Comparison Photos: Violet, Oona, Madra, Gene and Trent

Anne Monday was gracious enough to allow me to repost her excellent photos which compare the newest resin Jamieshow Gene Marshall line to earlier releases.
The new versions are on the right except in the case of Grey Lady Gene.

Violet

 Oona

 Madra

 Grey Lady Gene (On the right is the original vinyl version.)

Trent

Inro Gets Her Man

I've been so busy with the house that all I've had time for is trying a few wigs on Inro. Handling her  is a delight. I wish all of my non-Sybarite resin dolls posed like this one. I don't want to make a detailed comparison between her and the Sybarite body except for the hands.  Inro's hands are far superior and were easy to change out. I do have sets of expressive hands for my Sybs but when I attempted to see how difficult it would be to pull out a hand to get to the stringing, I decided to pass.

In this image, Inro is wearing a Cheryl Wood wig. Although it was made for Sybarites, it is resting on her head nicely. It would fall right off if I tilted her.

I did have time to get a man for this lady. Tonner's basic Hogyo arrived today. I don't know why I didn't like this doll at first. He is my second Hogyo and I really think he's great-looking. I love the pony tail!

These are Instagrammed pictures shot with my iPad. One day soon, these dolls will make it into my studio for a proper photo shoot.

Several "older" couples inhabit my showcases. Here's one Gene and Trent. I like the chiseled look of Trent but the Trent bodies are stiff and can barely pose at all. Even the Trents that Integrity Toys made for the last Gene convention are stiff as they used the same design for the body. I love Gene more now than I did when I first met her. I can't wait to see what Mel has up his sleeve at IDEX.

Electrostatic Flocking

JamesFL aka OOAK Zoo, the wonderfully talented re-paint artist, posted this image and information about electrostatic doll head flocking.

This is what James wrote:

Here's a pic of my GI Joe that I had custom flocked by Ray Cairo of Flock Concepts, he's a master at electrostatic flocking (the fibers stand on end like a brush)...this is not the shake n' bake style of flocking (which actually looks more like felt). I've asked him if he would flock the 16" girls and guys and he said he would, so you just need to contact him with your ideas. He can also do a shorter velvet type flock like on the vintage Kens. He doesn't work with rooted hair so if the head you want flocked has rooted hair you'll probably have to pull it all out first. He can also mix short and long flock fibers, for example shorter on the sides and longer on top for a sort of flat top look.

I've seen electrostatic flocking in action when Alain Tremblay did a workshop at the last Gene convention in Philadelphia a few years ago.  I posted a picture of my flocked head Trent previously on this blog but here it is again.

 It's a great look for some dolls and if you wish to learn more about this process or have someone do this for one of your dolls, check out these links. 

FLOCK CONCEPTS WEBSITE

FLOCK CONCEPTS FORUM

Madra Week: Post #2

These photos were posted by Meg on The Studio Commissary.  Meg's dolls are seriously addicted to cigarettes. The second doll is, of course, Trent.

Happy Birthday to Gene Marshall's Dad

Ernesto Padro-Campos gathered Gene and friends to wish Mel Odom a Very Happy Birthday.

Photo by Ernesto Padro-Campos

A Formal Introduction

This past week on Prego, members have been posting personal introductions. It's fascinating to get background information and see pictures of other collectors. It also strengthens the community. I love it.
I had time today to post one of my own. If you would like to read it, here is the link.

Photo of "Formal Introduction" Trent by Davelandweb.

Check out Dave's Miss Gene Marshall and Her Hollywood Friends blog for more fabulous photographs and information on the dolls pictured there. Dave's dolls include more than Gene. He also features many of Tonner's and Integrity Toy's dolls who are meant to represent movie stars.

Doll Winners and Losers of 2010 - My Picks

So many dolls have arrived this year it's mind-boggling to look back.
I do keep an accurate database with images so I know exactly who arrived and when. I also know who was voted off or waiting for adoption.
The following are not all newly released dolls but they were new to my collection this year and deserve their honors. 

