NBDCC 2012 Day Three …White Russian
No, not the drink. The convention theme is “World Tour” and Friday’s evening event was in St. Petersburg, Russia. It was requested that everyone wear white. We entered the grand ballroom and saw a beautiful centerpiece ( and no…didn’t win that one either 
) Each person at the table received a stunning table doll from our host with the most Jim. Thank you Jim!!
The fabulous faces of table 73
Some amazing OOAK dolls were auctioned off for charity and we all received a fabulous Dressmaker Details outfit as a gift from the convention.
LOVE IT!!
NBDCC 2012 Day Three….A Couture Paris Experience
Friday dawned and we all attended a breakfast in Paris. The tables had the most adorable centerpieces
I was so excited when my friend Deanna had her number chosen to take this lovely piece home. It will be so appreciated and perfect in her collection.
We were also greeted with another amazing table setting my our table host Jim . We had another Christmas in July experience. We even had champagne for our orange juice…mimosa anyone? Jim you are the host with the most!
The table dolls were by our host Jim. When we arrived at breakfast we also noticed that two new dioramas had been added to the Grand Ballroom. The city of Paris….
And….The Atelier shop!!!!!
Ahhhhhhh! I DIE. Words cannot express how grateful I am to the convention committee and Mattel for bringing us this opportunity to see these amazing dioramas and having the opportunity to photograph them. Unreal!
Aside from all the amazing table gifts from my table mates, we also received a Dressmaker Details exclusive convention fashion.
After breakfast, we sat back and enjoyed the convention fashion show. I will share photos of that later when I get home and process the photos from my other camera. I needed the serious camera, flash and monopod for that one.
NBDCC 2012 …..London Calling
The second official day of the National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention started with luncheon with a London theme. Mattel sponsored the event and it was absolutely fabulous ( yes..pun on the British show intended). We entered the event and the tables were all set up with mod centerpiece dolls
All around the perimeter of the room, there were the most amazing dioramas that Mattel had brought and set up to photograph. There was the train set from the recent photos of the Russian dolls and the Metro station set from Sunday Best and City Smart photos as well as the church from the William and Catherine photo shoot. I just about fainted when I saw them all. I had to call my husband up in our room and say “ I need the good camera NOW!!” Here are some quick point and shoot shots….good camera shots will be out later. There were prototype dolls too! Oh my word….I DIE.
And why I love convention so much….. Me, Deanna and Hilda. Geeeesh, do you think we could fit any more cell phones on that table LOL!
Oh and we received the most AMAZING gift !!
A Barbie steamer trunk. Again….I DIE. I think my squeal of delight is still hanging over L.A. as I type this. We are also going to receive a giftset doll ( pictured below) called Pink Passport. Unbelievable! The convention gifts just in this event alone are blowing my mind.
NBDCC 2012–First official day of convention
The National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention did not officially begin until Wednesday. Many people show up days early ( yes people like me) to partake in the fantastic room shopping experience as well as OOAK parties. These, however, are pre-convention events. Wednesday begin for many with registration and a special gift from the Barbie Fan Club if you are a member. I attended an informative seminar on doll photography…learned a few new techniques. The evening Bon Voyage was the big kick off event and for once there was enough seating for everyone yippeeeeee! I had so much fun running around to different tables reconnecting with Barbie friends and meeting new ones.
This year, conventioneers were given 20 golden tickets in their registration packet. They could be used to enter 20 different lotteries for OOAK dolls. You could put one ticket in each lottery or split it any way you wanted amongst the 20 different dolls. Here were some of the amazing donated OOAK dolls that we all were hoping to win.
Of course…I did not win anything { cries quietly in the corner}. But for those who did, a huge “ Congratulations!” It was a fabulous first official day of convention. We left the ballroom with a special pin to put in our passport books and a handful of new Barbie memories from the evening.
NBDCC 2012….A Day of OOAK Extravaganza
Tuesday was a packed day of OOAK parties. First up was Artist Creations
This is their auction doll
Next up was Ninimomo These are quick shots with my point and shoot. I was given the extreme pleasure of photographing the show before it opened to the public and will have those shots up later this week. Thank you Nick and Marie!!!
