Melissa is our guest today, and I am very happy to interview her. She has one of the most fabulous dolly collection on earth, and her pictures are among the first ones I found right after discovering that Blythe exists. I loved her photos of Mina so much that I decided to get Prima Dolly Aubrena as my very first Blythe doll last year! At this time, I didn’t even know that Blythe could get new eye chips, gaze correction, or be customized!
Photo: Cybermelli.
Photo: Cybermelli. Mina – Prima Dolly Aubrena wearing Squeakymonkey.
Hi Melissa! Can you introduce yourself ?
I was born in New York City in 1978 and have lived on Long Island, just outside of New York City, since I was about 1 year old! I’ve always been a big fan of New York theater and ballet. I’m also a very avid movie-goer! Currently (much to my embarrassment!) my brain has been overtaken by the Twilight books & movies… so I guess that counts as a hobby too! I work in book publishing. I’ve been with the same company since 2000 and I’m a sales rep covering the New York and New Jersey area. The company I work for publishes (amongst other things): The “For Dummies” series, Frommer’s Travel Guides, The Webster’s New World Dictionary, Betty Crocker cookbooks, and Weight Watchers cookbooks.
Photo: Cybermelli. Target ads in New York. February 2009.
Photo: Cybermelli. Bella Swan – Cappuccino Chat with Merry Skier scalp – based on the character Bella Swan from Twilight. Lips painted and carved by Lawdeda, and faceup by Melissa.
How and when did you discover Blythe?
This is actually pretty interesting/unique story! I saw Blythe for the first time in 2000 – and the Blythe that I saw was a Kenner. Gina Garan’s husband is an actor here in NY and I knew of him through Broadway stuff… In 2000, I went to a gig that he did in NYC and Blythe made a quick appearance on stage… For the next few years, whenever I’d see Gina’s books in a store, I’d think “Oh, those cute dolls that Asa Somer’s wife photographs”. But, I never looked into the books or the dolls. Then, in 2006, I visited a Japanese bookstore in NYC for work. While I was there, I saw some of Gina’s books and for some reason I picked one up and started reading it. I decided that the dolls were way cooler than I originally thought, and when I got home that night, I started researching them on the internet. I remember that the two girls I was most interested in getting were Yuki and Milk. However, when I looked at eBay, they were both “too expensive” to me. While clicking around eBay that day, I found Pullip dolls… And, I decided that I liked them just as much as Blythe… and they were so much cheaper! So, I decided to order Pullip Nina, Papin and Rida. I also ordered Blythe Birdie Blue b/c she was one of the least expensive ones I could find on eBay. When they arrived, I decided that I really liked the pullips, but not the Blythe. I sold Birdie Blue pretty quickly and proceeded to amass a collection of about 150 pullips over the next 2 years or so… In all honesty, it was when a Pullip friend of mine, Pamela (Lawdeda on flickr) started moving from Pullip to Blythe, that I got re-interested in Blythe… I looked at Pam’s photos on flickr, signed up for an account over there, and then fell in love with Blythe all over again in 2007/2008. Very quickly, I started moving over to the Blythe side and I wound up selling about 100 of my 150 Pullips! And, my Blythe collection began to grow RAPIDLY!
Photo: Cybermelli. Melissa and Gina Garan. December 2008.
Photo: Cybermelli. Dee Luxe wearing Lunitas. Hybrid Sunshine Holiday with Saffy scalp – Lawdeda (lips and lids) and Melissa (makeup) custom collaboration.
Why did you start your collection?
I honestly don’t know! I was never really into dolls as a kid. I did LIKE Barbie but I never actually made up stories for my dolls and had them walk around or play house or anything like that… I just liked to DRESS them. I think that if, as a kid, it had occurred to me to dress Barbie up and then take pictures of her, I’d have been way more interested in my dolls as a kid! I was just drawn to the look of the Asian fashion dolls and the awesome clothes that existed for them!
Photo: Cybermelli. Mako – Kozy Kape – wearing a dress by Faerymade.
