I am back from Japan. I won this adorable little llama in a toy crane, I thought you'd like to see it. I have no clue what that other thing is in the photo, it must have come back with me somehow too . . . :X


I'll probably put up a couple more tomorrow. But now since I landed two consecutive viruses out of the trip and have been under the weather for 3+ weeks now, I'm off to bed.

To those in Japan: I need to reserve for Tenshi-no-Sato soon. I was going to visit either Oct. 24 or 25th, but those are the days of the Dollfie Dream Gathering . . . I'm worried it might be busy. My family can go on another day, but I wasn't sure if any of you wanted to meet me there. It's always lovely to see people again! (Though it doesn't have to be at Sato!) No pressure, it's an invitation.

To those in the US (mainly): do any of you know, offhand, what online sites for doll wigs/clothes/etc ship EMS, or are in the US? Or just generally who doesn't take 2 weeks to get items out. x_x I thought I had things sorted, but at least two of the items don't fit properly (not seller's fault, just natural variations). If you can remember your last order from somewhere and whether it was slow or fast, it would be very helpful to me! T_T I feel like such a BJD owner failure these days, I haven't bought anything lately and can't keep up with the sellers.

I keep thinking I'll have the time and energy to sew for my dolls, and I just haven't been able to for such a long time. :( I'm maxed out, I had an endoscopy yesterday w/a biopsy, my brother and his girlfriend will be visiting, I had to send my camera to the shop, my credit card had a problem, last night we found out we were invaded by bugs (!) . . . But I have to prioritize sending out plush to the gallery that wants to carry my work. Even now I have to go clean and cut out Zombie version Toast . . .

I've been recovered from my surgery for quite some time, but recovering from the Cushing's is . . . well, it will probably be another 9 months. Naturally I'm pretty frustrated, though I am trying my best. But I still just don't have the energy to "play" with my dolls. I did take a few photos of my F-40 last week, I'll try to have those up to share soon . . .

But I did finally get some old photos taken care of. Since I uploaded several sets, I'm posting samples behind the cut, which will link to the Set page so you can go in order. I haven't got the ACen photos done yet.

( rest of Japan photos, + Chicago swap meet )

I'd like to make a better post but I'm on the second day of all liquid diet and I'm . . . gone. I have to be *at* the hospital (over an hour away) at 5:15AM so . . . yep. >_o I have a friend who is going to update here briefly, so no one needs to worry.



( +5 )

( his order details )</div> I am so glad that he came before my surgery. I got to see him, and I know he'll be here afterward.

I have my photos from the SD Owner Event at Tokyo Disneyland up, finally. and Flickr Uploadr screwed things up again, nice My report is long, sorry? x.x;

( pre-event )

( dinner )

( cocktail party )

( about the event )

I had intended to check bags and go to Disney Sea that day, but I knew I couldn't do it so we went back to Tokyo. I went back out though and I do have a few pics of Jynx from there so I'll post a link when I get those up. I still have other photos I haven't processed yet from Tenshi-no-Sato (general trip photos aside). It takes a really long time without software like Lightroom (I still have a few doll shoots wandering around somewhere on my HD, I'm not sure where).

Replies tomorrow but it's still St. Patrick's Day on the West Coast darnit! x_x;;; I felt really awful after taking five minutes to do this so darned if I'm not posting it.



( +1 )

Yugiri: y/n? lol. *shoots self*

There was some minor further drama with it, but the Yos have sold. Kira was shipped out today, and Syo should be going tomorrow; I'm amused that Kira is off to Canada and Syo is going to Sweden (alliteration!). I'm glad to have it done with and it makes me happy that the buyers are very excited.

Though, I confess I was really hoping someone would miraculously have a Hinata. >.o They had two (at least) at Tenshi-no-Sato and I wanted to break the glass. T_T; And I'm still stuck with a headless SD13 boy body. The way the market is going, it's tempting to think it's more financially sound to get a head for it (but I'm likely delusional). Anybody have a Volks head they really want to get rid of? lol.

I've done 189 photos from Japan so far, I'm so slow >_> That's just the first two days ^^; But I'll try and get event photos fast as I can; there aren't that many, I'm afraid, but you'll also get my report. I'm sorry to say that I really am somewhat seriously ill; it's good knowing what's wrong now (Cushing's syndrome), but they're still doing more tests to figure out the exact cause and what will have to be done (so I have no idea what will be happening really or when I'll feel better). I don't have any energy (that's getting worse), I have trouble thinking clearly also, and obviously it's a lot of stress . . . but I'll keep trying my best. I'd really like to take some new doll photos soon.

