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Picture of the Week Award ~ February 28, 2010

There are no dolls to be seen in this week's Picture of the Week but they may enter at any moment and look fabulous in this 1/6 scale hall/gallery diorama. At first glance, it looked real to me. Then I recognized the acrylic doll stand bases, the Fashion Fever mannequins and the wig stand. What made it look amazingly realistic was the lighting and the reflections on the shiny floor.

This wonderful scene was created by Alejandro Torres. I asked him to describe the picture and here is a summary of his response:

"With one snap of the camera, I justified not throwing away years worth of assorted plastic crap. I think like all of us, I have more Polyvinyl Chloride lying around the house than is probably healthy. I'm minimal about everything in my life except when it comes to my dolls and anything to do with them. When it comes to dioramas, I always see things as what they can potentially be in respect to a doll display. In the picture in question you see Fashion Royalty wig stands, the block bottoms of FR doll stands with Fashion Fever packaging parts in repeating patterns. The large mannequins were purchased for their wigs and then I was able to use them in another way. The walls are foam board and the elevator door was constructed by me."

This is more justification for us pack rats who are buried under stuff!

If you go to Alejandro's Photobucket album you will see not only photos of his dolls but more dioramas with and without dolls and other wonderful photography. I highly recommend taking a look.

Congratulations, Alejandro, on the Picture of the Week Award!

Outfit

Just a very quick little pic absolutely not artistic for the pleasure of my eyes to appreciate him in some of his numerous clothes.
Juste une petite photo très rapide absolument pas artistique pour le plaisir de mes yeux de l'apprécier dans quelques uns de ses nombreux vêtements.

Will there be a W Club camera?

"High Fashion World Inspires New Exclusive Digital Camera Line"
Read about the collaboration between General Imaging Corporation and Jason Wu at this link:
GIC

11. Protecteur



Sweetness and Light ~ Puki Ruby in Boneka

It's time for a break from the world of sophisticated fashion dolls. Here's a picture of my tiny bjd, Puki Ruby. She's from Fairyland and joins her sister, Puki Puki. I know; it's such a silly name.
Tiny Puki dolls are just under 4.5 inches - pocket sized. They stand very easily on their own and their articulation is wonderful without kickiness. Ruby's wig is a FairyLand product. (Bobbie/Black/$21)  I've ordered several less expensive tiny wigs and none of them fit as well.
 The dress is felt and is a Boneka product as are the shoes. Denver Doll offers a nice selection of Boneka dresses for these dolls.  Prices range from $17 to $42.

The shoes are handmade leather and certainly worth $18.

Basic (nude) Pukis cost $138. If you purchase directly from FairyLand, you will pay a hefty shipping fee. I buy from Denver Doll Emporium. Their response time is excellent. If an item is in stock, it often ships the same day you order.

Check out FairyLand's website and then go to Denver Doll Emporium to buy.

Brilliance Monogram Doll Pictures

As I photographed her, I began to like her more although this is one Monogram doll who will have her outfit changed along with the wig. She has great potential. I find her to be beautiful but conservative.


The wig fits very well. It's the same style as the recent Avantguard dolls...center part gathered at the nape of the neck.
There are annoying issues with the outfit. The shoes are way too long which is a shame because I love the style. Is this going to be the problem of the year? The skirt is just the right length and the jacket fits properly. In couture dressmaking, lining up stripes and patterns across a seam or jacket front is a sign of fine workmanship. It would have been nearly impossible to do this on a doll fashion that wasn't completely hand made. In addition, the white machine top-stitching on the black fabric of the jacket is out of scale. Sewing machines can make shorter stitches.
I'm not sure how to put the hat on and I didn't want to mess up the wig so I didn't even try.

"Dribbling Information and Internal Misunderstandings"

Members of the W Club were sent an apology for not having been informed that the FR Monogram Brilliance doll is wigged. I'm quite certain it was not anyone's intention to conceal this information.

The excuses? This is the funny part.

1. "dolls have been mistakenly sent to dealers" (To whom were they supposed to be sent?)
2. "accidentally shipped to dealers early due to an internal misunderstanding" (What is an internal misunderstanding? I thought they ship the dolls as soon as they're ready.)
3. "information...dribbled out due to this shipping error" (Dribbling information is not the same as dribbling lack of information.)

