Good morning, Miette!

Despite the horribly hot and humid weather we've been experiencing here in the Philippines, I managed to redo Miette's faceup. I'm pretty happy with this one! There are lots of flaws in it, but it's nice enough to stay for a while. I regret using these doll lashes from Leeke World though. I wish I stuck with my gut-feel and went for human falsies, which are more durable and have better feathering.

My little cutie ;w;

A literal headshot! I like how the lips turned out. :3

The lower lashes need more work, but I'm pretty happy overall.

Something Sweet

Surprise! Miette has arrived! Betcha very few she was coming. Miette means "sweet little thing" in French (or at least that's what Google says), and I think the name's perfect for her. I plan on turning her into a decora/fruits/fairy kei baby. She'll be spoiled with all things cute and sweet. Teehe~! :3

OHAI! ^o^/

I'm going to redo her faceup pretty soon. This was done in a hurry because I was too excited to share her with everyone. I hope I can manage to give justice to the Lati Yellow Suji sculpt. Wish me luck!

Theme Thursday: Galaxies & Nebulae

I've been obsessed with all things outer space ever since I laid my hands on my very first astronomy book (which was around 6 years old, I think?). It's so fascinating; it makes you asks all sorts of questions. The photos of the universe telescopes provide are so beautiful and awe-inspiring, too, especially photos of galaxies and nebulae. I can't help but stare at them. * u *

Here are some of my favorite photos captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. I decided not to make a mosaic this time, since these photos are much better viewed in their full glory.

Check out this video where the process of creating these photos is explained.

I feel almost sorry for the heavenly bodies edited out for the sake of having a seamless image. XD

Source: HubbleSite

Numina Paintings by Amy Sol

I've already featured Amy Sol on my blog not too long ago, but I can't help posting about her work again. Judging from the latest pieces she made for her solo show "Numina", her technique is now more polished and refined but she has still retained her signature feminine, whimsical style. I think I've fallen in love with her work all over again. ♥

Bonfire

Cosme

Fire's Daughter

Oriel & Blu

Here is what Amy has to say about her latest work:

"I had so much fun doing these pieces. Just around the time I began working on them, I turned 30.. maybe it’s self induced, but I felt a little change inside.. definitely more collected & resilient towards just doing what I want to do creatively. I’m sure part of it is getting accustomed to my medium & having a bit more energy now for ideas rather than mostly struggling with the how-tos. Of course, each painting still has it’s highs and lows {that go beyond technicality. I’m sure every artist is familiar with this}, it’s never a seamless start to finish… but lately I feel more calm/chilled out because I accept and know that it’s just part of the process. maybe this is growing-up. if so, I love it and welcome more."

Source: Amy Sol's blog

Freebie: Forget Me Not (PS Curve) + Curves Tutorial

As a thank you to all my readers for helping this blog reach 11k views in 3 months, here's a free Photoshop Curve you can download and use for your photos! I'll probably post a new one from time to time. There is a tutorial after the jump on how to use the curve, so make sure to check it out. ^_^

Click here to download!

Dolly Diptych Week 12: A Walk in the Woods

I meant to post this sooner, but work got in the way. Now I'm lagging behind my weekly diptychs again. x_x;; Ah well. Anyway, these photos were taken during my trip to Subic. This was the first time I took a photo of Blair in a walking pose. I haven't taken advantage of her Minifée poseability yet, but this is probably the most complicated pose I've photographed her in so far.

Compared to most MSDs, she's really light, so a sudden gust of wind could topple her. It was pretty nerve-wracking during the whole shoot! Good thing the shots came out really nice, so it was worth it. As usual, here are some outtakes I really like. Enjoy. :)

ManikaManila at Ozine Fest 2012

The lovely people of ManikaManila attended this year's Ozine Fest held in SM Megamall last April 13-15. We had a doll display there. I only attended on the 14th (Saturday). Even though the place was extremely crowded and there were random people trying to poke our dolls (nooo!), it was a fun-filled day. Read on after the jump for the rest of the photos. :D

Incomplete group shot. There were too many people, so I couldn't get a decent shot. ; 3;

Blair went full-on mori girl for the con!

ManikaManila's Official Website + Ozine Fest 2012

This week, ManikaManila launched it's new official website! The community has been (and will still be) using Livejournal as its main operations base, but the new site offers a lot of cool features that enhance the community experience for both old and new members. It also has useful guides for those who are planning to enter the BJD hobby.

This awesome website was made by the ever-so-talented Nix!

These guides are helpful to both old and new hobbyists. I learned lots of new things while reading them.

I love this section! It's great to have just one place for all the pretty photos. :3

My favorite part: the census! I love the way it's designed. Beautiful and functional. ♥♥♥

I can't ask for more from this website, and the community, for that matter. I've always been proud to be a member of ManikaManila, and this site made that pride even stronger. Wooh! :D

Speaking of community pride, ManikaManila will be having a display at Ozine Fest 2012 starting today (April 13) until Sunday (April 15) at SM Megamall Mega Trade Halls 1 & 2. Some of the members will be there and I'll be there on Saturday, so if you see us, don't be shy and say hi!

Theme Thursday: Deer

I think deer are such beautiful creatures. They carry themselves with both grace and power, which is probably why they have captured human imagination for ages. They are often found in myths, legends and fantasy stories as familiars to the gods and faerie folk. They're also used as a symbol of strength, which is why the image of the deer has also been used as sigils by noble families from various cultures.

1. prince of the forest 2. majestic 3. Fairy fawn
4. standing out 5. in the undergrowth 6. away from the rut
7. One day... this will all be mine 8. mom, i can't reach! 9. Dandy

One of my favorite Disney films is Bambi. This video below reminded me of that movie. So cute! :3

Catching Fireflies on Bloglovin'!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin'!

Bloglovin' is a great tool for following your favorite blogs! It's really easy to use. It reminds me of Tumblr, but instead of seeing entire posts on your dashboard, you only see a short part of it. It's really useful for both bloggers and readers. You should try it! ^_^

Dolly Diptych Week 11: Sanctuary + Photospam

Like I said a two posts ago, I managed to take photos of Blair in some interesting locations. This one was shot in a small garden outside the hotel we stayed in at Subic. I plopped her on the crook of a little balete tree and snapped these photos. I like how mysterious yet inviting the photos came out. Hope you like them, too. Enjoy!

Click to view full size c:

Some outtakes that I like too much to not post:

The Art of Marco Mazzoni

Marco Mazzoni is an incredibly talented artist who lives and works in Milan, Italy. He creates beautiful, eerie compositions using coloured pencils. The subject of his pieces is always a face crowned with various flora and fauna. Oftentimes the face is eyeless, and the effect on the viewer ranges from serene to disturbing, depending on the composition.

Protect Me

Castor and Pollux

Spiracle

Maelstrom

A Different Kind of Pain

Learn more about Marco Mazzoni by following his Tumblr.

One Day Vacay at Anvaya Cove, Subic

My family and I went on a very short but much needed vacation trip to Anvaya Cove, Subic last Saturday and Sunday. We had a good time there! The food was okay, but the place was beautiful as always.

Unfortunately, it was really cloudy most of the day and there were short rain spells. I wasn't able to take photos of the place that much, but I did get several shots of Blair that I'm really happy about! Check them out and the rest of the photos after the cut. ^_^