Ninimomo’s auction dolls
And their raffle dolls
The last show of the day was Magia2000. They staged an honest to God fashion show for the dolls. While very long, the show was fun. They also handled purchasing differently this year. You put your name in a lottery if you were interested in a doll and if your name was selected, you had the chance to purchase the doll. I was not lucky enough to win the chance to purchase but many others were!
Ones I would have given a kidney to purchase….okay not really but still LOL!
Magia2000 raffle doll
Magia2000 Auction doll
More photos available on my flickr. Today is the official start to the convention. Things will be super hectic from here on out so blogging will be more difficult. If I don’t post in the morning….it means I was up too late the night before and I won’t even go into why that would be LOL! The blog post will come I promise…just perhaps not so reliably.
NBDCC 2012–Room Shopping Day Two
Perhaps one of the most enjoyable things about Barbie convention for me and many others is the room shopping experience. Many sellers will set up wares in their room days before the official convention starts and many many collectors will come early just to shop the room sales. You might think that people come for the deals to be found and the shopping. I believe that many come for the social aspect of room shopping as well. This is a time where you meet new fellow enthusiast friends and reconnect with the ones you have made in the past. Generally, we Barbie collectors are a sociable and happy crowd and we LOVE to talk all things Barbie. It is amazing to me that I have friends from all over the world and I came to know them through this fabulous hobby and these conventions. Barbie and the love of this hobby has done that. How cool is that?!!
So….day two of room shopping was highlighted by a OOAK ( One of A Kind ) party by Matt Sutton and Matt Trujillo. We lined up early for this one folks…about two hours before. I think just waiting for the show and talking with my fellow collectors was one of the best parts of my day.
And a rare thing for me….someone took my picture! Thanks Deb!
Now….time for the show. Matt certainly did not disappoint! He never fails to blow our socks off. This year, you took a number according to where you were in line and they let a few in at a time. No mad rush to get to the dolls. This made for a very enjoyable and wonderful selection and buying experience.
Yes….the pink one in the center went home with me 
After the fun of picking out a doll and purchasing ( some managed to snag two…yes Barb and Mary…I’m talking to you), we had our annual “ buy a Matt Sutton and go get a cocktail” meeting.
I am posting an album with these photos. ****A special note to all you pinners on Pinterest. Please, please, please don’t grab the photos from the album and pin them. They will link back to my skydrive and not the blog. If you want to pin them, grab them off this page or go to flickr.***
NBDCC 2012….The journey continues
I feel like my blog post titles are starting to look like movie titles LOL! I guess that is completely appropriate given we are in the hometown of the movie making business. I spent most of the day at Disneyland yesterday as a few of my flickr photos can attest to but managed to hit a few room sales in the evening and of course snapped a few photos. First and foremost, Steven Frasier, opened his room to sales and he showed off the convention exclusive fashion. It is called Petal Perfect and boy is it ever.
Another must see for me was Debra of MashauDe’ (room #579 for those at convention). She had the most amazing pink dress on her advertisement and I saw a must see purse lurking in that advertisement as well
And you know these had to come home with me…. Love ya Debra!!!!
Sandi Holder(room# 675 for those at convention) of The Doll Attic ( www.dollattic.com) opened her room and boy did she have some Silkstone holy grails to sell. They were gone in a matter of minutes but I managed to snag some photos. A lovely Barbie friend was able to purchase the platinum Trace of Lace and she let me take some photos. This doll could not have gone to a nicer collector so it was a pleasure to see.
More for the vintage collectors too…
Now….I can neither confirm nor deny that the red headed platinum edition Joyeux may be headed to Inside The Fashion Doll Studio. I guess you will have to stay tuned to find out 
One other room I had to visit was Rack10 ( room # 558 for those at convention). They have had these Barbie print sheaths for the last couple of conventions and I had been meaning to get one for the last two. Finally made it a reality. I know many are interested in information on these dresses. Here is the contact email rack10@comcast.net. Tell them Inside The Fashion Doll Studio sent you .
More room sales photos tonight. Convention room shopping is definitely in full swing starting today. Most sellers who wish to sell have arrived and are open for business today. Matt Sutton’s OOAK unveiling will be later today and I will be there for the festivities and perhaps a purchase too. I will post later tonight with an update. Check my flickr for the most up to date photos.