So they made a mistake or a few mistakes. Fessing up is good.

I'm glad the doll is wigged. It will be fun to have a wigged doll in this line.

NEWS FLASH!!! "Brilliance" Monogram Doll is a Wigged Doll!

Was this supposed to be a secret? This fact was never revealed. The doll was shown with her hair and no information about her being wigged.

These are Integrity Toys' images of the doll:


I previously made a comment about the doll's hair looking messy. Who knew?

10. Ephémère


Clint Mansell - The last man

A toi mon soupirant d'un soir...

Laisse ton esprit au creux de ma main,
S’abandonner au plus profond des chagrins.
Celle que tu aimes n’est pas faite de foi,
Mais plutôt de ces néants qui n’ont pas de loi.

Lost Amnia, text #15


#15

La seconde fois que Constantinople rencontra Arguès, chez elle, elle fut touchée par le présent qu'il lui offrit pour la remercier de son hospitalité; une magnifique plume de Paon, animal que la sirène admirait beaucoup pour sa robe naturelle très colorée. Elle l'avait simplement glissé dans leur conversation de la veille entre deux sujets n'ayant aucun rapport mais il avait attentivement noté ce petit détail. Quelque peu impressionnée par l'apparence imposante de son invité, ses joues s'empourprèrent légèrement et elle lui sourtit discrètement en signe de remerciement ; la démonstration affective n'étant pas son fort. Il le remarqua et ne put s'empêcher à son tour de lui adresser un sourire poli mais gentillement moqueur pendant qu'il prenait la liberté de glisser la plume délicate dans sa chevelure pour qu'elle puisse s'admirer dans un des miroirs de la pièce. Au fil des nuits, Arguès prétextant toujours accompagner son frère pour assurer sa sécurité, bien que celui-ci venait précédemment depuis des mois et seul, ils apprirent à se connaître, discutant longuement, perdus au coeur des jardins somptueux de la résidence à l'écart de toute menace. La sirène n'ayant jusque là jamais cotoyé d'autre démon était très curieuse à son attention, elle lui posait souvent moult questions sur ce qu'il était et ce qu'il ressentait. Arguès, appréciant beaucoup sa compagnie mais réservé, eu du mal à s'ouvrir à elle dans les premiers temps, pour finalement plus tard réussir à se confier sans presque plus aucune retenue ou gène et il appréciait grandement de pouvoir être naturel avec elle, lui qui s'était si souvent sentit freiné et désapprécié pour sa droiture maladive et son austérité. De nuit en nuit un lien fort les lia, d'abord une amitié loyale et exclusive pour laisser place peu à peu à des sentiments plus prononcés. La belle appréciait l'assurance, la puissance et le calme apparent de son ami qui semblait rester stoïque en toute circonstance et la bête s'éprenait peu à peu de cette belle femelle cruelle aux yeux brillants qui lui témoignait intérêt et affection et à travers laquelle il se reconnaîssait pleinement.

