Keeki Adaeze, A New Doll from Integrity's New Meteor Line

The new line of dolls from Integrity Toys looks to be quite unique. The one doll that I was very attracted to was "Afterglow" Keeki Adaeze. Her spectacular coat did it for me. I did not order her when the W Club offered her to members but after I saw her IRL, I was lucky to find a member sell her to me for retail. She is here now and I'm mostly pleased.

She was not easy to photograph only because her boots are just soles with woven everything else. Her feet keep slipping off the soles. I need to come up with a solution - or not - but it's not a supportive type of foot covering. It should have been a slip-on shoe with the stocking attached. There had to be a better way that was not considered.
Her hair came with a product on it that I'll eventually wash out and I could have done with much less glitter on her eyelids.
She's wearing a flimsy mini dress that appears to be over a shirt but it's all one piece. Her neckpiece is a 2 piece magnetic rhinestone covered creation that is my favorite part of the fashion after the coat. The earrings dangle below her shoulders and her sparkly ring is lovely.

The new box is very attractive.

The Meteor body has been reworked thus:

"We know that for many customers, compatibility between brands is extremely important. After careful consideration, Meteor ladies feature a newly assembled doll body composed of the following components:

East 59th upper torso

Slightly re-engineered Color Infusion lower torso

Fashion Royalty/NU. Face arms and hands

Newly developed legs compatible with Fashion Royalty and NU. Face shoes."

Quite honestly, I wouldn't know the difference between Color Infusion torsos and East 59th torsos if they were to fall on me.

Here are some of her promotional photos.

The following are mine:

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Adonis Fashion Male Doll from JHD Toys - A Review

Adonis is part of the Mizi Doll line.  He is the second wave which consisted of three "Hormone" dolls.  Each of the three had a different skin tone, hair color, face-up and brief color. The regular retail price was $110. Then prices went wild on eBay, reaching heights of over $300. for one doll. The going price right now is under $200 if you buy all three and about $225. if you buy just one.
I find it so funny that someone is selling his EMPTY box with the stand for $11.50.
The box is on the flimsy side. My doll's sandals were loose and floating about in the box.

This is the first 1/6 scale doll I've purchased in years. Something about his hunkiness and his popularity intrigued me.

BUT...simply put...don't rush out to buy them if you are used to Fashion Royalty Homme quality.

Yes, there's a bit of a price difference but for what you get, these dolls are overpriced. Their articulation and posing abilities are far inferior. The quality is lower. For a nearly nude doll with meh face-ups and wonky lower legs, the price should be way under $100.

Google "nude Superman Ken doll" to see his body. He's not as edgy, has fisted hands and painted hair but he was only $39.99 originally.  All I'm saying is that Adonis is over-priced and over-hyped. It is not competition for Fashion Royalty.

But I digress.

I also purchased a fashion called "The Boy Next Door." The fashion pack was $68. That's about right.

I like the overalls and the t-shirt. With the sneakers, I recommend removing his feet, including the joint, and after loosening all the laces, insert the foot all the way into the shoe. Then you can push his feet back on. 

Why is his pack on so his name reads upsidedown? 

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Summer Project Part VII - The End

This project wraps up with 3 gorgeous dolls.

July 6, 2019

Adele "Frosted Glamour" 2017
Dressed in her original fashion. 

It was difficult for me to get a really good photo of her outside so here is an indoor one that shows the shadows and highlights the way they should be.

Agnes Von Weiss "Devotion" W Club Exclusive 2018

Wearing original fashion.

I'm not a fan of the Agnes sculpt. I've had many and always wound up selling them and I wasn't sure if I'd keep this doll when she arrived. Well, she is staying! The jewelry and the henna are beautiful. The black dress doesn't do anything for me but it makes a decent backdrop for the rest. 

Isha "Divinity" 2018

Wearing original fashion.

The line of dolls called "Sacred Lotus Collection" by Integrity Toys is inspired and beautiful. I'm still expecting the Elise "Divinely Luminous,"  which is a W Club exclusive.

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That does it for my 12" Integrity Toys collection. I have managed to halve it in the last three years. The process of photographing each doll this season has pointed out to me that I can still eliminate a few here and there but there are still many that I just love. They bring me joy. 

Summer Project Continued Part V

July 1, 2019

Vanessa "True Royalty" 2006.  Rerooted
Wearing Antonio Realli dress. I don't recall the origin of her hat.

I've always thought True Royalty was one of the least attractive of all the 1.0 Vanessa dolls. There is something weird about her face - it's as if it is pushed in at the upper part of the nose.
But her clothing was beautiful and so different that she was irresistible.
There was a big controversy before her actual release. First of all, one had to buy a Magma Heritage calendar. It was filled with beautiful FR photography. If you bought a calendar, you became eligible to be in a lottery to be able to purchase her. There were a few pissed off collectors. Then she was listed at one price and shortly after, Integrity tried to raise the price. Collectors rebelled and IT backed down. Magma Heritage, who owned the exclusive, stopped being an IT dealer after that.
I had a lot of fun photographing her in her original form. Some of those photos are located in posts on this blog.

Here is her original presentation.  This was a very large padded box and it was fabulous. It was one of three "Atelier" products ever offered by IT. They did not call it a gift set if I remember correctly.

