Happy New Year 2017!

Here's to a Happy New Year in 2017!  Wishing all of my friends and followers of this blog Champagne wishes and caviar dreams and that holy grail doll this coming year....Let's clink our glasses to the coming blessings of the New Year!

See ya on the flip side! 

#2017 #letscelebrate #happynewyear 

Saying Farewell to Tonner Doll Company, say Hello to Phyn & Aero!

I have held off writing about Robert Tonner's email that came in on my email
on December 22nd, simply because like most of his customers, I believe his timing was way off. 

I mean, c'mon Robert. It was three days before Christmas. And you're telling your fans ...your loyal fans and customers for over 25 years- No more Ellowyne. No more Evangeline Ghastly,Deja Vu,  no more Tiny Kitty, no more Tyler Wentworth. 

Instead, there will be a new game in town...wait for it...Phyn & Aero! 

I don't think that made the fans feel any better. There weren't any sneaks of what is to come, to get them excited, no words of comfort. I don't collect Ellowyne exclusively- (I only have one doll in my collection) but I felt tearful for those collectors upon reading the email. 

And so here it is. 

Tonner’s 25th Anniversary Year re-cap:  2016 has been, perhaps, the most momentous year of my life. Celebrating 25 years of creating dolls and accessories was really kind of humbling. Culling through photographs of past events and seeing the faces of people getting so much joy out of the dolls and events we’ve produced was truly heartwarming. It reminds me yet again of how lucky I’ve been to enjoy a hobby that turned into a career and a business. I’ve frequently been asked what have been the greatest accomplishments of my last 25 years in this business and there are definitely some standouts:  -My first New York Toyfair, sitting at a single table in our tiny booth and selling out everything I brought in the first few hours.  -The first Tyler Wentworth dolls arriving at our warehouse and eventually shipping to retailers.  -The Betsy McCall and Mary Engelbreit licensed products that were so cherished and charming.  -Being the only company to produce Harry Potter dolls for six years.  -Ellowyne Wilde and the creation of Wilde Imagination, which allowed me to move in an entirely new direction.  -All of the employees who have supported me along the way, whether they believed in what I was doing, or not!  Currently, I’m spending a great deal of time learning (and hopefully mastering) some very new computer sculpting programs that, combined with state-of-the-art production capabilities, provide an entirely new method of creating dolls. I call it the “New Art of Doll Making™” and I’m really excited about what we’ll be doing in 2017 and beyond. It’s also awakened a pioneering spirit in me again and I’ve decided it’s time to completely re-think what we offer to collectors. Therefore, although Tonner will continue to make all of our established licensed products such as DC, Gone with the Wind, Outlander, etc., all of our proprietary lines, as well as those of Effanbee and Wilde Imagination, are being discontinued.  A new company is being launched and it’s called Phyn & Aero. We will be introducing three new lines in 2017 in collaboration with innovative (and incredibly talented) new designers. I really feel it’s time to broaden our perspectives and see what some fascinating (and younger!) designers create for our collectors. I believe the collector market needs a major shake-up and I’m quite sure this will be it!  As always, I’m so grateful for all the love and support you’ve shown to me over the years. I am also terrifically excited about the direction we’re heading in and hope you will join us along the way in this new, incredibly exciting adventure! In all fairness, I myself understand a company needs new vision, new lines and new direction. But I feel the tone of this letter could have been handled with more tact to the paying customers and with a little more finesse. It's almost like this company doesn't care what their customers think and I suspect that they are going to not only compete with such doll companies as Kingdom doll and the bjd companies but smaller companies such as Integrity toys as well. If so, Tonner better step up his game on articulation and customer service. I am hoping for the best for this company but this letter gives me mixed feelings on their haphazard new direction. This is just my personal opinion. I have loved their dolls and have a few in my personal collection. Here's looking forward to new things from Phyn & Aero in 2017.....

Love, Life and Lace Agnes Von Weiss...Merry Christmas to me!

So my event doll, Love , Life and Lace Agnes Von Weiss , arrived just in time before Christmas and this was my Christmas gift to myself.  I had to sell a few of my Agnes dolls this year because of the medical bills except Concerto in M, my favorite, which I will never part with. I will be getting another one soon in the sister Moguls set in January- yeah!

