Making Friends

Making Friends, originally uploaded by alington.

Naomi and Hucky, both Fairy of Fairies by Peak's Woods, are making friends. They are 26 cm tall (about 10.25") and considered within the YoSD range of Asian ball-jointed dolls.

Naomi is a normal-skin version, and Hucky is a white-skin version. Both dolls are new and have not shown any yellowing yet, so their skin tones are very pale still.

Aren't they cute? See more photos on Flickr!

Meet Peak's Woods Naomi!

Peek-a-boo!, originally uploaded by alington.

She did indeed arrive yesterday--my second Fairy of Fairies, a normal-skin basic Naomi. I found her for a great price, pre-loved. She's absolutely adorable, and makes a perfect companion for my other doll of this size, Hucky.

She's very sweet--a similar look to Hucky, but more innocent and girly. Her ears are blushed very differently. I'm uploading photos of her dressed now. You can see more deboxing photos on Flickr.

Naomi's purchase included a little gift from her previous owner: this cute little hand-made bunny. I'm not sure if her owner made it or not, but it is one of the cutest toys I've ever seen.

Mystery acrylic inset eye - is it Cami? - by Tonner Doll Company!

Mystery acrylic inset eye, rumored to be Cami.
Photo property of Tonner Doll Company.

Yesterday on Tonner's Facebook page, I happened across this lovely teaser photo. Of course, I'm smitten. I much prefer realistic eyes on my dolls than painted ones. The photo was accompanied with the following caption:

Watch on January 7th for the Tonner 2011 Mainline Collection Preview! We will show you teasers all next week as we count down to the exciting release! What is on your wish list for the new collection?

So. Save the date! It's January 7! According to at least one of the comments on there, this doll is rumored to be Cami. Oh--I would die. I have to have her.

Oh yes. And go be a fan of TonnerDirect, if you're on Facebook. And the Fashion Doll Review, as well.

End of Year savings at Angelic Dreamz

Even bigger savings are going on now at Angelic Dreamz:

• 15% discount on all pre-fall 2010 Barbies (prices as marked) has been added
• 25% off Pullip, Integrity and J-Doll
• 30% off Sideshow Toys, Gene by Integrity and Dressmaker Details
• 40% off all Tonner (pre-fall 2010) and Ashton Drake
• 45% off all Madame Alexander
• 50% off Ashton Drake Gene, Marbled Halls, Toffee Dolls and Kio Clothes
• 60% off all closeouts

Also, Angelic Dreamz has an excellent selection of Christmas and holiday-themed items, cards, calendars and other home-decor items. Check them out.

No coupon is needed for this sale. Valid on in-stock items only, and sale items are considered final sales. Free shipping on all orders over $150. No layaway or alternative payment options are available for these items, and pre-orders may not be ordered with these sales, or two shipping charges will be calculated.

Couture Angel with Momoko

  
Now for some other dolls. These ones I got for my birthday which was on the 29th. The angel has been on my wish list for years (or at least since I saw her when I was searching).

This one is Couture Angel. She is the one who I have wanted for a long time. She is next to my Momoko that I got from Mom. My sister has one but I had no idea that I would be getting a Momoko, too. She has pinkish red hair with a soft pink dress.

Couture Angel has wings that are sewn on to the dress, so I can make another doll an angel, too. Angel of Joy is similar, except she has red hair. The picture is with a Hershey Kiss speaker and it coordinates with her dress and hair.

So far, only Nico the cat has seen the feather wings but hasn't attacked them yet. I'm sure Lily will soon!

Fancy BJDs

Hi everyone! I really need to catch up on my posts. For Christmas, I got a new Doll-Leaves BJD named Fay. She is almost the same size as my Bobobie Isabella. I got Fay from my siblings, but Alison In CA recommended her to them.

Here is Fay wearing her an extra outfit by K2 from Mint on Card and sitting on a cat tree next to the christmas tree. Good thing no cats were about to jump on it! Isabella is wearing Fay's full-set outfit and a new pair of shoes. The shoes are cute but they are too big for Fay! I was going to get more colors of the shoes until I tried them on her and they didn't fit. I'll be looking for some that hopefully fit Fay.

Fay is like a new Alice. Too bad the Alice collection didn't stay or Fay came earlier. But I sort of liked her to come at Christmas.

She came in three boxes. First her clothes, then all the other stuff like business cards and bookmarks from the Junky Spot. Finally, the doll! She came with wings but I forgot to put them on in the picture.

I'm sorry I haven't posted for a while. I am going to (hopefully) post about some other dolls I got for Christmas and my birthday!

