Secretdoll released a new tiny Baby Fairy BJD called “Dazzle”. There are three versions with the same face mold and body, being:

Type 1) Normal skin, black curly hair and brown eyes
Type 2) Normal skin, blonde, bobbed hair and blue eyes
Type 3) Tanned skin, black curly hair, blue eyes

They are only 10 cm tall and fits great with 1:12 scaled items. The price tag is quite high and the waiting time is quite long. Type 1 and 2 cost $300 and if you want the tanned version you have to add another $30. It takes 6 weeks for them to be made but I’m sure they’re worth both the money and the wait. The outfits are not included, but are available in the store.

Secretdoll are known for making dolls with a lot of personality, attitude and illusion of emotion. They’re a blast to photograph! The double Dazzle owner Suzanne Schmidt says “I have both of these. They pose really well, and I think they are very photogenic”.

Ixdoll released two new dolls to their shop this month. Their names are Mika and Pika and are two vintage looking rabbits. They are 16 cm tall and the head can be detached from the body, and the head, hair, ears and palms are designed to be changeable. The cost for one doll is HKD$1800 and they’re available in the Ixdoll online store for you to order.

I was honored to receive this doll in mid June this year. I painted him and took some photos to upload to my photostream on Flickr. The photo to the left belongs to Tanya and her faceup on her white rabbit is so sweet. I’d never made a faceup before but I did my best using what I had a home.

Mika & Pika Pool on Flickr
Buy Mika & Pika
Story about Mika & Pika

Molly is a character based on a real little girl. She’s designed by Kenny Wong who’s vice president of the Hong Kong Illustrator Society. Some of his works are displayed at the Hong Kong Arts Center, the Hong Kong Cultural Center and the University of Hong Kong Museum. He also attends at the Taipei Toy Festival every year.

The Molly character is very popular in Tai Wan, Malaysia and Singapore. Its still hard to get a hold of Molly merchandize if you don’t live in Asia, but if you do you can visit the shows and be able to get your hands on anything from a pair of Molly Monster Jeans to a Molly Volkswagen.

There is a chance that Molly could become a BJD in the future because Kenny and IXTEE are friends. Lets hope and pray that it will become a reality!

1. Friendly Molly – Princess Molly limited to 250 figures world wide (HKD$800)
2. Friendly Molly – Molly in the rain limited edition of 250 figures worldwide (HKD$800)
3. Molly’s Beetle & Ladybugs
4. Molly USB Flash Drives
5. Monster Molly jeans
6. Molly Jewelry
7. Valentine’s CNY Candy “Flying with Candy Molly”

These incredibly cute keychain KUMA’s are available at Mimiwoo in five new autumn colors.

They are about 10 cm tall (4 inches) and cost $33.88.

I’m thrilled to inform you that USAGI rabbits are being released in three colors (Darjeeling Orange, Strawberry Red and Lavender purple) in the end of October. The rabbits in these pictures are just prototypes so they will look slightly different and richer in color in person.

They are about the same size as the previous line of ToyField’s KUMA bears with a price tag of 11,550 Yen. For more info please visit the Toyfield blog. They are available for pre-order at Toy & Goods Trading.

“As long as you have passion you’ll be able to create any miniature you want.”

Lene Dragon is an industrial designer from the Philippines that makes modern play scaled (1:6) miniatures on her free time. I came across Dragondee’s work when I was browsing the miniature groups photographs on Flickr and I was so impressed that I had to ask her to participate in this blog. And I’m really glad I asked because her words are truly inspiring!

Where do you live and what do you do for a living?

I’m currently a freelancing graphic artist specializing in packaging design and a part time miniaturist during most weekends. I currently live in sunny Southern California with my loving husband. ^^

Tell us a little bit about your current miniature projects.

I make 1:6 modern miniature furniture and furnishings. Right now I am working on a new living room set.

Can you tell us a little about your family and their relation to your hobby?

My family has always been supportive of any hobby I get into. They are creative and crafty people as well, so I am lucky to get a lot of opinions, tips and encouragement from them.

When did you start collecting miniatures and what triggered your interest? When did you start making your own miniatures and what made you finally start?

