Tonner Introduces Miette

Another new doll joins the Tonner Doll Co. Tribe.

Here is Miette's back story:

Once upon a time, in a far off corner of a very southern part of France, lies a tiny village called, Faire Croire. Don’t bother to look on any map, you’ll never find it. It’s a lovely village where the people enjoy a life of beauty and peace. Every house in the village is a different color and has window boxes filled with flowers of all kinds. The moss covered thatched roofs slant in all angles. There are no locks on any doors or windows. The narrow cobblestone streets are lined with fragrant flowers growing in beautiful pots adorned in jewels. The air is always thick with the scent of freshly baked pain au chocolat.  It seems like a place you would hear about in a fairy tale.  Although Faire Croire is well over 500 years old, no one knows it’s there.  But, Faire Croire does have a quality, something sinister that hangs over the heads of all the villagers. Something like a dark cloud.  Could that feeling be coming from the castle on the hill?
How could a village be over 500 years old with no one except the people that live there knowing of its existence? Miette, the lovely daughter of the Mayor of Faire Croire, intends to find out.

 It's a good story with excellent fairy tale possibilities. No one does fairy tale and fantasy like Tonner.

Miette is Tonner's newest 16" vinyl entry. I see her as a toned down Deja Vu with a less open mouth, a softer aspect and a much better, although still vinyl, body. If I could choose the best features of both, I'd pick Deja Vu's eyes and Miette's mouth and nose.  (Below, Deja Vu is on the left.)

Facial Comparison

For this initial release there are 2 basic, 5 dressed dolls, 2 outfits and 1 accessory cape.

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2 Basics $99.99 each.

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2 Outfits $89. each.

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1 Cape Accessory $30.

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5 Dressed dolls range in price from $179. to $199.

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From what I've seen on the boards, Miette seems to have been very well received. She has the Chic body.

These photos are from Brodjam's Doll Body Comparison and Chart:

Note the big difference between the Deja Vu body (hands included) and the Chic body. 

I always thought Deja Vu's body was an exaggerated and distorted teenage body. The Chic body has more curves and is a bit more realistic and those freaky spread-fingered hands are gone.  Nice improvement.

The only low spot as I see it is the blue and pink outfit. Mrs. Oz seems to have wandered into Miette's village in her sleep. It's very strange. It's even described as having so much going on that you don't know what to look at first. I do like the shoes.
Read the description:

Soft and stunning is how Miette approaches life and as a vision in pink and green, this outfit is no exception.  With so many intricacies, it’s hard to say what garners your attention first. Her boucle´ coat is an understated seafoam green with the finest details of delicate pink lace and tulle trim while boasting a pink flower at the point of closure. Her pink hat with green lace trim and floral decoration is a lovely juxtaposition with the rest of Miette’s ensemble. Her pink ruffled dress sits atop green ruffled cropped pants while her dainty pink floral lace tights peek out leading down to her pink ruffle trim faux leather shoes accentuated with an elegant green bow. Simply charming!  LE 200

 Only Royal Miette and the cape are available at this time. I wonder why they have offered a 10% off event when barely anything is ready to purchase. Were there so few pieces available on the first day of the sale? That surely doesn't seem right.

This is from the email that arrived on March 1.

http://www.tonnerdoll.com/wilde/miette?utm_source=Collectors&utm_campaign=66633a6f00-Meet_Miette3_1_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6e7f0b2ba7-66633a6f00-74926109&ct=t%28Meet_Miette3_1_2016%29&goal=0_6e7f0b2ba7-66633a6f00-74926109&mc_cid=66633a6f00&mc_eid=d9d30ea598

Have fun with the website. :-)

Sandra Stillwell Presents... The Belle of New Orleans 2016 Event!

Registration is now officially open for Sandra Stillwell Presents: The Belle of New Orleans! 

Here's a brief excerpt from the announcement:

Convention Package –

Your Belle of the New Orleans souvenir package will be an exclusive collection of couture inspired fashions -- with just the perfect twist of elegance, glamour and fun you've come to expect from "Sandra Stillwell Presents”. 

