope I can be fluent one day... And I really want to teach Kole too... I want him to be at least bi-lingual before school, give him a little jump-start on things. (I hope to go to China one day, so it might come in handy too.)

Ahh well, enough stressing... Kole's asleep... I should go sew some more... Then pass out myself... I'm always so tired anymore. :\ I can't sleep at night... :\ *sigh*

20-some items to go... 12 days, is it? Hell, I'm sewing every moment I can! >.< Why did I attempt this? In what way was it a good idea?? -.- Maybe it will all work out... Hopefully... Or I can just open the store with what I have on May 1st, and then add to it as the days go by... Either way, it'll be open on May 1st... I know it!! :)

WISH ME LUCK~! :D

26 Days!

Kole's flashcards

Hi again! :) And welcome back to day 5 of my adventure!

Spent a lot of the day with Kole dancing, really. -^_^- It was so cute to see him shake his little tush to songs like "Momo no Hanabira" and "Himawari" by Ai Otsuka. He seemed to like the sound of her voice, and he LOVES anything in Chinese or Japanese. I speak both proficiently enough to be a tourist, and I have been teaching Kole Chinese since his first birthday. His pediatrician said it would be fine since he clearly has a grasp on English already, but some of my family members don't agree with teaching him a different language until he can fully speak English. But oh well, I'd like to think I have the right to teach my son any language I want, especially considering children who grow up bi-lingual or multi-lingual tend to have better grades in school and catch onto things more quickly. Today we did counting flashcards with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse characters though, so no Chinese, but still fun none-the-less. :) He has the colors and shapes version of them as well, but he hid those from me somewhere with his toys and I have yet to find them. Lol.

ZM Cast Clean

On another note: I sprayed C.C. with ZM Cast Clean today. -^_^- It was SUPER smelly and I did it outside, but the smell managed to waft back into the house. My fiancée was asking me if I wanted everyone high. Lol. I don't exactly have time to do the whole thing all at once, so I just cleaned her up tonight and I'm going to paint her tomorrow. >w< I even got my pastels out to make sure I had the right colors. I plan on body blushing her tomorrow too. Justin said we could get new paint brushes just for body blushing, so I don't have to use my old ones, just in case there's old paint hidden in places I cannot see or oils in the bristles that can harm my doll. It's so sweet that he actually cares this much about something that, to him, is "just a doll." -^_^- It really surprises me. (Even if she's expensive, she's still "a doll" to most people in my family. And that usually prompts the, "Why did she cost so much?" questioning. Some of them still don't know about her... >.>)

I also worked on the stockings today. Fixed the ribbons and everything, then finished one of my good stockings only to realize I didn't sew the ribbon right, so I had to take it off and start over. I swear, I'm getting no where. Maybe it's time to break out the sewing machine. @_@ I'm SOO falling behind. :\ It's really discouraging. Maybe I should have skipped this entry for today and sewn this whole time, even though Kole just fell asleep a little bit ago... :\ Uff. Too many "maybe's" and "what if's" in life. I can't stand it. >.< It really DOES drive you up the wall sometimes...

Anywho~! Today was really lovely. :) We all had lots of fun together (Kole, Justin, and I) just playing around. I love the way Kole laughs. :) You can't help but smile. It's just so adorable. He didn't even ask to see C.C. though. It was surprising. Like he knows now that he isn't supposed to play with her and that she's not a toy. Lol. My smart little one year old. Oh gosh, he's almost 13 months now! >w< Such a big little man~! ♥ (Sorry, you'll understand when you're a parent one day. Lol.)

Ja ne!

Well, maybe we should keep today's entry short, since NOTHING got done, and I should go work. Lol. I really need to kick it into gear, or else I will NEVER make this deadline. I'd be a terrible author. (Well, I can write myself into, out of, and around the box, but deadlines would WHOOSH by without notice. Lol.) Ahh well, time to go make something of myself. :)

81 items to go (now that the stockings were taken apart -.-)... 25 days (starting tomorrow)... I KNOW I can do this~! I can't give up~! Thank you everyone for your support~! And wish me luck~!!

ACK! Rolly on Layaway!! x_x

FairyLand LittleFee "Rolly" - 25cm

I did it!! I feel like a spaz, but I did it! >o< I put "Rolly" on 4 month layaway at Denver Doll Emporium. Each payment is auto-taken every 30 days for 4 months. First payment is in 30 days. She will be mine by the end of the year. Lol. I feel sad that it will take so long, but happy that she will be mine someday soon!! I really do love her!! She has such a sweet (as in adorable) sculpt!!

