Custom faceups are also available with purchase.

Please refer to the website here for all other details and info! www.angeltoastdolls.com

Here is my last doll “Ombre”, she is a dreaming elfy creature.
She is msd size and has the same body than my other msd girls Eugenie and Constantine.
The sale of the Ombre and Constantine models, opened last Saturday, was quite a succes that, to be really honest, I wasn’t totally expecting.
The whole stock – except a few copies dedicated to direct sale during the Paris Fashion Doll Festival coming in March – has been sold out in less than one day ! (Thank you very much to my customers for this enthusiastic reception)
Since then, I’ve received numerous messages from collectors disappointed of arriving too late, or for being warned of the sale after it’s closing.

That’s why I’ve decided to extend this sale by starting a pre-order session without delay for the Ombre and Constantine models.
From now on and until February the 23rd, you can order your doll and all desired options in the Shop section of the website (earlier closing is possible if the amount of orders is too important).

A possibility of 2-time layaway is offered, for a delivery planed by May 2012. Don’t hesitate to contact me for any question.

Besides, be informed that this prolongation does not change the schedule for the next sales.

Her Blog/website is here so please check it out here.

She is msd size slim.
The sale of the Ombre ( dreaming elf ) and Constantine models, opened last Saturday, was quite a succes that, to be really honest, I wasn’t totally expecting.
The whole stock – except a few copies dedicated to direct sale during the Paris Fashion Doll Festival coming in March – has been sold out in less than one day ! (Thank you very much to my customers for this enthusiastic reception)

Since then, I’ve received numerous messages from collectors disappointed of arriving too late, or for being warned of the sale after it’s closing.

That’s why I’ve decided to extend this sale by starting a pre-order session without delay for the Constantine and Ombre models.
From now on and until February the 23rd, you can order your doll and all desired options in the Shop section of the website (earlier closing is possible if the amount of orders is too important).

A possibility of 2-time layaway is offered, for a delivery planed by May 2012. Don’t hesitate to contact me for any question.

Besides, be informed that this prolongation does not change the schedule for the next sales.

New doll maker AkaBara is taking pre-orders for their doll, Jessie the Donkey. Dates for their 1st pre-order are from January 18 up to February 10.

Information on this doll is over here.

Prices and options:

Basic set – US $160 (+ shipping)
Basic set includes: assembled doll (we offer 4 skin tone types: black/white/grey/peach – you are free to choose any), 14 mm acrylic eyes (random color), mane (we offer 4 hair types: black/pink/blond/mohair blond – you are free to choose any), box with cushions

Options:
Make-up – US $20
for each skin tone type we only offer basic make-up you see in the pictures

Outfit – US $25 for a set
we offer 4 outfit sets – you may choose any

pink loly (including dress and handbag)
biker (including pants, T-shirt and belt; to order biker jacket please add $15)
blue dancer (including dress and hair pin)
boy dancer (including pants, shirt and waistband)

Notes:
- During 1st pre-order period we offer 50 donkey-dolls, each doll will have it’s individual number.
- Dolls and outfits colors can be slightly different depending on your monitor settings.
- Dolls colors and outfits details can be slightly different due to entirely manual work.

If you have any questions we’ll be happy to answer them. Our e-mail: akabara.studio@gmail.com

We ship worldwide.
We ship via EMS or registered air-mail.
We accept payments via PayPal. Other payment methods are available, ask us )))

To order please e-mail to: akabara.studio@gmail.com

Contact them with any questions.

now~~ 2012/02/29
1. order IS 70cm Doll get 20% off + a pair of 70cm jointed hands as gift.
2. order IS 1/3 Doll get 12% off + “a free size head” or “a pair of free size jointed hands” as gift.
3. order IS 1/4,1/6,1/12 Doll get 12% off .
4. order IS body get 10% off.
5. order IS jointed hands as $60/pair.
3. order new IS doll during event get 20%off + a pair of jointed hands
4. Purchase over $400 get “1/12 doll” or “a pair of jointed hands” as gift.
5. Purchase over $600 get “a free size head + a pair of jointed hands” or “a 1/6 doll” as gift.
6. Purchase over $800 get “a 1/4 doll” as gift.
7. Purchase over $1000 get “a 1/3doll” as gift.
8. make-up/wig/clothes/shoes doesn’t count as a part of event amount.

