2012 Integrity Toys Reveal

IT is unveiling new dolls at IDEX. 

First up, the Monogram dolls are the clear winners. Someone (new, perhaps?) designed this line and made a 180° turn from the direction they had taken in the past year. They went from dowdy (Bemused, Envied & Passionate) and WWTT to stylish and classy the way they were the first two years and maybe even better.

There are five dressed dolls offered. From what I can see, three of them (2,4,5) have the original sculpt and two have caught the puffy-Poppy-upper-lip-thing. All the fashions are stunning except the one in the middle which doesn't seem suited or fitted to the doll's scale and size. However, the accessories from that ensemble are lovely.
The blonde one on the end seems to be channeling Hollywood glamour - maybe Marilyn. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked two of these five enough to pre-order them! SHOCK!
The price has gone up $10 per doll to $160. Must be for the lashes. Yes, Monogram dolls now sport lashes.
I predict there will be issues with the hair bump on #2 - as it looks uneven in this picture already.

Congratulations to the designer of the Monogram dolls for this success. 

The other doll I was impressed with is the Gretel doll from Hansel and Gretel Nu.Fantasy duo. The dolls are available separately - they are not a set.

This description cracked me up: 

"This high fashion reinterpretation of the traditional German folk tale has Hansel and Gretel looking fabulous while lost in the woods.  They are ready to take on any old witch or fashionista." 

I hope her hair is as fabulous in the production doll as it looks in the promo. I also hope the fashion doesn't stain her body. Why? Because I pre-ordered her, too.  ($135.)

Poppy Parker shows up with Chip. When I read that name all I could think of is Chip and Dale, computer chips, corn chips and those California Highway guys on bikes, CHiPs.

They should have named him Biff. Anyway, he's not a looker. He's just an expensive Ken with a blank, expressionless face.  His tuxedo and shoes are very nice.
Poppy's dress is a vintage 50's prom dress style in deep coral. 
Darla comes with the microphone. She is not part of the set. Her dress is more sophisticated as is her hairstyle. She has a little Jackie Kennedy style going on. Is she supposed to be older than Poppy?

The Poppy/Chip set is $150. Darla is $89.

There is a whole new line of dolls featuring Poppy Parker as Sabrina.

Sabrina is a 1954 comedy-romance film directed by Billy Wilder, adapted for the screen by Wilder, Samuel A. Taylor, and Ernest Lehman from Taylor's play Sabrina Fair (in the UK, the movie has the title Sabrina Fair). It stars Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, and William Holden. This was Wilder's last film released by Paramount Pictures, ending a 12-year relation with Wilder and the company.

The line features two dressed dolls and two gift sets. If you like Poppy, you will like these sets.

These are the two dressed dolls. They retail for $125. each.
The giftsets each have multiple outfits and accessories.

And now for the part of the collection I think is the least impressive - the Avantguard16 (FR16) and the Giant Poppys.

I am completely unimpressed with these four dolls. Their facial screening is cartoon-like and I don't care for any of the fashions. I did have the opportunity to examine the FR16 body and I will not be buying any doll on that body. I originally thought that these dolls might be good body donors for the Avantguard dolls I already have whose bodies are yellowed and floppy. The new bodies are just as lightweight and wobbly. The size has changed as well which will create more problems for redressers. Retail price $175. That's interesting. The 12" FR2s were also $175. I suppose a little extra vinyl and fabric doesn't amount to very much.

The giant Poppys are unappealing. The fashions are acceptable enough for the era they are supposed to represent but with the increased size, that phony-looking upper lip has grown to what looks like a clothespin has been pinching it. These dolls retail for $150. each.

 

There are bee-stung lips and there's deformity. 

Hey...to each his own. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Seems like IT is counting on the success of the little Poppys and trying to bring collectors into the 16" world. They'd better be careful because if the minions start collecting 16" dolls, they might discover a whole world of gorgeous 16" dolls out there that aren't made by IT and that have different lips from each other. I must do a collage of IT lips - 2011-2. Waldo will be in there for sure.

This line is called Teen Poppy. Aren't the little Poppy dolls teens, too?

What I Would Order...

Sometimes I put together a fantasy order instead of a real one. It provides a little bit of buying satisfaction and I know that I can safely list anything I want.

