You're in the Right Place and Seeing Double

I've changed the template on my blog; no, you are not lost.

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This past year I purchased two NRFB versions of older FR dolls which I had either rerooted or altered in some other way. I like having both the original and the reworked doll in this case because when I looked back at original dolls I wish I had left them unaltered. This is how they look right now. I will give the new one a tall body as the first articulated FR body is so very short!

"Intoxicating Mix" Vanessa was the convention souvenir doll at my first Fashion Royalty convention. She was also my first Vanessa. Rerooted, she is currently on her third body (above, right.)
Some early pictures of her wearing (and not wearing) varied fashions.

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When I got my first "Pale Fire" Vanessa, I loved her face and jewelry but I didn't like her hair. I took it down, cut it, rooted in some streaks of another color and styled it. 
Here is my original Pale Fire wearing a lovely fashion from the "Haute Luxuries" giftset.

The original PF gown was enormous. There was enough fabric in there for two dresses and although stunning, I took it apart planning a restyle but never got around to it.
Here she is as she looks right now:

She has an FR2 body and looks lovely in Victoire's gown.

Her twin arrived a few months ago and stay unchanged.

Do you ever have "altered dolls" remorse?

Collection: 2013 in Retrospect

I usually do a "Best-Worst" themed post at year end. This year I'm going to do more of a "Best of My 2013 Collection" post. Going through my 2013 purchase database, I made a list of my favorites. The list revealed that I concentrated, number-wise, on wigs and fashions more than anything else. And, for the first time in a few years, Integrity Toys' dolls scored multiple bests.

Below, left: Lukas Maverick as "Beauty." He was paired with a female doll entitled "Beast," not shown. Right: "Interlude," the last Monogram doll in the line, (supposedly) was a welcome bag doll at the 2013 convention. She is dressed in a fashion called "Completist" which was also a gift to attendees.

The two Integrity dolls below from their last convention are both Elise Jolie. On the left is the convention souvenir, Midnight  Star, and on the right is a workshop doll dressed in the Beast's outfit. These dolls are gorgeous and I love the Elise sculpt as much as I loved the original Vanessa sculpt!

A fashion designed by Chris Stoeckel for the W Club Luncheon for Victoire Roux made my favorites. Chris had previously done this dress for a 15.5" Gene doll (right) in a different colorway. It translates very well to the 12" "Out Sass."
IMO Chris is the most talented designer IT has (if Jason isn't around.)

Mel Odom's beloved Gene Marshall doll made a surprise comeback in 2013 as a resin BJD produced by JamieShow Dolls. It's great fun to have new Gene dolls and it has brought renewed life to so many long-time Gene collections. On the left is J'Adore Gene wearing  a Sybarite fashion and a Cheryl Wood wig. On the right is Phoenix Gene wearing her own gown and a wig by Cheryl Wood.

Speaking of wigs, I added at least one dozen to my collection this past year. My favorites are those made by Ilaria, Patta, Cheryl and Chewin. My dolls have varying sized heads so they need lots of wigs. Below are two from Ilaria aka "Time of Doll."
On the left is Miss G White, a Ficon doll I traded for. Although she debuted in 2012, she is new to my collection. On the right is Inro. She is the first in the Inamorata line produced as a limited edition as opposed to a OOAK by Emilia Nieminen. 

For the first time in ages, I'm paying attention to male dolls again. While the Jamieshow Alejandro below, left and the Tonner Neo Tokyo are not from 2013, their fashions are. These fabulous garments are by the uber-talented Chewin. I also commissioned him to do Alejandro's wig.

 Another Chewin outfit modeled by Tonner's Yoshio, a 2013 16" favorite.

Yian (modsdoll) repainted this Dionysis Sybarite. She's wearing a 2012 Cheryl Wood wig, a gorgeous dress from the 2013 Metrodoll's luncheon entitled "Eventail," and a stunning neckpiece by Asher of New England. I'm sure you can see why she made my favorites list.

Of course I have too many dolls so I buy outfits for them. Early fashions that I couldn't get previously and newly released ones arrived regularly.
Many of the amazing fashions from Sandra Stillwell's Kansas City Every Day's A Holiday event can be seen elsewhere on this blog. Here is one called "Delicate Bloom." The floral motifs are all ribbon embroidery!

V John offers a monthly fashion for either 12" or 16" dolls.

There are always Tonner dressed dolls or fashions that need to come to mama.  Some fashions are offered separately and some are from dressed dolls. Tiny Kitty is older (2005) doll called "Flirtation."  Sometimes it's good to wait because many collectors sell Tonner products for much less than they paid.

Antoinette is wearing a 2012 gown from "Sweeping Antoinette."

 

This Antoinette fashion is called "Fanciful." It's so Barbie-ish and reminds me of Silkstone Provencale.  "Hypnotic" Antoinette, whom I chose to model the Tonner gown, has the same hairstyle the Silkie (on the right.) Provencale is not a new acquisition.

