9/13/2013

No Surprise Here: IDEX 2014 is Cancelled

Those who have been involved or who have attended IDEX received this letter today:

IDEX 2014 CANCELED
The collectible doll and teddy bear trade show IDEX Premiere has been canceled for 2014 and will discontinue all show operations moving forward. While we have enjoyed working with the doll and teddy bear industry over the last decade, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the show and all of its related events and workshops.
 
IDEX, a trade show dedicated to the celebration of dolls, teddy bears, toys and collectible playthings, ran without interruption for twenty-two years. Held in cities all over the country, most recently in Orlando, Florida, IDEX was for many years the premiere place to see what trends and developments were to come in the industry, meet and mingle with fellow collectors, and learn crafting skills at a myriad of workshops. While we are sad to see IDEX come to an end, we have a wealth of great memories and personal friendships that will stay with us for a lifetime. 
 
In closing, we would like to thank all of the artists, exhibitors, manufacturers, buyers and collectors who made IDEX a vibrant and exciting environment for more than two decades. We wish you all the best.
 
Sincerely,
 
Susan Fitzgerald
Vice President, IDEX
 
What we saw last April, was a huge decrease in attendance of larger manufacturers such as Madame Alexander.  I had not attended the prior two years but three years ago, the showroom floor was a bustling area with more than one could take in in a day. This time it was downright boring. Except for 4 or 5 booths, little was worth the time and/or effort to look at. 
It is entirely possible that part of the demise of IDEX is due to the changed date from winter to spring. February is Toy Fair in New York. January has been the month to attend IDEX. And the hotel change was a mistake as well. I loved the Rosen Shingle Creek. In a blog post created on 9/26/10, I describe the hotel.

Soon all business will be conducted without talking to a real human in person. That's what's 'trending.'


9/12/2013

Lawn Has Weeds

She arrived today. I love her fashion. It's better than it looks in the promos. But I am very disappointed because she has several defects. There is a yellow streak of paint on her neck. It's not a small amount either. There are also a few scratches on her torso which I examined after I found the paint.
I sent an email to the appropriate folks at Superfrock and I attached 6 large photo close-ups of the problems. The test of customer service will make it's results shown tomorrow if they do not answer right away. They ask to be notified in 24 hours if there is a problem. I expect a reply within the same amount of time. Honestly, the only answer I will be happy with is a new body. They can have the damaged one picked up and send me another.


ZestZest , Sour Pea and Cookiecutter

Today Superdoll announced that two new outfits and the hat set have been posted for sale. http://www.superdollonline.co.uk/acatalog/SYBARITES.html

COOKIECUTTER SYB/AP_042
The piece d' resistance from this collection and the ultimate in accessories!
4 pack of divine quaint and cute hats!
BLUE, PINK, YELLOW & GREEN!
4 HAT pack only.
ED: 100 pieces worldwide!
Price: £105.99 ($167.67 US)
 
SOUR PEA SYB/749

A very delicate frock of rose satin with lace overlay. Sleeves and neckline addorned in bows.
Divine set of bracelets in 'gold'.
Also included is a pair of matching hose and a pair of ultra glamping court heels trimmed with lace flowers.
And of course she was her own matching pinwheel
OUTFIT ONLY
ED: 80 pieces worldwide!

Price: £109.75  ($173.61 US)


ZEST ZESTSYB/751

Gorgeous soft citrus silk strapless dress with chiffon inserts and ribbon detailing, accented by a volumous silk chiffon caper with ribbon bow at neckline.
Custom printed make up bag.
Also included is a pair of matching hose and a pair of ultra glamping court heels trimmed with lace flowers .
And of course she was her own matching pinwheel
OUTFIT ONLY


ED: 80 pieces worldwide!


Price: £107.99 ($170.83 US)
__________________________________________

My personal favorite of these three items is Zest Zest. I like the fabric and the style. Overall this has been a lovely, albeit tame, collection of pastel and summery offerings. 



 


 

9/11/2013

Photos and Video from Facets 2013 BBQ

You may be aware that Marcia Friend of Facets by Marcia has a barbeque every year at her home with husband Paul. All doll collectors are invited. This year the event was on Sunday, September 8.
Bob and I, along with Rudy, have been attending for several years. I wouldn't miss it!
I get to hang out with doll buddies, shop, sell, get free stuff, give free stuff,  have show and tell and all good things one does with doll friends.
Here is a link to some fun photographs from the event. Don't miss the video at the bottom of the page. I do make an appearance wearing my fabulous new fur.
Can you spot Rudy under the table?



http://facetsbymarcia.com/BBQ2013.htm

9/10/2013

A Few New Pictures

Tulabelle: Trend Spotted
An impulse buy-$99 was a great price. I like her fashion a lot, her face not so much. She's definitely a candidate for a repaint but I'm not keeping the doll - just the outfit. The glasses are Horsman. She's got a hairnet on as she's going to a new home. I like my dolls a little more mature-looking but she does have a pretty cute vibe.


J'Adore Gene Marshall wearing "All About the Eyes."
I tried but I could not get those gold gloves on. If this were a vinyl doll I would have pushed and pulled until they went on...not with a resin doll.
For this gal, none of the available wig caps please me as much as a few of my Sybarite wigs.  I have seen several restyled JamieShow wigs looking really great but I'm not talented in that department.
I love this look on her.

Deja Vu "My Afternoon Stroll" wearing Sybarite jeans and sweater, Ficon sneakers and a random wig. I can't warm up to this doll. I need dolls to feel right from the start. She doesn't suit my style although she is very versatile and can wear so many fashion items I have already.

Precarious Precious Metal wearing Antoinette's "Optimistic" fashion and Fashion Royalty earrings. This doll's beauty was a surprise to me. Her original outfit was overwhelming and once I took it off, she came alive.

9/09/2013

Hervé Léger Barbie

There was a question about whether or not this doll would be produced at all and now she has appeared on Amazon.es (Spain.) Price is listed at 114,18€ which translates to $150.37.
No disponible temporalmente.
Pídelo ya y lo enviaremos cuando esté disponible. Recibirás un e-mail con la fecha de entrega estimada en cuanto tengamos más información. El cobro a tu cuenta se realizará cuando se envíe el producto.
Vendido y enviado por Amazon. Se puede envolver para regalo. 


Translation: Temporarily unavailable.
Order now and we'll deliver when available. You will receive an e-mail with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. The charge will be made to your account when the product is shipped.
Sold & Shipped by Amazon. Gift-wrap available.
The product looks gorgeous and if the doll really looks like this I want her. I still hate that dumb body but I like the fashions. I like the background printed inside the box, too.


I know that rarely does anything look as good as Mattel's promotional photos but there's always hope.

Would you buy this doll for $150.? What about $100.? Would you buy this doll at all? :-)

And if you would like to know more about the designer, Herve Leger: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herve_Leger