2011 WClub Registration Now Open

The WClub is now taking registrations for the upcoming year. Membership in the WClub is on an annual basis and must be renewed yearly. The current registration window is open from now until 10 am CST on January 21, 2011. This is a concrete deadline. If you miss it, you will need to wait another year to register.

What do you get for registering? Access to the exclusive WClub forums, the opportunity to purchase club exclusive dolls, and coupons for discounts at participating doll dealers are just a few of the perks that come with membership. And the good news? For the sixth year in a row, the base membership cost remains at $50.

Registering is easy. Just click on http://www.integritytoys.com/wclubforum/2011club.pdf to review all the information regarding the club. Or, if you already have all the information you need, click on http://www.integritytoys.com/page/w_club and it will take you directly to the registration page.

Dal Charlotte

Dal as Charlotte, originally uploaded by alington.

A Christmas gift from my daughter Lauren, whose favorite color is yellow, my very first Dal from Jun Planning! Her name is Charlotte, and I think she is gorgeous.

She fits in perfectly with my historical dolls with her wonderfully over the top sating gown, trimmed with lace and teal flowers. She's even wearing bloomers underneath. She has lavender eyes and blush pink hair in a fantastically braided up-do.

And wow--is she ever a fussy little thing!

While Charlotte's eyes move right and left, her eyes do not close or wink like Pullip's can. Somehow, I think this is appropriate for her facial expression.

See more photos of her on Flickr.

Pullip Marianne

Pullip as Marianne, originally uploaded by alington.

A Christmas gift from my daughter Kate (thanks also to my husband Mark), this is Marianne. She's a Pullip doll by Jun Planning, dressed in full Rococo regalia, perfect for my collection of historically inspired dolls.

Her green eyes look left and right, and close independently, so you can make her close her eyes and wink. She's just adorable, and her outfit is simply amazing. She's been on my wish list for a long time.

Also, I had a blast taking photos of her. See more on Flickr.

TonnerDirect free shipping special

New markdowns and free shipping on orders of $50 or more with promo code NY2011 through January 2, 2011 at 11:59 PM EST. International customers, use the code NY2011INT for a $9.95 shipping credit.

Valid on in-stock, new orders only.

One good deal I saw was Ultra Basic™ Daphne, marked down to $49.99 form $69.99. Of course, that's not enough for the free shipping code, so you'd need to add something else to your order.

Photo property of Tonner Doll Company.

Doll Market special

Tutti Flower full-set. Photo property of DollHeart/Jollyplus and the Doll Market.

I couldn't not post this -- there is only one available, and you can use your Doll Market dollars on this purchase (or layaway, too). Tutti Flower, a Jollyplus and DollHeart collaboration is on sale for $599.97 (retail is $684.00) this week only.

And she is so cute--she'll include either blue or brown eyes, face-up, wig and complete outfit (and check out those amazing shoes!) and matching handbag.

She's a limited edition of 40, sold out and in stock. Jollyplus does make gorgeous dolls--I have Jise, and she is just gorgeous.

Bobobie Lan in A Sensible Notion

Lan in A Sensible Notion, originally uploaded by alington.

This is Bobobie Lan (with a face-up by Leah Lilly) dressed in an outfit from the Gowns by Anne Harper collection by Tonner Doll Company called "A Sensible Notion." The outfit includes a wig, sized for wigged Tyler Wentworth fashion dolls (16" tall), and just barely fits Lan (and stays on well with the large bonnet). It would work even better if I put velcro on the top of Lan's head cap, and it's a cute historical wig.

The shoes with this outfit are adorable, but of course are too small for Lan, since they are sized for Tyler. Lan can wear shoes from the larger American Model line of Tonner Dolls (the 22" dolls).

Notice the detail on the cotton dress--the lace at the hem and the trim on the neckline, plus the embroidery on the shawl. It's very well-made, with lots of attention to detail, and really well-scaled items. Lan looks like she stepped off the set of "Sense and Sensibility."

I love it! Two thumbs up for this outfit, too.

See more photos on Flickr.

Lady Bee in Beyond the Sea

Lady Bee Beyond the Sea, originally uploaded by alington.

This is my Lady Bee hybrid doll (Peak's Woods normal skin Lady Bee head on a Soulkid white skin body, about 17" tall), modeling Beyond the Sea, a DeeAnna Denton outfit by Tonner Doll Company. It also includes earrings and shoes and a doll, which I will show off later.

It's lovely and well-made--flowing pale lime chiffon with an aqua sash, sequins and beading, a rhinestone accent at the hip. It's a little long for Lady Bee, but since I don't have shoes for her, it's perfect.