NBDCC 2012….The journey begins
I arrived in L.A. yesterday afternoon expecting to relax and settle in for a day before all the excitement began…..NOT. One thing I have learned about Barbiecon is that once you get there, you hit the ground running. I was very glad to see that many friends decided to arrive early so it was an afternoon and evening of hugs and quick catch-up on our lives conversations. There was also room shopping and of course I had to take my camera along and see what the goings on were. The Hyatt Orange County is a lovely hotel with some amazingly friendly and helpful staff.
It was time to catch up with Barbie buds…my friends Sheree and Susan
Then it was time to shop
And for all you vintage collectors out there….
It looks like my instant upload of photos is working! I have been able to instant upload to my flickr fairly consistently so I am encouraged it will continue to work well. I have to send out a HUGE “thank you” to my husband and in house technical support for getting this up and running for me. It was not the easiest thing to do and we had many trial and error moments yesterday
Here is a picture of the adorable key cards convention attenders receive
The pace will be fast and furious from here on out but I will try to blog everyday and multiple times a day if I can. If you want up to the minute photos without writeup, you should check my flickr. Will be enjoying the sites and sounds of the Magic Kingdom today but will be back with you all for an update this evening. More room shopping photos are available on my flickr account for those who are interested.
Live from L.A. …..it’s NBDCC 2012!!!!
And so it begins. When this blog post hits the internet, I will be grumbling and shuffling my way through security at the airport. I HATE getting up for early morning flights. But then, I would do anything for Barbie so there you go. I will have my trusty laptop for blogging from convention and a new toy this year….an IPad. I have hopes of using the IPad as my internet hotspot so my photos will upload directly from my point and shoot to my flickr account. I am hoping to get some great shots of the OOAK parties and fashion show. I should be able to post from the events too but will have to see how this new technology really works. It all sounds great but I have learned that many times it just doesn’t work that well in an actual setting. I will have my laptop so at worst, I upload photos at the end of the evening…just like last year. I will have more to share from L.A. later today.
Victoire Roux–A New WClub Lottery
Integrity introduced a new character as part of their IT Direct Exclusive line at convention last year. Her name is Victoire Roux and everything about her is what I like to collect. In particular the clothing is all about the classic lines of the 1940’s and 50’s. This lovely Ms. Victoire will be offered up via lottery and based on the feedback from the boards, many are entering for the chance to buy. I don’t even think I had to think about this one….my hands were on the keys to enter this lottery before I even finished reading the email from the WClub. Ohhhh how I hope I win the chance to purchase this lovely lady. If not, I will be begging….oh yes….I will be begging.
Item #76003
Avenue George V
Victoire Roux™ Dressed Doll
IT Direct Exclusive
Suggested Retail Price: $125.00 US
Limited Edition of 285 Dolls Worldwide
**Pictures are property of Integrity Toys, Inc.**
Bogue’s Vogues…..Samedi
Okay okay….so I couldn’t get around to posting this yesterday so instead of doing my customary Bogue’s Vogues Vendredi (French for Friday)…I had to settle for a Bogue’s Vogues Samedi (French for Saturday). I have a new Bogue’s Vogues to share and I happen to have just received one of the most stunning dolls to model it for you. I have written before about my love and respect for One of A Kind ( OOAK ) artists. There are many, many talented OOAK artists in the fashion doll collecting arena. Jon Copeland is one whose work never fails to inspire and amaze me. I would say his largest body of work is within the Fashion Royalty repaint and retying category but occasionally he will work his magic on Barbie as well. I was fortunate enough to happen upon a picture of one of his Silkstone repaints for sale last month and it was love at first sight. I literally caught my breath as I opened the box with this lady. She is that stunning. Mr. Copeland….I tip my hat.
Model: OOAK Silkstone Barbie repaint and restyle by Jon Copeland ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/selojspa/ and http://www.facebook.com/SelojSpa) Note** sometimes flickr will filter his photos…there is nothing inappropriate about them so don’t know why flickr does that. Feel free to click through the filter and enjoy the eye candy of his work.