I wish I could do polls so I could ask who I should take new photos of first. :

For those not on my personal journal, yes I am alive and back in the country. Only moderately though (the alive part, I'm pretty sure I'm in the US). I don't have my photos processed yet, they're not that exciting anyway. I was the only American type at the dinner plan though so at least you'll get some photos of the food at that. I'd be more upbeat with this post, but I'm really feeling bad since I got back (and spent all day at the hospital today for a consultation). Um . . . nothing exciting to report about the event . . . I won some crackers? lol. My dog ate my chocolates from Komame-chan. :( (Don't worry, she just gnawed on one and carried the other one off, she won't get sick.)

I have a YoSD Syo and Kira from the event up for sale. (No, I didn't get any dolls or outfits from the event for myself in the end.) I'm also still selling that Isao II body, btw, hadn't had time to bump the thread.

I'll do my best to get photos and a report up soon.

I'm sorry for not being around. I have been reading, but haven't gotten it together to comment; and have been struggling too much with fatigue and pain when I try to do doll sewing still. It's so easy to get behind on life, especially when some of the medication designed to help is making me tired/sleepy. I've had to cancel Ohayocon, and at the moment, I'm not really sure I'm still going to Japan for the SD Owners Event (no, I'm not sure what will happen if I can't go, though I have asked).

I'm just kind of trying not to go bonkers; though I'm not sure how I'm doing on that front. For those not on my personal journal, that means making lots of plushies for no reason. :P (They're on my Flickr and dA if you want to see.)




I also bought Jynx a wig, also for no reason.
( +1 )

For now, in spite of ambitions to do other things (many important), I've taken the stronger pain meds and am feeling floored and I think I'm going to bed. x_x

Belated Merhappy Chriskwanzukastice to everyone, and I hope you're enjoying New Year's! Well this was something I wanted to finish before the new year, I've made it in some countries at least. e_e; Though I haven't finished with my non-doll holiday pics yet. >< Thanks to kyashieru I got my first pair of Droprops (just in time for Christmas), hopefully I'll get some nice photos of those soon, though Naoya is wearing them in these pics.

( family portraiture: all 14 current residents )

Santa's smallest helper can come magically down the chimney (with the help of magnets :X) (Or, view all the pics

I promised photos; these are from my trip to visit my great aunt in Charleston, SC. Yeah I'm very slow with photos, and now I haven't got Lightroom until I can get my student status sorted . . . blah. The full set is primarily NOT doll photos; but you need photos of fish, Buddha, and cargo ships in your life, too, right? It's pretty easy to spot the doll photos so I won't post them ALL individually here.



( Milo (F-08), Sprocket (Puki), +extras; x14 )

One photo to make a slightly better introduction for her . . . this is Wren, Anais II on an SD13 body (currently w/Twigling hands. I always did love Unoss hands - I like girls with big hands lol). I think her lip color isn't quite as off as it looks here >_o I may need to go over her eyebrow color a bit darker though, I wasn't planning on putting her in black so I guess it looks funny. :\




I really recommend against trying to do faceups when you're sick. :( It hasn't been going great, but we're having a brief Indian Summer here and I don't know when I'll get another chance. I guess I could describe it as being similar to severe jet lag; but aside from a slight sore throat, I'm having trouble thinking it's strep. Antibiotics don't seem to be helping yet anyway. But since I'm chronically ill, I also don't have the sense to just lie around even if I know I have something ^^;

Sorry about the weird formatting, I can't get Flickr to cooperate. ._. I'm honestly just sort of clinging on to doing anything at all . . . I can't even get it together to take any doll photos.

After uhh . . . 82? days (aka just under 3 months), Drift arrived home from his extended stay in Japan last Saturday.

Less triumphant return than I'd like, poor boy . . . but this is the first pic posted from the new DSLR (Nikon D90) . . . I have more, but I'm having digital workflow issues. :P Add that to being really sick (apparently I'm positive for strep, wtf? though I still think it may be mono), and I'm very slow and out of it. :| Just like me to go straight from being crazy busy for months to being crazy sick.

I have a few more days to decide if I'm crazy enough to go to Japan twice in the same year. Anybody want to come? lol.

Meanwhile, I JUST finished processing and putting up photos from my trip to Tenshi-no-Sato, and the Japan photos in general. I also added three pics to the Dolpa stream, just go to my main page.

xposting to my personal and doll journals (my battery is dying and I can't find an outlet? *unplugs lamp* >_>) If you are on my personal journal sorry for high doll randomness. I am currently out of town in Charleston, SC, got in this afternoon and will be here for a week visiting my great aunt and aunt.