The gloves are shimmery pale aqua, and the rhinestone bracelets add sparkling accents as well. The Monique Gold wig, Faith, adds to her mermaid look.

This is one reason I think collecting multiple types of dolls is lots of fun. You can see more photos of her on Flickr.

Save big at Angelic Dreamz!

After Christmas sales are happening now at Angelic Dreamz:

• 20% off all in stock Pullip and Integrity dolls
• 25% off all J-Dolls
• 30% off Sideshow, Gene and Dressmaker Details
• 40% off all Tonner (before fall 2010) and Ashton Drake
• 45% off all Madame Alexander
• 50% off all Marbled Halls, Horsman Vita, Toffee Dolls and Kio Clothing
• 60% off all closeouts
• Free shipping on orders over $150.

Sale prices are showing on markdowns, and no coupons are necessary. Quantities are limited, so shop soon. No layaways for these items, and no preorders, since the sale items are shipped immediately.

BJD Convention in Maryland!

Plan for August vacation now, and stay at the Timonium Crowne Plaza in Timonium, Maryland, so you can attend the new BJD convention there. All BJDs are welcome.

For ore information, join the Yahoo! group and stay up-to-date: Timonium MD 2011 BJD Yahoo! Group

DollMarket After Christmas Cash!

When you spend $75 or more at the Doll Market, enter promotional code 122610 at checkout and you can deduct $10 from your total purchase. Your discount will be applied at the time of checkout.

You can also print out the cash and bring it in person to the store.

This offer is valid on in-stock merchandise only, and cannot be used toward shipping costs or previous orders. The offer expires on December 31, 2010.

Joe's List last Advent Calendar day - it's good all week!

Take 15% off all in-stock items from Joe's List! This offer is valid from now through December 31 at midnight.

You can even use their layaway policy, which is 1/2 down and 1/2 in 30 days.

While the 15% won't show up in your shopping cart, it will be deducted when shipping is calculated.

Peak's Woods - Don't forget!

My Lottie, normal skin.

There are some plans in the works for a Wake-Up version of one of their dolls (I believe it's Lottie) to be released on New Year's Day, according to a response to a question I posted not long before the Christmas event.

Here's the note I'm quoting [brackets mine]:

However I can tell you that we have some projects for next month, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

Our newest FOC is almost ready to be shown to the public which we are so excited about. [This was Lottie in November.]

And for the Merry Christmas, we will provide full set dolls each limited no more than three as Christmas presents. [These were the recently finished Christmas limited edition dolls.]

And nothing changes and we stick to the plan with no problems, we will have LE with our newest doll and her wake up version as sisters. [Ack! Maybe this is around New Years?]

Oh me, oh my, if it is... Eeek!

A very merry Christmas and happy holiday, dear reader!

Our kitty Lily, taking a rest under our tree. She's been working very hard at un-decorating it. 
(She loves the acrylic crystals most--so my kind of cat--lovely, sparkling things!)

Perhaps a few days late, but I did take a day or two off to spend with my family. But I am back now, and I will have more interesting articles for you, including a new series, which I will be starting in the new year, on how to buy a new BJD, and how-to articles, possibly with video tutorials (assuming I can get my swearing under control). Just kidding!

I do have lots to share with you--the doll fairy was amazingly generous with me this year!--but mostly, I just want to thank you for your readership, and hope you are keeping warm and cozy during this busy time of year.

Thank you for your loyal following this year, from all of us here at the Fashion Doll Review.

The selfish doll in her PJs, waiting for Christmas morning

December Christmas Finery, originally uploaded by alington.

The Selfish Doll, as my girls and I are currently calling her, a hybrid: Yeru the Soul (Fairy of Color or SD-sized head) on a Fairy of Bugs (MSD-sized) body. Both by Peak's Woods.

She's wearing a default Peak's Wood's wig and Dreams of Tomorrow, a DeeAnna Denton (Tonner Doll) outfit.

The doll she is holding is Dawn, which is a miniature fashion doll from the 1980s.

That's a limited edition Skiya (also by Peak's Woods) in the background. She's playing big sister today. And Lady Bee hybrid (Peak's Woods head on a Soulkid body (by Souldoll)), dressed in DeeAnna Denton's Emerald Evening.

11-12" December Christmas Finery

December Christmas Finery, originally uploaded by alington.

My 11-12" Fabulous Gown shelf:

• Madame du Barbie (Bob Mackie)
• Queen V Veronique (Integrity Toys)
• Portrait in Taffeta (another collector Barbie)
• True Royalty Vanessa (Integrity--well, parts of her outfit only--you might notice her pink petticoat, which is from Dressmaker Detail's Blushing Bride)
• Christian Dior Barbie.

