Elena's Box day

On January 2nd of 2010, I posted my first box-opening on Den of Angels. I'm not exactly sure why, but that thread was by far the most popular thing I have ever posted there. It was an unforgettable welcome to the hobby, and I am still so glad that so many people were kind enough to share the arrival of my first doll.

To celebrate Elena's box day, and for my own archival purposes, I am reposting that first box-opening.

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Mr. Black, a raven, has found the box. Please take note of the pristine state of the bed.





Mr. Black inspects the first three things I found; a bag containing mysterious items, the golden doll box, and a silk dress, since a lady cannot be in her underthings all the time





Surprises inside the red bag! I thought it was very considerate of Dollmore to include a purse that matched the dress so well





Mr. Black has claimed the tasty, crumbled biscuit they sent me.





And onto the serious business of the doll box.





CoA and manual (I was putting off unwrapping the doll because, this being my first BJD, I wasn't sure if I would like her).





Well, time to wrestle with the foam and bubble-wrap. Courage!





This looks much less chaotic than the unwrapping actually felt. There was so much tape and foam and elastic, and I was trying to be gentle with all of it because of the doll underneath. But I am glad Dollmore packed her so well.





Still nervous about how I would feel about her face, I unwrapped her feet first. Then the excitement absorbed me, and I stopped taking pictures while the last of the wrappings came off.





I could hardly believe how beautiful she was I had been preparing myself for the possibility of having to wipe her face-up, or trying to find a different head, or even selling her altogether, but she looked more perfect than I had dared hope. Obviously, my poor pictures do her no justice at all.





Mr. Black and Elena.





The aftermath:





Close-up with the pink dress:





Thank-you very much for reading

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And here she is on the 29th of December, 2010. I think she was amused by the hugeness of the cupcake.

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Remember the Last of Summer

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Box-Opening [Buddydoll Raphael Semi-Elf]

An Epic Tale of Eyebrows.




Please also disregard my inability to spell ^.^; I was rather excited.

Mr. Black, a raven, has placed himself beside the box and an accompanying white package, which I assume contains a blank head.



A glimpse at the minimally styled, but ever-so-functional, inner box.








The mysteries begin to reveal themselves.

Behold, I give you, firstly, ten miniature toes!




Mr. Black compares his feet with those of the new arrival.




Beyond the green cushion.

I discover that the blank head is in the main box, which makes me very curious as to the white package.




The contents of the white package: two pairs of beautiful eyes. Buddy-doll does not even sell eyes!

I think they included these to make up for some unnecessary shipping fees that I paid.

I am extremely grateful to have them :-D




Sexy boots and cards.




The elegant Mars head.




Wigs.




I confess, there is a reason why I took careful pictures of all the extras. The reason is slightly tragic.




Having by now had my first glimpse of my new doll, I was, of all things, trying assiduously to avoid looking at him.

As though his face would magically fix itself, if I gave it enough time.




Something left me completely cold.

I had requested a custom face-up. I sent Buddydoll a very clear picture of what I wanted, using a lightly photoshopped version of their own pictures, and included a list of the changes I made.




They said they could do the face-up I had requested.

But the face-up I received looked very different.

It is by no means a completely unattractive face-up, but I had such a definite idea of how he was supposed to appear, that I could hardly stand to look at him.




When I tried the blond wig on him, the change in his appearance put me seriously Out Of All Good Humour.




I then took his head off, and began to contemplate drastic, uncharted measures.
(Yes, I did flip out a bit ^.^; )

My first doll had revealed her name to me the instant I saw her face.

This person would not take to a name.

I felt such despair that I became brave. I did research on DoA and began to alter his face-up.



In my panic, I turned the bathroom into an art studio.

(What?? Good God, why the bathroom!? It was convenient... and I cleaned thoroughly afterwards... *mumbles excuses*)



For the next six hours, I was engaged in trying to make him look tolerable (to me, anyway).

I had so hoped that I would be able to practice face-ups on the blank head before attempting anything like this.

But finally, well... I freely admit that the company face-up photographed several hundred times better.

At least now, however, his eyebrows are approximately the silly shape that they need to be, and I can love him as he deserves.




And I discovered that his name is Marlowe.




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