Picture of the Week Award ~ October 25, 2009

This doll looks as if he's breathing! I knew immediately that I would have to feature this image on the blog.
The artist is Jennifer Sutherland. I asked her to write a little about her process. Here is her reply:

He originally was a Super Hero Aquaman doll by Tonner. For him I knew I wanted him as a pirate.. The super hero bodies are great for this as I have come to find out! (: I do not sketch the faces on my dolls first but I do sketch the tattoos if they are complicated. For his hair and his tattoos it took be about 12 hours.. For his repaint, about 5 hours.... That's not including any of the details that finish him off such as his rings or shading of his chest afterwards. (: I think my very favorite characters to create are pirates, gypsies, rogues.. etc....You know, characters that are perfect for romance novels! (: They have always been my most enjoyable creations.. Especially pirates and rogues.. They come to life so easily through the decorations and tattoos.. And even things as simple as their facial hair! (: Overall.. My most favorite creations are the male repaints!

You will enjoy browsing through Jenny's website. Click here.

Congratulations, Jenny, on the Picture of the Week Award!

Mattel's Pop Life™ Ken® Doll - Gone in the blink of an eye.

At 9:00 AM Pacific Time on October 21, Pop Life Ken by Bill Greening went on sale on the Barbie Collector website. This is a Platinum Label Collection doll which means "sequentially numbered editions of less than 1,000 worldwide, available at select retailers." It took just 11 minutes for the doll to sell out and by that time he was already being sold on eBay. Not surprising at all. The order process took me only 4.5 minutes but it felt like forever. The pages moved so slowly due to the traffic on the board. I think I was holding my breath the entire time.

The retail price was $74.95. The fourth quarter coupon was $30 bringing the price down to $44.95 for me. Shipping was only $1. Not bad for a Platinum.

Photobucket Magic!

I love this picture that was posted on the W Club board yesterday. It is the convention mini Avantguard wearing an MFD Kio wig. I assumed it was done in Photoshop. Karon told me that she did it with Photobucket tools. Impressive! Below is a picture of the doll from that photoshoot.
It's fortunate for us that Karon was dissatisfied with the original picture.

Photos property of Karon Montague, Virginia.

Tyler Wentworth 10th Anniversary Retailer's Special

There is another anniversary special Signature Style Tyler Wentworth doll. This one is exactly like the blonde in the post below but she is a brunette and is an edition of 300. I think the brunette is quite beautiful.

Cherished Friends is offering the doll for $127. which is 15% off the retail price of $149.99.

Signature Style Tyler Wentworth® doll in celebration of Tyler’s milestone.

Collectors who will be attending Tyler's 10th Anniversary Event on November 7th have been offered the opportunity to purchase an ultra-limited (100) edition of a Tyler Wentworth Signature Style Blonde doll. This is being described as a fresh take on a classic which it surely is. This re-imagined version's blouse is a white taffeta bodysuit with rhinestone buttons. The skirt is black sequin and mesh with a rhinestone buckled satin belt. The shoes are t-strap and she is sporting her ubiquitous rhinestone studs. Her hair is also in a signature style but with a braid around the ponytail.

I think the price of $149. is twice as high as it should be and that is why I am hesitating to order her. On top of that I would have to pay 8% sales tax because I live in NY. She will not be coming home with me.

It might have been significant if TDC had issued these dolls at the same price the originals were - $79.99. I would have ordered two of them immediately.

If I remember correctly, I paid $25. for my first Signature Style Tyler at a trunk show in Hurley. I loved that doll and photographed her endlessly. She, too, wore a white blouse, black skirt, black hosiery and shoes.

Here are the versions of the Signature Style dolls that have been issued. Each edition was produced in brunette, red and blonde versions. All these images were borrowed from the Tyler Wentworth Archive except the second picture from the top which is the actual picture of my first Tyler doll.

1999 Signature Style $79.99

2001 Signature Style BA (Bending Arms) $79.99

2003 Signature Style - AR Red, Blonde, Brunette $79.99

(The blonde was redressed for this picture but originally came dressed as the others.

2004 Signature Style - BW - Brunette shown.
Also available as a blonde and redhead. All had blue forward-glancing eyes.
These were the first bending wrist Tyler dolls. Retail $79.99

I loved these BW dolls so much that I bought three of each!