Recently in Dolls (non-asian) Category

Josephine Baker by Madame Alexander. This makes me unbelievably happy. I hope it is still available when I am free to spend, spend, spend! Heh.

Perfect example of bad marketing ruining a perfectly good product. Makes me totally want to cry.

Agnes Dreary. Despite her total cuteness, and her nifty wardrobe, I was totally thrown once again by the tagline:

Agnes Dreary™: Tonner Doll Company gravely introduces Agnes Dreary™ in all her woeful ineptness...

What the hell? I'm I just being too sensitive and emo about this? "Hi, here's your stupid doll, stupid spooky people."

Look, I know all the spooky book reading is an affectation (not me though, I really do read books! Wow!) but why romantisize being "inept" or "not the smartest"? Grrr. Just makes me mad. If Barbie can be an archeologist, I think Agnes Dreary™ can certainly manage to tie her shoes. :p

Evangeline Ghastly from Wilde Imagination & Tonner. She's ball-jointed and resin... is this a first for Tonner? Slated for Summer 2007 release.

The weather on the night of Evangeline's birth was as expected. The wind was howling, the moon was full, and the doctor was unavailable.

And so begins the story of Evangeline Ghastl™. With a mysterious diary entry, a pet skunk named Mouette, and fashions right out of a Victorian novel, Evangeline is definitely.....a whole other story!

Introducing Evangeline Ghastly™ - the new 19" resin ball jointed doll from Wilde Imagination. Created by Joe Petrollese and sculpted by award-winning artist and designer Robert Tonner, Evangeline is what most people would call unfortunate; she likes to think of it as misunderstood….(click here to go to Evangeline’s website)

And at 19" Ellowyne Wilde's new little friend is rather imposing. It is hard to tell if she is as big headed as Ellowyne. Totally different face sculpt esthetic, appears to be a different line entirely. I really like the sculpt, kind of a catty-eyed gene marshall type, though her eyes seem a little wonky in that picture, probably due to the fact they are changeable inset. Her hands look awesome. Again, the story premise supporting her is a little on the "um..." side, and hints at her lack of intelligence (wtf? is that supposed to appeal? to whom?). The tale picks up in 1928 and she's from Ipswich, England. I see a lovely wardrobe, albeit generi-goff, more victorian inspired than art deco in nature... she must be an old fashioned vamp, er... girl.

I know I'm fussy, but I ♥ spooky dolls. That's how I found super dollfie, dontcha know! By doing my usual "goth doll" search on ebay. I think they need Elder-goth marketing expertise. There's a little bit too much, um... Cher Goth meets Vampira, perhaps? I dunno, a lack of subtlety. Hey, maybe they're going for the classic Hollywood Vampire, the technicolor proto-hystorical wardrobe. That'd be cool.

I'll probably love her when she's released though. Vive le Spook!

I received my Ellowyne Wilde Nevermore last week. And despite my original snotty review/impression she's really lovely. My criticisms still stand, however Nevermore is really a compelling production. When I opened the box I was really surprised by her big head. I like it. And firey redheads always sell me, and I giggled when I put Hortencia & Ellowyne on the stage together and noted they are using the same batch of fire red saran. Nevermore's outfit has lovely attention to detail, excellent scale, and is lined in pink ^_^ She comes with a stunning little capelet, but I like the slenderness without it. Her hair is really lovely, and a nice compromise from some of the other Ellowyne up-dos that I thought were a bit too formal or blah.

However, I still think her face is a bit on the dewy-eyed bland side, and prefer the arch snottiness of Hortencia & Euphemia. I'm contemplating a repaint. Though my hand isn't nearly as fine, I might be able to squeeze a pout out of her!

New Annz: Cotton Sugar and Love Music kimonos!

Another Edit! 2-12-2007: just to add a review of my first Ellowyne "Nevermore"...

Ya know... they're juuuuuust on the verge of getting me every time. The not-much ballyhoo'd Ellowyne Wilde (originally Gwendolyn) is finally making her debut on October 30th. And she just seems... like Robert Tonner, while jumping on the big-eyed Japanese band wagon, hasn't been paying enough attention, at least not to the right things. He name drops Sylvia Plath for street cred, but failed to recognize our fear of gigantic collars (unless dressing as Endora or Seymour for Halloween). She's almost goth (a la Emily the Strange), almost vintagey, almost big-headed, almost Japanese, but lacks the squee-factor to appeal to the aging jaded urban hipster such as myself. Oh wait, that's not the demographic they were targeting? Oh. Damn.

However, I think the tonners are meant to be blank canvases, the clothing is definately focal, and their quality is usually very good. The outfits are a bit hit or miss. I like Chills. I don't like the hippy (cute bangs though). But why on earth are the basics in lingerie so boring. You coulda done something super cute, and not white/pink, fer criminy. Meh. I like the pointy eyebrows on the brunette though.

Not our intention to have a big shopping weekend, but it was!

Came home Tuesday to find the biggest box in the world, all wrapped in minty green paper that perfectly matched our decor. Tearing it open revealed a dream come true! The full set of Camille Rose Garcia vinyls. They're so much bigger than I thought! 12" or more? Only one girl has come out so far. Don't actually have room for them right now :/ but expect more peektures of them coming soon. And then the girl vinyls will fight the boy vinyls TO THE DEATH!

If there's one barbie for me every 3 or 4 years... Oktoberfest Barbie is prolly it for this year.

It is all Mythosidhe's fault. But holy cow! Tonner is determined to win me over to the dark side. First with their Alice line which I am still resisting reluctantly... but this... THIS! I don't think I can resist.

Mrs. Claus & The Elves.

The Elves.

Mrs. Claus Basic and one of her outfits. Squee, veritably. I love her face actually. Which is a first for me and Tonner. Aieeee! I just noticed she's on the Emme "plus sized" body! Hardly pudgy, just more girl-sized really. I love it. Emme has a fugly face, which makes me sad. Cuz it is a great idea. *bounce*

Which brings us to... their Cinderella series! Hortencia is also using the plus sized body. She's lovely, but the series doesn't impress me as a whole like I feel it should. I like the stand alone outfits though: