It Begins: Repaint of Carmen Dell'Orefice Doll by Freddy Ramirez

This is the first full repaint I've seen of Tonner's new Carmen doll.

Freddy Ramirez is spot-on in this repaint. The changes to her hair, eyebrows and eyes and particularly her lips have transformed the sculpt into an excellent representation of Carmen.

She's up for auction (nude) on eBay with a starting price of $400.
Here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/OOAK-Carmen-Dell-039-Orefice-Repaint-by-Freddy-Ramirez-/251543434145?ViewItem=&item=251543434145&nma=true&si=jnsNXixyimqTJmdNGjXK8DJvt%252F8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

What a Difference a Real Doll Makes

When Tonner released his promotional images of the latest two Theatre de la Mode dolls a few months ago, I criticized the one called Elegance #93 for the over-scaled flowers down the side of the dress. As time went by, I kept seeing her face and my 'want' grew. (You know that feeling, I'm sure.) I certainly was not going to pay the ridiculous $225. retail cost. When a favorite dealer offered them for less than half price, I jumped.

I was going to remove the flowers but I have come to like the whole package. This is a gorgeous doll! Besides the Gina sculpt, which is my current favorite Tonner sculpt, the hair, the colors, the styling...is all stunning and she makes a wonderful addition to my collection.

I still want to see a picture of the original TDLM fashion.

Two Daydreamers' Exclusive "Forever Yours Ashleigh"

Bride dolls are usually not amongst my favorites. In fact, I don't think I have any except a Tiny Kitty dressed in a bridal gown and I'm not particularly fond of her.

Two Daydreamers has a new, exclusive Ashleigh. Apparently, she is the start of a coming "Bridal Series."
As far as the gown goes, I would have preferred to see a rhinestone encrusted belt instead of the annoying gray bow. There is a great deal of lovely draping on the body of the gown and the bow interferes with those lines. I'm not sure what is going on at the shoulders. The description says "Icy white tulle softens the shoulders and also explodes into a cascade of tulle ruffles at the skirt bottom."  Exploding cascades? LOL Where is her bouquet? It just seems that accessories and embellishment have cheapened up and/or disappeared. She should have glamorous jewelry, perhaps a tiara. At these prices, I want more and they have to stop sticking bows on to gowns.

Here is the description from the website:

Two Daydreamers' exclusive "Forever Yours Ashleigh" - 1st in the classically romantic Bridal Series - 16" Tyler bending wrist body - Cameo skin tone - Ashleigh sculpt - LE100

Ashleigh's sophisticated snowy white taffeta gown is beautifully engineered and cut to drape over the bust and shoulders. The gown's skirt is elegantly draped across the front and released in concentric circles of gently folded fabric caught in the ingenious seaming. Icy white tulle softens the shoulders and also explodes into a cascade of tulle ruffles at the skirt bottom. A contrasting dove grey bow at the waist and silk flowers strewn at the shoulders add to the overall elegance of this drop-dead design. White knit opera length gloves, white faux leather, high-heeled strappy sandals and sparkling diamond-like studs complete her dreamy bridal ensemble.

Priced at $224.99

Tonner's Deja Vu Collection Now Shipping

Ever have that strange sensation of overwhelming familiarity, when something shouldn’t be familiar at all?  Penelope Brewster does.  She can’t recall if these experiences are manifesting from something that she’s read in a book or seen in a movie, but…could it be the remembrances of past lives?  She just chalks it up to Déjà Vu™ …but could it really be that simple?  
Follow Penelope as she sets out on her latest adventure across time!

The story line puts Penelope into three times: modern day, Age of Enlightenment and Roaring 20's. My favorite is the latter. The doll from that era is called Emma Jean McGowen. She comes in two basics versions, a dressed doll and a separate outfit. I like the outfits and the brunette doll.
The first two pictures are the basics listed at $99.99 each.

A Slight Chill Dressed Doll $189.99

Dancing the Night Away - Outfit $99

Many collectors love the big period gowns. They are thrilled with these designs which are centered around Anne De Leger. She reminds me of Cinderella in the basic version seen here. Retail price $139.99.

