Face Time–using props as inspiration.
I don’t know about others but when I photograph something, many times the inspiration for the set up comes from one prop. In many of my dioramas, I will start with one piece that will set the entire tone for the whole room. In this case, it’s all about the face. I saw these very interesting figures at my local Z Gallery and just had to have one for a prop. I don’t normally go for the contemporary pieces but this one appealed to me so home with me it went and into the studio for a photo shoot.
Model: FR Squared Engaging Elise
Dress and bracelet: Trace of Lace Silkstone Barbie
Shoes: FR Squared Engaging Elise
Wineglass: Ocara
And because I just couldn’t leave my macro lens sitting all lonely on the table…….
I just love the face on this Elise. **Note** Her hair has been slightly restyled from her original style. I took the the side down and pulled it over her forehead a bit. I had seen some other collectors do this on Flickr and on the WClub and loved it so I copied the style.
Monaco Royale !
Integrity Toy’s Fashion Royalty W Club has announced their first official club doll for 2011 and she is divine. She appears to be a reinterpretation of the “Midnight in Monoco” doll from the 2003 IFDC. She is sporting the new Vanessa face sculpt and is available only to W Club members. LOVE the little martini in her hand! I do however want to say to her “Honey, be careful not to spill that on your gown….cranberry and peach just don’t mix well.” This lovely lady is definitely coming home to my collection. I can’t wait to get her in front of the camera. I already have the background scene in my head. 
Monaco Royale
Vanessa Perrin™ Dressed Doll
2011 Exclusive W Club Doll
Limited Edition: TBA
Estimated Arrival: Fall 2011
Suggested Retail: $135.00 US
Photos are property of Integrity Toys.
If anyone wants to peruse photos of current and past Fashion Royalty dolls, please visit Jason Wu’s Doll Reference List at http://woodsky.free.fr/LBX/listeFR.html It is an excellent source!
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
Renegade Dasha is in the House!
I did not win the right to purchase this lovely lady in the lottery but thanks to a fellow collector and a fabulous trade, Renegade Dasha is in the house! I really love the styling of this particular FR Squared Dasha. She is very sophisticated and sleek. Yes, the half bun half ponytail hairstyle is a bit of a mystery but it is fairly easy to work around. I really like the blond hair, pale skin and red, red lips. She seemed to me like she needed a sleek and sophisticated backdrop so I imagined her at a swanky wine bar with a lovely merlot. We live in wine country so I will use wine many times for my props.
Dasha models for Bogue’s Vogues Vendredi
I love the versatility of James Bogue’s creations. Normally I head straight for the Silkstones to find a model for his designs but the smaller bodied Fashion Royalty girls can fit into them very well also. I especially like the F.R. squared line and here we find Modern Sensibility Dasha modeling a cream silk dress and jacket with a leopard hat and muff. Let’s be honest…there was a hat involved here and I LOVE animal print accessories so the second I saw the leopard print hat…it was “game over”. James was a wonderful friend to make a matching muff for me.
Bogue’s Vogues can be found at http://www.etsy.com/shop/boguesvogues
Dark Swan FR Squared gets married
I guess I just wasn’t quite finished with Dark Swan in this gown. My first idea when sewing her into this dress was to do a wedding shoot. Somehow, the wedding shoot turned into a high fashion photo first then looped back around for the wedding shoot. Ahhh…the creative process was never a straight line where I am concerned.
Renegade Dasha!
Integrity Toys has a new doll in their Fashion Royalty Squared line and she is drop dead gorgeous. She just screams old style Hollywood glamour to me. She has an issue size of 300 and will only be available to the lucky people who win the chance to purchase her in a W Club lottery. Yes, I purchased a lottery ticket and YES I hope to win the chance to purchase her. I love everything about this lovely lady but I particularly love the fashion and accessories. Lucky winners will be selected on or around Monday, March 28th. I will be sitting on pins and needles with many others that day. My luck at lotteries has been really bad as of late. My philosophy has been and continues to be that if a doll is meant to be in my collection, it will be. If it is not meant to be…well…then it just isn’t. Win or lose..she is a winner for being just so gorgeous!
All photos in this post are property of Integrity toys.
ILHYLM Poppy will be on her way here soon!
I was not one of the lucky ones to win her in the W Club lottery and was one of the ones who tried and failed to purchase one of the 50 or so sets available through Dolls Magazine. Yes….I survived that day which has become known as “Poppygate”. For those of you who don’t know the story, let it suffice to say that there was a huge demand and very little supply…never makes for a good ending. With great anticipation, the offering started…with great dissappointment and massive system failure due to overwhelming demand…the offering ended. Those who were quick enough to email Dolls Magazine were rewarded with the highly sought after sets. I am thrilled to see that Poppy Parker has such a fan base. That means that she will be around a while and David Butry, the Integrity designer responsible for her, will hopefully be afforded the opportunity to continue designing this adorable character. I have loved this girl since her first iteration and I continue to love the designs coming out.
All that being said, I had given up hope that I would be able to find this very sought after set for an affordable price. Through the help of another collector, I was able to find one today and am so excited to photograph her! She should be arriving in a couple of weeks.
All photos are property of Integrity Toys
Inside the Fashion Doll Studio 