Also, here is the info on their new dolls:

Yingye & Baiya

Yingye

Baiya

3 Skin type:
Normal Yellow (similar as Volks normal)
Normal Pink (similar as Dollzone normal pink)
White (similar as Dollzone white)
Accept grey skin & tan skin comission
1/3 +$40
1/4 +$30
1/6 +$30
Jointed hands +$10

Payment:
Paypal only

Working period:
It takes20-25 working days to prepare
30-35 working days including make-up.

Shipping:
EMS (It usually takes 3~7 business days) & airmail (2 weeks ~ 1 month)
Shipping cost depends on different location.

Contact info:
Catas1717@hotmail.com or PM

International Buyers – Please Note:Import duties, taxes & charges are not included in the item price nor shipping & handling (S&H) charges. These charges are the buyer’s responsibility. Please check with your country’s customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to buying. These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up – do not confuse them for additional shipping charges.

Tell us about your own dolls. Do you have any? If so how many and which ones? Has your collection impacted your fashion business and if so in what way?
Of course! Right now I own 8 and a floating head with one more floating head on the way. 2 are in the process of finding new homes though so they won’t be with me for too much longer.

I have one MSD boy named Alex and he is a Luts Kid Delf Bory. He was also my very first doll and a bit spoiled because of it.

I also own 2 tinies which are Soom MD Winnie Afi Dee twins; Avery & Nyaak. And the last ones are 2 anthros; Alice who is a Pipos Ringo and Cinnamon who is a Dollfactory Popo.
I have a set character for each of them but I won’t go into it as that would take too long to explain.

They certainly have impacted my business. I’ve always wanted to make animal hoodies for them to reflect the certain animals that they themselves like or represent. I never really had the chance to actually make them though until recently when I attended a Halloween themed meetup. They needed costumes and I figured this was the time to try out making creature ones.

I got positive feedback on the hoodies so I decided to open them for commissions and I am really glad I did. It gives me the opportunity to make more critters and I learn something new with each one I make.

Why choose clothing design as a form of Self Expression?
I enjoy sewing and making new things. And honestly I’m too chicken to do any modding or faceups on my dolls, so making them clothes felt like the better option for me to both enjoy the hobby and express myself in it.

How long does it take from start to finish on a typical outfit to create and complete?
It can take anywhere from a week to 3 weeks depending on complexity and communication.
It usually takes me about 1-2 hours or so to draft patterns and cut out all the pieces. Once I start sewing though I usually work on multiple hoodies at a time. So it all depends on my work load, complexity and such.

How do you like to work best with a custom order for a client? With total freedom to create your vision, or do you like some feedback/interchange with a client who might have an idea or theme they would like to see realized?
I go with the latter, simply because I find it to be an easier way for me to make their hoodie exactly as they envisioned it. I keep my clients updated as much as possible with WIP pictures and such so they can see the process as well as confirm that things are being made as they requested them.

Are there fashions or styles you would like to make, but haven’t? Why haven’t you?
Of course! I’d love to try making street wear style outfits for my crew and some casual wear. I’d also like to learn how to make detailed jeans and shorts for them too, ones that actually fit them right when they sit would be nice.
I actually had tried to make some pants before but they were not turning out right at the time, so I thought I’d leave them up to the people who knew what they were doing. Jeans are tricky to make!

Also frilly little dresses and skirts would be fun to make sometime. I never really had a desire to make them before but now that I have one yosd girl It might be time to try that.

How important are fashion trends to you (i.e. what is going on in real life/human wear) and to your doll clothing? Do other doll seamstresses or fashion trends on the board (or even on other boards, etc) influence you at all?
They aren’t really important to me. I’m not a very trendy person at all really. I just wear what I like.
I don’t really think any trends influence me in my work either, though I tend to stick with the same brands when buying clothes for my crew a lot.

Do you take on commissions? If so have you ever turned down any? Are there certain commissions you like or dislike?
Yes I do take commissions! I love doing them! So far I haven’t had to turn any down, though if the design they have in mind is too complex or is not something I feel comfortable doing I will try to work out a more simple way to do it before turning someone down.