I plan on making her my mini me, as I said in yesterdays post, so I spent a lot of today looking for clothes that would match mine or a decent pair of shoes. Lol. Most places are sold out!! It's actually disheartening. I never knew these were such popular dolls. I'm currently looking for Yo-SD sized things for her. ESPECIALLY a pair of wire glasses. I managed to find wire glasses (not the Etsy print kind) when I first started researching Parabox "Alice", but now I cannot locate that site. :( I need more search time. If anyone would like to suggest any ideas for me to find them, WIRE ones, not plastic, and I don't mind if there are lenses or not, please message me here: The Ball-Jointed Boutique Page on FaceBook. And thanks in advance!

Magnetic Dudes Chore Chart
Keeps me organized.

Well, I cleaned the house today and did laundry, so between Kole and that, I didn't get much else done except going to the craft store. I finally got that glue I've been needing, the one that stops ends from fraying? So now I have to sew the ribbons on my stockings. :) Took me longer than I thought it would though, I got it late tonight, so not using it unless I do it in the dark now that Kole is finally asleep. Lol.

I feel rather accomplished life-wise... Since I managed to get all that cleaning done, look for LittleFee-sized things while Kole slept, and still keep him with good attentions when he was awake. :) I have a magnetic dry-erase board that helps me keep track of everything I do each day. It's set up like a children's chore chart, but it works well for scatter-brained moms too. :) I can write in the month and such, and then write down the things I need to do every day or every few days that week. So far, it's really helping. My memory seems more focused now, like I can remember things that last month I knew I couldn't. And hey, who doesn't like putting star-shaped magnets up to know you finished something? Lol. If nothing else, it helps and I know my kids will use it one day. :)

Hmm... Today seems to be a day for photos, so let's move onto "Alice" for a little while. Random tangent, not involved with today at all, I saw her for like two seconds total this evening. Lol. But anyways, Alice is a 40cm (16in) Obitsu BJD. She's soft vinyl and has magnets in her feet that make her stand on metal objects like the base she was sent with. (No, she does not walk sideways up a fridge, my fiancée already attempted this. -.-) But she also stands on her own, as most BJD do. (If yours does not, check the elastic or reposition the joints, ALL BJD should be able to stand on their own, I was informed by the mystery doll vendor.) As "Alice" is shown here standing on her own. (Photos from Parabox.)

360° view of Parabox "Alice" - 40cm

So, this is my lovey. ^_^ Such a sweet face as well. A total cutie in person too. :) Mine has the large chest though, since this one is obviously meant to be the actual "Alice" from Alice in Wonderland, who is but a young girl, and C.C. has a MUCH LARGER bust than this. Lol.

C.C. in Black
Knight's garb.

I'm still collecting fabric for C.C.'s R2 outfit. So far I have the gold and the blue, and even the Black Knight's logo, but I can't find the right color red without having to take it off the roll in the fabric store, and I hate making them cut a small amount. >w< I usually just go for remnants that people don't need, that way, I'm not wasting fabric. Lol.

But alas, it is growing late, and I am tired after all that moving about today. Still no pictures of clothing to show yet, perhaps tomorrow now that I have the fray glue. :) Cross our fingers! :D

80 items to go... 27 days left... Wish me luck!! I know I can do this, I just have to keep telling myself I can. >.< ''

Ja ne, minna-san! ♥

Thank you for reading~!

Please come again~! :D

Goodnight~! ♥

28 Days Left! a.k.a: Wig Day!

Parabox Alice - 40cm as C.C. from Code Geass; no face-up.

So, welcome back to day three of posting...  With one pair of stockings completed and a shirt started, we shall begin our quest there. -^_^- Stockings? CHECK! Shirt? Began~! AND! C.C. got to wear her wig today thanks to the awesome shipping abilities of the USPS. Three days to get from Arkansas to Ohio!!

