Meet Mia!

I've been working on little Mia for a couple of days. Her hair was frizzy and tangled. I washed and conditioned it, then gave her a boil perm and now it's soft as silk and beautiful curly.

I sewed a turtleneck teeshirt and a new pair of merino wool/cashmere overalls.

Isn't she cute as can be!?

Ethnic Dolls - We Come In All Shades

I try to always have various ethnic dolls in my shop when I can find the Bratz dolls of various skin shades.

If you need a particular doll shade or style of doll, please be sure to convo me on Etsy or here, and I will do my best to make the doll you need.

Here are some ethnic dolls I've had in my shop over the years:

Repainted Bratz Dolls - You DO Have Options!

My Etsy shop got a notice in the mail recently from a well-known Bratz repaint artist. You know, the one with all the blogs, advertising campaigns, and whose tradename name is generally associated with repainted Bratz dolls?

And the big problem is that even though I am in absolute compliance with United States Trademark Law, Etsy's legal department will not even take a peek at the facts. All it takes to shut down someone's listings is a complaint that they are breaking trademark law and BOOM! No questions asked. No examinations of the facts. They clearly state they won't examine the facts. They simply remove your listings based on nothing more than someone's complaint that you are out of compliance. Then, after 3 complaints, they take down your entire shop.

Several talented doll repainters have been put out of business by this person, who many of us consider to be a bully. I have to wonder what she fears? Her dolls are only listed once a month and sell out within a few minutes, even though her prices are in the highest range.  I don't see how most parents with a modest income can afford one of "those" dolls for their child. To me, her dolls seem to have become something collectors buy, not something for children to play with. And if you visit her Facebook page the day after she has a selling spree (she only sells dolls once a month), you can see many posts by people who are frustrated at not even getting to SEE the dolls, much less be able to afford them.

So why does she care if other people are selling more affordable dolls? It feels like she just doesn't want the competition. I just can't figure out why. Her dolls are unique, as are the dolls of every repainter. My dolls look NOTHING like her dolls. My prices are approximately 1/6 of her prices. Her dolls sell for $180 each and up. She's shutting down shops selling dolls for $25 and under.

I have asked her to please point out which of my listings are not in compliance with Trademark Law and so far, she has not done so. But all she has to do is hit a key on her keyboard and my listings disappear, as so many other people's listings and shops have.

I'm not the only one being targeted. There is a lot of scuttlebutt in the doll painting community about her bullying. She seems to be stealthily taking down one shop after another.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

I'm asking the community is for ideas and for help - If you have a blog, please research the facts, and write a post, a positive post informing people there ARE other great, affordable options. And tell your friends. Social Media is a great tool - let's use it!

Do your own research. Compare those prices of $180 and upwards with the prices of repainted Bratz dolls done by other artists, which start as low as $25 or less.

Tell your readers and your friends that instead of doing a search on her famous name, to do a search on Bratz Repaints or Repainted Bratz Dolls and look at the many beautiful and affordable repainted dolls that are available.

And though I'd love it if you'd buy one of MY dolls (of course) please know there are a LOT of talented artists on Etsy painting dolls. They've just been forced to not use any of the three words in "that" trademarked name in their ads, and so people are not finding them.  It's sort of like telling people who are searching for tissue not to search on "Kleenex," but to search on other descriptive words.

Let's get off the "fill in the famous name" bandwagon and start our OWN party!

Please share this post and get the word out.

And if you're from the USA, think about buying from LOCAL artists, instead of someone across the big wide ocean.

Thanks so much for your consideration!

Annie

Changing Bratz Dolls Into Children

Changing Bratz Dolls Into Children

I've always been an avid recycler. I hate the idea of items going to the landfill when they can be restored. I also am a child of the 60's and we worked hard to get women out of 5 inch heels and thick make-up, so I have a particular pleasure in returning certain teen dolls to their innocence.

When I get a new doll, her clothes get stripped and washed. If they are worth saving, I try to alter them to make them more child-friendly. Next, I bathe each doll in hot soapy water and give each an alcohol bath to sanitize her. Each doll has her hair washed and restyled, and cut if it is needed.

Then the real fun begins. The sleazy make up is taken off and the face prepared to hold new paint. I add eyes, a little lip color, and voila! A brand new girl emerges, like a beautiful butterfly out of a cocoon. I never get tired of seeing the change!

Once the girl is dressed and her hair combed, it's photo-shoot time. Some girls are shy. Some aren't as photogenic. Some love the camera! Others just want to play, and not bother with business. But all are beautiful to me... my little freckle-faced beauties... reminders of my childhood, running barefoot through the fields, not concerned with eyeshadow or lipstick, but more interested in tree-forts and kittens.

Welcome back to childhood.
It wasn't gone, not really...
it just got lost for a while.

Save A Tree, Change a Doll!

Sleepy Suzie

Today it was hot as heck and I woke up around 4 am and worked out in the garden until 8:30. Then I popped into the studio and painted "Sleepy Suzie."

New Dolls in Shop

This week was my birthday, but I still kept busy in the shop.

Here are this week's dolls:

IPSITA
Ipsita is a Bollywood Doll. She has real eyelashes. She is wearing a beautiful 2-piece dancing outfit and has a scarf. She wears matching shoes.

Ipsita the Bollywood Doll

Ipsita with her hair down.

Matching Shoes

MANDY
Mandy is all dressed up for shopping with mom.  She wears a pair of flannel slacks with a faux leather belt, and a pink teeshirt.  A pair of green Mary Janes, handcrafted by me, completes her outfit.  I've been experimenting with various lip shapes. I think she has a very cute face.

 


CHA'RELLE
Cha'relle was a challenge, not to make, but to photo because of her very dark skin. I'm going to have my photographer friend, Patty, come by and try to take better photos. She is a darling and deserves a better ad.




CLARE.
Clare is dressed in a pretty dress made by Trails Crafts. She is wearing matching Bratz shoes. I've done her hair in an upsweep. She's ready for church!





GRACIE.
 I finished Gracie and I just love her, from her pink hair to her playful outfit.



MARIBEL
Maribel turned out very nice in her 3 piece outfit.
Her hair is pretty down, but I put it up in a ponytail bun and I like it better.




SERALYN
I just love Seralyn's face. It's so sweet and innocent. I made her outfit.


WILLOW WINDSONG
This little doll sold the minute she hit the shop. She was a lot of fun to make.


About my pricing.  Pricing is difficult to figure out. I spend a lot of time painting my dolls and sewing their clothes. I thought $55 was a fair price for a doll that had so many hours of work put into sewing and painting, but I want people to buy. So I'm pricing my dolls, for now, at $39 and $49, depending on the hours spent.  We'll see how that goes.

Well, that's it. Those are the new dolls I've put up in the last two weeks.
Please visit my shop when you're looking for a gift for an adult or child.
Remember, I do custom orders. If I have a photo of your loved one, I will do my best to match the hair color and paint the features to match.

Remember, "Save a Tree - Change a Doll!"

Annie of Freckle Farm Dolls