Mega Barbie Fix - House of Barbie Shanghai Documentary

You may have missed this video. I found myself smiling half way through. I want to go there!
House of Barbie Shanghai Documentary

Chrome Hearts Barbie Dolls

The clothes are to die for. The details are amazing but what else would one expect from Karl Lagerfeld? I was not familiar with Chrome Hearts clothing and jewelry as I rarely purchase things like $800. hoodies. (rarely=never) OK, so I'm sheltered, too. Putting fabulous clothes and edgy hairstyles on stiff-armed, weirdly proportioned 3-foot tall figures is artsy to say the least. How on earth is Mattel marketing this to these designers? There are much better looking dolls out there. Anyway, there is no resemblance to Barbie except for the stiff arms, perennial smile and the big head.

Is this Mattel's casual/punk version of Theatre de la Mode?

"Karl Lagerfeld's favorite ring-maker, Chrome Hearts (they make other stuff, too, like $800 hoodies and $190 trucker caps) has collaborated with Mattel's Barbie on a 12-doll retrospective.

Now, these are no ordinary pocket-Barbies, oh no. The Chrome Hearts Barbies are each more than 3 feet tall, dressed head-to-toe in intricately detailed Chrome Hearts clothing and jewelry, and they all have their hair done by celebrity stylist Oribe—who usually charges human clients about $500 for a haircut. The clothing, accessory, hair, and makeup detail is actually stunning—check it out in the gallery (above). The Barbies are valued at $18,000 to $25,000 each and will be on exhibit from April 10-24 at Roma Cohen's Alchemist in Miami, after which the tour will continue through New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Shanghai."

Image and text from RACKED. Click on the link for more pictures and information about individual dolls.

Picture of the Week Award ~ April 4, 2010

This is a Tonner doll named Hypnotic Antoinette. James Griffen, aka Paradise Blue on the doll boards, has captured her beauty in this photograph.He repainted her eye-makeup and liner, deepened the shade of her lips and glossed them using Golden Fluid Acrylic paints and then sealed his work with "Golden Varnish".
For the photograph he wet her hair to deepen the color and tame the fly-aways.

James has added the following information:
"Her earrings are something I made from bits of craft pieces that I bought at a dollar store. Her jacket belongs to a Gene Marshall centerpiece doll from the Kentucky "Derby Dreams Gene Convention." Her skirt is a hand-knitted popcorn cape made by a friend which I decided to use as a skirt."

Setting?
"The backdrop is made of black foam core and photographed near a window. Shadows are created by vertical blinds. Antoinette sits on a Siamese cat figurine, also made for me by a friend."

Any photo suggestions to others?
"I use natural light when I can. I like to photograph my dolls by a window. Sunlight coupled and vertical blinds as shadow work well together. Always use the view finder on your camera, (if your camera comes with one.) It helps keep your focus on the prize."

See more of Hypnotic Antoinette and James' work at http://www.thedollpage2.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/417

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

DOLL HOUSE STORIES

Sunrise

on Easter Morning

out in the yard looking for the Bunny!

Bright lights coming from my

studio

Inside, the lights were coming from My

Dollhouse

Since the beginning of January, I've been working on renovating My Dollhouse,

5 coats of paint on the roof

6 coats of paint on the exterior

the transformation has been a bit over-whelming, bringing back a flood of childhood

memories.

and it has been slow-going, I keep thinking to myself, this is wrong, how could I change this house so much with a little, actually a lot of paint!

I worry about what my family will think

and while all this conflict was going on in my head

Bettina Bunny

hopped up to the front door with baskets of Easter eggs.

Luanne, a solemn serious kind of girl

met the Bunny at the door.

Come in

Bettina Bunny hopped in, and wandered into the

Dining Room

"Empty"

she peeked through the swinging Kitchen door

looking at the bugged-eyed girl

she left a chocolate egg for her,

Fleur Sauvage was having a stare down with the oven

Bunny wandered into the back hall-way and ran into Roy

Now Roy loved Bunnies

so she gave him two eggs

to distract him, so she could sneak past

Yum Yum Bunny!

he growled

Bunny smiled at Beach Babe, who only wanted a surf board

no chocolate

down the hall and up the stairs

at the top of the stairs

she was greeted by the Mouse Ladies

and at the end of the hall

she peeked into the Bathroom

Where a golden green Mermaid and her pet fish

where lounging in the bath tub

she left a egg

and continued on

In the next room, she found a lovely Lady Bird

sitting in a pretty cage

too many Kitties live here, she sang "I'm scared!"

but her pretty cage will soon be painted a glittery pink

and she will feel like a true Queen

In the next room Jazzy Blues played from an old radio

Adele sat in the corner, grooving to the tunes of New Orleans

she set the egg on the floor next to her, but I think Adele

would rather have a plate of beans and rice

Across the hall in the next room

The Attic Ghosts

were enjoying jumping on the bed

she quickly left some eggs,

these were some spooky girls!

The last bedroom was very bright and pink

Little Lilly played on the floor with the Siamese house cats

another egg-ball, what fun

at the bottom of the stairs

was another Gi -normous basket of eggs

But in this room the most wonderful music was being played by the elegant

Kitty

Bunny hopped over and curled up on the couch

and listened contently

Luanne seemed absorbed and in a trance with every note

Outside, Bunny heard screaming and giggling

Fleur Sauvage was lounging on the roof

she is a crazy girl

the rest of the group wandered out

so I could take the group shot

Happy Easter

to all my friends

Come in and have some chocolate eggs!

and Yes Luanne, I promise to work on the house, next walls and floors

I promise

Time to go cook my Ham and Bake a Cake

(click on any doll name, to go to the artist's blog)

GARDEN GIRLS

1920

Vanderbilt Mansion

Florida

if you walk down the long driveway

it will lead into many gardens

this is where you will find

The La Garconne Girls

relaxing in the early morning

In the shade of a tree

listening to love birds

sing pretty songs

resting their tired little feet

from dancing the Charleston all night!

So ends the wild Party at the Mansion

Here are all six

LaGarconne Girls

now in my Shop

April starts a new Collection

of Dolls

Mother & Child

WIP

I am now offering lay-away in my shop

so check out my new policies

Back to work in the Studio of

Twigs Faerie Land