Vanessa "Aerodynamic" 2009.  Repainted by Vin Trapani
Wearing "Illustrious Luxury Wear Costume" Available at Gloss Convention 2014  as an outfit only. I've always thought it was unattractive to show the under-bust joint on a doll wearing a low cut gown. In this photo, I have edited the joint out.

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June 30, 2019

Vanessa "High Tide" 2007
Wearing Elise Jolie "Flawless"

Vanessa "Sheer Sensuality" 2014
Wearing a OOAK by unknown (at this stage) artist.

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Monarch La Scala Steals Silkstone's Dress and Looks Better than the Victim

Blush & Gold Cocktail Dress Barbie is cringing in her showcase. She had to give up her pretty dress to La Scala. I keep telling her it's only temporary but she's not having it.

LaScala doesn't care. She's pondering which Silkstone outfit she will snatch next. This spoiled little (12") girl will never know the feeling of having nothing to wear.

Photos of my Lovely Little 'La Scala Georgiana'

I've been so busy posting photos on Facebook boards that I've neglected this blog. Today, I'll make up for that.
In all of these photos, the fashions are from other 1/6 scale dolls or made for them by individuals. I love that she can wear Silkstone and Integrity gowns and dresses.

La Scala Georgiana Reviewed

This week, the first release of Monarch Dolls was sent out to collectors. The response has been tremendously positive judging by what I've seen on the boards and on Facebook.
There were two versions, each in an edition of 50 pieces. I picked La Scala. The other one is called Covent Garden Georgiana.

It's only four days from when people began to receive their dolls and I've already seen five people with both versions. (We were supposed to choose one or the other.) That's five who are either posting photos or just talking about getting both. There's nothing wrong with that but I wonder about the people who made such a fast decision and turn-around to sell theirs. Some of them are saying that they didn't bond or that the doll is too small for them. There are some who bought the doll to trade it for something else. OK, whatever.

I used to wonder about the same thing on the W Club board. There were always two or three people who posted a brand new doll for sale immediately at a jacked-up price. There's something missing with the thought process of someone who has the balls to do that. The potential buyer, willing to pay a premium for a doll, may be happy, but the one that dearly wanted a chance to have one is not and becomes resentful. I feel bad for a long time doll friend who has never been able, in five years, to get a 16" Kingdom Doll and now was also not able to get a Monarch Doll either.

That's the doll world and I suppose it goes on in every collectible milieu.

Back to La Scala. She is 12" tall and has a size 4 head. If you put a 4-5 on her, it will be too full. I have a dozen or more 4/5 wigs that look ridiculous on La Scala. Wigs made for Integrity's Monogram dolls fit quite well. Barbie has a size 4 head but I have no wigs made for her to test.
Her joints are perfectly strung and her posing ability is excellent. The resin feels like velvet and has a matte finish. It is recommended that the doll is handled only with gloves to avoid transferring natural body oils to the resin which will eventually cause the matte to go shiny.

The red silk dress with its gold insert is reminiscent of a 16" Kingdom Doll gown.

Her purse is a faux gold metal envelope with a rhinestone letter M and dangles on a long gold chain. It opens.

Her right hand is a "pocketbook holding" hand. Monarchs do not have extra hands. 

Her shoes were cast in resin to fit their ultra-arched shape.

I have them shown below with tiny rubber bands as one kept falling off while I was dressing and photographing her. I didn't want them to disappear as no other shoes in my huge collection of 1/6 scale dolls shoes will fit. They are a clear resin with shiny red sparkles.

You can also see the lovely new stand with the Monarch symbol in gold on a white acrylic base. 

Another alteration I made was to the saddle of the stand. I cut a strip of moleskin and adhered it to the surface of the saddle. It's protection against thigh rub marks and also provides a bit of resistance to the doll slipping.

My comparison photo shows (left to right) La Scala, a frankendollied articulated Barbie body, an original Silkstone body, the newer articulated Silkstone body, an FR2 body and a Dominion Doll body. The four in the middle are not resin dolls, of course. 

La Scala has a beautifully sculpted, proportioned body. 

She makes a lovely addition to my collection.

Georgiana Devonshire cost $650 plus postage.

Séduisante Elise W Club Exclusive

Approximately 7 months ago (July, 2017), members of the W Club were told that there would be a lottery for this 'basic' Elise who would have the interchangeable fashion to flat feet. Within a few days, we were told that there would be enough for all members to order - no lottery necessary.

Séduisante Elise has a simple palette with gold eyeshadow being the only highlight.
Her hair is straight with a center part.

She comes with her no-frills, cut-to-there bathing suit, a striped tote, sunglasses, earrings and a bracelet. To adorn her two sets of feet we have white sandals and blue strappy wedges.

Those of you who were around years ago, will recognize the coin-like jewelry from basic bathing beauties of the past. It's funny but I still have all that jewelry!

 I tried to pull one leg off and it finally came off after much careful tugging. Then I plugged in my heating pad and warmed the legs for about 10 minutes which made removal and replacement much easier.

I hope that many will have used that method or hot water instead of forcing the parts apart which would likely loosen or break the tabs.
Notice the placement of the connecting tab which is quite different from hand replacements we're used to.
I'm not a big fan of the flat feet as most people's feet aren't literally flat and totally flat feet look strange. They need an arch for a bit of realism.

This "beta" leg changing version doll was priced at $140. plus postage. That's pretty pricey for a bathing suit basic doll.We are paying for the new feature. They should have done this with Poppy Parker years ago.

Now I must decide what she'll be wearing and how to style her hair.