FR:16 - Is BIGGER Always Better?

Ok....so truth is....I've purchased larger sized doll brands before. First, It started with Gene. I quickly grew out of love with her because I felt that the doll was not evolving and the collection became a bit redundant. (Please don't hate me Gene - lovers!) Then came Sommers and Fields....I love the MOD era...so that got me right away....but the actual dolls were...well, let just say - "less than top quality". The clothes on the other hand were amazing. In fact, my Franklin Mint Twiggy has inherited all their fabulous outfits. Then came Tonner. I really wanted to love Tyler Wentworth....but she wasn't well...exciting. She and her friends were a bit too pedestrian for me. I wanted DIVAS....I wanted UBBER women....I want Drag Superstars!

I must say that as far as Tonner was concerned, I loved that they came out with the DC Superstars...because they are really a "fan-boys" wet dream come true....and I happen to be married to one.

Finally, as a Marilyn Fan I was able to get an Army of Marilyn's very cheaply online after they were over produced by Franklin Mint.

But last year.....ahhhhhh...the angel's sang....and at the FR convention we saw Integrity's next evolution. FR:16!!! They were gorgeous! Basically, all the attitude and style of the FR and FRSquared Collection....JUST BIGGER! And not only that....their bodies are so well designed that they have wonderful pose ability and are "tighter jointed" so that they don't fall over when posed under the weight of the vinyl (which honestly has been the problem with other ball jointed dolls in the passed that are 16" or larger). These girls are the next degree of fabulousness.

Well, I finally was able to take them out...and as usual...I loved the dolls...love the clothes...but wanted to re-style them to fit my collections aesthetic better. Boy and Gurls...I will tell you...IT WAS FUN!

I ADORE THEM NOW! Especially, Elsa (which happens to be my mother's name) and is now a dead ringer for Kris Jenner of Kardashian FAME in her Spring "Chanel" style suit. LOL!

I love that a lot of dealers....like my preferred dealer Marlbe.com is selling the dolls separately from their outfits...that way...you can "build" the doll of your dreams. That is soooo cool! Call Marl and she will hook you up....her and Brookie are awesome....and always want to make their collector's happy! 

Give FR:16 a chance...if you can't get all of them...get the one that you like and buy her a fierce WU Wardrobe! "Wu" won't be sorry!

xoxo,

Frank ;-)ps. can't wait till convention!

THEY ARE OUT! Monograms Finally Take Their Rightful Place!

Ok....so at first I did say to myself,"Thank God I'm not TOTALLY in love with Monograms....I just can't afford ANOTHER COLLECTION." Screw the money...I had NO MORE ROOM! So, I fought the temptation for a couple of years. I gave every excuse in the book. Among them was: "they look dead in the eyes. They don't have personalities like FR, Poppy or DGs". "I'm not crazy about their outfits. I feel like I have similar things in my collection."Blah, Blah, Blah!
Then at last years convention, found a dealer that was selling them at a very reasonable price and since I has already made the decision to get rid of my vintage Barbie collection (everything but my mod series and Francies), I found that my new Monograms really could work the hell out of vintage Barbie's wardrobe. Then the 2011 collection came out and I went down for the count. The suits, the hairstyles, the accessories....and a doll that was really reminiscent of "Fire and Ice" (an old Revlon Ad that I admired by artist Rene Gruau), I caved and ordered the whole set from my dealer of choice - Ms. Marly Marl (who by the way...if you don't know by now....I ADORE!).
I spent all of Saturday redressing my Monograms (slightly....because I always like to make things MY own...but these were so perfect there was not much to do) and I incorporated in my Victoire Collection! Thank God a new one is coming out...I thought I was going to have to wait to the next convention for another Victoire fixx) and viola - they needed their own shelf (with a little room for some more..hehehehehe).
Well, now I'm off to play with some Monster High Create a doll sets...I just got the new one with the witch girl and the boys! See Mattel....I haven't totally abandoned you ;-)
xxoxoxo,
F

I Think Elton Said It Best...."The BITCH Is BACK!"

