Flashback

Beautiful Crissy!! When I was a kid a friend of my mother's gave me one of her old Crissy dolls. Her hair mechanism was totally broken, but I spent a lot of time working with what was left. She disappeared into the void of thrift store donations before I could recognize her real value.


SPECTRA! I always remember seeing these sorry creatures at the Deseret Industries ( a Utah thrift store where i did most of my doll shopping as a kid. ) Maybe I should make a Kouklita spectra out of some metallic suede! I've been toying with the idea of making a robotic future girl since I started the line, but robot and rag doll don't really seem to work. I'm going to figure it out though...when Mary Beth my downstairs neighbor was moving out she had piles of electrical cords that I thought would make a really cool outfit. Maybe next collection!


And of course I love me some Lady LovelyLocks. But where, I must ask, is Duchess Ravenwaves?

EVB INTERVIEW!

Who know fall was going to be such a busy month? The official website has landed. An interview I did for popular queer culture site East Village Boys dropped two days ago. I'm thrilled with all the great feedback I've received. I actually love the interview-- minus some of the expletives! (Sorry mom...) Who knew I was so vulgar?




The interview was amazing because I got the chance to work with some really awesome photographers. Allison Michael Orenstein came over one beautiful morning and we had fun on my porch and on the floor of my bedroom.


And David Kimelman followed me to the National Doll and Teddy Bear convention back in August, shooting the glamorous life of doll conventioneers.

Custom Girls

Here's a selection of a few of my favorite custom girls I've done in the past.







My Dolly Parton- with a custom body, handmade wig, and one of a kind dress.





Custom Alyssa Doll, complete with freckle and birthmark details.






Custom Doll for Sharon Alexander's midtown hair salon/studio. Official studio pics to be going up on the main site soon.

Wed Viewings

As part of my effort to update on a more regular basis, I am going to be posting doll related videos I love every Wednesday. Look forward to it!

The Quay Brothers - Mars Volta Music Video



Barbie Commercial - 1963



Basil Twist - Puppets Alive

Antique Collector

Here's an eerie passage from a book my friend found in Boston, it was an antique doll collector who had photographed her entire collection, and written poetry about them...I think I've discovered my book idea.

Meet Ingrid

Ingrid the One Eyed can see all. Her dress deconstructs into a bevvy of looks with about 4 major pieces. The purple was a dye color I developed to match her eyes- and her afro wig was created from what was once a straight ponytail cap.

News

The Kouklitas are well on their way to getting their own website. Finished the gown for Evelyn, pictures below.


Evelyn's bodice is made out of a loosely woven cotton, the blouse+top layer of her dress is a vintage scarf from the 1930's I picked up in Paris, and the underskirt is two yards of silk organza. Because Evelyn has been asleep for almost two centuries, the entire gown was tea dyed post construction.

In other doll news, check out my friend Filep's blog Un Nouveau Ideal, scroll down to the May 24 entry to see his interview with doll collector Thanos Samaras, who makes his own line of gorgeously packaged doll wigs. Here is a video of Thanos' entry into the annual Blythe dressup contest.

A few new girls....

Snejana is excited for springtime!!








And some new pics a few new/not so new girls for Spring......
more pics to come soon!

Bloomingdales Open See

Blushing Muslin

I had my first showing of The Kouklitas at the end of Fashion Week in New York last month, and lots of wonderful things have happened since then. I've been laid off from my job (I'm probably the only happy person about this given the state of our economy.) Which means I can work full time on the dolls while collecting unemployment--and looking for another job of course (cough, cough.)

Blushing Muslin was staged at Red Flower, a small shop on Prince Street between Elizabeth and Bowery that sells a line of high end bath, beauty, and home products made from the most wonderfully organic variety of flowers and scents. The booze was flowing, music was playing, and about 70 people came in and out the doors over the course of the evening. It was a wonderful crowd, and I couldn't have asked for anything more. Thanks friends! The next show will be bigger and better. Stay tuned for more news from the Kouklitas.

There were thirteen dolls on display, some you may have seen and some who were finished hours before the doors opened. The gallery was up through Mid-march. I have since brought all the dolls back to my apartment with the exception of the few that were sold, and although the girls are glad to be home, I have to prepare them for another trip -- To Henri Bendel's!

Stay tuned....