Dark and Light
So in case you have not seen enough of these new Muse dolls by JAMIEshow/OwenSu, here I am again with some more visual reasons to consider these dolls. One of the things I like to do most with the dolls and clothing available within the 1/6 collecting community is to mix and match. I like to mix outfits from one manufacturer and put it on a doll of another manufacturer. Taking the best from one and matching it to the best of another or at least what I see as the best.
For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you have seen some of these image already. I am finding it difficult to navigate Instagram, Flickr, FB and the blog all at once. I’m lucky if I get images done and processed and it’s simply easier to get them up on Instagram first. The blog however helps to explain more of the behind the scenes stuff and what my thought process was when I did something sometimes. We consume and process so much visually that honestly, more people just like to see the pictures. I get it. Some of us, however, are happy to get more information or delve a little deeper.
I love doing these shots that are all about styling an outfit and not necessarily a doll. It becomes my mood board for a future shoot and I like how it starts a story for a blog post. Here is my mood board shot for a set of images using the new Ginnie Muse doll. Red is a signature color for the design house Valentino. 
Model: Ginnie Premier Muse Doll( Summer Kisses edition now available)
Wig: Dark Brown Premier wig style 3 Muse Doll from JAMIEshow/Owen Su
Gown and Boots: Lovetones 3rd Anniversary Lena
Gold veil: Gold glitter tulle
Japanese maple branches: Designed and made by me for this shoot
Yes..this dress has pockets!! Sometimes it’s the details that just kill me. I admit, am a little obsessed with these Japanese maple branches.
So clearly the pictures above are dark. The doll, the wig, the rich tones of the gown and the background. I have one diffused light left side and another diffused accent light in back right
So….where there is dark, hopefully there is light. Lest you think this doll only projects well in darkness…..
Model: Model: Ginnie Premier Muse Doll(Summer Kisses edition now available)
Wig: Premier Wig style 1 from JAMIEshow/Owen Su
Gown: Shantommo
Shoes and earrings: JAMIEshow/Owen Su
It doesn’t even look like the same doll right?!! The versatility of these dolls is amazing!
-Rebecca
Eyes on Me!
I know…2 days in a row and blog posts from me. What is happening?!! I have some news people!! There are some new dolls in the studio this week. They are brand new on the market and I am absolutely in LOVE. I give a huge welcome to Muses by JAMIEshow and Owen Su!
Doll: JAIMESshow /OwneSU Muses Ginnie 1/6 Resin ball jointed fashion doll
Wig: Culte de Paris on Etsy ** note: the wig fits very loosely on this doll. It was made for FR2 size head and while this doll fits into most 1/6 clothing, wigs are hit and miss**
Gown: Rimdoll on Etsy
Shoes and earrings: Integrity Toys
Japanese maple leaves and branches: Made by me for this shoot
Background: Replica Surfaces
Styling and photography: ITFDS
Yes! The facial screening on these dolls is on a whole other level!! I’m serious here. The images really don’t do them justice. I can’t tell you how many shots I took of the close-ups because I just could not believe what I was getting through the lens. I am using a Canon 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 100mm f 2.8 macro lens. Yes, these are good pieces of equipment but they are not THAT good. This doll is really that beautiful. I am not photoshopping anything into it, I took out some dust and stray hairs I failed to style before the shoot ( because I was too excited to be patient…sue me LOL!). Colors are accurate and no changes to makeup. I LOVE THIS DOLL!!! 
Ok…so do I have your attention now? LOL!
These are new BJD style 1/6 scale fashion dolls from JAMIEshow and the talented Owen Su. I am a complete novice to ball and joint dolls so if you have advice…please share with me and others in the comments. They have elastic string running through the doll that make them extremely flexible and malleable for posing. These particular dolls also have a variety of rooted wig caps you can buy for a huge variety of looks.