Forgive my attempt at Vanessa's hair. I bought her with her hair taken down, and she's scheduled for a hair restyle next month.

My middle shelf, all dressed up

December Christmas Finery, originally uploaded by alington.

Big girl BJD shelf #2, all dressed in their Christmas best. All dolls are by Peak's Woods:

• Segi is dressed in a one-of-a-kind outfit I found on Den of Angels. Her wig is by DollHeart.
• Wake-Up Cue, dressed in a Rococo style gown by Soda. Her glass eyes came from Mint on Card. (She's a large bust, white skin doll.)
• Sky is dressed in a one-of-a-kind Regency silk gown by JennyGrey. She's also a white skin, large bust doll. 
• Briana (tan LE doll) is wearing the Queen of Hearts costume by DollHeart.

Peak's Woods final (?) Christmas event - A Tan Briana!

Limited edition tan Briana full-set, Christmas event BJD.
Photo property of Peak's Woods.

The grande finale of Peak's Woods' Christmas event, a single tan Briana dressed in an amazing DollHeart fashion closes out the limited edition dolls.

This Briana full-set in tan comes complete with tanned skin, a large bust, light pink acrylic eyes (16mm), a limited face-up, extra hands, the white wig shown in the photos, and the DollHeart outfit. If I'm not mistaken, the outfit is actually called High Priestess from the Tarot Cards collection, which I believe is sold out everywhere.

Her price tag: $811.80. Yikes. I'm curious as to whether the outfit includes shoes.

I personally own a tan Briana, from The Glamour event, and think she is simply irresistible, and I was sorely tempted to add another to my collection. Thankfully, she is already sold out. I'll save my dolly dollars for the next tan PW release.

Peak's Woods LE full set Romatic Lady Bee

FOB Lady Bee full-set. Outfit, wig, face-up included.
Photo property of Peak's Woods.

Peak's Woods Christmas event is lasting through December 24, and is slowly coming to an end. The next doll on the list is a full-set Fairy of Bugs size (MSD or close to 17" tall) called Romantic Lady Bee. She's very tempting, as she is the elf-eared version of this adorable sculpt.

Included in her $489.90 price is the normal-skin doll with normal bust body (it's a girlish body), crystal acrylic eyes in purple (16mm), the limited face-up and wig shown, extra posing hands, shoes and outfit shown as well.

There was only one available, and she's already sold out! If you'd like to see a better version of her ears, you can check out her basic sculpt here.

Meet Espree

Happy Holidays, everyone! Just popping in to wish everyone that, and to share some pics of my newest doll, Espree by Bobobie who is finally ready to make her debut. Unfortunately, she doesn't have any holiday finery yet, maybe next year. ;-)

Her face up is by Leah Lilly of Froggy Duds, her wardrobe is sewn by yours truly, and wigs by Monique Gold. I have no idea about her eyes, but she does need some better fitting ones.

 She's on an immature MSD body, so she's a youngster. If there is anything else you want to know, please ask!

My lower display shelf, all dressed up!

December Christmas Finery, originally uploaded by alington.

My first BJD shelf for tall girls, from the left:

• Simply Alice (Kim Lasher), wearing a chocolate brown Tibetan lambswool wig by Michele Hardy, and a one-of-a-kind hand-sewn cotton dress I found on Den of Angels.
• Jise (Jolly Plus) in normal skin with an artist's face-up, gray acrylic eyes, and a DollHeart wig, is wearing Simply Alice's skirt and a one-of-a-kind silk Rococo style overdress.
• Goldie (Peak's Woods) in normal skin with a standard face-up, violet acrylic eyes and a Volks wig is wearing a one-of-a-kind hand-sewn gown, and skirt by JennyGrey. She didn't care to keep her shoes on, thank you very much.
• Mintie (Peak's Woods) in normal skin, also with a standard face-up and blue acrylic eyes, is wearing a DollHeart wig and outfit called Renske. Her crazy shoes are also by DollHeart.

Goldie in her Christmas Finery

December Christmas Finery, originally uploaded by alington.

Goldie by Peak's Woods is a normal skin, normal bust Fairy of Color (about SD size -- 58cm or 23"), and is wearing a Volks wig and violet acrylic eyes.

She's dressed a OOAK hand sewn, yellow cotton overdress, and a lavender dupioni silk skirt by JennyGrey.

Joe's List Advent Calendar special day #23

Christmas is almost here... and Joe's List Advent Calendar specials are coming to a close. Today's special are a variety of twelve assorted specials (including dolls, a calendar and outfits), and quite a variety among them. Check them out!

Peak's Woods LE Mintie

Limited edition Mintie, basic BJD.
Photo property of Peak's Woods.

