Halloween themes are irresistible for many BJD collectors.  Even though goths, vampires, and other-worldly creatures are re-occurring themes in the BJD world year-round, at Halloween all dolls can get dressed up and try on a new persona. For the occasion, we contacted individuals who have appeared on BJDcollectasy previously and asked them to show us their Halloween items.  A few of the items are sadly no longer available, as they were already snapped up by lucky collectors, but many are brand-new and in-stock at the various websites. Quite a few of them can also be used after Halloween with just a minor change of accessories.

Charie Wilson and grace of gracefaerie designs:

Canadian face-up artist, costumer, and all-round craftperson Charie Wilson has spent much of her time in the last two months crafting a series of witch costumes made of Halloween fabric sometimes combined with hand-knit sweaters and socks.  Charie teamed up with Pattern-maker gracefaerie of gracefaerie designs and together they produced #43 Bewitched, Tattered and Transported, a pattern specially created for Planetdoll Mini dolls. According to Charie, the pattern can also be increased in size 50% to fit larger PlanetDoll and similar size MSD dolls. (Set the copier to 150.)  Pattern #43 includes patterns for a Witches Hat, Dress, Pants, and Shirt with Halloween and Tattered Variations. The set is a specially sized variation of gracefaerie’s Waif Dress for Romantic Reveries.

JpopDolls:

The retailer JpopDolls has a free pattern for a dress designed to fit Dollstown 7 year and similar-sized dolls.The pattern is for an Alice-in Wonderland dress and could easily be converted to other costumes as well. (Modelling the dress on the website is KazeKidz Annabella by Kaye Wiggs.) Jpop Dolls also has a special Marbled Halls Witch costume available that is specially designed for Charles’ Creature Cabinet’s Fidelia Firefly Faerie. The outfit is made from vintage fabrics and consists of  a hat, dress, shoes, stockings, undershorts, and arm sleeves.

Connie Lowe of Marbled Halls:

In addition to designing the witch outfit for the diminutive Fidelia at JopDolls, Connie of  Marbled Halls put together an outfit to be unveiled exclusively for this Halloween Project!  According to Connie, “Mad as a Hatter is a mix of several of my favorite things; Beetle Juice, Alice in Wonderland and Elizabethan style!! Truly a “blended fashion!!!”  The outfit is one-of-a-kind.  The costume includes; hat, hair ribbons, antique blouse, overskirt, pannier, pantaloons, stockings, and arm warmers.

SlinkyNeko:

Chesca of Slinky Neko created a one-off Haroo specially for Halloween.  The doll was released October 24 and quickly sold.  Hopefully more OOAK Slinky Neko dolls are available in the future!

Carrie Atwood of the Sleeping Elf:

Carrie has been busy going to shows this autumn such as Miniatura where she displayed her pumpkin home ( see Tiny Doll Displays ). She also made some full-set dolls which were posted in her Etsy store The Sleeping Elf. At the moment, her large green Bracken set  is still available. (She is currently working on the next holiday and will definitely have some Christmas elves!)

DD-Anne of FairyGarden:

DD-Anne had not planned to release a Halloween doll, as she had just finished her limited edition Green Dam and Bunny dolls.  Still, the maker of a number of unique Zombie dolls could not resist the draw of a Zombie Halloween theme. For her new dolls, DD-Anne re-visited the idea of  living and dead dolls which she explored with a a pair of tiny Riko dolls a few months ago.  The new set, now on display in the new website for FairyGarden, is much more elaborate.  Two 1/6 size Urami dolls were used for the pair.  Many subtle details went into the costuming.  Only two pairs of the special Urami dolls are available for purchase.

Sweetly Twisted:

Miriam Bos of  Sweetly Twisted has been busy  due to the 19th International Doll and Bear Fair  Show in Rotterdam.  Her family’s store, Triskel Fantasy Shop,  also celebrated their 5th anniversary  at the show.  Miriam recently completed a new Doll in Mind SD Vampire girl Bellosse face-up. She was designed to match the previously painted DIM Kassia  who is pictured in our Sweetly Twisted Gallery Album. 

Michele Hardy Design for Dolls:

Michele is a prolific worker, and has produced numerous outfits that are excellent for Halloween but can easily be adjusted for other occasions. There are several dark and lacy outfits such as Midnight Moon available, and an autumnal outfit  called October Stripes.  Her pirate outfits also can easily double as a costume. The most elaborate presentation however, is Raggedy Purple shown on a  specially faceed-up Creedy doll. Michele’s outfits come in several sizes, and there is something available for most girl dolls at her shop Michele Hardy Design for Dolls.