First up, this is what I'd get from the NuMood collection:
Basic Sydney because I love Sydney and she can wear all of my currrent Tyler fashions. I'd get a set of convertible feet.

Then I would get these pieces from the collection. Lots of mix and match goodness here.

The cost of this order would be $524.88 at full retail.  Interesting that it doesn't look like so much money when you look at the separates.
OK so I'm not going to do it because it is nearly what a nice nude Sybarite would cost me.
I do love those flat shoes! I'll bet they would fit the Avanguard flat foot. But I hate the AG bodies -they've all turned yellow and are floppy.

Focus, Terri, focus.

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From the other introduced products I might get this guy (Freedom For Fashion Neo Tokyo $199.99)  because he's hot-looking and I like his outfit.

I'd get Ms. Beetlejuice (224.99) to scare away evil demons and because she is a very weird-looking doll. I like her as an oddity.

I would order Emily ($224.99) for her outfit. The doll herself would have to go live elsewhere because she reminds me too much of Evangeline Ghastly.

Marvel Comics' Black Cat ($159.99) might get a spot in my collection because she is very pretty. Someone else would be happy to get her outfit, I'm sure. I love her blonde eyebrows!

This fantasy order would retail for $809.96. Fantasies are easy to come by.

At these prices, a car ride to Kingston for an hour of gazing and a little touching fits into my budget very well.

Tonner Products Part 2 (Yes, there's more!)

This is one of the most interesting, eclectic releases, including NuMood, that I remember in a long time. As I said in my previous Tonner product post, there's something for everyone. This part of the release includes Antoinette, Cami & Jon, American Models, DC and Marvel Characters, Freedom for Fashion, new Pirates of the Caribbean figures, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride and Ms. Beetlejuice, Oz, Gone with the Wind and a Hollywood Glamour, Madame de L'Amour Outfit. Wow! I can barely get my mind around all of this fantastic stuff!
Here are just a few samples. At the end of this post will be a link to everything.
The Corpse Bride is channeling Evangeline IMO. Hmmm.

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride $224.99

Antoinette Starshine Outfit $89.99

Hollywood Glamour, Madame de L'Amour Outfit $139.99

Tim Burton's Ms. Beetlejuice $224.99

Prices listed are all retail. The best dealers discount 10% right off the top. It used to be 15% Things have changed for sure.

2012 Preview Release

Tonner's New Products Revealed

The Nu Mood collection has been revealed. This new line is a collection of 7 dolls, body parts, wigs, separates, and shoes.

The incredibly well-priced, at only $59., basic dolls come in a one piece bodysuit.  Starting from the top left going clockwise they are Tyler-Fashion, Sydney-Fashion, Carrie-Dance, Betty-Curvy, Paige-Curvy, Jess-Dance and Parker-Dance.
I do not know if these dolls are wigged. It looks like three of them are not. 

It appears that the title after each one's name indicates the type of body upon which the head comes. It looks like the NuMood Fashion body is the original Tyler regular bust body with removable feet (and hands.)
The dance body comes with toe feet and the curvy body comes with a larger bust. There are 2 vinyl colors called Tyler skin tone and Spice skin tone. But which Tyler skin tone is that? I'm guessing it's not the original darker Tyler.

There are three types of hands in both skintones - Set of three pairs for $24.99

There are three types of feet in both skintones - Set of three pairs of feet for $24.99

The clothing and accessories are three pairs of ballerina toe shoes, 9 high heels, 3 pairs of sandals, 1 pair of open toe flats, a gorgeous pair of beaded ankle boots, faux suede boots, 5 handbags, 7 wigs, 3 pairs of pants, and an assortment of beautiful chiffon and taffeta tops and bottoms in various lengths. I love the clothes!

There is something here for everyone looking for a customizable doll! I think the price points are excellent. Bravo Mr. Tonner and Company!

Click here to see the entire collection.

