All they did was shut her mouth?

Word has come down from above that all the Integrity Toys designers did to the Vanessa sculpt was shut her mouth. It was also stated that bad photography was the cause of the puffiness and apparent lack of cheekbones. Hmmm...that's EXACTLY what I said on  2/27/11. 

And it's hilarious in light of the fact that the liaisons at the W Club forum have shut the Vanessa threads down, too.

 

Mulder and Sculley in shock at the new IT 2011 line.

Did you see the X-Files episodes with the aliens whose mouth and eyes were sewn shut? Shudder.

 What I saw was sabotage:  disruption, treachery...

Lt. Valeris: Four-hundred years ago, on the planet Earth, workers who felt their livelihood threatened by automation, flung their wooden shoes, called sabot, into the machines to stop them . . . hence the word: sabotage.

This image means nothing:

Ana from Portugal posted an interesting Vanessa vs Fauxnessa composite.

Elise Trifecta

I ought to be cleaning and doing yoga but taking pictures of dolls is so much more appealing. Today I took all three Elise dolls into my studio for a photo shoot. Click on the images to see larger versions.

Do you have a favorite?

 In the photos of Flawless, I had to Photoshop out some of the hair defects which, I'm hoping, will be gone on the new head I'm going to get from IT.


Blue Blood Elise Jolie  2009 Convention Souvenir. She is not on an FR2 body.

I still have not changed her from her original fashion because I think she's just perfection.

Dark Swan Elise Jolie  The W Club Luncheon 2009 Centerpiece is wearing the new FR2 Fashion, Only Natural. I have added Knife Edge bracelets and a Purse of the Month handbag. I am considering cutting her hair to shoulder length and curling the ends. She is very sparsely rooted and needs some filler.

I sold her original black outfit as I didn't think it flattered her.

Dark Swan's huge braid was opened and her hair is tied back except for the shorter pieces. 

 Flawless Elise Jolie  I have added a feathery hat.

Balancing on her own. Don't try this at home without caution.

She sits beautifully! A Wonderful improvement.

Ring fits on separated fingers!

Uber-scaled earrings.

This is a really sucky picture but it shows the back of the dress bodice and boots.

Fabulous footwear.

Reinterpreted Runway Fashions (Yet Again)

Christian Dior Haute Couture S/S 2007

Jamieshow by Angelic Dreamz

Christian Dior Haute Couture S/S 2007

Superfrock

I do not have an attribute for the last photo which was taken by someone at an IFDC event.
I've just been informed that the photo was taken by Atelier Soda.

Submitted by Petra Becker, Germany.

Even More Reinterpreted Runway Fashions!

Posted on Dolly Daily by cocoklein who is a wonderful detective:

    Dior Couture 1997            Mauve Absolue Veronique 2003

Dior Couture 1997                 Fierce Subject Kyori 2005

Here's one posted by Nevraforever on the W Club Board. The image in the center is from Jason's RTW collection.  I don't see the facial resemblance between Dominique and the model.

Dominique FR2 2011    Jason Wu RTW 2011   Adele Makeda 2011

Modern Sensibility Dasha and Only Natural Fashion FR2

Dasha looks exactly like her promotional photo! Yay.

I took a bunch of pictures from all angles so inquiring collectors can see everything. I had a pleasant deja vu feeling when I detached her handbag from the box. It felt like the olden days when lovely accessories were packaged with the dolls. Unfortunately one arm of the sunglasses broke off as I opened them. The jacket fabric looks like silk. The green blouse feels like silk crepe and will need a little pressing. The shorts fit perfectly.

I love, love, love her shoes. They are fragile, however, and both heels are detaching. I will use a drop of crazy glue to get them attached again. The FR2 have not only a larger foot but their instep is much higher. If you put their shoes on a standard FR doll, she will be leaning forward.

_______

The "Only Natural" Dasha fashion came in a doll-sized box.

The jury is still out on the hat which might look better on a flat hairstyle.

I didn't have a nekkid FR2 ready to be redressed so I put this fashion on my Mini LiveWire clone doll. The dress would not fit on a Fashion Royalty body at the bustline. It was too tight. The shoes are totally unsuitable for any foot but the FR2 because of the instep as I mentioned above.

The fabric appears to be a (synthetic?) silk crepe and is perfect for this scale. The appearance of a drape was created with gathering at the waist and the serging of the hemline. It is done very well. The finishing of the back of the garment, not so well.

The loose stitch on the back of the sweater can be pulled through to the inside.
The only jewelry the outfit comes with are dual rhinestone studs. I would certainly add something around the neck.

In the picture below, Live Wire is not wearing the shoes from the outfit. Those are her own.

 Two dressed dolls (Dasha and Elise) and one fashion with shipping came to $464.93. That's ridiculous and yet I jumped at the chance to order them. And now I'm asking myself if I would do it over.  That hurts.

Elise? Not Exactly Flawless

FR 2 Bad?  I hope for the sake of others (and myself) that this doll is the only one whose hair is like this.
These shots were taken of Elise who is still in her box - thus the awful color background. I have combed her bangs smooth. She has a depression line across the top of her head from the hairnet. The bun is lopsided - severely. I bought this doll precisely because I loved her hairstyle! See the promotional picture and the picture I took at the convention.
Reminder: You can click on the pictures to see them larger.

Integrity Promotional Image

Taken at the 2010 Convention

 I was so excited yesterday when Elise, Dasha and the fashion Only Natural were delivered. Elise's was the first box I opened and I was disappointed. I put it aside and opened Dasha's box and I was pleased. The fashion looked great but I was surprised at the fact that it came in a box the same size as the dolls' boxes.

