Sale Alert at the Mattel Shop

Buy one, Get one 50% off site wide at the Mattel Shop.  It's a good sale and as of right now there are plenty of Monster High dolls and accessories available.

I haven't been following this line closely so there are several delightful items that are quite tempting.
The Monster High Scaris "Cafe Cart" is just adorable. This is selling for $22.99.

The Monster High Convertible is also a cute addition to a collection. Listed at $22.99.

If you were to purchase both, your total would come to $34.48 plus shipping and sales tax instead of $45.98 plus.  For every full priced item you buy, you can add another for half price. Sounds good to me.

Will you be buying anything during this sale?

IRL Pictures of Luncheon Ensemble Silkstone

These photos were sent to me by George of Angelic Dreamz.  You can order your doll there.
The doll looks as close to the promotional images as possible. I'm impressed.

New Silkstones on the Horizon and More from Mattel

Dealers have released Mattel's images of the first two 2013 Silkstone dolls.

First we have BFMC "Luncheon Ensemble" Barbie. They really went back in time with the styling on this gal. Her face is very pretty. I'm not quite sure about the fashion. I wouldn't wear it. The rose on the turban looks ridiculous. But it doesn't matter because I'm never pre-ordering a Silkstone again. The promotional photos are always so much better than the real dolls.

Est. Delivery April 2013  $54.95 (Cherished Friends' Price)

Next is BFMC "Cocktail Dress" Barbie. What a creative title. I like this doll much better than the other one. Again, the dress has a vintage vibe. I love the pony tail. Mattel does a pretty good job with pony tails so they'd have to try really hard to mess that up. We'll see what the dress actually looks like. I would add this one to my collection.

Est. Delivery April 2013  $84.95 (Cherished Friends' Price)

A Barbie and Midge two-doll giftset was also included in this announcement.

Est. Delivery April 2013  $79.95 (Cherished Friends' Price)

A 2013 doll that was previously announced is a Twilight character, Dr. Carlisle Cullen. For those who collect Twilight Saga figures, he will be a cool addition at $24.95. I think they captured the bloodless look the actor has in the movie.

Something I've been looking at since it was released is the Barbie Wardrobe. When I learned that it was not entirely made of cardboard, I decided to order....two of them.  We need large closets, don't we?  One is never enough.  I ordered directly through Barbie Collector. Some people are selling them on eBay for much more than the retail price of $69.95.

Although shown with clothing and accessories it arrives empty and comes with two interchangeable backgrounds. 
Closets with an interesting mix of fashions inside make great props and backdrops for photography.
I believe this item will sell out. If you like it, get it now.

Jaws

No, this post is not about a shark, it is about the head of Tonner's new Hunger Games Gale character figure. Mr. Tonner is known for his full jawed doll sculpts but this one is a bit over the top.

I hunted down a good close-up of the actor that the doll is supposed to portray, Liam Hemsworth. He's a good-looking man and he does have a pronounced chin but Tonner's combination of chin, broad jawline and small mouth make the doll look as if it has an underbite and a huge head.

I'm trying to figure out what is wrong about the mouth...is it too close to the nose? There's something that throws the entire face off in spite of the fact that the features are not that dissimilar.

I think a good re-painter could fix the mouth, reshape the jaw and restyle the hair.  But why?

Anyway, if you are interested in purchasing this doll, the retail price is $169.99. Look around for discounted prices.


I had to do it.

Is this better?

If the movie had been about giant cat paws (hehe) maybe I wouldn't be afraid to go into the ocean. I still won't.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Neurotica

The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill for the caged bird
sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

by Maya Angelou

Reminiscing

In a recent post, I commented that I really like several of the Fashion Royalty outfits from the last two years. I also mentioned that I purchased another Pale Fire Vanessa because my original was altered (by myself) and I wanted the original again.

I was going to sell the altered version but...yesterday, her head was affixed to an FR2 body and I dressed her in (most of) World on a String Eugenia's outfit and she's staying.  I say "most of" because the shoes do not fit on the FR2 body. I hate that.

Pale Fire Vanessa - Altered Version (Not that you can really tell anyway.)

 It's interesting that as I look back on dolls I may have altered, the originals often start to look better and better. Of course, some are still "what were they thinking dolls" but apparently my tastes change from year to year.

When I think about the dolls from the first FR convention I ever attended in Toronto, I think of how I did not like Gliteratti Veronique's hair or Intoxicating Mix Vanessa's hair. Gliteratti was the first re-root I ever did by myself and I had IM's done for me. I wish I had the originals now, especially Vanessa. I have repurchased her fashion (more than once) and at one time I had an extra NRFB.
Sigh. Easy come; easy go. I won (!) her at a convention when Jason chose one of my photographs as the winner in the contest. Those were the days.

Re-rooted Gliteratti Veronique

Original Gliteratti

Re-rooted Intoxicating Mix Vanessa

Intoxicating Mix - Original Hairstyle. Mattel's "My Fair Lady" pink frilly items.

So now that I am reminiscing over past dolls, there are two dolls I regret selling, one is High Gloss Agnes and the other is Spectacular, Spectacular Eugenia. They were both wonderful to photograph. In fact, I used SS Eugenia for a feature article I did in FDQ back then.

High Gloss Agnes

Spectacular, Spectacular Eugenia

I used to get every single Fashion Royalty doll that was produced except for those that were made for special people like the Saks 5th Avenue Agnes. I don't even know anyone who has her. 

I'm very happy with the dolls I have. When I'm not, they get voted off the island.