Mich is a moderator over in the Offbeat Bride Tribe. She’s come to Offbeat Home to share her new hobby.
I originally discovered Blythe dolls somewhere on the internet many years ago and lusted after them (but not their price tag! These dolls sell on eBay anywhere from $130 to $2500.)
I just LOVED everything about them: their big oversized heads, colour-changing eyes, endless combinations of hair colours and styles, the amazing outfits people dress them in — and the best thing is the photography!
People dress up their dolls in great outfits and then pose them places — outdoors, indoors, famous landmarks — to look like the dolls are real and enjoying a day out and stopping to pose for a photo.
Are dolls appropriate for one-year-olds?
My baby is about to turn one and I've been looking online at lists of age-appropriate toys. Simple puzzles, shape-sorter toys, stacking toys, etc, all... Read more
This obsession-from-afar continued until a couple of months ago. I was again searching through Blythe websites and pinning soooo many images to my pinterest when I discovered Blybe dolls on eBay. Now, I don’t want to get into a debate about the ethics of purchasing a clone doll: it was $40, and the perfect entrance for me to practice customization like sanding down her face, giving her new makeup, and rerooting hair before I shell out a few hundred dollars on a real Blythe doll.
So I ordered my doll on eBay. I waited and waited for the international postage, and she arrived one day with her shocking pink hair, green/blue/pink/orange eyes, and the cutest little face ever.
I’ve made so many clothes for her and LOVE taking her picture. My husband thinks I’m crazy — just wait ’til he finds out that the doll will be coming on our honeymoon with us, complete with a new Hawaii vacation wardrobe!
Despite being JUST dolls, I think the girls are so expressive. I think it’s all in the eyes. Depending on their clothes, they can really show a personality in the pictures! Other people may find it crazy, but I love my new girl.
If you’ve got Blythe dolls, let’s band together! Post a link to your photos in the comments. Oh — and one more thing: my girl still needs a name. Any suggestions?
The little girl in us never goes away as we get older. I must have this doll!!! Right now I’m obsessed with the monster high dolls.
i’m really glad i’m not the only grown adult who got excited when she saw the Monster High dolls XD
I DEFINiTELY. Have all but one (clawdeen wolf) monster high dolls on display. There all posed as couples, some straight and some gay. 😀 now if only my kitties would stop knocking them over….
I’m 51 years old & have recently taken up playing w/CPK dolls..I always liked dolls but never really thought about collecting them until recently.They do make me smile & maybe I’m going thru a 2nd childhood..My daughter actually thinks it’s cool & I’ve also recently acquired a doll house to store things in. I don’t think dolls tho..I do like to read books ..Horror no less .. Any idea’ why this is suddenly happening.
I am a thirty-three year old man who takes out a train set in case nothing else cures my boredom!
Try looking at these dolls at http://www.bev-mall.com. Those dolls are artificial intelligent and they rock.
I am a long-time Blythe admirer and while I can’t afford a real Blythe, I have a notebook and a number of postcards 🙂
Thank you for introducing me to blybe! I will never be able to truly express how greatful I am that you have introduced me to ownership of these fabulous darlings without having to shell out hundreds. One day I will afford a ‘real’ one, but until then – I will have a blybe (when she arrives)!
On a side note, my mother had one of these growing up. I nearly throttled her when I found out that she had discarded it when leaving home as she found her too ‘creepy’. My mother kept all her toys immaculately, and most of them were passed on to myself and my sister. Just not the original blythe. GAH!
‘Safi’ or ‘Lilah’ for names?
Oooh Lilah!
I suggest Marlowe. And these dolls are amazing! I’d never even seen one before today.
NAME HER JAX! 🙂 I used to have pink hair! And BTW I’m totally obsessed with the Harajuku Lover Perfume dolls. I must collect them all, my husband things it’s an expensive obsession.
I love it when people embrace their inner child and let them come out and play. I still sleep with my favorite stuffed animal, Pigger, and my husband sleeps with his, Butt-Naked Bunny. We take them everywhere with us (including our honeymoon), and have pictures of them all over the world doing different interesting things. They even have their own blogs and Facebook pages!!!
