Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Hey guys! I hope you and your family are having a very safe and merry Christmas and happy holidays. I hope you got all sorts of doll things and non-doll things that your heart desired. Have an extra helping of turkey and stuffing today...the new year is around the corner so we can just start over, right?  :-D

And on that note, I am off. I plan to play some Guild Wars 2 for more of the day before I have to jump back into busy work tomorrow. Have an awesome day everyone!!! Take care and bye for now. :-)

Of to eat some of the cheese ball she made yesterday,
Michelle

Image From Free Digital Photos

Where Do Toys Come From

Forgot one more post I wanted to make. I came across this on Tumblr. It's a project done by Michael Wolf. He took pictures of Chinese toy factory workers holding the very toys they make. I found this so interesting. It kind of gives you a moment's pause. For example, as I sat her tearing Meygana apart, figuratively and literally, I didn't give a second thought to where she came from and who put her together. Most factory workers live in dorms at the factory and barely make enough to feed themselves and their families, and here I am complaining about my "first world problems" because a doll didn't add up to the standards I expected it to be. Just kind of makes me see how "rich" I really am. I may not have the best of health right now, but I have shelter over my head, a bed to sleep in, and I know where my next meal is coming from. It's crazy to think that so many people don't have just those basics. It just reminds me again to be thankful for what I have. Check out all the pictures Michael took and the display he set up for them. I think you will be shocked and amazed at the pictures, and you will no doubt think twice next time you are getting ready to throw your next pity party. I know I will now. I'll talk to you all later. Bye for now.

Feeling thankful,
Michelle

Image (By Michael Wolf) From Imgur

Meygana Update

So I was just playing around with Meygana and I just wanted to see what kind of pose she can hold, and I found her upper body can be posed better than my beloved Liv dolls. Makes it kind of an extra bummer that the legs don't hold her up. And take a look at the hair, I brushed it out. Would you believe this is an improvement over how the hair used to be? Word of advice, don't use the cheap brush that comes with the doll. Won't work. Use a Liv doll brush instead, lolll!

So I tinkered some more with Meygana, and I tried to see if I could make her eyes straight. I couldn't, so I decided to pop her eyes out. The eyes are made to be side-glancing eyes, literally. They have pegs in the back of them that fit into holes in the back of the eye-well. I wondered if it would look good in a doll, so I popped an eye inside my sister's ResinSoul Bei doll and I liked how it looked. The one on the left is Meygana's eye and the one on the right is a Glib acrylic eye. I would buy more dolls for the fun eyes alone.

Then I was curious if another head would look good on the Bratzilla body. I thought maybe I could just have it in the background of a shop in my current story. Barbie heads do not fit nor look right. But oddly enough, Liv heads don't look that bad.

I still won't be using the body, but it was interesting to see how a different head looks. The head bobbles some and would need a slight build-up of the neck post, and of course the coloring is off, but other than that it works nicely. Maybe if I am really desperate for a character I will slap a Sophie head on her...maybe. Oh and for those who are Liv fans, no those are not her eyes. One night I went crazy and just swapped eyes out of several dolls to see what look I could get. I like this look. I notice I need to adjust the eye just a hair more on this one.

I just wanted to share my further findings about Bratzilla dolls. Still disappointed, but oh well. Live and learn. Like I said, I might get a few more for the clothes, eyes, and shoes, but not for the dolls. Maybe I will sell the bodies...with the eyeless heads. :-D  Awww come on! It'd be funny! I mean, couldn't you image opening a box and finding this?

Visual you could have done without today? You're welcome. :-) Bye for now!

Feels only slightly guilty,
Michelle

Distinctive Fabrics

So about a week ago I got my Distinctive Fabric samples, and I am impressed. I wanted to make a lot of these into wigs but two of them will be used for other reasons. If you haven't heard of Distinctive Fabrics, they are a fabric store that will give you 5 free samples for your first visit, you have to sign up and make a free account with them. If you purchase from the site you will get 5 more samples and I believe it continues that way with any purchase you make. This is a great way to try stuff out if you aren't sure about them. Their fabric is pricey, at least to me, and you have to purchase fabric by the yards, but you can buy a 5x3.5 swatch for a dollar. Not bad for making a fur wig or for a clothing item you just need a tiny bit of fabric for.

