2013 Grand Photo Contest Voting...

Check out these photos from the Doll Wardrobe contest - entry #118, #117 and #116. Leave a comment if you'd like to vote for those photos--I think they are really cool and they stand out a lot from the others that were submitted.

You can see all the entries here.

Repost from The Doll Wardrobe blog - the contest rules:

Sup peoples!

Reminder:

We have uploaded all of the entries for the 2013 Grand Photo Contest!

See the entries here: 

http://dw2013grandphotocontest.blogspot.com/

You can vote on each entry by commenting on that blog post.

Or you can email us your votes to nora.demington@gmail.com.

One vote per person per pic.

You can vote for more than one pic.

You can vote for as many pics as you want.

You can vote for yourself.

Your family members can vote for your pics.

Your friends can vote for your pics.

You can advertise your entries on your blogs, Facebook pages, Youtubes, etc.

All votes are due by Saturday, April 6th, 2013.

Then the Final Round begins.

If you are selected to be in the Final Round you will need to submit a fourth picture -- one taken for a clue you haven't used yet.

We'll pick the four people to participate in the Final Round from a combo of the votes tally and Penny's judgment.

Then those four people will have 2 weeks to submit their fourth pic.

So start thinking about what you would do for a fourth pic.

The fourth pic will determine who wins the doll, and who will get the $35 AG gift cards.

Barbie Convention, Exercise, and Contests

What do those three things have in common? Three things I hope to be participating in two weeks from now. The National Barbie Doll Convention kicks off on Wednesday, July 11th, at the Hyatt Orange County in Garden Grove, CA. However, I'll actually arrive at the hotel on the preceding Saturday in order to set up room sales with three friends with whom I'll be rooming.  I'll provide more information about the room sales in a future post.

The exercise is something that I'm currently doing, but I can easily get sidetracked...like at a Barbie Convention.  I took up running over the past year and while I'm getting better at it, I find that I need to practice it routinely.  Unlike Alison, I'm not a very good multi-tasker.  I'm more of an all or nothing kind of gal and I can see Barbie consuming all of my time at the convention.

The contests? Well, that's where I'm hoping you, dear reader, will keep me honest with my exercise. If you plan on attending the Barbie Convention this year, please look for me and ask me how my exercise for the day went. The contest will run from Sunday, July 8th through Wednesday, July 11th. The first person to ask me about that day's exercise will win a doll-related prize.  What are the prizes?  That's a surprise!

So you know who to look for!

The fine print: One prize per person per convention, I need to be able to print your first name and last inital in a post to show that a real person won a real prize, and sorry roomies, I need to exclude you from the contest..

FDQ Photo contest

Love dolls? Love jewelry? Oh my goodness--eye candy galore!

Check out these submissions for Fashion Doll Quarterly Magazine's photo contest. I'm simply blown away by some of the submissions. I could spend all day looking at them. Wonderful!

I have to admit, some of the entries are quite clever! I can't wait to see the winner!

Diorama photo contest: Get published and win a prize!

Check out Maryann Roy's blog, Welcome Home, for all the details of this upcoming contest.

Maryann has been working with Gems & Jewels jewelry store in Australia, and has received a contest challenge from the store owner, Suzy Allan: Create a diorama setting which includes a piece of human-sized jewelry.

Any doll scale and size may be used, only it must be included with human-scale jewelry in order to qualify.

For all the rules, and to see how to submit your entry, check out the latest edition of FDQ, or visit Maryann's website for details.

First prize: A beautiful doll-shaped charm (so adorable) chosen by the shop owner and created by Gems & Jewels, worth $675! (Check out the samples--ack!)

Second prize: A $75 gift certificate from Welcome Home!

Third prize: A copy of FDQ's fabulous IN FOCUS - Digital Photography for the Doll Collector.

The contest deadline is approaching soon--February 14, 2012, and it's open to collectors world-wide. Good luck!

QR Code hunt at the Tonner Collector's Convention

Ask: Response in Yellow, by Fluevog.

Have you heard of QR Codes? You see them lots of places... mostly as advertising, I have to admit, in magazines, printed advertising, and on this gorgeous pair of clogs by John Fluevog. (Fluevog day is May 15, by the way!)

You can download a QR Code reader--for free--for your smart phone. It scans in the code, and sends you off to the company's website for more information. Try it out on my shoes above, if you like.

