W Club registration is open through February 16, 2015!

W Club registration is open now through February 16, 2015. You have the opportunity to purchase registration for $50, and add $25 for the deposit of three different exclusive dolls. This year, Aristocratic Agnes is an option for a retail cost of $130. Then, there's Groovy Galore Poppy Parker, retail $120. And finally, you can choose the Don Johnson miniature, Vice Effect Ollie Lawson, a Color Infusion doll, for $100 retail.

Click here for the complete details.

IT: Color Infusion Style Lab

An ever-popular workshop at IT's convention is the Design-a-doll workshop, which was replaced this year with the Color Infusion Style Lab. There were (I think) 14 different dolls available--four different boys and ten girls. Several outfits were also available--I know not quite as many outfits as dolls. 

Interestingly, these dolls are not Dynamite Girls. The girls actually use the new Jem body (which is taller and has larger hands and feet than other IT body sculpts), and all the faces are new faces. The boys use the Chip sculpt, I believe.

The boys sold first--and several of the attendees at convention waited in line for 5 hours before the lab even opened to have first choice of the dolls on their list!

The outfits are fun, fresh, and feel 1980s inspired with their bright colors and styles. Girls came with straight hair, with designers on hand to help with hair styling.

New Year's Resolutions

I've been working on my New Year's resolutions, and I've started (yet again!) with my doll collection. It's time for me to pare down and regain some focus. I've started listing a few more dolls, auction style, on eBay.

More will come soon, but please check out my current auctions at my eBay store. A couple of items that might interest you:

• Color Infusion Cosmic Love Amelie, displayed and complete
• Color Infusion Rebel Spirit Amelie, displayed and complete
• NRFB Shock Bon Bon Vanessa Perrin from 2004 (the first edition of Vanessa!)
• Displayed and complete Look of Love Poppy Parker from 2010
• Displayed and complete Twist 'n Shout Darla Daley - the only Darla made with this face sculpt

Thanks for looking, and thanks for your support!

Color Infusion Rebel Spirit - short review

Rebel Spirit, a photo by alington on Flickr.

Rebel Spirit has made her arrival and been deboxed. She is from Integrity's Color Infusion collection. She is the Amelie sculpt on the Poppy Parker/Misaki torso with Vampire legs. Overall, I think she is a lovely, well-made and versatile doll, with the one exception of her hair needing a slight restyle upon arrival.

Her facial screening is really well executed. It uses a lot of metallic gold--in her eye shadow and lips--it gives her face a lively and dimensional look.

Her clothing has excellent tailoring, and the accessories have great details. The belt is a single piece and closes in the back with a hook and eye. She's wearing a jacket and a sheer silk chiffon blouse. Both the jacket and shorts have functional pockets.

The rest of her accessories are to die for: oversized sunglasses, a star shaped gold ring, earrings, purse with magnetic closure, sheer navy socks, gorgeous shoes (which are gorgeous but have no closures, so they were difficult to put on--a tiny shoe horn would help), and lots of colorful bracelets.

Plus, she uses the new style of stand: a waist gripper/saddle combo--and the waist gripper is perfect for dolls with shorts.

Now... to her hair. Well, I was a little disappointed after seeing her promo photos and the doll from IFDC. In the box--I should have taken before photos--she had a swirl/bun in the front which was just not executed well. I was able to rinse it, and if you wanted, you could straighten it into a cute asymmetric bob. The color is really nice.

I restyled mine--with gel, and not enough, apparently, after I see the photos up close and all the loose strands through the macro lens, LOL. Probably it would have worked better to sew the bun in place. I imagine most collectors would end up restyling anyway.

All and all, she's adorable. I love her. She's still pretty widely available for $125, and is a limited edition of 300.

More photos can be seen on Flickr.

Color Infusion crazy - Cosmic Love makes her debut

Cosmic Love from the Color Infusion collection of Integrity Toys made her arrival this week from Happily Ever After. She's a limited edition of 300 dolls, and retails for $125. After seeing this doll in person at IFDC in July, I decided to pre-order her, and I'm not disappointed.

These are photos taken of the doll right out of the box. She's gorgeous.

A few things make this doll special. First, she uses the Amelie sculpt. This sculpt is hard to find in the US--well, at least at a reasonable price. I'm thrilled to see her not only in use for dolls intended for sale here, but also in a darker skin tone.

Second--I have to say this--she has pink hair. I was a little worried about her bangs, but I shouldn't have been. I haven't even rinsed her hair, and they look just fine. Integrity Toys is amazing when it comes to dolls with bangs. And pink. I love dolls with funky colored hair. (It might be because my own changes every four weeks from pink to green to blue to purple.)