It really is a lovely wig. Kind of a bed-head look for C.C., it's her first of two wigs. I decided to brush it gently with a toothbrush before putting it on her. Once I put it on her, I braided it after separating her signature two front bits and placing them into position. The only problem is, when I finally took a picture, she looked horrible because of the high-def-ness of the camera I borrowed. x_x Too many fly-aways and stragglers, but oh well, at least she now has a wig and eyes... Face up still to be painted, I'm waiting on the sealer and primer to arrive, and body yet to be blushed. Her bangs look like they need a trim... >.>

Well, anyways, no fantastic adventures today, really. Just more reading BJD for Beginners and some sewing. -^_^- Kole even behaved all day!! (He's been in a foul mood lately because he is cutting his one year molars.) He's such a good baby, anyways though, so I shouldn't say such things as he "behaved", more like he was in a good mood today... Although, that wouldn't work either because I keep hearing that he's the happiest baby that [insert person here] has ever met. >w< Such a good baby~! And he LOVES C.C. He always giggles when he sees her and goes, "I see?" or "See it?". I usually let him hold her (without stand and wig) since she has no paints or primers on her. He doesn't do anything but look at her. >w< He's more in awe than wanting to play with her. Lol.

So, the book taught me a few things today... Like how to restring a resin doll... Kind of a need-to-know in this business. Lol. So I'm glad for that, I just wish there was a section on face up or something. It shows how to put eyelashes on and what glue to use though (that lets you remove them when you wish to switch things up). My eyelash scissors are coming with the primer and sealer, so I'm waiting on them too! Lol.

Knee highs/stockings
on C.C.

Didn't get to the craft store today, either. :( I still need that glue to keep my ribbons from fraying. Stockings are ribbon-less thus far, but still nice to look at none-the-less. I put them on C.C. to make sure they would fit, even though I drew the pattern from her measurements. They look pretty good for my test pair. :) I used an old shirt that I cut apart for my test run, rather than my fabric I bought just for the purpose of making doll clothes to sell. Lol. Maybe I'll get that ribbon and actually finish THAT pair tomorrow. Lol. But on the shirt note: Oh gosh I hope it fits! >w< I'm working on clothing for the Ball-Jointed Boutique as well as clothing for C.C. herself. I plan on making all her outfits, and some random ones like pajamas and these stockings.

Oh, did you know, all the pictures on my blog are clickable? The ones IN a post show you their actual size and the ones on the sides and bottoms take you places. The bottom three are two stores/doll vendors (left and right photos), and my store, the Ball-Jointed Boutique (middle photo). The upper right photo on the blog takes you to my Facebook Page for the BJB. It has links to the store and back to the blog if needed. As well as the store policies and such. Right now, it's working as pre-advertising and a countdown like the blog is. I hope to post photos there soon, but I'm only keeping them to my blog thus far. Makes it a little easier on me to do things one day at a time, and adding photos to the blog is easier than uploading on FB for some reason or another. Probably another glitch. x_x

By the by, The Junky Spot is this AMAZING doll place located in the US of A. It's actually where my fiancée purchased "Alice" for me as an early birthday present. -^_^- And Parabox is the "parent" company of Obitsu, which made "Alice". :) They're located in Japan though, so I attached the English Site link, however everything is still sold in Yen. Just Google "yen to dollar" and it will bring up two boxes in which you can enter any amount you need to convert into USD. The Junky Spot is USD though, so don't worry. :)

FairyLand LittleFee El
Elf Version - 25cm

Well, I'm on day two of wanting FairyLand LittleFee Rolly. I figure if I still like her/want her after I do all the research I did with Alice and Wallace, then she is a good investment. And, knowing me, I will most likely make clothes for her. Lol. I just don't know if I want to sell clothing for two different sizes of doll, both male and female, because that would ultimately result in purchasing a boy to be Rolly's partner so I can make a male line of clothing in 25cm size. (I would probably choose FairyLand LittleFee El, but who knows? Couldn't find a normal version photo, only the Elf version, but El is just the doll's face name, really.) I would need him to make sure the clothing actually fit! Lol. -^_^- (Or maybe that's just a lie to have a matching set. Mwua-ha-ha-ha!!)

I kind of wouldn't mind starting an actually BJD collection, but my current hobby is more-so making the clothes for the dolls, rather than collecting them. Lol. I don't know, maybe when I'm older and my business rocks enough to buy more than one or two, maybe then we'll see if I'm a collector or an artist... Or both! Lol. (You DO kinda need to be an artist in the face-up area, especially if you want your doll to be realistic rather than doll-ish. Lol.)

Ayaka Nishiki, from Koimomo.
She looks a lot like me... o.o
Just thought I'd share, so you'd
have a "face" to my blog.

Ahh, well, not sure what else to say today, other than thank you for reading and I hope you are enjoying the beginning of my adventure! I'm glad to have anyone who visits and please check out my FB Page and countdown with me!! I'm so grateful to all the support I am receiving so far!! So, thank you everyone!!