I de-boxed her last night.  I haven't felt much joy lately in de-boxing my dolls but I did with this beauty. I am finally getting my happy back ...and it feels so good.  This has been a year from hell on so many personal levels I can't begin to explain. Looking at this beauty, she takes all of it away. I love her sulky expression. Personally, I love her Mess with me bitch expression. ( Dear Reader, I apologize for the profanity ahead of time here. But Agnes brings that cattiness out in us doll collectors. It is all meant in fun.) 

Something else that gave me surprise when I deboxed her was the number on her certification. 379 out of 1420!

My only problem with this doll is her shoes. I did not take a picture of them, they are lovely strapped heels, very well made, but impossible to put on. I put them on her feet but strapping them on is impossible. I honestly wish Integrity would not make these god awful shoes that require a magnifying glass and skeletal fingers to put on the dolls. A simple pair of pumps would have been fine in the toned satin to match the gown. Strapped sandals that have straps that come apart don't appeal to me. My Veronique convention doll's shoes had a piece that came off her gladiator sandal and her shoes I didn't even bother to put on when that happened. It really is frustrating to have these intricate shoes that are a bear to put in. I would much rather have the intricate gown than intricate shoes I can't put on the doll. Just my two cents. 

All in all, she is lovely. I hope that everyone who got her loves her. She is definitely a keeper. 

Christmas Day....

It's Christmas Day here....wishing everyone a very, Merry Christmas.

Santa Poppy wishes you a Merry Christmas...

Yesterday while I did the Gothic Mansion photo shoot, I redressed Out of this World Poppy Parker and put her under my snow trees in front of the door of the mansion. It had a great effect. 

I am doing this post a little early on Christmas Eve, as I may be busy today and tomorrow. There's alot of news in the doll world I would love to post about - namely Robert Tonner's recent announcement and I will be posting about that soon. I have some other dolls I will be taking photos of and posting here to wrap up 2016 with. So stay tuned. Lots of photos coming your way!

                                 Merry Christmas & Have A Happy New Year!

                                         Lisa

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the One Sixth Scale dollhouse and I hope everyone has a Happy New Year! 

I have been a little slow in posting festive photos but have been very busy this past couple of weeks and today is the first day I got to sort through these. I haven't even had time to de-box dolls I purchased months ago! 

Merry Christmas from the Gothic Mansion!

Martha Stewart decorating tip: Always make your Egyptian sarcophagus display look festive with handmade knitted Santa hats. And that's a Good Thing. :) 

Enjoy! Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! ~ Lisa

Reception A' Versailles Veronique Perrin- Final W Club doll of the Year!

Well the Final W club doll of the year was announced- Reception A Versailles Veronique Perrin  and not many of the W Club members were thrilled with her.

I like her, and I am a little disappointed in her. I love her makeup and hair, but the title makes the owner expect great things- especially when the storyline includes a reception at the chateau of Versailles. Her dress says cocktails at 6 pm, at the local bistro, not Versailles. There isn't even a case thrown in, just some grey and black undies and thigh highs. I love her shoes, and jewelry, but the dress is very cheaply done. 

Since I had to sell my Out Sass Vanessa earlier this year, I went and ahead and pre-ordered her. 

Here are her specs:

Item # 91391

Réception À Versailles

Véronique Perrin® Dressed Doll

2016 W Club Exclusive

Approximate Ship Date: May 2017

Limited Edition Size: TBA Dolls Worldwide

Doll Tech Specs: 

 

Body Type: FR2013

Head Sculpt: Véronique 2.0

Quick Switch Feature: No 

Skin Tone: FR White 

Hair Color: Red

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-Applied

Her accessories are beautiful...but it annoys the crap out of me that this doll has not better gown than this with the serges showing on it and cheap fabric....and with a name like Versailles attached to it. Why couldn't they have made the storyline a masquarade ball and had her in a replica of Marie Antoinette's white gown ? That would explain having the party at Versailles in the storyline.  Then we could have had a beautiful case. Something that screams royalty on it. 

I am predicting since so many of the w club members are not liking her, they will want her when they see her re-dressed. 

All for now. Lisa