Beyond the Still Monogram
Thanks to a very gracious table mate, I was able to purchase this lovely lady at the F.R. Convention this year. I love the high couture look of the Monogram line by Integrity and this lady fits in very well with my collection. I was also impressed with the promotional photos of the up and coming Monograms for the holidays so I thought I would play around with some more dramatic lighting. Here is my first attempt at trying to sculpt the light into something different. While it isn’t perfect yet, I am liking the direction it’s taking.
This ladies jewelry is TO DIE FOR!
Passionate and Envied redressed
Model: Fashion Royalty Monogram “Passionate”
Dress: Bogue’s Vogues ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/boguesvogues )
Shoes: Mattel
Earrings: Fashion Royalty Monogram “Passionate”
Model: Fashion Royalty Monogram “Passionate”
Gown and earrings : Mattel 2003 Collector Barbie
**note** gown is pinned to fit Monogram body. The dress on it’s own is a little big on this body type.
Model: Fashion Royalty Monogram “Envied”
Gown: Randall Craig “ Fancy” ( available at http://www.windycitydolls.com/randalcraig.htm )
Necklace: Randall Craig RTW collection
Earrings: Fashion Royalty Monogram Envied
She is Passionate
The second lovely lady in the latest offering from the Fashion Royalty Monogram line is called “Passionate”. I just love her color palette and I adore the little purple print dress she wears with the bright purple accents. Adorable!
Available at Windy City Dolls ( http://www.windycitydolls.com/frmonogram.htm )
Monograms redressed coming soon…….
Envied in the Sunlight
Many people ask me about my photography and how I light my shots. Many of my photos are taken in a photo tent with diffused lighting from the sides and a soft box light from the front. Sometimes I will use an overhead ( highlight or hairlight) lamp. I find that I use this setup many times because the light where I live is…well..crap. I live in the Pacific Northwest of the United States where we get rain 7 out of 12 months a year. Don’t get me wrong, I love living here. When it comes to photography , however, it can be a challenge. Yesterday, I was so very excited. We had one of those beautiful Indian Summer glory days…bright blue sky and abundant sunshine. I was redressing Ms. Envied after doing some redress shots, The sunshine was coming in the window at a perfect angle to project a grid pattern on the carpet so I just posed Ms. Envied on her stand, laid down on the floor and started snapping. You can make a tripod out of your arms by bracing both elbows on the floor or any stable surface. Just goes to show yet again….you don’t need a fancy light tent to take good doll photos. I love this shot. Sooooooo dramatic.
Oh, and yes, we are back to gloomy and overcast today. ;-(
Her name is Envied
I am a big fan of Integrity Toy’s Fashion Royalty Monogram line. I love the haughty expressions and the smaller body type that can wear most of the Silkstone Barbie clothing as well as my other OOAK Bogue’s Vogues and Bellissima Couture outfits. When IT announced that they were coming out with three new Monogram offerings this year my response was “Where do I sign up?” I received all three lovely ladies this past week from my fantastic dealer Barb from Windy City Dolls and I could not be happier. I know that the Caucasian one sold out in most places but the other two Latin and African American ladies are readily available. The golden skinned Latin lady (Envied) and the African American (Passionate) were the ones I was looking forward to the most. Here is Ms. Envied with Ms. Passionate and Ms. Bemused in the background. Ms. Passionate will be getting her own photo shoot in the next few days.
As of this blog posting, all of these beautiful ladies are available at http://www.windycitydolls.com/frmonogram.htm
Monaco Royale Vanessa has arrived!
I knew when I first saw photos of this lady that she was something that would fit right in with my collection. I have eagerly anticipated this first club doll offering from the W Club for 2011. She arrived this past week and I have to say….the promo photos did not even come close to doing this lovely lady justice. This lady harkens back to the high glamour days of Fashion Royalty’s earlier collections. She just drips style and elegance. I hope my photos are able to convey this. Her jewelry is gorgeous and extremely well made. I love the chunky necklace. There is an additional bracelet that came with the set but I didn’t feel she needed it ( It is sure nice to have extra though ). I love the fact that she came with her own cocktail..I keep wanting to remind her though “ don’t spill that on your gorgeous gown…I mean that’s cranberry juice in there and that is peach silk you are wearing…Danger!”.