28 days... 80 pieces to go... Wish me luck!!

I CAN DO THIS!! ♥ I KNOW I CAN!!! >o< *says the un-confident seamstress as she leaves to go sew some more*

Ja ne!

Package Day

Firstly: HAPPY AUTISM AWARENESS DAY!! Did you wear blue? Justin, Kole, and I did. :)

If you are just now joining us, welcome! If you read yesterday's post and are back for more, welcome back! And thank you for reading!

Now, today I was supposed to finish that [insert foul word here] pair of stockings, however, failed to do so. I need the glue that stops ribbons from fraying. I thought I had some here, but I guess I was wrong. :( So I decided to do shirts, but soon realized that wasn't going to happen either since my sister and grandmother were coming to kidnap my son and I for a little clothes shopping. (She has a job interview tomorrow! And another one next week!! I'm so proud!) So hey, got my Easter clothes out of the way, but alas, no sewing again today. (Not a Christian, just practice the holidays with my Christian family. Lol.) Maybe tomorrow has more sewing in store for me?

Well, as you can see, today was Package Day! :D I came home to find a box on the porch waiting for me to gather it up and open it. Inside were two of my Amazon orders for my business. The first order was a bookkeeping record, receipts, plastic bags, and bubble mailers. The second was Ball-Jointed Dolls for Beginners and Starting a Business on Etsy for Dummies. Two books to help me in my new quest of this expensive hobby, and this ridiculous idea of a store. >.< Lol.

The only thing that bothered me about these packages is the BJD for Beginners... It made me feel as if the doll I chose was not a good doll. The author's opinions seem to follow that of Den of Angels, an online, invite-only, American, BJD community that says that dolls must be made of resin, laced with elastic, and have a certain number of ball-joints to qualify as a BJD. My doll is NOT elastic laced and is made of vinyl, but someone, whom I had the great fortune of meeting recently, informed me that she has ball-joints and thus is a BJD, just not a traditional one. So, thank you, mystery doll vendor who shall stay anonymous for now until I have permission to write your name, you made me feel much better about the whole situation and taught me an immense amount of things in a 45 minute period. -^_^-

So, for those of you out there thinking, "My Obitsu is a BJD too!", right on! And for those of you putting us down, last time I checked, BJD stands for "Ball-Jointed Doll", and our Obitsu is just that, a doll with ball joints capable of human poses.

Personally, I like that my doll is soft. -^_^- It makes her seem more human than doll. Her "skin" actually feels like skin! Her boobs even smoosh! I like that she seems more real than a resin doll does... And is less shiny... Lol.

But don't get me wrong, I DO plan on having resin, traditionally laced, BJD. The two I'm in love with now are 46cm Island Doll Wallace and 25cm FairyLand LittleFee Rolly. "Wallace" would be a good partner for "Alice", and "Rolly" is just too cute to ignore. I'm actually hoping to buy her soon from Denver Doll Emporium, using their 4 month layaway program. She would actually be an easier buy that way. Lol. And, as you can see, she really is just too cute! The only problem is, she's just for me, I don't plan on making clothes her size and selling them, so I'm not too sure that she is a good investment currently.

FairyLand LittleFee
"Rolly" - 25cm

"Wallace", however, I KNOW I will wait on because I do plan on making and selling his sized clothing, but currently cannot afford him or find a site that has him and will allow me to put him on layaway. He is really handsome though. -^_^-

Island Doll "Wallace"
- 46cm

I plan on making "Alice" into C.C. (C2/Shiituu) from Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, which means "Wallace" is most definitely going to be Lelouch. Lol. But "Rolly" wouldn't be apart of the C.G. family really, she'd just be my mini me BJD who tags along. -^_^- Ahh, dreams are nice to have, huh?

But, back to my previous topic before random tangent-ing: a BJD can be either elastic laced or hard jointed/skeleton-ed. Just putting that out there. :D

On another note, Package Day yet again presented me with another package, this time with my fiancée as he walked up the driveway to my house. Lol. He came bearing two packages: One with supplies from Zipper That Doll, an online store for doll zippers, buttons, and other clothing items; the other with the wig I bought for C.C. from the mystery doll vendor for a whole $10 + Free Shipping. I felt, and still feel, as if I should pay her the shipping, but she wont let me. :( So I have to figure out another way to pay her back. >w< Maybe I'll send her some stockings or something once I get better at making them perfect. Lol. Or complete them!! >w<

I almost forgot! Another package arrived while I was away for the weekend. This one contained my business cards, return address labels, and a matching tote bag all in the BJB style (purple floral butterflies). So, that makes for a grand total of 4 packages thus far, with possibly two more, though it may only be one. >.< Lol. I don't remember, I've lost count with my Mom Brain. Kole takes up too much of my hard drive to file anything else properly. >.< (Yes, my mind works like a computer sometimes. Lol.)