Favorite Dolls of 2010

'Blue Horizon' Gene - Part of the Gene Marshall Convention: The Girls from Dream City

Avantguard Mini Clone Set 

'Flame Blue' Vanessa

'Dreamy' Trent - Gene Convention

'Fashion Plot' Gene (Ashton Drake)

Dasha FR2

Elise Jolie FR2

'Dark Desire' Madra (Ashton Drake)

Cami Basic Platinum

'Red Rabbit' Misaki - I haven't had the time to photograph her yet!

'Disclosure' Monogram - "

'Bijoux' AvantGuard Doll - See recent post.

Evangeline Ghastly and all of her fashons. -See recent post.

Numina Devon.  See recent post prior to this one.

Favorite Separate Fashions and Accessories of 2010

—DollyStyle - Fashion"Our Eyes Conected"by Lovesound

—Tonner 16" Antoinette HYPNOTIC Fashion Doll Outfit:
This picture was taken inside the Tonner Company Store quite a while ago. The silver outfit is Hypnotic and it took a long time for me to get.

—PukiPuki  Hand-knitted Outfit

—'Testament' Sybarite Fashion. I had to have this even though I have no Sybarite.

—'Venus Rising' Tonner Anne Harper Fashion

—'Chic Explorer' Outfit By Louisham Louos

 —JamieShow Outfit from Angelic Dreamz

—'Look Of Love' Poppy Parker Outfit. Actually I like all of the Poppy Parker outfits. They are well-designed, tasteful, fit correctly and adorable. 

Modeled by Mini-Gene

—Christian Louboutin Barbie® Shoe Collection - Presentation in the box is beautiful. 

—Giselle and Smoldering Convention Fashions

—Randall Craig 'The Girl Can't Help It';  'Feeling Good' and most of his IFDC convention line.

—Tyler Wentworth’s “Red Hot” fashion. An "oldie." Slinky, red sequined gown.

—Tabloach Wigs for Puki which fit the Monogram Dolls.
—Horseman Urban Vita Collection French Chairs and other Horseman furniture

This was a year in which I felt I had way too many dolls and I looked at fashions and accessories more than acquiring dressed dolls. 


The disappointments were:
This was, for me, the biggest disappointment of the year: 
—Tonner Convention 'Unforgettable' 13” Revlon

Unforgettable - pre-ordering sight unseen can be a disaster.

—'Virtually Stunning' Alex - Coarse and cartoony-looking features ruined this doll's appearance and made me appreciate the original Alex even more. Why was this gal turned into an Amazon?

Left: Original Alex Body   Right: New Alex Body

 Today I acetone-removed her lip paint and eyebrows and she looks much better already! I am going to attempt a partial repaint.

—Deneuve - I could not love her face no matter how hard I tried.  Her body was wonderful.

—'Tricks of the Trade' Eugenia Perrin Frost - The fashion was not fashionable.

I think several design possibilities were overlooked. ;-)

—Vaughn Workshop Doll - My straightforward one-word opinion of this doll started a shit storm. The word was ugly.

Image by Petra Elise used by Permission

—Kesenia - Ridiculous looking mouth was created when the vampire fangs weren't painted in.

—Jordan 'Fire Within' - A sad mess in her overly youthful fashion and under-developed facial
screening. I did a partial repaint and sold her so I wouldn't be reminded of how much I paid for her. Loved the earrings and shoes.

 __________

This year we saw Fashion Royalty dolls' prices slashed by Integrity for the first time ever. It began with the discontinued Gene Marshall line and once they crossed that barrier, which had to have been an ego blow, they went forward with everything else that couldn't sell at retail.

I will be way more careful next year with the 12" dolls. Some of the dolls were pre-ordered with a kind of magical thinking that I'd love them. It was painful to see the gorgeous exclusive Nadja go on sale for half price...it's still up there.

My list of wonderful acquisitions is by no means complete. Compared to the amount of items I collected, the list of disappointments is small—but if you collect dolls, you will agree that every disappointment hurts.