Here is a little bit about the designer Owen Su:
These dolls were offered up for sale in December and shipped to customers in late April. I ordered 2 dolls, a ton of rooted wig caps, all of the accessory sets and one of the fashions. I’m not going to lie. These dolls are not cheap. Each doll was $425. I looked at this as an investment and I had faith in JAMIEshow and Owen Su( @ownesu_doll on instagram) that they would produce a quality product. Boy oh boy did they deliver!
Each doll came with a lingerie set, earrings, shoes and a rooted wig cap. They were beautifully and securely packaged for shipping. The screenings and delicate joint shading is really amazing. I am a bit intimidated by the ball and joint/string element. I am slowly and carefully learning. I am petrified of breaking the elastic string but so far nothing to worry about. They are extremely flexible for posing which is one of the main reasons I wanted to invest.
Now for the bad news….for right now. These dolls are sold out online at JAMIEshow right now. I am very hopeful that they will do a second round of orders now that this first phase has successfully launched. As of the writing of this post, I have no further information on that but stay tuned.
-Rebecca
Della Dazzles
Well it’s a new month and I have a new muse. Rather..I have a couple of new muses. First off, I received the new East 59th ladies from Integrity Toys designed by Chris Stoeckel a couple weeks back and finally had a chance to debox them. Beautifully tailored clothing as one would expect from Mr Stoeckel. He never disappoints. My must have from this particular capsule collection was Miss Della Roux. Here are the promotional photos.
Merry & Bright
Della Roux™ Dressed Doll
The East 59th® Collection
Limited Edition: 550 Dolls
Expected Ship Date: Late Winter/ Early Spring 2021
Suggested Retail Pricing: $160.00
AVAILABLE ONLY FROM IT DEALERS
Head Sculpt: Victoire Roux 2.0
Body Type: E59 1.0
Foot Sculpt: High-heeled
Skin Tone: FR Black
Hair Color: Raven
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied
Quickswitch: No
The original gown pictured is based, I believe, on a 1954 Dior gown.
And I had seen another rendition in a paler color that I was inspired by…
I adored the fur cuffs on this one so I set about making some for Miss Della. I had some trim I had acquired years ago when in NYC with friends. We spent an afternoon shopping for embellishments and trim. Such great memories so I was happy to be able to use this recycled fur trim I found on something.
Hope this blog post finds you all healthy and fully vaccinated or soon to be vaccinated.
-Rebecca
Nadja in the Garden
I am awaiting Spring. While I wait for it to arrive, I decided to make my own garden of sorts. As I have shared in previous posts, I have been playing around with making my own 1/6 scale flowers. There are lots of tutorials on making paper flowers online. There is not….however…lots of tutorials on how to make 1/6 scale paper flowers. Given that, I had to essentially come up with my own patterns and a way of making them in this scale. I enjoy the process itself of figuring out things in this scale. In order to feel accomplishment however, I need an end project to work towards so this garden was the vision I had for making these glorious 1/6 scale bearded Iris’s . I hope you enjoy the images half as much as I enjoyed figuring out and making these flowers.
Model: The Enchantress Nadja Rhymes – Integrity Toys
Gown and Jewelry: Spell of Kindness Vanessa – Integrity Toys
Background: Designed and manufactured by ITFDS
grass mats were found at Daiso, gate was purchased online years ago and I honestly have no idea where. Boxwood mini trees where found at local homegoods store but can be found at many places online. Back wall of greenery was made by combining 12×12 greenery tiles I found at Joanne’s crafts and glued to poster board. All other flowers were made by me with paper.
Styled and photographed by Rebecca Berry for ITFDS
For these shots, I am using a Canon 5dMark III with a Canon Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS lens. I used natural light for this shoot augmented by one Lume cube (with diffuser) on a stand. I also used a white board to bounce the light from the left. I use Adobe Light room Classic to post process then Adobe Photoshop to clean up anything I can’t do with Light room. Side note…Coffee grounds work really well as dirt. Just make sure you are binding it with something and gluing it down. It will get everywhere if you just use it loose. Modge podge works well to adhere it to surfaces. I used a spray adhesive here then just applied coffee grounds to the board after so the grounds would stay in place. If you use “used” coffee grounds, the smell isn’t as strong as fresh ground coffee. That smell can be a bit overwhelming even for a coffee lover like me.
