What happens when you love one of your creations soooo much but you know you have to sell it? Well, if you're me, you price it so high on Etsy that nobody will buy it but you don't have to feel guilty for not offering it for sale! Having said this, here is Kristine, my first African American Blythe. I recently listed her on Etsy!

I love Kristine. I love her smile, her eyes, her skin tone, her hair (which I didn't like on it's original doll), her little personality. Everything. I put her in my family room so I can look at her every single day.

Imagine my dismay when I got notice that she sold!! Lucky for me, I know the buyer so I can keep track of her and if her new owner ever gets tired of her, I am quite sure that I will buy her back! As it is, I must pack her up and send her off tomorrow. That place in the family room sure will look mighty empty. Almost like letting one of the family go. Sigh..... Almost.

Well, I am looking at the picture of faces in my last post. I was not pleased with them and sanded, re-whittled and sanded some more, re-painted and got them where I wanted them. I am knee-deep in dolls and doll parts at this point! Get a girl together, take her apart, reconfigure, and do it all again. I have by now almost a dozen girls and am about ready to list a couple for sale. The ridiculous part is that I really don't want to part with any of them. Even the ones I don't particularly like seem to have an emotional hold on me. I've sold various artistic creations before so I am not sure what the deal is. Maybe it's because as I work on them, it's like they develop their own little personalities. One of my least favorite girls emerged into a version of my mom as a child and she is now one of my very favorites. Interesting process, creating these little souls. I MUST get my act together and sell some if I want to buy more to continue customizing!I can hardly justify buying, customizing and keeping a hundred Blythes, can I? (Hah! I am actually pondering whether in fact I can!)

The girl with the light brown hair - "Patty" - is my Mama's doll. I purposely left her eyes downcast as that is how my mom looks in one of my favorite photos of her as a child. I have no idea what model of Blythe she is as she was in no box, hair a wreck (I cut and styled it), nude, just an abandoned old doll that looked like nobody wanted her. The pink haired girl I like "because." When I used to think of the kind of Blythe I would want if I were to get one, she is what I pictured in my mind. She came from a stock Simply Guava and I did a few minor things to make her what I wanted. Whatever dolls I may sell, I think these are the two that will remain with me. Oh- and Patience. I love Patience, too.

Patience awaiting hair.

Patience with hair!

I think I shared with you that Karen West and her sister Marty Horner were creating a tutorial on customizing Blythes and I was lucky enough to hook up with them as they were embarking on their mission. They have completed their tutorial now and I highly recommend it. They are quite experienced and knowledgable and very helpful when it comes to all things Blythe. Their company name is BlytheEverAfter and you can find them online at http://www.blythely.com. They also sell on ebay. Besides the tutorial, they offer all kinds of tools and products necessary for doll customization. If you are the least bit interested in creating your own girl - or girls - you really do owe it to yourself to check out their site! As for me, I think it's time to head out to the hot tub and relax for half an hour before climbing into bed. It's gently snowing and I know it will be a chilly trip to and from the tub but I also know it will be oh-so-worth it!