The last few days...

I have been crazy busy sewing a costume for the Fashion Royalty convention. It was finished today and a few hours after it was finished I decided to wear something less costume-y.  The husband unit cracked up. He actually liked the costume I made and was also impressed. I'm entitled to change my mind, aren't I?
I will still wear a 'costume' and part of it is something I made but it's better and more me.

I received a reply very quickly after sending an email to the Franklin Mint regarding their Michelle Obama doll.

Dear Terri,

Thank you for your email.

Please be advised that the Michelle Obama doll stands approximately 16.5
inches in height, and the image online is a photograph of the actual
doll. This doll does not have a wig, but rooted hair, and the clothes
are not sewn on, as there will be interchangeable ensembles offered in
the future.

If you need additional information on this matter, please call our toll
free Client Service number at 1-800-843-6468 and one of our
representatives would be more than happy to assist you.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Jennings
Client Service and Satisfaction Representative

I do not believe that the promotional image is an unretouched photograph. I think the face is Photoshopped.  Time will tell. George of Angelic Dreamz told me that release of the doll will not be too soon.

Of the three 1/4 scale Michelle Obama dolls either released or proposed so far I think that Ashton Drake's doll is the best. Their image is also touched up - hey, most of mine are touched up as well. The difference is that I am not selling dolls whose faces I have altered to make them look better.  A-D's version has more articulation and looks more natural. I think the price is also better. First Lady of Style Michelle Obama Fashion Doll Collection will be the first doll in a series that Ashton Drake plans.



I hunted around the internet with a search "Michelle Obama  Dolls" and I found a few interesting options. Each title is a link to the site where I found it.


Michele Obama First lady of Fashion Figurine Collection

Michele Obama Action Figure Set of Three
These figures are available separately for about $12.95 elsewhere.

Designed and manufactured by Jailbreak Toys

Michele Obama Action Figurine (Awful but her arms look great.)
If you put this doll in the sites shopping cart and then attempt to navigate to another page or go back, you will be offered a 7% discount.

Michelle First lady Paper Dolls

And that's that!

I'm hoping to find some time next week to take a few pictures of the Mini LiveWire I just got.

More about → The last few days...

Brides of Dracula ~ The Contessa

The Contessa arrived today, fangs and all. It's a shame I don't like fangs (on dolls, that is) because there is a lot to like about this doll!

But you can send me Eric -> or Bill -> with fangs, without fangs...any old, dead way.

The packaging is very nice with the window box showing the entire doll. Box has a magnetic closure.
Contessa's gown is a 4 layered affair - the lining, the underskirt, the wine-colored layer and an over-layer of black mesh. The trim is nicely applied around the edges of the skirt layers and there's a tiny trim of lacy edging at the bodice. The corset looks like a separate piece but is sewn on and has stitching that resembles boning. Overall the quality is excellent. Her shoes are faux leather with a decorative detail and ribbon ties. The fashion is completed with long black gloves, black stud earrings and a simple multi-strand chain choker.

The body is the surprise. She's got a full-sized Fashion Royalty bust with a slim waist and hips.The hip joints have more movement than do those of Fashion Royalty dolls and this doll can sit at a 45° angle. Nice. I am impressed with the total package in spite of the high retail price of $149.99. Many dealers are discounting the doll by $20 or more.
There is a Certificate of Authenticity but no edition size. All the CoA says is that once this edition is closed, no more will be made. That means it's an open edition. No surprise there.
See you at Fangtasia?

More about → Brides of Dracula ~ The Contessa

Deconstruction Site Eugenia & Magnetism Monogram Dolls

I had time yesterday to redress several dolls and photograph a few of them. For me this is the most pleasant way to spend time with my dolls besides gazing at them. For the backdrop I tried out some mylar coated stock. I'm not quite sure about the best way to use it so the results are accidental. I'll have to do some research.
Here is Eugenia wearing LifeBall's gown. The bust was quite tight but I managed to close it and I like it on her. The headwear belongs to Flame Blue Vanessa and the purse is from an early Fashion Royalty doll. Jewelry is by Facets. She looks gorgeous!
I purchased the Monogram doll called Magnetism as a nude so she really needed some wardrobe time.
The Randall Craig fashion, Kelly Girl, looked great on another collector's doll so that's what mine got to wear. Fur is by Dimitha and shoes are her own from her original outfit.
This particular backdrop is an older tri-fold cardboard Ashton-Drake Gene item meant to represent the Biltmore Hotel Ballroom. I added the gold chairs and columns. The columns are Wilton cake decorating accessories which I spray painted gold.
The jewelry was produced by Sandra Stillwell for the 2004 Gene convention. It is a replica of jewelry worn by Susan Hayward in the film Smash Up. The fur was also made to fit a 16" doll however it works well with this scale and is quite glamorous. It is real fur.

Hope you like the pretty pictures. ;-)

Revision note: Information about the jewelry Magnetism Monogram is wearing was provided by Mike Basala. Thanks, Mike!

More about → Deconstruction Site Eugenia & Magnetism Monogram Dolls

Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter Dolls from Ashton Drake

I don't have any familiarity with the Dark-Hunter series at all. I'm guessing they hunt vampires and I like vampires so there you go.
The artists over at Integrity Toys (who could that be?) have designed these dolls but AD is handling the distribution.
The first two dolls are called Acheron and Simi. AD's website for these characters states that "Each collectible Dark-Hunter doll is meticulously detailed with clothing and accessories straight off the pages of your favorite book. Symbolic of quality and collectability, each doll is handcrafted in premium materials and entirely hand painted." Entirely? Really? I'm impressed.
The images currently on the website are artist's renderings. Be forewarned. However, today, Integrity posted real pictures.


Who took these pictures? They do not show off the dolls well with the use of a soft focus and red lighting. I'm sure I could do a better job but they won't be here unless someone sends me one or two for free.

I would like her coffin handbag, though. Doesn't she look alot like Veronique? Integrity vehemently denies that it is the same sculpt. They say the two are completely new sculpts.

Retail Price: $149. each.
Availability date has not been announced as yet and although he was asked more than one time, David Buttry of Integrity Toys would not answer the question about edition numbers. I'm guessing because there are no edition numbers to be had.
I wouldn't order until I saw real life pictures and read reviews from buyers.

More about → Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter Dolls from Ashton Drake