New dolls from Azone from Hobby Search

Check out these new cuties from Azone, available to reserve from Hobby Search Japan. I've ordered lots of things from this company before, and they are vey reliable with great prices. Don't wait, though, as these dolls go quickly!

Above, it's Ex Cute Pureneemo Aika with a pouty mouth as 10th Best Selection Classic Alice Cheshire Cat. She's on sale for 11,400 yen (about $111.46), and as of the post, was available for reservation. She's due to ship this summer, and she's the 1:6 size.

A similar version is also available at the same price, with Aika's traditional smile.

Unfortunately, I missed out on Picco Ex Cute Neemo Himeno, who is a 1/12 size in an adorable school uniform. She's due to ship in later May, retailing for 6,460 yen (about $63.16). I have her on my waiting list. Himeno is one of my favorite faces!

Photos are property of Azone.

Nanoha

Nanoha, a photo by alington on Flickr.

Ack--they keep coming! It's my latest arrival, another 1:12 scale Picco Neemo by Azone. She's a character from a movie, I think. Her box says she's Nanoha, the Musical Lyrical Girl.

She has rooted blue hair, extra hands, including one extra gloved hand, extra bare feet (she's got molded boot feet!), and a book. Eek, she's cute!

Lil Fairy - Azone - Second production!

If you missed out on those adorable Lil' Fairy dolls released last month by Azone, you have another chance to preorder them!

Ewnoe, the little blue maid, is available now for preorder from Hobby Search. And you can also pick up the little brown maid Lipu. It looks like they will be released in the summer.

I have to confess, I reserved Ewnoe, since little Lipu needs a friend, after all. There will be one more coming out, wearing a black dress. They stand only 16 cm tall, and they are super cute!

Photos are property of Azone.

Lil' Fairy Lipu

Lipu, a photo by alington on Flickr.

And darn it, the next one in the series, Ewnoe, is sold out already!

She's my first Picco Neemo in this body style--she is 1/12 in size with the D-body (larger hands and head), and I didn't think I'd like her. But her anime features are perfect. She includes extra hand poses, so she can easily hold her broom (and cleaning rag).

Her outfit is removable, and under the apron, she is wearing a cute brown short-sleeved dress (the lace-trimmed sleeves are detached). She includes tights, mary janes, bloomers, and a head piece, too.

See more photos on Flickr. Ack, she's cute!

Dinner Dance

Dinner Dance, a photo by alington on Flickr.

Another Tiny Kitty - Dinner Dance - has arrived. She's really sweet. Auburn hair in a braided up-do, brown eyes, and a wonderful silver outfit, this girl is ready for an evening out on the town.

You can see additional photos of her on Flickr.

Tiny Kitty returns...

Pink Champagne, a photo by alington on Flickr.

I am thrilled to see Miss Tiny Kitty Collier return to Tonner's fall/holiday 2013 collection. She has the bendy-wrist articulated body we last saw in 2008, and she's a great poser.

This lovely lady is a split from Dreamcastle Dolls. I bought Garden Club Luncheon nude, since I have to have a raven in my collection. Her outfit is from Pink Champagne.

I normally don't care for gloves, but I slipped them on the first try. I was even able to fasten the bracelet easily. I have always adored this little lady's 1950s vibe and style, and I will admit, I was excited when she (and her cohort, Dinner Dance) arrived. They literally took my breath away!

The only two improvements I can suggest are:

• A better stand. Even a saddle stand would be better than the original--though Kaiser stands work fine, I suppose.
• A knee redesign. (I know, I know. I'm picky.)

See more photos on Flickr!

Bow Jjang in Amelia Thimble

Bow Jjang, a photo by alington on Flickr.

Head's up, Amelia Thimble fans! If you like Amelia, you might want to consider the new Monthly Fairies from Peak's Woods in Korea.

You can order them directly or also from Denver Doll Emporium (Denver Doll has Coco Rain and Fiona in stock! I have both of these cuties, too). The starting price is just $110, and a face-up adds only $20. Dolls are sold nude and bald from the company, but outfits and wigs are available separately.

These cute dolls fit Amelia fashions well--down to the shoes. They pose really well and can stand on their own. The expressions are just adorable!

A doll in the hand...

Moonie, a photo by alington on Flickr.

... is worth two in the box?

This is a brand new size for Peak's Woods, one of their Monthly Fairy dolls, February's birth month, Moonie. She is only 10 cm tall (that's almost 4 inches). She's dressed in an Amelia Thimble fashion, which is a near perfect fit.

These dolls are articulated now, which is super cool, and very cute. I have several on the older style body, which were only articulated at the neck. But I plan to do head swaps, so I can have different expressions.

She's so cute and tiny. Their face-ups are so amazing. Of course, Peak's Woods quality is obvious even in the tiny size--she can stand on her own, right out of the box, and pose her little arms and hands. They stay right where you put them.

Honestly, I'd love to have all twelve in my collection! So cute.

More photos can be seen on Flickr.

Shimmer!

Shimmer!, a photo by alington on Flickr.

San Diego hasn't even had any rain, and look who's out of the box!

It's Shimmer, a Mattel Dazzle doll. She's super sweet--a tiny Steffie sculpt with auburn hair and violet eyes. She came with a red swimsuit and this lovely 1980s era dance outfit. (Well, if it's from the 1980s, it's probably an aerobics outfit.)

I'm so glad I deboxed her. Her hair is fine, but these dolls are so much fun to pose and photograph. (Wait till you see what's coming up!)

I am trying out the new background again--doesn't it add a little bit of nice texture to the photo?

When do you debox a doll?

Shimmer, a photo by alington on Flickr.

I'm having a collecting dilemma right now. I don't know whether I should debox this particular doll, which has lead me to consider my "deboxing policy."