Ma Petite Rose - Outfit $109.99

La Vie de Versailles - Dressed Doll $209.99

Penelope Brewster is the modern day tragic figure in this trio of doomed damsels. She is available in two dressed doll versions at $159.99 each. On the left is "Production Assistant" and on the right is "Around Town."

Click here for the link to the Tonner Doll page featuring Deja Vu.

This line of dolls is available directly from Tonner, not through dealers. Hmmmm.

Tonner Doll: 2013 Fall Holiday Collection

More new stuff from Tonner Doll hit the airwaves today. This is a screen capture of the entire release. I'm hoping to see the releases in person at MetroDolls on Sunday and I will be better able to give an informed review.  You can click HERE to see everything in detail.

I can certainly say that if I were a Patsy Doll collector, there's a lot of good stuff to collect. This is beyond adorable!

Furry Flurries - Outfit Only  $89.99

 Sinister Circus is back.

"Dark Soul"  $259.99.

There are two Theatre de la Mode releases.

Elegance #93  $249.99. 

Glamorous #75  $229.99

I will have to hunt down pictures of the original dresses which inspired these doll fashions. If I purchased Elegance, the roses would disappear and I'd find some other size of fabric roses to sew in their place.

When a basic doll without a stand retails for $119.99, it's time to start doing something else with my money.

Precarious Bright White $119.99 - No Stand

 Many items are pre-order. Tonner is offering free shipping on all in-stock items and pre-order items as well.

MetroDolls 2013 Fashion Doll Luncheon

I would like to be a proxy for someone who is unable to attend this event. Please see the description below of the choices of dolls. This event is coming up soon so if you are interested, contact me immediately.

 A Fashion Doll Luncheon to Benefit Regional Food Relief Charities

Sunday, October 6, 2013 10am - 4pm

Cost: $215

Luncheon price includes your CHOICE OF:

MetroDolls Exclusive Ellowyne Wilde doll by Wilde Imagination

or

Metrodolls Exclusive 16” fashion doll by Tonner Doll Company featuring the Daphne sculpt with the Tyler BW body.

If you wish to attend the event and receive both souvenir dolls, the first one is included in the $215 event price and the second one is an additional $185
 We are very pleased to announce the luncheon will present a 20th century couture fashion exhibit. The showcase will feature famous designers such as Dior, Chanel and McQueen to name a few!

 

The event will feature a charity auction featuring OOAK dolls to benefit Regional Food Relief Charities, a presentation by Robert Tonner and many other surprises! We’ll also have sales, helpers, door prizes and lots of other goodies!
 

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I will ship the doll or dolls on the next business day after the event. Postage is additional.

 

SIMPLIFIED PROXY DESCRIPTION

-You choose one or both dolls

-Pay me via Friends and Family Paypal (no fee)

-I go and get your souvenir doll(s)

-After the event I weigh the package and tell you the exact shipping cost

-You send payment for the postage

-I mail your doll(s)

I do ship overseas.

Tonner Summer 2013 Launch Party

Penelope has made her debut. Robert read her long back story that tells of a young woman who has always sensed something different about herself. One day, something falls on her head (seriously) and she begins to remember past lives. Mixed in amongst the past lives are stories of tragically short love affairs and lives which ended too early.
This line of dolls is 16" tall. I think the retail price is $210. I'm really not positive about that as we paid a different price at the event.
The body is a totally new design. Robert told us about how he sculpted, eliminating straight lines.
Attendees were presented with "My Deja Vu" as the event souvenir.

Deja Vu has a glued on wig, brown eyes, applied lashes and beautifully screened, detailed and delicately painted facial features.
Her dress and shoes are very Cami-like. Nothing new there. This is probably her "modern fashion."

The companion doll is another story altogether. Her name is My Afternoon Stroll. Pictures say more than words so look at these:

Afternoon Stroll is even prettier than Deja Vu and her fashion is wonderfully detailed and constructed. The hem embroidery goes all around her skirt. Her large hat is so fashionable!
I'm pretty sure this is also a glued-on wig. She's got a gaggle of corkscrew curls at the back. Very Marie Antoinette. I like wigged dolls. They offer so many possibilities.
She comes with a boring pair of pearl dangle studs which I did not even bother to put on.
I am looking forward to redressing this gal. She's definitely finding a spot on the island.