I have always been fascinated with classic dollhouse miniatures as a child, but it was only during a visit to Japan in 2007 that I discovered the wonderful world of Re-ment.  That ignited my love for modern miniatures. Sometime last year, I wanted to create dioramas to showcase my growing collection. I searched for other miniatures that would work with the Re-ment kitchen set I had but couldn’t find any (other than Barbie furniture). Finally, I decided to just try making my own! I was an Industrial Design major in college and have always wanted to do furniture design, but never did get into it (I did graphic design instead). So making my own miniatures was also a way for me to fulfill a ‘mini’ part of that dream.^^

Where do you usually buy your supplies?

I get it everywhere! Normally in craft stores like Michaels, but I also roam around hardware stores, thrift shops and yard sales to look for materials I could potentially use.

What’s the biggest challenge when making miniatures?

For me it’s more physical. My hands get tired and hurt easily even with the use of some power tools. Making miniatures involve a lot of time, patience and energy. No matter how much I enjoy making them I just can’t do it continuously.

What other toys are you collecting?

Through making 1:6 scale miniatures I also got introduced to Blythe and Momoko dolls. I now have a small collection of them too. They are my quality control team. They test out all my creations first to make sure other dolls will like them too. ^^

What’s on your wish list for this year?

Oh my, a lot. It’s my dream to own a Marina Bychkova Enchanted Doll, but I think I would have to wait a lifetime to get one of those! I’d probably just settle for a Dollfie doll or a Brinca Dada Bennett house for my birthday this year.

What’s your main source of inspiration?

I guess my number one inspirational source would be my family and friends. They are always the most excited whenever I make something new. Next would be other crafters and enthusiasts like me who just enjoy miniatures. I love meeting great happy people in this miniature world who appreciates the time and skill devoted in every creation.

Which are your favorite miniature artists?

Every miniature artist I know has their own individual style. It’s really hard to choose a favorite since each one is unique.  I love and enjoy all of them.

Do you take commissions and do you have your own shop where you sell your work?

I list my creations in my Dragondee Etsy Shop from time to time. I currently don’t take commissions but I am open to requests. Interested collectors can also send me their email address through my shop for listing notifications.

Do you have any encouraging words for miniature collectors that wants to start making their own miniatures?

Passion is all you need. Patience comes with passion. Skills and techniques can be honed and learned through patience. As long as you have passion you’ll be able to create any miniature you want.

If anyone has any questions or would just like to share ideas or chitchat about miniatures they can send me a message via my Flickr account.  I always try to respond as soon as I can. To those who are Facebook addicts like me, I also have a Like Page you can Like and get updates from.

Brinja Bastholm, a miniature hobbyist that lives in Frederiksberg (Copenhagen), is making a 1:12 scaled version of  her home and has quite the attention for it. It’s both very impressive and inspiring to see the photographs of the real/miniature versions of the decor. This is something I’d like to do if I ever finish decorating my own home.

You can follow the progress of her work in her blog brinja.dk

Sze Ning contacted me a few days ago to tell me about her new blog Chiqclicks and she asked if I wanted to take part in an interview about doll photography. I hope you’ll enjoy the article.

ToysField’s KUMA is the “it-toy” right now!

This bear is ball jointed and can stand on its own. It’s flexible and can lean its neck, wrists, ankles and bend its arms and legs.

The big KUMA is about 25 cm tall made of Non-phthalate PVC and poly resin. I think that KUMA is the perfect traveling companion and photo subject. But note that this toy isn’t meant for small children. Recommended for the age 15 and up. It has loose parts.

You can pre-order from the eBay seller Mimiwoo and Toy & Goods Trading. I wish I could buy them all!

Sioux Palomar is a 24-year-old toy collector living in Los Angeles with her boyfriend Rob. Sioux is also known by the name Milk & Kisses and run an online Artfire shop together with Rob. I got the opportunity to interview Sioux and it was truly inspiring!

Where did you grow up?

I’ve lived in Los Angeles, California all of my life.  I sometimes daydream about moving to San Francisco or maybe even Portland, Oregon though.

Can you tell us a little about your family?

My parents came from Mexico to the United States in the 70’s. I have two older brothers. I’m the youngest and the only girl. I don’t have the best relationship with my parents but as I’ve gotten older we make more of an effort to spend quality time with each other and get along better. I consider my big brothers my best friends. I’m not the only toy collector in my family too! One of my brothers used to collect action figures as an adult but doesn’t anymore. My other brother doesn’t collect toys but collects sneakers. Maybe being a collector runs in families?