Also included with your registration will be:

• Thursday evening opening dessert reception
• Three breakfast programs
• One Lunch
• Two Dinners
• Table gifts
• Interesting Programs and Speakers
• Movie breaks, surprises, raffles, and lots of fabulously fashionable fun!
• An exclusive, behind the scenes tour of the Louisiana State Museum’s fashion archives with curator talk, a museum tour – and other surprises! (Details to be announced later)

But there’s still more!!

You’ll have first opportunity to purchase or pre-order extremely limited fashions from the Sandra Stillwell Presents: The Belle of New Orleans convention collection, including several made of the finest French fabrics, direct from Paris!

These fashions are designed to fit our favorite 16” star, but some may fit other doll bodies. 

If booked within our Sandra Stillwell Presents group room block and paid in full by cash, check or money order by July 1st, the registration fee is $500. After July 1st, the fee is $550.

An additional $150 will be added to registrations booked outside of the Sandra Stillwell Presents group room block or for guests not staying at the hotel.

A $25 service fee will be added to payments other than cash, check, or money order.

A nonrefundable deposit of $100 will reserve your spot. Payment plans can be arranged on request.

It is important that you RSVP by email if you are planning to join us.

Once you have RSVP’d, your space will be held for 1 week.

For anyone who has not RSVP’d, registrations will be accepted according to postmark.

A $125 cancellation fee applies to all cancellations prior to July 1stth. After that date, no cancellations can be accepted.

Checks or Money Orders for registration should be made payable to Sandra Stillwell, and mailed to:

The Belle of New Orleans

c/o Sandra Stillwell

8305 Blue Lick Rd

Louisville, KY 40219

Companion registrations will be available if purchased with a full registration. Please contact me for details.

Here is the full announcement:
http://sandrastillwellpresents.blogspot.com/

Tenth Anniversary Misaki "Tokyo Here We Go"

I sold my last Misaki doll about two years ago. I was a big fan. They were adorable until they weren't anymore. That's an old story and I moved on from there. 

When I saw The Tenth Anniversary Misaki "Tokyo Here We Go" she sucked me right back in. I was a fan from the start of this outfit, first in white, then black and now in blue.

I had the black one. Look how perfectly adorable her hair is. Everything was done so well.

I never bought the white (Marui) one. Apparently you can still find one for between $600-$700. 

This is not my photo. It is from a Japanese selling site called Buyee. 

The seller is helensstory8 and I'm guessing the picture was taken by her. 

Both of the earlier dolls had finely done, more complicated hairstyles than this anniversary edition whose hair needs some styling.

The dress and boots on the new girl are nicely made. I would have liked if the mesh tights and arm covers were a tighter weave as they had been in the past. 

If you are getting this doll be aware that the necklace is very fragile. A piece fell off of mine as I was attempting gently to put it on. I had to cobble together a new connection with jumprings and hooks from other pieces of older jewelry. Finally, I took off her head using the heating pad method, put the necklace on and then put her head back on. What a fiddly pain. 

This was my last Misaki, Red Rabbit, in an outfit by Louos.

Now THWG2016 is standing next to my one and only Poppy Parker, probably never to be played with and will go down in history as another cute impulse buy.

"In The Mix" Color Infusion Capsule Collection from Integrity Toys

Vaughn Sawyers has designed this collection.

"Composed of a fashionable quintet of sensational music lovers, this cool gang is ready to cause waves and take center stage in your collection!"

"These dolls will be arriving shortly at your favorite dealers! Starting immediately, W Club members can contact their favorite IT Dealers to pre-order these hot music stars today! Hurry before they are released to the general public and they sell out on pre-orders!"

"Get ready to groove, it's all in the mix!"

"Note: The dolls pictured in this release are prototypes. Please note that final fabrics, colors and textures may vary slightly."

It appears that Tenzin Dahkling is the most popular figure of the collection. If I were still adding 12" male dolls to my collection, I'd probably add him.

