MOTHER AND CHILD

This was the picture I used for inspiration for my Mother and Child Collection of Dolls

Me and my daughter Wilhelmine

She is grown now and lives in the big city and has her own life

I kept thinking about all the Mother Daughter things I use to do

Ballet Classes

Swimming in the ocean like mermaids

Seems Mother and Children are everywhere I looked

Then I remember the distance

between us

and how I can't wait to see my Mom

When we can all be together again

I'm off to Chicago for a week, to visit my Mother and family

Happy Mother's Day

Good News!

Integrity Toys has come forth with a statement concerning the defective Regal Estate Agnes dolls. If you have a doll that has been affected by the mold issue you must immediately contact PatientCare at patientcare@integritytoys.com. Do not wait. There is a voluntary replacement policy that will expire in May. Alternately, if you have taken care of the mold on your own and can document it, you may be eligible for a $25 gift certificate.

The other good news is that I will be getting the new Vanessa. That will make a total of 22 Vanessas that have been created since the beginning of time. ;-)

Having one of each is an obsession with me.
This is Flame Blue Vanessa a W Club exclusive doll with an ultra limited edition of 300. She is part of the "re-edition" line of dolls that celebrates the best of prior dolls in new editions with similar styles.
Her name is taken from that of "Flame Rouge" Veronique whose gown also consists of a bustier with mermaid skirt plus large train.
I had Flame Rouge for a time and sold her because the dress was just too big. Jason used a similar formula for Lush Life's gown.

I love the new Vanessa's hairdo. It's the type that stays in place forever. No frizzies or uneven ends. Yay!

The doll was by lottery and I'm guessing that pretty much everyone entered. I didn't read a single negative statement about her.

Here's hoping she arrives mold-free and swiftly.

The images in this post are the property of Integrity Toys.

Temptation Vanessa — De-Bumped

Review of Incandescent Monogram Doll

Incandescent is one of three Monogram dolls released in April by Integrity Toys. Her vinyl is very pale and and her palette is a neutral combination of deep apricot, mauve and brown. She is dressed in an elegant fashion of textured white fabric with pink trim. Under the jacket is a charming fitted dress with 'real' pockets. The dress fits beautifully except the skirt could be a bit less tight at the thighs.This particular facial screening gives the doll a mature look. The hair is short and not styled in any particular way. It's just gelled close to the head. I wasn't disappointed because I can put wigs over her hair.

The jacket has a collar that extends into large lapels. The top hook/eye shows when the jacket is closed. What's up with that? Sure it's an easy fix but why can't it be sewn on in the right place to begin with? The jacket is the right size; it doesn't pull; the hook is sewn in the wrong place. I couldn't even take a decent picture of her with the jacket closed because of the hook showing.The hat...umm...I don't know what to say so I will just describe it: black straw that is gathered at the top in a ball with a black bow attached. Underneath is a formed felt cap that sort of sits on the head.
It's strange but I like it - I think.
Her earrings are pewter color metal with 4 low dome white 'stones.'
The finer details are the tiny buttons on the 3/4 sleeves and the peplum on the jacket. Very nice.
The shoes are a great style. The heels are a bit too high and don't stand properly vertical but they can be filed down. If you look back at the first shot, you will see that the skirt causes the doll to look pigeon-toed because it is tight. Annoying little defects in construction like this are so frustrating. I hate that I paid $150. for a doll that has these problems.

Included with the doll are sunglasses and the ubiquitous, elbow-length, black potholder gloves.

Aren't the Monogram dolls supposed to be the best of Jason's designs?

Picture of the Week Award ~ April 25, 2010 ~ Tatiana Wisotsky

Tatiana posted this gorgeous shot of Regal Estate Agnes (who appears to be freshly bathed.) ;-D  She's looking stunning in satiny white robe against the black and white of the Fashion Royalty bedding.

Tatiana used a hand held Nikon D90 with it's built-in flash for this photo. Normally when she is shooting her dioramas, she likes to use "angled external flash instead of direct" lighting. She says, "that allows for better color and light distribution throughout the shot. By angling the flash head up and bouncing it off the ceiling, you get a soft diffused light and avoid lens shadows."

