Surprise! It's Elusive Creature Natalia Fatale!

Integrity Toys Urban Safari collection has started to arrive to dealers, and then been shipping to collectors. I was unable to control myself this past season, and I ordered quite a few dolls from this line. I'd intended to keep just the outfits from some of the dolls, and then resell the dolls.

My original favorite of the line was Adele, Vivid Encounter, and she is amazing. The doll shown above, Elusive Creature Natalia Fatale, was one of the dolls I'd intended to resell nude. However, after receiving her, and experiencing her in person, I have to say she might indeed be the favorite from the collection.

Her hair might be the winning factor for me, I have to admit. It's super soft, long, blond waves--and perfect. That, combined with her tan skin, is very California--and very Barbie--so it was quite a shock to me to see this character done in such a soft way. (I might change her lip color--I don't quite see how they fit in with this doll, though when viewed with the rest of the collection, they look fine.)

I already knew I'd love her outfit. To me, a great IT outfit is one that can be mixed and matched with others--and this one goes great with pieces from Fashion Explorer Vanessa Perrin as well as others from the Urban Safari line. I love the mesh shirt, and the adorable box pleat skirt is cute, too. The pocket detail on the vest is nicely done, also.



And of course--she has fantastic accessories. A snakeskin purse is a necessity for dear Natalia, I'm sure, but I love the enamel bangles and earrings--earrings, even though they aren't entirely necessary with her hat (not my fave) and hair.



The boots are amazing, too. They actually do not zip in the back, and still, they were super easy to put on. I was delighted, since I tend to break every single doll shoe I touch.

You can see additional photos on Flickr. I'm pretty sure you can still find Natalia from a few dealers--she's limited to 800, and I saw her from Toni's Collectibles for $145, which still cheaper than the Dollpage and some eBay listings.

Love doll photography? Check out Topaz!

All Glamour Sydney Chase Deluxe Basic by Tonner Doll, click to enlarge.

My favorite little plug-in on the market is Topaz Adjust. I love this software! It helps pop my photos' contrast in a way that's smart and fun. I'm seriously a dummy photographer: if it's not easy to do, I won't do it. If it's not fast, I won't use it. Topaz solves these problems!

Through the end of September, when you use the code septadjust, you can get Adjust 5 for $24.99 instead of the $49.99 retail price. You can also try it for free for up to 30 days to see if you like it.

I use it as a plug-in to Adobe Elements (both Mac and Windows compatible), but it also works with the following programs:

• Photoshop
• Lightroom
• Aperture
• iPhoto (hmm--I should probably also install it here!)
• PaintShop Pro
• Serif Photo Plus
• Irfanview

I can even install it myself, without the assistance of my personal (computer) administrator. I'd also recommend you try out Star Effects and some of the other plug-ins. They are very fun, and dare I say, addicting!

I've taken a sample of how I personally use Topaz Adjust. Click on the photo for a larger version. On the left, you can see the original version of Sydney. It's not an awful photo; it simply feels a little drab.

The center photo is a result of a single click on the "I feel lucky" button. It's such a cool feature, and it gives you a finished artsy photo with a single click--perfect for those really lazy days. And come on, I must not be the only one to have days like this!

The last photo is one where I actually spent three minutes editing contrast, detail, and color. Plus I added a frame and vignette. Doesn't that one look absolutely spectacular when compared with the original? If I can spend three minutes and get that kind of result, why wouldn't I? I have no excuse. I think I'll go install Topaz in iPhoto now as well!

Go download a free trial--there's no reason not to try it out. I'd love to hear what you think!

Steffie of the day: Fashion Photo PJ

Fashion Photo PJ, a photo by alington on Flickr.

One of my all-time favorite Steffie-faced dolls by Mattel is Fashion Photo PJ--mine, and everyone else's too.

I did a quick eBay search, and the last few NRFB dolls have gone for around $350. Loose and dressed anywhere from $50-150, depending on their condition.

I think she has lovely facial screening--neutral shimmery brown eye shadow and soft peach lips. Her hair is a medium brown with highlights--just gorgeous. Plus, I'm a sucker for Mattel's 1980s jewelry--it reminds me of the clear Lego pieces when I was a kid: valuable real estate.

You can see a few more photos on Flickr.

Jaqueline Frost - per Jim Dandy

Jaqueline Frost - per Jim Dandy, a photo by alington on Flickr.

Meet Jacqueline Frost - as interpreted by Jim Dandy.

I had the honor and privilege of meeting Jim Dandy at Tonner Con this year. He actually insets glass eyes in vinyl dolls for fun--and I fell in love with many of his creations this year.

This year, Duchess (Jacqueline Frost) is my lucky new addition. She is probably my very favorite convention doll. I just adore her!

She has blue glass eyes and eye lashes, which gives her a really unique look.

My advice: If you get the chance to pick up a Jim Dandy doll that you love--drop everything else and DO IT! He's such a great guy! His work is amazing. You will LOVE it! :)

(Thanks, Jim--she is just PERFECT.)

More photos of Flickr.