Monster Crafts

Hello and welcome back to my blog. Today I want to do something that I don't do that often and that it's write an opinionated post. I don't typically talk about doll news or comment on dolls I don't own yet, but from time to time I like to do something different. Please, keep in mind that is my own personal opinion, which is subjective. Also, my criticism is meant to be constructive, and not meant to disrespect the designers involved or their work. If anything, my main critiques are directed to Mattel as a whole. I will also try to break this post into sections, for easy reading. And now, let's finally get into it.   A while back, it was announced that Monster High will be making a comeback. If you have been following me for a while, you know that I love Monster High. Hence, my nickname is "Monster Crafts". However, since the line was discontinued around 2016-2017, I have been focusing more on my Barbie dolls.  A little backstory on Monster High For those ...

Hi everyone! How is your summer going so far? A few days ago I did my finals for college, and I think it went pretty well, despite I won’t have the results until early July. Now I have a couple of months of holiday until the next semester starts. I think I deserve the holiday, I worked my butt off for over 6 years working full time and studying at night. Hopefully, next year it will be my last year at college and I will be able to focus on “just” working. During winter, I’ve come up with quite a few ideas for the blog, most of them doll photography related. I’m planning to boost my  Instagram  account this summer, as well as working on my photography skills. We’ll see if I have time to do all the things that I have planned. Today’s post is also photography centered, as I’m working on some new doll photography backgrounds. A couple of months ago I wrote a post in which I summed up some background ideas for your doll photos (see it here ). This is a little bit like “...

Hello doll lovers! I swear that I planned to post this earlier, but as usual, life happened and before I knew it, it’s February. While I was focusing on my finals I only did the most basic of the house chores, so now that I’m free for a while I have some stuff to fix. Not that Mr. Monster did nothing at all, but he’s working full time, so he doesn’t have much more time than I do. I’m also trying to do all those things I always want to do, but I never have time to do, such as re-arranging my shoes or cleaning the oven. And, to make things even worse, my usual photo editor stopped working, so I had to find a new one. But finally, I’m here sitting in front of my computer, writing this. When I thought about new post ideas that may be a little bit different and helpful for people, I thought on doing some sort of “behind the scenes” doll photography post. However, I’m not the most skilled photograph out there, and also there’s not much content or innovation in the way I take phot...

Do you ever feel like doing something different with your dolls? Personally, I'd love to try new things when it comes to doll photography, like going outside. Also, I like to try new background colors, as you can see in my Pop of Color posts. So, ever since I saw and Ever After High pic with a glittery background, I wanted to try that myself. Back in September I found some glittery cardstock in a stationary shop and I bought 3, but I never found the time to do a photoshoot. Then, a couple of days ago, I was looking at my Instagram posts and noticed that 90% of my photos have my navy blue background that I use for reviews. So, it's finally time to try something new! The first background is this black glitter cardboard. I choose black because I wanted a neutral color that would match most of my dolls. Above you  can see how it looks against Victoria. 

Hello everyone! I've been quite busy lately and I' haven't been able to post anything or work on anything for my dolls lately. I still have so many things to do and write about before this summer is over and I'm back to class. I'm working on a living room diorama for my dolls, so I could take some scene doll photography, but truth is that I haven't worked much on it. However, I've found some time to take some doll photos and I'll like to share them with you.  As I told on a previous post, I've bought some new colored cardstock for doll photography, but I just haven't had time until now to show you. As you now, I've been using some color sample sheets from my job for doll photography, but the problem with that is that they are A-4 size, so I cant take  full body photos. So, I decided to get some big size colored cardboard, and one of the new colors I got is a bright orange. Evie looks great against it.

Hello ghouls and mansters! How's August going? It's been a while since I last reviewed a Monster High doll, Posea Reef . I kind of lost interest in the line since the reboot was announced. I still love my old MH dolls, but I'm not super thrilled about the new released as I used to be.  Today it's time to review Kjersti Trollson , from the Monster High Brand Boo Students line. I have already reviewed Isi Dawndancer from the same line. Kjersti (I guess it's supposed to be pronounced like Christie) is a gamer troll girl that goes to Monster High in order to find the only monster that has been able to beat her in a video game.