Third, her facial screening and eye lashes are to die for. She has applied eyelashes, and her eyeshadow has a metallic flavor (read: gold), perfectly executed. She has bubblegum pink lips, which you might think is too much, but it suits her overall look.

Next--let me go in to the quality of her outfit. Her dress feels like silk chiffon. It falls perfectly, without any pulls or gaps. The fur gives it just enough class. The only black on her outfit is one of her many tiny bracelets, her belt and her socks (which she wears with purple shoes). I know black is an easy color for mixing and matching, but for me, I like a little color in my life--or at least in my dolls' lives.

Finally, Cosmic Love's accessories are wonderful and numerous. She includes a bunch of slim bracelets and one wide one, a belt, earrings, oversized glasses, a necklace, socks, a fur wrap, and a purse. It's a fun set! The purse is a warm metallic gold with a magnetic closure. I love the details.

If you've been on the fence about these dolls, let me convince you--buy one. Cosmic Love is ready to go, right out of the box. She's fun and gorgeous. Plus, she includes the new style of stand--both saddle and waist gripper. You can see more photos of her on Flickr.

Color Infusion and Monograms at the Friday Night Event

The centerpiece doll at Friday evening's event was a doll from the Color Infusion line, Psychedelic Splash. I'm thrilled to see another few dolls from this line--the two dolls from this year's collection are on their way to me.

Sure, her dress might remind you a little of the sequined numbers from the Dazzle collection, but I think she's gorgeous. I'm not sure--but she looks a little like the Erin sculpt to me.

At their tables, guests found another piece to their convention surprise--an accessories set--plus a Color Infusion doll of their own: Sunset Rave. I've heard this is a darker skinned Ayumi.

I think she's absolutely gorgeous and fun. I, for one, am not afraid of color. For those of you who know me, I have colored hair--and by colored, I mean, it changes every four weeks, and currently, it's black and turquoise. I love the bright orange of this outfit. I adore the jewelry in this set as well.

As the evening continued, Vaughn revealed the holiday Monogram collection on stage. There are three new gorgeous dolls. All will be limited editions of 300, priced at $150 each, and be released in mid to late October. (That's this month!)

Fascination 

Illumination

Jubilation

I love the facial screening, the oversized and detailed gowns--to me, this is what Monograms are about--the monochromatic and colorful color schemes, and the accessories. I wonder if it's enough to get me to order them. I think the green might be my favorite--if the bodice of the gown is actually executed perfectly.

And just a note--these dolls will be featured in the winter 2011 issue of Fashion Doll Quarterly. Pre-orders will more than likely be taken starting on Monday, October 10.

Photos property of Integrity Toys.

Color Infusion @ the IFDC

Rebel Spirit, a photo by alington on Flickr.

The real reason I didn't get photos of every single doll at Integrity's booth was because I was so distracted by the Color Infusion line. Click here to see the Flickr album.

I just ended up adding Cosmic Love to my pre-orders (I'm already waiting for Rebel Spirit). I mean, with my obsession for color--my hair, every room in my house being another color--and Amelie (I mean $125 for an Amelie sculpt?)--wow! It's like IT is out to get me. (Just kidding!)

I'm sure many collectors saw these dolls and thought, "Eeew. Too many colors, not enough black. Too much clashing. Not for me." But if you'd seen them in person...

Let me convince you.

1. The line is affordable. Amelie has got to be the cutest face sculpt around. You can't find her new for less than $200 (unless you go to Denise's Wave from Japan seminar at IFDC).
2. The outfits. Rebel Spirit: black shoes and white shorts. Brown corset belt. Red purse. I consider those neutral. OK, maybe Cosmic Love isn't that neutral. Her socks are black, her stole white, and her purse is gold. 
3. Color! Rebel Spirit: mustard coat, turquoise shirt, navy socks. Cosmic Love: pink dress, purple shoes!
4. Can you say accessories? Sunglasses, bangles, purse, ring, earrings, socks, belt, necklace, stole...
5. Hair. I love their colored hair and Rebel Spirit's funky up-do. I think Cosmic Love might be channeling Rihanna just a little.

This line is for me. I can't wait to see what's next. I'd love to see Misaki in this line, too.

Color Infusion

Pre-ordering begins Wednesday March 2nd

**Photos are property of Integrity Toys**

This collection uses a Nippon/Misaki torso and Brides of Dracula legs with the Amelie facemold.

$125  Cosmic Love Amelie  (300 dolls)
Delivery: Early/mid July 2011

$125  Rebel Spirit Amelie  (300 dolls)

Delivery: Early/mid July 2011