Fairy of Color (58cm or about 23") Mintie is next up on the limited edition BJD list at Peak's Woods. She's ready to ship now, and limited to three.

She includes a random wig and random 18mm eyes, extra pair of hands, and she's white skin and a large bust version. The outfit isn't included, but it looks like a Val Zeitler DollHeart outfit. (You can sometimes find these on eBay or on Den of Angels.)

Her retail is 5% off, at $562.40.

Sweet Talkin' Ken, the Ultimate Boyfriend for Every Occasion.

Nope, I'm not kidding. That's how he's advertised. Isn't it a relief? For $19.99 suggested retail, you can own the perfect boyfriend, too. This is how Mattel opens his promotional flyer:

For nearly five decades, Ken has been Barbie's perfect arm-candy. (...) Now girls of all ages can have the ultimate boyfriend for every occasion with Sweet Talkin' Ken™.

Apparently, he can record up to five seconds of sound in your voice when you press the heart on his shirt. He graciously plays it back to you in his "Ken" voice, a high pitched voice, or the original recorded voice.

Ladies, your dating problems are officially over. We and our daughters can rest assured for the remainder of our lives. I think he'd make the perfect addition to Spy Barbie--er, I mean, Barbie Video Girl™.

If you just can't wait for this doll, he is due to arrive in stores and dealers early January, according to his promotional flyer. Or, for phones with App capability, you might try Talking Carl. He's a huge hit around my house, and is available in the App Store and for Android users, also.

Gowns by Anne Harper photo update - Tonner Doll Company

Tonner Doll Company has updated several photos in the Gowns by Anne Harper collection, including the now wigged Carol Barrie basic doll (this is an actual production photo of the doll) and Anne Harper, dressed doll.

Both of these dolls are available to order from your favorite Tonner Doll dealer. In fact, Anne Harper is newly in stock, and Carol Barrie has been in stock for some time now.

Photos property of Tonner Doll Company.

More December Christmas Finery

December Christmas Finery, originally uploaded by alington.

And another real-life BJD photo for today:

Peak's Woods Mintie is a normal skin, normal bust SD-sized doll (58cm or about 23 inches). She's wearing an outfit, shoes and wig by DollHeart. The outfit is called Renske. Her eyes are 16mm acrylics.

December Christmas Finery

December Christmas Finery, originally uploaded by alington.

My BJDs are currently dressed up for the holidays, in their Christmas best. I figured I might as well share some of the dolls in my display.

This is Jolly Plus Jise, an SD-sized girl in normal skin with a custom face-up. She's wearing a one-of-a-kind Rococo era gown, and a wig by DollHeart. Her eyes are 18mm gray acrylic.

In this photo, she is sitting on a box in my display shelf.

Joe's List Advent Calendar special day #22 plus Bijoux!

Naughty or Nice? Find out when you click on Joe's List Advent Calendar today!

Plus, there is a new arrival on the W Club page: AvantGuards Bijoux, one of the 2010 exclusive dolls, and she is gorgeous.

New Year's 2011 Barbie Auction from MHarrisLive

Check out the one-of-a-kind Barbies, outfits and vintage dolls offered at this fun auction from MHarrisLive. You'll need an account to bid and watch the auctions, and the auctions close at 8PM EST on January 2, 2011.

Peak's Woods Update!

The full-set limited edition Naomi (a Fairy of Fairies YoSD-sized BJD) has already sold out at Peak's Woods, but I'm posting her info anyway. She's adorable.

Her $397.02 price included the normal skin doll with two extra pairs of hands (fists and open hands), magnetic ears, limited face-up, brown eyes, the red wig shown, the pink DollHeart boots and the outfit shown.

Also, her wig, Little Victoria, is available separately, too. It's sized for 6/7 inch diameter heads.

There is a new limited edition Briana with bright red lips on the home page, but her link isn't working yet. However, in snooping around and using my expert BJD-searching skills, I was able to come up with this link for you and the attached photo.

Briana is a basic doll with this limited, dramatic face-up. She's a white skin, normal bust doll, with random acrylic eyes and a random wig. Her outfit isn't included.

She's a limited edition of three, so there will be three of her available at this price of $580.16 (which is 2% off the regular price), plus she will ship the day after payment is completed. Layaway is available, too.

Also, from my experience with Peak's Woods--it never hurts to request specific eye color or wig colors. They can be very accommodating.

Good Morning Amelie and Good Night Misaki

Doll-Collectible in Japan has been notified that the 2010 Lovesound collection of Misaki and Amelie dolls (Good Night Misaki, blonde, and Good Morning Amelie, brunette) have arrived in Azone's warehouse. They will start shipping pre-orders on December 22, and though the dolls will probably not arrive in time for Christmas, most customers will see their orders by January 1.

