Get the Look: Amaretto Latte (SD)

Here's a cute coordinate for the bigger girl dolls. It's sweet, but with a kick of spunk. Just like a latte!

Photos by CLICK and The Plebeian Palate.

Wig: Wig Model SDW_33CR (cream) from LUTS, $23

Hair accessory: Mink Ball Headband (white) from Nine9style, $7

Cardigan: Studded Cardigan (black) from Nine9style, $24

Top: B&W Striped Top from Dollmore, $12

Skirt: Flared Skirt (brown) from Nine9style, $28

Bag: Heart Quilting Bag (black) from Nine9style, $23

Stockings: Long Solid Black Stockings from Dollmore, $5

Shoes: SHO069 Simple SN (brown) from Tata's Paradise, $24

Interview with Tina aka Crazykimochi

Shopping for the right kind of doll clothes can be a problem in such a niche hobby. Because of this, people flock to those who skillfully wield a needle and thread for commissions.

Tina, better known to the BJD world as Crazykimochi, is one of those skilled people. Her colorful, quirky hoodies have gained quite a following among those in the hobby, proof of which is her never-ending commission list! I have commissioned Tina myself and was impressed by both the quality of the product and the manner she handles her clients.

One of my plans for this blog was to hold interviews with artists and people in the hobby I admire, and as a fan of Tina, I'm glad she agreed to be the first! Now, on with the interview!

Doe-eyed

Just sharing some photos of Blair from early this year. These were taken late at night, around 11PM, in my yellow room with nothing but a camera with built-in flash and a postcard as a diffuser. I was surprised how warm and sunny these photos turned out. Light works in very interesting ways. Can't wait to experiment more!

For anyone curious about her outfit, here's a list of the items she's wearing:

1. Deer knit hat with flower - April
2. Brown polka-dotted shirt & Small white sling pouch - Endless
3. White lace vest - Kondoll
4. White tiered skirt with lace - Dollmore
5. Shoes - commissioned from Leo/Rolen
6. Wig - Leeke World

Theme Thursday: Mori Girls

Hello and welcome to Theme Thursday! I thought it would be fun to have a "theme post" every week on this blog. Since I love alliterations, I've settled on making theme posts every Thursday!

This week's theme is Mori Girls. Like I have mentioned in previous posts, I am completely enamored by the lifestyle and fashion of this Japanese subculture. The lightness and free-spiritedness they embody really speak to me, and the juxtaposition of the softness of the colors and floral motifs to the ruggedness of layering and tattered fabrics in their fashions tickle my fancy. I also find it interesting and relatable that mori girls are commonly pictured as geeks and artists, often with a book or camera in hand.

What draws me to this subculture the most is how they embrace nature. In a time where everything is gray, full of steel, concrete and all things synthetic, it is very refreshing to see people turning back to Mother Earth.

1. Sunshine on my Mind 2. untitled 3. Silent Rose

4. Deer! 5. garden... 6. The Location of Norwegian Wood #6

7. Mori girl, u are not alone! 8. untitled 9. untitled

I try to incorporate mori girl motifs in my own wardrobe, but alas, I live in a tropical country. It's really hard to layer clothes and wear scarves, stockings and boots at the same time without getting sweaty! I guess I'll just have to settle with having Blair wear those kinds of clothes for me.

Rabbito by Mall

May Ann Licudine, also known as Mall, is one of the artists I admire the most. I love how colorful, whimsical and exquisitely detailed her works are. She is mostly a painter, but she has ventured into other media as well, one of which is making custom toys.

Isn't it cute? :D

Mall's most recent custom toy is a modified Teddy Troops, which she turned into "Rabbito" for one of her clients. I love it! Makes me want to commission her as well. Sigh. If only I could afford it. For now, I will have content myself by staring at her works through my computer screen.

Photos by Mall

Here's her progress video which, by the way, she shot and edited as well. She's one VERY talented lady, isn't she? Love her. ♥

Rabbito from Mall on Vimeo.

