It’s Alive!!!
Well, what else can I say…life got busy and then busier. You would think the pandemic would have been prime time to get the blog going again. It was indeed the plan but alas, plans don’t pan out. I’m still here. I still collect. I still take photographs of my dolls ( although not a lot in the past couple of years). Why am I blogging today you ask. Well, my good friend Hilda Westervelt ( Bellissima Couture) have cooked up a collaborative Holiday collection and I wanted to share. It felt good to pick up the camera and create again. I think I will try to do more of it in 2023.
It’s full on holiday spirit in the studio. If you are interested in any of these beautiful outfits, contact Hilda Westervelt at hildaewestervelt@gmail.com for prices and particulars. There are 6 fashions for sale. The little Amaryllis plants and paperwhites are available as well. They are $40/ plant. They are made by me ( I enjoyed paper gardening during the pandemic) from paper, wire and ink. For those of you who own some of my miniatures, you are aware that I like to pay attention to detail. I am happy with how these turned out.
On to the photos….
Wishing everyone a very Happy Holiday!! Hope to post more soon.
–Rebecca
Big OOAK Sale Today!!
Hello all! Just wanted to give a shout out about an exciting sale going on today for all you vintage and OOAK Barbie lovers out there. The talented duo of Hilda Westervelt and Maryann Roy have a new collection of Mannequin Mavens they are debuting today as well as fashions by Hilda and furniture by Maryann. They are working with some amazing prints from David Rose this time around and the results are nothing short of stellar! There is sure to be something for everyone in this epic sale and if you are one of the many who are sad about not attending Barbiecon this year, here is your chance to get some of the things you only see there. For all the images and prices of what is available, please visit Hilda’s or Maryann’s blogs at
www.bellissimacouturefashions.com (Hilda) fashions
www.maryannroy.com (Maryann) Furniture, Room Boxes and OOAK Mannequin Mavens.
To entice you to go, here are a few luscious images of some of the things available today.
The Mannequin Maven Collection
Hilda also has some fantastic OOAK fashions that she is offering. Here are a few.
All these beauties are available either through Maryann’s (OOAK’s and furniture) or Hilda’s ( fashions) blogs so go check out their websites!
–Rebecca
Celebrating Easter with Poppies and Daisies
Happy Easter everyone!! Since we are all at home and anxious during this global pandemic ( and there is a sentence I never expected or wanted to write) Hilda Westervelt of Bellissima Couture and I wanted to bring a little pastel beauty to everyone’s day and week. I hope these images bring some joy to your day and some hope into your hearts. We will get through this together and come out stronger for it. And with that…lets get on with the photos. Hilda and I have collaborated again with Laduree as our inspiration.
All dresses were made by Hilda and are up for sale through her blog Bellissima Couture . She has a limited supply of each color. I have also made some coordinating bags and boxes for these. The dresses do not come with the hats. I added those for these images.
The bags and boxes are available now. Very limited quantity. The pillows and rose filled little box will come out a bit later. The flowers are not available…sorry folks ( my supplier for these is not producing currently). If you are just interested in the bags and boxes, contact me via email at raberry65@msn.com. If you are interested in the dress and bags/boxes, contact Hilda through her blog. Bag with 2 boxes is $15 plus S/H ( pink, blue, white). Bag with 1 box $10 plus S/H( mint green). Hat boxes are $12 plus S/H. Shipping and handling on the these especially internationally will be a bit more because items need to be shipped in boxes.
The lovely Lemon Frost Poppy Parker in her Easter bonnet by Rogier Corbeau of Dutch Fashion Doll World
The adorable Groovy Poppy Parker and hat by Judy O’Connell of Aponi Designs
Split Decision Poppy Parker with hat by Tiny Kitty Collier ( I think this was from the charity luncheon outfit??)
Keen Poppy Parker with another hat from Rogier Corbeau of Dutch Fashion Doll World.
Digital Hugs to all and please, please, please keep up social distancing. Remember that we are doing it for others as well as ourselves. Also, if I have any followers who are health care workers in any capacity…you have my continued whole hearted respect and admiration for the valiant jobs you are doing.