I hope you enjoy these behind the scenes looks. I know I am always learning and am always grateful when others show their process or some of the equipment they use. I know there are photographers out there with a greater wealth of experience. I am simply showing what I do and what I use. Enjoy the journey! 
-Rebecca
Poppy at the Flower Market
When I started making 1/6 flowers, it was with this diorama in mind. I wanted to do a French style flower market. I started with 1/6 roses and then just kind of took off into other types and varieties. I have not stopped. I work predominately in paper. All kinds of paper from tissue through crepe paper and into thicker cardstock. Each flower type has it’s different personality that requires a different structure. That is part of the beauty of discovery when crafting I suppose. For me, there is a photo shoot concept at the end that drives me. I have had some really epic fails and also..I am happy to report…some extraordinary successes.
Part of the project for this flower market was the construction of the flower shop window. That was accomplished with foam core board, stucco spray paint , plastic and dollhouse molding. I figured out how to make the little French flower pails out of paper. This glorious Dior inspired suit by Chris Stoeckel for Integrity Toys fits Poppy beautifully. It just needed a French flower shop backdrop.
Model: Looks a Plenty Poppy Parker GS 2018
Suit, accessories and hat: East 59th Mid Day Venture Aurelia Grey
Set: ITFDS
Bistro table and chairs: miniChair on Etsy
Styling and Photography: Rebecca Berry for ITFDS
In the Pink Nadja
What can I say…I am in a pink and Nadja mood right now. I adore this doll and in this amazing pastel pink she just sings to me. I don’t believe you can ever go wrong with pastel pink. For the past year now, we have been in quarantine in my area. We are located uncomfortably close to the first cases of the virus in the US. We knew we had community spread early on so my husband’s workplace told everyone to work remotely from home last March. Both of my college age kiddos also have been doing remote learning for their respective colleges for many months. It’s a full house once again and I kinda like it. I know it’s only temporary and will enjoy it while I can.
While I haven’t been active on the blog, I have not been idle. I decided last year to switch a now unused space in our home ( the kids play room) to a full time studio/craft space. I will do a blog post on that project at a later time but the crafting space is allowing me to pursue another passion for now…miniature plants and flowers. This love of crafting miniature plants has dovetailed rather nicely into a home re-landscaping project that has been in the planning for many years. We finally completed the bulk of the landscape project this year and await final pieces this spring. So, I guess what I am saying is…plants and flowers will be popping up on images for the blog.
My mindset for the images in today’s post was Spring. Since Jessy Ayala designed a very chic and edgy outfit with vibrant color for the original doll, I wanted to try and take her softer and more pastel for contrast. In my mind, this is her office in Paris where she runs some kind of floral or home decorating empire. It is springtime in Paris and you can imagine that the sunshine coming into the shot is from a set of french doors with a view of the Eiffel tower over the black ornate wrought iron balcony railing.
I am also channeling a bit of Frida Kahlo here with the miniature hydrangeas in her hair. Just go with it.
Model and jewelry: The Enchantress Nadja Rhymes by Integrity Toys
Clothing: MUNLE ( @m.u.n.l.e on Instagram) and HOANGANHKHOI on Etsy
Shoes: Mademoiselle Lilith by Integrity Toys
Purse: @mydollhouse2005 on Instagram
Mac computer: Liluminiature on Etsy
Wall panel: divinitydolldecor on Etsy
Styling and Photography: ITFDS
This scene is also full of fun little miniatures that I have worked on for the past year and some that I have purchased ( the purse and computer). I always love to see detail photos in other people’s dioramas so I am including a couple here.
Behind the scenes 
. Happy first day of Spring!! I know, I know…meteorologically speaking of course..not astronomically.