So I got several textures to see what kind of stuff I can come up with. I think the brown poodle fur will be made into a funky wig, the pink and brown fur will be wigs as well, the brown minky fur is for a character in my web-comic, and the purple-pink fabric is going to be an area rug. They don't sell just fur at the site, they sell all kinds of fabric, so be sure to stop by and give it a look. Curious on how to make your own wig? Take a look at this tutorial by MyFroggyStuff to see how she easily made wigs for her dolls.


Can't wait to try making a few. And on that note I am off. I will talk to you lovely people later. Bye for now.

Feeling sleepy,
Michelle

Bratzilla – Not Destined For A Long Run

Ok, so this line is not targeted towards me, but as a doll collector I have to say, I really dislike this line. So I swallowed my pride and bought a Meygana because I found the dolls for a decent price. I waited a few days super excited to be getting her and partly bummed I couldn't buy them all. After getting her and opening her, I am super bummed I got her and super excited I didn't buy them all. This doll is horrible, for my purposes. I wanted to use them in my new web-comic, and thought that since they had jointed bodies that they would have a nice body to do so. They also have “glass” eyes and that is a requirement to be in the story since it's based around Liv dolls and I want everyone to have that look in the story.

Well once I got her out of the box the first thing I did was try to stand her up. Her upper legs are hard but her lower legs are gummy, so she can't stand up. I was thinking they were completely firm like Liv dolls or Barbies, but they aren't. They are super gummy so she can't hold her weight up. Also all the joints are just crap. The hand and elbows need force to move them and the knees barely need force but they look super fragile. The feet are so odd that you can really only buy shoes from that line. I've only tried Liv doll shoes on her and they don't work. I'll try my Monster High doll shoes later when I find them. The bodies are very much like Monster High in where they are jointed and how the foot kind of looks, so they may fit. I'll update later on that.

The clothes are kind of decent, although mine have a ton of loose seams and the badge on this one goes right through the fabric with a plastic post so if you remove it the top is ruin. The hair is utter CRAP! It's like if you pulled out a doll from your childhood that has been seriously loved. It's that nasty cotton candy hair and it's already a nasty mess. Her face paint is smudged, and it looks like she was doing a ton of kissing and couldn't get the lipstick die off of her face so she said “Screw it!”, reapplied, and kept on keeping on.

Her eyes are beautiful. On my computer they looked like a medium blue but they are actually a light blue with glitter in it. I'd like to see what they look like, and if they are nice out of the head I have plans for them, I'll explain in a minute. Also, her pet does not come with her even though she is pictured with it. The pet has to be bought separately for practically 10 dollars! From pictures it looks like her pet can be wound up and the wings flap. Each pet has light-up and movement features, but so not worth it at 10 bucks each. Damn MGA, you have just really blown this line. So, my final say on the doll line is, I really dislike it. And from comments you see on videos based on the dolls, I'm not the only one. A lot of people feel this line is a Monster High rip-off. I didn't see it as that since they were witches...who go to the “Fashion Magic Academy”...seriously. Also, had to note this even though it's not shocking, she looks nothing like her sketched picture. In the sketch she looks kind of pale gray with gray-greenish looking hair and green eyes. I kind of like the sketched version better than this one and I LOVE red-headed dolls. But maybe it's a good thing she didn't come that way because I would have been disappointed in the end either way. Do I plan on getting more? It depends on some things. Keep reading.

So part of me was thinking, I wish I could return her, but I don't tend to return things just because I didn't like the way they look. And well I did just recently get a doll for 16 dollars for her outfit and wig since the body is crap for what I want us her for. So I looked at the doll and realized I can use everything on her really. Her outfit I can use on another doll, her shoes fit Liv dolls and might even fit Monster High dolls, her accessories can be used in some way, and I might even be able to use her eyes. So for the price I spent I got a pretty good deal for different dolls that are kind of hard to shop for. So it's not a total waste. Will I buy more of them? I'm going to look and see if I can use the eyes and if I can then I will buy maybe one or two more that I have my eye on and use their stuff and that's it. I won't be buying any of the pets, I won't be buying any fashions unless they really stand out to me, but I keep telling myself I could probably sew them if I really like them. So I don't see myself getting any more after the ones I have been considering.