My husband and I both sleep with stuffed animals too! =) We don’t usually take them with us on trips, although I used to take mine when my family would travel, and once I accidentally left him behind =O but a kind maid found him and sent him back to me. Wish I could remember what hotel that was.
My bear went on my honeymoon, too! I’ve been sleeping with him since the day I was born (literally; he was a baby shower gift), and he’s been almost everywhere I have. I’m so used to sleeping with something under my arm. I can substitute with a pillow, but I much prefer Bear (creatively named, no?).
I am so glad I am not the only one that still sleeps with their stuffed animal! Mine is a stuffed monkey named George. I have had him since I was a baby, and he is still really awesome.
I’m a Blythe lover, I currently have two (and a girl that needs fixing up!) I’m embarking on a 365 day challenge with my favourite girl Misty. The Blythe community on Flickr are so welcoming and fun. It’s a great circle to be part of!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/positivelythrifty/
“Now, I don’t want to get into a debate about the ethics of purchasing a clone doll: it was $40, and the perfect entrance for me to practice customization like sanding down her face, giving her new makeup, and rerooting hair before I shell out a few hundred dollars on a real Blythe doll.”
There are legit officially-licensed Blythe dolls that are sold for $80-$100. I haven’t spent more than $90 on any of my dolls.
There are differences between Blybe, CCE, Bsaakakskskas (whatever that’s spelled like) and real Blythe dolls. Clearly, the hair isn’t as high quality, but I’ve been told that the texture of their face plastic is much different and the quality of their joints and tendency to stay together is quite less.
Not saying buying copies is bad, just saying that you sometimes get what you pay for. I found that just diving into customizations on a “real” girl caused me to be more patient. So there’s my advice! 😀
I have an out of the box Pow Wow Poncho that was (poorly) customized by her previous owner and redid by me, an Ashton Drake Galleries redhead (customizing her was a BEAST but I hear later ADGs are easier) and a never removed from box Pow Wow Poncho.
As well as three petite Blythes <3
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dootsie/sets/72157594446150533/
I don’t have any Blythe dolls, but I still have a ton of toys from my childhood that I like to pose and take pictures of, even if I don’t “play with” them the same way I used to.
I never really understood why all my friends were so quick to give up playing with dolls. I used to make clothes for my Barbies and American Girl dolls through high school — I’d make them look like ravers and punks =)
The last few years we’ve been renting and I haven’t had a good place to display a lot of my toys, but now that we have our own house I’m looking forward to having them set up around the house (my husband is the same way with Star Wars toys, and we also have a zillion comic/movie/game statues & busts & action figures). When we do, I’ll definitely post some pics to the Offbeat Home Flickr group!
So THIS is the doll that has been in a picture I’ve been in love with for years now?!?! http://www.flickr.com/photos/flowers_for_brei/2748277778/
Yesssss! Oh, and as for playing with dolls as a grown up? I so want a dollhouse and have a few Barbies (in their box) upstairs, tucked away from little sticky hands. 🙂
Thanks for all the name suggestions 🙂
I collect Living Dead Dolls so i totally understand the lusty obsession – LDDs are between $70-$1000 depending on what doll it is, condition and if it’s a numbered limited edition – even more if it’s one of the original handmade ones.
I have 4 full sized dolls from fairly early seasons, and four minis, and if i won the lotto tomorrow i would blow a significant amount of money on more. I don’t really photograph them or dress them up as they are display dolls, but gosh do i love them. <3
These are so cute, I had not heard of them! I think they are cool – go Mich!! 🙂
I actually knit my own dolls. They’re fairly square in a kawaii style. They’re cuddly, so that’s a huge plus for me… I don’t know why, after finishing the first one I hugged it to test it out– and it was the most huggable thing I’ve ever hugged. I don’t necessarily dress them up- but I do create the outfits and hair as I’m making them (they’re all one piece)
I think everyone has an inner child… I took pictures of the red headed, furry collared, scarved one I named Poppy in my mother’s vegetable garden and amongst her dahlias. 🙂
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/missxkittyx/IMG_0127.jpg
Oh my gosh… I think this is the cutest doll I have ever seen, and I must either learn how to make it or support you in your knitting endeavors! So cute! ;o; So much more interesting to knit something like this rather than an afghan or booties…
Thank you! I actually don’t have a blog or etsy site up yet-I’ve just made a few for family and friends- but I’m planning on it in the near future. My email is [email protected] if you’d like an update on their progress!