-Rebecca
Siren Silhouette Korrine
Last year Integrity Toys released a small Fashion Royalty capsule collection called FR Maison Paris. It consisted of two dolls and I received the second doll in the collection not too long ago. Everything about this small collection had huge glamour factor. Jessy Ayala indulged his creativity towards elegant pastels and classic lines for this capsule. The results were big hits with collectors including this one. Thanks to my trusty dealer, I managed to secure both dolls.
Siren Silhouette
Korinne Dimas™ Dressed Doll
The Fashion Royalty® Collection:
Maison FR
Limited Edition: 1100 Dolls
Expected Ship Date: Early Winter 2020
Suggested Retail Pricing: $175.00
AVAILABLE ONLY FROM IT DEALERS
Head Sculpt: Korinne Dimas
Body Type: FR 6.0
Foot Sculpt: High-heeled
Skin Tone: Hungarian
Hair Color: Dark Brunette
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied
Quickswitch: No
I think she is exceptional! I adore the intricate details of this gown…beads down the seams of the skirt people!! All of them!!. This gown is pure confection . The accessories start off with a statement cocktail ring paired with the over the top chandelier earrings and delicate clutch with butterfly clasp. The shoes are a lovely iridescent silvery pair of stillettos with ornate metal heel (à la Ralph and Russo).
Here is how this beauty translated through my camera lens. I am very happy.
And sometimes…when taking images…the light reflects at just the right moment and in the exact right spot. I realize that this effect can be done using lightroom but it is always a little bit of magic when it happens organically. Here is the Siren herself…
For those of you interested in the behind the scenes set-up for these images, this one is for you. I had a reflector bouncing light from the left and partly cloudy afternoon diffused light coming in from the right. Here I am using two Replica Surface background boards in “Smoke”.
-Rebecca
Poppy Meets the Barbie® Pink Collection
The BFMC has officially closed up shop at Mattel but there is a small glimmer of former glory. Mattel has announced the Barbie® Pink Collection™. According to the press release this series will be “Classic Barbie® glamour meets on-trend style”. The first doll of the series is designed by Robert Best and is on a Silkstone model muse body.
Barbie®Pink Collection™ Doll
- Label: Gold Label®
- Designer: Robert Best
- Release Date: 1/25/2021
- Included with doll: Dress, earrings, shoes, doll stand
- Eyelashes: Painted
- Fashion:Off-the-shoulder high-low gown with bow accents and a dramatic train of cascading tulle
- Fashion Sewn On?: No
- Body Type:Model Muse (Silkstone)
- Doll Stand: Yes
- Facial sculpt: Millie Cl Mouth Collector Size (Silkstone)
- Package Dimensions (H/D/W): 14" x 4" x 10"
- Limit 3 per person
SKU #: GTJ76
Price: Wait for it…$100.00 If you are a Barbie Collector member at platinum level you get a discount. I might wait for a sale on this one folks.
The box is very pretty and suitable for a display piece. The dress is well made and is removable..that is a nice plus. The shoes are plastic…meh…but the earrings are metal. That is an improvement from past offerings. The facial screening is pretty but I would have preferred that the hairband was done with actual hair and not fuchsia material. To be honest it makes it look like a 1980’s scrunchie and detracts from the elegance of the gown.
Since I am not the model muse body type collector anymore, I decided that Poppy was going to wear the gown. The color of this gown is INTENSE. It’s the signature pantone Barbie pink color and for the very first time in my career of using Photoshop/Light room on images…I had to actually dial the vibrancy back a bit on the images! I didn’t adjust much but I felt it was fair to say that I did it. Important to note…the little upper arm sleeves are separate so you can use them or not.
This is Shining in the Spotlight Poppy Parker in the Pink Collection gown and earrings with fashion royalty shoes. I have changed Poppy’s original hairstyle slightly from the original by twirling the long braid up and around the crown of her head and securing it with pins. Her green eyes work beautifully with this almost florescent fuchsia gown.