There are a few still available to order, if you're interested. The price is 16,800 Yen (about $200.88 today), plus shipping.

You'll need to set up a free account (if you don't already have one) at Doll-Collectible in order to view pricing and shipping information. Paypal is their preferred payment method.

Photos property of Integrity Toys.

Joe's List Advent Calendar special day #21 plus more!

If you love celebrity dolls, especially a particular brand of celebrity dolls, be sure to check out Joe's List Advent Calendar today.

Additionally, there are several copies of the commemorative book of Ten Years of Silkstone and the Tenth Anniversary Silkstone Barbie that have been personally autographed by Robert Best. If you want them, visit his website!

TonnerDirect's first day of Christmas

Photo property of Tonner Doll Company.

It's TonnerDirect's first day of Christmas, and you can still get free shipping on any size order when you use the promo code DAY1 at checkout. As before, international customers, use the code DAY1INT for a $9.95 shipping credit.

Also, there are more new sale items in the Special Offers section, including:

• Flipped Out Monica Galore dressed doll, retail $179.99 sale $99.99
• Cinderella dressed doll, retail $199.99 sale $129.99
• Alice Cullen dressed doll, retail $139.99 sale $99.99

Meet Hucky!

Hucky, LE full set, originally uploaded by alington.

Hucky is a limited edition Christmas event doll, also from Peak's Woods. She is the Fairy of Fairies sized (YoSD--26 cm or about 10-1/4") BJD, white skin, with a limited edition face-up and outfit. She included the wig and eyes shown, plus magnetic ears, which can be removed.

She is the first FOF Peak's Woods that I own, and I find her just adorable. You can see more photos of Hucky dressed, being deboxed, and also with Lottie, the SD-sized doll for size comparison. She's just too cute.

The basic doll (with this face-up, upon request) are still available from Peak's Woods, too. Check out Naomi while you're there--she's also cute, and now she's on my list as a friend for Hucky!

Meet Lottie!

Meet Lottie!
Originally uploaded by alington

Eeek! She arrived today from Peak's Woods. She's super sweet. I can't believe it.

I wasn't sure what sort of face-up I would get, since I asked to change her several times. Peak's Woods said they'd surprise me with her face-up.

I ordered Lottie Ani, but changed my mind once I saw Lottie Real. So--I emailed them, and they said they'd give me someone special. She's like a little pixie!

Her eyes--they are her default and were included. And this is her default wig, also. The people at Peak's Woods know I love colored wigs, since I've ordered them before. I think she's perfect--and different from her promo photos. I adore her.

See more deboxing photos on Flickr, and I'll upload more dressed photos soon!

She's already sold out, but I missed posting...

Limited edition Goldie. Photo property of Peak's Woods.

Peak's Woods had two limited edition Goldie BJDs for sale for $580.16, and they are just gorgeous.

However, according to the Peak's Woods website, you can still order Goldie with this style face-up, if you like her. (She's really pretty.) You'll just have to wait a few weeks.

My latest custom doll took about eight weeks to arrive, but she was also a brand new sculpt. I'll be posting later this afternoon, I hope.

Lottie is like a forest pixie--completely different and so much cuter than her promo photo. I just adore her!

Joe's List Advent Calendar special day #20

I shouldn't have looked. But I'm being good today.

But you, dear readers, should definitely check out out Joe's List's Advent Calendar special today. It's pretty fun, too. Lots of specials.

Tonner's second day of Christmas

Organic Antoinette.
Photo property of Tonner Doll Company.

Free shipping on all orders today from TonnerDirect when you use promo code DAY2 at checkout. International orders receive a $9.95 shipping credit with promo code DAY2INT.

Plus, lots of new sale items, including Lilah from Jonah Hex ($159.99), Organic Antoinette ($99.99) and Belle ($89.99) in the Special Offers section.

Peak's Woods announcements and latest releases...

Full set Segi, limited edition.

There was an announcement on the Peak's Woods message board this morning (as well as their home page). In addition to thanks their customers for their enthusiasm for the holiday event, they state the following information:

1. The current Christmas even will last until Christmas.
2. A different doll will be updated daily, including weekends, from now till the end of the event.
3. Custom and even limited edition face-ups may be requested even after the event. (Just ask.)

Segi is a full set, and includes the white skin, large bust doll, 18mm gray acrylic eyes, limited face-up, blonde wig, extra hands, and DollHeart outfit. All inclusive, she is $727.80, and there is only one available.

