Alyrenee's Copious Spare Time

So, in years past I have done the whole wake up at 3a and wait in lines thing.  Now since so many of the stores are opening on Thursday, my system has changed.  I am not about to go shopping on Thursday...but I did actively hit the online deals pretty hard. So I need more makeup like a hole in the head, but it is sort of my weakness...I cannot stop myself.  I indulged in the deals at Ulta and got a couple of things for me (Organix Tea Tree shampoo & conditioner and the More Big Curls hot rollers...a steal at $16)  but mostly scored gifts for my student workers (sparkly nail polish sets for $2.99) and the swell Urban Decay palette for $16 as another gift for someone in the family.  If you ordered online, there was a 10pc free bag too...which was a nice bonus.  I had $17 in rewards money to use so all in all it was a good haul.  Sadly they were out of the thing that I really wanted online, the Benefit Lip Lotto 3 for 1 lipstick.  But, huzzah!  They still had them when I went to th

I could not resist the Cold Comfor t outfit...with the discount and free shipping.  I think the pieces will be fun on Tullabelle (especially Beautiful Creature with the blue hair!)  There are several dolls and outfits significantly marked down on the sale page .  I did not see many deals on Tonner...but you do get the discount and the shipping off things.  It won't work on the new Deja Vu dolls though....   20% off & Free Shipping Sitewide* *Some exclusions apply. Use code  BFRIDAY13  at checkout Shop NOW! www.tonnerdoll.com Black Friday Deals through Sunday, December 1st *Exclusions apply:  The Deja vu Collection not included.  Cannot be combined with any other promo.  Good only on in-stock items, not pre-orders.  Free shipping is ground and domestic only.  International friends, email your order number to  tonnerdirect@tonnerdoll.com  for a $9.95 shipping credit.  Expires Sunday, December 1st at 11:59pm. Black Friday Site-Wide 2

Now I am crap at taking photos...so please forgive. Finally got my Jem dolls out and displayed in the new apartment (much to my husband's chagrin).  I still want to get a glass cabinet, but who knows when that will ever happen. Le sigh.  Ideally i would use a whole book case with a glass door and each band would get a shelf with one shelf a 'swing' spot for re-creating videos or scenes from the show.  This is all in my copious spare time mind you.... So I still have not added Broadway Magic nor have I gotten my Stingers out of there boxes yet...so more photos to come.  I put together the stage from Broadway Magic but I ended up being not so impressed with it.  It looks cool, but its a wee bit flimsy for my taste.  I am trying to think of ways to reinforce it so it won't wilt in the summer humidity of Chicago.  Maybe heavy foamcore and balsa would do the trick?  Hmmm.  In the meantime, I have been using the fantastic boxes as the doll stages.  I think it works quit

Well, this was a doozy of a week for Jem fans.  Integrity surprised us with a truly outrageous double doll gift set featuring a fan favorite Flipside Fashion!  The Who is He Kissing? Gift Set features the "Getting Down to Business" fashion with a few modifications to make it episode accurate.  It also comes with both a Jem and a Jerrica doll!  Jem has the darker eyebrows seen previously on Hollywood Jem and side-glancing eyes.  Jerrica has fantastic blue eyeliner and lashes and some swell bangs.  I was thrilled and shot off my pre-order to Gigi and Sherry's asap.  Not sure if these have sold out yet...so call your favorite dealer to see if you can nab one. Item # 14043 Who Is He Kissing? JEM™/JERRICA BENTON™ Flip Side Gift Set Adult Collectible Dolls The JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS™ Collection Limited Edition of 850 Giftsets  Suggested Retail Price: $185.00 USD Estimated Ship Date: First Week of December 2013 (Available from Integrity Toys Dealers) Doll Tech

So tempting ...I would love to get that Trend Spotted Gal....and at $99 she is a great deal.  Someone at the FR convention also had her on sale for about this price.  Do I buckle?

Ugh...if I see another post asking for a doll that is in high demand for a "reasonable price" I might snap. Because clearly if you do not ask for a 'reasonable price', the seller would think it was alright to mark these up to a "ludicrous price"?  That is not to say I don't get it.  There are people who mark up their dolls like crazy.  I often see dolls after convention that are awesome only to find out that a nude workshop doll is going for $400 (Elise anyone?).  YIKES!  There are many reasons for mark-ups: factoring in the cost of the flight, registration, hotel, etc....conventions aren't cheap.  You add onto that the waiting in line, shipping and juggling things in your luggage, and the time spent posting sales and answering emails...well selling dolls is work people.  I sometimes mark items to sell higher based on my not wanting to let it go.  If I love a doll...but might really need the money...marking her up to a price that 'overrides'

Elise! Midnight Star!

He just flew in from Berlin and was keeping up on the news via the forum and doll blogs like Shugashug. He says it's nice to come back to visit.  As creative director for Integrity, it is not something he wants to give up. He gives them themes and meets with the design team. What will be the creative direction? We started with FR...this year is sorry of a makeover...more details..the team out did themselves. Black Orchid...he loves mixing the worlds. It is one of his favorite designs with this little bondage inspired dress with laser cut details. Navigating between the two worlds...always about details. Doll people are the most detail driven people. Inspiration and advice...you can do anything you want if you put your heart to it. Wanting to do what you wasn't to do and then do it well. Competition... Diorama to Angel Biezeman Judge's Choice to Tiffany Weber Intermediate People's Choice to Holly Goldman Intermediate Judge's Choice to Tsen-Feng Lu Advance

Tulabelle in an outfit and hat that I made....