Personally I’m a ball jointed LUTS DELF (specific brand.) doll fan. Some say it’s silly to “play” with dolls but I don’t seen any harm in it. It’s an imaginative way of expressing oneself in a way.
Currently I’m doll-less, three years ago I managed to save for one and sadly it was stolen a week later when I was moving. I look forward to when I save enough to get another.
Hell yes! I am a ball jointed doll addict, and Delfs are delicious!
Ditto. 30 bjds in my house. Mostly soon months dz and pukis. Love them even if poeple don’t like my style for them. Like a girly model kit my mind.
I collect ball-jointed dolls. ^_^ Love them! I have a Luts ZuZu, an Iple JID, and three fairyland dolls. 😛 *doll addict*
It’s warms my heart to hear other people play with bjds. I have several bjds. But recently I bought two SD dolls a boy & girl. If made an apartment for them on a table-top. Love it!!!!
I still play-PLAY- with my Barbies. I have customized most of them, and they basically play out my next generation fanfic of one of my favorite book series.
And I am not ashamed.
I collect Barbie dolls. When I say that, people assume that I have dolls never removed from their boxes arranged in a display case or on a shelf. The truth is that the dolls are all out of the boxes and arranged on a large table that includes the Dream House. My husband built the table for me and actually expanded upon it last year to give me more room (he built a platform to raise up the dream house so that I could put more stuff underneath it).
When I tell people I take my dolls out of the boxes, they warn me that the dolls lose value. I don’t care about value, that is not why I collect them. I collect them because I enjoy them. I want to change their clothes and arrange them and not go wide-eyed and panicked if kids want to play with them.
My dolls make me happy. I honestly haven’t done much of anything with them in the last several months, but just seeing that awesome table loaded up with pretty dolls makes me feel good.
I agree with you about collecting them and playing with them!
I’m not into dolls but I am massively into playmobil. I sometimes get the collectors sets, but not because they are worth a lot, but because they are the most interesting. I then get them out the box and play with them.
I like to make scenes with stories behind them and I even blog about it occassionally.
http://origamigirlheroics.blogspot.com/2011/06/in-which-i-list-my-favourite-playmobil.html
I always say to people, it’s not that I’m getting into Playmobil again as an adult. I never stopped buying even as a teenager. As such I have so much it is crazy!
This makes me feel better about how my fiance and I have a bit of a plushie obsession (or as I say, an addiction to cute things) and we, er, kinda play with them, make them talk to each other and have given them personalities…and I’m 26 and he’s 27. That’s normal adult behavior, right? ^^()
I have like 12 stuffed animals in my bed right now >___> And I’m 22. I just keep finding super cute animals that I NEED.
Speaking of which, the Disney Store has new Lion King plushies! GET THEM!
Awesome! I love reading about everyone’s doll/plush/etc obsessions! I collect Care Bear stuff, and I just recently discovered Monster High Dolls 😀
I recently “came out” as a doll person myself 🙂 I like expensive ones and had to find a cheap solution too, which took me several years. Now it’s all about finding equally cheap ways to customize!
I have always loved taking pictures of my dolls and animals! And for a while, I had Henry the mini bear who came with me or my sister everywhere!
Those little dolls though, maybe I need to find a new friend too. 😉
I have a whole corner of dolls and stuffed animals in my home – and I’m 38 with no children. Sometimes I feel weird about being the sort of person that likes both goth and American Girl – but then I tell myself that those contrasting tastes are part of what makes me the person I am.
I’m nearly 40, and I have nine American Girl dolls and Bitty Twins. I change their outfits with the seasons, and right now they’re gathered around a low table, dressed in plaid jumpers or pants and argyle sweaters, ‘reading’ miniature schoolbooks. I have no children, just a husband who accepts this as a wholesome hobby, thank goodness. It’s all about keeping the Inner Child happy! By the way, those Blythe dolls are beautiful. Such expressive eyes!