Hello everyone!  I've been busy this week so I haven't been able to post anything. I'm working on that chair, slowly, but I'm working on it. Mr. Monster has been busy painting the house so he hasn't been able to help me with the pictures.To do something in the meantime, I've been taking some pictures of my dolls. If you read my Pop of color post, you know that I've taken some color samples from the shop where I work to use them as backgrounds for doll photography. I've returned a few of the ones I had and borrowed a few more. I must confess that when I'm not busy in my job, I can't stop thinking "Which colour am I going to grab next?".  I didn't plan to do another photoshoot post, I wanted to do a craft post, but I'm getting a little bit frustrated that I can't get things done and I don't want to be absent from the blog such a long time. Also, I like to experiment with photography and colors. If you have been follow...

Hello everyone! After the head-swapping fever, I didn't know what to do next, so Mr. Monster suggested me to do another Monster High review. Lately, the ghouls and mansters from Monster High haven't been featured in this blog as much as other dolls, so I thought it was fair. Today it's time to review Posea Reef , from the Great Scarrier Reef line. I know that this doll is not exactly a new release, and it has been reviewed by many people before (and probably much better), but the reason why I do reviews is because if I didn't do it, I would be like: "Oh, a new doll! -opens box- Nice doll! - takes a couple of quick pictures and puts the doll on a shelf." Posea Reef is the daughter of Poseidon and lives in the Great Scarrier Reef, where she takes her of the sea creatures. In the Great Scarrier Reef movie, Posea brings the ghouls to the reef, so Lagoona can face her "deepest fear".

Hello everyone! Have you enjoyed your weekend? I must confess that I'm not working on my crafts as much as I should if I want to build a doll cafe at some point during this century. I don't have much free time, so I work on this blogs mainly on sundays and bits of time here and there. Besides some doll crafts, I have a frankendolly project on mind, but before starting it I'd want to do a couple more reviews.  Today I haven't done a review, but instead, I've been taking some doll photos. I'm not the best doll photographer and I don't have a professional camera or studio to work, but I like to experiment and try to improve. As you may have noticed at this point, almost all of my photos have the same navy blue background, so today I tryied to add more colour to my photos. I used wall paint color sample sheets that you can get at a paint store (because I work in one, so I could just borrow them), but you can use colored cardstock as well. 

Hello there! Now that the course is over, I can start working on this blog again. I'll try to make the most of this summer and post as much as I can. I'm also planning to do more diverse posts, because I feel that last year I focused too much on reviews, but that will be in future posts, as today is time for a review. This time I'm going to review Iris Clops , from the Monster High I love fashion (or I <3 Fashion ) line. It's been ages since I did my last Monster High review! Iris Clops is a former Monster High background character that came into the spotlight in 2014 when she was released in a two-doll pack (along with Manny Taur) as a San Diego ComiCon exclusive. I must confess that I wasn't completely drawn to her when I saw her SDCC version, but this one catched my attention. Also, this one was much easier to get than a SDCC exclusive!

Hello ghouls! I can't believe it's almost the end of February! New semester is starting soon, so that means that, unfortunatelly, I won't be able to post on a regular basis until June. I will make an effort to come here at least once per month, but I can't promise anything. Today I want to share with you a small craft I've been working on: doll glasses. I'm trying to make a small tutorial of how I did them, but this craft is far from being perfect. Also, I wish I had taken more and better pictures during the process! I got this idea inspired by one of my favourite Monster High characters, Ghoulia Yelps.  For this craft I used cardboard from a cereal or cookie box, glue, a nail file, a precission knife and craft paint. For kids that might be reading this, you should ask an adult to help you. 

Hello my doll lovers, what have you been up to? Sorry I didn't post anything earlier, but houses need to be cleaned from time to time and mine was in serious need. Also, this week I wasn't very motivated to write anything, I've been quite dissapointed with the doll world. I didn't have a very good experience while contacting Mattel's Customer Support, despite other's people good experiences. So, as you may understand, I wasn't really looking foward to come to this blog and talk about their products. But let's forget about the whole Customer Support thing and let's move on onto the review. Today I'm going to review Porter "Paintergeist" Geiss , from the Monster High line Haunted . From this line I have already reviewed Kiyomi Haunterly and River Styxx, you can read them here and here. Porter is the son of a poltergeist and he attends a school for ghosts called Haunted High. Honestly, this doll being a ghost was kind of ironic, becaus...

