I received my Life Ball doll today, a week after most other collectors in this country got theirs. That's weird as I live only one day away via the USPS. The delay gave me a chance to digest the mixed reviews of others. Some are raves and some are rants. Here are excerpts from a few on the W Club Board.
*"Thanks to all who have pointed out the cheap body features. I will not expect a great deal or be upset — well, perhaps not. The eyes, the cheap store dolly hands, plastic shoes.
The doll with no name of her own cost well over $300 with shipping here.... I feel sad. Jason may have designed the gown for the doll but did he know about the eyelid ridge, the Candi doll hands and more plastic cheap shoes? I do not believe he could have. Are any photos showing the gloves on the doll? Perhaps to cover up the horrible hands?"
*"Still don't get why they went back to pre-applied eyelashes era I love applied lashes, I went and applied lashes to all my earlier FR that don't come with lashes. So I can fix her too, but I feel like I shouldn't have to fix a $275 doll."
*"I have to say that I love her hair for me its totally in proportion; it's just perfect. ... I spent some time redressing mine this evening, she fits in Silkie fashions really well and the earlier FR fashions that were made for the smaller busted gals."
*"The hands are not a pleasant surprise but they are also not awful as I feared. The dress is great and I work with the fashion industry and pockets in a gown are really quite in, very modern. The hands aren't awful; I was worried. I wish she had the hand speak system or even the FR hands but they are pretty, they aren't the duck paddles that Valia was given. Her face is flawless and her hair is perfectly to scale. Wonderful."
*She's a breathtaking doll and the packaging is top-knotch. Integrity did an amazing job with this one.
*"Didn't mind the hands too much, but the thing that bugs me the most is the stand. Wish they had stuck with the original FR stand...as this one grips her from behind under her arms. By doing so, the train of the dress cannot flare out from behind....and it's a pity cause the black base with the Life Ball Logo is terrific. I'll try switching with another telescoping rod. Aside from that minor issue...this doll is one of the most exciting, well-done dolls that I've seen since FAO Eugenia."_________________________
The doll box is luxurious with it's black flocked exterior and shiny silver lining. There is a lovely red satin ribbon tied in a bow over the paper that opens to reveal the doll. The inside cover of the box explains the doll, talks about Jason and has pictures of the original dress and of Jason himself.
The doll's facial screening is very accurate and she is very beautiful. There's neither a hair out of place nor a sign of dried gel or hairnet marks. The gown is pretty and conservative-looking but not quite cutting-edge haute couture. The fabric feels good. I can't tell about the drape as I am not taking her out. The contents of the two drawers are red plastic shoes with ribbon ties and black pleather long gloves.
I am a huge eyelash freak and they left the lashes off this gal. There aren't even any painted on. What happened? Did they run out of time? That was really the deal breaker for me. It's funny how important those lashes have become to me as a sign of a higher quality doll to which extra attention has been paid. Rubbery shoes are replaceable (but not appropriate with a $270. doll), hair can be restyled but the eyelashes are difficult for me to apply and I've been happy that all the dolls in the last 2 years have had eyelashes.
All I can say about the hands is that it's too bad they're not the poppit-bead type of hands which have recently appeared on FR dolls. Then they could be replaced by more graceful-looking ones.
Now - as far as the charitable thing....I wonder if Integrity would answer a query regarding the amount of money US citizens can claim as a charitable donation on their income tax from the purchase of this doll. Do we want to find out?