Un soir parmi tant d'autres, qu'il la rejoignait entre les massifs fleuris, il entendit au loin une conversation qui le fit frémir; deux hommes, apparemment partagés entre horreur et dégoût, étaient sur le point de commettre un acte irréparable. Constantinople, entêtée, s'était entichée de chasser une des nouvelles bonnes à la tombée de la nuit, car c'était là un de ses plus grands plaisirs qu'elle avait bien du mal à refreiner. Elle pourrait toujours prétexter que la demoiselle ne s'était pas acclimatée à ses nouvelles conditions de travail, préférant démissionner rapidement. Mais peu prudente, entièrement accaparée par le festin qu'elle faisait du corps de sa victime, elle s'était laissée surprendre par deux autres domestiques qui eux n'avaient pas manqué de se charger d'une carabine. Alertés par des mois, des années de questions sans réponse et d'inquiétudes grandissantes envers leurs maitresses, ils découvraient aujourd'hui toute la monstruosité de l'une d'entre elles. Bien que les pires craintes aient pu traverser leurs esprits jamais ils n'auraient pu imaginer assister un jour à un tel spectacle. Et alors qu'elle était à genoux dans l'herbe, dévorant la jeune femme qu'elle avait traquée comme un prédateur traque sa proie puis tuée, le sang ruisselant sur son menton, dans son cou et jusque ses seins, la carabine appuyée sur son front, la détonation prête à retentir à travers les airs sans même qu'elle ait eu le temps de fredonner quelques vers pour charmer ses ennemis, un épais brouillard sortit de l'obscurité la plus profonde recouvra la scène, soulevant et frappant sur son passage, mortellement plusieurs fois les deux malheureux en quelques secondes à peine. La sirène, paralysée, qui pensait son heure venue par son imprudence et son effronterie à ne jamais respecter les règles de survie imposée par son aînée, eu cette nuit là la vie sauve par son confident. Car si Ténébos n'avait à l'origine que peu d'intérêt pour sa nouvelle condition de vampire, Arguès lui s'y était particulièrement intéressé de suite, faisant de lui une bête terrifiante et bien plus forte que son frère cadet ne l'était au départ, malgré son tout aussi jeune âge. De cette nuit de vie épargnée, elle s'abanddonna à lui, le choisissant comme amant unique et ne le quitta plus jamais.


...........................................................................


Je me meurs, ce lieu empoisonne mes pensées petit à petit, il pénètre au plus profond de mon esprit pour en effacer les souvenirs et j'oublie leurs noms, leurs visages...finirais-je par m'oublier moi même ?

09. Pesante solitude


Yann Tiersen - La dispute

Je donnerais Ciel et Terre,
Et fredonnerais doucement le mot Enfer,
Pour voir chaque nuit le feu de ses yeux,
Qui pâlit grandement la beauté des cieux.

Mais même aimée, ma pesante solitude ne me quitte jamais...



"V" For Tea Ivy

This Ivy wears a lot of suits. She looks great in earth tones and her hair is perfect for hats.



















Picture of the Week Award ~ February 21, 2010

This week's featured photograph is by Rebecca Ruiz. The doll is an Iplehouse Special Edition Yur in Realskin. She is 65cm (25.6") tall and has the Special Edition face-up from Iplehouse. Mirielle Clemenceau is the doll's name.
Rebecca told me that she prefers outdoor lighting but for this picture she used small photo lights that came in a set that included a light tent. She got the idea for the behind-the-scenes pictures from a huge poster seen recently in Paris subway stations.

I asked Rebecca if she had any suggestions for doll photographers. Here is a summary of her reply:
A good camera is a big help. Buying an SLR is worth putting off the purchase of that next doll. I have a Nikon D50 and a few separate lenses. I especially like my f1.8 50mm lens.

Rebecca looks in magazines, at paintings in books and at movies for ideas and enjoys hunting for props and backgrounds. When shooting out-of-doors she has gotten used to the stares and questions of passersby. Most have been curious and positive.

To see more of her beautiful collection and pictures, click here.

Congratulations, Rebecca, on the Picture of the Week Award.

Dead fairy and alive concubine soulless #2

As a black widow
Comme une veuve noire

Tatiana's Doll House: The Living Room

As we promised, here is the second instalment of the presentation of Tatiana's doll house. In this post we visit the living room. I remind you that, as mentioned in the previous installment (dining room) the whole house will be made in black and white.



The room is another box made from double corrugated cardboard. Tatiana used oversize coverstock for walls and floor. The curtains are dinner napkins - black ones are faux dupioni silk, white is polyester. The console table and the TV bench are made from another one of the frames she got from a clearance sale. The back panel behind the TV was cut out from cardstock sides of the box that came with the Fashion Royalty bed (inspired by a visit to local IKEA store). Tatiana replaced the Barbie sticker on the TV screen with a cutout from the card that came with the registration gift at the Chicago Fashion Royalty convention. It may have to be replaced with a plain black cardstock later, but for now she likes how her dolls are watching Convention News!