Tell us about your family. What do they think about your dolls and your business?
My family thinks they are pretty neat and they are supportive of both the hobby and my business to a point.

My parents are all for my business and I‘m always showing the progress and such on my commissions/new projects. Before I started taking commissions on hoodies they were always telling me I should be selling them. So in a way they pushed me to get my work out there and encouraged me which is awesome.
My mom also helps me out when I need to go get fabric or mailing supplies and such.

I am sure they would like me to lay off buying dolls for awhile though. My younger sisters are still trying to get me to give them my first doll Alex, haha! That’s not going to happen though!
I’ve actually been tempted to buy my mom a doll but I don’t think she’d really do much with it sadly so I’d feel bad. And same with my sisters, I’d love for them to be in the hobby with me but they have short attention spans so I’d probably end up having to rescue their dolls.
That still doesn’t stop them from asking for mine all the time unfortunately.

How important is customer feedback? Have you had a lot of customer feedback in the past? Do you want more? If so, how would someone contact you?
Getting feedback is awesome! I got lots of good feedback at the last doll meet I attended which was really cool. I welcome any and all feedback and am open to suggestions and new ideas, etc.
Anyone is welcome to leave feedback for me on the pictures I have posted in my flickr set or they can contact me on DoA too. (Username: Rikkuliam, commission thread here)

What are your newest projects (example new sizes, styles or lines) that you are working on?
For size, I am going to be doing a few tests on pukifee and Pipos Junior Pi sizes. My Pipos Ringo needs clothes and I have never tried making anything for that small yet. So hopefully that goes well and I can start offering hoodies in similar sizes too.

As for new hoodies the next ones I am working on are going to be some pokemon and also a few night fury dragons from the movie How To Train Your Dragon.

Are you working on anything that isn’t doll related that you want to share that you think would interest the readers (off topic, however, you think they would be interested in it, like human clothing line, an art show of your work, etc)?
Sure! I’ve been working on custom hats for people(As well as trying to get some made for dolls) and amigurumi too, which are crocheted little animals. Pictures and such can be seen in my flickr set Here.
Feel free to check them out!

Also not listed I crochet scarves and cowls too on occasion, usually when it starts getting closer to Christmas. I’ve made some for my family and a few on commissions too. They are a nice relaxing project for when I want to take a break from sewing.

Over the years you’ve seen a lot of changes, both good and bad. What do you think have been the best and worst changes in the doll community?
Not really sure how to answer this one, sorry!

Are there projects that you wish you had more time to work on?
Yes and no. I have a whole bunch of random projects for myself that I really should finish, most of them are plushies and crocheted work that I put aside to work on more important things for friends.

In a way it is good that they aren’t completely finished though because I told myself I couldn’t start anymore personal projects until the current ones were done. So it’s kind of keeping me in check, I honestly don’t have anymore room to start new ones anyways.

Thanks for doing this interview Rikkuliam! I appreciate your time and effort. Your designs are adorable.

Your legal full name: Brittany “Britt” Pietron
Your “artist name”: Custom Critter Designs/Rikkuliam
Your Website: I don’t have an official website just yet, though I hope to have an etsy shop running soon.
Here is a link to my DoA Commissions thread: Custom Critter Designs Commissions
And here is my Flickr: Custom Critter Designs Portfolio

How did you get involved in Asian Ball Jointed Doll clothing Designs?
I got involved when I got my first doll Alex. He needed clothes and I thought it would be fun to sew for him and I just moved on from there.

Describe your line and what styles (items) you create?
I would say my line is unique, kinda crazy and cute. I create custom hoodies of any animal, pokemon, mythical creature, etc. And they can come in all sort of colors too.
Every single part of my hoodies can be customized to your liking. So pretty much any creature you come up with or want I can most likely make.

What do you think people know you best for (like a certain style or size or certain look)?
I think so far they would probably know me best for doing Yosd sized hoodies or maybe my MSD bat hoodie and the Stitch* hoodies. (*From Lilo & Stitch, it seems to be a popular one.)

What Inspires You?
All kinds of things; art, music, friends, lots of colors, and things like that.

What do you want people to think when they look at your Designs?
I’d love for them to think, ‘Oh that’s so awesome!’ or ’That’s so cute! My doll needs one of those!’