Dress: Bogue’s Vogues ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/boguesvogues)
Time to put on your Party Dress…..
I had a slight hiccup with this lady. She came to me with some blue marks on her legs and I thought she would be going back to Mattel for an exchange. Turns out the marks rubbed right off with water so no problem. Once the marks were dealt with, I decided to shoot her in front of one of the fantastic acrylic display screens my friend Sheree makes. I use these in my doll displays and they work nicely in photos as well. Info on where to purchase is below. I love the hair on this lady and the cute little lace dress with aqua shrug is adorable. So refined and girly with the gold lace. Here face makeup is quite dramatic as you will see with the close-up but I like it. I am still going over redress possibilities but those photos will be for another day. Just a side note, I did have to mess with her hair just a bit to get the curls to lie just right. I ended up putting a pin in one of them to get it to lie properly. On with current photos….
Model: Party Dress Silkstone Barbie
Set: Acrylic backdrop by Sheree http://www.ebay.com/sch/sh7ly7ma7/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686. Chandelier is a locker chandelier by Locker Lookz. You can find them on Amazon.
We have a new look!!
You may have noticed over the past week that we have a new look at Inside The Fashion Doll Studio. One of the best things about this world of doll collecting are the people that you meet through this hobby. It has been my extreme pleasure to meet and talk with some immensely talented individuals. My friend Matty is one of them. We struck up a friendship through our mutual love of doll collecting and photography. Matty has a particular talent for graphic design and he graciously agreed to design a new header logo for my little blog. I LOVE it!
Matty has a blog called Fashion Doll Foto where he shares some very useful tips on photographing your dolls as well as showcasing some fabulous photos of his collection. You can find it here http://www.fashiondollfoto.com/ . It’s also on my blog roll on this page.
Thank you, Thank you Matty for being so generous with your talent! “Mwuah!”
Elizabeth Taylor Silkstone photos released!
I wrote about the Elizabeth Taylor celebrity Silkstone a couple of weeks ago and now we hear there will be not one but two Silkstone releases of Liz. I was hoping for a “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” inspired set with the little slip and….I got my wish!!! While the dress is not exactly a reproduction, it’s close enough and I will take it. It will be available in a giftset called White Diamonds. It will retail for around $150.00 and will be available in the fall.
** Photos are property of Mattel Inc.**
The second Elizabeth Taylor offering is stunning!! It features Ms. Taylor in a gorgeous black gown inspired , I believe, by the movie Suddenly, Last Summer. It’s called “Violet Eyes” and will retail for around $130.00 . It will be available in the fall.
Love them both!!
Christmas in June!
The Poppys have landed….I repeat…The Poppys have landed! I received a wonderful box yesterday and it feels like Christmas in June.
Ahhhhhh….don’t you just love that new doll smell.
First out of the box was “Isn’t it Romantic”
Second was “ Miss Fairchild”
Saved the best for third….”Most Sophisticated”
Ahhhhhhhh! She is just as gorgeous…maybe even more so ….than her promo pictures. Complete and total love.
“The Chauffer’s daughter” ended the Poppy parade.
Tooooooo cute!
I also received FR2 Tatyana
So much to contemplate, it’s hard to know what to debox first…..
“Most Sophisticated” won hands down. Just removed the pin from her hat and adjusted it lower and she was good to go. This set is Amazing! And the luggage!!! Don’t even get me started on the fantastic luggage LOL!
Tatyana came out of the box second
Oh my those cheekbones! Must get her into the studio ASAP. My fingers are itching for my good camera and my light boxes.
Isn’t it romantic has some hair issues so she needs a few adjustments before her photos. Thought I would share what I do for “hair adjustments”. I like to have bangs lie flat against the head and not floating off the forehead so I slather it with gel and “train” it down with some ribbons. This is a picture of what I mean
In 24 – 48 hours it should be set. And the bangs will hopefully lie flat against her head and the back will lie close to her neck. Will have to see how it turns out.
More Rock Wedding Spam.
