Now that she’s successfully tested — and navigated — the waters of full-fledged dollmaking, Cristy Stone is setting her creative sights on the realms of fantasy and history. The popular doll-repaint artist introduced her first ball-jointed doll (BJD), “Gracelyn,” in 2011. The 62 cm (almost 24 ½ inches) stunner was an immediate hit with collectors. Several other dolls have followed, each of them limited releases and drop-dead gorgeous. This year, Stone plans to offer two new characters: “Kyla,” a 45 cm Asian fairy who hopes to meet her best friend, Samantha, one day; and “Artemisia,” a 62 cm warrior queen. These dolls follow the recent release of “Kyla’s” elusive pal, Samantha, who appeared in all of her sun-kissed resin glory as a ballerina.

“Artemisia’s” real-life inspiration is Artemisia I of Caria. As queen of Halicarnassus, she fought for her overlord, King Xerxes I of Persia, against the free Greek city-states during the second Persian invasion of Greece. “She will be my first warrior, and I’m very excited about the project,” Stone said.

Finding her own sources of inspiration comes easy for Stone, a lifelong resident of Weston, Texas. So does tapping into her innate creativity. “Years ago, I read a quote that said, ‘The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one,’” she said. “That simple quote has inspired me for years and truly makes me appreciate the fact that I am able to work in a medium I love. I can find inspiration in the smallest of things, such as a button or an unusual color or shape of something.”

Looking beyond 2014, Stone said she’s eager to explore new challenges. A top priority is sculpting a different kind of BJD — a ball-jointed dog. “I’ve had dachshunds in real life for over 17 years,” she said, “so I would love to sculpt a pet for ‘Samantha’ and ‘Kyla.’”