Full set Mori Moth, limited edition.

Mori Moth is another full set. She's the Fairy of Bugs size (about MSD), and her $526.80 price includes the normal skin, large bust doll, gray 16mm eyes, limited face-up, extra pair of hands, shoes, and DollHeart outfit.

Additionally, Lady Bee (the basic doll) is still available. And Lottie and my Christmas surprise has shipped. I cannot wait!

Photos property of Peak's Woods.

Found Monster High dolls at Kohl's!

This weekend, I found several Monster High dolls at Kohl's. In addition to the original Frankie Stein and Lagoona Blue, I also found Cleo and Frankie Stein, the Dawn of the Dance versions.

At first, I found them horribly overpriced. They were marked at $29.99. But this weekend, Kohl's had marked them at 40% off, which brought them to $17.99. In addition, if you have a Kohl's charge card, you could use a scratcher card coupon and save an additional 15%, 20% or 30%.

So check out a location near you and see what you can find!

Joe's List Advent Calendar special day #19

Be sure to check out Joe's List today before 11:59 PM PST today--my hint to you on the theme: it's slimming!

Sorry I missed yesterday, dear readers--I've been preparing to do our family Christmas with the in-laws this weekend. No new TonnerDirect email in my inbox this morning, but I'll try to check later!

My Play Scale Christmas Diorama

I recently purchased a GORM shelving system from IKEA. It was easy to put together and I love it! I already had BONDE bookcases from IKEA, but the interior dimensions of the shelving area made it a little hard to realistically display my dolls. With this GORM system, I'm able to have a larger space to display each "room" of my diorama.

On this level of the shelving, we enter the apartment of the play scale, or 1/6th scale, dolls. Guests enter the living room from a patio (not shown). Displayed is a silver tinsel Christmas tree from Michael's along with various miniature ornaments. Under the tree are wrapped Christmas presents from both Michael's and Walmart. From this angle we get a glimpse of what is to come.

Here we get a full view of the living room. Darius is seated in a side chair from Welcome Home by Maryann Roy. In fact, much of the furniture you see in this room is Welcome Home furniture.  The sofa, coffee table, floor lamp, room divider, and fireplace wall back drop were all created by Maryann Roy. I love her mid-century modern flair! The On Location model muse is wearing a Santa t-shirt that is actually a Jolee's Boutique scrap book embellishment.

After the living room, we pass into the dining room where the table is already set for the impending feast.  The table is from a Gloria dining room set that was refurbished by a friend to look more realistic. Seriously, does anyone out there have a pink dining table in human size? Once again, there are other pieces from Welcome Home. The gold buffet and the window seat back drop are fairly recent additions from Maryann. The chandelier is from Kikkerland. They were given out at the 2010 Barbie Convention, but I actually bought this from a room seller at the 2009 Barbie Convention. The clear is no longer available from the Kikkerland website, but you can still get the black or pink variant. And the best part? The chandelier really lights up! It's battery operated so no need for an outlet. The rugs in the two rooms are from eBay. They are woven cloth.

You can see a few more pictures on my Flickr page.

Peak's Woods latest LE Lady Bee!

Peak's Woods latest limited edition doll is Lady Bee, a smaller Fairy of Bugs BJD in normal skin. She's got a limited edition face-up, extra hand parts, and she's simply adorable.

Her retail is $373.45.

I'm not saying how I know this, but you might want to keep your eyes pealed for the next few days. I have a good feeling about the next few Peak's Woods limited editions, too!

Three turtle doves from TonnerDirect

From TonnerDirect, it's the third day of Christmas. You can actually get free shipping on all orders over $100 today only with the promo code FSD10 (or FSD10INT for international customers).

There is another shipping code as well, for free shipping on orders of $500 or more with promo code DAY3 ($9.95 shipping credit for international orders, DAY3INT). (Only one promo code per order, though.)

Plus you can get the following three gifts on orders of:

• $100 or more, a free Ultra Basic Tyler ($69.99)--they are showing the Lily and raven-haired one today, but I think they will ship either.
• $250 or more, a free Cami & Jon outfit, valued between $69.99-$99.99
• $500 or more, a free Alice Cullen dressed doll, worth $139.99

Joe's List Advent Calendar Special day #17

This Advent Calendar from Joe's List is beginning to upset me just a little. I think I need to take some photos pretty soon or something--like of the new outfits I just from Joe during the last sale I took advantage of, darn it.

A nice assortment of fun goodies today.

Grail Quest Part II: The Big Crapshoot AKA eBay

Of course, sometimes the Grail Quest might not be satisfied by authorized retailers, no matter how great, because of a simple problem: the Grail is sold out, and the manufacturer isn’t making the doll any more.