I am really disappointed again in MGA when it comes to this line. It's poor quality, and like I said, this is compared to my need for them. Oh, and fyi MGA, your dolls are not that precious that they need to be hot glued into the box. Some of those tabs were hard to get to due to the hot glue, ahhhh! So back to the line, for little girls who will be holding them while playing with them they are perfect. For collectors who will use the super cheap and flimsy stand, this is perfect for them. But for me who needs them to be able to be posed on their own and not with their stands, yeah, not so much. So that's my take on these dolls. Kind of bummed, but glad that I can use the stuff for other dolls so not a total loss. Anyone else have these dolls? What do you think about them? Let me know in the comments section below. And on that note I am off my lovelies. I will talk to you all again soon as I want to share some of my sewing with you all. Be good until then. Bye for now.

Slightly disappointed,
Michelle

Novi Stars - MGA Sucks Me Back In

Ok, so the articles I am going to be writing are about Novi Stars, and I of course found their music video for the doll line, and I honestly love this video. MGA why couldn't you do this with the Bratzilla video?!?!?  Watch the video below.



Awesomely cute, right? Oh don't get me wrong, the Bratzilla one was amazing too, minus my little hang-ups, but this just was so cool and I feel this is more of a positive message for kids. This makes me think of the Monster High video because it is more reflective of society to me. Take a look at the Monster High video to see what I mean.



Ok, just had to come share this fun video. Off again. Bye for now.

Needs to get off of Youtube,
Michelle

Blog Layout

Blah. Blah! Blahhhhh!!! Ok, I've been trying to find a new layout for practically a year now. I just hate that my blog is boring looking now. I don't really want to do my own layout, but I can't find one I really like. Where do some of you find your layouts? Maybe I will have to make mine after all. *sigh* Ok, had to pout a bit. Back to working on articles.

She really needs more than 3 hours of sleep,
Michelle

Design Image From Free Digital Photos

Bratzilla - MGA You Disappoint Me

Ok, so I am researching for some information for some new articles I need to write by the 9th, and I decided to do them on a new doll line out. This new doll line lead me to another doll line I was considering buying, but after today I am not sure if I will. WARNING: This blog post is a discussion about whitewashing. If issues about race offend you, please feel free to skip to the next blog post. Thanks in advance.

The new doll line in question is of course MGA's Bratzilla line. Now before you assume anything, no I am not bothered by them being on the "spooky" side and "stealing" the idea from Mattel. You can't steal a theme. MGA clearly saw Mattel was doing good with Monster High, so they came up with witches. Fine by me. Now, what bothered me was their music video for the Bratzilla line. Take a look at it.



Ok, so maybe it's just me that's bothered by this, but if you look at the picture above, you will clearly see that Sashabella Paws, Jade J'Adore, and Yasmina Clairvoya are clearly girls of color. Sasha has always been of African descent, Jade has always been of Asian descent, and Yasmin has always been of Hispanic descent. Yet all the girls in the music video above are Caucasian. Now I am usually not a big pain over the major whitewashing in the media, but this really just upset me. What are girls who are of color going to think when they see this video and don't see a girl like them representing the dolls that look like them? Sadly, I think they are so used to the world being whitewashed that they don't notice, at least not according to the comments under the video that were all beaming about the video. One person even wanted a full length movie with these same girls.

Like I said, I am usually not big on the lack of people of color in the media, but these dolls I've mentioned at clearly not Caucasian. It just makes me wonder why they didn't have dancers of the proper race dancing for the characters. I think this is why Monster High is so accepted, these dolls tell the world it doesn't mater who you are or what you look like, you are still awesome. Take a look at the video for Monster High and see the difference.



See how you have people of all kinds represented and how it's more of celebration of being who you are no matter...well no matter who you are. LOL! Now the Bratzilla video is sending a mixed message. I wanted to get some of these dolls because of their eyes and how they would fit well with my web-comic I am going to work on, especially if they make the guys too, but this just made me feel funky about the line. I'll probably still buy it because they are beautiful dolls and will fit perfectly with my story, but I am still so disappointed in MGA. They dropped the ball in my eyes when it comes to this video. The girls in the video are very talented and very pretty, but it didn't represent those three characters at all and was a major distraction for me.

Am I the only one bothered by this? Should I just get off the soapbox and calm myself? Or is anyone else out there just a slight bit put off by this video? So many people love Sasha, Jade, and Yasmin, and I know MGA could have found dancers for the video who were of color, so what gives? Feel free to tell me your thoughts down below. Ok, getting off my soapbox now. Returning to article writing and then going to start sewing for Christmas. Blog post about that coming soon. Ok, bye for now peeps.

Thinking 3 hours of sleep was not enough, it makes her cranky,
Michelle