Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Couture vs Custom?

Guess what? We ordered our first piece of "doll couture" today! It is the Blue Bell Dress, made by AGPT member heritage4! We couldn't have chosen a better outfit because it looks like there are no more for sale! The dress will mainly be for Kit, the poor thing hasn't had her dress changed since JANUARY! :O That sounds pretty horrible, doesn't it? :( The dress was specifically made for her, following the styles of the 1930's. It goes great with her dark blue eyes. So this will be Kit's piece of couture, but I think Ruthie and Emily will also wear it, since they're both around that time period too. They're all quite good friends because Emily doesn't have Molly around, and she fits in with Ruthie and Kit. I can't wait til it arrives, because I have a feeling Brooke will let me model for blog pictures! The picture is from AGPT member heritage4.
Today we also made 4 designs for the Liberty Jane contest. One we really, really like, but we're almost positive it won't win because it involves a specific print and embroidery. So, Brooke's going to try to make it herself! I'm pretty sure it won't turn out to look like much, since Brooke hasn't sew in years, but hey, we can try!

With Brooke's new found addiction/obsession with doll couture, her custom dolls are kind of being put on hold.

She was really looking forward to making a #25 with gray eyes. She was *this* close to buying one from a board member. But, Brooke fiddled around too much and couldn't make up her mind, and the doll sold. So ever since then, she's been wanting to make a #25 with gray eyes. We were going to do an eye swap with Ruthie, so Ruthie would have her long awaited brown eyes. There were also another custom doll that she's been looking at on the dolls boards, a #24 with #23's wig. But all that's been put on hold. With limited quantities of the handmade outfits, she's been putting her focus more on those.
Pictures from AGPT member new2ag.
They're such pretty dolls! The #25 with gray eyes would be named Katy, and the #24 with #23's wig (or you can think of it as a #23 with brown eyes) would be named Demi.
Sorry my posts have slightly off topic the past few days, with all this about couture and custom dolls, etc. I promise I'll get back to the "normal" posts that are about moi.
On a different note, it is already July 1st! Where did June go? It is hard to believe I've only been on summer vacation for 16 days, it feels like an eternity!
~Avery~

11 comments:

  1. I like your choice of outfits. And kit will be pleased to see that you thought of her!
    I love custom dolls, because they are unique. It's too expensive for me to get eyeswaps, though, or at least so I assume, and I don't like to rewig or repaint AGs, so, there we are. No custom AGs for me. I rewig or repaint cheaper dolls, though, especially thrift store dolls. Speaking of which, I'm curious. Do you have any off-brand dolls, like frob garage sales or thrift stores, or just AGs?
    Again, Ilove that dress!!!!!

    ~Lisbeth

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  2. Hi!
    I really like the 23# with brown eyes! She's SO cute and Demi is a good name for her!!! They're both really cute. I've really loved reading your posts in the last couple of days! Now, since your blog looks like Mari Luna's blog, and you're posting incredible posts, I'm definitaly not saying that you've replaced Mari Luna, but you've helped filled in the empty gap of their blog (THE AG blog that inspired all of us). So I hope I don't sound totally rediculous, but I really LOVE you're blog! How DO you do an eye swap?

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  3. Oh by the way, I totally forgot to "talk couture" :D I to am getting totally sucked up in the couture world! I REALLY like the dress that Sitara just bought for Ruthie. I think it is just ADORABLE! They're really expensive, but gorgous. It'd be cool if I could just make it after I looked at it. I'm really considering creating my own patterns and making some outfits of my own. possibly in the future, I could sell some, but I don't know. Couture is just an amazing thing! lol. Sya later and be sure to check out my new layout! *I'm not trying to advertize my blog in any way, I just want you to see what you think. If you think I'm trying to advertize, SORRY!*
    Hallie (on my dolls account of course)

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  4. Lisbeth,
    Thanks!
    Yeah, that's what we like about custom dolls too, is that they're very special and unique. Sometimes I feel like I'm just "another JLY #25", there are thousands of me. It is expensive to get eye swaps, but if you do them yourself it isn't bad, just the costs of supplies. It is a little scary though!
    There are a few off brand dolls. Brooke has a Bat-tat (I think that's what they're called) named Anastasia, and, this isn't really "off brand" but she has an old stuffed baby doll named Gina from her childhood that she loves more than all of us AG's put together.

    The Sisters In Heart,
    She is very pretty! AG doesn't really make any bang-less brown hair, brown eye dolls. I miss Mari Luna's blog, but in no means are we trying to replace her. But, I, like everyone else, looks up to Sitara and MLWB! We've always like this theme, it seems very old world. This is actually how my blog first started out! To do an eye swap you have to heat the doll's head, then pop out their old eyes and put the new ones in. It's a difficult, scary process that I wouldn't recommend unless you know what you're doing! :P
    I really like the new dress Sitara got too, it's beautiful! Couture is expensive, but totally worth it in my opinion. You really should make some of your own outfits, that would be awesome! I'll check out your blog. You're not advertising by saying that, it's fine!

    ~Avery~

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  5. Hey! Congrats on ordering your first piece of couture! Can't wait to see it! I'm sure Kit will be super glad to have another outfit.
    I love those custom dolls but I'm especially smitten with brown eyed, brown haired, freckled girl. She is so pretty!
    And an eyeswap with 25 and Ruthie would be a good idea! How do you feel about another #25???

    Well, hope your summer is fun so far!

    ~Starr

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  6. Thanks Avery! Maybe we'll consider doing that...I don't know though. We need to learn more about eye swapping plus I think Mara and Sammy might look bad with Mia's green eyes, and has a redhead ever had brown eyes :D MAYBE If I get Ruthie in kthe future I'll swap her with Sammy's eyes, but I'm not worrying about that now.

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  7. Nice choice of dress! The colors are pretty!

    I have had my eye on a #23 (regular) for a while now. Almost bought one on eBay! :) I also like #24. Eeek! Which one to get? LOL

    Bye Avery! I like your blog!

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  8. Starr,
    Thanks! The dress should be finished in a few days, and I'm thinking it will be here by Wednesday next week? We'll be sure to take lots of pictures. I love that doll too! She is so adorable and has a little flip to her hair. Another #25 wouldn't be so bad. Avery has such a defined personality, and the one with gray eyes would be totally different from her (she'd be a Polish immigrant). I'm afraid of them looking too much alike, but I don't think it will be a problem if we do get her.

    Sisters In Heart,
    Eye swaps are so confusing :P It's hard to decide what will look good without actually seeing it on a doll.

    -Brooke
    And Avery

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  9. Quinlyn,
    Sorry I didn't reply to you, you commented right as I was typing :P
    Thanks! #23 and #24 are both cute! I hope you're able to get them!

    -Brooke
    and Avery

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  10. Bre had her eye on that brown eyed #23 too. She likes her because she looks like Haley, only a little different, lol.

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  11. How do you get an eye swap?Is there some type of website that they do it for you or do you do it yourself?

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