-Rebecca
NBDCC Convention News–Sitting this one out.
First and Foremost let me wish Barbie a very Happy 61st Birthday today!!! In honor of her birthday I thought it would be a good day to announce some news and give some information on a fun sale that Miss Hilda ( Bellissima Couture) and I have cooked up for Miss Barbie.
Some of you may have heard already but I wanted to put this out there for everyone. Hilda and I will not be attending the National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention this year in Las Vegas. The reasons for us not going are varied. I want to assure everyone that it is not due to any health related issues. My family and I are doing very well and I am happy to report that all of my daughter’s scans have been blissfully clear and without any evidence of cancer since 2018. Sooooo grateful!!! Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. They are working!!
We are very sad to not be seeing everyone. This community of collectors is what drives Hilda and I to do what we do. Because we love and value this collector community so much we have been coming up with some fun ways to offer the same products we normally offer at Barbiecon but via our online shops. This way everyone can participate and not just those attending the convention. For those attending NBDCC, please know we are very sorry to miss seeing and visiting with you at the convention. I am most sorry to miss that one on one connection. It was and is always the highlight of going to the convention for me.
Now that we are announcing, both Hilda and I wanted to offer up a special sales event on Barbie’s birthday to begin our series of online events leading up to the NBDCC. The plan is to offer a couple different capsule collections from now until June. These capsule collections will include fashions by Hilda (Bellissima Couture). Some will have unique OOAK fabrics we have developed together. Offerings will include luxury accessories that I have done to compliment the fashions. Also, this means {cue drumroll please!}….my Etsy shop is opening!!!!
My Etsy shop is ITFashionDollStudio and should be open by Friday if not before. I will send the link via blog post on Friday or before once it is open.
If you are interested in the fashions, head on over to Hilda’s blog (Bellissima Couture). She is selling the dresses and the dresses with bag as a set. If you are interested in the accessories ( bag sets, individual bags, hat boxes and pillows) please visit my Etsy shop when it opens this Friday.
-Rebecca
Tulip Festival!
There is a tulip festival about to happen over at Bellissima Couture. As many of you know, Hilda Westervelt( Bellissima Couture) and I are good friends and frequently collaborate on projects together. I met Hilda through this wonderful world of collecting and I am so thankful every day for that friendship. That’s why when we get to work together on something, it becomes extra special.
Recently, Hilda and I worked on developing a set of fabrics for some of her divine fashions. I came up with a tulip fabric that Hilda then helped me tweak to bring it into better scale with her fashions. This is how the collaboration turned out. I love working with my amazingly talented friends!
Model: Double Agent Poppy Parker
Dress: Bellissima Couture
Shoes: Mattel
Jewelry: Integrity Toys
Purse: Mydollhouse2005 on Instagram
So if you are interested in this lovely creation, look for it on Bellissima Couture’s website today!
-Rebecca
A Romantic Era Concludes
All good things must come to an end. Or…in my case…all sunny days in the garden eventually give way to rain. I managed to get three separate photo shoots completed before the rain started so I am happy with that. For the last installment of this romantic garden series I paired a favorite embroidered sheath from Bellissima Couture and a yummier than yummy coat from Lovetones. The hat is a story. It originally came from Bogue’s Vogues and I have to admit…I got creative with the Russian netting on this one. Hope you all enjoy.
Model: Lovtones Romantic Era Roxy
Dress: Bellissima Couture
Coat : Lovetones Timeless Show Roxy
Hat: Bogues vogues
Shoes: Lovetones Romantic Era Roxy
Purse: Integrity Toys AKA Gigi Giselle
Accessories: the box, macaron and bag were all done by me. The boxwood trees in planters were from Pier One. The bench was found on Ebay.
-Rebecca
OOAK Doll Festival–Saturday’s design challenge
Saturday morning dawned with a new challenge for festival attendees. Our design challenge was to embellish a simple black dress. Here is what we all started with. A HUGE shout out to Judy O’Connell of Aponi Designs who donated all the accessory sets for this event. Wow Judy!!! You rock!
