Click on the links to see all the pretty pictures!
The year was 1985. I'd had Barbies and Skippers and various fashion doll hand-me-downs fall victim to my scissors and markers before. But at age 12 I fell in love with the best fashion dolls ever, no makeover required. JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS!! They had wild colored hair and crazy, asymmetrical face paint! They had more realistic proportions and rainbow lamé clothing! They wore giant, metallic pumps that could kick Barbie's BUTT! Not to mention, they had their own cartoon series - definitely a big plus in my book. I feel like my real journey with doll-making started here.
Fast-forward to 2004. While perusing the magazine section of my local grocery store, I came across an issue of Haute Doll and was immediately smitten by the ethereal repaints of Gene Marshal by artist Carol Stimac. What followed was a series of fashion doll repaints while I learned the craft. Had it not been for this moment, I probably wouldn't be making dolls today.
Repainting alone is an art unto itself, but I began to crave more posablity and less glam. Enter 1/6 scale customs! I was especially fond of Obitsu and Cy Grils. These 1/6 scale dolls have firm footing in action figure land and also served as an entry to BJDs through the large scale vinyl Obitsu/Parabox line. Through sales of my customs I was able to fund my very first resin BJD purchase - a Dollzone Megi. ^.^
More BJDs came and more BJDs went. At this point I was still into really cool, broody dolls but also started embracing a "cute" aesthetic. I adored many, MANY dolls by Fairyland. Such posing! Such adorableness! Such manic buying! From this time until I started making my own BJDs I had what's called a "revolving door" collection. I was constantly buying and selling BJDs, many featuring my own faceup, wigs, eyes and clothing. I don't recommend it financially (or emotionally - this kind of behavior is not very healthy) BUT I DID learn a ton about what traits I liked in a doll and how BJDs work. And I did a lot of faceups so I got to see dolls that way too. ;-)
My fashion tastes continued to transition from modern/urban to something more "mori girl" style. Two of my favorite models of this time were Planetdoll (mainly Riz) and Dollstown Soyu. Along with the shift in fashion, I found myself drawn to difference sculpts as I was introduced to Kaye Wiggs dolls. I consider this a major milestone in developing my identity as a doll maker. Kaye's sculpts were a wonderful canvas for my soft, natural faceup style and Kaye's collectors really warmed to my clothing creations. In fact, I really wanted my first BJD to be like a younger sibling to Kaye's MSDs! However, my sculpts have a tendency to turn out different (and smaller!) in reality than in my mind. XD At any rate, Kaye's dolls (and the artist herself) will always be a huge inspiration to me, especially my favorite sculpt "Layla" and the darkest tan "Laryssa" that Kaye traded to me for one of my very first Briars. <3
In 2015 I started producing my own BJDs. And in the years following, I had a major downsize of my collection as I shifted focus from dressing and customizing other dolls to making my own. However, I am now slowly building it back (smaller) with the intention that these be not perennially-naked working models, but dressed and beloved muses for the long haul.
Here are the resin BJD dolls I currently have collected, with a few of my own mixed in (I also have a vinyl collection but it's in storage at the moment)...