Photos: Cybermelli. Chess – Dottie Dot wearing Plonsjeroze. Chess and Ollie – Dottie Dot and Matte Mondrian wearing Squeakymonkey and Neuart.
How long have you been collecting Blythe?
I bought my first Blythe in 2006.
Photo: Cybermelli. 3 years later… on February 2009.
How many Blythe dolls do you have in your collection?
As of right this moment: 7 Kenners, 9 BLs, 9 EBLs, 1 SBL, 18 RBLs, and 32 customs.
I wasn’t sure exactly how to do the counting… so, basically, I counted any doll that was not 100% stock as a custom. But, within the group of custom girls, there are EBLs, RBLs, SBLs and FBLs. I also have 5 additional custom dolls being worked on or en route to me and I haven’t counted them with the aforementioned girls.
Photo: Cybermelli. Calamity Jane -Reina de Salem custom.
Photo: Cybermelli. Kermit Buttersworth – Miss Sally Rice customed by Melissa.
Where and how do you store them?
I store my girls in large Billy bookcases from Ikea in my bedroom!
Photos: Cybermelli.
What kind of Blythe dolls do you prefer?
This is a REALLY hard question for me to answer… but, I think if I were being honest, I’d have to say that I love a really well done custom best of all. My favorite stock Blythe mold is EBL (once they’ve been gaze corected!). I adore Kenners, but at the same time, I can’t say that I like Takara girls any less than Kenners.
Photo: Cybermelli. Cuddles McPoof – EBL custom – White mohair reroot by Mihaku, dyed pink by Melissa, and faceup by Melissa.
Who did you ask to customize your dolls and how do you choose your customizers?
I have customs by a LOT of different customizers: Happibug, Marie Flynn, Addicted To Plastic, Twinky, Reina De Salem, Minklet, Vainilladolly, Lawdeda, Ris Ras, @nai, Sabrina Eras and Metsuki/Stella DiCarta. I also have several customs I did myself. I’ll soon add customs by Effluo, Gbaby, and AnnieDollz to my collection. I also have several customs from Yahoo Japan – and I don’t know who customized those sadly… Primarily, I choose customizers based on what kind of doll I’m hoping to wind up with… I think about the kind of girl I want to create and then consider the portfolios of all my super talented flickr friends!
Photo: Cybermelli. Reina de Salem customs: Calamity Jane, Jasper and Diesel.
Photos: Cybermelli. 2 Prima Dolly Heather Sky customs: Dulcinea – Ris Ras custom and Shershe reroot, and Rashida – Happibug custom.
Which Blythe is the last one arrived in your collection?
My most recently arrived Blythe is my Kenner Clo who will eventually have aqua mohair but is currently scalpless.
Photo: Cybermelli. Elsabeth and Melisande wearing La Boutique de Lupi. Kenner Redheads.
What is the next one that you would like to acquire?
I’m really interested in the upcoming Dear LeLe Girl!
Did you send any of your Blythe dolls for adoption or do you still have them all?
I have adopted out a LOT of my Blythes… it’s all about money. I have none. Haha. If I had all the money in the world, I wouldn’t ever sell any off… Mostly, I sell one to buy another! I decide to sell girls based on how much attention they get.
A final word?
I’ve met so many seriously amazing people through my love of Blythe… I know awesome collectors ALL over the world – that’s been an incredibly nice side effect of my addiction!
Thank you SO very much, Melissa, for sharing your love story with Blythe. Your custom dolls are all truly beautiful and have so much character. You definitely know how to choose the best customizers, and I am also amazed at how you dress your girls with gorgeous colorful combinations. I always find your pictures refreshing because you are not afraid of taking risks, and experiencing everything with Blythe! Thank you for bringing a lot of fun to the Blythe world and community 
Photo: Cybermelli. Berry – Marie/RedFlynn custom. Melissa’s Flickr group: “Pink goes good with green – dolly love“.
Related posts:
Meli Mel!
Your secret is OUT!!!
*tee hee*
Melissa is one of the sweetest people I have met through Blythe dolls! I LOVE HER!!
xox