Normally, with vintage dolls, it's hard to debox them NRFB. Now, I consider whether you can actually tell if the doll has already been removed. If she has, I don't have a problem. I will remove her, possibly even redress her, and then put her back. If she is sold, I mention I've removed her from the box, and that she isn't NRFB--I'd call her MIB, if she is mint. (It's just a little pet peeve of mine, when sellers call a doll "NRFB, except removed for these photos."

But for less than vintage--take this 1982 Dazzle doll Shimmer, for example--I have to take several things into consideration.

1. Is the package pretty? If it's pretty--this one has nice graphics (see photos on Flickr for examples)--I have a harder time messing it up.
2. Is the package mint? If the package isn't in great condition--and this one, the plastic has yellowed and the card is bent just a bit--it's not quite such a big deal to rip into it.
3. Is the doll hard to find? This doll is from the 1982 release. There were many dolls released in 1981, and Shimmer was only released in a smaller edition size in 1982. She is a bit pricier, and, yes, harder to find.
4. Is the doll in peril? Sometimes, a doll may be wearing clothing or earrings that can cause staining or green ear, and removing the offending articles is a must. In this case, Dazzle dolls often have rubber bands that turn to liquid glue over time. I can see them in her hair, and they appear all right. But I really don't want them to ruin her hair.
5. Can I open the package without ruining it? In this case, the nature of a blister card makes it difficult to keep its beauty intact. I could keep the back of the card, of course, but it won't be nearly as nice as before it's opened.
6. Exactly how badly do I want to play with the doll? Oh, how to answer this question! I can't answer the last time I had so much fun with a photo shoot as I did shooting Crystal and Glossy. (It made me want to add the entire line of Dazzle dolls to my collection, which is just ridiculous... isn't it?)

Truthfully, in spite of my hesitation to simply rip into the package, what will probably happen is this: I'll keep the doll unopened in her package today. One rainy day, I'll put aside all logical reasoning. I'll just need a little pick-me-up and open the doll for a photo shoot and redressing session. It'll be fun.

Fortunately for me, it's going to be 78° and sunny today.

By the way, did you notice Shimmer's miniature Steffie face? Isn't she adorable?

Crystal

Crystal, a photo by alington on Flickr.

This is Crystal, from Mattel's Dazzle collection, 1981. She's 4.5" tall. Articulated at the neck, shoulders, waist and hips, this miniature Steffie faced beauty has rooted auburn hair that can be brushed and styled.

She includes a unique stand--her molded heels have holes that snap in at the base in a model style stance. She also includes a comb, and a removable outfit, that reminds me a little of Fabulous Fur Barbie, just because of the color scheme.

I think she's just adorable. You can see a few additional photos on Flickr.

Dolls for sale!

Miss Amethyst, a photo by alington on Flickr.

I've cycled through some more Steffies, as my book is rapidly progressing. Check them out today at the DollPage Show & Sell site. I've also listed a few tiny dolls, Mattel's Family Corners Lacey and Melody, just in case any of your dolls need dolls of their own.

You can feel good about supporting an author--as well as supporting a fellow doll collector.

Have you always wanted to write a book? Check out my latest blog and subscribe to it to discover the latest publishing endeavors at the Fashion Doll Review, over at Out of the Box Publishing. I'm always looking for new authors for collaborative projects!

Glissen from Dazzle collection

Glissen, a photo by alington on Flickr.

One of the dolls from Mattel's Dazzle Collection, Glissen uses a mini version of the Steffie face. She is only 4.5" tall, and was released in the early 1980s. This line designed to compete with Kenner's Glamour Gals collection, released around the same time.

These girls include a removable outfit and are articulate at the neck, shoulders, legs and waist.

I believe Spangle and Crystal also use the mini Steffie face mold as well.

You can see a few more photos of Glissen on Flickr.

Mari

Mari, a photo by alington on Flickr.

This is a new addition to my BJD collection. It's Mari, a tiny 10.5" Asian BJD by Limhwa in the For You size. I found her from Junkyspot, who often has these dolls in stock.

She's wearing vintage Francie #1222 Gold Rush and a petticoat from one of the Perfect Beginnings fashion Paks.

I think she's quite lovely with her tan skin tone--she's just a little shorter and thinner than Barbie, and curvier than Francie, but she can wear her clothing. I do need to find her some shoes, however.

You can see additional photos on Flickr. She wears a size 3-4 wig and 6mm eyes--so tiny!

Jana - Dark Twin

Jana, a photo by alington on Flickr.

Another fun tiny doll by Mattel from the mid 1990s, it's Jana, from the Princess Tenko and the Guardians of the Magic line.

These dolls were based on a TV show that ran for a season (maybe 13 episodes, I think), and the dolls were limited run and 6" tall. Jana was an evil character, and her doll is actually an exceptionally rendition of the animated version. Personally--maybe it's that I'm in a Steffie mood--she looks like a miniature version of Mattel's Steffie mold.

I mean--consider All American or All Star Teresa of the same era. The red hair, the green eyes... can't you see the similarity? I think she looks great.

You can see a few more photos on Flickr as well.

Family Corners - Lacey

Lacey, a photo by alington on Flickr.

Mini Steffie? Mini Mackie?

In researching Mattel dolls for Volume II of Steffie: Out of the Box, I came across this line of dolls, Family Corners, created by Mattel in the late 1990s. They are 6" tall with articulated arms and legs, and use miniature sculpts. I think Lacey (shown here) and Melody (coming soon) look a little like a small Bob Mackie or possibly Steffie face.

Each doll includes a cardboard doll house and extra outfit. Interestingly, the dolls are designed with different hair and skin tones, and have boy dolls that can be mixed and matched together anyway you like.

I think they are awfully cute. You can see a few more photos of Lacey on Flickr.