Groove Inc. has officially announced Doll Carnival 2009. This year it will be held on 12/6/2009. Additional Information can be found on
Groove’s Blog.
According to the blog post all the releases up through April of 2010 will be revealed. There will be a new doll carnival limited edition foll for sale. There will also be a new photo contest with the theme “new start” that I might actually try entering this year.
In other exciting news it looks January’s releases are officially the vampire set
Requiemart (my favorite doll customizer) has listed her latest blythe creation, Rose Red on ebay just in time for Halloween. Although Rose Red is only her third blythe custom, she is absolutely gorgeous. Requiem’s main area of expertise are customizing pullips and My Little Ponies, she decided to try blythe out for something different and will probably only do a handful of blythe customs so don’t miss your chance to snatch up one of her amazing customs. Rose Red is a one of kind, vampire blythe (originally an Adorable Aubrey- quite possibly the very one I traded her) and comes with her very own coffin as well as a handmade outfit and custom pull rings (and one is a skull :O).
I have personally seen the progress made on this doll as I visited Requiem a few times while she was in the process of customizing her, you wouldn’t believe the amount of work that went into her. I have to say her photos don’t do her justice, she is even more stunning in person.
Make sure to check out her Ebay Auction
I had mentioned in passing that my Joker collection had already outgrown it’s space again well I moved it again last night. The worst part is this isn’t even all of it (I own more Joker figures they just haven’t all found their way downstairs yet ^^;) and there is more on the way. Not to mention I have figures of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy still floating around the apartment.
The comics in the shelf are the “read stack” I have another pile next to be bed just as large that is the “to be read stack”.
Looking at this you would think I only like the Nolan- version of Joker but that is really not the case, I love basically all versions of Joker but there just happens to be a lot more Dark Knight-centric merchandise available right now and since I didn’t really start collecting until this year most of my merchandise is Dark Knight-centric. I did get the lego Harley Quinn kit as a Christmas gift last year but I believe all the other stuff was acquired this year.
I actually went out and about yesterday into the really real world as opposed to the online world where I do most of my shopping. My main reason for going out was the death of the monitor for my desktop computer which had relegated me to my laptop full time. Now I love my HP mini notebook for short term use but trying to use that for an extended period of time to browse the internet gets kind of uncomfortable after a while even though it is perfectly sized for my petite-ness. I decided to use this opportunity to slightly upgrade my monitor, I ended up choosing an Acer 23″ Wide screen Flat-Panel LCD Monitor. Especially after spending the past almost week on the HP mini notebook I can’t get over how huge the screen is and the picture quality is fantastic as well.
Picture of my new desk layout. For those wondering why my laptop is on the desk as well, I have been known to use both computer’s simultaneously, generally using my laptop to keep up to date on email and chatting on aim/gtalk while working on whatever on the desktop.
I currently have a small variety of dolls/figures on my desk most of which are personal favorites of mine, either because of sentimental value (Clementine the pullip and the Mahoromatic figure which someone actually bought for me as a gift while in Akihabara) or because I just happen to really like them (Tsukasa Mama Chapp and Magical Lyrical Girl Nanaho- Fate figure).
Also while out and about I purchased two new video games. I bought Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days for my DS as I haven’t bought a new DS game since I got Lego Batman for Christmas and I really enjoy Kingdom Hearts games in general. I also purchased Gran Turismo for my psp as I was getting bored of playing Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Final Fantasy VII and wanted something very different from both games. I then stopped at a comic book shop and snapped up the last copy of Gotham City Sirens issue 4 and a Batman and Son- Joker figure because well one can never have too many Joker figures ^^; Speaking of one never being able too many Joker figures it has become apparent my comics collection/ Joker shrine has become too large for it’s current location again so I will probably have to move it again or I could stop buying Joker stuff but umm yeah I think I have more in the mail at the moment so I am not sure of the likelihood of that happening >_< .
Normally I refrain from posting about sales, etc but I have personally bought probably around 50 or so dolls from Pullipstyle, and never had an issue they are my preferred seller of new pullips. I feel comfortable recommending them as they are a really good source of pullips that I have personally used numerous times and I figure with how much I post about pullips here if anyone is kind of on the fence about maybe getting their first pullip this might just give them that extra little nudge. Now unto the sale info..
Pullipstyle is currently offering a free ground shipping promotion right now (continental US only, sorry! ) and they have quite a few dolls on sale right now too list of specials Erenfried for example is on sale for $98. When ordering select “Best Way” to get the free shipping. There are a few conditions (this is worded a little funky in the email so I copy/pasted it so nothing got lost in translation) -Orders with more than 2 dolls need to be shipped using ground shipping. In some instances, 2-doll orders will have to be shipped ground if one of them has an oversize box (2007 Taeyangs, Seiran, Youtsuzu, Charlotte). Marianne or Alberic can only be shipped ground even by themselves.- So if you really want Marianne or Alberic but you want other dolls too I recommend just making a second order it’s not like combined shipping is an issue (as it is free in the continental US). Pullipstyle is located in Illinois and ship lightning quick, on quite a few occasions I would order a doll (or two) on Saturday morning and it would be in my hands on Monday.
I personally took advantage of the sale and ordered my first new dal in quite a while as my last new release dal was my Lizbel, Freebird way back in May. I did get the custom dal Jupin back in June but while I love customs they are kind of their own separate animal. I bought Puki as she was my most wanted doll. I might try and order another pullip or dal over the weekend but I was really very happy with just getting Puki because I have wanted her for so long, she will go wonderfully with my extended Alice in Wonderland crew.
