2/24/2012

Stress Relief

With all the stress that accompanies buying and selling real estate I find that injecting some doll activity into my day really helps.
We made a nice little visit to the Tonner Store this afternoon. I don't even have to buy anything to feel good there. The Doll Doctor, Noreen, is always ready for a chat. I can check out whatever new dolls have shown up and gaze at dolls over and over again. Such delight.
Of course the only camera I had with me was my iPhone. Lizette is much prettier in person than the promo picture showed.

Ms. Beetlejuice did not disappoint. She's just as strange and wonderful in real life as she was in the promo.


I saw the Nu Mood dolls, the new wigs but none of the separates were there yet.  Next time I go over there, I promise to take a real camera. Famous last words.
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I'm a sucker for free shipping - as if the costs weren't built in to the dolls already. Barbie Collector.com just has to send me a free shipping notice and I'm all over it. I put in my order for the club Silkstone, Afternoon Suit Barbie, and the Walking Suit Barbie. I used my first $20. coupon. New York State took $11.20.  
Ugh. I don't want to go off into a rant about taxes but I feel like ranting anyway.

There is an adorable new tote bag on the site. I love the graphic which is different on each side. 


Speaking of tote bags, I was able to order a few Jason Wu for Target items recently, one of which was the cat tote. It's adorable. I also got the cat scarf and the cat t-shirt. I ordered a large which is way too big for me. I figured that it would be cut small since Jason's clothes look like they're for a teenage body. I was wrong. If someone out there has a brand new, unworn medium cat t-shirt they'd like to trade for a large, let me know.

The scarf is beautiful and quite large. I rarely wear scarves but I will find a use for this one.
I also purchased two handbags and the blue pointelle sweater. I love the sweater!!!
I can just see myself in this dress with the socks and loafers and the German Nanny hairdo.



Nu Mood Body Descriptions – Tyler, Dance, Curvaceous and Heroic!

Originally posted by Kevin Von Duuglas-Ittu, Tonner's Director of Social Media on the Tonner Blog. This excellent information contains great pictures of the different Tonner body types being used in the Nu Mood lines.


The Tyler Body – sometimes referred to as ‘The Fashion Body’
• Classic fashion body
• Medium bust
• Slim hips
• Detachable hands and feet
• Thirteen points of articulation
• 16” tall
• Our most popular body style, used in numerous figures over the years. Any clothing made for Tyler Wentworth® will fit this body style. Wears Tyler Wentworth high heel shoe styles.



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The Dance Body
• Classic dancer body
• Small bust
• Slim hips
• Detachable hands and feet
• Thirteen points of articulation
• 16” tall
• The Dance body is used on doll styles that require a small bust, such as ballet dancers or flappers. The dance body has been used for our New York City Ballet collection as well as our Memoirs of a Geisha collection. Doll can wear most Tyler Wentworth® style clothing. However, we suggest checking the bodice fit before purchasing as tops may be loose on this body. Wears Nu Mood™ Ballet slippers only (high heel feet that work with Tyler Wentworth shoes may be purchased separately).
* Please note that the hips on this body do not rotate.



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The Curvaceous Body
• Fuller, more rounded body
• Full bust
• Rounder hip
• Detachable hands and feet
• Thirteen points of articulation
• 16” tall
• Curvaceous body is a more womanly body than our classic Tyler body. Doll has a full bust and hip and is suitable for characters who call for an hour glass figure such as 2012 DeeAnna Denton. Nu Mood™ clothing as well as 2012 DeeAnna Denton clothing fit this body. Some Tyler Wentworth® clothing may work—however we suggest trying an outfit on the doll before purchasing if unsure of fit. Wears Tyler Wentworth high heel shoes.



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The Heroic body
• Fuller, more rounded body
• Full bust
• Rounder hip
• Toned, muscular arms
• Detachable hands (doll may or may not have detachable feet–check item description)
• Thirteen points of articulation
• 16” tall
• The Heroic body is used for our current comic inspired heroines or where a more muscular body is required. Any curvaceous body clothing will fit this body. Some Tyler Wentworth® clothing may work—however, we suggest trying an outfit on the doll before purchasing if unsure of fit. Wears Tyler Wentworth high heel shoes, unless otherwise stated.




2/22/2012

New Madame Alexander Dolls - 2012

Most of my readers know by now that I adore Cissette, Madame Alexander's 10" doll.  There is something about her baby face and MA's attention to detail in their fashions that I love.

There are at least 15 new Cissette dolls and a few "male Cissettes" (how can there be a male Cissette?) I will show only a few in this post but you can click HERE to go to the MA 2012 collection of all new dolls.

Here is Cissette as the Pan Am Stewardess Ltd Edition 200 pcs
She retails for $139.95 and will not be available until July 2012. There is also a 16" Alex dressed as a Pan Am stewardess.


Queen Elizabeth Ltd Edition 175 pcs 10" Doll from the Fashion Collection. $179.95  This is a lot of fashion for a 10" doll to wear.

 Cruella De Vil 10" Doll from the Disney Collection $149.95  Expected August 2012

 Masai-Kenya Africa 10" Doll from the International Collection $129.95 April 2012.

Nikiya from La Bayadere Ltd Edition 250 pcs 10" Doll from the American Ballet Theater Collection. July 2012. $149.95.

 

Madame Alexander does not do 10" male dolls well. Their costumes are OK but their faces and features are laughable. These are the so-called male Cissetttes for 2012. 

From left to right: Prince Charming, Pope Alexander VI, Rhett Butler, Waldo 

The Madame Alexander website has hundreds of dolls in many sizes and categories. Plan to spend a long time browsing!  Click on the logo below to go to the 'collectible' area of the site.

 

2/21/2012

And They're Off on the 4th Annual CDDC


This year's Couture Doll Design Challenge is underway. Entrants are classified as either beginner, intermediate or professional. Judges have been chosen from well known designers in the doll world. There will be prizes for each division and one for overall photography. Points are awarded each entrant and the contestant with the most points wins their category.

The first challenge was as follows:
This challenge is sure to have you running a few laps around the internet to research this up and coming trend. Fashion forecasters have predicted that this year's Spring designs will favour the sporty look but in a couture way. Your first challenge is to design an outfit that has a sporty flair but is definitely in the couture realm. What we are asking here is for couture, not ready to wear, so be careful here to keep your design in the couture realm. Beginners may use a pattern to "design" their outfit. Even when using a pattern, Beginners, the judges will expect you to put your own signature into it. On your marks, get set...GO!!!

 Here are the results of Challenge One "Be A Sport!"  Which are your favorites?

It appears that at least two people are in the wrong categories. One who is in intermediate should be in professional and one in professional should be in beginner. As far as photography, if I were judging, any doll on a stand or with messy hair would be eliminated immediately.
I was impressed by two entries out of all of them. Quite a few of the entries either didn't follow the challenge or just didn't create anything couture at all.