There was also a centerpiece doll at this event that 10 lucky attendees walked away with. She was designed by the talented duo of Hilda Westervelt of Bellissima Couture and Maryann Roy of Welcome Home. I donated a couple of accessories to their fabulous creation.
With so much creativity and talent in that room…this event was sure to please. It did not disappoint. I had a whole lot of respect for the attendees of this festival going in but after this event…I was blown away by the talent in the room. It was an honor just to be a part of it.
We were all given a pick of a variety of accessory sets. These were just too cute for words. I picked the grey.
And a variety of materials to use in our embellishing.
And people could bring items that they brought from home or had purchased at Mood and M&J Trimming the previous day. It was Project Runway workroom…times 10…and it was fabulous. Mario of Magia 2000 and many other judges were there to offer encouragement, guidance and a “Tim Gun” comment if needed.
It was a fun room of designers all following their own vision. A creativity extravaganza! How glorious!
After a few hours of embellishing, the judges walked around and selected roughly 20 designs that would compete for the winner of the “Make your own OOAK” competition. There was some serious talent in that room people.
Here are some of the designs that moved on to the final round of competition.
Do you have a favorite? The winner would be voted on and announced at the evenings dinner. Anticipation was very high for this event.
—Rogier and Rebecca
A Sweet Sneak
Sooo…as many of you know Rogier of Dutch Fashion Doll WorldDutch Fashion Doll World and I are attending a special convention this week. We are in the vibrant metropolis of New York City this week to attend the OOAK Festival.
One of the first places we visited upon arrival in this beautiful city was Ladurée.
Rogier, Hilda of Bellissima Couture and I all love this Pâtisserie . It can come as no surprise that this was an inspiration for us as we collaborated on an auction item for this festival.
This festival has an amazing lineup of artists contributing auction items up for bid at the Friday night auction.
We have been given permission to share a sneak of our auction item for the blog readers! You are getting to see this image even before the convention attendees!!
-Rebecca and Rogier
Straight From Paris Fashion Week
Since I showed off Hilda’s suits from Bellissima Couture in a very elegant way, I wanted to show how versatile these Chanel inspired jackets can be. Eden and Nadja have been hitting the fashion shows at Paris Fashion week this past month.
Models: Sneak Peek Eden and Out of Sight Nadja from 2015 IT Convention
Jackets: Bellissima Couture ( will be for sale this week at IT convention!)
Eden’s purse and sunglasses: Moschino Barbie
Nadja’s beret and wig: FR Monogram
The remainder of clothing came with the dolls that are modeling
These jackets will be for sale at 2016 IT Convention this week!!
Oh so Chanel
For those of you who follow me on FB and Instagram, you received a little sneak peek of today’s post this past weekend.
Tomorrow, I am flying to Chicago for the 2016 Integrity Toys Convention. Hilda Westervelt of Bellissima Couture and I will be having an event on Wednesday evening to sell fabulous OOAK clothing creations by Hilda and a variety of 1/6 items made by me and my fellow blogger Rogier Corbeau of Dutch Fashion Doll World. For place and time, check the boards at convention. We will be placing signage as soon as we have a room number. We will also be at the sales bazaar on Friday evening.
Here is a small sample of some of the Chanel inspired yumminess that Hilda will have available for convention attendees.
If you are in the market for some exquisite 1/6 couture for your dolls and are attending IT convention this year, come attend the event. Room number and time will be posted at convention.
Blog post on accessories and other 1/6 items available will be up later today 
Paris Fashion Week
It sounds like collectors are finally receiving their classic black dress silkstones after ordering them back in February. I thought it was time to bring this lady out and showcase her in a setting that touches on what is going on currently in the fashion world…Paris Fashion Week. Hope you enjoy!
Model: Classic Black Dress Barbie® Doll
Dress: Bellissima Couture
Hat: Scrapbooking element from Joann’s Fabric
Jewelry: necklace made by me
Shoes: Mattel
Gloves: Have absolutely noooooo idea. I don’t think they are Mattel. They may have come with a DEA fashion. They fit this new articulated body very snuggly though.