New photo prop alert!!! So I have been trying my hands at making some 1/6 plants mostly for photo props ( and just to see if I could frankly) during our quarantine. I think these court palms turned out good! The little ornate toile urns are from Seda France candles I purchased and have used. They make beautiful planters for 1/6 scale. They are extremely fragrant. My current favorite is Hyacinth 
-Rebecca
We Dream of Spring
Well hello, hello! I am borrowing that opening from my new favorite Instagram account @clausdalby. We have been in strict lockdown for almost a year here in the Pacific Northwest and a few days ago were hit with about a foot of snow. We rarely get that much snow here so basically everything comes to a standstill until the snow melts.
I have to admit…the last year and frankly the last couple of years my inspiration and creativity for doll photography has been in a holding pattern. I just couldn’t for the life of me find a willingness to create images. That is so unusual for me. I did however, pour myself into different projects ( new landscaping and gardens and conversion of a play space into a home studio/craft space) that syphoned off the creative energy for a bit. As they say…such is life. My hope is that now that the new large projects are completed, I can find joy again in my collection and photographing it.
During this quarantine, I have found so many inspiring images and stories in my daily scroll of Instagram and Flickr. I am amazed every day at the creativity in this world and so thankful for all of those who share images and the comments and dialogue that others join in with. It has created a community in which we all could participate even when we could not visit in person with others.
This morning as I looked out at a landscape of snow and ice, I felt the old familiar stirrings of doll photography creativity and I was spurred to action by an image a friend shared on Instagram. These images came together easily and organically in a short amount of time. I had the miniature cherry blossom branches because I have been trying my hand at making miniature flowers for the past year. It was well past time to put them on camera. Let’s hope I am over my creativity hump and will move back into the blog and doll photos.
Model: Like No Other Nadja by Integrity Toys
Gown and Jacket: M.u.n.l.e on etsy at HOANGANHKHOI
Cherry Blossom Crown and flowers: handmade
Background: Replica Surfaces
Shopping bag: handmade
-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
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
Loving Natalia
Here we are in the days preceding Valentine’s Day and I had a chance to photograph one of the new additions to the studio…Make Me Blush Natalia. This doll is the second wave of the highly popular “Boudoir Collection” from Integrity Toys. It’s designed by Jessy Ayala who is himself a collector and understands very well what his fellow collectors want. His designs usually include accessories that go directly to the heart of what people like to collect. This last capsule collection was no exception.
In 2019 pictures were released to WClub members…
Of the three dolls offered in this WClub lottery collection, Natalia in the middle came out as the big favorite.
Make Me Blush
Natalia Fatalé™ Close-up Doll
The Fashion Royalty®
Boudoir Collection (Wave 2)
Expected Ship Date:
First week of December 2019
Special Member-Only Pricing: $135.00
**OFFERED VIA RIGHT-TO-BUY LOTTERY
Edition Size: 800
Head Sculpt: Natalia 2.0
Body Type: FR 6.0
Foot Sculpt: High-heeled Foot
Skin Tone: Japan
Hair Color: Strawberry Blond
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied
Quickswitch: No
This lucky collector was one of the lottery winners!! I am so thrilled to have this one in my collection. She photographs like a dream!!
She is definitely giving off the Hollywood starlit vibe. I adored photographing her and using this chaise lounge that I had repainted and have had forever ( pullip petite luxury furniture). She is the perfect model to convey romance for any Valentine’s Day.
-Rebecca
Spring Fever–Sophisticated
Still dreaming of spring here in the dreary rain filled days of a Pacific Northwest winter. I have already shown some fun more casual fashions. Today I’m going full on couture with two fashions and models that brought Spring into the studio for a swoon worthy day of pastels.
Model: Making an Entrance Karolin Stone from Integrity Toys ( Her hair has been changed)
Suit and hat: HOANGANHKHOI on Etsy
Shoes: Integrity Toys
Jewelry: Integrity Toys
The construction of this gorgeous creation is incredible. Beautifully tailored and sewn! The beading!! I Die!!