I was more careful with my purchases but I definitely made a few mistakes. I am happy with my dolls. When I'm not, they go. Some stick around until I'm sure.

My doll collecting resolution is to continue to be careful and focused with what I purchase.  I resolve to re-photograph many of my dolls and photograph all new dolls as they join the tribe.

Do you have any doll-related resolutions for 2013?

Happy New Year, Darlings

I'm off to a party at the local cemetary.

Dreamstate Evangeline wearing Graveside Picnic, Facets earrings.

Update on Emilia Couture Accessory Packs

In response to my review Emilia sent me a picture to show that the accessory dresses do indeed fit the [older] Sybarite dolls. I don't know if there is a size difference between older and newer Syb bodies. Mine are all the newer V3 body. I didn't have success with the green dress on mine possibly due to the fact that the neckline is smaller I didn't want to stretch out the dress too much. Sybarites have such large hips and chests. The dress fabric is quite stretchy and it is, of course, up to each collector, how they like their dolls' clothes to fit.

Emilia said:

I got a picture request of the Inamorata accessory packs on other dolls so here it is. I only have old Sybs and a Numina Devon to model them, but everything fits very nicely.
From left to right: Sybarite Inque wears Zebra, Numina Devon wears Peacock, Sybarite Raja wears Gramma and Inamorata Cherub wears Gramma dress and stockings matched with purse, shoes and belt from Krait.

Save the Date: Sandra Stillwell Presents "The Toast of Manhattan"

Sandra Stillwell has announced the date and location for her next convention. Here are some excerpts from her blog and a link to the post itself.

I've been hard at work on our 2014 convention, and I'm proud to announce that Sandra Stillwell Presents: "The Toast Of Manhattan" will take place August 7-10th at the Crowne Plaza in Edison, New Jersey! 

 

Imagine "The Toast of Manhattan" in exclusive salons and department stores on the most fashionable avenues of 1940's and 50's New York City -- in a private box at the opera, or opening night at the latest Broadway play --  dining and dancing till dawn at THE "most happening" club in town! Imagine award winning American designers and fashion icons gracing the covers and pages of New York's Vogue and Harper's Bazaar -- the height of fashion, their creations in as much demand as the latest from Paris.... Imagine....

Exciting things are being planned for "The Toast of Manhattan" -- the cornerstone of which will be our group tour of the Metropolitan Museum's "Charles James Beyond Fashion", the inaugural exhibition in the museum's newly renovated Costume Institute! The landmark exhibit, which features over 100 of the legendary couturier's most notable designs, will also include sketches, pattern pieces, fabric swatches, and partially completed works from Mr James' last studio in New York City.
Please RSVP as soon as possible if you would like to join us, as having an idea of how many to plan on for convention and the tours is a big help.

This not to be missed event will be limited to only 50 attendees. Registration will begin in Spring. Those on the RSVP list will be notified before opening registration to the public.

You won't want to miss all the fun and fabulous fashions that we have planned, so mark your calendars and make your plans to attend now!

 Sandra Stillwell Presents

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"Venus Bringing the Arts to Manhattan" by Wheeler Williams, 1940's Art Deco, 980 Madison Ave, New York,

 Jake Rajs

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The Secrets of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Review of Emilia Couture Accessory Packs

Emilia recently offered 4 accessory packs, a new Inamorata doll and a fashion. I purchased three of the accessory packs. They were $95. each but the shipping was extraordinarily expensive at $59.  which raised the price of each accessory pack to $114.67. The package was delivered by DHL a few days after I ordered it. I guess that was the benefit of paying so much. I could have waited as there was no rush on my end.

Each pack consisted of a dress, handbag, shoes, hosiery and belt. The dresses stretch and fit a few dolls other than Inamorata. They do not fit the Sybarite body or Tonner dolls such as Cami. I have seen the dresses on the Innoquii dolls. The shoes fit Sybarites very nicely.

The dresses have no closures and need to be pulled up over the legs. The hosiery must be pulled on first. They go up to the tops of the thighs. I had to fiddle with the hems on the dresses as they are sewn only at the back seam and just folded up.
The three images just below show the fashion on Integrity Toy's Tulabelle body. (Yes, the head is Avantguard with a transplanted body. ) Very good fit but with this color dress one can see the outlines of her nipples and all the doll's joints.

 

The shoes on a Sybarite doll:

Here's a little surprise. The dress is also suitable for an FR2 (12") body. I pushed it up to the hem length I wanted and the belt went around an extra time or two. I couldn't use the shoes, of course, but the handbag worked. The striped dress wouldn't do well on this body.
This is Color Therapy Vanessa (on an FR2 body) modeling.

I am pleased with my purchase. The individual pieces will be useful for mix and match in the future.
My one hope is that there will be a less costly way to ship from China.