( results of the High Mode contest )

Well . . . yeah. So I adopted newbabyfly's Anais. With my cell phone, even, from I-65 just outside of Bowling Green, where I was headed for my cousin's wedding (I wasn't driving XD; ). I am leaving town again tomorrow morning - Charleston, SC for a week, so I will return with dolly photos and hopefully names for my two new ones. XP

I am not here, you did not see me. Too bad I didn't have the self-control to wait to open box until I actually had free time (yah right). So, sorry for poor photos/lack of whatnot. :( He has no name yet though I have been pondering it the whole time >_<




( box opening photos )

( dressed up )


Hey kyubikitsy you still have those MSD glasses? *ninjas out*

Huge quantities of not getting important things taken care of but at least my CC bill from Japan is paid. :P Ouch. Have some random Sprocket so I can quit Photoshop lol. There were no fries in this, it came with apple fries from Burger King - they were in a baggie. (Oh, wastefulness.)


Sprocket does his impression of a french fry.
(And/or conveys his portability)

click for larger


Random thing I saved from before: these are from a maker of resin wings, so it's about theirs (you don't really need the text anyway so no translation). But it's relevant in general.
using tenshi wings on standard body
preventing tenshi wing magnets from sliding
(On the second one, it says you can use the foam included to prevent sliding, but if the clothes are too thick, you can use the kit they make - I think you could probably fake it, possibly with shoe inserts.)

It's possible I will have time to do doll stuff again in this century. I have houseguests and two weddings to go to and a month from now will have been in four additional states. >_>; You will have to take my word for it I'm busy :P I suppose I should be glad the fall US Dolpa will be online only, it makes vendor questions NOT a question. Even if I am tempted to put together an event for the Chicago-area people. I am reading LJ, I'm sworn to keeping that up at least. Keeping up with doll news is apparently bad though, now I want a YoTenshi Hinata. D:

But for now. . .

I'd like to buy the world a CokePuki~

click for larger; see also: World of Coke photos, Dragon*Con photos


Also, I found out accidentally that Naoya and Malcolm both made it into the NY Dolpa After Report. *EDIT* Durr this is why you shouldn't have to wait to post things until after 2AM :( Is fixed now
( x2 )

Update on my doll family . . . I sold Moxie (Orientdoll Dong) today, she is going out in the morning. She and Sprocket (Puki Piki) just didn't "play well" together, and between the two of them, the Fairyland body won out over OD, in spite of things I prefer about the stylistic aesthetic of OD. Poor Rook (Pixydoll Sevy) is up next, though I have not changed his sale thread off feeler yet. :( Another case of "love it but doesn't fit" brought on by my overwhelming predominance of Volks. >_<;

There is no update on the SD High Mode Competition. Drift is still in Japan, I have not heard anything, and the current Volks News doesn't mention it in the contents online. I really hope that they aren't going to wait for volume 31 (which would probably be Thanksgiving-ish). I decided some time last week, suddenly and for no specific reason, that I'm sure I have not won anything (beyond being a finalist) so it's more wanting Drift back. I really really miss that boy. :(

Hi, I'm still alive. I got back a week ago from Japan, where I was at the Osaka Dolpa for the SD High Mode Competition finals. Still jetlagged! I've decided to put my Tenshi-no-Sato trip in another post, since I haven't gotten to those photos yet. I kind of thought I'd have lots of time once I got done with Japan, but I still have an obscene amount of things to take care of. ^^; If you don't want to wade through my report or you want to uhh browse along, here's the link to my HT Dolpa Osaka 5 photos on Flickr. I'm still having camera issues and had a memory card break as well, sorry for not having more/better. I will link you to my other photos from Japan as soon as I get them up (and my report as well if you are interested in my non-doll escapades). I'm still working on San Diego Comic-con, too! Ack.

( Osaka Tenshi-no-Sumika )

( Hometown Dolpa Osaka 5 )

( on the contest )

For general reference, I've written up directions to and descriptions of the Volks stores I visited. In Tokyo: Ginza, Akihabara, and Shinjuku; in Osaka, the main store; I will put a few notes for Tenshi-no-Sato in the post about that.
( Directions/descriptions )

Well, I have confirmed with Volks - I will be in attendance in person at the Hometown Osaka Dolpa 5 for the second round of the SD High Mode Fashion Design Competition. I have some questions for people who have been to the JP Dolpas but I will put those in a separate post at some point. I'm very excited but it's also pretty intense.

Super randomly, new photos of Rook (Pixydoll Sevy) w/new Cotswold wool wig by DoA member Crazybib (not currently making wigs).



( +4 )
( new sale photos: Zoukeimura, Silver eyes; YoSD kimono, Deep Forest set )

I also have to get sale photos uploaded for a couple other cosplay wigs and also an h. naoto cutsew, so if someone on here wants stuff like that (for humans) let me know XD;