Next up is a pink confection from my bestie Miss Hilda of Bellissima Couture
Model and Jewelry: Pink Powder Puff Poppy Parker from Integrity Toys
Gown: Bellissima Couture
Shoes: Paul Zhangby on Ebay
Nobody does these silk and lace creations like Hilda! Nobody! The perfect confection for this pink Poppy.
And…because I am all about botanicals right now…had to do this!
Looking forward to Spring!!
-Rebecca
In The Palace
For those of you who follow my instagram feed, you have seen some of these images already. It is not my intention to post images on Instagram first but sometimes it just works out that way. If I am excited about a photo, sometimes I just can’t contain myself and have to share it immediately. Sometimes there is just an image and no backstory or text/dialogue I want to share with it other than the image itself. Instagram is a great platform for that. If you don’t follow me there, consider it. I share funny behind the scenes stories and pictures on my Instagram stories too. My blog will still be the place to come when you want the full set of images on something and/or more information on what is in the picture. Ok, now that public service announcement is out of the way….on to the pictures.
I had this amazing graphic a friend had sent me many moons ago and had used it in backdrops for Hilda and my sales table at Barbiecon. I always love architectural drawings and wanted to see if it would work as a photo backdrop. Thankfully..it did.
Elyse In The Palace
Model: Divinely Luminous Elyse from Integrity Toys
Gown: Rimdoll on Etsy
Jewelry: Divinely Luminous Elyse
I felt like I needed an opulent set to go with this amazing dress from Rimdoll. It is a wonderful interpretation of the Dior Robe Mexique from 1951.
Elyse wasn’t the only one at the palace the day of this shoot. Dasha made an appearance as well.
Dasha at the Palace
Model: Daydream Dasha d’Amboise from Integrity Toys
Gown: HOANGANHKHOI on Etsy
Jewelry: Daydream Dasha and Mattel
Shoes: Integrity Toys
Love this shirt long skirt combo. Sooooo elegant!! This miniature couture designer out of Vietnam is amazing. I will tell you that his designs take a while to manufacture and arrive. I can also tell you that while the wait was long, I was always happy with the product.
-Rebecca
Poppy Breaks Out
Hello intrepid followers. It feels like every time I try to get to the blog something blocks the path. For the past month and a half it’s been mother nature and a pesky furnace that just doesn’t want to get with the program. While snow is beautiful and it turns the studio into one big snow globe…it it isn’t heated, its no fun to be in there. After some very stern language and a good furnace doctor…we are back in business in the studio.
I took delivery of some new backgrounds recently for another product photography project and realized they work really well for doll photography as well. The company is called Replica Surfaces. They are kind of pricey for doll photography but might be worth the investment if you want easy to set up and sturdy. I am not being compensated at all for this plug. Just passing on information on a product that I have enjoyed using.
New doll in the studio!! I recently received Rendez Vous in Rio Poppy Parker from the Mission to Brazil Poppy Parker collection. The second I got her, I saw her in green. I had recently seen a stunning Vanity Fair cover of Lupita Nyong’o
And I was inspired by a dress by Rimdoll on Etsy. Here is the product of that inspiration and a newly warm studio.
And because I was having fun with Photoshop, I decided to do some color variations including an early Valentines Day image. Hope you enjoy.
Thank you all for you patience! Looking forward to warmer days and a better relationship with my furnace. I guess you could say we are currently in therapy .
-Rebecca
Black and White Forever Barbie
2020 will be the final year for the BFMC Barbie adult collector line. While it is sad to see the end, I think it is time to let this one go. The line since the articulated body made it’s appearance and economy measures were installed at Mattel have really taken this line down to the basic level. Case in point, the first doll of the final series in 2020 is “Best in Black”
- Label: Gold Label®
- Designer: Robert Best
- Release Date: 11/20/2019
- Eyelashes: Painted
- Body Type: Poseable silkstone
- Included With Dress, pair of sheer socks,pair of shoes, & Doll Stand
- Facial sculpt: Vintage Silkstone
- Fashion Sewn On?: No
- Fashion: Jet-black mini dress with stylish leg-of-mutton sleeves
Ok…so if you were looking to design and offer a doll to symbolize a funeral for the BFMC line….Mattel hit the nail on the head. This doll is indeed headed to a funeral with all the austerity and solemnity that would entail. No jewelry, no handbag, socks shoes and a black dress. Okie Dokie. Not the way this amazing BFMC line of dolls should begin the end of its career in my opinion but here we are.
