Doll Days

 I had said I was done buying dolls last August, after I got my Soom Zinc White Archer centaur. Even once October came and another house gave me more room to grow, I hadn’t thought about buying more. New furniture and stocking a new house with creature comforts was on the top of the list.

But I was having a hard time working on any of my project ideas. As much as I love the new place, nothing is perfect and it’s even harder for someone like myself to adjust to big changes. It can be overwhelming on the senses and lend to a creeping anxiety I’m not even wholly aware of until I would snap at someone.

I decided I wanted a smaller doll, a 1/4, so I picked a Soom Soa. The seller even offered different skin colors so I chose a light purple. I knew I didn’t want to do custom clothes for her, since she wasn’t based off of one of my characters; just wanted to make her dark and lovely.

I had been going through Etsy and ended up buying a doll dress and even found a talented woman who did a custom color for one of her clothing sets so I got both. Without realizing the expensive dress did not fit any of my dolls because I didn’t see it was for a specific sculpt.

So. I ended up ordering a 1/3 Soom SuperGem Topaz to fit it. I didn’t have a wig or wefts I liked for her so her wig is still on its way.

 

So Endramena, who I originally wanted to try the dress for got the next best thing, the pant set that will be decorated later. The Soom Topaz will end up resembling my character Eden, who was my ice Queen well before Disney’s Elsa would be who she is forever compared to.

I had joined a doll group that is recast friendly and still fell in love with all of the Smart Dolls people were posting. She’s not actually a ball-jointed dolls at all but a soft silicone and vinyl sculpt with an articulated skeleton. Plus, it’s an anime style doll. Since it was once more ticking boxes of novelty... I ended up getting Athena.

And she has new clothes and shoes on the way, once more unplanned as a character.

I... wish I could say I was fulfilled at that. However, I got it in my head my purple girl could use a green alien rabbit boy buddy. At this point, I’m aware that I sound like I’ve completely lost my mind. I actually can’t remember which sculpt he is, a Lapin from what I do remember, but yeah. He’s on the way.

... Along with what I consider a ‘grail’ doll, which is doll community lingo for one that’s been sitting on your wishlist for some time. An Iplehouse EID Bichun. He’s the only one of the batch that I didn’t get a faceup for so I’ll be doing that myself.

But wait! There’s more... but this was kind of like a cherry on top. I happened to find a small but fully articulated baby dragon. So yeah. That had to happen. I’m still a fantasy author so I can’t do without my dragon.

That’s it though! But I can’t promise I’m done anymore. I still really want to do my dragon lady Esmerelda in doll form sometime. There are some characters I do purely as sentimental favorites, some that I just pictured as looking so awesome, I want that physical model.

And I’m not casting my bets that my stories will blow up to the tune of licensing figures and such. Why wait? Why bank it all on people loving what you love enough to see that day come? Why not make it happen?

And little by little. Endramena now has a headdress, but there’s still quite a bit of work left in doing her wig and outfit. I’m doing her book debut outfit, a swath of blue and gold, her shackles the jewels and adornments fit for a princess... but giving her no true joy at all. All the same, I believe this look suits her better than she knows. I gave her headdress the look of a dragon-themed helm so the stunning beauty of it wouldn’t hinder her on a battlefield. I’ve always adored the idea of the deadly beauty, using the unique strengths of feminine power to turn the tides. She doesn’t not need to stop the sword; just disarm the warriors to do her bidding.

As for Maxim, her one-armed guardian, he’s got quite a lot of accessorizing to go too. I did trim his wig so I need to secure it to his wig cap and then flock the close cut parts of his hair to his head. The flocking that I purchased before, while supposedly black, looked dark purple in sunlight so I ordered a few more small pots, hoping one will be a true black.

So, some of my dolls are a work in progress. Some are quite finished. Kaffir actually got his face-up and body blushing done since I moved here too so that’s one at least. So aside from Endramena and Maxim, the Bichun sculpt is the next biggest challenge. I went with premade outfits and wigs for my impulse dolls. 

I actually like that I have dolls with no set purpose. They can make for good models and help me with trying new things. Many of my character dolls will not be changing out of costume. While I do like to make their costumes removable just in case, they represent a realization of my writing projects.

If I had a whole room to dedicate to making every character I think up, I would. On days when I have no drive to function, just seeing them keeps me afloat. It’s not so much a materialistic nature as having the right stimulants to ground me.

I adore every part of where my talents want to manifest. That I can captivate anyone else is a bonus.