Set: Ornate wall made by me, gold chairs obtained through special order, flooring is checkerboard contact paper.
-Rebecca
The Power of Pink!!
Actually, I wanted to title this blog post “The power of pink, a new frock and a little bit of sunshine” , but it would have been too long. When you live in the Pacific Northwest and it’s the dead of winter ( which means rain people…lots and lots of rain), if one ray of sunshine peaks out, you are grabbing your camera and saying “What can I take a photo of!!” Or maybe…that’s just me. Yes I am seeing someone about my random photo tendencies when in the presence of intermittent sunshine LOL!
So, recently I took ownership of this adorable little dress from Hilda of Bellissima Couture. To me this dress just makes me happy. It’s pink yumminess with a hat. Also, it gave me a chance to use a new model in the studio..Ms. IT Airways Poppy Parker. She came with a pair of hands with white gloves ( Thank you David!!) so I knew I had to use them in a photo. I know by reading the WClub boards that a number of people were less than pleased with how the hair came out for their Poppy’s. Mine was not the best when she arrived but a very thoughtful and gifted group of souls on the WClub talked some of us through what they did to fix their Poppy’s hair. It worked like a dream on mine. If you are a WClub member and want to see the tutorial, head over to the WClub forum and look under IT Airways Poppy. My “thanks” to the contributors!
She is a young Anna Wintour here. The hat did not come with the dress. It is a floral scrapbooking embellishment. The pink pearl necklace is one I made.
-Rebecca
Articulated Silkstone Now Available to Order
But she won’t be shipping until March 1st folks. If you want her sooner, look to the dealers, they appear to be getting them first. I like this idea of giving the dealers first dibs on shipment. It makes sense to me and it helps support those dealers that have been loyally selling Mattel’s collector products for all these years. I called my trusty dealer Barb of Windy City Dolls the moment I saw these ladies showing up on Ebay ( not happy that this is where the first ones showed up but not surprised either). She sent one over as soon as they arrived at her shop.
Classic Black Dress Barbie® Doll
Designer: Robert Best
Release Date: 2/1/2016…hmmm…this is what the site says but they also clearly state that shipping won’t start until 3/1/2016.
Retail: $40.00 at The Barbie Collection
So…what do I think? I think the face on this first Silkstone of 2016 is a winner. It is one of the best facial screenings I have seen in a while from the BFMC. Very soft, and pretty. The black dress is basic. The material is nice and of a good weight…but basic. The boots are…basic. They are plastic people and almost impossible to get off unless you use the hot water trick **see below. No jewelry, purse with this one nor undergarments..yep that’s right…Barbie is going full commando.
The bigger question I think is what do I think of the body of this doll. First and foremost, the dimensions are NOT the same as previous BFMC Silkstone bodies. The bust is most definitely smaller. Clothing does not fit exactly the same which surprises me as I believe Mr. Best said that the body was going to be the same proportions in the video announcing the articulated bodies. I am not saying the body is bad…just different dimensions and for us redressers, that will be an issue. The material feels weighty and solid which is nice and the joints appear to be solid and stay where you position them. It is basically ok…but not great. Here is why: 1) The articulation on the joints is minimal except for the legs. This girl can do the splits if she wants but she cant rotate her hand enough to fully bend it one way or the other…it only goes a little bit one way or the other. She can just barely put her hands on her hips. Compare the functionality with Integrity Toys dolls and you will find that IT bodies are loads ahead as far as flexibility. The new Silkstone body can however, do the splits whereas IT dolls cannot. Not sure how that is something I will utilize unless I get the letch to do Gymnast Barbie, or Pole Dancing Barbie or perhaps contortionist Barbie. You never know…it could happen. I am hopeful that the next iterations of this body will beef up the bust size and include some additional rotation in the joints. My other big concern with these new bodies are the rough edges and seams that show. The knee joint on the one I received had a big ugly rough edge at the seam right above the knew joint. Some may argue that you will hardly ever see that…maybe but in the dress she came in, it was VERY evident. It’s not worthy of sending back, it’s just sloppy work on the part of the factory. Am I expected now to file down the seams of Silkstone dolls that I receive?