In any case, Tonner Convention attendees will be doing a QR Code scavenger hunt this year, and online attendees will have the opportunity to do one online as well. What do you think of that? You can read about it, and the first comment about the contest, on Tonner's blog.

Suffice it to say, I already have one of these readers on my iPhone, since I had to know what the heck the code linked to on my shoe. If you're curious, it links to the YouTube video of the manufacturing process of the shoe, which is also featured on the shopping link on the website, right here. The shoes are fabulously comfortable, especially for a wooden clog. I love my 'Vogs--about as much as dolls, in fact. I collect them, and wear them almost daily.

Save the date!

If you're close to Greensboro, North Carolina, you'd better mark April 23, 2011 off on your calendar! It's coming up soon, and it's DollMarket's Ball Joint Doll Party.

Prizes are sponsored by Jun Planning, DollHeart, Ashton Drake and more. There will be a People's Choice best-dressed BJD competition, and any strung doll (resin or vinyl) may be entered, costumes can be purchased or made. See last year's winners here.

More information is on DollMarket's website.

I'll be so jealous if you go. Post here or on our Facebook fan page if you attend! I want to know how it was!

We have a winner!

Who will it be?, originally uploaded by alington.

Congratulations to Rosemary, who is the winner of our drawing on Facebook! You've just added a Model 10 Barbie Basic to your collection, along with the Gold Accessory Pack from the brand new 2.0 line as well.

I had lots of help in the neutral party department, and a total of 28 entries. You can see the full photo series on Flickr.

Thanks to all the fans who participated, and thanks for all your gracious comments. To those of you who aren't on Facebook--I promise our next contest will be coming soon, and it will include all our readers!

BJD Convention update!

Click to enlarge.

It was a blast, and I'll have photos up soon.

Just as a teaser here with the first place winner (Gale) with Duncan Idaho (I hope! Please forgive me--it's been years since I've watched that movie!) of Dune. He was just amazing--as were so many of the other entries.

I'll hopefully be able to edit the rest of my photos today. We had a blast!

Barbiecollector.com - Grand Re-Opening is live now!

Check it out: lots of fun stuff on the rather slow-moving newly redesigned BarbieCollector website:

• Enter the Grand Re-Opening sweepstakes--it's a free drawing. No purchase necessary, and you can enter every day, now through November 9, with a new winner each day. You can enter without a purchase, too, daily. Check out winners each day after 11 am CDT. Plus, they've even listed the daily prizes, and they aren't always just a single doll!
• Sales: don't forget. you'll get 25% off your entire order today only, and the discount should appear in your shopping cart automatically.
• Special gifts with purchase: You'll receive a special gift when you order two items from the Barbie Basics collection (a 5x7 sketch valued at $5), and/or a single item from the Christian Louboutin line (Barbie by Christian Louboutin calendar, valued at $12).

Now, on to my personal opinion and a review of the site. A few complaints:

The winner of the FDR's first drawing is...

Alex M. from San Diego! Alex has won the Target exclusive blonde Barbie. Congratulations! I'll be contacting you shortly for delivery details.

The correct answer is:

Holiday™ Barbie® Doll

The photo was taken in my infamous Laura Ashley Apple #6 living room, and this particular doll's dress is silver. I have heard an earful from my contributors, and they have mentioned they thought this contest photo was perhaps a tad misleading. I ended up including all entries--as they were very good--even the incorrect ones, for that very reason.

I've posted my original photo in Flickr, which you can see here. Click for a larger view. (I promise the next contest will be, well, not so, you know.)



We received eight entries for the contest--and most of them in the last two days. Thanks so much for playing! I am happy to say that I really enjoyed the contest, and I will definitely be adding another contest again in the future.

Drawing information...

I'm uploading the video now, and it's taking longer than I thought... Give me just a few more minutes!

One more day for FDR's first contest!

Barbie Basic, Target Exclusive
Originally uploaded by alington

Win this doll! You have till midnight tomorrow PST (September 14, 2010) to email me (please do not post your response on this blog!) with your answer to this question:

Which doll is used in the close-up photo used in the background of this month's blog layout?

All the correct answers will be put into a pot, and I will draw one lucky winner, who will win the following the NRFB Target exclusive Barbie Basic shown here. (And I have hidden her from my enthusiastic six year-old doll-collecting daughter this time.)

Overseas entries are welcome, and shipping is included. Contributors to the blog are exempt from this drawing. I'll announce the winner on September 15, hopefully by noon PST!

