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.

Pay It Forward - Today on the Pink Parlor

"It's not about winning free stuff it's about spreading joy."  Sassy Packrat

Click on this Graphic to go to the Pink Parlor

*All are welcome!

It’s simple. You have something in new or unused condition that you would like to give to another doll collector. Post it with a photograph and brief description including the size of doll it’s for, etc.
Then the first person who posts MINE under your post gets the item. You contact them off the board to pay it forward.
That person then posts an item including the same information.

Please follow these suggestions:
1. Post a photo with a description including where you are willing to ship the item. Please make your items things you would be happy to get if that were the case.
2. Please don't claim another gift until yours is claimed. Feel free to post another if your first doesn't go quickly. Let others get in on the fun! If you have won something that makes you happy, please give other folks a chance before you pounce on the next goodie! Kindly remember for every item you win you need to give something away.
3. Once you claim something, be ready to post your "Pay It Forward" photo. No one is policing this, so please play nice and post as soon as possible. Within the hour would be nice.
4. All giveaways should be shipped within a week. With the holidays upon us this might be difficult for some. If you are running behind, please let the person who won know, so there is no stress over this.
5. Any questions, please contact Patricia in SLC or Terri/NY. 

*Note:

You must be a registered member of the Pink Parlor to post. It's free. Go!

Click here to be transported there! 

From The Sassy Pack Rat Blog

BIJOU, the New W Club Exclusive Avantguard Doll

Wow! This week has been spectacular for 16" dolls in my collection.
Bijou is the latest Avantguard doll from Integrity Toys. She's been on pre-order for what seems like an eternity. When I saw her at the convention I was very happy because she looked great. Now that she's here, I can confirm that she is the best looking Avantguard since Goldmine. I'm basing that not only on her face but on her fashion as well. In fact, this may be the most beautiful AG fashion yet.

The fabric feels like silk chiffon. It varies in color from hot pink to hot orange and somewhere in between. I should have steamed the gown but I was too lazy. It fits her like a dream. When I post a picture of the back of a gown, you have to know how beautiful it truly is.

The black embroidery is in scale and nicely applied. Her shoes aren't my taste but they are different and well made. You will have to use the adjustable toe foot to fit into these shoes.

The metal rose jewelry has shown up on enough dolls already. Time for a change.

The single misstep is the cut of the wig. I get the idea; it's supposed to be shorter in the back and gradually lengthen towards the front. In the picture above you can see the background color showing through the wig around her neck. Normally I'd Photoshop that in to match the hair. I would prefer to have the cut of the wig be more even at the sides as it gradually gets to the back. But I do have other wigs.

If you're on the fence about this doll - jump now. She's a keeper.

I do have an extra one for sale. Email me.

Paul Pham's Devon

This doll has the most beautiful body of any doll I have ever handled. Every part of her is gorgeous. I started out the photo shoot with her fully clothed and wigged and finished up with her in her birthday suit, bald and still looking stunning.

The body blushing is perfection. She poses very well which is extremely important to me. I am completely thrilled with her.

 Devon is a 16" resin BJD. She is one of Paul Pham's new Numina.

Under the Spell of Tonner's Evangeline Ghastly

I have never fallen so fast for a doll. My first hasn't even lived here for an entire week and a second one is on its way. Outfits and accessories are finding their way to my home. Michelle over at Wilde Imagination's customer service is my new email pal. I'm sunk.
This is an extreme case of not liking a doll at first and then falling in love with her. Even her freaky big hands aren't bothering me anymore!

This doll is "Tangled Web" Evangeline. I dressed her in red during a major redressing event last night in which 4 dolls were changed into 'holiday' colors. She is vinyl, wigged and has gorgeous big blue eyes.  I didn't realize prior to getting her last week that she was a ball jointed doll. She's bigger than my other Tonner gals at 17 inches tall. I haven't tried any clothing switches yet and I don't think I'm going to need to do that because she's already got a nice wardrobe of her own stuff.

I had mentioned change was coming a little while back and this is one part of that change.

Integrity Toys Japan - Misaki and Amelie´

W Club members were sent an email announcing a new website featuring Misaki and Amelie´. It is Integrity Toys Japan (which is not affiliated with the club.)  Most of it is in Japanese but the pictures of the dolls are wonderful. You can also see prices in Yen which can easily be converted to your own currency at Yahoo Finance or any of a number of sites offering conversion tables.

Integrity Toys Japan