What were your favorite toys as a child?

My favorite toys were action figures. I collected X-men, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Batman. I used to love playing with my brother’s older figures too they had a lot of Star Wars, Thundercats, He-Man, and Transformers. I was also really into comic books and video games. My brothers and I used to pool our money together and save up for every new console! We all still play video games, too. I had other toys that were more typical for girls (Barbie, My Little Pony) but they played second fiddle to the action figures and video games.

Did you have a dollhouse and miniatures as a kid?

I used to make my own dollhouse rooms from cardboard boxes they were never very elaborate or anything but I had fun with them. I wasn’t into it at all like I am now. The only miniatures I had as a child were the cheap Barbie ones, they are nowhere near as fun or detailed like the ones Re-ment & Megahouse make!

When did you realize that your love for toys wouldn’t fade with age?

I made the full realization when I was 22 years old (I am 24 years old now). I never stopped loving toys, even as a teenager I’d buy little figurines, plushies, action figures, and video games. When I was 22, I got my very first Blythe Doll, a Miss Sally Rice and with her my love for toys grew. The world of Blythe introduced me to Re-Ment, designer vinyl toys, and many other kinds of dolls. Every day I just find more and more toys that I love and must have. As an adult I appreciate the other aspects of toy collecting like the lovely community of people and photography.

When did you fall in love in miniatures and what triggered your interest?

I fell in love with miniatures a little over two years ago when I wanted to make some necklaces with cute food like sweets and cakes. I noticed people used Re-Ment to make things like that so I searched a bit on eBay. I ended up getting my first Re-Ment set which was Cupcake Creations from the series Mini Sweets. I ended up making a few necklaces with some of the cupcakes and gave them to friends. I still have it and love that set, eventually I’ll get another and replace the missing cupcakes from it. I ordered more sets to use for photo props for doll pictures and I photographed them by themselves, too. I became obsessed with them pretty quickly and my collection grew fast after that.

From where do you usually order your Re-Ment? Like most people I get a lot of my sets from eBay but there are a few other shops I love like Harapeko Doggybag Store, Super Buzzy (look in the zakka & gifts section), and Nachnaabichhoo has a lot of rare sets for great prices! My favorite place to get Re-Ment from is from Marukai which is a Japanese market they have a small selection but it’s great to be able to pick some up locally.

How many sets of Re-Ment do you have, and how do you store them?

I think counting each set would be a little overwhelming but I would say its getting close to 100 individual sets and I still have a giant wish list too! I store loose sets in a Ziploc bag and keep them

in storage drawers. When it comes to full sets I put the contents of each box in Ziploc bag and store those inside the display box. I have some bead trays that I use to store miniatures and other miniatures are always on display in my Puchi Housing.

Do you have a special toy room in your home?

I don’t, I keep all of my toys near my desk which is in my living room. I have a bookcase that is dedicated to Re-Ment and toy storage. To be honest, I am one of those people that are naturally messy. My Re-Ment miniatures, dolls, and toys end up all over the place especially when I use them for photo shoots. I need to get a little more organized somehow…

What’s your favorite Re-Ment set and item?

I had a really hard time picking a favorite. I love almost every set. So I picked this tea pot & cup set “#8 Coconut Donuts & Healthy Donuts” from the series “Donuts To Go”. I just recently got this fullest. It’s really cute and it contains many items people have told me they overlooked especially this little tea pot and cup. I’d say it’s my favorite because it reminds me a lot of my boyfriend and I. When we first met, I scribbled little drawings for him my character would always be the little one with a happy face and his would be a happy face with a mustache.

Your photos are very beautiful. What kind of camera do you have, what’s your favorite lens and for how long have you been in to photography?

I’ve only had a DSLR camera for a little less than a year, so I am still very much still learning. Currently I use an Olympus E-520 with a kit lens and I use a macro lens by Opteka to shoot my re-ment and other tiny toys, sometimes I use a wide angle fisheye lens also by Opteka.

Collecting miniatures is an expensive hobby. What’s your trick to funding your toy collecting?

