Who is Charmaine King?

Was Charmaine King an aviator cum fashion model? If Byron Lars was attempting to do steampunk, he failed.
I like the helmet with goggles, the scarf and the big hair. What I do not like is the dress bottom. This dress would have been hot if it were white 'leather' and stopped just above the knee.  Long gloves out; driving gloves in. Throw a bunch of strange geared and clock jewelry around her neck. Put her in some platform boots with appropriate adornment and voila, steampunk trendy.

Doll retails for $100 directly from Barbie Collector.Com

Wait for a sale.

Superdoll Sale

You know you're in trouble when a collector in Germany emails you about a sale in Great Britain. But I'm so glad she did! I got my Bride Innoquii - still not inexpensive at 120 GBP plus postage plus the little extra Paypal tags on. It came to $230.64 which is a lot nicer than the nearly $350. it would have cost at full price. I'm so excited. Now my pirate will have a sister.

Superdoll



Why is everything going on sale right before the convention? This is a bad time for a convention. I hope next year's is earlier in October.

RestoreDoll.com Liquidating Inventory

Kathy at RestoreDoll.com has announced that she and her husband will begin to phase into their retirement by liquidating the inventory of their on-line store.  This may be sad news to some because Kathy has been very instrumental in matching vintage colors for scores of dolls.
The sale begins with 30% off everything including skeins of doll hair, flocking, fashion boxes, paint and repair kits.

Katsilk Skeins

Fashion Display Box

Tonner Direct Releases 2010 Ultra Basic Tyler Dolls

Today Tonner Direct announced two exclusive Ultra Basic Tyler dolls.

The one on the left has platinum hair, blue eyes and bloom skintone. The one on the right has raven hair, green eyes and lily skintone. She looks dead.  I don't know what the fascination is with really white skin unless the doll is supernatural,  in costume or a geisha.

I want a Grey Lady. Boohoo.


LE300
You can purchase the pair for $129.99 plus postage. Individually they are $69.99.

Ultra Basic dolls do not come with stands or any accessories such as earrings or shoes. What you see is what you get.

Thanksgiving Feast Barbie Doll

The Thanksgiving Feast Barbie has arrived and I am very pleased that I ordered her! She looks even better in person than the promotional photo.

I will be leaving her in her box. Just look at the background. It's perfect!

Her stand appears to be a vintage type with pins that insert into the bottom of the foot. Yay!

The food tray is nicely detailed and executed and although the doll's hands can't really hold anything, the rubber bands are supporting the tray at a 'believable' angle.

The box was completely tissued and came in it's own mint shipper box inside of another peanut filled box. So how did the upper right corner get smooshed?  It doesn't really bother me but it is noteworthy.

This doll is available for purchase to Barbie Fan Club members for the retail price of $50. One doll per membership. She is a Gold Label and part of the Holiday Hostess Collection. No more than 3100 units will be produced worldwide.

I heartily recommend this doll.

Best Price for Jason Wu/Madame Alexander New Alex Line Dolls

The Doll Market is offering the three Jason Wu designed dolls," Graphic Content Paris", "Going Platinum Paris" and "Virtually Stunning Alex", for the Madame Alexander Alex Line at a sale price of $119.97.
This is the best price I've seen for these dolls which are listed for $149.95 elsewhere except at the Toy Shoppe which is selling them for $134.95. The Luxe Finishing Accessory Set is being sold for  $79.96 instead of $99.95.

These are all pre-order items as the dolls are not expected to be released until late November.

Virtually Stunning Alex

I wasn't going to...but I did pre-order VS Alex.
Strangely enough, neither dealer is offering Mahogany Alex at all. She is available at most other doll dealers for $149.95. As previously noted in another post, all these dolls are LE 150. I think some will sell out, not only because they are lovely, new and designed by Jason, but because they will be released at the beginning of the holiday season spending melee.

I want her, too:

"Vice" Cissy - $349.95 — Expected Delivery December, 2010

If she wasn't so huge at 21" tall, I'd have already put in an order. But I already have all the empty space on my Cissy shelf filled in with smaller dolls for whom there is no more room on their own shelves.

Every now and then I get the queasy feeling that it's time to stop. And then I go to a convention.

(My name is Terri and I am a Doll Addict.)

If you're not registered for the Integrity Toys 2010 Convention here's what to expect.

This post is basically for"newbies" who have not experienced the selling/buying frenzy that occurs after a convention.
You will be able to purchase pretty much everything except the food served to the conventioneers. Of course, you can't buy the fun.

The Convention Collection is made up of the dolls every attendee gets to purchase if they so desire.  Everyone who is registered has received a list of the dolls and the "special" convention price which is between $20-$25 less than the suggested retail.