See my original post about the contest here, and what happened to the original prize here. Good luck!

Update on the contest

Dear readers,

About the Fashion Doll Review's first contest... there has been a slight change: the prize doll! Right after I posted a photo of her, my daughter Lauren found the box and opened her!

No worries, though--I picked up a replacement doll. It's a blonde exclusive red-dress Barbie Basic from Target--I think she's the Bob Mackie sculpt, and she is gorgeous. I've got her hidden out of Lauren's reach, so she is safe!

The contest is still on, though--so keep those guesses coming! (Photo coming soon--this is my hubby's birthday weekend, hence the brief lack in posts.)

Prize time for our beloved readers...

As you may remember from a post last month, we are now regularly updating the Fashion Doll Review's look monthly. So that little poll on the left side that asks you if you like our new look, which has 13 days left to vote--well, in less than two weeks, you'll have a brand new look. For those of you who don't care for the lime green and silver lines, you'll get something new!

If you want to make specific comments on this layout, or leave feedback on what you'd like to see, comment on last month's post, and I'll read them.

So to celebrate the upcoming change to this new and fun features, I thought I'd offer a little prize. This's month's background is actually a close-up of a famous doll. Do you know which one?

If you do, email me your answer (please do not post here!!), along with and your first name, last initial, and your state (US) or country. Please send your guess to me by September 14, 2010, midnight PST, and I'll add you to a pot of names (if more than one of my readers gets it right). I'll do the drawing for the prize on September 15 at noon PST. And shortly thereafter I'll announce and contact the winner.

The prize: A NRFB Barbie Basic No 9 to add to your collection. And yes, I will ship overseas, too.

So come play with us!

The fine print: Sorry, guys, but contributors who already know the answer to this question can't participate in this game (if I've told you--Jen!). But if I haven't told you, and if no one else has told you (I'm pretty sure I have a few guest bloggers who don't know), you're welcome to play!

Glamtastic Giveaway, the "Barbie Daily" event

Don't miss the fabulous Glamtastic Giveaways from Barbie Collector. Each day from August 2 through September 1, you can enter to win a doll each day! No purchase is necessary. And remember each day is a new drawing, so you have to enter each day to win. Don't forget!

Visit Barbie Collector's website to enter and for the full details. Winners are posted after 11 am CDT for the previous day on the Winner's Page. Good luck!

Can't attend the Tonner Convention in person?

Attend virtually! Quick--you have till 5PM, May 20, 2010 to sign up for the raffle for virtual attendees. (And yes, they really do give away prizes! I won a few years ago, and received a Basic Scarlett.)

New contest at Peak's Woods!

In addition to the launch of their new doll, the first 10 people who order Briana from Peak's Woods will be given a free face-up (your choice of Sweet Milk or Sweet Dark).

Drawing for Twilight dolls by Tonner Doll from Extra

Sign up to win Edward and Bella (the 16" Tonner Dolls), courtesy of Extra! Visit the website for details and more information.

Tyler's Tenth Anniversary Blog

Don't forget to become a follower of Tyler's Tenth Anniversary Blog -- and sign up for the raffle. You have till November 6, 2009 to sign up. It's for virtual attendees of the Anniversary Luncheon, in Kingston, NY. (According to the website, there are still a few spots open, so if you can go, you should!)

Happy Anniversary, Tyler!

Secret in Kimono

Secret in Kimono, originally uploaded by alington.

This is Jen Eugley's entry for challenge #3, Embellished, for the Couture Doll design challenge. I love how it came out. You can see all the photos I took of her model, Secret (a resin BJD by Goodreau) on my Flickr photostream.

About the outfit:

The kimono is made in yellow satin, trimmed with black satin and black lace, which has been hand-beaded with tiny blue beads. Jen painted the back of the kimono with fabric markers as well. (Didn't it come out great?) The sleeves are long--to the floor, and have black handmade tassels at the ends.

The kimono closes with an eyelet corset, laced with black ribbon, and it has a blue satin pillow attached to the back. Jen also created the shoes: black slippers with blue felt flowers with beads in the centers, which match the hat. The hat is black gathered tulle trimmed with the same felt flowers with blue beads.

I think the resin doll's pale skin and black wig really add to the overall feel of the outfit. You can see her contest entry here. Bravo, Jen!

While you're there, you should check out the other entries--there are some other fabulous ones this week. Congratulations, designers! You guys did a fantastic job this challenge!