It can be really expensive! Basically, my boyfriend and I have a rule that we only fund unnecessary purchases with money we make from selling our old things or money we earn from our Artfire shop. I also love to hunt eBay for deals on Re-Ment, I usually sort by lowest prices or what’s ending soonest. I love just picking up a single blind box from the market that way I don’t feel like I’m spending so much all the time on them.

Since you started collecting toys, what other doors have opened for you?

Yes in some ways, the most important being the bonding experience it created for my boyfriend, Rob and I. We share a lot of the same interests and toys are one of many. Through toy collecting I have met many wonderful people whom I care for a great deal and have become very close to. I am most thankful for that. I am still very new to the toy scene but so far I have been interviewed by Parasol Craft magazine and this blog. I’m really looking forward to what the future has in store for me!

Can you tell us about your future plans within the toy scene?

I have no concrete plans but I’m considering selling prints once I look into it more and maybe improve a bit! A close friend of mine, Sophia suggested I get a book of prints published this is something I may look into in the future as well.

What’s on your wish list for this year?

I’d really love to add some old Re-Ment sets to my collection especially the Retro Appliance series and Natalie’s French Sundries. From the newer releases, I am really loving the Teddy Bear Help sets I hope I can order it soon. When it comes to other toys, I am ordering a Puki Puki Pong by Fairyland today and after that I hope to get another Blythe doll, a Lati doll, and miniature Wanda Frogs, maybe a Nikki & Odeco, too. I have a huge wish list to be honest, haha!

Sioux resourceful links to people that are curious about Japanese miniatures:

The Re-ment Fanclub Blog
The Re-ment Addicts Flickr Group
Re-ments Official website, products section
Megahouse Miniatures Official website, news/products section

I’m glad to see that FairyLand has made Ante in a smaller scale. I’ve always loved her face mold, and if she’d ever to be released as a tan, I’d buy her instantly! Puki Ante is also released as a basic doll to the price of $138. Very tempting –__–” Lily is released as a boy in the same series and he looks very sweet too. The Puki dolls will fit in your 1:12 scaled dollhouse.

Doris Nathanson sent us three olive green miniatures being; one floorlamp, a desklamp and a V-leg day bed sofa!  We LOVE them!

The super stylish Emerson House from Brinca Dada has six rooms including a living room, kitchen, library/office, master bedroom, bathroom and child’s bedroom. With its large, open floor plan and floor-to-ceiling windows, the Emerson House enjoys year-round sunlight. The modern house features many extras including mitered-glass corners, two fireplaces, sliding glass doors, solar panels, and recessed LED lights. Finally, the house is easy on the environment with only non-toxic and lead-free wood stains and paints.

The house and furniture are Scale: 3/4″, and the house will be available in June 2010, but you can pre-order them now for $299 each. The furniture will be available at a later unknown date.

Blog post by Ohdeedoh

• 30″ x 21″ x 18″
• Scale: 3/4″
• Lights powered by solar panels
• Designer: Tim Boyle
• Price $299

It’s been a long time since I wrote about my favorite miniature designer Paris Renfroe. He’s been busy making fantastic furniture like kitchens and bathrooms with LED lights among a few things. He’s also launched his online store PRD Miniatures that is filled with goodies! I really have to make an effort to hold on to my wallet when browsing all the nice little Pods and miniatures that I’ve been drooling over for months. Here’s the cluster of Pods that I’ve been obsessing over for the past weeks

The PRD Online Store is finally up and running! You can check it out at www.prdminiatures.com

Hase Weiss (White Rabbit) is a German company that specialize in room boxes, dollhouse furniture and dolls for children. You can stack them on top of each other and expand the collection with time.

There are 3 sizes of rooms, each with 4 colors. The rooms, the staircase and the room box suitcase are made of birch plywood. The painting of the rooms and the staircase is a mixture of a binder, chalk, pigment and water with a washable cover.

The room boxes are handmade and they might not always have everything in stock. The delivery time of stock items are 4 days. You can get them delivered after they finish one by one or wait and get them all at the same time.

They ship internationally and have several payment options (not Paypal). Please chek the “Versandkosten” link and translate it in Google Translate to translate the German page. The translation is actually very good in English for this particular website.

Thank you Helle Gavin for the tip!