BFC Membership for 2012 Opens Today

Membership for the 2012 season in the Barbie Fan Club opened today for current members. New members may begin to register on February 15. This year all members will received a Silkstone dress form.

That's a big step up from a mouse pad. Of course you will also get your membership card.

 Every 3 months you get a $20. credit towards a purchase. There have been occasions when it was more than $20. You cannot save up your credits as each expires at the end of the quarter in which it is granted.

Membership is $24.95. This year I was charged $2. tax for the first time. Soon I will have to pay tax on the air I breathe.

http://www.barbiecollector.com/shop

Fashion Sleuth Challenge

I have a challenge to the sleuths. Find sources for the clothes Jason Wu designed before he left the new crop of designers in charge. Did he copy or design?? Go back 5 or more years to the Fashion Royalty dolls outfits.

There will always be similar parts of fashion from one item to another. But as you can see below, there is no mistaking where the dolls' outfits came from. That's what I want you to look for.

A fashion sleuth over at Dolly Daily, corvas, posted these images. The interpretations are amazingly similar. There's no doubt as to the source of the clothes for these dolls.

Dior Resort 2008 - Adele/VeroStyle Counsel - Dior Fall 2008 RTW

Air Apparent Vero - Dior Fall 2008 RTW

Business Class Anja - Dior Fall 2008 RTW

Point of Departure Eugenia - Dior Resort 2008

Photoshoot From Hell

 I'm turning into a lazy photographer. I'd rather take stupid iPhone photos than go into my studio and do the real thing. I'm lazy in the studio, too. I had a handbag to sell so I hung up a contrasting piece of fabric and shot some pictures. Then instead of changing the background to suit the dolls I wanted to photograph, I decided to leave it. Blech. I knew it wasn't working almost immediately but didn't do anything to change it. It's a good thing I'm not doing this for money. On the other hand, if I were getting paid, perhaps I'd be less lazy.

Here you have a lesson in how backgrounds can ruin photographs. Ugh. I don't even want to talk about how much work it was to pull these images out. The last one, of course, has had it's background completely Photoshopped.
In the second picture of Dasha I desaturated the yellow tones. Compare it to the picture that follows and you will see what I mean. Both dresses are the same color IRL.
The dresses on Dasha and Elise are by Cholo. Vanessa is the former Intoxicating Mix rerooted. She is wearing Ayumi's outfit. That is also Ayumi's FR2 body. Ayumi's (ugly) head is on the way to Italy.

Fashion Inspiration?

Carmen Dell Orefice in 1954 Revlon ad

Monogram Allure

I think it's a great copy. I wonder how they get away with it. Apparently iconic images are not copyrighted. What about fashions?

I ordered this Monogram doll because of the outfit and it doesn't bother me that it was copied. I just can't believe that there is no copyright protection. I remember that a few years ago Jason Wu got involved in some kind of movement to protect designers' work. The copying of designs for dolls was brought up on the boards shortly after that. I think that movement sort of fizzled.

Sybarite Pompadour Alterations

Several new Sybarite Pompadour owners have opted to cover up her exposed breasts and/or otherwise alter her appearance. What do you think of the changes?

Caren Castro posted this image on Prego. Just look at all the fabulous accessories and miniatures. When Caren creates a diorama, she really goes all the way!

Here's one by Kat/SF dressed in Play's fashion with the curlers removed.

Another beauty with her chest covered photo by Marny.

This one id by 59DOLL:

By Stacy:

2012 DOTY Industry's Choice Awards Announced

I wish to extend my sincere congratulations to all these winners. The entire list is here.

Some of the winners are pictured. You can do Google searches for others by entering the name of the doll and its creator into your search.

Children's Play Doll
Lil' Cutesies Twins in Stroller – JC Toys Group
Playtime Baby Little Princess – Adora
Laura – Sonja Hartmann
Mosi – Playmates Toys

Collectible Baby Doll
Marei – Hildegard Gunzel
Nursery Time Baby – Adora
Joylee – MasterPiece Dolls
Olivia's Gentle Touch – Ashton-Drake Galleries
Harper – MasterPiece Dolls

Collectible Fashion Doll
Princess Catherine Bride Doll – Ashton-Drake Galleries

Grace Kelly the Bride Doll – Mattel

The Corpse Bride – Tonner

 Toxica – Superfrock

Dinner with Duke & Duchess – Joan Greene

Collectible Ball-Jointed Doll
Lydia Grimmsley – Kim Lasher

Winona – Connie Lowe

Eryka – Kim Lasher
Madame Eshe – Angelic Dreamz

Aurora – MasterPiece Dolls

Collectible Vinyl/Plastic Doll, Less Than $150
Goddess of the Galaxy Barbie – Mattel
Oink! – Adora
Madison – Ashton-Drake Galleries
Grace – Sonja Hartmann