Who knows what the last entries for this line will entail but at this point, my hopes are not high. For it’s last offering of 2019, the BFMC managed to at least give us collectors a ball gown so I have decided to celebrate that with a blog post. Don’t get me wrong, the BFMC has thrilled and blown this collector away many times since 2001. I am happy to have been able to collect this line for the past 19 years. I am just sad to see it ending on such a low note.
This past season, I was able to add a tree to the ITFDS studio. The theme for the tree was all black and white. Chanel was an inspiration.
And it inspired me to give the 2019 Black and White Forever Barbie a photo shoot.
Barbie® Black and White Forever™ Doll
- Label: Gold Label®
- Designer: Robert Best
- Release Date: 6/04/2019
- Included with doll: Slingback shoes, Earrings, Doll Stand,gloves, petticoat,wrist tag
- Eyelashes: Painted
- Fashion: Petticoat, Slingback shoes
- Fashion Sewn On?: No
- Body Type: Posable BFMC
- Doll Stand: Yes
- Facial sculpt: 11590
She at least has some earrings 
. I’m not a huge fan of the articulated body or the glitter eye shadow but at least she has a ballgown. I also like the two toned white with black hair in an elegant updo. Is she worth the $100 price tag? I would wait for a sale on this one.
-Rebecca
Day 1 at the Museum
Model: Integrity Toys Out of Sight Nadja
Dress: Mizi Dolls Fashion “Paris”
Purse: Phillip Nuveen on Etsy
Earings and Shoes: Integrity Toys
Glasses: ITFDS
Miniature Portrait: Kelly Rinaldi ( contact her @ you_are_a_doll on Instagram)
Day 2 at the Museum
I don’t know about you guys…but one day at The Metropolitan Museum of Art is never enough for me. Apparently it wasn’t for Nadja either.
Model: Integrity Toys “Out of Sight” Nadja
Jacket, Dress, Hat, and Boots: Integrity Toys “Female Icon” Dasha
Floral jacket pin: Scrapbooking element….swear…to God LOL!
Purse: Tiny Frock Shop
Earrings: Integrity Toys
–Rebecca
Inspirational Thursday
Good Morning readers! Or for some of you it is afternoon or evening. Well, wherever you are in the world, are you ready for some inspiration? I was recently at the Integrity Toys Convention in Baltimore MD and I was captivated by some mini portraits that were so cleverly done I immediately snapped them up and look forward to adding more to my collection. The clever and talented artist is Kelly Rinaldi and she is seriously multi talented. She walked away with the the judges choice award for diorama and wowed shoppers with these mini portraits.
Sometimes, it’s one item that sends me into a whole different level of creativity. This past week, it has been these mini portraits…or rather just one.
Mini portrait: Kelly Rinaldi ( contact her on Instagram @you_are_a_doll )
Purse: Phillip Nuveen on Etsy
Dress: Mizi dolls
Shoes and jewelry: Integrity toys
Shopping bag and sunglasses: ITFDS
Above is the mood board going forward into the next week of posts. One of my favorite places on the planet to visit is NYC. Specifically I LOVE visiting The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Frick Collection art museum and Laduree ( which happens to be just around the corner from The Frick). I give all the credit to this trifecta of NYC loveliness to my sistah friend Hilda Westervelt of Bellissima Couture who used to be Young Fellow of the Frick and encouraged me to explore it when I was in NYC for my daughter’s Carnegie Hall performance ( yes, proud Mom name dropping ). It is truly a jewel box of a museum. That love of museum hopping in NYC and the new love for these mini portraits plus some stellar fashions I have recently added to my collection have Inspired the next couple of blog posts. I hope you enjoy them as much I have enjoyed creating, styling and shooting them.