The sofa and chairs are jewelry boxes. The black coffee table is from the Fashion Royalty Loft collection; the accessories on top of it were included: the shaker, glasses and champagne bottle in the bucket. The white carpet is just a piece of craft felt: Tatiana used two sheets for thickness. The two small side tables are acrylic risers from re-ment bakery cases, turned on a side with tops glued to them. Their sides, originally slightly sloped, became horizontal under the weight of the tops and lamps. The black mirrored tabletops are from a friend of Tatiana's - she is not sure what they are. 



The lamp shades, candles, telephones, vases, electronics and jewellery box come from various Mattel play sets. Tatiana repainted the vases, jewelry box and statuette, which is an Esmeralda figurine from kids candy. The lamp posts are from the Gloria playset. A piece of thin wooden rod and a clear bead were used to attach them to the lamp shades. She purchased inexpensive self-adhesive mosaic stones from the scrap booking section and placed them adhesive side up under the back legs of the sofa and chairs to level them up.


Tatiana says she had fun making this diorama and likes that her dolls finally have a modern living room; she was meaning to make this one for years. They sure look great sitting in there.


All photographs courtesy of Tatiana.

The "Big Black Skirt"

I put together a mixture of fashion pieces to create a satisfying look for the black skirt from the Festive Decadence Agnes giftset. My model is a rerooted 'Girl of the Moment' Veronique.

The blouse and boots are from Night Warrior Vanessa, the cinch belt is from the 2009 Aerodynamic Vanessa basic doll, jewelry and skirt from the Agnes giftset.

"Soon there’ll just be feathers and the quiet of the fall " (Icarus Wind)

I didn't think I'd be able to get a picture of No Exaggeration without using her stand. Difficulty with vertical posing is the quality I dislike the most about the Avantguard dolls. But I did manage to get her to balance using a piece of armature wire. I liked the look of the brick wall which I had originally intended to crop. She is wearing the new Avantguard separate outfit called "Fashion Fuel." The beautiful animal print shoes are a mile high. I put them on her feet before the dressing began to see how they fit. I would not have been able to get them on over the included tights easily and I like easy. I didn't want to risk damaging the fishnet tights or the shoes. Underneath the jacket is a LBD. The leatherette gloves are elbow length and go on easily. The suit is nicer in person than in the promo photos. Unfortunately the wig is awful. Integrity must give up making wigs that are not either stick straight or tightly styled and tied. The quality of the saran (I'm assuming it's saran) is over-worked. The wig arrived style-less and/or distorted from packaging. Trying to style it was unsuccessful. I was very careful with the wig and still the results were horrid. The wig she's wearing is not the one from the set.

Icarus On The Runway
I don't understand why one of the new AGs "On Edge" is also sporting a little black dress. Seriously, I do not get this outfit at all. The shoes are the same as the ones we got in the December 2009 wig and shoe set. And what's with the hot pink feather wings?
Image Property of Integrity Toys

How many little black dresses and gigantic black shoes do these dolls need? She reminds me of one of my 10" Cissettes - feathers - black/pink combo - over-the-top, etc.
I need subtle. Enough with the in-your-face stuff. Jason's recent runway collection was subtle and gorgeous. There was no black and pink and no feathers.

The Lament For Icarus, by Herbert James Draper

Wrapped In Decadence ~ W Club Exclusive Fashion

A Fashionable Life Vanessa is my model for the latest W Club exclusive fashion. Wrapped in Decadence is a winner in most every way. The look is beautiful and the fit is very good. It's easy to put on and the construction is excellent. I adore the coat which is completely covered in fabric 'rosettes.' Just take a look.
The only problems I encountered in construction is on the inside of the skirt part of the dress. It may be seen in the photo on the right hip, the seam bulges out in a triangular shape. I don't plan to open up the dress to fix it as she will be wearing the coat most of the time. Someone messed up the sizing on the shoes as they are way too long.
I recommend this fashion and I just happen to have an extra for sale.

I keep saying I don't collect Barbie dolls but...

...every now and then one comes along that is a keeper. This is a first wave Barbie Basic with the Nichelle sculpt. I added the jewelry.
She has the anorexic, twisty model body but I like her anyway.

Did you know that if you click on an image, it will open larger in another window? Try it.