You can find out more about Mall and her work at her blog, deviantArt, and Flickr.

Get the Look: Raspberry Vanilla Cupcake (MSD)

One of my favorite things in the BJD hobby is shopping for clothes and accessories. Sometimes, I see a great outfit on a real person or a pretty color palette from a photo, I get inspired to achieve the look and style of it.

Since I like to go window shopping for dolly items (a frustrating but enjoyable venture) during my free time, I thought it would be cool to do a regular "Get the Look" post on this blog.

So, without further adieu, here is the first look!

Photos from Tokyo Fashion, Co. and Better Homes & Gardens.

Wig: Wig Model W090_M (Maroon) from Leeke World, $27

Flower pin: Flower Custom Kit from LUTS, $3

Denim vest: Iris Vest (Blue) from Sunny's Wonderful World, $15.50

Top: Fairly Tee from Dollmore, $10
Necklace: Vintage Key Necklace from Tata's Paradise, $5.70

Skirt: Narae Skirt (Ivory) from Dollmore, $14

Shoes: White Platform Shoes from RubyRedBJD, $25.90

If you can find better alternatives to the items I found, share them in the comments. :)

ManikaManila's New Year Not-so-Mini Meet

Last January 14, the folks of ManikaManila held the first meet of the year at Pancake House in Bonifacio High Street. It was supposed to be a mini-meet to welcome a few new members, but there were around 30 people in attendance! Even if it was packed and the air-conditioning wasn't working properly, it was still great to meet new people and catch-up with friends.

Here are some photos I took during the meet! I wasn't able to take lots of photos because my old (but trusty) Canon 30D was too tiring to carry around the crowded place.

I've only been an active member of MM for a year, but I've made friends with lots of cool and talented people. I'm definitely looking forward to more meets and more new friends!

Dolly Diptych Weekly

My talented friend, April, recently invited me to join the Flickr group Dolly Diptych Weekly. I didn't really know of diptychs until then, so I got curious.

Elizabeth Halford from Digital Photography School defines diptychs and triptychs as:

"... a brilliant tool for photographic storytelling. They present two or three images which can be from the same session or they can be polar opposites to show opposition or contrasting ideas."

I like photos that tell stories. I'm not a great photographer, but I do try to at least capture a "moment" when I take photos. After learning about diptychs, I decided to join, hoping it will help me develop my photography skills and learn more about Blair's "personality" in the process.

These are what I've made so far. What do you guys think?

Week 1: No Escape

Week 2: Just a little...

Week 3: Uncertainty

Watch out for more diptych posts in the future! If you have diptychs of your own, share them in the comments. :)

Mona Lisa Smile: Blair Mayfair

Blair Mayfair is the little mori girl who lives with me. This is her story (sort of).

About

The Blogger

I'm Kass, a 22-year old Filipino graphic designer. Last 2010, I graduated from the De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde with a degree in Multimedia Arts. It was also around that time that I developed a passion for Asian ball-jointed dolls and the Mori girl subculture, and it is that passion that spurred me to create this blog.

Currently, I own two BJDs, a mori girl named Blair and a sweet little girl named Miette. They both came home from South Korea last September 2011 and April 2012, respectively, and have been my photography muses and fashion models ever since. Through them and the BJD hobby, I've made friends with the members of ManikaManila, who are some of the most interesting people I've met. It's definitely made my life more colorful!

Some of my other interests include K-pop, fashion, handmade crafts, anime & manga, and fiction novels. I can also be found in Tumblr, Flickr, Deviantart and Livejournal (links in the sidebar).

On I'm Catching Fireflies

I'm Catching fireflies is a personal metaphor I associate with my struggle to fulfill my dreams as an artist. For years I have felt stuck in some sort of rut, but now I realize that it's the "fire" that I've been lacking. With the help of this blog, I hope to rekindle my passion for art and design with every post I make.

Aside from my personal goals, my hope for this blog is to be an inspirational and style resource for fellow artists and doll enthusiasts. If all goes well, maybe I can earn a living blogging about the things I love!