Talc in Testament

January - A Slippery Slope for Collectors

With IDEX and New York Toy Fair just around the corner, new doll lines are set to debut. Dealers and manufacturers are anxious to make room for the new products and the sales abound. Collectors are "winter cleaning" their collections and offering up some great stuff. What's a helpless collector to do?  Here's a rundown (read: admission) of my January activities so far:

FR16 Spring Kissed (nude) It hasn't arrived yet but my motivation was that I would use the body for an older Avantguard and sell this giant Poppy face.
FR2 Dominique Makeda Impossibly Beautiful. It was on sale for $50 less than the original retail. I wanted her body and outfit. Sadly, very few want her head so I will probably be stuck with it. Pictures follow.
Superfrock Testament Fashion - Second time around. I sold my first before I ever had Sybarite dolls.
Superdoll iBean sunglasses
Sybarite Blade pantsuit and miscellaneous accessories.
Superfrock Pet Carrier from Automatic
Ponytail wig from Cheryl Wood.
Two reroots and a custom jacket.
Monster High Cleo de Nile’s Vanity and a lot of Monster High Odds and Ends: Although these are adorable, I think this has cured me from buying any more MH stuff. What a waste!
W Club Memberships: We'll see. I did not order any of the upgrade dolls as I didn't care for them.
Perfectly Purple Poppy: This was a pre-order that was delayed for about 8 months.
Theatre de la Mode ROYALE #82: Another  delayed pre-order.
Tonner Deluxe Fashion Closet: A great bargain.
And then there are the dogs. Sigh. 

Meet Krypto.

 This is a Tonner product and was made to accompany his Superman figure from several years ago. Sadly he is stained from the red cape but I may have him painted eventually. Why did I buy this? I loved the original Superman comics and Krypto was such a great dog. January fever got me so Krypto moved in.
If that weren't enough...

Obitsu makes these jointed dogs and in a January mindset, $25. each seemed like a good idea. I bought a white one as well but I can't find it and it's not even out of it's box. Sigh, again.

No she's not a dog. Miami Glow Vanessa was the recipient of Dominique's body and fashion. I like the gown now. There were some problems with the product, however. The beautiful silk (?) gown was stitched to the box and even with ultra careful removal, thread holes remain. I even steamed the fabric to no avail. Sad. It's really a beautifully designed and carefully constructed garment. The body itself is the first FR2 body I have received that was wobbly. There is a huge space at the thigh joint which allows the legs to swing loosely. Going backward? My temporary fix is to put tape around the joint (not inside) to hold it. The seams on this body are not finished nicely. She's got stripes on her arms and neck and probably on her legs, too, where the seams are joined.  I don't know if I will seek a replacement body.

 __________________________________

I was ill all week and I thought I'd feel better if I deboxed something. I am a deboxer but occasionally I will get a Mattel product and put it somewhere without opening it. Too bad I was able to find this one - the Grace Kelly Trousseau. This has to be one of the least attractive of all modern Mattel sculpts. Not only is it unattractive, they forgot the matte finish. 

The second outfit is a very nice navy sheath. Unfortunately the coat is not made properly. The empire seam which should be under the bust, hits almost at the largest part of the but. It was cut too short for a silkstone body. There is a big white hat but it never made it into the pictures. It's probably hiding with the white Obitsu dog somewhere.

Needless to say, deboxing this set did not make me feel better. 

Did you all have a good January (so far?)

Wilde Imagination's Lizettte Arrives

Wilde Imagination has announced the arrival of Ellowyne's new friend, Lizette. There is one basic doll and two dressed dolls.

The basic is a wigged doll, Essential Lizette, and sure to be very popular.  I like the wild wig look much better than the smooth one. It gives her character and works perfectly with her skin color. She's adorable! She is $119. and WI is offering free shipping until midnight January 31st.

This dressed doll is called A New Girl in Town. I like her hairstyle which is rooted. The rest of the outfit is odd and looks like something a waitress or a volunteer nurse would wear. Part of her back story is Lizette collects hats.

"Pretty Little Lizette" is shown here and I love her outfit! She is wigged (removable) and that's a good thing because I don't think this wig works for her at all. Both dressed dolls are $149.

I would love to see Lizette's ethnicity fully embraced with frizzy hair and all. I hope I'm not being politically incorrect but this is a dark skinned doll. She has AA features and I'd enjoy seeing WI run with that.  

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Someone made an oopsie.

Whoosh

I love the way this Photoshop effect drags the color out of what ever it's edge touches. Toxica's tattoos visible in this photo say Hope, Faith, Love and Life. I need some hands for these gals that have more expression. Happily that is my only issue with my Sybarite dolls. Some of the ultra exclusive dolls come with hand sets.

And I thought a $750 doll was pricey...