On the very positive side however, the doll is only $40. That is an extremely low price point for a Silkstone Barbie doll. So…messy seams and all, this doll photographs beautifully. I admit, I had to pin the gown on her so it fit more securing up top. It was made to be worn by the older body. She does look good though and I guess each collector will have to decide for themselves if she is a good fit for their collection. I am keeping mine for the present and still hopeful for the year ahead for the BFMC. I think it will be a very much paired down year but time will just have to tell on that one.
Beatuiful dress was made by Hilda of Bellissima Couture.
Oh..and as an added not to my loyal readers…After filing multiple DCMA claims with various accounts on Pinterest and Instagram all of which were cutting the watermark off my photos and passing them off as their own, I will have to start putting even larger and more intrusive watermarks on my photos. Not my choice people but there you have it. Sometimes…I just don’t understand some people.
**Hot Water Boot Trick** To help get those pesky black boots off, I heated up a cup of water to almost boiling then stuck the legs and boots in for about 30-35 seconds. Using a towel because they will be hot, boots should slid right off. If not, put the legs with boots back in the water for a bit more.
Poppy’s in Petal Dresses
As many of you know by now, I adore Hilda Westervelt of Bellissima Couture. Her work epitomizes what I love to collect. Her gentle spirit and friendship have been and will continue to be a treasure to this “sister friend”. This past December, Haute Doll Magazine approached a number of OOAK doll clothing makers to submit work for their Spring issue. As with all publication submissions, you never know which photos will be accepted for an issue. Here are some of the photos I shot for Hilda that did not make it into the issue. If you have not had a chance to check out Haute Doll’s spring issue, you should. There is a treasure house of OOAK doll clothing makers in it…including Ms. Hilda’s work.
Models: Especially For You Poppy Parker, Elegant Evening Poppy Parker, To The Fair Poppy Parker
Gowns: Belissima Couture
Love this “especially for you” Poppy! When I was setting up the shoot, I got carried away with all the shabby chic pinkness and it was too sweet. I had to throw this red lipped siren Poppy in black to cut the cotton candy in this shot. If she was the vixen of the piece…she could not be sipping tea. She needed a DRINK. You will notice that her glass is empty 
.
For more Haute Doll Magazine news, check out their Facebook page.
The Perks of Being a Shipping Buddy
If you are a doll collector outside of the United States, it is sometimes very handy to have a shipping buddy within the U.S who can combine a bunch of your purchases and send it in one big box to help save on the shipping. If you are a BFC member that lives outside the U.S., you need a shipping buddy to receive your purchases from BarbieCollector as they do not ship outside the U.S. ( grumble, grumble…really?!!). It is also a treat when you share the same collecting habits of your shipping buddy and they allow you to photograph some of their purchases. I have to give a big shout out to my friend and fellow blogger Rogier of Dutch Barbie World for allowing me to photograph and share one of his recent OOAK purchases. She is a beauty!!
Model: Repainted and re-rooted 45th Anniversary Silkstone by Xiaolan. Here is her Facebook page. Here is her Ebay store. She does beautiful work!
Dress: Bellissima Couture. Love the little dragonflies in this print!!
Shoes: Mattel
The doll came with a certificate of authenticity. Nice touch.
The Art of the Vignette
Thank you so much for the response to my last post “The Fashion Doll Vignette”. I have been toying around with doing a regular segment on the blog for a while that is devoted specifically to the small sets or dioramas that I use in my photos or displays. In particular, I want to share some diorama items and furniture that I have obtained over my years of collecting. I look forward to sharing these “vignette” or “diorama” posts on a more regular basis in the future.
The word Vignette has multiple meanings. In photography, to vignette is a verb meaning to darken or lighten the corners and edges of a photo in a way to highlight a part of the photo. I use this technique on many of my photos. It helps to bring the focal point to a part in the picture that you want everyone’s eye to travel to…typically the center. Vignette used as a noun can also mean a small pleasing grouping or portrait. When I photograph things, many times I like to use a small diorama with it. Sometimes it is elaborate and sometimes it is just a small piece or two. For this set of photos, I used a number of pieces.
