MetroDolls organized and held this event to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS! charity. Many creative artists and other generous people donated OOAK dolls, doll furnishings, clothing and manufactured items for raffles and auctions. This fabulous and fun event was held at the Woodbridge Hilton in Iselin, New Jersey which is a 2 hour drive from my home. I arrived in the midst of a torrential rain storm caused by the passing hurricane. The staff was extremely cordial and helpful. Check-in took less than 5 minutes and I was very pleased with my room.
The evening's event began at 6:30 PM. The tables were decorated in black and white and the centerpiece was the red-haired Metropolitan Madra dressed in a rhinestone bra and bikini bottom, long white satin gloves, silver metal rhinestone heels and rhinestone circle earrings. She was holding two large feathered fans, perhaps for modesty. :-)
I was lucky to get the opportunity to purchase one of very few.
There was a presentation of vintage clothing on Saturday night by John Davey, the owner and collector of the garments. Here is a link to my photos from Saturday night.
http://www.goldphoto.com/MetroDolls_2008/index.htmI was very lucky in the raffle and won several outfits and a Bronze Madra.
On Sunday morning I packed up my car and went back into the hotel for the luncheon. We had been switched to a large ballroom. I was handed a goodie bag upon entering the room. It had the special event outfit and several other little goodies. All around four sides of the room were raffle items and auction items. There was a sales room adjacent to the main ballroom. I never made it that far because there was so much to see and do and so many raffle tickets to drop into little bags. I took lots of pictures, talked to many people and just soaked in the atmosphere. It was just like a mini convention. Robert Tonner gave a wonderful presentation accompanied by slides. He talked about his inspiration for some of the new lines his company is producing. And, best of all, he showed a series of slides of the sculpturing of a new fashion doll,
Miss Piggy. Raffles were drawn, and again, I was very lucky. I won Film Fatale Gene and Cold As Ice Kit. These are two dolls I have wanted! I would like to have won the White Witch of Narnia but it wasn't in the cards for me. I also won a fabulous outfit called Symphony of the Heart. A DAE outfit for 16" dolls.
This is a Brian Bulkley drawing that accompanies the outfit.
After the raffles and auctions and presentations were over we were given our event doll, Magnolia. She is a new sculpt by Tonner.
Because I am not keeping the doll I did not unpack her earrings and other accessories. The future owner gave me permission to photograph her and here she is.
I believe that the body of Vivette has a distorted pair of legs. When I got my first Vivette, I actually wrote to the artists and asked them about it because I thought there was something wrong with her.
Link to D.A.E. Originals: http://www.daeoriginals.com