–Rebecca
Giselle in the Flowers
Wow!! Do I even know how to do this anymore? {snort}. I’m not going to lie people…it felt like rusty gears starting to work again setting up for this photo shoot and getting it done. When all was said and done, I have to honestly say…”Dag it felt good!!”
I have always been a fan of Vogue style editor Grace Coddington and her work. When I first had the idea for this image, I thought of her and her styling and went from there. I had to use this glorious background and then I needed natural light. For those who follow me on Instagram, I teased a few photos there.
Here are a couple quick behind the scene shots and a little peak at my new studio space….will be sharing more of that through the holiday season 
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And after some post production magic…this is what we have.
I think this Giselle was the breakout hit from last years Integrity toys convention. Many people had difficulty seeing past the the retinal searing yellow outfit she sported. I have to admit, I almost didn’t get her. But then I took a second look at her soft makeup palette and decided, “yeah…I can work with that”. Believe it or not, I had an image in my mind close to this final floral image when I first bought her over a year ago. Yes…I really do have images sitting in my head that long and longer before I can get it on film. So often, it never gets rendered. I was happy to get it and bring it forth today. Hope you all enjoy.
–Rebecca
NBDCC 2019–Let It Begin!!!
I have just returned from the National Barbie Doll Collector Convention which was held in Kansas City, Missouri. It was a big year this year as it is Barbie’s 60th birthday. The actual convention began on Wednesday, July31st but most avid collectors show up as early as the Sunday before to take advantage of amazing room shopping. Hilda Westervelt of Bellissima Couture and I opened on Monday for room sales. Here are a few of the shots of what we had available in our room.
Hilda’s exclusives for room shopping and sales room
And some fun eyewear and neck scarves from me….
Needless to say, we hit the ground running upon landing in Kansas City on Sunday 
Stay tuned….more blog posts on ooak designer parties and convention events coming up!!
–Rebecca
The Elyse Chronicles: Purple Passion
I was going back through photo files this past weekend and what do you know…I found a few images I had not shared last year!
Model: Net a Porter Elyse
Gown: Eifeldolldress ( https://www.flickr.com/photos/eifel85/)
Earrings: Party Dress Silkstone Barbie
Love, love, love the feel of the velvety skin texture on these Jason Wu specialty Elyse’s he did last year. I love how it feels and I love how it translates through a lens. There isn’t as much glare from lights, less shine.
-Rebecca
2018 NBDCC–Magia2000 OOAK Event
On Tuesday, Magia2000 unveiled their convention collection and it did not disappoint. This collection paid tribute to couture collections and designers of the past and present. All of the big couture houses were represented…Dior, Valentino, Armani, Dolce and Gabbana, YSL and the list goes on. The collection sold out in the hours it was up for bid and purchase. Many lucky collectors whose numbers were called early walked away happy campers.
Mario and Gianni also included inspiration photos next to each doll. I always love to see what inspires an artist to create.
The attention to detail by these two artists is really amazing! It is a treat to just see these pieces of art let alone be able to purchase them.
The complete set of photos will be up on my Flickr account(link in the side bar to the right) in about and hour. I will be uploading after this post. Hope you all enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed viewing this collection and photographing it.
-Rebecca
Doll Photography and Blogging: The Set
This one is the fun one…or at least I think it is. It’s about the diorama photos and all those little details. If set building for a photo is not your thing…this might not be your favorite episode. For me, this is the joy of what I do…creating that story and scene. Hope you walk away with a new idea or way to make your photos or collecting more fun and meaningful.
Don’t forget to upgrade to hi-def and full screen in bottom right corner of video.
–Rebecca
Doll Photography and Blogging: Light
So I attempt to do every Friday but some days…it will be later. This weeks mini segment is about light and how important it is when taking an image. Hope you all enjoy! Don’t forget to click on the HD button in bottom right of video to get high quality video and use the other button in bottom right of screen to get full screen.
–Rebecca
Inside the Fashion Doll Studio 