First and foremost, I used another Carolyn Grentz exquisitely painted OOAK bombe chest in 1/6 scale. Still in talks with her to see if she has room in her commission books for more.
The two side chairs were found on Ebay. I was able to get them marked down and even at that price, in retrospect, they were kind of pricey. If they came down to say, $65, they would be a better purchase I think. The floral arrangement was made by me and I used various artificial flowers that fit with the scale. Many of the flowers are scrapbooking elements of some kind or picks you can find in the boutonniere making section of your local craft store. The purse is slightly big for 1/6 scale but it works as say an over night bag or oversized bag for the playscale girls. It is a Kate Spade keychain/coin purse.
Model: Victoire Roux workshop doll from The Premiere Convention
Dress and coat: Bellissima Couture
Shoes: Mattel
Hat: Floral Scrapbook element
The coat of this beautiful ensemble is out of fabric that is a map of Paris. Too cute!!
Here are some more photos of that fabulous bombé chest.
Celebrating Spring
I love Spring. In the Pacific Northwest, it means the birds start singing and the constant grey rain gives way to a few sunny days here and there. I have always thought of Spring as a beginning…and I am so ready for some new and wonderful beginnings.
My camellias are starting to bloom…
and so are my crocus.
Lilacs are starting to bud.
Forsythia is holding court in the garden. The first sentinel of Spring.
My dear friend Hilda of Bellissima Couture gifted this exquisite gown for me over a year ago and I wanted to share it. Not only is it exquisite in every way, it also incorporates some lovely lace found on our trip to Paris. It is simply too lovely for words. A treasure in my collection..and heart.
Lilith the Muse
Many collectors have face mold favorites. Many photographers have favorite models. For me as a collector and photographer, I can honestly say there are some dolls that seem to draw the lens and some that don’t. Great Pretender Lilith was and continues to be one of my favorite models. As collectors we also have those dolls that we go back and forth on as to whether we should purchase. I knew I loved the face on this doll. Her outfit was not my cup of tea though. I decided to go ahead and get her because I loved the soft makeup palette. I am so glad I made that purchase. I decided to put her hair up in a simple updo. She has such a regal high fashion look with the hair change. I adore it.
source: www.integritytoys.com
source: www.integritytoys.com
And…lest you think I only dress this doll in hot pink…here are some non pink shots.
But those were the only ones…then found some more hot pink shots. Too funny.
But that was the only one…then found some more hot pink shots. Too funny.
-Rebecca
Pastel Fiorella
I just had to rip those black bows off. I adore the face paint on this one but the black bows, dress and knee socks had to go to another doll.
Model: Fiorella™ Barbie® Doll
Dress: Bellissima Couture
Hat: by the fabulous Judy O of Aponi Designs
The Hollywood Issue
I am a subscriber to Vanity Fair. Every year, before the Oscar’s, they have an issue called “The Hollywood Issue”. I am always impressed with the cover photography of these issues and never fail to feel inspired after viewing it. Last year, I was inspired to do my own cover and this is what I ended up with.
This year, I was inspired to try another one and Integrity Toys’ newly revamped Fashion Royalty products were my muses.
Models: “Evermore” Vanessa in her original outfit, Workshop Elise in Mattel Hervé Léger by Max Azria, “Bellissima” Natalia in her original outfit, “After Tonight” Eugenia in Mattel “Hollywood Cast Party”, “Baby It’s You” Chip, “Black Orchid” Vanessa in Bellissima Couture gown and Jakki Peters hat.
Now…are we all set for the Oscar’s? I think so. 
The Doll Room Goes On Display: Part II
Yesterday I explained why things have been a little crazy at Inside The Fashion Doll Studio. I have been working well over a month and a half ( since Fashion Royalty convention really) to get our house ready for a charity holiday tour that included the doll room. The same weekend the tour happened, I was also contracted to photograph my daughter’s dance schools dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker. We also needed to attend her performances. I also hosted a ladies holiday tea for about 50 ladies and to top it off…it was my birthday in there somewhere. There was LOTS going on the weekend of December 6 – 8th.