Bonnie Storm from Divas by Design:

Whether your SD doll is always a vamp or dresses like one only once a year, Bonnie Storm of Divas by Design has the perfect outfit; Mystique. The dress, a sinky red and black number, includes lacing from top to bottom. Bonnie has also re-stocked her Mistress of the Storm for both SD and MSD dolls. The dress has a silver spider-web patterned skirt. Many dark outfits are also available on her site that could easily be adapted for Halloween with the right accessories.

Marshpants:

MarshPants always looks for a special fabric to create a Limited Halloween edition. This year continues the tradition: Marsh sent an emailed announcement to her fans stating, “In honor of the season and as a bit of an homage to the kooky, spooky movies I grew up watching, I offer Swamp Thing – a gorgeous green and black  leather.   This exclusive leather is only available for one week!”  Pants in the special material can be purchased from now until November 1st. For a purchase of trousers, Marsh will also throw in some jailbait shorts in Swampthing leather for free.  For the purchase of two trousers and/or skirts, she will add 1 free Swamp Thing pair  of trousers for free.

FroggyDuds and Kimberly Lasher:

Vicki at Froggy Duds has been busy working on costumes for Kimberly Lasher Originals’s dolls. Vicki made the outfit for the latest Lasher Limited doll, the little goth girl Drucilla. The Toy Shoppe carried the exclusive doll in a Limited Edition of 43 which has sold out. Her sister Brenda also knitted some small things for the season and sent a photo of an outfit she designed for a Latidoll Yellow. The outfit is sold out at their shop, but interested customers could request a similar one for their doll.

Nancie of NanKatts:

The Nankatts shop has outfits for Halloween in MSD and Yo-SD sizes.  There are a number of complete ensembles in Halloween fabric. Many of the outfits have smocked tops that will stretch to fit a variety of dolls.  As usual, Nancie adds socks and often a hat and a mask to complete the look.

mEda at Luxour Academy:

mEda has been working to expand the lines of her ready-to-wear fashions at  Luxour Academy, and for Halloween she has put together a pair of outfits designed to fit 25 cm tall Little Fees and similar sized dolls; Boo for girls and Night for boys. The items are for pre-order until October 31 and are limited in quantity. The clothing, while Halloween-related, can also be worn by Punk tiny dolls any time of year.

DollWhy:

The talented group at DollWhy has made many edgy items that would fit into any Halloween wardrobe, but when they decided to make special Halloween offerings, they went totally cute with Yo-SD size boy’s and girl’s matching Pumpkin Outfits in linen. The outfits are available in very limited quantity.

Violet Pie:

There is no better accessory for a witch or warlock doll than a little familiar. Violet Pie has a bat, crow, and some kitties that would make perfect companions. Jennifer makes meticulously crafted little creatures in wool roving and felt. Most of her items are not much bigger than two inches, but occasionally she creates ‘big’ items such as Theodora the wool felt Retro-style Cat who is 4 inches.

Nancy from Dolly-T’s:

Dolly T’s is undergoing reconstruction at this time, but Nancy costumed some of her hoard of dolls and added some of their friends and sent a Halloween group portrait to us.

Happy Halloween!

Photos from top: Charie Wilson and gracefaerie Designs pattern #43 Bewitched, Tattered and Transported, Connie Lowe of Marbled Halls blended fashion Mad as a Hatter, DD-Anne of Fairygarden’s Halloween Special Zombie Urami & White Urami, Michele Hardy’s October Stripes, Brenda Rankin of Froggyduds Pumpkin knit set, Dollwhy linen Pumpkin outfit.

Check out the Photo Album in the Gallery of all the Halloween-related items sent by contributing artists and designers.

Nancy from Dolly-T's Halloween Group Photo

VioletPie's Wool Roving Kitty, Bat, and Crow

Divas by Design Mystique for SD girls

OOAK Borry doll from Slinky Neko

Fidelia Witch Costume by Marbled Halls sold by Jpopdolls

Nankatts Ghost Print outfit for MSD size girls

Luxour Academy Limited outfit Boo for Little Fee & similar girls

Swamp Thing Halloween Leather style Trousers custom made by Marshpants

Tattered version of #43 Bewitched, Tattered and Transported

The Sleeping Elf Large Green Braken and large Red Moona Full-sets

Sweetly Twisted Vampire face-up on a DIM Bellosse

Kimberly Lasher's Drucilla with costume by Vicki Berens of FroggyDuds

Alice Dress made from Free Pattern at JpopDolls

Michele Hardy's Raggedy Purple for Yo-SD & similar size dolls, Face-up also by Michele

Theodora Retro-Style Cat in wool felt by Violet Pie

Our new Sunday article is on one of the most talented clothing designers in the doll world, Chesca. She designs outfits for AnotherSpace2 and for various doll companies. She also designs fashions for her  line of dolls at her own doll company Slinky Neko.

