Author: sylviecola

My latest Blythe custom NBL doll

Say hello to May! My latest Blythe custom. Isn’t she sweet? Oh she doesn’t quite look sweet. Maybe a bit on the feisty side.

Out of all the non-Takara Blythe doll “fakes”, I like NBLs the best. They remind me of Takara’s FBL mold but are a little different. I’d say they’re a cross between FBL and RBL Blythe doll face mold.

Best of all, they’re very inexpensive. FBL molds are very popular, more sought after and just not enough of them were made. I’m not sure what happened to them but I love them as Blythe custom dolls.

Get my Blythe custom doll tool list here!

The best part about customizing Blythe dolls…

She’s a bit high maintenance. I think of her as an heiress to some high fortune. This is what is so fun when it comes to customizing Blythe dolls. These dolls emerge with their own character and personality. How is it possible that these inanimate objects can do that?

With Blythe customizing, that is the magic of it. While April was my cheerful girl, May is not having it! Did she wake up on the wrong side of the bed? I don’t know but she’ll let you know what she thinks on just about anything!

Shampoo Model…

I really love the hair on these NBL Blythe dolls. One of the things that I found frustrating with the Takara Blythe dolls is that sometimes you got horrible hair out of the box and it needed to be washed and boil-permed. For someone that just collects the stock Blythe dolls, that is especially problematic. Not everyone has the skill or interest in fixing bad hair due to poor quality control. Especially considering the fact that these dolls cost $150 or more.

On the other hand, the hair on these NBL Blythes is really nice. This girl could be a shampoo model!

Thank you for letting me introduce you to Miss May. She has already found a new home but feel free to follow me on Instagram and Etsy for new big-eyed Blythe custom dolls.

Until then, have a Happy Doll Day!

Get my Blythe custom doll tool list here!

I love GUND teddy bears. I find them very comforting. They seem to be the perfect combination of soft and cuddly, while also being just a little bit retro. It seems like all is right in the world when I am curled up on my bed at night after a long day of kids, running a house, and working on my Blythe custom dolls. They are so sweet and I am a sucker for their button eyes and soft brown noses.

Firstborn and GOTTA GETTA GUND.

I originally got them for my daughter but now that she is almost 18, Now, I find myself collecting GUND teddy bears for myself. Life can be very stressful and they bring me comfort. They really are a form of therapy.

We got a new kitten and she likes to hide in my girl’s closet. There I discovered GUND’s now retired Manni and Marmalade at the bottom of one of their toy bins and cleaned them up a little. I always loved Manni. When I found out they re-leased him back in 2016 in a bigger 16″ size, I decided I had to have him.

The next thing I know, I’m looking at GUND’s latest releases. First here are the Philbin’s.

Then big Grahm and little Grahm caught my eye.

I couldn’t stop there so I also added Pinchy in both colors!

Last but not least, there’s Finley. Amazon was having a sale so of course, I had to add him!

My son has special needs and a lot of sensory issues so I wanted to let him pick out a teddy bear for himself. He’s nonverbal but I showed him pictures of stuffed animals. We eventually settled on this cute floppy thin bear named Toothpick.

Teddy Bears for Therapy

I find these bears very therapeutic. When I stroke their fur and their soft feet it soothes my nerves. Their friendly faces look up at you unassuming. It’s no wonder Teddy bears are given to children who just experienced some sort of trauma. They can bring emotional comfort after traumatic events.

In fact, there are programs out there that give out Teddy bears to children in need. I will list them down below and hope you’ll check them out.

• Bear Givers
• CAN-DO Clemency
• Teddy Bear Brigade

So there you have it. Never underestimate what a simple soft Teddy bear can do for children and adults alike!

Thanks for reading and have a Happy Bear day!

My latest Blythe custom doll is Icy.

I was telling you about fake Blythes and how they are ideal for making customs. There is another doll that has been labeled as a “fake” Blythe. Icy Dolls were considered to be copies of our beloved Blythe. It’s no wonder why people would think they’re fakes!

Arker Icy Dolls are modeled after Blythe. They use the same mechanics for color-changing eyes that Blythe dolls use. But I wouldn’t say they’re copies.

Let’s say that they’re cousins. Icy dolls have their own look. Their face shape is very different. They have more of a square face and they have almond-shaped eyes that give them more of an Asian look.

As you can also see from the photo above, Icy dolls have molded lids around their eye socket. The one pictured is actually a fake Icy doll.

That’s right! Even Icy dolls have fakes now! Much like the fake Blythes, they have lots of choices of hair color and style.

I buy a lot of my dolls and parts from Aliexpress and found Icy Dolls available with many choices of hair colors and styles.

Lisa Frank Inspired Custom…

So onto my latest custom. Introducing this sweet Lisa Frank inspired Icy Doll!

She belongs to a dear dolly friend who has gifted to me some amazing Blythe custom dolls from other artists. I probably wouldn’t be able to afford them otherwise and do depend on trades to be able to have any in my collection. We did a few trades as well but she also just gave me some dolls.

Alas, she decided I could customize this cool green haired Icy doll in her collection and asked for a Lisa Frank Theme.

When it comes to painting and drawing, I’m out of practice. However, my very talented daughter draws a lot and loves to draw Anime characters the most. I showed her some Lisa Frank art and told her I needed her skills. I commissioned her to do the back plate and eye-lids.

I love how it came out and her owner is thrilled!

Before and After…

Ok, here’s some fun. I did a side-by-side shot of my latest Icy custom doll and before she was customized.

She is just waiting on some sparkly unicorn pull charms and gemstones and then she’ll be ready to go back home! I will enjoy her until then.

Have a Happy Doll Day!