The ornate gold table in the photo was a find on ebay. The picture behind Vanessa was a flea market find and the little red foo dogs were found at a Chinese import store.
Summer Magic
I think Steven Frasier is amazing. I believe I have almost every couture outfit Dressmaker Details has ever produced. I love his aesthetic and the fact that he fits his clothing to fit both the more voluptuous Fashion Royalty and the slimmer Barbie Silkstone form. I also appreciate the details he puts into his product. If you are buying a couture outfit, you will get the jewelry, purse,gloves, nylons and shoes to go with it. He typically designs a special couture outfit for the National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention each year. It is something I look forward to every convention. This year, his design was called “Summer Magic” and indeed it is. I absolutely adore this creation…so frothy and feminine. It also fits in with my collection perfectly. It was very hard to find a model to wear this lovely creation. There were simply too many choices. I wanted a model who would showcase the femininity of this gown and really enhance the beautiful soft blue of it’s fabric. I finally settled on High Tea and Savories because I just love the haughty high fashion look of this lady. Her soft makeup palette makes her a favorite of mine when I have an uber feminine gown. I also felt the beautiful blue of her eyes would be complimented by the gorgeous color of this gown.
The details of this gown are worth the purchase alone. The dress has little sequins and beads sewn into the soft tulle. The bracelet is phenomenal. I had trouble closing it around my models wrist so I added a small round silver link and it works perfectly now. If you don’t already use these, a pair of bullnose curved pliers are a must when it comes to putting jewelry on these diminutive divas.
Model: High Tea and Savories Silkstone Barbie
Outfit: Dressmaker Details “Summer Magic” ( http://www.masterstrokecanada.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=MC&Category_Code=DRE
Extravagant Bellissima Couture
Model: Fashion Royalty Monogram Extravagant
Gown: Bellissima Couture ( http://bellissima-couture.com/ )
Shoes: Mattel Barbie Louboutin shoe pack
It is always a pleasure to showcase the amazing work of Hilda of Bellissima Couture.
Poodle: Randall Craig
Chair: PureDreamfordolls (http://stores.ebay.com/PureDreamForDolls?_trksid=p4340.l2563)
Table: Jim Coates Collection ( http://stores.ebay.com/JIM-COATES-COLLECTION?_rdc=1)
Barbie Basics 2.5
They can move! The 2.5 Barbie Basics are articulated. I know that many people have been waiting for these beauties. I include myself in that group. I am really enjoying the additional pose options with these ladies and I have yet to redress them. I particularly like the skinny jeans on the blond model…cute, cute, cute.
Models: Barbie Basics 2.5 (model #4, 8 and 14) http://www.barbiecollector.com/shop/browse/term/1195
Haute Couture for Elise
Model: Fashion Royalty Squared Dark Swan Elise
Gown: T.D. Fashions (http://www.ebay.com/itm/T-D-FASHIONS-DOLL-Fashion-Royalty-Silkstone-/180685810534?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a11b6ab66)
Shoes: Mattel Market Day Silkstone
Hat: …..um…It’s a secret
Secret…..the hat is a fabric scrapbooking element. “ Shhhhhh!” Don’t tell Elise that….she thinks it’s the highest in haute couture.
It’s that time again….Bogue’s Vogues Vendredi
I have had this crisp little lemon yellow number for a couple of months now and simply did not have the motivation to photograph it until after convention. I am glad I waited because the flowers in the hat have so much more meaning to me than they did before convention. I believe these flowers were given to James Bogue by two special sisters who found these gorgeous vintage miniature flowers in their late uncles things and gifted them to Mr. Bogue. I dedicate these photos to Joan and Pinky(Denise) for their generosity and for being just some of the nicest people I had the pleasure of getting to know at convention. I also dedicate these photos to their late uncle and the warm memories they have of him. Thank you so much for sharing the story about where the flowers came from!
