Recently Sold...18" Doll Commuter Purse

When it comes to accessories for your favorite 18" doll, Beauty of Creating has got you covered!

Beauty of Creating presents the very popular 18" Doll Commuter Purse.
Shown here in Teal and Cranberry, this bulk order delivered over the
Christmas Holiday 2017, making a very special collector very happy!

With a variety of colors to choose from, the Direct Sell VIP Member has unlimited options along with 20% off and free shipping!  Thanks for sharing, shopping, and following us on our journey!

The Best Way to Spend a Snow Day...

Customer requested...four Vegan Leather 18" Doll Purses

Packaged for Shipping today!

Beauty of Creating, Signature Collection: Commuter Shoulder Purse
for 18" Dolls. 
Shown in Cranberry Red and Dark Teal

Includes a free gift bag for each!

Direct Sell Customers may choose from a variety of colors!

Throwback Thursday, Sorta/Have I Ever...

Beauty of Creating, shoe draft

A question posed to me recently? Have you ever considered designing for AG (American Girl Dolls)?

Absolutely.  The day I decided to get back into doll clothes crafting I took an uneventful trip to Toys R Us.  Mind you, with a 10 year hiatus from producing Barbie outfits, a lot of movement went on in the doll world. Stuff changed a lot! The last time I saw an African American AG doll, she looked like a slave.  I think her name was Addie.  I was not about that life.  

I was really just looking for a big doll after seeing so many larger dolls at the 2015 Detroit Doll Show.  I had purchased a new machine.  By 2015, it was about 4 years old and getting little to no work.  I needed a new inspiration.  The creative bug bit me good, but not hard enough to buy new Barbie's, at least not a 12" one.

I did not know that the AG was sold exclusively in its brand boutiques. But like a kid, I did not want to leave Toys R Us empty handed, so I kept looking around to see what fancied me.  The large Barbie was too stiff and lifeless that I blew right passed her coming into the store and at her own kiosk.  

On my way to giving up this event as a fail but not a loss, I spied the display of Journey Girl dolls and accessories.  Remember, I am new.  I know nothing about any doll other than AG.  I found this curly haired beauty with a horrible outfit on and instantly, she was mine after $39.99 at the checkout.  Her name...Chavonne! Oh how I loved that wild mass of curls!

FYI. I now own five Chavonne's as a part of my 12 doll Journey Girl Collection. 

I was so excited to get her home and out of those ugly clothes and deplorable shoes, that I ran straight to EBay and other doll clothes sites in search of shoes!!! I found so many.  But also discovered how limited still,  in color and style.  

I did not want my clothes collection to be limited by the shoes I could find.  I did not want the price of shoes and imperfect fit to twist my arm into purchasing, just to have shoes!

Back to AG...

So...being new to the Journey Girl world I hit up YouTube and the net to start building some knowledge about these dolls and I noticed that the availability was not the only difference in AG and Journey Girl.  

I did not like the teeth of the AG doll, but I liked that the eyes closed.

I liked the size of the AG doll, but I did not like the entire torso padded.

But, there are many dolls at 18" tall and I was not going to let availability to AG, body, or teeth limit my creativity.  I included every doll that everyone fancied.  I went online, downloaded the body measurements for all dolls of this size.

And you know what?

Not a single person was interested who owned an AG doll. My customers were Journey Girl doll owners and My Life collectors.  I thought, no need to keep making clothes to fit this doll (who is the larger of all 18" dolls) when no one is shopping my designs.  The market is pretty full of folks catering to that industry.

After a year, I pulled all of the patterns I had made (just a few at this time) and scaled them to fit Journey Girl only.  Now there are some exceptions, like My Life and Springfield Collection, because I am aware that the clothes I make fit My Life and the Springfield Collection crocs fit my Journey Girl's.

There you have it...I let the market decide.  

As a result, I stopped tagging AG doll collectors in my posts, even though the accessories I make, like belts, hair pins, and purses fit those dolls.  

Fabric Haul...

It is almost back to school time.  For incoming freshman, we commemorate this awesome new beginning with Bedroom ensembles for your favorite 18" doll.

We're getting into the team spirit!  Stay tuned for an August debut!