This is the final set for now. After this, let the redressing begin. I love this Rock Wedding set for a variety of reasons but perhaps one of the biggest reasons was the options of redressing that you were given for Lilith. She came dressed in her funky sculpted top bridal gown. Underneath is a skirt that coordinates with a satin and lace bustier that gives her a whole other look. I know that many brides these days are favoring the idea of one dress for the ceremony and one dress for the reception. In Lilith’s world, this one would be the reception look. Romain has decided to go more casual as well and lose the jacket.
Mad Men to the 1/6 Max
I have admired Michael Williams’ work for many years. His photography is something I can only aspire to but his humor and way of telling a story with a photo is what I truly admire. He recently shared some new Mad Men inspired photos and I knew I had to share them here. With Michael’s permission, I share with you his fabulously witty write ups and 1/6 scale interpretation of five of the main characters from AMC’s hit series MAD MEN.
**Photos are property of Michael Williams**
I love these! I am sooooo hoping he has a perfectly coiffed Betty with the cigarette in her mouth and the shotgun aimed to the sky in the works. Anyone remember that episode LOL!
He has an AMAZING body of work to look through and you can find it at www.mylifeinplastic.com
You can also follow him on
Twitter @MyLifeIsPlastic,
Facebook MyLife InPlastic
Instagram @MyLifeInPlastic
Pinterest MyLifeInPlastic
It’s time for another Bogue’s Vogues Vendredi!
I feel like I have been neglecting my Silkstones for the past few months so it was time to bring em back and do it right. I joke with James Bogue all the time about the fact that I am such a “pinkophile” when it comes to his creations. If it’s in pink…I’m liking it. It came as a complete shock that I was drawn to a powder blue dress he had on his Etsy site and once I received it…I was in LOVE. I had the perfect lady to model it too. I had finally worked up the courage to cut and restyle a Preferably Pink Silkstone Barbie into the hairstyle I feel she should have originally came with…a shorter bob cut. I love it on her and I hope you do to.
Model: Restyled Preferably Pink Silkstone Barbie
Dress and Hat: Bogue’s Vogues ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/boguesvogues)
Shoes: Mattel
And because I am headed into dance recital season and things are about to get wayyyy stressful, I threw this in for fun. This needs to be my mantra for the next 4 weeks…should I take up yoga????
Next Celebrity Silkstone is….Elizabeth Taylor
The news coming from the 2012 Italian Doll Convention is that the next Celebrity Silkstone will be Elizabeth Taylor. Mattel has not confirmed this but I am assuming it was a Mattel Representative who shared this information in Italy last week. This is not suprising as they already have the face mold. The speculation has already begun on which outfit she will be sporting. My vote goes for the white gown in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and I would DIE if it came as a gift set with the slip dress as well…..ohhhhh pretty please.
Although…I have to pay tribute to some of these looks as well. Liz, you were one gorgeous lady.
F.R. Convention 2012 is Open for Registration!
Oh yah baby!! Integrity Toys has opened up the link to register for the 2012 Fashion Royalty Convention. I went to my first one last year and am soooooo going again this year. WClub members had a few days to preregister but now the link is open to all comers. If you want more info, feel free to check it out at
http://www.integritytoys.com/page/events/latest_events
Feel free to visit my blog posts from October 2011 to see and read about some of the happenings from these conventions. If you are a Fashion Royalty collector, you cannot beat the camaraderie and amazing stuff to be had at these conventions. As far as endorsements go from me…you won’t get better than that LOL!
FYI..Registration is limited to 450 . Last years registration filled up within 3 weeks so If you want to go, I would recommend signing up sooner rather than later.
You Look So Fine Erin
Oh M…er..Erin you’re so fine, you’re so fine you blow my mind hey M…er Erin, Hey Erin. I have to admit this song was kind of going through my mind as I typed out the name of this doll. Guess that shows my age, yes, I was and still am to some degree a teenager of the 80’s. This lovely Erin is no child of the 80’s. She if a full on fashion diva of the present. Her dress is TO DIE FOR folks..worth the doll alone in my opinion but I digress. This is the last Erin produced with this original face mold. She has been given a facelift and we will see her new visage IRL when the first W Club doll ships sometime this summer. Many people are not fans of the “open mouth show us those pearly whites” face mold. I don’t have a problem with it. It kind of makes her look sweet and innocent. Her fashion is anything but. I have to admit, I was trepidatious about photographing this lady in THIS gown sitting down but I went there.
