Not Dead Pt. 2

I don't have anything good to report - just that my newly arrived K-r turned out to be defective, and I'm never going to buy Pentax equipment again. The switch for SR on my K10D broke off and I had to get it fixed, and on this newest incarnation, the K-r's mode dial was actually broken, rendering most of the advantages of quick, preset goodness completely unreachable. My K10D was metal, heavy, solid, weathersealed, but the K-r feels like a toy in my hands (and I have small, old lady hands! XD). I returned it to the AMAZING people at Amazon (who let me return it even though it was opened, and exactly 33 days after purchase when their policy only allows for 30). I'm now waiting for it to get to their hands/from their hands to the seller's hands (I purchased used to save money).

I had no idea how much it could hurt not having a camera. I am totally blowing this thing out of proportion, but I am really feeling down without it! Even the wonderful news of my MNF Shushu's shipment doesn't quite make it through the fog. Maybe when the girl gets here she'll cooperate with me while I'm giving her a faceup so that I don't want to throw her faceplates and cry like a toddler. >< I haven't even finished 1 cosplay for Otakon (out of my 4 - one for my friend, 3 for me). I have the feeling that I won't be motivated to do much of anything because I'm too distracted by my mental whining.

I'm a mature person.

This Narae

...I need her (stole her picture from Andreja on DoA). Her owner has put her up for sale on the Marketplace and I really do absolutely love her. Maybe this is real dolly love? Lol. She would look so good with the Shushu and Tryphosa, too. I'm thinking she might be Leathie Rivers from my novel! Maybe, maybe not?

EDIT: Turns out not. I had a bit of trouble with her current owner, and I really don't want to go through with the transaction because it seems like it will be unpleasant for the both of us. I decided to try to give my Shushu the same expression, and hopefully it'll work out better that way. I bet I wouldn't like the Narae body anyway *tries to console self*

Why I Think I Can't Keep Dolls

... So, I'm selling my Zero. I'm really upset about it. I sanded her seams, nipples, eyebrows, and did a lot of work for her posing and faceplates. I really tried to keep her. I LOVE her body scuplt and her faces are beautiful.... but she just won't stand for me. It's hit or miss - sometimes she will, sometimes she won't, and I've never had so much trouble photographing any doll (even my Supia Roda, with her weird 'uneven' legs).

Contrary to my keep/buy record, I really, really loathe selling dolls. My friend has had her two dolls ever since I introduced her to the hobby back in highschool. But me - I've had around 10+, now including the Unoa Zero. I've wondered for the 5 years I've been in the hobby about why I can't seem to bond with any of my dolls.

At least my Shiny Fairy May, Tryphosa, isn't going anywhere. Maybe it's because I see her as a precious gift? But, I had seen my DZ Shoyo in that light, as well as my SDF Ethan head. All were still sold. It's not like I don't want to bond with a doll, it's just that I can't seem to. Even my precious Kurumi left me, because of the thought that 'maybe this just isn't the right time in my life for her'. I do plan on getting her again someday, so it's not a permanent loss.

I'm getting a MNF Shushu again, small bust with #3 hands. I think she'll be turned into a Multihead, with a Miyu and maybe one other head or a modded head or something, to counteract the 'one look' syndrome ('I don't really see an 'expression' on her face. It's all just one look'... that thought has also led to the selling of dolls). I'll also be buying a TON of accessories, wigs, clothing and shoes for both Tryphosa and the Shushu. I've never had a lot of things for my dolls, preferring to make most instead, but perhaps my lack of leisure time (when employed) and lack of fabric experimentation funds just dampen my enthusiasm for free form sewing fun. Maybe the ability to fully style both will help me to get along with them better.

Maybe it's just because I can't justify spending so much on myself. Maybe it's just that I would prefer to spend the money on more 'practical' things, but I can't ever shake my beloved doll hobby. Maybe it's that I haven't found the 'right' doll for me. The Shushu, if she were in 60cm size with all available A-line options, would fulfill all of my dreams. Maybe 'my' doll hasn't been made yet? I have no idea.

I'm so tired of selling dolls. I really hate saying goodbye to them, especially since the reasons I bought them haven't changed. And it may not seem like it, but they're all special to me.

Sorry for the text-heavy, ranty post. It's just been on my mind lately. Has anyone else here had bonding issues with *every* doll they've bought? Have you known someone like this? Did you think that they should just settle with a doll and get it over with? Did you get frustrated with them? Did they seem to be upset over it, or did they seem to be okay with selling a lot?

Even if you just have a random thought on the issue, I'd love to see your opinion. :3

Icchaeyo's Deviantart and Faceups

So...here I am, featuring yet another Shushu. What? Did you ask if she'd modified? Why yes, yes she is!! Just look at her beautiful slitted eyes!

