"ABSINTHE" INSPIRED BY THE JASON WU SPRING 2024 READY TO WEAR COLLECTION:

 The W Club was shown this new doll, Absinthe, which is described best below:

• 12.5-inch articulated doll with rooted hair and hand applied eyelashes;
• Elegant asymmetrical fit and flare dress made of luxurious Jason Wu custom couture fabric (note: the original fabric used for the human version of this gown did not work in doll-scale, so Jason sourced the final fabric from the couture custom mill as his desired replacement);
• Jason Wu branded shoebox;
• Jason Wu branded protective pouch;
• Viper green slingback heels with buckle detail;
• Viper green satin clutch;
• Statement golden "emerald" earrings;
• Matching golden "emerald" ring;
• Pair of FR hands;
• Pair of long-manicured hands;
• Alternate pair of grip hands;
• Doll stand;
• Certificate of authenticity.

When you open the offering you see Elyse Jolie in several poses one of which follows. 

There is a little video that shows the doll spinning on a stand.

Then a few more pictures of Absinthe and her accessories.

And THEN...you see the actual human model with the human version of the dress.

Wow! What a difference. The human dress fabric is so much more luxurious in how it falls and the fabric colors are more sophisticated than the contrasty light and dark green of the doll's dress. The flat-chested model (poor thing - she should eat something,) shows off the dress best. 

It reminds me of a theme I have running on my Kingdom Doll board called "Who Wore it Better?"

The model does. 

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Item # 12336

Absinthe

Elyse Jolie™ Dressed Doll

The Jason Wu™ Collection

MSRP: $220 + S & H

Special W Club Price: $199 + S & H

Tariff Surcharge (Portion passed on to customers; estimated based on 30% at time of receipt, subject to below)*: $20

(RTB winners will pay $199 + S, H, taxes & any tariff surcharge* per doll, in full once winners are notified).

{Thanks Donald}

*The tariff surcharge is the portion of tariffs in US dollars that will be passed on to the customers. The estimate of the portion to be passed onto customers above is based on a 30% tariff rate at the time that this product is received by Integrity Toys out of Customs. If the tariffs are lower at that time, the surcharge will also be lowered. If the tariffs are eliminated at that time, there will be no surcharge. If the tariffs are higher at that time, the surcharge will likely be adjusted higher. This amount above is provided as a courtesy to calculate the cost based on the information and tariff levels as they are today, but are subject to the aforementioned changes. Please contact us if any of this is unclear before pre-ordering and thank you for your understanding as we try to navigate this situation!

The UFDC Tonner Exclusive Banquet Centerpiece Doll, "Moonlit Grace," Finally Arrives

 "Moonlit Grace" was not available at the closing banquet in Norfolk,VA this past July due to international shipping delays. There was a prototype to examine at the back of the room. She looked very nice and I went against my practice of not ordering a Tonner Doll before seeing it in real life due to prior disappointing experiences of dolls not living up to their promotional images. I didn't learn well enough. Perhaps I was struck with a bout of FOMO. 

She arrived yesterday in a bashed shipper delivered by USPS Ground Advantage. 

When I saw the shipper, I hoped against hope that the doll box and it's contents were undamaged. Unfortunately the back of the interior doll box also took a hit as seen in the photo above.  It was a miracle that the doll herself was undamaged although I have not detached her from the box to check. 

Needless to say, I was quite dismayed.

Reba Hood, (Second Vice-President, Director Convention Services) responded to the email I sent to UFDC. I was instructed to send it all back and they would send a replacement. They would also pay for my shipping. 

I snapped a few pictures of Moonlit Grace in her box. Her gown is stunning. The jewelry is excellent. Her hair is styled well although I wish it was a wig but that's another story. I'm not overly fond of the sculpt but it is done very well. She is definitely of the flapper period. 

There is a listing at the UFDC Store asking $550. I'm selling for $500. plus postage.

This is the description they posted: (I edited this paragraph for grammatical clarity and spelling.)

"Moonlit Grace" by Robert Tonner was to be the convention Centerpiece doll for UFDC 2025. She is a vinyl 22 ½-inch tall and is jointed at the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, midriff, knee, and hip.  She has rooted, styled, blond hair and painted face. The pink lace sleeveless, drop-waist dress is embellished with satin roses and leaves that float over a satiny full slip with a pink crepe insert and elbow sleeves. Pink lace shoulder drapes float down her back. Diamante earrings, choker and cuffs make her sparkle.
 You will need to pull off her hands to get the elbow-length sleeve on her arms. The silver shoes are very detailed as expected.