Hello ghouls! How are you? It's been a busy week for me at work, but I've managed to do a couple of reviews. I hope I can do 2 or 3 more before I start univesity again. Before I start with the review, I'd just want to remind you that I have a Facebook page , were I share things such as upcomming doll lines or were we can chat during no blogging periods.  So let's start with the review. Today I'm going to review Elle Eedee , from the Monster High line Boo York, Boo York . From this line I've already reviewed Nefera , so if you missed out, you can read the post here .   Elle is the daughter of the robots, and meets the rest of the Monster High ghouls while they're on Boo York. I was really looking foward to get her, but now my feelings about her are a little bit mixed. You'll understand soon why.

Hello ghouls and mansters! Today it's time to review a doll that I wanted ever since I saw her prototype at San Diego ComiCon. Isi Dawndancer, from the Monster High line Brand Boo Students . Isi is the daughter of the Deer Spirit and, as her surname hints, she loves dancing because it's such an important thing in her culture. She comes to Monster High in order to find the meaning of a vision she had. 

Hello there! I've been absent from the blog for a few months, because, as usual, I've been busy with university and my job. Luckily, I have a few weeks before the next semester starts, so I'll try to post on this blog during that time. In this few months that I've been absent form the blog, my doll collection has increased a little bit. I've got some Ever After High dolls, such as Cupid, Briar Beauty, Ginger Breadhouse and Darling Charming, as well as some not so new Monster High dolls (Art Class Robecca and the two doll pack with Abbey and Heath). I was lucky and I got most of this dolls with big discounts, like Briar, that was only 10€.  For Christmas Mr. Monster got me a Isi Dawndancer doll, which I really wanted from the first time I saw her. Later Elle Eedee arrived, thanks to a wonderful Amazon discount we got because we bought all of our nephews presents on-line.  I have really missed the blog during this months, and I wanted to post about a...

Hello my dear doll lovers! As I told you on my last post, I won't be able to post as often as this summer because I started university again and I don't have that much time to play with dolls. However, a few weeks ago Mr. Monster got me this fabulous gift for my birthday and I think that deserves a post. Yes, you're right, the gift was a gorgeous Boo York Boo York Nefera de Nile doll! As many Monster High fans, I wanted a second Nefera de Nile doll, so I couldn't hold my excitement when the first Boo York Boo York doll line images were leaked (you can read the post I wrote for Doll Observers by clicking here ). Despite that, there are a couple of things about this doll I'm not totally happy with. If you want to find out why, you have to keep reading.

Hello ghouls and mansters! Today I'm going to review Marisol Coxi, the daughter of the maricoxi (similar to a Big Foot), who attends Monster High as part of a Monster Exchange program. She was introduced as part of the Monster Exchange doll line, along with Lorna McNessie (you can read our review of Lorna here ). She happens to be Abbey Bominable's cousin, but neither their looks or their personalities have nothing in common.

Hello ghouls and mansters! What have you been up to? Last week I got a little bit sick and I can't go to work because my job requires to be standing up the whole day and carrying a lot o weight, which is something I can't do right now. The possitive part of it is that I can stay home and take pictures of my dolls when I feel better. Actually, I was planning to write a review of Monster Exchange Marisol Coxi, but yesterday I started to feel that I prefered to do post about doll selfies because I always have so much fun when I take pictures pretending like the dolls are taking a selfie. This is actually the second doll selfie post I write, you can take a look at the first one here.

Hello ghouls and mansters! How are you? Today I want to review a doll that I LOVED the first time I saw her at San Diego Comicon 2014. It's Lorna McNessie, from Monster High's Monster Exchange doll line. Lorna is the daughter of the Loch Ness monster and has just transfered to Monster High from Rotland. 

Hello ghouls and mansters, how are you? Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I've been away on holidays with Mr. Monster visiting the beautiful north of Spain and running away from the local holidays of my hometown. While I was there, I went dollhunting, but I didn't find anything interesting, so I got an idea for this blog post. First of all, I want to say that this is my personal opinion based on my experiences as an adult doll collector, and it's based basically on the dolls that I'm more familiar with, like Monster High, Barbie and Ever After High.  It all started with my quest to find Porter Geiss at a store. Besides Vandala, I got my Haunted girls (Kiyomi and River) at toy stores. However, it annyoed me that none of the stores I went to had Porter. I asked to one of the biggest doll collectors I know in my country if they knew where to find Porter and he told me to go to a store called Juguettos, because Porter was in there. Well, I might be the unluck...