Returning to the Hobby

Well it took a minute to figure out how to log into this blog, but it looks like I'm back! I've sold most of my dolls and Re-Ment, but I'm working with what I have. test entry

Introducing Elisabeth (Pullip Elisabeth)

Some time back in October 2015, I purchased Pullip Elisabeth from another collector.  She joined my "otherworldly" dolls right away, but I never did get around to photographing her.  So Today I corrected that situation. Although at the end of this post, you'll see that I learned a hard lesson today about the need to supervise Elisabeth!

Elisabeth in her fill glory!

I love her pink eyelids!

So captivating!

Her gown is gorgeous!

Her vampire teeth are optional, but I love them on!

Here is my first impressions video of Elisabeth (filmed 2 years ago!):

I was about to put Elisabeth away, when sleeping Jax caught her eye...

I tried to intervene, but...

She was swift

Jax: "hey!  What the..."

"Wha... what happened?"

"What is going on?  Where did all this blood come from?"

*starting to feel whoosie*

BTS:

Introducing and saying goodbye to Adam (Isul Yomi)

Adam: Isul Yomi: Here today, gone tomorrow

This handsome boy joined my doll shelf over a year ago, but I didn't get to take any photos of him when he arrived.  I kind of floated away from the hobby for many months, and when I returned, I decided to take my collection in a different direction, so I decided to sell him.  

He will be leaving next week, but I thought I'd post a few pics of him here to remember him.

Isul Yomi is/was my third doll from the Nightmare collaboration series.  My post for Ni-Ya (who I renamed Dominic) is here, and my post for Hitsugi, who I named Kai, is here.  Unfortunately, Hitsugi has also been sold.  It's hard to let these boys go because they are extremely rare and difficult to find.  But selling them frees up some extra dolly dollars to move my collection in a different direction.  

Re-Styled Wren!

Today I finally got the courage to modify my Dal Lyla, whom I have called both Wren, and Savannah. My first impression of her was that she would be a bratty spoiled ghost-girl with a stormy temper. I rewigged her into a hair style that was really similar to her stock wig, but with cute ringlets at the front. Here's how she looked: The more I worked with her, the more it seemed that the name "Wren" suited her more, and a different character started to emerge.

Wren/Savannah before her update

So I thought I'd make her a bit more creepy, and decided to change out her eyechips, maybe to grey and white. I made some grey and white eye chips, as well as a few other options:

Trying on these green eyes (over her current eye chips)

Trying on yellow chips

these are the ones I made with Copic markers

Looking better already with her extra lashes!

I was pleased that they looked so great, despite some imperfections in the chips

For once I didn't forget to attach her body

I gave her this fabulous fur wig

“The cries of the dead are terrible indeed; you should try not to hear them.” 
― Philip K. Dick, VALIS

“We're all of us haunted and haunting.” 
― Chuck Palahniuk, Lullaby

This is where I spent an hour of my morning

“To be haunted is to glimpse a truth that might best be hidden.”
― James Herbert, Haunted

“Ghosts could walk freely tonight, without fear of the disbelief of men; for this night was haunted, and it would be an insensitive man who did not know it.” 
― John Steinbeck, Tortilla Flat

“It was haunted; but real hauntings have nothing to do with ghosts finally; they have to do with the menace of memory.” 
― Anne Rice, The Queen of the Damned

starstar

“There is a child - a baby - who long since kicked off her blankets. Her skin is ashen and her mouth open in a perpetual yet silent scream. She isn't old enough to roll over, to sit up, to climb. So she lies there kicking her fat legs against the footboard of the crib, eternally calling for her mother. For food. For flesh.”
― Carrie Ryan, The Forest of Hands and Teeth 

Secrets of Woodside Issue 5: She Blinded Me With Science

(Previous Issue: Just a Girl)

*Please leave me a comment below if you have any questions or comments!

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(Previous Issue: Just a Girl)                       Next Episode: Coming soon!

Secrets of Woodside Ep 5 BTS

Sneak Peek into Scene 1 of Episode 5: These 2 are working on a top-secret project for the World Security Bureau

Episode 5 is going to take a bit longer to assemble than usual, because it requires more elaborate sets and prop work than usual.  So far I've only completed one scene, but it has been a lot of fun and very rewarding to finally be telling this part of the story!

First I had to find lab-coats, and make and laminate ID badges.

Then I had to modify my kitchen island to look like a lab counter and gather some other supplies 

I used a piece of glossy paper to serve as a wall-mounted white board and found some sciencey things to write on it with sharpie markers.  The science lab set is from my daughter's American Girl doll room. I also gathered some office-themed Rement pieces and printed up a WHMIS poster.  I'm using Timulus and Wayne's goggles as safety glasses for this scene, and Wayne's bullet proof vest will be worn by Jax, who is a field agent in between assignments in this episode.

Because this episode takes place in the backstory, I had to re-wig and re-dress my dolls.

I have to be careful of little details, like Jax's necklace needs to be on Jax, not Suri (since he hasn't met her yet, nor died yet, and she hasn't received his personal effects that include his necklace :)  I also have to make sure I cover up his "Suri" tattoo in flashbacks. 

BTS shot

I wanted this scene to have a clinical feel to it, so I opted for minimal furnishings and no decor, aside from the WMIS poster.  I used my plain yellow walls as the walls of the lab and my plain white table top as the floor.  It made for easy set-up and it looks nice and stark.

It took me half my day off to make and gather everything and shoot this scene.  The next scene will be even more elaborate, so it may take even longer... but we are about to see how Suri and Jax met, so I hope it will be worth it!

Introducing Kai (*swoon*)

 This bad boy joined the doll shelf last week. His name is Kai, and he is a Taeyang Hitsugi, another from the Nightmare collaboration set, of which I already had Ni-Ya (who I call Dominic). Kai has such a dramatic, unique look, he really draws you in.

 

He has this amazing dark brown hair with white, blonde, and red pieces, with lots of long braids, and various layers.



He has multiple piercings on his face, which gives him a real badass look.  I really like how he contrasts with Dominic's look.  Dominic (Taeyang Ni-Ya, see photo below) has tight leather pants, and quite a "pretty boy" face.  Dominic is quite a vain womanizer, while Kai is a bit of a free-spirited hippie who expresses himself through his style as well as his music

Dominic (Taeyang Ni-Ya joined the family this summer)

Never the shy one, Kai immediately began recruiting other dolls to join his band. It's not surprising that Dominic was easily persuaded to take the position of lead vocals.  Luna surprised us all by volunteering as drummer.  Who knew she could play drums?

So far the band is looking pretty good, but what they really need is a name!

I have a feeling Dominic is going to enjoy the spotlight

Luna might be crushing on Dom a bit!

Behind The Scenes #bts #dollphotography A photo posted by Mercy Tiara (@mercytspullipdreams) on Oct 19, 2015 at 4:51pm PDT

Check out this post on the Pullips and Junk blog that shows how the Nightmare dolls compare to a photo of the real Nightmare band

And my video review of Kai (Hitsugi):