Well, 29 days left as of today, but might as well be 28 because it's late. Time to go finish something at least. Maybe I'll work on C.C.'s pajamas from a pattern I got on Etsy from AliceInCraftyland. Or perhaps I should go study my new books... o.o A bit of light reading to do... Nah, I'll sew!

C.C. from Code Geass
© BANDAI

81 and half items to go... Wish me luck!!

30 Days Left!

I started with a countdown of 50 days to design, sew, and embellish 81 pieces of MSD BJD clothing. Today is day 20. 30 more days until my store opens... And I have yet to even finish a stocking!

Internal structure of an Obitsu BJD.

First, let me explain (more or less) what a BJD is: a BJD (Ball-Jointed Doll) is (usually) an Asian doll made of ABS plastic, resin, or vinyl and held together by either hard plastic/vinyl joints (obitsu) or elastic lacing (traditional). They can be as big as 70cm (28in) or as small as 11cm (4.4in). MSD (Mini Super Dollfie) is the name given to the 41-45cm height BJD from VOLKS, but is normally used as an adjective to describe the height of a "Mini" male or female doll.

The doll I am currently making clothes for is Parabox Alice (also sold at The Junky Spot), a 40cm (16in) soft vinyl Obitsu BJD with hard vinyl joints. Since she fits MSD-sized clothing, I decided to make them instead of buy them for her, and in that decision, I found my hobby. My fiancée, Justin, wanted me to have something to do other than clean or read while our son took his naps (I mean, c'mon, you can only stand the two so much, and I just listen to the T.V. as background noise rather than watch it.), so I told him about my longing to own a BJD. I told him about them (reminding him of our high school study hall class 5 1/2 years ago, in which the girl that sat in front of him brought hers with her one day), and said that I would love to have one to dress. With that, a new chapter in my life began.

Parabox Alice - 40cm

As the blog description says, I am a mother, a college student, a "housewife", and a seamstress.

My son, Kole, is now a year old, and is a brilliant little boy (his pediatrician informed me that he has the speaking level of an 18 month old). He can currently say 3 phrases, 16 words, walk, crawl, dance, clap his hands, stomp his feet, shake his head, and brush his own teeth (it's so cute to watch!). Oh, and he has about 12 teeth, going on 14, the boy likes to eat. Lol. He and his father are everything to me, and they both support me in their own way. -^_^- Kole likes to take the scraps I pile up and shake them in the air. He laughs when I thank him for helping. Lol. And Justin is both moral and financial support in this endeavor; he is the one telling me I can do this, as well as the one supplying the means to do it. My two Mr. Wonderfuls, right?

Parabox Alice head

After Kole was born, I took a year off from college. I am currently in the process of enrolling for Fall of 2012 classes online. I've planned on taking 8 credits: Chinese I and Basic Algebra (I'm brilliant with languages, but I fail at math.) I have already taken, and passed with flying colors, a different Chinese I, but I thought it may be best to retake it since I am switching books and teachers. And math... well, math just isn't my strong point... I'm better with the artsy side of my brain. ^_^

You can ignore the "housewife" part really, all I do is clean up after Kole, sweep, vacuum, dust, and do dishes (no dishwasher, our house is old) from time to time. Oh, and laundry too. Lol. Normal house-like duties, you know, those chores you hated as a child? Guess what? You get to do them for the rest of your life! Lol.

However, this blog is really only happening because of the seamstress part. I've decided to tack one more thing on my already complicated To-Do List. I've decided to open up the Ball-Jointed Boutique: the clothing store for your 40-43cm BJD. I'm currently only making female clothing, but even then it's more complicated than I thought it would be... I figured I needed 3 types of each form of clothing, pants, shirt, etc., and from there decided to make three of each form...Which landed me with 81 items to make for the month of April. (It was going to be 5 of each item, making it 135 items total, but I convinced myself that was crazy. Lol.) So now, on day one, I have half of one stocking done. So, 1/4th of the pair done...Of the first pair of three pairs...Confusing, isn't it? Lol.

Parabox Alice Fullset

80 and a half items to go with 30 days to do it! Wish me luck!