I took a few quickie pictures and posted them on one of the doll board and posted a link on the W Club.

At that point I had decided that I didn't like Elise enough to keep her so I put her on my Show & Sell pages with two of the pictures I took of her - one was a closeup that showed her bangs looking awful.

The pictures caused quite a stir and some collectors sounded almost panicky which caused me to reexamine my doll. They were not imagining what they saw. The bangs are choppy and the hair is not the same as the promo. I have written to "Patient Care" and we'll see what happens.

Clearance Sale on Cami & Jon Fashions at Cherished Friends

If you have waited for some of the Cami & Jon fashions, they're now on sale at Cherished Friends. This is just a few of what's available.

Silkstone Ekaterina Arrives

So how did Integrity's Black Wednesday go for you? Did you get everything you wanted on pre-order? With 36 dolls to choose from, there must have been something for everyone. Problem is, most everyone wanted the same thing. From what I've heard, the boy dolls disappeared faster than all the rest.

Ekaterina arrived today. She is the Barbie Fan Club first doll for 2011. I thought she was overpriced but that is the direction the Silkstone dolls have taken in the last year. I don't know if I will debox her because I wasn't overwhelmed with joy when I looked inside the box.

Silly me. I was expecting the doll to look like the promo.

I suppose if I take her out and arrange her curls, she will look good. I do love redheads. I was surprised at how much she reminds me of Je Ne Sais Quoi who is actually better looking in person that her promo (and has lots of nice jewelry and a handbag and was more than $20 less.)

Strangely enough I don't have a picture of JNSQ in her own outfit. I do have this one. She's wearing a suit that came on Brilliance Monogram doll. This was the worst piece of sewing ever. Look at the white stitching across the bustline. Ugh. I have since gone over that stitching with indelible black laundry marker.

The good thing is that I learned that Monogram clothing fits Silkies.


Every time I go to the BFC site and see the Tribute Barbie Doll I am reminded that I want her badly.

She will be mine one day!

Sometimes throwing away money on dolls like Twilight Jane and a few Lalaloopsy pieces of junk adds up and could easily buy a doll like Tribute. It's pretty difficult to delay gratification when there are so many adorable dolls just asking to come live here.

This was a waste of $5. but it was irresistible.

One more thing arrived today...a cute folder which contained my BFC membership card and a key chain with a folding picture holder. It's cute. I think it could make a good luggage tag.

Letter From Mary T's Doll House About Pre-Ordering

Just got this email from Mary T's Dollhouse. I might be freaking out if this were my regular dealer. Chances are that her well-established customers will have their needs met.  That's just my guess. Mary is terrific and she should make her business comfortable for herself. March 1, 2011

Dear Terri, As many of you know, Integrity Toys has unveiled their new lines for 2011.  After much thought and discussion with my family (the peeps who help me behind the scenes with shipping/mailing), I have decided that I will NOT be accepting preorders for the new lines.  We will be selling items as they arrive in stock, on our website.   Over the past few weeks, we have been working on rebuilding the entire website...this includes moving the site to a new host and rolling out a new shopping cart system.  I do not feel comfortable enough to open up preorders with a cart system I am still learning.  I realize people are anxious and will not be happy that they cannot secure a preorder and for that I apologize if this decision upsets you.   When the time comes to sell the new items as regular in stock orders, we will send out an email blast so you know what has come in, the prices (we do sell at suggested retail) and my main rule I will enforce is 1 of each item per person/address/order.  I am hoping that as the year goes on, that people will like our new website and shopping cart.  We have tried to address problems we have had in the past so that customers have a good shopping experience with little frustration. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

_____________

 BLACK WEDNESDAY APPROACHES  

WEAR ARMOR

Will the Real Vanessa Please Stand Up?

The movement is afoot to get Integrity Toys to stop production of the redesigned Vanessa head mold. Hopefully the designers will listen and make collectors happy.

I have decided to join with those petitioning IT. Vanessa is my favorite mold after all and although I didn't see that much difference, I'd rather no changes at all.

There have been 22 versions of Vanessa manufactured since the beginning.  There have been 15 Agnes dolls. Does that mean that Agnes will also get restyled soon? She's wildly popular among collectors as Vanessa has always been.

Restyling a product that is loved 

is not good business. 

All a doll needs is different facial screening, different hair styling and a great outfit to change her appearance.  Make light, medium and dark versions. Discontinue or reduce her production.
You don't change an icon's appearance.  Who is making these decisions?

These are all Vanessa. Most are IT's own promotional photos. Of these, five were not terribly popular but sold out fast nevertheless. All except Aerodynamic are hunted by collectors. The prices for these dolls can be extraordinarily high.

I ought to just dig up my protests against the restyling of Veronique or my comments about the restyling of Natalia. That was ridiculous. It stopped being Natalia. I am quite sure that sales have not improved as a result of these changes. Isn't that why IT is in business? Is someone with an out-of-control ego loose in the boardroom? 

When In Bloom Vanessa, the W Club doll from 2007 was shown there was a very negative reaction to her appearance and it was changed because of that. 

While most unhappy collectors are busy protesting on the W Board and other boards, I have suggested they write directly to the designers at Integrity Toys. At the last convention, Vaughn said he wanted to hear what collectors think. Is he paying attention? Is anyone?

Twilight Jane from Mattel

Every now and then I give in to my 'dark' side and buy a Pink Box item from Mattel.  I liked Jane's cloak. The price was right as I used my $20. coupon.  She doesn't look quite evil enough. I still like her.

Her cloak is sewn shut at the front seam. It will be quite easy to rip the thread open and put in hooks and eyes. What I didn't expect was sewn on gloves! Weird.