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Hello again! A little bit of Francisca spam for you! I actually started sculpting her back in 2013, so… she’s almost done! It took so long to make her the way I wanted, and I’m very happy how she is now! Hope you like her as much as I do. And my apologies for the messy workspace ToT #artistdoll #bjdstagram #bjd #morningstardolls #bjdwip

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Now for sale on our Etsy at hauntcoutureatelier.etsy.com

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It’s impossible to really see everyone in a full group photo, so here are character group pics with cute chalk nameplates :3  This was good visual organization for me, and good new-camera practice too~

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Merry Christmas da ~ Eglantine ~

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HOW TO SEW SLEEVES WITHOUT WANTING TO MURDER EVERYTHING: A TUTORIAL

Someone asked that this be rebloggable so HURR YOU GO

Patterns are really dumb in telling you to finish the body of an outfit, then finish the sleeve, then attach a circle to a circle. It’s possible to do, don’t get me wrong, but unless you have a lot of experience it’s sometimes very aggravating trying to evenly distribute the sleeve around the “hole” cut out for it and match up the seams under the armpit!

(Please note…some patterns, especially to achieve tailored looks, require you to do it the traditional way. Don’t use this method for fashion school assignments or super-complex garments as it will probably screw up the way it ends up fitting in the end. This is mostly for the use of cosplayers to make their job a little easier.)

SO THIS IS WHAT I DO.

PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE SOURCE OR REPOST, THANK YOU

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So here’s the Cali Guy Blaine/Ertl Sportsman hybrid with yarn glued to his scalp and paint added over his irises and eyebrows. (I think I need to go over his irises a bit again, as the original factory shapes now…pretty obviously don’t match each other…)

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Hethmyr the Sigilweaver. Not fully complete, but nearly so.

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Jane Boolittle repaint, redressed.  She’s not a cat, so I don’t have any amusing cat jokes for this one.  See her on Etsy!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/563257542/monster-high-jane-boolittle-custom?ref=shop_home_active_11

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Famous Last Words --- a.k.a. How to Buy Cheap BJDs!

I am closing down this blog, but would like to thank you for all the support and kind words!!! I received a lot of interest in how to buy cheap BJDs, and so I put together a buying guide (my last post ever!)

If you want a cheap BJD, go through all these links every day for a year! If you don’t find a cheap BJD doing this, then Beetlejuice might just appear.

Ebay

1. Type this keyword into the search box: bjd

2. Go to “Advanced Search” and choose these settings:

Category (Dolls & Bears), Search Including (Title & Description) Price ($1-280) Condition (Used + Not Specified) SORT BY: Price + Shipping (HIGHEST FIRST)

3. Click “SEARCH.” Read descriptions closely and be VERY careful of recasts/knockoffs!

Tumblr

1. Search these tags/keywords (one at a time!)

bjdforsale

bjdforadoption

2. Sort by MOST RECENT! This is important, or else you’ll just get the most popular results (and those dolls are already sold!)

Instagram

1. Search these tags/keywords (one at a time!)

bjdsale

bjdsales

dollsale

bjdtrade

2. Scroll down for “Most Recent.” You can scroll down a long way, because new posts cover old posts very quickly. Just because a post is old does not mean that the doll is sold– it can take a month just to sell one doll!

Flickr

Flickr’s BJD sales are not as active as they used to be, but at least two active groups remain:

All about BJD (only WTB and FS) (USA and Worldwide) (Link Here)

BJD Adoption from Europe only! (Europe) (Link Here)

Mandarake

Mandarake is a Japanese secondhand store– and a good source for inexpensive legit Volks dolls and Dollfie Dreams (or even VMF-50, hurrhurr)! Important: Dolls are not necessarily kept in smoke-free environments…

1. Go to this store link, not the top Google search result (Link Here)

2. Use specific keywords for searching (i.e. “Volks” “Volks SD” “VMF-50″)– do NOT use general ones (i.e. BJD)!!! This is the opposite of Ebay.