What do you hope to accomplish in the next 5 years?
I hope to have made lots of different hoodies for lots of people. And I hope to have made one for each type of doll size if not one from each company.
Having all of my own dolls complete way before then would be nice too, haha!

What sorts of things do you enjoy the most about your designs?
The fact that they are so customizable. I can add a whole variety of things to each hoodie to make them unique or make them simple yet still fun. And I love it when someone asks for a new critter that I’ve never done before, those are really fun to do.
I also really like seeing what everyone comes up with in terms of the critter they want me to make and the color scheme, etc. It’s pretty awesome when they come to me with a certain idea and to see how it translates into the actual product. It’s always fun seeing the outcome.

What are your other favorite clothing brands/designers for dolls?
That’s tough! There are tons of brands and designers that I admire and wish I could own clothes from. Lately I’ve really been drawn to nine9style clothes for my crew. Oh and M3 Studio! Their jeans are awesome!

What’s the Best thing about designing and selling doll fashions?
The best thing for me about designing would be making people happy and seeing them really enjoy what I made. If my commissioners are happy then I know I did my job right.
So seeing pictures of my hoodies on other people’s dolls is really awesome too. Especially if it is for a special size that I myself don’t own yet.

What’s the most difficult thing about designing and selling fashions?
Appealing to everyone’s tastes is hard. Not everyone likes animal hoodies and I am sure some people don’t like hoodies at all.
Also advertising and getting my stuff out there I think can be a bit of a challenge.

What type of dolls do you enjoy designing for the most (male/female/brands)?
Since I have mostly boy dolls I enjoy making things for them. I don’t have to worry so much for fitting chest sizes with them as I would with a girl, but I would love to be able to work on making more things for girls too.

As for brands I haven’t encountered one I dislike making clothes for yet and hopefully I won‘t have that problem too often! For size though, I try to stay with Yosd and above, any smaller is a big challenge for me but I am going to attempt pukifee sizes at least.

I commend anyone who can sew for Pukipuki’s and similar! Those things are so teeny I don’t know how you can do it!

What is your favorite style to create?
I don’t think I really have a set style per say. But I guess my hoodies tend to lean towards more of a cute look. Though I would really like to try making some that appeal to more of the mature dolls. That is a bit of a challenge though I know since most normally think ‘cute’ when they see a doll dressed as an animal or in animal costumes.
I’ll figure something out though I am sure.

Is there a color palate or patterns that you tend to stick with? Stay away from?
I tend to like working with colors that I like on my own projects, mostly blues and greens right now. I also love working with stripes and skull prints too for the normal jersey knit hoodies I make.
The one color I tend to not use much unless a customer wants it is hot pink. I’m not a pink person and none of the dolls I own right now really wear pink either.
My next one will so this might change, but for now I tend to not use it.
And floral prints, I stay away from those too, haha.

Who would you love to collaborate with? Is there a mold, doll, or company that you prefer to work on?
Hmm I’ve never really thought about doing a collaboration before though it would be fun I am sure.
I like working with all kinds of dolls but I would really like to try making a hoodie for Fairyland Minifees. That’s kind of my next goal as far as size goes.

What is your background? Have you had any special schooling (art school, fashion design, sculpture, painting, fashion, etc)?
I took a small class in basic sewing. Before that I had only very briefly played around with a sewing machine and hand stitched a few things. (This was before I got into BJDs) And I am really glad I took it because after that I never stopped sewing it seems. I may have taken short breaks here and there but this year especially I have been sewing hoodies and other random things non-stop.

Nope, I never went to school beyond High School. I was actually home schooled and I think that probably played a part in why I am still sewing and doing the other creative things I do. If I had been bogged down by so much homework like it seems most kids are nowadays, then I probably wouldn’t have any real motivation to do much afterwards.
Any other creative work I did was on my own with no special schooling or anything. So I’m pretty thankful my mom home schooled me and stuck me in that one simple sewing class. It opened up a lot more free time to be creative.

Who are some of your favorite human designers?
Haha, actually I have no idea. I don’t really keep up with fashions and such so I don’t really know. I watch Project Runway and such but I don’t really know any of the famous fashion designers on there or anything.