Doll Shoes Exclusively for Journey Girls

In order to perfectly package outfits, you need the right shoes.  For Journey Girls this is no exception.  Unfortunately, it can be a daunting task trying to find the right shoes.  When you find the right shoes, then you discover that they are too big.  Most of the shoes made for 18" dolls fit American Girl Dolls.

American Girl Dolls are basically the "Apple" product of the 18" doll world.  I respect its brand and its position in the market.  However, the reason I started this design venture was to make sure that Journey Girl's and Springfield Collection get a fair share of the market.

The reason I partner with Springfield is because I find their doll shoes (namely their Crocs) fit the Journey Girl Doll perfectly!  This is a huge plus and thus a motivating factor to start putting the pen to the paper and draft some ideas!

Swim Suit Fabric Haul

Last Friday on a visit to JoAnn's I purchased a bundle of solids for doll swim suits.  Unfortunately the prints did not interest me.  They seemed old and dated.  The selection seemed bleak.

After picking out some great vinyls through Amazon, I discovered one vendor "fabric.com" had the most affordable prices.  As a result of that generous find and the disappointment at JoAnn's, I perused fabric.com company site and found too many to choose.  That is a good thing for future purchases!  The sales are incredible.

The fabrics are mostly 97% Polyester, 3% Lycra.

My package delivered yesterday, with free shipping on orders over $49.

Swim Suit Fabric Haul 4/2/17

Free Pattern Download

Click Link Below

Free Multi-Color Tote Bag Pattern

I think my serger/overlock hates black thread...

Every time I change the thread from white to black in my SpeedyLock serger/overlock, it is a huge fight to the finish.

This is a problem that keeps me using white thread even with dark colored fabric.  Well, the end of that fight is near.  I cannot tolerate this inconvenience another year.  I decided to buy another serger/overlock machine. 

I know it seems like overage, but I already had a plan to buy another soon, just not sure the cost of the investment.  Viking Husqvarna, who makes my main sewing machine (I have a Brother in the closet.) makes a serger/overlock but the threading process is not made easier with that expensive price tag.  

It arrives tomorrow.  I do plan to do a review on it.  But for now, the manufacturer is Singer.  It falls in the upper level of amenities and price point.  Stay tuned.

Free Gifts!

As promotional items for the new accessory division, Beauty of Creating is giving away a few items that met the final evaluation for production.

Backpack

Drawstring Backpack

Flashback Friday

This brings back such fond memories of our beginning! This is from the Fall/Winter 2015/16 photo shoot, of the Academy Collection 2016.  That entire collection sold almost immediately.  As much I try to share it with the world, most of my stuff sells instantly through my direct sell customers.  I never even get the chance sometimes to load it into Etsy or Ebay.  Direct sell customers rule the roost!

Naked and afraid...a Chavonne review

I have a total of five Chavonne's.  For the most part, they all look the same.  They should look the same, since they derive from a mold, with no production suggestion that they are "unique" like Cabbage Patch Dolls.  

The first four Chavonne's ordered from December 2015 through Spring 2016 are essentially identical, except for subtle differences in their hair rooting.  These variations are slight.  If you spy them on the runway, modeling any BOC fashions their hair styles are to my credit.  I did this to give them a unique look.  One has a bob, and another has a pixie.

Chavonne Jan. 2017 

The recent purchase, in January 2017 for my birthday gift to myself, I noticed right away that her hair was incredibly thicker and longer than the previous purchases.  This is not bad!

Second, I noticed her thighs are rounder, which makes her measurements a few centimeters larger.  This is not bad!  Her thicker hair is a bonus as previous customer complaints consisted of the annoying bald spots or empty spots due to bad rooting patterns.  The fuller thighs brings her lower body measurement closer to the the comparison of the competitor dolls for which BOC also designs, but here she is equivalent in dimensions of Dana, Mikaella, and Kelsey.

 Lower Torso fabric, w/o Geoffrey logo

Additionally the lower torso fabric on Chavonne January 2017 has a gauze-like texture.  It seems more durable.  This difference separates her apart from all other dolls in my collection, including Dana, Mikaella, and Kelsey.  Chavonne January 2017 also has the Geoffrey trademark on her upper back.  

Geoffrey Logo on Center Back

None of these changes as you can tell from my review impair BOC from designing fashions, but the body shape differences do make the Chavonne 2017 a bit more unique. With her bigger hair and fuller thighs she looks more like a bigger sister.