More about the dolls - their head is bigger than normal. Why??? Why is this necessary? The dolls would have been perfect with a proportional sized head IMO. Why is the doll world obsessed with big headed dolls? Are we all going to wind up looking like Star Trek aliens?

I have a bone to pick with the Tonner Doll Company. Make some decent doll stands for goodness' sake.

A $100-$200++ doll should not come with a cheesy, non-adjustable saddle stand that can't even reach the doll's crotch. SHAME,  SHAME. You have been using the same crappy stand for years and no one likes it. "Stand up" and make a proper working stand for your gorgeous dolls.

Now that I got that out of my system, have I said recently how much I love Tonner's staff? They are just the friendliest, most helpful team of doll people ever. I even got help tearing apart my raffle tickets!

Little did I know that this staff member is really a witch (or is a man a warlock?) and cast an invisible spell on my tickets to that not a single one would be chosen.

The Hordes Enter the Room

Tonner 2013 Main Line Release

There's always a mind-blowing amount of new dolls and fashion in a main line release from the Tonner Doll Company. I'm just going to touch upon a fraction of the offerings and will provide a link to the site where you can see the entire debut.

My favorites and the two dressed dolls I will probably buy eventually:

While I am not a fan of the Marilyn Monroe sculpt, I do love this fashion.

In A Dream $199.99

This is Precarious with a non-removable wig. (IMO no wig is 'non-removable,' it's just glued.) I love the fashion and I am quite fond of the Precarious sculpt.

Tamed $199.99

Another Precarious doll whose wig should be a lesson to another doll company that can't get their rooted bangs right:

Think Pink Basic $124.99

Quite pricey for a basic doll but her hair is perfection. Her wig is "white removable synthetic hair." I wonder if that is the same as saran. The sunglasses are adorable.  I like her a lot.

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The anticipated "Warm Bodies" dolls:

R $189.99

I laughed when I read part of the product description of this zombie doll:

• Oatmeal long-sleeve shirt with holes and stains
• Red hooded zip-up sweatshirt with holes and stains
• Denim pants with rips and stains

For those who don't  know, he is a character in the new movie, Warm Bodies. He is played by Nicholas Hoult. The likeness is fabulous.

Julie $179.99

This is R's love interest in the movie played by Teresa Palmer. The sculpt - meh.

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It looks like Glinda, the Good Witch, has returned. There may be a few details that are changed but this is the same doll.

Glinda, The Good Witch $249.99

Below is a picture of my Glinda taken several years ago. There's no difference except for a necklace on the new one. But it's entirely possible I just didn't put it on my doll. I'm glad it's re-released. She was a stunning doll. The Oz line was incredible.

Here is another early one I found. Now I'm really confused.
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The 22" line got one of my favorite characters, Poison Ivy. Although I do not like her green vinyl, she looks very dramatic. The red hair is stunning, so is the price!

22" Poison Ivy $349.99

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DeeAnna Denton, Cami, Jon, Antoinette, The American Model and Patsy fill up most of the rest of the offerings.  Sydney and Tyler make brief appearances.

The dressed Sydney leaves me speechless. If I were her mother I wouldn't let her out looking like this. The fascinator is described thus: Red fascinator with faux flowers, rhinestones, and veil. I detest faux flowers on doll clothes.

All Drama Sydney $224.99

Classic Elegance Tyler $199.99

 Are we going to find out that Tyler is with child?
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The Tonner Ballet Line is pretty. I've never gone there but I do like to look. Here is one of the three offerings from that line:

Wood Nymph $244.99

The ballet feet are removable and come with high heel feet to switch off.

On a topic other than dolls....as a photographer, I don't understand how they let this picture be published.

There are three major issues I would have had to correct. Do you see what they are?

Click here for the link to the Mainline Release.

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May I remind those who wish to comment to sign their names. I will not allow unconstructive commentary from trolls.