Are there types of fabric that you hate or try to avoid? If so which ones?
Spandex and Tulle! Both of those do not like me at all. The one time I actually attempted to make an MSD sized skirt with tulle on it I ended up making a huge mess.
And my sewing machine always eats spandex so I stay away from it.
Besides those two I haven’t run into any other problems with any other fabrics so far.

What fabrics do you love to use? Accessories?
Fleece and knits! Those fabrics are my friends! I’ve found them to be the easiest to work with and fleece usually holds the structure for the various creature parts that I add on to the hoodies quite nicely.
I haven’t had much chance to work with accessories just yet but I hope to in the future! There’s always room for expanding my options.

What outfit do you think was your best and worst? Why?
I consider my best ones to be the two personal collection hoodies for my dolls that I used faux fur on. I tried out so many new things with both of those and they turned out exactly as I’d hoped they would. I was pretty excited about them after finishing. I hope to apply some of the same things I did on them to future hoodies, such as pose-able and faux fur tails.

And the worst? Well those happened when I first started out sewing and I don’t have pictures of them thank goodness. Haha, they were pretty bad though! I’ve improved a whole lot since then thankfully.

When you were a child did you ever work on dolls or create with similar things? If so, what were they?
Not that I can remember. I used to draw more than anything when I was younger. I still do on occasion but for the most part my sewing and such took off when I was in my teens and I haven‘t stopped since.

Do you have any other interests? Collections?
My other interests besides sewing and BJDs would be drawing, reading and crocheting. I actually make little animals and such called Amigurumi. They are really fun to design and make. I have a small growing collection of the ones I’ve made.

This interview WILL continue… a bit later!

Have you ever refused a commission? Why? Or if not, can you think of a circumstance where you might?
Yes, once, when a customer asked me to replicate someone else’s face up. I refused because to copy someone else’s job is against my own ethics.

Is there something that is still difficult for you to do? What is the most difficult?
Yes, lower lashes!! They’re really hard to do and I’m still searching for my own style.

How important is customer feedback to your creative process?
Very important! Customers are everything and I like discussing the process with them.

Is there a mold, doll, or company that you prefer to work on?
Soom and Iplehouse! I love their feautures.

What is your background? Have you had any special schooling (art school, sculpture, painting, etc)?
I’m self-taught, I learned from practice, practice and more practice…

When you were a child did you ever work on dolls or create with similar things?
Yes! I used to paint my Barbies and cut their hair! I wanted them to be different.

Do you have any other interests? Collections?
I enjoy different kinds of dolls, but don’t collect them – I just have one or two!

What factors do you consider before giving a doll its make-up so it will have the expression you want?
The main points are facial features, but I also take into account the eyebrow and mouth shape. They frame everything!

Are there any painting techniques that can make a face look more masculine or feminine?
Yes! The eyebrows and eyelashes are decisive (use too long eyelashes on a manly man and you kill him!).

How long does it usually take to do a face-up (or custom alteration job)?
A week or two.

Can you offer any helpful hints to the amateur face-up artists? Can you recommend a list of supplies including colors, paints & pastels etc?
Keep trying even if you fail, don’t give up!! And, of course, use high quality materials because they make the difference. I’m very careful with brushes, for example.

Do you have a favorite medium you like to work with when not creating for BJDs in your spare time?
Drawing, I’d say.

How long have you been doing face-ups/customizing BJDs?
I have been working on BJDs since February, 2010.

What is your biggest inspiration for your face-ups and customizations?
A challenge!

Do you have any tips you’d like to share for people that want to learn how to do what you do or just want to improve? Something that’s helped you a lot or something that you think is important to know when doing a successful customization/face-up?
Just practice and don’t give up! It took me a year for me to like my own face ups!

Thank you so much for the interview, Shin! It was great getting to know you.

Your name: Shin
Your Legal Name: Cynthia
Your Website: You can visit me at flickr and my DoA’s thread

How did you get involved in Super Dollfies and customizing them?
I started with BJDs at the end of 2004, but it wasn’t until February 2010 that I started painting them. It was thanks to my mother and sister, who bought me my first make up tools and gave me all the support to try it.

What do you do best?
What I do best are natural face ups. I started doing them only and I have been practicing a lot since then. Recently, I started doing fantasy face ups too, mostly thanks to my sister, and I love doing them too, but I think I’m better at natural ones.

