Author: sylviecola

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!

Learn which tools you must have to begin customizing Blythe dolls and start creating your own unique doll today.

Do you want to make your own Custom Blythe doll but don’t know where to start? For those newbies that are just starting out, here are 12 tools for beginners.

1. Carving toolset

The Niji wood carving set for carving into Blythe dolls is great because it’s inexpensive and has a lot of different blades that will help you chisel away at your masterpiece.

2. Needle files

These are used for filing down rough edges, carving grooves, and other fine detail work on the doll.

3. Exacto knife

Can be useful for carving into the Blythe face-plates but also for trimming t-bars, or separating an EBL or SBL scalp from the dome.

4. Sanding sponges

Lots and lots of sanding is involved when customizing a Blythe doll. Sanding off the original make-up, smoothing and refining after carving, prepping to a matte surface to receive pastels or airbrush paint. Can’t do without them.

5. Chalk Pastels

It’s make-up for your Blythe. You’ll need lots of pinks, browns, and flesh tones to start and some cooler colors for eye-shadow and lids. I’ve been using Sennelier for many years even before Blythe became my medium of choice.

6. Watercolor pencils

Watercolor pencils are perfect for drawing on a Blythe doll. They’re great for adding details and realism to your dolls, like freckles and eyebrows.

7. Various paint and pastel brushes

The set I linked to should cover everything you need for doing the Blythe doll face-ups and shading as well as painting eye-lids, eye-chips, etc…

8. Mr. Super Clear UV flat

Mr. Super Clear is must-have product to use for your Blythe doll because it gives a nice matte finish and makes it easy to apply make-up. It also helps seal pigments so that they won’t rub off or fade away. Start with UV flat or Matte at first. Then as you gain skills and confidence, Semi-gloss and gloss create a nice sheen on finished face-ups.

9. Craft glue such as Aleen’s Tacky glue

Aleen’s tacky glue is a great craft glue for gluing eye-chips to Blythe dolls. It’s easy to use and dries clear, so you can be sure the eyes look good when they’re attached. I like Aileens Fast Grab as I can change the eyes on Blythe doll without waiting too long to dry.

10. Screwdriver set

You need one of these to open Blythe up and remove her eye-mech. An All-in-one will give you the right size Phillips and flat head to unscrew and open her face-plates.

11. Acrylic paint sets

I use acrylic paint for lip lining, painting lids, eye-chips, line art, etc…

12. Dust Mask

Photo below is self explanatory. Safety is must! Protect your lungs.

Just the beginning…

This list should be enough to get you started in creating a Blythe custom doll. It is by no means exhaustive and as you gain skill, you may be brave enough to try a Dremel. But for now, this is a great start!

Good luck and have a Happy Doll Day!