A note of caution about bouncing your flash. Make sure you are bouncing the flash off a color that will not affect your photo unless you wish to have a color cast. If you don't have an appropriate ceiling you can bounce your flash off large white poster or foamboard. Most cameras can be fitted with a diffuser for a hot shoe flash as well.

Congratulations, Tatiana, on your Picture of the Week Award!

FAERIE DANCING LESSONS

Summer is coming

the evening sunsets are glorious colors of fire orange and deep pinks

Mother Faerie's give instruction in Fairy Dances

Lots of practicing

To prepare the young Children

To dance in the

Great Fairy Ring of the Midnight Summer

Festival

All eyes will be on these beautiful young faeries

To dance all night with their Mothers

and celebrate life in

Fairy-Land

Part of the Mother's Day Collection of Dolls

now in my shop

Agnii Bathing

More comic relief has been provided by several board members in the form of photos. This one by Karon Montague shows Regal Estate Agnes X 2 being bathed in a mold killing solution along with her suit jacket.The provided caption was "What are you doing here?

Another photo created by Jenn in Florida shows her Regal Estate praying that another collector's Agnes will arrive ASAP.
Collectors are trying to accept the situation and overcome it with humor and I think it's working!

Reviews: Temptation Vanessa and Fire Within Jordan

Temptation Vanessa is the most unattractive Vanessa I have ever ordered. I'm laughing at myself because my obsession with Vanessas made me do it. The sequin dress is style-less, the black shoes do not enhance the pink sequins and her hair...oy. She arrived yesterday - along with two other Fashion Royalty dolls.
I rarely photograph my dolls outside as I don't like to contend with wind, uneven surfaces, insects and the lack of control of lighting. But today I took her and Jordan out into the garden (along with the dog) and my point and shoot camera. The pictures are good enough for the review. That's all I'm going to say about the photography except that the first picture below is horrid.
Vanessa is actually very pretty once her outfit is removed and her hair is flattened and loosened. She is at this time sitting nekkid with curlers in her hair.

Here she is in the cottage first and then in the garden.

The dress from the rear:Her hair from the rear with the bump opened up:Luckily her hair is fully rooted. There are two small pony tails secured by easy to remove rubber bands. One, as you can see, is pinned and that's also easy to pull out. I did not remove the pin securing her bangs.
The shoes:Do you see the way the strap is threaded from side to side and then curves over the toes? It should not have come down that far because the strap doesn't lay flat and it's in the wrong place—very strange. I will examine them further to see if there is a possibility of altering them because I do like the platform base and the shoes do fit.

Fire Within Jordan. There are no quality control issues with her!
I'm not sure whether or not I actually like the outfit for a non-teenage doll. There are lots of details and they appear to be well sewn. I like her earrings and shoes. Her hair is straight and center parted. I haven't removed her jacket yet.
Here she is.


Jordan also comes with elbow length, faux leather potholders and a gathered tulle head thing. The hat pins are actually nicely scaled!
If you're thinking of purchasing Vanessa, she's sold out at all the dealers but I'm sure you can get her on eBay. Retail was $79.

Jordan is most likely available at most retailers at $139.

The other doll that arrived yesterday was Incandescent Monogram. She's up next.

Comic Relief - Diet Coke Marionette Advertisement

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cNgwoAl2SM&feature=player_embedded

Here are more of Diet Coke's marionette inhabited and very funny short ads.