What Inspires You?
Seeing the dolls totally blank. I think of blank dollie heads as blank canvas, ready to be painted and they make my creativity run!

What do you want people to think when they look at your Customizations?
What I want is for people to know that the doll’s face up is mine once they look at it, to leave my personal mark at each doll I paint.

What do you hope to accomplish in the next 5 years?
I would love having an airbrush and being skilled at it!!

What sorts of things do you enjoy the most about your designs/customizations?
I love facing challenges! I’m always learning while painting and challenges help me the most – that’s why I never say ‘no’ to a commission!

Other than yourself, who are your favorite doll customizers?
Choosing one out of all the customizers out there would be unfair for the rest of them! I appreciate everyone’s works, so I cannot point one out.

What’s the Best thing about customizing your own dolls?
This is a hard question! I think, the best thing is to capture in my doll the mental concept I had for it. Sometimes I follow that concept to the end; other times I just let it flow!

What’s the most difficult thing about doing customizations (your mods, face-ups, tats, etc) and altering them?
To be able to make the doll look exactly as I imagine it. I’m very perfectionist and, sometimes, I spend hours trying to match what I imagine and the doll.

What type of dolls do you enjoy customizing (male/female/brands)?
I love customizing male dolls!! I don’t care about brands, but I feel so at ease working on them.

What is your favorite style to create?
Natural, for sure! But I don’t say ‘no’ to a fantasy themed one, they’re so funny!

Who would you love to collaborate with?
I would love working with a famous BJD brand – you know, a special edition doll or something like that XD (Do I dream too high? Of course, yes!).

Why choose doll customizing as a form of Self Expression?
Because I’m majoring in Art History and I love art! People cannot leave without music… I cannot live without a good Greek sculpture! XD

How long does it take from start to finish on a typical doll to create and complete?
I normally take around a week or two to complete a basic face up. I usually show pics to owners while working, so it depends on how fast communication between us is. I always try my best to finish the doll as soon as possible because I know how hard it is to have your doll far away. I don’t understand how it is possible to keep a customer waiting for months ;__;

How do you like to work best with a custom order for a client? With total freedom to create your vision, or do you like some feedback/interchange with a client who might have an idea or theme they would like to see realized?
I prefer working hand on hand with my customers as I love seeing them happy when the doll turns out just like they imagined.

What have been your favorite projects you’ve done thus far?
What a trick! I love natural face ups, but my favourite project was painting my sister’s IOS Jaguar, though he has a fantasy themed face up! I really enjoyed myself!

What sets your doll customizations apart from all the others?
This question is the most difficult one! After thinking about it, I’ve come to the conclusion that what makes my customizations different from others is my personal technique. As I work on opposite concepts (both natural and fantasy), I don’t have a set style.

If I were to point something out, then I’d say moles and beauty marks or spots.

Are there any sort of projects you’ve been hoping to work on but just haven’t gotten around to it?
A crying doll with real tears and not just a sad expression!

What was the most challenging thing you have ever done thus far?
Creating rust on a cyborg themed face up for one of my sister’s dolls.

How has your style evolved over time, and where do you see it going in the future?
My firsts make ups were very plain. I have mainly seen my evolution through the many details I’ve been adding to each project – even the smallest ones!

Describe your perfect client. Do you like to get a lot of direction, or just be given a general mood, or do you like to see visual examples?
I work fine with all sorts of clients, but my perfect one would be the kind who just gave me a general idea of what was wanted. This way, I can let my creativity flow!

Of all the face-ups/customizations you’ve done, do any stand out to you in particular? Howso?
My former EID Elchanan; he had my favourite natural face up of all I’ve done so far.

Do you paint/alter other types of dolls, and if so, how does that compare with working on BJDs? If you do other types of art (drawing, painting, etc) does that influence your faceup style?
I paint vinyl dolls too (I’ve done a Hujoo and an Obitsu) and they’re quite similar to BJD, just a little bit difficult to get the colour attached. I also draw and it really influences the way I do the eyebrows, for example.

Interview will continue soon…

Alberta is a four footed girl. If you purchase the fullset or nude doll Alberta, you can get a normal kid girl body’s belly. Of course, you can take participate in our Christmas event if purchasing this new doll.

Here is more information on her here.