january taobao finds

I placed my Taobao order after quite a bit of deliberation! Sadly, majority of the items didn't go through because they were out of stock, and with Chinese New Year coming up very soon business is going to be very, very slow. Once the holiday ends (~2/5) I'll be ready to order again! In the meantime, I have some fun finds for you, although I wouldn't exactly call them bargain deals this time =3=

rRabit had a preorder going for these ADORABLE rocking horse shoes back in December, but they're still open for ordering here! They come in 4 colors (pink, baby blue, white, and black) and both MSD and SD size. Not including shipping charges, the price is roughly $22 USD, which isn't half bad! I'd get them for a certain doll I have planned in the future but it's going to be a looooong time before I have the money to get her so... OTL

Here's another cute place I stumbled upon in my browsing journey today: a handmade dress shop by Vic&Ab! They don't have too much in their shop and their items are quite pricey but they are absolutely beautiful and perfect for people who like lots of tulle and lace. They've got stuff for both SD and MSD size boys and girls, so check them out!

This month's finds brought to you by your local mura ≧(´▽｀)≦
❤ mura

guu doll

I can't believe I'm already trying to plan my next doll when my Little Monica girl hasn't even arrived yet. So for the past week or so, I've been looking for a shorter SD girl (<57cm tall) to add a little variety to my doll collection. I wasn't sure if I would be able to find anything, because even though I know quite a few companies with the sizes I want, I'm not really that big on their sculpts. Who knows when I'll be able to find what I want =3= Let me know if you have any ideas!

Today I made quite the discovery while doing my regular Taobao search! I found a very small doll company called Guu Doll with only 2 head sculpts, both which fit on a 58cm SD girl body. Neither of the sculpts is fully open eyed, which I don't mind, but I hope that the sculptor releases an open-eyed head soon. I'm really happy with how they sculpted the body, too! (WARNING: doll nudity ahead)

I've also translated the measurements given on the sales page below, just in case you're interested in making a few comparisons! You probably won't believe me when I say this, but these very beautiful dolls are only 1500 RMB (for a blank doll), which is about $248 USD. That's almost unbelievable for a well-sculpted doll with double joints and a pretty face these days =3=

Head circumference: 22cm
Eye size: 14mm
Height:52cm（with head 58cm）
Neck circumference: 9.5cm
Shoulder width: 11cm
Chest circumference: 24.6cm
Wasit: 17cm
Hip circumference: 27cm
Thigh length: 15cm
Calf length: 1.5cm
Foot size: 7cm
 
❤ mura

accessory finds!

I went to Forever21 yesterday looking for a cheap t-shirt to screenprint things on for an upcoming event, but I found some adorable hair clips that work as doll accessories, too! They come in packs of 2 or 3, about $3 or $4 a pack, respectively. They're the perfect size hairbows for 1/3 size dolls, and would probably make for some cute oversized hair accessories for 1/4 dolls too! Here's Lenny modeling one.

Isn't it cute? It's a pretty good bargain too. Here's what the other bows from the pack I bought look like. I'm probably going to be using at least one of them on my incoming doll~

❤ mura

getting taobao orders in

Hello everyone! I've been posting a lot recently and I'm happy I'm finally breaking the long breaks in between posts habit I've been fostering over the past year or so. It's probably because I'm gearing up for my next doll's arrival sometime in February =3=

Her name is Polaire and she's a fashionable, classy girl (at least on the outside). I'm only getting her 3 outfits for now but like Lenny's closet it's probably going to expand into something massive eventually. Here's what I've picked from Taobao for her!

It bothers me a little that the product images are different proportions but I'll have to make do, I guess. I also have a pair of socks and some cute shoes on the way as well. I hope the next Leekeworld GO gets going soon so I can order her wig too!

❤ mura

[review] promise of the world

Hello! I just picked up my package from Promise of the World now that my school's parcel service is up and running again. I have to say, I am very pleased with my order (minus the customer service and the wait). All the clothes were beautifully packed and true to the product images on the site. They're so adorable! I think I have to iron them when I get home though, they're quite wrinkled and that bothers me. Anyway, on to the review!

This is the box I received in the mail, with each of the items in their original packaging. As you can see, they're all individually wrapped in bags with the POTW sticker. From left to right, I ordered

+Mischievous boys and girls+Don't hurt baby birds!, summer's office half sleeve shirt in white, Peekaboo stars rompers in pink, Preppy Navy school bow tie in black, and strawberry skirt in blue. I also found a small packet of candy in my parcel as well. I feel like that's gradually becoming a thing among doll companies and clothes sellers? I remember I got free goodies when I ordered Lenny too...

Here's some coordinates I put together and detail shots. All the clothes fasten with snaps in the back and they fit perfectly! I can't wait to  pull out some of Lenny's older closet items and start mixing them up with the new goodies =3=

While I can't say much for the lack of communication and the unusually long wait for shipping, the clothing I received from Promise of the World is definitely top-notch quality. All seams are finished well and pintucking/tailoring is on point :) If they improve their customer service or find a better business model, I think I would definitely order from them again.

❤ mura

faceup practice

I've been doing a lot of Monster High repaints/commissions lately so I thought it would be nice to retry doing BJDs for awhile. I've realized that I still have a lot to work on... I still can't seem to paint even strokes and my pastels are still pretty blotchy, but it'll all come with practice (hopefully). Anyway, I decided to something a little different for my practice head since it's a new year, and here she is!

Some people might not agree with me and how I did the eyebrows this time, but I really like this look on Corin. I might actually consider getting her a body sometime. If anyone knows a good resin match for Leeke NS '11 please let me know in the comments!

❤ mura

taobao finds and updates

Hey everyone! I've received news on my Promise of the World order. After some help from another DoA member, it appears that my order has been found and already shipped by the company on December 25! According to the tracking number I was just given, the parcel has actually just arrived at my campus, so I'm very excited to open/review the goods come Monday :)

I've also been scouring Taobao for goodies for my incoming doll and I have an excellent find I'd like to share with you all~ Check out these lovely eyes from Fairy Woods! These are some of the most high quality glass eyes I've ever seen and for a very low price as well. Unfortunately I believe this is a preorder page, and the current preordering period ends on January 6th. Hopefully there will be a new ordering period soon, because these eyes are just too beautiful to miss out on.

It's not very apparent in this picture, but there's glitter in the pupils. Almost gives them a magical girl sort of touch =3=

Here's another example of Fairy Woods eyes! These don't have sparkle in them, but the detailing in the iris is amazing up close.

I hope your 2014 is going well so far!

❤ mura