 

Best Thing Ever

Dree Hill™ Dressed Doll 

Limited Edition Size: 650 Dolls Worldwide

Suggested Retail Price: $110.00

 

 

 

In the House

Tenzin Dahkling™ Dressed Fashion Figure

Limited Edition Size: 750 Figures Worldwide

Suggested Retail Price: $110.00

 

 

 

Problem Child

Jaeme Costas™ Dressed Doll

Limited Edition Size: 650 Dolls Worldwide

Suggested Retail Price: $110.00

 

 

 

Turn it Up!

Callum Windsor™ Dressed Fashion Figure

Limited Edition Size: 650 Figures Worldwide

Suggested Retail Price: $110.00

 

 

 

 

Crushin' It!

Fan Xi™

Limited Edition Size: 650 Dolls Worldwide

Suggested Retail Price: $110.00

 

 

 

Dolls are available for pre-order with an estimated March delivery. 

Here is the link to Integrity Toys authorized dealers.

http://integritytoys.com/authorized-dealers/

Walking the Runway with Kingdom Doll Star and Jamieshow Zita

Every year at this time, collectors get a doll or two ready for the Oscars. This year I have chosen Kingdom Doll Star and Jamieshow Zita as my two representatives to the event.

Star is wearing a gorgeous Tonner fashion, "Venus Rising," a wig by Ilaria (that I wish I had in multiple colors) and silver Sybarite shoes.
The flowing chiffon cape-sleeves of this outfit are separate pieces and have floral embellishments at the shoulder. Unfortunately, Tonner designers thought it would be a good idea to sprinkle glitter (YES, GLITTER) on these flowers, thereby taking the classy level down to 0. In spite of that, it looks beautiful in pictures.
I had to do some temporary stitching to take in the bust and torso area for Star. It takes a little longer than pinning but it's neater and I don't stick myself every time I hold the doll. 
Part of the popular "Gowns by Anne Harper" line, the outfit included rhinestone earrings, bracelet and dark green pumps, retailed for $114.99 and was a limited edition of 100 pieces.

Original Tonner promo photo:

Whoever designed this line and the Hollywood Legends/Glamour Collection through 2009-2011, needs to come back. Overall the fashions were beautifully designed and executed.

See for yourself: http://www.tonnercollectibles.com/aharper.htm

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Jamieshow Zita greets her fans. She is wearing Ashton Drake's "Love in Bloom," designed for Gene Marshall by Regina Ganem in 2001 as a dressed doll.  The retail price was $195.
Opera length gloves and matching clutch purse were included but not shown in my photo.
I adore the ribbon embroidery on the sheath and on the removable train. 
The jewelry is Franklin Mint, shoes are IT Gene and wig is Jamieshow.

 Original Ashton Drake promo photo:

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Waiting to be interviewed:

REVIEW: The New Articulated Silkstone "Basic Black"

Basic Black is basic as they come and they left out the panties!

The quality of the dress fabric is fair to middling—the type that leaves little pieces of lint on the doll. It's a cute dress and it closes with snaps. I could not remove her boots without having to cut the back part open. I could have warmed them up but I was frustrated and I have better boots for this doll.

Her high pony-tail styled hair is neatly and nicely done and her face painting is carefully but plainly applied.  She looks a lot less sophisticated and somewhat younger than prior Silkstones.

 UPDATE: Mattel's Promo Photo modifies the true doll by changing the elbow and knee joints and making the pony tail perfect. I just read the BC.Com forum and the complaints are the same and worse than mine and it's really a fiasco. I had such high hopes!

Mattel needs to rethink the finishing of the surface areas, the appearance of the elbow joints and the too-youthful appearance of her face. And...she needs earring holes.

If you enlarge several of my photos and look at the seams, you will see how poorly done they are. There are strange protrusions from the elbows. I am concerned about the knee joints as well as they are very stiff and I don't really trust bending them all the way.

On the other hand, she poses very well.

Here she is compared to the original Silkstone body front and back. She is slightly lighter than the original.

I didn't have a problem with redressing in any way. Everything fits perfectly.

The price was very good. On BC.Com, she retailed for $40. I used my $20 quarterly coupon and got her for $20. Dealers are offering her for about $49. I don't think she's worth a whole lot more.  I'll venture to guess that future issues will cost more. They will have to appear to be worth it to get my money.