Model: Fashion Royalty Monogram “Extravagance”
Dress and Hat: Bogue’s Vogues ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/boguesvogues )
Shoes: Mattel Christian Louboutin Barbie shoe pack
Grace Kelly Silkstone–Studio Shots Part II
Okay..so I wanted to use my trifold mirror in the worst way so I used that for the first set of photos. Then I used my favorite graduated black to white background because I thought It would look good with the white gown. Hope you guys think so too. I really love how these shots turned out! No major photoshopping folks…she really is this beautiful.
Grace Kelly Silkstone–Studio Shots Part I
Just spent the last two days taking and processing the photos of Grace Kelly Silkstone “The Bride”. I thought I would go ahead and post the first batch. I have been saving this tri fold mirror for a special shoot. It always gave the feeling of a cathedral window. I felt it worked perfectly here with Ms. Grace in her beautiful wedding gown. Here face screening is some of the best I have seen on a Barbie bar none. This lady and her gown love the camera and I hope you all enjoy the photos a much as I enjoyed taking them.
Coming tomorrow……
The Traditionalist by Vera Wang
I was able to get this beauty into the studio a few weeks ago. I have had her deboxed and waiting for a number of weeks and just needed the right time to photograph her. She has the sweetest face and the gown really needs to be seen in person to fully appreciate it. There are layers upon layers to this dress. You just can’t get that from the promotional photos.
Its all about the hat…Part two
Things have been crazy, crazy busy for the past three weeks so no chance to update the blog until now. I was recently lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and snag a beautiful pink silk suit and hat by Matisse. I just love everything she does. Whenever I receive on of her lovely creations, it’s like Christmas. She wraps everything so carefully and beautifully that I feel like I am receiving a special gift….and of course I am 
Outfit and jewelry: Matisse ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/brendavisaya)
Model: Restyled Silkstone Verushka
It’s all about the hat…..
I love hats. I love to photograph these diminutive fashion ladies in hats. If there is a cool hat with an outfit….I’m usually buying it. When the recent royal wedding festivities were on, I tuned in….to see the hats! In fact, it was the royal wedding that gave me some ideas. I had seen these scrapbooking fabric flowers in my local craft store recently and I thought “ Hmmmmm, I wonder if these would work as a hat?” They do! Or at least I think they do. You can find these online under “scrapbooking fabric embellishments” or “fabric flowers”.
Here is Ms. Poppy Parker to model my repurposed hat. I imagined her out on the terrace before a formal wedding.
Model: Restyled Pillow Talk Poppy Parker
White Suit: Fashion Royalty Monogram Incandescent
Bogue’s Vogues Vendredi–Mellow Yellow
I am pulling from the archives here to satisfy a Bogue’s Vogues Vendredi. I have had these photos posted on my Flickr account for a while but have not posted them on my blog. I just love High Tea and Savories in this gown. I think the blue flowers really bring out the blue in her eyes much better than her original brown dress does. I love this design of James Bogue in particular and I have a number of versions in different colors.
Model: High Tea and Savories Silkstone Barbie
Dress: Bogue’s Vogues ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/boguesvogues )
Will be working on new photos soon….as soon as ballet recital season is done 
.
A Starry Night at Inside The Fashion Doll Studio
I love Steven Frasier’s work. I have been an admirer of and happy customer for his Dressmaker Details fashions for many years. Not to mention the fact that he is just a really, really nice guy with an absolutely adorable family. It was a no brainer for me to enter the WClub Integrity lottery for the opportunity to purchase a new Dressmaker Details couture outfit. Thankfully, I won and am now a very happy owner of yet another stunning fashion designed by Steven. I have released some other photos using this same background but really, the background came about for this outfit. The name of the outfit is “ A Starry Night” and I wanted a scene that would reflect the name…so we have a nighttime garden patio with a fountain.