As many of you may have noticed (or maybe not), I’d taken a bit of a hiatus from the doll collecting world. Five months to be exact. During that time I’ve had many things happen. Some great. Some good. And, some that have seriously sucked. But, all in all, I feel like I’m in a better place now and I’ve grown from all of these experiences and feel like a bit stronger now than I was just a few months before.

I’m sad to say that I had lost the ability to see the beauty in my beloved dolls. I would walk into my doll room (which once was my safe haven) and marvel at the beautiful, miniature men and women that inhabited my fantasy fashion world. I had ordered and paid for a mountain of dolls that I were still trapped in their miniature coffins (aka boxes…I hate them…boo and hiss here box collectors) but I just could not muster the “happy place” that I needed to be in to invite my new vinyl friends into my fold.

Well friends, this July 4^th holiday….THAT FEELING CAME BACK! It was like Christmas in July. I started opening my Breakfast At Tiffany’s dolls (amazing), I finally got to get to know Chip on a more intimate level (is it me or does he look like Magic Mike’s Channing Tatum?),  my amazing Dynamite Girls (ginger haired Auden is just delish) and started incorporating them in to my vignettes/displays (I tend to try to tell a “color or trend story” when it comes to my displays). Needless to say, I needed it. After attending what seemed like EVERY PRIDE celebration in the state of FLORIDA (sometimes it would even take me a second to remember what city I was actually waking up in) and getting dangerously close to alcohol poisoning on more than one occasion this summer (apparently the first step is admitting you have a problem….kidding!) I was due for some downtime. And guess who were waiting for me….my stunningly gorgeous, silently patient little works of art.

There was Poppy and Darla smiling back with open arms. My FR girls (gave me a bit of attitude at first) but then warmed up after a few of them switched outfits. My Monograms and FR16s are still waiting…afterall, you don’t want to overdo it on your first day back.

Finally, I have a couple of public “thank you’s” that I would like make.

1-      To Percy Newsum and the rest of the IT staff that donated RuPaul Doll’s for Sawmill Charities weekend event featuring RuPaul herself. The Queen of all Media was on her way back from Australia Pride and she was doing her ONE AND ONLY U.S. concert appearance for us at Sawmill. The money that was made from the sales and auction of the signed Ru-dolls enable a group home for gay homeless kids to have many much needed repairs made. I was very proud to be a part of the doll community that day. Some say that collecting is frivolous…but on the day that I received the boxes from IT for the event I felt so grateful for the generosity of the Newsum family. They made a massive difference in the lives of some very well-deserving kids. And, who know I think that day we may have converted to civilians into our army of doll collectors!

2-      Marl Davidson deserves a special mention. First of all, everyone should have a MOM like her. I’m not kidding. She loves all her children and friends without bounds or limits. But, best of all she will give you a swift kick in the butt when you need one. Thanks for your patience, your wise advice and your ever present shoulder to cry on.

3-      David Buttry and Ken Gibert are special to me. And not in a short bus kind of way….lol! I miss them terribly (along with the rest of our doll club family) since I moved an hour and a half away from Orlando to Sarasota, I realized how much I looked forward to my monthly escape over to their home for “playdates”. In the last couple of months, I’ve lost friends to illness (like my friend Brooke of Marlbe.com says,”CANCER IS AN ASSHOLE!”)…so, since then I’ve made the conscious decision to let people know just how much I care for them. David and Ken….I LOVE YOU!

4-      Alain Tremblay…..thank you for planning the 2012 Convention in Orlando! I travel so much for a living that just being able to be at home for this “doll-cation” is really something that I’m looking forward to. Plus…I can’t wait for all the surprises! IT team never disappoints! PLUS…I WILL BE ABLE TO PLAY HOST TO ALL MY FRIENDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO MY CRAZY WORLD! Get ready kids….and get your dollars ready….Yvonne you know what I mean….lol.

5-      Peter Aguas, my one and only true love. Thank you for putting up with my mulitiple bi-polar personalities and always urging to me go play with my dolls. You should have gone into therapy as a career. I could have been your thesis.

Well, the convention is right around the corner and I and I can’t wait to see all my friends. The countdown is officially ticking in my head!

Well….I will get back to taking pics soon….baby steps!

See you all soon!

Xoxo,

Frank