Here is the list:

“Always Polished” Dasha FR2 Dressed Doll (New Character!)
(Sugg. Retail $175.00)
“Fine Romance” Eugenia Perrin Frost™ Dressed Doll
(Sugg. Retail $175.00)
“Wild at Heart” Lillith and Eden™ Gift Set
(Sugg. Retail $200.00)
“Scarlet Woman” Adèle Makéda® Dressed Doll
(Sugg. Retail $110.00)
“Out of the Blue” Kyori Sato® Dressed Doll
(Sugg. Retail $110.00)
“Night Vision” Count Adrian Von Lamberg™ Figure (New Character!)
(Sugg. Retail $110.00)
“Ask Any Girl” Poppy Parker Gift Set
(Sugg. Retail $150.00)

Most attendees who decide to sell dolls will raise the price from 50—100% and sometimes more depending upon the popularity of the doll and/or their desire to sell.

Other dolls you can count on seeing for sale will be table centerpieces, souvenir dolls given to attendees as part of the convention and the final night's convention doll.

There will be items for sale to conventioneers in the souvenir store which will probably consist of prior year dolls and accessories and perhaps dolls from the Gene Marshall  line. These may show up for sale as well.


There are some collectors who never sell a doll that they get either because they can't part with it or they don't know how to sell. 
Selling items from a convention is a way to make attending the convention affordable (for those of us who do not have unlimited funds.) If you need a push to sell, just add up how much it costs to attend! Write it down and look at the number.

Convention Registration: $350.
Travel To and From the Hotel: (Depends upon mode of transportation.)
Hotel Room: $135. plus tax per night
Additional Meals and/or Beverages: (Four meals are included)
Workshop Kits: (optional-workshops are free but kits can be purchased)
Design-A-Doll Workshop: (optional $35. per doll)
W Club Luncheon: (optional) $50.
Centerpiece: (optional) $150. (based on prior year costs)
Convention Collection: (optional) $936.25 PA tax included
Room Sales: (optional)
Souvenir Store Purchases: (optional)

Great Sale Prices at Chelsea's Collector Cottage in Australia

Chelsea's Collector Cottage is celebrating their 10th Birthday and offering excellent prices on many dolls.
For example: Avantguard "On Edge" is on sale for $99. AUD which comes to about $97.66 USD. The MSRP on this AG doll was $249. Of course many dealers lowered the price shortly after she was issued. Hard to believe, isn't it?
Some of the other items on sale include 2010 Barbie and BFMC, Dynamite Girls, Poppy Parker, Fashion Royalty, and one Tonner doll.
Unfortunately, the dollar is quite weak so there isn't much difference between the Australian dollar and the US dollar. You will need to convert the prices as they are listed in AUD. I use XE Currency Converter.


Chelsea's Collector Cottage

The last few days...

I have been crazy busy sewing a costume for the Fashion Royalty convention. It was finished today and a few hours after it was finished I decided to wear something less costume-y.  The husband unit cracked up. He actually liked the costume I made and was also impressed. I'm entitled to change my mind, aren't I?
I will still wear a 'costume' and part of it is something I made but it's better and more me.

I received a reply very quickly after sending an email to the Franklin Mint regarding their Michelle Obama doll.

Dear Terri,

Thank you for your email.

Please be advised that the Michelle Obama doll stands approximately 16.5
inches in height, and the image online is a photograph of the actual
doll. This doll does not have a wig, but rooted hair, and the clothes
are not sewn on, as there will be interchangeable ensembles offered in
the future.

If you need additional information on this matter, please call our toll
free Client Service number at 1-800-843-6468 and one of our
representatives would be more than happy to assist you.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Jennings
Client Service and Satisfaction Representative

I do not believe that the promotional image is an unretouched photograph. I think the face is Photoshopped.  Time will tell. George of Angelic Dreamz told me that release of the doll will not be too soon.

Of the three 1/4 scale Michelle Obama dolls either released or proposed so far I think that Ashton Drake's doll is the best. Their image is also touched up - hey, most of mine are touched up as well. The difference is that I am not selling dolls whose faces I have altered to make them look better.  A-D's version has more articulation and looks more natural. I think the price is also better. First Lady of Style Michelle Obama Fashion Doll Collection will be the first doll in a series that Ashton Drake plans.



I hunted around the internet with a search "Michelle Obama  Dolls" and I found a few interesting options. Each title is a link to the site where I found it.


Michele Obama First lady of Fashion Figurine Collection

Michele Obama Action Figure Set of Three
These figures are available separately for about $12.95 elsewhere.

Designed and manufactured by Jailbreak Toys

Michele Obama Action Figurine (Awful but her arms look great.)
If you put this doll in the sites shopping cart and then attempt to navigate to another page or go back, you will be offered a 7% discount.

Michelle First lady Paper Dolls

And that's that!

I'm hoping to find some time next week to take a few pictures of the Mini LiveWire I just got.