My Hot Toys Joker also arrived yesterday but I didn’t have a chance to really play with him at all until today. For those of you who have followed me from blog to blog for a while, you all know I have a bit of a thing for the Joker. For new readers, I was a huge fan of the animated tv show growing up and I was really drawn to Joker and later Harley Quinn (which is a whole other can of worms we will not be prying into this evening). I had kind of forgotten my love of the Joker as I grew up but then I was literally dragged to go see Dark Knight and it kind of woke something up inside me and now I can not get enough Joker. I have since been slowly amassing an array of comics, video games, all of the animated tv show and basically any piece of Joker merchandise I can get my hands on.
I already own the Hot Toys Bank Robber Version but I had wanted the original as well, I also have the new version preordered over at bigbadtoystore. I was really impressed with the level of detail on the Bank Robber Version. I was pleased to find out that the original version is quite detailed as well.
It’s the little touches that mean so much like the chain and the argyle socks. The head sculpt is done really well too.
I was kind of at a loss on how to photograph him so I decided he should victimize poor Mikuru, because well basically everyone victimizes Mikuru.
Every now and again, I get bored and look through Requiemart’s Custom Dolls Gallery. I was always find myself wondering where her various customs ended up.
One of the dolls I was always kind of drawn to was Anastacia. She is a custom Greggia, I am guessing she is a bit of an older custom but something about her really attracted me.
Picture by Requiemart used with permission
She popped up unexpectedly on dolly market this morning and I just kind of looked at the listing like why does she look familiar and then it clicked oh, that is Anastacia. Even though I had been planning on buying Puki today, I caved as unlike Puki there is only one of her and I doubt she would be going back up for sale any time soon.
More pictures are available of her in her gallery on requiemart’s site.
My Maguna arrived today. He is actually my second Magutna, I had one previously for various reasons I traded him away and kind of missed him (plus he was like the only doll ever to rock one of my favorite wigs). I spotted this one for a price I couldn’t pass up and bought him. I bought him nude, bald and rechipped for $30 plus shipping.
I was initially horrified when I went to the rental office and seen the size of the box he was shipped in. I have been collecting dolls in general for a while and I know what size box will fit who and I knew that size box would not fit a taeyang.
I opened the box and then I realized how he managed to fit in the box, the seller had removed his head from his body and wrapped in newspaper at his feet :O. His head was very scuffed from the journey but most of it came off in a jiffy with a Mr. Super Clean Magic Eraser.
After he got cleaned up and got him dressed. I don’t really have that many boy dolls and virtually no boy doll clothing so he is actually wearing partial stock of my DC Direct Dark Knight Joker Doll ^^;
I named him Hollis Heartspark, a combination of two things I was doing immediately prior to purchasing him- Reading Watchman – the part where Hollis Mason err umm retires (for lack of a better word and so it isn’t a spoiler for anyone that has been living under a rock and hasn’t read the comics/seen the extended cut of the film) and listening to the Everclear song “Heartspark Dollarsign”. I am currently leaning on rechipping him, not sure what types of chips I would like to see in him though. I am very happy with his lovehaze wig though so he will not be rewigged again.
I have always been a huge fan of Mahoromatic, it’s an odd show admittedly but it has a special sentimental value to it in my mind that I always look back on it fondly. I always had two ideas for custom DDs in the back of my head Chii of Chobits and Mahoro of Mahoromatic. When it was announced that Mahoromatic would be getting a new two part OVA that would air in Japan in October and be available on Blu-ray/DVD on December 23rd. I decided my goal was to have a Mahoro DD in hand by the time the Blu-ray shows up at my door via EMS shipping.
I purchased the head and eyes off of Volk’s site, I intend to pick up the body after the head has been customized, for now while I am still planning the outfit I will just use one of my other girls as a model. The head has already sent off the head to be customized by Requiemart. While it is her first DD custom her work with other dolls such as blythe and pullip has been flawless so I am fully confident that she will be able to bring Mahoro to life. I just sent Requiemart a ton of reference pictures of Mahoro so work on her face up should start fairly soon.
Pullip.net has pictures posted up of new pullip prototypes from the recent Japan Gift Show that was held earlier this month. All photos in this post were taken by Pullip.net.
Groove Inc. had a fairly impressive display with the December princesses and the theoretical January releases vampires in the foreground with various other prototypes in the background.
Peter Pan Set- November releases
Personally I am very excited about Tinkerbell, also somewhat intrigued by Captain Hook and his removable mustache
Visual Kei- November releases
I love the taeyang and the pullip, I am sure the dal will be cute once she is out of that chicken wig ^^
Princess (Hime) Set- December releases
The dal still remains as my favorite
Dal & Byul Protoypes-1
Help me, I actually like the byul with the sheep hat T_T and the dal with the ducks is so adorable
Dal & Byul Prototypes-2
Not really excited about any of these girls’ stock but I suspect the Egyptian dal will be gorgeous rewigged/redressed
Taeyang Prototype
I am more excited about the dal that got cut out of the picture but if they release him he would make the perfect henchmen for my forthcoming Arkham Asylum-style Harley Quinn
For more pictures and information check out the post on pullip.net http://pullip.net/info/list.php?category=3&field=&keyword=&page=1&idx=530
Pullips and Junk 