Collectible Vinyl/Plastic Doll, More than $150
Lilli Princess Frog – Heidi Plusczok
Belladonna – Robert Tonner

Tanya – Maybe Baby
Amelie – Doris Stannat
Midnight Blue – Joan Greene

Collectible Miniature Doll, 8 Inches or Less
Lettie – Berdine Creedy
Snips + Snails Tommy – Heartstring Dolls
French Fashion Bru Tiny Tot – Marie Osmond Dolls
Little Belle Flower – Heidi Plusczok
Cosette – Kish & Company

Collectible Manufacturer's Artist Doll
Virginia – Zofia & Henry Zawieruszynski
Eden – Kim Lasher
Fee – Hildegard Gunzel
Princess Sarah – Heidi Plusczok
Suchin – Kish & Company

Artist Ball Jointed Doll
Chloe in Whisperland – Joe MacPhale
Eppie and Arnaud – Connie Lowe
Ava Le Cle – Kim Lasher
Candy Pink “Protea” – Berdine Creedy
Sierra – Judy Porter

Artist Baby Doll
Sweet Cheyenne – Lori Ivanovic
Louise – Pat Moulton
Lully and His Teddybear – Luciana Miglioranzi
Baby Bridgette – Lori Ivanovic

Artist Miniature Doll
Anna – Elizabeth Cooper
Addie in Pink – Bo Bergmann
Nell – Elizabeth

Artist Doll, Less Than $1,250
Celebration of Sisterhood Set – Bo Bergmann
Peppermint Green “Protea” – Berdine Creedy
Liliana – Zofia & Henry Zawieruszynski
Little Grace – Diane Effner
Lizbeth – Anna Hardman

Artist Doll, More Than $1,250
Blue Funky Fairy – Susan Krey
Kristina – Zofia & Henry Zawieruszynski
Wonderland Alice – Gregg Ortiz
Rapunzel – Hildegard Gunzel
Ambriel Antoinette – Bo Bergmann

One-Of-A-Kind Doll, Less Than $1,250
Spoonful of Sugar – Roxanna Maria
Iris Blue – Lorella Falconi
Love’s Pledge – Joy Calhoon
Lucky Child Heidi – Gaby Dolls
Crème de la Rose – Diane Effner

One-Of-A-Kind Doll, More Than $1,250
Masako – Lynn Cartwright
Glenda the Good Witch – Gregg Ortiz
Jacob the Daydreamer – Nina Tugarina
Hoshi – Lynn Cartwright
Dorothy of Oz – Gregg Ortiz

Click on the DOTY logo below to go to the explanation of the requirements and guidelines for dolls to be entered into the competition.

Luminous Ayumi and Lottery Drama

Luminous Ayumi was the IDEX exclusive doll offered by Integrity Toys to the public at the recent event. She was $160. The remainder of the dolls were put up for lottery to the W Club members and the results were announced yesterday. 
I was browsing a doll board yesterday evening when I saw a very angry and resentful post regarding the actions of lottery winners who post their lottery wins at an inflated prices. I checked the W Board and saw that, indeed, one winner had posted Ayumi for sale.  She stated that she open to offers higher than what she was asking on eBay. This person native language is not English.
There was anger directed at this woman in the succeeding posts. It was disturbing to read. Why couldn't these  people email the seller to tell her that posting a lottery win on the W Board immediately after the lottery ended could cause a problem and it's not a 'friendly' thing to do? Someone could have explained this to her. Last year a member did the same thing more than once and no one attacked her. I couldn't understand why this woman left to hang in the wind.
Anyway, today the angriest W Board post had been removed (by the poster?) and several voices of reason prevailed. The thread was also closed.
Sad.

Here's Ayumi. A friend picked one up for me at IDEX.

The designers are playing the Name Game again. They call this doll Ayumi however she looks nothing like Ayumi. IMO this new sculpt is unattractive. That could be partly because of the ginormous eyebrows and huge forehead. It's too bad because her fashion is very pretty. The shoes are well made which allows the doll to stand without support.

 Luminous Ayumi has a beautiful and complex hairstyle that is woven with ribbon. This certainly took skill to create and it was done well. For redressers, this could pose a problem as the ribbon probably cannot be removed without undoing the hairstyle.

As of right now the average eBay going price is about $240.  It will drop because as more people actually receive their dolls, more will be offered for sale.

Silkstone Grace Kelly Bride Doll 50% Off

If you have been wanting the Grace Kelly Silkstone bride doll, Target is offering her for 50% off the original price of $175.

http://www.target.com/p/Barbie-Gold-Label-Collector-Doll-Grace-Kelly-Bride/-/A-13575146#?lnk=sc_qi_detailimage