http://www.boardsmag.com/articles/online/20090714/eleanor.html

It's Alive aka Contains Limited Edition Mold

No, I'm not talking about Frankenstein's monster tonight but I do feel as if I've been reading a scary book.
I may be the last to know but there's mold in them there hills and on some of the Real Estate Agnes dolls.
The dolls may have been boxed with damp hair. No one is saying exactly but the pictures and descriptions of the location of the mold growth leads to that conclusion. Most of the mold is on the back of the jacket at the seams and under the arms. This Aggie has longish hair and if it were damp, that would be a likely place for mold to grow. And it's not just one person's doll. It's a bunch of them.
Here is a copy of the response someone posted on a doll board. I hope I don't get arrested by the doll police for posting this here. It does contain useful information which should be made available widely.
____________
“Thank you for your email and we are sorry to hear about the issue you are having with Agnes’ jacket.
Remember that all of our dolls spend several weeks on a boat before reaching their final destination and humidity levels vary each time depending on the weather. With this said, we do incorporate the little silica gel packs in all of our products to control the humidity levels, but sometimes it’s not enough. The mold issue can be solved pretty easily however. May I suggest that you please try to soak Agnes’ jacket in cold water, adding 1/4 cup of white vinegar and a small amount of dishwashing detergent, soak for 20-30 minutes, rinse thoroughly and let it air dry flat overnight? (Make sure not to wring the water out of the jacket and let it dry flat on a white towel so it doesn’t get deformed). If this doesn’t work, please contact us again and we’ll see to it that you are sent a replacement jacket, but we would like to ask for your collaboration in this matter as this issue, although a sad inconvenience, is fixable. Also, to make sure that no mold remains, please leave your doll’s box open to air it out for a few days to eliminate all traces of humidity.
As for the doll, please try the vinegar and water solution and see if this removes the spots.
Please let me know how it goes and thank you again for your collaboration, everyone at Integrity appreciates it.”
Regards,
________

You bet they appreciate it. The letter minimizes the problem. No one wants a $200. doll that has to be washed because mold is present. Oh, and thank you for the lesson on weather and humidity levels. "Sometimes it's not enough"? No shit, Sherlock.

Anyway, I kind of feel sorry for Integrity Toys. It's like someone has it in for them. One problem after another coming out of the factories, i.e. over-processed hair, ill-fitting shoes, stained bodies, cracked bodies, nuts and bolts....endless problems. Isn't anyone looking out for them over there in China regarding quality control? There's a missing link somewhere.

In a very short period of time Integrity Toys has amassed a large, fanatically devoted market of which I am a part. Did it happen too fast? Their main talent, Jason Wu, is probably way more occupied with his human fashion business, and rightly so. He deserves to soar to whatever heights he can. But I miss the consistently wonderful dolls.

Well kiddies, nothing lasts forever. Even resin dolls have their issues. I had a photography professor who used to say, "If you want archival, work in stone." Where is Michelangelo these days?

Credit to James for second half of title of this post.

MOTHER AND CHILD MERFAERIES

Deep in Ocala National Forest

clear bubbling springs glisten in the Florida Sunshine

Beautiful Merfaeries can be spotted lounging

and floating on lilly pads

gold dipped wings and jeweled fins

Spring time

Mothers with their pretty children

Dressed up for Spring

with matching flowered

Hats

Part of the Mother's Day Collection of Dolls

these two Merfaeries are in my shop

Picture of the Week ~ April 19, 2010 ~ Cliff Chan

Cliff Chan from Hong Kong is the featured doll collector/photographer this week. His photograph of Tonner's Green Lantern character aka Hal Jordan, reached out and grabbed me.
Not knowing much about this fictional character, I went to Wikipedia for some background information. The power "ring is one of the most powerful weapons in the universe and can be very dangerous. It gives the user great control over the physical world as long as the wielder has sufficient willpower and strength to wield it." I also learned that there have been several Green Lanterns. Who knew? Superman was my idol.
Anyway...Cliff used a Canon EOS 450D with a 18-55MM lens in natural light. This one was taken in the early morning. He claims to be a clumsy photographer with shaky hands and declares that he ought to remember to use his macro option and a tripod.
I think this photo is terrific. It makes me want to see more.

I love the focus on the ring and fist with the soft character in the background. One needs to use a wide open lens thereby creating a shallow depth of field for this type of effect.

If you would like to see more of Cliff's collection and read about his doll collecting experience, here is a link to his blog entitled Fashion Doll Empire. You will find more pictures of this doll as well as many other dolls.

Congratulations, Cliff, on the Picture of the Week Award.

Private Label Eugenia at VenusSecret in Taiwan

Those lucky (?) enough to purchase $2000 worth of lingerie from VENUS SECRET in Taiwan will get a Fashion Royalty doll with the Eugenia sculpt. Nice! How many of you doll collectors spend $2000. on lingerie? Now if I could get designer lingerie for buying about $2000 worth of dolls, I'd be pretty happy.

The box has Jason Wu's name on it. I can't read the language but I can sure see the pretty doll. These images are all from the website of the store.

How many will you buy?