$140....yikes. She is cool though but I will resist this one. It comes with a special Jason Wu box and is a miniaturized version of a runway fashion. I believe there were four names drawn for the centerpiece.

The lovely purple centerpiece info....VR was part of the French resistance...Hollywood had made a movie about her life and this is what she wears to the premiere.  Everyone can purchase her that attends.  I will keep updating this. They gave Luanne a gorgeous black OOAK version of the Natalia from last night... The VR Scoop... Moving to the late fifties. Theme is the couture fashion show with more of a wardrobe feel with clothes for all the times of the day.  VR traveling to Montreal and to the Chez Paree club.  Friends?  Not anything planned at the moment.  Chris does read the forum.... Every year has a specific theme. This year was traveling... Chris is makeup challenged so he thanks Vaughn and Percy for helping. The new guy Jesse had designed Victoire's new makeup. There will be an exclusive Victoire for the club in 2014.

She is called Story of my Life and is $120. I like her....

Number 27

So I still have not adjusted to the time change and wake up around 6a like clockwork. I got dressed and decided to browse the windows at the fancy mall next door. Tis fancy indeed. I was covetous of everything in the window at Calypso St. Barth. I have not seen that store back home. I will need to investigate. Then I found the grocery store deli and got myself a light breakfast of pineapple and an almond Danish. Now to go back to convention and finish raffle tickets and competition voting.   I have not even taken a picture of my entry yet! I did a grey silk and lace dress on Mais Oui Giselle. She is the last doll right before the dioramas. The raffle stuff is mighty tempting. I will fall over dead if I get the Lilith and Eden set....that would be amazing. I heard rumors of people spending over $600 bucks on raffle tickets trying to get the one of a kind dolls I imagine. Crazy talk. It only takes one ticket so I keep hoping that good karma will be with me today. The drawing is right a

So excited for these dolls....here they are in some of the hats that I am selling....

After an eternally boring family fued game that made me want to stab myself in the eye...like i wanted to mutiny...and throw things... For the giveaway...we got a stunning Kyori! Based on Anna Mae Wong. I am blown away.  All three of these girls are amazing. also...here is Kyori in one of the hats  I am selling.

Vaughn says his biggest issue with designing is fabric availability. Fabric choices sometimes change weekly. The design process is fluid...often Jason will have different ideas about what fashion should go on which doll..like casting for models for real runway shows. Fr 2.0 body shoe packs coming. FR16 throwback collection coming and some new things in store. Tweaks nips tucks.  The one of a kind FR16 in the raffle is a hint of what is to come... Homme and Nu Face...nu face coming in spring/summer. Being tweaked to go with new fr bodies. Homme also getting tweaked to be ready by the winter hopefully. Part of the reason there were fewer FR dolls in the last year was to heighten the impact at convention and anticipate these dolls. Things will get scaled up this year.  There will be a core of eight characters: Kyori, Elise, Adele, Eugenia, Veronique, Vanessa, Natalia, and Agnes. Other characters will not be seen for awhile.

This is pretty snazzy....Bellissima Natalia Fatale. $130. Designed to go with Bewitching Veronique. Old School Hollywood veronica lake and rita hayworth... They drew five names. I got her!

We got an adorable little brunette Poppy with a silver dress and eye makeup at the luncheon. I am sure everyone will die for her.  I am so looking forward to this Poppy Spy lineup for 2014 though...might keep my Poppy collection on hold until then to save on space and funds. I got in line for the salesroom right after the lunch but it was pretty bare. From the collection...it lokks like a few of the dolls are gone (poppy and i think Natalia?)...i was pretty close to the front so there are likely more sellouts by now. They only had the victoire roux and monogram workshop dolls left..and only a few of those. I was hoping for the Elise but no dice.  They still had more ticket Anjas and FR shoe packs...but otherwise it looked like the rest were sold out. I went and layered more raffle tickets and looked at the competition dolls. Lots of sparkle. I made a a grey purple silk chiffon and lace ball gown for Mais Oui Giselle. I don't stand a chance though. People went crazy with glitter b

The centerpiece doll is inspired by an Audrey Hepburn fashion. Six people had the chance to buy it. It is Poppy's five year anniversary.  David Butry gave us a brief history of  Poppy's looks over the years.  For the future,  Poppy is going to move into acting in the sixties. She moves to  Hollywood and joins a tv series...as Agent Lana Danger with a twin brother and sister. The idea is inspired by James  Bond, Get Smart, etc. The first doll in this collection will be the club upgrade doll. There will be lots of  Poppy dolls. Loni is coming back.  Poppy might be getting a high heel foot. 16 Poppy will also get a collection again.  There no plans now for a 16 Darla.   Tulabelle is coming back.  There will be more crossover fashions.  I.e. the Fashion Creature doll is wearing the 16 version of The Happening !

So...evidently I passed on the doll everyone is wild for...the Lilith from IT Direct. Honestly she did not do it for me...oh well.  I did not get a Eugenia centerpiece last night...so I might have a good chance at the poppy one today.  Its doubtful i would want to keep her...but one never knows.    I am hoping we get an awesome Gisele or Erin at some point...or Imogen.  We haven't seen Kyori or Vanessa yet either. Can't remember if I mentioned this in my last post but evidently many of the sculpts from the style lab are from the Jem line! I need to get home to compare them...but that is fun.  And another friend asked Vaughn at Integrity...why the purple skin dolls? The answer was that they had a bunch of Synergy bodies left...and it was Halloween...so why not?  I love it. They are fun and different dolls...i love that Integrity takes some fun chances and listens to its collectors. Oh and last night Alain confirmed that they have the Jem license for another year! Woot...so I t