A new poll has been added to the site.  The poll runs until the end of September. We appreciate your participation!

We are currently working on a special month for October.  It will concentrate on smaller BJDs. It will be our second themed month. The first themed month, elf and fairy month, was so popular, it will be brought back next year.

Thank you for visiting BJDcollectasy!

Bobobie Isabella with face-up and outfit by FroggyDuds

Slinky Neko's Borry & Haroo in fashions by Chesca

Froggy Duds is a family business.  The Etsy store combines the work of sisters Vicki and Brenda, and Vicki’s daughter Leah. Vicki, who is a seamstress, re-awakened her love for dolls when she was searching for a gift for a grandchild.  She became interested in various types of dolls and began to sew for them.  Soon she began to receive requests from friends and acquaintances for custom doll clothing. At the urging of a friend. Vicki eventually bought her first BJD, an Orientdoll Jeong Cheong and soon began to create BJD clothing.

After Vicki began to collect BJDs, Leah became interested in the dolls as well. She planned to buy only one. Her first doll was an Orientdoll So Ye. Several dolls later, Leah was looking for ways to create something for dolls as well. With her training in graphic design and printing, she started making miniature books.  Soon Leah wanted to do even more, and she began crocheting clothing and learning to create custom face ups.

Brenda was eventually brought into the hobby, even though she “held out a bit longer (thinking both Vicki and Leah were a bit crazy), before really ‘wanting’ to be involved.” Brenda, who is a talented knitter, was asked by Vicki to make knitted items for her. Brenda deveoped a knack for making small items and eventually became more involved in creating doll fashions and in collecting as well. (her first doll was a vinyl BJD, Goodreau Whisper).

FroggyDuds was Leah’s idea. She “was traveling with her family late one night when (it) occurred to her that the three could have a lot of fun pooling their talents into one place…over the next few days, FroggyDuds was born.”  The group decided that  Etsy was the perfect venue to display their work, and they have been working together ever since.  The fact that each of them lives in a different state has never been a problem.  All items ordered at Froggy Duds are shipped for free, and the person who made each item ordered ships it out.

Everyone at FroggyDuds has worked on commissions. Vicki has made everything from a pair of jeans to complete outfits. Brenda has done several commissions for tops and other knitted items. Leah has done faceup commissions and crocheted items. Kim Lasher of Kimberly Lasher Originals has commissioned work on many occasions. For the Lasher dolls, Brenda has made sweater and hat sets, Leah has done a face-ups and made dresses and hats, and Vicki has created complete dress outfits, jeans, hoodies, and onesie outfits for her ooak babies. For anyone interested in requesting face-ups, Leah can be contacted through the Etsy store, but she also can be reached through her Flickr site leahlilly’s photostream, where examples of her work can be seen.

FroggyDuds has a special charity section in the store. According to the group, “Brenda wanted to increase her own personal charitable giving. She thought about just donating a portion of her earnings on her own and unknown. But she noticed another seller on Etsy that listed donations that had been made to various charities with proceeds of sales from the store. She started thinking that people like to know they are contributing in some way…and so the Charity section was born.”

The group likes the Etsy environment. “It’s a friendly community, and things seem to move fairly well there. They have reasonable fees as well.” FroggyDuds customers are welcome to post their dolls wearing their new items on the flickr site Show Me Your FroggyDuds. The Froggduds women agree that, ”The feeling of sisterhood and family unity have made each project even more rewarding. Each project has its own way of coming to life whether it be a moment of personal inspiration or a vision passed from a customer for a commissioned item.”

Photo above: Fairyland Puki Cupid, Faceup – Leah Lilly, Dress – Leah Lilly

Unoa Quluts Sist, Faceup - Ange, Froggy outfit - Vicki Berens

Ainsley by Kimberly Lasher, Faceup - Leah Lilly, frog crop top and jeans - Vicki Berens

Bobobie light tan Mei, Faceup - Leah Lilly, Crocheted Top - Leah Lilly, Jeans - Vicki Berens

Unoa Sist, Faceup - Leah Lilly, Vintage Dress - Leah Lilly and Vicki Berens

Light tan Bobobie Isabella, Faceup - Leah Lilly, Outfit - Vicki Berens and Brenda Rankin