Model: Palm Beach Coral Silkstone
Outfit: A Starry Night by Dressmaker Details
Dressmaker Details fashions can be found at many fashion doll retailer sites or from Dressmaker Details directly. Here is their shop http://www.masterstrokecanada.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=MC&Category_Code=DRE
I typically purchase mine either from Masterstrokes directly or from the Pink Ponytail http://www.pinkponytail.com/
Bogue’s Vogues Vendredi! Poppy Parker
Poppy has not had a Bogue’s Vogues Vendredi yet so I thought she should have her day. Not to mention I just received this adorably frothy number from Boutique de Bogue last week and fell in LOVE. I was doing another photo shoot with this set for Dressmaker Details “ A Starry Night” ensemble and I just had to continue using it. I am also trying out a new way of posing my girls that allows for more flexibility in positioning. The jury is still out on this method though as it seems to take more time in post editing to make up for it so we will see how things work out. So….without further ado….here is Ms. Parker
Model: A Shadow of Her Smile Poppy Parker
Outfit: Bogue’s Vogues ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/boguesvogues)
Dark Swan Elise is Parisienne Pretty
There is just something about a redhead in blue. I had wanted to do this photo a couple of weeks ago in anticipation of the royal wedding. I felt for sure Ms. D.S. Elise could have been attending the wedding in this. The kicky little hat would have most certainly been appropriate.
Model: Fashion Royalty Squared Dark Swan Elise
Outfit: Parisienne Pretty Silkstone Barbie
Metropolitan and Discreet
I received the new Fashion Royalty Squared Metropolitan outfit last week. I also received La Boutique’s POTM for May. LOVE!
Model: Fashion Royalty Monogram Discreet
Outfit and shoes: Fashion Royalty Squared Metropolitan
Purse: La Boutique May 2011 POTM http://www.la-boutique.ca/
Sunglasses: Fashion Royalty Vanessa Perrin Cruise Control
Verushka Restyled!
I just could not get inspired by Verushka’s long hair so I decided to put it up and see what happened. I LOVE it!
Model: Silkstone BFMC Verushka
White Suit: Fashion Royalty Monogram Incandescent
Black hat: Bogue’s Vogues
Jewelry: Fashion Royalty Vibrant Dimension
Shoes: Fashion Royalty Going Public
Purse: Fashion Royalty Squared Metropolitan
Gloves: Silkstone BFMC Verushka
And because I LOOOOOOVE my Macro lens……
Extravagance visits the studio
Some musings about this set of photos and what I was thinking while doing it. There is something so rich and elegant about the Fashion Royalty Monogram line of dolls. Whenever my imagination comes up with an elegant set or background, I tend to go for the monograms to help finish the picture that is in my head. When I first received this black Bogue’s Vogues black silk dress, I immediately thought jewelry shopping. Don’t ask me why….just did. The hat, also a Bogue’s Vogues creation, was so wonderful it needed a strong face but not too strong because… let’s face it…it’s all about the hat. I felt I needed a blond model to set off the beautiful black dress and I wanted sunglasses because nothing says “I’m famous and fabulous!” better than a big pair of designer shades. With those things decided, I needed some amazing accessories to match but not too many. First I settled on this fabulous bracelet that came with the Mattel ‘s Anemone Barbie by Christian Louboutin . With that decided, the earrings could not compete with the bracelet so I decided on simple but bold diamond( okay rhinestone ) clusters With such a sleek and elegant dress, I figured I could go all out with the shoes. I wanted to use a fabulous silver pair of shoes that came in the Barbie Louboutin shoe pack. To my complete amazement, the shoes actually fit the Monogram foot so that’s what she is wearing. To complete the outfit, I added a La Boutique Dior purse of the month. Fantastic!
The set was simple because I wanted most of the focus to be on the model. The checkerboard floor was added for some interest but the rest was all tones on black. The mannequin and necklace were the only things I wanted to stand out amidst the background and now that I look back on the photos, I wish I had chosen a necklace with rubies instead of sapphires but, oh well.
Happy Mother’s Day!
I thought I would post a few of my favorite photos from the archives…..
Why I love Mother’s Day…….
Inside the Fashion Doll Studio 