I left off in part one of this post explaining my anxiety at opening up the doll room to the public for this holiday walk. I was anxious to see what people would think. I was fully prepared to answer a few questions and field comments like “Are you crazy?’. What I was not prepared for was to be fully occupied the three hours Deanna, Hilda and I proctored the doll room area with comments, questions and exclamations of joy and wonder. I called the evening “better living through Barbie”. I think the thing I heard the most as people came up the stairs to the doll room area was their surprised gasps of “ OH MY GOD!!” upon seeing some of the collection for the first time. It was an exclamation of an unexpected positive experience.
The collection was not what people were expecting and the look of amazement when they looked around warmed my heart. When I questioned people “ Not what you were expecting was it? You were expecting the Barbies you see at Target right?” They would reply every single time “ Yes!” with a wide-eyed expression. I received thank you upon thank you for sharing the collection. There were lines to get up to the doll room area. At some points during the day, there were lines just to get into the house let alone the doll area. The Assistance League of the Eastside had told people that there would be some Barbie experts on hand from the hours of 4-7pm to answer questions. People came back! They came back and brought their mothers, their daughters, their sisters and some even brought back their husbands. I think that was the biggest surprise of the evening for me. These husbands not only came into the doll area but they spent time looking AND ASKED QUESTIONS! I was completely amazed and overwhelmed at the outpouring of interest. I enjoyed hearing the rich tapestry of stories and Barbie memories that unfolded throughout the evening. Sisters recounted playtime memories with each other, Grandmothers and mothers remembered sewing or crocheting for Barbie and the granddaughters and daughters remembered learning how to sew through Barbie. Many remembered the first experiences of self expression through cutting their Barbie’s hair.
The fashion was another big topic of discussion. There were many conversations about particular designer influences and most everyone enjoyed the 1/6 scale purse tree in the actual doll room itself. I had a buyer for Federated Department Stores come up to me and say how much she loved how everything was displayed.
The most common questions of the evening were:
1. How long have you been collecting? Since my daughter was 3 so a little over 10 years.
2. Why did you start collecting? My daughter received a collector Barbie when she was 3 and my first thought was “ Great! who gives a 3 yr old a collector Barbie? She is going to trash it!” But she didn’t so I thought maybe collector Barbies would be something we could do together…you know…something for Christmas and birthdays. I started to do some research on collector Barbies and started looking at Barbiecollector.com and was blown away by the collector doll offerings. I essentially went down the rabbit hole at that point….and have not come out yet.
3. How many dolls do you have? I currently have around 600 and that is most likely as big as it will get. I am maximized right now which means…if something comes in…something has to go out.
4. What is the most expensive doll? I never really answered that question…instead I would point to some of the rarer items that are in the collection. I have a BFMC display case that is a treasure in my collection and I managed to procure a City Smart Silkstone Barbie through a great doll friend a couple years ago. I also have a set of 1/6 Bespaq bedroom furniture that is very rare and I treasure that as well.
Some of the new displays for this year are as follows:
I adored the garden scene I shot so much that it became a permanent display in the doll room
I also picked up some amazing 1/6 scale furniture pieces in Paris this past year.
Elizabeth Taylor joined the work room display
and the nightclub scene
New Fashion Royalty convention additions
And a new treasure added for the walk. A stunning pink silk and French lace gown by Hilda of Bellissima Couture. She made me this for my birthday…and I just about cried when I saw it. Stunningly beautiful beyond words!! Love ya Hilda…Mwah!
The entire day of participating in this home tour and showing this collection was a completely amazing experience and the fact that it helped raise money to support local and very necessary programs made it that much more meaningful. In this season of giving, I am so very grateful to all the people who opened their hearts, minds and pocketbooks to support the Assistance League of the Eastside. I also want to thank those who came up to me and personally commented on the collection. As an avid collector, It was a complete joy to see the love of this doll expressed and for some rekindled.
Bellissima Couture is having a Holiday Event!
Here are some of the offerings.
photo credit: Bellissima Couture
Grab them quick folks…these are going like hotcakes 
.
Inside the Fashion Doll Studio 