Whaddya mean, my Grail is sold out??

All hope is not lost, however. There is always the secondary market. This is where the Quest can become complicated, not to mention expensive. But Grail Quests are not for wimps. It takes perseverance, research, and plain old tenacity to achieve the successful conclusion.

There are several branches to the secondary market for dolls, but two of the main ones with which I have had experience with are eBay and doll boards/forums/groups.

eBay, which has also come to be known as Evil Bay, is a free for all when it comes to the secondary market for anything. You might get lucky, and find your Grail on eBay. Whether it remains eBay or becomes Evil Bay depends on your preparation for the Quest. While most eBay sellers are honest people just trying to make a buck, there are also those who have no idea the true value of what they are selling, and the plain old unscrupulous.

Preparation is not only to study what your Grail looks like, but some of the features, such as the edition size, the year it came out, etc. I cannot stress enough how much money and aggravation a little preparation can save you!

For example:

“Rare doll, only 100 made, cost $500 at time of issue, but I will sell it to you for only $300,” read one auction description for a nude doll that came out in an edition of 1500, cost $95 at time of issue, and is worth, Never Removed From Box (NRFB), about $125. These are auctions to avoid like the plague.

Another variety of auction to watch out for--and I found this out the hard way, so I will pass on my hard won wisdom--are auctions for NRFB, hard to find and valuable dolls that start at impossibly low bids. I was after a Tonner Angelina doll, and this particular seller, who has since been banned, kept offering one I wanted, which was worth somewhere in the $150 range, at a $.99 starting bid. By the time I lost the third auction, I knew something was up--this was before eBay made the identities of the bidders private. The same person would somehow get onto the auction I was bidding on, and nudge it up by $2.00 and higher increments, until the doll was out of my price range. Now, admittedly, I am a cheapskate, and the only thing I love more than a successful conclusion to a Grail Quest is a Grail I got at a price I can brag about.

I kept a few other Angelina dolls this person was selling on my watch list, and it was interesting how this same bidder kept getting onto all of the auctions and nudging the prices up, a practice called shell bidding. I didn’t complain, because I didn’t know at the time what the practice was called, or that it is strictly forbidden by eBay policy, but you can bet my complaint would have included the comment, “Exactly how many copies of this same doll does this bidder need, anyway?”

This is not to say avoid all potential Grails at impossibly low opening bids. It might simply be a case of someone with an eBay account selling something for a friend, and the seller really has no idea what the doll they are selling is actually worth. These auctions can turn into bidding wars, and I'll bet there are a lot of surprised sellers when they see the winning bids, because they probably would have started the auction at a higher bid.

In any case, with regards to eBay, other wisdom I can offer is:

• Check the seller’s feedback rating, especially if it is a seller you have never done business with. How good is the feedback? I always check the negatives, especially if the seller has received any within the last 6 months. 
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Sometimes there is scant information on the doll, or the pictures might not be clear. Whatever you need to know: the doll’s condition, the seller’s return policy, combined shipping, whatever. Communication is the key to a successful transaction. 
• Know your abbreviations! Sellers might use the abbreviations incorrectly, whether deliberately or unintentionally. Know the difference between new and used, NRFB (Never Removed From Box) and MIB (Mint In Box). This can have a serious impact on the price. 
• If you have allergies or chemical sensitivities, and the information on the doll is sparse, again, don’t be afraid to ask. Does the seller smoke? Does the seller have pets? Was the doll in storage and have a musty smell? 
• If the seller states that he or she does not sell to someone outside of the country, pay attention. Ask a friend here in the US to bid on the auction and have the doll sent to them, and then your friend can ship it to you. It is much easier than the hassle of winning your Grail, then losing it when the seller cancels the transaction because he or she will not do business with foreign buyers.

eBay is a great way to conduct a Grail Quest, but it can be a crapshoot, depending on the rarity of the doll. It might even be Murphy’s Law in action, but patience, perseverance and even a little luck can make the site eBay rather than Evil Bay.

Be inspired!

So, the question was asked – What do YOU do with all those handspeak hands? Well for me they accumulate into one big baggie like something from a serial killer’s basement (or freezer), LOL. But instead of that, the talented and wonderfully creative Em’lia created OOAK intricate gloves with hers! She just painted them, added little details like buckles & ribbons (Dressmaker Details buckles work perfectly!) and finished them off with a UV coating to make them matte. Check them out!!!!!! And if you’ve never seen her work before (she makes amazing furniture, clothing and homes for her dolls, you can see here Flickr pics HERE and her website HERE.)

**Photos are property of Em’lia Couture**