News About Kazue and Tom of Toy & Goods Trading

It was confirmed this past week by a good friend of Kazue, that her husband is Tom of Toy & Goods Trading. That shop appears to be up and running.

Please note, if you order from them that they accept only Paypal. Do not pay with a balance, pay with a credit card through Paypal. That way even if Paypal denies your claim (if you have to make one) you can always turn to your credit card company and do a chargeback. Paypal hates that but you are protected.

I thought it was very, very strange that no one except the person who confirmed the information to collectors knew this. It's rather unusual for a husband and wife to have very similar but separate businesses in the same area. Perhaps Kazue  was trying to prove to Tom that she could do it better.

Some who regularly order from T&G Trading are understandably concerned that he might go under as well. All I can say is that if you have a major credit card, use it through Paypal. Get all your funds out of your account before ordering and use as your back up funding source a credit card - not a bank account.

Tom has the prettiest duo for sale. They are "Good Morning Amelie" and "Good Night Misaki" from the Secret Code Collection. His price is 32,600 yen for the set. That's $403.31 USD; 244.59 British Pounds; or 270.50 Euros.  They are also available separately but they look so pretty together.

Link to Toy& Goods Trading

Now that I'm in love with this body, what am I supposed to do with my other dolls?

I hate to start off a blog post with the word CRAP but I'm in love with the FR2 body. This is a problem and a puzzlement. There's no way to replace even a fraction of my collection with the new body. Should I retire them? Seriously, this body is amazing - the best 12" body ever. The only problem is that we can't get replacement ones and the feet are too long. A rational doll collector (are there any?) would say to just keep the collections separate. That's kind of impossible. My dolls are begging for new bodies now. CRAP.

Anyway...how gorgeous is this? Vanessa is wearing a little dress from a much earlier doll. Many of the clothes fit beautifully. It's the shoes that are hit and miss (mostly miss.)

And this:

The doll is Aerodynamic Vanessa re-rooted by Susan Korba, (the Magnificent.) She is borrowing a Dasha body and wearing a Dasha gown and shoes. Sitting, reclining and standing are all done beautifully with this body. Can it get better? Yes. Sell us bodies!

Franklin Mint and Ashton Drake Dress their Princess Catherine Dolls

The Franklin Mint will be producing a vinyl portrait doll of HRH Catherine. You can have one (or more) for $295.  Click on the picture to see the description and/or to place your order.

Here is Ashton Drake's porcelain 16" doll for $149.99.  Their description says fully poseable. Hmmm...I wonder exactly what that means. They did a very good job recreating the look of the gown but it it likely a retouched photo for now. It's too good.  Click on the photo to go to the Ashton-Drake page.

Princess Catherine Commemorative Porcelain Bride Doll

Tsk, tsk. The Danbury Mint still has their artist's rendering on their website.

Personally, I would rather have a Pippa doll in the dress SHE wore. What a great-looking doll she would make!