During the year I added to my Silkstone, Tiny Kitty and Cissette collections. I'm still hunting for Tiny Kitty's Dress Shoppe.  The Silkies are useful for displaying Fashion Royalty 1st generation articulated body (short) fashions. They fit the Silkies almost perfectly! The Silkie I really wanted was ridiculously expensive so I didn't get her. I do draw the line once in a while.
Cissette has an unexplainable attraction for me. How did they get all the pieces of this fashion onto this little doll? It's so over the top.

Look how cute she is next to Cissy.

Time to wrap up this way-too-long post. I'd love to hear what your favorites and disappointments were in 2010.

Great Sale on Gene Marshall Items at Integrity Toys Direct

Madra Lord "The Jeweled Cat" is on sale for $139.99. That is a bargain at 1/2 of retail. Many, many more dolls and fashions at very good prices. Go!

Integrity Toys



Added on August 18th:
There are other items on sale, too. But as Uriah commented below, none of us was notified by email or announcement that there was going to be a sale. I think they're afraid we'll crash the server - we've done it. Hehe. More power to the collectors!

Back Again with More Stardust Stuff

Stuff...it's what our lives are filled with. Coming home from a convention goes beyond instant gratification of dolly desires; it exceeds the MDR and quickly becomes overload. I have to photograph the spoils of war in order to grasp what greed really means.

Top - bagged outfits purchased in the Integrity store at very low prices. The boxed fashion was also a 'steal.'

These two fashions I could definitely live without but at the price, why should I? Purchased in a room sale.

From Happily Ever After, this DAE fashion will fit Trent (at least that's what they told me.)

In addition I picked up three wigs from Marcia and a sweater from Dayle in the vendor's room. I swooned over a gorgeous gray silk dress with ribbon embroidery from Pam Seeman of Paintbox Designs. It became mine.

I got so tired of shopping that I actually forgot to buy something I wanted. Don't tell my husband you heard me say that. I will deny it.

More Convention Pictures and Stardust Dolls for Sale

The centerpiece dolls were Gene, Madra, Zita and Trent. I was able to purchase the Madra and Trent. Gene is apparently a fan favorite as there are people practically begging for her on the boards. She is quite the beauty and her outfit is adorable. Her hat is fabulous! Madra is in a highly stylized suit. The lace front forms a heart. It's definitely Madra-esque. Zita is glamorous and very pretty. I love her hairstyle but the gown is just average. I'd like to see her in a dark color.

Gene

Love, Madra

Zita

The Integrity sales room was filled to the brim with previously released Gene dolls. I availed myself of a load of stuff. One doll I always wanted was "All About the Eyes" Gene. I can't wait to get her out of the box. The prices were ridiculously cheap. If this is an indication of how much it costs to manufacture a doll then I just don't want to know. The mark-up is unbelievable.
The other boxed sale doll I purchased was for the gown. It is Marsha Hunt in "The Irene Gown."I have always loved this gown but not the doll. The price was right. We were permitted to purchase just one of each of these sale items.

There was a room for vendors in addition to Integrity's sales room. In there one could find jewelry, props, OOAK dolls, manufacturer dolls of many different types, clothing, shoes, Dressmaker Details line of clothing for Gene, Happily Ever After and lots of goodies. One visit wasn't enough!

And the room sales-most were concentrated on two floors which was a plus compared to the FR Pittsburgh dis-organization all over the hotel. I picked up this Horseman/Vita furniture which I've been wanting ever since seeing it at IDEX. It's fantastic. The chair is fully scaled for 16" dolls. It is not skimpy like most furniture. Covered in vinyl with metal supports and legs, it will be perfect for my dolls. The tables are very lightweight. The bases are cut from plastic and must be slotted together carefully. Once together they are nearly impossible to take apart.

Puki Madeline, my travel doll, enjoyed sitting on the back of the chair in my room.___________

Updated:
This is what remains to sell:

NUDE "Dreamy" Trent Osborne Dressed Figure $95..

Click on the link to see pictures and descriptions.
http://www.thedollpage.com/ads/searchresults.php?owner=46