Thinning The Herd

We moved to a smaller house with an enormous basement and tons of storage. 

Problem is, I don't want to keep my dolls in storage. 

It's always been my habit to unbox. I couldn't wait to get my hands on a new doll. 

I'm not doing that anymore with my dolls, mainly those that are under 16" and not resin BJDs.

So...I'm listing everything I can bear to part with and I'm not done. 

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 See the list on the right hand side of this page where it says SHOP HERE.  —>

Amicus Dolls by Alena Amicus

I just learned of Amicus Dolls today from a post on Prego by Ori. She posted a group of these dolls and I was impressed by their realism.

The owner of Amicus dolls is Alena Amicus. Her stated vision is as follows:

I create articulated human-like dolls (ball jointed dolls). My addiction is to show the human’s body beauty, that’s why I concentrate on flexibility of my dolls as well as on the realistic sculpting.
Different methods are used in my work: development in 3D programs, hand sculpting, manufacturing in different materials, such as porcelain, photopolymers and polyurethane.

She was awarded the 2022 Dolls Awards of Excellence Industry's Choice Awards.  Many of her various portfolios are posted which show you the broad range of talent Alena has.

The website was complex to me at first as I was totally unfamiliar with her methods of pre-orders, extra parts, digital files and the names of her characters.  You can order a digital file of full figures or mannequins and various body parts such as heads, faceplates, hands, feet and eyes.  Examples shown here.

There are a few dolls available to ship - very few. You have to watch for her announcements and posted dates for doll availability. That's pretty normal for specialized, highly sought after dolls. 

She does not take orders for clothes or wigs as she wants to concentrate on making dolls only. But she does provide an international list of doll artists. 

Here is a picture of her Kiddos dolls. Keep in mind that they are sold nude.  

A pre-order period for these Kiddos begins on August 22, 2025

34cm and 32cm tall.  (Boys 13.39" and Girls 12.6")

This is one of her Urban Legend Dolls (44cm or 17.32" tall)

There is so much more. Take a look for yourself.

https://amicus-dolls.com/

 

2025 UFDC II Metrodolls Attendees at the Banquet, Companion Doll by Robert Tonner 2025 UFDC II

Someone told us to look right. Why?

This is the prototype of the Companion Doll designed by Robert. I ordered her on a whim but she is gorgeous and I hope she turns out to be just like the prototype.

 

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UFDC III 2025 MetroDolls Club Put on An Amazing Display! Don't miss this post.

 All dolls and fashions produced by the Tonner Doll Club. These are all original TDC products.

Note that some dolls are not dressed in their original fashions

Make the pictures as large as you can on your devices in order to see the details. You will not regret it!

Setting Up

Video Below

UFDC 2025 III Norfolk Scenic Shots, Navy Ships, Chrysler Museum, Peyote Beading

2025 UFDC III

 

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Joyce J. Scott (American, born 1948) 

'War, What is it Good For, Absolutely Nothin, 

Say it Again,' 2022, 

Peyote stitch, glass beads, thread Neckpiece shown on model Aisha Butler, Courtesy of Mobilia Gallery Image credit: © Jeff Butler

In this exhibition, thirty-four remarkable beaded works of art spanning the artist’s career express contemporary issues and concepts. Included in the show is Scott’s recent beaded neckpiece, War, What is it Good For, Absolutely Nothin’, Say it Again (2022). A technical feat in peyote stitch, infused with color and texture, this multilayered and intricate beadwork comments on violence in America.

Scott’s subject matter, whether social or political, reflects the artist’s own narrative of what it means to be Black in America. Meticulously hand-wrought, Joyce J. Scott’s works embody the messages she hopes to impress upon her viewers.

This exhibition is organized by Mobilia Gallery, Cambridge, MA.

Chrysler Museum has some magnificent modern and early glass pieces. The later pieces show more unusual styles. Earlier pieces show off classic embellished glass styles. They have everything including a very cool gift shop.

Here are some works that appealed to me and some views of the museum itself:

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There are glass design studios and classes of all kinds. A visitor may watch the teaching in progress.

Here are a few more from inside and outside:

This is my reflection in a sculpture.

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