3. English Keywords that worked for me:

Volks Volks SD (you can replace “SD” with “MSD” and “YOSD”) VMF-50 Crobidoll Souldoll

4. Some people use Japanese language keywords. That sounds like a good idea!

5. NOT ALL MANDARAKE DOLLS ARE FROM SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENTS! At least one Mandarake location lets people smoke inside the lobby. In general, there is a risk that secondhand dolls come from indoor-smoking households. Mandarake doesn’t always disclose cigarette smoke– they usually list smoke damage as mere “yellowing.” Friendly heads-up for people with allergies :)!

Other Venues

Den of Angels - HUGE invite-only BJD forum with a large marketplace. I never joined, but can confirm the deals are good. But getting access to the marketplace takes time…

Facebook - Facebook has many great BJD sales groups. The downside is that you might have to use your personal Facebook account to interact with sellers… unless you have a secondary account under a fake name >_> <_<. Which I wouldn’t know anything about.

Craigslist - Click on your Craigslist region and type “bjd” into the search box. It’s rare to find dolls like this, but I found at least three very cheap BJDs doing this. These sellers often don’t ship, and want you to pick the doll up in-person. SKETCHY; BE CAREFUL!!!

Taobao - Chinese equivalent to Ebay and a legit alternative to Alibaba (Alibaba is overrun with bootleg and recast BJDs right now.) To use Taobao, you need a Chinese shipping address OR an English-speaking shopping service (i.e. TaoBao Spree). This is like Ebay, so be careful of recasts!

Doll Shops: Search for doll shops on Yelp.com. Call or e-mail them about BJDs if they don’t list them online. Lots of doll shops stock BJDs but don’t advertise it on their website. I know of at least three doll shops that had damaged/imperfect dolls hidden under tables or in dark back rooms (I got my first Korean BJD that way.) It’s okay to ask– and be careful of recasts!

Helpful Hints:

1. So… what is a Cheap BJD!?

SD 1/3 Size: $250 for a boy and $200 for a girl. I don’t go above $280…

MSD ¼ Size: $150 or Less

YoSD 1/6 Size: $90 or Less

Mature Mini 1/6 Size: $90 or Less

Floating Head: $80 or Less (this is a high estimate! New budget-brand Chinese doll heads now cost $25 or less!)

2. Negotiate the sale! Many sellers are happy with trades and asking for a lower price if you pay upfront/in-full. Some will lower the price if the item isn’t selling– don’t be afraid to ask nicely. If the seller says “NO” or writes “No trades, etc.” please respect their request.

3. Things to ask about: Certificate of Authenticity (CoA), Where the doll was originally purchased from, whether a doll was kept in a household where someone smokes, vapes, or burns incense. These affect resale value. 

4. The top three MOST FAKED companies are Soom, Volks, and Fairyland. Iplehouse and Dollshe are also targeted with increasing severity. It’s safest to buy these beautiful dolls directly from the company. If you still want to buy secondhand, be extra careful– recasters can fake CoAs and headplates for these brands.

5. Here is a list of BJDs Under $300!

~Thanks for all the kind words~! I hope this guide helps you find the ~lovely legit~ BJD of your dreams!

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SpacePOP Juno Repaint by Leilah

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So I’ve never done anything like this but I like how it came out! This is my very first doll repaint but I had a lot of fun making it! I feel very proud of how it came out for my fist time making one!

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Rosabella Beauty ooak by Mariya Khorizina

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Lizzie looks more human now with her new wig, eyes, eyebrows and eyelashes. She is my grey Resinsoul Li; her wig is a thriftstore find; eyes, face up and marble bodypaint by me; corset by Raouken.

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2014/4 ミゾクルしばふ

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I put together a nice Intro to Miniature Sewing for anyone interested in doll/action figure/tiny sewing. 

All of this info is scattered across my website and various patterns so it’s not exactly new, but this is the first time you can find it all in one easy-to-read-and-share format :) 

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