I love all of the dolls.  Even though they have more similarities than differences, they have brought such an illuminating effect on the creativity of BOC that we celebrate diversity in all sorts of ways!

SOLD!

The Winter 2017 Catalog is closed. Thanks everyone for their purchases.  It was a fun production, but it is officially discontinued.  Some of the pieces could return in future collections.  

Stay tuned for the free pattern upload coming in April!

"If I Had a Hammer" with Tote Bag

If I Had a Hammer is the largest featured ensemble from our Winter 2017 Catalog.  It comes with the new matching tote, barrette, overalls, blouse, underwear, socks, purple tennis shoes, ski jacket, fleece hat, scarf, and mittens.  Its online price is $40.  But you can get this for $30 as a direct sale.

The tote bag pattern with instructions will be available next month right here on the blog for free to the first 50 subscribers to this blog!

Tote Bag 

"School Girl Crush" with Satchel Purse

School Girl Crush arrives from our Winter 2017 Catalog.  It comes with black satchel purse, patent leather shoes, white knee high stockings, wool skirt, white blouse, fleece vest, and barrette.

Saddle Bag

"Denim Blues II" with Shoulder Satchel

Shoulder Sling Pack

By popular demand, Beauty of Creating now features for the first time, for 18" dolls, purses, totes, and back packs in a variety of colors, while supplies last.  Special orders by request!

Dana is wearing the new Shoulder Satchel.  It is an early Spring/Summer 2017 debut as Denim Blues II so you will not find the outfit in the Winter 2017 Catalog.  It comes as an accessory to the featured Denim Blues II that includes a blue denim jacket, black leggings, short sleeve blouse, and socks.  Online price: $25.  Direct sale: $15.

The boots and glasses are not included.

"Denim Blues"

Welcome Kelsey and Mikaella to the BOC family!

"Kelsey"

Kelsey and Mikaella arrived just a few days ago and I am so excited for what the Beauty of Creating designer has in store for them! They join Dana, and several Chavonne's as a welcomed addition to the BOC family.

Kelsey wears a denim dress with a floral macrame design, green and navy purse, floral ribbon headband, and blue flats.

Mikaella wears silver patterned pants, purple sweater with silver embroidery around the neckline, hot pink/silver clutch purse, with black ballet flats. 

What I love...

Journey Girls have their own unique personality and charm.  Kelsey, my ginger sweet girl, has red hair and green eyes, while Mikaella has strawberry blond hair and royal blue eyes.

This edition of dolls come from the celebrated 5th anniversary "Italy" series, like the Chavonne's.  Thus far, Dana is the maverick chic, from the "New York" series.

Kelsey, Mikaella, and Dana have workable magic with their original stylists. Kelsey and Mikaella only needed shoe replacement from BOC, while Dana's combat style boots are an earmark to her persona!

Unlike Dana who did not arrive with her purse, Kelsey and Mikaella each have their own shoulder bag and clutch, respectively.

The dolls continue to wow over at Toys R Us, who continues to run online sales at remarkable prices.  I purchased both Kelsey and Mikaella for $25 each, thanks to the online promotion and a $10 off courtesy coupon for the Dana purse debacle.  If I waited just a week, an additional $4 savings...but oh well!

"Mikaella"

What I dislike...

The dolls shoes, not boots for Dana, are abysmal.  They are extremely cheap and scream 'make me over' hence the reason Kelsey and Mikaella received an instant upgrade.

I am certain with better accessories the price will increase by $10 per doll.  Even at that increase, they would remain rivals to the pricier dolls.

Beauty of Creating, Inc. has already begun to put these girls to work and they are enjoying the fun!

Welcome Dana!

Dana is a cute doll but her hair...

In her first photo shoot, she wears a bun, I fastened down with several bobby pins. Out of the box, her hair is straight, no curls, with a lone braid. It is not the straight texture that annoys me, but the squared edges that make it very hard to control.

The process...
I did not overly saturate her hair, but a gentle spritz of Peppermint water and set it. After 45 minutes on low heat under a dryer, I am pleased with the results.

Winter Catalog Photo Shoot

Beauty of Creating Winter Catalog 2017

 Printable Brochure Page 1

Printable Brochure Page 2