And that faceup! So gorgeous! Whose doll could that be?
I answer, "Who else's? Icchaeyo's!"

+++

Yeah, sorry for the dumb little intro there. X3 To be honest, I'm always struck a little dumb by her masterful creations. She modified this Shushu by herself (as well as an open-eyed faceplate). Besides the Shushu, she has a gorgeous Unoa Lusis, a CP El and Woosoo, and she used to have a Domuya Fin.

^ Here's her gorgeous Woosoo!

She does her own faceup work and (as mentioned) modifications, and on top of all of it... just look at her gorgeous photography and illustration work!

I very much admire Icchaeyo. In fact, she is and always will be one of my favorite faceup artists/photographers. I am continually inspired by her and I absolutely adore her dolls. Her knack for muted colors, softer focus, sunlight-bleached environs and mysteriously beautiful figures always amazes me and I can't stop looking at it! Please go appreciate her gorgeous work at her Deviantart, Flickr and Blog.

EDIT: I used the word 'gorgeous' 3 times in this one little post. XD I really am losing it...

DenaliWind's Myliex (Yes, another Shushu feature)

I've just caught the Shushu bug, haven't I? In any case, this Shushu, as you can see, is particularly unique and therefore it justifies yet another Shushu feature. :3

This foresty little beauty is created by DenaliWind, and she has her own Livejournal 'The Daily Doll' where she posts more pictures of this doll (Myliex) and her other doll, Goat.

Her sensitive, natural photography and choice of simple, painting-like background to feature this unusual beauty marks her images as quality. The doll's concept and the execution of the concept is very clever, and those little circles on the faceup (by DenaliWind herself) really make the picture in my opinion.

Unisomnia/Suzumebachi's Doll Photography - One pic NSFW, underwear!

I really love Unisomnia's doll photography! Here's her precious Miyu, Misei. She makes me want a Miyu so badly!!!!! She's Suzumebachi on DoA, and I found her through her gallery post 'We're Just Angels with Enemies'. Here are some pictures from the shoot:

I really love the way she plays with simple lighting, focus and setting to create a specific mood in her pictures. That's the stuff of great photography! You can see more of her dolls on her Flickr (where she also posts her great pictures featuring non-doll content). There's also her Deviantart, which is more doll-focused. I think she's underrated (with only 8,000 pageviews in 2 years), so give her some well-deserved love for her photos.

I know, I'm really lovin' on the Shushus. What can I say, they're so pretty!

Fairyland's Chic Line

Well, I know that everybody is going to be discussing this soon enough, but if you're not sick of it already, these are my personal thoughts on the new Chic line of dollfairyland.com. Also, I want this blog to be as worksafe as possible, so I'll always put up warnings or somesuch when posting any artistic nudity. Therefore, I'm leaving it up to Fairyland's Blog to show you pictures of the posing and body.

Now, on to the opinionation!

The new Chic line is shorter than your typical Minifee, standing at 40cm instead of 42. The bodies, as expected from Fairyland, are beautifully engineered, and they seem to pose as well as the Minifee bodies. My favorite part is that it seems Fairyland designed the models with heavy customization in mind, including parts for hand changing (as in their Minifee) as usual, but also disclosing plans for fantasy parts and revealing a new system for heads.

This head is actually a Minifee-sized (M-line) faceplate on the "head attachment part" (probably the headback) that is compatible with the Chic body. You can also put Littlefee (L-line) heads on the body using another "head attachment part". The Chic line heads (or, you guessed it, C-line) seem to be notably smaller than either L-line or M-line heads, but that's to be expected because....

Bam! The doll has a distinct fashion-doll appearance which calls for more realistic proportions of head-body size ratio.

My verdict? Genius engineering as usual, but it's not my thing. I personally don't like fashion dolls and will most likely never own a Chic line doll. I prefer the anime-like, stylistic grace of the Minifee, as seen here.


However, I'm glad that Fairyland is once again breaking its own mold (no puns) and I'm especially impressed with the new head system. I also think it's really great to have more variety in MSD size, because a lot of people have been wanting more 'mature' minis, and the market has been responding with increasingly unique works of art.

I'm actually more excited about the possibility of a Fairyland 60cm doll. In Cerberus Project's letter (which you can also view on the Fairyland blog), they stated that they had been planning on releasing 60cm dolls for a long time. The Chic line was a sculpting foray in that direction, but should also be viewed as a project all on its own. I've been wanting a 60cm Shushu since I've laid eyes on her, and I honestly think that if that were to happen, that Shushu would even replace Kurumi as my dream doll.

Let me know what you think of the new Chic line! Would you get one? Do you like or dislike the fashion doll look of the bodies/proportions? Do you plan on hybridizing between M, C, or L-line? Are you just as excited as I am about the 60cm doll possibility?