**Photography note for those wanting to photograph this lady in her original outfit or any doll in this dress for that matter**. Try to lean this baby up against a wall if you can. What I learned during this photo shoot:
1. Armature wire isn’t going to work because most of her leg shows with this gown but hey..if you want to spend countless hours Photoshopping the wire out..have at it.
2. Thought about leaning her back against a block or something sturdy but short…Nope. The skirt of the dress is pretty sheer so you will see whatever you put back there
3. Thought I was smart using strings to suspend her…WRONG!! I failed to realize the folds in the fabric and the impact they would have on Photoshopping out the strings. BAD ME! Yep…had to spend the thankless hour and a half Photoshopping out the strings then cloning back in the folds on the background for the roughly 20 full standing shots of this set…AAAACCCCKKKK. Note to Rebecca: When using complicated backdrop DO NOT USE STRINGS!!
4. The above mentioned reasons should explain why I then had to sit this lady down. Yes, I realize that she is getting dangerously close to performing a Sharon Stone Basic Instinct but it was either that or learn to embrace Photoshop as a way of life.
Okay, enough of me whining about my inability to think ahead LOL…on to the photos.
And…just because this was a rocker wedding and I don’t think Erin would have attended alone.
**A Note to all you pinners out there on Pinterest. If you are pinning photos from a slideshow embedded in someone’s blog….PLEASE DON’T! I am suspending showing all the shots of a set via slideshow because people are pinning photos from the slideshow and it will send people to my skydrive instead of the blog when they click on the photo. I really, really don’t want people surfing around my skydrive so until I can figure out a way to prevent people from pinning off of the slideshows/skydrive….no more slideshows. Other than that…Pin to your hearts content. I love that you enjoy the photos enough to pin and share them. 
**
In Honor Of…
Today is Memorial Day in the United States.
“Memorial Day is a federal holiday observed annually in the United States on the last Monday of May. Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.] Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. (Southern ladies’ organizations and southern schoolchildren had decorated Confederate graves in Richmond and other cities during the Civil War, but each region had its own date. Most dates were in May.) By the 20th century Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died in all wars. As a marker it typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.” –Wikipedia
Peace to each manly soul that sleepeth;
Rest to each faithful eye that weepeth…
~Thomas Moore
How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes! ~Maya Angelou
Romain and Lilith…The Rock Wedding
After the stress of Romain’s coiffure, I was ready to have some fun so I went all soft and dreamy with the set. I was thinking it would be fun to have all this softness in the background and all the edginess in the dolls out front. I have had a number of friends comment that they were surprised I ordered this set…they are not what I typically collect. I was surprised myself how much these dolls appealed to me. I have to say my camera and I are IN LOVE with this trio of dolls. I adore the versatility of Lilith’s gift set. She has so many different looks and I can’t wait to start redressing. Romain aka lettuce boy , hair not withstanding, is just way cool. Love the square jaw and angles on this guy. From a photography standpoint, there are lots of angles to work with on his face…he will have a different look depending on how you light him and from what angle…lots of options. I would imagine that Romain and Lilith would not have the traditional wedding even though that is what the set and these photos would suggest.
And my favorite shot from the set
Erin’s turn is next…always the bridesmaid and never the bride…will have to see what we can do about that 
Rock Steady Romain
I keep looking at his name and hoping I am spelling it correctly. My husband has taken to calling him affectionately “lettuce boy”. He has a reason to gripe as I have been pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to style and photograph this guy and my husband has had to listen to it LOL. Let’s face the facts folks..he came out of the box with clumpy and uninspired hair. Certainly not what the promo’s promised but I prefer to look at it as a challenge…so like a dog with a bone…I set to work. I know I didn’t hit the mark of the look of the promo shots but I am happy with the doll and photos. I think he is handsome and love the face sculpt. Just wish I had a smidge more bang length and I am too much of a wimp to reroot.
If you want a little taste of what I was listening to during this photo shoot and post processing, check out the playlist on the right hand side of the blog .
Inside the Fashion Doll Studio 